By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
West Boylston??”After a hurricane and a blizzard, snowstorms and cold, your landscaping needs some tender loving care.
McCarthy's Landscaping & Irrigation can give your lawn a jump start on spring and prune or replace storm-damaged shrubs and trees.
“This is the time of year to get lawns cleaned up after a cold and snowy winter,” said Roger McCarthy, who owns the business with his wife, Sue. “Have us come out and evaluate what your property needs.”
“The quicker you call, the quicker we can get fertilization and crabgrass control done, and your lawn will have a better start on spring,” Sue said.
McCarthy's, which has been in business for over 18 years, is beefing up its fertilization, mowing and mulching programs, along with installation and maintenance of irrigation systems.
“Look at us as full-service, one-stop shopping for landscaping needs,” Roger said, pointing out that all work is performed by McCarthy's own employees, not by subcontractors.
The firm's maintenance services, which include an option for weekly or biweekly mowing, can help customers reclaim their weekends. “You work hard Monday through Friday. You should be able to enjoy your backyard on the weekends,” Sue said.
McCarthy's offers several choices of mulch to improve the look of the landscape and to keep weeds down and moisture in the soil, and this is the time to apply mulch, before plants begin to grow. The company has black pine and hemlock mulch in stock, and customers can pick up what they need or have it delivered.
There's a “mulch calculator” on the firm's website, www.mccarthyslandscaping.com, to help figure out how much is needed, or customers can call Sue for advice.
McCarthy's can also install mulch, and for installations, customers can custom order any type of mulch they would like.
Roger also suggested using river rocks instead of bark mulch. The company sells Hudson Valley river rock, smooth stones about 1 ? to 2 inches big, that give a different look and last longer than bark mulch.
McCarthy's does much more than landscape maintenance, however.
The company installs and services irrigation systems, installs low-voltage landscape lighting, and can design and install such features as stone walls, walkways, patios, even outdoor kitchens.
“The new landscape lighting uses LED bulbs, so it takes even less power and the bulbs last longer,” Roger said. The low-voltage lighting can be added to patio areas, make the front of the home more attractive and accent landscape features at night with a subdued glow.
Popular outdoor projects are fire pits, outdoor kitchens, ponds and “pondless waterfalls” with just flowing water so the water feature requires less space, Sue said. “You can do a landscape project in stages, instead of all at once.”
“Last year, we did a lot of patios. People wanted more outdoor living space,” Roger said.
Consultations on landscaping projects are free, and the McCarthys encourage homeowners to visit their headquarters in West Boylston where they can see installed displays of different types of building materials, as well as water features and outdoor entertaining areas.
McCarthy's Landscaping takes on construction projects just about anywhere in the state, and has done work from New Hampshire to Cape Cod. Landscape maintenance work with frequent visits is concentrated in Worcester County.
McCarthy's is located at 133 Hartwell St. in West Boylston. Additional information is available on the website www.mccarthyslandscaping.com, or call 508-842-7110.
