Looking for garden maintenance services in Ottawa? You are in the right place. As Ottawa’s trusted landscaping experts, the NeighborScape team is here to help. Keep reading to learn more about why you should invest in garden maintenance and to learn more about our services.
The Importance of Garden Maintenance in Ottawa
Without regular care, even well-designed gardens can struggle. Plants compete for space and nutrients, beds become compacted, weeds take over, and small issues often turn into bigger, more expensive problems.
On the other hand, when you invest in regular garden maintenance, your stunning flowers and plants are given a chance to shine. Regular check-ins help to monitor growth and overall plant health. Plus, you’ll have a chance to catch any issues before they take root. In short, regular garden maintenance helps prevent the following problems in Ottawa:
- Prevents gardens from looking messy, blocking walkways, or overwhelming small spaces.
- Stops weeds from taking over garden beds and competing with plants for water and nutrients.
- Catches declining plant health early, before damage becomes obvious or irreversible.
- Keeps gardens looking intentional and cared for throughout the season, not just after cleanups.
- Helps properly prepare your garden for the upcoming season.
Key Seasonal Garden Maintenance Tasks
The needs of your garden vary by season, and your maintenance program should reflect that.
Spring: Wake-Up and Reset
Spring is all about setting your garden up for success:
- Clean-up and debris removal – Clearing leaves, branches, and winter damage so plants can breathe and new growth isn’t smothered.
- Bed edging and cultivation – Redefining bed edges and loosening compacted soil to improve drainage and root growth.
- Soil amendments and mulch – Adding compost or soil conditioners and topping up mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
- Dividing and transplanting perennials – Managing overcrowding, improving plant health, and filling gaps in other areas of the garden.
- Early-season pruning – Removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches on shrubs and small trees, following proper pruning timing for each species.
A strong spring reset reduces work later in the season and gives your plants the best possible start.
Summer: Ongoing Care and Curb Appeal
Summer is about keeping everything looking lush, tidy, and healthy:
- Weeding and bed care – Staying ahead of fast-growing weeds before they set seed.
- Plant health monitoring – Watching for pests, diseases, drought stress, or nutrient deficiencies and responding early.
- Pruning and deadheading – Shaping shrubs, removing spent blooms, and encouraging continued flowering.
- Watering support and advice – Ensuring plants are watered deeply and appropriately, and making adjustments during heat waves or dry spells.
- Seasonal planting – Adding annuals or container plantings for ongoing colour and interest.
Regular summer visits keep your garden looking intentional rather than overgrown—even when life gets busy.
Fall: Protect and Prepare
Fall maintenance is about protecting your investment and making sure spring starts smoothly:
- Cutbacks and selective pruning – Cutting back perennials that benefit from it and leaving others for winter interest or wildlife value.
- Leaf and debris management – Removing excess leaves from beds and lawns while allowing beneficial organic matter where appropriate.
- Final weeding and bed tidy – Reducing the weed seed bank before winter.
- Mulching and winter protection – Applying protective mulch and, where needed, wrapping or shielding vulnerable plants.
- Assessing and planning – Noting what worked, what struggled, and where you might want changes next season.
Thoughtful fall work often means less winter damage and a much easier spring.
Winter: Plan Ahead
Even though the ground is frozen, winter is one of the best times to think about your outdoor spaces:
- Reviewing what you liked (and didn’t like) about your garden last year.
- Identifying areas that need more structure, colour, or privacy.
- Planning changes to planting beds, layouts, or features.
- Getting on the schedule early so work and cleanups can start as soon as conditions allow.
By the time the snow melts, you’ll already have a plan—and a team ready to bring it to life.
Our Garden Maintenance Services
Here at NeighborScape, garden maintenance is tailored to your property, your plants, and your priorities. Typical services include:
- Seasonal garden cleanups: Spring and fall cleanups to remove debris, manage cutbacks, and reset beds for the coming season.
- Weeding and bed care: Regular removal of weeds, cultivation of soil, and tidying of edges and pathways.
- Pruning and plant care: Correct, species-appropriate pruning of shrubs and small trees, deadheading, and thinning to promote healthy growth and flowering.
- Soil health and mulch management: Adding compost, soil amendments, and mulch to support strong root systems, moisture retention, and weed suppression.
- Seasonal and annual planting: Installing annuals, bulbs, and seasonal colour to refresh your garden throughout the year.
- And more! Looking for a garden maintenance service that isn’t on this list? Contact us today to start building your custom maintenance plan.
Contact NeighborScape Today!
Looking to get ahead of the curve? It’s never too early to start thinking about softscaping and garden maintenance services. Whether you are starting from an established landscape or feel your beds have gotten away from you, NeighborScape can help bring your garden back to a place you are proud of. Call us or request a quote through our website for more information!
