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Marcus Sommers Landscaping
Let Our Passion and Knowledge Be Your Guides
THE STRAW HAT GARDENER
New Branch of MSLandscaping on
its way soon!
Increased focus on specific garden plant care and horticulture skills along with watering schedules for existing or recently installed gardens and landscaped areas. This has always been included in my follow-ups with clients, but more of you are asking for the expertise. I look forward to sharing this year around, new venture this summer.
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The Fourth of July snuck up on us. World Cup, Wimbledon, kids at camps, people rushing at the last minute to get their red, white, and blue hung and holiday plans set...This is Atlanta. We are experiencing a true southern summer. July is producing temps in the 90's for a predicted 32 days straight! Even with the heat it is shaping up to be a great summer full of SUN and time outside. Enjoy the gardens and landscapes around you.
July 1! Starting a super fun project this afternoon. I am starting prep for a backyard fire pit area with grey slate tucked in behind undulating garden beds. It is a great plan that will allow the clients to use it all year long except for the coldest of winter days. July will also bring the installation of a gorgeous Japanese inspired garden with winding slate paths. You can see these projects in progress on my Instagram page (link at the bottom of the page.).
I love chatting with prospective and new clients. Summer is full of running into more people who have questions about everything from flowers to drainage. Designing and installing landscaping projects is my jam! Some include large clean-ups, hardscape, drainage and garden bed makeovers before the whims of their owners find their way into my designs. I love seeing my clients excitement when they realize they have an entire new yard space on the way for their friends and family. I am in my element. I love summer in the south!
It is July and we are only 11 days into the summer! Summer lasts until September 22. It is never too late to dream big, summer dreams for your yard and gardens spaces. We can make those dreams realities. What are your 2026 landscaping and gardening needs? Mother Nature is on fire with the beautiful green spaces and gardens in Atlanta. Get the ball rolling for your summer-fall outdoor time with landscaping time with us.
We specialize in effective, FREE consultations that allow face to face time with a client so that we are better able to understand their needs and answer their questions. In a world of text, email, and messenger, we prefer to talk directly with our clients and follow up effectively.
Happy Summer,
Marcus Sommers,
Horticulturist and Principal
PS: Check out our most recent work and a plethora or our past work on Instagram: @msommerslandscaping
July 2026
Hover Over Me
Marcus Sommers, Principal
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Horticulturist
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Certified Master Gardener
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Master Designer
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Top Drainage Installer
How Do I Know What Kind of
Landscaping Design I am Interested in for My Residential Yard Space?
Summer Design Query - How do I know what kind of new landscaping design I am interested in for my yard and gardens?
We receive this question often and love responding to it. Sometimes, clients meet with us for a consultation and know exactly what they want minus some tweaks with the landscaper. Other times clients are not sure and can't visualize what new green spaces will look like.
An easy way to start the process is to think about what makes you feel good in an outdoor space? Dream a little. A few things to think about....Are crisp, clean, modern garden lines preferred? A mixed, more natural feel? Windy pathways or straight ahead appeal? A palate of greens and other natural colors? Bright colors? Will the space be primarily for family or does it need to be a space for greater entertainment? Is a kitchen space needed or another outdoor hard space like a new patio or walkway, pool, pond, cottage sitting area, or creek bed area?
As a long time landscaper and designer I love these questions. They present opportunities to really work with my clients on developing a green space that is tailored to the client's needs. I love when clients have walked in their yard spaces and spent time dreaming of what they might see themselves enjoying, whether it is organic green space design or greenspace + hardscape. Happy dreaming!
July Landscaping Care Tips
Pruning in July?
The month of July in the South is HOT this year following a wet spring. Atlanta had a growth injection with everything that was planted anew or in old growth trees and perennials. I have received quite a few questions from clients new and old regarding pruning at this stage in the summer.
The ONLY plants and shrubs you should consider pruning in July are:
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Hedges. Trim to smarten them up. No deep cuts or thinning.
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Roses. Scaling or rambling roses need a trim back and repeat blooming roses need deadheading. This will allow a second blooming flush.
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Perennials. Flowering perennials that explode with color in the late spring - early summer, i.e. salvia, phlox, and lungwort to name a few, need to be trimmed back. Cutbacks will encourage new growth for the continuing summer months.
Testimonials
Gracious Words From Our Clients
"Marcus did a fantastic job on our front yard landscaping project. We had a tricky side yard under a big oak tree with big roots where we couldn't get anything to grow. He came up with a creative solution, and now the area is beautifully landscaped and complements the rest of the yard. Marcus worked with me on budget and preferred plants, and was willing to divide and use some plants I already had growing elsewhere. He was very knowledgeable and happy to answer questions about selecting plants and caring for the landscape."
Lanier Bauer, Candler Park, 2018
Landscaping Professional with
25+ Yrs of Experience
