RESIDENTIAL CARE

Lawn Maintenance and Property Care in Richmond Hill

Shade Tree Landscaping provides weekly lawn maintenance, grass cutting and full property care across Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Markham, Thornhill and the GTA. We look after more than 100 commercial properties, from condominium grounds to retail plazas, and we bring the same crews and the same standards to residential lawns.

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+1 (416) 900-8918

What is Included in Lawn Maintenance?

Lawn maintenance usually covers weekly grass cutting, edging along walkways and garden beds, trimming around obstacles, and blowing clippings off hard surfaces. Most Ontario lawn care contracts also include spring and fall cleanups. Fertilising, aeration, weed control and hedge trimming are typically priced separately.

Personalized Consulation

Weekly lawn care: grass cutting,
edging and trimming

Every visit includes all four steps, not just the mowing.

Grass cutting on a weekly schedule through the growing season
Edging along driveways, walkways and garden beds to keep a clean line
String trimming around trees, posts, fences, air conditioners and other obstacles
Blowing clippings off driveways, walkways and patios before we leave
A quick look for pests, disease and bare patches while we are on site

That last one matters more than it sounds. Grubs, chinch bug and fungal problems are far cheaper to deal with when they are caught in June than when the lawn has already thinned out in August.

Lawn health: fertilising, aeration and overseeding

We carry out fertiliser application, aeration and overseeding in-house, which many lawn maintenance companies subcontract. These are what actually improve a lawn, as opposed to simply keeping it cut.

Seasonal property maintenance: spring and fall cleanups

Spring cleanup - Clearing winter debris and matted leaves, cutting back perennials left standing over winter, tidying beds, and the first cut of the season.
Fall cleanup - Leaf removal, cutting back spent growth, clearing beds and a final short cut before the ground freezes.
Garden bed weeding and edging - Redefining bed edges and clearing weeds so beds do not spread into the lawn.
Hedge trimming and shrub shaping - Keeping hedges to a manageable size and shape.

Commercial property maintenance

This is where most of our maintenance work sits. We look after grounds for more than 100 commercial clients: condominium corporations, townhouse complexes, retail plazas, office parks and industrial sites across Richmond Hill and the GTA.

Scheduled cutting, edging and trimming across the whole site
Garden bed maintenance and seasonal planter care
Litter and debris removal on each visit
Hedge and shrub maintenance
Reporting where a property manager or board requires it
Coordination with winter snow removal so one company covers the property year round

Our crew runs 15 full-time staff through the summer, which is what makes large multi-building sites possible on a fixed weekly schedule.

Lawn Care in Richmond Hill: The Local Climate, Soil and Bylaw Rules

Richmond Hill sits in plant hardiness zone 5b, and that shapes the entire lawn care season. Cool-season grasses dominate here: Kentucky bluegrass, fescues and ryegrass. They grow hardest in spring and autumn and slow right down in summer heat, which is the opposite of what most people assume when their lawn browns in July.

The season runs roughly mid-April to late November. The first cut usually lands in mid to late April, once the ground has dried enough to take equipment without rutting. Cutting a soft spring lawn does more damage than skipping a week.

Summer is when most lawns get damaged. Growth slows in July and August heat. Cutting too short during a dry spell is the single most common cause of the thin, brown lawns we get called about every August. We raise cutting height through summer rather than keeping it low.

Much of York Region has heavy clay soil. Clay compacts easily, drains slowly and holds water near the surface. That is why aeration matters more here than in sandier regions, and why a lawn that looks fine in spring can struggle badly by mid-summer once the surface dries and hardens.

Richmond Hill's grass and weed bylaw: the 20 cm rule

Grass and weeds cannot exceed 20 cm, year round. Richmond Hill’s Grass and Weeds By-law 31-19 sets that limit and it applies all year, not just in summer. Twenty centimetres is roughly eight inches, which a neglected lawn reaches surprisingly quickly in a wet June.

You are responsible for the boulevard next to your property. Under the same bylaw, residents maintain the boulevard adjacent to their property. Richmond Hill maintains boulevards at the rear of properties, and at the side of properties next to four-lane collector roads. A lot of people mow to their property line and are surprised the strip beyond it is still theirs.

The City can cut it for you and bill you. The bylaw allows Richmond Hill staff and contractors to enter private property to remove non-compliant grass and weeds, and to charge the cost back to the owner.

Wildflower gardens are exempt, provided the area is clearly defined and distinguishable from the lawn. Environmentally sensitive land is also exempt, and owners are not required to mow boulevard ditches.

This is not a rare problem. In 2018, Richmond Hill’s By-law and Licensing Enforcement Division opened 793 files relating to long grass and weeds, more than for any other bylaw category that year.

How Our Richmond Hill Lawn Maintenance Service Works, Step By Step

We measure your property.

Lawn area, slope, obstacles, gate width and access, and whether there is a dog. Gate width decides which mower can get into the back yard.

You get a per-visit and a seasonal price

Most customers choose the seasonal contract because the cost is predictable and it secures a spot on the route.

You get a regular service day

We aim for the same day each week so you know when to move cars and unlock gates. In practice we work around the weather, because cutting a saturated lawn does more harm than arriving a day later.

We cut, edge, trim and blow down on every visit

All four, every time. Not just mowing.

We flag problems early

Grubs, chinch bug, disease and drainage issues all get worse and more expensive the longer they are left.

Lawn Maintenance Prices in Richmond Hill: What Affects Your Quote

Lawn maintenance is priced either per visit or as a seasonal contract covering the full season.

Seasonal contracts are generally better value per visit and remove the guesswork about how many cuts a season will need.

Lawn Size

The main factor. A standard Richmond Hill subdivision lot and a half-acre property in King City are very different jobs.

Cutting Frequency

Weekly is standard through the growing season. Bi-weekly costs less across a season, but the grass is longer at each cut, which stresses the lawn.

Access

Narrow gates, steep slopes, fenced back yards and shared driveways all add time.

Obstacles

Lots of trees, beds and play equipment means more trimming and less straight mowing.

Boulevard

Whether you want the boulevard strip in front of the property included. This is charged separately for residential properties.

Extras

Fertilising, aeration, overseeding and weed control are quoted separately from the cutting contract.

Cleanups

Spring and fall cleanups are usually separate, because the volume of debris varies enormously.

When to Book Lawn Maintenance For the Season

Book in March or early April, before the first cut.

Lawn maintenance runs on routes. Crews work a fixed geographic run, and once the route is full in your neighbourhood there is no room to add a property without pushing everyone else’s day back. Routes fill in early spring.

We accept new lawn maintenance contracts as late as the end of September, and our summer season finishes at the end of October. Booking earlier means a better slot and usually a better price, and it means your spring cleanup and first cut happen at the right moment rather than after the grass has run away.

Lawn maintenance service areas across York Region and the GTA

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why choose us

Why Property Owners Choose Shade Tree for Lawn Maintenance

One company for the whole year. Lawn maintenance in summer and snow removal in winter, on a single agreement if you want it, with the same crew who already know the property.

Our Reputation

Lawn Maintenance Reviews from Richmond Hill and York Region Customers

Mary-Lou Pullante, condominium board

“We've been using Shade Tree Landscaping for the grounds maintenance at our condominium for the past couple of years, and they have consistently done an excellent job. Their team is very reliable and always pays attention to detail.”

Crystal Webb, condominium community

“This company is amazing! I am so happy we obtained them for our condo community. We consist of many townhouses and this crew is outstanding. They come up to the driveways blowing the leaves and collecting them along with garbage.”

Clayton Cadeau, townhouse complex

“Shade Tree Landscaping has provided great service for our townhouse complex. They have shown to be a great asset to our community. All work is done great, from cutting grass, tree trimming and bushes, garbage clean ups and snowplowing.”

— Liv Penney, board of directors

“I reside on the board of directors where I live and Shade Tree Landscaping are our preferred company for landscaping and snow removal. They have shown us constant professionalism and pride in their work and business.”

FAQ

Lawn Maintenance in Richmond Hill
Frequently Asked Question

How often should a lawn be cut in Ontario?

Weekly through the main growing season, roughly May to September. The guideline is to remove no more than one third of the blade height in a single cut. In spring, when grass grows fastest, weekly cutting is what stops a lawn being scalped at the next visit.

When does lawn maintenance season start and end in Richmond Hill?

The first cut is usually mid to late April, once the ground has dried enough to take equipment without rutting. The season generally runs to late November, ending with a fall cleanup and a final shorter cut before the ground freezes.

How long can grass be in Richmond Hill before it breaks the bylaw?

Richmond Hill’s Grass and Weeds By-law 31-19 sets a limit of 20 cm, about eight inches, and it applies year round. The City can enter the property, cut non-compliant grass and charge the cost back to the owner. Deliberate wildflower gardens are exempt if the area is clearly defined and distinguishable from the lawn.

Do I have to cut the boulevard in front of my house?

In Richmond Hill, yes. Under the Grass and Weeds By-law, residents maintain the boulevard next to their property. We can include the boulevard in your service for an additional charge, and for commercial properties we often maintain it where the corporation asks us to and the city does not do it regularly. Property owners are not required to mow boulevard ditches.

What is the difference between lawn care and lawn maintenance?

In practice the terms overlap. Lawn maintenance usually means the physical work of cutting, edging and trimming on a schedule. Lawn care more often refers to the health of the grass itself: fertilising, weed control, aeration and overseeding. We do both, and they are quoted separately.

Do you fertilise, aerate and overseed?

Yes, all three, and we do them in-house rather than subcontracting. We can also apply weed control spray on request. We do not apply pesticides ourselves, so if a problem needs a licensed pesticide application we will tell you and point you to someone who can.

Why is my lawn turning brown in summer?

Usually one of three things. Drought stress, which recovers on its own once rain returns. Cutting too short in heat, which is the most common cause and the most avoidable. Or grubs and chinch bugs, which need treating. Brown patches that lift away like loose carpet point to grubs feeding on the roots.

How short should grass be cut?

Higher than most people think. Around three inches suits most Ontario lawns, and higher again through July and August. Longer grass shades its own roots, holds moisture and crowds out weeds. Cutting short is the fastest route to a thin, weedy lawn.

Do you cut on the same day every week?

We aim to. A regular service day means you know when to move cars and unlock gates. In practice we work around the weather, because mowing a saturated lawn tears the grass and leaves ruts, so heavy rain can push a route back by a day.

Is a seasonal contract cheaper than paying per cut?

Usually. A seasonal contract spreads the cost evenly across the season and generally works out lower per visit than paying each time. It also secures your spot on the route, which matters because routes fill up in early spring.

We accept new lawn maintenance contracts until the end of September, and our summer season finishes at the end of October. Booking in March or early April gets you a better slot on the route.

Why does clay soil matter for my lawn?

Much of York Region sits on heavy clay. It compacts easily and drains slowly, so water sits near the surface in spring and the ground hardens in summer. Compacted clay restricts root growth, which is why aeration makes more difference here than in sandier regions.

Do you maintain commercial properties?

Yes, and it is the largest part of our maintenance business. We look after more than 100 commercial clients including condominium corporations, townhouse complexes, retail plazas, office parks and industrial sites, with scheduled reporting where a property manager or board requires it.

Do you offer lawn maintenance and snow removal together?

Yes. Many customers use one company across the whole year so the same crew knows the property in every season, and the winter and summer schedules are coordinated.

Get a Lawn Maintenance Quote for Your Richmond Hill Property

Tell us your address and we will measure the property and send you both a per-visit and a seasonal price for cutting, edging, trimming and blow down.