The perfect backyard with Totally Outdoors, LLC

Every homeowner seems to have a trouble spot. An unusable hillside, a concrete slab that poses as a patio, or a tired row of shrubbery more dated than the owner's graduation photos. Homeowners may know they need help with their landscaping, but they may not know where to start.

At Totally Outdoors, LLC., partners Joe Stewart and Chris Vance see nothing but possibilities. Where someone else might picture a simple retaining wall, the professionals at Totally Outdoors, LLC. picture the transformation of a muddy bank into mom and dad's favorite getaway spot. A landscaping project can be the renaissance of a home's exterior, or a small addition that improves what's already there. "It can be as simple as a fire ring in the backyard," said Stewart. "Now you have something functional and beautiful for not a lot of money."

Vance and Stewart have been working in the landscape business for 11 years. Vance received his degree in Landscape Construction and Maintenance from The Ohio State University, and the two have honed their skills to include a number of certifications for their putting green and pond installations. They are also members of the Better Business Bureau and the Ohio Lawn Care Association. But as much as anything, it's the years of getting their hands dirty that taught them much of what they know.

Totally Outdoors, LLC. began serving the area in 2004, and since then, have not only focused on mowing and landscape maintenance, but also designing and building new hardscapes. Also offering tree trimming, snow removal, excavating, and new lawn installation with hydroseeding, they can complete almost any backyard request a homeowner may have, all the while maintaining open communication and a uniquely creative outlook.

"Some people have a hard time visualizing what they want," said Stewart. "They just say, 'What do you think I should do here?' I love when somebody says that because then you can throw ideas out there." And Stewart loves to help homeowners understand the possibilities. A simple patio, a fire ring or a water garden are options a homeowner may not realize are possible. Hillsides are great for a creek bed installation, adding beauty and the soothing sound of a babbling brook. Add flowers, outdoor lighting, and an irrigation system, and an ordinary backyard is transformed into an oasis.

When creating a new landscape, the details are of the utmost importance, all the way down to the mulching technique. At Totally Outdoors, LLC., Stewart and Vance take great pride in smoothing out any imperfections, paying attention to each aspect of their work, until the job is complete. With such a high level of service and attention to detail, the homeowner will undoubtedly notice the change. "It really makes a difference in how the landscaping shows up."

And to combat the difficulty in visualizing the finished product, Stewart doesn't just use blueprints. He often takes a hands-on approach for his customers and literally paints the outline of a proposed project on the grass. "We can do drawings, but we also like to show people on their property what the shape will be. We'll set out the plants and give them time to think about it." Totally Outdoors, LLC. always makes sure a design is what the customer wants, not just what looks good on paper.

Currently, there are several landscaping designs that are trending in popularity. Water garden installation is something that's hard to find in this region and Totally Outdoors, LLC. is prepared to tackle the job. This task can be a simple bubbler to add interest to an entrance, or it can be the feature of a backyard outdoor living space. With water plants and all the necessary accessories and additives, it's the place to move beyond rocks and plants for a landscape project.

Another exciting venture, and one for the diehard golfer, offers the next best thing to a home by the fairway. "We are a certified installer of golf scapes," said Stewart. It's a synthetic putting surface on a custom-built base that golfers swear putts just like real grass. The greens are built to the size, shape, and contour a golfer wants, even customizing the speed of the green. With fringe, a sand trap and a chipping pad, it's a system that's sure to lower a golfer's score.

Totally Outdoors, LLC. is ready to welcome new as well as experienced gardeners and homeowners who want to create the perfect outdoor landscape this year. "We are now accepting new mowing and maintenance customers," Stewart said. "Our company continues to grow and we are ready to take on more landscaping maintenance, both residential and commercial."

And it can all begin this spring and summer at Totally Outdoors, LLC. and their Outdoor Center, a retail area to get flowers, water plants, algae water additives, mulch, topsoil, and other supplies. The Outdoor Center includes both indoor and outdoor displays of different hardscape ideas, as well as a golf scape putting green to try out. The Outdoor Center is the perfect place for a homeowner to meet both Stewart and Vance, get ideas, ask questions, and start visualizing the possibilities for their own home. Because there's one thing Stewart and Vance don't run short of, and that's ideas on how to beautify an outdoor living space. Totally Outdoors, LLC. is located at 3221 SR 83, Millersburg. For more information, including the official opening date for the Outdoor Center, visit them online at http://www. totallyoutdoorsllc.com, on Facebook or by calling 330-231-4080.

This article was underwritten by Totally Outdoors, LLC.