About Us

ESTABLISHED IN 1985

For over 30 years, Ground Up has been specializing in landscape services for residential and commercial clients. Whether you're a new homeowner needing a landscape design or an established business needing routine lawn and landscape maintenance, Ground Up has the expert staff to do the job – and you'll always receive quality service no matter how large or small your landscape project is.

Experience you can trust

At Ground Up Inc you'll be guaranteed to have the lawn or landscape you've dreamt of but never had the time to create or maintain. Ground Up’s owner, Tim Phelps, studied horticulture at VA Tech and has been serving Roanoke, VA and the surrounding area for 30 years. Let our experienced staff help you achieve the beautiful lawn or landscape you've always wanted.

Quality landscaping from the ground up

Ground Up is a licensed, insured company. Our experienced staff is knowledgeable in landscape design and professional landscape practices. We use only quality plant and hardscape materials to create a beautiful landscape that you can be proud of and will increase in value over time.

Contact Ground Up today at 772-4722 or click here for a FREE landscaping estimate, or browse our Web site for more information on how we can help you achieve your ideal outdoor living space.

Why should you consider landscaping your home or business?

HOMEOWNERS: Landscaping your home benefits not only you, but also your family, your neighborhood, the environment and future generations. Just a few of the benefits associated with landscape plantings around your home and in your community, taken from a Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication titled, “The Value of Landscaping” Citation: Communications and Marketing. 2009. “The Value of Landscaping.” Virginia Cooperative Extension: Virginia Gardener Publication 426-721: pp: 1-2. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Accessed: 30 March 2014. < http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-721/426-721.html>., are outlined below:

• YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
  
  
  • Physical exercise associated with mowing, weeding, gardening, etc.
  • Healthy food from your own garden.
  • Improved quality of life.
  • Viewing or working in a garden or landscape can be very therapeutic. Citation: See also: Turner, Phyllis, Ph.D., R.N. November 2013.“Therapeutic Gardening.” Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication HORT-66NP: pp. 1-9. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Accessed: 31 March 2014. < http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/HORT/HORT-66/HORT-66.html>.)
  • If you ever choose to sell your home, an attractive landscape design with sizable, diverse plantings has been shown by a recent survey conducted by the Department of Horticulture at Virginia Tech to “significantly increase perceived home value… result(ing) in a higher selling price than homes with minimal landscaping.” Citation: Niemiera, Alex X. May 2009. “The Effect of Landscape Plants on Perceived Home Value.” Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426-087: pp: 1-2. Department of Horticulture, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Accessed: 31 March 2014. < http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-087/426-087.html>.)
  
  
• YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THE ENVIRONMENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS
  
  
  • Protecting water quality by reducing surface water runoff, preventing septic system overload and keeping pollutants out of our waterways.
  • Reducing soil erosion, flooding, mudslides and duststorms.
  • Improving air quality by removing pollutants and dust from the air.
  • Lowers summer air temperatures – trees shading homes can reduce attic temperatures as much as 40 degrees.
  • Conserves natural resources by reducing heating and cooling costs.
  • Screens busy streets, reduces noise and glare from headlights
  • Landscaping reduces crime.
  • Good landscaping – street trees and parks - increases community appeal.

BUSINESS OWNERS: Consider some of the benefits below, taken from the same publication mentioned above titled, “The Value of Landscaping,”Citation: Communications and Marketing. 2009. “The Value of Landscaping.” Virginia Cooperative Extension: Virginia Gardener Publication 426-721: pp: 1-2. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Accessed: 30 March 2014. < http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-721/426-721.html>. when deciding whether or not to landscape your business.

• PROMOTING YOUR BUSINESS
  
  
  • Give your entrance and sign higher visibility with an appealing landscape design.
  • Make your landscape a safe, open and inviting place to your customers through good design and keeping it well-maintained.
  • In a survey of shopping districts with trees conducted by the University of Washington titled “Trees on Main Street: Influences on Retail and Shopping Behavior”Citation: Wolf, Kathleen L., Ph.D. September 2004. “Trees on Main Street: Influences on Retail and Shopping Behavior.” Human Dimensions of the Urban Forest Fact Sheet #17: pp. 1-2. College of Forest Resources, University of Washington. Accessed date: 31 March 2014. < http://www.naturewithin.info/CityBiz/Sml%20Tn%203P_FS17.pdf l>.), shoppers:
    • Rated “place character” 35% higher;
    • Were willing to shop longer and more frequently,
    • Buy more merchandise;
    • Pay more for parking; and
    • Priced products an average of 9% higher.
  
  
• PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  
  
  • Good landscaping increases community appeal.
  • Landscaping reduces crime.
  • Plants increase tourism revenues.
  • Views of plants increase job satisfaction.
  • Nature increases worker productivity.
  • Landscaping renews business districts.

Why hire a professional landscaper to design, build and install your landscaping project?

Just like other skilled trades, landscaping can look pretty easy when a professional does it. When it comes down to trying to do the job yourself though, you might find it’s a bit more difficult to pull off well. A few of the things you’ll want to consider if you plan to do your landscape project yourself:

How many nurseries and garden centers will you have to visit before you find the plants you’re looking for?
Will the nursery or garden center have knowledgeable staff to help you with plant selection?
How big will the plants be when they have reached their mature size?
Will the plants be guaranteed and, if so, for how long?
Will the plants you select thrive in the location where you’ll be putting them?
What care will they need right now, next year, and the year after that?

These are but a few of the questions involved in plant selection. Other factors that a professional can help you with when selecting plants for your design include:

• Design qualities: Form, texture, color, fragrance, etc.
• Mature size: Height and width
• Cultural needs: Sun/shade, water, soil, hardiness, etc.
• Landscape value: Seasonal interest, life expectancy, reliable blooming/fruiting, etc.
• Landscape use: Specimen plant, turf, etc.
• Maintenance: Pruning, fertilizing, etc.
• Special features: Bloom time/duration, distinct foliage, seasonal leaf color, etc.
• Availability and price

Of course, plant selection isn’t the only consideration when creating an appealing overall landscape design. Other factors to consider include:

• Site conditions: Soil, sun/shade, prevailing winds, topography, etc.
• Underground and overhead utilities
• Offsite views to screen: Neighbor’s trash bins, dog run, etc.
• Offsite views to enhance: Scenic vistas of forests, hills, ponds, meadows, etc.
• Onsite views to call attention to: Entranceways, specimen plants, etc.
• Onsite areas to screen: Privacy from neighbors or from roadways
• Landscape use(s): Recreation, entertaining, service, parking or vehicular storage, etc.
• Design styles to suit or contrast with existing architecture
• Hardscaping material selection: Color, pattern, style, and size in a design suitable with existing structures and hardscape; durability; safety; availability and price
• Hardscape installation: Level, proper grading for accessibility; safety; ease of maintenance; etc.
• Landscape business practices: Planting/transplanting, mulching, staking, fertilizing, etc. to ensure the plantings will thrive where they are located and serve the design parameters

Why hire a pro? Between the concept and the final result is where an experienced professional can help you:

• Refine your design/idea so that it fits within your budget,
• Avoid the pitfalls and headaches (and back aches) of installation, and
• Get the job done in a professional and timely manner.

Put another way: “Landscape design is a complex process that combines the practical with the artful in a unified, functional composition.” At Ground Up, our goal is to give you a professionally designed and installed landscape with the best possible value for your investment. Citation: Hannebaum, Leroy G. Landscape Design: A Practical Approach. 5th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002. Print.

Why hire Ground Up?

As a client you will want to hire an experienced, licensed, and insured landscape contractor that understands landscape design and utilizes professional landscape practices to translate your needs, preferences, and budget into a landscape that you can be proud of and whose value will continue to increase over time. With over 30 years of experience, Ground Up has the knowledge and expertise to create and install your landscaping project to improve your property's value now and in the future, AND we are licensed and insured.

Call 772-4722 or click here to contact Ground Up today
for your free consultation and estimate.