Spring on the Grand Strand arrives earlier than most of the country — and it moves fast. By March, the soil is warming, plants are breaking dormancy, and weeds are already getting a head start. The homeowners who get out ahead of it with a spring landscaping plan end up with the best-looking yards all summer. The ones who wait until everything is already growing spend the season playing catch-up.

Here's the C-Scapes spring landscaping checklist for Grand Strand homeowners — what to do, when to do it, and how our Murrells Inlet garden center and landscape supply yard can help you get it all done in one efficient run.

March — Early Spring Priorities

1. Refresh Your Mulch Beds

This is your single highest-impact spring task. A fresh layer of black or brown mulch — topped up to 3 inches — instantly transforms the appearance of your entire yard, suppresses the early wave of spring weeds, and retains soil moisture as temperatures rise. Order early; our delivery schedule fills up fast in March and April. Schedule mulch delivery →

2. Clear Winter Debris and Dead Foliage

Cut back ornamental grasses, remove freeze-damaged foliage from tropicals, and clear out any leaves or debris that have accumulated in beds over winter. This cleanup opens beds up for new growth and removes overwintering pest habitat.

3. Check on Your Banana Trees and Tropicals

If you mulched your banana tree rhizomes before winter, now is the time to pull back that protective mulch and check for new growth emerging from the base. Once you see green shoots, the plant survived — and it will come back fast once temperatures are consistently warm. Banana tree care guide →

4. Edge Your Beds

Clean, crisp bed edges make a freshly mulched yard look finished and professional. Re-cut your bed edges before mulch goes down for the best result.

April — Peak Planting Season

5. Plant New Shrubs and Trees

April is prime time to plant new shrubs, palms, and landscape trees on the Grand Strand. The soil is warm enough to support rapid root establishment, but temperatures haven't hit peak summer heat yet — giving new plants the best possible start. Stop by our Murrells Inlet garden center for Sabal palms, Podocarpus, Loropetalum, and the full spring selection. What's in stock at C-Scapes →

6. Install Privacy Hedges

If you've been thinking about adding a privacy screen along your property line, spring planting gives new hedge plants the entire growing season to establish before their first winter. Podocarpus, Wax Myrtle, and Ligustrum planted in April will be noticeably larger by fall. Best hedge plants for the Grand Strand →

7. Add Color to Entrance Beds

Lantana, Pentas, Vinca, and Salvia are ready to go in April and will bloom continuously through the summer with minimal care. Plant in full sun beds for the biggest impact and the longest season of color.

8. Pre-Emergent Weed Control

If you didn't apply a pre-emergent herbicide in late February or early March, April is your last good window before summer weed pressure peaks. Apply before soil temperatures get too warm, then mulch over the top to create a double barrier. Full weed control guide →

May — Before the Summer Heat Peaks

9. Mulch Around New Plantings

Any trees, palms, or shrubs you planted in March or April need a generous mulch layer around their base — 3 inches deep, kept away from the trunk — before summer heat arrives. This is the single most important thing you can do to help new plants survive their first Grand Strand summer. We can deliver bulk mulch right to your yard.

10. Plan Your Summer Events

If you're hosting an outdoor event this summer — a graduation party, a Fourth of July gathering, a rehearsal dinner — now is the time to talk to C-Scapes about plant rentals. We book up quickly for summer weekends, and the earlier you reach out, the more options you have. Event staging and plant rentals →