September softens the hills west of town toward Lost Mountain and Blackjack, the heat backing off just enough that fescue will take hold again. Summit Lawn Co. works that turn in the year hard: aerating compacted clay, overseeding thin and shaded lawns, and keeping the mowing, edging and trimming steady while the new grass fills in. The rest of the calendar is the honest routine — mulch in the beds, shrubs shaped, walks blown clean, and a full leaf clearing once the oaks let go. Marietta gives a long green season and asks for attention nearly all of it. Standing at the top of a finished yard, lines straight and edges crisp, is reason enough to keep climbing.