Markey Township lies along the north side of Houghton Lake, where sandy soil, jack pine and lake air set the terms for anything green. Ruby Roots Garden Design LLC works with that, keeping lawns mowed and trimmed from the first warm weeks of the year through Labor Day, edging where turf meets sand and gravel, and clearing beds in spring and again once the leaves let go. Grass up here wants a higher cut and a lighter hand; scalp it in July and the sand wins. Mornings off the lake come in cool and still, which is a good hour to be out with a mower. The payoff is a cabin yard or a year-round lawn that looks kept without looking fussy.