The hills on the west edge of town, the ones Hickory Hills sits down into, do not hand anybody a flat yard. Premier Outdoors of Traverse City, LLC takes the awkward ground as readily as the easy ground — weekly mowing that keeps a slope looking even, string trimming around ledges and bed lines, edging along the drive, hedge and shrub work, mulch refreshed so the beds hold their shape, and cleanups at both ends of the year. Late August is when a lawn either holds together or gives up; steady feeding, weed control and a blade set high carry most properties through the dry weeks. By September the color comes back and the whole place looks like someone has been paying attention. Which someone has.