I'm not talking about just mowing. I'm talking about just taking care of the lawn and whatever it needs to look tip top — to care for it as you would. Whether that is noticing a dry spot and fixing the sprinkler head, spring aeration and fertilizer, noticing and treating a fungal spot or grub damage, fall overseeding if needed, etc.

I've finally reached a point where I'd consider paying for such a service, if it could just take the lawn care entirely off my plate so I don't have to worry about it. But, I've not been able to find such a service. This year — for the first time, due to being gone for every single weekend in May and June — I've tried an experiment hiring out some of the services (sprinkler repair, dethatching and fertilizing, and mowing) but I don't believe I've saved any time at all. I have to call a dozen places for each service, reshuffle schedule to meet the plan B guys when the first outfit doesn't show up, try and coordinate having the lawn 'ready' for whatever service is being done that day. Then you either have to supervise or be surprised when they've come and gone and either left something un-done or done a piss-poor job and I have to either have them come back or end up fixing it or redoing it myself.

So, I've wasting a significant sum of money, saved very little (if any) time, and ended up with inferior results.

Has anyone achieved the dream of completely outsourcing their lawncare and enjoying a park-like yard without any intervention? Is this possible or is it just a fantasy? How much are you spending to enjoy this newfound time freedom?