Landscape Design In Progress St. Michael MN

This one is a big job - and we're right in the middle of it. A homeowner in St. Michael brought us in to take a blank, unfinished backyard and turn it into an outdoor space that actually works. New patio. New planting beds. Trees going in. Mulch being laid. The whole nine yards.

Here's what we were working with - a fresh build with basically nothing going on in the yard outside of lawn and a new concrete patio. That's actually a great starting point because we get to work from scratch. No bad decisions to undo. We laid out the bed lines, got the weed barrier down, and started moving things into place. Getting those foundational elements right early on matters a lot for how the rest of the job comes together.

One of the bigger pieces of this design is the tree and shrub installation. We're using a Bobcat track loader to set a large balled-and-burlapped evergreen - that's not a small plant, and it takes the right equipment and technique to get it seated properly without damaging the root ball. Done right, that tree hits the ground healthy and establishes fast. Done wrong, you're dealing with a stressed or dying tree by fall.

The mulch installation is happening at the same time. We're working weed barrier into the beds first, then hand-spreading dark mulch along the house foundation and around the patio edges. It keeps the beds cleaner longer, holds moisture in, and gives everything a finished, intentional look. Every edge gets set with bed edging to keep that crisp line between the mulch and the lawn.

This kind of full-yard landscape design takes coordination - multiple crews, multiple pieces of equipment, and a clear plan from the start. We're not just throwing plants in the ground. We're building something the homeowner can use and enjoy for years. More progress coming on this one.