Landscape design and installation turns a plan into beds, trees, shrubs and hardscape that fit your yard's sun, soil and drainage. In the Twin Cities a good plan uses plants hardy to zone 4 or 5, keeps salt-sensitive plants away from streets and driveways, leaves room for snow storage and removes invasive buckthorn.
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In the Twin Cities, a landscape has to look good for a short growing season and survive a long, cold winter. A good plan for a Minneapolis or St. Paul yard starts with hardiness, sun, soil and snow: where the plow piles land, which beds get salt spray from the street, where meltwater runs in March, and which plants will still be alive in April. Plant catalogs come after that.
What a design and installation project usually includes
- Site visit and conversation. Your goals, budget, how much upkeep you want, and problem areas such as thin turf, wet corners or a slope that washes out.
- Plan or sketch. Anything from a marked-up photo to a scaled drawing with a plant list. Ask what is included and whether design is a separate fee.
- Soil preparation. Removing old turf and weeds, loosening compacted soil and adding organic matter based on a soil test.
- Hardscape and drainage first. Walls, paths and drainage go in before plants so new beds aren't trampled or regraded later.
- Planting and mulching. Trees and shrubs set at the right depth, beds mulched, and everything watered in.
- Establishment watering. New plants need regular water through their first season, and evergreens need a deep soak before the ground freezes.
Hardiness and plant choice
On the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the core of Minneapolis and St. Paul moved from zone 4b to 5a, and University of Minnesota Extension notes that cities often run warmer than the surrounding countryside. Outer suburbs and low, open sites can still behave like 4b. Many designers keep choosing plants rated to zone 4 so a single harsh winter doesn't wipe out a bed. University of Minnesota Extension publishes plant and tree selection guidance for Minnesota yards, which is a useful, non-commercial check on a proposed plant list.
Plan around winter
- Keep salt-sensitive plants away from the street, driveway and sidewalk edges where deicer spray and plowed snow land.
- Leave room for snow storage. Shrubs planted right where the shovel pile goes get broken every year.
- Give evergreens some protection from drying winter wind and late-winter sun on south and west exposures.
- Include plants with winter interest, such as bark, berries and seed heads, since the yard is dormant for months.
Native and pollinator plantings
Native plantings and pollinator-friendly lawns are popular around the metro. The state Board of Water and Soil Resources has run a Lawns to Legumes program that has offered grants and coaching for pollinator plantings in past rounds, and some watershed districts, such as the Capitol Region Watershed District around St. Paul, offer grants for native landscaping or clean water projects. Funding, eligibility and deadlines change, so check the program directly before you count on it.
Invasive plants to leave out
Common and glossy buckthorn are restricted noxious weeds in Minnesota, and Japanese barberry is regulated on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's noxious weed list. A good design removes buckthorn rather than working around it and avoids regulated plants. Check the current MDA list before buying.
Questions to ask a landscape company
- Is design included or billed separately?
- Do you guarantee plants, and does the guarantee cover the first winter?
- Who waters during establishment, and what happens if the city restricts watering?
- Can you show photos of similar Twin Cities projects and provide a certificate of insurance?
Spring fills schedules quickly, so winter is a good time to plan. When you're ready, request a landscaping company and describe the area you want to change.
Frequently asked questions
What hardiness zone is Minneapolis-St. Paul?
On the 2023 USDA map, the core of Minneapolis and St. Paul is zone 5a, up from 4b. Outer suburbs and exposed sites can still behave like 4b, so many designers keep choosing plants rated to zone 4.
Are there grants for native or pollinator plantings in the Twin Cities?
Sometimes. The state's Lawns to Legumes program has offered grants in past rounds, and some watershed districts, such as the Capitol Region Watershed District, offer grants for native landscaping or clean water projects. Funding and eligibility change, so check each program directly.
When should I plan a landscaping project in the Twin Cities?
Winter is a good time to plan and get on a company's schedule, because spring books up fast. Installation usually runs from spring thaw until the ground freezes, and evergreens should be planted by October.
Sources and further reading
- University of Minnesota Extension: lawns and landscapes
- University of Minnesota Extension: 2023 USDA hardiness zone map changes
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture: phosphorus lawn fertilizer law
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture: pesticide applicator license types
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture: noxious weed list
- Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: residential contractor licensing
- Minnesota Rules 1300.0120: work exempt from permit
- Minnesota Rules 1303.1600: footing depth for frost protection
- Minnesota Statutes 103G.298: landscape irrigation systems
- Minnesota Department of Public Safety: Gopher State One Call
- Gopher State One Call (811)
- Metropolitan Council: water efficiency grant program
- City of Eden Prairie: lawn watering
- City of Woodbury: lawn and landscape watering policy
- Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board: boulevard trees
- Capitol Region Watershed District: grants
- Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources
- EPA WaterSense