Party In The Back: 4 Backyard Landscaping Ideas and Tips

Most of the homeowners we work with at KG Landscape are passionate about their backyards and it’s where they spend the majority of their outdoor time. It’s your sanctuary and it’s yours to do with as you please right? Well for the most part yes, but there are a few suggestions that I would like to make.

Following this advice will give you the functionality you’re looking for, but if you want to get a little crazy and section off a zinnia garden, a vegetable garden, and a spot for your flock of pink flamingos… Well you can go right ahead, that’s where “the party in the back” comes in. Spending the extra time maintaining perennial gardens is a lot more comfortable to do in the privacy of your own backyard and people in the neighborhood won’t judge your gnome statue they can’t see from the front.

Use plantings to define your entertainment space

4 Backyard Landscaping Ideas and Tips

1) Keep Grass Space

Don’t rip up all of your grass and completely fill in with planting beds. The vast majority of people I work with want a good sized usable lawn space in their backyard, the perfect spot to play catch if you will. Variety is the spice of life and having a wide variety of different activity areas leaves your yard open to any future hobby changes. Make sure that lawn space stays green and weed free with a professional fertilizer company .

2) Make Patio Space Usable

High on everyone’s list is a great patio or deck space for outdoor entertainment. Make sure this space is well defined, easy to get to from the kitchen, and doesn’t divide the rest of the backyard into smaller, less usable spaces. Ensure you have enough space on the deck or patio for the activities that you want to do. Have enough room for the grill and relaxing space and eating space. Learn more about what makes a great patio on our paver patio page!

Create privacy in your backyard using plants

3) Use Plants for Privacy

When making planting decisions, first focus on planting plants that will define usable spaces and make them more comfortable to be in, like around a patio to make that space feel more defined and intimate. Plant shrubs and trees that will provide privacy and or block views of the neighbors windows that look right into your backyard. ‘Holmstrup’ arborvitaes and ‘Dakota Pinnacle’ birch trees are great narrow screen planting options that give you the ability to block views of your neighbors without taking up your whole yard.

4) Use Color In Your Most Seen Places

Create color and interest against your fence line to make your green lawn space feel more defined. Provide great views of flowering and interesting plants out your most looked through windows. You’re working hard to maintain these beautiful gardens, make sure you can see them!

Fenceline plantings should be colorful

If you’re looking for backyard landscaping ideas for YOUR backyard in Minneapolis, please give us a call at 763-568-7251 or fill out our fast and easy quote form . We’ll meet with you at your home and give you a free consultation on what needs to improved.

Ready to Start on Your Next Project?

Call us at (763) 568-7251 or visit our quote page.

By Daniel . February 27, 2026
Recently, a client in St. Louis Park came to us hoping to reimagine their yard. Their goal was to install a new patio that would allow them to enjoy meals, get-togethers, and leisure time outdoors during Minnesota's precious warm months. That may have been the end result they were looking for, but after we comprehensively surveyed the property, it was clear that there was more work to do before we could identify an ideal position for the patio, let alone install it. As tempting as it can be to “skip to the good part,” a deliberate and thorough run-up to patio installation ascertained that this project would be a long-lasting addition to the home.
By Daniel . February 27, 2026
At KG Landscape, we love a good challenge, and the smaller lots of our inner-ring suburbs can certainly provide them. Limited space can lead to limited layout options and an imperative to maximize the usable space within that lot. However, from these limitations can spring creative solutions for outdoor living, and with this project, we and our client believe we found them. Here’s an example of how, with some out-of-the-box ideas and a bevy of beautiful plants, we were able to redesign an outdoor living space in a small St. Louis Park yard in order to maximize not just its beauty but its usability.
February 27, 2026
See how the team at KG Landscape created a beautiful new yard with a functional patio, updated landscaping, and improved curb appeal for a St. Louis Park, MN home.
Picture of a side yard KG Landscape regraded to solve a problem in Minneapolis
By Kent January 26, 2026
Struggling with side yard water problems in Minneapolis–St. Paul? See when French drains or re-grading works best for small yard drainage fixes.
Is the area under your deck always wet in Plymouth, MN? Fix drainage issues before building a new pa
By Kent Gliadon January 22, 2026
Protect your Plymouth patio and deck from frost heave damage and shifting by installing French drains that keep clay soil dry around hardscape and footings.
Sloped backyard  featuring newly added fire pit area with plantings around it
By Kent Gliadon January 15, 2026
One Edina family had a 25-foot slope and nowhere for their kids to play. See how we turned it into a lawn, sport court, and fire pit.
Front yard landscaping at corner of the garage with waist bin storage
By Kent Gliadon January 14, 2026
See how one Plymouth project turned an overlooked side yard into a design feature that matches the rest of the property.
hot tub installed on sloped side yard with pavers.
By Kent Gliadon January 12, 2026
Get tips on how to turn a steep, unusable side yard into a private hot tub area with stone steps, drainage solutions, and boulder walls.
new build home in Plymouth, MN featuring designer landscaping
By Kent Gliadon January 11, 2026
See how to replace basic builder landscaping with a custom flagstone walkway, strategic plantings, and a front yard that matches your home.
By Kent Gliadon January 9, 2026
Learn how French drains solve drainage problems in tight Minneapolis side yards without sacrificing walkway space or function.