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 Kent . October 16, 2025
Plymouth’s clay soil causes soggy lawns, sinking patios, and constant sump pump issues. Learn how smart drainage design fixes it for good.
By Kent . October 14, 2025
Minnetonka snow removal done right means safety, efficiency, and property protection—not just plowing. Learn how true winter care works.
By Kent . October 11, 2025
Plymouth drainage problems? Fix soggy clay soil and prevent foundation and patio damage with smart drain tile, grading, and discharge solutions.
By Kent . October 5, 2025
Edina lawn fertilization: seasonal strategies for lasting color and health. Expert insights on timing, topdressing, and soil care.
By Kent . October 2, 2025
Design a Minnetonka outdoor kitchen built for all seasons — cedar, stone, and smart drainage make year-round living effortless.
By Kent . October 1, 2025
Medina lawn experts explain how healthy soil—not chemicals—creates lasting weed control through aeration, overseeding, and topdressing.
By Kent . October 20, 2025
Medina drainage experts explain how French drains and drain tile systems fix clay soil water issues and prevent muddy lawns and shifting patios.
By Kent . September 29, 2025
Edina patio and pool drainage: protect your investment with smart design and precision installation that keeps surfaces beautiful, safe, and stable year-round.
By Kent . September 28, 2025
When Pergolas Don’t Last, There’s Always a Reason After nearly two decades of building outdoor spaces across Medina, I’ve seen what happens when pergolas aren’t designed for Minnesota’s conditions. You can spot them a mile away—posts that lean, beams that twist, and concrete pads that have heaved out of level after just a couple of winters. It’s not because homeowners cut corners intentionally. It’s usually because whoever built it didn’t account for what our climate really does to structures that aren’t anchored right. Medina’s heavy clay soil doesn’t drain well. It holds moisture, freezes solid, and then expands like a hydraulic press pushing on everything above it. When pergolas are set on surface-level post bases, that pressure has nowhere to go but up—and the whole thing moves. Even small shifts can cause joints to separate, wood to crack, and hardware to loosen. That’s how a $15,000 structure starts looking tired after a few years instead of standing straight for decades. The truth is, pergolas here aren’t just about shade or looks. They’re about structure, drainage, and how every piece ties into the patio beneath it. A pergola that stands tall through Minnesota winters is built on the same principles as a good foundation—it’s only as strong as what’s underneath it. If you live in Medina and want to enjoy your backyard without worrying about your investment warping or sagging, start with design that respects the environment it’s built in. That means thinking beyond lumber and stain colors. It means understanding soil movement, water management, and the importance of integrating your pergola with the patio below it.
By Kent . September 27, 2025
Solutions for Properties in Minnetonka You can always tell a Minnetonka yard that’s fighting its slope. Water doesn’t lie, it finds the weak spots every time. I’ve walked plenty of properties where a backyard starts beautiful in June, but by September, the patio is heaving, the grass near the pool looks like a marsh, and the homeowner is wondering how it got so bad so fast. The truth is, when you’re dealing with rolling terrain and heavy clay soils like we have around Minnetonka, you can’t just move dirt and hope gravity behaves. You need a plan that manages water from the surface all the way down through the subsoil. This is what I’ll walk you through here. You’ll see what actually causes drainage issues on sloped properties, how poor planning leads to cracked patios and shifting pool decks, and the smart drainage systems that can stop those problems for good. Whether you live near Lake Minnetonka or up in the higher ridges closer to Deephaven or Woodland, understanding how your yard sheds water is the difference between a property that lasts and one that’s constantly under repair. The Real Challenge of Sloped Minnetonka Yards Minnetonka is known for its hills, lakefront properties, and mature trees, but all that beauty comes with a set of challenges below the surface. Most of the soil here is dense clay. It holds water like a sponge and drains slowly, which means after every heavy rain, that water looks for a way downhill. If it doesn’t have a proper outlet, it ends up collecting right where you don’t want it, like along your patio, at the base of a retaining wall, or near your pool deck. I see this every season: homeowners trying to solve slope problems with a quick regrade, a layer of rock, or a simple surface drain. Those things might help for a while, but they don’t address what’s really happening underground. Clay soil doesn’t just get wet—it becomes saturated, expanding and contracting with every freeze-thaw cycle. When that happens under a patio or wall, it doesn’t matter how well-built the surface looks. The ground will move, and that movement cracks stone, shifts pavers, and slowly tears apart everything on top. The other challenge with sloped lots is how water interacts with gravity. It accelerates downhill, gaining momentum as it goes. When it hits a flat area like a patio, the water loses speed but not volume, pooling instead of flowing. That’s why I tell clients that “flat spots” on a sloped property are both an opportunity and a responsibility. They’re the best spaces to create usable outdoor areas, but they have to be engineered to handle water movement. I’ve worked on plenty of Minnetonka yards where the backyard has a beautiful view but terrible grading. You can have a perfect slope on paper, but if it directs water toward your house or creates a bowl effect between structures, you’ll end up with soggy soil and standing puddles that never dry. The goal is to move water off and away while keeping the surface level enough for comfort and usability. It’s a fine balance, but when it’s done right, it completely transforms how a property functions.