Before & After: Transforming a Bare Backyard into a Stunning Outdoor Living Space

Is your backyard sitting unused? You're not alone. Many Minnesota homeowners dream of turning their outdoor space into something beautiful—but don’t know where to start. That’s where we come in.

The Challenge: A Plain Backyard with Untapped Potential

When our client reached out, they had a wide, open backyard that backed up to a beautiful tree line, but it lacked structure and usable space. They sought to create a peaceful retreat that fit naturally with the surrounding landscape and would add value to their home.

The Solution: A Custom Fire Pit Patio Surrounded by Natural Beauty

We designed a circular paver patio centered around a stone fire pit, bordered by native plantings and mulch for low-maintenance appeal. Key features included:

• A round paver design that blends seamlessly into the natural setting

• A built-in fire pit perfect for cozy gatherings

• Decorative boulders and natural edging that define the space without disrupting the view

• Native shrubs, ornamental grasses, and evergreens for seasonal color and texture

• Mulch-covered paths and plant beds for a clean, polished look

The Result: A Quiet Backyard Retreat for All Seasons Now, the family enjoys relaxing evenings by the fire, surrounded by trees and native landscaping. The patio is a peaceful extension of the yard that feels private, intentional, and completely at home in nature.

“We love how the patio turned out—it feels like a natural part of our property now. Monarch Landscaping took our vision and made it even better.”
— Happy Homeowner in [City Name]

Thinking About a Backyard Makeover? Whether you want a quiet place to unwind or a space for entertaining, we can help you bring your backyard to life.

Book a free consultation today and let’s talk about your dream landscape.

Spring yard clean up checklist

Believe it or not, spring is on its way! Minnesota makes up for its the nasty weather when spring finally arrives and we all venture outdoors again. St. Paul and Minneapolis have had a brutal winter this year, with over 20 inches of snow above average and that tenacious cold weather.

Make the most of your precious time outdoors this summer by prepping your yard for summer with a spring clean up.

Why clean up your yard in spring?

Spring yard clean ups can add to curb appeal and help keep your lawn grass and landscape beds healthy by removing debris that can cause fungal disease and give rodents a place to hide, and prevent bigger problems later on in the summer.

When is the best time to start?

The best time to do a clean up is when the soil has dried out from the spring thaw. Working in still wet soil can cause compaction which makes it difficult for plants to grow later on.

Here is a list of some essential lawn spring clean up tasks to plan for once the snow melts and the ground thaws.

• Rake out leaf litter and other organic debris,

• Clean out planting beds, pull weeds and tree sprouts.

• Refresh mulch in planting beds.

• Cut back last season's perennial foliage and divide perennials to thin crowded beds. Prune flowering perennials down to 4-5 inches in height and ornamental grasses down to 2-3 inches in height.

• Prune broken, diseased or dead limbs from trees and shrubs.

• Lawns: prep damages areas for spring seeding

• Paths and patios: Tidy up hardscape surfaces by sweeping back gravel or retouching cracks

  Other projects in the spring, especially after a long snowy winter:

• If you are having trouble with water in your basement, consider a grading evaluation or drainage pipe solution to shunt water away from the foundation of your home.

• Cleaning out gutters to keep water flowing in the right direction away from your home.

Twin Cities metro homeowners, If you are interested in saving yourself the time and hassle of doing all this work yourself, consider scheduling a spring clean up with Monarch Landscaping and give us a call. Estimates are free, and can be done over the phone for most basic services.