​Neighborhood Dazzler

​Smart landscaping transformed a home in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, into a neighborhood delight. Set on a large corner lot, the former front yard contained dying crab apple trees and shrubbery and a basic concrete walkway. The backyard, visible from the street, featured a small concrete-block terrace and an elevated wooden deck.

The homeowners initially called in a design contractor to add back patio space for cooking and entertaining. The designer’s suggestion to use the Highland Stone® wall system to integrate front and back landscapes was appealing to the homeowners.

“We really enjoyed working with the designer. We discussed our overall ideas and he presented us with several different options,” the homeowners say.

The homeowners ultimately chose a landscape design with these features

• A wraparound front courtyard
• A terrace leading to a spacious patio and seating area in the back
• A front water feature complete with a koi pond and natural rock gardens
• A front arbor to add visual interest 

The front courtyard creates a welcoming environment. Its surrounding short walls of Highland Stone® products enclose the space and double as seating. Several new trees and plantings, also in the raised planter beds, provide visual separation from the street.

We love how the patios have created outdoor living areas. We really enjoy spending time outside throughout the year

In the backyard, a curved paver patio at the base of the stairs to the deck provides plenty of gathering space. Tying it all together is a Highland Stone freestanding wall system that borders the patio with accent columns. “We chose the Highland Stone products because of their textured, rich appearance and easy installation,” the designer says. 

“The designer selected all the pavers and stone for the walls and our only input was color,” the homeowner says. The result is a warm, inviting look that blends into the rest of the neighborhood.