Landscape design in Troy, MI: A second plan for the builder's first yard.
HD Landscape draws the second plan for Troy yards still running on the builder's first idea: beds, stone, plants and grade for the way you live there now, then our crew builds it.
- Jake walks the lot
- Planned for wide yards
- Built by our crew
Design in Troy
On a Troy lot, the plan starts with what is already there.
The median home here dates to 1977, so most yards come with decades of growth already in place. A good plan decides what stays and what has outgrown its spot, then works out how the water should leave.
The row against the house
Shrubs set close to a new house decades ago can now cover windows and crowd the walk. We decide what can be shaped back, what should come out and how deep the new bed should be for the size of the house.
Wide frontage
One family zoning here calls for at least 60 to 120 feet of frontage, depending on the district, and front setbacks of 25 to 40 feet. A thin bed along the foundation looks lost on that much lawn, so we pull bed lines out and add an island bed where the yard can carry it.
Flat ground
With so little natural slope, water will not sort itself out here. The grade goes into the plan before a single plant does. City code can require a permit to move soil, including grade changes of more than 1 foot, so that question comes before the drawing does.
Plants the city says to skip
The city's tree chapter tells owners not to plant species such as silver maple, box elder, poplar and willow. Its zoning list for site plan work goes further, naming Norway maple, privet, burning bush and Japanese barberry. If a plant you like is on either list, ask Jake what could go there instead.
Soil that varies
On USDA's map, a sandy top in one part of the city gives way to heavy silty clay loam in another. A plant that does well in one can sulk in the other. So your own soil should help pick the plants, which is also why a plan cannot simply be copied from the house down the street.
What you get
A design settles the layout, the plants and the water.
A design is the plan for the whole job, made by the company that builds it. It works out the pieces below, and the work they call for is itemized on your estimate.
- Property walk
You show Jake the yard and tell him what you want.
- Layout
Bed lines, stone and edging planned to fit the house.
- Plant plan
Plants picked for your sun and soil, spaced for full size.
- Water and grade
Where water goes, and any grading the yard needs first.
- The build
Our crew builds it, and Jake calls after to check in.
Estimates are free. Sprinklers are not part of our work, so have any system put in before we plant.
Picture it on a Troy front yard.
Swap the tree, the shrubs, the urns and the walk border on a full front yard, then send your favorite to Jake.
Open the Yard StudioIn Troy
Ground first, then stone, then plants: how a Troy design gets built.
Sun, water, easements and whatever the last owner left all come up on the walk with Jake. Subdivisions here can have easements along lot lines, and some have an association with rules of its own. Both belong in the plan from the start, so tell him what you know.
The plan becomes an itemized estimate, and the work goes in order: ground first, then stone and edging, plants, and mulch or sod. If you want underground sprinklers added or moved, have that done before we plant, because sprinkler work is not something we do. After the crew leaves, Jake calls to go over watering.
- First step
- Walk the lot with Jake
- Estimate
- Free and itemized
- Who builds it
- Our crew
- Not included
- Sprinkler work
Jake with HD Landscape did an amazing job. We are the 3rd house he did on my street and he did AMAZING for each of my neighbors and me. He is reasonably priced, and most important of all he does quality work! You can tell he cares about doing the job right, and is very passionate. …
Amanda H.Trees and landscaping
I recently had the pleasure of working with HD Landscape to completely revamp my outdoor space, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. From start to finish, the experience was seamless and exceeded my expectations in every way.
Billy W.Outdoor space revamp
I am extremely impressed with the work HD Landscape has done. Great team - they were very responsive and communicative. Very happy we decided to work with them!
Gina D.Landscaping
Questions
What people ask about landscape design in Troy.
If yours is not here, call or text (586) 718-8762.
Do you do landscape design in Troy, MI?
Yes. HD Landscape designs and builds landscapes in Troy, MI, for homes and commercial properties. It starts on foot with Jake, the plan gets made for our crew to build, and every part of it shows up as its own line on a free estimate. Call or text (586) 718-8762.
What should I change first in a 1970s or 1980s yard?
Start with the grade and the plants against the house. On a flat Troy lot, water can sit by the foundation for years, and if the shrubs have taken over the windows too, no amount of new color will fix it. Once those are sorted, the bed lines, stone and new planting have something solid to work with.
Are there plants I should not put in my yard in Troy?
Yes. The city's tree chapter tells owners to refrain from planting ten species, including silver maple, box elder, poplar, willow, tree of heaven and eastern red cedar. The zoning code has a longer list for site plan projects that includes privet, burning bush and Norway maple. Lists change, so ask the city before you plant, and Jake can suggest something else for the spot.
Can you plan around a corner lot or a busy road?
Yes. On a corner lot, Troy's code keeps shrubs and other obstructions at 30 inches or less in the triangle at the intersection, so tall plants stay out of it. Lots along a main road may have a greenbelt easement with screen planting along the back or side. We work with both, and when it is not clear what is allowed, the city or your association can settle it.
Can I plant in the strip by the street in Troy?
Ask first. Troy's tree chapter calls for a permit to plant in a public place, and the strip by the curb is where that usually comes up. The code lets the neighboring owner keep the strip up, but a new bed or tree is a bigger step than keeping the grass. Get the city's answer before it goes on the plan.
More for Troy
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Background: a finished job, relit for evening
Free estimate
Get your Troy estimate.
Tell us about the yard and where in Troy it is. Jake will take a look and give you an itemized estimate.