Landscaping in Harrison Township, MI: Yards that live with the water.
Harrison Township is essentially a peninsula in Lake St. Clair, flat and threaded with canals. HD Landscape plans and plants these yards for wet ground, open wind and the next high water, and keeps your view of the water.
- Planned for low, wet ground
- Views kept open
- Free, itemized estimates
Services in Harrison Township
The work we take on in Harrison Township.
Pick a service to see how it works. Every one starts with a free, itemized estimate.
Design and build
Lawns and planting
Hedges and trees
Yards in Harrison Township
Less than 15 feet from the highest ground to the lowest.
The township's 2024 master plan calls it essentially a peninsula. The Clinton River cuts across the middle, the Spillway runs to the south, and numerous man-made canals give many neighborhoods their own way out to Lake St. Clair. Elevations vary by less than 15 feet across the whole township, so water does not hurry off anywhere.
Homes sit in two main bands: subdivisions between Jefferson Avenue and the Clinton River, and canal neighborhoods near the lake. Neighborhoods near the water often run four to six homes per acre, so a yard is small and everything in it shows, from the boat as well as the street.
The plan also records a historic flood in 2021 and says homes along the coast and the Clinton River canal-way carry the highest risk. An honest yard plan here starts with that.
Soil you cannot assume
This is not all the heavy clay people expect in Macomb County. Poorly drained Lamson fine sandy loam is the biggest soil on the USDA map, about a third of the township and much of the ground near the lake, with a broad mix of sandy and loamy ground elsewhere. The plants should suit your lot, not the map.
What runs off ends up in the canal
On a canal lot, the end of the yard is the water. The township's master plan aims to cut the pollutants reaching the lake, so bare soil should get covered quickly and mulch kept back from the edge.
A hedge can count as a fence
The zoning ordinance defines a fence to include a hedgerow, and its fence section says the Building Official approves them. In the first 30 feet from a seawall, fencing must be see-through and no taller than 4 feet. Ask the township before a privacy hedge goes in along the water.
Keep the view
On the water, the view is the point. Planting stays low toward the lake, the taller plants belong on the side lines, and all of it has to take wind and wet roots.
Shared grounds can have plant rules
About four in ten homes here are in multi unit buildings, and we take on commercial grounds too. Where the township requires a landscape plan, its ordinance prohibits some plants, including common privet, Norway maple and winged euonymus, so read the list before picking plants for those sites.
In Harrison Township
On a canal lot, getting material to the back is half the plan.
Before anything else, Jake wants to know how high the water has come, where it sits after a big rain and what you want to see from the back window. All of that goes into an itemized estimate to read line by line.
Canal lots can be narrow, with a dock, a lift or a seawall at the end of the yard, so where material sits and how it reaches the back get worked out before the truck arrives. We landscape up to the seawall, and seawall work itself goes to a marine contractor. Regular township pickup has tight limits and lists sod, dirt and stumps as restricted items, so how the debris leaves a canal lot goes on your estimate.
- Corner and driveway hedges
- Under 2 feet inside a 20 foot triangle
- Seawalls
- We work up to them, not on them
- Estimate
- Free and itemized
- To talk now
- Call or text Jake
This young man and his crew were nothing less than amazing. They just completed a big project for us.... his team of young men were so polite, professional, easy to get along with... They did a great job on our yard and flower beds. The owner gave us some great advice before they started, and we listened to him.. and we are so glad we did. …
Stephen D.Yard and flower beds
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
Very Happy with my landscaping. Great team to work with. Very kind & pleasant. Landscaping is clean & they did a great job cleaning up. Jake called right after the team was done asking how everything went & explained in detailed the importance of watering each plant. …
Meagan M.New landscaping
Questions
What people ask about Harrison Township yards.
If yours is not here, call or text (586) 718-8762.
Do you do landscaping in Harrison Township?
Yes. HD Landscape works in Harrison Township on landscape design, renovation, sod, plant installation, hedge trimming, spring and fall cleanups and monthly maintenance, on homes and commercial properties. St. Clair Shores, our home base, is right next door. We stay out of sprinklers and lawn aeration.
Can you lay sod right up to a seawall?
Yes. On a canal lot, sod can run up to the seawall as long as the ground under it is ready. We strip the old lawn, shape the grade so rain does not pond against the house and cut the sod clean along the edge. Low spots close to the water can stay wet, and grass may always struggle there, so ask Jake to point them out.
Can I raise a low spot in my yard near the lake?
Maybe, but check first. Harrison Township's master plan says fill in a floodplain may need a state permit, along with excavation equal to the volume of fill. The zoning ordinance also bars grading in an easement without approval from the authority that controls it. Jake will look at the lot and tell you what makes sense, and the township can confirm what is allowed.
Will regrading stop my yard from flooding?
It helps with rain, not with the lake. Yard grading can turn surface water away from the house and clear low spots. It will not hold back high water from Lake St. Clair or the Clinton River. With less than 15 feet of fall across the township, there is only so much slope to work with, and we will say so before you spend anything.
What trees grow well in a wet yard by the lake?
Swamp white oak and river birch are two good places to start. The Morton Arboretum lists both as tolerating wet sites and road salt, and it says swamp white oak handles occasional flooding. Neither stays small: Morton puts river birch at 30 to 40 feet tall and swamp white oak at 50 to 60 feet tall and wide, which is a lot to ask of a small canal lot. Morton also warns that both can yellow in high pH soil, and USDA shows Lamson soil turning alkaline about two feet down, so test first. We can plant what fits your lot.
How tall can a hedge be at a corner or driveway in Harrison Township?
The zoning ordinance keeps shrubs and other obstructions under 2 feet inside a triangle measured 20 feet along each line from where a street or driveway meets. Rules can change, so confirm it with the township. Our hedge trimming can bring an overgrown corner down and keep it there.
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