After a major remodel took a major toll on the yard, this lakeside bungalow needed a landscape upgrade to match. New lawn. New patio. New retaining wall. Fresh garden. Now, after some serious TLC, this home overlooking Excelsior Bay is the jewel of the block


Before: Dirt front yard is a true eyesore

After: A lakeshore cottage with massive curb appeal

Total curb appeal transformation you have to see to believe

Before: Crumbling retaining wall

After: Solid and dependable

Replaced and reinforced retaining wall

Beyond the retaining wall upgrade, note the new side paver patio with a small arbor to define the space. A bit more private than the front patio, steps in the retaining wall allow easy access from the sidewalk.


We'd love to share our knowledge with you!

Outdoor Living

Design Inspiration • Before and After • Gardening Guidance • Seasonal Reminders • Sustainable Landscaping Facts • Entertaining Ideas


Landscaping expertise delivered right to your inbox!

Lake Minnetonka front yard landscape design with formal garden, retaining wall, small patio and lawn with four chairs.

Multifaceted Front Yard with Plenty of Curb appeal

This front yard may be small, but it has lots to offer. The lush lawn is ideal for sun bathing, basking, and taking in the lake. Formal inspired garden plantings along the perimeter make a perfect frame. Don’t you want to be a part of the picture?

Permeable paver walkway leads to front door and steps past new lawn and four lawn chairs.

The elegant paver walkway and patio make a great first impression.

Cafe patio with two chairs and a small table overlooks a bay and boats at the docks. There is a garden in the foreground and a stack of firewood to the left.

Café patio for bistro dining with lakeside vistas. Notice the firewood off to the left? There’s a small, mobile fire pit for the front patio. On those fire-lit evenings, neighbors and passers-by stop for a chat.

Small backyard court yard with a pergola, hot tub, small yard, and several gardens.

Backyard Design Delivers

This modest and charming landscape design continues in the backyard. Tucked between the house and the garage, the same paver patio pattern ties the two spaces together. Small gardens delight. A new fence and matching pergola provide privacy and a sense of enclosure for the hot tub. Can you say “relaxation?”

This front and backyard in Excelsior, MN proves that you don’t need tens of thousands of square feet to create an oasis at home. With careful attention to details, and the help of the right landscape designer (we can help), any yard can be transformed into a landscape.

Your Landscape Design and Construction Partner Learn how our landscape design process works

Our Design-Build Process

Improve Your Life Outdoors

Meet with A Landscape Designer or Architect

Your perfect outdoor living space begins with a simple conversation. Let’s talk about your outdoor living space!


Schedule a Meeting

Explore More MN Landscape Design & Architecture

Related Landscape Projects


Taming of the Hill

Front yard landscape design in Eden Prairie sculpts hill using modular retaining wall materials to create classic look and curb appeal.

Edina Classic

Side yard landscape design for classic Edina home with New York Bluestone patio, Chilton stone walls, and custom-designed white arbor.

Slope Be Gone

This family of six upgraded their backyard with a modern Bluestone patio and a perfectly regraded lawn for playing sports and games.