Landscaping Service in St. Charles County, MO

We love bringing the indoors outside with seemless transitions that incorporate modern outdoor kitchens, cozy firepits with extensive built in seating and storage, and water features for ambiance.  Extended landscape lighting allows for backyard enjoyment all year long and any time of day or night. 

We recommend the following when selecting the right trees for a shaded yard. 

• Identify shade type: Partial shade (3-6 hours  of sun)Any understory tree should work.  Full shade (less than 3 hours of sunlight) requires a specialized shade tolerant species of tree.
• Soil and moisture: assess if your area is dry shade or wet shade. Trees like river birch will thrive in damp and shaded areas, where other trees may struggle.
• Maturity in Size and Purpose: Determine if you need a smaller, shade-tolerant tree, (like a redbud) or a larger high-branching tree that can also handle some shade. (Such as a beech)
• Deciduous versus Evergreen: Deciduous trees (Leaves fall each autumn) allow light in winter months, while evergreen trees provide year-round screening. 

Here is our top 5 recommended trees species for shaded areas:

1. Redbud: Excellent for partial shade and offers beautiful spring flowers
2. Dogwood: These trees thrive in partial shade and understory conditions.
3. Japanese Maple: Ideal for smaller and partially shaded spots.
4. Holly: Versatile and shade tolerant evergreen options
5. River Birch : Great in Missouri's damp and shaded locations

The top budget-friendly outdoor lighting solutions include:

• Solar-powered lights. These are the most cost effective option, because they don't require electricity or wiring. Generally runing between $10-$50 per light, you can get path, strike or post lights. You may need to remove and re-install this style of lighting each time you mow your yard.
• LED String Lights. These are perfect for creating a cozy, aesthetic look on patios or in trees. Popular around holidays and summer seasons. Can be purchased between $15-$80 per set.
• Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Kits. These DIY kits allow for easy installation for accenting gardens and pathways and run around $150 on average
• LED Flood Lights. Durable options for illuminating driveways or backyards. Can be purchased as stand alone options or connected to security cameras with motion sensors. LED Flood Lights range between $50-$350 per lighting system.
• Security and Accent Lighting. Solar spotlights for highlighting specific features such as water features are very popular. Motion-sensor lights add security.  
• PRO LANDSCAPE LIGHTING TIP: Look for energy efficient, easy installation and flexible lighting solutions to accent your yard. 

Front yards are all about curb appeal and first impressions.  The best landscape solutions for front yards incorporate deep, layered plant beds that extend several feet out from the foundation of your home to add depth. We recommend using a mix of perennials, shrubs and mulch to reduce lawn maintenance.

 Be sure to use Missouri Friendly and native plants that are hardy and have easy care such as, hostas, lady ferns, oakleaf hydrangeas, daylillies, salvia, geraniums, petunias, soft touch hollies and red twig dogwoods. You can also place potted plants, such as evergreens or annuals near your home's entryway to add color and texture that can also be rearranged and decorated for any season. 

Lastly, define your front yard with hardscaping.  This should include gravel, pavers or small stone retaining walls to create defined walkways and tiered, functional spaces. 

If you have hard to mow grass patches, consider replacing it with gravel, mulch or artificial turf. 

Finish the look off with landscape lighting on walls and pathway lights to make your entrance more welcoming. 

Combining soothing water features, fragrant plants and flowers, built-in seating and storage designed for entertaining large groups, and cozy fire-pits and backyard kitchens create a perfect place for any occasion.

For pet friendly backyard landscaping, consider using dark and durable materials such as pea gravel for pathways designed to create a designated and clean area for animals such as dogs.

If your yard has a large slope or hill, (Common in Missouri yards) consider building terraced, raised planter beds for a modern look that also solves potential drainage issue. Retaining walls, and steps that incorporate natural stone looks great and also prevents mudflows, landslides, and other land movement issues that may occur seasonally with large yard slopes.

Combining water and fire features in your landscape design creates a relaxing spa like retreate for any yard. You can achieve this by creating built-in paver or natural stone fire pits with small, vertical or wall mounted water features. Add built-in lighting and music to complete the beautiful ambiance. 

When is comes to Missouri homesteading, backyard gardens are all the rage.  If you want a fruit and vegetable garden that looks great, produces a lot of yeild, but doesn't take up a lot of space, we recommend using walls or fences for verticle plant walls, hanging planters, and tower gardens to save ground space.  Using raised planters for herbs, fruits and veggies are great for pollenator friendly, heat resistant plants that thrive in Missouri Climates. 

Installing pergolas for shade can also double as a support for climbing plants. We recommend maximizing space by building it with built in seating and storage.