Serene Shores

Prior Lake, MN

Completed 2024

The homeowners were building a new home and wanted to incorporate a beautiful lakeside landscape design. The design was constrained by several factors, including lakeshore setbacks that limited development towards the lake and impacted sideyards, as well as strict impervious surface restrictions that limited installation options. To address these challenges, steppers and 3-foot pathways with planting beds were used to create connection spaces without affecting lot coverage.

Despite these restrictions, the goals for the project were clear: create an open yard that maintains views of the lake, develop connected and versatile entertaining spaces, and use materials and colors that blend seamlessly with the house. The design also aimed to provide ample space for family and friends and incorporate a firepit area, hot tub, cooking area, longue beds, and dining area.

The front yard landscaping and window planter boxes were installed and are maintained by our Mom’s Fine Gardening crew. The sideyard retaining wall and stone stairway were added for functionality to get to the backyard with ease, and to add a touch of #casualluxury.

TA-DA!

Property Serviced by Mom’s Fine Gardening

Behind the Design

Design Notes

Before

A brand-new home on Prior Lake, a blank lakeside lot — and a rulebook: lakeshore setbacks squeezing the buildable area and strict impervious-surface limits capping what could be installed at all.

The Idea

Work inside the rules instead of against them. Steppers and three-foot pathways threaded with planting beds connect the spaces without counting against lot coverage — keeping the yard open and the lake views intact.

After

A firepit area, hot tub, cooking space, lounge beds, and dining area — connected, versatile, and dressed in materials that blend with the house. A sideyard retaining wall and stone stairway make the way down easy, with a touch of casual luxury.

The Brief

—An open yard that keeps the lake views
—Connected, versatile entertaining spaces
—Materials and colors that blend with the new house
—Firepit, hot tub, cooking area, lounge beds, and dining

Coverage without hardcover

Steppers and 3-foot pathways with planting beds create connection space that never counts against the impervious-surface cap.

The stone stairway

A sideyard retaining wall and stone stairway solve the grade to the backyard — functional passage, finished like a feature.

Open to the lake

The plan holds the middle of the yard open, so every entertaining space keeps its sightline to the water.

The hard part

Lakeshore setbacks limited development toward the water and pinched the sideyards, while impervious-surface restrictions capped installation options — the whole program had to fit inside both.