Small Backyard Necessities: How to Transform Your Small Backyard into an Entertainment Oasis

Summers in Minnesota are truly unbeatable, but also fleeting. Everyone here knows the importance of taking advantage of those hot summer days and cozy summer nights by spending as much of it outside as possible. Quality time with family and friends is must–but let’s be real, rallying the troops to meet at a crowded restaurant or grilling at the local public beach is getting old and you’re craving the comfort and convenience of stepping right outside your back door. The only problem is, it feels like you just don’t have enough space to make your backyard a place for people to gather.

Project Spotlight: Modern Oasis

These clients desired a more beautiful, functional and low maintenance space for the steep yard between their contemporary, urban home and the creek below. They not only wanted to update the look and feel but they wanted something that would work for entertaining beyond Minnesota’s short pool season. The couple envisioned a contemporary, less curvilinear, more private poolscape that would suit the house and include a water feature and more modern fire pit. Plantings were to be minimal, except for colorful annuals dispersed throughout.

Before and After: An Ordinary Deck Becomes A Cozy Porch

The original deck that the home builder installed felt like a missed opportunity. They insisted the structure should be incorporated into the design and that the new architecture would enhanced their home. It was a shame because they couldn’t escape the dreadful mosquitos and weren’t able to use this space year-round. They wanted a versatile space that they could entertainment year-round, grill, and lounge next to a fireplace.

The clients’ goals are to create a three-season porch that savors the scenic view, enjoy year-round grilling, bug-free space, and either fresh air or cozy fireplace warmth.

Where Did the Name Mom’s Come From?

If you’ve ever wondered why we’re called Mom’s Design Build, you’re surely not alone. Granted, Mom is a common name, but it’s not commonly used as a business brand. People generally presume that Mom’s Design Build as a company name indicates that the leader of our enterprise is someone who goes by the name, “Mom.” It’s a reasonable theory. After all, small businesses are often identified by the founder or owner’s name. In that case, we might have been called. Jimmy & Craig’s Garden Worldor Sweeney & Weckman Landscaping Associates Extraordinaire or … well, you get the idea.

But that’s not how our story goes.

It’s Alive! – Planting a Living Privacy Fence

The fence is the simplest way to divide boundaries and to create privacy in your yard. The difficulty with fences, however, is that many municipalities only allow for the construction of fences that are 6 feet in height. This limits to the amount of privacy that can be achieved with just a fence. If you would like to have anything taller, there are a few simple ways in which privacy can be achieved. The best such way being, with plants!

What are Living Walls?

From a reclaimed pallet filled with herbs to a 15-story building covered in over 10,000 plants, living walls are becoming more and more popular—and for good reason. Whether indoors or out, they offer much more than just beauty. Living walls improve air quality and increase overall well-being, but can also absorb sound and help insulate your home.

Magic Carpet

So often the clean lines of steppers are lost to overgrowth or remain too severe. Sagina subulata is the perfect infill for such situations but it does not transplant very well in our climate. However it is very easy to seed in place as these before and after pictures demonstrate. The above picture was taken eight weeks after the area was seeded.

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Mom's & Design Build

12275 Weckman Road
Shakopee, MN, 55379
United States

We are currently

CLOSED
Monday8:00 AM — 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM — 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM — 5:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM — 5:00 PM
Friday8:00 AM — 5:00 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed