Complete Lakefront Landscape Overhaul with Shrubs, Mulch and Stone

Here's a look at a full landscape overhaul we completed for a lakefront property. The goal was straightforward - tear out what wasn't working, put in plants and materials that actually made sense for the space, and clean everything up so the property looked as sharp as the views it sits on. From the front beds to the path down to the water, this one touched just about every corner of the lot.

Along the front of the house, we pulled the old beds and started fresh. New junipers and shrubs went in along the stone foundation wall, spaced out with fresh dark mulch laid tight against the border. The contrast between the dark mulch and the light stone on the house is one of those details that just makes everything pop. We also reworked the beds near the hot tub area - layering in shrubs, fresh mulch, and a natural flagstone path that connects the spaces without feeling forced.

The decorative boulder work is what really ties the front beds together. We used large, light-toned boulders set in a tiered layout to break up the slope and give the beds some structure. It's not just about looks either - that kind of setup helps hold soil in place on a grade and keeps mulch from washing out every time it rains. Good design and good function at the same time.

Down by the water, we cleaned up the flagstone path leading from the house to the dock. Large irregular flagstone pieces set with a gravel border give it a natural feel that fits the lakefront setting perfectly. The path leads right down to a stone fire pit area near the water's edge - the kind of outdoor setup that actually gets used. We also addressed a problem area by the house where a small retaining wall is coming in Phase 2 to fix a muddy low spot.

Every section of this property got attention - from the tiered boulder beds up front, to the mulched shrub beds wrapping the back of the house, to the stone path heading toward the dock. It all works together because we planned it that way from the start. Properties like this deserve a landscape that matches the setting, and that's exactly what we went after.