From jungle to backyard sanctuary —
Como Park, Saint Paul
Two years of trying. One call to Heritage Outdoors.
Homeownership is fun. You can DIY, learn new skills, and sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor — but sometimes the projects you jump into are more than you originally thought. Meghan and Charlie had been tackling their backyard themselves for a couple of years. The weeds kept winning. The vision was there; the execution was slipping away.
When Meghan called Heritage Outdoors, Haven got to work. Two non-negotiables set the design in motion: Charlie had installed a stone fire pit ring he wanted to keep and build around, and he has allergies to most flowering plants — so the garden needed to be beautiful without making him miserable. Haven designed a connected layout that ties the whole property together: a walkway from the side door, access to the sunroom, a curved patio around the fire pit, and a path continuing to the garage. Every element flows into the next.
The plant palette was carefully selected for low pollen — ornamental grasses, sedums, and other allergy-friendly species thoughtfully placed throughout the beds. Minimal grass. Maximum livability. Everything within budget. No sweat equity required.
Two years of enthusiasm and a deeply delusional can-do attitude.
To be fair to Meghan and Charlie — this backyard was a challenge from day one. Old landscape fabric, weeds rooted through everything, overgrown shrubs on every edge, and Charlie's fire pit sitting in the middle of it all, waiting for a design to emerge around it.
Como Park, Saint Paul — before Heritage Outdoors · two years in the making · 2025
The same backyard. Three days apart.
Plants that love them back. A yard that fits their life.
Haven's approach to design starts with questions — not about what looks good in a photo, but about how the homeowners actually live. For Meghan and Charlie, that meant two things: honoring the fire pit Charlie had already built, and building a garden that Charlie could actually be around without suffering.
Low-pollen ornamental grasses, sedums, and carefully selected perennials filled the beds — beautiful, textural, and allergy-friendly. The hardscape layout connects every entry point: side door to sunroom to fire pit patio to garage. You can move through the entire backyard without stepping on grass.
Cleared, excavated, and taking shape.
Two years of overgrowth out. Base prep, compaction, and pavers in. The fire pit ring — Charlie's work — centered and preserved, now the anchor of the whole design. The CAT skid steer and Toro Dingo worked the site while the crew laid RCP Colonial Moonlight Gray course by course.
Como Park, Saint Paul — clearing, base prep, and RCP Colonial installation · October 2025
A backyard that finally makes sense.
RCP Colonial Moonlight Gray sweeps in a curved patio around Charlie's fire pit, with Onyx border pavers framing the edge. Connected walkways run from the side door to the sunroom to the garage — the whole yard is now navigable. Low-pollen planting beds with ornamental grasses and sedums line the borders. A sod lawn with natural stone edging anchors the space. The transformation from where this yard started is one of the most dramatic in Heritage Outdoors' portfolio.
Completed full backyard transformation — Como Park, Saint Paul, MN — October 2025 · Heritage Outdoors LLC
Spurts of enthusiasm and a deeply delusional can-do attitude resulted in us making the yard much worse than it originally was — which, technically, IS redoing the backyard, so semantically, we achieved great success.
"As new homeowners, we enthusiastically launched a project to redo the backyard (we were not prepared for this in any way). For a couple years, spurts of enthusiasm and a deeply delusional can-do attitude resulted in us making the yard much worse than it originally was (which, technically, IS redoing the backyard, so semantically, we achieved great success). Finally, a friend lovingly recommended that we hire people who actually knew what they were doing, and that's how we ended up working with Heritage Outdoors. From the very first call to meeting in person, Haven asked questions not just about budget and vision, but thoughtful questions about what we wanted from the yard, and how her team could create a yard that would not just be a cute picture that was temporarily nice because professionals staged it, but something we could actually maintain, that fit within our lifestyle and realistic schedule (but also still looked good). She advocated for ideas that would make our yard better, but listened to any concerns and preferences we had. Communication throughout was timely and professional; we felt we could reach out with any question or concern. At the final walkthrough, Haven made sure we were happy with everything, explained the upkeep, and also emailed us instructions. The cost was fair, well explained, and materials were sourced from local companies. The only regret I have is that we didn't just start with Heritage, but I guess there is a lesson here in knowing one's own limitations. We won't learn it, but it's nice that the universe offers it."
Backyard transformation questions we hear all the time
How much does a full backyard landscape transformation cost in Saint Paul, MN?
A full backyard design-build project with Heritage Outdoors — including a paver patio, walkways, fire pit area, planting beds, and sod — varies widely based on scope and materials. Heritage Outdoors has a $5,000 project minimum and provides free on-site estimates. Haven works with every customer to create a plan that meets both their vision and their budget.
What is RCP Colonial and what makes it a good patio paver?
RCP Colonial is a classic multi-piece paver system from Rochester Concrete Products, a Minnesota manufacturer. The Colonial system uses pavers of varying sizes that create a natural, old-world pattern when installed. The Moonlight Gray color is a cool, clean tone that works well against darker borders and complements a wide range of home exteriors.
Can Haven design a garden for someone with plant allergies?
Yes — Haven specializes in thoughtful plant selection that goes beyond aesthetics. For customers with pollen allergies, Haven focuses on low-pollen and allergy-friendly plants — ornamental grasses, sedums, and other species that provide visual interest without triggering reactions. Every planting plan is designed around the specific needs and lifestyle of the homeowner.
What is a landscape design-build and how does it differ from just hardscape?
A landscape design-build project combines hardscape (pavers, walkways, fire pits, walls) with softscape (plants, sod, mulch beds, edging) into a single cohesive design. Heritage Outdoors handles both — Haven designs the full layout including plant selection, and Jacob's crew installs everything. The result is a yard that works as a complete design rather than a collection of separate projects.
Does Heritage Outdoors serve Como Park and other Saint Paul neighborhoods?
Yes — Heritage Outdoors serves the full Twin Cities metro including all Saint Paul neighborhoods. We have completed full backyard transformations, paver patios, retaining walls, boulder walls, and landscape projects throughout Saint Paul including Como Park, Mac-Groveland, Hamline-Midway, Randolph, and Saint Anthony Park. Call 651-219-3668 for a free estimate.
Backyard got away from you? We've seen worse. Let's fix it.
Haven will come out, ask all the right questions, and design something you'll actually love living in. Free site visit, no pressure.
Jacob & Haven. Family owned and operated out of Saint Paul. Hardscape and landscape design-build done right — from the first call to final walkthrough.
651-219-3668 haven@heritageoutdoorsmn.com