|
Project spotlight Macalester-Groveland · Saint Paul, MN Limestone outcropping front yard design · 2023 |
The best front yard on the block — Saint Paul, MN
← Back to all projectsLydia gave us free reign. We didn't waste it.
Lydia and her husband came to us with a clear sense of what they wanted — even if they couldn't quite put it into words yet. Their front yard in Saint Paul's Macalester-Groveland neighborhood needed a refresh. Neighbors on their block had been transforming their sloped front yards one by one, converting those grassy hills into garden beds anchored by natural stone outcroppings. They liked what they saw. It was their turn.
She was done mowing the hill. She didn't want a retaining wall. She wanted something beautiful and low-maintenance that fit the character of the neighborhood. Then she handed us the keys — gave us free design reign and asked us to come back with a plan.
We thought limestone immediately. Saint Paul was built on limestone. The bluffs along the river are limestone. The old neighborhood foundations are limestone. Using it in a front yard design in Macalester-Groveland feels right because it is right. We paired it with Fond du Lac Buff natural stone edging, a truck bed's worth of mixed perennials and shrubs, and fresh sod on the flat upper portion. A few days later — the best front yard on the block.
A patchy hill that needed a purpose
Classic Saint Paul front yard — a gentle hill sloping down to the city sidewalk, patchy grass, no definition. Functional but forgettable. Every neighbor on the block had the same hill. Some had already transformed theirs.
Macalester-Groveland, Saint Paul — before · June 2023
Limestone placed. Plants arriving. Coming together.
The limestone blocks went in first — placed by hand and machine to find the right positions across the hillside before the plants came. Then the Fond du Lac Buff edging along the sidewalk. Then a truckload of plants that we'd selected specifically for this space — astilbe, hostas, ferns, heuchera, ornamental grasses, and more.
Installation in progress · June 2023
Saint Paul was built on limestone. It should look like it.
When Lydia gave us free reign on the design, we didn't overthink it. The neighborhood told us what to do. Macalester-Groveland is one of Saint Paul's oldest and most beautiful neighborhoods — Craftsman and Victorian homes, mature elm canopy, limestone foundations peeking out from the lower courses of the older houses on the block.
Limestone cube outcroppings fit that context the way a paver wall never could. They look geological rather than installed — like the hillside was always hiding them, and we just helped reveal them. Paired with Fond du Lac Buff edging and a plant palette heavy on texture and shade-tolerant perennials, the whole design reads as intentional without ever looking designed.
The goal wasn't to make Lydia's yard look transformed. It was to make it look inevitable — like this is exactly what this yard was always supposed to be.
Macalester-Groveland, Saint Paul · 2023
No more mowing the hill. Just a beautiful front yard.
Limestone cube outcroppings settled into a lush mixed garden bed, Fond du Lac Buff edging clean along the sidewalk, fresh sod on the upper lawn, and plantings that will only get better every year as they fill in and mature. Lydia and her husband got exactly what they were looking for — and then some.
Completed — Macalester-Groveland, Saint Paul MN · 2023 · Heritage Outdoors LLC
Four elements. One cohesive front yard.
Front yard questions we hear in Saint Paul
How do you landscape a sloped front yard in Saint Paul without a retaining wall?
Natural stone outcroppings and garden bed conversion are a popular alternative to retaining walls for sloped Saint Paul front yards. Limestone cube outcroppings anchor the bed, Fond du Lac Buff stone edging defines the border, and a mix of perennials, grasses, and shrubs fills in — eliminating mowing while creating a yard that looks better every year as plants mature.
What is limestone cube outcropping landscaping?
Limestone cube outcroppings are large natural limestone blocks placed strategically throughout a garden bed to mimic the look of natural stone emerging from the hillside. They anchor the design, add structure and visual interest, and complement the history and character of older Saint Paul neighborhoods like Macalester-Groveland.
What is Fond du Lac Buff stone edging?
Fond du Lac Buff is a natural stone product commonly used for landscape edging in Minnesota. Its warm buff tone complements limestone and blends naturally with surrounding plantings. It provides a clean, durable border between garden beds and sidewalks or lawn areas — and holds up well through Minnesota winters.
Do you do front yard landscape design in Saint Paul MN?
Yes — Heritage Outdoors designs and installs front yard landscape projects across Saint Paul and the Twin Cities metro. We handle everything from stone placement and edging to plant selection and installation. Call or text 651-219-3668 for a free on-site estimate.
Have a front yard hill
you're tired of mowing?
We design front yards that work with Saint Paul's terrain — no walls required. Jacob and Haven will come out, look at the space, and tell you honestly what it could be.