Backyards
Front Yards
Traverse City Landscaping
See projects by landscapers in Grand Traverse County & Northern Lower Michigan
Country Design Sheets
Use these design sheets to get color, décor, materials, plant and fabric recommendations for the four types of country gardens.
Farmhouse Landscape Design (PDF)
Ranch Landscape Design (PDF)
Rustic Landscape Design (PDF)
Victorian Landscape Design (PDF)
Rocky Mountain Landscape Design (PDF)
View all Landscape Design Style Guides
Those lucky enough to reside in Traverse City are no strangers to the area's vineyards and cherry orchards. This strong agricultural area is a perfect place for beautiful landscapes that let you enjoy outdoor living in as many seasons as possible. The extreme south shore of Lake Michigan offers beautiful views of the water where the coastline is riddled with bays and inlets for first class beach front homesites. Living here can be even better beside your outdoor fireplace as the leaves change in the expansive forests that ensure unlimited cord wood availability.
Leelanau County adjacent to Traverse City is a beautiful area where large old homes or new custom residences are more common than ever before. For families, the ability to create a beautiful and functional landscape means your home can be the gathering place after a day on the lake sailing, fishing or water skiing. Because this county includes the Leelanau Peninsula, it's a great locale for native planting that doesn't require a great deal of winter protection.
The largest local marina is on the Greilickville waterfront which is gradually transforming this area into a popular place for high end summer homes where outdoor living is a given. Here elevated wood decks on bluff homes look out over spectacular views which will be exploited by a landscape architect as the best focal point possible. But the lake can also make this area cool in spring and fall, so built in heating is a must in the outdoor kitchen, or add a beautiful stone fireplace with a generous hearth for additional seating.
Not far up the west shore of Traverse Bay is Elk Rapids, a little town where residents enjoy the slow pace of life surrounded by extraordinary natural beauty. Here too extensive fruit orchard and natural forest show how easy it is to integrate beautiful and productive trees into your homesite. For more rustic cabins, there are superior opportunities to work with natural boulders and native grasses to create beautiful and sustainable gardens. Families here will benefit from designs that include vegetable gardens and greenhouses to yield plentiful organic produce. Since this is a popular spot for Lake Michigan anglers, it's a wise choice to create protected outdoor grilling spaces that can be used all summer long and into fall.
Even if you live in an older home, it's worth upgrading to an indoor-outdoor experience. Newer homes can be far more versatile when you plan for spaces that appeal to both residents and guests. Hunters will make the most of outdoor kitchens with smokers that will preserve meats and fresh caught fish with smokehouse flavor. Just make sure to select a big, high powered grill for large gatherings and game meat barbecues during the fall.
