Your Trusted Project Partner
Our landscape renovation services are for yards that already exist but no longer work: shrubs swallowing the house, beds full of weeds, a patio heaving after years of frost, and a lawn that stays patchy no matter how often it is fed. Instead of patching each problem, we look at the yard as a whole, keep what is still healthy, such as mature trees or good stone, and clear out the rest. Then we regrade, rebuild beds, refresh hard surfaces and finish with new lawn and planting. It is the right route when a property has good bones but tired details. If you are starting from a blank slate, our landscape design page explains the planning side.
The projects below show the kind of planting, stonework and lawn that goes into a renovated yard. Each one was installed by our own team. Browse the gallery for more.
Seasonal cleanups keep things tidy, but some problems return every year. These are the ones that usually call for a renovation instead.
Many of the yards we renovate surround homes that have been lived in for decades, where plantings have long outgrown their space. We take on these projects in Reading, Woburn, Burlington, Billerica, Tewksbury, North Andover, Salem, Hudson and Derry, among other towns across northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. A renovation can cover the whole lot or just the front of the house.
// Areas We Serve
We work with homeowners across northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Pick your town to see local details, or ask us if yours is not listed.
We begin by walking the property with you and marking what stays: healthy trees, specimen shrubs, stone worth reusing. Before any digging we call Dig Safe so buried utilities are marked. Removal comes next, including overgrown plants, stumps, old edging and failing surfaces. With the ground open, we correct grades and add drainage where water collects. Hard surfaces are then rebuilt or reset, beds get fresh soil, plants go in, and the lawn is installed last so heavy equipment never rolls over it.
Why Mountainscapes
A renovation touches earthwork, stone, drainage and plants. Plenty of yards end up with three contractors who never talk to each other. We handle the full sequence in house, so each step sets up the next one properly.
Overgrown shrubs, stumps, dead trees, old edging and debris cleared and hauled away to give the yard a clean start.
Low spots filled, slopes corrected and water steered away from the house before anything new is installed.
Beds reshaped with crisp edges, improved soil and plants chosen for the light, space and local winters.
Sunken pavers lifted and reset on a rebuilt base, or worn surfaces replaced with new stone.
Tired turf stripped, soil amended and a new lawn put down by sod or seed, depending on the area.
Leaning garden walls rebuilt and loose steps reset so the yard is safe to walk again.
How much do landscape renovation services cost?
Cost depends on how much needs removing, how much regrading is involved and what goes back in. Refreshing a few beds is a small job, while a full yard with a new patio, drainage and lawn is a larger project. Most of our full landscape projects range from $50,000 to $150,000, and smaller renovations cost far less. Financing is available.
Should I renovate or start over with a new design?
If the layout works but the details are worn, a renovation is usually enough. If the patio is in the wrong place, the yard floods or a pool is coming, start with a design. Often it is a mix: a quick plan first, then a renovation that follows it.
Can you remove burning bush and barberry?
Yes. Burning bush and Japanese barberry were planted widely in older New England yards and are now listed as invasive in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. We remove them, roots included where possible, and suggest native or non-invasive shrubs that fill the same role in the bed.
What time of year suits a yard overhaul?
Spring and fall suit most renovations. Cool weather helps new plants and lawns establish, and fall is especially good for seeding. Removal and grading can happen whenever the ground is not frozen. Booking ahead matters, as both seasons fill up quickly.
Do you keep any of my existing plants?
Whenever they are healthy and suit the new layout. Mature trees are hard to replace, and some shrubs can be cut back hard or moved. We tag what stays before work starts and keep heavy machines off root zones. Our tree and shrub planting page covers what we add.
Do you fix drainage problems during a renovation?
Yes. A renovation is the best moment to fix water problems, because the ground is already open. Depending on the yard we regrade, add French drains or install dry wells. Our guide to the signs your backyard needs a drainage system explains what to look for.
