Great Lakes Landscape Design

Who says your garden’s best days have to end when summer fades?

At Great Lakes Landscape Design, we believe a truly great garden should be a dynamic, evolving masterpiece. By pairing reliable summer classics with rich, late-season performers, you can enjoy a continuous parade of color from the warm days of July straight through the crisp afternoons of October.

Here is a quick cheat sheet of our design team’s top plant picks for non-stop color:

☀️ For a Vibrant Summer Garden Bed:
- Agastache & Lavender: Add incredible aroma, soft purples, and plenty of happy bees and hummingbirds.
- Dahlias & Zinnias: Perfect for high-energy, high-impact color.
- Shasta Daisies & Coneflowers: Highly dependable, heat-tolerant options that pair beautifully with ornamental grasses.

🍂 For a Rich, Warm Autumn Palette:
- Butterfly Bush: A fast-growing favorite that keeps the pollinators visiting late into the season.
- Chrysanthemums & Asters: The ultimate fall pairing! The cool blues and purples of asters perfectly contrast the warm golds, oranges, and burgundies of classic mums.
- Autumn Joy Sedum: These durable plants transition beautifully, darkening in color as the autumn air cools.

Whether you want to refresh a tired garden bed or plan a complete landscape overhaul, our design team is here to help you select the perfect palette for your home.

💬 Which of these is a must-have in your yard? Let us know in the comments below, or send us a message to start planning your dream garden!

Good morning,

Due to the hazardous air quality across Metro Detroit today, we have made the decision to cancel all field operations. The health and safety of our team comes first, and we do not feel it is safe to have crews working outdoors under these conditions.

Today will be treated as a rain day, which means:
- Saturday will be a scheduled work day for production crews.
- Maintenance schedules will shift by one day to accommodate today's cancellation.

Thank you for your understanding, and please stay safe.

🏡 Which Paver Is Right for Your Outdoor Space?

Planning a new patio, walkway, or driveway? The material you choose will shape the look, feel, and longevity of your outdoor living space for years to come.
✨ Concrete Pavers – Endless colors, shapes, and patterns for maximum design flexibility.
🧱 Brick Pavers – Timeless charm with rich color that lasts for decades.
🪨 Natural Stone – Unmatched beauty, character, and durability for a truly one-of-a-kind landscape.

But here's the secret most people don't realize...
The most important part of your project isn't the paver you choose—it's what's underneath it. Proper excavation, grading, and base preparation are what keep patios level, prevent settling, and ensure your investment lasts for years to come.

At Great Lakes Landscape Design, we help homeowners select the perfect material for their style, budget, and lifestyle—then install it the right way from the ground up.
✨ Beautiful.
✨ Built to last.
✨ Designed for the way you live.

📞 Ready to transform your outdoor space? Schedule a consultation with our design team today.

👋 Welcome to the Team, Mark!
We're excited to introduce the newest member of the Great Lakes Landscape Design family!
With more than 30 years of experience in the landscape industry, Mark brings a wealth of knowledge, a passion for innovative landscape solutions, and a commitment to delivering exceptional quality for every client. From collaborating with growers and vendors to staying ahead of industry trends, he's dedicated to creating beautiful, lasting outdoor spaces.
When he's not helping clients bring their landscape visions to life, Mark enjoys spending time with his family, tackling construction projects, and giving back to the community by supporting individuals with disabilities and championing those with Down Syndrome.
Please join us in giving Mark a warm Great Lakes welcome! We're excited for all the great things ahead.

That’s a wrap on the 7th Annual Team Great Lakes Kickball Game! 🔥

Everything’s coming up blue…🧢

Bring the Sound of Serenity Home
Imagine ending a long day to the soothing sound of flowing water, birds singing, and the stress of the day simply melting away.
Whether it's a dramatic waterfall, a tranquil pond, a bubbling rock, elegant fountain, meandering stream, or a custom water wall, water features add a sense of peace, beauty, and luxury that transforms an ordinary landscape into a personal retreat.

✨ Create a stunning focal point
✨ Attract birds, butterflies, and other wildlife
✨ Add calming natural sound to buffer city noise
✨ Enjoy year-round beauty and ambiance

Don't have room for a pond? No problem. Pondless waterfalls, bubbling rocks, fountains, and water walls can be designed to fit almost any space—from a front entry garden to a backyard patio oasis.

Because even if you don't live on the water... you can still live with it.
Let Great Lakes Landscape Design create your own private escape right outside your door.

💧 Turn Rain Into a Beautiful Feature—Not a Landscaping Problem.

Standing water after every storm? Constant soggy spots in your yard? A rain garden may be the natural solution you've been looking for.

Rain gardens are thoughtfully designed landscape features that collect and filter rainwater where it falls, allowing it to slowly soak back into the ground instead of pooling or running into storm drains. The result? A healthier landscape that's as functional as it is beautiful.
By incorporating native plants, ornamental grasses, river rock, and natural boulders, rain gardens create a stunning focal point while:
🌿 Reducing standing water and runoff
🦋 Supporting pollinators like butterflies and bees
💧 Improving water quality by naturally filtering rainwater
🌎 Helping recharge groundwater
🌸 Providing year-round beauty with low-maintenance, climate-adapted plants

Best of all, rain gardens don't have to look like a drainage solution—they become one of the most beautiful and dynamic areas of your landscape.

Let nature do the work while you enjoy a landscape that's both environmentally responsible and beautifully designed.

📞 Contact Great Lakes Landscape Design to learn how a custom rain garden can solve drainage issues while enhancing the beauty of your property.

🔥 Gather. Relax. Stay a little longer. 🔥
There's something timeless about sitting around a fire with family and friends. Whether it's sharing stories, roasting marshmallows, enjoying a glass of wine, or simply unwinding after a long day, a fire feature instantly transforms your outdoor space into a destination.
A custom outdoor fireplace creates a stunning focal point and adds warmth, ambiance, and elegance to cool Michigan evenings. Looking for something a little more intimate? A fire pit or fire table offers the same inviting atmosphere while fitting beautifully into patios and smaller gathering spaces.
From natural stone fireplaces to custom gas or wood-burning fire pits, we can design the perfect feature to complement your outdoor living space and lifestyle.
🔥 Wood-burning or gas
🔥 Natural stone or paver construction
🔥 Custom-designed for your space
🔥 Perfect for extending your outdoor season
Because Michigan summers may be short, but the memories around the fire last forever.
📞 Contact Great Lakes Landscape Design to start designing your backyard gathering space today.

✂️ Is your landscape starting to take over? 🌿
If your shrubs are blocking windows, spilling onto walkways, or swallowing up neighboring plants, it's time for a haircut!
Pruning isn't just about keeping your landscape looking neat—it's essential for maintaining plant health, encouraging vigorous growth, improving shape, and preventing plants from becoming overgrown and unruly.
The longer you wait, the bigger the job becomes. Proper summer pruning helps keep your landscape looking polished while ensuring your trees and shrubs stay healthy for seasons to come.
🌱 Healthier plants
🌱 Better curb appeal
🌱 Improved growth
🌱 Cleaner, more intentional landscapes
Don't let your landscape get out of control this summer!
📞 Contact Great Lakes Landscape Design today to get on the pruning schedule before the season gets away from you.

☀️ Extreme Heat Is Here—Protect Your Landscape! 🌿💧
With temperatures climbing into the 90s this week, your landscape may need a little extra attention. Just like people, plants can become stressed during prolonged heat, especially newly installed trees, shrubs, and seasonal flowers.
Here are a few simple ways to help your landscape thrive:
💧 Water deeply—not lightly
🌳 Focus on the root zone, not the leaves
⏰ Water early in the morning (5–9 AM)
🌱 Newly planted landscapes and containers will need the most attention
🌿 Keep mulch 2–3" deep to help retain moisture
Remember, every landscape is different. Mixed planting beds often contain plants with varying water needs, so checking soil moisture before watering can make all the difference.
A little extra care this week can protect the investment you've made in your landscape and keep it looking beautiful all season long.
If you have questions about watering or your irrigation system, our team is here to help!
📞 248-543-6320