This is the work that finishes a property. New beds along the front of the house, rock around the foundation, mulch that actually stays where you put it, and plants chosen because they survive here rather than because they looked good at the garden center in May.
John’s ProCare installs rock, mulch, edging and plantings across Forest Lake and the northeast metro, either as a job on its own or as the last step after a wall, patio or drainage project.
Decorative Rock
Rock is the low maintenance option. It does not break down, it does not blow away, and you are not redoing it every spring.
We install river rock, trap rock, granite and decorative stone in a range of sizes, over commercial grade fabric so it does not sink into the soil. Common uses around here:
- Foundation beds where you want zero upkeep
- Dry creek beds and swales where water runs through
- Around downspout outlets and drain tile daylights
- Borders along driveways, walks and fence lines
- Areas under decks and overhangs where nothing will grow anyway
Rock is heavier to install and more work to change later, so it is the right call where you know the layout is staying put.
Mulch Beds
Mulch does things rock does not. It holds moisture in the soil, moderates ground temperature through our swings, and breaks down into something the plants can use.
We install hardwood, cedar and dyed mulches, properly edged and at the right depth. Too thin and weeds come through. Too thick and you suffocate the roots and invite rot against the stems, which is the mistake we see most often on beds somebody did themselves.
Mulch needs refreshing every year or two as it breaks down. That is the trade for what it does for the plants.
Edging That Holds the Line
A bed without a real edge spreads into the lawn, and the lawn spreads into the bed. Within two seasons you cannot tell where either one starts.
We install steel, aluminum and poly edging, and we cut clean spade edges where the look calls for it. Done right, edging is what makes the difference between beds that look maintained and beds that look like they are losing a fight.
Plantings That Survive Minnesota
Most of this area is zone 4, with heavy clay and plenty of exposure. Plenty of what gets sold locally is not reliably hardy here, and plenty of what is hardy gets planted in the wrong spot.
We work with shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses and trees selected for the conditions on your property: how much sun the bed gets, how the water moves, and how much you actually want to maintain. In clay, how the hole is prepared matters as much as what goes in it.
We also handle removals and replacements, including overgrown foundation plantings that have outgrown the house and the buckthorn that shows up in almost every bed line around here.
Rock or Mulch?
The question we get most. Neither one is the right answer everywhere.
Rock makes sense when you want it installed once and left alone, the bed has no plantings or very few, water runs through the area, or it is somewhere awkward to get to with a wheelbarrow every spring.
Mulch makes sense when the bed is planted and you want the plants to do well, you may change the layout later, or you want a softer look against the house.
Plenty of properties use both: rock where it is practical, mulch where things are growing. We will walk it with you and give you a straight recommendation rather than whichever one is easier for us to install.
Questions We Get
It depends on square footage and current depth. We measure on site and quote the actual amount rather than guessing by the yard.
Not directly. The mulch keeps breaking down underneath and the rock sinks into it. The old material has to come out first.
Spring and fall are both good. Fall planting lets roots establish before the ground freezes and means less watering through the first summer. Mid-summer planting works but needs more attention.
Either. Some people know exactly what they want. Others want us to lay out the beds and choose the plants. Both are fine.
Yes, and it is a lot of what we do. Cut back or remove what is overgrown, re-edge, replace what is dead and refresh the material.
Some of our Landscaping Projects
Get a Quote
Tell us what the beds look like now and what you want them to look like, and we will come out and put a number on it.
Request a free quote or call (651) 775-4446.
See our paver patio work and our retaining walls.
