If you’ve been searching for Minnesota landscaping ideas that actually add value to your home, you’re in the right place. Central Minnesota summers are short and spectacular — which means your outdoor space should be working just as hard as your indoor living areas. Whether you’re dreaming of a stone fire pit to gather around on cool August nights or a full outdoor kitchen for weekend cookouts, the right outdoor living additions can increase your home’s value, improve your daily lifestyle, and make your yard the place everyone wants to be. At Supreme Lawn & Landscaping, we’ve been designing and installing outdoor living spaces across the St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, and Brainerd/Crosslake areas since 1990 — and summer is prime installation season. Here are five Minnesota landscaping ideas worth investing in this year.
1. Paver Stone Patios — The Foundation of Any Outdoor Living Space
A well-built paver patio is the single biggest upgrade you can make to your backyard. Unlike plain concrete, paver patios are durable, frost-resistant (important in Central MN), and they look great for decades with minimal upkeep.
Here’s what makes pavers a smart investment in Minnesota:
- They flex with freeze-thaw cycles instead of cracking like poured concrete
- Individual pavers can be replaced if damaged — no jackhammers required
- They come in dozens of shapes, colors, and textures to match your home’s style
- A well-designed patio can return 80–100% of its cost in home value
Supreme Lawn installs custom paver patios sized and shaped for how you actually live — from simple rectangular entertaining areas to multi-level layouts with built-in seating walls. See our paver stone patio work here.
2. Custom Fire Pits — Extend Your Season by Months
A fire pit is one of the most popular Minnesota landscaping ideas we get asked about — and for good reason. In Central MN, a fire pit extends your usable outdoor season well into October (and sometimes beyond). It becomes the natural anchor for your backyard social life.
There are two main types we build:
- Built-in stone or paver fire pits — permanent, custom-designed, and sized to fit your space. These often include a surrounding patio, seating wall, or integrated lighting.
- Fire pit rings with paver surrounds — a more budget-friendly option that still looks polished and planned.
Pro tip from our crew: The best fire pit placement balances wind direction, proximity to the house, and sightlines to the rest of the yard. Getting this right from the start saves headaches later — and it’s something we think through on every project.
Learn more about our fire pit installations.
3. Outdoor Kitchens — Take Entertaining to the Next Level
Outdoor kitchens are no longer just for luxury homes in warmer climates. Minnesota homeowners — especially those in higher-value neighborhoods in Sartell, Crosslake, and East Gull Lake — are investing in outdoor kitchen setups that rival what’s inside the house.
A well-planned outdoor kitchen can include:
- Built-in grills and smokers
- Stone or paver countertops with prep space
- Mini fridges, side burners, and storage drawers
- Overhead pergola or shade structure
- Integrated lighting for evening use
The key is designing it so it flows naturally with your patio and fire pit area — creating one cohesive outdoor living zone rather than a collection of disconnected features. See what an outdoor kitchen from Supreme Lawn looks like.
4. Retaining Walls — Beautiful and Practical
If your yard has any slope to it — and many Central MN properties do — a retaining wall does double duty: it solves a drainage or erosion problem while creating usable, level space for a patio, garden, or lawn area.
We build retaining walls using:
- Segmental block — clean, modern look, very durable in freeze-thaw conditions
- Natural boulders — a rugged, organic look that fits well on wooded lots or lakefront properties
A retaining wall can also define different “zones” in your yard — separating a play area from a patio, or a garden bed from your lawn — which makes the whole yard feel more intentional and designed.
View our retaining wall and boulder wall installations.
5. Water Features — Bring Calm to Your Backyard
A bubbling fountain, a small pond, or a pondless waterfall adds something a patio alone can’t — ambient sound and a visual focal point that makes your yard feel like a true retreat. Water features are especially popular in the Brainerd Lakes region, where homeowners want a backyard that complements the natural surroundings.
Popular options we install include:
- Pondless waterfalls (low maintenance, no standing water)
- Decorative garden fountains integrated into planting beds
- Koi ponds and small naturalistic water gardens
Water features pair particularly well with professional planting design — surrounding boulders with ornamental grasses or native perennials to create a finished, natural look.
How These Features Work Together
The best outdoor living spaces aren’t just individual features dropped into a yard — they’re designed as a connected system. A typical Supreme Lawn outdoor living project might look like this:
- A large paver patio as the base
- A built-in fire pit or fireplace on one end
- An outdoor kitchen or grill station on the other
- A retaining wall that creates a stepped layout on a sloped lot
- A water feature or planting beds to soften the hardscape
When everything is designed together from the start, the result is a yard that looks cohesive, functions beautifully, and adds real, measurable value to your home. These are the kinds of Minnesota landscaping ideas that hold up — both in daily use and at resale.
For more inspiration on what’s possible, the Landscaping Network’s outdoor living guide is a great resource for design ideas and cost estimates. And for paver-specific inspiration, Belgard’s inspiration gallery shows the full range of what’s possible with paver systems. For a deep dive into outdoor kitchen planning, HGTV’s outdoor kitchen planning guide covers layouts, appliance choices, and budgeting.
When Should You Start Planning?
Summer is our busiest installation season — and for good reason. It’s the ideal time to build outdoor living spaces because the ground is workable, weather is predictable, and you can actually enjoy the finished project before fall arrives. That said, our schedule books up fast.
If you’re thinking about a patio, fire pit, or outdoor kitchen for this summer or next spring, the best time to reach out is now. We serve homeowners across St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Brainerd, and Crosslake.
Ready to Build Your Dream Outdoor Space?
Supreme Lawn & Landscaping has been building outdoor living spaces in Central Minnesota since 1990. Let’s talk about what’s possible in your yard — before the summer schedule fills up.
