Landscaping in Somerville, MA
Somerville yards are narrow, dense and shared. We build outdoor space that works for real city life without pretending the lot is bigger than it is.
What working in Somerville actually involves
The Somerville project list looks different from the suburbs: a broken concrete side walkway to replace with pavers, a 15-by-20 backyard to turn into a usable patio, raised beds along a fence, privacy screening between two triple-deckers, and a spring cleanup that clears years of overgrowth.
Soil is the sleeper issue here. Old urban fill, construction debris and compaction mean planting straight into what's there rarely works. We amend or import soil, build raised beds where it makes sense, and pick tough species — serviceberry, ninebark, switchgrass, catmint — that shrug off city conditions.
Site conditions we plan around here
- Compacted urban fill soils — most planting projects start with soil work
- Very narrow side yards; pavers and steel edging beat poured concrete for repairs
- Shared fence lines mean neighbor-aware privacy screening rather than solid walls
- Street-permit staging on tight one-way blocks
What we build and maintain in Somerville
Small-yard patios
Paver and bluestone patios sized to fit a triple-decker backyard.
Raised beds & planting
Built beds with imported soil for yards where the native fill won't grow anything.
Privacy screening
Layered evergreen and trellis solutions between close neighbors.
Cleanups & overgrowth removal
Full clearing, debris haul-off and a fresh start for neglected lots.
“They cleared ten years of overgrowth off our Winter Hill lot, fixed the side walkway and put in a small patio. Took three days and completely changed how we use the place.”
Somerville landscaping questions
- Is a patio worth it in a yard this small?
- Usually yes. A tight, well-detailed 200-square-foot patio with good edging and a planting frame is far more usable than a patchy lawn that never fills in.
- Why won't anything grow in my Somerville yard?
- Almost always compacted urban fill with buried debris. We test, excavate what's needed, and bring in real planting soil rather than dropping plants into rubble.
- Do you do one-time cleanups?
- Yes. Spring and fall cleanups, overgrowth clearing and full debris removal are all available as one-off jobs, with no maintenance contract required.
Ready to start your Somerville project?
Free on-site consultation, transparent line-item pricing, and one crew leader from start to finish.