Located between Detroit and Lake St. Clair, Macomb County with its landscape offers a perfect environment for suburban family homes to have backyards that are an extension and blend of the homes in that area. Macomb County, Michigan has clay-rich soils, a short growing season from May to October and heavy snowfall of up to 40 inches annually along with harsh winds demands landscaping and hardscaping that can withstand these elements as well as protect from them.
Whether you are in Utica, Sterling Heights, Macomb, Mt. Clemens, St Claires Shore or another area within Macomb County, this guide will help with your backyard landscaping in Macomb County, Michigan while keeping it budget friendly.
Why Macomb County Backyards Are Unique
Macomb County backyards are unique due to several reasons. Clay soil brings challenges to its homeowners with its heavy, water-retaining nature that compacts easily. Amending with compost is essential to prevent root rot. Macomb County’s weather includes humid summers, cold winters and deer wandering in from Stony Creek Metropark. When doing backyard landscaping, you will want to start with an assessment of each site, noting sun exposure, drainage slopes, and more.
Planning Your Backyard
Follow this simple six-step blueprint for a backyard that shines year-round
Step 1: Test And Amend Your Soil
First, test and amend your soil. Clay dominates about 80% of Macomb County lots. Mix in two to three inches of compost aiming for a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. This step will cost about $50 and should take one day.
Choose What You Want To Include
One of the first steps should be to decide what you will want your backyard to include, for example, will it have a fire pit, or maybe a garden? Will it have an area where you and your family and guests can gather and maybe sit around and relax? Would you like there to be a retaining wall or some kind of hardscaping to protect from the harsh winds? Will it have a walkway or pathway towards those areas?
You will have to decide what you want to include in your backyard so that you can start planning, gathering materials and choosing the layout.
Choose The Layout
After you decide what you want in your backyard, you will need to decide what the layout will be. You should draw a map of the area and decide what area will be designated for what. For example, where are you going to want the fire pit to be located. You need to take into consideration the minimum spacing that will be necessary for each.
Pick Zone 6a Plants
Macomb County, Michigan has its own distinctive landscape and climate, which in harsh, snowy and icy winters, and a short growing season, and has many native plants that are tough and do well in this climate. You may want to go with native plants that attract pollinators and cut watering by about 50%.
These are some plants native to Macomb County, Michigan.
- Milkweed is a perennial that has three feet tall summer blooms and that supports monarch butterflies.
- Black-eyed Susan is a perennial that grows two to three feet tall with summer blooms. It is deer resistant and offers golden fall color.
- Serviceberry is a shrub or tree that provides some shade, with spring blooms reaching ten feet and provides edible berries and will have red autumn leaves.
- Switchgrass is a grass for full sun that grows to four feet tall. These are snow-tolerant and control erosion in clay.
- Daylily is a perennial with blooms that grow to two feet tall from June to August. These are low maintenance and bloom post-frost.
- Arborvitae is an evergreen that grows to fifteen feet and provides privacy hedges and winter windbreaks.
Add Hardscapes
You will want to add hardscapes for paths, patios, privacy and windbreaks. A gravel path can be a low cost addition, beginning at about $100 for fifty feet using permeable gravel if you do-it-yourself. For privacy at a low cost, you can lilac hedge which begins at about $15 per plant, combined with bamboo fencing at about $2 per foot.
A fire pit can cost beginning around $150, and then adding a few chairs.
Incorporate Water-Saving Features
You will want to incorporate water-saving features since Michigan’s clay retains water. A rain garden will cost about $200 if you do-it-yourself using native wetland plants. The cost for a smart drip irrigation system will begin at about $150.
Plant And Mulch
Plant and mulch in May or June. Mulch with shredded hardwood is about $4 per bag, and is used to suppress weeds and retain moisture. Plant after May the 15th, since the last frost is around May the 10th.
Seasonal Backyard Timeline
You will want to tie your backyard projects to Michigan’s timeline.
- In April, you should prepare your soil and prune evergreens by amending clay beds.
- In May and June, plant perennials and install paths with native flower borders.
- In July and August, water deeply once per week for herb garden harvest.
- In September and October, plant bulbs such as serviceberry and do fall cleanup.
- In November and December, mulch heavily and add lights.
- In January through March, plan next year and start seeds indoors for heated patio extensions.
Conclusion
Creating welcoming backyards in Macomb County, Michigan brings its own rewards and challenges. This is an opportunity to create a year-round oasis in a landscape with a climate with harsh winters that have heavy snow and ice with a short growing season and many lakes in the area. Hopefully this guide can help create an outdoor extension to your home.