Trio Landscaping


TRIO Landscaping is a residential design-focused landscape company providing outdoor living spaces for the Minneapolis area.

The five-employee team has been in business for 10 years and operates out of their office in South Minneapolis. At any given time, Bluestem is working on an average of 10 projects.  

Average project cost: $150,000

Average project timeline: Six months

Why do your customers select you over competitors? What makes you unique?

We have a stepped approach to the project: Get to know ideas during a consultation; see the plans: layout where it happens, how it fits, and see the material selection; watch it come together.

We start by meeting each homeowner and their property to see what they have, discuss what they’d like it to become and how to get there. From there we can create plans, working in phases as needed. Out third step is the oversight of your installation, also working in phases as needed.

Not only do we have talented crews, but we also work with clients who would like to do some themselves.

What is your biggest/greatest piece of advice for a homeowner embarking on a new project?

Start with a good design! Knowing what is to happen where and how will save you time and money, and most of all sanity! Without a plan, you have to guess on grades, the quantity of materials, and order of installation.

Also, know it takes time. HGTV has given many of us the impression it happens over a weekend, but they don’t show how much TV magic it takes to do that.

What are some tips for clients hoping to save money on a project?

To save money is to be realistic of your expectations of the final project. You can use low cost materials, or cheap labor, but quality comes at a price. The best projects know what they do well and what is best hired out…and we can help you with those choices.

In the last year, have you completed a project for a client you met at the West Metro Home Remodeling Fair? 

Yes. We created a flowing front entry that was a story above the driveway. A small patio to sit and enjoy the view was incorporated. The client opted to do their own plantings around our stone paver and railing work.

What is the strangest/most unique client request you have received?

We have designed both spaces large and small. The smallest was a 12×12 backyard that gave the homeowners a sense of space and also included shade-loving plants that provided color.

The largest was a new construction yard where we designed a flowing prairie that moved with the seasons and other native trees and shrubs for a lawn mowing company owner.

What are some home trends you are seeing/predicting for 2020?

Our homewners are big into pollinator habitats and lawn reduction. There are great ways to incorporate pollinator plants into the landscape without needing a full-time or part-time gardener to take care of it.

Is there anything else you think folks should know about your company/organization?

We love helping homeowners find what outdoor living spaces are the right fit for them by them telling more about how they live than giving us a checklist of products.