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A good landscape in Franklin starts below the surface. Middle Tennessee soil is heavy clay over limestone, and in much of Franklin and Brentwood that limestone sits close to the surface. Clay holds water all winter and cracks open in August. Plant into it without a plan and you get soggy beds, stunted shrubs, and trees that struggle for their first few seasons. Plant into it with a plan and the same ground supports magnolias, dogwoods, and hydrangeas that look settled within a season or two.
Most lots here also slope. In Westhaven, Fieldstone Farms, McKay’s Mill, and the rolling ground out toward Leiper’s Fork, grade decides where water goes, where beds belong, and which views are worth framing. That is why we design before we plant.
Every Kingstone project starts with an on-site consultation and a scaled plan you approve. You get a fixed written price before we break ground, and one project lead runs your job from the first visit to the final walkthrough. If you want to start with the drawing itself, see our landscape design service.
Softscape is everything living in the landscape: beds, shrubs, perennials, groundcovers, and the soil they grow in. In Franklin, the soil is the part most installs get wrong. We amend whole beds instead of digging single holes into clay, set plants so the root flare stays above grade, and shape bed edges so water drains away from the house. Plant choices are matched to your light and your soil. Oakleaf hydrangea, boxwood, and hellebores for shaded north sides. Little bluestem, muhly grass, and Knock Out roses for hot western exposures. Layers are planned for all four seasons so the beds still read well in January. It makes sense for new construction, a bare side yard, or a front entry that needs structure. Book a design consultation and we will walk the beds with you.
Trees are the slowest and most valuable part of a landscape, so placement matters more than anything else. We site each tree for its mature size, away from foundations, septic lines, and overhead wires, and we check for shallow limestone before we commit to a spot. Good choices here include Little Gem and Southern magnolia, eastern redbud, flowering dogwood, Japanese maple, and American holly. For privacy, Emerald Green arborvitae and holly screens fill in along property lines in Brentwood and Franklin subdivisions where lots sit close together. We plant at the right depth, stake only when needed, and set up watering for the first summer, which is the one that decides whether a tree takes. If you are thinking about shade, privacy, or a specimen tree for the front lawn, call (615) 703-6725 to talk it through.
Renovation is for landscapes that were planted a while ago and no longer fit the house. Builder boxwoods that have grown into the windows. Crape myrtles topped every winter. Beds that stay wet after every rain. We start by walking the property and deciding what stays: a healthy magnolia or a well placed holly is worth designing around. Then we remove what is failing, fix the soil and drainage underneath, and replant with a plan that matches how you use the yard now. Renovation is common in Fieldstone Farms, McKay’s Mill, and the historic homes along Downs Boulevard, where mature trees are an asset and the beds around them need a reset. The work follows a scaled plan and a fixed written price, like every Kingstone project. Book a design consultation to see what your landscape could keep.
Sometimes the plants are fine and the beds just need attention. A bed refresh means clean edges, weeds and volunteer seedlings removed, spent perennials cut back, and fresh mulch at the right depth. We keep mulch two to three inches deep and pulled back from trunks and siding, since mulch piled against bark invites rot and mulch against the house invites pests. Double shredded hardwood is the common choice here. Pine straw suits more natural and wooded areas. A refresh is also a good time to fill gaps, replace a few losses, and add seasonal color by the front door. Most Franklin homeowners do this in early spring and again before the holidays. It is a quick visit that makes an established landscape look cared for again. Call (615) 703-6725 to get a refresh on the schedule.
The best landscape projects here start with a walk around the property. We look at slope, soil, sun, drainage, what is worth keeping, and how you actually use the yard. From there we draw a scaled plan, walk you through it, and adjust it until it is right. If your HOA requires architectural review, we prepare the submittal. Then you get a fixed written price before we break ground, and one project lead carries the job through to the final walkthrough. Book a design consultation or call (615) 703-6725 to get started.
Fall is the strongest planting window in Middle Tennessee. From late September through November the soil is still warm, the air is cooler, and roots have all winter and spring to settle before the August heat. Early spring works well too. Summer planting is possible with careful watering, but we usually design in summer and install in fall so the plants start in better conditions.
Heavy clay drains slowly, so a plant set into a tight hole in clay can sit in water all winter. We loosen and amend the whole bed rather than single holes, set plants slightly high so the root flare stays above grade, and shape beds so water moves away. Where drainage is poor, we plan for it in the design before anything goes in the ground.
Many Franklin neighborhoods, including Westhaven, Berry Farms, Ladd Park, and Fieldstone Farms, have architectural review for landscape changes, especially hardscape, lighting, and structures. Planting changes are sometimes covered too. When your neighborhood requires it, we prepare and handle the submittal using the scaled plan, so approval happens before installation is scheduled.
Yes. Most builder landscapes in Franklin have a few plants worth keeping, like a healthy magnolia or an established holly, and a lot that is undersized, crowded, or planted in poor soil. We walk the property, note what stays, and design around it. Keeping good mature plants saves money and gives the new landscape a finished look sooner.
Patios, walls, walkways, and stone steps for Franklin homes, built on bases designed for clay soil and freeze thaw winters.
Learn moreKitchens, fire features, pergolas, and water features planned as one space around how your family actually uses the yard.
Learn moreSod, grading, irrigation, and drainage planned together, so the lawn you pay for drains, gets watered, and holds up on Franklin clay.
Learn moreCall (615) 703-6725 or request your free quote online. We serve Franklin and Williamson County.