Landscape Edging, Rock Border & Berm Installation in Arlington Heights

This landscape improvement project in Arlington Heights, IL focused on creating cleaner landscape borders, reorganizing existing decorative rock, improving grading near the home, and installing two low berms along the backyard fence line. The project combined metal landscape edging, sod installation, rock reconfiguration, and topsoil grading to create a more organized and finished appearance throughout the property.

Project Goals

Create clean and defined borders around existing landscape areas.
Reconfigure decorative rock along the front and backyard of the property.
Install metal landscape edging to contain and define rock beds.
Improve grading near the front of the home and gutter/downspout area.
Create two low berms along the backyard fence line.
Use topsoil and sod to establish smooth, natural transitions.
Improve the overall appearance and organization of the landscape.

Front of House – Behind Arborvitae

The front portion of the project focused on the landscape area located behind the existing arborvitae. The existing decorative rock was carefully collected and relocated to the opposite side of the house so it could be reused as part of the overall landscape improvement.

Approximately 32 square feet of sod was installed to the left of the gutter and downspout area. The ground was properly prepared and graded to encourage water to move away from the home while creating a smooth transition between the lawn and surrounding landscape areas.

Approximately 30 linear feet of metal landscape edging was installed along the north side of the flower bed. The edging creates a defined separation between the landscape bed and surrounding lawn while helping keep the decorative rock contained.

Backyard Rock Border

The backyard rock border was reconfigured to create a cleaner and more consistent layout along the home. The existing rock strip was adjusted so that it extends no more than 12 inches from the house, creating a controlled and uniform border.

Excess rock was reused to fill the existing gap at the northeast corner of the property. This helped maintain a consistent appearance while making practical use of the existing landscape material.

Approximately 90 linear feet of metal landscape edging was installed 12 inches from the house to clearly define the rock border. The edging provides a clean separation between the rock and surrounding lawn while helping prevent the material from spreading into adjacent areas.

Any remaining excess rock was left in the designated location on the back patio for the homeowner.

Backyard Fence Line – Berm Installation

Two low berms were created along the backyard fence line to improve the transition between the property and the neighboring fence. The berms were designed to provide subtle elevation changes while helping screen the lower portion of the neighboring fence and creating a more finished landscape appearance.

East Berm

The east berm was created along an approximately 2-foot by 15-foot area of the backyard fence line.

Existing sod was removed to prepare the area for grading. Approximately 0.25 cubic yard of topsoil was then added and carefully graded to form a gentle berm.

Approximately three rolls of sod were installed over the newly prepared and graded area, creating a finished lawn surface that blends into the surrounding landscape.

West Berm

A similar berm was constructed along the west side of the backyard fence line. Approximately 2 feet by 35 feet of existing sod was removed to prepare the area for the new landscape grade.

Approximately 1 cubic yard of topsoil was added and graded to create a gentle elevation along the fence line. Approximately seven rolls of sod were then installed over the newly graded area.

Both berms were blended smoothly into the surrounding lawn to create a natural transition rather than a sharp or artificial elevation change.

Landscape Edging & Lawn Restoration

The combination of metal landscape edging and new sod helped establish clearly defined landscape zones throughout the property. The edging provides structure around the decorative rock areas, while the sod restores the areas disturbed during the grading and landscape work.

By integrating the new edging and berms with the existing lawn and landscape beds, the project creates a more cohesive appearance while maintaining the natural character of the property.

Why Landscape Edging & Berms Matter

Proper landscape edging helps establish clean boundaries between lawn, decorative rock, and planting beds. It can also help keep landscape materials contained and make ongoing lawn maintenance easier.

Low berms can provide another useful landscape element by creating subtle changes in elevation, improving visual screening, and helping landscape areas transition more naturally into surrounding features. When combined with proper grading and sod installation, berms can become an attractive part of the overall landscape design.

Project Highlights

• Front and backyard landscape areas improved.
• Existing decorative rock collected and reused.
• Approximately 32 square feet of sod installed near the front gutter/downspout area.
• Ground graded away from the home near the front landscape area.
• Approximately 30 linear feet of metal landscape edging installed behind the arborvitae.
• Backyard rock border reconfigured to remain within 12 inches of the house.
• Existing rock reused to fill the northeast corner.
• Approximately 90 linear feet of metal edging installed around the backyard rock border.
• Two low berms created along the backyard fence line.
• East berm constructed with new topsoil and approximately three rolls of sod.
• West berm constructed with new topsoil and approximately seven rolls of sod.
• Both berms smoothly blended into the surrounding lawn.
• Landscape improvements completed to create cleaner borders and a more finished appearance.

As you browse through the photos, you can see how the combination of defined metal edging, reorganized decorative rock, new sod, and gently shaped berms transformed several areas of the property. The work was designed to complement the existing landscape while creating cleaner transitions between the home, lawn, rock borders, and fence line.

The completed project provides the Arlington Heights property with more organized landscape borders, improved lawn transitions, and subtle elevation changes along the backyard fence. Reusing existing rock while incorporating new edging, topsoil, and sod helped create a cohesive and polished landscape appearance.

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Tommy Pollina Landscape Company – serving Chicagoland since 1982.