Spring in Kansas means one thing for your backyard: it’s time.
The weather has finally turned, the ground has thawed, and homeowners across Topeka and Lawrence are stepping outside, looking at their yards, and thinking about what’s next. Some want a full transformation. Others just want to update one area that’s been bugging them since last summer.
Either way, outdoor living projects are at the top of the list this spring. According to the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), well-maintained landscaping and functional outdoor spaces can increase a home’s value by up to 15%, making spring improvements both an investment in your property and your quality of life.
Here are five of the most popular backyard projects we’re seeing across the Topeka and Lawrence area right now.
1. Patio Additions and Expansions
This is the project homeowners think about every single time they host a cookout and run out of space. The existing patio is too small, the surface is cracked, or there just isn’t a defined outdoor living area at all.
A well-designed patio extends your usable living space beyond the back door. Whether it’s a simple concrete pad, a paver patio with a seating area, or something more custom with built-in planters and lighting, this is the project that changes how you use your yard every day.
What we’re seeing this spring: homeowners going bigger than they originally planned. Once you start thinking about how much time you actually spend outside from May through October, a 10×10 slab doesn’t cut it. The trend is toward patios that can hold a dining table, a grill area, and room to move around without bumping into each other.
2. Retaining Walls
Retaining walls are one of those projects that solve a functional problem while completely changing the look of a yard. If you’ve got a slope, a drainage issue, or an area where soil washes out every time it rains, a retaining wall fixes all of that.
But beyond the practical side, retaining walls create clean lines and defined spaces in a yard that might otherwise feel like one big slope. They’re often used to create level areas for patios, seating, or planting beds on properties that don’t have flat ground to work with.
Kansas soil shifts and settles, especially after the freeze-thaw cycles we see every winter. A properly built retaining wall handles that movement and holds the grade for years without leaning, cracking, or failing.
3. Fire Pit Areas
Fire pits have been popular for years, but what’s changed is how homeowners are thinking about the space around them. It’s no longer just a ring of stones in the middle of the yard. It’s a full fire pit area with hardscaped seating, a defined footprint, and intentional placement that accounts for wind direction, sight lines, and proximity to the house.
A dedicated fire pit area becomes the anchor of your backyard. It’s where people gather on cool spring evenings, where the kids roast marshmallows, and where you end up sitting long after the sun goes down.
We’re seeing homeowners pair fire pits with seat walls, flagstone surrounds, and low-voltage lighting to create spaces that feel intentional and finished rather than thrown together.
4. Updated Planting Beds
This is the project that delivers the most visible impact for the least amount of disruption. Old, overgrown planting beds make a house look tired. Refreshed beds with clean edging, fresh mulch, and well-chosen plants make the entire property feel new.
Spring is the ideal time to rework planting beds in Kansas. The soil is workable, temperatures are mild enough for new plantings to establish roots, and you get the full growing season ahead for everything to fill in.
What we’re seeing: homeowners moving away from high-maintenance annuals and toward native and adapted plants that handle Kansas heat and drought without constant attention. Cleaner designs with fewer species, more structure, and mulch that actually stays in place.
A thoughtful landscape design ties your planting beds to the rest of your outdoor space so everything feels cohesive rather than random.
5. Walkway Refreshes
The walkway from the driveway to the front door is the first thing anyone sees when they visit your home. If it’s cracked, sinking, or just a narrow strip of concrete that doesn’t match the rest of the property, it drags everything else down.
Replacing or upgrading a walkway with pavers, natural stone, or stamped concrete is one of the fastest ways to improve curb appeal. It also solves practical problems like uneven surfaces, drainage issues, and paths that are too narrow for two people to walk side by side.
We’re seeing this project paired with updated front porch landscaping to create a full entry refresh. New walkway, clean planting beds on either side, and landscape lighting to tie it all together.
Getting Started Today!
The best outdoor projects start with a conversation, not a catalog. Every yard is different. Soil conditions, drainage patterns, sun exposure, existing structures, and how you actually want to use the space all factor into what makes sense for your property.
Schendel Lawn and Landscape designs and builds custom outdoor spaces across the Topeka and Lawrence area. Whether you’re thinking about one project or a full backyard overhaul, we’ll walk your property with you, talk through your ideas, and put together a plan that fits your space and your budget.
Call us today at 785-286-0015 (Topeka), 785-330-5326 (Lawrence), or request your free estimate online.
