Tropical plants, crotons and pink celosia in a freshly mulched bed along a privacy fence in Pasadena, MD, after a landscape refresh by Riverside Landscaping

Landscaping, planting beds and patios in Pasadena, MD

Beds, patios and lawns built around trees, slopes and waterfront rules, Magothy to Patapsco.

SERVING PASADENA, MD

Landscaping for Pasadena's waterfront neighborhoods and wooded lots.

Pasadena covers much of the peninsula in northern Anne Arundel County between the Magothy and Patapsco Rivers, with Mountain Road and Fort Smallwood Road running through it and creeks like Bodkin, Rock and Stoney Creek reaching inland. Homes range from cottages and older houses in long-standing waterfront communities to newer subdivisions, and many lots have mature trees, ground that slopes toward a creek or soil that stays wet after a storm. Lots near tidal water also come with extra County rules. We plan beds, patios, walls and lawns around those conditions.

Projects for Pasadena properties

A recent Pasadena job: landscape refresh

For this Pasadena landscape refresh, our team redesigned the planting beds from the ground up, finished them with black mulch and installed a mix of customer-selected tropical annuals along with privacy plantings for structure and screening. Before: an overgrown planting area with two large shrubs along the privacy fence. After: tropical plants, bright crotons and pink celosia along the same fence, with a row of upright evergreens behind them and a curved bed edge against the lawn. Learn more: Landscape Design & Installation

Before: overgrown shrubs in a planting area along a privacy fence in Pasadena, MD, before a landscape refresh by Riverside Landscaping

After: tropical plants, crotons and pink celosia in a black-mulched bed in front of a row of upright evergreens along the same privacy fence in Pasadena, MD, after a landscape refresh by Riverside Landscaping

Close-up of pink celosia and bright crotons planted in black mulch in Pasadena, MD, part of a landscape refresh by Riverside Landscaping

A Pasadena townhouse backyard: pavers and a stepping-stone path

Small space, big transformation: this Pasadena townhouse backyard got a clean new look. Before: a tree bed with scalloped edging and a gravel area with scattered stepping stones in front of the client's deck. After: gray pavers in a herringbone pattern at the foot of the deck stairs, the tree bed reshaped with a stone block edge, black mulch and new shrubs, and a stepping-stone path set in gravel and framed in timber along the side of the house. Learn more: Hardscaping & Patios

Before: a tree bed with scalloped edging and a gravel area with stepping stones in front of a wood deck in a townhouse backyard in Pasadena, MD

After: a stone-edged tree bed with black mulch and new shrubs beside gray herringbone pavers at the deck stairs in the same townhouse backyard in Pasadena, MD, by Riverside Landscaping

Gray herringbone pavers at the foot of wood deck stairs, edged with stone block, in a townhouse backyard in Pasadena, MD, by Riverside Landscaping

Stepping-stone path set in gravel and framed with timbers between a deck and a fence beside a townhouse in Pasadena, MD, by Riverside Landscaping

A paver patio under a deck in Riviera Beach

This paver patio is in Riviera Beach, in the Pasadena area. Before: bare dirt and patchy grass under the client's raised deck, with only a small concrete pad at the sliding door. After: a patio of large pavers in warm tan, brown and gray tones that fills the space under the deck, fitted around the deck posts and running out to the foot of the stairs. More views show the finished patio from beside the deck stairs and from under the deck out toward the lawn. Learn more: Hardscaping & Patios

Before: bare dirt and patchy grass under a raised deck next to a small concrete pad at a sliding door in Riviera Beach, MD

After: a multi-tone paver patio filling the space under a raised deck and around its posts in Riviera Beach, MD, by Riverside Landscaping

Multi-tone paver patio under a raised deck, running to the foot of white deck stairs beside a wood privacy fence in Riviera Beach, MD, by Riverside Landscaping

View from under the deck across the new paver patio to the lawn, a white vinyl fence and a row of upright evergreens in Riviera Beach, MD, by Riverside Landscaping

Services for Pasadena properties

Planting beds and landscape refreshes

Bed redesigns, new shrubs, privacy plantings, seasonal color and fresh mulch, with plants chosen for the sun and shade each part of the yard gets. Learn more: Landscape Design & Installation

Patios and walkways

Paver and natural stone patios and walkways built on a compacted base, from a path to the front door to a backyard patio. Near the water, we plan the size and materials around the Critical Area rules below. Learn more: Hardscaping & Patios

Retaining walls and grade changes

Where a yard drops toward a creek or a low spot, a wall can hold the soil back and level out usable ground. We build timber and block walls on a prepared base, with drainage behind them. Learn more: Retaining Walls

Sod and lawn

New sod and lawn renovation for thin or worn turf, with the soil prepared first so the new lawn can root in. Learn more: Sod & Lawn

Concrete

Concrete patios, walkways, driveways and pads, with removal of the old concrete included. Learn more: Concrete

Working near the Magothy, the Patapsco and the creeks.

Many Pasadena lots are on or near a creek or river, and that brings extra rules. Anne Arundel County's Critical Area covers land within 1,000 feet of tidal water or tidal wetlands, and the 100-foot buffer closest to the shoreline has the strictest limits on clearing, grading and building.

Lot coverage. In the Critical Area, patios, walkways and gravel count toward lot coverage, so a new patio has to fit within what the lot allows. Anne Arundel County: Critical Area
Buffer work. Cutting vegetation or grading inside the buffer generally needs County approval before work starts. Waterfront Homeowners Guide
Shoreline plantings. Native plants along the water can help hold soil and slow runoff before it reaches the creek.
Ask early. Checking with the County before design starts keeps the plan to what can actually be built.

Mature trees, slopes and runoff.

Under mature trees, shade and roots make it hard to keep grass going, so beds, mulch and shade-tolerant plants often work better there.
Where a yard slopes toward a creek, runoff can wash mulch and soil out of beds and across walkways.
On low, flat spots, water from roofs and driveways can sit in the lawn after a heavy rain.
Downspout extensions, swales, French drains, regrading and retaining walls are the usual fixes. — Drainage & Grading
Look up your soil with the USDA Web Soil Survey before planning beds, lawn or drainage work.

Upkeep for Pasadena homes and communities.

Recurring maintenance keeps a property looking cared for through the season: mowing, edging, mulching, bed cleanup and seasonal cleanups. Community associations can also request grounds maintenance and snow management. Learn more: Maintenance Plans · Commercial & HOA Maintenance

Permits and planning in Pasadena.

Pasadena is part of Anne Arundel County, so County rules apply to most outdoor projects, on top of the Critical Area rules near the water. Some communities also have their own association guidelines, so check those before planning a patio, wall or fence.

Patios. Residential patios do not need a building permit, though a Standard Grading Plan application may apply depending on size and disturbed area. Anne Arundel County: Do I need a permit?
Fences. Residential fences on corner lots, or over 6 feet, need a County permit per the same guide. Fences are available on request.
Critical Area. To find out whether your lot is in the Critical Area, start with the County's Critical Area page.

Also serving Severna Park, Arnold, Millersville and Glen Burnie.

Riverside also works across Severna Park, Arnold, Millersville and Glen Burnie. See all of our service areas.

What our clients say

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Frequently asked questions

Do you work in Pasadena?

Yes. Pasadena is part of the area we serve in northern Anne Arundel County, for planting beds, patios and walkways, retaining walls, sod, drainage, concrete and recurring maintenance. Learn more: Service Areas

Can you redesign my overgrown planting beds?

Yes. We can clear out what no longer works, reshape the beds and replant them with shrubs, privacy plantings and seasonal color you pick, then finish with fresh mulch. We'll walk the yard with you and suggest plants for each spot. Learn more: Landscape Design & Installation

Can I put a patio on a waterfront lot in Pasadena?

Often, but lots near tidal water are usually in the Critical Area, where patios, walkways and gravel count toward lot coverage and work in the 100-foot shoreline buffer generally needs County approval. Check the County's Critical Area page early, and we can plan the patio around what is allowed.

Water sits in my yard after it rains. Can you fix that?

Usually. Downspout extensions, swales, French drains and regrading are the common fixes, and we look at where the water comes from and where it can go before choosing one. Learn more: Drainage & Grading

How do I get a free estimate in Pasadena?

Call 443-333-3136 or request a free estimate online. We'll get back to you quickly to schedule it. We're open Monday to Friday 7 AM to 6 PM and Saturday 7 AM to 3 PM.

Riverside Landscaping is licensed, bonded and insured in Maryland (MHIC #160581).

Pasadena, let's look at your property.

Call 443-333-3136 or request a free estimate.

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