Landscaping in St. Petersburg tends to fall into two very different situations. In the older neighborhoods ringing downtown, like Old Northeast, Historic Kenwood, Crescent Lake, and Roser Park, you’ll find bungalows and revival-style homes under big oak canopy, with brick streets nearby. On the bay, Snell Isle, Shore Acres, Venetian Isles, and Pinellas Point have full sun, salt air, and low ground that floods when a storm pushes water into Tampa Bay.
St. Pete is about 30 to 45 minutes from our Clearwater shop, depending on traffic. We plan those projects with that in mind: materials staged ahead of time, work days grouped together, and one point of contact from consultation to cleanup.
Historic neighborhoods and protected canopy
Large trees define much of the city, and St. Petersburg protects them. Under city code, a shade tree four inches or larger in diameter at breast height, or an understory tree eight inches or larger, is protected and needs a permit to remove unless the state’s arborist-documented risk exemption applies. Grand trees, 30 inches or larger (laurel oaks excepted), get a higher level of protection. Even trimming a grand tree branch eight inches or larger needs a permit. Site plans for construction have to show protected trees within 15 feet of the work. Applications go through the city’s Urban Forestry program, which charges a $25 initial inspection fee.
For landscape design, that means working with the canopy rather than against it. St. Augustine grass struggles in deep oak shade, so under the trees we use groundcovers, ferns, and layered understory beds, with paths placed around root flares instead of through them. Hardscape inside a root zone gets hand excavation and grade changes planned so major roots aren’t cut.
Several neighborhoods are also local historic districts, including Roser Park, Granada Terrace, and sections of Historic Kenwood and the North Shore area. In these districts, exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city’s preservation staff or the Community Planning & Preservation Commission. That includes fences and walls, which need a COA even when they don’t need a building permit. If you’re in a district, we design with the city’s historic design guidelines in mind and leave time for review.
Waterfront lots after Helene
Hurricane Helene’s surge in September 2024 pushed more than six feet of water into parts of St. Petersburg. Snell Isle, Shore Acres, Coquina Key, and Venetian Isles were under water by midday. Saltwater flooding can kill lawns and burn or kill shrubs, and it left many waterfront yards needing a full replant.
On these lots, we choose plants by how they’ll handle salt and occasional flooding: sea grapes, cabbage palms, coontie, saw palmetto, and salt-tolerant grasses at the edges, with more tender plants closer to the house. Grading should carry rainwater away from the slab without dumping it over a seawall. Pinellas County’s fertilizer rules require a 10-foot fertilizer-free buffer from the landward edge of a seawall. Before planning a larger investment, check your address on the county’s evacuation zone and flood map tools. Our hurricane-season yard prep guide covers what to do before storms.
Soil, water, and seasonal rules
- Soil: Mostly sandy and fast-draining. Some of the dredged-and-filled waterfront neighborhoods have mixed fill soil, so we check base conditions for hardscape instead of assuming.
- Watering: Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Modified Phase III water shortage order limits watering from city water, wells, and surface water to one day a week. The District extended it in September 2026 through March 31, 2027. St. Petersburg also runs one of the oldest reclaimed water systems in the country. Reclaimed customers have been asked to water no more than three days a week, and the mayor can make reclaimed restrictions mandatory. The city’s water restrictions page has the current schedule. Our watering restrictions guide explains how to design for it.
- Fertilizer: Pinellas County prohibits nitrogen and phosphorus lawn fertilizer from June 1 through September 30.
- Structures: Pergolas, outdoor kitchens with gas or new electrical circuits, and walls generally need building permits. In historic districts they may also need preservation review.
What we build in St. Petersburg
Our St. Pete work centers on paver patios and driveways in St. Petersburg, in clay tones and traditional patterns that suit brick streets, and outdoor kitchens in St. Petersburg for entertaining on the bay. We also plant shade gardens, flowers, and trees in the historic core and salt-tolerant replanting on the water, build pergolas where permits and district review allow, and install artificial turf where grass won’t hold. Maintenance is available too.
Request a free on-site consultation. We’ll look at canopy, exposure, and any permit or district review before we draw anything.
Neighborhoods we know well
- Old Northeast
- Snell Isle
- Shore Acres
- Historic Kenwood
- Crescent Lake
- Roser Park
- Allendale Terrace
- Pinellas Point
