Landscape Design in Boise, Idaho

Boise's Trusted Landscape Design Team

Boise homeowners appreciate quality, value, and landscapes that work with Idaho's unique climate. At Hockema Landscape Design & Build, we've spent 15 years creating outdoor spaces throughout Boise that combine beauty with practicality, designed specifically for our high-desert environment.

Climate-Smart Design

Boise's climate, with hot, dry summers and cold winters, requires thoughtful plant selection and water management. We design landscapes that thrive in our conditions, using drought-tolerant plantings, efficient irrigation, and hardscapes that handle temperature swings and seasonal changes with ease.

From North End to East Boise

We've worked in every Boise neighborhood, from historic North End bungalows to new construction in Southeast Boise. Each project is tailored to the home's architecture, the homeowner's lifestyle, and the unique character of the neighborhood.

Complete Outdoor Transformations

Whether you're looking for a low-maintenance front yard refresh, a backyard entertaining space with custom patio and fire pit, or a complete property transformation, we handle every aspect of the project.

Services for Boise Homes

• Custom patio and walkway design
• Drought-tolerant planting and xeriscaping
• Retaining walls and terracing
• Irrigation system design and installation
• Outdoor lighting for security and ambiance

What makes landscaping in Boise different

Boise sits in the high desert at about 2,700 feet, with roughly 12 inches of rain a year, long dry summers and winters that swing above and below freezing. Every one of those conditions shows up in a yard. Plants have to handle July heat and alkaline soil, irrigation does most of the work from June through September, and every patio, wall and walkway goes through dozens of freeze-thaw cycles each winter. A landscape that ignores any of that looks good for a season or two and then starts to struggle.

Soil changes across the city

Many neighborhoods on the Boise Bench and in older parts of town have heavier soils that drain slowly. Lots closer to the Foothills tend to be sandy, rocky and fast draining. Newer subdivisions often start with compacted fill left over from construction. We look closely at the soil before choosing plants or designing a patio base, because what works on one street may not work three miles away. More on that in our guide to Boise soil conditions.

Foothill lots, Harris Ranch and the Barber Valley

Homes along the Foothills and out toward Harris Ranch often come with slopes, views and open wildland nearby. Retaining walls and terraced beds turn a hillside into usable space. Near open land, we keep the zone closest to the house lean and well irrigated, with hardscape and low plantings instead of woody shrubs and bark mulch right against the walls. Our side yard remodel in Harris Ranch is one example of making a narrow, awkward space work.

Older homes in the North End and East End

Boise's older neighborhoods bring mature shade trees, smaller lots and tight access for equipment. Work here means protecting tree roots during excavation, planning around alleys and narrow side yards, and choosing materials that suit the age and style of the house. A brick bungalow and a new modern home call for very different patios, walls and planting.

Popular landscape projects in Boise

• Paver patios built on a base deep enough to stay flat through Boise winters.
• Outdoor living spaces with fire pits, outdoor kitchens and seating that stretch the season into spring and fall evenings.
• Xeriscaping that cuts summer water use without turning the yard into gravel.
• Water features that add sound and calm to a busy neighborhood.
• Landscape lighting for safe steps, curb appeal and long summer evenings outside.

Recent work in Boise

Our patio reconstruction in East Boise extended and rebuilt an aging concrete patio, matching the new concrete to the old and adding fresh planting beds. Our custom zen garden overhaul turned a generic Boise patio into a quiet, Japanese-inspired retreat with a contoured path through the garden.

Permits and planning in Boise

Most patios, planting and lighting don't need a permit, but taller retaining walls, gas lines for fire features and kitchens, and new electrical circuits do. We sort that out during design so nothing stalls once construction starts. Our article on landscaping permits in Boise covers the details. Timing matters too: designing over the winter puts you near the front of the line when the building season opens. See the best time of year to start a landscape project.

We're proud to call Boise home and to serve homeowners throughout the Treasure Valley. If you're ready to transform your outdoor space into something you'll love for years to come, let's start the conversation.