Roswell yards tend to run downhill toward water. Big Creek cuts through the middle of the city on its way to the Chattahoochee, and a lot of the lots on either side of it were built on slopes that shed rain faster than the clay can take it in. Add a canopy of oaks and hickories that has been growing for decades, and you get the three things we think about on almost every Roswell site visit: where the water goes, what the trees need, and which rules apply before anyone picks up a shovel.
Oak Avenue Landscaping is based in Dunwoody, roughly 20 to 25 minutes from most of Roswell, and we work here on hardscape, drainage and ongoing maintenance. Our maintenance crews run battery-electric mowers, trimmers and blowers. That means no exhaust drifting onto your porch and a much quieter morning for your neighbors. We will be straight with you about the limits, though: when we are cutting stone or running a plate compactor on a patio or wall job, that part is loud. Electric covers the weekly work, not every tool on a build.
Slopes, creeks and old trees, all on the same lot
The typical Roswell problem is rarely one thing. A back yard falls away toward a creek, the lawn at the bottom stays soggy, the top of the slope is washing out around the roots of a big white oak, and the patio the owners want would sit right in the path of all of it. You can’t solve those one at a time. A patio changes where water runs. A wall changes how much soil is over the roots. A drain changes what happens downstream.
So we start with the water. We walk the property after we have looked at how it drains, find where runoff enters and where it leaves, and plan the hardscape around keeping as much of that rain on your lot as we reasonably can. Water that soaks in at the top of a yard does not scour the bottom of it, and it does not carry sediment into Big Creek or the river.
What we build in Roswell
Retaining walls are usually the first conversation on a sloped lot. A properly built segmental wall with a drainage aggregate zone and a pipe behind it can turn an unusable bank into a flat terrace for a garden or a seating area. We also build paver patios where we can use permeable pavers, which let rain pass through the joints and into a stone base instead of running off the surface.
For wet yards we handle drainage, French drains and regrading, and you can read more about how we approach French drain installation on clay soil. We also do steps, walkways and driveways, which on a hilly Roswell lot are often the difference between a yard you look at and a yard you actually use. Low-voltage LED landscape lighting helps on those same steps after dark, and outdoor kitchens round out the list for people ready to cook outside.
On the living side, we offer eco-friendly lawn care and regular residential maintenance with electric equipment. For offices, retail and HOA common areas, see our commercial maintenance page.
Roswell yards, specifically
Roswell sits in Georgia’s Piedmont, and the soil under most lawns here is the red clay the region is known for. The New Georgia Encyclopedia describes how that color comes from iron oxides left behind by long weathering, and how the clay-rich material underneath erodes easily once the plants holding it are removed. In practice that means two things for your yard. Clay drains slowly, so water sits. And bare clay on a slope moves every time it rains hard.
Our answer is mostly about soil health. We add compost when we plant instead of burying roots in straight clay, we mulch exposed ground, and we avoid heavy traffic across root zones and wet lawns, because compacted clay stops taking water at all. Native and well-adapted plants that tolerate both our wet winters and dry Augusts need less water once they are established.
Different parts of Roswell bring different puzzles. East of GA-400 you will find many HOA neighborhoods, and it is worth checking your covenants and any architectural review your HOA requires before planning a new wall, fence or patio. Closer to the old center of town, around Canton Street and the historic homes, lots are older, trees are bigger, and some properties fall under the city’s historic overlay rules.
If your property is in Roswell’s Historic Overlay District, the City of Roswell’s Unified Development Code requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for new construction, site expansions, tree removal, land disturbance and grading. Fences, gates and screening walls are listed as minor certificates, which the city’s Zoning Director can approve at staff level. Bigger changes go to the Historic Preservation Commission. The city asks applicants to go through an orientation with Community Development staff before submitting, so we recommend starting that early.
The river, the creeks and the buffers along them
A good part of Roswell’s southern edge borders the Chattahoochee, and that brings in the Metropolitan River Protection Act. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s corridor plan sets a 50-foot undisturbed vegetative buffer along the river and a 150-foot setback for impervious surfaces like patios and driveways. The City of Roswell asks residents within 2,000 feet of the river to contact its Planning and Zoning division before removing trees, and land disturbance inside the corridor goes through a review that the city coordinates with the ARC.
Streams have their own protections. The City of Roswell’s Environmental Public Works department notes that an effective stream buffer starts at the top of the bank and extends at least 50 feet on each side, and that clearing and building inside it are restricted. The Unified Development Code sets wider buffers on some streams. The city also points out a common mistake: running the lawn right to the edge of the creek. We would rather help you plant that strip with natives than mow it. It filters runoff, holds the bank and gives you less grass to cut.
Whether a particular wall, grading job or drainage project needs a land disturbance or building permit depends on its size, height and location. The City of Roswell’s Community Development department makes that call, and we check with them before we start rather than guessing.
Trees and canopy, which Roswell takes seriously
Under the City of Roswell’s tree ordinance, you need a permit before removing or seriously damaging any tree 3 inches or more in diameter at breast height that normally grows to 15 feet or taller. That covers most of the trees in a typical yard. Applications may be checked in the field by the City of Roswell’s arborist, and larger specimen trees, such as oaks and hickories 20 inches in diameter or more, require a written justification before removal will be considered. Trees that are dead or dangerous are handled differently, but the city still wants documentation.
We design around mature trees whenever we can. That means placing walls and patios outside the root zone, hand-digging near big roots instead of trenching through them, and keeping equipment off the ground under the canopy. A healthy old oak shades your house, soaks up stormwater and asks very little in return. It is almost always worth building around.
The first thirty days after a planting
Georgia’s Water Stewardship Act limits routine outdoor watering to between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s rules make an exception for new plantings: you can water new or replanted landscape at any time of day during installation and for 30 days afterward. Drip irrigation, soaker hoses and hand watering with a shutoff nozzle are allowed at any hour.
We use that window. For the first month we want new plants getting slow, deep water at the roots. After that, water early in the morning, before 10 a.m., and less often but longer, so roots grow down into the clay instead of staying near the surface. We will leave you a simple schedule for your specific plants.
Questions Roswell homeowners ask us
Do I need a permit to take down a tree in my back yard?
Very likely. The City of Roswell requires a permit for most trees 3 inches in diameter or larger, and extra review for large specimen trees or anything in the Chattahoochee River corridor. We can point you to the right office, and we will plan our work so that as few trees as possible need to come out.
My house is near the historic district. Can I still put in a new front walk or fence?
Usually yes, but if the property is in the Historic Overlay District you will need a Certificate of Appropriateness first. Fences and screening walls are typically a staff-level approval. Grading and site expansions need more review. We are happy to help you gather what the city asks for.
Is electric equipment really quieter?
For mowing, trimming and blowing, yes, noticeably. There are no fumes either. Cutting pavers and compacting a wall base is still loud, and we schedule that work during reasonable hours.
Water pools at the bottom of my yard every time it rains. What would you do?
First we find where it is coming from. Often it is a mix of downspouts, a neighbor’s runoff and compacted clay. The fix might be a French drain, some regrading, a rain garden or a combination, and we aim to let as much water as possible soak in on your property rather than sending it toward the creek.
How far do you travel to Roswell?
We are based in Dunwoody, about 20 to 25 minutes away depending on traffic and which part of Roswell you are in.
Nearby
We also work in Sandy Springs, our home base of Dunwoody and Peachtree Corners. You can see the full list on our service areas page.
Book a site visit
The best way to start is a walk around your property. We will look at the slope, the drainage and the trees, talk through what you want to use the space for, and flag any City of Roswell permits that might apply. Get in touch here to set up a time.