# Great Goats Landscaping > Great Goats Landscaping is a family-owned landscape design and build company serving the Twin Cities metro in Minnesota. With more than 25 years of experience, owner Mike Olson and his crew build paver patios, retaining walls, decks, water features, and complete outdoor living spaces engineered for Minnesota's freeze-thaw climate. Key facts: - Family-owned, serving the Twin Cities metro, Minnesota since 2000. - Owner & lead designer: Mike Olson. - Phone: (612) 483-4628 (GOAT). - Specialty: patios, walls, decks, water features, and complete outdoor living engineered for Minnesota's freeze-thaw climate. - Also provides snow removal and holiday lighting. - Free property consultations and written, itemized estimates. ## Services ### Landscape Design & Build - [Paver Patios & Walkways](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/landscape-design/patios/): Interlocking paver patios that flex with Minnesota's freeze-thaw cycles instead of cracking. - [Retaining Walls](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/landscape-design/retaining-walls/): Engineered walls that hold back slopes, stop erosion, and create usable, level yard space. - [Decks & Gazebos](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/landscape-design/decks-gazebos/): Custom decks, pergolas, and gazebos with frost-depth footings built to handle Minnesota weather. - [Ponds & Water Features](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/landscape-design/water-features/): Ponds, waterfalls, and low-maintenance pondless features designed to winterize cleanly in Minnesota. - [Outdoor Fire Pits & Fireplaces](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/landscape-design/fire-pits/): Built-in stone and paver fire pits and fireplaces that extend your Minnesota outdoor season. - [Fencing](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/landscape-design/fencing/): Privacy, picket, and ornamental fencing set on frost-depth posts that stay straight in Minnesota. - [Drainage Solutions](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/landscape-design/drainage/): French drains, regrading, and downspout solutions that move water away from your home for good. - [Irrigation & Sprinkler Systems](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/landscape-design/irrigation/): Sprinkler and drip systems with smart controllers, designed and winterized for Minnesota. - [Flower & Garden Planting](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/landscape-design/planting/): Planting design with hardy perennials and Minnesota natives that thrive and return every year. ### Property Maintenance & Seasonal Services - [Snow Removal](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/maintenance/snow-removal/): Prompt, reliable driveway, walk, and lot clearing after every Twin Cities snowfall. - [Holiday Lighting](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/maintenance/holiday-lighting/): Professional holiday light design, install, takedown, and storage — no ladders in the cold for you. - [Interior Painting](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/maintenance/painting/): Off-season interior painting — walls, ceilings, trim, and doors with careful prep and clean lines. ## Service Areas - [Minnetonka, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/minnetonka/) - [Maple Grove, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/maple-grove/) - [Plymouth, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/plymouth/) - [Dayton, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/dayton/) - [Rogers, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/rogers/) - [Golden Valley, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/golden-valley/) - [Southwest Minneapolis, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/southwest-minneapolis/) - [Edina, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/edina/) - [Eden Prairie, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/eden-prairie/) - [Wayzata, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/wayzata/) - [Orono, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/orono/) - [Long Lake, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/long-lake/) - [Bloomington, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/bloomington/) - [Brooklyn Park, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/brooklyn-park/) - [Deephaven, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/deephaven/) - [Excelsior, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/excelsior/) - [Mound, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/mound/) - [Minnetrista, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/minnetrista/) - [Blaine, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/blaine/) - [Elk River, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/elk-river/) - [Champlin, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/champlin/) - [Anoka, MN](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/service-areas/anoka/) ## Guides - [How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost in the Twin Cities? (2026)](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/paver-patio-cost-twin-cities/): A clear 2026 breakdown of paver patio costs in the Twin Cities: price per square foot, what drives the cost, and why pavers outlast concrete in Minnesota winters. - [Pavers vs. Concrete in Minnesota: Which Lasts Through Our Winters?](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/pavers-vs-concrete-minnesota/): Pavers vs. concrete for a Minnesota patio: how they handle freeze-thaw, real cost differences, repairs, and which lasts longer. A straight comparison from a Twin Cities landscaper. - [How Much Does a Retaining Wall Cost in Minnesota? (2026)](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/retaining-wall-cost-minnesota/): 2026 retaining wall costs in Minnesota: price per square foot, average project totals, when you need a permit, and what makes a wall last. From a Twin Cities landscaper. - [Deck vs. Patio in Minnesota: Which Is Right for Your Yard?](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/deck-vs-patio-minnesota/): Deck vs. patio for a Minnesota backyard: cost, maintenance, how each handles freeze-thaw, and which adds more value. A straight comparison from a Twin Cities builder. - [Backyard Fire Pit Ideas & Cost in Minnesota](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/backyard-fire-pit-cost-minnesota/): What a built-in backyard fire pit costs in Minnesota, wood vs. gas, local fire rules, and design ideas that extend your Twin Cities outdoor season. From a local builder. - [How to Fix a Soggy Yard in Minnesota (Drainage Solutions)](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/yard-drainage-solutions-minnesota/): Standing water and a soggy yard in Minnesota? Here's how French drains, regrading, dry wells, and downspout fixes solve it, plus what each typically costs. - [How Much Does Landscaping Cost in the Twin Cities? (2026 Guide)](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/landscaping-cost-twin-cities/): What landscaping costs in the Twin Cities in 2026: full installs, front vs. backyard, patios, walls, and the factors that move the price. Plus how to get an accurate estimate. - [15 Low-Maintenance Native Plants That Thrive in Minnesota](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/low-maintenance-native-plants-minnesota/): The best low-maintenance Minnesota native plants: coneflower, black-eyed Susan, little bluestem, and more. Hardy, drought-tolerant, and back every year with little care. - [Professional Holiday Light Installation in the Twin Cities: What to Know](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/holiday-light-installation-twin-cities/): When to book holiday lighting in the Twin Cities, what professional installation includes, and why it's worth skipping the icy ladder. From a local lighting installer. - [How to Choose a Landscaper in the Twin Cities (Questions to Ask)](https://greatgoatslandscaping.com/blog/how-to-choose-landscaper-twin-cities/): How to choose a Twin Cities landscaper: the questions to ask, red flags to avoid, and why local Minnesota experience matters for patios, walls, decks, and more.