We asked Tim to design and build a backyard patio with landscaping. The end result is a peaceful, restful space which guests do not want to leave. Old friends & neighbors forget where they are and relax in our new oasis. It feels as if we have added a room to the house with spaces for both intimate chats and larger areas for entertaining guests. We have never attracted so many hummingbirds and butterflies as the new plantings do.

Tim created the design, oversaw the installation of the stone patio, chose bird and insect friendly native plants and gave us beauty and practicality. He paid close attention to sight lines and elevation changes factoring in future plant and tree growth. Tim and his work crews were responsive to questions and easy to work with. The stone patio is a work of art.

In the summer of 2021, we hired Tim Heelan of Stonepocket to refurbish our backyard landscaping. This job required the removal of overgrown and tired plantings, the relocation of loved and still viable plants, and a new vision for a large hillside terraced garden. We also needed to address a drainage issue and did so by installing pop-up drains to keep roof drainage from flooding our neighbor’s yards on both side of our lot. Tim was flexible and shared creative ideas including a beautiful rendering of the final proposed design for the backyard project. The crew that worked on the project was extremely knowledgable about stonework and the variety of garden plants that were required for the job. They were creative and flexible about on-the-job trouble shooting when unexpected issues cropped up. (For example, we have a mysterious sprinkler system which was not installed by us, and the garden plan had to be adjusted to fit with the original piping once it was discovered underground. We were informed of the issue and were included in the problem solving.) The crew was respectful of neighbor’s properties and cleaned up the site each day as they finished, even sweeping the street where they loaded and unloaded their equipment. We would wholeheartedly recommend Stonepocket for landscape projects using stonework (terracing, limestone slab steps, etc.) and creative and colorful garden plantings. We were so satisfied with the outcome of our project that we are hiring Tim and company again this summer to refresh the front yard! We live in an association of detached town houses, and the HOA is happy to welcome Stonepocket back after seeing the outcome of our project.

I was impressed how Tim came out initially to assess the existing landscape, terrain, slope, drainage etc. Then we discussed the goals; in our case, we wanted to prevent further erosion, gain curb appeal, and provide food/habitat for wildlife. We benefited from Tim’s horticulture and botany background; the knowledge of trees and plants: sun, shade, root systems were important factors to consider. He then drew up a blueprint and after a couple small tweaks, a beautiful plan emerged. We chose to do some of the preliminary work ourselves. When late spring arrived, his crew came out to pull out the invasive plants, replant with native perennials with additional dirt/mulch and the backyard was completely transformed! The blueprint plan he drew up did an excellent job of seamlessly transitioning the side yard to the back yard. We also had him put in steps down to our pond, as the old path was treacherous. The neighbors are pleased also, with the better view they have. We will continue to seek out his expertise on future improvements we will make to our home.

Tim at Stonepocket is absolutely FANTASTIC to work with. After interviewing and researching several other companies, it quickly became clear that Tim and Stonepocket were head and shoulders above the competition. In the fall of 2017, we had completed building our home and needed to landscape our entire yard, both front and back. While we were pretty specific about how we planned to use the space, we weren’t sure how to bring that vision to life. Enter Tim. After patiently listening to our descriptions and reviewing our selections, Tim patiently walked us through several iterations of our project as he both taught us about our selections and introduced us to other possibilities. Once we finalized our project and the work began, Tim was there daily, either doing the work himself and/or coordinating and overseeing his subcontractors. He walked us through who we would need to speak with when in order to keep our project on time. I think my favorite thing about working with Tim and Stonepocket is the continued care and work that he puts into our project. It was evident from day 1 and has continued to be reinforced even 4 years later, that Tim views this as more than a job. He takes pride in his work and it shows. I can’t recommend Tim and Stonepocket highly enough!

We have worked with Tim to develop new landscaping including large trees, small flower gardens, fire pit and large edible garden spaces. I loved Tim particularly for his knowledge of plants. He helped us choose items that look good but also easy to care for, create beauty, privacy spaces and enhance the environment using native plants when possible and choosing items that also benefit surrounding wildlife. He was very easy to communicate with, his hardscape contractors were very good. We had a little trouble with some of the planting of actual trees and plants but I was quite particular and in the end all was made right. Tim was great to work with we will hire him again for an outdoor kitchen space in the future. We highly recommend him especially if unique plants and supporting our ecosystem is important to you.

Tim has integrity and passion for his work. He approaches each project as a unique canvas and puts a lot of thought into the final look and eventual growth considerations for plantings. We wanted a paver patio, easy to maintain plants, rock and lighting features and an enclosed raised garden. He listened to our needs and proposed a design that we absolutely love. We get compliments all the time about our backyard oasis. If you have big ideas, he has a “guy” for everything and will work with you to scale up or down as your budget allows. In our case, we took a phased approach over several years…continuing to fill in plants and replace trees around the house over time. He guarantees his work and will check in the season after planting to ensure there are no concerns. We have and will continue to recommend Tim to friends and neighbors!

I knew I wanted to work with a professional for our landscaping needs and design. As an avid gardener I really needed help pulling all my ideas together, editing them, and getting new ideas as well. Time was great to work with, from the beginning I could see he had some great ideas on how we could accomplish the look we were looking for. We wanted something natural, fitting with MN native plantings and knowing that Tim looks for the true chemistry of how plants come together and work with each other and the birds/insects that will no doubt benefit as well.

Tim did a full design for our whole lot, and then also worked with us to figure out how we could do things in installments too. In the end we installed some great stone, small front patio and the curb appeal is AWESOME. Our neighbors and sidewalk walkers always give us compliments on the garden and it was all thanks to Tim! Thanks Tim!

Our neighbors had previously worked with Tim (Stonepocket), and I was very impressed with the result. Tim Heelan and his crew are very professional and meticulous in their landscaping work. I was amazed at how much they did in three days during the Fall. All of the work was flawless, and all of the crew very nice to work with.
Tim is a creative landscape architect; his proposals were beautiful in their design, and very individualized to our (sloping) front lawn and need for replacement of two trees damaged and removed after a July storm.
Stonepocket is not cheap—because this quality of work cannot be cheap—but I feel the expense was justified, based on the result. It really is a pleasure to work with Tim and the Stonepocket crew, as they clearly are very proud of their work. I would certainly recommend them to our friends and neighbors.

We still have some remaining plantings in April, but the major portion of the work has been completed (and Tim will be checking to see how the plants weathered the winter). I have attached a photo taken during the landscape work (literally a work in progress).

When we bought our 90 year old Tudor house, we knew we would need a complete rehab of the landscaping. I interviewed a number of landscapers and they were fine, but I knew immediately that Tim really understood what I wanted. The plan he presented us was almost a work of art in itself. Tim had incorporated all my ideas and favorite plants, but he also pushed me to be more adventurous—and in every case, Tim was right. The installation went smoothly and was done in good time, so that we got almost a whole summer’s growth. You would never suspect this was a new garden. Can’t wait til next spring.

In 2012, we hired Tim with Stonepocket Unique Landscape to solve some issues in our back yard. Over many years, the once sunny area had become shady, rain kept washing away topsoil, and grass would no longer grow.Tim listened respectfully as we discussed the challenges our back yard presented. He came up with a solution for erosion, and a great design, with specific planting suggestions. His estimate was very reasonable. His subcontractor reworked the whole area and prepared it for planting. We planted according to Tim’s guidelines, and have been very pleased with the results. What was once a discouraging expanse of barren ground has become a lovely, peaceful retreat.

This summer, we hired Tim and his crew again to address the front yard. Our overgrown Arbor Vitae shrubs dominated two thirds of the area in front of the house. Our dryer vent had dried out the shrubs in other third. Once again, Tim listened to our ideas, shared his expertise, and created a landscape design that would enhance the house and thrive in spite of the dryer vent. The same subcontractor who worked on the back yard returned with another team member. The two of them worked at an amazing pace to prepare the area, and plant new shrubs and perennials. Their greatest challenge was installing a very large rock to block the dryer vent from damaging the plants. They were patient enough to return a few weeks later and move the rock so it would block the vent better. We are delighted with the transformation in our front yard. It looks attractive and balanced. The plants are thriving, and we enjoy relaxing on the front porch, taking it all in.

One of the most appealing elements of working with Tim of Stonepocket is that he is kind and respectful. Although he is a very creative expert in his field, he is a good listener, open to collaborative solutions. I would not hesitate to call on him again for landscape projects in the future.

We recently moved into this home and the landscape needed a lot of attention, especially the abandoned water feature. We hired Tim of Stonepocket to design various areas of the property; patio off the deck, front woodlands with steps down to the lake, recreational fire-pit, and plantings along the deck. Tim’s knowledge and network of artisans truly made this space one of a kind. The gas fire-pit, air conditioner and gas line screens, and path lights were all made by local individuals. Every attention to detail was greatly appreciated and anything that needed attention was dealt with in a timely manner. We look forward to working with Tim and his team on future projects.

Tim designed a beautiful garden plan for us. He is very knowledgeable about native plants and has an artist’s eye for combining textures and colors in the garden. He drew a detailed plan and provided information on all the plants. Tim was very responsive to the limitations of our yard and was wonderful to work with. I have already recommended Stonepocket to my friends and neighbors.

Tim completed 3 projects for me over 3 summers, finishing in the fall of 2018. It was a total transformation of my yard. The project required a lot of terracing and retaining walls because I live atop a steep hill. It also required new deck, 2 patios, and back stoop. The amount of planning and planting was enormous. I looked for 3 things from Tim, design skill, knowledge of plants, trees and materials, and project management. He is a stellar designer, creative and resourceful. He had great ideas for plants and trees that would work in my design. He is an unflappably good natured project manager. There were many challenges as expected on such a large project. I always felt Tim wanted to work things out in a way that satisfied his client. The last thing I thought was impressive was how response he is and how accountable he is for his work. I felt like he was working on his own yard.

Stonepocket worked for my brother installing a patio in their backyard along with some plantings so I was able to witness Tim’s work first hand. We hired Tim to refresh some plantings around the house and to add some stone steps on the side of our garage. Throughout the process Tim has come up to great ideas with the layout and plant suggestions that have added more seasonal interest to our gardens. When the plants did not thrive the following season, Tim himself replaced them. We have received many compliments and look forward to working with Tim again on future projects. We would recommend Stonepocket to anyone thinking about a landscaping project.

We hired Tim originally to do a landscape plan for our entire yard. We fell in love with he vision he had for the back yard and began a project that ended up taking six years to finish. As each phase was completed, we kept expanding the plan and Tim was fantastic in taking our ideas and making them a reality! Tim was very professional and easy to work with. He has an incredible attention to detail and it shows in our finished project. Tim also stands behind his work – we had an issue with some of our bluestone treads on a raised patio and he sent the stone mason to fix them at no charge to us. It’s refreshing to find a contractor with that type of customer service! We highly recommend Stonepocket Unique Landscapes if you are looking for a landscaper. We now have a family retreat complete with pool, fireplace, and an outdoor kitchen that will be used for years!