Salt Lake County — Utah's Most Diverse Landscape Market

East Bench (Holladay, Millcreek, Cottonwood Heights): Clay-heavy soils, mature tree canopies, established landscapes that need renovation rather than starting from scratch. Irrigation systems are often 20–30 years old and underperforming. Retaining walls are common on the hillside lots transitioning from flat valley to canyon terrain.

South Valley (Sandy, Draper, South Jordan, Herriman, Riverton, Bluffdale): Mix of new construction and 1980s–2000s builds. Lot sizes are larger than the urban core. Outdoor living investment is high in this market — patios, outdoor kitchens, and fire features are among the most common project types. Newer construction often has compacted soil and minimal landscaping from the builder.

Urban Core (Salt Lake City, Murray, West Jordan): Smaller lots, more urban design constraints, strong demand for space-efficient outdoor design. Rooftop decks and elevated outdoor spaces are more common here than anywhere else in the county. Historic properties in Federal Heights and Avenues neighborhoods require sensitivity to neighborhood character.

With this much variety under one county designation, the most important thing we do before any Landscape Design project in Salt Lake County is site assessment — understanding the specific soils, drainage, existing vegetation, HOA restrictions, and intended use of the space. A landscape design that works perfectly in Draper may be completely wrong for a Federal Heights hillside lot. We don't apply county-wide assumptions when the conditions are this varied. Every Salt Lake County project starts with an on-site evaluation, and the design follows from what the site actually needs.

There are two types of landscape design firms: those that design and hand plans off, and those that design and build. Pitt Landscape & Construction is the second type. Our design process produces plans we install ourselves. Every grading decision, every retaining wall layout, every irrigation zone — designed with full knowledge of what it takes to build it correctly in Utah's specific climate and soil conditions.

The practical difference for you as a client: one team to coordinate, one contract, and no translation errors between the designer's intent and the installer's execution. When a landscape project has concrete flatwork, a retaining wall system, pavers, full irrigation, and softscape all designed and installed together, the result is a coherent property — not a collection of features added by different crews.

Our landscape design and installation practice covers the full range of hardscape and softscape work that transforms a property. On the hardscape side: concrete flatwork (patios, driveways, walkways, pool decks), retaining walls (interlocking block, natural stone, concrete), paver systems, and drainage. On the softscape side: trees, shrubs, perennials, sod, and xeriscape-appropriate planting. Supporting systems: irrigation design and installation, outdoor lighting, and grading.

Landscape architecture — the engineered design drawings — is included in our process wherever the site requires permitted work. Retaining walls over four feet in Utah typically require engineered drawings. Our general contractor license allows us to produce and permit those drawings without subcontracting to a separate architect.

Utah landscapes fail — or succeed — based on decisions made during design, not installation. The three conditions that determine long-term performance in the Salt Lake Valley:

Freeze-thaw cycling. Ground temperatures in the valley swing from single digits in January to 95°F+ in July. Concrete, paving, and retaining structures that are not properly detailed for this range will fail within a few years. We specify freeze-thaw-rated concrete mixes, appropriate base depths, and compaction standards for every hardscape installation.

Clay-dominant soil. Much of the valley has tight clay soil that drains poorly and expands when wet. Drainage routing and base preparation are engineering decisions, not afterthoughts. Getting them wrong results in settling, frost heave, and water intrusion against structures.

Drought and water restriction. Utah's watering restrictions are increasingly strict, and water costs are rising. Irrigation systems designed with zone sequencing, cycle-soak programming, and xeriscape-appropriate plant selection reduce water use and keep the landscape healthy through dry seasons without constant manual intervention.

Every landscape design-build engagement at Pitt Landscape & Construction begins at your property. We assess your site conditions — existing grade, drainage patterns, access constraints, and current hardscape — then discuss your goals and produce a design that addresses all of them before any installation begins.

We have completed more than 450 standard-scope landscape projects across the Salt Lake Valley since 2007, representing over $10 million in completed landscape work. Our service areas include Salt Lake City, Sandy, Draper, South Jordan, Murray, Riverton, Herriman, Holladay, Cottonwood Heights, Millcreek, Bountiful, Farmington, Lehi, and Park City. Contact us to schedule a consultation for your property.