Landscaping in Maurice, LA

Landscaping for Maurice Homes

Maurice is named for founder Maurice Villien, a native of Savoy, France, who came to America in 1855. It was incorporated in 1911, and US 167 runs through the village with LA 92 crossing just east. Median household income was about $67,143 in 2019 and growing.

Drainage on Low Ground

At about 20 feet above sea level, Maurice yards have almost no slope. After a three-inch rain, water sits for days. We grade lots to create a gentle fall, install French drains along the low edge and add surface drains where water collects. Downspouts get piped away from the slab to a pop-up or ditch.

Lawn Care for New Lots

New subdivisions mean new sod over fill dirt. We keep lawns at about 3 inches, feed in April and June, and overseed in fall. Weekly mowing typically costs $45 to $85 a visit on a quarter-acre.

Paver Patios Built for Soft Ground

Soft, wet ground wrecks cheap patios. We dig deeper, 8 to 10 inches, pack a thicker stone base and slope the surface a quarter inch per foot. A patio built that way stays flat through wet seasons.

Beds and Curb Appeal for New Builds

New houses get a few shrubs and a lot of bare soil. We plan beds with layers and raise them a few inches so roots drain. Seasonal color adds life at the entrance.

Working Around the Vermilion River

Lots near the river and coulees can hold water longer and erode along banks. We use stone, plantings or a short wall to hold soil where water runs.

Soil, Water and Seasons in Maurice

Maurice sits about 20 feet above sea level, lower than most of Lafayette Parish, with farm fields on every side. After a big rain, standing water can hang around for days, and clay soil swells when wet. That is why we grade first, drain second and plant last on every Maurice job.

A Year of Yard Work in Maurice

• Winter: grading and drain work while the ground is dry enough to dig.
• Spring: first feeding in April and bed planting.
• Summer: weekly mowing, a June feeding and a look at low spots after storms.
• Fall: overseeding, patio work and mulch.

How We Work With New Subdivisions

Maurice has gained more than a thousand residents since 2010, and new lots are rarely finished. We start with the water, then add beds, then a patio. If your builder left a drain or a catch basin, we tie into it rather than tearing it out.

What to Plant in Maurice

Plants for Maurice need to handle wet feet in winter and dry heat in August. We lean on loropetalum, Indian hawthorn and dwarf yaupon holly in beds, crape myrtle as the small street tree and St. Augustine for sod. We raise bed areas four to six inches so the root balls drain, and we avoid plants that hate standing water, like lavender or rosemary, unless they go in a container.

A Recent Job in Maurice

A new house on US 167 sat on a lot with almost no fall, and the backyard held water for four days. We regraded a gentle slope toward the side swale, laid a 60-foot French drain with a surface drain at the low point and added a paver patio on a deeper base. The drainage ran $3,200 and the patio $5,400, done over two phases.

In Maurice we most often do French drains, landscape design, paver patios and weekly lawn care.

Next Door: Milton

We also work in Milton, only a short drive from Maurice, so a crew is often nearby. If you have a neighbor with a project, we can sometimes schedule both on the same trip.