Hometown Landscape is a landscaping and hardscaping company based in Burtonsville that serves Columbia, MD. We design and build patios, retaining walls, walkways, outdoor living spaces and planting plans for Columbia homes and businesses, and we care for yards across the area. We have been designing landscapes since 1997. We are a women-owned company, we won NALP awards in 2024 and 2025, and each year we plant the University of Maryland “Big M” flower display. Columbia is in Howard County, about 7 miles from our office at 4610 Sandy Spring Road. Consultations are free.
Columbia is a planned town built in villages. Here you will find single-family homes on wooded lots, townhouses, condos and office parks. Some yards back up to open space owned by the Columbia Association.
Our Services in Columbia, MD
- Patios: paver and stone patios built on a solid base.
- Retaining walls: walls that hold back soil on sloped yards.
- Walkways and driveways: paths and drives in pavers or stone.
- Fire pits: built-in fire features for the back yard.
- Outdoor kitchens: grill stations and counters near your patio.
- Outdoor lighting: low-voltage lights for paths, steps and plants.
- Composite decks: low-upkeep decks built to county code.
- Fences: privacy, picket and rail fences.
- Landscape design: a plan for plants, beds and hardscape.
- Drainage solutions: fixes for wet spots and water near the house.
- Seasonal maintenance: spring and fall clean-ups and bed care.
- Commercial landscaping: grounds care for offices and shared properties.
Landscaping in Columbia: What to Know Before You Build
In Columbia, building permits come from the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP). The county says only decks under 25 square feet skip footings and permits, and all other decks need a permit. Its deck guide says footings must sit on solid ground at least 30 inches deep, and the footings, framing and final work are all inspected. The county’s building permit fee schedule lists retaining walls over 3 feet tall and fences over 7 feet tall as permit work. Walls 3 feet tall or less need no permit. On a corner lot, county zoning keeps closed fences and walls over 3 feet tall out of a 25-foot triangle where the roads meet. If you are not sure about your project, call DILP at 410-313-2455, option 4.
Most of Columbia has a second set of rules: village covenants. Each village’s covenants are recorded in the county land records and set the standards for outside changes. Howard County says that on Columbia Association assessed property, outside work may also need approval from the village Architectural Committee. That review is completely separate from county permits, and a county permit does not replace it. Each village has a Covenant Advisor who explains how to apply. In Hickory Ridge, for example, the application asks for a site plan, scale drawings, material samples and a landscape plan when needed, and decks and fences can use a faster “Fast Track” review. Some homes also sit in a separate HOA with its own rules.
Keep your project on your own lot. Columbia Association’s open space rules say no structures may be built on open space, and no part of it may be changed without CA’s written permission.
For drainage, Howard County runs CleanScapes. It pays back homeowners for approved projects such as rain gardens, conservation landscaping and dry wells, and it can lower your Watershed Protection Fee. The home must be built before 2003, a licensed contractor must install the project, and work done without approval does not qualify. Check the program page for this year’s dates, because space is limited. The county also gives free rain barrels to residents each spring, one per household. Before any digging, contact Miss Utility. It does not mark private lines, such as sprinkler lines, invisible fencing or the water pipe from the meter to your house. For those, hire a private locating company. And under the Maryland Lawn Fertilizer Law, no lawn fertilizer may go down from November 16 to March 1.
Columbia, MD: History
Columbia began on June 21, 1967, with a dedication at Wilde Lake, where the first residents moved in. The Rouse Company, founded by James Rouse, built the town. One of its four goals was “to respect the land,” so the town was laid out around open space. Today the Columbia Association cares for nearly 3,600 acres of open space, three lakes and 95 miles of pathways. For yard work, that means many lots touch shared land, so it pays to know your property lines.
Columbia, MD ZIP Codes
- 21044
- 21045
- 21046
On the Maryland Department of Planning Howard County ZIP code map, 21044 covers the west side of Columbia, 21045 the east side and 21046 the south side.
Columbia, MD: Neighborhoods and Communities
Columbia has ten villages: Dorsey’s Search, Harper’s Choice, Hickory Ridge, Kings Contrivance, Long Reach, Oakland Mills, Owen Brown, River Hill, Town Center and Wilde Lake. Each village is made up of smaller neighborhoods. A few examples are Bryant Woods and Running Brook in Wilde Lake, Hobbit’s Glen in Harper’s Choice, Thunder Hill and Stevens Forest in Oakland Mills, Jeffers Hill and Phelps Luck in Long Reach, Dasher Green in Owen Brown, Clemens Crossing in Hickory Ridge, Dorsey Hall in Dorsey’s Search and Pheasant Ridge in River Hill.
Columbia, MD: Local Landmarks
Columbia’s three lakes are Wilde Lake, Lake Kittamaqundi in Town Center and Lake Elkhorn in Owen Brown. Merriweather Post Pavilion sits in Symphony Woods downtown. Howard County’s Robinson Nature Center is on Cedar Lane, and Blandair Regional Park is on Oakland Mills Road. These lakes and parks are part of the open space that so many Columbia yards sit next to.
Columbia, MD: Nearby Streets, Parks, and Districts
US Route 29 runs north and south through Columbia. MD 175, MD 32, MD 100 and MD 108 cross or edge the town, and I-95 runs to the east. Inside Columbia, Little Patuxent Parkway, Broken Land Parkway and Snowden River Parkway link the villages, Town Center and the business areas. The pathway system ties homes to the lakes, Symphony Woods and village centers.
Nearby Areas We Serve
We also work in these Howard County towns near Columbia: Ellicott City, Clarksville, Fulton, Maple Lawn, Highland, Savage and Elkridge. See all of our areas we serve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Landscaping in Columbia, MD
Who is a good landscaper in Columbia, MD?
Hometown Landscape is a landscaping and hardscaping company based in Burtonsville that serves Columbia, MD. We have been designing landscapes since 1997. We are women-owned, licensed, bonded and insured, and we won NALP awards in 2024 and 2025. We build patios, retaining walls, walkways and planting plans, and we offer free consultations. Our office is about 7 miles from Columbia.
Do I need a permit to build a deck in Columbia, MD?
Almost always. Howard County says only decks under 25 square feet skip a permit. Permits come from the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits, and your village may need to approve the deck too.
Do I need village approval for a fence or patio in Columbia, MD?
You may. On Columbia Association assessed property, outside changes may need approval from your village’s Architectural Committee. This is separate from any county permit. Call your village’s Covenant Advisor before work starts.
How tall can a retaining wall be in Columbia, MD without a permit?
Howard County needs no permit for a retaining wall 3 feet tall or less. A wall over 3 feet needs a county permit. Village covenant rules still apply.
Can I get help paying for a rain garden in Columbia, MD?
Maybe. Howard County’s CleanScapes program pays back part of the cost of approved projects like rain gardens. The home must be built before 2003, and a licensed contractor must do the work.
Who marks underground lines before digging in Columbia, MD?
Miss Utility. Call 811 or use their website before any digging. Their member utilities mark their own lines. They do not mark private lines, such as sprinkler lines or the water pipe from the meter to your house.
To plan your Columbia project, call 301.490.5577 or request a free estimate.
Hometown Landscape serves Columbia, MD with landscape design and build, hardscape, outdoor living, and outdoor carpentry across Howard County and the surrounding DMV. Columbia is Howard County’s largest community and one of our most consistent markets. The village concept that James Rouse built into the original master plan, with neighborhoods like Wilde Lake, Long Reach, and Owen Brown sized around their own commercial cores, gives Columbia an architectural rhythm that our landscape work has to respect.
Columbia is organized around its ten original villages, each with its own neighborhood character, age range, and architectural mix. Wilde Lake homes lean older with the tallest mature trees. Long Reach and Owen Brown sit in the middle of the build timeline. River Hill and the newer western villages tend toward larger lots and more elaborate landscape budgets. Our work spans all of it.
The Columbia covenant aesthetic, the mature tree canopy, and the village level architectural review all shape what works and what does not in this market. We design landscapes that read as native to the property rather than imposed on it, and we choose materials and plant palettes that the covenant committee will approve on the first pass.
Why Work With Hometown Landscape in Columbia, MD
Hometown Landscape is a Burtonsville based design and build company. We have been doing this work since 1997. We are not a referral broker, we are not a national franchise, and we are not a mow and go operation. We design landscapes, we build hardscape, we frame outdoor structures, and we plant gardens. One company handles your project from the first plan to the finished yard, and you can call us back next season when you want to add to what we built.
We also serve neighboring communities, including Ellicott City, MD, Clarksville, MD, and Maple Lawn, MD. See the full list of areas we serve across the DMV.
Ready to Start a Columbia, MD Project?
If you are ready to design a real outdoor space in Columbia, get in touch for a site visit. We bring sketches, material samples, and a clear timeline to the first meeting, and we can usually have a preliminary design back to you within a couple of weeks. Call 1 301 490 5577 or use the contact form to schedule.
Landscape and Outdoor Living Across the DMV
Hometown Landscape serves homeowners across Montgomery County, Howard County, and the wider Washington, D.C. region with landscape design, hardscape, outdoor living, and outdoor carpentry from our Burtonsville home base.