Lawn care & hardscaping in Tampa, FL

Most Tampa lawns are St. Augustine, and the cultivar matters more than people expect. Floratam, the full-sun workhorse, wants at least six hours of direct sun; under the oaks shading Palma Ceia and Hyde Park it thins out no matter how much you water. On those lots we recommend shade-tolerant cultivars such as CitraBlue, Palmetto or Seville, or mulch and groundcover beds where turf won't hold.

Tampa's sand stores only about an inch of water per foot of soil, so we mow high and water ½–¾ inch when blades fold, not on a fixed timer. Southern chinch bugs hit drought-stressed St. Augustine first, so sunny edges along driveways get checked on every visit. On bay-front lots off Bayshore Boulevard and on Davis Islands, surge can leave salt behind: flush with fresh water and clear the silt before re-sodding. Our sod guide compares the options, and the hurricane-season checklist covers storm prep.

As of October 2026, two layers apply to Tampa Water customers:

• The regional order. SWFWMD's Modified Phase III order runs through March 31, 2027. Water one day a week by the last digit of your house number (0/1 Monday, 2/3 Tuesday, 4/5 Wednesday, 6/7 Thursday, 8/9 Friday), from midnight to 4 a.m. or 8 to 11:59 p.m.
• The City rule. Once-a-week watering has been permanent since August 2024, so it stays after the order ends, with no irrigation from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Citations can be issued on a first observation and carry a mandatory court appearance.

New sod can follow the UF/IFAS 30-day establishment schedule on any day, but never between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. while the order lasts. The City also bans nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer June 1–September 30; when a lawn needs feeding, we coordinate licensed partners who plan around that window. Details are in our watering-rules guide.

What makes sense depends on the neighborhood. On compact lots in South Tampa, Seminole Heights and Tampa Heights, the best upgrades tend to be paver walkways that replace cracked original concrete, courtyard patios sized for narrow side yards and herringbone driveways laid out around existing oaks. In New Tampa and Tampa Palms, newer communities between I-275 and I-75 where many streets are deed-restricted, think backyard patios, pool-deck extensions and front beds refreshed to association standards.

Drainage drives every design. Low-lying areas like South Tampa and Davis Islands sit only a few feet above the bay, so we grade patios 1–2% away from the house and decide where runoff goes before the first paver is set. Our paver installations start with a compacted base built in lifts, not a skim of sand.

Inside city limits, Tampa regulates more than most homeowners expect. A paver driveway needs a Residential Driveway permit from Construction Services, and the plan must show every tree within 20 feet; specimen trees 24 inches or more in diameter keep a 15-foot protective distance, and a paver edge detail may be required. A new apron in the right-of-way needs its own City permit.

On trees, non-exempt species 5 inches in diameter and larger are protected, and pruning a tree 24 inches or larger requires a permit. Irrigation and reclaimed-water hookups carry a separate residential permit; new systems and permits are handled with a licensed partner where required. In Ybor City, a National Historic Landmark district, and in Hyde Park, Seminole Heights or Tampa Heights, check with the City's historic preservation staff before changing visible hardscape. We map out the permit steps with you up front and never promise an approval date.