The Pensacola Metro's Suburban Growth Engine
Pace has become one of the fastest-growing unincorporated communities in Northwest Florida. Positioned just north of Pensacola along Highway 90 and connected to I-10, Pace offers families the combination of affordable new construction, good schools in the Santa Rosa County district, and a 20-minute commute to Pensacola's employment centers. This formula has fueled a construction boom that continues to accelerate.
What sets Pace apart from the coastal communities is its inland location. Properties here are far enough from the Gulf and Pensacola Bay to avoid salt spray, which opens up the full palette of landscape plant species. Azaleas, camellias, Japanese maples, gardenias, and hydrangeas all thrive in Pace's conditions — species that would struggle or fail within a few miles of the coast. This gives Pace homeowners more design options than their beach-adjacent neighbors.
The trade-off is that Pace sits on the transition zone between coastal sand and inland clay-sand mix. Soil conditions can vary significantly from one subdivision to the next, and even within the same lot. A soil test is not optional here — it determines irrigation scheduling, plant selection, and drainage design. We test every property before designing a plan.
Landscape Packages for Pace's New Subdivisions
Nearly every new subdivision in Pace delivers homes with the same minimal landscape package: basic sod, a few undersized shrubs against the foundation, and no irrigation system. Within the first summer, homeowners discover that Florida's combination of intense sun, sandy soil, and unpredictable rainfall makes it nearly impossible to keep a lawn alive without a properly designed irrigation system.
Our Pace new-build landscape package is designed specifically for this market. It starts with an irrigation system — typically 5 to 7 zones covering front and back turf, foundation beds, and any specialty plantings. Smart controllers adjust watering schedules based on weather data, so the system runs efficiently without constant manual adjustments.
Next comes the planting design. We replace the builder's generic shrubs with properly scaled species that will grow to fill their space without overcrowding. Foundation plantings are layered — tallest against the house, medium in the middle, lowest at the bed edge — creating depth and visual interest that a flat row of identical plants cannot achieve. Pace's inland location lets us use flowering species like knockout roses, dwarf gardenias, and Indian hawthorn that add color throughout the growing season.
Finally, hardscape. A paver patio extends the home's living space into the backyard, giving families a dedicated area for grilling, dining, and entertaining that stays clean and dry even after Florida's afternoon thunderstorms. We build these patios to last decades, not seasons, with proper base preparation that accounts for Pace's variable soil conditions.
Landscaping Advantages of Pace's Inland Location
Pace's distance from the coast creates landscape opportunities that beach communities simply cannot offer. Here is what makes landscaping in Pace different from our coastal service areas.
No Salt Spray Limitations
Without salt air degradation, Pace homeowners can plant species that would burn within a season near the coast. Japanese maples provide stunning fall color. Gardenias deliver fragrance from spring through fall. Crepe myrtles grow to full specimen size without salt-stunted growth. Even metal landscape lighting fixtures and standard irrigation components have a longer lifespan without salt corrosion.
Better Soil Diversity
While coastal properties sit on pure sand, Pace's soil often contains enough clay content to retain moisture and nutrients more effectively. This means less irrigation water consumption, better fertilizer retention, and stronger root development for trees and shrubs. The flip side is that clay-influenced soil drains slower, making proper drainage planning essential for patios and low-lying yard areas.
Larger Lots, More Space
Pace subdivisions typically offer more generous lot sizes than comparable-priced homes in Gulf Breeze, Navarre, or Destin. More space means room for complete outdoor living environments — a paver patio with a fire pit here, a garden area there, and still enough lawn for kids and dogs. We design landscapes that use this space intentionally rather than just filling it with sod.
Our Most Popular Services in Pace
Irrigation Systems
The essential investment for every Pace home. Multi-zone smart irrigation designed for Pace's soil conditions with rain sensors and seasonal auto-adjustment.
Learn More →Paver Patios
Family entertainment patios with fire pits, grilling areas, and dining spaces. Built on bases designed for Pace's sand-clay soil mix.
Learn More →Landscaping
Complete planting designs using Pace's expanded plant palette. Flowering shrubs, ornamental trees, and ground covers that thrive inland.
Learn More →Sod Installation
Replacing thin builder sod and establishing new lawns on cleared lots. St. Augustine, zoysia, and bermuda options for Pace's sun conditions.
Learn More →Outdoor Living
Fire pits, outdoor kitchens, and pergolas that take advantage of Pace's larger lot sizes. Complete backyard entertainment environments.
Learn More →Landscape Lighting
LED accent and path lighting for Pace subdivisions. Curb appeal that sets your home apart from the builder-standard neighbors on both sides.
Learn More →Pace Neighborhoods and Communities We Serve
We work throughout Pace's established neighborhoods and newer subdivisions, each with its own landscape challenges and opportunities. Our familiarity with Pace's specific soil conditions, HOA requirements, and lot layouts means we design solutions that fit the community -- not a generic template applied from Pensacola or Destin.
Estates & Acreage Lots
Properties along Chumuckla Highway and the northern reaches of Pace often sit on 1- to 5-acre lots with mature pine stands and mixed undergrowth. These larger parcels benefit from forestry mulching to reclaim usable space, followed by strategic landscaping that creates defined outdoor zones without clearing the entire property. Drainage is a common concern on these lots because natural water flow patterns may have been disrupted by grading during initial construction.
New Construction Subdivisions
Communities like Highpointe, Spencer's Plantation, and subdivisions along Woodbine Road deliver homes with minimal builder-grade landscaping. Most new homeowners need a complete landscape upgrade within the first year -- irrigation system installation, foundation planting redesign, paver patio construction, and sod replacement where builder sod has thinned or died. We specialize in turning these cookie-cutter yards into custom outdoor spaces that stand out in the neighborhood.
Established Pace Neighborhoods
Older neighborhoods along Highway 90 and near Pace High School have mature landscapes that often need renovation. Overgrown foundation shrubs, failing irrigation systems installed 15 to 20 years ago, and compacted soil are the most common issues. We renovate these properties by removing overgrown material, amending depleted soil, and installing drought-tolerant species paired with modern smart irrigation controllers that reduce water consumption by 30 to 40 percent compared to older timer-based systems.
Landscaping FAQ for Pace FL
Landscaping costs in Pace are generally comparable to the broader Pensacola market. A foundation planting refresh runs approximately $2,500 to $5,000. A full front-and-back landscape design with grading, plants, mulch, edging, and irrigation coordination ranges from $10,000 to $22,000 depending on lot size and plant selections. Pace's larger lot sizes often mean slightly larger projects, but the per-square-foot cost stays consistent.
St. Augustine (Floratam and Palmetto varieties) is the most popular sod type for Pace lawns. It handles heat, recovers well from foot traffic, and fills in quickly. For full-sun backyards, zoysia provides a denser, lower-maintenance turf that tolerates Pace's occasional winter freezes better than St. Augustine. Bermuda works well for sports turf and high-traffic areas. We recommend against centipede in most Pace soils because it struggles with the sand-clay mix that is common in this area.
Many of Pace's newer subdivisions have HOA covenants that govern landscape maintenance standards, fence placement, and sometimes plant species. Some require front yard landscaping to be installed within 90 days of closing. We work within HOA guidelines and can submit plans for HOA approval as part of our design process. If your HOA requires a specific standard, share the covenant documents during the consultation and we will ensure full compliance.
Upgrade Your Pace Home's Outdoor Space
From irrigation installations to complete landscape transformations, get a free estimate for your Pace property. We know this market inside and out.