Landscaping in Rhode Island is salt, small lots, and water trying to reach the bay through your foundation on the way. Shore yards burn ordinary shrubs in a single windy week. Inland lots in the Blackstone valley deal more with shade, clay, and roof leaders. Stone walls and tight side yards leave little room to change grade without affecting the neighbor. Say where the water sits after a nor'easter, because that is the job.
Downspouts that end at clapboard soak sills and feed ants. Patios pitched toward the house keep basements damp in a state that is already damp. Walks heave. A fence on a cottage lot may be the only thing between you and the next roof's runoff. Marshes and high groundwater mean a trench that works in July may sit full in March. Do not bury a cesspool or a tank you have not located.
Salt-tolerant plants belong on the immediate shore. A lawn meant for a dry inland suburb will sulk in spray and in shade under a three-story house. Trees over the roof fill gutters that then ice up after a wet storm. Roots and old waste systems in the yard should not meet a shovel by accident. Mention dogs, because a small dirt side yard becomes mud as soon as the freeze leaves.
Snow and ice have nowhere to go on a tight urban lot, so the pile ends on the bulkhead or the only path. Brick and bluestone shift. A low spot that floods from the street is not the same as a spring under the lawn. Ask whether you need water moved, a surface rebuilt, or plantings that can live with salt wind. One of those is the real request.
Describe the town, how close the bay is, and the slope. Mention walls, leaders, and any yard system you must not hit. Have a priority before you call. Call the number on this page.