Frequently asked questions.

Yes — within Lake County and the immediate North Shore corridor (Mundelein, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Northbrook), the first visit is at no charge. We'll spend 30–45 minutes walking your property, listening to your wish list, and answering questions. You'll receive a written direction within a week.

Our spring installation calendar typically fills by mid-January, and fall by July. Designs can begin year-round — winter is actually the ideal time for design work, since installations are months away and we have more drawing-board time.

Occasionally — we'll consider properties in McHenry County and far north Cook County. There may be a small mobilization fee for site visits beyond our core service area.

Often, yes. We're happy to design and install while a trusted local crew handles ongoing weekly mowing or basic care. We'll coordinate directly with them so there's no friction.

Fully. We carry general liability and workers' compensation insurance, and we hold Illinois Landscape Contractor License #LC-2014-7821. We're happy to share our certificate of insurance before any contract is signed.

A residential master plan typically takes 4–6 weeks from site visit to final drawings. We share a concept review at the halfway mark so you can shape the direction before we finalize details. Estate-scale projects may take 8–12 weeks.

Designs generally run $2,500–$8,500 depending on scope. Installed projects we've built recently range from $18,000 (a mid-size perennial border) to $185,000 (a full estate landscape with extensive hardscape and irrigation). We're transparent about pricing and provide phased budgets so you can build over multiple seasons if preferred.

Yes, when they help. For most projects 2D plans plus mood boards are enough — they're faster and don't oversell what the garden will look like on day one. For complex hardscape or significant grading we do produce 3D models.

Yes. We handle Lake Forest's design review, Mundelein's right-of-way permits, Libertyville's tree preservation requirements, and any HOA submittals required for your community. This is included in our project management.

A typical residential garden takes 1–3 weeks of on-site work. A patio with planting around it is usually 2–4 weeks. Estate-scale projects with major hardscape may run 6–10 weeks. We share a detailed schedule before work begins.

Yes — most clients move onto a custom seasonal care plan once the garden is in. It's optional but strongly recommended for the first three years while plantings establish. Plans range from $1,800/year for simple care up to $9,500+/year for full estate stewardship.

We use Integrated Pest Management — meaning we identify the actual problem before deciding on a response, and we always start with the least-disruptive option. We never spray broadcast herbicides on lawn or beds. Spot-treatment of invasives is occasional and disclosed in advance.

We design with deer pressure in mind everywhere it matters — Lake Bluff, much of Lake Forest, parts of Highland Park. We work from a tested list of unpalatable perennials and shrubs and recommend repellent rotation for the few exceptions worth protecting.

Yes — installed plants are guaranteed for one full growing season under our care. If a plant fails through no fault of your maintenance, we replace it. The guarantee assumes reasonable watering during establishment, which we cover in your post-install care guide.

We strongly prefer regional natives and well-adapted plants for any garden. We'll happily design a 100% native garden if that's your preference. For more traditional ornamental gardens, we still default to a native-leaning palette and avoid known invasives.

Full-color natural bluestone, Wisconsin fieldstone, granite cobble, ICPI-certified concrete pavers, and proper clay paver bricks. Our lead mason James personally installs every patio with our two-person stone crew — we do not subcontract hardscape.

Yes. We install Hunter and Rain Bird systems with smart controllers, rain sensors and drip lines for beds. Every system includes a written winterization and spring start-up schedule. We're an EPA WaterSense partner.

Yes — fieldstone and brick fireplaces are some of our favorite projects. We build outdoor kitchens with stone counters, gas lines (coordinated with a licensed plumber), and integrated lighting.