Top Landscape Design in Elmhurst, Illinois Ranked

A professional landscape design transforms your Elmhurst property into a beautiful, functional extension of your home. It's the artful planning of your outdoor space, considering everything from plant selection to patio layout to create a cohesive environment tailored to your lifestyle and local climate. This guide will help you understand the key considerations, styles, and processes for residential landscaping in Elmhurst, empowering you to connect with local experts who can bring your vision to life.

Ross & Jack's Landscaping Inc

chicago

Ross & Jack's Landscaping Inc is a family-owned landscaping company based in Elmhurst, Illinois, serving Chicago and surrounding towns. Since 1975, they have offered comprehensive landscaping services including landscape design, installation, grounds maintenance, lawn care, sod installation, drainage solutions, and hardscaping such as retaining walls and brick paving. Their expertise includes digital landscape design layouts to help clients visualize projects before installation, as well as specialized drainage solutions like dry wells to manage water issues effectively. The company focuses on creating functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living spaces that enhance property value.

5.0

157 Reviews

Paul's Outdoor Living

chicago

Paul's Outdoor Living is a landscape design and landscaping company based in Chicago, IL. They create outdoor spaces that combine beauty with durability, focusing on low-maintenance and no-maintenance landscaping solutions. Their work emphasizes detailed design and craftsmanship to meet the needs of homeowners seeking stylish and practical outdoor environments.

5.0

124 Reviews

Junior's Landscaping Inc

831 Dennis Dr, Bensenville, IL 60106

Junior's Landscaping Inc is a landscaping and hardscaping company based in Chicago, IL. They provide services including landscape design, lawn seeding and blanketing, spring cleanup with mulching, and the installation of paver patios and retaining walls. The team handles project permitting and cleanup, ensuring a smooth process from design to completion. Junior's Landscaping Inc is known for transforming outdoor spaces to enhance curb appeal and functionality.

5.0

98 Reviews

Pavestone Brick Paving, Inc

1645 Elk Blvd, Des Plaines, IL 60016

Pavestone Brick Paving, Inc is a family-owned hardscape contractor serving Chicago, IL, and the surrounding north and northwest suburbs. They specialize in designing and installing brick and stone patios, driveways, walkways, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, and outdoor lighting. As an authorized contractor for Unilock and Rochester, Pavestone offers high-quality paver products and provides full 3D hardscape and landscape color renderings to assist with project visualization. With over 24 years of experience, they focus on craftsmanship and structural integrity to create durable and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living spaces. Pavestone also offers permeable paver installations for environmentally sustainable projects.

4.9

255 Reviews

Distinct Outdoor Living LLC

205 E Butterfield Rd #136, Elmhurst, IL 60126

Distinct Outdoor Living LLC is a landscaping company based in Chicago, IL, offering a range of services including lawn mowing, lawn care, landscape design, tree removal, stump grinding, land clearing, and brush removal. The company emphasizes a design-first approach, with over 20 years of experience in crafting and maintaining outdoor spaces tailored to clients' needs. Their owner is actively involved in every project from consultation to installation, ensuring personalized service. Distinct Outdoor Living also provides full-service maintenance plans to keep outdoor spaces looking their best over time.

5.0

82 Reviews

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Understanding Elmhurst's Landscape Canvas

Successful garden design in Elmhurst begins with a deep understanding of the local environment. The city falls within USDA Hardiness Zones 5a and 5b, which means plants must be resilient enough to withstand cold winters with average minimum temperatures between -20°F and -10°F, as well as warm, humid summers ¹. This climate dictates a palette of hardy perennials, shrubs, and trees that can thrive year after year.

The soil is another critical factor. DuPage County is known for its fertile, often clay-based soil ². While nutrient-rich, clay soil can present drainage challenges. A key part of the initial site assessment for any landscape architect involves evaluating soil composition and drainage patterns. Amending the soil or installing proper drainage solutions may be necessary to ensure plant health and prevent water from pooling around foundations or hardscape features ³.

Finally, analyzing sun and shade patterns across your property is essential. This assessment determines the best locations for functional zones-like a sunny patio for dining or a shaded lounge area-and guides plant selection, ensuring sun-loving plants aren't placed in deep shade and vice versa ¹.

Core Principles of Effective Garden Design

Whether you're planning a modest garden refresh or a complete outdoor overhaul, certain fundamental principles guide all great landscape architecture. These elements work together to create a space that is both visually pleasing and practically sound.

• Line: Lines guide the eye and create movement in the landscape. They can be formed by the edge of a walkway, a row of shrubs, or the silhouette of a fence. Straight lines suggest formality and order, while curved lines create a more natural, relaxed feel ⁴.
• Form: This refers to the shape of plants and hardscape structures. Forms can be rounded, columnar, weeping, or spreading. Combining different forms adds visual interest and structure to the design ⁵.
• Color: Color provides drama and mood. Beyond flowers, consider the color of foliage, bark, berries, and hardscape materials. In Elmhurst, planning for color across all four seasons ensures your yard remains engaging even in winter ⁶.
• Texture: Texture is the visual and tactile surface quality of plants and materials. Contrasting fine-textured grasses with broad-leaved hostas or smooth patio stones with rough boulders adds depth and complexity to the design ⁴.
• Scale: Scale involves the size relationship between elements. A large, two-story home needs larger plant groupings and structural elements to feel balanced, while a smaller cottage might be overwhelmed by massive trees ⁵.

These elements are organized using key design principles: unity (a cohesive theme throughout), balance (symmetrical or asymmetrical visual weight), emphasis (creating focal points like a specimen tree or water feature), and transition (gradual changes in color, texture, or form to guide the eye smoothly) ^{5 6}.

Designing for Function and Style

Modern residential landscaping goes beyond simple planting. It's about creating usable "outdoor rooms" that serve your family's needs. A common approach is to divide the backyard into distinct functional zones ⁷.

• Dining & Entertainment Zone: Often centered around a paver patio with an outdoor kitchen or a simple grill station and comfortable seating.
• Relaxation Zone: Might feature a fire pit lounge, a quiet reading nook under a pergola, or a hammock nestled in a garden corner.
• Play & Activity Zone: Could include a lawn area for games, a playset, or even a putting green.
• Utility & Gardening Zone: A discreet area for compost bins, a vegetable garden, or tool storage.

These zones are connected by pathways and unified by a consistent style. Two prevalent styles in Elmhurst are:

• Traditional Design: Often features flowing, curved beds, a mix of colorful perennials, and classic materials like brick or natural stone. It emphasizes a lush, established look ⁸.
• Modern Design: Characterized by clean, geometric lines, simplicity, and a focus on architectural plants like ornamental grasses and spiky succulents. Materials often include large-format concrete pavers, sleek metal, and gravel ⁹.

Integrating Hardscape and Softscape

A balanced landscape plan seamlessly blends hardscape (the non-living elements) with softscape (the living, horticultural elements). In Elmhurst, this integration is key to creating a low-maintenance and year-round appealing space.

Popular Hardscape Features:

• Paver Patios & Walkways: The foundation of many backyard designs. Materials range from classic brick to modern concrete pavers, with costs varying significantly based on material, pattern, and size ^{1 10}.
• Retaining Walls: Functional for managing sloped yards, they also create planting beds and add visual structure. Can be built from segmental blocks, natural stone, or timber.
• Outdoor Kitchens & Living Areas: These have become central to backyard enjoyment. Designs can range from a simple built-in grill island to fully equipped kitchens with refrigeration, sinks, and pizza ovens ^{1 11}.
• Fire Features: Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces extend the usability of your yard into cooler evenings, creating a natural gathering spot.

Softscape Planning for Zone 5: Plant selection focuses on native and adapted species that can survive Elmhurst's winters. A layered approach is effective:

• Structural Layer: Trees and large shrubs provide privacy, shade, and the "bones" of the garden.
• Seasonal Interest Layer: Flowering perennials and shrubs offer changing colors and textures throughout the growing season.
• Ground Layer: Groundcovers, ornamental grasses, and low-growing perennials fill in spaces, suppress weeds, and unify planting beds.

Using native plants like Coneflower (Echinacea), Little Bluestem grass (Schizachyrium scoparium), or Serviceberry (Amelanchier) supports local ecology and often requires less water and care once established.

The Professional Design and Installation Process

Working with a local landscape design firm typically follows a structured process. It begins with an in-depth consultation and site analysis to discuss your goals, budget, and the property's conditions. The designer then creates a master plan, which may include detailed drawings, 3D renderings, and plant lists. This plan serves as the blueprint for the installation phase.

Installation is a coordinated effort that may involve grading, hardscape construction, soil amendment, and precise planting. The scope of a project directly influences the investment. For example, a simple patio installation might start in the low thousands, while a comprehensive project with an outdoor kitchen, fireplace, lighting, and extensive planting can reach $50,000 or more, depending on materials and complexity ^{1 10 11}. Local Elmhurst companies like Selvin's Outdoor Living, LuxTerra Outdoors, and Premier Outdoor Environments offer expertise in bringing these comprehensive plans to fruition ^{1 10 11}.

Frequently asked questions

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