Landscape design & build for St. Charles

Variations on the classic English colonial landscape style are the norm for landscape designs in St. Charles. Large, manicured lawns are the standard, usually complemented by foundation plantings of stately shrubs and occasional pops of floral color. Big trees are common (and welcome!) additions to most landscapes, as are vertical evergreen accents used to frame doors, windows, and path entrances.

Both planting and hardscape areas tend to have gracefully curving boundaries. Hardscape spaces seek a traditional, inviting look, with well-appointed furnishings and stone paving in warm neutral tones.

With front yards doing the scenic heavy lifting, backyards must accommodate residents’ functional needs, and are designed with outdoor living in mind. St. Charles backyards regularly feature pergolas, outdoor kitchens and dining areas, flexible lounge spaces for entertaining family and friends, and handsome built-in fire pits for enjoying evenings under the stars.

Landscape lighting is another top request for similar reasons, helping to create a welcoming environment for comfortable evenings outside.

Decorative water features, from prefab fountains to custom rock bubblers, often complement planting designs while offering a cool and tranquil moment during warm summer days.

No matter where you live, native plants are an excellent choice for your landscape. As lovers of the local climate, native plants typically require fewer inputs of water, fertilizer, and maintenance than species introduced from elsewhere. With natives, you’ll get great plant performance with less expense and fuss.

At the same time, native plants offer unmatched habitat value for local wildlife, and help designed landscapes feel connected to the broader regional landscape.

Looking for a few natives to get you started? Beautyberry, butterfly milkweed, aromatic aster, coneflower, prairie blazing star, and Eastern red cedar are popular local natives. Eastern redbud is an excellent small landscape trees with early spring blooms, and little bluestem is a reliable small ornamental grass that’s great near hardscape edges.

Climate tolerance is the primary concern when selecting plants for a St. Charles landscape. Plants must be able to tolerate the peak of summer heat and the depth of winter cold. Natives are a safe bet, having evolved to thrive in the local climate.

Don’t forget to consider winter interest. Look for plants that bloom late in the fall and early in the spring. Incorporate trees and shrubs with colorful or architectural branches. Be considerate with placement of evergreens such that they can command the scene when other plants are in winter dormancy.

Now! Any time of year is great to begin work on a landscape project.

When possible, we suggest utilizing the winter to work through the design phase – this sets you up to get on contractors’ books early in the build season, so you can have your design installed and ready to enjoy in time for summer.

If winter has passed, don’t worry, it’s never too late in the year to begin work on a landscape design project.