Landscape Design for Chicago Homeowners
Get the tools you need to design and enjoy the perfect Chicago yard.
How It Works
Our Online Landscape Design Process
1
Build Your Design Profile
Share project details & inspiration. Upload photos & measurements. Get assigned to your designer.
2
Collaborate with Your Designer
Host a virtual consult in your yard. Align on your project scope. Your design is underway.
3
Finalize Your Design
Review your landscape design. Request revisions if needed. Coordinate your tree and plant delivery with Bower & Branch.
Lauren, Evanston
The Full project
We're loving our plans. My mother worked at Chicago Botanic Garden and enjoys gardening. She said it was "excellent plant selection" and a "beautiful layout". There you have it - Mom approved.
View More ReviewsOur Portfolio in Chicago, Illinois
Explore landscape design projects we created for homeowners in the Chicago area.
Chicago, IL
Going vertical is a great way to add greenery to a small backyard. Details like this help a yard stand out and give personality to the space in a creative way.
Chicago, IL
This yard is complete with a large patio with a grill, fire pit and outdoor lounge. New trees and additional privacy features were added to this backyard landscape design.
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Popular Amenities in Chicago
Here are some of the most commonly requested features for Chicago backyards
Fire Pit
Chicago residents embrace a beautiful sunny day. Backyard fire pits and outdoor fireplaces are extremely popular to extend the use of the outdoor space. Outdoor fire pit tables have seen a rise in popularity as have modern rectangular fire pits that are easy to gather around.
Prairie Meadows
Our Chicago clients frequently request a prairie meadow garden in their backyard. We love this style as it incorporates native plants which are easier to maintain. They also attract and provide a safe habitat for wildlife, including bees and butterflies - not to mention they offer a great pop of color!
Hot Tub
Many yard dwellers request hot tubs incorporated into their backyard landscape designs. A hot tub is a great addition to a backyard and can be used by all members every season. Incorporating this feature into the yard amongst your landscape gives it an elevated look.
Outdoor Kitchen
Backyard outdoor kitchen spaces are frequently requested to maximize entertainment outside. From a basic kitchen to a space with all the bells and whistles, Tilly thinks about how to extend the use of backyard kitchens by placing a pergola or awning overhead to protect from the elements.
Popular Plants in Chicago
Your landscape designer will have a deep understanding of what plants work in the Chicagoland area. Tilly encourages homeowner's to focus on native plants that create a sustainable design. Some of our favorite Chicago area options include:
David Phlox paniculata
One of the best varieties of tall phlox, this midsummer flowering perennial is disease resistant and spreads easily.
Incredible Hydrangea arborescens
A wonderful improvement on the classic Annabelle hydrangea, this plant tolerates the alkaline soils of Illinois and blooms prolifically without flopping over.
Blazing star Liatris spicata
A prairie native, this spiky perennial offers welcome contrast and structure to billowy perennial borders.
Obedient plant Physostegia virginia
A late blooming, long lived perennial with uniquely upright lavender blooms. This flower adds a beautiful pop of color to a garden.
Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
With incredible seed heads, a fine texture and short stature, this prarie grass is great for massing and accents in any style garden.
Ivory Halo Cornus alba
A variegated version of the more traditional redtwig dogwood, this shrub is primarily grown for its light foliage that looks almost silver from a distance.
Still Have Questions?
Give Us A CallWe see a variety of design trends throughout Chicago and its various neighborhoods. From prairie meadows, classic, cottage and modern - Chicago has diverse landscape styles depending on the homes' architectural style and owner's preferences. One design element that never goes out of style is incorporating sustainable landscape design practices into a yard!
Native plants and water conservation are always top of mind for Chicago landscape designs. Tilly encourages using only native plants, which help our ecosystem by being primed for the existing environment's conditions and being a wildlife refuge for birds, bees, butterflies and other essential insects. Water wise plant selections and groupings are also key to a successful landscape design whether you are in Chicago, New York or Arizona.
Tilly also encourages eco-friendly gardening practices. By this we mean using organic materials, no pesticides, not over mowing your lawn, among many other practices.
We feel strongly that incorporating the above sustainable practices help a yard thrive and flourish and keep maintenance lower.
Tilly has landscape designers across the country. Homeowners are matched with a designer who has residential Chicago experience and is familiar with the unique climate Chicago offers. Each assigned designer understands what plants and material will work in a specific geographical location. You will have an opportunity to share your goals and show your space during your one-on-one video call with your designer.
Tilly will send you an estimate for your plants when you have finalized your design. If you choose to move forward with Tilly for plant delivery we will then schedule your delivery at a date and time of your choosing.
Chicago is one of Tilly's most popular cities - after all, all four co-founders grew up there!
Tilly has created beautiful yards for homeowner's in:
Arlington Heights, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Downer's Grove, Elmhurst, Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Hindsale, Morton Grove, Naperville, Northbrook, Northfield, Oak Park, Schaumburg, Wheaton, Wheeling, Wilmette, Winnetka, & beyond.