Illinois Landscaping Ideas
35 Designs Across 4 Regions

Designed for the 20-foot-wide Chicago townhouse lot. Steel Corten edging, mass plantings of Karl Foerster feather reed grass, native switchgrass 'Shenandoah' that turns burgundy in fall, and a singular specimen Serviceberry tree for spring bloom. Clean lines, four-season interest.

Replace the typical foundation evergreens with a naturalistic front yard using Illinois native plants. Purple Coneflower, Wild Bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, and Little Bluestem create a four-season meadow that blooms from June to frost and feeds pollinators throughout the growing season.

For Evanston, Winnetka, and Lake Forest properties with wind exposure. Dense Arborvitae 'Green Giant' screens the property, underplanted with Boxwood structure, Hellebores for spring bloom, and Hosta masses under the canopy. Year-round screening without annual replanting.

For the thousands of Chicago rooftops and decks. Raised planters in Corten steel or powder-coated aluminum with ornamental grasses, sedums, and dwarf conifers. Wind-resistant plant selection, weight-rated containers, and drip irrigation make this manageable in an urban environment.

Replace the high-input lawn with a low-maintenance native pollinator garden. Zones of different heights create visual structure: short sedge edging, mid-height coneflowers and bee balm, and tall Joe-Pye Weed at the back. A winding mow-line keeps it looking intentional.

Illinois receives 35–38 inches of rain annually, and clay soil creates flooding issues. A rain garden depression planted with water-tolerant natives — Swamp Milkweed, Blue Flag Iris, and Cardinal Flower — absorbs runoff and eliminates standing water while creating stunning seasonal color.

DuPage and Kane County have significant deer pressure. This design uses fragrant, deer-resistant plants: Russian Sage, Catmint, Salvia, ornamental grasses, and spiky Agastache. Combined with a traditional layout, it looks conventional while being completely deer-proof.

Restore the native Illinois prairie right in your yard. Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, Prairie Dropseed, and Compass Plant create a landscape that looks spectacular from August through January, feeds every local pollinator, and requires nothing but an annual burn or mowing.

A nod to the working farmsteads of Central Illinois. A white picket fence lined with heirloom roses and dahlias, raised cedar vegetable beds, sunflowers marking the back fence, and an apple or pear espalier against the garage wall. Productive and beautiful.

Central Illinois prairie wind is relentless. A shelterbelt of Eastern Red Cedar on the north and west, underplanted with native shrubs (Nannyberry Viburnum, Wild Plum, Elderberry) creates wind protection while feeding wildlife and requiring zero irrigation after establishment.

Take cues from the Shawnee National Forest. Redbud and Dogwood as the mid-canopy, Wild Ginger and Mayapple as the ground layer, spring ephemerals (Virginia Bluebells, Trout Lily) filling in before the canopy closes. A mossy path winds through the space.

Near the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, Southern Illinois has a more Southern feel — and a longer growing season. Crepe Myrtles survive zone 6b, alongside Hydrangea 'Annabelle', garden roses, and a wide range of annuals that can be grown from spring through early November.