Van Zelst Inc.

Established in 1979, the design/build firm provides landscape design, construction and management services to the Chicago area, including the North Shore, western suburbs and southern Wisconsin. T. David Van Zelst, ASLA (principal/landscape architect) has a staff of three landscape architects, four landscape designers, one horticulturalist, three administrators and 120 production and maintenance employees. Technology includes AutoCAD, Adobe Photoshop and Asset (estimating system by Include).

The company focus is primarily high-end residential, from urban rooftop gardens to lakefront estates with selected commercial sites. Scope of work ranges from full-service design, hardscape installation by skilled masons, planting and illumination installation as well as regular maintenance. Specific outdoor amenities include pools/spas, water features, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and play structures.

Recognized in the area for the dramatic use of perennials in their designs, Van Zelst has an extensive nursery where it grows 95 percent of the perennials and groundcovers used in installations, thereby insuring the high quality and health of the plant material. In addition, the firm grows a substantial number of the deciduous and evergreen shrubs and trees for installation. Van Zelst is also recognized for the natural look of its maintained landscapes because of the specialized training employees receive in the art of hand pruning.

Photos courtesy of Van Zelst Inc.

Urban Residence, Chicago

This urban oasis maximizes outdoor living from the enclosed garden at street level to the rooftop entertainment areas. An inviting entry changes seasonally for year-round interest. A path leads past a grassy play area to an intimate patio where one can either watch over the activity on the lawn or relax with a book as a nearby fountain provides soothing background sounds. The expansive rooftop decks provide ample living and dining space for the homeowners and their guests. And throughout the space, Van Zelst’s signature perennial plantings produce a kaleidoscope of color, form, and texture to delight the senses.

Lakefront Residence, Lake Geneva, Wis.

The challenge here was to reclaim a large portion of this historic landscape from the encroaching woodland. Understory trees and shrubs were removed by hand in order to protect the root systems of the mature oaks. The original rock-lined watercourse dating from the 1930s was restored and enhanced with deer-resistant shrubs and perennials. A flagstone path with bridges was added to provide easy access to the woodland garden. Visitors are greeted at the end of the native plant edged driveway by a water feature whose bronze sculpture represents the owner as a small boy catching frogs.