Founded by David Van Zelst in 1979, Van Zelst, Inc. has a single mission: to make landscapes more livable and memorable by enhancing the natural beauty of the outdoors. Working with a wide variety of clients—including homeowners and businesses—we provide thoughtful landscape design, superior planting and hardscape construction, and meticulous maintenance of outdoor environments. Our award-winning landscape architecture firm has built our reputation on exceptional client service—we pride ourselves on our ability to listen to, anticipate and respond to our clients’ needs.
The foundation for a beautiful landscape starts with healthy, hearty plants. That’s why Van Zelst has our own nursery—Christina Farms—where we grow most of the perennials we use in our landscapes. By growing the highest-quality plant stock available, we not only ensure that our landscape plants meet our uncompromising standards but also are able to guarantee the availability of the plants our designers recommend.
Like you, Van Zelst calls the Chicago area home. And for more than 40 years, we’ve been designing and maintaining gardens and landscapes from the North Shore all the way to Southeast Wisconsin. We know what plants survive and thrive in these areas, and will put that experience to work for you.
Want a beautiful landscape design that translates to the real world? Because Van Zelst both designs and builds your landscape, we’re able to streamline the experience, making it more enjoyable and cost-effective. We handle everything from start to finish, allowing you a single point of contact and giving you confidence that your project will be finished on time and budget.
In our chillier climate, many clients believe they have to wait for spring or summer to enjoy beautiful colors in their gardens or landscape, but this isn’t the case. Van Zelst has experience bringing pops of color into every season, providing your landscape with areas of visual interest even during the chillier months.
Van Zelst is proud of our work, and we’re proud of the industry recognition we’ve received. Accolades from the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) and the Homebuilder Association of Greater Chicago are just a few of the many awards bestowed upon us.
Our landscape designs don’t just have clients and the industry buzzing—they’ve also caught the eye of major media outlets, including Chicago Home & Garden, Luxe Interiors & Design and Northshore Magazine.