Question 1

What Services Do You Provide?

Accepted Answer

Kittleson Landscape is a full service landscaping company serving Madison Wisconsin and Dane county. We do stone landscaping, patios, retaining walls, brick patios, garden waterfalls, rain gardens and other landscaping in Madison. We work with a landscape architect to build custom designs for our clients.

We also do additional work in grading of soil, installation of lighting and water features. For more detailed information about our services, please browse our other pages.

Question 2

I have water in my basement. Do I have to add drain tile, or can landscaping help?

Accepted Answer

Landscaping is the first step to preventing water from entering the basement. Proper grading to create a slope away from the house is critical, and can solve the majority of basement of water problems. Drain tile may be required in some extreme cases. However, drain tile won’t stop water from flowing toward the foundation. Eliminating the flow of water through grading is the first step. A landscape retaining wall may also be part of such a project.

Question 3

Our shoreline is eroding from high water and boat waves. What can we do to help?

Accepted Answer

Protect the shoreline. By adding a landscape retaining wall, the earth will be protected from direct impact of water and waves. Once a landscape retaining wall is installed, any water that does hit will run through the rocks and back down.

We often add plants to many of our lakeshore landscape projects. This softens the look of the rock and cleans the water before it returns to the lake. There are a variety of plant options available to customize the look of your rock while helping the environment.

Question 4

Our shrubs are overgrown. Is there any way to avoid this?

Accepted Answer

Shrubs will grow throughout their lifetime and do require some trimming to keep them in shape. By selecting shrubs that will fit properly within a landscaped area at their full growth size, homeowner and businesses can avoid extreme overgrowth. We regularly recommend shrubs that will be attractive at full growth so our clients won’t have to worry about extreme overgrowth.

Question 5

What are important things to consider when hiring a landscape contractor?

Accepted Answer

The first step to hiring a landscape contractor is through referrals from friends. There are many landscapers in Madison to choose from. They will share with you what it was like to work with their chosen contractor, and you can see the result of the contractor’s work. It is also helpful to choose a company that works with a landscape architect to provide custom designs that not only are stable and secure but also care for the natural environment.

When a company is working on the property of your home or business, it is essential to know they are licensed and insured. Not only do you trust them with the safety of your home or business, you can be held liable for any injury incurred by the company if they are not properly insured. Ask your potential subcontractor for proof of insurance and licensing information, as well as for references before they being work on your landscaping project.

Question 6

How much does it cost to do a landscape project?

Accepted Answer

The cost of a landscape project can vary widely based on the scope of the project, condition of the site, and many other factors. Different landscapers in Madison and landscape architects in Madison can vary in price. Projects can range from $2,000 to $15,000 and greater. We are happy to meet with you at your project site to discuss your visions and answer any questions about your custom landscaping project.

Question 7

What if I would like to do my project in phases? Can I do that?

Accepted Answer

The most cost effective way to do a landscaping project is to do it all at one time. This eliminates the cost of multiple trips to a job site, which increases the cost of a project. Although it is more cost effective to do an entire project at one time, it can be cost prohibitive for some clients. Our team can evaluate your entire project and recommend the best way to work through your project in phases.

Question 8

I’m concerned about the environment and water conservation. What experience do you have with landscaping to conserve water?

Accepted Answer

Our landscape builders have vast experience in water conservation and runoff reduction. Proper grading of property helps to reduce water runoff.

The addition of a rain garden to a landscape also helps with water conservation. A rain garden is a natural or dug shallow depression designed to capture and soak up storm water runoff from your roof or other impervious areas around your home, such as driveways and walkways. A rain garden allows the runoff generated on your property to infiltrate into the ground and helps to reduce potential water quality problems. While your individual rain garden may seem like a small contribution, collectively, rain gardens can produce water quality benefits.

In addition to using landscape water features for water conservation, rainwater harvesting water storage is becoming a popular option for homeowners. Rainwater harvesting is a method of capturing rainwater for storage in underground tanks to be available for later use for watering plants, in ponds or for other outdoor water use. Visit our water conservation page for more detailed information about these features.