Landscape Design & Outdoor Living
At Scott Flanagan Landscape, we believe great landscapes begin long before the first tree is planted or the first paver is installed.
They begin with a conversation.
That’s why we dedicate a full 90 minutes to every first appointment. Before discussing products, materials, or budgets, we take the time to understand your goals, concerns, priorities, and how you want to experience your property.
Many homeowners know they want something better. They may want more privacy, better curb appeal, a patio for entertaining, improved drainage, an outdoor kitchen, a swimming pool, or simply a landscape that feels more welcoming and enjoyable.
The challenge is figuring out how all of those pieces fit together.
That’s where landscape design comes in.
Our job is to listen to your goals, understand your property, and develop a plan that transforms ideas into a functional, beautiful outdoor environment.
Listen. Design. Create.
This philosophy guides every project we undertake.
Listen
Every property is different. Every family is different, we want to understand how you use your property and what you hope to accomplish.
Some homeowners want to create a backyard retreat. Others are focused on curb appeal, privacy, entertaining, drainage issues, or increasing property value.
The better we understand your goals, the better the final design will be.
To ensure nothing is overlooked, we ask every client to provide three copies of their Plat of Survey before the first appointment. The first copy becomes our working document. We use it to record notes directly on the property layout, documenting concerns, opportunities, and ideas in the exact locations where they exist. This process helps ensure that your goals are clearly understood and never forgotten.
Design
Good landscape design is about much more than choosing attractive plants, picking a pool or selecting pavers.
Our designs begin with function.
We evaluate how people move through the site, how water flows across the property, how different spaces connect, and how the landscape should evolve over time.
Only after these functional considerations are addressed do we begin selecting materials, plants, and architectural features.
This approach creates landscapes that not only look beautiful but also perform beautifully.
The second copy of your Plat of Survey is scanned into our design system and used as the foundation for developing your landscape plan.
While modern software allows designers to generate quick drag-and-drop concepts and 3D renderings, we continue the tradition of hand-drawn landscape design. We believe that slowing down the design process forces us to spend more time thinking about the client, the site, the challenges, and the opportunities. The result is a more thoughtful design that not only looks beautiful, but also solves problems, supports your lifestyle, and exceeds expectations.
Create
The final step is bringing the vision to life.
Unlike many landscape design firms, we don’t simply hand you a drawing and walk away.
In fact, we don’t charge for landscape design. We only create designs for clients who have committed to moving forward with a project and reserved a place on our schedule.
Our goal isn’t to create beautiful drawings.
Our goal is to build beautiful spaces.
Once you commit to a project with Scott Flanagan Landscape, we commit to turning your vision into reality. Our design-build approach ensures the finished installation reflects the original vision discussed throughout the planning process.
Horticultural Expertise Matters
Many landscape companies have salespeople.
We have designers, horticulturists, and gardeners.
Both landscape designers at Scott Flanagan Landscape hold bachelor’s degrees in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design.
In an industry increasingly shaped by hardscape manufacturers and product-driven sales, we remain focused on reconnecting families with nature. Patios, pools, and outdoor kitchens are important, but they should work in harmony with trees, shrubs, perennials, wildlife, and the natural environment surrounding the home.
Our educational foundation allows us to evaluate plant health, soil conditions, drainage concerns, site limitations, and long-term maintenance requirements before making design recommendations.
The result is a landscape that not only looks beautiful on installation day but continues to mature and improve for years to come.
Master Planning for Long-Term Success
Not every dream landscape needs to be built all at once.
Many of our clients choose to develop a comprehensive master plan and complete improvements over several years.
A driveway may come first. A patio may follow. A pool, outdoor kitchen, or planting renovation may be completed later.
By creating a long-term vision from the beginning, we help homeowners invest in their property at a pace that fits their budget while ensuring every phase works together as part of a cohesive design.
Just as importantly, we design each phase so the property feels complete when that phase is finished. If life changes, priorities shift, or future phases are delayed, the landscape still looks polished, intentional, and fully realized rather than unfinished.
Before
Phase 1
Phase 5
One Team. One Vision.
One of the biggest frustrations homeowners experience is when the designer disappears after the sale.
At Scott Flanagan Landscape, the people designing your project remain involved throughout the installation process.
Scott Flanagan earned his degree in Landscape Design from the University of Illinois in 2007, but his construction experience began long before that. Having worked in the field since 1995, he understands both design and construction.
This is one of the reasons the company maintains two full-time designers. While one designer remains in the office planning future projects and supporting ongoing work, Scott remains actively involved in construction, helping solve technical challenges and ensuring the project is installed with a designer’s eye.
This creates better communication, greater accountability, and a finished landscape that accurately reflects the original design intent.
Our goal isn’t simply to create a beautiful drawing.
Our goal is to create a landscape you’ll enjoy living in.
Built for Illinois Properties
Every property presents unique opportunities and challenges.
From drainage and grading to sun exposure, soil conditions, privacy concerns, and architectural compatibility, we design landscapes specifically for the realities of Illinois properties and Midwest weather.
While Scott’s formal education provides a strong technical foundation, perhaps more valuable is the experience gained from designing and building landscapes throughout Chicago’s south and southwest suburbs since 1995. Every community, subdivision, and property presents unique challenges, and decades of local experience allow us to better understand the specific conditions homeowners face throughout the region.
Whether your project is a simple front yard makeover or a complete outdoor living environment, our objective remains the same: create a landscape that is functional, beautiful, and built to provide lasting value for years to come.
If you’re looking for a landscape designer, landscape contractor, outdoor living designer, or local landscape company that will take the time to understand your goals before proposing solutions, we invite you to schedule a complimentary 90-minute design consultation with Scott Flanagan Landscape.
We proudly serve homeowners throughout Mokena (60448), Frankfort (60423), New Lenox (60451), Tinley Park (60477, 60487), Orland Park (60462, 60467), Homer Glen (60491), Palos Park (60464), Palos Heights (60463), Manhattan (60442), Joliet (60432, 60433, 60435), Lockport (60441), Crest Hill (60403), Bolingbrook (60440, 60490), Flossmoor (60422), Homewood (60430), Lemont (60439), Darien (60561, 60517), Downers Grove (60515, 60516), Naperville (60540, 60563, 60564, 60565, 60566, 60567, 60590), Western Springs (60558), Oak Brook (60523), Hinsdale (60521, 60522, 60527), La Grange (60525), Westmont (60559, 60523, 60516), Willowbrook (60527, 60514), Burr Ridge (60527, 60525), La Grange Park (60526), Clarendon Hills (60514), Countryside (60525), Willow Springs (60480, 60458, 60425, 60527), and Oakbrook Terrace (60181).
Whether you’re planning a front yard makeover, privacy planting, brick paver patio, custom driveway, poolscape, drainage solution, or a complete outdoor living environment, our team will help you develop a thoughtful plan tailored to your property, lifestyle, and budget. Schedule your consultation today and discover how our Listen. Design. Create. philosophy can transform your ideas into a landscape your family will enjoy for decades to come.