Top 10 Landscape Design Companies in the Columbus Ohio Area

The Top 10 Landscape Design Companies in the Columbus Ohio Area include JML Design – Build, Hidden Creek Landscaping, GreenScapes, Riepenhoff Landscape, and several other established Central Ohio firms. These companies offer different specialties, from custom patios and complete backyard transformations to plant-focused landscape planning, outdoor kitchens, and pool environments.

Choosing the right company depends on more than attractive project photos. Homeowners should compare design experience, construction capabilities, drainage planning, communication, and the types of projects each company handles.

Here are 10 Columbus-area landscape companies worth exploring, along with practical advice for finding a team that fits your property and project goals. The list is numbered for readability rather than based on an independent quality ranking.

What Makes a Landscape Design Company Worth Considering?

A landscape should look beautiful, but it also needs to work with your property.

In Central Ohio, that means accounting for changing temperatures, drainage, soil conditions, mature trees, and the way your family uses the backyard.

A qualified Landscape Design Company  should evaluate those factors before recommending materials or presenting a finished design.

For larger projects, working with a Landscape Design – Build company  can also simplify construction. Instead of hiring separate designers, patio installers, and landscaping contractors, homeowners can work with one coordinated team.

This becomes particularly valuable when a project includes multiple features, such as an outdoor kitchen, retaining walls, a patio, lighting, and surrounding plantings.

Top 10 Landscape Design Companies in the Columbus Ohio Area: Local Companies to Know

The following companies serve Columbus and surrounding communities, including New Albany, Dublin, Powell, Westerville, Worthington, and Upper Arlington.

Each brings a different approach to residential landscaping and outdoor living.

1. JML Design – Build

JML Design – Build specializes in custom outdoor living spaces, hardscaping, and complete backyard transformations throughout Central Ohio.

Its services include paver patios, outdoor kitchens, pergolas, pavilions, retaining walls, water features, artificial turf, and integrated pool environments.

One distinguishing feature is the company’s emphasis on planning the entire outdoor environment rather than treating individual installations as unrelated projects.

Its New Albany artificial turf case study illustrates that approach. A family wanted to replace a struggling lawn affected by shade and poor drainage. Before installation, the team addressed grading and prepared a compacted stone base to support the finished surface.

That experience reflects an important lesson: the work beneath a landscape often determines how well the finished project performs.

Homeowners considering custom patios, outdoor entertainment areas, or comprehensive backyard renovations can explore JML’s design and installation services.

2. Hidden Creek Landscaping

Hidden Creek Landscaping is a Hilliard-based company offering landscape design, construction, and ongoing property maintenance.

Its services include custom swimming pools, patios, outdoor kitchens, water features, and complete landscape environments.

The company also handles pool maintenance and landscape care, allowing homeowners to coordinate construction and ongoing service.

That combination is particularly relevant when planning a backyard with a pool, extensive hardscaping, and surrounding landscape features.

Homeowners considering Hidden Creek should review its pool and outdoor living portfolio to understand how it integrates multiple elements into one design.

3. GreenScapes Landscape Company

Founded in 1977, GreenScapes provides residential and commercial landscape design and construction throughout Central Ohio.

The company became employee-owned in 2004 and offers comprehensive design-build services.

Its residential work emphasizes incorporating landscape features into the property’s existing architecture and natural conditions.

GreenScapes offers homeowners an option for projects involving detailed landscape planning, planting design, hardscape construction, and complete property improvements.

For established properties with existing trees and mature landscaping, reviewing examples of renovation projects can help determine whether a company’s design approach fits the setting.

4. Riepenhoff Landscape

Riepenhoff Landscape has served Central Ohio since 1974, providing landscape design, installation, and maintenance.

Based in Hilliard, the company offers comprehensive residential services, including landscape architecture and hardscape construction.

Its design process considers the home’s architecture, surrounding terrain, project budget, and intended use.

Riepenhoff also employs an on-staff mason, supporting projects that incorporate constructed landscape features.

For homeowners planning improvements around established homes, coordinating masonry, plantings, and existing architectural details is especially important.

5. 9 Trees Landscape Construction

Founded in 2002, 9 Trees Landscape Construction is a Hilliard-based design-build and landscape management company.

Its services include outdoor living design, paver patios, landscape construction, and property management.

The company’s portfolio includes projects with raised patios, built-in seating, and integrated fire features.

These examples demonstrate how a patio can accommodate multiple activities without turning the backyard into one oversized paved surface.

When evaluating a similar project, ask how the designer plans transitions between dining areas, seating, planting beds, and existing lawn space.

6. Ciminello’s Landscaping

Ciminello’s Landscaping is a Westerville-based landscape design and construction company with more than 40 years of experience serving Central Ohio.

Its services include natural stone patios, paver installations, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, retaining walls, and pool landscaping.

One useful feature is its design center, where homeowners can compare materials and explore outdoor living options before construction.

Seeing pavers, stone, and wall materials in person can make selections easier than relying entirely on photographs.

The company also uses a structured design process that incorporates consultation, material selection, proposals, and construction planning.

7. Landscapes by Terra

Landscapes by Terra designs and constructs custom residential landscapes throughout Greater Columbus.

The company’s service area includes communities such as Powell, Westerville, New Albany, and Galena.

Its process begins with consultation and property evaluation, followed by detailed presentations, estimates, and construction.

Landscapes by Terra also publishes information about its project warranties and guarantees.

When comparing companies, homeowners should ask whether warranties cover both materials and workmanship, how long coverage lasts, and what maintenance responsibilities remain with the property owner.

8. Seely’s Landscape Nursery

Seely’s Landscape Nursery combines landscape design, horticultural knowledge, and nursery resources.

The business traces its roots to Roger Seely’s landscape work beginning in 1970. Its Hilliard operation incorporates landscape design and a nursery with an extensive plant selection.

The company offers landscape consultations, planting plans, patios, entertainment areas, and comprehensive property designs.

Its background in shade gardens, hostas, dwarf conifers, and ornamental plantings makes its portfolio particularly relevant for homeowners interested in plant-focused landscaping.

For properties with mature trees, selecting plants that tolerate existing light conditions is often more practical than designing around plants that require full sun.

9. Creative Earthscapes

Creative Earthscapes is a Columbus-area outdoor living design-build company specializing in constructed backyard environments.

Its projects include paver patios, natural stone surfaces, composite decks, fireplaces, and pavilions.

The company handles design, permitting, and installation for its outdoor living projects, although swimming pool construction is outside its stated services.

This distinction matters when planning improvements that involve several contractors.

A homeowner considering a covered patio, deck, and outdoor fireplace should ask whether all components can be coordinated under one construction schedule.

10. Oakland Design Associates

Oakland Design Associates is the landscape design and installation division of Oakland Nursery.

Its services include residential landscape architecture, custom planting plans, landscape construction, irrigation, and lighting.

The company employs formally trained landscape architects and designers who oversee projects from planning through installation.

Its nursery connection also provides access to an established horticultural operation.

Homeowners planning new-construction landscaping, garden renovations, or extensive planting projects can explore the company’s residential design portfolio.

Oakland also publishes information about consultation fees and project minimums, which can help homeowners determine whether their planned investment aligns with its services.

Why Local Landscape Design Experience Matters in Columbus

A beautiful rendering is only the beginning. Central Ohio weather creates practical challenges that should influence every outdoor project.

According to NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals, Columbus receives approximately 41.6 inches of precipitation annually.

That historical average makes drainage an important consideration, especially when patios, retaining walls, or artificial turf alter how water moves across a property.

Homeowners can review the National Weather Service’s Columbus climate normals  for additional information about local temperature and precipitation patterns.

Drainage, Grading, and Soil Conditions

Some Central Ohio properties have heavy clay soils that drain more slowly than sandy soils.

A properly designed project should address where rainwater goes, how surfaces are graded, and whether existing drainage needs improvement.

At JML, we emphasize evaluating these conditions before installing patios or artificial turf. Correcting drainage after construction is generally more disruptive than incorporating it into the original plan.

Designing for Four Seasons

Materials also need to withstand Ohio’s changing seasons.

Winter freezing and thawing, summer heat, and seasonal moisture can affect outdoor surfaces and planting conditions.

A thoughtful design accounts for proper foundation preparation, appropriate materials, and plants suited to the property’s sunlight and drainage.

How to Choose the Right Landscape Designer for Your Backyard

Comparing contractors becomes easier when you start with your actual project requirements.

Rather than asking which company produces the most impressive photographs, consider how well each team understands your space.

1. Review Projects Similar to Yours

A company that specializes in garden installations may approach a backyard differently than one focused on outdoor kitchens and extensive hardscaping.

Ask to see completed projects with similar slopes, property sizes, and features.

Photographs taken several years after installation can be particularly useful when evaluating long-term performance.

2. Ask About the Design Process

Professional Landscape Design and Backyard Design  should account for furniture placement, walking routes, privacy, lighting, and future improvements.

Ask whether the proposal includes drawings, material selections, elevations, and revisions.

For complex projects, three-dimensional renderings can help homeowners understand scale before construction begins.

3. Compare the Complete Scope of Work

A lower estimate does not necessarily include the same work.

Request written descriptions of excavation, base preparation, drainage, materials, installation, cleanup, and warranties.

Also clarify who handles permits, utility coordination, and any necessary subcontractors.

4. Discuss Future Improvements

You may want a patio today but plan to add an outdoor kitchen or pavilion later.

A designer can account for future electrical connections, foundations, gas lines, and layout requirements before the initial installation.

This can prevent unnecessary reconstruction when the next phase begins.

Should You Include Artificial Turf in Your Landscape Design?

Artificial turf can complement patios and other hardscaping, particularly in high-traffic areas where maintaining natural grass is difficult.

However, installation costs depend on material quality, square footage, grading, drainage, and site preparation.

Before including turf in your design, review JML’s article, How much does artificial turf cost per square foot? .

It explains the variables that affect installation pricing and why preparation matters.

For some homeowners, combining artificial turf with natural planting beds and paver walkways offers a way to reduce lawn maintenance while preserving greenery throughout the property.

Creating a Backyard That Works for Your Home

The right landscape project starts with understanding how you want to use your property.

A family that entertains frequently may prioritize a spacious patio and outdoor kitchen. Another homeowner may prefer shade, privacy, natural plantings, or a quiet water feature.

There is no universal design that works for every yard.

At JML Design – Build , our approach centers on connecting those priorities through thoughtful planning, custom design, and coordinated construction.

Whether you’re considering a new patio or a complete backyard transformation, begin with a clear plan that accounts for your property, lifestyle, and long-term goals.