• Rooftop & Landscape Garden Design

     

    ROOFTOP GARDENS

    We are very excited about rooftop gardening and the evolving rooftop living aesthetic. No longer are penthouse gardens only for the super-rich. Today many elevated surfaces can be built-out to create fantastic outdoor garden rooms and unique living spaces. A rooftop garden is both similar to, and quite different from, a traditional landscape garden. Conditions on rooftops, garage roofs, decks and terraces can be extreme, but with the proper design and selection of the rooftop components a surprising number of approaches are possible on a rooftop.  

     

    Rooftop gardening has exploded in the past ten years, and with it has come advances in both materials and methods to make creation of a rooftop garden easier than ever. Once the crucial roof-loading, access and permitting questions have been tackled, our work begins. New systems for installing natural stone and wood decking; built structures; drip irrigation and low-voltage landscape lighting; hardy native as well as exotic plantings; incredible furnishings, appliances and features; decorative elements too numerous to mention — all these elements come together to create a one-of-a-kind green space atop the city’s skyline.

     

    Browse Rooftop Garden projects from Chicago Specialty Gardens

     

     

    LANDSCAPE GARDENS

     

    We see the garden space as an outdoor room, an extension of the home, and consider it, in effect, an open-air room addition. An exciting new generation of materials, products, technologies and installation techniques for the garden allows us to create a flow between indoors and outdoors as never before. We have structured our company as a full-service urban garden design/build firm, and the most efficient use of our resources is on projects where an entire space needs re-making from the ground up, or involves new construction.

     

    As with Rooftop Gardens, an urban landscape can be an incredible canvas on which to work. Frequently modest in scale, with limited accessibility, city gardens pose a unique set of challenges to the landscape designer and installers. But when the project is completed, and a small jewel of a garden is created, hidden away, we feel we have been successful in our work.

     

    Browse Landscape Garden projects from Chicago Specialty Gardens

  • “We were extremely satisfied with CSG. The work they did on our deck was outstanding. The staff is excellent – courteous and conscientious. Great design work, not only in concept but in the presentation of the concepts. They delivered in the promised timeframe and very close to budget which is a rarity. I can also tell you that we’re looking at doing another project with them this spring.”

    - Austin

  • “I write this letter in recommendation of Chicago Specialty Gardens Inc. as a landscape contractor. I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Phil Cleland on our annual planting of our terrace for the past five years. I can recommend him highly and without reservation. Throughout the years, Mr. Cleland has been a consummate professional. He was accurate in his initial assessment of the scale and cost of our project.”

    - Mr. & Mrs. Robin Rosenberg

  • “I served as chairman of the committee responsible for improving the pool deck in my high rise condominium building. In that capacity, I got multiple bids and selected Chicago Specialty Gardens not only based on price but on their willingness to work with me through committee and board presentations, consultations with structural engineers etc. in order to get the project done.”

    - V.M. Sheldon

  • “I had the great pleasure to work with Phil, who took my vision and made it into a stunning reality! My backyard went through an entire metamorphosis and I could not be happier with it. There was great attention to detail, good communication, and of course the end result was fantastic. I could not recommend this company more. It was even featured in the July 2009 Better Homes & Gardens magazine.”

    - Peter G

  • “Mr. Cleland was absolutely clear in his record keeping and time log. Our job was handled with care and precision. He is a gifted artist and our 600sf terrace is a true extension of our home. He designed all aspects that include, (18) planter boxes, (4) large trees, custom sofa bench and dining area. Our terrace won the 2008 Garden of the Year and has been featured in Chicago Magazine as a show piece. We look forward to our annual planting every year!”

    - Mr. & Mrs. Robin Rosenberg

  • “Sean and Phil at Chicago Specialty Gardens turned an average garage rooftop into our own special oasis. The project evolved over a little less than a year as they set up three phases of production to fit our budget. The finished product is a cabana, day bed and much much more of the highest quality. We are up there every chance we get. Many thanks Sean and Phil as always.”

    - Corey

 

ROOFTOP GARDENS

We are very excited about rooftop gardening and the evolving rooftop living aesthetic. No longer are penthouse gardens only for the super-rich. Today many elevated surfaces can be built-out to create fantastic outdoor garden rooms and unique living spaces. A rooftop garden is both similar to, and quite different from, a traditional landscape garden. Conditions on rooftops, garage roofs, decks and terraces can be extreme, but with the proper design and selection of the rooftop components a surprising number of approaches are possible on a rooftop.  

 

Rooftop gardening has exploded in the past ten years, and with it has come advances in both materials and methods to make creation of a rooftop garden easier than ever. Once the crucial roof-loading, access and permitting questions have been tackled, our work begins. New systems for installing natural stone and wood decking; built structures; drip irrigation and low-voltage landscape lighting; hardy native as well as exotic plantings; incredible furnishings, appliances and features; decorative elements too numerous to mention — all these elements come together to create a one-of-a-kind green space atop the city’s skyline.

 

Browse Rooftop Garden projects from Chicago Specialty Gardens

 

 

LANDSCAPE GARDENS

 

We see the garden space as an outdoor room, an extension of the home, and consider it, in effect, an open-air room addition. An exciting new generation of materials, products, technologies and installation techniques for the garden allows us to create a flow between indoors and outdoors as never before. We have structured our company as a full-service urban garden design/build firm, and the most efficient use of our resources is on projects where an entire space needs re-making from the ground up, or involves new construction.

 

As with Rooftop Gardens, an urban landscape can be an incredible canvas on which to work. Frequently modest in scale, with limited accessibility, city gardens pose a unique set of challenges to the landscape designer and installers. But when the project is completed, and a small jewel of a garden is created, hidden away, we feel we have been successful in our work.

 

Browse Landscape Garden projects from Chicago Specialty Gardens