Green City Gardens logoApproved Pro
Approved Pro

Green City Gardens

Landscaping, Pavers and Hardscaping Service, Stone and Gravel Service,

About us

Since 2006, Green City Gardens has been beautifying Chicagoland, one yard at a time. Our enthusiasm and dedication are evident in the creativity of our designs and the quality of our work. Since every landscape in different, "cookie cutter" solutions won't do. Green City Gardens personalizes every design according to our clients' needs and desires. We won't show up and dictate what you need...we'll listen to you and give you what you want. From complete landscape design & installation to simple garden makeovers to beautiful flower pots, Green City Gardens can improve your quality of life.

Business highlights

LGBTQ+ Friendly
19 years of experience

Services we offer

Complete garden design & installation, landscape makeovers, patios, walks & retaining walls, flower beds, vegetable gardens and raised beds, seasonal flower pots, sod, snow plowing and shoveling.

Services we don't offer

Large tree removal, tree disease diagnosis, lawn care & weekly lawn maintenance.

Accepted Payment Methods

  • American Express
  • Check
  • Visa
  • Discover
  • MasterCard
Reviews
4.8105 Reviews
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
90%
4
5%
3
3%
2
0%
1
3%

Filter reviews by service

Showing 1-25 of 105 reviews
Pamela S.
Jun 2025
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
JD and his team just did the second job for us - new front yard sod & some new backyard plantings. The work is beautiful, just what we wanted, and was done efficiently and with such a great, positive crew. JD is meticulous - you get a beautiful yard and simple instructions to keep it that way! He has a great feel for what the customer wants and understands what it's going to look like all year round and over the long term. His original design is still beautiful almost 10 years later. Highly recommend, thanks JD!

Spencer S.
Oct 2024
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
We recently hired Green City Gardens for a landscaping project and we couldn't be happier with the results! JD's knowledge about plants and design is so impressive. He took the time to listen to our vision and made excellent recommendations based on our layout, local climate, and soil conditions. JD and his team's attention to detail was also impeccable. They were incredibly thorough in every aspect of the project, from preparing the soil to ensuring proper drainage. They worked efficiently but took the time needed to get everything just right. I especially appreciated how they kept the workspace clean and organized throughout. In addition to their technical skills, their customer service was outstanding. They communicated clearly, kept us informed about progress, and were always open to our input. I felt like they truly cared about making sure we were happy with the final product—and we absolutely are! If you're looking for a knowledgeable, reliable, and skilled landscaper that is in a class of their own, I highly recommend JD at Green City Gardens. He transformed our outdoor space into something beautiful, and we couldn't be happier!

Alex K.
Aug 2023
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
JD and his team were fantastic! They were professional, timely, and detail-oriented. They completely overhauled our landscaping and went above and beyond everything we discussed. I couldn't recommend them more.
Response from Green City Gardens

"Thank you for choosing Green City Gardens! It was a pleasure to see the new landscape emerge. Enjoy!"


Joseph B.
Sep 2022
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$11,000
We worked with JD from Green City Gardens to design and plant new landscaping in the front of our house. This included removing the existing shrubs, adding organic materials and planting the new flowers and bushes. In addition, JD, Doug, Carl and John removed two existing trees which had died and replaced them with new trees. The project was projected to be completed in about 2.5 days and the team achieved the target. The entire crew was excellent to work with--each provided their input and recommendations regarding plant placement. Communication was excellent throughout the entire process--from initial design through planting. JD's design was excellent and the new landscaping greatly enhanced the front of our house. Doug, John, JD and Carl worked diligently to remove the existing landscaping and planting and mulching the new plants. Based on our experience, we highly recommend Green City Gardens---they were reasonably priced and easy to work with when making significant enhancements to our landscaping.

Robert P.
Nov 2021
5.0
Tree Service
Yes, I recommend this pro
J.D. came out and helped us decide on the number and what type of arborvitae we wanted for our project. They were extremely helpful, had great ideas and it looks beautiful. We’ll definitely be contacting them in the future for projects! Great work!!
Response from Green City Gardens

"Glad you like the trees, and thank you for the review!"


Doug P.
Oct 2020
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
JD and his crew were great. He helped suggest ideas to accomplish the aesthetic goals we had in mind for our yard, and his prices were very reasonable. He involved us all along the way to make sure they were planting everything exactly where we wanted it. The crew doing the work was very friendly, polite and energetic. They actually seemed like they were having fun! We are very pleased with how everything turned out.

Dianne F.
Sep 2020
5.0
Landscaping, Mulch and Topsoil Service
Yes, I recommend this pro
They did a great job, love it!

Michelle B.
Aug 2020
5.0
Landscaping, Pavers and Hardscaping Service + 3 more
Yes, I recommend this pro
$50,000
Really well. This as a very busy summer for them, but they were very pro, and the results are fantastic.

Leslie A.
Aug 2020
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$10,700
Wonderful. I got a lot more for my money compared to other contractors. Great service, great ideas! JD, the owner, was on site and working with the crew. He was flexible with regards to tweaking the plan. My yard and house have been renewed. Very, very happy with the results. Definitely recommend.

Louis W.
May 2020
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
I can’t praise JD Mathein and his amazing crew high enough. I wish there was an A++ category. JD is creative, knowledgeable and extremely easy to work with. He is prompt, responsive to questions and does extraordinary work! He and his crew transformed our front and back yards into beautiful landscapes that look exactly as we hoped. He also took into account our needs for easy care plants when suggesting options that would keep the maintenance low and the beauty high. Green City Gardens is our definite go-to for our yard and garden.
Response from Green City Gardens

"Thanks! It has been a pleasure working for you!"


Barbara F.
Oct 2019
5.0
Landscaping, Pavers and Hardscaping Service
Yes, I recommend this pro
Loved working with J.D a most pleasant person , and I was most appreciative of his formal presentation of the many evergreens available to me; along with their attributes and drawbacks. No other landscaper took the time to do this. During the project I decided to add two more evergreens and he made it happen that same day. I’ve worked with several professional landscapers, he is the best and I look forward to working with him again. Barb F. Northbrook
Response from Green City Gardens

"It was a pleasure working for you. I look forward to our next project together. Enjoy!"


Margaret D.
Sep 2019
5.0
Landscaping, Lawn Service
Yes, I recommend this pro
absolutely beautiful year after year.

Timothy G.
Jul 2019
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,400
The design and selection of plants, shrubs and a tree was different and aesthetically pleasing. The project took place in May, 2018. They included a 1-year warranty on the plants and due to the harsh winter, 6 of the shrubs did not do very well. In May of 2019, I asked that 3 of the shrubs be replaced and to wait on the other 3 to see if they recovered. They quickly responded and replaced all 6 shrubs in mid June and the entire installation is looking very good now (7/21/19).

Sashini D.
Nov 2018
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,400
It was a pleasure working with JD from green city gardens. He did a great job on our front and side yards which needed work from scratch.

Louis W.
Sep 2018
5.0
Landscaping, Pavers and Hardscaping Service
Yes, I recommend this pro
J D Mathein was an absolute delight to work with. He was, and has been, responsive to every question and came up with a design that reflected our needs and wishes. The results are spectacular and have enhanced the look and value of our home. The crew of gardeners who prepared and installed the plantings and hardscape were also top notch. We were consulted for accuracy of placement before anything went into the ground. We installed about 80 new trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as paving stones. J D gave us very specific care instructions and followed up with answers to questions immediately. We will continue to use Green City Gardens for any additions we make to the gardens going forward. Couldn’t be happier.
Response from Green City Gardens

"Thank you for the delightful review! It was a pleasure working for you. I look forward to seeing your new plantings grow and thrive. Enjoy!"


Nikki S.
Dec 2017
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,975
We needed new sod laid down in our front yard after a previous landscaper ruined it. JD came out and was very professional and knowledgeable. It was clear that the previous landscaper did not know what type of grass to lay down, particularly under our mature maple tree, which offers a lot of shade. It took us a while to schedule the work as we were also quoting sprinkler companies. Once we tried to schedule the work, we did have some trouble getting ahold of JD - it seems like the only time we were able to talk to him was at 7AM. Overall, the work he and his team did was great. We've received many compliments on our yard this year and it is a pleasant surprise to see the grass do so well, even under the shady maple tree.

Suzanne T.
Jul 2017
5.0
Pavers and Hardscaping Service
Yes, I recommend this pro
$7,000
A big crew came in and accomplished the job in a day and a half.$7

Lorie D.
Nov 2016
5.0
Landscaping, Pavers and Hardscaping Service + 2 more
Yes, I recommend this pro
$10,000
We got a full estimate on the project, but decided to scale back our project based on funds available. We did a small portion of our sidewalk that really needed repair with another provider based on cost and realized that, for what turned out to be a minor savings, this was a mistake. Green City's pricing is very competitive based on all estimates I received and I'm sure their quality of work would have been far superior. Their service, punctuality and professionalism were impressive. I will hire them when we do the rest of the project.
Response from Green City Gardens

"Looking forward to completing your project next year... Thank you for the opportunity!"


Sally W.
Oct 2016
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,000
The owner was very nice, very responsive, and easy to work with. He asked me about my price range. Then we sat down and he sketched our house and showed me photographs on line of a number of possibilities. After I indicated which ones I liked, he sent me a drawing of his plan. On the day of the job, he came with 2 workers and stayed all day until it was completed. I'm very happy with it. I did not rate the price since the other 2 companies I contacted only were interested in bigger jobs, so I have no basis of comparison.
Response from Green City Gardens

"Thank you for the review! I look forward to seeing everything fill out and grow in the years to come. Enjoy!"


Edward F.
Aug 2016
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$20,000
The path is far, far superior to anything I could have expected. It's complicated and curves beautifully through the space. There are several layers of sand and gravel underneath the pavers. Much thought was given and work was done to assure proper drainage. I expect the path to last for decades and it is an enormous capital improvement to the property. JD and his team could not have been nicer, friendlier, more competent, or more efficient. Or more generous with their extensive knowledge. Even my neighbors commented on how friendly and engaging they all were. It’s obvious they enjoy and take a great deal of pride in their work. It was not easy to get the project scheduled — a very busy time for them — and sometimes it took a day or two to get a call returned, but once it got underway, the implementation of the project went exactly as planned, scheduled, and budgeted. I wanted it done as well as possible and I’m quite confident (and relieved) that it was.
Response from Green City Gardens

"I'm so delighted to have helped you with this unique project! Thanks for choosing Green City Gardens. Enjoy!"


Alan R.
Jun 2016
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$8,600
Everything went extremely well. JD's recommendations were great, the plants were beautiful and high quality, and JD and his crew made everything look great. They paid a lot of attention to detail, were courteous, and cleaned up each day in the two-day installation. The price was about the same as other bids we received, but JD supplied extra attention and worked alongside his crew, making sure everything was done right. I would highly recommend Green City Gardens to other homeowners. 

Arthur S.
Jun 2016
5.0
Landscaping, Pavers and Hardscaping Service + 1 more
Yes, I recommend this pro
$9
unknown

Tony C.
Jun 2016
5.0
Landscaping, Pavers and Hardscaping Service
Yes, I recommend this pro
$12,000

JD provided a consultation and initial design based upon our requirements of:

  1. Beauty with low maintenance 
  2. Provide a wider, pleasing to the eye walkway from the garage to the front door 
  3. Fix the drainage problem that rendered the front walkway dangerously icy in the winter and a sloppy wet mess when it rains
  4. Reuse plants and flowers where possible and if it fits the design

We chose JD because: 

  1. We liked his professionalism
  2. He listened to us, something we did not experience with another company
  3. He guaranteed his work

Details JD and Green City Gardens team were not the least expensive company we had bid on the work. However, for all reasons I listed above, I'm glad that we selected his company. 

The work was completed on time and we now have a beautiful front yard that we are proud to look at everyday.  JD's team fixed our drainage problems and we no longer have to dread walking on the ice in the winter or through puddles when it rains.  We smile every time we look at the pavers leading to the front door.

He was flexible when we wanted to remove another bush not part of the original design and add some stone pavers.  He and his team salvaged a bush to save us some money (always appreciated).  

We had some very minor issues but JD addressed each of them promptly.

Issues that he addressed:

  • We were away after the job was completed and we did not have time to water a small patch of new sod for it to survive.  JD replaced it.  Although this was not something he was directly responsible for, he took it upon himself to correct it. 
  • When we we concerned about some fungus on our new tree, he came out to look and let us know it was OK. 
  • When we noticed a hydrangea plant did not survive its planting, JD replaced it.
  • When our dwarf Crimson Japanese tree did not bounce back after the winter (this is 1 year after he completed the job), JD replaced it.
In summary, I would highly recommend doing business with JD and Green City Gardens. 
Response from Green City Gardens

"It was indeed a pleasure to help you beautify the front of your home! Thank you for the review and for choosing Green City Gardens!"


Andrew C.
Jun 2016
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$6,000

I highly recommend Green City Gardens for landscape design and installation. 

We needed several trees, bushes, and grasses planted.  JD came over looked at the area and presented a slideshow of our options.  He is incredibly knowledgeable and his recommendations were excellent.  He emailed me a sketch and a very thorough and detailed proposal. 

JD and his crew were hardworking and accommodating; they easily made any and all adjustments we had during the process.  He picked the highest quality trees and bushes and has an eye for what looks good.  Eric and Ziggy and the rest of the crew were super hardworking and couldn’t be a nicer bunch of guys.  I can’t say enough about the quality of work they do and how nice everyone was.

Response from Green City Gardens

"I'm looking forward to seeing all of your new trees, shrubs and grasses grow in the years to come. Thank you for your business, and enjoy!"


Roshan N.
Jan 2016
5.0
Landscaping
Yes, I recommend this pro
$12,000
We were already in a rush from the moment we met JD - we were adding a front porch on to the front of the house and the city was holding up our building permit until we showed them a landscape design (we knew we'd have it done after construction, but hadn't planned anything yet). JD was able to meet with us quickly and work with us to come up with a great design that's low maintenance, colorful, and deer resistant.  He was flexible in working with our ever-changing construction schedule. On installation day, he and the crew showed up early and got right to work. He re-used some of our existing plants where it made sense to cut costs, which we appreciated. Some of our sod didn't fare very well and he was quick to replace it, before we could ask him to come do it. Our yard has never looked better, and we've had several people in the neighborhood stop to tell us as much. JD was very easy to work with and we have great results at reasonable rates. I can't wait to see how everything looks this spring!
Response from Green City Gardens

"Thank you for choosing Green City Gardens! I'm thrilled that you like the landscape and I look forward to seeing it green-up in the spring. Enjoy!"

Showing 1-25 of 105

Licensing

Insured

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FAQ

Green City Gardens is currently rated 4.8 overall out of 5.
Monday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Thursday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Friday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Sunday: Closed
Green City Gardens accepts the following forms of payment: American Express, Check, Visa, Discover, MasterCard
No, Green City Gardens does not offer free project estimates.
No, Green City Gardens does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Green City Gardens does not offer a senior discount.
No, Green City Gardens does not offer emergency services.
No, Green City Gardens does not offer warranties.
Green City Gardens offers the following services: Complete garden design & installation, landscape makeovers, patios, walks & retaining walls, flower beds, vegetable gardens and raised beds, seasonal flower pots, sod, snow plowing and shoveling.
Large tree removal, tree disease diagnosis, lawn care & weekly lawn maintenance.

Contact Information

1142 Jeffrey Ct W, Northbrook, IL 60062

Service Hours

Sunday:Closed
Monday:8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday:8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday:8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday:8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday:8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday:8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
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