We listen. Ellen walks the ground with you, absorbs your ideas, asks questions, and stretches your imagination and the sets about making notes and taking measurements. Upon returning to the office she creates initial designs and works with team members to complete the proposal and contract presented for your signature. Although it’s great to get it exactly right the first time, DLI owners know your feedback is part of the design and any additions or changes are welcomed and encouraged. Seeing your dreams on paper often inspires more. Contact us now at 217.227.3256.

Edging serves dual purposes. It makes your plant-scapes stand out, looking complete. In addition, when it is done properly, it makes your regular maintenance routines more easily accomplished. You may decide to use it along walkways, around ponds, pools, or fire pits, perhaps separate formal from informal areas in your yard. With the increased interest in outdoor kitchens even more spaces may incorporate decorative concrete edging. Contact us now at 217.227.3256

Landscapes take on a dramatic appearance when lit for night enjoyment. What begins as a safety feature in your yard will also result in showcasing the plantings, boulders, patios and even fountains, ponds or other water features. Work with the DLI team to determine the best types of lights and light placement for your special areas. Contact us now at 217.227.3256.

You tell us what you want as a final result. We build retaining walls that stand the ground, year after year and if you want yours to have a touch of flair then it gets added. We never sacrifice function for artistry but rather we aim to accomplish both for you. If your need is for a substantial but simple retaining wall, so be it. If you desire a decorative wall as part of your formal or casual landscape, we get it done. Contact us now at 217.227.3256.

There's a growing interest in creating patios and walkways in outdoor spaces. It may be for anything from entertaining to meditating. We love the outside living ideas people are finding. If your dreams include wandering the back yard, free from cell phones or TVs or PCs, we’ll create a walkway for your strolls. Should you want to throw open the doors to the friends and family or whole neighborhood, the patio setting will be ideal. Contact us now at 217.227.3256.

Water brings a new element into your landscaping. A small fountain, a pond around a walkway curve, or a natural creek bed may be just what you need to complete your unique landscaping plan. Keep in mind too that the water feature you really need may be a way to move water away from where it gathers. DLI will put the drainage tiles in place to help transport the water underground, making your yard more accessible after rain falls.

New lawns or replacement lawns need more time, energy, and expertise than most of us realize. Often we see new grass seed planted in unprepared soil. If we wait and drive by a few weeks later we see sparse grass if any. It would seem grass could and should grow anywhere and should do so easily. But, for a lush, lasting lawn the earth needs to be receptive to the seeding or the sod. It may need to be turned, smooth, raked, nurtured. We will give it the TLC it requires.

What if you've been there and done that and want to do something new? Rest assured. We can take out what you no longer want and haul it away. We can re-use what you treasure, maybe something from your childhood home or a favorite neighbor, or the rocks you’ve picked up along your travels. Not everything has to be new all the time. Some of the best work we do is clearing out what is overgrown or dead then blending what you are keeping with what you want to add.

Most people have the confidence to remove dead limbs from trees or do some gentle shaping of a shrub but sometimes more damage is done than help provided. It’s best to leave the trimming and pruning to professionals. You spend plenty getting the right trees and shrubs just where you want them. Why not keep them both healthy and looking good for years of enjoyment? Trust us to know how and when to shape your yard.

If there's landscaping there's going to be leaves and twigs to pick up in the fall and spring. The mulch needs to be refreshed. The edging needs cleaning up. Some plants need to be cut back at just the right time or they won’t bud or blossom the next year. We know exactly what to do and when to do it. We bring the sharpest tools and dig in to get your yard awakened in the spring and ready for winter in the fall.

Your favorite trees can be prey for pests and in a few short days be stripped of all life. Don’t let that happen. We understand the value of trees and tree care. We know what to use on which invaders and how to treat the trees with care so they fight back and survive any pests’ attacks. Avoid losing your favorite spot in the shade or the place your warblers call home. Get your trees sprayed by professionals.

Anything young needs to get a great start if it is to grow well. Plants and trees which don’t find what they need will suffer. By providing the nutrients and nourishment that feed the root systems of your trees and plants you are doing them and yourself a huge landscaping favor. Everything will be stronger, healthy, and grow full and lush.

1. Phase one crabgrass preventer with early broadleaf weed control and fertilizer (late March-early April)
2. Phase two crabgrass preventer with early broadleaf weed control and fertilizer (late April-May)
3. Grub control and fertilizer (late June-early August)
4. Broadleaf weed control and fertilizer (September)
5. Fall fertilization (late October-November)