ROOTED IN EXCELLENCE

Three generations, one standard: the King family on building landscapes—and a legacy—that lasts.

For almost 70 years, King’s Landscape Design has been shaping the outdoor spaces of homes across the greater Chicago suburbs, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It all started in 1959 with one simple rule: do it right the first time and stand behind your work.

The foundation? Reputation.

Back then, reputation wasn’t built online. It was earned one patio at a time—by showing up, getting it right, and going back when something wasn’t perfect. Six and a half decades later, that founding ethos still drives every project at King’s Landscape Design.

Mark King grew up in that tradition taking the reins from his father in 1985. Enter the third generation. Mark’s son Adam joined the business young, working his way through the operation. Now Director of Sales, Adam carries the family’s hands-on philosophy into a new era.

That ground-up experience, Adam says, is precisely what continues to set the company apart.

“We expect everyone on our team to understand the work inside out,” he says.

It’s a distinction that matters in an industry where design firms and installation crews often operate in separate lanes. Rest assured, King’s does both at the highest level.

Today, the company is recognized as one of the leading high-end landscape design firms in the Midwest. Offering a full suite of services, King’s specializes in landscape architecture, outdoor kitchens, water features, custom lighting, and outdoor carpentry. But what’s the measure of a great project? Adam will tell you that it’s never been about spectacle and grandeur.

“The best projects are the ones where every detail is thought through—from pavilions to plant selection to how the space actually gets used day to day,” he says. “When a space looks like it’s always belonged there, that’s when we know we nailed it.”

That philosophy extends to the client experience. Each project is assigned a dedicated representative who carries the client’s vision from the first conversation through final installation. The result is a process as refined as the finished product. It’s a standard that’s been earned over decades.

With the next generation already taking shape, the company’s standards remain fixed. Adam works alongside his brother Evan, continuing the tradition of building something meaningful together. “The goal,” Adam says, “is to keep doing exceptional work and give back to the community.”

Since 2015, the company has tripled in size with nearly 100 employees, and the momentum shows no signs of slowing. But for Adam, growth is an afterthought. “Through the King’s Cares initiative, we give back to the communities we serve,” he says. That may be the truest measure of the legacy his grandfather started.