Our Services
Expert Landscaping, Design, and Sustainable Solutions for the Iowa City–Cedar Rapids Corridor
Native Landscaping & Habitat Restoration
Hardscape Design & Installation
Rain Gardens & Water Management Solutions
Landscape Design, Install, & Ongoing Maintenance
At Sustainable Landscape Solutions, we design, build, and maintain outdoor spaces that are both beautiful and environmentally responsible.
Explore our full range of services, all built on the same foundation:
craftsmanship, sustainability, and care for Iowa’s land and water.
Services Include:
Our design and maintenance services ensure your landscape looks beautiful today and matures beautifully for years to come.
From concept to completion —
and beyond.
Landscape Design & Install and Landscape Maintenance
Our design and install services are built around one simple goal: creating landscapes we can thoughtfully design and successfully install.
For projects that are a good fit for installation with our team, we offer full landscape design services that align vision, function, and budget from the start. During your initial consultation, we’ll talk through your goals, priorities, and budget so expectations are clear before moving into design.
Not every great landscape requires a full design package, and we want clients to know that. We regularly install planting projects, drainage solutions, native landscapes, and site improvements without hardscapes or full design plans, offering practical, experience-driven solutions tailored to your property.
Our team specializes in:
Whether your project calls for a comprehensive design or a more streamlined install approach, we focus on solutions that work with your site, protect natural systems, and create outdoor spaces that perform as beautifully as they look.
For projects that are a good fit for installation with our team, we offer full landscape design services that align vision, function, and budget from the start. During your initial consultation, we’ll talk through your goals, priorities, and budget so expectations are clear before moving into design.
Not every great landscape requires a full design package, and we want clients to know that. We regularly install planting projects, drainage solutions, native landscapes, and site improvements without hardscapes or full design plans, offering practical, experience-driven solutions tailored to your property.
Our team specializes in:
- Plant-forward landscape installations
- Native and ecologically focused plantings
- Drainage and water management solutions
- Landscape enhancements that improve function and long-term performance
Whether your project calls for a comprehensive design or a more streamlined install approach, we focus on solutions that work with your site, protect natural systems, and create outdoor spaces that perform as beautifully as they look.
Keep your landscape healthy, functional, and performing well year-round.
Our Landscape Maintenance & Enhancement services go beyond routine care to support plant health, improve soil and water performance, and address common landscape issues, often without the need for full design or hardscape construction.
We provide ongoing and one-time services including:
Many enhancement projects, such as drainage corrections, soil improvement, and targeted plant upgrades, can be completed efficiently without full design plans. Our team evaluates how your landscape functions and recommends practical solutions that protect your property, reduce runoff, and keep clean water on site.
Choose from one-time cleanups or recurring maintenance programs to keep your landscape resilient, looking its best, and working as it should.
Our Landscape Maintenance & Enhancement services go beyond routine care to support plant health, improve soil and water performance, and address common landscape issues, often without the need for full design or hardscape construction.
We provide ongoing and one-time services including:
- Tree and shrub pruning
- Mulch installation and refresh
- Bed weeding and seasonal cleanup
- Spring and fall cleanups
- Soil quality restoration to improve infiltration
- Drainage and water management solutions for standing water, runoff, and erosion
Many enhancement projects, such as drainage corrections, soil improvement, and targeted plant upgrades, can be completed efficiently without full design plans. Our team evaluates how your landscape functions and recommends practical solutions that protect your property, reduce runoff, and keep clean water on site.
Choose from one-time cleanups or recurring maintenance programs to keep your landscape resilient, looking its best, and working as it should.
Many homes built in the last 50 years sit on compacted subsoil with only a thin layer of topsoil—meaning even in a state known for great soil, most yards still need help.
Our Soil Quality Restoration service reverses that damage with deep-tine aeration, compost top-dressing, and overseeding to break up compaction, rebuild organic matter, and restore the soil’s natural hydrologic function. Healthier soils absorb and hold water where it falls, helping recharge the water cycle, reduce runoff, and minimize flash flooding—while also strengthening your turf, trees, and landscape over time.
We offer this service each spring and fall, and some clients choose annual treatments for heavily degraded soils. Homeowners in Johnson County, Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty may also qualify for a 50% reimbursement through local stormwater quality programs.
Our Soil Quality Restoration service reverses that damage with deep-tine aeration, compost top-dressing, and overseeding to break up compaction, rebuild organic matter, and restore the soil’s natural hydrologic function. Healthier soils absorb and hold water where it falls, helping recharge the water cycle, reduce runoff, and minimize flash flooding—while also strengthening your turf, trees, and landscape over time.
We offer this service each spring and fall, and some clients choose annual treatments for heavily degraded soils. Homeowners in Johnson County, Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty may also qualify for a 50% reimbursement through local stormwater quality programs.
Services Include:
We use native plants and sustainable practices that restore soil health, support pollinators, and improve water quality while creating stunning, low-maintenance landscapes.
Bring the beauty and resilience of Iowa’s native ecosystems to your property.
Native Landscaping & Habitat Restoration
Restore the beauty of Iowa’s native ecosystems — right in your own backyard. Our designers specialize in creating landscapes filled with native grasses, wildflowers, and trees that require less watering, support pollinators, and thrive in Iowa’s climate.
Benefits of native landscaping:
Whether you’re enhancing your home’s curb appeal or restoring habitat on a larger site, SLS designs native landscapes that are as functional as they are beautiful.
Benefits of native landscaping:
- Supports bees, butterflies, and birds
- Reduces stormwater runoff and soil erosion
- Improves soil health and water quality
- Requires minimal maintenance once established
Whether you’re enhancing your home’s curb appeal or restoring habitat on a larger site, SLS designs native landscapes that are as functional as they are beautiful.
Restore the prairie, restore balance.
We design and install prairies featuring native species like Big Bluestem, Coneflower, Milkweed, and Blazing Star to create resilient, low-maintenance landscapes that support pollinators and wildlife.
SLS provides ongoing maintenance including mowing, prescribed burns, and invasive control to ensure long-term success. Whether you’re planting a small backyard prairie or restoring multiple acres, we can help.
We design and install prairies featuring native species like Big Bluestem, Coneflower, Milkweed, and Blazing Star to create resilient, low-maintenance landscapes that support pollinators and wildlife.
SLS provides ongoing maintenance including mowing, prescribed burns, and invasive control to ensure long-term success. Whether you’re planting a small backyard prairie or restoring multiple acres, we can help.
Sustainable Practice.
Protect and enhance the health of your wooded areas. Our forestry experts selectively remove invasive plants to promote the healthy growth of native species. This process improves forest diversity and wildlife habitat, reduces disease risk, and supports stronger ecosystems for generations to come.
Protect and enhance the health of your wooded areas. Our forestry experts selectively remove invasive plants to promote the healthy growth of native species. This process improves forest diversity and wildlife habitat, reduces disease risk, and supports stronger ecosystems for generations to come.
Protect Iowa’s most valuable ecosystems.
Wetlands provide critical habitat and natural water filtration. Our team designs, plants, and maintains wetland environments using hydrophyte species that thrive in saturated soils — ensuring ecological stability and long-term success.
Wetlands provide critical habitat and natural water filtration. Our team designs, plants, and maintains wetland environments using hydrophyte species that thrive in saturated soils — ensuring ecological stability and long-term success.
Services Include:
Our skilled team of designers and installers creates custom patios, walkways, and retaining walls that elevate your property and stand the test of time.
Durable, beautiful outdoor spaces built to last , and designed for how you live.
Hardscaping & Outdoor Living Spaces
Create outdoor spaces made to last.
From patios and retaining walls to firepits, outdoor kitchens, and walkways — our skilled hardscape design and installation team crafts custom spaces built with durability and style in mind. We go above and beyond industry standards to ensure your hardscape will never dip, sag, or settle.
Our hardscape services include:
From patios and retaining walls to firepits, outdoor kitchens, and walkways — our skilled hardscape design and installation team crafts custom spaces built with durability and style in mind. We go above and beyond industry standards to ensure your hardscape will never dip, sag, or settle.
Our hardscape services include:
- Patios, pathways, and driveways
- Retaining and seating walls
- Firepits and outdoor kitchens
- Water features and stonework
Sustainable Practice
A beautiful and environmentally responsible way to manage water runoff. Permeable pavers allow rainwater to flow between pavers and filter naturally through layers of rock and soil beneath — reducing pollution and flooding.
They come in a variety of colors, styles, and patterns, making them ideal for patios, walkways, driveways, and parking pads that look great and function sustainably.
A beautiful and environmentally responsible way to manage water runoff. Permeable pavers allow rainwater to flow between pavers and filter naturally through layers of rock and soil beneath — reducing pollution and flooding.
They come in a variety of colors, styles, and patterns, making them ideal for patios, walkways, driveways, and parking pads that look great and function sustainably.
Visit our Edging Site for full details on our Edging Services.
Clean, lasting definition for your landscape.
Our custom concrete curbing offers a durable, beautiful alternative to traditional edging. Available in a variety of colors and styles, concrete edging complements both modern and rustic homes.
Benefits include:
We also offer spade-cut, paver, bullet, boulder, and limestone edging for custom design flexibility.
Clean, lasting definition for your landscape.
Our custom concrete curbing offers a durable, beautiful alternative to traditional edging. Available in a variety of colors and styles, concrete edging complements both modern and rustic homes.
Benefits include:
- Long-lasting and low maintenance
- Root barrier and clean mowing edge
- One-day installation
- Enhances curb appeal and property value
We also offer spade-cut, paver, bullet, boulder, and limestone edging for custom design flexibility.
Services Include:
From managing stormwater runoff to reusing rainwater, our sustainable systems enhance both function and beauty.
Smart, eco-friendly solutions to control water flow and protect your property.
Sustainable Water Management
Sustainable Practice
Beautiful and functional — rain gardens protect your landscape and the environment.
Rain gardens collect and filter runoff from roofs, driveways, and compacted soils. Native plants with deep roots filter pollutants and allow water to absorb naturally into the ground, reducing flooding and improving water quality.
Every rain garden we build is designed for your property’s unique location, soil, and drainage needs.
Beautiful and functional — rain gardens protect your landscape and the environment.
Rain gardens collect and filter runoff from roofs, driveways, and compacted soils. Native plants with deep roots filter pollutants and allow water to absorb naturally into the ground, reducing flooding and improving water quality.
Every rain garden we build is designed for your property’s unique location, soil, and drainage needs.
Sustainable Practice
Engineered to manage stormwater naturally.
Bioretention systems and swales slow, filter, and absorb stormwater through layers of soil, native plants, and gravel. These systems reduce runoff, prevent erosion, and protect local waterways — perfect for both residential and commercial properties seeking green infrastructure solutions.
Engineered to manage stormwater naturally.
Bioretention systems and swales slow, filter, and absorb stormwater through layers of soil, native plants, and gravel. These systems reduce runoff, prevent erosion, and protect local waterways — perfect for both residential and commercial properties seeking green infrastructure solutions.
Effective water management is essential for keeping your property dry, stable, and protected. Over time, poor drainage can lead to erosion, soggy lawns, foundation issues, and damaged landscaping. Our Water Management Solutions address these challenges with systems tailored to your site—such as downspout tiling to direct runoff safely away from structures, dry creek swales to guide and slow stormwater, and other sustainable grading and drainage practices.
These improvements help prevent erosion, reduce standing water, and support healthier soils and plantings. Many homeowners choose to phase in additional solutions over time as their landscape evolves. Depending on your location, certain projects may also qualify for stormwater quality reimbursement programs.
These improvements help prevent erosion, reduce standing water, and support healthier soils and plantings. Many homeowners choose to phase in additional solutions over time as their landscape evolves. Depending on your location, certain projects may also qualify for stormwater quality reimbursement programs.
