Landscaping & Hardscaping in Madison, WI
Working Madison yards since 2010, on soil that holds water and housing stock old enough to prove it.
Landscaping & Hardscaping in Madison, WI
Working Madison yards since 2010, on soil that holds water and housing stock old enough to prove it.
Dane County yards aren’t flat. A slope from the driveway to the front door, a drop from the patio to the lawn, a hillside garden you can’t get to safely, all of it needs steps that stay level and don’t shift when the ground freezes and thaws. We build them into the site properly the first time, not set on top of it.
Madison sits on the glaciated side of Dane County, which means clay and silt loam under most of the city. That soil holds water instead of shedding it. On a flat lot near the lakes it pools. On an older near-west or near-east property it has already been working on the original walkway for eighty winters. Most of what we get called about in Madison comes back to water that has nowhere to go.
Ground Conditions
What Madison Yards Are Actually Dealing With
Clay that holds water. Glaciated soil drains slowly. Water that would disappear in a Mount Horeb yard sits in a Madison one.
Older housing stock. Large parts of the near-west and near-east sides were built before the war. Original concrete walkways and front steps have been through eighty freeze-thaw cycles, and it shows.
Small lots. City yards are narrow, fenced, and hard to reach with equipment. That changes what a project costs and sometimes what's possible.
High water near the lakes. Properties close to Mendota or Monona sit on ground that doesn't need much rain to become saturated.
What We Get Called For Most in Madison
Yard grading & drainage. The most common Madison call. Clay plus a flat lot plus a downspout dumping at the wall.
Walkway installation and outdoor step construction. Replacing original concrete that has heaved out of level.
Paver patio construction. Built for small city yards where access is tight.
Retaining walls. Less common in Madison than in Verona or Middleton, but the older east-side lots have their share of grade changes.
Snow removal. City sidewalk ordinances have teeth. See sidewalk snow removal.
Madison sits on the glaciated side of Dane County, which means clay and silt loam under most of the city. That soil holds water instead of shedding it. On a flat lot near the lakes it pools. On an older near-west or near-east property it has already been working on the original walkway for eighty winters. Most of what we get called about in Madison comes back to water that has nowhere to go.
Dane County yards aren’t flat. A slope from the driveway to the front door, a drop from the patio to the lawn, a hillside garden you can’t get to safely, all of it needs steps that stay level and don’t shift when the ground freezes and thaws. We build them into the site properly the first time, not set on top of it.
Ground Conditions
What Madison Yards Are Actually Dealing With
Clay that holds water. Glaciated soil drains slowly. Water that would disappear in a Mount Horeb yard sits in a Madison one.
Older housing stock. Large parts of the near-west and near-east sides were built before the war. Original concrete walkways and front steps have been through eighty freeze-thaw cycles, and it shows.
Small lots. City yards are narrow, fenced, and hard to reach with equipment. That changes what a project costs and sometimes what's possible.
High water near the lakes. Properties close to Mendota or Monona sit on ground that doesn't need much rain to become saturated.
What We Get Called For Most in Madison
Yard grading & drainage. The most common Madison call. Clay plus a flat lot plus a downspout dumping at the wall.
Walkway installation and outdoor step construction. Replacing original concrete that has heaved out of level.
Paver patio construction. Built for small city yards where access is tight.
Retaining walls. Less common in Madison than in Verona or Middleton, but the older east-side lots have their share of grade changes.
Snow removal. City sidewalk ordinances have teeth. See sidewalk snow removal.
Ground Conditions
What Madison Yards Are Actually Dealing With
Clay that holds water. Glaciated soil drains slowly. Water that would disappear in a Mount Horeb yard sits in a Madison one.
Older housing stock. Large parts of the near-west and near-east sides were built before the war. Original concrete walkways and front steps have been through eighty freeze-thaw cycles, and it shows.
Small lots. City yards are narrow, fenced, and hard to reach with equipment. That changes what a project costs and sometimes what's possible.
High water near the lakes. Properties close to Mendota or Monona sit on ground that doesn't need much rain to become saturated.
What We Get Called For Most in Madison
Yard grading & drainage. The most common Madison call. Clay plus a flat lot plus a downspout dumping at the wall.
Walkway installation and outdoor step construction. Replacing original concrete that has heaved out of level.
Paver patio construction. Built for small city yards where access is tight.
Retaining walls. Less common in Madison than in Verona or Middleton, but the older east-side lots have their share of grade changes.
Snow removal. City sidewalk ordinances have teeth. See sidewalk snow removal.
Top Services for Madison
What We Get Called For Most in Madison
Yard grading & drainage
Managing water flow in a yard to prevent pooling, flooding, or erosion.
Walkway installation
Installing paths for walking through a yard or garden.
Outdoor step construction
Building steps for outdoor areas, usually stone or concrete.
Paver Patio & Patio Installation
Building a patio using individual pavers (stone/concrete blocks).
Retaining Walls
Building or repairing walls that hold back soil on sloped yards.
Snow Removal
Clearing snow and ice from driveways, sidewalks, and lots.
Why Madison Patios Sink and Madison Basements Get Wet
Clay does two things badly. It holds water, and it moves when that water freezes.
A patio built on a shallow base over Madison clay traps water underneath. The water freezes, expands, and lifts the surface. It thaws and the surface drops, but not evenly and not all the way back. Do that four or five winters running and you get a patio that pools at one corner and a walkway that has a lip somebody will catch a toe on.
The same soil is why so many Madison basements are damp. Water that can't soak away moves sideways, and clay next to a foundation wall is a poor place for it to end up. Half the drainage work we do in the city is water that was never routed anywhere in the first place, just dropped at the wall by a downspout and left to find its own way.
How we build: Fixing it isn't complicated. It's grading, base depth, and giving the water a destination. It just has to be done before the patio goes on top, not after.
Why Madison Patios Sink and Madison Basements Get Wet
Clay does two things badly. It holds water, and it moves when that water freezes.
A patio built on a shallow base over Madison clay traps water underneath. The water freezes, expands, and lifts the surface. It thaws and the surface drops, but not evenly and not all the way back. Do that four or five winters running and you get a patio that pools at one corner and a walkway that has a lip somebody will catch a toe on.
The same soil is why so many Madison basements are damp. Water that can't soak away moves sideways, and clay next to a foundation wall is a poor place for it to end up. Half the drainage work we do in the city is water that was never routed anywhere in the first place, just dropped at the wall by a downspout and left to find its own way.
How we build: Fixing it isn't complicated. It's grading, base depth, and giving the water a destination. It just has to be done before the patio goes on top, not after.
Why Madison Patios Sink and Madison Basements Get Wet
Clay does two things badly. It holds water, and it moves when that water freezes.
A patio built on a shallow base over Madison clay traps water underneath. The water freezes, expands, and lifts the surface. It thaws and the surface drops, but not evenly and not all the way back. Do that four or five winters running and you get a patio that pools at one corner and a walkway that has a lip somebody will catch a toe on.
The same soil is why so many Madison basements are damp. Water that can't soak away moves sideways, and clay next to a foundation wall is a poor place for it to end up. Half the drainage work we do in the city is water that was never routed anywhere in the first place, just dropped at the wall by a downspout and left to find its own way.
How we build: Fixing it isn't complicated. It's grading, base depth, and giving the water a destination. It just has to be done before the patio goes on top, not after.
Working on a Madison Yard This Year?
We'll walk the property, tell you where the water is going and where it should go, and give you one written number. Call Madison Green Team at (608) 573-8889 or request a free quote online. Based in Verona, twenty minutes from most of the city.
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Call 608-573-8889 or use our contact form to tell us about your project.
Plan & Design
We assess your property, discuss your needs, and provide a detailed design or service plan.
Build & Maintain
Our team completes installation or maintenance, keeping your landscape beautiful and functional.
Our Dane County Landscaping Service Areas
Based in Verona, we serve Madison, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Fitchburg, Waunakee, Mount Horeb, Cross Plains, and more.
Not sure if we cover your area?
Give us a call - we likely do.
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