Landscaping in Madison, MS

Madison is our namesake and sits at the heart of our service area. Madison Planting & Design Group has designed, built and cared for landscapes across Madison and southern Madison County since 2004. Our office is at 168 Watford Pkwy Dr in Canton, about 11 miles up the road. Whether you’re planning a new backyard, updating tired beds or looking for dependable weekly care, we offer landscaping in Madison, MS from one team that plans it, builds it and maintains it.

Stone steps, stacked stone seating walls and a flagstone patio behind a brick home

Why Madison homeowners and businesses call MPDG

  • A licensed landscape architect on the team. Our design work is led by Kirk Cameron, ASLA (Mississippi Landscape Architect License #433). That helps a lot in a city with a detailed landscape ordinance. See our licenses and affiliations.
  • Design, build and maintenance under one roof. No hand-offs between a designer, a contractor and a lawn service.
  • Close by. Madison is a short drive from our Canton office, typically about 20 minutes, so crews and managers can reach your property easily.
  • Homes and businesses. We work on residential yards and commercial properties.

Landscaping services in Madison

Madison’s landscape ordinance: what to know

Madison has long taken its appearance seriously. The City of Madison’s landscape ordinance (published on the city’s website) sets rules that anyone planning a new development, or clearing a wooded lot, should know about:

  • Tree removal: removing healthy mature trees generally requires a permit from the Planning and Development Department. No more than 15% of live trees 6 inches or larger in caliper may be removed outside driveways and the building footprint. Trees on improved residential lots may be removed at the owner’s discretion unless subdivision approval or covenants say otherwise.
  • Buffers: in new developments, vegetation along creeks and drainage channels (20 feet from each bank) and along fence rows is protected.
  • Professional plans: development requiring a subdivision plat or site plan must include a landscape plan prepared by a landscape architect or other qualified professional. Tree surveys must be sealed by a registered land surveyor or landscape architect.
  • Irrigation and turf: an irrigation system is generally required to maintain required landscaping. Solid sod or erosion-control blankets are required on slopes of 3:1 or steeper.

Ordinances are updated from time to time, so always check the current version with the city. Our landscape architect can help you plan to meet it. Many Madison neighborhoods also have their own covenants or architectural review. Check your neighborhood’s requirements before you finalize a plan.

Natural rock creek bed winding through hydrangeas and ferns under shade trees

Designing for Madison’s soil, water and climate

Madison sits in USDA hardiness zone 8b on the 2023 map. Like much of the Jackson metro, it has dense clay soils that swell when wet and shrink when dry. That affects everything from patio bases to which shrubs thrive. Water matters too. The east side of the city drains toward the Ross Barnett Reservoir, the north toward Bear Creek, and the west toward Limekiln Creek. Heavy spring and summer storms test every yard’s grading, and where water collects, French drains and other drainage solutions can help.

In practice, that means we:

  • Study where water goes before we place a patio, bed or pool deck
  • Choose plants for our heat, humidity and heavy soils, not just for how they look at the garden center
  • Lay out irrigation in zones so shady beds and sunny lawn each get what they need
  • Recommend fall planting for trees and shrubs, when roots have time to establish before summer

Neighborhoods we serve in and around Madison

Madison grew up around Madison Station, which the Illinois Central Railroad opened in 1856. Today it’s the state’s 11th-largest city, with 27,747 residents at the 2020 census. It sits between Ridgeland to the south and Gluckstadt to the north, with the Natchez Trace Parkway along its eastern edge and I-55 running through the middle.

We serve homeowners throughout the city and nearby Madison County, including established and newer neighborhoods such as Annandale, Ashbrooke, Reunion and Lake Caroline, as well as properties out toward the historic Chapel of the Cross in Mannsdale. Whether it’s a mature lot shaded by large oaks and pines or a new home with a blank slate, we’ll design around what makes your property unique.

Also nearby: landscaping in Ridgeland and landscaping in Gluckstadt.

Flagstone pool deck around a pool and spa with a young shade tree

How a Madison project works with us

  1. Visit and conversation. We walk your property with you, talk through how you want to use it and note sun, shade, drainage, existing trees and any neighborhood requirements.
  2. Design. Our design team develops a plan for your space, from a front-entry refresh to a full backyard with a stone patio, fireplace or pool deck.
  3. Build. Our own crews handle the installation: stonework, planting, irrigation and finishing touches.
  4. Care. If you’d like, our maintenance team keeps it looking the way it did on day one, with mowing, pruning, fertilization, seasonal color and irrigation checks.

See what’s possible

Browse our portfolio for natural stone patios, pool decks, courtyards, outdoor fireplaces and rock creek beds we’ve built across central Mississippi.

Madison landscaping FAQ

Do I need a permit to remove trees in Madison?

Under the city’s landscape ordinance, removing healthy mature trees generally requires a permit. Trees on improved residential lots may be removed at the owner’s discretion unless subdivision approval or covenants say otherwise. Check with the City of Madison Planning and Development Department for your situation.

How soon can you start a project in Madison?

That depends on the season and the size of the job. Call us and we’ll give you a realistic timeline.

Do you offer weekly maintenance in Madison?

Yes. Madison is a core part of our service area for landscape maintenance, including weekly lawn care, pruning, seasonal color and monthly irrigation checks. More answers are in our landscaping FAQ.

Talk to a Madison landscaping team

Call (601) 859-5915, Monday–Friday 8:00–5:00, or request a quote online. We’d be glad to see your property and hear what you have in mind.