Skip to main content
Plant beds separating the two properties

Heffernan Landscape Design

Established in 1994, Heffernan Landscape Design is a full-service design-build residential landscape company serving Chicago and the suburbs. We offer all phases of landscape design and construction from garden plans to lighting, paths, stone patios and plantings.


While some of our outdoor projects are recognized for the strong, clean geometry of stone hardscapes with lush plantings, our varied style blends your project goals and preferences with our expertise in landscape design.


From the garden design to the construction of outdoor structures and installation of the landscaping plants, everyone at Heffernan Landscape Design is dedicated to creating a unique outdoor living space that will enhance the beauty and character of your home. With careful consideration of your site’s features coupled with your own garden ideas, needs and budget, we will help you create a beautiful, yet functional home landscape.



Carol Heffernan, Founding Principal

Carol Heffernan, founding principal, received a BFA and MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago. She uses her artistic, aesthetic and technical background to apply garden design principles in creating a sense of place, whether it’s a large estate on the North Shore, an historic home in the suburbs, a sleek, modern house on a city lot or the rooftop of a condominium.

Professional Affiliations:

APLD Association of Professional Landscape Designers

ILCA Illinois Landscape Contractors Association

LDA Landscape Design Association

Carol and her team did an amazing job updating the front and back yards of our home in Lincoln Park, Chicago. We truly enjoyed working with Carol because she was always honest, open-minded and collaborative. Her pricing was fair and her team was very professional. They were timely, efficient, and communicative. And we really appreciated their attention to detail. The hardscaping is meticulous and the plants are beautiful and thriving. Thank you!Read More

We had Carol and her team create a patio off of our existing deck in the back yard. We are very happy with the result which took 5 days to complete M-F. Carol was great to work with and listened to both our budget, wants/desires, as well as our lifestyle and how we would utilize the space to create a plan we were enthusiastic about. She is responsive and came to our house to go over the details before the project/install started. When getting two other quotes, some places wanted to do a lot of planning via phone/email but we appreciated her coming in person to see our space and take measurements and see existing plantings etc. We would definitely recommend them to anyone and who knows- maybe another future project! :)Read More

What a great experience! I owned and ran Century Lumber Co. for 30+ years. Customer service is easy to say but takes effort. Carol was fantastic to deal with, and her employees are very talented. They know their stuff and communicate very well. They did a neighbors patio, and when we saw the quality of the work at a very fair price, another neighbor and myself immediately called Carol to do our patios! I would hire Heffernan Landscape Design for any future needs without question.Read More

Carol was great! She landscaped my front and back yards. She listened to what I wanted and was very clear in her explanations. Her pricing was reasonable, and her crew was quick and professional. I've received multiple compliments from the neighbors on her work.Read More

Carol and her crew were super professional. She designed a beautiful design for my back year (landscaping, patio and fire pit) and it turned out exactly as I wanted. They also were great about cleaning up after each day of work.Read More