Landscape design and installation covers the planning and build-out of outdoor spaces: grading, planting beds, sod or seeded lawns, trees and shrubs, irrigation lines, retaining walls, patios, walkways, and lighting. Some firms handle the full process from a drawn plan to finished install, while others focus on one piece, like planting or hardscape, and bring in subcontractors for the rest. Middletown has 12 businesses working in this category, ranging from design-build outfits that draft renderings and manage permits to smaller crews that install from a plan you already have.
Before hiring, ask what's included in a quote: soil prep, plant warranties, irrigation tie-ins, and cleanup can all be priced separately or bundled. Get a plant list with sizes and quantities, not just a total square footage number, and confirm who pulls permits if the job involves grading, drainage changes, or a retaining wall over a certain height. Ask how they handle plant loss in the first year and whether a maintenance visit is included after install.
Our scoring weighs verified reviews, how consistently a company follows through on quoted scope, and how it handles problems like plant die-off or drainage issues after the fact. You can see the full breakdown of how we rank these businesses on our methodology page, and the complete ordered list is on the best landscapers in Middletown guide.