Introduction
Finding a reliable landscaping company in New York isn't straightforward. Buffalo properties contend with winters that average 95.4 inches of snow, while NYC homeowners deal with heat island summers that stress turf and plantings season after season. Generic care doesn't cut it in either climate.
This article ranks the top 10 residential landscaping companies in New York, NY — assessed on service range, local expertise, reliability, and verified customer feedback — so you can choose with confidence.
TL;DR
- Residential landscaping in New York spans routine lawn care, seasonal cleanups, and full-scale design-build projects
- Top-rated companies earn their spots through verified reviews, local climate expertise, and transparent pricing
- This list highlights 10 top-rated options across NYC, Buffalo, Long Island, and surrounding areas
- Use service breadth, experience, and eco-friendly practices to narrow down your choice
Residential Landscaping in New York, NY: What to Expect
Residential landscaping services in New York typically cover lawn maintenance, garden bed care, seasonal cleanups, pruning, mulching, and full landscape design and installation. Professional help is invaluable for busy homeowners juggling demanding schedules while maintaining property value and curb appeal.
New York's geography makes local expertise non-negotiable. Conditions vary sharply across the state:
- Buffalo (Zone 6b): 95.4 inches of annual snow, requiring robust winter prep and spring recovery work
- NYC (Zone 7b): Heat islands and compacted urban soils that demand soil remediation before most plantings take hold
- Statewide: Seasonal swings from harsh winters to humid summers stress lawns that need year-round attention
The New York landscaping services market generates $10.7 billion in revenue annually across 47,656 businesses — reflecting both intense competition and the wide range of options available to homeowners.
Sorting through those options means weighing factors like local climate knowledge, service range, and track record — not just price. The 10 companies below stand out on all three fronts.
Top 10 Residential Landscaping Companies in New York, NY
These companies were selected based on service variety, customer reviews, local reputation, and demonstrated expertise serving residential properties across New York. Because "New York" covers everything from Buffalo to Long Island to the five boroughs, each entry includes a Service Area row — use it to quickly find companies operating near you.
Percy's Lawn Care and Son
Percy's Lawn Care and Son is a Buffalo-based family-owned business founded in 1999 by Percy Eldridge. What began with a single push mower has grown into a full-service residential lawn care and landscaping provider serving Buffalo, Amherst, Cheektowaga, West Seneca, and surrounding Western New York communities with over 1,000 satisfied customers.
The company's "It's Personal with Percy's" philosophy drives everything from fully insured services and commercial-grade equipment to eco-friendly techniques. David Eldridge has since joined as co-owner, carrying forward the same standard of personal attention the business was built on over 25 years ago.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Lawn care, landscaping, seasonal cleanups, snow removal, property maintenance for residential and small commercial properties |
| Service Area | Buffalo, Amherst, Cheektowaga, West Seneca, Lackawanna, Orchard Park, and surrounding Western NY areas |
| Best For | Homeowners seeking personalized, relationship-driven landscaping service with consistent long-term care |
Topaz Design Group
Founded in 1990, Topaz Design Group operates primarily across Long Island, with a strong presence in Nassau County. The company specializes in high-end landscape design and build services, including masonry, pool installations, and outdoor kitchen construction.
Topaz holds ICPI certification, is a Techo-Pro Contractor, and has earned Best of Houzz awards twice. Their portfolio spans complex hardscaping and full outdoor living space builds — pools, kitchens, and custom masonry included.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Landscape design/build, masonry, pools, outdoor kitchens, hardscaping |
| Service Area | Long Island (Nassau County) |
| Best For | Large estate owners seeking full-scale outdoor living space design and installation |
Solicito and Son Landscape Contracting
Solicito and Son has served the greater New York metro area since 1978, operating across Rockland, Bergen, Westchester, and NYC boroughs. The family-owned company offers landscape design and installation, custom masonry, and ongoing maintenance services.
The company holds Certified Pesticide Applicator credentials and has earned Best of Houzz recognition three times. Over 45 years of continuous operation across multiple counties gives them a depth of regional knowledge that newer firms can't replicate.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Landscape design/installation, custom masonry, maintenance |
| Service Area | Rockland, Bergen, Westchester, NYC |
| Best For | Homeowners in suburban NYC areas seeking experienced design-build services with ongoing maintenance support |
Anthony and Sons Landscape Design & Consulting
With over 30 years of experience, Anthony and Sons operates primarily in Queens, serving neighborhoods like Whitestone and Bayside. The company specializes in landscape design and build, maintenance, and retaining wall installation.
Hand-selected stonework and mature tree transplanting are two capabilities that distinguish their design work from standard contractors. A 5.0 Yelp rating across 12 reviews backs up the attention to detail customers describe in their feedback.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Landscape design/build, maintenance, retaining walls, mature tree transplanting |
| Service Area | Queens (Whitestone, Bayside, surrounding neighborhoods) |
| Best For | Queens homeowners seeking custom landscape design with specialty stone and plant work |
G&C Landscaping
G&C Landscaping has served Brooklyn for over 25 years, focusing on residential lawn care and landscape maintenance. Services include lawn mowing, tree and shrub pruning, sod installation, and seasonal cleanups.
As a family-owned business, G&C emphasizes eco-friendly practices and hands-on service. A 4.7-star Google rating built over 25 years in Brooklyn speaks to the kind of consistency that earns repeat clients, not just first-time work.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Lawn mowing, tree/shrub pruning, sod installation, seasonal cleanups |
| Service Area | Brooklyn |
| Best For | Brooklyn homeowners seeking affordable, eco-conscious routine lawn maintenance |
Garden Culture NYC
Garden Culture NYC operates across Jersey City and NYC, specializing in organic gardening, hardscaping, and container/indoor garden design. The company is a licensed organic provider and holds an Arborist license (NJ-1276A).
Rooftop terraces, balconies, and courtyard spaces are where they do their best work — environments where organic methods and creative container design matter more than acreage. Their 4.8 Yelp rating across 24 reviews reflects consistent delivery in some of the city's most challenging planting conditions.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Organic gardening, hardscaping, container gardens, indoor gardens |
| Service Area | Jersey City, NYC |
| Best For | Urban clients prioritizing organic methods and container/rooftop gardens |
Ivy League Landscaping
Ivy League Landscaping serves Brooklyn with a specialty focus on balconies, rooftops, and terraces. The company offers design, landscape installation, hardscaping, and year-round maintenance tailored to urban spaces.
Urban installs come with logistical challenges most landscapers aren't set up for — freight elevator scheduling, narrow access points, and tight planting footprints included. Ivy League has built their entire operation around these constraints, and a perfect 5.0 Yelp score from their clients confirms the results.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Design, landscape/hardscape installation, year-round maintenance |
| Service Area | Brooklyn |
| Best For | Brooklyn residents with rooftops, balconies, and terraces requiring urban-specialist design and installation |
Native NY Gardens
Native NY Gardens has spent 15 years focusing exclusively on sustainable, native plant gardens across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Services include native plant garden design, rain gardens, and custom wood planters.
Planting exclusively with native species means lower water use, natural pollinator attraction, and a garden that works with New York's ecosystem rather than against it. For homeowners who care about that distinction, the 15-year track record and 20 Yelp reviews make a compelling case.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Native plant gardens, rain gardens, custom wood planters |
| Service Area | Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens |
| Best For | Eco-conscious homeowners seeking sustainable, native plant-based garden design |
When In Bloom NYC
When In Bloom NYC has over 20 years of experience serving Manhattan and Brooklyn. The woman-owned company specializes in custom decks, planters, irrigation systems, and ornamental gardens.
Four Best of Houzz awards and a 4.9 Houzz rating across 10 reviews point to a firm that consistently delivers on design. Custom decks, irrigation, and ornamental gardens are where that reputation was built.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Custom decks, planters, irrigation, ornamental gardens |
| Service Area | Manhattan, Brooklyn |
| Best For | Homeowners seeking custom outdoor installations with award-winning design credentials |
Bed-Stuy Garden Guy
Bed-Stuy Garden Guy operates across Brooklyn neighborhoods including Bed-Stuy and Fort Greene. The owner is a trained horticulturalist offering pruning, weeding, and backyard cleanup services.
It's a small, owner-operated business — and that's the point. You're getting hands-on care from someone who knows plants, not a crew dispatched by a central office. At 37 Yelp reviews, the neighborhood following speaks for itself.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Offerings | Pruning, weeding, backyard cleanups |
| Service Area | Brooklyn (Bed-Stuy, Fort Greene, surrounding neighborhoods) |
| Best For | Brooklyn homeowners seeking personalized, horticulturalist-led garden care and maintenance |
How We Chose the Best Residential Landscaping Companies in New York
Companies were assessed on service range, years of operation, verified customer reviews, local market presence, and transparency in pricing and communication. The most common mistake homeowners make is choosing on price alone — without vetting experience, licensing, or reliability. Each criterion below addresses exactly that.
Key Selection Criteria
- Longevity and local expertise: Multi-decade track records matter. Buffalo's 95.4 inches of annual snow and NYC's compacted urban soils demand specialized knowledge of climate extremes, soil challenges, and permitting requirements.
- Breadth of services: Top providers handle both maintenance (mowing, cleanups, pruning) and installation (design, hardscaping, planting), so homeowners can build one relationship instead of juggling multiple contractors.
- Verified customer satisfaction: 76% of consumers regularly read online reviews before choosing a local business, and 98% read them at least occasionally. We prioritized companies with verified reviews, referrals, and repeat clients.
- Proper licensing and insurance: Companies must carry Workers' Compensation and liability coverage. In NYC, any project exceeding $200 requires a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license from the DCWP. Chemical applicators must hold NYS DEC pesticide licenses.
Why Year-Round Service Relationships Outperform One-Off Providers
Homeowners benefit most from companies offering consistent seasonal coverage: spring cleanup, summer maintenance, fall prep, and winter snow removal. Sticking with one company year-round produces better results than rotating contractors. Over time, your landscaper learns your property's specific soil conditions, drainage quirks, and what works — knowledge that's lost every time you start fresh with someone new.
Conclusion
Selecting a residential landscaping company in New York is about more than aesthetics — the right partner understands your property, your local climate, and what it takes to maintain value through harsh seasonal conditions. The right company saves time, strengthens curb appeal, and protects your investment year after year.
For homeowners in Western New York — Buffalo, Amherst, Cheektowaga, and surrounding areas — Percy's Lawn Care and Son has delivered consistent, hands-on service since 1999. Weekly lawn care, seasonal cleanups, snow removal: they handle it all under one family-owned roof.
Reach out at hello@percyslawncare.com or call (716) 245-5296 to talk through your property's needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do residential landscapers charge per hour?
Landscaping professionals in New York typically charge $50 to $75 per hour per worker. In premium markets like Manhattan, labor rates escalate to $70 to $110 per hour, driven by urban logistics like crane rentals, DOB permits, and freight elevator scheduling.
What is the average price for a spring cleanup?
Yard cleanup in New York City averages $405, with a typical range of $225 to $676, slightly higher than the national average of $360. Pricing varies based on property size and scope — leaf removal, bed edging, mulching, and pruning all affect final costs. Always request itemized quotes.
What do residential landscapers do?
Residential landscapers offer lawn mowing, fertilization, pruning, planting, mulching, and seasonal cleanups. Full-service providers handle both maintenance (keeping your property healthy year-round) and installation work like new landscape design and planting beds.
What is included in a spring cleanup?
Spring cleanup typically covers leaf and debris removal, bed edging, mulch application, pruning of winter-damaged plants, and lawn aeration or overseeding. Inclusions vary by company, so confirm what's covered before signing a contract.
What should I ask when hiring a residential landscaping company for yard cleanup?
Ask these questions: Are you licensed and insured? What is included in the service? Do you provide a written estimate? How long have you been in business? Do you offer recurring maintenance plans? Verify NYC HIC licenses and NYS DEC pesticide credentials where applicable.
What are the 4 types of landscape?
The four broad landscape types are: natural (formed without human intervention), managed/maintained (supporting environmental quality with limited intervention), designed (intentional balance between built and natural environments, common in residential settings), and agricultural (land used for crop production).
