Planting & Gardens15 Best Plants for a Wisconsin Zone 5 Landscape
A working list of fifteen plants that earn their place in a Fox Valley yard — hardy through our winters, forgiving of clay, and heavy on natives.
Read article
This quiet river village is small, but the yards deserve the same care we bring to any project in the Valley.
Combined Locks is one of those easy-to-miss Fox River villages tucked between Kimberly and Kaukauna, named for the locks that once moved boats past the rapids. It is a tight-knit, residential place — quiet streets, settled lots, and homeowners who plan to stay put.
When you are putting down roots, your landscape is a long-term investment, not a quick flip. We design Combined Locks yards to grow into themselves over the years, with good bones now and plantings that mature into something special.
In a village where people put down roots, we design for the long haul. That means investing in the parts you cannot see — proper soil prep, real drainage, and hardscape bases built to outlast the freeze-thaw — so the yard keeps getting better instead of needing a redo in five years.
We are happy to phase a project too. Get the patio and major plantings in this year, add lighting and finishing beds the next, and spread the investment while you live in the space.
Being close to the Fox means paying attention to where water goes. Low spots hold snowmelt, and clay soil is slow to drain. We read the grade before we design and put drainage first so the pretty parts have a solid foundation.
A custom, buildable plan for your whole yard — drainage, plantings, and hardscape that fit your property and our climate.
Learn moreInterlocking paver patios built on deep, compacted bases so they never heave or crack through a Wisconsin winter.
Learn moreFrench drains, dry creek beds, rain gardens, and regrading that end standing water in our clay soil for good.
Learn moreNative-forward gardens, trees, and shrubs chosen to survive Zone 5 winters and thrive with less water and upkeep.
Learn moreEngineered retaining walls that terrace slopes, stop erosion, and reclaim usable yard — built to hold through freeze-thaw.
Learn moreMowing, fertilization, bed care, and seasonal upkeep that protect your landscape investment all season long.
Learn moreThey phased our project over two years so it fit the budget, and every stage was done right. Couldn't ask for more.
Yes. Phasing is a smart way to manage the budget — we install the hardscape and major plantings first, then add lighting and accent beds in a later season. Each phase is designed to fit the whole.
We do. Lots near the Fox catch snowmelt and drain slowly through clay. We assess the grade and build in drainage before anything else, so your investment sits on solid ground.
Absolutely — it is about twelve minutes from our Appleton base, right in the Heart of the Valley communities we serve every week.
Planting & GardensA working list of fifteen plants that earn their place in a Fox Valley yard — hardy through our winters, forgiving of clay, and heavy on natives.
Read article
MaintenanceA great yard should not eat your weekends. Here are the design choices that cut landscape maintenance for busy Fox Cities families without giving up curb appeal.
Read article
Cost GuidesTwo patios the same size can cost very different amounts. Here are the real factors behind a Fox Cities paver patio quote — and where the money actually goes.
Read articleOwner-supervised design, hardscaping, and planting for Combined Locks, WI and the surrounding area.