Homeowners across Davidson County who want full-service landscape design and installation often look for firms that pair horticultural depth with hardscape craft. The shortlist below covers three family-led companies that handle design, planting, patios, retaining walls, lighting, and irrigation across the greater Nashville market.
Quick Comparison #
| Firm | Founded | Notable Strength |
|---|---|---|
| The Greathouse Company | 1981 | Father-and-son leadership with 45-year track record |
| Gardens of Babylon | 2003 | TNLA, BBB, ICPI, and NCMA credentials with downtown garden center |
| Quigley's Landscaping | 2007 | Designer-led custom hardscape and outdoor living focus |
1. The Greathouse Company #
Address: 3825 Whites Creek Pike, Nashville, TN 37207
Phone: (615) 953-7595
Founder: Lee Greathouse
Operating Since: 1981 (45 years)
Credentials: Tennessee-licensed and insured landscape contractor; family-owned father-and-son leadership (Lee Greathouse, CEO; Will Greathouse, President); University of Tennessee ornamental horticulture and landscape design background
Service Area: Nashville, Belle Meade, Brentwood, Forest Hills, Franklin, Green Hills, Leipers Fork, Murfreesboro, Oak Hill, Spring Hill, Thompson’s Station, Hendersonville, Mt. Juliet, Gallatin, Clarksville, and Columbia
Specialties: Landscape design, installation, maintenance, outdoor living, hardscapes, pools, sprinklers and irrigation, drainage, decks, patios, sod and turf, and fencing
Website: The Greathouse Company
Father-and-Son Continuity Since 1981 #
Lee Greathouse founded the firm soon after completing a B.S. in ornamental horticulture and landscape design at the University of Tennessee, and his son Will joined after earning a business administration degree from the same university. The two-generation structure keeps the original design philosophy intact while modernizing project management.
Full-Scope Residential and Commercial Portfolio #
The crew handles both single-residence installs and larger commercial grounds across Middle Tennessee, with capability ranging from custom planting schemes to decks, fencing, and turf renovation under one contract.
Wide Middle Tennessee Service Area #
Coverage extends from Clarksville and Gallatin in the north to Spring Hill, Thompson’s Station, and Columbia in the south, giving suburban homeowners access to a long-tenured Nashville crew without a regional travel surcharge.
Outdoor Living and Hardscape Integration #
Patios, decks, drainage corrections, and irrigation are designed alongside the planting plan rather than added afterward, so the hardscape and softscape elements share grading and water-management logic from day one.
2. Gardens of Babylon #
Address: 900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208
Phone: (615) 244-8949
Founder: Mark Kerske (Marcus Kerske, current CEO and founding owner)
Operating Since: 2003 (23 years)
Credentials: TNLA (Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association) member; BBB-listed; ICPI (Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute) affiliated; NCMA (National Concrete Masonry Association) affiliated; over 9,000 landscapes installed in greater Nashville
Service Area: Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Belle Meade, Berry Hill, and the greater Nashville area
Specialties: Landscape design and architecture, landscape installation, hardscape design, outdoor living (patios, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, fire pits), pools and spas, irrigation and sprinkler systems, drainage and erosion solutions, outdoor lighting, plant rentals, and on-site garden center
Website: Gardens of Babylon
Downtown Nashville Garden Center and Studio #
The Rosa Parks Boulevard location pairs the design-build studio with a public garden center near the Nashville Farmers’ Market, so clients can walk the plant inventory before signing off on a planting schedule.
Four-Way Industry Credential Stack #
The firm holds TNLA membership, BBB listing, ICPI hardscape affiliation, and NCMA segmental retaining wall affiliation, covering both the horticultural and the masonry sides of the trade.
Founding Vision Carried by the Next Generation #
CEO Marcus Kerske continues the company started by his father in 2003, with COO Cade Robertson (with the firm since 2009) and VP of Operations Dan Hoy supporting the design, install, and garden center divisions.
Volume Experience Across 9,000-Plus Installs #
The portfolio of more than 9,000 completed landscapes across Middle Tennessee gives the crew repeatable templates for residential courtyards, full-yard transformations, and mixed pool-and-patio builds.
3. Quigley’s Landscaping #
Address: Nashville, TN service area (mobile design-build studio)
Phone: (615) 715-8216
Founder: Dalton Quigley
Operating Since: 2007 (19 years)
Credentials: Tennessee-licensed and insured landscape and hardscape contractor; designer-led family-operated firm (Dalton and Nick Quigley); 30-plus years industry experience for the founder
Service Area: Nashville, Spring Hill, Franklin, Brentwood, Nolensville, College Grove, Thompsons Station, Belle Meade, Murfreesboro, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, and Arrington, covering Davidson, Williamson, and Rutherford counties
Specialties: Landscape design and consultation, hardscaping (patios, retaining walls, seating walls, garden walls, boulder work, pergolas), outdoor kitchens and outdoor rooms, privacy landscaping, landscape remodels, water features, drainage and irrigation systems, energy-efficient outdoor lighting, swimming pools, and masonry
Website: Quigley’s Landscaping
Designer-Led Custom Build Workflow #
Founder Dalton Quigley leads design consultations personally and follows projects through the install phase, which keeps the rendered plan and the finished hardscape tightly aligned.
Family-Operated Crew Structure #
Dalton and Nick Quigley head the field operation, and the small-team format limits subcontracting on the hardscape and masonry phases of each build.
Williamson County Hardscape Specialization #
Patios, retaining walls, seating walls, garden walls, and pergola builds across Franklin, Brentwood, Nolensville, Spring Hill, and Thompson’s Station make up a sizable share of the recent portfolio.
Full Outdoor Living Scope #
Outdoor kitchens, fire features, water features, drainage corrections, low-voltage lighting, and pool surrounds are quoted alongside the planting plan, so a single contract can cover the entire backyard transformation.
Reference Notes #
- The Greathouse Company website and About page, plus the Total Landscape Care profile of Lee and Will Greathouse, confirm the 1981 founding and the father-and-son leadership structure.
- Gardens of Babylon About page confirms the 2003 founding by Mark Kerske, the current leadership of Marcus Kerske, and the 900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd Nashville location, along with the TNLA, BBB, ICPI, and NCMA affiliations.
- Quigley’s Landscaping homepage and About page confirm Dalton Quigley as founder, Dalton and Nick Quigley as the operating principals, and 19 years of Middle Tennessee operation as of 2026.
Selection Methodology #
The shortlist was built using the following filters:
- Family-owned or founder-led. Each firm is led by its founder or a direct family successor. Investor-owned roll-ups and national franchises were excluded.
- Tennessee-licensed and insured. Each firm operates as a licensed and insured landscape contractor in Davidson, Williamson, and adjacent counties.
- TNLA membership preferred. Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association affiliation was treated as a strong positive signal where publicly disclosed.
- BBB visibility. Public BBB listing or accreditation was treated as a positive trust signal.
- Minimum five-year operating history. Each firm has at least nineteen years of continuous Middle Tennessee operation, well above the five-year floor.
- Franchise exclusion. National franchise systems such as U.S. Lawns, Spring-Green, The Grounds Guys, and Weed Man were excluded so the list focuses on locally owned design-build operators.
- Full design-and-install scope. Each firm offers landscape design, plant installation, and hardscape construction under one roof rather than only mowing or only design.
Frequently Asked Questions #
What is the typical price range for a full landscape design and installation in Nashville? #
Costs vary by lot size, grading complexity, and material choice. A planting-only refresh on a small Nashville lot can start in the low four figures, while a full design-build with patio, retaining walls, lighting, and irrigation on a half-acre Brentwood or Franklin property frequently runs into the mid five figures. Request line-item quotes that separate design, plant material, hardscape, lighting, and irrigation so the scope is easy to adjust.
When is the best time of year to install a new landscape in Middle Tennessee? #
Fall (late September through early December) and early spring (February through April) are the strongest planting windows in the Nashville climate, since soil temperatures support root establishment without summer heat stress. Hardscape construction (patios, walls, outdoor kitchens) can run year-round when the ground is workable, so many design-build firms schedule hardscape in winter and planting in the shoulder seasons.
Should the landscape contractor also handle drainage and irrigation? #
Yes, in most cases. Drainage corrections, French drains, downspout extensions, and irrigation zoning are easier to engineer alongside the grading and hardscape plan than to retrofit later. Each of the three firms above offers drainage and irrigation under the same contract as design and planting.
How long does a typical residential design-build project take from first call to completion? #
A small refresh can finish in two to four weeks once the contract is signed, while a full design-build with hardscape, lighting, irrigation, and mature plant material usually runs eight to sixteen weeks from kickoff to walkthrough. Allow an extra two to six weeks for the design and approval phase before construction starts.
Editorial Note #
This guide was published on 2026-05-11 and reflects research current as of that date. Verify licenses, phone numbers, and current business status before engaging any firm.