Collingwood homeowners most often compare Forty Five Scapes, The Landmark Group, Hutten Land and Shore, Precision Grounds, Green Esthetics Landscaping and The Grounds Guys of Collingwood. They cover different work, from full design-build to hardscaping, garden care and snow clearing. Choose the company whose main work matches your project, and check insurance, WSIB coverage and nearby completed jobs.
Key takeaways
The landscaping companies homeowners in Collingwood most often compare in 2026 are Forty Five Scapes, The Landmark Group, Hutten Land and Shore, Precision Grounds, Green Esthetics Landscaping and The Grounds Guys of Collingwood. They do different kinds of work. Some are full design-build contractors, some focus on hardscaping and heavy equipment, and some mainly offer lawn care, garden maintenance and snow clearing. The right pick depends on whether you need a new landscape designed and built, a single hardscape project or ongoing property care.
Collingwood properties range from in-town lots to escarpment slopes, ski chalets and Georgian Bay waterfront, so experience with local soil, slope and freeze-thaw matters as much as the portfolio. Forty Five Scapes is our company, and we list ourselves first. The rest of the list is based on each company's own published services and service areas, checked in November 2026.
| Company | What Stands Out | Ideal For | Key Services | Coverage | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forty Five Scapes | Complete design-build service with in-house design, construction, and project management | Homeowners seeking cohesive, custom outdoor spaces from one contractor | Excavation, grading, patios, decks, retaining walls, planting design, lighting | Collingwood, Georgian Bay, Simcoe County | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| The Landmark Group | Award-winning luxury design with detailed craftsmanship and strong warranties | Homeowners wanting premium landscapes and year-round property care | Custom stonework, lighting, plant curation, property maintenance | Collingwood, Thornbury & Georgian Bay | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Hutten Land and Shore | Naturalized landscapes that merge with the Georgian Bay environment; sustainability-driven | Clients preferring eco-friendly, low-maintenance landscapes | Naturalized design, docks, build services, property care, snow removal | Grey & Bruce Counties, Collingwood & The Blue Mountains | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Precision Grounds Landscaping | Unilock Authorized Contractor with its own heavy equipment fleet | Interlock projects, site prep and commercial grounds contracts | Interlock patios, walkways, driveways, retaining walls, excavation, demolition, land clearing, commercial maintenance | Collingwood, Blue Mountain, Thornbury, Wasaga Beach, Stayner & Barrie | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Green Esthetics Landscaping | Creative garden makeovers, lawn care, and planting design across a wide service area | Homeowners needing reliable garden renovations and lawn maintenance | Hedging, planting, lawn maintenance, mulching, snow clearing | Collingwood, Blue Mountain, Stayner & Wasaga Beach | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| The Grounds Guys of Collingwood | National franchise with organized systems and consistent residential and commercial service | Clients wanting structured, dependable lawn and landscape management | Mowing, edging, seasonal cleanups, snow plowing, small-scale design | Collingwood & surrounding towns | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Top Pick: Forty Five Scapes
Forty Five Scapes is a design-build company that handles every stage of outdoor living. The family-owned company manages everything—from excavation and grading to patios, decks, retaining walls, and planting design. Its in-house team combines landscape design, construction, and project management, ensuring that every space is functional, cohesive, and built to last.
What sets Forty Five Scapes apart:
- Turnkey design-build process with detailed site planning and 3D layouts
- Expertise in interlock, natural stone, armour stone, and composite decking
- Integrated outdoor features such as lighting, firepits, pergolas, and steps
- Drainage, grading and structural work coordinated by the same team
- Year-round service coverage throughout Collingwood, Georgian Bay, and Simcoe County
Because design, excavation and construction stay in-house, one team is responsible for the result from the first site visit to the final walkthrough.
Website: fortyfivescapes.com
Quick Comparison
| Company | What Stands Out | Ideal For | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forty Five Scapes | Complete design-build service: decks, patios, retaining walls, drainage, and full landscape planning | Homeowners seeking cohesive, custom outdoor spaces | Collingwood, Georgian Bay, Simcoe County |
| The Landmark Group | Award-winning design/build firm with detailed craftsmanship and strong warranties | Homeowners wanting luxury design and property care | Collingwood, Thornbury & Georgian Bay |
| Hutten Land and Shore | Naturalized landscapes, docks, and ecological property management | Clients preferring sustainable, low-maintenance landscapes | Grey & Bruce Counties, Collingwood & The Blue Mountains |
| Precision Grounds Landscaping | Interlock hardscaping plus excavation, demolition and land clearing; commercial maintenance contracts | Hardscape projects and commercial or multi-unit property care | Collingwood, Blue Mountain, Thornbury, Wasaga Beach, Stayner & Barrie |
| Green Esthetics Landscaping | Garden makeovers, lawn care, and planting design | Homeowners needing creative, reliable garden renovations | Collingwood, Blue Mountain, Stayner & Wasaga Beach |
| The Grounds Guys of Collingwood | National franchise offering full-service lawn, landscape, and snow management | Clients wanting structured, dependable service | Collingwood & surrounding towns |
The Landmark Group
With more than 35 years in business, by its own account, The Landmark Group has become known for high-end outdoor spaces that combine precision engineering with natural design. Their projects often feature custom stonework, lighting, and detailed plant curation—supported by a strong warranty program. The company handles design, construction, and year-round property care with a focus on craftsmanship.
Website: thelandmarkgroup.ca
Hutten Land and Shore
Hutten Land and Shore, a family business that has worked in Grey and Bruce Counties and Collingwood for about two decades, focuses on naturalized landscapes suited to the Georgian Bay setting. It offers landscape design and construction, property care, docks and boat lifts, and snow and ice management, and backs its work with a published guarantee.
Website: hutten.ca
Precision Grounds Landscaping
Precision Grounds, based in Stayner, designs and installs interlocking patios, front entries, driveways and retaining walls as a Unilock Authorized Contractor. It also runs its own heavy equipment for excavation, demolition, grading, trenching, land clearing and forestry mulching. Its year-round maintenance contracts (lawn and garden care in season, snow removal and salting in winter) are for commercial and multi-unit properties only.
Website: precisiongrounds.ca
Green Esthetics Landscaping
Green Esthetics focuses on gardening and property maintenance: garden cleanups and renovations, planting, lawn care, mulching and snow removal. The company was founded by an owner with more than 16 years of hands-on gardening and landscaping experience and serves Collingwood, Blue Mountain, Stayner and Wasaga Beach.
Website: greenestheticslandscaping.com
The Grounds Guys of Collingwood
The Grounds Guys operate as part of a national franchise known for structured lawn and landscape management. Their Collingwood team provides mowing, edging, seasonal cleanups, snow plowing, and small-scale landscape design. Their organized systems and consistent service make them a dependable option for both residential and commercial clients.
Website: groundsguys.ca
Final Take
Each company on this list fits a different kind of job.
- Forty Five Scapes handles design, excavation and construction in-house.
- The Landmark Group focuses on high-end design-build and property care.
- Hutten Land and Shore specializes in naturalized landscapes and docks.
- Precision Grounds pairs interlock work with heavy equipment services.
- Green Esthetics covers garden care, lawn care and snow removal.
- The Grounds Guys offer franchise-backed lawn, landscape and snow services.
If you want one company to design and build the whole project, from grading to the final planting, Forty Five Scapes is set up for that kind of work.
Learn more: fortyfivescapes.com
What Makes Collingwood Landscaping Unique?
Collingwood's landscape context is unlike most of Ontario. The Niagara Escarpment, Georgian Bay shoreline, and Blue Mountains create a dramatic natural backdrop that demands thoughtful design. The region's four-season climate—with significant snowfall in winter and hot summers—means every outdoor space must be built to perform year-round, not just look good in summer photos.
Homeowners in Collingwood typically prioritize mountain-view sightlines and how structures are oriented to take advantage of them, materials that can withstand freeze-thaw cycles without cracking or shifting, naturalized plantings that complement the escarpment environment, and outdoor living spaces that extend usability into fall and even winter months with firepits, covered pergolas, and radiant heating options.
How to Choose a Landscaping Company in Collingwood
When evaluating landscaping companies in the Collingwood area, look for contractors who have visible experience with the local terrain and climate. Ask to see completed projects nearby, request references from similar property types, and ensure the company carries appropriate liability insurance and WSIB coverage. A good design-build firm will schedule a site visit before providing a quote and will give you a detailed written proposal covering scope, materials, timeline, and price. Avoid contractors who provide only verbal estimates or who pressure you into signing quickly.
What to have ready before you ask for quotes
Quotes are easier to compare when every company prices the same thing. Before the first site visit, measure the areas you want to change and note how much the ground falls across them. Area drives the cost of sod, pavers and planting. Slope tells a contractor whether you need grading, steps or a retaining wall. Depth times area gives the volume of base, soil or mulch. Many Ontario towns, Midland among them, set minimum slopes away from the house, and a good contractor will check yours.
Field drawing 01 · Measuring
Measure area, slope and volume before you order
Three numbers drive every landscape quote: square metres, fall and cubic metres.
Swipe to see the full drawing →
- Split odd shapes. Break the yard into rectangles, triangles and circle segments, measure each, then add them.
- Level a string line. Stretch it between two stakes and set a line level in the middle so the string is dead level.
- Measure down at each stake. The difference is the rise. Divide by the run between stakes and multiply by 100 for percent.
- Volume = area × depth. Convert depth to metres first. Tell the supplier the compacted depth you need.
- Check against the standard. In Midland, grass must fall at least 2% away from buildings and hard surfaces at least 1%.
With those numbers in hand, ask each company for a written, itemized quote. Compare base depth and materials, not just the total. A patio quote that skips excavation or uses a thin base can look cheaper and fail sooner. Our guide to the design and build landscape process explains what each stage should include.
Permits and approvals around Collingwood
Most planting and patio work needs no permit, but some Collingwood-area projects do. Collingwood is in the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) watershed, and work in a regulated area such as a floodplain, a wetland, a steep slope or the Georgian Bay shoreline needs an NVCA permit or clearance letter. Shoreline work can also need approval from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Parts of The Blue Mountains and Clearview sit within the Niagara Escarpment Plan area, where the Niagara Escarpment Commission issues development permits for certain work, and NEC approval comes before the NVCA application. Under the Ontario Building Code, a retaining wall over 1 m high next to public property, a building entrance or private property open to the public needs a building permit and an engineered design. Ask any contractor you hire who will apply for these approvals. Our retaining wall permit guide covers the wall rules in more detail.
Planning a 2027 landscaping project in Collingwood
Collingwood's design-build companies fill their spring schedules early, so the 2027 season starts this winter. Use November to February to pick a contractor, settle the design and get a firm quote. Use March and April for NVCA, NEC or building permits and for ordering stone and plants. Ground thaw in Simcoe County usually comes in late April or May, and excavation starts once the soil has dried enough to work without rutting. Escarpment and higher-elevation lots near Blue Mountain can thaw later than lots near the bay.
- Book site visits early. A design signed by late winter usually means a spring or early summer start.
- Check your property on the NEC and NVCA maps before finalizing the design, since an approval can change the layout.
- Choose freeze-thaw-tested materials. Properly based interlock, natural stone and armour stone hold up through Collingwood winters.
- Plan drainage with the design. Spring runoff off the escarpment is easier to handle with grading and swales built in from the start.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose a landscaping company in Collingwood?
Look at completed projects near you, ask for references from similar properties, and confirm liability insurance and WSIB coverage. Choose a company whose main work matches your project: design-build for a full landscape, hardscape specialists for a patio, or maintenance companies for ongoing care.
Do I need a permit for landscaping in Collingwood?
Planting, sod and most patios do not need one. Work in an NVCA-regulated area (floodplain, wetland, steep slope or shoreline), development in the Niagara Escarpment Commission's control area, and retaining walls over 1 m beside public property or building entrances can all need approvals.
When should I book a landscaper for spring?
Book over the winter. Design and quoting take a few weeks, permits can take longer, and most companies set their spring schedules before the ground thaws in late April or May.
Does Forty Five Scapes work in Collingwood?
Yes. Forty Five Scapes is based in Penetanguishene and works across Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Midland, Georgian Bay and Muskoka. Contact us to book a site visit.
Planning a project this season?
We’ll walk the site, scope it properly and give you a straight price.
Mark and Matt are amazing. Not only do they do high-quality work, but they are also collaborative every step of the way. They are also great at problem-solving for unforeseen issues, or if you are just stuck on what to do in a certain area. I highly recommend Forty-Five Scapes for your landscaping needs.
Frequently asked questions
.avif)
.avif)
.avif)
