Tree Removal and Trimming Service Near You in Chicagoland: What Tommy Pollina Landscape Company Offers

September 7, 2026

Tommy Pollina Landscape Company provides tree trimming, tree removal, tree pruning, bush trimming, landscape cleanup, and stump grinding across Chicago's North Shore and Northwest suburbs, from Arlington Heights and Barrington to Deerfield and Deer Park. We've handled tree pruning and cleanup projects in Wilmette, Park Ridge, and Glenview, working from our base in Mt. Prospect since 1982.

Key Takeaways

• Tommy Pollina Landscape Company handles tree trimming, tree removal, pruning, bush trimming, landscape cleanup, and stump grinding across Chicagoland's North and Northwest suburbs.
• The University of Illinois Extension says late winter and early spring pruning stresses trees the least, since they're dormant.
• Oaks need different timing: the University of Illinois Extension advises against pruning oaks from March through October to limit oak wilt spread.
• Illinois law requires any employer with even one part-time worker to carry workers' compensation insurance, per the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.

What tree care does Tommy Pollina Landscape Company handle near me?

Tommy Pollina Landscape Company handles tree trimming, tree removal, tree pruning, bush trimming, landscape cleanup, and stump grinding for homes and businesses across Chicago's North Shore and Northwest suburbs. We fold this work into full landscape makeovers or run it as its own cleanup visit, whichever the property calls for.

Here's how that breaks down on a typical job:

• Tree trimming and pruning: shaping overgrown trees and shrubs, cutting back deadwood, thinning canopies for light and airflow.
• Tree removal: taking down trees that are dead, diseased, storm-damaged, or in the way of a new patio, addition, or drainage line.
• Stump grinding: grinding stumps flush after a removal so the spot can be reseeded, mulched, or built over.
• Bush trimming and landscape cleanup: usually bundled with tree work on the same visit, especially ahead of a home sale or a spring reset.

We've worked this into a bush-trimming, tree-pruning, and cleanup project in Glenview, a full yard cleanup in Park Ridge tied to getting a property ready for sale, and a trimming and pruning job in Wilmette. You can see more of that kind of work in our project gallery, and the full rundown of everything we handle, tree work included, is listed on our landscaping and hardscaping services page.

How do I know if a tree needs to come down or just needs a trim?

A tree usually needs removal when it's dead, split, hollow, or leaning toward a structure. It usually just needs a trim when the problem is deadwood, crowding, or shape. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation notes that a dead top or heavy deadwood in the canopy can signal disease and is worth a professional look.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recommends removing dead trees once they become a fall hazard to people or property, which is really the deciding factor once a tree's structure is already compromised. A few other signs worth taking seriously: mushrooms or fungus growing at the base of the trunk, a trunk with a visible cavity, roots heaving up a sidewalk or driveway, or a lean that's gotten noticeably worse in a single season. Any one of those is a reason to have someone look at the tree in person rather than guess from the driveway.

Best time of year to prune or remove trees in Chicagoland

Late winter and early spring is the best pruning window for most trees in Illinois. The University of Illinois Extension states that trees are dormant then, so they handle pruning cuts with less stress than they would during the growing season.

Timing shifts by species and condition, though. The University of Illinois Extension also cautions that dead, dying, or broken branches can come off any time of year, but oaks are the exception. Oaks shouldn't be pruned from March through October, since that stretch is when oak wilt spreads fastest.

Removal doesn't run on the same clock as pruning. A dead or hazardous tree doesn't wait for a dormant season. Once it's a fall risk to a roof, fence, or driveway, it needs to come down regardless of the month on the calendar.

What to check before hiring a tree service near you

Before hiring anyone to trim or remove a tree, ask three things: are they licensed and insured, do they carry workers' compensation coverage, and will they handle stump grinding and cleanup or just the cut-down and leave the rest to you.

Insurance matters more than it sounds like it should. The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission requires nearly every employer, even one with a single part-time worker, to carry workers' compensation insurance. Knowing, willful noncompliance can bring a fine up to $500 a day, with a $10,000 minimum, according to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. That's not a detail to skip past when you're letting a crew work a chainsaw over your driveway. If someone gets hurt on the job and the company isn't covered, that liability can land on you and your homeowner's policy instead of theirs.

Tommy Pollina Landscape Company is licensed and insured, and we've been doing tree, hedge, and landscape work in these suburbs since 1982.

Solving Landscape Problems for 45 Years

Joe Pollina started this company in 1982 as a one-truck operation on Chicago's Northwest Side. We're based in Mt. Prospect now, still family-run, with Daniel Katz as president and Joe still involved in the work. We handle tree trimming, tree removal, pruning, cleanup, and stump grinding alongside drainage, grading, hardscape, and planting projects, because most yards need more than one fix at a time. You can read more about how we got here on our about page.

Tree removal often uncovers root systems that were quietly disrupting grading or drainage for years without anyone noticing. If a stump grind or removal leaves a low spot, a washout, or standing water behind, we can fold drainage and grading work into the same project instead of leaving you a separate problem to solve later. The same goes for replanting. Once a diseased or overgrown tree comes out, that's often the right moment to rework the bed with a proper landscape design plan instead of just patching the gap with whatever's left over.

Where we serve Chicagoland for tree and landscape work

Our crews cover Chicago's North Shore and Northwest suburbs, including Arlington Heights, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Deer Park, and Deerfield, out of our office at 420 N. River Rd. in Mt. Prospect. We do this work for homeowners and for commercial properties and HOAs, including long-running maintenance accounts like our decade-plus care of the ivy wall at Gibson's Rosemont, which you can read about on our commercial landscaping page.

Frequently asked questions

Does Tommy Pollina Landscape Company handle tree removal, or just trimming and pruning?

We handle both. Tree removal, tree trimming, tree pruning, bush trimming, landscape cleanup, and stump grinding are all part of our regular service list, and we run them either as standalone jobs or folded into a bigger landscape project, depending on what your property needs.

What happens to the stump after a tree comes down?

We grind stumps flush to the ground as part of our stump grinding service, so the spot is ready for sod, mulch, or new planting instead of sitting there as a tripping hazard or an eyesore in the middle of your yard.

Do you serve my suburb for tree and landscape work?

We work throughout Chicago's North Shore and Northwest suburbs, including Arlington Heights, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Deer Park, and Deerfield, out of our Mt. Prospect office. If your suburb isn't on that short list, it's worth reaching out directly since our coverage extends beyond it.

Will tree removal disrupt my lawn or drainage?

It can, especially with a large root system. Removing a mature tree sometimes exposes uneven grading or drainage issues the roots were masking. Because we handle grading and drainage in-house alongside tree work, we can address a washout or low spot in the same visit instead of leaving it for a second contractor later.

If you've got an overgrown tree that needs shaping, a dead one that needs to come down, or a stump left behind from a storm, tell us what's going on with your property using the form below this article and we'll get back to you about next steps.