
Most outdoor living projects fail before the patio is ever installed.
Not because of the pavers.
Not because of the lighting.
Because the drainage and water management were never engineered correctly from the beginning.
This City of Evanston project by Tommy Pollina Landscape Co. Inc started as an unusable backyard with major drainage problems, inconsistent grading, and no functional outdoor living space.
Before installing the patio, artificial turf, fencing, or lighting, we solved the drainage first.
That is where projects are either built correctly… or begin failing years later.
What was completed on this project:
- Full integrated NDS drainage system connected to underground 4-inch PVC piping
- Multiple downspouts tied directly into the drainage network
- Property elevations and grading engineered for proper water flow
- 232 sq. ft. Unilock Beacon Hill XL patio installation
- Over 800 sq. ft. of artificial turf with drainage integration underneath
- Custom western red cedar fence installed on steel posts for durability
- Integrated AMP® low-voltage landscape lighting built directly into the fencing system
- Solid brass landscape lighting fixtures installed throughout the property
- Full project rendering created before construction began
The drainage system was not added after the patio installation.
The drainage plan dictated the layout of the patio, turf elevations, grading, and how every section of the property connected together as one complete outdoor system.
That difference matters.
Once the water management was engineered correctly, we built the rest of the space around it.
The finished project was designed to function as one integrated landscape system — not separate features competing against one another.
- As you go through the photos, you will see:
- The original backyard conditions
- The design renderings
- The drainage and construction process
- The completed outdoor living space side by side
Same layout.
Same materials.
Same elevations.
Same vision.
Most landscaping and hardscape projects focus only on visible features like patios, turf, and lighting while ignoring the drainage and grading underneath.
If the water flow is wrong, nothing above it performs the way it should.
That part has to be solved first.
Once the drainage system is engineered correctly, everything above it lasts longer, performs better, and functions the way it was intended to.
Please call 847.698.6868 or Contact Us
Tommy Pollina Landscape Company – serving Chicagoland since 1982.
Landscaping Services
- Emergency / Expedited Drainage
- Drainage
- Sump Pump Solutions
- Basement Waterproofing
- Grading and Regrading
- Landscape Design
- Landscape Installations, Plantings
- Lawn Maintenance
- Spring Cleanup
- Stump Grinding
- Tree Triming, Tree Removal, Stump Grinding
- Artificial Turf Installations
- Pool Removal
- Planters
- Irrigation and Sprinkler System
- Seasonal Planter, Potted Plants
- Cemetery Management
- Outdoor Design & Build: Full Outsource Project
- Custom Putting Greens
- Summer Makeover
- Trimming & Pruning
- Lighting
- Mulch
- Waterscaping
- Fall Plantings
- Fall Cleanup
- Seasonal Color: Fall and Holiday
- Holiday Decor, Holiday Lighting
- Snow and Ice Management
Featured Landscaping Projects
- Deerfield Drainage and Landscape Installation Project
- Park Ridge Historic Home Structural Restoration and Drainage Improvement Project
- Deerfield IL Pool Removal and Backyard Landscape Transformation Project
- Park Ridge Drainage System Replacement Project – Foundation Flooding Repair and PVC Regrading Solution
- Park Ridge Front Staircase and Walkway Restoration Project
- Lincoln Park Garage Drainage Project with Nds-Channel Drain
- Park Ridge Backyard Privacy Landscaping with Emerald Green Arborvitae and Fence Line Planting
- Backyard Drainage System and Kentucky Bluegrass Sod Installation in Kenilworth
- Landscape renovation in Niles – New Trees, Plantings, Drainage & Lighting
- Project in Skokie retaining wall replacement with durable unilock stone
- Rolling Meadows Retaining Wall Repair Project, Engineered Drainage System And Safety Restoration
- Riverwoods Full-Property Drainage Project Preventing Flooding And Water Damage
- Precision Drainage Engineering Project in the Village of Willowbrook
- Park Ridge Landscape Lighting Installation Project
- Lake Zurich outdoor enhancement and planting project
- Evanston custom outdoor kitchen island construction project
- Park Ridge double-lot landscape installation project
- Evanston Backyard Outdoor Kitchen and Chimney Construction with Stucco and Lannon Stone Features
- Glenview landscape planting and garden installation project
- New Walkway, Fresh Sod, Native Plants & Drainage Project in Glenview
- Inverness playground mulch and drainage improvement project for a safer, cleaner family play area
- Wilmette Patio and Driveway Makeover Project — Proper Gravel Base, Drainage, and Asphalt Installation.
- Highland Park Driveway, Walkways & Patio Project – Unilock Westport Smooth with Charcoal Border.
- Village of Winnetka Backyard Hardscape Project with Unilock Pavers, Outdoor Kitchen, and Limestone Steps
- Mt Prospect landscape refresh project with new plantings and cleaned bed lines
- Wilmette Asphalt Driveway Replacement, Patio, Drainage & Landscaping Project
- Riverwoods Drainage, Grading, and Asphalt Driveway Installation Solving Long-Term Yard Water Issues
- Full Property Outdoor Makeover Project in Park Ridge – Landscaping, Hardscape, Drainage & Lighting Solutions
- Schaumburg driveway reconstruction project with asphalt, concrete, Geo Grid, retaining wall, NDS drainage, and brick borders
- Wilmette arborvitae wall project with layered shrubs, trees, privacy, curb appeal, and integrated landscaping
- Planting-Bed Landscape Installation Project in Winnetka
- Wilmette Design Build Hardscape Renovation with Unilock Pavers, Custom Railings, and Integrated Drainage
- Emergency Drainage & Grading Fix Project in Northfield Township / Glenview
- Niles Landscape Project with Stone Taurus Rain Garden and Native Plants
- Riverwoods Landscape and Drainage Project with Asphalt Driveway, Pavers, and Water Management
- Park Ridge Backyard Landscaping Project with Unilock Walkway and Over 130 Plants for a Lush, Colorful Garden Design
- Commercial rodent exclusion fabric installation project
- Park Ridge Country Club Landscaping Project
- Kenilworth Large-Scale Plant Installation with Japanese Maples, Perennials, Ornamental Grasses, and Seasonal Landscaping
- Ultimate Outdoor Living Space Project: Fireplace, Grill, Unilock Patio, Fence, Arborvitae
- Glencoe Backyard Drainage Solution with River Rock Swale, Flow Wells, and Functional Landscaping Preventing Flooding
- Custom Baluster, Railing, Custom Brick and Mortar Stairs Project in Park Ridge
- Kenilworth Front Yard Planting Installation with Arborvitae, Boxwoods, Barberries, and Multi-Layered Privacy Hedges
- Brick Driveway Channel Drain Project in the Village of Riverwoods
- Wilmette New Construction Landscaping with Bluestone Porch, Unilock Pavers, Deck, Sod, Irrigation, and Drainage Systems
- Trimming and Pruning Service – Project in Wilmette
- Planting Flowers – Lanscaping Project in Kenilworth
- Park Ridge Downspout Redirection with Flagstone Steppers, Preventing Flooding and Protecting Yard Space



