Evanston, IL
Evanston plays by its own rules: gas and propane leaf blowers are banned year-round, private trees are protected by ordinance, and dense city lots make drainage a real thing. MarioScape runs a fully electric, Evanston-compliant crew and covers all eight services across every neighborhood — with the owner on every job.
Overview
Evanston is the dense, urban end of the North Shore, and it has rules most suburbs don't. The one that trips up landscapers is the blower ban: Evanston prohibits gas and propane leaf blowers year-round, electric only, and as of 2026 that applies to commercial crews — not just homeowners. MarioScape runs a fully electric setup, so we're compliant on your property from day one. That's a real advantage, not a hassle.
Two more things shape the work here. Evanston's Tree Canopy Preservation ordinance protects healthy private trees, and exterior work near a protected tree can trigger a permit — we plan around that and help you stay compliant. And on Evanston's tight lots, with a combined sewer system and a real history of basement backups, drainage and grading are among the most common requests we get.
Beyond that, the full range: lawn care, seasonal cleanups, landscape installation (including native and pollinator-friendly plantings for this certified wildlife-habitat community), tree and shrub care, hauling, outdoor lighting, and winter snow service. Owner on every job, Turf & General application certified, 10+ years, and 40+ five-star reviews behind the work.
Services in Evanston
Click any category for what's included and how it gets handled on Evanston properties.
Weekly mowing, fertilizing, weed spraying. Electric, blower-ban-compliant crew for compact lots.
Lawn care in Evanston →Spring openings, fall leaf cleanups, debris haul, gutter check. Sized for Evanston lots.
Cleanups in Evanston →Plantings, mulch, stone, sod for compact urban yards. Native, pollinator-friendly options.
Landscaping in Evanston →Downspout extensions, grading, French drains. Big demand on Evanston's dense combined-sewer lots.
Drainage in Evanston →Trimming, pruning, and ash care planned around Evanston's private-tree ordinance.
Tree & shrub in Evanston →Bulk materials sized for narrow access. Junk removal for small-lot garage cleanouts.
Hauling in Evanston →Low-voltage LED strip lighting for compact patios, decks, walkways, and entries.
Lighting in Evanston →Driveway, walkway, and sidewalk clearing. Per-storm or seasonal, sized for compact drives.
Snow in Evanston →What to know
Evanston bans gas and propane leaf blowers year-round — electric only — and as of 2026 the rule reaches commercial landscapers, not just homeowners. Hire a crew running gas equipment and the problem is on your property. MarioScape runs a fully electric setup, so we're Evanston-compliant on every visit, and blowers of any kind only run during the allowed daytime hours. Quieter for the block, cleaner for you, and no compliance headache.
Evanston's Tree Canopy Preservation ordinance (in effect since 2024) protects healthy private trees — a private tree at 6 inches in diameter (measured at breast height) or larger is protected, and exterior work within 25 feet of one can trigger a permit. An $80 permit plus mitigation requirements may apply, and every parkway tree along the street is owned by the City. We plan the work around protected trees, flag it upfront when a project falls inside that 25-foot zone, and help you stay compliant and coordinate before we start.
Evanston runs a combined sewer system with a real history of basement backups — the City has already put a major sewer-improvement program behind it and now works from a stormwater master plan. On tight lots, water has fewer places to go, so grading, downspout extensions, and drainage fixes that pull water away from the foundation are some of the most common jobs we do here. What affects your estimate is lot size, slope, and how the water is moving today.
Emerald ash borer has been in Evanston since 2006, and the City stopped planting ash long ago — we handle care and removal for declining ash on private property. Evanston is also a certified National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat, so we're glad to work native and pollinator-friendly plants into installs for homeowners who want them. Everything we recommend fits USDA zone 6a.
Common Questions
Yes. Evanston bans both gas and propane leaf blowers year-round — electric only — and as of 2026 that rule applies to commercial landscapers working on your property, not just homeowners. MarioScape runs a fully electric blower setup, so the crew is Evanston-compliant on every job. Blowers of any kind are also limited to set daytime hours, and we work within those hours.
Evanston's Tree Canopy Preservation ordinance, in effect since 2024, protects healthy private trees — a private tree measuring 6 inches in diameter at breast height or larger is protected, and exterior work within 25 feet of a protected tree can trigger a permit. An $80 permit plus tree-mitigation requirements may apply, and every parkway tree along the street is owned by the City. MarioScape plans the work around protected trees, tells you upfront when a project falls inside that 25-foot zone, and helps you stay compliant and coordinate before we dig.
Evanston sits on dense city lots with a combined sewer system and a long history of basement backups — the City ran a major sewer-improvement program and now has a stormwater master plan to keep working on it. On tight lots, water has fewer places to go, so grading, downspout extensions, and drainage fixes that move water away from the foundation are some of the most common requests we get. What affects your estimate is lot size, slope, and how the water is currently moving.
Yes. Emerald ash borer has been in Evanston since 2006, and the City stopped planting ash long ago — we handle care and removal for declining ash on private property and coordinate anything ordinance-related. Evanston is also a certified National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat, so we're glad to work native and pollinator-friendly plants into installs for homeowners who want them. Evanston is in USDA zone 6a, which guides the plant choices we recommend.
Yes. Evanston lots run tighter than the suburbs further north — narrow side yards, alley-access backyards, and close lot lines are the norm. Equipment is sized for the access, so the crew brings electric blowers, push or narrow mowers, and wheelbarrows for properties where big ride-on equipment doesn't fit cleanly. The owner is on every job, so decisions about access get made on-site.
Yes. MarioScape's winter service covers driveways, walkways, sidewalks, porches, and steps, with both per-storm and seasonal options. On Evanston's compact driveways, snow-blower and shovel service is usually the right fit rather than a full plow truck, and the owner is on every job.
Free estimate, no salesy back-and-forth. You'll talk to Mario directly — same person who'll be on your property.
