Built On A Bad Winter
Founder Marcus Ridley started Thistle & Stone in 2011 after watching too many Logan Square neighbors get stranded by landscaping companies that vanished the moment snow started falling.
The idea was simple: one company that plants your garden in May and clears your driveway in January, with the same crew and the same phone number both times. Thirteen years later, that's still the whole business model.
How We Got Here
One Truck, One Mower
Marcus starts Thistle & Stone with a single crew serving Logan Square and Bucktown lawns.
Snow & Ice Division Launches
First winter contracts signed with two HOAs after a competitor no-showed during a January storm.
Design-Build Team Added
Brought on a licensed designer to move beyond maintenance into full hardscape and planting projects.
ILCA & SIMA Certification
Joined the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association and Snow & Ice Management Association.
900th Property Served
Crossed 900 residential and commercial properties served across Chicago and the North Shore.
Our Values
Show Up, Every Time
Same crew, same schedule — no subcontractors passing the job around.
Build For The Climate
Native plants and freeze-thaw-rated materials chosen for Illinois, not a catalog.
Quote It Straight
Flat pricing before work starts. No change orders that weren't discussed first.
Stay Local
Every crew member lives in Chicago or the near suburbs — this is our neighborhood too.
Who You'll Work With
Marcus Ridley
Founder & CEODana Ochoa
Lead DesignerWill Bertrand
Snow Division ManagerPriya Nair
Client RelationsWant to meet the crew?
Book a free on-site consultation and we'll walk the property together.