Landscaping & Hardscaping in Cedar Falls, Iowa
Premium landscape design, hardscaping, and outdoor living services for Cedar Falls homeowners and businesses. Just 10 minutes from our Waterloo headquarters, we have been creating beautiful outdoor spaces in Iowa's Garden City for over 30 years.
Cedar Falls: Iowa's Garden City Deserves Expert Landscaping
Cedar Falls has long been known as the "Garden City of Iowa," a nickname that reflects the community's deep commitment to beautifully maintained landscapes and well-kept public spaces. With a population of approximately 40,000, Cedar Falls is the sister city to Waterloo and together they form the heart of the Cedar Valley metropolitan area. This is a community where property appearance matters, where neighbors take pride in their yards, and where a professionally designed landscape is not just an investment in your home but a contribution to the character of the entire neighborhood.
Matthias Landscaping has been serving Cedar Falls homeowners since our founding in 1991. Our Waterloo headquarters is just a 10-minute drive from most Cedar Falls neighborhoods, allowing us to provide the same fast, responsive service that our Waterloo clients enjoy. From the historic homes near Sartori Park to the newer developments along Viking Road and West 27th Street, we know this community inside and out.
Landscaping Near the University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls is home to the University of Northern Iowa, and the presence of UNI shapes much of the city's character. The College Hill district adjacent to campus is a vibrant neighborhood with a mix of residential properties, rental homes, and small businesses. Homeowners in this area often seek landscaping solutions that enhance curb appeal and stand up to the higher foot traffic that comes with living near a university campus.
Properties around the UNI campus and along University Avenue benefit from well-designed hardscaping that creates defined walkways, durable patio surfaces, and attractive foundation plantings that require minimal seasonal maintenance. Our commercial landscaping services also serve property management companies and landlords who need reliable, professional grounds maintenance for their Cedar Falls rental properties near campus.
Beyond the campus area, downtown Cedar Falls has undergone significant revitalization in recent years. The downtown district features a thriving mix of restaurants, shops, and cultural venues, and the surrounding residential neighborhoods are increasingly popular with young professionals and families who value walkability and community engagement. These homeowners are investing in their outdoor spaces, and we are helping them create patios, gathering areas, and landscapes that match the energy and character of downtown Cedar Falls.
Period-Appropriate Landscaping for Cedar Falls Historic Homes
The neighborhoods surrounding Sartori Park and along Washington Street contain some of Cedar Falls' most beautiful historic homes. These properties, many built in the early 1900s, have a distinctive architectural character that demands thoughtful, period-appropriate landscape design. A modern minimalist landscape would look out of place next to a Craftsman bungalow, just as an overly formal design would clash with a Prairie-style home.
Our design team specializes in creating landscapes that complement a home's architectural era while incorporating modern functionality. For Cedar Falls' historic homes, this often means layered foundation plantings with native species, natural stone walkways rather than uniform pavers, stone retaining walls that look like they have been there for decades, and garden spaces that reference the ornamental traditions of the early twentieth century. The result is a landscape that feels both timeless and fresh, honoring the home's heritage while meeting the homeowner's contemporary lifestyle needs.
Landscaping Along Cedar Falls' Rivers & Trails
Cedar River & Black Hawk Creek Properties
Both the Cedar River and Black Hawk Creek wind through Cedar Falls, creating scenic corridors that are prized by homeowners. Properties along these waterways enjoy beautiful natural settings but also face unique landscaping challenges. Erosion control is a primary concern, especially on sloped lots where water runoff during spring snowmelt and summer storms can wash away topsoil and undermine landscape features.
We design and install erosion control solutions that include structural retaining walls, terraced planting beds with deep-rooted native species, and grading work that directs water away from your home and toward appropriate drainage channels. These solutions protect your property while preserving the natural beauty of the river or creek that makes your location so desirable.
HOA & Utility Considerations
Several Cedar Falls neighborhoods, particularly the newer developments along Viking Road, Prairie Lakes, and the Greenhill Village area, are governed by homeowner associations with specific landscape standards. These HOAs may regulate everything from fence styles and heights to approved plant species and hardscape materials. Cedar Falls also has its own municipal utility requirements regarding setbacks, easements, and stormwater management that affect where and how landscape features can be installed.
Our experience working in Cedar Falls means we know which neighborhoods have HOA requirements and what those requirements typically involve. We coordinate with HOA boards during the design phase so your project is approved before we ever break ground. We also handle all necessary permits and utility locates, ensuring that your new patio, wall, or landscape installation complies with every applicable regulation.
Landscaping & Hardscaping Services in Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls homeowners and businesses receive the full range of Matthias Landscaping services, delivered with the same premium materials and expert craftsmanship we bring to every project across the Cedar Valley.
- Hardscaping & Paver Installation
- Custom Patio Design & Build
- Retaining Walls & Structural Stone
- Outdoor Living & Fire Features
- Custom Landscape Design
- Residential & Commercial Landscaping
- Sod Installation & Hydroseeding
- Landscape Lighting Systems
- Snow Removal & Winter Services
- Commercial Property Maintenance