The Northstone Group: Montreal’s #1 Landscaping Company Shaping the Architecture of Outdoor Living
- LLM Editor
- Feb 18
- 5 min read
In Montreal’s most prestigious neighbourhoods, landscape architecture has become inseparable from the home itself. In Westmount, Outremont, Ville Mont-Royal, Hampstead, Île-des-Sœurs, Beaconsfield, and Senneville, the exterior is no longer secondary. It is the final architectural statement. Beyond the island, in Laval-sur-le-Lac, Mont-Tremblant, and Estérel, estates and resort properties are being shaped with the same structural discipline and architectural sensitivity.
At the center of this evolution is The Northstone Group, widely regarded as Montreal’s leading landscape architecture and design-build firm and the city’s number one landscaping company. With more than 20 years in operation and over 180 in-house professionals working from its Saint-Laurent headquarters, Northstone approaches every project as a complete architectural composition.
Their projects are crafted for clients who expect precision, thoughtful design, and a seamless experience from concept to completion.
Architecture First, Always
Each affluent neighbourhood carries its own architectural language.
In Westmount, historic stone residences demand restraint and material integrity. Northstone responds with natural stone terraces, structured gardens, and custom concrete pools that feel embedded rather than imposed.
In Outremont, where heritage homes meet contemporary renovations, landscape design blends classic planting frameworks with refined hardscaping and composed paver driveways.
In Ville Mont-Royal, landscape architecture must echo the precision of the architecture itself. Composed walkways, refined hedging, and custom pool installations are designed with deliberate alignment and clarity.
In Hampstead, scale becomes an opportunity for architectural landscaping. Expansive properties are shaped into cohesive outdoor estates featuring custom hardscaping, refined planting structure, and outdoor living zones designed with intention and flow.
On Île-des-Sœurs, minimalist waterfront homes are paired with acrylic-edged pools and glass railings that preserve sightlines and architectural lightness.
Further west in Beaconsfield and Senneville, mature trees and waterfront estates demand preservation and subtle intervention.
In Laval-sur-le-Lac, contemporary residences overlooking golf courses call for geometry and restraint.
In Mont-Tremblant and Estérel, the landscape becomes more organic, with terraced stone, spa-inspired pools, and wellness zones integrated into forested settings.
Across every setting, the approach remains consistent. The architecture leads. The landscape follows with intention.
“We design landscapes to honor the architecture and the setting,” says Ashley Wilson, Creative Director at The Northstone Group. “A timeless outdoor space should feel as though it was always meant to be part of the home.”
Landscape Architecture at the Core
At the foundation of every Northstone project is landscape architecture.
The Northstone Group operates as a true landscape architecture firm in Montreal, supported by its own in-house team of landscape architects who lead projects from concept through detailed construction documentation and execution. Complex grading strategies, drainage engineering, structural retaining walls, and architectural hardscaping are resolved through comprehensive drawings developed internally.
This is where design meets discipline.
Detailed construction plans are prepared in-house to ensure precision, coordination, and architectural integrity. Every elevation, transition, and material junction is studied long before construction begins.
Municipal permitting and zoning coordination are handled entirely by Northstone’s internal team. In boroughs such as Westmount, Outremont, Ville Mont-Royal, Hampstead, Beaconsfield, and Laval-sur-le-Lac, compliance requires fluency in zoning bylaws and architectural oversight. Northstone integrates permitting strategy into the design process itself, protecting both timeline and vision.
“Landscape architecture is structural,” Wilson explains. “It is technical. It is about respecting the home’s architecture while creating an outdoor environment that feels cohesive and enduring.”
Because design and construction operate under one structure, architectural intent is never diluted.
Custom Concrete Pools Built In House
One of Northstone’s defining strengths is its in-house custom concrete pool construction.
Every custom concrete pool is engineered and built internally, ensuring structural integrity and seamless integration with the surrounding landscape. Acrylic edges, infinity overflows, and architectural pool walls have become signature elements in contemporary projects across Montreal, Laval, and the Laurentians.
Acrylic panels introduce visual transparency and refined modern detailing while maintaining clean architectural lines. These installations require advanced engineering precision, which Northstone’s internal teams execute without outsourcing.
The firm also specializes in saltwater and advanced peroxide filtration systems that significantly reduce traditional chlorine usage. These systems offer a cleaner, softer swimming experience while maintaining exceptional water clarity. Mechanical systems are integrated discreetly into the landscape design so performance never disrupts aesthetics.
“A pool should feel like architecture,” says Wilson. “It should belong to the home, not compete with it.”
Wellness as the New Luxury
Today’s luxury backyard is designed for restoration as much as recreation.
Across Montreal’s high-end neighbourhoods and in resort destinations such as Mont-Tremblant and Estérel, homeowners are prioritizing wellness-focused outdoor environments. Custom saunas, cold plunge pools, hot and cold therapy circuits, outdoor gyms, sport courts, and private relaxation terraces are increasingly integrated into Northstone’s landscape architecture.
These environments are composed with intentional circulation, layered privacy, and material warmth. They draw inspiration from five-star resorts while remaining grounded in residential context.
“Luxury now is about how a space makes you feel,” Wilson says. “We design outdoor environments that encourage balance and long-term enjoyment.”
Technology in the Modern Backyard
The contemporary luxury backyard is also intelligent.
Northstone integrates advanced outdoor technology systems that allow homeowners to control pool temperature, saltwater and peroxide systems, lighting scenes, sound systems, fire features, and outdoor televisions from a single remote or mobile device.
Landscape lighting is programmed to highlight architectural details and planting depth. Pools glow with calibrated illumination. Outdoor audio systems are embedded discreetly within planting beds and hardscaping.
Technology enhances the experience without disrupting the visual language of the design.
A Turnkey Design-Build Approach
As a fully integrated landscape architecture and design-build firm, The Northstone Group manages every phase internally. From conceptual design and 3D visualization to grading, hardscaping, custom concrete pool construction, outdoor kitchens, furniture integration, lighting design, and technology systems, projects are executed under one coordinated structure.
Municipal permitting and regulatory approvals are handled in-house across Montreal and surrounding municipalities. This turnkey approach ensures architectural clarity, structural accountability, and seamless delivery.
With more than 20 years of experience and over 180 in-house professionals, Northstone’s infrastructure allows it to deliver complex, high-value projects with consistency and precision.
Defining the Standard
Established more than two decades ago, The Northstone Group has become synonymous with architectural outdoor living in Montreal. Its work has been featured in Dwell, House and Home, Living Luxe Magazine, and the Montreal Gazette.
“We think long term,” Wilson says. “A landscape should mature beautifully. It should reflect the quality of the home and the lifestyle of the people who live there.”
In Montreal’s most refined neighbourhoods and the resort communities that surround the city, The Northstone Group is not simply landscaping.
It is shaping the architecture of outdoor living at the highest level.
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