Plant selections for a Van Zeeland landscape draw from the company's 18-acre nursery, which carries more than 425 unique cultivars of trees and shrubs along with hundreds of perennials suited to Wisconsin's climate. The design team chooses plantings based on a property's sun exposure, soil conditions, and drainage, along with the homeowner's style preferences. Plantings often get designed around hardscape features, such as softening the edge of a retaining wall or framing a new patio. Every plant is chosen from top national growers and receives on-site care before it reaches a customer's yard.

Deer-resistant plantings are available for properties in areas with heavy deer traffic, which is common throughout rural and wooded parts of Northeast Wisconsin. The nursery's horticulturists recommend species that deer tend to avoid while still delivering the color and texture a homeowner wants. Protective measures, such as tree tubes for young plantings, are also available for particularly vulnerable areas. A consultation identifies which plant choices make sense for a specific property's deer pressure.

Year-round color and texture in a Wisconsin landscape usually comes from layering plant types, combining evergreens for winter structure, flowering shrubs for spring and summer, and perennials that shift color through the seasons. The design team plans plantings with bloom times and foliage change in mind, so the landscape looks intentional in every season rather than only during peak summer. Native and hardy plant varieties tend to need less intervention to maintain that look over time. This approach applies to a single planting bed as well as a full-property design.