Nate and Nick Jensen are shown with their business sign. Typical projects include retaining walls, shoreline restoration, patios, steps, outdoor living spaces, fire pits, seating walls, outdoor kitchens, drainage solutions, lighting, planting installations and more.
Nick and Nate Jensen’s business specializes in quality outdoor construction and landscape projects.
By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times
A year ago, brothers Nick and Nate Jensen formed Lakeside Landscapes, LLC. They had been working for another landscaping company in the Lake Panorama area since 2015.
“During that time, we were heavily involved in building and managing large-scale projects and gaining hands-on experience in everything from excavation to final installation,” Nick Jensen says. “Eventually, we took on more responsibility in both project execution and management. That experience gave us the confidence to start our own company.”
This is a “before” picture of a large project Lakeside Landscapes completed last fall. The location is Myron and Linda Danzer’s home north of Boulder Beach on Johnson Point.
The brothers grew up in Audubon. They spent time living in Huxley, where they attended Ballard High School, then continued their education at Des Moines Area Community College. Nick started doing landscaping work in 2008. Nate worked in agriculture for five years before turning his attention to landscaping.
Nick is five years older than Nate, which brings a balance of experience and perspective to the business they started together.
“Lakeside Landscapes was founded with a focus on high-end outdoor construction, strong customer relationships and delivering projects built to last,” Nick says. “We want our business to reflect our standards, our efficiency, our experience and our approach to quality work.”
Today, both Nate and Nick live just outside of Guthrie Center on acreages. Nate lives north of Guthrie Center with his wife, Madison, their two daughters, Norah and Caroline, and their dogs, Ridge and Ava. Nick lives near Monteith with his wife, Kenzie, and their three children, Nyla, Vera and June.
Lake Panorama is the Jensen brothers’ primary focus and where they already have a strong presence and reputation. They also complete projects throughout central Iowa with much of that work coming because of referrals and visibility within the lake community.
The project involved digging out two levels of wooden retaining walls and some trees that blocked the lake view.
“We specialize in quality outdoor construction and landscape projects,” Nate Jensen says. “Our work includes retaining walls, shoreline restoration, patios, steps, outdoor living spaces, fire pits, seating walls, outdoor kitchens, drainage solutions, lighting, planting installations and more.”
Nick says a large part of their work involves solving challenging site conditions.
“Challenges such as steep slopes, erosion issues and water management are all things we face,” he says. “Proper drainage and long-term stability are key components of our projects, especially on lakefront properties. Our favorite projects are complete transformations, where we take a difficult or underutilized space and turn it into something clean, usable and built to last.”
Lakeside Landscapes operates with a small, skilled crew. Nick and Nate are heavily involved in day-to-day operations. They have one full-time employee, Brandon Thiesse, who also worked at the landscaping company where they were before forming their own company.
Once the wooden retaining walls were removed, the area was prepped for new stone walls and pavers.
“Brandon was trained directly by us and is a full-time member of our team,” Nick says. “We will continue to grow by adding the right people at the right time. Our goal is to run a small number of elite crews that produce quality projects at Lake Panorama. Rather than sending crews out unsupervised, we stay hands on to ensure every detail is done right and the quality is never compromised.”
Lakeside Landscapes owns and operates a range of equipment that allows them to handle challenging lake projects, including skid loaders, mini excavators and hauling equipment.
“Having the right equipment is critical for working on steep lake lots, moving large materials, and completing projects safely and efficiently,” Nate says. “We enjoy the combination of problem-solving and creativity that comes with each project. No two properties are the same, especially on the lake, and each job presents its own unique challenges.”
What’s the process once a potential customer contacts Lakeside Landscapes?
The finished project provides a much larger and more stable area for entertaining and enjoying the view of Lake Panorama.
“The process starts with an initial conversation and on-site meeting to understand the customer’s goals, vision and scope of work. After that, we provide a project and material planning guide to help dial in exactly what the homeowner is looking for,” Nick says.
Once those details are finalized, the Jensens put together a design along with a clear estimate and project scope. After approval, the project is scheduled and planned accordingly.
Their main construction season is during the warmer months, and they stay very busy during that time.
“We are currently booking projects for the 2026 season, and our schedule is filling quickly,” Nate says. “We encourage homeowners to reach out soon to secure a spot.”
This firepit seating area was part of a project Lakeside Landscapes did in Adel. Lake Panorama is the Jensen brothers’ primary focus, but because of referrals and visibility within the lake community, they also complete projects throughout central Iowa.
Nick and Nate say they take pride in doing things the right way, even when it requires more time and effort.
“Our business has grown through quality work, strong relationships and referrals,” Nick says. “Our goal is for every project to reflect the standards we have set for ourselves. We are focused on continuing to grow Lakeside Landscapes while maintaining the quality and reputation we have built. Our goal is to be the go-to contractor for high-end outdoor projects in the Lake Panorama area.”
Lakeside Landscapes can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Google. The brothers can be reached by cell phone, with Nate at 515-509-1723 and Nick at 515-777-6173. The business email is lakesidelandscapesia@outlook.com. A website for the business will launch soon at BuiltByLakeside.com.