About M5
Designs Built From Real Job‑Site Experience
M5 Design Co. was built on years of hands‑on installation experience — not theory. We’ve installed patios, retaining walls, plantings, lighting systems, drainage solutions, and full outdoor living spaces as landscape crewmen, foreman and business owners. We know the value of a thought out design.
Our mission is simple: to elevate landscape contractors with designs that are clear, buildable, and proven to help sell work — all backed by real job‑site experience.
Aaron Madson
Founder
Aaron didn’t begin his career behind a computer — he started on job sites. Years of installing patios, retaining walls, plantings, lighting, drainage systems, and full outdoor living spaces shaped the way he sees design today. That hands‑on background is the foundation of M5 Design Co.
A Deep Understanding of What Works in the Field
Because Aaron has built the same projects contractors install every day, he understands what actually works on site — what installs cleanly, what slows crews down, and what leads to callbacks.
Aaron’s career in the landscape industry began in 2008 as the co‑owner of a design/build company in the western suburbs of Minneapolis. Starting on a crew doing the hands‑on work, he learned the craft from the ground up — grading, building patios and walls, installing plantings, solving drainage issues, and managing the day‑to‑day realities of job‑site production. That early experience shaped the way he approaches design today.
As Aaron's expertise grew, he also handled estimating, client communication, and the administrative responsibilities that come with owning a landscape business. That combination of field work and business management gave him a deep understanding of what contractors truly need from a design partner.
Through M5 Design Co., Aaron delivers innovative, client-focused designs that transform outdoor spaces into beautiful, functional environments. His commitment to excellence and enthusiasm for outdoor living shine through in every project. When he’s not designing, Aaron enjoys spending time with his wife, Jayme, and their three children, golfing, lake trips, and coaching youth baseball and basketball.