MIDCOAST SHOW SPONSOR-2010
 

What is your business all about?

Landmarcs is an award winning, Maine-based landscaping company seeking to break the common trends of the northeastern garden. We incorporate the informal and formal elements of soft and hardscape to transform homes into a functional, beautiful and unique setting. We try to meet the needs of homeowners, while offering new ideas to reach the property’s true potential.

Our goal is to combine texture, space, color and scale to create balance and comfort.

Why Maine? What about Maine inspires your business?

From an early age I spent most of my time outside with my two brothers. My brother Matt is a designer/ builder for Landmarcs as well. We spent a great deal of time hiking through fields, wading across streams and wandering the woods. The moss-covered fieldstones of New England’s border walls were markers for our paths or restacked as forts. During these adventures, subconsciously, we were taking mental notes on how Mother Nature designed Maine. These observations, plus 30 years of landscaping experience combined, are a huge influence in our designs.

How did you get started?

My brother and I spent 8 years working with Eric Pettengill in Gorham, Maine. Eric is well respected in the greater Portland area for his stonework and garden designs. We learned a great deal from Eric. He is a very hard worker and treats his crew very well. One of our most valuable lessons came from watching this rugged, callous-handed man kneel to identify a flower or leaf. He taught us the principles of stacking stones- but also what a Tree Peony is, when a Donald Wyman crabapple blossoms, or what type of fern was flourishing at the edge of the woods. I feel that this is a strength of ours. We know stone, earth, and plants.

Tell us about your dream project.

My dream project would be in a public space. A park where people picnic, enjoy the surrounding flora and relax on a bench made of stone. A place that will remain preserved by future generations. It is very important that I create work that endures. When I’m gone, I hope my stonewalls will be left standing upright, trees that I planted will be spreading wide and tall, and paths I made will be continually worn by the feet of people who appreciate the work and beauty of the space they encounter.

Who is your ideal customer?

My ideal customer is someone who has a sense of what they want and can convey it to me. They have called me because they want to create a beautiful landscape that accents their home, or special place outdoors, and are willing to be creative and open for suggestions. Together, we will create something special that meets their needs.

Sometimes people are so afraid of what their neighbors will think, or often will point at the neighbors house and say, “make my yard look like that.” This is discouraging to me because I would like each of my projects to stand out from the rest.

What are the distinguishing characteristics of your business that set you apart from others in your field?

Landmarcs sets itself apart from others with our designs. Our designers are artists. Photographers, illustrators, woodworkers, painters, — a lot of creative energy goes into the process of designing and building each project. Another vital component of Landmarcs’ success is that our designers are also installers. This helps to create a smooth transition from the two-dimensional design to the three-dimensional end result.

 

www.landmarcs.com