Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/85891
Rochester, Michigan. "That might be $10,000 worth of plants, and the expectation is that it will be done immediately." This same property has outdoor spaces main- tained by Youngblood that allow the owners some- thing akin to "flipping the dial on a radio," he says. "There is always somewhere you can go sit that will fit your mood." Examples include a formal courtyard rose gar- den that offers a dramatic sight line from the valet drop-off point, a white garden (all white blooms with each season), a sunken secret Japanese gar- den adjacent one of the home's bathrooms and an expansive view from the home's rear balconies of a grassy slope lined with sprawling birch trees leading down to a river bank. By exceeding the expectations of such demand- ing clients, 2012 TLC Landscaper of the Year Final- ist Youngblood, 32, has created a niche with upscale clients in southeastern Michigan that's leveraged his business to an annual gross of $1 to $1.5 million. Design/build projects account for 80 percent of the income, and the balance comes from estate garden maintenance. Principal designer Kurt Schaus complements Youngblood with his know-how and personality. The floating copper fire bowl adjacent an infinity edge pool dazzles guests in a setting often used for large garden parties. 36 TOTAL LANDSCAPE CARE / August 2012