We're a small family owned business, inspired by a desire for providing landscape and garden maintenance at a level of professionalism that is rare in our industry. Our services are for people who really enjoy the beauty and details of a well cared for property. It makes sense from a financial stand point as well, since your landscape is a big part of the investment you’ve made in your home.

What we have to offer is the unique skill combination of two educated, experienced and accomplished partners coming together from the nursery and turf industry. Working with us means you can have one company handle every aspect of your landscape and garden care. We are your mowing, lawn care, irrigation, pruning, weeding, fine gardening, pest management and snow removal companies all in one. We have a small team of motivated and talented professionals to help carry out these practices, as well as provide container gardens, floral displays, seasonal plantings, beautiful handmade holiday décor and more. With our team, no issues arise from one company not communicating with the other. This provides you simplicity and a single entity for accountability, and allows us complete quality control of our services.

We are also a full service landscape design and build company. Combining the skills and experience of our two partners allows us to plan and execute your vision from concept to completion. All the work is performed by our crews and our mason. No project is too large or too small, and our goal is to make the whole process easy and enjoyable for you.

Ed has been performing professional pruning services in the New England and New York areas since 1973.  His education and experience in this field began well before he ventured out on his own.  His formal training started while he attended Norfolk County Agricultural High School.  It was here where he emerged himself in the study of Horticulture.  While still studying, at the age of 16, he joined Weston Nurseries of Hopkinton, MA.  Ed’s natural ability and love for pruning propelled him on to great achievements ahead of his time as he received a promotion to pruning supervisor at age 17.

After high school, he attended the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts, one of the country’s best agricultural schools.  Upon receiving his degree, he ventured to New York and gained experience in the fruit industry.  Ed lectured on fruit tree training for the New York State Fruit Growers Association for the following four years.  Due to his recognition of being an expert in the science and art of pruning, Weston Nurseries requested his return to fulfill his role as pruning supervisor and take on additional duties of transplanting supervisor.  He eventually brought his horticultural knowledge to the retail sales division, directly servicing their clientele.

The people at J. P. Keefe Vocational School in Framingham, MA sought after him to develop the Horticultural Education Program of which he became the sole instructor.  He taught the art of landscape design and the many aspects of landscape maintenance.  The program met with such great interest that a student waiting list was developed.  The success of the program was best demonstrated by the Green Industry’s interest in the school’s graduating students.

Ed has been gaining experience and passing his knowledge on to others through teaching and various lectures.  These include the Massachusetts Horticultural Society at Elm Bank, the New Hampshire Landscape Contractors Association, the Rhode Island Nurseryman’s Association, and numerous Garden Clubs around the New England area.

On various occasions, Ed has been a judge at the New England Flower Show and performed live demonstrations.  He appeared on the Victory Garden television show on numerous occasions as a pruning expert.  Ed is one of the very few Horticulturists recognized by the Massachusetts Superior Court as an expert witness for determining values of damaged plant specimens.

Ed operated and managed his own successful pruning business for 32 years, serving hundreds of clients. Some of the more notable locations he has worked on include properties designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, co-creator of New York Central Park and the Emerald Necklace in Boston. Ed brings vast experience to Samuel Thomas Outdoor Development LLC.

Steve originally focused his college education on geography and world culture, never expecting he would soon develop a passion for the Green Industry.  While attending college he took a summer job on the grounds crew at the Wachusett Country Club in West Boylston, MA.  It was during this time that he fell in love with the golf course and everything encompassing turf management.

His educational journey also includes Holden Hills Country Club, and then on to the Kissimmee Golf Club in Florida to study warm season turf grass. Fortunate to be mentored by some of the industry's best golf course managers and superintendents, Steven learned turf grass physiology, soil chemistry, course construction, irrigation techniques, naturalized area management, responsible pesticide use and much more. In Florida, he learned a great deal about irrigation and pumping systems.

While learning the many facets of turf management, he was also gaining budget and personnel management skills.  His career brought him to Saddle Hill Country Club in a leadership position.  The importance of superior turf management skills was crucial here, due to such heavy play at this extremely popular local public course.

His most recent achievement in golf was his work at Hopkinton Country Club.  Steve got to work along side a very accomplished construction superintendent, and together they completely renovated the old heavily played public golf course into a new Ian Scott Taylor designed private facility.  While at the club, he assisted with the construction and grow-in of new golf holes from raw land to finished product, as well as the renovation of other existing holes.  Most of this large, very hands-on work was done “in house” along with a few subcontractors.  Upon completion of these projects, the maintenance department consisted of nearly 20 people and a three quarter million dollar annual maintenance budget.

Steve is also adept in state-of-the-art chemical and organic fertilizer application techniques and continually studies their latest trends.  He has spent his professional life studying and applying the science of turf management.  Due to a diligence in his profession, along with a strong work ethic, Steve has become a professional of high standing in our industry, and he brings these skills to Samuel Thomas Outdoor Development LLC.

The most important thing to remember is that golf courses demand the “best of the best” professionals in the Green Industry to meet their high expectations of quality.  Steve has made a career transition to bring this same focus to you and your property.