Alex Howell began his company, The Landscape Guy, in 2022 after a decade of working corporate America jobs.
He’d always worked landscaping jobs on the side, but after he reached his breaking point with inadequate pay and treatment at his latest corporate job, he recognized that it was time to make a change.
“I said, you know what, I’m going to open my own company. I did it in Arkansas and I’m going to do it again here in Florida,” Howell said.
Howell put 20-plus years of landscaping experience to good use when he opened The Landscape Guy, a company specializing in residential landscaping, irrigation services, custom outdoor designs, intricate hardscaping and creating beautiful, functional outdoor spaces.
He likes to joke that the company does “everything besides mowing the lawn,” from paver/hardscaping installation and repair to garden and plant installation, from turf and putting green installation to fountains and water features.
Howell and his team make it their mission to make their customers’ dreams come true.
“We truly care about our business,” he said. “Every plant we plant is with nutrients, bone meal and cow manure, not just sandy topsoil.”
When it comes to current North Floridian landscaping trends, Howell said that low-maintenance landscaping is all the rage. Whether that’s low-maintenance tropical scaping or desert-inspired scenery, customers are interested in a design that won’t consume their time yet still bring that polished, beautiful appeal to their outdoor spaces.
He also noted that customers are leaning more towards rocks for landscaping beds as opposed to traditional mulch, given that the likelihood of weeds is near obsolete.
“Customers don’t want to spend time in their gardens anymore,” Howell said. “They want to come home and see that their landscaping looks spectacular.”
The Landscaping Guy services the St. Johns and Duval counties areas with a team of trustworthy, dedicated employees who bring the same level of care and dedication to their work that Howell does.
“I feel like we’ve been doing very well,” Howell said. “We’re very blessed.”
