Keystone Landscape Contractors

It’s the little things that make the difference.
By Michelle Garling

In masonry construction, a ‘keystone’ is the support piece that joins the two halves of an arch, locking them in place with equal pressure applied from each side. Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC provides the same function; joining the equally important elements of design and installation that together support an attractive landscape.

President, Barry Martin, started his company in 1998 after working in the industry. He enjoyed landscape and had a talent for it. He says “I saw a lot of common mistakes being made by landscape contractors and knew I could do better.” Martin used the funds from selling his Jeep to put a down payment on his first truck and borrowed money from his parents to buy a trailer. With the deposit from his first job, he bought the tools he needed to begin.

Though the beginnings of Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC were humble, Martin is proud to note that they have always focused on offering high-quality design and installation. Right from the beginning, he recognized the importance of being a professional. His employees have always had a company uniform and the right tools for the job.

Since that time, Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC has added additional services, including irrigation, lighting and seasonal maintenance to offer clients a complete range of services. They have the ability to handle all aspects of the project, from design to installation and care of the plants and construction they install.

Martin has seen other changes taking place too. He mentions a shift away from concrete pavers and says that they have been installing more natural stone. “We’ve been with some of our clients since the beginning. We’ve worked with them as they move from starter homes, where we installed paver patios, to their dream homes, where only quality natural stone masonry is appropriate.”

Choosing quality makes economic sense too. Designing a space that is well-suited to a family and their home prevents the waste of redoing the landscape over again. Natural stone is a durable, classic material. Pennsylvania bluestone is quarried right here in the state, making it a local product and comparable in cost to some pavers. Martin points out that with green building becoming so important; there is also an environmental reason to choose stone. Since it is a natural product, not manufactured, it does not result in the environmental damage caused by the production of cement.

Other trends he sees in the industry are outdoor kitchens and fireplaces. These accessories allow people to expand the use of their homes. An outdoor fireplace, coupled with lighting, creates a landscape that can be used long into the evening and late in the season. Outdoor kitchens encourage the cook to get outside and enjoy the yard along with the family.

“In this economy, more and more people are choosing to improve their homes,” says Martin. “They are no longer selling their homes and trading up, instead they are improving what they have.” Once they have become established in a neighborhood with a good school district and great friends, many homeowners are deciding to stay put. “Our clients want a landscape that will last a lifetime and remain beautiful,” says Martin. “They have long-term goals for their property and do not want to remove and replace their landscape because of changing styles, poor quality or bad choices.”

Though plants are not as subject to trends, they do grow and change, which makes their selection just as important. “We see many homes where impractical decisions result in plants that have grown too large for conditions.” Homeowners need to be educated about the needs and habits of the plants they are using. Instead of wedging too many of the wrong plant into the landscape for an immediate effect, Martin advises selecting high quality, large-sized plants and placing them appropriately so there is no need to wait for them to fill their growth and potential.

Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC works with a degreed horticulturist and landscape graduate who understand plants, construction and design. Their hardscape work is backed with a 3-year warrantee. Plants are guaranteed for one year or for as long as Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC is hired to maintain the landscape.

To ensure the longevity in their work, Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC also works with engineers and other industry professionals to ensure code compliance and high quality. Martin and his craftsmen enjoy unique, technically challenging and detail-oriented projects that offer them artistic freedom. “Working with stone offers us so many options. Our landscapes are never pre-cast.”

He also prides Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC on their personalized approach to design. “Our clients are professionals and acknowledge that we are too.” Martin says these are the type of people that would hire an architect, interior decorator or kitchen designer for their expertise and recognize that the landscape is just as important. In fact, it is the first impression others have of a home. “Just as they would consult a doctor or lawyer to advise them, these clients trust our designers to guide them with their landscape decisions.”

Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC is located at P.O. Box 2004 in Doylestown. For more information, visit www.keystone-landscape.com or call (215) 340-0547.

Michelle Garling is a freelance writer who lives in Doylestown.