Hunter Hayes Moves Forward, Stays Rooted

Hunter Hayes and his grandfather’s 100-year-old lawn mower in front of his Main Line business. Hayes remembers being about 10 when his grandfather offered him a penny for every sweet gum tree seed ball he picked up. Smiling, Hayes said he wised up after awhile. “There were a million of them.”

Hunter Hayes has come a long way since doing yard work as a child. The 30-year-old owner of Hunter Hayes Landscape Design– and six-time participant in the Flower Show – is moving his Ardmore business forward while never forgetting his roots.

His great-grandfather started a landscaping business in 1917. His grandfather took over in the 1950s. His father started a spraying business in the 80s. Hunter graduated from Delaware Valley College where he ventured into his first Flower Show display, a 20-by-20 foot pocket park design.

Five years ago, he bought his current business. According to his business partner Lauren Hilburn, not a day goes by when Hunter doesn’t speak of his grandfather and father and the way they taught him to do business.

“I learned from my grandfather to be honest, whether you’re right or wrong.”

Even though it’s only summer, Hunter and Lauren met recently with Show Designer Sam Lemheney, Production Director Kathy Mills and Operations Manager Bob Felke to pour over designs for the 2010 Show, “Passport to the World.”

Hunter and his team will be creating a 1,000-square-foot landscape playing off the Show’s theme and highlighting the business’ specialities of ecological design, custom stonework, ornamental care and turf care.

“We are already thinking logistics,” Hunter said. “I like the challenge of figuring out how to make it happen.”

Last year’s exhibit, “Mangia,” which featured a cozy outdoor space, complete with an outdoor kitchen, vegetable garden and hillside views including roses, begonias and red cordyline, won a Best Achievement Award for “Colorful Plant Combinations.” The exhibit showed off the landscape company’s design creativity, an area where business is growing.

“Customers saw us in a new light after the Show, ” Lauren said.

As far as designs for the upcoming 2010 Show, August will be prime planning time. Until then, the ideas are flowing about the concept of “home.”

“It’s fun to travel but it’s always good to come home,” Lauren said.