Featured Contractor: John from Stephens Landscaping Professionals (NH)

The transformation of our natural stone products into finished spaces for homeowners to enjoy and make memories in is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do at Delgado Stone. Connecting with masons and contractors--the talent behind the scenes--and sharing their stories and how they bring projects to life, is high on the list as well. Our most recent interview with John Stephens from Stephens Landscaping Professionals is a story of two high-school kids who turned a start-up lawn-mowing business into "one of the Lakes Region's most innovative and respected landscaping companies." 

John told us he discovered his passion for landscaping through childhood chores, which often involved outdoor maintenance. "I liked jumping on my dad's tractor, and making stripes in the lawn," he recalled. A high school economics project brought him through the motions of creating Stephens Landscaping, and inspired him to make it a reality. In 2007, John and his brother Mark went from mowing lawns for money "under the table" to establishing their business. While at the University of New Hampshire, John studied horticulture and business, while Mark, who was still in high school, maintained their accounts. John explained their basic principles: "Do what you say you're going to do, when you say you're going to do it, stand behind your work, and take good care of people."

American Mist adds color to the spa deck (and enhances the view) in this project by Stephens Landscaping . 

Today, John and Mark are business partners who focus on their individual passions and areas of expertise: John works with the design-build projects, while Mark oversees maintenance. "We started with smaller smaller projects, and have reached a whole different level. It’s been quite a journey!" John said. Stephens Landscaping has a staff of 65-85 people including seasonal staff, an in-house design landscape architect, and project managers to support the day-to-day operations. He shared that his favorite part of the industry is "...the creative freedom to build spaces people are going to make memories in with their families." He added they're also very focused on using primarily natural stone in landscaping.  "Every property with elevation change and water front poses new challenges and things we can overcome through design."

A common challenge in the industry is finding the right staff and employees, but John said they're lucky this hasn't been a serious worry for them. "We've been blessed with so many great employees and seasonal staff," he said. Rather, the biggest challenge for them has been "... the growing pains of going from a 10-15 person company to a 65-85 person company, and balancing the business side of the growth while maintaining high quality output on all levels of what we do." 

When discussing what trends Stephens Landscaping is seeing this year, John agreed with the outdoor living popularity other contractors have discussed with us, and added he's seeing more outdoor pavilions in particular. "Pavilions can be used in the fall with infrared heaters, and they create more of an inside, comfortable feel but with open air, and people are adding more of the amenities to them," he said. 

As for product trends, John said he is seeing a trend in sawn material, granite flagging, and granite steps. "We're seeing a lot of creativity and new unique ways to use materials,  and it’s been fun implementing those products." We talked about how products affect a job, and John said they "...can completely create the identity of the landscape and help make it unique to each property or customer. Natural stone allows us to make each and every project a little different from the others." One of John's favorite projects this year featured American Mist for the patio stone and steps, throughout the entire property on the patio and spa. The interior and exterior of the house also featured Greenwich Blue thinstone veneer. (Photos featured above and below.)

Greenwich Blue adds grey and blue tones to this outdoor living project by Stephens Landscaping.

In addition to using quality products, John shared a few tips for keeping projects running smoothly, including taking advantage of new technology, and collaborating with customers and the in-house team to flush out ideas and create construction docs in the planning process. An important factor is... "continual communication with customers in any way possible, including email and FaceTime to keep the customer’s peace of mind and keeping things moving along." Another important element for John is company culture, a value we share at Delgado Stone. The Stephens Landscape team has enjoyed fun outings, go-karts, paintball, and even helicopter rides. "Building landscapes and stepping back and looking at the work we've done is rewarding,  but keeping atmosphere fun is pretty important, too. We work hard and play hard," John added.

We appreciate the time John took to share his story with us, and look forward to seeing more amazing lake projects featuring natural stone! To learn more about Stephens Landscaping Professionals, visit their website or find them on Instagram. You can also reach them by phone at 603-707-0630. For landscape architecture inspiration, download our Landscape and Saw Shop Products Guide.