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Both pages: Sedum grows well among the stonework at this Goodrich home on Shinanguag Lake, says landscape designer Ryan Youngblood.
Water and Wonderment Ryan Youngblood finds ways to blend optimal water views with creative landscaping By Jeanine Matlow | Photography by Jeff Garland
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rowing up near Rochester, Ryan Youngblood, president of R. Youngblood & Co. in Rochester, a landscape architecture and design/build firm, wasted no time going after his passion; in fact, he started his company when he was a junior in high school. “I always had a love for plants, (and) that grew into a love for well-designed outdoor spaces,” says Youngblood, who has a degree in landscape horticulture from Oakland Community College. Although he began on the garden care side of the business, he eventually followed his desire to pursue design — like the upscale residential projects he specializes in today. “We create a landscape at a much higher level that’s customized to the client, and we’re extremely passionate about what we do,” he says.
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His firm, which has been in business for 24 years, handles everything from smaller lots and midsize properties to large estates. “It’s not about the size of the property, but how the client wants to interact with it by having a properly designed space to enhance their lifestyle,” Youngblood says. “We get to know the lifestyle of each individual and understand the site, (so we can get to) the perfect blend of personality, lifestyle, and architecture to incorporate a landscape that becomes a true inside/out piece,” he adds. With waterfront homes, Youngblood says the view is already there. “You need to understand every view from the inside out. In Michigan, we’re inside (a lot), so you need to find (outdoor perspectives from indoors) that offer magic, and then leverage that. We like to call them sweet spots,” he explains.
MICHIGAN BLUE
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