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Greenhaven Landscapes, Inc. 2012 Horizon Court Zion, Il 60099 (847) 872-9700 www.mygreenhaven.com
by Meta Levin
It’s a match made in landscape heaven. David
Wadsworth to Wilmette, and west into Lincolnshire, Long Hoxsie was working for Mariani Landscape, where Jennifer, Grove and Libertyville. Ninety-nine percent of their work is the woman who would become his wife, was an intern. They high end. “We will do everything from large estates to small met outside the apartment complex where both were living. courtyards, if they are willing to spend the money and let us This all was before Jennifer finished her degree in hormaintain it.” ticulture and landscape design at the University of Illinois In the last year, the Hoxsies have seen more people (the perfect blend of her interests in science and art, she who want to spend more money outdoors. “Especially with says) and David, who has an associates degree in horticulture COVID, people want to focus on the outside,” says Jennifer from the State University of New York in Cobleskill, started Hoxsie. They are, the couple has noticed, going more and Greenhaven Landscapes, Inc. more to outdoor entertaining, especially smokeless fire pits Together they have built Greenhaven Landscapes from a to extend the season. small maintenance firm, to a design/build and maintenance For relaxation, Hoxsie is heavily involved in the landcompany that employs 24 people during the season, with scape design for the couple’s home, which they often use to about six full time employees. try new plants. They have a vegetable garden, in which both Maintenance Crew Leader Placido Nava started at of them work, and Jennifer loves to cook with what they Greenhaven 15 years ago. “He watches the details as much as grow there. Their 13-year-old daughter has inherited her we do,” says Hoxsie. “The quality of his work is consistent.” mother’s artistic tendencies, focusing on sewing and fashion Celebrating his 10th year with the company is Crew design, as well as reading, but the five-year-old daughter Leader Jose Chavez. “He loves doing the higher end work,” loves to be outside and regularly walks the garden with her says Hoxsie. “He’s such a hustler; always moving. He wants parents. to do a good job and takes ownership of the work.” Hoxsie’s interest in horticulture and landscapes grew Hoxsie wrote his business plan in 2003, while working for out of the time he spent regularly visiting his grandparents’ Scott Byron & Co., Inc. He incorporated Greenhaven in July 20-acre farm in Connecticut when he was growing up. “It and went on his own in September of that year. All that fall, was beautiful and the joy of my childhood,” he says. Hoxsie he sold business and did pruning. Alone. The next spring, he helped his grandmother in her vegetable garden, as well as had enough work to hire five people and get two trucks. By with the produce stand she ran out of her garage. In fact, the the spring of 2005, he needed his wife’s skills, knowledge and farm’s location on Greenhaven Road was the genesis for the help and it was getting increasingly difficult to run the businame of their business. ness out of their home. Greenhaven Landscapes became ILCA members in 2004. That’s when the couple decided to invest in a larger facilHoxsie believed that by taking advantage of what the associity, forming Hoxsie Enterprises to purchase two acres in Zion, ation has to offer, it would help him run his business profesIL, with a 5,000 square foot building, including an office. sionally. Jennifer Hoxsie had an ILCA scholarship when in They established a business model that requires any clients college. By 2011, they entered their first ILCA competition, hiring them to do design/build to also sign on for maintenance winning a gold in maintenance for a heritage project. They work. “We are investing in long term relationships,” he says. have since earned more awards. It also ensures that the work is kept up in the way that was ˝Their clients have noticed. “They send us Christmas intended. “We are quality driven.” cards,” says Jennifer Hoxsie. Their customers live up and down the North Shore from The Landscape Contractor 50 April 2021
