Sid Stephens - Co-owner

Sid has many years of landscaping and gardening experience. These are some highlights of his jobs in the field.

Co-owning and operating Pollydog Organic Landscapes in Nashville, Tennessee
This is the real big time. My personal goals are to work hard and enjoy every minute of it. I’d like to be part of a large company with a small business attitude. Very personal and very specific to customers needs. I want to show people there is always a better way to do the same old thing. I want to make gardens and lawns look good. I want to live long enough to gripe about everything.

Long Hollow Nursery in Goodlettsville, Tennessee
“The coolest thing about working at Long Hollow was driving Big Blue. A tree transplanting truck. This thing digs a whole for a full size tree, then plucks the tree out of the ground, lays it down on top of itself, and places it in the new hole. There were a lot of hydraulics and operating levers. It’s top speed was about 40 miles per hour so I definitely had to pack a lunch if I had a long way to go. The owners are some of the most knowledgeable, hardest working, folks I’ve ever worked with. I still see Big Blue rolling down the highway sometimes and wonder who’s getting an instant 30 foot tree in their yard.

Foreman at Greater Texas Landscapes in Austin, Texas
This was the big time in professional landscaping. GTL had large commercial and residential properties all over the Austin area. There were weekly training sessions for the foremen from pruning techniques to battling brown spot. I learned how to run a crew as well as identify turf and plant problems and how to fix them. I had the one truck in the whole fleet that didn’t have an air conditioner and broke down often, but I never complained once. Well, maybe once.”

Plantland, Inc. in Austin, Texas
“I got to be involved in the true beginning of a plants life. It’s very hard work plugging, watering, fertilizing, weeding, and building huge greenhouses. There’s just something mystical about standing in a colossal greenhouse with thousands of blooming plants all around you. The air is heavy, there’s a subtle breeze from the vents, and you can feel the life all around you. If you stay in there too long you actually start to feel like a little plant yourself, or maybe that’s just me.”

Gardening Angels in Santa Fe, New Mexico
“ I started to understand the importance of taking care of your customers while working for Connie & Cynthia at The Gardening Angels. They had great clients that loved their flowerbeds and their lawns even though they lived in a desert. I got my first hand in interior plants as well.

Texas Tech University’s Grounds Maintenance in Lubbock, Texas
“I was just a kid looking for a job. I had no idea the impact it would make on how I would live my life. The respect for things that grow, the sense of being part of nature, and the simple fact that you can help something be beautiful and live. The coolest thing was the size of the beds at Texas Tech. We planted very large areas with Tulips, Vinca, Cannas, and Pansies just to name a few. I tried to absorb as much knowledge as I could before my temporary position ran out. I didn’t realize the science and art that went into Landscaping until later.”

…and just a little note-

I have to include my wife, Teresa, for sharing with me her passion and love of Horticulture. She is always inspiring, and relentlessly learning as well as teaching. I would not have found my own path in this field without her wisdom and guidance.