Frederick Landscaping evolved from a mentorship between veteran mountain landscaper Bud Frederick and Sam McGee, who took over the reins of the business of 30-plus years in 2007. Sam moved to Jackson in 2000 with dual degrees in agricultural mechanization and agribusiness from Clemson University. At Frederick Landscaping, he has found a way to put his diverse background and knowledge to work. Along with a team of six close-knit pros, he is proud that “we can take on any task that you can dream up, yet we keep the company very small and personable.”
Tell us more about your team at Frederick Landscaping and what makes you unique.
I’ve got a really smart team of well-educated guys that have decided that they like to live in Jackson Hole and want to find a way to stay here—I feel like we’re all dedicated and loyal, and all quite passionate about what we do and what we build. I also try to be on every job as much as I can from start to finish because I’m very detail-oriented and I don’t like for anything to go overlooked. Our personal integrity and love of nature has driven us to build this business on performance, reliability, and trustworthiness.
Tell us more about your approach to working with clients and meeting their goals.
It always starts with questions. When clients call and ask for my input, I want to sit down and have a long conversation with them about their goals and how they picture utilizing their yards and patios. My ultimate goal is to create an outdoor environment that can become the client’s favorite space. I try to come up with the most unique, most inviting living space for them. You can be on a couch anywhere in the world; you can’t always enjoy this backyard setting everywhere.
What kind of projects do you specialize in?
Our jobs are very wide-ranging, though lately we have been focusing a lot on our stonework and water features—very detailed, custom work. I have been acting as the lead designer on most of our masonry projects. You know, a lot of architects say that patios have a 10-year lifespan, but I believe that ours will be around for the next century because they’ve been built properly. I like the feeling of walking away from something with that kind of long-term accomplishment.
What kinds of projects stand out to you, and why?
I love projects that evolve over time and involve every piece of what we like to do—a lot of masonry and water features, to seed and sod and trees. When clients have trust in our abilities, I relish the opportunity to take creative control and deliver something that’s perfect for them. Please visit our website for many great examples of our work.
