Daily Inspiration: Meet Elizabeth Burns

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Burns.

Hi Elizabeth, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
A Life in Bloom: My Journey Through Landscaping

Over 30 years ago, I stumbled into landscaping by pure chance. A female friend hired me to help manage the maintenance division of her landscape company. She’d seen firsthand how I cared for a 7-acre property I lived on with my ex, and she believed I had a knack for bringing outdoor spaces to life. She wasn’t wrong.

I had no formal training—mostly self-taught and fueled by passion. I would take on any section of a yard and transform it, always striving to make it shine. But life has its own seasons. When my mother fell ill, I took a leave of absence to be with her in her final days. After she passed, I returned to find my job was gone.

I was at a crossroads, needing to start over and rediscover myself.

It was my father who suggested we reach out to the gardener who had cared for our family home for over 30 years. After a few conversations and some modest negotiations, I was able to purchase his small route—just $2,500 a month in billing. It wasn’t much, but it was a beginning.

Fast forward 25 years.

The business had grown steadily, and then came a full-circle moment. The family of my former employer—the very friend who first brought me into this world—approached me. She had passed away, and they asked if I would like to purchase the landscaping business where it all began. It was a chance to double the size of my own company, a business I had nurtured with years of sweat, risk, and perseverance. I said yes.

Through the highs and lows—droughts, recessions, even a global pandemic—I was never alone. I’ve been blessed with a team of incredible employees, many of whom have been by my side for nearly 25 years. Together, we built something lasting, something we could all be proud of.

Now, as I begin to wind down and reflect, I feel a deep sense of joy and fulfillment. I didn’t just build a career—I built a life. I’ve watched my employees’ children grow up, graduate from college, and step into their own lives. I’ve supported families, beautified countless homes and gardens, and, in some small way, made the world a better place—one flower, one tree, one peaceful green space at a time.

A few years ago, I made a decision that defines what success means to me: I chose to leave my business to the employees who helped build it. It’s not just a legacy—it’s a thank you. A gesture of trust, gratitude, and belief in the people who believed in me.

And that, more than anything else, makes me feel like I’ve truly succeeded.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest challenge was establishing myself as a woman in a male-dominated industry. Earning respect wasn’t automatic…it had to be earned through hard work, consistency, and excellence.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We specialize in large estate landscape maintenance. We are more know for being a boutique company that can provide a superior quality landscape maintenance.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a Tomboy, spending more time on the back of my pony or horse. Always outdoors, hard to get me back into the house for dinner at the end of the day. My parents use to tell me that many late afternoons my pony made his way home because he was hungry for dinner while I was almost asleep in the saddle for exhaustion from our afternoon adventures.

Image Credits
Elizabeth Burns