Our Story
Our company was founded in 1982 by Ted Lare, with a dream to bring more creative and inviting outdoor spaces to the Des Moines metro area. What started out as a one man operation has steadily grown into a strong dedicated team that can tackle anything outside of your home. Between our Design Build Landscaping team and our friendly and knowledgeable Garden Center Team, we are confident we can improve your life outdoors.
In 2008 we relocated from the South Side of Des Moines, Iowa to the current location in Cumming, Iowa. The current location was formerly the site of The Cumming Apple Orchard, a locally owned business that was famous for their delicious apples and baked goods every fall. When the family that ran the orchard retired and decided to sell the property, Ted saw it as a great opportunity to preserve the land around the orchard, while providing a new location to expand the Landscaping Business. If you look around the property, you will still find many apple trees producing fruit and attracting happy pollinators.
Almost 40 years after Ted started the business, it is still run by the Lare family. Ted is still acting president of the company, involved in all of the big decisions that will impact the future. Ted is proud to have both his wife and his children involved in running the business. Ted’s wife, Jean Lare, has been designing and managing projects since 1995, responsible for thousands of happy clients in Central Iowa. Ted’s daughter, Melissa Peterson, started in 1999 working in the landscape office and then eventually transitioned into Garden Center Manager, her current position. Ted’s son Keegan joined the rest of the family in 2008 after going back to school for Landscape Architecture, and is currently working as a designer and manager of the landscaping side of the business.
The Lare family invites you to come take a tour of our award winning garden center, and our amazing display gardens!