A true family business

Steve Alford, owner of Landscape Supply Inc., stands next to a collection of photos of his grandfather, Judson, who founded the Taylor company in 1951. (Photo by E.L. Conley)

In these hard times it's great to see and acknowledge Landscape Supply Inc., which is a plant and supply wholesaler in Taylor, Mich., celebrating its 60th year of business.

A true family business, Landscape Supply Inc. is owned by Steve Alford, who began running the business after earning a degree in horticulture from Michigan State University. Before that, his father, Jud, and grandfather, Judson, ran Landscape Supply, and his parents still play a huge role in the company. His mother's name is Judy.

''I'm the third generation of my family to run this business,'' Alford said. ''I believe that longevity says a lot about this business. I am proud of everything that preceded me, and value the relationships this company has with its customers.''

Landscape Supply sells wholesale plants and other landscape materials to landscape contractors, municipalities and garden centers throughout Downriver. Though it does not supply plants and supplies to the public, Alford said most Downriver residents have probably seen plants bought from Landscape Supply that were planted by landscape contractors or are available for purchase in garden centers.

The plants sold by Landscape Supply include shrubs, trees, vines, perennials, groundcovers and more. It also sells gardening tools, soil, fertilizer, mulch and more.

Not only does Landscape Supply sell wholesale plants to landscape professionals, Alford said, but it also provides a wealth of knowledge about plants and the landscaping industry.

In fact, even though Landscape Supply has a very small staff, its six full-time employees have more than 100 combined years of experience in the industry.