Landscape Contractor / Design Build Maintain

AUG 2016

LC/DBM provides landscape contractors with Educational, Imaginative and Practical information about their business, their employees, their machines and their projects.

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First settled at the end of the 1700s, Catlettsburg, Kentucky, near that state's border with Ohio and West Virginia, certainly has witnessed changes to its land - scape as it transitioned from what once was a major hardwood timber producing area. About 170 miles down the road is London, Ken - tucky, home to Minks Landscape Contractors, which has had its share of change since its incep - tion three and half decades ago, and recently crafted a major transformation of a residential landscape in Catlettsburg. The company's roots go back to Mink's Nursery, which was founded in 1942 and then bought by the father of the present owner, David Samples, in 1981. Landscape maintenance became part of the services of - fered, which led to small landscape construction proj- ects. Sub-contractors were brought in for any concrete work but finding one that did it satisfactorily was a challenge so Samples learned the trade. Homegrown Education His next new skill was constructing water features with biological systems such as fish gardens. One was a sizable project that included a pond and a stream with a waterfall. A month later the customer requested a pool. Having no experience building pools, Samples was hesitant but accepted when he was told he could hire a subcontractor and just oversee the project. Af - ter interviewing pool contractors, one was selected and the work began. But another change was coming for Minks. "We ended up having to finish the pool because the builder didn't work out," Samples says. "And that cata- pulted us into the pool business." Close to the Hearth The history of the Samples' ownership of Minks has been a family affair. Passed down from their dad, Da- vid and his brother Mike each own a separate part of Above: Over 35 tons of natural Tennessee flagstone and 25 tons of hand- hewed stack stone were used by Minks Landscape Contractors to build a new pool deck, fireplace, bar, patios, sidewalks and water features in historic Catlettsburg, Kentucky. The landscape enhancements also include 100-year- old bricks, foundation stones from a schoolhouse constructed during the Great Depression, and 24 tons of natural boulders. Building on History By Mike Dahl, LC/DBM 36 LC DBM PHOTOS: JENNIFER SHOUSE, JENN'S GRAPHICS

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