Ben Houston
Crew Leader
I continue to be amazed by the resilience and intelligence of plants. Nature does her own heavy lifting. A gardener’s work is the tip of the iceberg. -Ben
From an early age, his love of nature kept beckoning Ben to a career outdoors. In college, he majored in Computer Science, but when applying for jobs, he quickly realized that staying at a desk all day was not for him. He turned back to the landscape work that got him through college in the first place.
Ben became a groundskeeper for two 30- and 40-acre residential communities, bringing with him his logical mindset and a talent for problem-solving. There, he learned the science and art behind pruning. His curiosity was piqued and he started looking for a different type of landscape work – fine gardening.
“It was amazing to learn that those shrubs I sheared year after year were actually flowering shrubs! We used to routinely shear off the flowers.” At CD & Co, Ben loves the breadth and depth of knowledge he shares with his fellow employees and the opportunity to delve into pruning – balancing what the client wants and the plant needs.
When not at work, Ben is an active member of the Friends of the Blue Hills trail maintenance crew and is an experienced Blacksmith – as well as a father to a toddler, and up-and-coming gardener!
Education:
BS, Computer Science, Bridgewater State University
Certifications:
Hoisting Engineer 2B, 2012
Chainsaw for Trail Stewards Certificate
Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist (MCH), 2019
Accredited Organic Landcare Professional (AOLCP), 2021
“I continue to be amazed by the resilience and intelligence of plants. Nature does her own heavy lifting. A gardener’s work is the tip of the iceberg.” – Ben