Jeremy founded Willow Gates Home & Landscape in 2005. However, his passion for landscape Design began many years earlier. Jeremy grew up working with his mother in her small nursery, where he learned about rare and unique plants that are seldom found in typical landscapes. In 2002, Jeremy took a job as Landscaper in Lancaster PA at Sauder’s Nursery and spent three seasons learning more about landscaping and greatly broadening his knowledge of trees and shrubs. In 2005, he was offered the opportunity to purchase the landscaping division at Sauder’s; after much debate, he seized the opportunity, forming a partnership with his brother. His brother left the company in 2011 to pursue his dream of building a family dairy farm.
Jeremy focused primarily on landscape services, including design, installation, and maintenance in the beginning, but soon expanded the business to include patios and retaining wall installation. In the years that followed, Jeremy invested in installation training and certification from the Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA), with certifications for retaining walls, concrete pavers, and more. He also became a certified Techo-Bloc installer.
He has a passion for the industry and became an authorized instructor in 2016. He now teaches installer courses for retaining walls, concrete pavers, permeable pavers, and advanced hardscape projects, and he speaks on related topics at industry events. He appreciates the opportunity to give back to the hardscape industry and pass on some of his experience to other hardscape contractors and high school students. Some of his favorite landscape projects have involved creative stormwater management, outdoor kitchen designs, fire features, and anything that involves innovation in design or in technology! He loves taking a client’s landscaping and hardscaping ideas and bringing them to life.
Jeremy spent two years researching methods of controlling silica dust from cutting concrete and stone products. After researching systems currently on the market didn’t meet the needs of Willow Gates, he began developing his own systems. He has launched Dust Killer Tools and also teaches a 2-hour course for contractors seeking to work dust-free. While the impetus was the OSHA Respirable Silica Rule, his crew has appreciated no longer working in a cloud of dust!
While he says he has no time for hobbies, he’s always up for a discussion on classic muscle cars! He also loves cooking outdoors, with a smoker grill, pizza oven, and fire pit residing in his backyard. He makes his home in rural Berks County with his wife, 6 children, and a menagerie of cats, dogs, and rabbits.
