Parker Johnson doesn’t believe in wasting time. At 27 years old, he already owns his own company, Summer’s Turf Landscaping, 5811 Whispering Way in Loves Park, Ill.
While Summer’s Turf Landscaping, formerly associated with Summers’s Turf LLC, specializes in residential work for high-end clients, it also handles a bevy of other work, including fertilizer, weed control, moving, maintenance, spring and fall cleanup, snow removal, hardscaping, landscaping, installations, seeding and sod.
Johnson likes to be involved in every aspect of the job, and while he enjoys mowing, seeding and trimming a yard into a beautiful outdoor haven, he really finds joy in designing and constructing hardscaped fixtures.
“I take instant satisfaction when I can point to something and say, ‘We built that,’” he says.
Ponds have become Johnson’s particular passion. Last year, his team was responsible for building a three-quarter acre lake that was 9.5 feet deep.
In addition to ponds, Johnson and his team are often called upon to build retaining walls on uneven terrain. The company is currently working on seven large natural stone retaining walls, something that appeals to Johnson.
“I’m not a huge fan of manufactured wall blocks,” he says. “I like natural materials because, when you pick up a rock and use it, there’s not another one out there like it.”
Johnson also has contracts with several rental properties that need attention. His goal is to be someone his customers can count on, no matter the job.
“You want that customer to call you for everything,” he says. “If a tree branch breaks, they don’t even think about it. They just reach out to you.”
Johnson also seeks to keep his prices fair, which means Summer’s Turf isn’t likely to land on the list of most, or least, expensive landscaping companies.
“We’re not the cheapest, but it will be done right,” he says. “You get what you pay for. There’s a reason why somebody is half-price. You’re not saving nickels if you have to spend dollars down the road.”