The History of Topiarius: Chapter 1

We knew we wanted to start our own landscape company in 2002 but we didn’t know when we’d actually do it.

If you’re like us, there’s not a lot of fanfare in the moments that major decisions are made. They don’t occur in a vacuum or without context, but they have often come to us without warning, catching us unawares.

And that weekday morning in March 2003 was no different.

Craig was dropping me off at my brand-new human resources job in Chicago as he was then going to drive to his brand-new landscaping job in the ‘burbs.

At the stoplight of Foster and Kedzie he looked at me and said, “I’m going to quit my job today and start Topiarius.”

I said, “Let’s do it. I’m fine eating mac ‘n cheese for a while.”

And so with a few sentences and a full mixture of trepidation and nervousness, Topiarius got started