He may have started out with ambitions to be a commercial artist, but when Jeff Owen, then a student at Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts, realized that meant living in a concrete jungle, he opted to return to his greener roots. The North Shore native (St. James) had grown up working in the outdoors — on farms and with his own lawn-mowing service he started in college. And that’s where he returned, starting Owen Brothers Landscapes in 1986 with his younger brother, Mike.
His sibling has since moved on to build his own construction company, Owen Construction Corp., based in Westhampton Beach, and the two often work together on projects. And Jeff Owen’s business has blossomed into a full-service design and development company with 30 employees working across the Hamptons, the North Fork, Shelter Island, as well as the rest of Long Island, Westchester, northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut. The main nursery and operations are conducted out of Baiting Hollow, the design studio is in Cutchogue and next year he will expand nursery operations into a recently purchased farm.
“Every year we try to get a little better, be a little more efficient,” he says. “Our strength is the team we have in place to manage the projects with quality and discretion. They are top guys who are super knowledgeable, super helpful and devoted to the project.”
Southforker: What are some of the services you offer?
Jeff Owen: We really take care of everything outside. We have a staff landscape architect and designer so we can do concept drawings, permitting, plans and site work, concrete, planting and implementation. We are the one-stop shop for people who want to get their project done without having to manage the pieces themselves. The only thing we don’t do is carpentry and irrigation, but we work with the best tradesmen and manage that.
SF: This is a busy time of year for grounds work. What should people be doing during the seasonal transition?
JO: Lawn renovations is the focus right now. It was a hot, harsh summer, so the lawns took a beating. Now is the time to renovate, take inventory and get a plan going for next year—whether that’s a pool or landscape. You’ll want enough time for the planning and permitting if you want to enjoy it next year.
SF: What are some trends you’re seeing with clients?
JO: More and more people are simplifying their exteriors, going for modern and contemporary landscapes, even on traditional homes. They’re getting away from heavy masonry and Belgian blocks, and wanting lighter material like limestone and marble, and modern steel edges to discretely retain the border. The palate for perennials can be limited unless you have a deer fence, so we use a lot of ornamental grasses.
SF: What do you like to do in your spare time?
JO: A lot! In the winter I do sailfish tournaments in Florida. I grew up fishing and have been in the tournaments for five years. It’s a pretty involved sport: You have a boat and a team and it’s based on how many fish you catch in a day. But it’s very addictive.
SF: And how do you spend your time back home?
JO: I’m a big fan of Greenport and the restaurants in the summer, so in the [season], I keep the boat there, hang out in Coecles Harbor on Shelter Island and eat out.
