Landscaping: Young couple returns to Waukon to grow a business of their own

KRISTY AND TOM O'NEILL returned to their native Waukon last year in the hopes of launching a landscaping business, which would put Tom O'Neill's expertise and interest at work. The business initially got off the ground last fall; however, O'Neill is hoping to build upon his clientele base this year, confident that he is ready to earn for his business a long-lasting reputation for quality work.

Skyline Landscaping, a relatively new business to the Waukon area, offers professional assistance to the design of a yard, garden, or other prominent outdoor feature of a home or business.
Located west of Waukon on Hwy. 9, Skyline Landscaping also offers the supplies to bring a landscaping project to fruition.
According to O'Neill, Skyline Landscaping has available a variety of perennials, shrubs, trees, and evergreens, and also stocks trellis, arbors, weed barrier, edging, mulch, river rock, wall stone, flag stone, and other miscellaneous items.
O'Neill can provide a professional opinion and design on retaining walls, patios, garden ponds, tree and shrub plantings, installing edging, mulching, rocking, pruning, finish grading, and seeding or sodding.
Skyline Landscaping owner Tom O'Neill is building his business both on experience and education. He is a graduate of the horticulture program at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, and has worked both in Waterloo and Iowa City in the landscaping field.
Recently relocated to his native area of Waukon with his wife Kristy (Hager), he has been contracting landscaping work since July of 2001. With the onset of spring, O'Neill says he is ready to take on new clients and earn for his business a promising reputation.
O'Neill plans to be working on the job during the week, fulfilling landscaping responsibilities, but says his nursery (1062 Hwy. 9) will be open on weekends.
Those interested in O'Neill's landscaping services can make an appointment at (563) 568-2952. A pre-design interview will include on-site questions and planning, followed by a draft of a design. O'Neill will work with home or business owners until a finalized draft is agreed upon - and O'Neill can "dig in" and bring the drawing to life.
Landscaping, it seems, is the ideal job for a man who says his motivation to enter this field was simply that he "likes to work outside."
And we benefit, too.