LOCAL PROFILES
Jimmy Schmidt: Schmidt Landscaping and Maintenance

Every REALTOR® knows that attractive landscaping is essential for the curb appeal that creates a memorable first impression to the potential buyer. And every homeowner knows that a beautiful yard and garden provide hours of relaxation, recreation and pride of ownership. But the designing, planning, creating and maintaining of that outdoor space requires someone with special talent and lots of knowledge. Jimmy Schmidt of Schmidt Landscaping and Maintenance is one of those individuals.

Born in Wisconsin, Jimmy was transplanted to the Las Vegas area as a young child and has been here ever since. He’s familiar with the local temperatures, seasons and best varieties of plants for the region. He stays informed about community watering restrictions, soil types and the latest trends in landscape plantings. And he’s great at discerning the needs and wants of his clients.

After high school, Jimmy got a job with a local landscaping business and found that he liked the work. He took an interest in learning about the varieties of plants and their care, and became skilled at efficient ways to install and maintain the irrigation equipment needed to keep it all looking lush and attractive. He enjoyed being outside and developed an appreciation of the creative process required to produce a garden project that is simultaneously usable and beautiful. And he liked seeing the clients’ satisfaction at the completion of each project.

Meanwhile Jimmy’s dad was busy in the restaurant business and had made the decision to open a venue at Las Vegas’ famous Cashman Field. He started out selling frozen yogurt, and soon baseball fans were clamoring for more treats. Jimmy began helping in the business, which quickly became a full-time job. “My dad asked if I’d like to feed 6,000 people at a time,” Jimmy recalls. “So we branched out to baked goods and hired a crew of six to help run the place.” The business did well, but the hours were long and feeding that many people was hard work. Jimmy was doing a lot of the baking himself, coming in early and often staying late.

“I wanted to be my own boss,” Jimmy explains. “I needed something that was easier to adjust to my family life, and I knew I was good at landscaping design and upkeep.” So 15 years ago he created Schmidt Landscaping and Maintenance. This family-run business employs a small crew of five or six, so they get to know their clients well. “We’ll do just about anything for our clients,” Jimmy says. “We always want them to be happy with our service.”

Whether the job entails repair and maintenance of an existing landscape or a total start from scratch, Jimmy and his crew give it the same attention to detail and quality of workmanship. “One of our most common requests is repairing existing irrigation systems,” he says. “A lot of them haven’t been maintained properly or just need updating.” Jimmy believes his clients want and deserve dependability. “We want our customers to be assured that we’ll keep their property looking its best on a regular basis,” he says.

The business serves customers all over the Las Vegas valley, and Jimmy stays informed about watering restrictions in the area. “Right now you can water five days a week,” he explains, “three times per day, four minutes at a time.” It’s his attention to details like this that keep his clients happy with the service they receive from Schmidt Landscaping and Maintenance.

Jimmy’s talent in the landscaping business includes making the planning and executing phases of a project as easy and pleasant as possible. First, he meets with clients and gets to know their personalities, lifestyle and design preferences. “It’s important to find out how they’re going to use the space,” he explains, “and what their vision is.” Next, Jimmy puts it all on paper to give the homeowner an overview of what the whole project will look like and make any necessary adjustments in the plan. The real fun comes when he takes them to pick out materials and plants.

“They get excited when they can really see the pavers, flagstones and fountains for themselves,” he says. “If they’re putting in a pool, our job begins after that when we can see the deck area and know just how much space we have to work with.” The actual size and shape of a project comes to life when Jimmy begins to chalk the yard to show his clients the exact location of each feature. “This is the time when they can say, ‘I want this area to be five feet longer’ and it’s still easy to change,” he says.

Choosing the plantings requires not only knowledge of the climate, but also of the soil. “There can be several different types of soil on the same property,” Jimmy explains. “You have to know what plants will do well in a particular location and how to amend the existing soil and irrigation to accommodate them.” One of the special situations that Jimmy and his crew encounter is planting on the rocky hillsides around the area. “We have to use a jackhammer for that,” he comments. “Then we do a water test to make sure there’s good drainage.” Filling the hole with the proper soil and leaving plenty of root room assure that even these hillside plantings will remain healthy and beautiful for years to come.

New installations have included both residential and commercial properties. The crew has created vegetable and herb gardens, flowerbeds, trees and even putting greens. They install irrigation systems, fountains, lighting for pathways and lights to illuminate the special architectural features of clients’ homes and gardens. From trimming trees to creating a whole new outdoor living space, they provide full-service landscaping to the Las Vegas area. “The biggest payoff to me is happy customers,” Jimmy says. “That’s my favorite part of the job.”

Jimmy can be reached by calling (702) 496-0063, or e-mail him at jamessjr@cox.net.