BEN KITO:
The man who makes it all happen!... Ben grew up in the landscaping business with an early emphasis on estate management and propagation of Rhododendron; a focus of his father. His interest quickly became the construction and design end of the business and in the early 1980's, as building and development started to increase significantly in the area, Kito Nursery landscaped a great many of these new homes. People were happy dealing with a designer with practical application skills and a company with the ability to install all aspects of the plan without any subcontractors. Ben has a special talent when designing a hardscape and seems to always find the perfect blend of practical space and "wow" factor. He has successfully designed and installed landscape projects throughout the tri-state area with challenging sites his forte. Projects have been as large as a seven acre site on the North Shore of Long Island and as small as a pocket garden in Manhattan. Each space is treated with the same care and enthusiasm that has been the trademark of the Kito Family since the early 1950's.
JANICE:
As the driving force behind Kito Nursery, Janice helped start the company in the early 1980's. Her personal style and knowledge of design helped many homeowners relate to what was becoming at the time more and more complex and expanding projects. The era of grass and a few plants was ending and the concept of background space for living was just starting. As one of the few landscape companies on Long Island devoted completely to the concept of design/build, Janice helped assure that terms such as "poolscape" became part of the landscaping vocabulary. Her experience as a current member and past president for Decision for Women in Commerce and the Professions (a professional networking organization for women), a member of the Brookhaven Women's Advisory Board and untold numbers of fundraisers and volunteer projects for organizations such as VIBS, has made her the perfect go-to person for permits and to act as the company's problem solver. Although she still does some sales and design, we all rely on Janice to dot the i's and cross the t's to make sure your project goes smoothly.
JIM:
With over 38 years experience in landscape construction Jim has worked on many notable projects throughout the tri-state area. He is a master mason, carpenter and machine operator that before coming to Kito Nursery worked on landscaping in Central Park NYC, Villa Banfi, Riunite wines, the Joseph Papp theatre; in addition to various state, county and private projects. He has been with Kito Nursery since 1981 as our construction foreman and during this time has seen hundreds of projects to completion. To the delight of satisfied homeowners Jim can be counted on to use his knowledge of the industry and his personal desire to keep growing his craft to make every project an opportunity to excel. The unseen details like drainage, sprinklers and chaises for future work have become Jim's passion and underscores his ability to anticipate the current and future needs of our clients. Jim is always on the job and with him there production is done in a timely, neat, and purposeful manner; causing the least amount of disruption and inconvenience in what can sometimes become an invasion of your home until the project is completed.
CHERYL:
Cheryl has been a free lance landscape designer for the past ten years. During that time she has drawn designs for homes both large and small and has a significant client base throughout Long Island. Her most extensive projects, however, have concentrated in the Hamptons where she has become well known for her easy-living functional treatment of outdoor space. She is just as comfortable in creating a free flowing perennial garden for an ocean setting as she is designing a formal old English garden for an estate. Certified by Wolfe for outdoor kitchens and the AIA for her landscape expertise, Cheryl is always looking for new ideas for a project. Her ability to pair garden accessories such as pots and furniture to the landscape has won her recent acclaim. She joined the Kito Nursery team in 2007 and has been responsible for many great projects where she not only conceives of the idea but provides the field supervision necessary to make it all come together seamlessly. Her latest passion is working on the beautification committee for Port Jefferson Village. Give her a call to have her design your yard.
ANTHONY:
Anthony has had over 10 years in the landscape industry with knowledge of new products and equipment. He has the expertise and attention to detail that is necessary for large as well as small projects. Anthony's experience with maintenance and construction makes him the perfect person to handle our small but growing personal property management division in addition to adding the final touches to your special project.