Since 2004, Green Side Up has been under the direction of Craig Attkisson, Jim Gallagher and Bill Gallagher, providing the best lawn care service possible to homeowners across our region. We understand Central Virginia's climate and growing conditions, both from personal experience and professional study. Like you, our company has grown up in the Richmond and Williamsburg area.
Education is important in the past, present and future of our company. We have a training regimen built into our workload, which makes sure each employee of Green Side Up is getting the ongoing education he or she needs to complete each job professionally. Our leadership team has degrees in Agronomy, Turf Maintenance, and Horticulture.
Along with online training for employees, we also educate our customers. After services are completed, our customers will automatically receive documents explaining certain instructions and tips. For example, one document explains watering instructions for new plants after they have been installed. Green Side Up is committed to being a leader in education for their customers.
Not all landscaping companies can say they are technologically-savvy. Green Side Up knew there was a need for customers to easily communicate with the landscaping crew working on their project. Landscape services often involve many people, and it's not so simple to figure out who to contact. That is one reason we developed an online system for our customers to access and use. They get simple, convenient instructions on communicating with their point of contact. Our system also makes scheduling, billing, and document signing fast and easy. We use our system to stay accountable to our schedule and to share accurate notes on each property that we visit.
This way, our customers never need to worry about getting a crew that doesn't know the special instructions associated with their properties. Everything is tied together, and it all makes for an effective way to get our jobs done right. Check out our Process page to learn more about the advantages of being a Technology Forward landscaping company.
A Leadership Team with Many Years of Combined Landscaping Experience
Craig Attkisson
Past Experience: At the age of 10 Craig was an entrepreneur landscaper, mowing baseball and soccer fields. Working outdoors was a passion borne from being raised on a Christmas tree farm. His early work experience included being on the Maintenance staff of Hanover Country Club. During his studies at Virginia Tech, Craig had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in South Africa, researching cultural diversity, climates, agrometeorology, and large-scale irrigation. After returning to the U.S., Craig worked and gained a lot of useful experience at all three Country Club of Virginia golf courses. He then became Second Assistant Superintendent at Hermitage Country Club.
Green Side Up Experience: Maintaining turf was satisfying, but Craig had an interest in plantings. He launched Green Side Up Landscaping in 2004, focused on providing the best lawn care service possible to his customers.
Bill Gallagher
Past Experience: Bill's career began in construction with M.S. St. Clair in Williamsburg, Virginia. He honed his heavy equipment skills by building golf courses and working on site projects. During school he interned at Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Virginia. Later, he was awarded an Assistant Superintendent position at the Country Club of Virginia. Hermitage Country Club chose to appoint him Assistant Superintendent on the Manakin Golf Course 2005 renovation.
Green Side Up Experience: When the golf course construction was completed, Bill partnered with Craig at Green Side Up, providing high quality lawn care in the Richmond and Williamsburg areas.
Jim Gallagher
Past Experience: Before attending Virginia Tech, Jim helped build the Woods Course at Kingsmill. After school, he worked at Two Rivers Club, and then as the Head Golf Course Superintendent at the Mattaponi Springs Golf Club. He supervised the construction of the course, the entire drainage infrastructure, and the course irrigation system. Jim went on to serve as Vice-President of a residential and commercial landscaping company that grew to 40+ employees.
Green Side Up Experience: Now, he works on the leadership team of our company, using his attention for detail and great management skills to put us at the top of our industry.
Mike Atkinson
Past Experience: Mike began his landscaping career maintaining the grounds of high-end residences, which led him to discover his passion for plant care and pruning.
Green Side Up Experience: He joined Green Side Up in 2012 as a team foreman. After learning our business from outside and inside, he has worked his way up to the Operations manager at our Richmond Branch.
Ivan Ramirez
Past Experience: Ivan began his landscaping career at 16 years old working alongside his father. At 19 years old he was working for some of the best-known landscapers in his area. After moving to Richmond, Ivan found his way to GSU and the rest is history.
Green Side Up Experience: He joined Green Side Up in 2017 as a team foreman. After learning our business from outside and inside, he rounds out our leadership team today as Richmond Installation Account/Production Manager.
Aaron Sydenstricker
Past Experience: Aaron began his career cutting lawns for high-end residential customers, which sparked a deep passion for horticulture. Over the years, he honed his skills in client relations, business management, and team leadership. After spending a decade at a local firm, he decided to pursue new opportunities and leverage his expertise to reach a broader client base.
Green Side Up Experience: With 15 years of experience in high-end landscape care, he brings a wealth of knowledge in best practices for landscape and turf management. As an Account Manager, he is committed to continuing his education and delivering an exceptional client experience in the Williamsburg area.
Travis Johnston
Travis is a seasoned landscaping professional with over 10 years of experience in the industry. Having honed his skills at a variety of high-end landscaping companies, Travis found his true calling at Green Side Up in 2020. Over the years, he has advanced to the role of Production Manager in 2023, demonstrating his expertise and leadership in managing landscaping projects of the highest quality.
Travis is highly knowledgeable about the unique needs of landscapes in the Richmond area, and he takes great pride in delivering exceptional results to each client. With a keen eye for detail and a dedication to excellence, he ensures that every property meets the highest standards.
Outside of his professional life, Travis enjoys hiking on the weekends, working on home improvement projects, and maintaining his own landscape. He also loves spending quality time with his golden retriever.
Billy Dean
Billy found his love for landscaping at 9 years old, when he began cutting yards in his neighborhood, and the little league fields he played on. He continued this passion by landscaping for several government bases over the summers while he was in high school and college.
Preston Gravatt
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Guarantees & Warranties
We stand behind our exemplary services with these guarantees:
Our 24-hour callback promise means we get back to you within 24 hours of when you call for any reason.
We periodically visit your property and include detailed reports.
We provide a 1-year warranty on plants with installation services.
All of our hardscaping features are backed with a 3-year warranty.
Transparent communication is a top priority at Green Side Up.
Comprehensive Services from the Landscape Contractors Who Understand Your Needs
Our Landscape Maintenance plans are very popular, but there are even more useful services available to you.
Proudly Serving Richmond, Williamsburg, and Nearby Areas
We are proud to be working and living in the Richmond and Williamsburg area of Virginia. There is so much history and natural beauty everywhere you look! Check out our Main Service Area page to see all the individual residential areas and neighborhoods that we work in.
Be A Green Side Up Team Member!
Looking for a new career in landscaping? This is a great place to work. We have competitive wages, ongoing training, and some nice employee incentives. Check out our Careers page for more information on job openings.
Our Core Values
C
Committed
Our team is committed to our clients, to their fellow team members, and to being the best version of themselves.
A
Accountable
All team members are responsible for holding themselves and fellow team members accountable to our high standards for quality, integrity, and professionalism.
R
Relationships
Trust and honesty are the backbones of our relationship with our clients and fellow team members. We are driven to continuously improve ourselves, our service, and your property.
E
Excellence
We strive for excellence in everything we do, never settle for mediocrity, and go above and beyond in everything we do even when no one is watching.
Make the Most of Our Services By Contacting Us Right Now
It's never too late to get landscaping help. Set up your on-site meeting. We'll evaluate your property and let you know how we can help make your landscape healthier and nicer to look at. Our team members have the experience to tackle even the toughest jobs. Give us a try! We're ready to work for you.