A New Season of Growth at Grow With Gordon

There’s something different about this season.

Not just because the gardens are fuller, the crews are larger, or the projects are becoming more ambitious—but because for the first time, it genuinely feels like we can see what Grow With Gordon is becoming.

Over the past several months, our team has worked on everything from historic home garden restorations and large mulch refreshes to edible landscapes, pollinator gardens, pruning projects, ecological redesigns, and community stewardship work throughout Kokomo and surrounding areas.

Some days have been clean and smooth. Other days have involved mud, trailer problems, redesigns in the middle of installations, long evenings organizing tools, and learning leadership lessons in real time.

That’s part of building something real.

What started as a small landscaping operation has slowly become something much bigger:

• a plant-focused landscaping company,

• a design and stewardship team,

• a training environment,

• and a growing network of people who care deeply about craftsmanship, ecology, beauty, and community.

  
  

More Than Just Landscaping

At Grow With Gordon, we believe gardens should actually mature and improve over time.

A good landscape should:

• feel alive,

• support pollinators and wildlife,

• provide beauty and structure,

• create peace and gathering space,

• and sometimes even grow food for families and communities.

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That philosophy has shaped everything we do—from residential garden transformations to nonprofit food forests and educational planting events.

This season, we’ve been honored to continue participating in volunteer and stewardship projects alongside local organizations, students, and community members through Gordon Gives and our broader partnerships throughout the region.

We’ve helped install and maintain community-centered gardens, participated in educational events, supported public-facing ecological spaces, and continued building relationships with people who believe that landscapes can serve a deeper purpose than simply looking “clean.”

Workforce Development & Building a Team

This season has also marked a major milestone for our company.

JGP Properties / Grow With Gordon officially received the Workforce First Advocate Designation through the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for Workforce Excellence.

That recognition means a lot to us because one of our biggest goals has always been creating meaningful work and real opportunities for people to grow.

We are actively building systems for:

• apprenticeships,

• internships,

• workforce training,

• field leadership development,

• and hands-on learning in ecological landscaping and stewardship.

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We still have a lot to learn ourselves.

But we believe strongly in giving people the chance to improve, develop skills, and become part of building something worthwhile.

The Start of a New Chapter

Behind the scenes, this season has felt like a transition point.

We’ve expanded our equipment, improved our workflow systems, strengthened our design process, and started developing stronger leadership within the field crews. We’ve also begun stepping into larger and more complex projects than ever before.

And honestly, we’re still figuring some of it out in real time.

But that’s what growth looks like sometimes.

For the first time, it feels less like we are simply surviving week-to-week and more like we are building a company with real roots.

Not the biggest landscaping company. Not the loudest.

But hopefully one of the most thoughtful, plant-focused, and community-minded landscape teams in the region.

Looking Ahead

As the season continues, we’re excited for what’s ahead:

• larger landscape transformations,

• edible and ecological garden installations,

• stewardship partnerships,

• educational opportunities,

• and continuing to build outdoor spaces that people genuinely love spending time in.

  
  

To every homeowner, volunteer, worker, student, supporter, and partner who has trusted us this season:

Thank you.

The roots are getting deeper.

—James Gordon Panyan

Founder, Grow With Gordon & Gordon Gives