The Akehurst story begins with Charles Akehurst in 1876. Born in Sussex, England in 1828, Charles moved with his parents and family to the United States when he was ten years old. The family settled in the Mount Washington area of Baltimore Maryland, where Charles worked with his father, Henry, as a farmer.

Ten years later, in 1848, Charles moved to Joppa Road in the Perry Hall area of Baltimore County, Maryland, where he continued farming. In 1876, Charles Akehurst and his son, C. Edward Akehurst, entered into business, raising vegetable plants, carnations, violets, bedding plants, tuberoses and other flowers. Their first greenhouse was a modest 12 feet by 18 feet. Soon more ranges of greenhouses were added, all made with wood frames and glass and heated by wood-burning furnaces. In 1883, they began growing rose bushes in the field to sell to the gardening trade. Five years later, in 1888, C. Edward bought out his father's interest in the business and concentrated on growing carnations in the greenhouses as a cut-flower crop.

During the years that followed, C. Edward Akehurst developed many new carnation varieties and produced quantities of rooted cuttings, which he sold to the trade across the country. One of his carnation introductions, which won wide acceptance, was named "Mrs. Akehurst." In 1918 C. Edward converted a large portion of his greenhouse area to the production of roses for cut flowers and began to steadily reduce the production of carnations, which at the time were undergoing a weakening in prices.

C. Edward Akehurst had four sons: Raymond E., Ernest H., D. Elmer and Carville G. As they grew, they became a part of the family business, which operated under the name of C. Edward Akehurst and Sons.

In 1927, C. Edward's four sons built a new range of greenhouses at a location on Joppa Road, approximately one half mile from the original greenhouse range. They operated the new range under the name of Akehurst Brothers, almost exclusively producing cut roses and rose bushes. The brothers won numerous awards for their cut roses, including an award in 1951 for a bunch with 7-foot long stems!

Carville G. Akehurst, one of C. Edward's sons, branched out in 1930 by growing azaleas and other nursery stock. This part of the family business operated under the name of Carville G. Akehurst and eventually resulted in the creation of Akehurst Nurseries.

During World War II, nursery stock was not in great demand, other than extremely large material, which was used for screening and camouflaging defense plant facilities. The family adjusted to the needs of the nation and converted several of its fields to producing corn and raising chickens for the production of eggs.

Between 1949 and 1976, two of the third generation brothers, Raymond and Ernest passed away. In the early 1950s, Carville G.'s three sons— Carville M., William E. and Lauren D.— joined with him in the Akehurst Nurseries operation. This phase of the family business included production of field grown ornamental trees, shrubs, production of container grown plants, and landscaping. Akehurst Nurseries was incorporated in the State of Maryland in 1972.

The Akehurst family observed its first 100 years in the plant business in 1976. At this time, D. Elmer and Carville G. chose to retire. Carville G.'s three sons then merged the businesses of Akehurst Brothers and Akehurst Nurseries, Inc. into one family owned and operated horticultural, landscape and floricultural enterprise, known as Akehurst Nurseries, Inc.

In late 1983, they discontinued the rose growing operation, due to economic changes in the flower industry. The family converted the areas used for growing flowers into space for growing container nursery stock.

William E. Akehurst bought out the interest of his two brothers in early 1985. At that time, two of his sons, William K. and Brian E., entered the family business. Later that same year, the business discontinued the nursery part of the operation, placing all of its focus on design, landscape construction/ installation and grounds maintenance. The company name was changed from Akehurst Nurseries, Inc. to Akehurst Landscape Service, Inc. to better reflect the nature of its operation and the broader range of services it provided.

In January 1988, Akehurst Landscape Service, Inc. moved from its Joppa Road location in the Perry Hall area of Baltimore County, Maryland— where the family business had operated for over 100 years— to a leased facility in the White Marsh area of Baltimore County, Maryland.

John C. Akehurst, William E.'s youngest son, joined the family business in 1992, and in August of that year, the firm moved its entire operation to 712 Philadelphia Road, in Joppa, Harford County, Maryland. This new up-to-date facility, located just off the I-95 and Maryland Route 152 interchange, positioned the business to serve an expanding market place.

With the passing of Carville G. Akehurst, fourth generation William E. and fifth generation William K., Brian E. and John C. assumed leadership of the family business. William E.'s nephew and cousin of his three sons, Jay F. Tarleton, joined the firm in early 1997 as part of the leadership team.

The Akehurst family celebrated its 125th year in the professional horticultural business in 2001, and today the business offers its clientele a wide range of professional services: design and planning; landscape construction and installation; grounds maintenance and interior plantscaping; as well as holiday décor services and snow and ice removal.

Projects landscaped and maintained by this fifth generation family owned and operated business include air parks, business parks, churches, educational facilities, industrial facilities, office buildings, governmental facilities, medical facilities, parks, planned communities, restaurants, shopping malls and private residences throughout the greater Baltimore and Maryland areas.

Members of the Akehurst family continue to provide hands-on leadership of every part of the company, focusing on providing quality and service. The Design Division is staffed with a registered landscape architect, as well as professional landscape designers. The Landscape Division is under the leadership of William K. Akehurst, a Certified Professional Horticulturist. The Grounds Maintenance Division is under the leadership of Brian E. Akehurst, also a Certified Professional Horticulturist. The Interior Plantscape Division is under the leadership of John C. Akehurst, who is a Certified Pesticide Applicator. Jay F. Tarleton is Administrative Officer for the firm.

In 2005, Brian E. Akehurst was elected as President of the company, allowing for the Senior member, William E, to take a less active role in the day to day tasks of the business. Since 2006, with the passing of William E. Akehurst, Registered Landscape Architect and the fourth generation senior member of the firm, the company continues to thrive with its fifth generation full bore at the helm.

Because the Akehurst family believes in working as a team, it treats each employee, regardless of position or task, as a vital and intricate part of the company. The Akehurst Mission Statement expresses this belief, detailing the way in which the business is to be operated with regard to the family, employees, clientele, the environment and the public.

Akehurst Landscape Service, Inc. is active in local and national trade associations. William E. Akehurst served as president of the National Landscape Association and served on the Board of Governors of the American Nursery and Landscape Association, representing the industry from the State of Maryland.

In June 2009, the Akehurst Family takes its first step into the next generation as 6th generation family member Wm. Josiah Akehurst begins summer employment. Josiah is a student of NHHS in the Ag Industrial program and currently serves on the board of the FFA.

Over the years, the Akehurst family business has adjusted to shifting market trends and kept pace with the changing climate of the horticultural industry. In the future, the firm expects to continue evolving and expanding its operations. However, Akehurst Landscape Service, Inc. remains steadfastly committed to maintaining the same high standards of quality, service and ethics that have buoyed its success through five generations.

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