Company History
A proud graduate of Delaware Valley University, Jerry Fritz started Jerry Fritz Garden Design back in 1989, with just himself and a small pickup truck. It quickly grew into a well-known landscape design/build firm, and in 2000, Jerry and his wife, Amy, bought the current location of the business in Ottsville, Pennsylvania.
The property has a long history as a farm and homestead. When purchased in 2000, it was in terrible disarray. The grounds had been used as a dumping site for all kinds of junk: old cars, trailers, broken machinery, and less identifiable debris. It was referred to locally as “The Volkswagen Graveyard.” There were also several outbuildings, including a pig barn, horse barn, carriage barn, and smokehouse, all in various states of disrepair. The house, too, was filled with junk and habitable only for birds and mice. Then there was the main feature of the property – the big stone barn. Linden Hill Gardens was named when Jerry found several linden (Tilia americana) trees while exploring the wooded part of the acreage. Linden trees don’t commonly grow wild in the vicinity, so “Linden” seemed a perfect association for the uniqueness of the place. And while the property itself is relatively flat, it’s located atop a ridge, so “Hill” also seemed appropriate. You can read about the full history of Linden Hill in “Lessons from Linden Hill” Written by Jerry Fritz & Nancy Ondra.
Starting in 2015 Jerry and Amy added garden trips and tours to the business. Jerry is a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide and Amy handles all of the logistics and details. Together they form a well-oiled team and have been met with great reviews from participants. The International Tours have visited places such as Jamaica, the Cotswolds in England, France, Italy, and Spain. Very intimate and personalized itineraries and service have become the hallmark of Jerry Fritz Tours.
Jerry and Amy have four children: Clayton, Evan, Reid and Lily. The eldest two sons are involved in running the business: Clayton, the oldest, is the shop foreman for the design company, and Evan, a 2016 graduate of Delaware Valley University with a degree in Landscape Architecture, fills the role as assistant designer and project manager.
Jerry Fritz Garden Design is truly a family business, and they enjoy developing lifetime relationships with clients and customers. On behalf of the Fritz Family, we look forward to meeting you and making you part of our family!