Richard Wike, the owner and sole proprietor of Azlaeas to Zinnias, started the company in 1989. Now twenty years later, he oversees a staff of 12 fulltime experienced employees who are fully versed in installing and maintaining the smallest gardens to the largest estate. We are experienced in all phases of garden design, installation, lighting, hardscapes, maintenance, and container plantings. No project is too small, and the attention to detail and customer wishes are evident in all our work. Succession of color of flowers, foliage and textures is an important feature that we incorporate to make our gardens unique. In addition, we like to form a collaborative relationship with a client that can last years through garden transitions and changes.


When not taking care of her bees, Claire Jones is designing gardens and an active member of local garden clubs. A graduate of Towson University, and with landscape design certification at CCBC, she has a lifelong love of gardening and nature. Several of her gardens have been featured in Style and Chesapeake Home magazines and she has created gardens for the Baltimore Symphony Decorator Showhouse. Her designs are very site specific using a creative artistic approach with plants to give you several seasons of interest. Using a hands-on approach, Claire is very involved in a project from start to finish.


Raised on a farm in Sparks where she still lives and gardens today, Gretchen Schmidl has worked at Azaleas to Zinnias since 1995. She has a B.A. degree in Biology from St Mary's College of Maryland. She currently is a member of the MD Horticultural Society and has completed Longwood Garden's Series I and II Certificate of Merit in Ornamental Plants, through their continuing education program.


We love what we do…And it shows!