People

Dan Holmes
Owner

Holmes Fine Gardens, established in 2002, is owned and operated by Dan Holmes.  Dan has worked in the landscaping industry for over 25 years and is a graduate of the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design.  Dan's passion for landscaping grew at an early age mowing lawns for neighbors in his Connecticut home town.  He was inspired by one home owner in particular who had Dan pruning ornamental plants and building retaining walls out of newspaper.  Not long after completing his studies at Cal Poly, he returned to Connecticut where he knew he could employ more natural landscaping practices.  After working for several nurseries and landscaping firms including Young's Nursery and Shermin Nurseries, Dan founded Holmes Fine Gardens based in Newtown, CT where he lives with his family.

Dan contributes his time and energy to several communcity based organizations.  He is on the Board of the Pootatuck Watershed Association and is a committee member of the Newtown Sustainable Energy Commission which works to inspire a greener approach to energy use, conservation, and renewable resources on a municipal, business, and household basis.  Dan is also a co-founder of Newtown Earth Day, now in its fifth year, and is currently advocating for commercial plastics recycling for local nurseries through the Connecticut Nursery & Landscape Association. Dan is a frequent speaker on a number of topics related to sustainable and responsible landscaping and horticultural practices. Contact Dan directly regarding any speaking opportunities at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Mark Krasnickas
GM/Project Supervisor

Mark has been working in landscape masonry and planting for over 25 years throughout Fairfield, Litchfield, and Westchester counties. Mark supervises and manages landscape construction projects for Holmes Fine Gardens. He is regarded for his passion for landscape architecture, his in-depth knowledge of and skill in working with various hardscape materials, his attention to detail, and superior client service. Prior to joining Holmes Fine Gardens, Mark worked for Gault, Inc. selling stone and masonry materials to homeowners, builders and contractors. His landscaping career began with ownership of LandMaster LLC, a full service landscaping company which later merged with a lawn care and maintenance company to form At Your Service (AYS) Landscaping, Inc. As General Manager of AYS, Marke tripled the company's growth before selling it off. Mark then joined Daybreak Nurseries in Westport where he spent several years as Landscape Division Manager. Mark has worked with several of the region’s top Landscape Architects implementing design projects of all sizes.  He is a Certified ICPI Concrete Paver Installer and has completed various academic programs over the years at The New York Botanical Garden in design, construction and horticulture.