Andrew Mann and Brian Neelley moved to Victoria Park from the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago in September of 2022.

“We came here seeking a new, more relaxed lifestyle and to pursue our dream of starting a landscaping business of our own,” Andrew stated.

While in Chicago, Brian worked in the commercial plant business where he installed floral creations and planted flowers in some of the top restaurants and hotels in the city. Andrew, having received a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Colorado at Denver, had worked for his family’s manufacturing business for 27 years.

“Even though I had pride working to build up a business, I was missing being creative. So, I decided to get a Landscape Design certificate from Northwestern University. Since Brian and I are both nature lovers and wanted to be outside more often, we chose to work with our hands creating and beautifying spaces with plants and flowers in a place where we could be outside year-round,” Andrew explained.

After deciding to relocate to South Florida, they chose Victoria Park because it was not only in the center of everything but also possessed a fabulous 100-year-old pedigree of homes and landscapes. They loved the Key West like tropical setting and the small-town vibe. People were also so friendly, as well. They were shocked that while riding their bikes, neighbors would shout out 'Good morning!' to them from their yards. It was as different from Chicago as it could possibly get.

“For the past two years, we have grown our boutique business into a full-service plant design and maintenance company. Our business model is unique in that we focus directly on the plants and flowers in landscapes and in people's homes and businesses. We will walk into a space and know where to put in a houseplant or a planter with flowers to maximize the space,” Andrew explained.

“Plants are a great way to decorate, bring nature indoors, and improve the mood and environment of a space. We excel at looking at a space and enhancing it with plants and flowers,” Brian noted. “We also have the expertise to keep plants and flowers always looking their best. Our clients love that we take care of their houseplants even when they travel for the summer months. We have also installed plants and flowers for special occasions, such as parties and holidays.”

Andrew and Brian will also help their clients with their yards, patios, and lanai spaces. Many of their residential clients complain that they love plants and flowers but don't know where to put them and keep them alive and healthy. Most state that their lawn service companies do not take care of the plants and flowers and just mow, blow, and go.

Happy Trees will instead add excitement, color, and scale to their customers' yards in order to create a real botanical experience that is not only enjoyed by the owners but also adds curb appeal to the neighborhood. Through Happy Trees’ Maintenance packages, they will keep your landscape looking happy and healthy. It is really a great way to add value to a property.

“In condominiums and town homes, Happy Trees can add beautiful planters to balconies and roof decks to create outdoor rooms that bring people out to these spaces to enjoy and relax. We love adding butterfly and hummingbird attracting plants and flowers to our plantings,” Andrew explained. “Our clients are thrilled when we enhance these spaces as many of them had not used them fully to their potential. Some of our clients have their children watch caterpillars metamorphize into butterflies right in our plantings. Bringing people closer to nature is our mojo, and we do this with plantings that have color, beautiful scents, and different leaf sizes and textures. We can do a lot in a little space.”

Andrew and Brian also like to freshen up plantings around entryways. Plants are an economical way to beautify a space. Adding fragrant plants and beautiful flowers by a front door creates a sense of luxury and a welcome reminder to people that we are living in the tropics. Healthy plants also create a feeling of cleanliness and order. Andrew and Brian want people to feel like they are living in a 5-star hotel.

“Plants are a mood changer. They not only create oxygen, but help people relax and smile. We always get elated messages from our clients when a flower or vine we planted has bloomed, or a large tropical has shot up another giant leaf. Gardens evolve, and they take time to grow and thrive. People love watching our creations keep improving over time,” Brian said.

Andrew and Brian planted a butterfly garden for one of their clients whose mother with Alzheimer's was living with them. They told them that their mother would sit outside in the veranda all day watching with joy as the birds, bees and butterflies fluttered around the plants and flowers. It's stories like these that really make Happy Trees who they are and why Andrew and Brian do what they do.

Victoria Park is full of beautiful vegetation. Many homes have incredible yards with stunning landscapes.

Brian further stated, “Homeowners love when we help them bring back their gardens that have become overgrown or barren in spots. People light up after they see the process of our work and watch their gardens bloom throughout the year. We also love helping out Victoria Park homeowners who want to help bring nature into their homes by installing plants throughout the home. Plants are a gift that keep giving. People always tell us that the plants and gardens we install bring them joy.”

They were thrilled when the Victoria Park Civic Association hired them to renovate and take care of the landscaping at all of the entrances to Victoria Park as well as the Progress Hammock Pocket Park just east of Holiday Park. They really enjoy doing their share to beautify the neighborhood. They are hopeful that more residents join the VPCA and get involved with our community since it is such a special place. Strong neighborhoods are created through community outreach, and the more neighbors that participate the better the neighborhood.

One of Andrew and Brian’s favorite things to do is to walk their rescue dog, Henry, all over Victoria Park. He has marked almost every square inch of the neighborhood. Henry loves walking through Holiday Park which Andrew says is Fort Lauderdale's answer to New York City's Central Park. On their walks through Victoria Park, Brian and Andrew enjoy admiring their neighbors' yards and gardens. They also draw inspiration from the many different types of plantings.

They also like to critique yards where they see missed opportunities and discuss what they would do to make a more inviting and beautiful landscape. Whenever they have friends and family come to town for a visit, they insist that they go with them on a walk with Henry. They say that everyone is blown away with the flora of the neighborhood as it is truly unique. All of their guests cannot believe how quiet and peaceful that it is in Victoria Park especially for being in the center of a growing city.

Andrew and Brian are avid tennis players and love playing at the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center in Holiday Park. They are very excited to see the renovations taking place to improve the tennis facility and cannot wait to play on the new courts in October. They also enjoy riding their bikes along the ocean and through the beautiful tree lined streets of Victoria Park.

Another reason that they love Victoria Park is the location as it is in the middle of everything. On the weekends, they enjoy checking out new restaurants, bars and clubs in Flagler Village, Downtown, the beach or on Las Olas. They like to Uber to a destination and then walk home at the end of the evening. They say it is a great and refreshing way to end the night. They also enjoy walking to their favorite movie theater, The Gateway.

“Moving from Chicago to Florida was a huge transition. This is why we are so happy to have landed in Victoria Park as we explore this new chapter in our lives. We feel that Fort Lauderdale is growing and improving every day, and we want to do our share to make it happen,” Andrew said.

Located in Victoria Park

Andrew Mann and Brian Neelley