Meet The Blue Spruce Horticulture Team
Transforming Landscapes, One Patch at a Time
Bringing Creativity and Expertise Together
At Blue Spruce Horticulture, we pride ourselves on designing and maintaining artistic landscapes that thrive in the high plains of Northern Colorado. Our team of dedicated professionals specializes in landscape design, installation, and garden maintenance. We are passionate about promoting sustainable practices, including xeriscaping, native gardens, efficient irrigation, and turf reduction/removal. With our expertise, we strive to create beautiful environments that not only enhance your property but also support pollinators and native ecosystems.
Our team’s unmatched expertise and passion ensure that your landscape stands out as a masterpiece of harmonious design and sustainable principles. Contact us today to discuss your landscaping needs and let us bring your vision to life, with sustainability and beauty at the forefront.
Meet The Blue Spruce Team
Stuart Shoemaker
Owner/Founder
Stuart is Blue Spruce’s founder and chief operator. He holds degrees from Colorado State in Cultural Anthropology and Horticulture, as well as a certificate in Landscape Design from Front Range Community College. Stuart has been working professionally in the field for over a decade and is an active member of the Colorado Master Gardeners. When he’s not out digging holes or holed up at the desk you can find him enjoying delicious craft beverages or making kimchee with his wife Katie who is a fermentation scientist.
Kevin McKitrick
Lead Estimator/Project Manager
Kevin started at Blue Spruce as a Summer intern in 2021 and has since returned after finishing his Bachelors of Horticulture at Colorado State University. Kevin brings to the team a wide array of horticultural knowledge including extensive plant ID and characteristics skills useful in the field. Outside of work Kevin is an avid music critique and is always keeping up to date on geo-politics, he’s also known to crack or joke or two while out with the crew.
Ryan Weese
Head Foreman/Project Manager
Ryan brings experience and wisdom to the company as a veteran landscaper of over 20 years. With backgrounds in organic agriculture, commercial landscape installation, and irrigation technology, his varied talents lend vast knowledge and expertise to the Blue Spruce team. Ryan grew up in both Wray and Greeley, Colorado before moving to Fort Collins in the early 2000’s. Outside of work Ryan is a fan of bluegrass music, disc golf, hiking, and enjoying some of the local brews.
Isabel Iwanski
Division Manager for Garden Stewardship/Associate Designer
Isabel is the Head of Garden Maintenance and an Associate Landscape Designer at Blue Spruce Horticulture. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, she brings a deep knowledge of plant identification and a passion for thoughtful landscape design, which she discovered while studying forestry and horticulture. Born and raised in Fort Collins, Isabel has a special appreciation for caring for the gardens and natural spaces that make her hometown unique. Outside of work, she enjoys creating art, hiking with her dog, and sharing picnics with friends.
Annette Penny
Office Manager/Project Associate
Annette has a background in bioclimatic planning, permaculture design, organic gardening, ecological restoration, green building, and biodiversity conservation. She is thrilled to be working with Blue Spruce Hort to support local ecosystem health by building sustainable landscapes which serve as havens for native flora and fauna. When she’s not working or in her own garden, she can be found making pottery, taking photos, spending time with family, or out finding the nearest swimming hole!
Arden Cherry
Associate Landscape Designer
Arden is an Associate Landscape Designer at Blue Spruce, and moved to Fort Collins in 2025 after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Arizona. She prioritizes native plants and local ecology in her designs, and takes an artistic approach to landscape design from her background in the arts. Arden has experience in trail work, sustainable agriculture, and environmental education that have all guided her towards a passion for landscape design. Outside of work, she loves to oil paint, cook new recipes, and go camping!
