"So… you’re going to move out to Colorado and mow lawns?" Sheldon Funk remembers his father asking with a mixture of disbelief and perhaps a little concern.
Sunflower Landscapes, founded in 2006, started with little more than a wheelbarrow, a shovel and a half-ton truck.
Hard Work + Attention to Detail
Funk, Dustin Hamilton and another college friend moved to Colorado Springs after visiting while competing on the track team for Fort Hayes State University and falling in love with the area. Growing up on a farm in Kansas, Funk learned early the value of hard work, attention to detail and seeing a job through. Hamilton, co-owner and manager, had similar lessons ingrained by his father, a woodworker who emphasized integrity and doing what you say you’re going to do. With no prior knowledge of landscaping, but enough initiative and resourcefulness to dive into books and learn as they went, they were up and running.
“Work didn’t scare us,” Hamilton says, matter-of-factly. “We liked being outside. It’s all we knew.”
They leaned on their new-found relationships with suppliers and vendors and quickly became experts in their field.
“Green side up!” Funk laughs, recalling the first time they installed sod.
Listen First, then Build
Over the years, their once-small operation has grown into a full-service landscaping company with a trusted team of designers, installers and maintenance crews. Today, more than 45 employees handle residential, commercial and development projects across the region.
From the beginning, the company’s philosophy has been clear: listen first, then build.
Every project starts with understanding the client. How will they use the space? What dreams do they have? And what challenges does the property present?
Creating Dynamic, Functional Spaces
“Our job is to capture the vision and then bring it to life,” Funk explains. “Every space is different, and every client has a story. Our job is to translate that into functional, beautiful landscaping that respects both their budget and the land.”
From the rugged mountains to the rolling foothills of Colorado Springs, the environment isn’t just a backdrop, it plays a central role in Sunflower Landscapes’ designs. The team emphasizes outdoor living spaces that feel like extensions of their surroundings, blending hard-scaping and soft-scaping, fire pits, water features, and integrated lighting in ways that are both artistic and practical. Steep slopes, drainage issues and challenging terrain are seen not as obstacles but as opportunities to create dynamic, functional spaces.
“We want every yard to feel like it belongs to the Colorado landscape,” Hamilton says. “It’s about intentionality.”
Funk adds, “We see every space as an opportunity to make the outdoors more appealing than the inside, while building something that lasts and works for the way people live.”
Sustainability + Community
Sustainability and community are at the heart of everything they do. Waterwise designs, zero-scaping and careful adherence to HOA and city requirements ensure that each project respects both the environment and the neighborhood. For Funk and Hamilton, it’s personal. They’ve made Colorado Springs their home, raising families here and investing in the community that welcomed them. Their commercial work, from street-scapes to HOA common areas, demonstrates the same attention to detail and craftsmanship as their residential projects.
Over the years, they’ve built more than landscapes. They’ve built trust, loyalty, and a reputation for turning dreams into outdoor realities.
“That’s been our motto from day one: take care of the work, respect the land, and enjoy the process.”
Address + Phone: 1925 Aeroplaza Dr. | 719-661-5049
Website: https://sunflower-landscapes.com/
Facebook: @SunflowerLandscapes
Instagram: @SunflowerLandscapesCO