Meet Our Team

Andrew Blanchford

President

Andy grew up in southeast Pennsylvania. He holds a Bachelors of Science Degree from Pennsylvania State University in Landscape Contracting. He is a Certified Plant Professional and is the only Certified Landscape Industry Manager in Montana. When not at work he has fun with his family. He also enjoys travel, trail running, skiing, and the great Montana outdoors.

Abby Dobson

General Manager

Abby grew up in Nome, AK. She attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins where she received her BA in Communication Studies. Abby began her career in administration and accounting in Denver before moving to Bozeman in early 2016. She enjoys cooking, gardening, and getting out in the great Montana outdoors with her husband and their two dogs.

Åsa Pape

Garden Services Operations Manager

Åsa is a native of Sweden and the Operations Manager for our Garden Services team. She has a B.S. in Education from Uppsala University and taught in the public schools in Sweden. She also guided outdoor adventures for many years before moving to Bozeman in 2007. Here she found a passion for gardening and a great workplace at Blanchford Landscape Group in 2016. The mix of your gardens and our people is what she loves the most. When not at work, Åsa enjoys the great outdoors and time in the pottery studio.

Kyle Melehes

Build Operations Manager

Meet Kyle Melehes, an outdoor enthusiast and avid reader who grew up in the beautiful Teton mountain range near Jackson, WY. After spending 12 years in Big Sky, MT, Kyle recently moved to the Bozeman area. With a love for motorcycles and a passion for exploring the great outdoors, Kyle is always up for an adventure. You can find him reading a good book or binge-watching Top Gear when he's not hitting the open road on his motorcycle. Kyle's adventurous spirit and love for nature make him a perfect fit for our team at Blanchford Landscape Group. Get to know Kyle and see why he's a valuable asset to our company.

Carrie Rule

Garden Services & Holiday Decor Sales & Account Manager

Carrie realized shortly after receiving a BA in Speech Communication from Montana State University that the confines of an office job were too restricting. After four years in the corporate world, she returned to her Montana roots to pursue her passion for working outdoors where she landed employment with the USFS collecting plant data and fighting forest fires. Her love of plants and digging in the dirt ultimately led her to Blanchford Landscape in 2017. Her diverse experience includes native plant ID and mapping, floral design, interior plantscaping, garden center management, garden maintenance, and project management. She is an avid gardener and her flower garden was a featured property on the Bozeman Emerson Garden Tour. In the off-season, she can be found seeking out powder stashes at Bridger Bowl and beyond and mountain biking in the desert Southwest.

Chelsea Ley

Garden Services & Holiday Decor Sales & Account Manager

Born and raised on a vegetable farm in New Jersey, Chelsea grew up loving the outdoors and being in touch with nature. She then moved to Charlottesville, Virginia where she attended college at the University of Virginia and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Sociology. This is where she developed her connection with the mountains (or hills). In 2020 Chelsea decided to move out West to dive into the outdoors and play in the big mountains, while also creating a life with her partner and three pups. Working with people and the outdoors has always been a perfect combination for Chelsea. Being able to create the perfect outdoor space for clients to enjoy is what keeps Chelsea coming back for more.

Peyton Guenther

Fleet & Facilities Manager

Raised in Bozeman, Peyton enjoys spending time fishing and hiking in the Rockies. He graduated with a Heavy Duty Diesel Technician degree from University Montana of Helena in 2021 and started his career working with local dump trucks and equipment. After hiking Mount Kilimanjaro in the new year of 2024, Peyton found the new challenges he was looking for working with the Blanchford equipment and team members.

Victoria Sheild

Nursery & Inventory Manager

Victoria is originally from Minneapolis, MN and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Food Systems. She spent four years in Hawaii exploring different facets of our supply chain and the Ko'olau Mountains before moving to Bozeman for graduate school in 2021. After earning her Master of Science Degree in Plant Science at MSU, Victoria wanted to pursue her passion of helping people understand how they might incorporate beauty and practicality into their surroundings. In her free time, Victoria enjoys hiking with her dog, sharing a meal with friends, or adding to her houseplant collection.

Ross Downer

Crew Leader - Build

Ross graduated from Old Dominion University in 2007 and immediately headed West. He then headed North, then West again, and after a few more stops finally arrived in Southwest Montana in 2012. Five years after "just a winter" of skiing, he found Blanchford Landscape Group. As someone who believes in the physical and mental health benefits of being in nature, Ross was a natural fit as a Crew Leader, creating outdoor living spaces with BLG where he is able to use his passion to create while enjoying the beauty, weather and scenery that Montana has to offer.

Blake Beazer

Assistant Crew Leader - Build

Born and raised in the Canadian Rockies right by Waterton lakes national park and Glacier national park. Blake has a passion for being outdoors and observing nature. Growing up on a farm, he also got to enjoy operating heavy equipment and working with animals. Pursuing a career in construction and heavy equipment operations, Blake has grown to appreciate architecture and landscaping. In 2019m after Blake got his real estate license, he began to enjoy working with people and finding families their forever homes. Real estate has gained him skills in architecture design and landscaping, which have helped with his overall understanding of property value and potential. In 2024 Blake moved to Bozeman to call it home.

Meg Gordon

Garden Manager

Meg is originally from Weare, NH and moved to Bozeman in 2022. She has a degree in Environmental Planning and a certification in Permaculture from Plymouth State University. After looking for a change in career and with a love of gardening, Meg found Blanchford! She enjoys creating beautiful outdoor spaces and a career that keeps her active and in tune with nature. When not working, Meg can be found doing yoga, tending to her veggie garden, snowboarding and skiing.

Katie Horn

Garden Manager

Katie is from Naperville, IL and moved to Bozeman in 2021. After graduating from Illinois State University with a degree in Horticulture and Landscape Management, she joined the Montana Conservation Corps in Bozeman. Katie finds joy in working outside in the dirt and gardening, which led her to Blanchford! She has a passion for dendrology and preserving the natural landscape. Outside of work you can find her rollerblading, swimming laps, mushroom hunting, fishing or watching the WNBA.

Corinne Stephens

Garden Manager

Corinne is originally from southern California. She graduated from UCSD with a B.A. in Latin American Studies in 2012. Since then, she has gradually moved north. She lived in southern Oregon for seven years and ran a small flower and herb farm. She moved to Montana in 2023 and is establishing a new path in landscaping. She enjoys hikes, hanging out by the river, and cooking. She loves growing vegetables and flowers—and through that connecting people to the land.

Daria Savchenko

Crew Leader - Garden Services

Daria grew up in Hawaii and Oregon, and has always had a passion for the natural world around her. She graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Outdoor Recreation Management in 2022. Here at Blanchford Landscape Group, she enjoys creating beautiful landscapes for both people and the ecosystem to enjoy.

Nicki Halverson

Crew Leader - Garden Services

Nicki was born in Minnesota but has lived in Bozeman since 1998. She loves spending time with her daughter and their cat and dog. Nicki loves live music, traveling all over and adventuring around Montana and neighboring states as much as possible. You can find her on the water in the summer months or at a local hot springs. Nicki's background is in social work and food retail but after a season of landscaping she found her passion.

Looking to grow your career?