Meet the Stone Blossom team
At Stone Blossom, we are a diverse and passionate group of individuals dedicated to creating quality landscape designs and serving our clients with excellence. Get to know us better by reading our bios below!
Beth Stavru
Owner / Construction Manager
Beth Stavru
After graduating from Ithaca College in 1995 with a master’s degree in Sport Psychology, Beth decided to take the summer off. That summer she found a job in landscaping and discovered her true passion. After spending several years with a high-end landscape design/build firm, she started Stone Blossom in 2007 with a good friend and fine gardener.
When her business partner left to pursue a career in organic lawn care, Beth focused on growing the design and construction aspects of the business. Her efforts paid off. Stone Blossom has grown to offer landscape design, construction, planting, fine gardening, and lighting services.
Beth loves art, the outdoors and being active. She enjoys the physicality and creativity required to build and create things that our clients will enjoy for many years. She is very grateful for the wonderful team at Stone Blossom and loves the relationships that have grown over the years with many of our clients.
When she has time off, Beth enjoys listening to music and the outdoors, particularly the ocean. Any day spent near the ocean is a great day!
Samantha Allen
Fine Gardening Manager / Horticulturist
Samantha Allen
Samantha joined Stone Blossom in 2019 as a fine gardening crew member, and currently leads our fine gardening division. Having been influenced by her mom’s love of gardening, Sam started her career at the New England Botanic Garden. She worked as an intern before transitioning to a full-time position as a gardener and horticulture secretary. Maintaining the botanic garden’s plant database helped grow her knowledge of plants, which she passes along to her team members every day.
Although she received her BA in Business, Sam has furthered her education to include becoming a New Hampshire Certified Landscape Professional, as well as a certification from the UMASS Extension Green School.
Sam enjoys taking time in the winter to ski and enjoy all the beauty that this part of the country has to offer. Nothing makes her happier than flowers, and nothing brings her more peace than being outside in nature. She is fascinated by bugs and considers herself an amateur entomologist. She also has a love for rocks and mushrooms, and recently became belay certified for rock climbing. She has also been spending time brushing up on her French skills, having minored in French in college.
Reese Crotteau
Fine Gardening Crew Leader
Reese Crotteau
Reese enjoys designing and maintaining outdoor spaces and gardens that are functional and beautiful. In his free time, he enjoys music, stand-up comedy, nordic skating and skiing. Reese lives in Manchester, NH with his wife and two dogs.
Lara Skinner
Fine Gardening Crew Leader
Lara Skinner
Lara is starting her fifth season as a fine gardener in 2025, and it is her third with Stone Blossom. She has a background in journalism, with a bachelor’s degree from University of New Hampshire, and over 20 years of customer service experience in various roles.
Since joining Stone Blossom, she has become a Certified Landscape Professional with the New Hampshire Landscape Association, and completed professional development courses in plant identification and tree pruning. In 2025 she is beginning to learn the science of plants by pursuing an educational certificate in basic botany with the Native Plant Trust of Massachusetts.
At home she experiments with meadow plantings in her urban yard, and lives with 3 cats and her husband.
When she can, she travels around New England to pretend she’s a tourist, and someday will learn to speak Swedish and paint with watercolors. And maybe play the ukulele.
Cate Gould
Landscape Designer
Cate Gould
Cate joined the Stone Blossom family in 2023 as a member of the planting crew. After three seasons in various positions with the planting crew, she moved into the role of in-house Landscape Designer. During her time at Stone Blossom, she pursued continuing education through NHTI’s Landscape and Environmental Designs programs, and is set to graduate in May 2026 with an AS in Landscape Design with an accompanying Landscape Design certification.
A love of being outside started early for Cate, with her father being an Eagle Scout and avid outdoorsman. Most days were filled with impromptu hikes through the neighboring woods where she grew up in the Southeast, and typically returned with pockets full of rocks, pinecones, acorns, and the occasional lizard. Since her father’s MS diagnosis in 2015 which leaves him unable to walk without assistance, Cate had a strong sense of carrying on the family bond of appreciating nature through her work.
Aside from her love of plants, Cate enjoys spending time playing video games, practicing archery with her brothers, concert going, and planning trips to the renaissance fair with her friends.
Jay Gibney
Landscape Lighting Manager / Planting Crew Leader
Jay Gibney
Jay started with Stone Blossom in 2021, after owning and operating a landscape maintenance and property preservation company for years. Jay loves being outdoors and appreciates all that is involved in creating natural landscapes that can be enjoyed day or night.
Jay lives in the Lakes Region of NH with his family and enjoys all the lakes and White Mountains have to offer.
Kitty Stefanski
Office Manager
Kitty Stefanski
Kitty joined Stone Blossom in 2012 after working in various fields, including medical technology, environmental labs, medical and chiropractic offices, early supports & services, and property insurance. She received her bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology from UCONN.
Among her proudest accomplishments are raising four wonderful children with her husband, Dan. She enjoys boating, snowmobiling, RV’ing, genealogy, crocheting, working for Stone Blossom, and traveling, but mostly loves spending time with her kids and grandchildren.
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