It was the desire of 12-year-old Leland Bruce to attend the National Boy Scout Jamboree in California that became the seedling of what is now the Bruce Co.

"Lee wanted to raise enough money to travel to California, so he borrowed a tractor to plow his neighbors' gardens," said Bliss C. Nicholson, president and CEO of the Middleton-based company.

Leland's father, Leonard Bruce, was proud of his son and adamant that this was his son's business and that he was not involved in it. But when the largest sod job to happen in Wisconsin was contracted to then-15-year-old Lee, his father had to sign the contract as Lee was too young. The job was sodding the Eagle Heights development in Madison.

Celebrating 60 years this year, the company is one of the largest landscape contractors in the country. The company has branch offices of its landscape management division in Racine and Milwaukee. The company also has nearly 600 acres of nursery stock grown near Verona.

The business offers design and build landscape services for commercial and residential properties, along with irrigation systems.

The Bruce Co. also does golf course design and maintenance, with projects in 13 states and courses designed by some big names in golf including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.

A recently added aquatic division features ponds and water treatments.

"We also do outdoor lighting to highlight the beauty of a landscape after sunset," said Tom Raemisch, manager of the landscape management division.

Lee Bruce, now 72, sold the business to a group of employees including Nicholson three years ago. The company has 450 to 500 employees, depending on the season, many of whom have been with the company for more than 50 years.

During the winter, the company does snow plowing and holiday decor installation.

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Longevity in Business: Bruce Co. sprouted from 12-year-old's initiative