Picture what the country's largest, gated retirement community looks like. Then superimpose a spectacular setting in Southern California. The image would be Leisure World where 20,000 residents enjoy a living environment second to none.Imagine theaters, 27 holes of golf, tennis courts, riding stables, arts and crafts along with wood and machine shops, a radio station and newspapers, not to mention two dedicated garden centers and a bus line. There's a library, too, and boccie ball courts, lawn bowling... and the list goes on.

Take exit 90 off Interstate 65 in Indiana and turn left twice and you'll be on the doorstep of Reynolds Landscape Maintenance. Located in Franklin, Indiana, approximately 20 miles south of Indianapolis, Reynolds maintains 78 residential properties in and around Franklin and mows 80 acres of industrial turf. The company started mowing lawns better than 20 years ago, before, in the words of owner Dave Reynolds, it "became fashionable to be in the maintenance business."

Florida grass is different from other grasses around the country. Sure, it has a reputation of being a tough customer on mower decks. In the peak growing season, it also grows like there is no tomorrow. As head of the lawn maintenance department for Del Tura and Del Vera Country Clubs in North Fort Myers, Phil Di Bernardo knows that for a fact. "Sometimes I swear you can sit and watch the grass grow. It's got to grow an inch a day," he tells.

Gib Charles, owner of Greening-Up Landscape Maintenance, Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado, is a prototypical landscape maintenance contractor.

Five years ago, an accident left Jeff Vining paralyzed from his chest down. A break between his sixth and seventh vertebrae rendered him a quadriplegic.

Owners of successful lawn and landscape maintenance companies have at least one common bond. They will tell you there is no shortcut to the top.