Finish Grading - Turf Development

 Hermann Lindau & Son, Inc., established in 1956, is recognized as a premier Long Island landscape contractor. Our core expertise lies in natural turf development, including professional sodding, seeding, and meticulous site finish grading for substantial projects, ensuring exceptional quality and results.

"Experience and skills cannot be bought; they have to be earned"

 "This image captures a pivotal moment in the history of Long Island's turf grass industry. These pioneers, driven by an idea and fueled by friendship and hard work, laid the groundwork for the industry we know today in the New York metro area. Among them is Hermann Lindau (lower right, pictured in 1928), a key figure in this remarkable story of innovation and dedication." 

The mid-20th century was the golden age of American parkway construction, and the lush, scenic vistas enjoyed by millions today were shaped by the hands of industry pioneers. Following his service in World War II, Hermann Lindau teamed up with his business partner and friend Bob Dohne to form a company, Lindau & Dohne, that would set a new standard for large-scale turf and landscaping across the Northeast. Together, they transformed massive infrastructure projects into the "scenic ribbons" of greenery that define the American driving experience.

Often described as a "100-mile postcard," the Taconic State Parkway is a National Historic Landmark celebrated for how it harmonizes with the Hudson Valley. Lindau and Dohne executed the extensive sodding and landscaping that softened the road's engineering with natural beauty. During this project, they were among the first to utilize early sod-cutting technology, moving away from the hand-cut methods of the 1920s to meet the intense demands of modern infrastructure. Their work helped create the parkway's signature aesthetic, where manicured medians and lush embankments flow perfectly into the surrounding forests.

In the late 1940s, the partnership took on one of the most ambitious projects in the country: the Maine Turnpike. As the state’s first post-war "superhighway," the project required innovation on a massive scale. For this monumental task, Hermann Lindau and Bob Dohne collaborated with friend Louis DeLea, working together to manage a 47-acre sodding and turf development project. This wasn't just about beauty; it was a feat of engineering. Their expertise provided essential erosion control to protect newly carved highway embankments and median culverts from Maine’s harsh winters, once again proving the efficiency of their mechanized approach to large-scale landscaping.

As a vital artery connecting New York City to the growing suburbs of Long Island, the Northern State Parkway was designed to be a "garden corridor." Lindau and Dohne were key figures in the post-war expansion and beautification of this route. Their work focused on planting, finish grading, and high-end turf installation, allowing the roadway to blend seamlessly into the prestigious estates of the North Shore. They executed complex landscaping contracts that defined the parkway's character, using expansive lawn areas to provide drivers with a serene, natural experience.

The partnership between Hermann Lindau and Bob Dohne laid the groundwork for a three-generation legacy of excellence. In 1956, this foundation led to the launch of Hermann Lindau & Son, Inc. From the 1939 World’s Fair to the hallowed fairways of Bethpage Black, the standards set by Lindau and his close circle of colleagues helped define the American ideal: a perfect marriage of modern progress and natural splendor.

 "This 1927 advertisement from The Long-Islander newspaper offers a fascinating glimpse into the early days of the turf industry on Long Island. It highlights Probeck, a well-established Greenlawn company and a true pioneer in the field. At a time when harvesting and installing field grass sod was a demanding, labor-intensive process, Probeck was already making a name for itself serving the greater New York metro area. This ad serves as a tangible reminder of the industry's roots and the ingenuity of those who built it."