BY N.J. DEVICO Correspondent

Thousands oohed and ahhed as they walked through the tranquil environment created by Grounds Keeper Inc. , Old Bridge, during the recent New Jersey Flower, Garden and Outdoor Living Show.

The 30-year-old landscape firm that designs, builds and maintains naturalistic outdoor living spaces presented a 3,000-square-foot display with the sights, sounds and smells of a wooded landscape, including waterfalls, paths and foot bridges, ground cover, flowers, shrubs and trees, and natural stone, wood and metal. The presentation, titled "Back to Nature: A Cabin in the Woods," was widely recognized at the event, held at the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, Edison, winning several first-place awards including Best In Show.

As a tape of chirping birds played in the background at the display, landscape architect Craig Termotto, of Manalapan-based CST Design Group LLC, explained that Jay Eriv, president of Grounds Keeper , and one of five key members of the team, had a concept: "A walk through the woods, getting back to nature. I did quick sketches after thinking about how to get from point A to point B, how people would walk around. It was like designing outdoor rooms," Termotto said. After a few adjustments, the space was built in three days, he said. Did it look like he thought it would?

"More much more," Termotto said. "Of all the people I know in this business, no one has as much love, knowledge and passion for plants as Jay." Lou-Ann Bock, who accessorized the garden, said that the show would not have been such a success without "the backbone" of the company - the folks who executed the design. "Jay's the visionary, but Michael Konefal, Tim Nugent and Brian Settlecowski, along with Jay, will take that vision, and time after time after time, they'll blow your mind. They don't whine; they don't complain. They're such good guys," Bock said.

Nugent and Settlecowski, both landscapers, have worked with Eriv for more than 15 years; Konefal, who designed the lighting and wired the stereo system, joined Grounds Keeper in 1999.

"Brian has a wonderful eye for rock placement and boulder work," Bock said. "And Tim does beautiful plant placement." Bock stressed that every individual who works for the company is one piece of a unified puzzle.

In addition to Best of Show, Grounds Keeper won the Louise Morris Memorial Award for best interpretation of a theme; the Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension Award for best educational display; the Keeping It Green Award for most environmentally friendly design; and the Clayton Companies Award for best use of hardscape materials. The company placed second for both the Golden Koi and People's Choice awards.

The People's Choice Award went to Ash's Flower Farm, Hillsborough.