Did you know that the largest segment of landscape businesses have 1-5 employees?

Why is that?

Many of us are independent types that like things a certain way. We also like having fewer things that can go wrong.

Plus, our work, our trade is important to us.

And we like the relationships that go with it.  The loyal customers and like-minded tradespeople we work with make it awesome.

The idea of growing our businesses by getting bigger — well that can be a scary thought.  And maybe one you’d rather not consider.

Here’s a huge point in the discussion of big company vs. small company:

[box border=”full” style=”rounded”]In the “2015 State of the Industry Report” from Lawn & Landscape Magazine, they revealed the biggest limit on business is a shortage of labor.  Owners cite a lack of quality employees as having the biggest impact on their businesses in the next 3 years — more than insurance costs, low-ball competitors and fuel prices.

What’s important to realize too is that this shortage of good help affects us in many ways — business stability, quality, customer complaints … just to name a few.

So is there a way to have a successful, small landscape business — and keep it small?  Of course.  But it takes a different way of thinking from how most landscape companies operate today.

A different approach

When I started my landscape company in 1979 it was to have independence and control.  I loved the trade and wanted to practice it a certain way.  No shortcuts.  No compromising.

The decision to stay small was also a way to minimize variables — things that could go wrong.  To this day I operate my business based on that maxim.

And small businesses are inherently more agile.  This lets you adapt as circumstances change and your business grows.

But there are important practices that go along to make this small business model so effective for the long-term.

[quote]If you combine a certain set of core principles — what I call the “owner/operator” principles — with sound business practices, you’ll build the foundation that will grow with you.[/quote]

Let’s go through these 7 Owner/Operator Principles.  I should warn you.  There is no magic bullet or overnight success formula here.

It takes time and hard work to establish any successful business.  But following these principles will start to distinguish you from the majority of landscape companies today.  And that’s what we’re going for.

1. Your reputation is your success.  People get to know, like and trust you because you’re capable & caring.
2. Always produce and represent quality in your work and through your recommendations.
3. Every experience customers have with you must be great (at the very least darn good).
4. Be realistic about work that is not within your skillset or capability.  Establish relationships with other tradespeople to provide these services.
5. Always look to build new relationships — with customers and your network.  But remember to nurture existing relationships.  They’re your greatest asset.
6. Always be open-minded.  Always be learning.
7. Share what you know to build credibility & trust.  Teach to sell.

As I work with different companies on my projects it’s interesting to see which of these principles they’re practicing.  What I see and how these companies are doing just reinforces how important each principle is.

They are so fundamental to our owner/operator model, you’ll see some aspect of them in everything we talk about on LandscapeAdvisor.

What you can expect

When you follow the 7 Owner/Operator Principles, and use sound business practices along with some “smart” marketing, you can look forward to:

• Respect & recognition as a skilled tradesperson
• Referrals & recommendations
• Ever-growing customer base for repeat work
• Infrequent price comparisons from prospects
• Add-ons and other revenue streams
• “Time & Materials” work

If you look at these outcomes closely, you’ll see each one is because of an excellent reputation and trust — the core of any successful business.

Think of the 7 Owner/Operator Principles as your foundation.  On it you can build a business that actually grows with you.  Opportunities will naturally present themselves.

[quote]And over time your physical involvement can and should be less.  You become more solution-provider, overseer and project manager.  A Landscape Producer.[/quote]

Putting the principles to work — no matter what stage your business is in

Here is one of my favorite quotes:

[box border=”full” style=”rounded”]“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.  The second best time is now.” — Chinese Proverb

You can apply this message to any part of your life. It’s never too late … for anything.  Well, almost anything.

Here’s the thing.  It doesn’t matter if you’re running a landscape maintenance business, hardscape company or design/build.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in business for years or just starting out.

Your business will benefit immediately — even if you just start practicing one or two of the principles.  But this is what you’ll find.  One principle leads to another, which leads to another.

It’s a mindset.  A company culture.  A smart way to run your business so that it grows with you without building a big company.

Some of the businesses I work with I’d categorize as “Maintenance & Landscape Contracting”.  That is, they do mostly maintenance with some contracting work (e.g. plantings, some construction, etc.).

One of those owner/operators called me the other day and surprised me.  A maintenance client of his wanted to create levels out of their sloped backyard.  This contractor asked me if I’d design the levels and layout.  And he would build the walls.

Since we’ve been working together he has started practicing some of the Owner/Operator Principles.  In this case — where typically he’d be working with me on my jobs — now he’s asking me to draw for him.

His client is used to great service on the maintenance side.  And he knows he can’t afford to disappoint them with this landscape work.  Principle #3.

He also knows he has the experience and capability to do the work — it’s just the design he’s not sure of.  Principle #4.

The next logical step

Have you ever heard the saying, “Business is simple — it’s just not easy”?  You hear it a lot from business coaches and consultants.  I don’t think truer words have ever been spoken.

You look at the 7 core principles and think how could any business that does these things not do well?  I know.

But these principles take work and focus.  “If it were easy, everybody would be doing it”.  We’ve all heard that one too.

But when your business starts to see the growth, the referrals, the trust, … you’re psyched.  You want to see where this all can take you.

In my next article I’ll give you a “roadmap” of how your business can grow and evolve using these 7 Owner/Operator Principles.  It will help you realize what landscape business category you’re in, the things you should be focused on, and where you might go next.

In the meantime think about the 7 principles.  Heck, write them down if it helps.  I think about #3 a lot.  Because when I do it seems the others just naturally come to mind.

Which of the 7 are part of your business practices?  Maybe you have other principles you operate by.  Are you stuck on any — or how your business could implement them?  Drop it in the comments and we’ll try to help.

For the aspiring self-employed, or even for those considering career changes – these are big moves.  So you want to do your due diligence.  And if you already have a landscape business, maybe there’s a better way of doing things.

Well after 40 years in the trade, as you’d expect, I have some thoughts about the industry.  Maybe some of these will help guide you as to whether the landscape business is a good fit for you.  And if you have a landscape business maybe this will shed some new light on your current thinking.

What is The Landscape Industry?

Well that is one broad topic and question.  You can read about my breakdown of the industry in my article “Real Opportunities in The Landscape Industry“.

The short answer is the landscape industry is made up of professions and trades that cover all the different aspects of a beautiful and sustainable landscape.

From design to construction to care, each of these are so related, so dependent on one another, that if you compromise on any of them the landscape “pays a price”.

The landscape is a living thing — an ecosystem.  And this is what makes the industry so interesting.

[box border=”full” style=”rounded”]Every day you’re learning.  If you embrace that fact you’ll have the first (maybe the most important) ingredient to success in this field.

Enjoy Your Work.  Isn’t That An Oxymoron?

I hope this doesn’t sound familiar:

The alarm goes off and you have no desire to get out of bed.  You can’t wait for the weekend — and it’s only Tuesday.

If that’s you, then your work is probably just another day at “the job” — which may turn into months or even years.  You might even hate what you do and feel like you don’t matter.  That’s a terrible feeling.

Many of the folks I work with in the industry truly enjoy what they do.  In most cases, it’s what got them interested in the first place.

They like the pride & satisfaction of seeing improvement on the homes they work on.  They like being appreciated and respected by customers.  And the referral work often takes care of the “selling” part.

But many landscape companies don’t ever get to really enjoy these things.  Instead, they just work harder and harder to find and keep customers.  They’re constantly nervous another company will come along and offer to do what they do for less money.

Why do some landscape companies struggle like this?  Why aren’t they enjoying the confidence, security and freedom some other companies do?

Public Perception and The Trades

Today the home improvement trades are not generally admired for what they are.

But that’s where the problem is.  It’s because of what they are; what they’ve become.

We’ve moved away from the skilled tradesperson and craftsman to a more commodity-based service model.

“A commodity is a product or service for which there is demand, but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market.”

Why did this happen?

Over time, people became less interested in the trades for a career.  They moved toward technology and other less hands-on jobs.

As a result craftsmanship and quality began to decline.  And so did the public’s appreciation for the skill & knowledge of the trades.

Now here’s some good news.  The public is now starting to be informed about the art & science of landscaping — and the other trades too.

Websites like Houzz and TV networks like HGTV are showing people what beautiful landscapes are made of.  And although sometimes this information is not the best, in general it’s all helping give our trade some cred.

[quote]But the reality is you can’t count on poor public perception changing.  That’s why here at LandscapeAdvisor I talk about ways you can change people’s perception of you.[/quote]

We Are Our Own Worst Enemy

What makes people see our business as just a commodity-based service?  A service they imagine anybody could do.

I see two reasons for it — and the two actually work together to create this public perception — this problem.

The first issue, which I mentioned, is consumers are generally unfamiliar about the depth of our industry.  Many have no clue about the science, engineering and creativity that’s involved.

The second issue, and this is a big one, is many people in this business are unprofessional.  With a low barrier of entry, this industry is full of people with little more knowledge than the customers themselves.  You have “the uninformed leading the uninformed”.

So, as a result of consumer naivete’ and an overall lack of industry professionalism, the average customer sees it as simply a commodity — with price as the only differentiator.  And this often causes “low-ballers”.  I’m sure you’ve heard this term before.  Every home improvement trade has them.

Low-balling is giving a price that is well below the appropriate pricing level of the work.  Often times a business gives a low-ball price because they simply don’t understand the trade or proper pricing for profit and success.  They just want to get the job.

And there’s another reason for low-ball pricing, and this one is more deliberate and sinister.  It’s used as a selling technique where the service is offered at a lower price just to get the job, and then the contractor uses unethical techniques to increase prices and upsell wherever he or she can.

Either type of low-baller is wrong.  Ignorance is never an excuse — and low-balling to deceive and take advantage?…  Not good.

If the basis for your sales and imagined success is low-price, you will fail.  It is a race to the bottom, and you’ll likely win.  Using price as a differentiator screams “I’m mediocre”.  It tells people you’re a commodity — you do the same thing the other landscaper does and you’ll do it cheaper.

And as I mentioned earlier, it’s not just the landscape industry that struggles with poor public perception.

Almost every homeowner I meet has a bad contractor experience to talk about — roofers, carpenters, masons…you name it.

In the Jan., 2015 edition of Irrigation & Green Industry Magazine, there’s an article titled “Contractors Fined $1.2 Million”.  It says: “The most frequently filed consumer complaints are under the subject home improvement.”

Even the best public-relations firm can’t help with facts and articles like that.

Some contractors I know complain about the low-ballers and unprofessional work out there, and they’re frustrated with the poor image that goes with it.

But I see it differently, as do other business owners I know and work with.  There’s opportunity here…

The Unfair Advantage (That Sets You Apart)

To put it simply, poor public perception is the by-product of a short supply of knowledge, craftsmanship and ethics.  And consumers are becoming more aware of this unprofessionalism through social media and other sources.

Television shows like Holmes on Homes and Catch a Contractor are really educating homeowners on what to avoid and what to look for in home improvement contractors.

Dave Kennedy, one of the contributors for LandscapeAdvisor, makes an interesting point.  He says some of his best customers are those who had a bad experience with another company.

These customers continue to have Dave do work for them, and recommend him every chance they get.  It’s like having an unpaid salesforce.

By practicing the trade correctly and educating people through your marketing and personal experiences with them, you’re building a secure, more reliable business.

Today, the only path forward is to stand out.  Otherwise, you’re one of many – with price as your only differentiator.

So don’t be too concerned about the “poor public perception” issue.  Instead, think of it as your marketing-partner.

But What About The Big Companies?

If you try to be just like the big companies, but smaller, you can’t compete.  You have to do what they’re not able to.

Take advantage of what you have so that you can beat the competition with what they don’t.  Those are the things we talk about on LandscapeAdvisor.

A while back I said business is coming full circle — and I think we’re there.

In the old economy companies would try to look big and powerful.  Today it’s the opposite.  Big companies are trying to look smaller and more personable because that’s what people are looking for.

Build Your Business (and Tribe) of Loyal Customers

Recently a design client of mine wanted me to meet with a landscape contractor he used once before.  I was getting bids from contractors in my network, and the homeowner wanted this company’s bid too.

I’m always curious to see how contractors I meet operate, including things like how they generate work.

This contractor told me he relies on a system of ads with coupons.  He has these things set up (evidently there are ad companies that do this) so that thousands go out in mailings and in other ways.

Enough people respond to these ads with coupons that he runs around all day meeting with folks.  His percentage of sales-to-prospects is low, but because he does so many, it works for him.

By the way, he gave a competitive bid for the work, but did not get the job.  The quality of work was just not good.  He lost the job and the customer he had once done work for.

This is so common — a company is working hard, but doing the wrong hard work.

When you do the right hard work you build two critical business assets: reputation and customer base.  The two always go together.  They grow exponentially together.  I call this “momentum”.

Word-of-Mouth

In my work area there is a small landscape company that does residential maintenance.  It’s an owner/operator business with 3 or 4 employees.

The owner concentrates on doing the general yearly maintenance along with some seasonal enhancement work.  He does not attempt work outside these categories.  If his customers request bigger or more involved tasks, he uses his network within the trade to get them done.

You can actually drive through the neighborhoods this company works in and identify the properties they take care of.  The difference is that obvious.  The company does not compromise on anything.  They use best horticultural practices and meet or exceed their customer’s expectations.

I know the owner and have asked him if he’d take on some of my projects as new accounts.  He told me with all the referrals he gets there’s a waiting list.

Reputation.  Loyal customer base.  Momentum.

Build Relationships and Your Network

It’s hard for me to imagine running my business over the years without my network of people in the trade.

Today we read how important networking is in this “new economy”.   Actually, the concept began helping me years ago — and today it’s integral to my business.

And I was thinking, how did I come about realizing the value of a network?

Strangely enough, back then looking for help and advice from others came out of “fear”.  I was afraid of not doing certain things well for my customers and losing their trust in me.

I knew enough to know what I didn’t know.

Through the years my network of tradespeople and other professionals has enabled me to do great work on my projects.  And I’ve learned so much from working with these talented people.  You can do the same.

Build your network to cover the things you don’t know and don’t do well enough.  You’ll soon realize what an effective tool it is to grow your capabilities and business — all while staying lean and productive at the things you enjoy and do well.

[quote]You want every experience customers have with you to be remarkable.  That’s where trust, reputation, customer-base and referrals come from.[/quote]

Is This For Me?

What I’ve come to realize about careers is you have to enjoy your work, and it has to provide security.

It’s not hard to find enjoyment among all the different categories of the landscape industry.  Whether you like creativity, building things, solving problems, or just working with the environment — there’s something for you.

The challenge of job security weighs on us all, no matter what field you’re in.  And whether you work for a company or have your own, there will always be variables and uncertainties.

Whatever path you might take in the landscape industry, the surest way to enjoy it and be successful is to know and practice the trade properly.  That, by itself, will make you stand out.

So where to begin?  As with everything, the fundamentals give you a good base knowledge to start.  Sign up for my free ebook, “Landscape Contracting Fundamentals” to give you that base.  I also send out helpful advice to do the kind of work that builds your reputation as a professional.

Along with the fundamentals, grow your knowledge by the questions and challenges you have each day on the job.  Finding those answers and solving those problems correctly is where the real learning is.

You can then take that knowledge to advise your customer.  Educate them to the benefits of doing things properly.  People will see right away you’re different.

So what do you think about the landscape industry?  Are your experiences and observations different?  Let’s talk about it in the comments.

“Oh, so you plant trees, cut grass, and do stuff like that?”

Believe it or not that’s how a good number of folks view the landscape industry.  They think landscapers (BTW, I don’t like that word) are more or less a collection of laborers for outdoor work — certainly not a “professional” workforce.

Public perception is one of the challenges we face, and we’re going to be talking more about that on LandscapeAdvisor.  But here’s a key point:

[quote]Poor public perception does not have to be a negative. In fact, use it to set yourself apart from the “clutter”.[/quote]

Whenever I need to explain to someone in the “uninformed” public what I do, or what the landscape industry does, I put it this way.  First, I tell them I love my work. That really gets their attention.  Then I explain that with landscapes you have to take into account a number of factors and influences.

I mention how science plays a big role because you’re dealing with soil, plants, insects and disease.  Engineering is real important too because we’re moving earth and constructing all sorts of outdoor features.  And finally, all these elements have to not only function well together, but look good and last a very long time.

Usually after that short explanation they have an “aha” moment; a better understanding and respect for what we do.  And that’s a big part of how you succeed and set yourself apart.  You inform & advise people.  You help them understand what’s really going on with their landscape and how you’ll improve things.

When you approach your landscape business and customers in that way, you’ll see how much people respect you and count on you.  It’s not only the work that’s enjoyable, but the relationships that go with it.  At this stage in my career I’m now landscaping the children’s homes of past customers.  Very cool.

Branches of The Landscape Industry (pun intended)

Since well-planned and maintained landscapes include so many different influences, the industry has created quite a few categories of businesses.  The diagram shows the 11 that I commonly see and work with.

As you can imagine, there are also many variations of these 11 categories.  And companies sometimes create their own unique business by combining some of the categories — or even becoming more specialized within one category.

Let’s take a look at each.  You’ll see how every category has its own knowledge & skill requirements.  But you’ll also see how connected and important each category is to the others.  The landscape is truly an ecological system.

Tip: If you’re considering working for a company in any of these categories, only speak to those that are respected and admired.  Ask around, including talking to as many people in the green industry as possible. Nurseries and other suppliers can sometimes help point out the better companies.

Garden Center / Nurseryperson

Garden Centers can have a real mix of green industry talent — as they should.  Customers will come looking for advice & products for anything to do with their landscapes.  And that makes it a great job for getting general knowledge.  As a matter of fact, that’s how I started.

You naturally think “plants” with a garden center, and that certainly is a major part of their business.  But homeowners are also coming in looking for help with design, lawns, hardscape, water-features, irrigation, … you name it.  Even insect & disease problems.

I include “nurseryperson” in this category because these 2 fields share some similarity — and that’s plant knowledge.  In the garden center the plant expert can usually give some design advice too.

So there is a specific category or career known as nurseryman.  I’d rather say nurseryperson because men and women work in all fields of the green industry.  A nurseryperson specializes in plants.  This could include propagation, growing & production and sales of plants.

Landscape Maintenance Contractor

Overall, this is probably the most common category of green industry business out there.  And I think that’s partially because it’s relatively easy to get into.

In most cases no real certification is required other than a basic contractor’s license.  And, depending on what aspects of maintenance you get involved with, the equipment cost can be minimal.

Landscape maintenance is a broad business category.  For example, there are companies that essentially focus on keeping properties “groomed”.  They’ll do the seasonal clean-ups, cut the lawn — and weed, edge & maintain all planting beds — snow removal too if needed.

From that basic maintenance service, companies may start to expand on what they offer.  They could do lawn care treatments, tree & shrub care, pruning, mulching, etc.

So you can see how some maintenance companies can start to take on what other green industry contractors do.  Perhaps their customer will ask about planting design & installation, a drainage problem, a new walkway or some other hardscape feature.  But as you might expect, this is often where landscape businesses get into trouble.  We’ll be talking more about the best ways to expand your offerings while staying professional.

Lawn Care Operator / Applicator

This business provides the applications of whatever the lawn needs throughout the year.  This would include things like fertilizer, lime and other soil amendments, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc.  Typically there’s an annual contract for a property that has a certain number of visits and applications included.

You would need certification and an applicator’s license for this business.  And in order to keep the license you’ll need to recertify occasionally.  Check your particular area and state requirements.  In NJ, here are the Private and Commercial Pesticide Applicator Licensing Requirements.

A professional lawn care operator needs to be very knowledgeable of turf.  He or she can then understand soil analysis reports, diagnose turf problems and prescribe the solution(s).

Sometimes a Landscape Maintenance Contractor will work with a Lawn Care Operator to provide this service for their customers.  That’s a great example of how two well-run businesses can have an alliance where both companies benefit — and the customer too!  Very smart.

Plant Health Care Specialist

Today, any company that offers real “Plant Heatlh Care” services is practicing IPM (Integrated Pest Management).

The Environmental Protection Agency defines IPM as “an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices.”

The key phrase here is common-sense practices.  In other words, it’s understanding that everything on a property can either directly or indirectly affect the health of the plants.

But the first thing to consider in Plant Health Care and IPM is: “Is this the right plant in the right spot?”  Because, if not, this plant is already destined to problems.

A typical Plant Health Care and IPM service will monitor all the plants on a property.  The annual contract might have 4,5 or 6 visits scheduled.  Each visit you would walk the property and scout for plant problems and/or potential problems.  If you find something, you’d treat for that particular problem and advise the customer if other steps on the property need to be taken.

You could almost think of yourself as a plant doctor.  The plant health care specialists that have a lot of knowledge and experience are very respected in the landscape industry.  This is a great category if you want a one or two-person business.

You will need certification, and then the proper licensing for applicators.  Check the particular requirements in your area. In NJ, here are the Private and Commercial Pesticide Applicator Licensing Requirements.

Irrigation Contractor

No matter what specific “branch” of the landscape industry you might be in, it’s always an advantage to know something about the other related fields.

For an irrigation contractor I think it’s important to have a certain amount of “general” plant knowledge in addition to the technical knowledge of irrigation.

Think about it.  As an irrigation contractor your responsibility is to deliver the right amount of water to plants & turf.  Yes, some of that control is managed through the system’s “controller”. But with all the different equipment and design possibilities, the controller is just one ingredient of a professionally installed irrigation system.

An irrigation contractor should know the water needs of different plants.  Otherwise, a poorly designed system that over or under waters the plants can do more harm than good.

Some irrigation contractors meet with the landscape designer or contractor to plan how the system should be set up.  Not only can they talk about plant needs, but also things like grades, drainage and soil types.  All these things play a part.

Most, if not all companies that install irrigation systems also service them.  But I also work with a couple of smaller companies that just do service and minor alterations to existing systems.

And here, once again, you can create a niche-type business within a category (like irrigation).  Your small, professional and personable service will be tough to compete with.  And you’ll have an ever-growing, loyal customer base to give your business security and a nice income.

Although certification is not required, it would be helpful to learn and verify best-practices through a certification program.  Also, I can’t think of a better way to show you know the trade well.  Here’s information from the Irrigation Association on certification.

Licensing for irrigation contractors varies from state to state.  The Irrigation Association has this helpful information about licensing.

Hardscape Contractor

Here’s Wikipedia’s definition for hardscaping: The placement of nonplant elements such as fences, walkways, paving, and lighting in a planned outdoor area.  I know — it says “nonplant elements”.  That sure covers a lot of things.

So it’s not hard to imagine a business category that just does hardscaping.  In fact, most hardscape contractors focus on only a few of the elements because, once again, you can spread yourself too thin.

For example, a company may specialize in walls, walkways & patios that are made with manufactured concrete products.  All these manufactured products lend themselves to relatively quick, systematized installation.  And in many cases you can learn these systems right from the manufacturers.  There are even certification courses for installers from organizations like ICPI.

On another end of the spectrum are contractors that specialize in natural stone.  Most everything they build includes some form of natural stone.  As you’d expect, this is a more challenging and time consuming type of work.  There are workshops & courses out there for stone masonry, but I think working with a well-respected stone mason is key to learning the trade.

The list is endless for the different types of hardscape businesses.  One company I work with specializes in granite belgian block.  They do curbs, borders, driveways, and courtyards all out of belgian block.  The quality of their work and efficiency in production is amazing.  The majority of their work is for other contractors and designers (like myself).  The challenge is getting a spot on their busy schedule.

There are hardscape contractors that build ponds & water-features, and garden structures like arbors, trellises & pergolas.  Some work with metal to build structural and decorative features.  Lighting also is an area that some companies specialize in.

Landscape Architect and Designer

How important is good landscape planning and design?  Critically important.  And not just for how the landscape looks, but how the “living” project will hold up and develop over the years.  Just like we talked about earlier — this is where you think about the sciences, engineering, construction and artistry.  As a landscape architect or designer you’re constantly asking yourself how each of these aspects play a part?

The majority of my work is renovations.  These are existing landscapes that are in need of complete re-dos.  Renovation work is a great teacher because you get to see what did and didn’t work.  It’s just amazing the affect that time and the environment has on the things you build and the plants you install.

Frankly, I think it should be a requirement that landscape architects and designers spend time in the field as part of their training.

Landscape Architecture is actually a broad field.  Today there are quite a few areas of specialization, such as: Landscape Design, Site Planning, Urban Design, Park & Recreation Planning, Reclamation & Restoration, etc.

To be a “licensed” landscape architect you’ll need a college degree and then you’ll go through a licensing process, which includes passing the LARE exam.

States and various jurisdictions can have their own requirements.  The ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) has a great website if you have questions about the field.

Landscape Designers are part of a less defined field than landscape architects.  A competent landscape designer combines some of the things landscape architects do, but with a strong emphasis on garden design.  So they’ll take their plant knowledge and apply that to a real good understanding of the site.  Just like an LA they’ll consider the site’s characteristics such as grades, soil type(s), drainage, existing trees, etc.  Then they’ll work closely with the property owner to advise and show what’s possible, both with plantings and hardscape.

This category, landscape designer, is one that I fit into.  What’s interesting to me is realizing all the different influences that go into a design, and then working with all the different professions and talents to make these projects happen.

Currently, there is no “licensing” requirement specific for landscape designers.  The APLD (Association of Professional Landscape Designers) does offer accreditation for “certified landscape designer”.  It’s based upon their review of your education and experience.  The APLD also looks at examples of your work along with your application.

If you’re interested in becoming a landscape designer its smart to begin attending organized courses and programs in related landscape topics.

There are college degrees for ornamental horticulture and landscape design/development, but there are also numerous related courses and programs out there that you could start to take.  Some landscape design courses are part of certificate programs that include other related courses, but can also be taken by themselves.

Also, check locally at community colleges and high schools for certificate programs.  Botanical gardens can offer courses too.

I know respected landscape designers that have little formal education, but have an incredible amount of knowledge & talent.  It comes from experience and devouring every piece of design and related information they can find.  And if you talk with these people you’d see it’s not so much a job as it is a vocation. They just love what they do.

Landscape Design/Build Contractor

A landscape design/build contractor brings together the design aspect of a project plus the actual construction.  A design/build contractor will normally have a landscape architect or designer on staff.  Although some D/B companies (often the smaller ones) get their design work from designers in their network — or from the client’s designer.  But these companies always have people in-house that understand complex landscape plans.

On the construction-end, the D/B contractor provides all the talent & resources to build the project.  Some larger design/build companies have most, if not all the talent & resources in-house. However, more often the D/B contractor will need to bring in other companies, especially in areas like: pools, electrical, carpentry, metal-work, audio/video, etc.

Clients will choose to work with design/build contractors because it puts all the pieces and responsibility of the project “under one roof”.  And as you’re probably thinking, that is a lot of responsibility.

As a D/B contractor, what you decide to do in-house must be top-notch.  And the rest of the work you’re responsible for must come from top-notch contractors & other professionals you know.  This is where your “network & alliances” come in.

Building working-relationships with other contractors & professionals is key to producing any type of work that’s needed — and doing it really well and profitably.  We talk a lot about this on LandscapeAdvisor.

In addition to a network & alliances, a design/build contractor needs a broad knowledge of most landscape topics and how each relates to one another.  And without a doubt, that broad knowledge will go along with years of experience working on complete & complex projects.

A D/B contractor should also be well established with suppliers in the area.  These contacts and relationships are vital, as you can imagine.

Some of the design/build contractors I work with are small companies.  They each have a few skilled employees, a base location to work out of, and a full complement of tools & equipment to match the work they do.

Generally, other than the normal contractor licensing, there is no special requirement or certification.  But make sure you check in your area and jurisdiction.

Landscape Contractor

You’re probably wondering what the difference is between a landscape contractor and a landscape design/build contractor.  Even though they do share similarities and sometimes look the same, there are differences.

A landscape contractor is not usually relied on for design input.  A customer will already know what they want, and maybe need some additional advice about plant selection or material choice.

Landscape contractors will normally not get involved in large, complex projects.  But those that have the experience and skill will take on plantings and construction that fit their ability.

Some landscape contractors have working relationships with designers and landscape architects (just like some D/B contractors).  And these relationships usually benefit both sides.  The designer or architect likes working with a landscape contractor that has the same quality standards and business principles.  And likewise for the landscape contractor — you’ll look to connect with a designer or LA that appreciates your work as a contractor.

When you work with a designer that understands your challenges on production and logistical issues, it’s a beautiful thing.  It becomes a relationship where you work together to get things done and solve problems.  Clients love to see this collaboration on their projects.  This is what I strive for with everybody in my network.

Some landscape contractors are happy (and quite successful) with staying small.  They’ll get laser-focused on what they like to do, what they’re good at, and what the market needs and wants.  This is a great model for those that want a small, personable business and enjoy the hands-on work.

There are maintenance contractors that occasionally take on landscape contractor work.  If the maintenance contractor is well-organized and experienced in that kind of work, it can be done.  The challenge with this, like with any kind of expansion or diversifying, is keeping quality and customer satisfaction up.

Arborist / Tree Work

Although I put arborist and tree work together as a category, they do not always go together.  In other words, there are companies doing “tree work” that do not have a college degreed or certified arborist on staff — and they’re permitted to do that.

Let me just say that there are some excellent tree companies that don’t have an arborist working for them.  They just have a total commitment for doing tree work properly and years of experience.

The ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) created a certification program to teach and standardize important aspects of arboriculture & tree-work.  The ISA also wanted to give the public a means to verify the competence of people in the industry — and I think it does do that.

So then, what’s the best way to get involved with tree work?  I would get experience with a well-established, professional tree company.  And at the same time I would be taking courses related to the field.  No doubt the company you’re working with will pay for those courses.  You’ll be gaining on-the-job experience while building your knowledge credentials.  If all goes well you can eventually test for “Certified Arborist”.

Experience and certification really positions you for a bunch of opportunities in the arborist / tree work field, either working for yourself or another company.

Some tree companies also offer “shrub & tree care” services.  Today, it’s likely these services will resemble those of a “plant health care specialist” — so you’ll see IPM (integrated pest management) strategies & practices.

So What’s the Best Landscape Field (for me)?

If you don’t have any experience in the landscape industry, first think about the categories that interest you.  Learn what you can about them.  It’s going to be way more enjoyable and frankly, easier to succeed at something you love.  At least it will seem easier.

And then speak to people in those categories.  Again, it’s so important to only connect with people and companies that are professional.

You can see the depth of the landscape industry.  It’s not hard to imagine the opportunities.

Maybe you’ve realized I have a liking for smaller businesses.  Certainly some of that comes from being one myself.  But also because experience has shown me that it’s more likely the best work will come from smaller, owner/operator companies.

We have so much to talk about here on LandscapeAdvisor.  We’ll focus on the knowledge and best-practices of the trade.  That is what’s going to make you and your work memorable.  That is what’s going to change people’s perception of you.

On the surface I’d say that’s true, but as owner/operators we need to take this advice with a grain of salt. Going too far in removing yourself from the day-to-day operations can be disastrous.

What makes your business so valued and in demand is the reputation you’ve worked hard to create.  That reputation comes from the great experiences people have doing business with you and your company.

Yes, you and your company provide tangible benefits like knowledge and skill, and those help set you apart. (Most definitely in this trade.)  But you also provide intangible benefits that you instill in the company.  Things like your personality, attention-to-detail, integrity and genuinely caring that your customers get the value they should.

It’s all these things combined that have people talking about you, your work and your company.

Work “At” Your Landscape Business

So does this mean you wear all the hats and believe you’re the only one that can do things right?

Not at all.

When I split with my business partner I had to adopt his responsibilities and continue to operate 2 full crews. I had no maintenance accounts and did strictly design/build work.  Let me tell you – I had my hands full. I struggled with this overwhelm for some time before I realized something had to change.

Eventually we downsized into one main crew, and those employees were great.  Everyone was familiar with our “systems” and the “company culture”.

I also grew my alliances & network and collaborated more.  On the admin side I had someone helping with the book-keeping.

This was the beginning for me of working at my business instead of just in it.

You need time to think and manage.  It’s what makes things really happen. This is what struck me when I took my first incremental step back from being so immersed in the production.

I started using my time (and brain) more effectively – giving just enough input where and when it was needed and then allowing others to follow through.

Little by little this gave me even more time to just think, plan and strategize.  The business and my life started to become more balanced.

What I discovered was that working at your business:

• gives you time to focus on customer relationships and what they truly need and want.  This is what  grows sales, referrals and repeat business.
• gives you time to develop your network and alliances with other like-minded businesses, enabling you to do some pretty amazing work with a relatively small operation.
• gives you the time to market and build your reputation.  Word-of-mouth is great, but with smart marketing more of your “perfect customers” will find you even sooner.

Don’t run away from the “hands-on” entirely.

I’ve witnessed people in our industry go too far with this notion of “work on your business, not in it,” and never with good results.  Their strategy was to create positions that on paper would cover all functions and responsibilities of the business with little or no involvement on their part.

It is our involvement that makes our owner/operator model a business that we can rely on; one that provides not only an income, but builds a solid, long-term asset.  Your brand is you.  People identify your company with you and what you stand for.

Think of Martha Stewart.  You immediately associate her with a keen sense of design, good solid advice, and quality products.  Yes Martha delegates big time, but she remains engaged with her company.  She knows that Martha Stewart herself is part of the “secret sauce”.

Today my responsibilities are design and project management.  And although I don’t have to I still keep a well-equipped tool box on my pick-up.  And here’s why.

Sometimes I’ll provide a contractor with a tool they don’t have with them.  And small tweaks or adjustments on projects are easy fixes for me with these tools.

The actual time I spend with these tools and tasks is minor, but I feel I get so much in return.  Having those particular tools helps to assure the contractors that I understand the work at hand.  Sort of a symbolic thing I guess. I believe they really respect me for my “hands-on” experience.  And we mutually enjoy working together too.

Even my clients know me by my occasional use of the tools and readiness to lend a hand. For me it helps represent a commitment to always want the best results for the customer.  This gains their trust and respect, and that is invaluable.

The key to “working at your business” is to understand clearly what it is you and your company offer that gives that remarkable experience – the things that people love and talk about.  Without a doubt many of those benefits exist because of your contribution.  Distill down those things that you do to maintain that standard and reputation, and that’s where you continue to be involved.

Reality Check: Realize that whatever you do in terms of “managing” your landscape business and moving away from the technical/production side, that you still draw a salary.

So keep that in mind, always qualifying what you do as contributing to the business’s production and profitability.  And, of course, cover your salary as you would any cost of doing business.

An Overall Mindset and Culture That Makes It Work

Having the right tools, systems and relationships in place enable you to manage effectively and profitably.

These are some of the principles to use in working on or at your business.

1. Stay within your capability.  If you don’t have the particular knowledge or resources, don’t put yourself in a position of failure.  Build your network to collaborate with others.  Also, remember, referring other professionals at times can be the smartest thing to do.
2. Minimize or eliminate the “variables” that can affect results.  This is a huge topic, especially when it comes to delegating responsibilities. We’ll be exploring this more on a whole bunch of levels, but it’s a mindset that helps you be consistently profitable with a smaller business.
3. And lastly, do and represent great work.  I know this is common sense, but often it’s not common practice.

Can you see the underlying theme running through these principles?  Yes it’s being smart and doing things properly, but also it’s every decision you make, every action you delegate is to serve the customer and be in their best interest.  If you run everything through that filter you will build trust and long-term relationships.  These are cornerstones of a successful owner/operator business.

So are you working “at” your business?

It doesn’t matter if you’re a one-person operation or with employees.  It’s all about your view of things.  Do you stay “in the trenches” all the time physically trying to make things happen?  Or do you take the “10,000 foot view” occasionally to see if there’s a smarter, more profitable way to do things?

Let’s talk about it in the comments.

It just so happens our industry has a “good-news, bad-news” aspect to it.

Here’s the bad news.  Because the landscape business has a relatively low barrier of entry, there’s a ton of mediocrity out there.  This has caused the general public to view the industry as less than professional.

Here’s the good news.  The mediocrity and poor market perception creates a great opportunity for those that practice the trade properly, and let the market know it.

Commodity Or Skilled Trade?

Some of my design clients change their landscape maintenance contractors regularly in search of a knowledgeable one.  Other homeowners feel resigned to the idea that most companies are the same and…”it is what it is”.

Meanwhile these companies forge ahead competing on price and trying all kinds of tactics and advertising to gain more customers – often to replace the ones they lost.

This can’t be fun.

We all work hard, but these commodity-like companies are doing the wrong hard work.

Do The Right Hard Work

Hard work should result in gain, but smart hard work results in long-term gain. This work has real value that solves problems and helps people get what they desire.

And when people get results and satisfaction from working with you, that starts to build the long-term relationship.  They want to do business with you and they’re happy to tell their friends about you.

More work comes by way of your reputation.

Referrals and word-of-mouth become your sales force so you can focus on what really matters…doing the right hard work.

Help And Advise To Show You’re Different

When I meet with a new customer I talk about the work we have planned.  I tell them why I’m recommending things and how it will help improve their landscape. I’ll then explain how the work will be done.  And if subs are involved I’ll even talk about each contractor.  This is all part of personalizing the experience and showing the thought and care you’re putting into their job.

All the extra steps you take, the systems and materials you use, the other contractors you work with…are all part of your normal workday.  And you may not think to talk about them with your customer.  But these are the things that matter.  These are the things you do work hard at that clearly set you apart from others.

How you operate as a business and collaborate with other skilled contractors speaks volumes of who you are and what you’re all about.  What seems so normal to you is often extraordinary to your customers.

Don’t Sell…Teach

There are two realities in the landscape business:

1. Most homeowners are just not aware of the “right and wrong” ways of doing things.  (This is actually true with many of the trades.)
2. Most homeowners think of landscape contracting as a low-level skill.

Fortunately some of the new home improvement shows and magazines have helped educate people.  The internet has also made homeowners more informed.

Here are some techniques to educate your customers and prospects:

• Talk about what you do and why you do it.
• Show people before and after pictures of your work and explain the stages of the projects.
• Describe the thinking that went into your plant selections.
• Talk about the future benefits to their landscape from the care you’re giving it today.

Educate and build relationships that will grow your business now and continuously.  As a bonus you’ll end up really enjoying these relationships too.

Do you operate your business like this?  If so, does it help keep existing customers?  How about getting new ones?  Let us know what you think in the comments.

It is deciduous, but considered a 4 season plant mainly because:

• It has lush dark green leaves.

• It flowers white in early summer.

• It has bright yellow fall color and cinnamon colored exfoliating bark.

As you can see it’s a great plant, but you need to be aware of its capabilities.

The first year or two it grows slow while it establishes. Then the pace picks up and it becomes quite vigorous.

As a climber I’ve yet to see its limit in height. Planted at the base of a large tree it will cling and climb until it reaches the top. I’m talking 60′ no problem.

The good news is you can control climbing hydrangea with proper pruning. But I say that with a warning.  If you use it in a limited space, like the one we’re about to talk about, you must be diligent with your pruning or it will easily take over the area.

It’s Doing Well – Too Well!

How do you respond to a customer that says that to you?

“I’m glad your climbing hydrangea is doing well, but sorry it’s covering your house.”

You can avoid those embarassing moments by knowing a plant’s capability right from the start.  Then you can advise your customer what to expect, how they can care for it or how others will care for it.

In the picture above climbing hydrangea is working well on this brick wall. But the plant wants to get bigger, as it does every year. It’s in its DNA.

Notice that the real dominant growth is towards the top. It wants to climb and get as tall as it can. I’ve used climbing hydrangea on homes where it is maintained just below the second story eaves. Not easy to do, but the look is beautiful.

How To Go About Controlling This Climber

The best time to prune climbing hydrangea is after it flowers.

The new flower buds are formed soon after flowering and remain on those stems for the following year. So you’d rather not cut those off if possible.

However, unless you operate with a “calendar of tasks” for your maintenance accounts, you will most likely prune the hydrangea when you’re there pruning everything else.

Site-specific care (doing tasks for a particular property when and if they are needed) is something I’m a strong proponent of.  Not many landscape maintenance companies follow a “site-specific” program.  Most are more “cookie-cutter”.  Clients are always asking me to recommend a company with higher level service like this, but there are simply too few to meet the demand.

So regardless of when you prune climbing hydrangea, cut back the long shoots and those growing outward from the wall to just above a bud or leaf point. Prune selectively using hand pruners.

Often I’ll follow an aggressively growing branch to its “point of origin” and make my cut there.  This is the point where the lateral branch connects to a larger stem.

This climber produces “aerial roots” that attach themselves to whatever structure is nearby. When first planted you may have to help it attach to the structure by:

• Installing the plant so it deliberately leans and touches the wall or structure.

• Tying some of the main branches to the wall or structure temporarily till they attach. Several materials and methods will do this, but be careful these ties don’t constrict around the branches.

These aerial roots will sometimes leave a mark and organic residue on the surface after they attach. On this home some of the branches attached to the white shutters. It took extra time and effort to scrub them clean.

Like with all plants, when you know and understand their characteristics you can use them creatively and effectively. How have you used climbing hydrangea in your landscapes?  Did it perform as you expected or surprise you?  Let us know in the comments.

This category of juniper fills a useful design niche in the landscape. Most stay relatively narrow, yet grow tall. Sometimes referred to as columnar or fastigiate.

Typically they are very hardy, drought tolerant, and adaptable to a variety of conditions.

Often, however, upright juniper are not pruned, but allowed to “go-it on their own”.  This usually causes an open, lanky growth habit.  As a result they have a less than stellar reputation.

Once you understand the characteristics of upright junipers and how to care for them, they’ll become a useful plant in your landscapes.

A Common Characteristic Not Talked About But One You Need To Know

Qualities that make most upright junipers useful in landscape design are:

• their narrow form

• their hardiness

• their unique texture

There’s another characteristic that’s common to most, and that’s how they grow.  All their growth energy goes to the terminal ends of the main branches. If not “selectively pruned” regularly these branches keep getting longer and heavier.  This causes each branch to stay thin with minimal side growth and eventually pull away from the center of the plant.

Lost Cause?… Not Necessarily

In the picture above is an upright juniper we planted a few years back.  This was a tough spot to select a plant. The space was narrow, but height was needed.  The exposure was full sun so the heat got intense in the summer.

This upright juniper (sorry, I don’t remember the exact variety) fit the bill.

But look what happened.  The maintenance company  either overlooked the pruning, or didn’t know how.

So is this plant now a lost cause? Not at this point. You can still save the plant and reverse its decline by:

• “Selectively” pruning back the terminal end of each branch to reduce its length and weight.

• Using Arbor Tie to support the sagging branches by guying them to the center stem of the plant.

Pruning the terminal end of each branch removes the apical bud and encourages lateral or side buds to grow.  This naturally makes the plant grow fuller and stronger.

The Arbor Tie lets you pull the branch back to its correct position and hold it there.  These ties should be temporary until the branches get stronger and hold their position on their own.  This might take 2 or 3 years.

Even though the Arbor Tie is temporary you must make sure there is room for growth and movement.  This PDF on Arbor Tie shows some uses and applications, but you can improvise too.  This is great stuff and I keep a roll in my truck for all kinds of situations.

The picture below shows the upright juniper after being pruned and “arbor-tied”.  Notice how selective pruning maintains the natural character of the plant.

If you use a calendar program like in Microsoft Outlook, or some other scheduling system, set a date to check the arbor ties (e.g. once/year). Don’t forget about them.  They must be monitored and eventually removed.

The Benefits of Rescuing Plants Poorly Maintained

You have to use your judgement here because sometimes it just doesn’t pay to put in the time and effort. In this particular case the task took me 20 minutes; with a good outcome – well worth it. Once again you have to compare the cost of repair (and the expected results) with replacing the plant.

Also, we all like to see a plant saved if possible and there can be real value there for the ecologically-minded homeowner.  Many customers will really appreciate the effort and professionalism.