LAND DESIGNS UNLIMITED LLC

A Patient Craftsman Creating Exceptional Landscapes

Author: John Holden

First Shade Day 2020

First Shade Day this year was on May 12th. I returned from the grocery store and looked across the lawn to see a deep, crisp shadow.

First Shade Day is the day you notice deep shade for the first time every spring.

This is my second post about First Shade Day. Last year was a warm spring and I was full of activity around the garden. This year we’ve had a brutally cold last few weeks and I’m behind in tasks around the yard. I’ve been working on getting the perennial weeds out of the gardens, re-edging beds and transplanting perennials and shrubs which were long overdue to be divided or moved.

The weather has been so overcast, so cold and so miserable it’s been hard to find the motivation to go outside.

I’ve been focusing on one part of the garden or one task and celebrate getting something done rather than striving to push through and getting burned out. Little by little I’m getting there.

We’re in the middle of the Covid-19 Pandemic. It’s an exhausting time. I’m in a constant state of alert when I leave the house. A trip to the grocery store is an effort to get in, get what I need, and get out. In the old days, I would make small talk at the grocery store, but we’re all so serious I’ve stopped trying.

I do what I can to protect myself and my family. I wear a mask, nitrile gloves and use a liberal amount of sanitizer when I get back to the car.

I’m happy to say here in CT sanitizer is showing up on the shelves again. I almost cried when there was a display of large bottles of sanitizer at BJs yesterday.

I find the most at peace when I get out and do some work in the yard, or someone else’s yard. I don’t wear my PPE then, as long as I’m away from people, and I get lost in my work. It’s like there is no pandemic.

Last week I visited a garden center and picked up annuals for a client’s property. I love, love, love the pinks of those geraniums and pansies. The plants are massed in the garage because we’ve had a freeze warning the last three nights.

I’ve been doing a lot of ‘subconscious’ thinking on my future as well. I love landscaping and landscape design and everything about this field but I have yet to find a way to make a decent living at it.

I have yet to reap the rewards of my education and experience.

I keep pointing at the change in the economy since the stock market crash of 2008 as the reason for my difficulties. I liken the crash to someone pulling the rug from under my feet and falling to the ground after they did it. Whatever momentum I had was gone.

Perhaps I’m where I am because of who I am.

I’ve always been detail-focused which is great if you’re a rocket scientist but not so good if production is the way to make earn a living. I take the time to make sure gardens have color in all seasons and flowing and crisp edges. I choose plants based on how they’ll perform in the garden and not whether they’re in stock at the nursery.

So what am I getting at?

Over the last few years, I’ve been transitioning to a different model. Why not focus on what makes me different as opposed to what makes me like everyone else? There will always be companies who can do the job cheaper, however, few can do it better.

Perhaps I should spend more time designing landscapes and consulting about landscapes and less time digging holes. Could I design landscapes for people all over the country from here in Connecticut? Could I design landscapes that other companies install? Could I design landscapes for homeowners to install with helpful links to videos I’ve made about planting and mulching?

Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the fruits of my labor. I’ll never refuse a planting or landscape maintenance job if someone wants my level of service. I have yet to find a way to properly communicate what that difference is besides the photos on this website.

I’ve also been trying, unsuccessfully, to publish more blog posts. There are a handful of you that enjoy reading my ramblings and I appreciate you. If I could write more, and year-round, it would be another avenue to explore. I find writing goes best for me when I’m in the right state of mind, which is usually a warm sunny day. I have yet to find a way around that obstacle.

I enjoy making videos about landscaping and hobbies I enjoy. I find gardening videos difficult to make because in gardening there are so few absolutes. The soil, the sun, the weather are all a crapshoot. No matter how well I try to explain something, especially about pruning, there will always be more questions. I suppose all I can do is my best when creating videos.

This post is meant to celebrate First Shade Day and explain the direction I’ve been heading the last few years. I don’t know where I’ll end up but I do know the following.

If you change nothing. Nothing will change.

May 14, 2020
3 Landscaping Pet Peeves

Some landscaping practices should be avoided. Below are my top three landscaping pet peeves.

Tags left on Plants

Why would anyone leave plant tags fluttering in the wind? Leaving tags on plants takes a beautiful landscape and makes it look like the side of the highway. Please remove all tags before leaving the job.

I occasionally leave a tag on a new plant, at my house, so I can remember what I planted or learn a plant’s name. However, if you’re bringing a plant to someone’s house either know what it is or keep a list of what you planted.

A great way to practice plant identification is to walk through a newly installed commercial landscape. Guess what the tree or shrub is and check the tag to see if you got it right!

Landscape Fabric

There’s never a reason to install landscape fabric under mulch.

In a few years, the mulch will break down and weeds will grow into the fabric becoming a headache to remove. In ten to fifteen years, when it’s time to redo the landscape, someone will suffer while ripping the fabric out. If you’ve never ripped out landscape fabric I assure you it’s no fun.

There’s never a reason to install landscape fabric under gravel either.

Dirt settles in gravel and creates the perfect seedbed for weeds. Weed roots anchor to landscape fabric under gravel the same as under mulch. It’s more of a hassle than it’s worth.

Volcano Mulching

Trees are not supposed to look like a fountain of lava shooting out of the top of a volcano. If you leave mulch against the base of a tree you’re doing more harm than good.

A properly mulched tree should have, at most, two to three inches of mulch tapering down six inches or more away from the tree.

Please stop the volcano mulching madness.

If you’re new to landscaping please heed the pet peeves on this page so your landscape doesn’t suffer.

April 13, 2020
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) Tough as Nails

Yesterday I pulled the car over to take a photo of a grouping of grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). The temperature was in the low 40’s and by the minute the weather changed from overcast to partial sun, to rain showers, to snow showers. The grape hyacinth loved it.

When I was a kid we had grape hyacinth growing in the yard under spruce trees. It was a dry, shady spot and they would reliably bloom every spring. They never formed a clump but getting anything to bloom under those trees was a miracle. Once the bloom was done you forgot they were there.

I’ve never planted grape hyacinth because to me it’s an outdated plant, like yews and pachysandra. However, we should choose plants with the best chance of success where they’re planted while not becoming invasive.

How many plants thrive on the side of a cut in a ledge?

If you want early-spring color and have a dry spot with full to partial sun try Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). There are plenty of grape hyacinth cultivars available that range in color from whites to shades of lavender and there’s even a double flowering grape hyacinth.

April 11, 2020
Two Types of Leaders

Watching the news lately I’m noticing a pattern. So-called ‘leaders’ are not leading. These people in leadership positions have their self-interests in mind and not the greater good.

There are two types of leaders. Those that seek power and those that seek to enhance the greater good.

The ‘Leader’ Who Seeks Power

This is the easiest to spot. This person has the loudest voice in the room and you can hear them talking over everyone else. There’s no such thing as a two-sided conversation with this type of leader.

These people keep their power by making ‘jokes’ at the expense of their subordinates. They point out flaws in others to take the focus off of themselves.

It’s my way or the highway!

Why do these people take leadership positions? Because being a leader means you have more power, more status and more money. It’s not about the greater good, it’s about money and power.

They drive fancy cars or brag about their money. It’s not the cars or the money that show their flaws. There’s nothing wrong with driving a nice car or earning a good living. However, when they brag about their cars or money they think it means they’re better than others. They’ll never get it.

If you work under a ‘leader’ like this what can you can expect? Opportunities to advance or long hours and thankless tasks?

The Humble Leader

Humble leaders are difficult to spot because they don’t seek the spotlight, they don’t want to be the center of attention. Humble leaders want to advance the goals of the organization and those working with them.

Humble leaders are approachable and want to talk with their peers. They want to know what’s going on in the organization. They want to know how they can help.

Humble leaders appear not to be leading because they do it so effortlessly. They know to praise in public and critique in private. They never ask someone to do something they wouldn’t. They seek to train their future replacement.

I’ve witnessed two of the most humble, and powerful, leaders since my son joined the Boy Scouts of America.

While my son was in Cub Scouts the Committee chair was as selfless a person as they get. He was easy to talk to, ran a well-prepared meeting and was always available if there was a problem.

Now that my son is a Boy Scout the Scoutmaster is also a humble leader. He’s a soft-spoken man who is very approachable and somehow has his finger on everything going on in the troop. If you need help with something he knows who to point you towards.

I’m amazed at how well the scoutmaster works the crowd when there’s a meeting. He talks to everyone in the room like they were friends forever. It’s a great way to keep abreast of what’s going on in the troop.

Who has more power?

Power seeking leaders raise their voice and make a scene to get their way. Nothing is ever their fault.

When I was young I confused false confidence for power. True confidence doesn’t have to yell or make a scene.

Powerful leaders don’t have to raise their voice or make a scene to get their way. They get their way because those working with them respect them and don’t want to let them down.

Next time your watching the evening news, at a company meeting or visiting a friend’s house think about the type of leader you’re watching.

Do they demean others? Do they seek to assist their subordinates? Do they try to show their power with fancy things?

The answers to these questions will tell you a lot about the type of person, and the type of leader, they are.

*** Note, I wrote this post over two years ago. My son is no longer a Boy Scout but the message is timeless and worth sharing.

April 4, 2020
Covered Bridge

Nothing says New England like an old barn or a covered bridge. This is the Covered Bridge at Southford Falls State Park in Southbury, CT. I took the picture while hiking last week.

March 27, 2020
Silly Kitty

This post isn’t really about the cat, Chloe, in this picture. It’s about the plant label laying a little to her left. She pulled that label out twice the last week. Silly kitty!

March 20, 2020
Qualifying Potential Customers

In any business, you’re never going to get every job. That’s a simple fact.

Never get discouraged if you don’t get every job, or even half the jobs you look at. That’s a simple truth.

Every year I talk to a lot of people about landscape work. Over time I’ve come to recognize the signs of a serious client.

First, serious clients make it easy to get in touch with them because they want to talk to you. Serious clients don’t hide information or ‘forget’ to fill out fields on your contact form. They aren’t being devious in any way.

Second, serious clients have a specific project. When they talk about a project they know what they want and when they want it done. If you visit someone and they’re ‘thinking about a project’ or ‘considering options’ they’re doing just that. It’s up to you to decide how to proceed.

Third, serious clients have a realistic budget, even if they don’t reveal it. You can sense they want the pain of an outdated landscape to end, they want the yard to look nice for the graduation party, they want to relax on weekends. They’ve hired other contractors and have a general idea of what skilled labor costs.

Landscape work is skilled labor. I can show you plenty of landscapes installed by unskilled labor if you don’t believe me.

Finally, and I’ve only figured this out recently, serious clients have time to talk. If you’re meeting with a couple and the husband isn’t available don’t ignore it. If the husband is home but pulls weeds or fiddles with something else that shows his lack of interest. There are exceptions, especially with society’s hectic pace, but use your judgment if a spouse is trying too hard not to be available.

I find husbands who don’t smile, even just a little, to be quite revealing. But you can make your own decision about that.

Just as potential clients are interviewing you to see if you’re right for the job, you’re interviewing potential clients to see if they’re right to work for.

Go get ’em.

March 19, 2020
Don’t Let Others Determine Your Worth

A recent email reminded me of a lesson I wish I learned sooner.

A prospective client wanted my expertise pruning a hedge in a town 45 minutes away. I calculated travel and gave a rough estimate to see if we were in the same ballpark. They said the job was worth a quarter of my quote.

I don’t want to offend clients, or future clients, here. If I’ve worked for you or visited to discuss a job, please know I’m not referring to you.

Unfortunately, there are some people you’re never going to please. You’re never going to have a low enough price, quick enough availability, etc. It’s good to recognize these situations early and use your time talking to clients who value your expertise and time.

Don’t be afraid to politely say no.

Don’t let others determine your worth.

Just because someone is only willing to pay a quarter of your quote doesn’t mean you’re worth a quarter of your quote. It’s them, not you. There will always be people who want you to lower your price and give away the farm.

Of course, if you don’t get any jobs that’s a sign too. I suggest reading a book on sales discussing closing ratio and what it means to your business.

Keep your head high and your shoulders back when looking at jobs. You’re the expert and deserve your quote!

March 16, 2020
Early-March Garden Inspiration

I woke early today, I don’t know why, perhaps because of Daylight Savings. Seeing the sunrise inspired me to wander the garden with the Pentax.

The only other flower in bloom this week is Dorothy Wycoff Andromeda (Pieris japonica ‘Dorothy Wycoff’). It’s early-March with little else going on and Dorothy is covered with red buds. Andromeda is a reliable broadleaf evergreen growing 4 to 6 feet tall, the perfect size for the back of a foundation planting. Andromeda prefers partial shade, full sun can leave her foliage yellow and susceptible to lace bugs.

Gladiator Alliums (Allium ‘Gladiator’) are starting to emerge. I bought these on a whim and LOVE how easy they are to grow. Alliums, in general, are easy and deserve to be on the ‘Hard to Kill’ list.

There are several groupings of poppies around the yard. For such a fragile flower they are a ‘Die-Hard’ plant.

I have a funny story about poppies.

When my wife and I moved into the house twenty years ago there was a red oriental poppy by the front door. The previous owners were going for a period garden to match the age of the house.

My wife loved that red poppy. I didn’t realize how much until it was too late.

One day, I asked one of the crew to weed the gardens and, unfortunately, he didn’t know the poppy was a plant, not a weed. That poppy was my wife’s favorite plant in the yard. I’ve tried to replace it at least three times. I can never find a deep enough red.

My wife shows gratitude for the replacements but I can tell they’re not right in her eye. I’ll keep trying.

I bought a few tree peonies at Cricket Hill Garden in Thomaston, CT years ago. If you’re a fan of tree peonies you should visit Cricket Hill Garden when the peonies are in bloom.

The peonies have lingered since I planted them, yet it’s no fault of Cricket Hill Garden. They grow extremely slowly and only have a few flowers every year. Last year I culled two of them. This peony is surviving but only gives 3-4 flowers for a week each spring. The flowers are absolutely GORGEOUS so the plant keeps its place in the garden.

Last spring I was ‘Gung Ho’ about my square foot garden but as the season progressed enthusiasm waned. I cleaned out the weeds and vegetable plants last fall. I guess I missed the red onions. If onions can grow in the fridge why not the garden in the middle of winter?

Onions are biennials. The first year they get established the second year they flower and set seed. I should have a nice crop of onion flowers soon!

That’s it for this post. I’ve got to go move the clocks forward.

March 8, 2020