LAND DESIGNS UNLIMITED LLC

A Patient Craftsman Creating Exceptional Landscapes

Category: Tips for Selecting CT Landscape Professionals

Saying Goodbye

Yesterday was a melancholy day at Land Designs Unlimited LLC. A client of 5 years is moving and yesterday was my last visit.

There’s a chance the new owners will want my services, I hope they do. Unfortunately, experience has taught me it rarely works that way.

This landscape is special for a couple of reasons. First, the owners are very nice and it’s a pleasure working for nice people. Second, I planted this landscape after the ‘correction’ of 2008 when the economy, and landscaping industry, was shaken to its core.

When I first looked at the landscape I knew it was going to take a lot of work. The masonry investment was going to be equal to, if not more than, planting.

The landscape would never look right with a bandaid. A stone wall and new sidewalk had to be installed.

They were meeting another well-established company that worked with any budget, even if the job required a larger investment. Did I mention this was after the ‘correction’ of 2008?

I suppose the other company was more client-focused for I politely insisted the landscape be done my way. There was no way I was installing a landscape without a retaining wall to hold back the grade.

I explained my design concept and assumed I’d never hear back. I reassured myself that I was polite, I spoke from the heart and I wasn’t going to be responsible for a shoddy landscape.

The project came together superbly with a few hitches. The wire from their lamp post twisted around my tiller, a first, and I used more soil than anticipated which happens often. Also, the redbud planted on the left corner of the house didn’t pull through a bitter winter.

After installation, I visited four to six times a year to maintain the landscape, not too much, but enough to make a difference.

Every spring there would be an edging, weeding and light pruning with fresh mulch every two to three years. I returned in June or July to hand prune and keep up with weeds over the summer.

Some visits took only an hour; just enough time to pull the weeds, prune stray branches and re-edge the gardens with a weedwhacker.

The shrubs in this foundation planting have NEVER been touched by hedge clippers. I’ve only used my Felcos to prune. I hope you can see how natural the shrubs look.

Being a landscape contractor is an endless cycle of finding new clients and losing old to promotions, retirement or being a poor fit.

I look forward to showing you the landscape I’ve been working on the last few weeks where I find a balance between color and low maintenance.

It’s time to say goodbye to great clients and a beautiful landscape. I’ll miss you both.

September 1, 2019
Craftsman Wanted

Our home needs a new roof. Badly. For a couple of years.

A month ago my wife, Karyn, started the process of hiring a roofer. Karyn asked me who to call. I mentioned a large roofing company and an acquaintance who started his career in roofing and now works in all aspects of carpentry.

Karyn asked for recommendations on Facebook and compiled a list of 5 roofers to call.

Karyn called all the companies and scheduled four appointments. One company never returned her call.

Of the four companies who gave us a quote we narrowed the list down to three companies. It’s a difficult decision considering the investment and what’s at stake if a leak develops.

I’m sure my client’s feel the same when deciding whether to hire me or not.

Two of the companies had a dedicated salesperson. The salesmen visited and did a cursory examination of the roof, took some quick measurements and quoted a price in under an hour.

Next, they presented a canned sales presentation describing their roofing process and explaining the warranty on the bottom of the proposal.

The warranty was nice to see. It gave me piece of mind that they would stand behind their work.

Since this blog is about landscaping I thought I’d share some of the cool flora on the roof.

I had a couple canned questions ready.

“Do you hire subcontractors?”

Some companies bid jobs and then hire a subcontractor to do the work. This can work out well if you have the right match. Unfortunately, some subcontractors goal is to complete a job as quickly as possible and get to the next. Speed becomes more important than quality.

“Will I ever see you again?”

I’m old school on this one. I want a single contact person through the process. I don’t want a polished salesperson to turn into a gruff foreman when the job begins.

What happens if lines of communication fail between the salesperson and the foreman? Details discussed during the sales process could be missing on the Forman’s paperwork.

So who did we hire for our roofing job?

The only contractor who climbed on the roof. The only contractor who looked at my chimney and mentioned I need a new cap. The only contractor who went in my attic to see what type sheathing the roof had.

The only craftsman.

We hired the general carpenter who started in roofing. I’ll see him on the roof doing the work. I’ll see him installing copper flashing because he doesn’t bother with the cheap alternatives.

Only time will tell if I made the right decision.

I can’t wait to see the new roof!

May 6, 2015
Why Should You Hire a Landscape Designer?
What are the benefits of hiring a landscape designer? Why should you hire a landscape designer?

There are at least three situations where you should hire a landscape designer:
1. The most obvious reason, you don’t know about garden design. A good landscape designer can help you get the results that best meet your needs.
2. You know about gardening but have a limited knowledge of plants or design. There’s a world of plants out there that you are not familiar with. A landscape designer can introduce you to those plants and show you how to make the best use of them in your landscape.
3. You don’t know about gardening but you do have an idea of what you want. If you call me and say, “I want a patio” there are some questions I’ll ask you are, “What is the patio for? Do you want a quiet place to relax? A stimulating place to entertain? A place where young children can play? Are you looking to combine different design needs?” A landscape designer can hone your ideas into a beautiful landscape.
Make sure your landscape designer puts your needs first. Your landscape design is about meeting your needs. If you suspect a landscape designer isn’t looking out for your best interests trust your gut.

When I design a landscape I act as a filter translating my clients needs into a finished landscape design.
July 7, 2013
How I Got My Groove – The Stages of a Landscape Design Career

Unlike now, when I graduated UCONN I didn’t have real-world landscape design experience.

I designed landscapes by the book and my designs incorporated the latest cool plants at the nursery. If the book said a plant grows in the shade to 10 feet tall I put it in the shade where it could grow to 10 feet tall.

I talked with associates and read magazine articles about new plants. I still do because there’s always room for improvement. The palette of plants to choose from is constantly changing.

After designing, installing and watching my landscapes grow in for over 20 years I have more experience than most in my field.

Sometimes, even though the book says a plant grows in the shade it just sits there neither living nor dying. Arborvitae planted in late fall are going to suffer from winter’s drying winds. Over-planted landscapes fill in quickly and are a ton of work to keep up. Landscape construction never goes exactly according to plan and small changes are a natural part of the process.

My design style is “Form follows function.” I abhor complexity for simpler is always better. I like focal points but don’t overdo it. Viewers get headaches from bedazzled landscapes.

Landscape design and installation is an art and subject to interpretation by the designer and installer. Seemingly small differences, like those above, make a big difference in your project. You can talk to five landscape designers and get five completely different landscape designs. You can then give that design to five different landscape contractors and get five different landscapes.

I hope you choose wisely when hiring your landscape designer or landscape contractor.

By John Holden

February 26, 2013
What’s the Difference Between a Landscape Designer and a Landscaper?

It happened again last week. A client was trying to decide between my company and the company that mows their lawn. The client hired the landscapers because my quote was a little higher. Ugh!

This week I drove through the neighborhood and felt disappointment. The gardens had cheap wood mulch and it was not deep enough to suppress weeds. Two great ways to keep a quote low. As a landscape designer, I recommended bark mulch two to three inches deep to make sure most weeds will not germinate.

How do You Choose Between a Landscape Designer and a landscapers?

The answer depends on your needs.

If you want a creative landscape design and the proper horticultural methods followed, hire a landscape designer to design and carry out your project. Most landscape designers have an eye and passion for landscape design. They have learned the right way to design, install and maintain landscapes because they couldn’t do it any other way.

Many landscape designers start out as landscapers and graduate to design because of their love of plants and design. That is how I started after college. I began by mowing lawns while building my landscape design experience and knowledge.

Often landscapers don’t have extensive landscape design and horticultural knowledge. This spring I met a couple who asked me, “Do you pick out the plants?” I explained that, “The benefit of hiring me as your landscape designer is that I select the best plants to meet your needs and the site’s conditions.” Landscapers they had talked to said, “Tell us what you want planted and we’ll plant it.”

Landscapers are masters at getting the job done quickly. If you have a routine project, hire a reputable landscaper. Projects that landscapers excel at include mowing lawns, spring and fall cleanups and clearing brush.

If you are looking for someone to mow your lawn and clean up your yard in the spring and fall, hire a landscaper. However, if you are looking for a creative eye to recommend the best plants, design the best landscape for your home and use the best methods to plant your garden, seek out a landscape designer.

The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. – John Ruskin

May 20, 2012
Why I’m Still a Landscaper

Coventry Lane in Trumbull, Connecticut, is where I began my landscaping career after graduating from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture. I eagerly put green fliers with a picturesque tree and my inspired ad copy in mailboxes. Then I anxiously waited for the phone to ring.

I was new to the landscaping field and feared people would not hire me. Who would want someone just out of college to landscape their property? I had the education but not the real world experience.

The people on Coventry Lane were excited to have someone with passion working in their yard. I was greeted with genuine smiles and remember many wonderful conversations with my clients. Not once did I feel like, “Just a landscaper.”

That’s me in 1993 at 22 years old with my first commercial lawn mower. How proud!

My time on Coventry Lane taught me a lesson I hope to teach my children.

People are all the same and should be treated the same no matter where they come from or what they do for a living.

My clients these days are self made people; such as doctors, lawyers, business executives and the self-employed. When I am working on their property they are happy to see my work. People invite me into their kitchen to discuss their project as their children play in the next room. People with little spare time ask how my children are doing and listen as I give way too long an answer.

One of the best motivators of human spirit is appreciation.

When a client glows with excitement because of my work I am elated. I am living the dream. I am doing a job I love and getting paid to do it.

My first client. They called after receiving my green flier with the large picturesque tree.

When I drive down Coventry Lane today I am just out of college with the world at my feet. I am driving my first pickup truck with brand new tools in the back. I am going to make it, doing it my way and nothing is going to stop me.

I guess some things never change.

By John Holden

April 16, 2012
Your Rights When Hiring a Landscape Contractor
The other day, while talking to a prospective client in Newtown, Connecticut, I heard the story of a contractor who had dropped the ball. My prospective client had talked to a carpenter about work in his home and never received an estimate. It had been a week since he left his last message asking the contractor for a follow-up call.

Every time I hear this story it amazes me. Usually the person telling the story has both the want and the financial means to hire a contractor to complete the job. They just need a knowledgeable and responsible contractor to do it.

Don’t get me wrong. Some jobs aren’t a good fit for contractors or their schedule won’t allow them to complete a job in a timely manner.

A simple call saying, “Thank you but this job is not a fit.” While uncomfortable, it would leave the contractor in a good light with the opportunity for future work at best, and a lack of negative talk about his company at the worst.

At Land Designs Unlimited LLC we stay in touch with our landscape contracting clients by:
- Returning all calls before the end of the next business day or sooner.
- All agreements are in writing so we are on the same page about what the job is, what the completion date is and the investment.
- No changes that affect the cost of the job without our client’s consent.
If you are looking for a refreshing experience with a landscape designer or landscape contractor in the Newtown, Connecticut, area please call Land Designs Unlimited LLC. I guarantee to return the call.
January 15, 2012