SYNKD South Spring 2024

FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to the 2024 Spring Green Issue, SYNKD community! Did you miss the sun as much as I did?

Before you roll out and get swept into the seasonal action, we hope you meditate on the insights packed in this publication. On second thought, why not carry it with you?

Like those folding road maps people once kept in their glove boxes, you never know when a resource like this could point you in the right direction.

Long-time readers may be surprised to see my face appear in place of SYNKD founder Angelique Robb. I can assure you that Angelique’s influence still flows throughout this magazine. While she focuses more on leading our team, planning SYNKD Live 2025, hosting our SYNKD On Air podcast and managing the growth of our company, my role has expanded. I am honored to add the word editor to my title as a full-time journalist with SYNKD

Some of you may recognize me from SYNKD Live 2024. I was the brunette in the green vest, walking around with the camera guy and introducing herself as the writer from Montana. That week, I saw a magnolia tree for the first time, but that was far from the most memorable part of the trip.

Behind the conspicuous blue van displaying the phrase “100% Electric Landscaping,” I spoke with innovators leading the way to a battery-powered future. From the main stage, I caught a glimpse of the state of the

Making Connections

& Exploring Solutions

Pam Dooley on the Business Buzz Stage

industry through the lens of a minority business owner. Among countless landscape stewardship topics, I absorbed knowledge about water, design and leadership—themes reflected in this very magazine.

The most valuable part of the event for everyone in attendance seemed to be the connections formed there. We are pleased to witness the ripples on social media and look forward to watching them morph into waves. At SYNKD, we are constantly reassessing what it means to synchronize the sectors of the landscaping industry. As an editor, I see our quarterly magazines as a vehicle to keep the momentum rising year-round.

If you are new to SYNKD, we expect these pages will demonstrate how deeply we care about the green industry. Amplifying traditionally overlooked yet knowledgeable voices is at the core of who we are as a company. Do you have something to say? Our website, www.synkd.io, includes submission forms for our Q&A, Mini Interviews, featured project suggestions and more. Thank you for joining us on this journey.

Yours in all things landscaping,

Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Panel

FIRESIDE CHAT

INDUSTRY NEWS

COASTAL SOURCE REACHES FOR THE STARS

Did you catch our Instagram posts from the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida? We came to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Coastal Source, a name you might recognize from SYNKD Live or SYNKD magazines as a supplier of innovative outdoor lighting and audio products. Unveiled at the event were two new product lines: Coastal Source’s Bollard 1000 Speaker Series and EVO Lighting Series. Commenting on the luxury experience posed by these new additions, Coastal Source staff say “... the backyard will never be the same.” The parent company to Coastal Source, the architecture, landscape architecture, construction and interior design experts at D’Asign Source, relayed their excitement with a social post, hinting about using these products in upcoming projects.

With directional and 365-degree options, Coastal Source’s EVO Lighting Series introduces lighting modules with enhanced performance, customizable heights and compact design with maximized durability and weather resistance. Combined with the controlled output levels and color temperatures, the EVO Lighting Series shows potential to revolutionize outdoor lighting design. By the same token, the sound experience created by Bollard 1000 stackable speakers is even more pristine than anything the company has produced before. The sleek elliptical cross-section design allows sound to travel further, while emphasizing bass frequencies. Like all Coastal Source products, the ranges debuted at the event demonstrate easy connection, longevity-focused design and passionate innovation.

18 ACQUISITIONS & COUNTING

After 65 years in business, Mariani Premier Group, led by friend of SYNKD Frank Mariani, recently announced its 18th acquisition with Galbraith Grounds Management (GGM). Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GMM specializes in luxury residential landscape construction and maintenance. The company boasts an award-winning reputation for exceeding client expectations. In the press release, Frank conveys excitement for this new chapter with GMM. Bryan Christiansen, CEO of Mariani Premier Group, mentions how values shared by leaders at GMM led to the decision to move forward with the acquisition. Following this, GMM founder Marc Galbraith expresses gratitude and excitement for the opportunity, comparing the growth trajectory to that of a meteor.

Photo Courtesy of ©Galbraith Grounds Management

All Photos Courtesy of © Coastal Source

Electric Sheep, a California-based landscape robotics company, plans to lead the charge in automation by acquiring established lawn care companies and arming them with their autonomous technology enhanced by AI. In a recent press release published on our website (available at www.synkd.io/news), Electric Sheep teased the second quarter debut of Verdie, a dancing, fully autonomous robot that

trims, edges and blows leaves alongside landscaping crews. To learn more about this technology, SYNKD sat down with Electric Sheep co-founder and COO Jarrett Herold. In our summer issues, we will unpack what it means to bring the landscaping industry into the 21st century. Stay tuned to investigate the advantages of AI in lawn care, how humans and robots can work together and more developments that may be coming down the pike.

SYNKD ON AIR SEASON 3

BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN EACH PERSON & COMPANY

ONE GIGANTIC SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP—OUR INDUSTRY

THE ULTIMATE SUCCESSION PLAN AT SYNKD LIVE

HELPING BUSINESS OWNERS, ONE INVENTION AT A TIME

A JOURNEY THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY

COMMUNICATION BUILDS TRUST

LIVING WALLS ARE THE ALL THE RAGE!

HELPING YOU, HELP TREES

NOT ALL PORCELAIN IS CREATED EQUAL?

Richard Ogawa

Roy Heintz

Kona Gray

Jeffrey Scott

Nick Carlson

Kevin Minton

Jeremy Talboy

Evan Lambert

Aaron Byer

Brandon Rust

Phil Graves

In a rare sequence of events, Bland Landscaping Company Inc., reportedly one of the USA’s top-earning commercial land care companies, has acquired Foster Lake & Pond Management. The merger reflects a growing trend of integrating stormwater and green infrastructure management into real estate development, particularly in expanding markets as seen in the Carolinas. Bland Landscaping Company—a remarkable example of design, build and maintenance functioning in one business— unpacks their perspective on the merger on page 17 in an article titled “Making a Splash” by Sandi Schwartz. There, Kurt Bland, president of Bland Landscaping Company, notes the advantages of collaboration and systems-thinking in our industry and out.

TJEFFREY SCOTT CONSULTING

TREE

DALTILE

ree health, a biodegradable solution, planning for retirement, living walls, a group episode from one of Georgia’s finest lawn care companies—Season three of SYNKD On Air has been a blast. Please join us in sending a mental round of applause to our inspiring guests and host, SYNKD founder Angelique Robb.

More insightful discussions are coming soon! Find SYNKD On Air on Turf’s Up Radio every Monday at 11 A.M. EST

Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to www.synkd.io/podcast-synkd and fill out the form.

SUSTAINABILITY & ECO-FRIENDLY INITIATIVES: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS & WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES?

Brendan Butler

Owner,

Brendan Butler Landscape Design

Atlanta, Georgia

Implementation of legislation, requiring specific stormwater management systems on new construction homes, has been very beneficial to our company. We collect and capture stormwater and direct it into systems that then put the water back into the ground and back into the water table. This saves municipalities from processing and cleaning all the stormwater previously dumped onto the street and increases water in the ground. These processes have helped many businesses like mine and have proven to be a profitable component of our installation service.

Lori Hawkins

Principal,

Hawkins Landscape Architecture

Jamestown, North Carolina

I have tried to steer my customer base away from traditional lawn environments that need exceptional water and fertilizer requirements. This ‘lush green lawn’ mindset is so pervasive in my area of the country and has made the argument difficult. Even trying to educate them in the beauty of natural and native grasses and perennials in lieu of their perfect striped lawn has been quite a challenge. I have been keeping articles and pictures of beautiful natural yards without grass to show to customers in these instances. It has helped somewhat.

Michael Bernier

Owner, Michael Bernier Design

Los Angeles, California

Living and working in southern California, we are used to less precipitation than other areas of the U.S., and we need to be mindful of the hardscapes designed and plants specified for our projects. Designing with permeable hardscapes and drought-tolerant or native plants is the cornerstone of every project we take on, and that aspect of sustainability is synonymous with our brand.

Chief Vision Officer & President, Groff Landscape Design Arlington,

Virginia

[Sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives] separated us from the competition. I say that from both a client-facing and recruiting standpoint.

Justin Snodgrass Robert Groff Matthew Green Jarrett Herold

CEO, Blue Duck Lawn Care Indianapolis,

Indiana

In the state of Indiana, the few people who have crafted the law regarding pesticides are trying to make it easier to get into the fertilization business. You can become a lawn care technician and never pass any tests or anything to prove that you know the different chemicals, how to apply the chemicals, mix rates, etc. There are new people sleeping through the class and still graduating essentially because there are now no standards and no tests that they have to abide by. I think it’s a horrible mark on the industry. It’s going to water the industry down and, ultimately, it’s going to cause massive environmental problems.

Landscape

Designer, Dennis’ 7 Dees Landscaping

Portland, Oregon

Here in Portland, there are initiatives to outlaw gas motors on small equipment, and we are ahead of the curve. Where needed, we use propane motors and battery-operated tools. Not only does this follow local regulations, but it also helps with pollution and noise pollution, which tends to upset people nearby when gas is used on their property. Our interior design department creates green walls and live interior plantings for offices and homes to help with air quality, in addition to people’s health and attitudes. We also design bioswales and drainage systems that keep water onsite and catch water for future watering needs. As a company, we try to be ahead of trends that contribute to the wellbeing of our properties and the future of the environment.

Co-Founder

& COO, Electric Sheep

San Francisco, California

Mindset has been an obstacle, but we are turning the page. Before Electric Sheep began, my partner and I started this discussion, looking for a way to bring more efficiency to the lawn care industry, looking for a way to be kinder to our environment and to take care of the green spaces that mean so much to us. We don’t need an F250, a huge trailer and giant diesel mowers when the goal is to take care of the environment. This is the result of the pressures on businesses to squeeze out efficiencies in pursuit of being the low-bid in a highly competitive industry. Automation allows you to rethink how you’re planning work. Instead of trying to do everything all in a few hours, maybe you could have a few robots complete a task over the course of the day. Rethinking the relationship between labor and equipment, through automation, will be such a fundamental shift that will completely change the look of businesses, the service and the roles and workflows that are used to get it done. This won’t happen all at once, but AI will surely accelerate this transition and you don’t want to be caught off guard by that—you want to be in the driver’s seat within your own business.

FROM SINKING TO SWIMMING

Industry Leader | Why Taylor Milliken Lives by the Motto, “I Don’t Know. I’ll Find Out.”

When asked to describe himself, the first thing Taylor Milliken, CEO of Milosi, a luxury Tennessee landscaping company, will mention is that he is a husband and a father of three. The story you are about to read has ups and downs. Even so, it is clear that family, both blood and acquired, is the linchpin that keeps Taylor moving toward his full potential.

At the age of 15, Taylor watched out the window as Sevren Sanders and Rusty Barber of R&S Groundskeeping in Castalian Springs, Tennessee, mowed perfect parallel lines across his parents’ property. He was so fascinated by their work that he roped his buddy Chad into inventing their version of the company, C&T Lawn Care. Though the business only

lasted one summer, their slogan “If it grows, we will cut it.” is hard to forget.

Every summer that followed in his adolescence, Taylor lent a hand to his dad, doing heavy civil work, underground utilities, asphalt paving and site grading. Up until Taylor left the nest, he and his siblings viewed their father’s construction company as a haven, one that they would always work their way back to and find stability inside. That was before a plight involving the Department of Transportation resulted in what Taylor calls his parents’ financial reset.

“I remember I was sitting on my brother’s couch,” says Taylor. “We were all considering what to do, too, because this situation shook the whole family. My brother said he might

start building homes, and if he did, he wanted me to do the landscaping.”

It’s funny to think that Milosi, this company I built over 21 years ago, started with his sort of throwaway idea.

That conversation, though Taylor gave little credence to it at first, planted a seed. It occurred to him that the mowing crew his parents hired back in the day had become friends with his sister. He asked her for their contact information, she obliged, and he dialed the number.

“I called R&S Groundskeeping and said, ‘Hey, have you ever considered subcontracting some yards to another company? You guys could focus on other important things. You’re going to get a markup and still make money ...’ They dismissed it, and I said, ‘OK,’” Taylor says.

Six months later, Taylor was earning his money by filling oxygen tanks for his friend’s family business—a job he found unfulfilling, partly because he lacked the status to push his ideas for innovation forward—when he received a call from R&S Groundskeeping. Rusty and Sevren liked his idea and were ready to make him a proposal. After reviewing the terms and cosigning with his mother for the equipment, 19-year-old Taylor Milliken had a business to run.

Time went by, and Taylor was doing well for himself. Two years down the line, he realized that he was making more money doing yards himself than he was partnering with Rusty and Sevren. After talking it over, the three decided to cut business ties. They remain good friends to this day.

At this juncture, Taylor’s father asked if he would like to start working for him again. Taylor agreed.

“Now I have this brand new business, and I also have a large role as a 21-year-old with my dad’s business estimating and managing projects,” says Taylor. “What that did is it flatlined my company. It just stayed small and almost hobbyish. I had a couple of people I could trust to run mowing routes, and I would do sales, bids and things like that basically whenever I got off work. Looking back, I was in over my head.”

Taylor only saw in hindsight that he was forged in fire. He was a young man sitting across from people with 20-30 years of experience grilling him on logistics for $2 million projects. Instead of succumbing to pressure, Taylor adapted. He was once a shy kid, yet in this environment, he found his confidence. He learned to accept the discomfort of not having all the answers as sustenance for growth.

“My dad has always been a very fearless person, a take the bull by the horns kind of guy,” says Taylor. “I never saw my dad nervous about anything in his entire life.

That example made me feel like this situation was normal. This is just a life experience that I’m getting and that I’m blessed to have. I think it laid the foundation for me to progress with my company.”

Several years later, Taylor found himself struggling financially. A contractor had filed for bankruptcy, and his landscaping company was in debt because of it. He had become a husband, then a father and had recently hired his first two managers to oversee his company, while he focused on his role with his father’s company. Now, Taylor was meeting with his sister regularly to figure out how to pay his vendors back.

“When you’re not paying your bills, it’s hard,” says Taylor. “It’s easy to get to that point where you feel like a failure and like you don’t know what you’re doing. There were many sleepless nights, but I never had to dodge a conversation out of guilt. I wasn’t taking a vacation or going out to eat when I couldn’t pay people back. My parents taught me to always do the right thing.”

Even when Taylor lost hope for his company, those close to him believed he would pull through. Around this time, Taylor’s father sat him down and encouraged him to leave the family construction business behind and go all in on his landscaping business.

Taylor met with a landscaping consultant, admitting he could not fathom making it

in this industry, but the consultant recognized the strength behind his fears. He presented some case studies and told Taylor to keep going. He did. After a couple of years, Taylor paid off that debt and prepared to soar.

“There was a moment where I fell in love with this industry,” says Taylor. “It was on our first six-figure job, with one of the best clients we’ve ever had. I was on the back patio watching the retaining walls we built being installed and the landscaping coming together. It was the first time I had done several things, and I witnessed a combination of art and construction, two things I love, take form in front of my eyes. I remember thinking, ‘Why doesn’t everybody want to do this?’”

The tale of a landscape business owner is often fraught with snippets of struggle and sink-or-swim moments. Taylor’s upbringing and ability to embrace uncertainty became the foundation for a flourishing future. When fear of the unknown becomes too heavy, we encourage our community members to lean on each other and hone skills to weather the next storm.

MAKING A Splash

It’s not every day that we hear about two separate entities of the landscaping world collaborating and merging into one company. The new year brought a new vision for syncing landscaping and water management as Bland Landscaping Company Inc., a leading North Carolina provider of commercial landscaping management services, acquired Foster Lake & Pond Management.

With offices in the Research Triangle and Greater Charlotte Metropolitan Area, Foster tends to lakes, ponds and fisheries across the state of North Carolina, upstate South Carolina and southern Virginia.“We believe this is the first merger of its kind to combine our two respective disciplines, and we expect to see more such activities as stormwater and green infrastructure management continue to have an increasing role in the development and management of real estate throughout the rapidly growing markets we service across the Carolinas,” notes Kurt Bland, president of Bland Landscaping Company.

Building Synergy

For the last 20 years, the two companies worked alongside one another. Kurt speaks highly of Johnny Foster, founder and president of Foster Lake & Pond Management, and his skilled team of lake and pond management professionals.

“We teamed up on projects, co-hosted marketing events and have gotten to know each other as professional friends,” Kurt explains. “When Johnny decided to sell, he called and asked if we were interested in adding this line of business to our platform, and I did not pause for one second before saying an enthusiastic ‘yes.’”

Bland Landscaping, based in Apex, is one of North Carolina’s leading full-service

Kurt Bland

FOSTER’S TRAINING

providers of landscape design, installation, enhancement and maintenance services. The company’s customers include offices, hospitals, universities, municipalities and homeowner associations statewide. Bland Landscaping has about 600 full-time and 200 to 300 seasonal employees, including turfgrass and horticulture managers, landscape designers, lawncare technicians, irrigation technicians and floriculturists. An additional 40 staff members were added to the team by bringing Foster on board.

Kurt is enthusiastic about the strategy and synergy that comes from Foster joining Bland Landscaping. “Foster is a true thought leader in the aquatics market, and we are excited to expand our capabilities to provide our customer base with a full suite of landscaping and aquatic services,” Kurt says. This comes at an opportune time, as the vast majority of developments constructed in the region over the last 30 years have been required to build lakes, ponds, bio-retention structures and other stormwater control measures as a means of retaining, treating and releasing stormwater onsite. “Foster has a long and rich history as the most experienced

practitioner of fisheries management and aquatic services in the area.

We believe that integrating these multi-disciplinary elements to complement our existing services will offer our clientele improved results & less headaches.

comes to integrating them. These disconnects have led to both areas of expertise growing alongside one another as opposed to being unified under one roof.

Boosting Environmental Protection

Many view this as a bold move. Even though these two disciplines are so intertwined, there is a lack of “systems thinking” by most of the industry when it

But leaders at Bland and Foster envision a collaboration that can result in making more of an impact environmentally by working together. Both companies are green industry pioneers operating in complementary industry sectors. “If we handle and manage stormwater on site, we reduce flash flooding and erosive activities downstream and keep pollutants out of critical watersheds that provide our drinking water, serve as estuaries for aquatic species and better protect our natural resources as a whole,” explains Kurt.

We manage landscapes, but we also have to think about the bigger picture & realize that we are stewards.

“Land development destroys natural ecosystems. But these practices help

lessen the damage and help replace natural ecosystem services, such as groundwater replenishment from the earth’s surface into the aquifers we draw our water supplies from.” As an outdoorsman, scuba diver and avid fisherman, Kurt is passionate about these efforts as he has seen firsthand the importance of stormwater management.

Looking Forward

This collaboration is truly forwardthinking and something to pay attention to in the industry. This is a natural progression into not only consolidating services and responsibility from the HOA point of view, but it also adds a lot of value by understanding pond management with regards to reducing mosquito population, being able to control growth in the ponds and ultimately offering a better solution to commercial clients.

“I would not be surprised to see more consolidation like this to start taking place,” predicts Kurt. “Both sectors have enormous amounts of investment dollars chasing their industries, and it stands to

reason that they will come together not only for the scientific and applied benefits of systems thinking, but also because of the natural tendency for investors to do vertical and horizontal integration as industries mature.”

While the two companies are now integrated as one business, the Foster Lake & Pond Management brand and website will remain as is. However, Bland Landscaping Company now has a stormwater page on its website to highlight the newly added services.

GET IN TOUCH WITH

Kurt H. Bland

CEO of Bland Landscaping Company

Phone: (919) 387–0010

Email: kbland@blandlandscaping.com

blandlandscaping.com

INTERVIEWS Mini

Aaron Farrer Jan Johnsen

President/Founder, Practical Products

Lafayette, Indiana

Principal, Johnsen Landscapes & Pools

Croton-On-Hudson, New York www.theanttool.com www. johnsenlandscapes.com

What inspired you to get into the industry?

I was lucky to grow up working for my dad’s lawn service. We always enjoyed working together, but one part of the job that neither of us loved was loading debris onto tarps and dragging them away. After doing it so many times, though, I thought, “There’s got to be a better way” and came up with an idea for a padded strap that clips into the grommets of a tarp to make cleanup jobs easier.

What’s the best part of your job?

I like the freedom that comes with making my own schedule. It’s wonderful being able to take a day completely off if I need to, but that often means I’m making it up over the weekend or the course of a few evenings!

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally?

Bringing a new product to market without a pile of cash or the experience of having done it before has been incredibly challenging. I’m just a guy trying to get The ANT out there for anyone to use, but I won’t stop until it gets there.

What is something not many people know about you?

Any time I watch TV, I like to turn the subtitles on. Most of my friends hate it, but that’s just because I’m an amazing speller. Why just watch something when you can watch and read?

What age did you start in the industry?

I started as an intern in the landscape architecture office in Japan at the age of 19. From there, I finished my degree and went on to work for an award-winning French gardener-groundskeeper at Mohonk Mountain House, a resort hotel with amazing grounds in New York state. We grew 20,000 flowers from seed and planted them and maintained the gardens through the year.

Is this your first career or second career or tell us more?

Landscape design and professional horticulture has always been my career—I also got a master’s degree in urban planning and focused on greening cities as part of my studies. In fact, I won an award for rooftop greenhouses in New York and wrote my college thesis on hydroponics, which was published as a book, Gardening Without Soil , back in 1974. I was ahead of my time!

How many years in the industry? 54 years!

Do you have future career aspirations? I aim to do more speaking, writing, and I want to learn how to do video editing so I can share more tips on landscape design and gardening with others. I don’t foresee stopping any time soon. It is a passion.

Owner, Allen Land Design Santa Rosa, California

Owner, Seargeant Landscape & Arboriculture Visalia, California

Director of Sales, Landscape Management Network Ontario, Canada www.allenlanddesign.com www.sgtlandscape.com www.golmn.com

What inspired you to get into the industry?

I needed to go to college for something to use the GI Bill after the army. I was just mowing lawns to get by. At first, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. Once I found horticulture and realized I loved it, I switched my major. It’s been a much better life than being an attorney would have been.

What’s the best part of your job?

Meeting people! A lot of people collect cars, coins or this and that. I collect people. I have a lot of friends and a community.

What’s your favorite place you’ve ever visited?

Japan. Being in landscaping, I noticed there was so much attention to detail. They do some things there so perfectly with purpose, intentionality and design. In Japan, even just tree staking is an art.

What’s the key to great design?

Feel it, understand it, look at what you’re doing, listen to the clients and see what they want. Give them that and do better. I’ve been lucky to naturally be good at design. I didn’t finish high school. I had a pretty rough childhood, and now I’m very successful, and it’s just from being good with people, doing the right thing and feeling it. My daughters say I’m the straight guy with the queer eye.

What’s the best part of your job? Knowing my clients trust me to provide them with the best practices to keep their trees healthy and strong. I also love the process, the creativity in both landscape design and tree care. I love creating something out of nothing. I love bringing a tree back to “life” after an illness or unprofessional pruning.

What advice would you give to someone entering the green industry? Get a higher education. Find the best mentor you can that is knowledgeable and experienced, then practice what you’ve learned. Also keep in good physical shape. This industry is physically demanding.

What would you blow your money on? Research and experimentation on tree health. I’ve spent eight years of time and lots of money researching, formulating and [doing] trials with my fertilizer blends aimed to provide trees with elements they need to recover from ailments, loss of photosynthetic parts (over pruning) and some diseases. This spring/summer is my final test before I seek manufacturing and distribution. I’m also near a formula that enhances fall color.

What is something not many people know about you?

I wrote and produced a TV pilot, won a film festival and have written several screenplays and songs.

What inspired you to get into the industry?

I grew up in the landscape industry in a family business called OGS Landscape Services. Initially, it just kind of felt like my place in the world. It was everything I knew and everything that was comfortable. But, at a certain point in my career, I did ask myself should I be here? Is this the place for me? Looking around the industry and talking to people outside of the industry made me realize I have a deep passion for this.

What is your favorite phrase, slogan? If I said no, what could I say yes to? I live by that.

What’s one thing that would make the industry better?

It’s not a quick thing, but just if the general public could understand and value what we do. It’s an underappreciated trade and industry.

What advice would you give to someone entering the green industry? Network and talk to people as much as you possibly can. That’s when my career really changed trajectories, when I decided to start going to every industry event I could. So, really just get involved with the industry. If you’re a landscaper in Boston, go to a convention in Austin, Texas, and see how they do it down there.

Jeff Allen Scott Seargeant Rich Thiebaud

AARON MICHAEL

LANDSCAPING: AN INSPIRATIONAL FORCE FOR GOOD

Aaron Michael On How To Cultivate Connections Between People & Nature

Isee being in the landscape industry as being a facilitator for connecting people with nature and, thus, our true nature. I founded my garden design and creation company Earth Love Gardens in 2018 with a mission of connecting people with the Earth, genuinely within themselves and each other in a community.

As a species handling not only a changing climate but seemingly ever-increasing divisions within our society, it is imperative to reconnect with nature. We all are a part of nature at our core. Proximity to nature allows us to reconnect with our truest selves, living from our hearts. This is how indigenous peoples and our ancestors lived, and science demonstrates that healthy time spent outdoors and in nature is essential for our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Following a passion and calling I have listened to within this industry of countless niche opportunities, Earth Love Gardens specializes in pollinator and

bird-friendly native plant landscape designs and edible landscape designs, installing raised vegetable garden beds, and more. Our gardens allow families and community organizations to have a place to touch the soil, grow food, appreciate the healing sounds of bird calls, and experience the wonders of pollinators and plant life.

The mission of Earth Love Gardens is realized through the great projects we have the opportunity to be a part of and the great partnerships we have made along the way. As partners with the Audubon Rockies, we have designed and created the Boulder Public Library’s Native Plant Demonstration Garden, the Sexual Assault Victims Advocate (SAVA) Center Healing Garden, and much more. We recently designed and built a custom-raised garden bed for children in wheelchairs at the Anchor Center for Blind Children to wheel under and work with the soil and plants.

To experience people of all ages and wildlife interacting with, enjoying, and healing through the gardens and habitats we create is a priceless, heart-warming feeling like no other. My ethos is to live a life that leads by example and inspires. Through Earth Love Gardens, this is not an ideal but a reality we live that benefits the world—both the people and the ecosystem. As landscape professionals, we are on the front lines, embodying the force for good our planet needs.

1 Aaron with volunteers

2 At the Anchor Center for Blind Children ©Lashley Rhodes

3 Boulder Library Garden

GET IN TOUCH WITH

Aaron Michael

Founder & CEO of Earth Love Gardens

Phone: (720) 295–8582

Email: aaron@earthlovegardens.com

www.EarthLoveGardens.com

JOE LANGTON & AOS

How does AOS benefit landscape business owners?

I am a landscape business owner myself. When Langton Group was considering purchasing our first automated mower, I remember our CFO, my brother John Langton, had questions. What does it cost to maintain this machine? To winterize this machine? To install this machine?

With the rental and subscription model AOS uses today, I can tell a landscaper what it costs to pay AOS per acre and answer their questions typically within the first conversation.

Has your range of experience in the industry influenced your role?

Back in 2016, I said something I should have trademarked. Our industry has reached the grass ceiling. I have always been able to pay my snow removal professionals better than my lawn care professionals because clients are not willing to pay more for mowing services. The rapid growth of AOS came from my realization that automation is a scalable clone that allows companies to pay great team members more.

Does automation bring lawn care costs down significantly?

Let’s start with the glaring number. With a full subscription, AOS can set a business up to mow most grass for $25 an acre. If that number does not convince you of the savings, I would ask you to factor in overtime and environmental pressures. If automation could keep your people from having to work Saturdays and Sundays, would automation be worth it? Even in a break-even scenario, most of us would say yes.

What can a new AOS client expect from your services?

Our differentiator is that we are willing to put our money where our mouth is. AOS buys the robot, and our customers subscribe to use it. We are not just selling you something. We are here to make lifelong relationships, and we have credentials. I studied circuitry in school and was a union electrician for 11 years. My daughter, Julia, is a mini version of me. When I hang up my hat, she will be lightyears ahead of anyone else in the space because she has been in it since she was 16. You have found a pot of gold with us.

What drives you professionally?

The only way landscaping can move forward and evolve is if the professionals—people who have figured out better ways—share their knowledge with the ones just starting out. That is one driving force, but there is another. My passion is equipping business owners in this industry to pay themselves what they deserve.

DR. DAMON ABDI

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO SUPPORT BENEFICIAL INSECTS

Dr. Damon Abdi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Landscape Horticulture, LSU Ag Center

Sustaining pollinator presence and a host of other beneficial insects in the landscape requires an integrated approach. As discussed in the Spring 2023 issue of SYNKD (“Protecting Pollinators: How to Avoid Being a Buzzkill in the Landscape”), proper pesticide management can have positive impacts on the health and vitality of the pollinating species and the plants that they buzz around. Indeed, that information applies to those who apply pesticides in their landscapes, a consideration not relevant to everyone. However, we can all agree that reducing the time we spend performing tasks that might not be needed is a good thing. With that in mind, what if I told you one of the best things you can do to support pollinators is …. nothing at all.

A common practice is to remove and dispose of leaves from the lawn and garden. The reasoning behind this generally has to do with maintaining a pristine aesthetic within the landscape;

however, dispersed throughout those leaves are a host of different insects. The insect population includes pollinators, bio-control species to attack pests and, quite literally, insects that shine bright in the landscape. Insects such as lady beetles, fireflies, butterflies and bees seek shelter in leaf litter as they survive winter’s chill. By removing leaf litter, you may remove these insects from your landscape and lose out on the benefits that they bring. Beyond supporting pollinators, allowing organic material to degrade in place recycles nutrients back into landscape beds.

Another way you can support insects without taking any action involves delaying pruning ornamental grasses (in some cases and for certain ornamental grass species) until the very end of winter/very early spring. This maintains vegetative cover for insects and other critters during the colder months. Cutting back the ornamental grasses right before the new growth that emerges with a new spring allows you (and your local insect/ wildlife community) to enjoy the foliage for a little while longer through winter.

Now these bits of advice do not have to be applied uniformly throughout the entirety of the landscape and, depending on the client, may not be desired (perhaps they prefer the more pristine look,

without any leaf litter of debris). However, extolling the benefits of leaving a little leaf litter in garden beds may change some consumers’ minds. They may welcome this approach. There are a wide range of practices that one can employ to keep a sustainable landscape for insects—some more intensive than others. But these practices only require a little self-restraint when the thought of cleaning up wanders across your mind.

1 Leaf litter around a camellia shrub

2 Ornamental grasses

GET IN TOUCH WITH

Dr. Damon Abdi, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Landscape

Horticulture at LSU Ag Center

Email: dabdi@agcenter.lsu.edu

ANGELICA & MATT NORTON

CONSTRAINTS & OPPORTUNITIES

Angelica & Matt Norton , Landscape Designers & Owners of Open Envelope Studio

Discuss How To Craft Schematic Designs in Landscape Architecture

In our last article, we covered concepts and narratives in landscape design. Now we will delve into specifics on how to schematically organize a space based on a client’s wants and needs. A good sequence of decisions begins with determining where elements are allowed, where they will fit and how they will connect and, finally, identifying opportunities within the space.

To determine where design elements are allowed, we analyze the site and research code to determine their constraints. The word “constraints” doesn’t have to be a dirty word, since constraints actually serve as a useful tool in narrowing down decisions for you. City regulations, for example, limit the scope of our work to the property line, tell us that built objects must be located outside setbacks and easements, limit our impervious cover and guide us in working around the critical root zones of protected trees. With these constraints alone, our design decisions we have to make are cut in half.

To determine where different elements will fit and connect on-site, we consider standard sizes for comfort and functionality. We start with 10 feet by 12 feet or 12 feet by 12 feet for most outdoor living spaces. These are connected by a hierarchy of pathways that guide users through space. Primary pathways are typically between four or five feet, secondary pathways at three feet, and informal pathways really can’t be narrower than two feet. Pools are typically rectangular over square, and size determines whether it’s more of a plunge or lap pool. There is more flexibility for the size of sod and planting beds, but even they have minimum requirements to ensure functionality.

Once you have your design elements ready like puzzle pieces, it’s time to consider your design opportunities. You may have room for a living space in a sunny or shady area; you’d obviously choose the shady area because the client would be spending a lot of time there. If an area feels more public or private, the space may dictate whether it lends itself to entertaining or contemplation. Views and privacy screening could narrow down alignments and locations for planting beds. And, finally, we know that outdoor cooking spaces are best located closer to the gas line and indoor kitchen. It’s really common to want to stack spaces against the house, but moving a patio with a fire feature further out into the space could activate more of the yard.

This was our process for siting the pergola shown, which had to fit outside of a substantial CRZ. We had limited impervious available, and the pergola needed to be a certain size to feel comfortable for dining and lounging. It overlooks the pool, and screens on either side make it feel private.

It may all feel like threading a needle to work with code and fit everything the client wants and also make a space feel intuitive, logical and functional. But, ultimately, it all clicks together and a space will tell you where it wants to be. Next, we’ll explore taking those decisions made in 2D and reconciling them with grade.

GET IN TOUCH WITH

Angelica Norton, ASLA

Owner of Open Envelope Studio LLC

Phone: (512) 925-0155

Email: angelica@openenvelopestudio.com

www.oes.design

,

With Varden Walls, create landscapes that captivate and inspire. These plantable blocks offer a versatile canvas for crafting unique vertical gardens that leave a lasting impression. Use

Effortless Installation

Our landscape retaining wall blocks, backed by over 30 years of expertise, are designed for simplicity. Lightweight and easy to handle, they streamline the installation process, making it a breeze to build walls up to 5 feet tall. Say goodbye to complex installations and hello to efficiency.

Embrace sustainability and beauty with Varden Walls. These living masterpieces support thriving plants, cooling the environment, and enhancing habitats. Transform boundaries into vibrant, living landscapes that evoke awe and admiration.

What would you do if you had creative control over a modestly sized, zero-lotline landscape with no real budgetary restrictions? Would you try something completely new or catch yourself leaning on old conventions?

Shane Dantin, owner of Dantin Builders and Pinnacle Exterior Construction, the two companies responsible for bringing this space to fruition, is a proponent of thinking outside the box. His stance on the matter is rooted in his experience collaborating with Grant Murphy of GM Design Studio, former principal at Reich Landscape Architecture, on projects like this: a Baton Rouge residential development, winner of awards from the Growth Coalition and Louisiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

“We’ve worked with Grant on a lot of projects in the past, and one of the things I’ve always appreciated about his design process is that he doesn’t hold back on ideas,” says Shane, “Our goal was to make this project a showcase piece that challenged us to do things differently. We reached out to Grant because we knew he could push the exterior far beyond what we typically see in Louisiana.”

Daydreaming, the group knew, could not go on forever. With only a few months to execute the vision, ambitious planning warranted practical consideration. However, Grant’s ideas were never interrupted out of concern for logistics. Instead, out of respect for the design process, they all worked together to solidify the plan on-site—after Grant’s presentations.

“Shane told me the reason he was so quiet during our first presentation was that he was trying to figure out how to build it the whole time,” says Grant. “I think that’s a good example of how we operated here, informed by the expertise of everyone involved. Normally in the architecture and landscape architecture world, the design process happens in a silo. Then it’s put out to bid, and the lowest bidder usually wins. In this scenario, we were all at the table from the start.”

We just kept going back & forth, pitching ideas & working it out in the field continuously as a cohesive team.

Also sitting at that table were the architect, The Front Door Design Studio, and the interior designer, The Design Studio of Louisiana. Making the exterior feel like an extension of the interior rooms was a central aspect of the design narrative, brought to life through

unwavering attention to detail, specifically regarding materiality.

The same aggregate taking in water from the custom fountain at the front of the house is used in the interior planters. Italian porcelain tiles, identical in size and color, cover the interior and exterior floors of the home. Still, the creative

zenith for the team, in terms of actualizing this indoor/outdoor aesthetic, is symbolized by the beams reflected in the knife-edge pool and champagne spa.

“The beams are one of the most unique parts of the house, unlike anything I’ve seen anywhere else,” says Shane. “They’re steel I-beams with wood-look tile epoxied inside. That came from Grant’s first drawing. When our interior designer saw the concept, she wanted to add the beams inside the home. You see them right when you walk in the front door.”

Wood elements, Shane explains, give the project a warm and organic feel that suits the Louisiana location. The inlay on the beams, easy on paper, became a notable challenge in reality, solved through

communication. When Grant envisioned the beams, he imagined recycled wood from a local supplier. Through conversation, it became clear that the material would have to withstand intense sun rays. Switching to a tile emulating the desired wood type (white oak) satisfied this need. Then came the iterative process of ensuring all wood grain patterns lined up just so.

Every day, the deadline drew closer. Shane worked long hours to make up for time lost when he fell sick. Eventually, he pulled his son out of preschool to avoid catching the bug a third time and delaying the progress further. Having his boy on the job site emphasized a critical objective for the project: making it a safe place for children to play.

“I have young kids as well, and making the space safe was important to all of us,” says Grant. “In the backyard, there’s a private play area with a one-of-a-kind slide the Pinnacle team made by hewing and sanding a real log. You may not see them in the photos, which is a testament to the craft of the construction, but drop-down shades surround the whole outdoor living area. These shades have multiple

functions. They enclose the space, block mosquitos and offer climate control.”

Another drop-down feature hides within the outdoor kitchen. Because screens tend to immerse anyone in their presence, the team wanted to give the homeowners the option to tuck their outdoor TV away and experience the quiet ambiance of the space. Off to the side, a floating fireplace offers a way to warm up after a soak. Displayed left of the stove is a personal touch—a collection of bonsai trees.

“What ties this project together is all the tiny details that a lot of people probably don’t notice at first glance,” says Grant. “The floating steps and planters at the front entrance are highlighted with light

from below. There are floating steps inside the home too. That’s another example of the subtle nuances that connect the interior and exterior.”

Lighting was yet another facet contemplated thoroughly. The team understood that the family would often inhabit the outdoor space in dwindling daylight. With a phone app, lights activate instantaneously for that extra layer of va-va-voom that makes photos pop.

When Shane and Grant look at these photos, they recognize how the opportunity to collaborate and leave no stone unturned in the creative process led to a result beyond words.

Photos courtesy of ©Jordan Hefler Photography

GET IN TOUCH WITH

Grant Murphy, PLA LEED GA

Owner & Principal at GM Design Studio

Phone: (225) 362-2817

Email: grant@gmdesign.studio

www.gmdesign.studio

Shane Dantin

Owner of Pinnacle Exterior Construction & Dantin Builders

Phone: (225) 757–6138

Email: info@pecbuilt.com

www.pecbuilt.com

www.dantinbuilders.com

PROFILE

FIDELITY

The star of your next gathering is here.

Immerse your clients in an unforgettable outdoor audio experience with the all-new Contour Speaker. With its sleek low-profile design and versatile mounting options, Contour blends seamlessly into any landscape or hardscape. Superior sound quality flows from Contour’s durable, color-through composite enclosure, and its competitive price-point delivers unparalleled value. Pair with our award-winning Plug+Play™ Outdoor Lighting system to create the ideal retreat for your clients. Speaker displayed above: Contour Lighting displayed above: FLEX Niche In-Ground

A SUSTAINABLE , HOMEGROWN Cornucopia

Andrea Wilson Mueller Unveils A Carbon-Sequestering Landscape That Nourishes Its Human & Wild Residents

Somewhere in Frankfort, Kentucky, an enchanting Da Vinci-style arbor frames a lush meadow-like garden, seemingly plucked from a painting. Though mostly covered in green grass, the peaceful illusion of being alone in the wilderness follows an explorer of this relatively small property around every bend. To reveal the secrets behind the transformation of this former wetland, SYKND sat down with Andrea Wilson Mueller, owner of Inside Out Landscape Design.

“This is one of the most sustainable projects we have ever installed,” says Andrea. “I love that the landscape nurtures wildlife, feeds humans, mitigates water runoff and combats carbon.”

In 2023, this project received a Silver Award for Planting Design from the

Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) as part of their International Landscape Design Awards. The award presentation displays a winsome title for the project: “Wetland to Native Wonderland.” Although the ever-flowering native plant palette is the uncontested show-stopper here, Andrea tells us there is more to this project than meets the eye.

We like to work with nature instead of working against it.

“That’s rule No. 1 because nature always wins. The rain gardens are one example of this. To alleviate the standing water in the front yard, we did some calculations and tied three gutters underground to appropriately sized collection areas. Our rain gardens are generally excavated about four feet deep and then backfilled with a compost, sand and topsoil mix with one and a half feet left for bowls.”

These rain gardens, planted with deeprooted perennials, shrubs and trees, were intentionally positioned in lowlying areas, taking in water from the roof and the ground itself. Any drainage off the access road is filtered and cleaned by the

meadow and prairie vegetation before it enters the nearby waterway feeding into Elkhorn Creek.

To improve water retention, the driveway and garden path feature permeable pavers, though natural stepping stones and impermeable hardscaping appear elsewhere. Throughout the site, pavers form impeccable curves that Andrea chalks up to careful measurement and wellpracticed eyeballing—a tedious undertaking she implies was made worth it by the clients’ support and trust.

“I would describe the clients as agents of change,” says Andrea. “One is a humane society director, and they are both people who just like to get involved when they see a need. The house renovation occurred just before we arrived, compacting soil and causing large puddles. We noticed a lot of invasive species and signs of deer. The clients told us they planned to install solar panels, so we kept the height of the plantings low. To them, this landscape was an opportunity to serve their environment.”

Thirteen raised vegetable gardens at the back of the house are another testament to the clients’ environmentally conscious lifestyle. Between these corten-steel and cedar wood creations, enough room remains for the gated area to double as a dog run with space for a compost pile. Off to the side, a firepit area offers a relaxing spot to sit outside after work.

Because these clients were so in sync with Inside Out Landscape Design’s values, the team pushed the natural quality of this design to a new level. As Proven Winners Certified Landscape Professionals, a whole library of plants sprang to mind when planning the vegetation. The goal to integrate as many host plants as possible for birds, butterflies, moths and other beneficial insects is a subject that makes Andrea smile.

We made sure that the butterflies & moths always have a source of nectar.

“Something is always in bloom, season by season, and we provided plenty of food sources for their larvae to enjoy, too,” says Andrea.

Willow, oak, black-eyed-susan, milkweed and pipevine specimens were all chosen for their life-cycle supportive properties. Berry-producing shrubbery and trees, Andrea explains, work wonders in a wildlife-friendly project like this. Like flowers, the colorful fruit displays from

the dogwood trees are attractive to both humans and animals, particularly the songbirds that snack on them.

“It’s good to have nibbles in your plants,” says Andrea. “As long as what’s biting them isn’t invasive and they are not completely defoliating your plants, it’s beautiful. It means your plants are serving their function in the ecosystem.”

Wild landscapes are a popular topic of

discussion lately, and sustainability is a welcome byproduct of many projects fitting this description. Balancing this go-natural philosophy with the needs of real people can be challenging. Yet, Andrea and Inside Out Landscape Design have demonstrated this is possible. Not only that, they have gone all out on either side of the scale, making something that will only grow more endearing to its occupants over time.

GET IN TOUCH WITH

Andrea Wilson Mueller, CPLD

Owner of Inside Out Landscape Design

Phone: (502) 695–7020

Email: info@kentuckylandscapedesign.com

www.kentuckylandscapedesign.com

RootSpace® soil cell system

Root barrier products

Tree anchors

Tree soil aeration & irrigation

Tree grates, guards & fences

From concept to completion, we are with you every step of the way.

LONGEVITY & LOYALTY

Exploring a New Mexico Secret Garden With George Ocampo

In the less-than-affluent parts of the American Southwest, a commitment to excellence in landscaping services feels irrevocably rare. Sourcing materials that last, developing a heartfelt understanding of a client’s needs and researching best practices—these pursuits are often perceived as opportunity costs to businesses in a perpetually rocky state. To George Ocampo, founder and lead designer at GO Designs in El Paso, Texas, holding tight to their values despite everything is the most empowering secret behind the company’s success.

“I opened GO Designs because there was nobody I could find that shared my appreciation for the fact that clients work hard to earn their money,” says George. “If they hire us, they should get what they pay for. At least in our neck of the woods, the mindset is people get what they get and should not throw a fit. That is just not right.”

Clients should get the best, & the best is what we bring to the table. Our service is what sets us apart.

After 20 years in the industry, George’s love for his work has reached unmeasurable heights. He wakes up every

morning eager to solve problems for clients like Chris McPeak, the owner of this home in Doña Ana County, New Mexico.

“My partner, Pete Lugo, and I visited Chris to talk about her needs, and at some point, she realized we were speaking her language,” says George. “That’s when we were able to move forward with the design. If I recall correctly, we made nine design revisions total in that process, which is more than we typically do, but she was wonderful to work with. She was and is just our type of client.”

The first phase of GO Design’s long-lasting involvement on the property would begin with the courtyard and the sunset balcony—now accessible with an ornate spiral staircase. Chris wanted the courtyard, viewable from her kitchen, to feel like an ethereal garden escape, not unlike the one described in the beloved novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. A charming oak door, three planter fountains, a repurposed

brick pathway, flowering plants, a menagerie of tree types and a stone fireplace with a hearth where Chris could read with her daughter all contributed to this vision. The pièce de résistance, however, is a remarkable 45-year-old Ascolana olive tree thriving in a desert environment.

“Watching the crane bring the olive tree in, it felt spiritual,” says George. “We were all out there, imaginary music in the background. The tree was 14 feet tall and 10 to 14 feet wide. It was scary because we knew there was a risk the tree could go into shock, and it was expensive. I told her beforehand, ‘You can do this for around $600-$1,000 or you can do this for a lot more.’ She asked what I would do, and I said I would do the 30-gallon tree, but this was important to her. We almost had tears in our eyes when that mature tree finally came in.”

When Chris’ tree started to show signs of stress, George immediately contacted the supplier to investigate what went wrong. Considering the location, the team had given the tree extra water in anticipation of the precarious first few weeks on site. Once it became clear that the tree had been over-watered, irrigation wiz Pete was quick to fix the issue.

“We valved everything—grass, perennials, trees and desert plants—separately with multiple files in our automated system,” says George. “With this technology, it is easy to make adjustments from our phones or computers. We let the olive tree dry out and tweaked the irrigation settings until the leaves returned to their former glory. If you don’t have irrigation designed by Pete, I say you don’t have irrigation period. He cares about everything he does.”

Between creating a new microclimate for the vegetation, adding proper irrigation, addressing water runoff from the nearby mountains, dealing with logistics and pandemic supply-chain issues, and terracing the nine-foot drop from Chris’ entrance to her mailbox, this multi-phase project was no walk in the park. Even so, George was determined to maximize longevity in every way possible.

My mindset is that I only want to add what will last forever, or at least as long as it can.

captivating is how he describes the future. Take, for instance, this excerpt about the courtyard garden.

“The idea is that eventually, everything in [Chris’ garden] grows together like a forest,” says George. “We were careful not to overdo it, but the trees we picked, we placed them in a position to extend outward. Being there will one day feel like being at the edge of a grove where the walls seem to disappear.”

When you set foot in a yard, what are you thinking about? Longevity, logistics, unread emails, payroll? Becoming caught up in day-to-day hurdles as a business owner is challenging to avoid. Even so, if you, like George, believe that every client is always entitled to your best work, off days are not an excuse to leave clients unhappy when projects wrap up. Because of the team’s integrity, George tells us Chris views this place as her forever home.

“It’s about thinking about subsurfaces, drainage, material selection and the sustainability of everything. We do not take shortcuts or use subpar materials. And it is hard. You know, we are not in a wealthy area. The reclaimed brick is not the cheapest option. Same with the pine tongue and groove and cedar beams. On top of that, usually nothing we want is in town. We order materials from all over the U.S. Still, a handful of people are looking for what we offer, and we build strong relationships with those folks.”

Over the years, George has developed quite a knack for selecting long-lasting products for projects like this. The permeable hardscaping system with dry stack limestone blocks, the seal and stain for the cedar, the mulch and the automatic lighting system are a few examples. The Ocampo family backyard has become a testing lab for products like these.

Besides his unmistakable landscaping expertise, perhaps what makes hearing George speak about his work so

GET IN TOUCH WITH

George & Lori Ocampo

Founders & Lead Designers of GO Designs

Phone: (915) 400–8984

Email: george@godesignsep.com

www.godesignsep.com

raise the bar

INSIDE RAISE THE BAR

PAGE 42 Heather Dirksen: Seize the Moment | PAGE 44 Quotes From SYNKD Live 2024: An Insight Charcuterie Board | PAGE 48 The Rise of Battery-Powered Equipment

HEATHER DIRKSEN

SEIZE THE MOMENT

Boost Your Business & Optimize Profits With a Plant Health Care Program

As business owners contemplate the implementation of Plant Health Care (PHC) programs, they often grapple with reservations. Whether it’s concerns over staff expertise or past roadblocks encountered, the decision to embark on this journey can seem daunting. However, the rewards awaiting those who persevere are substantial, often prompting sentiments of missed opportunities in hindsight.

Seizing the Opportunity

The present moment presents an unparalleled opportunity to initiate PHC programs. With urban expansion on the rise and green spaces being repurposed to accommodate housing needs, the disruption of native soil poses significant challenges to maintaining plant health. Soil compaction, nutrient depletion and diminished microbial activity become pressing issues in this evolving landscape.

Overcoming Hurdles

From my experience in guiding businesses through PHC program development, I’ve identified three significant barriers: identifying a PHC champion, establishing foundational processes and prioritizing soil science.

PHC Champion

Recognizing the pivotal role of a PHC champion is paramount. This individual oversees personnel, processes and product implementation. While industry expertise is beneficial, unwavering

This tree underwent meticulous root pruning to eliminate girdling and advantageous roots, fostering optimal tree health and vitality.

determination and an alignment with company values are key attributes of an effective champion. People often make the mistake of hiring someone who is strong in science but lacks the tenacity to overcome obstacles. You have to find someone who is passionate about creating the program and growing your company just as much as you are.

If you question the availability of such individuals, allow me to dispel your doubts. The real challenge often stems from not putting enough effort into the recruiting process. At the heart of any successful recruitment initiative is having someone take full ownership of it. Without a dedicated individual driving the process forward, it risks being overshadowed by urgent tasks, potentially leading to the recruitment of unsuitable team members.

Foundational Processes

A prevalent pitfall in change management is leadership overlooking the critical details required to ensure the success of process changes. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to pinpoint obstacles and

remove them from your team’s path. Begin by identifying processes that could hinder your sales and production teams from achieving their goals. I always advocate starting with the sales process and working backward from there.

Facilitate your certified arborists’ efforts to educate customers by streamlining the process—determine what essential information they need to convey first. Simplify the task of estimating work by providing clear guidelines, whether it’s by the hour, gallon or diameter at breast height. In my experience, the most successful PHC programs are those designed for scalability.

Ensure your production staff are equipped to work safely and efficiently. This entails optimizing their setup for mixing tanks and applying products, providing them with the necessary tools and equipment to maximize efficiency. Crucially, foundational processes hinge on having your business management software configured appropriately. Sadly, this aspect is often overlooked, leading to missed renewals, subpar customer service and inaccurate reporting.

Starting with Soil Science

I consistently advise that every plant healthcare program begins with a solid foundation in soil science and a comprehensive understanding of the prevalent tree and shrub health issues in their specific region. This initial step enables the team to ascertain what their customers truly value most and which services should be prioritized for implementation.

With the multitude of services available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Therefore, I advocate starting with a select few basic services and mastering them before expanding further. Simplifying the offerings not only ensures clarity for customers, but also allows your team to excel in delivering exceptional service. By keeping it simple, you’ll earn appreciation from both your customers and your team for maintaining a streamlined and effective approach.

Embracing Opportunity

While obstacles may seem daunting, the rewards of initiating a PHC program far outweigh the investment. I urge business owners to seize the opportunity and embark on their PHC journey today. With profit margins reaching as high as 90 percent, the decision to invest in PHC programs is one that yields substantial returns. By embracing this opportunity, businesses can pave the path to sustainable success in the dynamic realm of plant health care.

GET IN TOUCH WITH

Heather Dirksen

Owner of Ascend Tree Business Consulting

Phone: (616) 421–5709

Email: hsterzick@gmail.com

www.treebiz.co

AN INSIGHT CHARCUTERIE BOARD

Business is tough. I don’t care if you’re a milliondollar company or a hundred-million-dollar company. It’s tough.

WE NEED EACH OTHER TO PERSEVERE .

Embrace the opportunity to introduce yourself to everybody, to build some relationships … & then, learn from people’s challenges & failures

- Roy Heintz Professional Speaker Roy Heintz Speaks

Help Yourself! Grab Some Slices of Information, While We Work on the Main Course—Launching Full-Length Videos from Our Event’s Three Stages.

I think eliminating the race to the bottom involves doing something in your marketplace that shows value & quality in your workmanship rather than in price … I don’t think [we at Lucky Landscaping] bid work, we provide proposals. A bid, to me, means that you are competing on the lowest number versus a proposal showing what you can provide for your dollar amount. We won’t bid a commercial project unless we meet with the board.

- Austyn Roth Owner of Lucky Landscaping

Presentation:

Eliminate the “Race to the Bottom”

Through

Innovation

Opening Keynote

If we don’t have a total solution [for going electric], it shouldn’t be forced down our throats. It should be done in a phased , responsible approach . That’s why I appreciate what [my fellow panelists] are doing … You think of your cellphone right, like how many businesses failed before the cellphone became the enabling technology to allow that business to happen? The same thing is going to happen with the [electric vehicle space] & the battery space.

- Richard Ogawa Chief Executive Officer of Towa Industries

Maybe you have to make organizational changes, maybe you have to change the way your sales process flows, maybe you have to change logistics in the way your business operates. Whatever it is, according to the Harvard Business Review , when you have to make structural changes to your business, 70 percent of the time those initiatives fail … Why? Because they’re skipping steps. There is a framework for this.

- Jay Worth

Manager for Single Ops

Presentation: Don’t Be A Seagull: A Change Management Guide Marketing

In our company, we flip [the chain of command] upside down.

OUR

My role is at the bottom, I’m supporting the company, by supporting my direct reports … We look at it this way at all levels of the company. If I have somebody who is too good to get out there and get dirty, they’re not going to stick around for very long.

If you’re a frontline-first workforce, and you really care about those people that give you a livelihood and serve your company—you pay them well. You give them a career. You give them meaningful benefits, & you take care of them

- Matthew Green

Presentation: Cultivating Success: Harnessing the Power of Company Culture

We want to be successful. We want to be happy & have fun doing it, but we want to get there ethically. We don’t want to go up that greasy slope, treading on people along the way, because it’s a long, long way sliding back down.

- Donna Jones

Presentation: Ace Resin Permeable

Paths & Driveways

Winners don’t get mad … What winners do is they get smarter, they get leaner, they get more precise, they get dialed in. Your attitude is directly going to affect your success.

- Nick Carlson Head of Sales for Ace Resin Founder & CEO of Dawson Manufacturing

- Phil Graves CEO of Blue Duck Lawn Care North American Director of

Presentation: Eliminate the “Race to the Bottom” Through Innovation

Sustainability—I really like this about the porcelain world … What’s porcelain made out of? Well, it’s made out of the most abundant raw material on Earth. Earth! Basically, it’s made out of sand, clay, feldspar, a couple of other minerals, a little bit of water, some heat, some pressure … No Portland cement. There are no VOC [volatile organic compound] emissions in the manufacturing process or afterward. The weight of the product is roughly nine pounds a square foot. When you’re competing against some of your other legacy hardscape materials: natural stone, concrete pavers, clay brick pavers—you get a lot more square footage with porcelain on a truck than you do with those other materials.

LESS TRUCKS. LESS ENERGY COSTS.

Sales for Daltile

Presentation: Exterior Porcelain Paving: The Ideal Option for Exteriors

COMMERCIAL GRADE HAS BEEN UPGRADED.

Professionals need rugged durability without sacrificing features and performance. That’s why we developed the PRO-TURN® 500. Its seating, tires, mowing deck, transmission and more make it a formidable force in the commercial mowing market.

THE RISE OF BATTERY-POWERED EQUIPMENT

Hear That? Neither Do We. Welcome to the Future of Lawn Care.

It’s a balmy summer afternoon. Sam is glued to her laptop in her parent’s upstairs guest room, studying hard for the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). Next Tuesday is her last chance to score high enough to catch the eye of admissions staff this year. The sound of a leaf blower breaks her concentration. Try as she might, she can’t drown out the noise. Between Sam’s hospice care job and research internship, this is all the time she has to focus on this. If only someone could put the thing on mute.

Virtually every human in America has had reason to glower at the sound of loud lawn care equipment. This fact is not news, but most have accepted maintenance noise as a necessary evil. Not

Greyson Walldorff

“My goal is by the end of 2025 to be 100 percent electric on our maintenance side,” says Greyson. “The biggest hurdle for us right now is range. We have a few high-mileage routes to work out, and we are looking to make substantial progress next year with the new options becoming available. It’s landscaping. You know, you’re going to

have to overcome problems every day. The problems with electric equipment are just new.”

I would rather have charge-time logistical issues than deal with mechanical issues & gas-based costs regularly.

2024 SYNKD Live speaker Greyson Walldorff, the 27-year-old business mastermind behind Lawn Capital in Georgia.

Greyson is a world traveler with a background in finance. Observing construction projects abroad has given him ground to question deep-rooted practices that few think twice about in the states. Becoming aware of the dubious consequences presented by widely used products like dyed mulch and chemical herbicides was just the beginning for Greyson. At Lawn Capital, they call their green missions Plan Zero and The Quiet Revolution.

“There has never been an option like this before,” says Greyson. “It can all be done to the standards clients expect from any lawn care company. Weeds in garden beds are still going to be curbed. We will keep delivering high-end service, just without noise, gasoline or yard chemicals. It is hard to gauge the demand precisely when this is so new, but when we explain it, people are excited.”

Five years ago in Dallas, Texas, Stephen Gault was out walking the dog with his wife. The pleasant moment was shaken by a reverberating racket behind his neighbor’s fence. He pictured the battery-powered tools the couple picked up for their home garage a few days prior. The moment gave way to a research frenzy for the longtime lawn care business owner. A total rebrand renaissance began, and EcoMow, a 100 percent emissions-free lawn and landscape company, was the result.

Business took time to grow, but the COVID-19 pandemic drastically increased the amount of calls to EcoMow. With so many Texans working from home, sound became a top-of-mind concern.

“What’s strange is that we kind of came into this whole thing thinking the big sell would be that we run on zero emissions,” says Stephen. “As we continue to understand why people call us and why they choose to stay with us, we have learned that it is more about noise pollution than anything. We have communities here in Dallas that have noise ordinances in place. They have had them for years and years, but rarely were they ever enforced. Within the last 12 months, that changed. Communities are taking action on noise ordinances. The gas-powered guys are leaving those areas in response.”

Being the only company in Dallas providing these noise-free services, EcoMow is in the catbird seat.

It would be remiss to ignore the poor reputation the electric equipment trend currently holds within the industry. The perceived expense, break-down risk, charge time and power limits cause many heads to shake at the idea. Looking at how far the technology has progressed, particularly within the last two years, electric enthusiasts like Stephen find most concerns on the topic unfounded or inconsequential today. Although he acknowledges electric mowers are behind the curve compared to other types of equipment, on the whole, Stephen is exceedingly positive about his decision to switch over to electric power.

“We kind of failed our way forward in our process,” says Stephen. “I didn’t know anything about how to build a charging setup with lithium batteries, power inverters and solar. [I had] no experience whatsoever. A tremendous amount of research was involved, particularly looking at how van lifers set up their vehicles. We built out our charging rig, and we kept destroying this equipment. So we got in touch with the manufacturer. I had a great conversation with the folks there, telling them what we were going through with equipment continuously

Stephen Gault

breaking on us. They invited us to their headquarters and set us up with heavy-duty, commercial-grade equipment. That was ultimately a game changer for EcoMow.”

To educate himself and his employees on subjects like best practices for electric equipment use, how to dispose of batteries and efficient battery charging methods, Stephen is glad he had the foresight to sign up for the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) certification program. Outside his AGZA community, Stephen contributes insights to a weekly podcast called “Electric Lawn Talk,” cohosted by Stephen and seven industry peers representing businesses in Texas, Colorado, Florida and Maryland.

Jarmar Dupas, one such podcast co-host, is not only the owner of Peaceful Lawn & Garden in Southwest Houston, he is also a firefighter and paramedic for the city. Shortly after moving into his first house, Jarmar’s dog broke out in hives from the supposedly pet-friendly fertilizer in his garden. At the same time, Jarmar was losing sleep. Working nights, Jarmar needed to rest when the mowers and blowers were often active in his neighborhood.

“One morning in the spring of 2020, my

wife and I were sitting on the back deck, trying to enjoy our coffee and tea, and our neighbor’s lawn guy was just making all kinds of noise, smoking the place up with the oldest backpack blower you can imagine,” says Jarmar. “It was so loud we couldn’t even hear each other speak. We thought there had to be a better way. Then it became, let’s do vegetable gardens, organic lawn fertilizer and lawn care. We can help animals and the planet. Let’s see if we can use our new batterypowered mower.”

Heart is what sets Jarmar apart in all aspects of his life. Aside from his degree in biology, Jarmar had no experience in the field before he built his business from scratch. Believing in his mission, he picked up skills and knowledge fast and now offers his customers a premium service that he can reasonably charge more for than gas-powered companies in the area. The customers, however, are not the only ones relieved about electric lawn care.

“There are tons of benefits just for your crew,” says Jarmar. “I have had guys thank me because their girlfriend or wife is no longer smelling gas when they get home. That vibration in your hand from

holding motor-powered equipment all day, they do not experience that anymore. Hearing protection, smelling the fumes, the emissions that these things put off—I know we don’t want to talk about it, but these backpack blowers are terrible.”

How can business owners set themselves up for perpetual success? It’s a question with an answer that never takes solid form. Yet, whether you swap your entire fleet with emission-free equipment or start small with a gas-to-battery conversion kit, battery-powered equipment has a promising outlook in our industry. Improving the quality of life for employees, bringing peace to communities, and reducing emissions— that is a vision of the future to look forward to.

Stephen Gault

CEO of EcoMow Lawn & Landscape, LLC

Phone: (888) 326–6691

Email: info@ecomow.com

www.ecomow.com

Jarmar Dupas

Owner of Peaceful Lawn & Garden, LLC

Phone: (832) 430–2630

Email: jarmar@peacefullawn.com

www.peacefullawn.com

JARMAR DUPAS, OWNER OF PEACEFUL LAWN & GARDEN, LLC

Offering tree care, lawn care, and pest control, Joshua Tree Experts is expanding with multiple franchise locations. Prime territories are still available, so seize this opportunity to grow with us.

Schedule a meeting today to learn more!