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.

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.