Blooming Designs: Cultivating Beauty in Gardens and Growing Success through Collaboration

Blooming Designs is a small company based in Norton, Ohio, specializing in the installation and maintenance of flowering gardens. Founded by Susie Dempster, the company has a unique partnership with Summit Landscape, a full-service landscape company owned by Susie’s husband. We spoke with Susie about her company and its distinctive offerings.

OGIA: Why did you start Blooming Designs?

Susie: Blooming Designs was started in 2001. My husband, David, had a successful landscape business, Summit Landscape. I was working in a chemistry lab and was jealous of the time that he spent outside. He and his crew were great at hardscape and lawn care, but the guys lacked the desire to know or care for the annuals and perennials, so I started a different division of the company that focused on flower gardens.

OGIA: How did you get started in the industry?

Susie: Even as a child I was always interested in plants. I earned a BS in Botany from Miami University, then worked in a chemistry lab for 10 years. In 2001, I quit my lab job to start Blooming Designs so that I could spend my time gardening.

OGIA: How has your company grown or evolved over the years? How do you work alongside your sister company, Summit Landscape?

Susie: Blooming Designs was started to provide weeding and annual flower planting services. Quickly, we saw a need in the market for designs and fine garden maintenance. We work with Summit Landscape for large landscape installations and renovations, and we float freely between the groups to help each other out. I design for both companies. It is a great partnership.

OGIA: How big is Blooming Designs today?

Susie: We have eleven great employees, plus floaters from the Summit side of the company. Most of our crew are women that love to work outside. We are a friendly and flexible group that takes pride in creating and maintaining beautiful gardens, landscapes, and containers.

OGIA: Do you have any favorite projects or designs that you’d like to share?

Susie: Every project is fun and a chance to learn something new. About eight years ago we took on the maintenance of a fantastic garden that a friend designed and installed, but then he died tragically before it reached maturity. Taking on that garden forced me to improve our services and processes and has made us a better company.

Recently, we installed a matrix garden at Greenlawn Cemetery in Akron. When I was contemplating the space, a friend said, “that would be a great place for a matrix garden.” Over winter I read everything I could about matrix gardens. I learned a lot and took the plunge. It was fun to try something new, and it’s turned out nicely.

OGIA:Regarding day-to-day operations, what’s working well for you?

Susie: Regarding employees, we try to be flexible and allow them to have a good family life: we don’t work a ridiculous amount of hours, they have weekends off, and we allow them to leave for a couple hours to see a kid’s school activity, etc. They each have their own strengths and talents, and we try to utilize those strengths.

OGIA:Any “fails” that you’ve learned from over the years that you’d be willing to share? I think most of the fails we have had are a result of taking on more work than we can handle.

Susie: On one property we had a sub-contractor put in a fence. When measuring how many panels were needed, I didn’t take into consideration the posts between, so the placement was all wrong.

OGIA:What are your current challenges?

Susie: There is not enough time to do all the work available to us. Every potential project seems exciting, but often we bite off more than we can chew, and sometimes leave potential customers hanging. We need to learn to say “no” when we have enough work in the pipeline.

OGIA:Where do you see the industry heading? Any trends you’re watching?

Susie: I think we are moving toward a reduction of lawns and chemicals. More people are interested in no-mow lawns.

OGIA:Any advice you’d like to share for business owners who are just getting started?

Susie: Join networking groups and find peers from across the country to learn from and share information. Treat clients and employees well and it will all come back to you.

Overall, Susie reflects on her good fortune in making a living through her passion, extending heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated team, loyal customers, and, above all, her husband David, whose crucial role has been instrumental in their collective achievements.

To learn more about Blooming Designs, visit summit-landscape.com.