[DesigningCT]

1. We do most of our design work through the winter
2. AS Horticulture, BS Landscape Architecture. Nationally certified designer through APLD
3.Do garden maintenance, design and instal. No lawns. After 40 years(started at 12 years old), we’re transitioning to just garden maintenance. Hoping for less stress.
4. I can write a book
5. In my area, I find most of our gardens need little Supplemental water once established unless it’s an annual.
6.Not sure this comes with age, experience or both but my Clients have very little input besides the usually ‘do what you’d do at your house or just make it look good’

 

[DesigningCT]

there are a lot of people that are ‘designers’ that have learned on the fly. You’ll learn a little bit from every job you design, install and maintain. What you‘d change, what you’d do differently, what worked. I was well versed in my early years with horticulture and design but didn’t really know anything about business. I’ve spent my career learning the basics of business. Average price not sure. We do some $3000-$5000 jobs every year and 1-2 six figure jobs every year so our average isn’t a true average. I’d say our sweet spot is $10,000-$30,000 plant installs and we sub or refer everything else.

 

[DesigningCT]

What did you have a hard time learning business-wise?

In 1993, after my first full year (full time) in business, I showed up to my accountant with a shoe box full of receipts. I had no idea how to set up my books or even how to due the books, hiring, firing, contracts, marketing, SEP iras.,estimating, job costing, people management(baby sitting) all had to be learned. 2 college degrees taught be how to be a designer and a technician. It did not teach me how to be a business owner or leader.

 

[DesigningCT]

so you just do garden maintenance, eventually, what type of services generally, pruning, weed control, fertilizer? Curious what pricing method you found best for this service ?

I live in an area that has quite a bit of weekend wealth, large estates etc...We have a combination of properties that a 3-4 man crew can spend a half a day, once a month maintaining. We also have clients that take 3-4 guys, 2x a week. For our most needy properties we are mulching, edging, pruning yearly and deadheading, watering annuals in the ground and containers, weeding and deer spraying multiple times a week. Of course a big part is annual rotations. Spring, summer, fall and winter greens. Summer and fall is truckloads and truckloads of plants at certain properties. That adds stress like design/build. After 30 years, I'm at the point where my sanity is more important than money. We still have installs going on...larger ones that we will plug away at in the coming years but the overall goal now, is garden maintenance. There's more money in design/estimate/build as we are strictly T&M as a maintenance company.