L.A. Dreamin’ Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lindsey Anne’), Photo: Ball OrnamentalsPlant knowledge equals power for landscapers.
If you can identify plants, know how they grow, and understand how to keep them alive, that’s half of your battle in the landscaping world.
Unfortunately, there are too many landscapers that don’t dedicate the time to understand, learn or appreciate the plant life around them. The days are busy and there just isn't the time.
That is why every landscaper needs to find one or two clients in each zone or climate to be a tester.
In one of Houzz’s posts, one of the new ways to garden is to let it grow to see what we can learn.
“Gardens aren’t static, and neither are we,” the article says. “If you let a portion of the garden be itself for the entire year, what happens? If weeds move in and current plants struggle, maybe your soil is too rich (lots of natives prefer a leaner soil and weeds love it sweet), or maybe the ground is too bare and open. If that plant you’ve been babying dies away, then good riddance –— find something more suited for the spot.”
I know every client isn’t going to want to be “the tester” but it doesn’t hurt to ask. You and your crews could learn a lot just by looking around and testing out new plants. And it is something that is easy to fit into an already busy day.
If you can't find any clients who are willing to let you test out some plants, perhaps it's something you or your team members can do on their own. It could mean some free landscaping for your employees with the caveat that they study how everything performs.
Some of the best ways to learn include the process of elimination. Investing even a little bit of time in learning more about plants can benefit your clients in many ways.
