Masonry Magazine December 2017 Page. 85
� commercial office complexes strip malls and shopping centers funeral homes government buildings like libraries
and town halls freestanding restaurants and shops hotels and resorts, and more
LANDSCAPING REALITY
In the residential market space, there are myriad reasons that homeowners, investors and property managers contract with a landscape design or maintenance firm. They may have:
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no time to spend on the yard
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little desire to work in the yard
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minimal vision to design a land�scape
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no inclination to buy, maintain and store the equipment
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new home with no landscaping
� old home that needs upgrade for outdoor living or to sell property
� multiple homes � demanding travel schedule
A first step in contemplating adding landscape services to your hardscape and masonry business is to evaluate which services you feel most compe�tent to offer. Lawn mowing, trimming, edging and general maintenance are the most basic, while landscape design is a much more compre�hensive facet. The design services, which may be much more lucrative, require knowledge, expertise and a broad grasp of soil conditions, plant characteristics, climate factors and environmental issues. Additionally, it's a very creative endeavor balancing color, texture, size and purpose, like deciduous trees on the south side for shade in summer or cedar for a north side barrier or holly shrubs to mark a boundary between neighbors.
James Ulmer, founder and owner of Back to Nature Landscaping & Construction (having added the construction after a few years in just landscaping), in Blacksburg, Va., says a big part of his job is educating the customers. "They often think our plan looks sparse around the house and outdoor living spaces, and it does for the first few years. We plan an investment for a property, and it's a long-term growth strategy, literally. We anticipate what it will look like five and 10 years later. If homeown�ers want the complete look at the beginning, we'll put in more plants, advising them to remove things once it gets crowded," he explains. There is a tendency to forget that many bushes and trees grow as much width as height, which explains why DIY-ers often plant way to close to a house, promoting bug and mildew issues when once-little, now-big plants nestle up to siding.
Though Ulmer's business has ex�panded from two full-time employees to around 20 in just three years, he stops short of masonry work. "Our design team does patios, landscap�
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