The Importance of Water Conservation

Spencer Phillips
Research Irrigation Inc.


Is conserving water use in the landscape important to you and your business? Of course it is! And if you don’t believe me you will soon discover water conservation practices will change the way you operate your business. If it’s not by water restrictions or a water use permit being revoked it will be in the laws written to mandate water efficient landscape designs. Some how some way the water issue will be affecting all of us if it hasn’t already.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection landscape irrigation consumes over 60% of the potable water supply to an average household. Does this mean our landscapes need this amount of water to flourish and look beautiful? No, on average a landscape should only consume 20 – 40% of the total water supply of an average household. What does this fact mean? We have plenty of room for improvement.

We all play a vital role in the green industry. Some of us are landscape growers, landscape designers, some install the landscape, and some maintain the landscape. And everyone in each role plays a part in conserving water. We should all be aware of how water conservation can help our business and the entire green industry.

Everyday our industry is faced with regulatory and legislative issues that will affect how all of our businesses operate. Not too long ago the City of Tampa banned the use of all irrigation for a short amount of time. This did not only affect the irrigation contractors but also the sod and landscape industry. New installation of landscape material was put on hold because there was no way to water the material under the irrigation ban. Lately the most important issues the green industry has been dealing with concern the use of water to grow and maintain landscapes. If we fail to lead the way in water conservation we will be forced to follow.

As a landscape designer the opportunity exists to design with “Florida Friendly” plantings. This will reduce the amount of water required for the landscape. It is possible to save up to 50% of water by using native or Florida Friendly plants in a landscape. It is also important to group plantings by their water use requirements. If the landscape is grouped into separate zones or hydrozones it will be possible to irrigation the areas more efficiently. A water budget could also be considered for the site and it will be the landscape designer’s job to create a landscape that will thrive within a set water budget.

The landscape contractor has the responsibility to install the landscape per the plans and specifications. But this does not leave the contractor a loop hole out of water conservation. The contractor has the opportunity to inspect the soil where the plants will be permanently planted. This is a greatly underestimated job. The soil structure at the root zone of the plant will drastically affect the future look and growth of the plant. The soil type will also change the way the area will be irrigated. If it is a clay type soil the run time for an irrigation event will be reduced to avoid runoff. But if it is a sand type soil there could be longer runtimes to effectively soak the root zone. The contractor must also consider using soil amendments to encourage the ability of the soil to hold moisture for longer periods of time.

Probably the category playing the biggest part in water conservation is the landscape maintenance contractor. The most common nemesis to water conservation in the landscape is improper watering schedules. It is important to be able to recognize under or over watering and relay this information to the irrigation contractor managing the irrigation system. This brings up the point of proper communication between the landscape and irrigation contractors. It is important to explain the plant water use requirements to the irrigation contractor so that an accurate watering schedule is achieved. One of the quickest and less expensive ways to save more water in a landscape is to create an accurate watering schedule. This can be done by having a certified professional prepare a watering schedule based on the efficiency of the irrigation system, plant water use, and soil conditions.

It is also prudent to stay aware of new irrigation management technology. Everyday a new product is released that will save more water without the user contributing too much of their own time. This will make it easier for the contractor and the end user. We call this smart irrigation technology. The water management districts are also beginning to promote the ‘Florida Water Star’ program which includes smart water technologies. This is a program all green industry professionals should support and promote to their customer base.

Well, the opportunity is ours. As landscape and irrigation professionals we can be smart enough to tie together water conservation and profit for our business. Do we try to retrofit and update the existing landscape and irrigation systems? Or do we just accept the way it has always been and continue to maintain a mediocre landscape and a mediocre irrigation system? It’s your choice!

Remember to be proactive in your approach to water conservation!

The author, Spencer Phillips.

You may be busy, but take the time to just be a plant nerd

By Tristen Bowen, Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando, FL


It seems like only yesterday we were planning out and booking our poinsettias for this winter. Wait! That was February. Where does the time go? It is already August, and the work world keeps forging on.

It is a time that you are working on fall color rotation, as well as renovations. You have to think about your team and how to keep them motivated. Maintenance never ends, of course, and you can never turn a blind eye to it or you’ll be sure to get overwhelmed.

On top of it all, you are reconciling your checkbooks and watching your budget. The deadline for 2010’s budget is only tomorrow. Forecasting the rest of the year’s expenses is extremely important right now. Also, have to process those invoices…put in those vacation requests…learn the new purchasing system… obtain certificates of liability insurance…send off those soil samples…write this blog…coordinate a few contractors…and stop to take a deep breath! I am very positive that this is everyone’s world right now…everyone is staying later, taking on more and trying to move ahead.

But for me, there is a light in the very near future, a breath of very fresh air, something that I look forward to every year, The Landscape Show! It is my opportunity to escape all of the hustle and bustle of real work life, to remove myself from all the daily business, and for a few short days be a horticulturist.

I am surrounded by industry folk, plant people, plant nerds! It takes me back to the core of everything I truly love. I get to browse aisles of interesting plants, colorful booths and a surplus of horticulture hard goods. It is an opportunity to sit and listen to extremely talented speakers and pick up a few new ideas. You get to see that vendor you talk weekly to on the phone and actually look them in the eyes! It is a few days full of hearty handshakes, business cards and geeky plant talk. It is pure bliss.

So, in retrospect, I know we are all very busy, but I am for sure going to make the time to indulge in the pleasure of The Landscape Show. I’ve been looking forward to this for quite awhile. Maybe I’ll see you there?

Brilliant Leadership in times of Change

By Simon T. Bailey
www.SimonTBailey.com

As I travel around, I continue to hear stories of gloom and doom. Corporations are tightening their belts, consumers have closed their wallets, and when I look into the faces of many people I see a blank stare. It’s as if they are saying, I am just here, I’m merely going through the motions.

Snap out of it! Rattle the cage! Tip the boat! Grab your life by the shirt collar and pull it forward into the future! You’re a leader, and this is what you signed up for when you became one, right? Did you know that everyone is looking to you as a barometer, and they are feeding off of your energy and taking a cue from you in how to pursue? Perhaps this may come as a shock to you, but people are watching you. They are looking to you to see how they should behave, think and believe.

Brilliant leaders embrace change as a friend instead of a foe. They believe change offers wonderful opportunities for growth. And no matter what is happening around them, brilliant leaders remain optimistic. As defined by dictionary.com, optimism is a tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation. Brilliant leaders know that pessimism and cynicism feed on one another and produce negative thoughts and negative actions. Winston Churchill said it best: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Perhaps you subscribe to the school of thought that says you are neither an optimist nor pessimist but a realist. That’s very nice, very sweet and very special. But in the words of Dr. Phil McGraw – how’s that working for you? Please know that whatever you believe, this is the greatest time in the history of the world. Why? Because adversity gives us the chance to be brilliant! Hard times determine our true characters.

Here are seven arrows to put into your leadership quiver (I am using this metaphor because Alan Roberts introduced me to Cabelas and even though I don’t live in Oregon, Idaho, or Montana, I sure wish I did. The next time we visit I will have to tell you about my first horse riding experience in Bozeman, Montana. It’s one for the ages. Anyway, I digress.)

• Share with your customers what you are willing to do to earn or keep their business. They don’t really care about what you can’t do or all of the hoops you have to jump through to make something happen. Be straight with them. People are tired, and their tolerance is very low after watching the stock market plunge, retirement plans diminish, and lay-offs happen all around them.

• Remember names, facts and details about customers. What is the name of his dog or cat, of her son or daughter? When is his birthday? What is her favorite cuisine or type of book? Alan Berg, VP of Strategic Solutions for The Knot, says, “Raise the bar on everything you do. Be the kind of business or person you would want to do business with.”

• Your greatest asset in this economy is not your house, your car, your 401k, your savings account, or the money under your mattress. Your greatest asset is your confidence and that of your team. Protect that confidence; grow it and watch what happens. It is your bailout plan.

• Customer Service is a mindset, not a department. Everyone should be in the business of surprising and delighting customers. More businesses do more to run customers off (automated phone trees that launch us into a plethora of choices). Don’t fall into the trap of choosing your own convenience over providing good service.

• Make sure your company is investing in You, Inc. Organizations that spent an average of $900 per employee on learning experienced 57 percent higher net sales per employee, 37 percent higher gross profits per employee, and a 20 percent increase in market-to-book value ratios. (Source – American Society of Training and Development.)

• Host your own “chew and chat” or “lunch and learn.” Buy customers or employees a meal or treat them to lunch in the employee cafeteria. Prepare at least three questions to prime the conversation pump. The first should be personal. This creates a bond and answers the question of why you wanted to invite this person to lunch. The second question should be business related, which creates a connection between the two of you within the company. The third question should be future related, which gives you a chance to listen to and support the hopes and aspirations of that employee or that customer.

• Create an Oh Brilliant One Award so you can celebrate brilliance in your organization and highlight what employees are doing right instead of what they are doing wrong.

I had the great opportunity to work with 200 of the top leaders of Sterling Savings Bank in Spokane, Washington recently, and I am thrilled to say, “Sterling Savings, you have a brilliant culture.” And I don’t say that just to blow smoke up your leg. As leaders, you are contagious optimists instead of annoying pessimists.

You are excited about the opportunities this economy is presenting you, and you truly care about your customers and each other. When I was with you, I could tell there was something authentic about all of you. You are the real deal! In the words of your president, Greg Seibly, the real business that you are about is building trust and dreams.

As leaders, you are contagious optimists instead of annoying pessimists. I believe that all of you are brilliant leaders, and that, in these tough times, you can either create history or just read it. I believe all of you are committed to embracing change and to remaining confident and hopeful. Here’s the bottom line: Change, or be changed by change. You decide, Oh Brilliant One!

New this year! Define your Business’ Future with help from one of Florida's premier economic consultants

October 1, 9:00 a.m.

Don’t miss a landmark opening presentation to exhibitors and attendees by Dr. Henry Fishkind who will reveal industry trends and how you can enhance your business’ future.

FNGLA has retained the consulting services of Fishkind & Associates to perform an in-depth six-month study leading to the October 1st unveiling of the results in this grand opening presentation. This hard-hitting presentation will provide insight into how external factors are affecting the industry in Florida and nationwide. Learn about market trends, changes in the economy and how other major factors impact buying patterns within Florida’s nursery and landscape industry. This will be much more than just an economic talk!

This can’t-miss, kick-off event is FREE to all attendees and exhibitors and is scheduled before the trade show opens so all exhibitors can attend. Define your Future at The 2009 Landscape Show.

Dr. Henry Fishkind, Ph.D., has worked extensively on large and complex economic cost benefit analyses, including the Florida Everglades Environmental Restoration Project.

The Landscape Show 2009 - Defining the Future

Defining the Future …of your business …of the industry

October 1-3, 2009 Orange County Convention Center, Orlando FL

Join over 8,000 attendees and define the future of your business by attending the southeast’s premier landscape and horticulture conference and trade event. The Landscape Show features 200,000 sq. ft. of trees, shrubs, equipment and more from over 500 exhibiting companies. In addition to the extensive trade show, numerous events promoting certification and industry surround The Landscape Show. Enhance your future by enrolling in Short Course sessions covering everything from production and landscape management to design and retail. Or, expand your knowledge and attend any of the free demonstrations held hourly each day.

The three-day event features:
• Opening Day reception
• Educational sessions
• Complimentary demonstrations
• Certification reviews and testing opportunities
• The opportunity to earn CEU’s
• An interactive Green Zone area
• FNGLA/SHARE Golf Tournament
• FNGLA Landscape Awards Gala
• FNGLA Career Fair

Who should attend The Landscape Show?
Everyone who is involved in professional and commercial aspects of landscape and its added value economically, environmentally and aesthetically:

• Developers
• Home Builders
• Landscape Architects and Designers
• Landscape Contractors and Management Companies
• Garden Center Professionals
• Plant Brokers and Rewholesalers
• Resort and Facility Managers
• Golf Course Superintendents
• Wholesale Nurseries
• City and Municipality Landscape Professionals
  
• Chain Store Garden Centers
  
• Industry Educators
• Garden Writers

Registration opens in July. It’s your future. Take Control and Define it at The 2009 Landscape Show.

www.thelandscapeshow.org | (800) 375-3642
Sponsored by the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA)

Stop and Smell the Jasmine

Mark Russell
Horticulture Director
Discovery Cove and Aquatica
Orlando, Florida

I always look forward to The Landscape Show as a great time to re-energize. What an outstanding opportunity to Meet wonderful people in our great industry – to Discover, new plants, supplies, materials and technology – and to Learn about everything going on from new industry certifications to increasing diseases threatening our palms.

But how do we take that energy and excitement back to our teams and businesses? Having the privilege of working in an incredibly fun environment at the Worlds of Discovery Parks in Orlando – SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica, it’s easy to stay excited and energized. But sometimes we can all become so busy that we have trouble seeing beyond today’s to-do lists or our long-term goals.

Dale Carnegie, the great American author and trainer, referred to this when he said, “One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon--instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.”

Perhaps we should purposely remind ourselves every now and then of the reasons we decide to wake up and go to work in this industry every day. When you stop and reflect for a while, the opportunity to work with our minds, our hands and our hearts in our beautiful natural world is very special! But why is that so? To someone on the outside, it may not seem special at all – in fact it may seem intolerable. What’s so great about working with shovels, rakes and pruning shears, doing dirty work in 95-degree heat day in and day out?

I believe it has everything to do with simply connecting with our natural world. Thomas Jefferson once said, “No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden.” Thomas Jefferson was a very distinguished individual, with a broad education. Among other things, he was our 3rd president, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, an architect, statesman, author, inventor, archaeologist, paleontologist, founder of the University of Virginia and yes, a horticulturist. Of all of these, he declared the culture of the earth the most delightful occupation!

Apparently, many people agree that gardening is indeed delightful. In 1999, gardening was the third most popular hobby in America, at 15%, trailing only reading, at 27% and TV watching at 22%. TV Watching? Is that a hobby?! But why is it so satisfying and natural on the most basic level for folks like us to work the land? Could it be that humans have been gardening for so long that it is simply a part of our nature and instinct? Not only may it be the most delightful occupation, it may have been the very first occupation. Think for a moment about the elements of your work that are the most satisfying to you. In addition to working with earth and plants, isn’t it wonderful that the fruit of our labor often provides immediate visible results? Our industry also gives us the opportunity to use both sides of our brain, whether it is a creative, artistic landscape design, or analyzing and solving a complex landscape, nursery or business problem. We get to partner with nature, technology and other people on a daily basis. This is really a wonderful, enjoyable industry!

The poet Walt Whitman wrote, “Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed.” I can really relate to this. I like to walk our parks every day, and sunrise is my favorite time to do this, especially at Discovery Cove. I feel the soft white sand under my feet – see the beautiful dolphin lagoons, the sun rising over graceful coconut palms, beautiful, lush foliage and flowers everywhere – hear the rhythmic sounds of the towering bamboo swaying in the breeze, the splashing and vocalizing of playful dolphins – and smell the fragrance of Jasmine sambac carried light and sweet across the beach. If one of our loquat trees has ripe fruit on it, all five senses may be engaged. Sometimes I just have to stop for a moment and soak it all in. Then it occurs to me that I’m getting paid to do this! Of course I can’t stand there all day and marvel at the natural beauty, but it provides a wonderful reminder that I do satisfying, important work in a beautiful world, with people who have a passion for horticulture that inspires me. It’s a great way to start the morning and helps tune my perspective for the rest of the day.

Next month when you visit The Landscape Show, take the time to rediscover how you got your start and why you’re still in this rewarding industry. The next time you feel stressed and are too caught up in the busyness of life or work, stop for a moment and smell the jasmine. If that doesn’t help, grab a shovel and go out and get your hands dirty. You’ll feel much better!

It’s Easy to DO Green

Joy Dorst, FCLD
CEO
Design With Joy
joy@thegreenguru.org

Many of us are working green professionals in a greener and greener world. Green is the “in thing” and as green professionals it is time to consider how green our green practices are. We know the most common ways to go green at home such as recycling, using environmental-friendly products, and reducing gas consumption. We have a golden opportunity to do green at work by determining which business practices are already green and which ones need greening. Let’s look at the top 3 areas to green our business.

Energy Independence – Energy efficiency is patriotic. $700 billion dollars leaves our country a year for the ever rising purchase price of foreign oil. Do your part: choose a few small steps for your business that together will take a giant leap for American energy independence. Tip: Think twice, drive once is the catch phrase for multi-purpose journeys that combine trips to effectively reduce travel and waste products for a light footprint on the planet. Carbon dioxide emissions are at their highest levels in recorded history, covering over 650,000 years.

Reflect on Your Water Ways – The demand of water is outpacing the supply so we need to reflect on our water ways. Florida is not running out of water, but it is running out of cheap potable water. Florida landscape professionals have the honor to create and maintain water efficient landscapes that collectively will reduce environmental and professional stress. Tip: Florida Water Star conserves water and reduces storm water runoff with responsible landscape, irrigation and indoor practices. If only 500 homes were built to Florida Water StarSM standards and saved 95,000 gallons each, 47.5 million gallons of water would be saved every year.

Jobs – Mitate is a powerful Japanese term for me, it means ‘to see anew;’ new vision, technologies, and practices. A green professional knows that there is a season for everything and that all things change. Our businesses practices are not immune from change. Those that adjust their businesses and ways of doing business will flourish with ease. Tip: Turn to technology to augment job skills with online learning courses delivered over the Internet or "hybrid" courses that combine traditional classrooms with online elements, thus reducing class and travel times. Online courses consume nearly 90% less energy and produce 85% fewer CO2 emissions.

All I am saying is to give green a chance. Meet me in the 2008 Landscape Show, Green Zone, and I will introduce you to professional programs that can help you ‘do green’ with ease and recognition. Establishing and marketing your green services with environmental management practices is easy to do.

Our Vision

Billy Butterfield, FCLC
AmeriScapes Landscape Management Services, Inc.
Orlando, Florida

At AmeriScapes our Vision Statement emphasizes creating a partnership
between our customers, our employees, and our vendors, and with them, we will strive to create a landscape management company that is capable of continuously exceeding expectations.

We created this vision statement for our company nearly 12 years ago with the idea of emphasizing the importance of each of these how our company couldn’t grow and succeed without all of them working together. Although it‘s a very simple sounding statement it requires deliberate effort to make it a reality.

Take employees for instance. Good employees are hard to find. They always have been and always will be, especially for the labor-intensive jobs we offer. Yet we have many good employees who have been with us for years. First we try to get the right people in the right job. Once we know they are a good fit, we provide them with a good and fair work environment, with appropriate training and with the equipment they need to properly do their assigned tasks. We pay them a wage equal to the value they bring to the company. With these factors in place we can build long term employees. Benefits, health insurance, certifications and outside training, and recognition programs all contribute to building long term partnerships with all of our employees.

Back in the early 1980’s I was complaining to one of my mentors, Wayne Griffith, about the way customers always take the low bid, and mine wasn’t always that low. He told me that in the 1950’s when he started in business, he had the same complaint. There will always be companies that are willing to bid lower than others, companies that see things differently from an operational standpoint, and companies that simply mess up on a bid and may fail on doing the job. We’ve always bid our numbers, tried to be as efficient as we can, and tried to provide the customer with the type of job they asked for in their specifications. Many jobs we get are by being second or third bidder and we are asked to come in and clean up what the low bidder couldn’t do and left. We also get many of our jobs from existing customers that haven’t bid a job out in years and just keep growing with us as their partner.

We couldn’t get by without our vendors. We have many of our vendors on our radios so that we can call directly to them when we have a problem or need advice on a chemical or a piece of equipment. With 30 plus trucks and hundreds of pieces of small equipment in our fleet, we have no in house mechanic or shop. We decided not to take on that overhead expense and instead created a partnership with one of our vendors. To show our appreciation for the work they do for us, we catered lunch to their shop this summer feeding their 30 or so employees along with 4 or 5 of our managers. They know they are an important part of our company’s future and success.

If I were rewriting the AmeriScapes Vision Statement, I would add one more partner – trade associations. It seems that the regulatory environment is changing over the last couple of years and the trend is not looking good for us as part of the green industry. It is no longer an option to just be left alone to do our job the way we see fit. We have water restrictions, landscape ordinances, landscape inspectors, pest control regulations, licenses, etc. While many of these are helpful and continue to provide us with the opportunity to be part of the green industry, we need to have somebody with knowledge of what we do and how we do it representing us with the regulators and law makers passing these new laws. If we are not properly represented, we may be regulated to the point where we don’t have much landscape left to manage. FNGLA is and always has been a very strong advocate for all our green industries in both Tallahassee and Washington as well on many local issues.
In addition to the help FNGLA provides for us with lawmakers, it also provides us with an opportunity to network with our peers in a non competitive environment. I have gotten many questions answered by landscape professionals and others from around the state that have had to deal with my dilemmas in the past and had great suggestions for solutions. That is worth as much and more as the highest caliber consultants you can bring in to help you with your business.

As with many other things in life and business, we need to look to the future and to learn from the past. Employees are always going to be a challenge and it doesn’t look like it is going to get easier. We need to concentrate on developing the ones we have through training and certifications to build long term and mutually beneficial relationships with our employees. Customers are going to choose their vendors based on the criteria they have chosen and we can try to educate them as much as possible and maybe sell them on us as being the best choice. Then we need to be as efficient and professional as possible and try to exceed their expectations while still remaining a viable business. We need to take care of our vendors, pay them on time, and let them know they are an integral part of our operations. And just as important as everything else, we need to get involved with our trade associations so that we can do what we do best and continue to provide pleasing green spaces for our clients.