The Green Meridian Podcast - A Landscape Design/Bu

Successfully estimating your project can be the make or break moment that defines your company success. How do other folks do it? We talk about landscape estimating and billing on today's episode of the Green Meridian podcast. Our special guest is Jon Bryant with StickyBid, an application that you can upload to your phone or laptop that allows you to present clients with quick estimates and comprehensive billings in an easy to use and graphically rich format. You can find them at Stickybid.com. We also talk about Zapier.com, an interface that helps you transfer data between different software systems - for example between CRM and estimating system. Service Autopilot, Jobber, Aspire and LMN are also discussed....and we ramble on about a few of the problems that contractors and designers face in estimating and billing projects with a few troublemakers - Bill Peregrine of Earthdance Organics, Will Anstey from Devonshire Landscapes and Rick Perry from Fallingwater Gardens. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode, we speak with Ryland Longoni of Federated Insurance (rjlongoni@fedins.com), a specialist insuring landscape designers, landscape architects, general contractors and other green industry professionals. Ryland answers key questions, such as "How much insurance do I need?", "How much liability insurance is enough?" - and covers the ins and outs of Errors & Omissions insurance, talks about importance of appropriate text in your contracts and discusses a few key questions that green industry folks should be asking their insurance agents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode, we speak with Ryland Longoni of Federated Insurance (rjlongoni@fedins.com), a specialist insuring landscape designers, landscape architects, general contractors and other green industry professionals. Ryland answers key questions, such as "How much insurance do I need?", "How much liability insurance is enough?" - and covers the ins and outs of Errors & Omissions insurance, talks about importance of appropriate text in your contracts and discusses a few key questions that green industry folks should be asking their insurance agents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if there was almost universal agreement on what constitutes good landscape design? What if we could break a "hidden code" that unlocks the secret to any successful landscape layout? It's fascinating to consider that human beings have a largely consistent sense of what constitutes beauty in art - most of us stand in awe of Michelangelo's talent and line up for hours to see the works in the Louvre or The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's safe to say that folks generally agree about traditional artistic beauty. (Sure there are dissenters and outliers, but let's ignore those folks for a moment). My point is to ask if there might be a "code", or a formula, that could define a sensibility of comfort and calm - beauty really - in a landscape? The studies I found can lead us to a fairly amazing understanding of how humans view our outdoor environments. This kind of knowledge might inform and underpin how we approach landscape design - and set the groundwork for some reliable rules that help us create beautifully functional outdoor spaces.   Have you ever looked closely and been struck by the beauty in a carefully hand fitted stone wall? Do you find certain kinds of garden layouts more appealing than others? Of course you do, and while we can't say that everyone completely agrees, there is a certain consistency in taste that arises generally - and importantly - throughout the world. When you think about it, there is a general throughline within which we agree on this. Thinking about this, I came across a number of studies in which survey research was done internationally - related to different landscape paintings and how different people experienced various outdoor views. And what struck me was that the result of this was an unexpected consistency, in which a singular view was selected by a disproportionately large number of those surveyed as being the most appealing. Think about this. A singular type of view was consistently preferred. Why is this? This is a crucially important subject within the context of basic human understanding - and surprisingly I've never really heard of this subject spoken about much in the fields of landscape architecture or landscape design. We've all read about the 'rules of design' of course, from finding Fibonacci's spiraling ratio repeated in everything from a flowers corolla to the Crab nebula. We've wondered at the proportions of Leonardo's 'Vitruvian Man' - and some of us have studied architecture and the Palladian ratio of column sizing - and scratched our heads over what makes Frank Lloyd Wright's work so visually stunning - or Japanese gardens to be so contemplative and sublime. The incredible thing to consider here - is that studies will generally show that a disproportionate number of respondents will favorably choose a singular type of view over any other. Why is that? As someone who designs outdoor spaces, I feel like I generally know what I like, but the esoteric question here is, why do I like it? ... is it that I'm trained to find certain types of alignments more beautiful than others? Or is there something deeper and more instinctual at play? Let's talk about this in this - what defines universal beauty in the landscape... References: Jay Appleton and Prospect Refuge Theory: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494424001178 Kaplan & Kaplan's Preference Model: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169204613002375 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's topic is Tough customers: Managing problematic landscape design/build clients. Do you have occasional client problems? Why is it important to try to try to anticipate client behavior? You need to have an awareness about the real Impact client disfunction can have on your business. A lack of understanding can create put stress on staff and resources, and cause time to be wasted Without an ingrained and practiced understanding, you will suffer potential time and financial losses and your professional reputation may suffer... But you can also make lemonade out of lemons - by correcting a problem before it becomes an issue. It almost goes without saying that you could have absolutely screwed something up - and that can set a client off. Let's assume for our purposes that this is NOT the issue - and that you will generally rise to the occasion, take responsibility and notify all parties immediately of any SNAFU. (Of course you will! That's why you are loved by all!) This Episode of the Green Meridian podcast is brought to you by StickyBid. Visit Stickybid.com One of the best ways to get started or reach that next level with your business is through the first impression you make, and how "polished" your communications are. In just a few seconds, StickyBid can build your business an emotionally compelling "Sell Page" that you can pair with every estimate you send. StickyBid makes it easy and fast to build customized estimates that are branded with your logo. You can even create templated line items for specific designs, consultations, installations, care services, materials or extra charges - regardless of project type. Stickybid helps landscaping designers, landscape installation and outdoor care professionals reel in more customers, close more jobs and manage client communications - using a really easy to use simplified CRM, estimating and invoicing system - basically an integrated tool that you can use right from your phone. Your invoices and automated followups are delivered to your clients - personalized and with your logo. Estimating and billing can be done while you are on the go - faster - and with an online payment system that quickly improves your company cash flow and records client work approvals. It’s a really innovative and simplified tool that lets you create polished estimates and visual “sell pages” in as little as a minute. It also has CRM features for managing leads, tracking customers, and creating and sending invoices right from the Stickybid platform. Check it out. This is a subscription product, but it's being offered for FREE right now to GM podcast listeners and members of the Green Meridian Group. You can get access at https://stickybid.com/ and sign up now at no charge. Use "StickyBid2T". Just go to Stickybid.com and generate your new, branded sell page in less than a minute! __________________________________ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am taking a moment to restock my understanding of my career here, with a compilation of missed opportunities, unforced errors and last minute three-point shots that bounced from the rim. Mixed in like oil in a bucket of water - are some thoughts about Joan Didion's brilliant essay "On Self Respect".  Joan Didion's essay: "On Self Respect" https://sites.gatech.edu/alexburgin/on-self-respect-by-joan-didion/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Green Meridian Podcast, where we dig into the roots of the landscape industry and explore the issues shaping its future. Today, we’re stepping out of the fields and gardens and into the heart of the political landscape - with a timely episode focused on the upcoming election. We are representing both sides of the political divide today - for a lively, balanced (and occasionally unhinged) discussion on the policies, regulations, and economic factors that could impact the landscape industry and the broader environment. Our goal is to foster an open, thoughtful dialogue on how each party’s platform aligns — or clashes — with the interests of green industry professionals. From business regulations and labor laws to environmental policies and climate action, we’ll examine what’s at stake in this election and what it could mean for landscapers, horticulturists, and everyone committed to keeping our spaces vibrant and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are joined by some irrigation experts for this timely Summer discussion, from national irrigation product marketing managers, to some talented technicians - as we discuss the possibilities and pitfalls in marketing water saving irrigation products. Our guests include: Mark Guthrie of Puget Sound's Saving Water Partnership, Bryce Carnehl, Specification Marketing Manager Hunter Industries, Sergio Lopez, Business Development Manager with Horizon Online, Trent Allen, manager of Mist'er Rain, a landscape irrigation installer in the Puget Sound region - and some surprise guests with strong opinions! Check out Mark's handy irrigation "Weekly watering tip" email link here: https://www.savingwater.org/lawn-garden/watering-irrigation/weekly-watering-schedules/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's spend some time focusing on the vexing topic of online marketing and how to tailor it to your specific business - at low or no cost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From navigating the sudden onset of harsher Summer and Winter weather events, to articulating ideas about lessening the impact of diminishing habitat, landscape professionals need to not only relate the larger climate to what is happening on a specific property, but show and specify new and innovative solutions. From water saving ideas, to pollution limiting drainage solutions, we are in a unique position to contribute a fractional amount to reinforcing a positive change, through design solutions and educating consumers. In this episode, we speak with landscape designers on the East & West coasts about how they approach clients about this critical topic. Now more than ever, it's more important for green industry professionals to be able to speak clearly and convincingly about the effects climate change. References: ASLA Survey: Continued Increase in Demand for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change1 American Society of Landscape Architects: Biodiversity & Climate Action 101 for Landscape Architects Webinar Series2 ASLA Survey: Significant Increase in Demand for Climate Planning and Smart Practices3 Landscape Design In Our Time of Climate Change4 Climate Change Mitigation and Landscape Architecture5 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode we speak with Andrew tenBrink, the lead landscape architect for the Seattle’s Central Waterfront and Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion. Working with the firm Field Operations, Andrew is responsible for the overall implementation of this incredibly complex and expansive urban renovation, that includes redirecting urban streets, installation of thousands of native plantings and reconstruction of the Seattle seawall, as well as two of the existing waterfront piers and the creation of a new ferry terminal. With an overall massive renovation to the Pike Place Market area and new interactive ecological displays that will allow the viewing of salmon habitat and the reestablishment of kelp forests, the Seattle Waterfront project is an incredible integration of the urban environment with the reestablishment of wildlife habitat and public education about natural ecologies. (See a past episode where we talk to 3 Senior designers with Field Operations) Before leading the design and project management of Seattle’s Central Waterfront and Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion, since 2010, Andrew managed the open space portion of Princeton University’s Lake Campus and the Princeton University Bridge project. His previous work includes the Qianhai’s Guiwan Water Finger Park in Shenzhen, China; Cleveland’s Public Square; and Tongva Park and Ken Genser Square in Santa Monica, CA. Prior to joining Field Operations, Andrew was a designer with EDAW (now part of AECOM), where he worked on various high-profile projects, including Washington D.C.’s Marvin Gaye Park, the National Museum of American History, the Moultrie Courthouse, Woodland Park, and the Potomac Yard Linear Park, as well as New York’s World Trade Center Streetscape. Andrew earned his Master of Landscape Architecture degree with distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture degree with honors from Purdue University.  Join us as we speak with Andrew and discuss these unprecedented scope and complexity of The Seattle’s Central Waterfront and Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion projects! Some additional links: https://waterfrontseattle.org/construction/construction-overview https://waterfrontseattle.org/waterfront-projects/alaskan-way https://www.theurbanist.org/2023/09/30/seattle-waterfront-park-makeover-promises-new-greenway-native-plants-and-public-fishing/ https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/in-waterfront-park-the-seeds-of-a-better-seattle/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Green Meridian podcast, we learn about the busy Mason bee and how these beneficial insects can transform the vibrancy and health in your gardens and landscapes. We discuss how to introduce mason bees to your outdoor area - and how you can purchase, manage and nurture bee populations at your home or landscape project site. We talk here with Dave Hunter, the founder of Crown Bees. You can learn more at Dave's website: https://crownbees.com/. Mason bees are solitary bees that are native to North America. They are excellent pollinators, and they are very easy to attract to your garden. Mason bees are very different from honey bees. Honey bees are social bees that live in colonies, while mason bees are solitary bees that live on their own. Mason bees are also much smaller than honey bees. They are about the size of a housefly, and they have black bodies with a blue or green sheen. Mason bees are important pollinators. They pollinate a wide variety of plants, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Mason bees are also very efficient pollinators. They can pollinate a plant in just a few seconds. If you are interested in attracting mason bees to your garden, there are a few things you can do.  First, you need to provide them with a place to nest. You can do this by building a mason bee house. Mason bee houses are very simple to build, and there are many plans available online. Second, you need to provide mason bees with food. Mason bees eat pollen and nectar. You can provide them with food by planting a variety of flowers in your garden. Mason bees are especially attracted to blue and purple flowers. Finally, you need to provide mason bees with water. You can do this by placing a shallow dish of water in your garden. The dish should be filled with pebbles or marbles so that the bees can land on them. Mason bees are one of our most important beneficial insects. Excellent pollinators, they are very easy to attract to your garden.  If you are interested in learning more about mason bees, have a listen!. Also check out these busy bee resources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason_bee https://crownbees.com/pages/mason-bee-characteristics-and-identification https://thebeeconservancy.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Landscape, Nursery and Construction trades are at a crossroads. But then again, aren't we always? "If you see a fork in the road. take it!" Yogi Berra once said. But the election path that we travel this year may be more momentous than in year's past. Issues centering around the economy, business regulation, immigration and crime are affecting every business. Some say that democracy itself hangs in the balance and others will say that the issue is governmental over-reach. You will likely agree that it is more difficult than ever to have a coherent conversation with "the other side". But what if we could? Let's give it a shot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we speak with three senior designers with the multi-disciplinary Landscape architecture and urban design firm - Field Operations. Field Operations is known for a wide range of large scale municipal and campus projects - including Seattle's new Waterfront project. You can find more info on this and other large scale work here ⁠https://www.fieldoperations.net/projects.html ⁠ We are talking today to three Senior associates: Alejandro Vázquez in New York City A graduate of Univ of Pennsylvania, Fla International Univ. Responsible for project such as The Underline’s 0.5-mile-long Phase 1 in Miami. South Main Innovation District in Houston, Texas, London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road District, Chicago’s multi-phased Navy Pier. 2021 Forefront Fellow with the Urban Design Forum, exploring how to foster food equity in every New York City neighborhood through the built environment. Alejandro is meticulous and creative thinker who brings unparalleled thought to his craft and a collaborative approach to his projects, resulting in public spaces that are vibrant, distinctive, and highly memorable. Alejandro is also fluent in English, Spanish, and Catalan. We are also joined by Justin Jackson. in Philadelphia. Justin is a graduate from Harvard, and the Univ of Georgia. His work includes the Georgetown Canal Plan in Washington, D.C., Met Park in Arlington, VA, he managed the master plan for the Kennedy Center’s public space in Washington, D.C. ,and also managed the Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion project. working at botanical gardens and arboretums throughout the eastern U.S. also a member of ASLA and the American Public Gardens Association. Our third guest is Seth Rodewald - Bates, in San Francisco. Seth is a graduate of LSU and Stephen Austin University. Seth has been working on Pier 70, a 28-acre mixed-use development and waterfront park, and the Presidio Tunnel Tops—both in San Francisco. He also was a landscape architect for Glenstone, a contemporary art museum near Washington, D.C., past intern at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa. Seth has a passion for large-scale site-specific art. He has worked on numerous campus, waterfront, urban, and mixed-use projects throughout the U.S. and abroad, and is adept at both resolving intricate design problems as well as overseeing construction. Seth taught at Stephen F. Austin State University, Boston Architectural College, Louisiana State University, and Tulane University. Seth is licensed in Mississippi and Louisiana. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we have a conversation with landscape architect Ken Yocom about the evolving students of landscape design, how community college programs yield a different kind of student, how academics is changing in the field of Landscape architecture and the conflicts between designers and contractors. Ken is an Associate Professor and the Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture. He also has an adjunct appointment in the Department of Urban Design and Planning and is core faculty for the PhD in the Built Environments Program and the Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Urban Design and Planning within the College of Built Environments. He primarily teaches seminar and studio courses in theory, ecology, and urban design. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greenmeridian/message

Risk management can take many forms. When we think about it, our thoughts usually go directly to the job site and we think of safety issues. But there are many aspects around this kind of topic. From insurance concerns to contract clauses and safety in the form of training, today we cover a range of facets of risk management. Hosted by my associate Bill Peregrine, he references a graphic that takes the idea of risk management and breaks it into easy to understand parts. We'll cover topics such as: Identifying and assessing risks Developing and implementing risk mitigation strategies Managing and monitoring risks Responding to and recovering from incidents The importance of risk management in the landscaping industry The different types of risks that landscapers face How to create a risk management plan How to communicate risk to clients and employees How to use risk management to improve your landscaping business We'll also be interviewing some business owners from the landscaping industry, to get their insights on risk management. Whether you're a landscaper, a business owner, or just someone who wants to learn more about risk management, this podcast is for you. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greenmeridian/message

It's harder than ever to find talented staff. Forming the personal and professional bonds to nurture and structure an enthusiastic and loyal production team requires a careful attention to a wide variety of details, an innovative plan of action and careful - constant nudging. In this episode, we talk about what landscape design and build companies are doing to keep that most precious resource - talented staff - enthusiastic, loyal and hardworking. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greenmeridian/message

The Green Meridian video meeting and discussion "Books on Your Shelf" was really insightful today. Thanks to all that joined! The books we discussed (Some with links) included: Design with Nature, by Ian McHarg Bringing Nature Home and Nature’s Best Hope. by Douglas Tallamy and Rick Darke A Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold Landscape Architecture, by John Simonds The Death and Life of Great American Cities, by Jane Jacobs Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, by Michael Dirr, Hon. ASLA Exotica Pictorial Cyclopedia. by Alfred Graf Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happinessby Ingrid Lee The Creative Act. by Rick Rubin Meditations. by Marcus Aurelius Gardens are for People. By Thomas Church Trees for Gardens. by Martin Crawford American Roots Modern Plant Hunters. The Garden Color Book.Home Landscaping Northwest. by Don Marshall Gardening with Nature, by James van Sweden Gardens Are For People, by Thomas Church The Education of a Gardener, by Russell Page The Brother Gardeners: A Generation of Gentlemen Naturalists and the Birth of an Obsession,by Andrea Wulf Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t,by Jim Collins Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek Project Management for Design Professionals, by William Ramroth Ready, Set, Practice: Elements of Landscape Architecture Professional Practice,by Bruce Sharky, FASLA Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In,by Roger Fisher, William L. Ury, and Bruce Patton Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, by David Allen Design on the Land, by Norman Newton Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards, by Leonard Hopper, FASLA Site Engineering for Landscape Architects,by Steven Strom, Kurt Nathan, and Jake Woland Time-Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture,by Charles Harris, FASLA, and Nicholas Dines, FASLA --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greenmeridian/message

What do you do when your company is nearing the turbulent waters at the polar end of the year? You are rounding the back side of the moon, looking at a cooler, quieter time - and this poses a conundrum for designers and contractors. What's your plan? Have you gathered your acorns? Do you have recurring revenue? A late season holiday marketplace? Snow services? Holiday lighting installation? What strategies are you using? Join us for a far ranging conversation about what you can do to gain the momentum to carry yourself into Spring of next year. We are joined by EarthDance Organic's Bill Peregrine and FallingWater Garden's Rick Perry, green industry professionals with years of experience managing staff and revenue through many a cold season. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greenmeridian/message

Laura Wildfong is the well regarded owner and manager of Northwest Nurseries, a professional plant wholesaler just northeast of Seattle. With decades managing a small and focused nursery operation, Laura reflects on the last 20 years, how the business has changed, botanicals that no longer perform - and how to hire and keep people who do. What kind of tree would she be if she could be a tree? You'll have to listen to find out! We are also joined today by my friend, the green industry raconteur, Bill Peregrine, the man that puts the "logical" in ecological. Have a listen! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greenmeridian/message