Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Start A Garden Landscape Business?

I've been thinking about doing something stupid off and on for a while, and I don't mean buy a new car I can't possibly afford (but the Audi wants me, I know it does).

I have sweet dreams of designing small gardens and beds full of native Plains plants. I imagine stimulating conversations with clients, and clients who let me do what I want and love it. Then I imagine clients who know nothing, are nit picky, don't know what they want, change their minds, complain about rain, insist I replace dead plants years later, ask me just how much agent orange they should put on their milkweed to keep the caterpillars off.... Perhaps the negatives outweigh the positives when it comes to customer service.

I imagine a neighbor approaching my open garden gate, asking to have a peek, then insisting I take a look at their yard, what do I think, would I like to earn some extra money and do a foundation bed? Yes, I would. Teaching low level college courses (10 years now) for minimum wage--and giving so much of myself to never make any headway or earn upward-mobility credit--is burning me out from a profession, a vocation, I have genuinely enjoyed immensely. Maybe I could switch part of my income to something else, and during the school year free up time to write.

Maybe I could win the lottery. Maybe cash could grow on serviceberries. Maybe I'd have a more chiseled physique.

Monarch Gardens -- Your Great Plains Native Plant Landscapers
"Now shut up and pay me"
no
"Show me the money"
no, wait
"Do as I plant and no one gets hurt"
wait, I'll get it, I swear
"The right plant for the right to plant it"
whatever

4 comments:

Les said...

The only field that pays less than horticulture is creative writing.

allanbecker-gardenguru said...

Is it not possible to teach and write during the fall and winter and do landscaping in spring and summer?

Unknown said...

There are probably clients of both types willing and waiting! I would go with Monarch Gardens--Great Plains Native Plant Garden Design. Just a thought. Good Luck!

Benjamin Vogt said...

Les--So if I combine them, I'd be doing ok, right???
Allan--Yes, I think that would be a good plan, if possible. I'm on a garden tour next summer, maybe I can plug myself through that.
Michael--Ha, of course. I like your name suggestion!