Thank You

Several years ago I made it a practice to send a "Thank You" out to all my customers, half-way through the year.

Over the last two years I failed to do so. I was crazily busy - now I am comfortably busy.

The end of June is when I critique myself, reflect upon accomplishments and project the remainder of the year.

They (whoever "They" are) say it takes about seven years before a business becomes worthwhile - I'm seven-years in. 

Well, Back40 was worthwhile from day-one, yet now, more aspects of it are more enjoyable.

This is due to much effort on my behalf, but more so, due to the wonderful customers I have and their understanding of plants - health-wise, aesthetically and otherwise.

I will still undertake the jobs I performed years ago regarding clearing areas and ridding those of the detrimental mess (unwanted growth and weeds) that hampers preferred plant life and their beauty and health, for a customer who needs such. Yet, this has progressed (a goal I set several years ago) to plant care, overall, for those plants my customers cherish.

Lord given, I can probably prune and care for plants for another ten years, unless my patent gets granted. Then, you are all on your own. Ha!

Beyond projects, such as plant bed planning, design and installation, which require a formal detailed proposal, the Pruning and Plant Care Program has provided me much peace of mind, and my customers, some time and budget flexibility. I get the chance to focus on each concern, each plant, each vignette, each situation, with a plan not swayed by time concerns. Yet, time and goals are well managed.

Arriving here has been an arduous, exciting and educational process. This would not have been possible without the understanding, communications and encouragement of existing and prior customers. I wish I could preemptively thank my future customers. Oh well, they'll simply have to wait.

Sincerely, y'all are the best customers. I've turned down some opportunities from a few prospects, but I can't remember a customer I have abandoned for any reason, except that beyond my control.

Friends and acquaintances look at me like I am a unicorn when I say, "I have the best customers in the world."

I do.

Thank you!

Thank You to the Richland County Master Gardener Association

A few months ago I was contacted by a customer of mine about speaking to and presenting for the Richland County Master Gardener Association (RCMGA). I was flattered, very flattered. I have spoken to garden clubs, but not to Master Gardeners.

She referred me to the person who coordinates and hosts such events and I learned she was also a customer...good company to keep, all the way around.

Approaching the event I realized I confused the date with another event and I had about ten days less to prepare. Most of this occurred during the decline of my father's health and his passing. However, I told the host I would do my best.

Yesterday is when I spoke to the Richland County Master Gardener Association. I hope I did well and everyone received some benefit. I have taught, presented, spoken publicly before and even emceed a few events, but I was not as prepared as I would have preferred and it was also done over Zoom. I have a technology background, but presenting remotely is much different than in-person, which I prefer. There are spacial and lighting issues which are difficult to address in one's home with just a cell phone.

Nonetheless, I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to speak to the RCMGA and I hope to have some relationship with their members and its cause for many more years.

Thank you, Gail, Kate and all the members.

Thank You...So Sincerely

I began sending thanks to all our customers around mid-year, each year, several years ago.

Yet, this is obviously, beyond mid-year. My fault.

This year has not been so different for me because of Covid-19 or much else, except for the wettest winter (January and February) this area has experienced in recorded history.

Our last winter (2019) doubled the year before as I had begun to educate so many about how much can be done and perhaps, should be done, during the winter months, particularly, our warm winter months here in the Midlands.

It was fun and we accomplished so much without sweating our asses off. So many took care of their plant and landscape concerns without waiting until the warmer growing season months, when maintenance, just keeping up, precedes true plant care.

It simply was an entirely different winter this year, ever.

Enough of that. This year, since and thus far, we have taken on many new relationships, while taking on many new challenges with old and wonderful relationships.

Each plant is my sole customer at the moment, while the property owner is my ultimate customer. I do my best to keep this perspective. Communication between both parties, in regard to the third, the plants, is key.

I am constantly trying to structure offerings to address the different needs of customers, while continually studying arboriculture and horticulture, and addressing/researching situations unfamiliar. That's my calling.

Further, in regard to Covid-19, for which we have all heard quite enough; I have had friends, family and customers quarantined for possible exposure - some tested positive, most negative - no severe illnesses, no fatalities.

I make no assumptions for what you or others are enduring, but a friend of mine, whose father was dying, not from Covid-19, was shuffled around to places for which no personal contact was allowed. They knew his fate and only had the opportunity to spend time with him during his last week in hospice. We should all be allowed to choose/acknowledge our circumstance and how we and our families deal with it.

Again, enough of that. I am grateful.

The upcoming fall months are filled with opportunities to restore our landscapes, create new areas or rediscover lost ones, and to install new plants and plant beds. Or, to simply refine, revive, or clean up what has been ignored. It's so rewarding, whether performed over a few days, or a few weeks or months.

Let's have a fantastic finish to this year, not so much looking forward to the next, but living, truly enjoying this one and celebrating it.

Thank you, to you all.

I threw this video in just because it just feels so good. You may remember the words if you remember the original by Joni Mitchell. Oh, I threw that one in as well.

Have a Fantastic Year!

Planting, Transplanting and Planning Plant Beds in this Heat - Our Summers in Columbia

I have had several opportunities offered me by existing customers and prospects regarding new plants or plant beds on their properties recently.

Right now, the last week of June and the weeks coming can be an extremely tough time for planting. Transplanting a plant to Mother Earth from a pot will be easier than pulling a plant from Mother Earth and planting her elsewhere.

I did a lot of planting, some transplanting this time last year, but this can only have been done if the property owner had the capacity to water their new plants or plant beds about twice a day for about two to three weeks. This will rarely be accomplished by a drip line or sprinkler system - new plants need deep watering this time of year, by hand, particularly in the Midlands of South Carolina.

I have several prospects and customers who want to do so right now and I am more than willing to do so if I know they will be able to give their plants the H2O they need. Otherwise, their efforts and mine may be in vain.

I don't want to see any customer wait until fall to plant a new tree or establish a plant bed, but we both must be concerned with the realities of such occurring during the summer if the necessary care can't be given.

Mother Nature is so kind, but can be the deliverer of catastrophe and chaos. Yet, she is the provider of all the wonderful plants - the aesthetics, the continuance of life, the scents and aromas, our outdoor decor, what lives around us and what we live to endure and enjoy.

The Project from Hell...I Loved It

Actually, this was not a project from hell, but with the due date and the foreboding weather, things got a little dicey - well worth it.

We had already performed seven or so projects on this property and helped to or brought in a few more. We truly appreciate and enjoy working with the owners.

Well, this project was proposed last February and with so many other projects and their life and schedule this one was put on the back burner. Oh, it is the back burner. Ha!

Sometime in the fall, several weeks before the Carolina and Clemson game they had mentioned having it ready for such day and then there was mention of an oyster roast and a wedding anniversary. I was somewhat confused about the dates of said events and then realized they all shared the same date. There was to be a Carolina-Clemson Game Oyster Roast Wedding Anniversary Party. Say that three times fast, or even once.

This had been taking place since their first anniversary. How could I possibly have not known this? In what cave in Forest Acres had I been living.

Okay, so I was confident some of week prior to the week of the event and some of the week of the event would easily accommodate completing the project, knowing I could juggle a few projects which had no due date or urgency.

Mother Nature had not one iota of concern for my plans and immediately put a damper on this project. During the week the rains wouldn't cease I received an invitation to the CCGORWA Party (too long to type anymore). Then I felt the pressure and my RSVP was: I will only attend if I finish the project and am happy with the work.

There are some advantages to doing a flagstone walkway using non-polymer sand in regard to future maintenance and modifications, but you need to re-sand, water in and adjust a few times. I completed the project on the Friday before the CCGORWA Party and these finishing touches were not going to be possible.

I was not completely finished, but the show had to go on and after remembering how the late afternoon sun bounced off of the really old rusty sugar cane kettle, I wanted to see (RSVP: I'll be there.) how this would light up the walkway area with a fire ablaze...and, it did. 

I also met two wonderful families who seemed, for the most part, to be one huge wonderful family, and their friends as well.

So, this truly wasn't a project from hell.

Thank you, E and J.

P.S. Please don't forget about possibly installing some large stepping stones to the vegetable garden - we can handpick some consistent and finished stones and still allow for a wheelbarrow or cart without creating a continuous path. It'll look great.

Thank You to Candytuft Garden Club

Back in the spring I was contacted by Keller of Candytuft Garden Club and was asked if I would like to speak to them in the coming fall. She wanted a topic and said she would contact me later after a date was set. I was flattered.

Well, last week I finally had the opportunity to speak with them. As the ladies trickled into Ruth's (the hostess) home and slowly began taking up most every available seat, I tried to find a position for myself.

The topic mainly revolved around pruning, but we touched on other subjects as well. Although I didn't have the chance to meet all the members, I enjoyed their attention, questions and conversation.

There is much more to discuss regarding plants and their care, and I'd gladly do it again.

Candytuft celebrated their 60th anniversary last year and I hope the legacy will be continued.

Thank you to Keller, Ruth and all the members of Candytuft.

Thank You...So Sincerely

I slightly began this venture about 5 years ago and then a few years later I fell in love with plants and trees and began studying arboriculture and horticulture.

Of all the wonderful and larger scale things I have done in my life, I hope I will be dealing with plants, along with many other interests, for the rest of my life.

And, dealing with and working on projects or providing routine maintenance for so many of you. I am so thankful.

June was our best month ever since we began, not only in revenue, but by the amount of projects we were performing and what I saw as which customers were happiest with our work.

I actually took several days off during this time to watch the World Cup.

Regardless of whether I have my assistant aside me on site or have a few contractors (rare) to work on your project, I will do my best to understand how to best treat the plants on your property.

Knowing the anatomy and more importantly, the physiology of plants, is the basis for knowing how to care for, treat or prune most any plant. Knowing the specifics of a given plant requires knowing enough to ask what needs to be done, perhaps differently.

Again, I am so thankful, and Thank You.   

Redefined Borders and Japanese Maple Bed

This is a beautiful cluster of azaleas, but we recommended to the customer to redefine and extend the border for greater distinction between bed and lawn.

We used a manual technique which better holds in mulch and is easier to maintain over time, even using an electric trimmer/edger.

We also ran a drip line off of a faucet timer under the walkway and throughout out this bed and the new bed we were to install.

Here is the result of redefining the border around the azalea bed. Actually it extends further down around other plants and ends at a cluster of juniper in the corner of the property.

Next, we designed a plant bed in the area at the corner of the walkway and driveway where we had removed about three to four dead indian hawthornes and one azalea for transplanting.

The drip line was installed prior along with the azalea bed irrigation.

The soil was amended to adjust the pH per soil samples we had tested, the planting holes were amended with compost and we applied and secured landscape barrier/weed blocker after planting.

We installed a bloodgood japanese maple, and three each of pink muhly grass and beyond blue fescue, with the focal point being from the center of the lawn, streetside.

It's difficult to truly appreciate newly installed young plants particularly way short of mature height and spread, but give these grasses some growing time, sunshine and warmer weather and they'll start showing their true colors and potential.

The japanese maple just needs some time to feel out her new environs and stretch out her limbs a little. I'll be back to prune her some time when she shows me what she wants to do.

This is about the third or fourth project for this property. Next up, other than some care for the health of the soil and lawn is removing some more dead hawthorns and hopefully planning another bed.

Thank you J and R!

Thank You!

Back40 Landscaping Restoration and Maintenance officially became a business about one year ago although I had several years leading up to what it is now and hopefully what it will become.

I wish to thank all the customers whom have chosen us and even the prospects who have considered us in the last year and those years before.

The customer properties have become diverse and the projects, more involved and interesting.

The direction I once dreamed of has been driven by our customers - attention to the care of existing landscapes, treatment (pruning and shaping) of shrubs and trees and overall welfare of plants and plant beds, as well, for lawns. Aesthetics are key, while health is never overlooked.

As much as I continuously study, every project is warrant for education whether before or after, and every new property and project is an education in itself.

It's part art, part science, but more so, awareness through broad knowledge, continual awareness, attention to detail and getting to know the customer, their needs and desires, beyond what I believe the property needs.

Have a Wonderful 4th of July Holiday!

Again, thank you.

Thank You

We made a conscience and concerted effort to stay busy during the winter months by letting our prospects and customers know what all can be done for their properties during the winter months.

Thank you.