It used to be a mini golf course. It’s a lot greener now.

As part of his Eagle Scout service project, Robert Nelson on Sunday completed a wholesale landscaping renovation in a yard at Woodbury’s Math and Science Academy.

While brainstorming ideas for the project, Robert noticed the old mini golf course—initially installed to teach students about the cell—had been neglected.

“I’ve seen it slowly deteriorate,” said Robert, part of Troop 513 based out of Woodbury Baptist Church. “I’m like, There’s a big pile of dirt, I need to do this.”

The work began in July, and with the school on board, he began making plans for new sod, plants and landscaping features. Asked how he gained the knowhow to create the project, Robert answered simply.

“Internet,” he said.

So he started raising money, dressing in his Scout uniform and asking for funds during MSA’s back-to-school night. In all, he raised about $1,500 and got plenty of volunteer hours from friends and family. (He also got a $100 Lowe’s gift card from the local Scout headquarters.)

The approximately 3,500-square-foot parcel at the Math and Science Academy features lush sod, recycled landscaping rocks and bricks, a few dozen plants, and a sprinkler system that’s up and running again. He hopes it will be used for everything from football to Frisbee.

“I think it turned out great,” Robert said.

So does Colleen Corrigan, who lives adjacent to the school.

“I was absolutely amazed,” she said. “It looks like it was professionally done.”

Robert said he enjoys Scouting.

“It provides unique opportunities that no other organization can offer—whether it’s a weeklong camp or going down to Florida,” he said.

Robert said he also appreciates giving back to MSA, where he said he has “improved everything” since coming there as a student five years ago.

Walking the grounds on Monday, Robert said it’s nice to see the project finished.

“I’m glad it’s done,” he said. “But I’ll be even more glad when I get my Eagle rank.”

 

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Landscaping business owners in Ontario for the most part follow the same cycle of  working 12-14 hour days in the spring summer and into the fall depending on the weather, and then spending the late fall and winter months figuring out how they are going to implement marketing for their landscaping business to create momentum and revenue growth for the next season.  Sound familiar?

There are tons of marketing strategies for landscaping business owners to use, including direct mail, flyers, print display advertising, Yellow Pages, etc.  The problem is that these  ”outbound marketing” strategies don’t work anymore.  Landscapers that have been around for longer than 10 years can remember the days when the Yellow Pages was their best source of lead generation.

Unfortunately, in 2012 Yellow Pages is barely hanging on because their print directory advertising model is no longer viable and they are investing tremendous resources into trying to reinvent themselves as a digital marketing avenue.  Sadly, they are way too late in the game to compete with massive search engines like Google, Yahoo!, Bing and social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to name only a few!

Most savvy landscaping business owners know that their best bet for effective marketing strategies these days include a professional website design, a form of traffic generation through search engines and an effective traffic conversion process to generate more leads.

In this article I want to focus on traffic generation.  I will assume that your landscaping business has already invested in a beautiful website that does everything necessary to entice your visitors to contact you and become a sales lead.  So what is a great, inexpensive way for you to send droves of visitors to your website that you can incorporate into your 2013 marketing strategy?

Content Marketing Strategies for Landscaping Business

Here are the 6 key things you need to incorporate into your marketing strategy for your landscaping business.

1. You need a blog.  If you don’t have a blog on your website, you need to get one.  WordPress is an excellent blogging tool that we would recommend.  WordPress is also a website CMS which allows you to build your entire website and blog within the same platform.  It is simple and easy to use for non-technical people and Search Engines love it!
2. You need to spend some time blogging.  Blogging is an imperative aspect of your content marketing strategy.  I would recommend posting 1-2 blogs per week when you start.  It should be consistent so pick a schedule you can stick to.
3. Write about things people want to know.  It’s OK to spill some of your candy.  The point here is that you are giving valuable information to people searching for it and as the source of that knowledge you are becoming a thought leader!  When it comes to spending tens of thousands of dollars on a landscaping project would you rather spend it with someone who follows what the thought leaders are suggesting or someone who is a thought leader?
4. Don’t forget to use the right keywords!  You can easily figure out what users actually search for that relates to your topic.  How?  Did you ever notice that when you search for something onGoogle, it actually starts to complete your thought by filling in words as you type, almost as though it knows what you are thinking.  Well, Google does know what people are thinking because they have billions of pieces of data from actual search queries from real people.  So they are suggesting phrases to you that are from that database of what people really search for.  So it’s as simple as using those words in your blog title, headings and sprinkled throughout your blog post, just like this one about content marketing strategies for landscaping business.  Here’s a tool that will help you: http://ubersuggest.org/.  There will be so many suggestions you won’t know where to start.  That’s OK, just start.
5. Most landscaping business owners are excellent landscapers and pretty good business people but they may not have the best ideas when it comes to creating valuable content marketing.  Here’s a resource you can use: Top 10 Mind Mapping Productivity Tips for Content Marketing Success.
6. Just creating the content is NOT ENOUGH.  Google likes links.  When you have links pointing to your website from other sources, it’s like adding fertilizer to your soil in a garden.  It grows bigger and quicker!  So if you want to get traffic to your website, the more links the better.  But these links should be from credible sources and now more than ever, with the Google Panda Penguin updates, links from social media shares and comments are critical to your success.  So when you blog, share it to your social networks.  Post it on Facebook, tweet it on Twitter, share it on LinkedIn and be sure to include a pretty picture and pin it on Pinterest!  Once you’ve built up a list of people following you on these social media channels that LOVE what you are saying, they will also, post it, tweet it, share it and pin it!  And you will be bragging at the nextLandscape Ontario get together about how you spend next to nothing on advertising and generated tons of new business because you created and stuck to a content marketing strategy for your landscaping business.

I came across this excellent case study the other day about a company that created over $400K in revenue through content marketing.  Do you really need more evidence that you should be dong this?  Case Study:: Content Marketing: McGladrey’s 4-step process increases content production 300%, Web traffic 100%

This article is an original contribution by Jason Gervais.

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BYRON — One greenhouse has inspired almost too many goals to count.

In discussions about the newly-built 1,000-square-foot facility at Byron High School, almost every sentence — from students to teachers to administration — begins with the words, “Well, the goal is…”

From Alison Newman, agriculture education instructor and FFA adviser: “The goal is hands-on experience in growing plants. Students can see how things grow, figure things out for themselves and have specimens to practice on.”

And later: “The goal is to build classes. We have one horticulture and landscaping class now; I suspect that might grow to two. There’s science classes, an ecology class, a floral design class, foods class and biology class; it’ll be there for other teachers to use for lessons. We can grow vegetables for the (Food and Consumer Sciences) class so they don’t have to buy so much.”

Later yet: “We’ll have a huge plant sale each spring, and the goal is to sell mums in the fall, tulips and daffodils in the spring, poinsettias at Christmas.

For minds brimming with ideas to enhance their homes, the 32nd Annual Builders Home Remodeling Show is the place to fulfill schemes from Oct. 12 to 14 at St. Charles Convention Center.

Show specials and comparison shopping lead to imaginative surprises, products and services all three days under the sponsorship of the Home Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri.

“More than 250 companies will fill more than 350 booths in the expansive area. The latest home ideas from reputable companies are under one roof. Seminars give how-to information on indoor and outdoor projects and the show’s first-ever Craft Market will supply handmade local goods ranging from soap and candles to jewelry and birdhouses,” said Ellen Viehmann, assistant staff vice president for show marketing of the HBA.

Mills Apple Festival returns for the fourth year with free samples of tasty apple varieties, pie and cider. Jim Mills also will be happy to send home full pies, cookies and other foods made with his apples fresh from the orchard in Marine, Ill. Kids 12 and under can paint pumpkins to take home free as long as supplies last. Games and temporary tattoos also make the show a family destination. The apple festival is sponsored by Window World and Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis.

Walter Knoll Florist’s award-winning design team will lead guests in innovative ways to add festive floral decorations to a home fall and winter.

Beyond the booths, the Home Idea Stage — aptly named — just off the lower level lobby inspires show-goers with ideas for a home’s interior as well as outdoors. Workshop leaders share information and answer questions.

Grilling gurus Mad Dog Merrill have spiced their up-to-the-minute cooking expertise with humor on TV and traveled the country with seminars. Geared for the grill smokin’ in the Midwest, their workshop includes recipes, tips, tricks and techniques.

Scott Mosby, KMOX Home Answer Man, shares information about kitchen and bath remodeling on a budget, based on extensive expertise with home improvement and building practices at Mosby Building Arts. His useful information helps homeowners maintain, improve and live safely in their homes.

Mole hunter Jeff Holper helps rid lawns of moles and voles with expertise from Holper’s Pest Animal Solutions.

Horticulturist Tay Farrelly, Master Gardener and owner of Cullivour Landscapes and Cullivour Construction, presents landscaping tips and techniques that enhance a home’s curb appeal.

The Building Products Warehouse Sale provides new and used merchandise, true bargains, to sell as profit for Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County. The St. Charles Convention Center provides plenty of space and convenient free parking to load up doors, cabinets, appliances and small items like fixtures and tile.

At 1 p.m., judges will sample recipes submitted in the Fourth Annual Apple Dessert Contest and sponsored by the Home Builders, Suburban Journals and STLMomsandDads.

SAN ANGELO, Texas —
Many throughout San Angelo look at Lake Nasworthy and tend to see a drying lake. Lower levels. Boats suspended above the water because it is too shallow for release. Watermarks on docks.

Councilman Paul Alexander looks at the lake and sees opportunity. He sees a chance for development.

“This is the time to think, ‘Where should the money be spent? What projects do we want to see?’ ” Alexander told me. “Then we begin.”

Other residents have a similar idea. At forums about the lake and other times in remarks to council members, lake dwellers have wanted to use the low levels to remove exposed tree branches, dredge the lake or add ramp improvements.

Alexander said he wants a bigger picture first. Specifically, he wants the picture that Gateway Planning Group will be paid to develop.

The City Council last month approved about $335,000 for a plan to develop Lake Nasworthy.

The group had come to the council during a meeting in May with a presentation on how it had successfully developed the city of Roanoke, using Babe’s Chicken Dinner House there as a centerpiece to start a revitalization plan. (Bias disclaimer: I’ve eaten at Babe’s. It’s delicious.)

I spoke with Jimmy Stathatos, city manager of Roanoke, a town of about 8,000 north of Fort Worth.

“They did an incredible job,” he said of Gateway Planning Group. “Their planning and consulting will leave a lasting impact.”

He said that there wasn’t anything he would’ve done differently and that the project helped win the city state and regional awards for redevelopment.

The city now brands itself as “The Unique Dining Capital of Texas.”

That project consisted mostly of a new zoning plan and new landscaping and streetscaping that ended up costing about $10 million.

For a project in San Angelo, the capital costs could be much higher. Alexander’s failed attempt at improving the running trail around the KOA near the lake was set to cost about $234,000.

Integrating roads and trails around the lake area could cost millions.

So Alexander has proposed the idea of freeing up the $11.33 million in the Lake Nasworthy Trust Fund by taking it to San Angelo residents in a referendum.

The fund could receive more than $13 million additionally from city-owned property that the city has been selling to people living on and leasing property there. And, of course, that money could be leveraged to get state and federal grants.

However, that kind of redevelopment is never really over, and there would be additional costs down the road.

“We’re not done” with development, Stathatos said of Roanoke.

Alexander has said multiple people have come to him prepared to invest more than $1 million in the lake area. Those investments could benefit the city through new taxes and a revived tourist draw to the lake. Of course, all that depends on whether they will come if you build it. It’s always a risk.

Now is the time to dream big, Alexander said, to ask people what kind of things they want to see at the lake. He is, however, asking for them to wait for the big picture, instead of doing it piecemeal, although he does think there might be an opportunity to do some maintenance and projects before rain fills the lake.

Alexander’s attitude and that of other city officials is one of confident optimism in the face of the city’s most stringent drought level. Everyone is saying it will rain. In fairness, this weekend it did rain.

The state of water in West Texas is still dire, however. Almost all of Tom Green County is in “severe drought” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, as released in its Texas map Thursday.

The rains may very well take San Angelo out of drought level 3. In the long run, however, the drought may not be over.

Matthew Waller covers state and local government for the Standard-Times. Contact him at mwaller@gosanangelo.com or 325-659-8263 or follow him on Twitter @waller_matthew.

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There are a great number of clients that face “renovations” just a few years after landscape construction due to poor installation. Often it is worth asking installers about guarantees. This certainly pertains to hardscaping, including concrete, paver, and retaining wall work. A recent trend, especially on larger commercial jobs, is to require the landscaping company to maintain the project for the first year. This way, any serious installation mistakes can be dealt with in a timely manner without finger-pointing.

Maintenance is a serious topic to consider from the start. If the installation company will provide some or all of the maintenance, ask for the maintenance schedule. Basic lawn maintenance should include weekly mowing, monthly fertilization, weed control if desired, and aeration and/or de-thatching services. Ask which chemicals, if any, will be used on your property, and require the contractor to provide the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for each. Be sure to ask how these chemicals could affect your pets and children playing in the yard.

Landscaping is a relatively large investment and involves a lot of hard work. Doing it yourself can be rewarding. However, if you contract some or all of your landscape installation and maintenance, take the time to evaluate all the possibilities. The time spent will pay off greatly. Most importantly, you will have a yard you will enjoy and where you will want to relax.

Kimberly Vogt is a passionate gardener, military wife, mother and swim coach. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and has been a Master Gardener since 2003. She is employed at McShane’s Nursery Landscape Supply in Salinas and can be reached at sp@mcshanesnursery.com.

When it comes to creating outdoor spaces, thorough planning and a healthy dose of reality are the keys to success, says landscape contractor Ahmed Hassan, known to many from DIY Network’s “Yard Crashers.” He’ll share his expertise today and Sunday at the San Antonio Fall Home Garden Show.

Q: What’s the first thing you look at when assessing a landscape?

A: I look at the whole picture, starting with who the clientele is and what they say they want. Once I hear their story, I look at the challenges that exist in the space and how much work it’ll be to create what they want to have. Then I balance that out with their budget. It’s a matter of them being clear about what they’re seeking to do, and me being clear about whether or not it makes sense in any sort of reality.

Q: What are some of the details that make a landscape successful?

A: It’s not really about certain types of plants or a color palette. First, take ample time for planning. Don’t wait until the party’s going to happen in three weeks. Second, figure out what is a comfortable budget for you. Those two principles will guide and direct what is going to happen.

Q: What is your advice for people who are doing projects on their own?

A: A lot of people just want to be spontaneous. I tell them to slow down and spend a little time envisioning what they want. Cut out pictures from magazines, search online, read pros and cons. I love when I meet with clients and they have a file full of stuff.

Q: How does landscape affect the value of a property?

A: For enjoyment of the atmosphere, it’s priceless. If you’re selling, landscaping is number one for curb appeal. It’s the first thing you see. As far as creating selling points, having shade trees is good, along with automated irrigation and landscaping with destination spots – an outdoor kitchen, seating area, meditation garden – just some place to go to.

Q: What is your personal landscape style?

A: I like more natural elements – wood, rocks, even metal. I’m not crazy about having a lot of plastic in the landscape; I’d rather have it feel like a natural space.

Q: Where can people find you on TV?

A: I haven’t shot “Yard Crashers” in about a year. The model for the show was that I found unsuspecting customers in a hardware store, but the problem is that now there aren’t any unsuspecting customers – I get mobbed in the parking lot before I can even get inside.

I’m currently shooting some landscaping and gardening tips that will as commercials and online. I’m pitching new ideas to the network, and you can still find me on older “Yard Crashers” episodes.

Q: What will you cover in your presentation in San Antonio?

A: Mostly what I do is try to open it up to the audience. Everybody is looking for bag of pixie dust to sprinkle over their problem to make it go away right away, but a lot of this work is mundane labor. I like to point out to people that there’s a reason the design of the shovel has never changed – because it works. My goal is to have fun with people and teach them something about working with the earth.

 

sarias@express-news.net

Reka‘s PlayZone at IOI Mall is loads of fun.

Reka exports playgrounds as seen in this design for Abu Dhabi.

Bandar Setia Alam gets bright, bold and beautiful with this Reka design.

Low, managing director of Reka Setia who specialises in playgrounds says that interactive play is important to a child’s social development.

It‘s a children‘s jungle out there, quite thematically and literally speaking.

Space Adventure is another unique concept under the Thematic category.

Thematic equipment is one of the categories of play designed by Reka, as seen in this eco-friendly recyclable concept.

By RANDOLPH B. ROBINSON

Peabody Industrial Development Corporation

The Peabody Industrial Development Corporation was organized essentially by “main street” supporters and filed for incorporation on April 8, 1966, with the State of Kansas to promote economic development in the city of Peabody.

Several programs were promoted and supported by the corporation in the days and weeks that followed. There was limited success to engage organizations to utilize the Eyestone building in new manufacturing endeavors (after Paramount Products ceased operations) and it was, for a short period of time, occupied by a company manufacturing cabs (Moridge/Full Vision) for farm tractors.

Efforts were made with several prospects for both financing and technical support, but none proved long-lived or able to sufficiently organize. Peabody Industrial Development Corporation ceased operations at some point in the early 1970s.

PIDC and its efforts subsequently became mostly inactive except for some less formalized efforts by business leaders to bring industry to the community. These efforts have had limited success and there currently is no known organized effort being made that parallel the ideas originated by PIDC.

When Peabody Industrial Development Corporation was organized there were a total of 100 shares purchased by 31 Peabody citizens, most of whom were businessmen. The majority of these stockholders are no longer living.

The reason for this notice is to apprise the community and the remainder of living former stockholders about the plan to finally dissolve the long held bank account of PIDC.

Since the ideas originally formulated for the use of these funds has been diminished to zero, it has been decided to forward the funds to the Prairie Lawn Cemetery board to be used for the new wrought iron perimeter fence project and for landscaping projects being planned. The funds will go for a worthy project and will honor those who had a vision for Peabody’s continued business vitality and vibrant hometown atmosphere.

The funds left in the now inactive account at Peabody State Bank amount to $3,712.96. They are to be transferred to the board of Prairie Lawn immediately with the proviso they be used for the current fence project financing and a record made for recognition of the stockholders and the ideas they promoted for the benefit of the Peabody Community.

The listed stockholders names are provided here for recognition and history to remember:

Calvin and Virginia Apollo, W. E. Avery, Brock and Sheryl Baker, Ross Baker, George Becker, Ernest and Mettie Beeton, Vernon Ray and Lucille Beeton, John and Joan Berns, Harry Brown, John and Cleo DeForest, Stanley and Jeanetta Farr, Carroll Harder, Harry and Helen Hanneman, George and Irene Higgins, Fred and Esther Highfill, Harry and Mildred Homan, William Krause, Gaylord and Jean Maples, Ross and Margaret Mathias, Thomas and Jan Pierce, Douglas Porter, Randolph and Betty Robinson, Vernon and Laura Slocombe, Virgil Smith, Thomas Snavely, Arthur and Wilma Stallwitz, C.H. and Irene Stovall, Don Thornton, John Topham, L.C. and Betty Walker, Q. W. Whisler, and Jerry and Carol Whisler.

Lanscapers from Davidsonville traveled to Annapolis to transform a metered parking space into a park for locals, commuters and tourists to enjoy on Friday.

E‐Landscape Specialty Solutions partnered with Richard Sweeney Landscape Architecture to participate in the global event, which is known as PARK(ing) Day. It’s celebrated each year on the third Friday in September, and the idea is to create temporary parks in urban settings.

When asked why they wanted to participate, Luke Alexander asked, “Why wouldn’t we want to?”

The commercial landscaping company focused its park on showcasing different rainwater harvesting systems and permeable pavers. The trio who spent the day lounging in the “park” said they saw a steady stream of people—a number of whom stopped by to eat lunch.

“The building owner across the street was saying how cool it would be if we could extend the cafe out here everyday,” Alexander said. “We hope it spread some awareness. A lot of communities around the world could really benefit from a little greening and a little sustainability.”

 

Here’s a look at the other four parks that were created around Annapolis:

Zachary’s Jewelers—Bignell Watkins Hasser Architects
The architects from this Annapolis firm got together a created a chess set in front of Zachary’s Jewelrs and encouraged passersby to play. Architect  Colleen Bathon said the idea for a chess set came about as a tongue and cheek reference to the Chesapeake Bay.

“We wanted to get the dialogue going that you don’t always need so much space for parking, and we wanted to reclaim that space if only for a day,” Batton said. 

City Dock—Maryland Society of Landscape Architects
Amanda Seydler brings her daughter Gracyn down to City Dock to feed the birds, but she didn’t expect to spend the afternoon playing in a miniature park on City Dock.

“We usually go somewhere else for the parks,” Seydler said. “I know she’s going to miss this the next time we come down.”

The park on City Dock featured bubbles, live music and a red, inflatable sphere that children took turns climbing inside and rolling around.

“The idea is very simple and it seems to catch people’s attention,” said Brian Vavrina, the landscape architect responsible for the park. “It gets them thinking about what these spaces could become.”

Annebeth’s—Eden Contracting
Folks wandering down Maryland Avenue in Annapolis could slip their shoes off and put their toes in the grass in front of Annebeth’s where a parking space was covered with real sod, potted plants and a park bench.

“We had Johnnies studying in the grass, babies, dogs, out of towners with their plebe daughter,” said Doug Sanner, who helped create the space. “We wanted people to have a space to sit, chat, exchange ideas and realize possibilities.”

49 West Coffehouse—Garden Girls Landscaping

The rain barrels were the big conversation piece at this park, which focused on tips and tools for harvesting rainwater, said Garden Girls employee Cliff Manlapez. 

The Annapolis-based firm also had a number of lunch goers sitting around the table they placed inside their park on West Street. Manlapez said the day was a great experience and an innovative way to showcase what the company can do.