Interview: Terry Sheedy of Living Landscapes

Ian
In viewing your website I noticed where you offer potential clients the opportunity to take a self-guided tour of your display gardens. I think this is a great way to showcase your work and to inspire clients even further into unique niche areas of landscaping. How important is the Display Garden approach to enticing potential clients to sign-up with Living Landscapes?
Terry
Denise and I both love gardens and we know there are people like us who enjoy romantic garden settings, sculptural accents, meandering paths, lots of natural stone, water features, unique planters and interesting plants. After years of building the bones of our gardens and then filling in the spaces with creative and fun stuff, we decided to share our gardens with others. We host five open garden events on designated weekends throughout the season. The general public is invited to visit, as well as our clients, both existing and prospective. At other times, the gardens are available by chance or appointment. We hope our creativity inspires some folks to inquire about our landscape design/ build services, or to purchase a gazebo or garden shed. At the very least, folks will get to know us and may recommend Living Landscapes to their friends and neighbours. Our first open garden event is the Victoria Day long weekend in May. Time will tell how important the display garden approach is to building our business.

Ian
Living Landscapes offers a great team approach with both you and Denise involved in the day to day aspects of running a business. I image this type of collaboration between the both of you can benefit the client in many ways. What do you consider the main advantage in working together for the clients benefit?
Terry
Together, we offer our clients a team approach to best serve their needs. Denise is the administrative engine behind Living Landscapes and puts a friendly face on our business; she is great at managing relationships with clients and suppliers. Denise knows each client's project intimately because she consults with me in the designing process, understands the scaled drawing and all the components of the job and she also prepares the detailed quotation. My expertise is in translating the plan into reality, which is the hands-on construction process. I may be the owner of the company, but I work daily on-site with my crew to make sure every project is completed correctly, on time and on budget. I stand behind my work and can confidently guarantee that it will stand the test of time. I can honestly say that Denise and I make a great team and that we truly love what we do. We have wonderful clients and derive great satisfaction in knowing they are thoroughly satisfied with the final product.

Ian
I know you have been involved in the landscape design + construction element for well over 24 years. If you had to summarize some of the positive changes that you have seen happen over the years in the landscape industry, what would you say are your top 5?
Terry
1. People now realize the importance of growing native plants. Native plants are familiar to local wildlife and provide natural habitat for birds and butterflies. Native plants are adapted to our growing conditions and do not need artificial pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, unlike many non-natives.

2. Word of mouth referrals have always been the most effective way for homeowners to find me to design and build their landscaping projects. However, people love the Internet, and use it to find just about everything, including landscape professionals. Every home has a computer now and most baby boomers are just as computer literate as their children. My living-landscapes.ca website validates me as a landscape professional and allows me to show pictures of my work. Being listed in online directories and websites like Garden.ca increases my exposure.

3. A number of homeowners have told me they are investing in backyard living rather than buying a cottage or taking expensive vacations. They want an outdoor oasis to de-stress from a busy day. They hire me to install meditation gardens, ponds, screened gazebos to protect from mosquitoes, swimming pools, hot tubs. Landscaping also increases property values, so the investment makes good sense.

4. Landscaping has become quite fashionable. Several years ago, the fashion was to install paving stones in quilted patterns. Recently, outdoor fire pits and large brick fireplaces are popular for the well-appointed patio. New and different stone and concrete building products are available every year offering so much more choice when designing and building.

5. It used to be that anyone with a truck, a lawnmower and a shovel could call himself a landscaper. That has changed. Since 1985 when I graduated college with a diploma in landscape design, I have seen landscaping transformed into a true profession. Today's successful landscaper is a legitimate business person with credentials. Besides university or college education, they are regularly taking courses to improve and keep up with industry trends. Landscape professionals are recognized as leaders in the green industry, are members of professional trade organizations and provide excellent value for the homeowner's investment.

Ian
Along the lines of the last question, what would you consider being the most important landscape requirement for today's homeowner as opposed to clients desires in your earlier landscape years?
Terry
Getting good value for their investment has always been important for my clients and that remains constant. In recent years, I have seen a dramatic shift toward environmental responsibility. Maybe it is because of recent community pesticide bans or watering restrictions, but the focus is definitely on gardens and lawns that are sustainable and eco-friendly. That means they require little or no water, are low maintenance yet look amazingly good. Native plants are an excellent solution. Even planted containers are using soil additives to retain moisture longer so you water less frequently.