Re: survey

Joe,

I would have to agree with Lily that the way you
phrased the question, (perhaps in the interest of
brevity), also rubbed me the wrong way, and I am also
a landscape designer by profession.  I don't mind
sharing what I know with people who are genuinely
interested, but I am also in the business to make
money, and often times, consulting is the prime
component of what I do.  There is no shortage of books
out on the topic, and any good browse in the library
would give you a weatlh of this info.  

General questions are usually prone to generate
general replies, and more targeted questions will
usually illicit more specific replies.

In my own work, I tend to get work almost entirely by
referrals from previous clients, family, or from
friends who are in the nursery business.  This tends
to "weed out" those potential clients who are more
interested in cost than design, and I further clarify
what their potential budget is before I meet with
them.  If they are merely shopping around at the point
they first contact me, then I refer them to visiting
some of my previous client's gardens to see for
themselves, and will give them a general idea of my
design fees and construction budgets before we first
meet.  I also usually offer several approaches to the
first meeting, and will meet for an intial
consultation billed at an hourly rate as one option,
prior to setting a fee to do a full design.  This is
usually enough to determine whether they will wish to
proceed or continue shopping around.  Afterall, there
is such a vast range of fees and type of design that
designers specialize in, especially in private
residential design.  I prefer designing for clients
who appreciate the style that I have developed, which
tends to mix subtropical and mediterranean species
within an architectural framework, usually having
either modern, asian or latin references.  Anyone
wishing an english perennial garden full of roses or
rhododendrons would be gently referred elsewhere...

Well, I hadn't intended to make this a lecture, and
better get on out and enjoy another beautiful day in
Ubud, Bali, where I am researching design elements to
incorporate back home.  The stone work, wood carvings
and plant combinations are all fascinating, and
checking out the top end hotel gardens is always fun
as well.  I find travelling and taking photos is a
good way to keep myself interested in the whole
process, and keep my designs fresh...

good luck with your survey, regards,
David Feix, in Ubud, Bali

--- Lily Ricardi <edges@mcn.org> wrote:
> Joe,
> You have my apologies! My only knowledge of you are
> your interesting and
> knowledgable plant posts on the list. If you had
> perhaps said, "As a
> professional garden designer, teacher, and author, I
> am interested in your
> experiences with the Pre-planning process". You
> would not have evoked my
> harsh response.
> Thankyou for setting me straight about who you are
> and what you do in the
> world of horticulture.
> Lily
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Joe Seals" <gardenguru@yahoo.com>
> To: "Lily Ricardi" <edges@mcn.org>; "Mediterranean
> Plant Forum"
> <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 7:36 AM
> Subject: Re: survey
> 
> 
> > Lily:
> >
> > First, I am not "feigning" curiosity over this
> issue.
> > My curiosity is real.
> >
> > Second, I have taken the classes in landscape
> design
> > and I have spent some years in the landscape
> industry
> > (going on 33 years now).  So, there is "schooling,
> > money, and experience" in my own pocket.  I call
> > myself a "garden designer" but I hope others don't
> say
> > I'm "so-called".
> >
> > Third, "knowledge" goes well beyond a classroom
> and
> > even beyond one's own experience.  I do not know
> > everything.  My professors did not teach me
> > everything.  I cannot learn everything from my
> friends
> > and professional associates and I do not think
> that I
> > will ever know everything.  But I strive to always
> > learn everything I can.
> >
> > But more than learning everything for myself, the
> > purpose of this last "survery/inquiry" (and all my
> > surveys) was to get information that I can use to
> > share with my gardening classes that I teach here
> in
> > the Santa Maria area.  I always feel uncomfortable
> > teaching anyone only what I know -- I'd rather
> share
> > with my students the experience and knowledge of
> many,
> > especially the experience and knowledge of the
> kind of
> > folks that are members of this e-group.  And I
> never
> > pretend that what I share with my students is MY
> > knowledge and experience.
> >
> > Not only am I a horticultural consultant
> > ("so-called"?), I am also a business consultant
> and I
> > am writing a book on small business management and
> > marketing.  One of the keys I've found in the
> success
> > of small businesses is for beginning small
> business
> > owners to find themselves "mentors" -- already
> > successful people in the same or similar business
> who
> > are willing to share their experience and
> knowledge.
> > Not surprisingly, it's easy to find many such
> generous
> > people, good folks who share it all willingly and
> at
> > no charge.
> >
> > So, I am somewhat taken off guard by your e-mail. 
> I
> > am sending this e-mail back to the Mediterranean
> group
> > members, however, simply to ask if anyone else
> feels
> > as you do.  It could be I haven't realized that
> what
> > you are saying also may be feelings among the
> others.
> > If so, I am sorry.  If so, I will quit sending my
> > "surveys" to this group.
> >
> > Humbly,
> > Joe Seals
> >
> > --- Lily Ricardi <edges@mcn.org> wrote:
> > > Joe,
> > > It really frosts me when you feign curiosity
> over an
> > > issue that has taken professional garden
> designers
> > > some years of schooling, money and experience to
> > > learn.  Your survey seems more like an easy,
> cheap
> > > way to get answers without doing the work.
> > > I know so many so called 'garden designers' that
> > > have done a few gardens for friends and have
> decided
> > > what a fun way to make a living. Until you have
> a
> > > bad experience.
> > >
> > > I suggest you take a few landscape design
> classes
> > > that deal with all designer/client processes.
> > >
> > > I also must say that I'm  very generous with my
> > > knowledge. In fact my mission statement for my
> work
> > > at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is
> > > "CREATING GATEWAYS TO KNOWLEDGE, THROUGH THE
> WORLD
> > > OF PLANTS WHERE SCIENCE AND ART COME TOGETHER.."
> > > So I'm surprised by my reaction to your
> question,
> > > but I've decided to send it rather than stew
> about
> > > it.
> > > Lily Ricardi
> > > MCBG
> > > Perennial Garden Curator
> > > Education Coordinator
> > >
> >
> >
> > =====
> > Joe Seals
> > Santa Maria, California --
> > where the weather is always perfect
> > and my garden always has something blooming
> > and birds galore
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do you Yahoo!?
> > New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo!
> > http://sbc.yahoo.com
> >
> >
> 


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