There’s something to be said about impeccable customer service. If you take a “customer is always right” attitude when servicing your clients, you start from an excellent place with a servant’s attitude. Something that, frankly, in this day and age, isn’t as common as it used to be. Many of the most highly regarded business recommendation books carry some level of that advice.

"We don't want to push our ideas onto customers, we simply want to make what they want." Laura Ashley

However, there is an argument to be made that merely satisfying your customers is not the best answer for industries that rely on creativity. And even if you think landscaping isn’t a creative field, it is… or it should be. I often think of two famous quotes when I think about a customer survey or a focus group. Henry Ford supposedly said, “If I would have asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” And Steve Jobs said, “It’s really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”

We often see the same version of landscaping repeated street after street, city after city. In some cases, regulations make the similarity mandatory. In other cases, efficiency of production has created matching homes, since they were all built and landscaped almost in an assembly line fashion.

There are many reasons to diversify your customers’ landscapes.

• Diversity prevents mass devastation – Think of Boxwood blight or Emerald Ash Borer
• Diversity encourages mental stimulation for everyone involved, from the designer to the homeowner, to the passing neighbor that’s sleepy on their commute.
• Diversity increases diversity. With different landscapes come different habitats and food for creatures. You can see this in the bee population… diversity gives the pollinators more food at different times of the season with more opportunities to pollinate and it can create honey variations.

Over the years, mass production has increasingly whittled away at the natural diversity of everything from grocery store selection to fashion to transportation.

Having made the case for a wilder version of landscape, I also realize that some customers will not love a creative landscape. They need uniformity and a basic level of landscape.

The difficult dilemma is finding those customers who don’t know they’re waiting to be delighted by the unexpected.

Note: I do realize the irony of quoting Henry Ford, the same man who successfully implemented the assembly line and said, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants, so long as it is black” in an article about creativity.

A few weeks ago, I got to go out to Oregon and visit several nurseries to see their selection. It was very cool to see the variety of plants that they can grow that we can’t. Geographically, we’re almost straight across the country from each other with our southern borders hovering around the 41-42° North parallel line. We are zone 5 and they are zone 8 or 9 depending on where along the coast you are. It was amazing to hear that they can potentially gain up to 12” on a Japanese maple in one growing season or to see 4.5’ emerald green arbs that they say in a few weeks will be nice 5-6’ arbs. It was a very busy trip as I saw 10 different nurseries in 4 days, but it was totally worth it.

A lot of people are always in a hurry these days. Have you ever stopped and taken a few moments to just look around and listen to the nature around you? Well, if you know me, I will stop mid-sentence to point out any bird that I see and hear. Birds are absolutely beautiful, smart, and innovative, especially when making a nest of their own. This job has given me the opportunity to be immersed not only in plants on a daily basis, but also in wildlife, most often, birds. 

Cedar waxwings, a not-so-common bird even though they make Michigan their home all year long, also come to snack on the serviceberry trees along Gotfredson Road. These birds look like they have been painted by an amazing artist. A beautiful blend of grey, light brown, and yellow with a cool-looking black mask over their eyes make these birds a real sight to see.

One of my all-time favorite birds is the great blue heron. They come and fish out of our pond pretty much every day. They are mostly blue and grey with a bright orange and yellow bill, with long black plumes on their heads. When spotted flying you can see their long legs sticking out straight behind them, with a wide wingspan. Despite their size, they only weigh 5 to 6 pounds due to having hollow bones.

One of the rare sightings I’ve been lucky to see here is the majestic bald eagle. With a black/brown body accompanied by a white head and tail. These beauties soar through the air with wings flat (wingspan of about 7 feet), and heads extended far in front of their wings. Fun fact eagles can carry up to four times their body weight (they weigh 14 pounds).

These are just some of the birds that fly by or stop to visit us at Christensen’s. I love to be able to share these facts and pictures of some of my favorite birds with all of you. So, instead of rushing to get where you’re going, stop for a few moments and look around at the amazing wildlife that surrounds us. You just might be shocked at what you see. Nature is absolutely beautiful!

It’s that time of year again. The weather is hot, and the days are long. The plants are growing, blooming, and the season is in full swing. The last thing on your mind is spring bulbs! This time of year, bulbs are at the forefront of mine.  Updating our bulb selection and preparing for our Early Order Bulb Program can take quite a bit of time. Last year, we revamped the program. Largely due to the quantity increase from 50 tulips per box to 100 per box and the daffs from 50 to 75. Along with the increased quantities in these bulb sizes, we added an additional value to our customers by offering quantity breaks at 2 boxes for all of our Crocus and unusual varieties, including Chionodoxa, Hyacinthoides, Iris, Muscari, and Scilla.

The Early Order Bulb Program allows our customers to take advantage of some substantial savings. Although there is still a discount for the more boxes you buy, it doesn’t even compare to the savings of getting that order in quickly!

This season we have added a few more selections to choose from.

Unfortunately, every season we lose a few varieties that we have enjoyed. The good news is that there are so many fun choices it is exciting to see what each season holds in store! Be on the lookout for our bulb mailer that should land mid-July, but you can digitally check it out and print it if you click here! (The password is the same as the availability password on your e-mail) We also have the flyers at all our service counters. And don’t forget your BulbTone!!

Welcome back – I hope that everyone had a great holiday. Whew! Spring is finally over! For me, summer is a time of slight relaxation. 2023 is humming along and I have a month until I must start 2024. (Let’s not think about that!).

I wanted to check with everyone and make sure you all saw some of the new plant varieties at the nursery – if not, come on in as there are more newbies here and incoming.

There are a couple of new plants that I am excited about. Of the hundreds of new cultivars every year it is hard to know what to choose. Sometimes, I throw dice, sometimes I look at the magic 8-ball, and sometimes it has to do with a catchy name (I am a sucker for a catchy name!). Then I do some research and decide if the name is catchy enough! Check some of these out:

I have a couple of newer grasses this year, as well. My favorite is the Andropogon gerardii cultivars. Check out ‘Holy Smoke’ (Cheech and Chong movie ??), ‘Blackhawks’ (again with the movie?), and Red October (another movie!). ‘Holy Smoke’ and ‘Blackhawks’ both are going to be 4-5’ tall and ‘Red October’ is a dwarf coming in at 2-4’. All 3 are native prairie grass and rock hardy. All 3 also have purple-green leaves and get varying shades of red from mid-late summer through fall.

I also have a couple of new Hydrangeas! Please don’t tell Chris!!! They are a secret. The one I am most excited about is Hydrangea paniculata ‘Puffer Fish’, “a Bobo on steroids”! It has white flowers that age lime and pink. They will typically send another flower at this same time and rebloom over top of older blooms. It gives the effect of double flowers – very showy. It seems everyone likes the compact habit of the ‘Tuff Stuff’ so take a look at this one ‘Pop Star’ . This one is from the Endless Summer people. This is a typical blue or pink lacecap (macrophylla). However, ‘Pop Star’ is far more compact (and looks far denser) than the traditional ‘Endless Summer’. Its biggest claim to fame is that it reblooms much faster than a traditional ’Endless Summer’.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get my hands on Jeffery’s Weigela ‘Bubbly Wine’. If you were unaware, Jeff Good is now the patent holder of Proven Winners® Weigela ‘Bubbly Wine’. I will let him tell you all about it. I on the other hand will tell you about a relative of Weigela ‘Midnight Wine’ with darker, shinier burgundy leaves and a 12’ tall about 3’ wide habit. W. ‘Midnight Wine Shine’ is also much denser. Finally, W. ‘Very Fine Wine’ is a dwarf – 30x30” with better hardiness and heavier rebloom.

Before I let you go – let’s talk Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’ I have not grown this personally and we have not had it at the nursery before. Everyone is yelling at me about this plant. Everyone wants it and I keep saying it is not hardy enough for us, you keep saying it is! I have special ordered this plant in the past and those that have put it in the landscape have told me they are hardy. So, this year I will stock a few. Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’ is a female ilex and will need a pollinator to bloom (any ilex that blooms at this same time will work.) ‘Sky Pencils’ get to be about 6-8’ and 2’ wide – yes, with a very columnar habit. It is a very dense tightly branched shrub. Considered a solid zone 6 possibly a zone 5 – it may all depend on the winter. Berries or not, it is a good-looking plant!

Have you tried these new varieties? Let us know what you think of them! We welcome your feedback on the plants we stock.

I hope to see you around the plant center, checking out all the new stuff!

Something about the Independence Day holiday weekend feels like a signal to slow down a little bit, even if it’s just for the weekend.  It’s an apt time to think about water features. 

Fountains and water features are some of the best ways to elevate any garden, patio, or walkway.  They’re a simple, excellent add-on when selling an installation. Everyone loves the peaceful sound of flowing water while taking in the surroundings of a beautiful landscape. We offer several Easy Pro kits in our store, and many more that can easily be ordered for pickup or delivery straight to you. These kits are easy to assemble and include everything you will need to install an elegant and relaxing water feature.

While these 2 fountains are all we keep in stock, we also offer many other features. Catalogs are available here at Christensen’s as well as online through Easy Pro. These features include different pillars, bowls, vases, and sculptures. They typically arrive within a few days and can be picked up here in our store or sent directly to you. Water feature kits include the basin, pump, plumbing, and lights. All you need to do is assemble, bury the basin, fill with water, and enjoy.

From “Just-A-Falls” kits to Spillways, you can relax, Christensen’s has you covered with Easy-Pro Pond Products (and pond-less products)!

Marketing is like magic. Magic is all about misdirection and sleight of hand. The performer will have you so focused on what the left hand is doing so that you never notice the right foot. Marketing can be very similar, focus on the positive and redirect from the negative. Everybody, I’m sure, remembers the expandable garden hose craze. For $25, they were great! Until you got 1 teeny tiny little hole, but nobody mentioned that the stretching feature comes at a cost of durability. Concrete wall and pavers are in the same boat, they have been advertised and promoted as low maintenance, especially compared to traditional wood decks. But what does that really mean, low maintenance? Let me redirect your focus over here then.

‘Low’ does not mean ‘none’. And, that does not always mean quick and easy, either. Concrete is a sponge; its pores will trap all sorts of dirt and debris. Rusty water, red soda stains, tree sap and salt residue are just a few examples of what your concrete products can soak up. This does not affect the strength or longevity of the brick but it sure can alter the color and appearance of it. To bring it back to almost a new appearance you will need to wash it!

So how does one wash a brick? It does not involve any toothbrushes or mops, but it does involve some specialized cleaners depending on the stain or material you are trying to wash away. Not all, but most chemical cleaners have some small amount of acids in them, this is why you rarely need to scrub the concrete. The cleaner is designed to either soften or dissolve the materials, then simply rinse away with a garden hose. But with that dissolving effect comes a warning, left for too long or too strong of a mix could start to dissolve the concrete’s smaller particles which will leave the concrete pitted and appear much more aged. Always test on a small obscure place on the concrete to test the effects. There are cleaners that specialize in gum, oil, tar, rust, and organic material like food condiments and popsicle drippings.

After the cleaning, you now have an opportunity to seal the concrete, if you so desire. Years and years ago you would have to wait 6 months to a year for the efflorescence to work its way out of the concrete. Back then the sealers were not breathable, they trapped everything in. Now they have water based breathable sealers that can be applied shortly after installation. But why would one want to seal the concrete, especially if you can simply clean it? Think of sealer like shoe shine, it helps protect the shoe’s material while it helps to improve the appearance. It will make cleaning stains much easier as well as help maintain or enhance the color of the concrete. This could be very important around cooking and dining areas. You don’t have to seal every year, maybe not even every other year, but you will have to reapply again at some point to maintain the same protection and appearance.

Sealing can be both a blessing and a curse. It is so nice to take the hose to a grape jelly blob and simply hose it away. But you may have one more thing to add to an ever-growing list of springtime chores. I choose to live dangerously; I go sealer free. But I also have an amazing washing system, a yard full of kids and a hose. The car, house, dog, tree, neighbor kids, and most times the patio get a good washing many times during the summer. But if you do not have a high fructose fueled (kids with popsicles) washing system like me, stop by the Hardscape Center and let us help you make your stains and grime disappear, magically!

Bee-lieve it or not, I have never, in my life been stung by a bee. In all my years working here at the plant center, I have managed to avoid that painful sting. Often by running around like a crazy person, screeching. The fear of the unknown is probably worse than the actual pain. As scared as I am, there are so many benefits to planting pollinator-friendly varieties that I would like to share with you. The pollination of food-grown crops, the growing number of endangered insects, easy maintenance, and low-cost gardening are just a few. Pollinator plants attract bees, wasps, butterflies, bats, and even hummingbirds. These benefits far outweigh the fear of the sting.

Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male parts of one flower to the female parts of another, within the same species. Pollination results in fertilization, which is essential to fruit and seed production. This process is accomplished by insects, birds, reptiles, and some mammals. Fertilization is essential in food-grown crops such as fruit trees. Approximately 75% of the world’s flowering plants and 35% of the world’s food-grown crops depend on pollinators for their success. That’s roughly one in every three bites! That makes pollinators an essential factor in the global food web.

Another important reason to grow pollinating plants is the declining number of honeybees and other pollinators. This is largely due to human actions such as pesticide use, urbanization, emerging pathogens, parasites, and predators. US beekeepers are losing up to 30% of their colonies each year. While there are still over 2.88 million honeybee colonies in the US, some species are still considered vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. 

Pollinators are important for many reasons. Global food production, making sure invaluable insects endure, and helping our environment, and the important ecosystems within it thrive, are just a few. Planting pollinators is cost-effective, low maintenance, and will help you feel that you are doing your part to preserve our valuable planet. Just try not to get stung, I’ve heard it hurts!

Unfortunately, in business (and in life) bad stuff can happen. We do our best to be safe and conscientious, but, sometimes, it doesn’t matter how careful we are. Recently, we had some bad luck that left our dump truck out-of-service. Don’t worry! We’re so grateful that our employee is okay, just the dump truck sustained damage.

If you were looking for a bulk delivery in the last week, we’re sorry that we couldn’t deliver.  But now, we’re back in the bulk delivery biz!

P.S. If you have a nickname suggestion, let me know. 

My inspiration for this week’s Sticks & Stones is a trip that my family took last year. We traveled over to the Netherlands and France to cheer on my daughter’s team. But being a plantsman, I really noticed how trees are done along the roadways in Europe. I wondered if there is a way that we could do something similar here. I was impressed by the way the trees were well-manicured to keep the line of vision clear for drivers.

Since we are looking at the smaller crab apples, another overlooked variety is the Malus Sargent Tina. It fits into the dwarf category at about 4’-5’ tall and wide when mature. When the buds start to form in the spring, they start out with a pink color and then go to a brilliant white that is fragrant. While it is not as “fragrant” as a Cleveland pear, it differs in being considered a pleasant scent as opposed to the generally distasteful aroma of the pear. As with the Sargentii’s, Sargent Tina also attracts pollinators in the spring and has a ¼" fruit in the fall that attracts and sustains birds through winter.