design build Archives - The Edge from the National Association of Landscape Professionals

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design build

How I Do It: Turning a Teenage Side Hustle Into a $2 Million Business

Aidan Friel, president and CEO of Blue River Landscape & Design, based in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, was 15 when he started his company in 2021 and made $60,000 in annual revenue in his first year. Now at 20 years old, his business is projecting around $2 million in annual revenue. Like many others in the industry, […]

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How I Do It: Using Japanese Principles to Create More Meaningful Landscapes

After 30 years of designing landscapes, Tom Lupfer was getting bored. ā€œThere are only so many ways to arrange plants, patios, and retaining walls before everything starts feeling familiar,ā€ says Lupfer, president of Lupfer Landscaping, based in Lyons, Illinois. ā€œI wanted a deeper meaning behind what I was doing.ā€ While reading Matsuo BashÅā€™s poetry, Lupfer realized the […]

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Creating Modern Elegance with Limited Space

After many years, this family was ready to upgrade to their dream home in the northwestern suburbs of Washington D.C. Their wish list included a modern, luxurious space for entertaining. Additionally, they wanted a low-maintenance landscape that would fit their travel schedule. For the design and installation, the owners reached out to Rossen Landscapes, based […]

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There’s No Place Like Home: Creating Walmart’s Welcoming Campus Headquarters

When Walmart decided to create a new headquarters, the scale of the project was like building a city from the ground up. The new home office features 12 office buildings as well as a number of amenity buildings spread across more than 400 acres. Clay Bakker, director of landscape for Walmart, says the company emphasized […]

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Elevating Green Roof Design for Long-Term Success

Green roofs offer strong sustainability benefits and can provide long-term advantages to commercial customers, but these can only be achieved if the proper care is taken in their design and maintenance.   Designing Green Roofs The first step to creating effective green roof designs is to shift your thinking. ā€œIn traditional gardens, we are often […]

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Breaking Into Green Roofs: What Landscape Companies Need to Know

If you’re looking to differentiate your business, green roofs are a sustainable niche offering that offers high-visibility projects to your business. However, it’s also important to consider key factors such as market demand and the complexity of these installations before adding this offering to your service lines. Is the Demand for Green Roofs Waxing or […]

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Streamlining Six Common Design/Build Bottlenecks

There are numerous roadblocks that can slow down or cause headaches during the design/build process. Instead of merely tolerating them, taking the time to streamline these pain points can result in improved efficiency in your operations and a better overall experience for your clients. While the weather will remain out of your control, other common […]

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Design-Build: Keys to Crafting Year-Round Interest in the Landscape

Annuals are fleeting, but how you design your client’s landscape can provide them with year-round interest in their property. There is no one set way to craft a design that provides color, structure and allure in a landscape throughout the seasons, but below are some of the different techniques and plant material to consider. Creating […]

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Starting Over From Scratch: How A Client-First Approach Led to National Recognition

Tim McAuliffe originally thought he would retire in Texas after selling his firm in Pennsylvania and moving in 2018. However, he and his wife chose to make a change for more work/life balance with their family in 2024. ā€œI had the opportunity to join a local firm in the Carolina coastal area of Wilmington, North […]

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Against the Elements: Creating a Mountaintop Escape for Year-Round Enjoyment

Until now, the landscape of this mountaintop home had been a blank slate. Nestled among the Appalachian region of Pennsylvania, this yard consisted of nothing but turf. As the family began renovating the home’s interior, they sought to create a backyard resort that would enhance the mountain views and provide year-round enjoyment. They brought in […]

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