Publisher’s Perspective
I hope that headline got your attention! I know that getting pond pros to take a break is no small task at this time of year. Spring has finally sprung, and the season is in full swing! I’m sure your heads are spinning between pond openings, doing bids and quotes, starting new builds, checking up on your customers and all the other exciting things that happen when nature starts to thaw out.
But while these are all vital pieces of the pond business, it’s also important to keep up with what’s going on in your trade. And believe me, there’s a lot happening. In case you didn’t notice, this issue is a little weightier than past issues. We have so many things to share with you that we had to increase our page count!
For starters, check out our cover story. If your typical pond installation consists of building a pond, filling it with water and sending an invoice, Max Taylor thinks you’re leaving money on the table!
Turn to pg. 37 to find out why you ought to make landscaping the next phase of your business. If the advice of one Max isn’t enough motivation to think outside the box, I’ll give you one more. We pushed things “TWO the MAX” in this issue, with Max Phelps contributing a story about edible pond fauna!
Why simply look at your landscaping when you can eat it, too? Max shows you how on pg. 42. Of course, not all greenery is edible, as Roger Tower can attest. In fact, some of it can even kill your dog. On pg. 25, Roger outlines the dangers that toxic blue-green algae can pose to your precious pets.
If plants and algae aren’t your thing, don’t fret. There’s something for everybody in this issue! Ed Beaulieu explains why you don’t need a lot of space to install an amazing water feature on pg. 55, and on pg. 49 Paula Biles shares some magic tricks that will help you control the weather (or at least tweak the microclimates in your yard). And for those rugged types who just want to get their hands dirty, John Olson explains how to add custom rock shaping to your repertoire and bolster your profits on pg. 14.
Our stories are certainly an odd and interesting mix, aren’t they? Of course…some might say the same thing about us pond folks.
