The following article was originally published in November 2014. I look at a lot of ponds each year. A LOT of ponds. At our store in Holland, Michigan, we have customers come in every day who are struggling with a host of problems. Most pond owners’ issues can be addressed and solved during the design …
Pond Construction 101: The Fundamental Blueprint Every Builder Should Use Read More »
The Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show is the most prestigious horticultural show in the world. It is often regarded as the Olympics of Horticulture, where the best garden designers in the world all compete for highly prized medals. All the garden designers are pre-qualified at other RHS shows before even being considered for space …
It’s just a fact of life that if you have customers, at some point you or your staff will have to deal with a frustrated, rude or angry customer. In fact, some dissatisfied customers can be so emotionally charged that it’s like having a blowtorch in your face. It is no wonder that communicating effectively …
When Things Get Heated: Communicating effectively with a rude or angry customer Read More »
You know those safety announcements the flight attendants give? The ones where they tell you that if the oxygen masks drop, you should put on your own mask before helping someone else? Well, I just got back from a visit with family in Texas, and hearing that announcement once again made me think about business. …
Like Breathing, Being Profitable Isn’t an Option Read More »
There is a battle brewing between some of the builders who construct ponds with concrete and those builders who use pond liner. This is not a battle that needs to be fought. Concrete is a structural component and liner is a sealing component. Each has its place and its purpose. The purpose of one shouldn’t be …
An Unnecessary Battle between Concrete and Pond Liner Read More »
Successful water gardening takes some knowledge, but it also requires attention to details. When conditions are less than desirable, extra steps need to be taken to prevent potentially disastrous results. During extremely cold weather, the potential for many problems to occur becomes more prevalent and can separate those who have done their homework from those …
Tancho is not always a winner at koi shows. In fact, some koi shows do not even have a Tancho category. But it is not too much exaggeration to say that Tancho is one of the most popular varieties of koi. To be precise, Tancho is not really a fixed variety like the others. Rather, …