A lifelong gardener branches out into landscape design

What she does

Through Daisy Design, French offers consulting services, which range from simple advice and recommendations to full design consults.

“I often leave the client with a sketch, maybe of some trouble areas of their garden that could be improved. Sometimes, I give them a list of places I know that provide good service and products,” she explains. “A lot of clients just have no idea how much things cost and what’s available to them.” French can also provide clients with colour or black-and-white designs using Garden Scape computer-assisted design (CAD) software.

While French does not do buildouts herself, she has formed a successful partnership with Mark Bowring of Bowring Ponds and Gardens, who handles the majority of the construction work on her projects.

“When we first moved home, I hired Mark to put in some limestone steps for me,” she explains. “We really got along and eventually found out that we actually met about 15 years prior. We had something in common, we’re about the same age and he has an attention to detail and eye for quality.

“He is interested in making sure customers get top quality and their products are going to last, which is something I haven’t seen in any other professional relationships,” she continues. “His passion blew me away. I knew his work was something I could highly recommend to my clients.”

French and Bowring’s approach varies from project to project; at times, she handles all aspects of design, while at others, the process is more collaborative.

“I do a lot of project management with the client,” she says. “I stay on board right from beginning to end.”

Daisy Design is a home-based business, which allows French the flexibility to spend time with her two kids, ages six and four. As an independent designer, French can also tailor the project to the customer’s needs and preferences.

“I want to make sure the client gets what they want,” she says. “If they want to go to a certain place because they like their materials, then that’s great.”

Embracing technology

In addition to the software she uses to create clients’ landscapes, French has also embraced other forms of technology to help grow her business.

“Social media, like Twitter, Facebook and my blog, are my main source of marketing. It’s free and I can monitor how many hits I get on my website, so I know it’s working. Even though landscape contractors may not be a computer-oriented, their clients are. It’s very important for the contractors to realize they may be missing out on this.”

While French admits that the learning curve on computers, social media and other online resources can be steep in the beginning, learning more about these tools can provide a great benefit. For example, when her services became so popular that she hired another designer this past season, see found him online—Tom Lacey, who owns his own company called Milestone Landscape in Roanoke, Va.

“I found him on the Garden Scape bulletin board,” she explains, noting that the pair takes advantage of technology to bridge the distance between them. “We do everything via Skype (an Internet-based phone service). A lot of times, I’ll videotape and take photos of clients’ home so he can get a really good idea of what it’s like. He’s really learned a lot about Newfoundland’s climate!”

These innovations have also helped French cast her net to a wider customer base, outside of the metro St. John’s area.

“I had a client who was on the west coast of Newfoundland this year and I didn’t even get to go out and see it. It was all done via Skype, video and remote work. It kind of excited  me, because I could probably do a bit more of that—as long as I knew the contractor was reliable. It’s hard for me to recommend someone to do the install, but I would love to do more remote work.”