APPLETON (NBC 26) — There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to create, design and build your perfect outdoor space. NBC 26 Today Meteorologist Lauren Larsen sits down with Aaron Vosters, general manager at Lowney's Landscaping Center in Appleton, to discuss common mistakes customers make when starting a big project in their yards.
(The following is a transcription of the recorded interview, with additional details added for the website. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.)
Lauren Larsen: What are some of the main things you've learned over the last seven years?
Aaron Vosters: It's kind of funny. I think I probably came into this job as thinking of landscaping as "It's just plants." Right? But, that is so not the case. There are so many more things that go into landscaping than just plants. That has been a bit of an eye-opener for me as to all the different variations and varieties.
Lauren: What advice do you have for some people who are watching at home and thinking during this series, you know, I'd love to have some of these things in my yard?
Aaron: I think the biggest thing is to plan ahead! Use this spring as a good example. We started two and a half months later than we did the previous years. Wisconsin weather is unpredictable. So, when someone says I'd like to have a project done by June, or by a grad party at a certain date, don't wait until the month or two before that to get the process started, because there's a lot of things that go into the process prior to just showing up there to complete it. My biggest tip would just be plan ahead and identify your needs and goals.
Lauren: What are some mistakes that you see [with] some clients [who] come in that they're kind of doing things out of order?
Aaron: The biggest things is just having that master plan of what does the finished product look like? We see clients that want to start at step five in a five-step process. You know, if you have people that, you know, start with just a foundation planting, that's great. Yes, it is important to get the work done within your budget, but let's try to start at step one every single time. Sometimes we do jobs in seven or eight or nine phases depending on the budget. I encourage everyone to make sure that those phases work sequentially.
