Launching Our New Landscaping Website

This may seem surprising, but just like gardening, launching our new landscaping website taught me invaluable lessons about patience, faith, and gratitude. People sometimes ask me, “Hey how did a guy with a truck learn so much about complex landscape design and outdoor architecture? My answer is always the same: “Hands-on - that’s how I learn best and how I work best.” After more than ten thousand hours of landscape design and installation practice, I can solve just about any problem with landscaping, gardening, or outdoor construction.

But when it came time to relaunch the Lotus website, I knew I needed help. My hands-on skills weren't so handy on a computer screen. So I hired a web designer with an impressive portfolio and a copywriter I met more than 4 years ago. She knew next to nothing about landscaping when I hired her to work on my proposals, but she was a great writer and a quick learner. I knew she got it one hot summer day when she walked into my office and said, “Lou, the corporate landscapers are fertilizing the saplings around this building, but it’s hot outside! Those young trees need water, not fertilizer!” She was exactly right. I smiled and gave her a high-five – “you got it, Mary!” I was thrilled when she said yes to my request for website copy. Unfortunately, though, due to some personal issues, she literally took months to finish a project that should have taken a couple weeks at most. To say the least, I was frustrated – especially because I paid her upfront. (If you’ve met me, you know I am a BIG fan of upfront payments – this is how I keep my promises to Lotus customers – paying upfront enables me to order inventory, arrange work schedules, and get the job done on time. Plus I do my best to avoid debt at all costs.)

Remembering that beauty is born in the most unlikely of places helps me to be patient when problems arise. In addition, I could not be the person I am today without my faith. I believe that timing is divine even when things don’t happen according to my schedule. (Frankly, it would take a whole book to tell you about all the times I’ve leaned on my Christian faith to get me through.) Last but not least, I know the power of gratitude – I start every day by reflecting on the gifts surrounding me so I can keep seeing the world as a bright place full of possibility, even when the going gets really tough. When you get down to it, patience, gratitude, and faith are also the qualities we learn from gardening and landscaping too!

In the end, the wait was worth it. I hope you agree.

I’d love to learn about the practices that help you stay patient, faithful and grateful. Thanks for being here, and feel free to post a comment and share this post!