Happy 1st Birthday!

We thought you might like to know that The Underground Yahoo Group was established exactly 1 year ago today - December 16, 2004. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The group began a few short months before it's migration to Yahoo, and was formed by a small number of folks from the Clark University/Tower Hill program. The group has evolved over time to include many professionals, students and instructors from various organizations and institutions.

Thanks to all our members who have stuck by us from the beginning. And to all our newer members, we welcome your support. We will continue to offer some great educational programs and look forward to your continued participation!

We have a great line-up being planned for the coming year. Stay tuned for more information.

Ed Council joins as new treasurer

Today Ed Council has agreed to join our steering committee as The Underground's new Treasurer. Ed will keep all financial records and report to our committee on our status.

Thank you Ed.

How to Develop and Prepare An Effective Landscape Design Portfolio

This educational program "How to Develop and Prepare An Effective Landscape Design Portfolio", featured guest speaker Todd Richardson, founding principal, Richardson & Associates, Inc. It was held on November 30, 2005 at the Landscape Institute, Cambridge, MA.

Your portfolio is a career communication tool that creates a narrative about your landscape design talents and philosophy. It is a compilation of your best and most recent accomplishments and your primary marketing tool for obtaining new clients. Your portfolio is constantly evolving as you in turn, gain experience as a creative professional.

Todd Richardson of Richardson & Associates, an instructor at the Landscape Institute, guided us in preparing a new professional quality portfolio presentation or improve upon our existing one. Todd has offered to review individual portfolios so bring your portfolio with you to this very informative professional development program.

Whether you are a student or a professional, this program will provided an honest assessment of skills and techniques by objectively examining your portfolio's strengths and weaknesses and offering suggestions for refinement.

Todd Richardson MLA, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; principal, Richardson & Associates, Inc., Saco, Maine; cited by the dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study as Distinguished Radcliffe Seminars Instructor; former instructor, Rhode Island School of Design, University of Massachusetts, and Bowdoin College; registered landscape architect, Massachusetts and Maine; merit awards in design and
planning, Boston Society of Architects.

Welcome New Steering Member, Mary Coyne

We would like to announce that Mary Coyne has become the newest member of The Underground Steering Committee and Priscilla Williams has joined our Advisory Board.

Our Steering Committee Members

Mary Coyne
Bridget McManus
Denise Pegrum
Dori Smith
Susan Tuttle

Advisory Board

Priscilla Williams

If you would like to volunteer to coordinate a program, tour, or other educational event in your area, please let us know. We would appreciate any volunteer assistance you wish to provide.

We have several volunteer positions still available, so if you would like to help us to grow this organization, please contact us we would love to have you involved.

We also would like to acknowledge the following people for their volunteer efforts in helping to coordinate upcoming programs.

Mary Coyne
Susan Quateman
Sharon Davis

Thanks to all.
The Underground Steering Committee

Marketing on a Shoestring

This educational program entitled "Marketing on a Shoestring" was held on October 29, 2005 at Garden in the Woods, Framingham MA and featured guest speaker Louise Sacco, Marketing Consultant, The Enterprise Group.

Every landscape business wants more customers, more revenue and more profit. With focus, planning and imagination, your shoestring budget can produce powerful results. This fast-paced educational session focused on practical ideas that you could use, without spending buckets of money. Our speaker has helped small businesses, including many one-person businesses for over 20 years.

This interactive session included proven approaches to help you increase sales and profits by using skills and assets we already have.

Louise Reilly Sacco of The Enterprise Group develops marketing strategies for small companies. Her primary focus is on cost-effective, high-impact strategies that bring both near term and longer range results, an approach she calls "Marketing on a Shoestring." She is a guest lecturer at Lesley College, Babson College, Framingham State College, Northeastern University, and Simmons College. She has been a speaker or panelist for Cambridge Business Dev Corp, New England Women Business Owners, MIT Enterprise Forum, and many more.

Thank You to Former Steering Member, Paul Carlson

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Paul Carlson for his service as an Underground Steering member. Paul is an original founder of this organization and he has been very instrumental in providing input and helping to establish our young group. He will be sorely missed!

The Underground Steering Committee

Organic Landscape Design - Project Site Tour

The guest presenter for this project site tour was Priscilla Williams, owner of Pumpkin Brook Organic Gardening. We looked at one of her recent design projects installed at a residence in Pepperell, MA.

Project Description: A log house in the woods of Pepperell, accessed by a private dirt road and with plenty of wildlife around, is our destination. The garage was completed in spring 2004 which required removal of 2200 square feet of woodland. This structure was surrounded by sand which was rapidly eroding downhill when I first visited the site in May 2004.

Pumpkin Brook Organic Gardening stabilized the soil with compost/loam mix and a cover crop; then we designed and installed a cutting garden in 2004. Stonework was completed in the late fall by Whole Earth Landscape and Design.

This past spring and summer, we added a bank stabilization planting, foundation planting and transitional planting to a woodland remnant at the street. Meanwhile the porch on the house was completely rebuilt and composite recycled wood decking connecting porch to stone terrace was completed. During this construction we kept working on site to recreate layers of woodland understory, taking cues from native plants existing on site and within a one mile radius. A low mow lawn mix has just been installed in late summer as a connection between areas of the property. Plans for 2006 include a raised bed of ferns at the garage and installation of climbing hydrangea to carpet the bank opposite the garage at the side of the driveway. Throughout the project, organic methods and materials have been used, per the NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care. This was a priority for the client.

Priscilla Hutt Williams is a founding member of the NOFA Organic Land Care Committee which developed standards for organic land care and the course which trains and accredits landscape professionals. She has a successful organic garden design/maintenance business, as well as a seedling sales business.

Welcome Denise Pegrum to Our Board

We would like to announce that we have a new Underground Steering member, Denise Pegrum. She joins the rest of our team who are working diligently on upcoming Underground programs and events.

Our Steering Committee Members

Paul Carlson
Bridget McManus
Denise Pegrum
Dori Smith
Susan Tuttle

Thank You to Former Steering Member, Andy Buck

We would like to thank Andy Buck for his service as an Underground Steering member. Andy provided some wonderful input in the formation of our organizational procedures. Thank you Andy. All the best in your endeavors.

The Underground Steering Committee

Tour at Cavicchio Greenhouses

The Underground tour of Cavicchio Greenhouses was led by Martin Grealish, sales rep at Cavicchio Greenhouses, Inc. We were given a rare opportunity to tour behind the scenes of one of the leading wholesale distributors of plant materials and landscaping supplies in New England. We toured the Codjer Lane facility of more than 9 acres of greenhouses and viewed the only completely mechanized planting room that exists in the country. We heard about the latest trends in plant materials, tools, and techniques, and learned about the water garden courses offered. Following the tour, we traveled a short distance to Cavicchio Nursery on Lincoln Road, where we saw an additional 35 acres of nursery products, specimen plants, and bulk materials.

Our topic of discussion was "How to work with your sales representative". We were guided through the step-by-step process — from initial quote to purchase and pickup of materials. We learned the best ways to build a relationship with our sales representative so that plant and material preferences, substitution suggestions, and budgets are always taken into consideration when filling our orders. These techniques can also be applicable to any wholesale distributors that you choose to work with. The importance of good record keeping practices and billing was also discussed. Cavicchio catalogs and credit applications were available for attendees to open accounts on the spot.

Early Spring Garden Tour at "Garden in the Woods"

This early spring garden tour of the New England Wild Flower Society's “Garden in the Woods” was led by Bonnie Drexler, NEWFS Program Manager, and was followed by a social networking meeting and discussion. Tour goers strolled through New England’s premier wildflower showcase. This ever-changing living museum with more than 1600 kinds of plants, contains many rare and endangered native specimens throughout the gardens. In late April, the woodlands sparkled with an array of early spring ephemerals such as Trout Lilies, Virginia Bluebells, Bloodroot, and rare Oconee Bells.

The beautiful garden offered beauty and fostered peace of mind — to get you in the spring spirit.

The discussion topic that followed was about Advertising. This roundtable discussion explored ways to advertise your landscaping business. What works and what does not? Attendees were encouraged to bring questions and discuss their experiences with advertising their businesses. Annual budgets, where to advertise and how to hit your target market was also discussed.

Find Out What's Underground! - First Official Program

The Underground's first official educational program included guest speaker Pamela Hart, of Pamela Hart Landscape Services. This program was held at the New England Wild Flower Society's Garden in the Woods. The presentation entitled "Hits and Flops of 25 Years of Landscaping" was a wonderful introduction to members already in the biz or those contemplating starting their own businesses. Pamela shared with us her insights and experiences with operating her own company and suggested ways in which we might avoid some mistakes and pitfalls in our own businesses.

Since 1980, Pamela Hart Landscape Services has been providing personalized land care to homeowners and businesses in Cambridge and surrounding communities. Pamela Hart Landscape Services takes a down-to-earth practical approach to site design by not only considering community, client, environment, and architecture; but also by solving grading and drainage issues and analyzing soils and overall plant health.

Thank you Pamela.

The Underground at the ELA Winter Conference

The Underground will be present at the upcoming ELA Winter Conference on Friday, March 4, 2005. Please join us in the Sterling room to find out more about our growing group.

Thanks.

The Underground First Social Gathering Party

Garden themed music, food and fun times marked this first gathering of The Underground and the Landscaper's Network. The Underground theme song was also introduced.

Held at the Common House on Half Moon Hill in Acton, the highlight of the afternoon was a short discussion presented by Dori Smith and Priscilla Williams about the challenges and satisfactions of starting their landscape practices. Dori's business, Gardens for Life, is ecologically oriented design/build. Priscilla has a successful organic garden design/maintenance business, as well as a seedling sales business.

Attendees were encouraged to meet fellow soilmates, share the latest buzz and have a great time.

Welcome New Steering Member, Andrew Buck

We would like to welcome Andy Buck as a new steering member. We look forward to his contributions to our organization.

Thanks.