I wanted so badly to write about how incredible our history has been, I wanted to talk about how inspiring and fast learning we started out to be. Actually, it really didn’t start off quite that great.

In the beginning White Shovel was a small town lawn care business called Turfs R Us. We didn’t have 40 employees, or large trucks with fancy equipment. There was just me, and a lawn mower. Well actually I had a push-mower, a weed whacker, and a hand held blower.

In the beginning mowing was a great start, and allowed me to access to learn more about clients. I’d like to say that in the beginning all I wanted to do was design landscapes, but actually all I wanted to do was make clients happy. When I finally hired the first person to help me, we weren’t just mowing grass. We were assisting clients in maintaining beautiful yards. We pulled weeds, rolled up hoses and organized toys from their children and pets in the back yard.

I remember, almost to the day when the first client asked me for plant, and garden advice. I must of had a blank look on my face. I didn’t know about plants, and I certainly didn’t know about design.

It didn’t stop there, for the next couple of months more then 20 people asked me for plant, and design advice. Honestly, I was stunned! Who was supposed to be giving them advice, and why weren’t they doing it. I just couldn’t believe there was that many people who had yards, and needed a few ideas or some plant advice. But there was.

After doing some searching in the phone book (which was popular at that time) I began to realize the giant gap between “Landscape Architect” and “Residential Design Advice.”

That was the day I enrolled in a landscape design college course. Then, over the next few months, I began to exercise my learning on a daily basis. I was helping clients with design advice, and learning about plants from both the course and in my daily life. My skills grew rapidly.

After the first year of doing this, I sold my lawn care businesses and began the creation of what we know and love now as White Shovel. Working close beside me, my wife and I proceeded to design and install landscapes on a small level, perfecting our craft. Then we decided it was time to build a team.

One of the big issues we had in the beginning, which most people might see as a benefit. We didn’t have any competition, this led to hundreds of errors. Simply because there was no one to copy, or check ourselves against. Our process employs a serve the client method that was un-heard of in the landscape world. People didn’t design landscapes for free, and they certainly didn’t give consulting advice away.

People to this day remain skeptical of our design process, and we are often misunderstood. However, for those which have experienced the high cost of a Landscape Architect, or the small advice of a lawn care person trying to help. You can appreciate the great lengths we go through to bring you wonderful ideas at a very great price.

White Shovel now, is a power house of low maintenance designs, and systemized installation. Our team works round the clock to delver the best design ideas in the business. We have dedicated people to produce design ideas on photos of your home. Each client is designated with a “design rep” that walks them through choosing a design they will love forever. Separating our design and consulting from our pricing department, allows the client to experience exact pricing every time. No hype or price hikes for higher or lower paying clients. We offer systemized landscape design – install – and landscape clean up.

We hope you will consider getting ideas from us before beginning your next landscape project. I personally promise amazement, and I know you will enjoy looking at your home completely designed several ways during our design process.