Landscape Construction & Property Improvements

The Problem Posing a Reality

July 30, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan Leave a Comment

This blog post requires you to go a little deeper and think critically.

You might find it hard to read or even boring. That might be a problem for you. You might also begin to understand that problems are merely opportunities for us to grow, learn and develop a greater sense of awareness.

Problems are necessary. Here’s one for you to chew on.

The “problem posing reality” is a term that I first heard while taking an English class several years ago. It was an essay written by Paulo Friere, titled “The Banking Concepts on Education.”

So I’m no Friere, but I am working on my own version of a “Problem Posing a Reality” which will be out before you know it!

Essentially, the essay is a call to a new way of understanding education and its processes. It denounces traditional “banking” where the students are looked at as empty “banks” and the teachers are “bankers” who merely pour, or deposit knowledge, into those banks. In Friere’s opinion, this kind of teaching dehumanizes people as it strips away their individuality.

His method of teaching involved utilizing a concept known as “dialogics.” The basic idea behind dialogics is that nothing exists in a vacuum. Every word that is spoken is in response to what has already been said, and in anticipation of what is still yet to be said. This creates a “problem posing reality” because of the fluidity factor. Since nothing is ever stagnant, today’s solution may create a problem that will need to be solved by tomorrow’s new way of thinking.

It’s deep stuff I know, but stay with me if you want a full understanding of how sustainability works. You might also enjoy reading the book. This kind of thinking was very popular during the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. In fact, it was passed around to those in opposition to the movement as a sort of underground way of showing solidarity, and also speaking out against the horrible things the government was doing at that time. So what does this all mean and what does it have to do with sustainability, landscaping and/or gardening???

A makeover during my Yard Crashers days. Notice the sustainable design element present in the rocks, shrubs and ornamentals used in the landscape.

I live my life teaching others about horticulture and landscape construction. I’ve built a career doing this through television shows like Yard Crashers, on The DIY Network and HGTV. In the early days, DIY was actually about teaching folks and empowering do-it-yourselfers. Of course, things have changed, and now Yard Crashers is more of what I call a non-fictional-makeover-show with a pretty cool residential landscape.

So back to this “problem posing reality” issue. I’m of the opinion that today’s evolving society is still very much interested in living sustainably, while also enjoying an eco-friendly lifestyle. The issue is we largely do not fully understand how to go about this. TV shows like Naked and Afraid, Alaska The Last Frontier and Ice Road Truckers all seek to show the challenges of everyday living situations for certain folk living “way over there.”

Yet, all of these shows have managed to work themselves into the fabric of mainstream culture because of our human connectedness, and the deep seated desire for us all to live harmoniously on this planet. We all want to feel good about our impact on the planet, so we do our own part to effect change in our own small way.

Doomsday preppers are fashionably recognized, along with off the grid communities. There’s also a growing population of alternative gardening and farming techniques; all because we maintain dialogue with concepts from the past and recognize the value of understanding different ways of doing things. Even if you’re like me, and you tune in to these shows primarily because the cast is half naked and you’re merely interested in seeing how it all goes down due to intrigue, you and I both will stay tuned. Hopefully, we’ll also learn a little too!

Understanding anything about nature is pretty cool if you ask me. My own interests range from aquaponics, hydroponics and aeroponics, to people living in tiny houses only possessing what they need. I am also intrigued with permaculture and the sustainable solutions they put forth. Sustainable landscape design that’s both functional and aesthetically pleasing, is something I love because I’m sold on the fact that it actually makes a difference. A lot of our problems can be solved if we just take the time to understand how we got here and where we are going… which brings us full circle again to Friere’s writing, as this was one of his foundational principles.

Ahmed_Hassan_problem_posing_reality_permaculture

Here is a great example of a permaculture landscape design I recently did for some clients. Simple, clean, and sustainable.

In short, we will solve problems. We will create new ones when we solve existing ones. We will also solve those, and so the cycle continues. Sounds like sustainable problem solving might be another thing I am in to as well. Who knew, right? If you just chuckled, you know me well. Thanks for reading, caring and sharing.

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To Be Continued… The Finale

July 7, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 1 Comment

If I did just one job at a time, Chelle’s yard would’ve easily been done in the epic 2 days that I’ve built a reputation around, slinging for folks on Yard Crashers.

Everyone meet Chelle. I just crashed her yard!

I tend to, instead, run 3 or 4 jobs at any given time. As a contractor this is somewhat normal. There are, of course, those out there that focus on doing one project at a time. But in this economy and society where everybody wants everything and they all want it asap… Most of us contractors realize the value of staying in several projects all simultaneous and concurrent with one another, then strike a balance with shuffling material, supplies and personnel from site, to site, to site.

I enjoyed my fourth of July up at Clear Lake, aka California’s largest lake, yet it is anything but clear these days due to a phenomenal case of Algae bloom. That being said, I decided that I’d better finally wrap up this final blog with Chelle Henderson’s yard being completed by showing off this tiny, approximately 15 ft by 26 ft, space. For those of you that remember, Chelle sent me the following inspiration pics.

Remember these? Chelle sent me these pics to give me an idea as to what she had in mind for her yard.

Of course, her budget was less than what it would cost, but to her credit she did have the back side of her house painted, as well as the fenced in area of her yard. I added just a couple of edible plants to her 2 ft by 25 ft long veggie garden and reset her 12″x 12″ red concrete steppers. Chelle’s $4k budget was spent on plants, local boulders, mulch, irrigation, 40 sq ft of turf and a few recycled cast concrete pavers, recycled from a previous project by Yard Crashers own “Clean Cut Landscape.”

Repurposing and upcycling helped create this water feature!

Thanks to Tiffanie Hassan, here’s my actual breakdown and expenditure with how I did this awesome little space….

Compost $60

Irrigation/Plants/Fountain $1252

Stepping Stones/Sand $100

Sod $57

Because a person’s bottom line is what finally determines what’s doable. I chose to purchase and upcycle a few items from Under The Arbor, and build my own small water feature from an old metal table that matched a green ceramic bowl I already possessed. I purchased a galvanized pitcher and weathered utility pail as my shear decent spout and seasonal container, with color for decorative purposes.

Another way I saved money was that I used Native Cameron Park granite boulders (from my yard), rather than buying stone from the landscape supply center. I have a joke where I say, “I live in Cameron Park, we grow rocks here.” Something about the local granite in these Northern California foothills. I, of course, felt it was necessary and beneficial to keep a patch of turf for Chelle’s beagle and reduced her previous 100sq ft of turf with a smaller, healthier 40 sq ft. Dogs simply love to relieve themselves on grass. Giving them a spot to do just this is almost essential to meeting their backyard needs.

Finally, her plant palette. Chelle has a ton of plant material in a very small space. I like to cram a yard full of interesting ornamental and edible plants whenever I can.

In the final hour of completing this tiny space, there were 4 of us busy going back and forth through the gate and I remember feeling crowded and a bit like things were unmanageable. That’s right around the time that I cut Anthony and Saul loose for the day.
This way Mike and I could finish the details, and by 7 pm I was snapping my afters pics for today’s blog. take a look at the transformation below..

The Whole Enchilada “before”

A few comparison before and afters…

Oh what a difference some paint and landscaping can make!

The final transformation…

Another yard crashed!

The money shot… or what I call magazine-cover-photo-worthy!

All of the elements chosen for Chelle’s yard create a seamless flow. The design is aesthetically pleasing and sustainable. Another yard crashed!

In closing, I’ll say that I’m still very much in love with creating outdoor spaces. Big projects take a lot more time than this yard and require all kinds of planning and coordination with subcontractors and laborers, but the net result of any collaborative space that I manage brings me so much joy when it finally comes together. A few special thanks to my Draft and co-designer Adrienne Landsittel, Kirin and my badass concrete stain and sealing pro, Ben Christian of “Just Stain It”. It’s one thing to love what you do for a living. Another thing to love and appreciate the many talented folks that continue to work with me, believe in me and show up to play their part in everything that I do. You know who you are.

Coming soon to your yard!

Until then, watch your back. I may show up to crash your yard. In fact, the truth is I would love to. Give my company a call and see what Ahmad Hassan Landscape Services can do for you! Thanks for reading and sharing.

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Searching for Inspiration

June 30, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 1 Comment

The California sun can be brutal, but I am thankful nonetheless

Temperatures are suppose to hit 109 today here in Northern California. Finding the inspiration to work outside in this heat is…Well… Yesterday I fasted for most of the day. I’m no Muslim, but I do know that we’re in the middle of Ramadan and I figured I’d participate and fast for the health benefits and mental clarity. Then, by the time I did finally eat something, I had to take a nap, and the heat was simply unbearable.

Today’s post is still swinging back and forth within my head. “Do I write something that’s more personable or do I write something that’s gardening or landscaping related…” What to do, what to do! I think I’m more inspired to write about inspiration. Since I’m looking for a bit of it this morning. I, like you, have so very many things going on in my life. The stresses of everyday living here on planet earth, the responsibilities both financially and physically of raising and providing for my family, as well as running a small business, and seeking to maintain any kind of celebrity status with my career. All of life is an opportunity to learn and experience more or less of what we want. That’s going to determine how we feel.

Camille’s cure for boredom involves helping dad. She loves it!

The other day my youngest daughter Camille was pouting and walking around the backyard complaining about how bored she was. “There’s nothing to do!” She wanted this and wanted that and life was just so horrible in this instance as far as she was concerned. I immediately thought of what my dad taught me when I was maybe 14 or so. He taught me to give thanks and spend some time in appreciation for what I had. He would invite me to write a list of what I was thankful for, from the very big things in life, to the essential items that we often take for granted, like having toothpaste, toilet paper and running water. I suppose this is also one of the primary purposes of Ramadan in the first place. It’s a time to reflect, have compassion and to relate to those that do not have.

So today I invite you to analyze your life, rather than mentally delve into all that you owe the IRS, or what’s so wrong in your relationship. Spend a little time in thanksgiving. Create your own list, mentally or physically. Begin to look around and notice just how abundant you are. There are people all over this planet that don’t have the gifts, opportunities or the physical/mental capabilities that you do. It’s a true fact that whatever we think about is what’s both monumental and having an impact on us in the present.

Time to suit up for the day

So notice what’s good in life! Acknowledge how much you do have. Truly give thanks for this wonderful life that’s likely going to get better because of the lessons you’re learning and applying right now. Little by little things will start to get better. None of us are 10 years old like my sweet Camille. We all know that there’s so much to do, and so much to be thankful for. Your life is what you make of it!

So continue to dream up whatever it is that you want. Always, always, always remember that there are likely thousands of individuals at any given moment, that not only have far less than you, but would kill to have just a few of life’s luxuries that both you and I often take for granted. Thanks for sharing and reading my morning’s inspiration lecture to myself. Now it’s time for me to plan and get ready for the sweltering day today and give thanks for my ice chest, my sun screen, my white long sleeve shirt and large brimmed sun hat. I also give thanks for having work that I love and I get to finally finish Chelle Henderson’s backyard so that next weeks blog post will consummate the whole process. For those who don’t know. Here’s some history on this work… and a little more.

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To Be Continued Part 2

June 16, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan Leave a Comment

So it’s been 1 week since Chelle and I both said yes to doing her tiny yard. One week of me visualizing and thinking on how I can best and most creatively construct a new and improved space for this real estate Diva. She’s so cute with all of her dreams and ideas.

First there’s…

Chelle’s inspiration pic

A beautiful small space garden. This space is gorgeous and a wonderful use of building materials and the elements. This space is also about 12 to 15 times more than Chelle’s budget of $4k. It’s likely a $60k small yard considering the built in seat wall, water fountain, tile flooring, custom wrap around exotic wood carpentry, plantings, bed work, irrigation and drainage. Oh and don’t forget the additionally priced items that add even more to the space, like the sauna in the corner and the small bistro set. This yard is also about 50% bigger than Chelle’s space but it’s a perfect inspiration pic for her to share with me so that I know what moves her.

Then there’s…

Chelle’s inspiration pics for her fence

Another of Chelle’s pic was this mixed media rock pathway and custom fencing. Chelle’s current budget isn’t enough to even build the fencing but what it does tell me is that I could trim out in a dark color and paint the field of the fence lighter to give her an effect.
We shall see.

She also sent this fence pic to me to serve as inspiration…

Another fence inspiration pic from Chelle

This pic cracked me up, because of the fact that it’s a Yard Crashers project that Badass Designer Jake Moss and I did several years ago for Mike and Erin Hare. They’ve since remodeled their space, and this water feature wasn’t what Chelle was pointing out. It was instead, the Bond brand Bamboo fencing . By the way, bamboo isn’t in the budget. I’ll likely get a great deal on paint, and simply paint fencing, unless Chelle decides to dig a lil deeper.

Anything beats what she’s currently got, which is what you see below.

The bones of the fence are good. I just need to find a way to dress it up a bit.

Finally, her final inspiration pic was this one…

Final inspiration pic from Chelle

That’s right, Chelle wants stained concrete for that there walkway. I’m seeing if my homeboy Ben with “Just Stain It” is up for the job. Stay tuned…

She’s so cute. Here is another water feature from Yard Crashers. Jake Moss, you’re still the man! He designed and we installed the copper wall with shear decent in like season 1 of YC. Chelle’s budget unfortunately won’t get her either of these but I’ve got a sweet set up for her. Just you wait!

I looked on how I could save money without compromising the space’s creative flare, since my first rendering cost about $7500. For more information about the creative part of this process, and what it took to arrive at a final rendering, take a look at last week’s post. Finalizing a budget that is realistic, and one that meets the expectations of a client, takes work!

Because I’m a professional landscaper and gardener I’ve always got leftover materials and goods, just waiting to be utilized and given a new life. Upcycling is a term that best describes this adventure in recycling. There is ALWAYS a chance that something can be used again. Just because it is discarded does not mean its life is over. If you are nodding your head right now then you are one of those people who troll neighborhoods looking for “upcycling material”. Usually this material comes in the form of large piles of “stuff” people have thrown out of their house for one reason or another. To most it looks like trash, but you see treasure. Well to that end, “One man’s trash, is another man’s treasure”, and Chelle’s new water feature, if you ask me. Pics and a little video of the water feature will be shared next week in the 3rd but not yet final post and documentation of this small space install. For now, enjoy the inspiration pics she sent me. Also, keep in mind that she wants to hear water. Here’s a sneak peak of what I’m cooking up. Take a look at my scaled base rendering below! I blew it up extra big for you. Bonus points if you can read my chicken scratch!

Adrienne gives me the base, I do the sketching!

Thanks for caring and sharing.

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To Be Continued

June 9, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 1 Comment

Where to get started is often the question that many of us have when it comes to designing our outdoor living space or yard. These days there are inspiration sites like Pinterest and Houzz to provide images and ideas. It’s just enough to get us excited so we can begin to at least start the process of designing and developing our dream garden.

Last week I met Chelle Henderson. She’s working on her second garden. In the last year she’s inherited her mom’s small yard and home in Natomas, California. She told me that it was a tiny space, and that it would probably be the smallest backyard I’d ever done. While she was wrong, it was a small space, and it has been a while since I’ve dreamt up something that would not only be limited and beautiful in size, but also be done with a very limited budget. This means Ahmad Hassan Landscape Services would need to be creative.

Creativity runs through my veins. I love the process of making and creating amazing outdoor spaces.

I actually pride myself in being creative, whether it be upcycling, or choosing an awesome plant palette that is most conducive to the space, exposure and what’s ultimately wanted from my homeowner.

Today’s blog post could have gone many different directions. I had a few different ideas last night as to what I might write about. After a careful and conscientious overview of what I’d most like to share with my fans and friends, I’ve decided to take you on a journey and let you all see just how I do what I do…

I’ve shared more than once on the fact that I do not offer free estimates. While Chelle’s yard was no different, I did decide to give her a cost break. First, because she was recommended by a friend/contractor of mine, and second, because I simply felt she was serious about working together. I decided to have one of my designers and drafts persons join me for the initial meeting at her home so that we could expedite the process and get to a design asap.

Here are a few pics of Chelles yard.

This is what I am going to transform!

It is small, but it will look amazing!

The pics were sent by Chelle at two different times of the day. This will help me determine the most appropriate plant palette according to the sun shade exposure at the hottest time of the year, since we’re in the summer season, and now’s the time that Chelle is ready to see some changes. Of course I’ve already had the budget conversation with Chelle and she started with wanting to spend no more than $2K. I convinced and educated her that a more realistic budget of approximately $4K was more realistic. When she finally said yes, I knew that this was the number I’d still have to utilize in order to base my design, and eventual installation, off of. Chelle’s time frame was asap. With an agreeable doubled budget than what she was first thinking, I had my marching papers so to speak, and was on my way!

Designer Adrienne pulled measurements and sent me over the base plan so that I could draw. This process is both fun and creative, but also challenging, since what I want to do is simply create. What I have to do is be mindful and conscientious of the allowable budget. more on this as it unfolds. That’s why I titled it, “To Be Continued”…

Thanks for sharing and caring.

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So You Wanna Build Yourself a Flagstone or Slate Patio?

May 12, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 3 Comments

Either way, the best material is the material that you can obtain for a fair and reasonable cost, if not for free. I personally prefer flagstone over slate simply because slate is often slippery, and if I wanted to slip and slide, I’d rather go roller skating.

The first couple of things you’re gonna want to determine is where to locate your new stone patio.
If the area is shady and stays moist, be prepared to grow a lil moss. If it’s full sun, you’ll be working in full sun so I suggest you find a nice shade hat now, and then get busy.

A past residential stone walkway project by my landscape company, AHLS.

Your location is selected, so now we’ve gotta determine your elevation (the height at which the patio will sit.) Keep in mind that the finish height, or grade of the stone, is not simply the thickness of the stone; it’s also the additional few inches of base material on which the stone is set. The better you prepare your base, the longer you’ll enjoy your new patio. The thickness of this base material is determined by your desired grade or elevation, your base material, and the stone thickness.

For simplicity sake, let’s assume that you’re building on top of stable, compacted clay, and you don’t mind the patio being a few inches higher than the surrounding areas. You’ll want to use a minimum of 1″ base rock (aka crusher run, sometimes referred to as DG for decomposed granite). This material, no matter the name, needs to be angular, not round; and composed of approx 1/4″ rock, and various smaller sizes all the way down to dust. Pieces that are too big will make it difficult to prepare a level base. The smaller gravel like material and/or masonry sand can also be used. You can also use builders quality sand.

In very sandy environments like Florida, and certain parts of California, I’ve used native sand which means I had to purchase nothing! If the elevation needs to be raised by more than a couple of inches, I recommend using gravel, rather than sand, because the sand will migrate, or wash away. Sand simply isn’t stable when built up more than an inch or two.

As your yard continues to change, so can your stone walkway.

A diamond blade installed on your grinder or circular saw can turn your wood saw into a masonry saw. This will allow you to cut and shape stone as you see fit. If weeds are a concern, you can utilize weed fabric (aka landscape fabric) on top of native soil, underneath base rock.

Once your base rock is applied you can either tamp, or grade, and rake it. Compact it, then install the stone on top. Each piece to be nestled into the base material. The real magic to installing your patio or walkway is taking the time to set each and every piece, so that every stone is in harmony with the last.

Being overly concerned about level is ridiculous. We walk on imperfect, unlevel surfaces all the time. Flat is good enough. That being said, each stone should be reasonably flush with the adjoining stone, so you don’t create a trip hazard. Don’t forget that the adjoining edges can match (their other ends can go up or down), then match those other stones. Stay away from smaller pieces of stone, since they’re largely unstable, especially if they are smaller than 12.”

Also seek to avoid small triangular pieces since they’re difficult to stabilize. Remember to test each piece as it’s set. Be sure the stone doesn’t wobble or tilt. If it does, your work’s not done. You simply need to fortify it’s foundation with a bit more sand, DG, etc. When it’s good and stable you’ll know it.

It’s always a good idea to have a helper or someone else to check and challenge your work. You also want to keep in mind your gaps in between each stone. We call these the joints. I prefer to have my joints consistent in size so that my patio or walkway looks as if it were a single monolithic stone that cracked and separated. It’s personal preference of course.

Utilizing flag stone as a walkway through turf and as a landing pad near a deck offers a pop of color and can either be done prior to laying turf or added afterwards using the same directions.

Lastly, the thickness of your stone does make a difference. 1/2 inch stone is likely to break under the stress of weight. 3/4″ or better is the industry standard for a residential patio or walkway, with 1″ or more being the preferred thickness. The larger (as in wider) the stone, the better.

Big pieces can be cut. Small pieces take a lot more time to make stable. In my own experience, stone pieces smaller than 12 inches in any size or shape are more decorative then functional. Talk to your rock yard salesman and ask which size stone is typically used for a patio like the one you’re building. If you bring pictures, it will help the conversation and your effort. Remember, these folks are there to sell you rock.

There’s veneer thickness (approximately 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch), walk-on thickness (1/2 inch to 3/4 inch), patio grade (3/4 to 1- 1/2 inch). Above this there is simply thick rock and you are going to pay for it per pound! and just plain thick flat rock. Take your time, follow these instructions, and all will be well. For those of you in Sacramento, or the San Francisco Bay Area, I’m available for consultations and installation work (including what you messed up to begin with).

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Making Some GREEN in the Green Industry

May 5, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 1 Comment

From Lawn jockey to Ahmed Hassan Celebrity Landscaper. Persistence in business and following your dreams is where your success will come from. Trust me. I’m speaking from 23 years of experience.

As a kid I was more of a lawn jockey than a landscape professional. These days, the thing that sets me apart most from other folks, that might be deemed my competitors, is the fact that I portray and see myself as an expert. When I started working, hosting shows for DIY Network, they asked me what my title was. I told them I was a gardener. That wasn’t a good enough title in the Network’s opinion. In a world of titles, degrees, sophisticated salesmen, and bullshitters, gardener wasn’t even in the realm of earning respect, much less capturing the attention and respect of television viewers.

Being a business owner in the Green Industry takes that little something extra in order to demand a reasonable, and what I call sustainable, wage. Being able to articulate one’s value, in the world of what others see as mundane weed pulling, is an art that I’ve been working on for over 23 years. The business of gardening, landscaping, and what’s now termed “Outdoor Living,” requires a few basic principles. I feel that it’s both my responsibility and obligation to share what I’ve learned with others; so they might begin to better understand the ways in which they’ll need to manage their own “green industry” businesses, and actually make a little green, while going green.

I married my office manager. Tiffanie Hassan allows me to actually run a business. She schedules work, emails clients, handles invoicing and contracting and just about everything else that’s necessary in owning and operating our landscape services business. Behind every celebrity landscaper or small business owner there’s likely a silent partner that’s the glue to keeping things together.Teamwork, makes the dream work!

1. Learn To Teach. All of life is an opportunity for us to learn. If you’re interested in a particular subject, you’ll put in the time and research galore. I started my continued education at San Francisco’s City College. Then I spent about a decade taking several horticulture and landscape construction classes at Merritt College in Oakland California. I signed up for classes that most appealed to me. I looked over the list of Horticulture classes offered at the time and signed up for the ones that most appealed to me. There was of course a pre-requisite course titled “Intro to Horticulture”, which was a basics class about tools and practices. Earning a degree is less important than knowing how to talk the talk and walk the walk. It’s just a certificate.

2. Network with others in your industry. Classrooms are an awesome place to network with like-minded and like-interested folks. Seeing how others do what they do and love, while also generating income, will allow you to emulate your peers, and eventually, your career role models.

3. Begin freelancing and taking on small projects for the experience, rather than the money.
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t charge, but consider yourself a student and real life experiences are your opportunity to learn and expand what you’re learning and building your confidence in.

An original business card isn’t essential until you’re really ready to manage the workload. Put all pertinent info on your business card. If you’re wanting a little help with professional design, branding, and printing; contact my cousin and graphic designer, Seda Bryant, by clicking the image above.

4. When charging for your services, the rule of thumb is to charge as much as you can and feel comfortable with. Since you, after all, are the one who will have to negotiate your fee, schedule work and payments with clients, then collect what you ultimately charge. Since you, after all, are ultimately the one who will have to negotiate your fee schedule with clients and collect. Just remember to be fair and transparent with your clients, and they’ll likely be fair with you.

5. An hourly rate is safe since you’ll always get paid for your time. Bidding on projects as a whole requires a solid and expanded awareness of the scope of work and what could and most likely will go wrong and/or require your time. Do your best to be responsible and accountable, but a reasonable hourly rate is always gonna be the safest bet. Your clients will absolutely watch you and determine whether they feel your rate is comparable to what you charge. Know this.

6. Always charge for your time. A professional charges for their time because they understand and respect their own value. So many contractors offer free estimates. I stopped doing these years ago. There are plenty of folks out there that believe that if they don’t give away their info, time, and energy trying to get a job, they’ll go broke. News Flash! If you’re giving away free estimates, you’ll definitely go broke!

7. Learn to charge for an initial consultation. The agreement you see below is my pre-qualifying form to help me get rid of the tire kickers and window shoppers. My time is valuable. Maybe you can’t charge what I do. You might offer a different kind of service, but please, for yourself, your family, your self-esteem and our industry; consult and trade your valuable time for a sustainable rate.

You have to charge for your services if you want to get paid and have yourself be respected as someone valuable.

Both of these pics are from page one of my consulting agreement. Page two simply has a space for clients to input contact information; and of course a signature line to seal the deal.

8. Give yourself ample time to walk, talk, listen, and take copious amounts of notes. I typically walk and talk with my clients for 1 or 2 hours, depending on the size of their property and how much we like to talk. Once we’re done, I’ll walk the property again to write down my notes, thoughts, suggestions, and things I’ll need to research and address. (My consultation is a flat rate. Once I’m familiar with what’s wanted and needed I can discuss hourly charges or a flat rate or bid.

Trucks and fuel cost money. Wear and tear is real. Even your wheel barrow is valuable. Business is business. You’ve gotta charge for your services and tools

9. Lastly remember that phone calls are free but house calls will cost you. Gas costs money and leaving your family and home to go help someone else at their home is worthy of a fee. This isn’t a hobby, and if it is, you’ll still have to charge in order to make your gardening and home improvement hobby a sustainable and enjoyable one. Thanks for reading, caring, and sharing.

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The Cobbler’s Kids

April 28, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 2 Comments

If you’ve not heard the story of the cobbler’s kids, this week’s blog would likely make very little sense to you. But, for those of you that have, I’ll just come clean with you now… I am very much “The Cobbler.” Before becoming the “Celebrity Landscaper” I was just the Landscaper, before that I was the gardener, and let’s face it, gardening has really always been a trade that’s less than glamorous, to put it lightly.

We gardeners are people of the earth. We see beauty in nature and desire to work with nature, rather than against her. Mother Nature is an abundant creator; she bares such an abundant harvest that, for many of us gardeners, we have more work than we could ever complete. We are hoarders of all things plant related and we know that with a little love, a little water and a little compost, all will be well and look gorgeous as ever. So long as plants grow, we’ve always got plenty of work to get done.

I like to think before I put it out there.

My own yard has of course never been”crashed.” Nobody in TV land is wanting to watch the show where the guy on TV gets his own yard done for free. While I shoot plenty of web video for the Green Industry, I’ve shot no web videos at my own house showcasing any green industry tools or tips. In all honesty, my yard, as a backdrop, simply isn’t worthy, yet! I believe that one of the reasons my yard looks like a raggedy 3rd world country is because I’m really not all that bothered by it. I mean of course I’d like to have my space look better, as would my family. Unfortunately, the amount of time, energy, and conscious awareness that I choose to put into my yard and the fact that I want to do so much of the work myself means I can only do these improvements in bits and pieces when time permits. I do this in between making sure that my bills are paid and seeing that all is well with my family. There are plenty of more important priorities that I choose to allocate my precious resources on before I’m willing to splurge on our outdoor aesthetics.

My yard has never been “crashed”.

Both Tiffanie and our kids have said on more than one occasion, “When are we gonna have a nice yard, like the ones you’ve done on TV?” To which I’ve answered, “As soon as you’re willing to go outside and help to start making things look better.” The last thing I wanna teach my wife or kids is that beauty in outdoor living just happens through osmosis. Yard work and gardening is a true labor of love. I spend most of this labor and my time making money and my yard doesn’t worry me because I know how to manage, maintain and change it. It’s more about finances and my time. Here’s an interesting article about the subject I found on-line.

All of this is in my driveway as we speak!

My yard is a place for me to collect and store all kinds of goodies until I’m ready to install them as permanent structures and a part of my landscape. It’s also a place where I can work with plants; dividing, growing from seed, and incubating them in my small inexpensive greenhouses, while getting them ready for sale.

Oh that’s right! I also run a couple small retail nursery outlets. I sell plants at Under the Arbor and Churchill’s Hardware. My house is more like Club Med for plants, a place of refuge for my container plants that aren’t quite sellable, due to poor watering practices, too much sun exposure, or whatever other reason.

How I use both sides of my house

The north side of my house is used for rain water collection and shade for my plants. While the south side is used for rain water storage, hand tool storage, and a variety of other things like transplanting, mixing of soils, and a place where I put boulders, gravel, and other elements to use in the yards that I create. On any given day I’ve got piles of mulch, compost, soil and other landscaping supplies in my driveway. It’s my life, my passion, and my livelihood.

In closing, I must speak on behalf of us cobblers and acknowledge that we professionals do not work on making our own stuff look lovely just because we lack funds and/or time. It’s also an issue of priority. We put them off as a lesser priority, since we deal with these same things daily, for the folks we call our clients and customers. We’re a little desensitized and less bothered by what others think is critically important. When the time is right; bit by bit, and little by little, we’ll enjoy the process of creating beauty for our own families in our own homes and gardens.

My kids remind why I also must leave some of the work alone, and just be present and playful. There’s a time for work, a time for play and a time for rest. The yard will get done when the time is right.

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What Just Happened

April 17, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 43 Comments

It’s Tuesday April 14th and I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge the surreal feelings I still have.
I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you all that what just transpired and took place in the little city of Miami Springs, Florida was likely the most ostentatious event I’ve ever had the pleasure of being a part of, and also, responsible for making happen.

Celebrity Landscaper Ahmed Hassan often calls himself the big mouth landscaper

When I’m crashing a yard, I can be a bit vocal!

Hi, My name is Ahmad Hassan. Most people know me as “Ahmed Hassan” the original host and inspiration for DIY Network and HGTV’s Yard Crashers. I am a professional landscaper, fundraising guru, fast talking, smack talking, motivational speaker, and professional flirt. I love babies and children. I love men and women; black, white, Latin, Asian and every other ethnicity. I love Christians and Muslims; Jews, Buddhists, and Atheists. I love the under dog.

I grew up watching TV shows, believing in superheroes. Those larger than life characters that come from humble beginnings and develop amazing talents. Those that learn to utilize their powers for the good of humankind. As a kid, I saw my dad as a superhero. He was absolutely a character that inspired and amazed me with what he knew, what he could do, and what he’d been through.

I lost him to a modern days form of kryptonite (heroine). I was changed forever. My eyes we’re opened and my awareness shifted from being a kid. I began to see, understand, and live my life as an adult.
It took years to process my pain and my sadness. I believed then, and continue to believe, that life is merely a journey where we get to “show up and show off”, as the awesome super heroes of our own choosing. Please understand that because we are all merely natural human beings, we can only develop our natural human powers.

Silvia and Daniella sharing a moment

This is to say that our powers must always be kept in the realm of human possibility. Humans don’t fly, so the cape isn’t necessary. On a day like any other, I received a tweet from Mrs Silvia Vanni of Mystic Force Foundation. The tweet included a picture of Silvia and a young, bald, and beautiful Daniella Collazo. Mrs. Vanni is easy on the eyes and Daniella, well… now this little angel is as precious and beautiful as they come.

The request was for Ahmed, the Original host of Yard Crashers to come and “crash” aka create, remodel, accentuate, spruce up and horticulturally enhance, Daniella Collazo’s backyard. This request was nothing new for Ahmed but it came from someone different than the folks that typically reach out and ask for assistance with their oudoor living space. The first reply from Hassan was to please provide more information. Vanni did just that. She shared the pain of losing her own son, Salvatore, to Neuroblastoma. This was the same type of cancer that Daniella was diagnosed with, only Salvatore was diagnosed at stage 4 while Daniella was diagnosed at stage 3.

This is what saying Yes looks like!

My saying yes to Silvia Vanni and the Mystic Force Foundation was my opportunity to be big. It was my opportunity to be heroic; my opportunity to step out in faith. It was my chance to prove to myself, Mrs Vanni, Daniella, and anyone else who gave a damn; about the power of intention, love, and being a BADASS as I call it, for good.

Good intentions, good measure, a partnership and movement with other good people that are inclined to join in and “represent” for the cause; this is the kind of stuff my heroes are made of. The kind of stuff that Ghandi, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and others were known for. These men and another master teacher named Jesus Christ were also known for it. It’s all about helping those that cannot, or do not know how to, help themselves.
Because I’m just one person, I’m just one piece of the puzzle. I only have particular human powers. I happen to be a pretty damn good landscaper (And yes, I know it!). I began to reach out to others like myself that are awesome at what they do. I look for gifted and talented individuals that really know their craft. Their confidence level is something that needs to already be in place so that my job is merely one of buttering them up and convincing them to partner with me. Yes it’s manipulative, but in no way malicious.

I understand enough human psychology to understand that people need to feel big, they need to feel proud, and they need to feel loved, in order to rise up and be their best self. My job, my task, and my mission, was to solicit all of who I felt was needed in order to create the space and make Daniella’s Wish a reality. I did this in a modern grass roots way, utilizing social media and personal conversations. I also asked others to reach out in order to exploit and further network for this worthy and heartfelt cause. I played no games, I told no lies. I did what was necessary, and because I love The Green Industry, fans and friends; I kept everyone informed to the best of my ability, posting and sharing regularly as we built momentum and moved towards our goal.

A total outdoor play space transformation

The most unique thing about this whole experience was that it was completely non-profit. As a result, we needed to raise funds for what I thought would be a $50-$70K yard. In actuality, it evolved into a project totaling more than $100K. So in that regard, the learning curve on this project was something that I also said yes to. I’ve done so many things in my life where I hadn’t a clue as to what I was doing, or how I was suppose to get it done.

And yet I set a date anyway, having a conviction in my mind, heart, and the rest of me. Then I worked tirelessly with all of my human powers of communication, visualization, anticipation, discipline, collaboration and finally, fortified the entire thing with LOVE. Love for Silvia Vanni who loved her son Sal, love for little Daniella, who has a real life threatening disease. Love for all of my comrades; the ones that I know and truly respect as well as those that I’ve not met yet. Things magically tend to come together when you maintain your intention to love.

The seed was planted, I said yes, and because of so many others, Daniella’s Wish and Silvia Vanni’s request have been fulfilled. If I had Super Human Powers to take away Childhood and all other forms of cancer I would. But because I don’t I’ll simply and humanly continue to utilize my natural human powers and prove to my family, friends, fans, and absolute strangers; just how beautiful we women and men can be.

Thank you to the Mayor and all of the sponsors who helped make this wish come true!

Thank you to everyone that helped and assisted in making Daniella’s Wish come true. I appreciate each and every dollar that was donated, spent, and shared to make it all happen. I appreciate the men, women, and children that showed up and exhausted all of who they were to help with the heavy burden. I appreciate the list of National and local sponsors, businesses and the wonderfully loving city Of Miami Springs, Florida.” You all really made a difference this past weekend. Here is a fantastic video of what we accomplished courtesy of Seda Custom Design!

Follow Celebrity Landscaper Ahmed Hassan on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest! You can also JOIN ME THIS MAY in PALM SPRINGS at the Alive Again Positive Living Conference! #GoGreenWithAhmed #TeamAhmed #DoitforDaniella #DiditforDaniella #DaniellasWish

No More Crutches

April 8, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan Leave a Comment

Here I am writing another weekly blog that won’t be a list of gardening tips. There won’t be any explanation of how to design your outdoor space or which plants are deer resistant. Nope, none of that in this post.

I am so much more means going off to build a playspace for Daniella

The other day I began to recognize and question why I’m always so deep and more interested in so much of what else goes on in life. Why do I share on so many other topics that are mostly related to interpersonal growth, development, and love. I mean, I am after all the Celebrity Landscaper; but as I’ve told you once before, I’m so much more than that. The labels we use in our day to day lives are necessary, and give shape to the substance of our lives. They also limit us on so many levels that it’s restricting, and often keeps us ignorant as to what’s really going on.

We all like to fully understand and be able to envision what’s to come. We like to package people, places and experiences up in such a way that it all makes perfect sense. “He did this, because of that” and “that happened because of this”, but the truth is, these labels and life aren’t really that simple.
The complexity of life is what makes life so beautiful. It’s a riddle that we’re living, learning, and experiencing each and every day. We’re doing our own form of research and development as we have experience after experience. Through that, we have an opportunity to better understand what works and what doesn’t as we move gracefully through our lives… or otherwise.

As a matter of fact, many of us learn more through the “otherwise” experiences. Those experiences that cause us pain and anguish often show up as monumental learning curves in our own development. This is the effect that nature has on all living organisms. We’ve all heard that phrase from Freidrich Neitzsche, “That which doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger”. I find this statement to be absolutely true.

I often find similarities in nature and utilize analogies to better understand and explain what I notice in both nature and our lives. This shouldn’t come as any surprise, since after all, we’re all connected and a part of nature.
While I know that we often forget this small fact (that we’re natural), it’s still true. In the same way that a tree growing outside must learn to weather the 4 seasons, the pollution, and whatever the hell else life throws at it, we must learn to do the same.

Okay so here comes the landscape analogy:

Just like these tree stakes, our crutches should be temporary.

Young trees that are planted outside may or may not need a stake, in order assist and support them as they grow. This stake can be seen as a crutch. Anyone that’s ever had to use crutches knows that a crutch is meant as a temporary means of support. When it comes to tree stakes, the same applies. These supports are only needed as a temporary crutch.

A tree needs to sway in the wind. It needs to be challenged by the occasional and sometimes brutal weather, depending on where you live. In life we often face storms. These storms, problems, challenges, and opportunities will topple us; or they’ll do what the wind does, which is to challenge the tree. When the wind moves the tree, it’s roots are actually strengthened in the process. They are slightly moved, shaken, and displaced from where they were once present, in the soil. This movement and change could be seen as a problem even offensive, since roots need to be connected with the soil and hydrated in order to properly grow.

Of course what’s really happening is that the roots are being simulated. This stimulation causes even more roots to develop and expand the tree’s ability to live, take up water and nutrients, in turn creating an even larger tree; one that’s stronger and has a more extensive root system, better prepared for the next storm. This is how life is.

Storms help us grow.

With each challenge, each problem, each storm in life we can either dig in and see ourselves expanding, maturing and growing into the type of person we’ll eventually become, or we can throw in the towel and say screw it. This is what people do when they commit suicide. People barely feel a lil discomfort and they think they need a drink, or smoke, or divorce of some sort. In actuality, when we begin to shift our perception, what we’ll see is, ‘that which did not topple us…” Once we recognize that, we understand that what doesn’t completely do us in can only serve to prove one thing… just how strong we really are. We all have our vices, and maybe a crutch or two. Yet just like a tree stake, we shouldn’t be bound so tightly, and/or become dependent on our crutch. Neither should we be forever attached to whatever or own vice, stake, or crutch is.

We must allow nature to push, pull, and develop who we are so that we can be a spectacle for others and ourselves. So that we can live for as long as possible and benefit the world with our having existed in the first place.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. Thank you for sharing.

Follow Celebrity Landscaper Ahmed Hassan on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest! #GOGreenWithAhmed #TeamAHmedTV #DoItForDaniella #MoreThanALandscaper