DATES ARE FUN! - APRIL.

2014

GARDENS LOVE ME - BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING.

Smile, issue #3
Serve Improve Repeat
DO WE AFFECT OR INFECT? TIME TO READ: 1 MIN SPRITZING TIME TO READ: 2MIN LANDSCAPE DESIGN 1ST ELEMENT, LINE. TIME TO READ: LONG.

GARDENS LOVE ME
BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING

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Smile, and serve the person in front of you.
We often see people with a high degree of 'power' receive immediate and unquestioned service (and there are definitely situations where this is warranted). However, as servants (everyone should consider oneself a servant...), do we strive to serve everyone with the same respect, whether they're 'Powerful' or not? Grounds Department I'm so excited for spring, I wet my plants!

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DATES ARE FUN! - APRIL. 2014

GARDENS LOVE ME - BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING.

Affection Vs. Infection !

We make this choice everyday; do we heal and positively affect our environment, or do we antagonize and infect our environment?!

Altering Course:
What do you do when you're on the right path, but changes must happen to ensure a successful future? Acknowledge the change, and make it happen fast! Minimize the damage that can result from staying on the course you're on. A recent example; As of Feb, 23 2014. I've changed Gardensloveme.com to gardenrookie.com. Since the name change, Website trafc has quadrupled. That's right, we're reaching 400% more people because we chose a better name! In one month, 1600 visitors have come to the site! Too bad it currently sucks! (but it's improving). In what ways can you alter course and do something much better? Remember, you might not actually be causing harm by staying the same, just restricting future success!

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No one will argue with this:! Affection is what we offer to a person with an injury, we clean their wounds and bandage them up. If we don't react positively with affection, then the risk of infection becomes very real.! Infections are toxic, life threatening and need to be taken seriously.! Look at the many different aspects of your life in this light... Do we affect or infect our different life situations?! We can be a person who helps other people, contributes and builds up our team, ofce, natural environment and especially our families.! Or, we can be the person who infects with our personal toxicity and makes things plain old miserable for everyone around us.! I might as well just say this; if you're infectious, you will probably see me running towards you with a rst aid kit. If I can't heal you, I'll probably run the other way...!

! This months mission; affect my environments positively.! ! !

Spritzing - Read like lighting (a mere 600wpm), and use this technique to target inefficiency... !

I've recently learned of a new technology that will help anyone read faster, and the average person reads at 220 words per minute (wpm).! Using this new tech, you start out reading at 250 wpm, and it feels almost slow. As your skill increases you can bump your speed up.!

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DATES ARE FUN! - APRIL. 2014

GARDENS LOVE ME - BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING.

I'm referring to a new company called Spritz: http://www.spritzinc.com/!

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This company has identied exactly why reading is inherently slow. It's because 80% of the time spent reading is actually time spent moving our eyes from word to word.! Spritz ashes words at you, one at a time, and your eyes do not move at all. It's remarkable and I highly recommend you visit their website and try it!!

! As a horticulturist, why do I care so much about reading faster?! ! ! Here's a short list of ways that I do things faster:! !

Simple, the same technique that spritz is using is a technique that we can use to do anything faster by eliminating unnecessary movement in the jobs that we do. I'm not going to discuss if our work is better quality, just faster and more efciently, but equal or better quality can still be achieved while increasing our speed and efciency.!

- Fastest way to listen to educational podcasts? 2x Speed; it's possible to get through 1 hr podcasts in a 1/2hr, in 1 hr of driving per day, I listen to 2 hrs worth of podcasts.! - Fastest way down a mountain? Straight Down...! - Most efcient way to drive a vehicle? Straight to your destination, minimal stop and go and maximize time driving on the fastest main roads and 'unknown' shortcuts...! - Most efcient way to cut the grass? Eliminate 90degree corners, make lawns ow naturally with how a machine can actually drive, and group trees together in naturalized islands so that you don't have to mow around individual trees, reduce mowing along ditches to one pass with the lawn mower along side pathways and roads...! - Best place to build a sidewalk? Where the grass is always dying from being walked on...! - Most efcient way to save time on garbage disposal? Eliminate small individual ofce bins and have larger common area bins (people can walk their garbage to one larger bin in a common area rather than sit motionless at their ofce desk for 8 hours...)!

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Spritz has very effectively hyper-focused the ability to read, eliminating unnecessary motion, and leaving only the productive aspects of reading; to me, this method is as natural as walking.! I always try to achieve maximum impact as efciently as possible, and I believe that this really is the core of achieving the now somewhat cliche (but no less important) goal of sustainability. To achieve sustainability regarding anything, we must identify and eliminate waste and unnecessary processes and movement.! The primary way that I attempt to achieve sustainability is to distill my focus down to only the productive aspects of an individual task. Where we become especially productive is when we master our transitions from task to task.! Think about an olympic swimmer when they reach the end of the pool and have to turn around. They transition the direction of their swimming by 180 degrees very quickly. The efciency of these transitions can easily determine who wins a race.! In our daily work, the transition phase can be equated to keeping our shops and les organized. Creating automatic systems in which we don't have to invest a lot of thought. Ideally, we can reach into our tool bag and grab what's required without looking into the bag, or keep our work trucks
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DATES ARE FUN! - APRIL. 2014

GARDENS LOVE ME - BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING.

equipped with all necessary tools and supplies so we don't have to go for a detour in the middle of our day. !

! Constantly think, what can I do right now that will save me time 5-60 minutes from now?! ! Basically, eliminate unnecessary waste from everything we do.! !
Food for thought;! We've all heard; "Work smarter, not harder".... How about this? Work smarter and harder...!

I used to think that I wasn't working hard unless I was sweating and 'feeling the burn'.... now, I realize I was stupid.! The way I currently think is this; I don't believe I'm working hard unless I'm sweating, feeling the burn and traveling at lighting speed towards a very clear and well dened objective!!

! If I'm sweating for no reason, then that's just working hard for no reason.! ! Heck, I'm practically sweating just writing this!! ! !

And you know what?! I could denitely write this article better and smarter, and I'm probably going to look back at myself in another 10 years and say; "Jared, that was stupid, hard work."!

Landscape Design - The 1st Key; The Element of Line.

One element regarding landscaping that I'm obsessed about is edging & creating wonderful lines.

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DATES ARE FUN! - APRIL. 2014

GARDENS LOVE ME - BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING.

Line is one element of a landscape that does more than any other landscape element. The lines that we create throughout an environment dictate every other element that goes into that environment. Lines set the parameters of the other 3 elements; form, texture & colour. Now, I'm just making up the terminology of this next part, but it works; lines come in 2 forms: immovable fixed lines and soft movable lines. I call these: Hard Lines & Soft Lines. Landscapes are at the mercy of hard lines, these are elements such as buildings, roads, and sidewalks. Soft Lines are easy to move and provide the main transition between the hard lines of a given property. Soft lines define the parameters of lawns, planting beds, ponds, patios and retaining walls. We have a lot of control over the soft lines of a landscape, and a soft line is the most flexible element of a landscape. Where we place soft lines determines the primary flow of a landscape. The lines that we create move our eyes through a landscape and determine the traffic flow of a landscape. Relaxed environments generally have natural flowing lines that encourage ones eyes to wander and dance around continuously. Formal environments generally have straight and angular lines that encourage our eyes to move fast and stop abruptly on a main focal point or destination. Once a line is formed, how we maintain these lines provides visitors with a lasting first impression about how they perceive an environment. Ragged edges along sidewalks; where grass is growing up and over the concrete, looks unkempt. Sub-consciously, visitors can form a negative opinion about a place they are visiting before they've even stepped foot in the door or talked to anyone. Crisp Edging & clean sidewalks are the most valuable way to build a positive first impression. Well manicured edges & clean sidewalks along main entrances and high traffic pathways tell people that the people who live or work in a given location are caring, awesome people. Well manicured lines instantly enhance an otherwise 'tired' looking landscape. Even a dead and weedy lawn can be made to look 100% healthier simply by creating very crisp and beautiful lines in the landscape. The reason is simple, a persons eyes will first be drawn to the beautiful lines & not the dead grass. People wonder why I obsess about edging and why I'm so rigid in my stance on why lines need to be perfectly smooth and continuous. Think about this; have you ever had a tire on a car that was out of alignment or out of round? The ride becomes bumpy and must be fixed. When curves in a lawn are not smooth and don't flow properly, we communicate a 'bumpy & un-kept' landscape, people will know something isn't as good as it could be, even if they can't fully pinpoint why. I believe the lines are the main reason why. Still doubt this idea? Think about this; whats the difference between a scary clown and a friendly clown? It starts with the makeup. We can make our landscapes inviting or uninviting simply by altering lines. We can make them scary or friendly just by changing the flow of lines.

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DATES ARE FUN! - APRIL. 2014

GARDENS LOVE ME - BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING.

Don't underestimate the importance of line in a landscape. Crisp, smooth lines tell people that we care about them. If you've ever had the opportunity to tour a castle, think about how it feels to walk through the ornate halls that royals once occupied. I want people who visit landscapes to feel like royalty. When we create beautiful, well kept environments, we guide people towards desiring to be in that environment. We attract people to environments if we develop and maintain them well. Well crafted lines in a landscape accomplish the task of building a positive first impression. What methods can we utilize to create great lines?

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This is a retaining wall that I built for a client. Most people would've just build this wall straight across, parallel with the fence. Don't be afraid to get creative, this wasn't a lot of extra work.

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Negative Vs. Positive Lines (open & closed lines): -

Cross Your Arms - Good - Now frown and make yourself look miserable! Do It! - Miserable landscapes tell everyone to GET LOST, I DON'T LIKE YOU, and I WISH YOU WOULD GO AWAY!!! - Lines can sub-consciously be miserable, they can inherently turn people away by being 'closed off', just like crossing your arms and frowning. Would you willingly walk through a thicket of thorns? - Lines that angle away from where we want people to go are unwelcoming.

Now, Open Your Arms For an Embrace - Good - Now smile and give me a virtual hug! Do It! - 'Landscape Hugs' invite people in for an embrace, they make people want to come into a space, they feel welcomed.

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DATES ARE FUN! - APRIL. 2014

GARDENS LOVE ME - BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING.

- Lines that start off broad (with open arms), then naturally trend towards a focal point (ex. entrances) are welcoming lines. - Just like open arms direct people to our heart, lines that embrace people into the 'heart' of a space communicate a positive space. Create Lines That Flow: What path can you ride comfortably on a bicycle? Ride a bike around buildings, curve in and out of corners and ride around groups of trees. You will notice that riding at a moderate speed around a lawn will create natural curves that are generally easier and more efficient to mow, also they are more aesthetically appealing. Can't ride a bike? Ok, put your 5-10 year old child brain on for a second. Now, run as fast as you can around the perimeters of your lawn, take hard sweeping turns and travel in the same pattern that you would've attempted to ride a bike. These lines can make very effective perimeters for your lawns and very attractive lines. Integrating Soft Lines & Hard Lines - Find transition points: Soft lines should flow from hard lines - Think about how high speed freeways in big cities like Calgary or Toronto connect to other roads. You can maintain highway driving speeds while changing direction. Find where you have angle changes in the hard lines of a landscape. Start a soft line directly off of a hard line angle. The soft line should flow seamlessly out of a hard line just like a freeway. Creating lines in this way makes for aesthetically pleasing landscapes that are also very easy to mow & maintain. If you have to start a soft line from the middle of a long straight hard line (ex. a sidewalk), find another small focal point to start from. This could be as 'insignificant' as a crack in the sidewalk or a corner located across the yard, but find a useful transition point.

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DATES ARE FUN! - APRIL. 2014

GARDENS LOVE ME - BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING.

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How to Edge - Look at the picture below; and do that.... You're done. - Use a square flat shovel, cut the edge out vertically. - Run the shovel along the edge inside the trench, cutting out any 'bumps' that interrupt the smooth flow of the line. - You should be able to slide the edge of your shovel along the newly formed edge like your riding a rail. A broken and bumpy rail needs to be fixed, we don't want a train wreck...

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Stay tuned, our next issue in June will be discussing the design element of FORM... Ooo La La...

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DATES ARE FUN! - APRIL. 2014

GARDENS LOVE ME - BECAUSE, I TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GARDENING.

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Upcoming Events !
Birth of my 3rd child sometime in May... Lots and lots of work... Summer vacation with the family... More work... which will be awesome! October, 2014 - Introduction to Landscape Design. Lloydminster Alberta.

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Stay Tuned For our June Issue! !
If you know anyone who you think might benefit from this newsletter, pass it along. Also, if you have any article suggestions or questions you'd like answered. Submit them to: jaredlawrencefehr@gmail.com.

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Thanks for Reading! This was a long one... Sorry for that. College grounds staff... if you've gotten this far without reading.... go back and read, then, go create beautiful lines ALL OVER THE CAMPUS! If your gut instinct has the flu, I'm a doctor, you're not sick, try anyway.

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Jared Fehr

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