| Many of us have had that dream that you're | | | | 6. Being dirty, errands after work |
| outside under this big blue sky and all the sudden | | | | I don't mind getting dirty and being dirty at work |
| you realize if you flap your arms really really hard | | | | all day. But one thing that is frustrating is that |
| - that your feet start lifting up off the ground...and | | | | when you do get very dirty at work, you don't |
| if you keep flapping, yes, yes...you CAN fly! Of | | | | really want to do things other people do on the |
| course you wake up the next morning and realize | | | | way home from work like get your hair cut or go |
| it was just a dream, but still it seemed so | | | | to the dentist. Those things need to be done on a |
| real...maybe, just maybe it could really happen? | | | | day off or first thing in the morning (probably |
| Dreams like that are great and for the lucky | | | | making you late for work). I don't especially like to |
| people in the world, dreams keep on coming their | | | | stop at the grocery store when I've got dirt all |
| whole like. Some fulfilled, some not, but always | | | | over my clothes although sometimes if I bring a |
| making life exciting. Many people have career | | | | clean pair of shoes so I don't track mud, mulch or |
| dreams that they fulfill. Some become wealthy | | | | "whatever" into a store, it is not too bad. But get |
| executives, entrepreneurs, health professionals, | | | | ready for people to look "down" at you and not |
| teachers or professional athletes. But some of us | | | | treat you with as much respect as when you are |
| have these secret little dreams, that we don't | | | | dressed in "office wear". Not that it matters.... just |
| necessarily pursue or expect to happen, but just | | | | an observation. |
| quietly pass through our mind every now and | | | | 7. Working alone, working with people - pros & |
| then like...."wouldn't it be cool to have a job | | | | cons |
| working outside, under the blue sky, hearing the | | | | There are lots of interesting people in this |
| birds sing and butterflies flutter by as you work?" | | | | business. Just as in every walk of life, most of |
| This was one of my now-and-then fantasies since | | | | the people are grateful, pleasant, supportive and |
| the time I was a child. Didn't think it would ever | | | | "nice" to other people. But then there are the few |
| come true, especially after I got into corporate | | | | people that are bitter, rude, sarcastic and not so |
| America, had a great paying job, insurance and | | | | nice to other people. And there is everything in |
| security. Or maybe not so much security. In | | | | between. |
| 2005, three months after my little brother and | | | | Working in the professional gardening business |
| dear friend passed away unexpectedly, I got "the | | | | lends itself to a variety of levels of co-worker |
| call". Everyone in my department was being | | | | interaction. If you choose working with others, |
| downsized. So much for security. The good news | | | | you will most likely end up working with other |
| was that the downsizing came with a small | | | | women or men that love being outdoors like you |
| severance package....just perhaps enough to get | | | | do, and appreciate all the same aspects of nature |
| me through a couple semesters of that | | | | that you do, that are pleasant to talk to and |
| Horticulture program at the local community | | | | enjoying occasional chatting while you work. As in |
| college I had daydreamed about for so many | | | | any business environment, becoming good "work |
| years. | | | | friends" is a great way to enrich your work |
| The rest is history. With the angel on my shoulder | | | | experience. |
| telling me "Life is short, follow your dream" I | | | | On the other hand, you may find yourself with a |
| signed up the very next day and started classes | | | | completely different situation, working closely with |
| two months later and two years later had an | | | | a boss that is irritable, doesn't like you, wants to |
| Associate degree in Horticulture and a part time | | | | be left alone and resents you being there even |
| job at a beautiful 6-acre estate in one of the | | | | though he needs the help. Someone like this can |
| nicest parts of the metropolitan area. Has it been | | | | make the life difficult for you, but if you love |
| like my dream with the blue skies, birds and | | | | what you are doing you can ignore it, enjoy the |
| butterflies? Well, yes absolutely....but a WHOLE | | | | work and use it as an opportunity to develop |
| LOT MORE!!!! Here are some insights from a "New | | | | character. |
| Pro Gardener" about what the profession is really | | | | If you prefer working alone it is very feasible to |
| like in Midwest America... | | | | create our own little business doing landscape |
| 1. Weather extremes - heat and cold | | | | maintenance. There are not that many startup |
| I have never been a summer person, always | | | | tools required but getting into that will be another |
| hated to sweat. Office life was great - having to | | | | article. Anyone seeking employment in this |
| keep a sweater in my drawer even in the | | | | profession should consider all the options and try |
| summer because the AC kept it so cool! Say | | | | different situations to find one that best suits their |
| goodbye to that when you work outside for a | | | | personality. |
| living. Putting up with extreme heat is part of the | | | | 8. Not just nipping rosebud - weeds, ditches, |
| job. In some cases, managers will find jobs for | | | | mulch, dirt |
| you to do in the shade when it gets over 95 | | | | Many professional gardener jobs are coupled with |
| degrees but don't count on it. Surprisingly though, | | | | property management. You may find that while |
| it is not as bad as I thought. When you are doing | | | | working in an estate situation you do spend a |
| something you love, in a beautiful environment, | | | | good time planting, fertilizing, pruning, dividing and |
| you get used to the conditions. | | | | transplanting roses, shrubs, perennials, annuals and |
| Cold is not as much of a factor because of the | | | | trees just like you thought you would. But along |
| fact that many gardening jobs are seasonal and | | | | with those obvious tasks often come other |
| so you are not working during the coldest months | | | | responsibilities. You may also be power-washing, |
| (which is an issue in itself) but there are many | | | | blowing driveways, moving snow, cleaning up |
| days in the working season when it is in the 20's | | | | branches and fallen trees after summer rain and |
| and 30's so you must still be prepared! If you are | | | | ice storms, mowing, trimming and even digging |
| dressed in layers and are moving around it is | | | | drainage ditches. You may feed the birds and care |
| amazing how your body heat builds up and keeps | | | | for water lilies and goldfish. You may also be |
| you warm! | | | | creating lovely garden paths - sound funs but |
| 2. Weather pleasantries - spring and fall | | | | sometimes requires moving large heavy fallen |
| When snow and ice melts and green shoots start | | | | trees to edge them or hauling wheelbarrows full |
| poking up out of the ground, fresh scents start | | | | of extremely heavy gravel and/or stepping |
| filling the air, it is an awesome time to be working | | | | stones to line them with. |
| outside! I have felt like one of the luckiest people | | | | Last but not least, along with flowers, butterflies, |
| alive on this earth when I have actually been | | | | birds and pretty leaves come thorns, poison ivy |
| earning a salary, working outside in the springtime. | | | | and bee stings. All can be dealt with but just |
| Same goes for fall. Days get shorter, brown | | | | remember - they are out there!! When you |
| tones with the autumn sunlight glistening, geese | | | | interview for a gardening position look around and |
| flying overhead - rich earthly smells. It makes the | | | | ask a lot of questions! |
| hardships of the previous summer heat all worth | | | | 9. Storm damage, water runoff damage, water |
| the toil! | | | | main breaks |
| 3. Wind, weather fronts | | | | One day an expected summer storm because |
| When you are outside from 8am in the morning | | | | quite active around 3 in the afternoon. We came |
| until 4pm in the afternoon, day after day, week | | | | to a stopping place in our work and started to |
| after week, you notice a lot of things about the | | | | head to our cars to go home. This storm |
| world we live in than you would otherwise never | | | | developed quickly and became very aggressive! |
| be aware of. It may sound obvious but there is | | | | Within minutes winds were howling, rain was in |
| nothing like feeling an oh-so-subtle touch of a | | | | torrents and I could not see out the windshield of |
| breeze on your cheek that within an hour turns | | | | my car. Adding to my tension was the fact that |
| into a significant breeze, then into a constant wind | | | | there were lots of huge old oaks on this |
| that is blowing from gray clouds and dropping | | | | property, and they were all along the driveway |
| moisture onto your horizon. It sounds corny but | | | | that led off the property. In other words I was |
| this experience truly brings you in touch with the | | | | not sure if I should stay where I was (under a |
| earth. This is one of the things I love so much | | | | large, old oak) or try to leave (and drive along the |
| about working outside! | | | | path of other large old oaks) or move a few |
| When you are leaned over, looking down while | | | | hundred feet in front of the house garage doors |
| you are gardening, planting, dividing, pruning or | | | | which was "somewhat" shielded from trees. The |
| whatever it may be, concentrating on what you | | | | latter is the option I took. I sat there by myself |
| are doing, you become very aware of light | | | | feeling, hearing and seeing the force and power of |
| intensity changes. It is a joy to sense such a light | | | | nature around me. After about 20 minutes it |
| change while you are focused on a plant, then | | | | began to let up and I felt brave enough to |
| look up to see that since the last time you looked | | | | venture out of my car to check driveway |
| up, maybe an hour ago, the entire sky has | | | | conditions. |
| changed. And the day has changed and in a way | | | | Good thing I had not tried to leave! There were |
| you have changed by this whole experience. It is | | | | several large branches down across the driveway |
| great! This is one of the joys of being a | | | | but that was nothing. The worst damage was an |
| professional gardener! | | | | entire tree had fallen directly across the entrance |
| 4. Joints & muscles - moving soil, rocks, mulch | | | | to the property, blocking anyone or anything from |
| and more | | | | getting in or out! Needless to say I was not going |
| There are a variety of settings where | | | | to get home early that night! Luckily the property |
| professional gardeners find employment. There | | | | manager was still sitting in his truck down by our |
| are public places like zoos, parks, golf courses and | | | | work garage. I called him to report what I was |
| botanical gardens. Then there are private estates. | | | | seeing and within minutes we were sawing and |
| There are large landscape companies, small | | | | hauling tree parts. Two hours later we had cleared |
| garden maintenance businesses or you can start | | | | the path. |
| your own sole proprietorship. But wherever you | | | | This was one of the most dramatic on-the-job |
| work, there will most likely be big and/or heavy | | | | weather events I've experienced. There have |
| things that need to be moved like mulch, soil (in) | | | | been others evolving around ice storms, storm |
| and clay (out), mulch, rock and gravel! Moving, | | | | water runoff, water main breaks and several wild |
| digging and throwing these heavy things require | | | | animal and bird romps. What an adventure these |
| strength and strong joints. | | | | unexpected events are when you're making a |
| If you are lucky, you have lots of muscle and can | | | | living as an outdoor gardener! |
| handle the lifting, pushing, pulling and carrying. If | | | | 10. Cycles of life |
| you are VERY lucky you have one of the rare | | | | If you are a true plant and nature lover, one of |
| jobs where someone else does the heavy work | | | | the coolest advantages of making your living |
| and you either supervise or are privileged to just | | | | taking care of outdoor plants is that you get to |
| be able to specialize in pruning, trimming and | | | | see plants cycle through all the seasons. From the |
| tweaking. Let me repeat, these jobs are rare and | | | | first fresh green buds breaking through melting |
| even then, some people are prone to issues from | | | | snow in spring to the last brown seedpods against |
| repetitive motions of the wrist and arm. | | | | the low afternoon autumn sun to the bright red |
| These issues are mentioned not mentioned to | | | | holly berries of winter, you see it all. In the spring |
| discourage but for awareness. They can be | | | | different plants come out of dormancy in |
| overcome by building up strength slowly, taking | | | | different ways. Unfolding fern fronds are one of |
| breaks and utilizing good stretching and relaxation | | | | the most glorious signs of life, while witchhazel |
| techniques. | | | | dancing, crocus popping, yellow fragrant sumac |
| 5. Fresh air, sunshine, mental and physical health | | | | daintily peeping are close seconds. Spring turns to |
| Since I've been a professional gardener, I'm the | | | | summer with flowers blooming in every color of |
| healthiest and in the best shape I've ever been. I | | | | the rainbow. Grasses plume and leaves dazzle us |
| burn off lots of calories every day so can eat as | | | | in the fall and in the winter still-green hellebores |
| much as I want without gaining weight, get lots of | | | | hide their balloon-like buds till the earliest signs of |
| sunshine (vitamin D!) and breathe lots of fresh air! | | | | spring when they ease open and life starts all |
| My muscles are very tone and I am the | | | | over again. |
| strongest I've ever been. Becoming comfortable | | | | Being one with these cycles of life is a beautiful |
| with power tools and machinery has given me a | | | | experience. Being close to the earth everyday is |
| confidence and empowerment in a way I never | | | | awesome. It makes all the hard times and sore |
| thought I would achieve back in the days when I | | | | muscles worth it. As the earth is reborn so are |
| used to cry from frustration every time I had to | | | | you as you walk the earth, close to the earth, as |
| try to start something with a pull-string. | | | | a professional gardener! |