7 Landscape Pros on How COVID-19 Has Changed Their Business
Landscape designers and architects are seeing great demand for their services as they adjust to the pandemic
With summer in full swing, homeowners spending more time at home and residential construction able to continue across the country, many landscape design pros are finding themselves busy — in some cases busier than ever — as homeowners look to improve their outdoor living spaces. We spoke with seven landscape designers and architects, who told us how the pandemic is affecting their business, what they’re doing to adapt during COVID-19 and how they’re planning for the rest of the year.
2. Mariane Miller of A J Miller Landscape Architecture
Location: Syracuse, New York
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “We lost business at the beginning of the outbreak, but by April we received many inquiries that we continue to work on,” Miller says. “Some, as often, are just fishing trips, and the client does not move forward but is budgeting at this point.”
Projects clients are requesting: “The outbreak has really made the public appreciate their home and desire to have an oasis — outdoor space for them and their family to enjoy,” Miller says. “Vegetable gardens and raised herb and vegetable beds are also popular this year.”
How they are working now: “I do the initial site visit with the client, [with] all parties wearing masks and social distancing. The follow-up design presentation is done in the office virtually via Zoom, which takes just over an hour,” Miller says. “We are back to normal now, and things are moving along normally. We have completed last year’s projects and [are] starting new construction.”
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “People are very excited about having a garden or nice outdoor space. Making their home beautiful inside and out is a priority, it seems, with renewed interest in the outdoors,” Miller says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “We will be down from last year. The actual percentage is unknown at the moment. We are still not spending unnecessary money, as the fall is forecasted to be difficult also,” she says.
Location: Syracuse, New York
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “We lost business at the beginning of the outbreak, but by April we received many inquiries that we continue to work on,” Miller says. “Some, as often, are just fishing trips, and the client does not move forward but is budgeting at this point.”
Projects clients are requesting: “The outbreak has really made the public appreciate their home and desire to have an oasis — outdoor space for them and their family to enjoy,” Miller says. “Vegetable gardens and raised herb and vegetable beds are also popular this year.”
How they are working now: “I do the initial site visit with the client, [with] all parties wearing masks and social distancing. The follow-up design presentation is done in the office virtually via Zoom, which takes just over an hour,” Miller says. “We are back to normal now, and things are moving along normally. We have completed last year’s projects and [are] starting new construction.”
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “People are very excited about having a garden or nice outdoor space. Making their home beautiful inside and out is a priority, it seems, with renewed interest in the outdoors,” Miller says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “We will be down from last year. The actual percentage is unknown at the moment. We are still not spending unnecessary money, as the fall is forecasted to be difficult also,” she says.
3. James Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “For about two weeks after Wisconsin shut down, we noticed a lull in inquiries. But then they started right back up again and have remained pretty much steady since then,” Drzewiecki says. “Arguably, we’ve been overwhelmed by how many people were still contacting us with a pandemic going on.”
Projects clients are requesting: “People are still building new homes and others are looking to do a makeover of their existing landscape,” Drzewiecki says. “If I did notice a difference, it might be that some people seem more sensitive about budgets, which is understandable.”
How they are working now: “Our landscape contractors have been installing work since April,” he says. “I would say business is back to normal and we have a lot of catching up to do. This is our second week back in the office working together. We have been working on designs for this year since last fall, and there has been no break in that. We are still taking on new clients, but with recent phone calls, I’ve had to let people know that we could be 12 to 15 weeks out from completing a conceptual design, which means we are approaching fall at that point. I may stick to virtual meetings for at least the next two to four weeks.”
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “I was pleasantly surprised at how well [my staff] and I handled the separation but kept our workflow going as efficiently as we could,” he says. “We focused on an attitude of momentum, which was a carryover from last year.”
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “We actually expected this year to exceed last year, which was a record year for us in terms of sales,” Drzewiecki says. “We don’t know yet if we will be able to at least match last year.
“Because of last year’s busyness, we had planned to start farming out some of our CAD work, but the pandemic hit just as we were about to try and implement that. We’re hoping we can get that going in the coming weeks, which would allow us to catch up some but would also prepare us for the post-pandemic period,” he says.
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “For about two weeks after Wisconsin shut down, we noticed a lull in inquiries. But then they started right back up again and have remained pretty much steady since then,” Drzewiecki says. “Arguably, we’ve been overwhelmed by how many people were still contacting us with a pandemic going on.”
Projects clients are requesting: “People are still building new homes and others are looking to do a makeover of their existing landscape,” Drzewiecki says. “If I did notice a difference, it might be that some people seem more sensitive about budgets, which is understandable.”
How they are working now: “Our landscape contractors have been installing work since April,” he says. “I would say business is back to normal and we have a lot of catching up to do. This is our second week back in the office working together. We have been working on designs for this year since last fall, and there has been no break in that. We are still taking on new clients, but with recent phone calls, I’ve had to let people know that we could be 12 to 15 weeks out from completing a conceptual design, which means we are approaching fall at that point. I may stick to virtual meetings for at least the next two to four weeks.”
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “I was pleasantly surprised at how well [my staff] and I handled the separation but kept our workflow going as efficiently as we could,” he says. “We focused on an attitude of momentum, which was a carryover from last year.”
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “We actually expected this year to exceed last year, which was a record year for us in terms of sales,” Drzewiecki says. “We don’t know yet if we will be able to at least match last year.
“Because of last year’s busyness, we had planned to start farming out some of our CAD work, but the pandemic hit just as we were about to try and implement that. We’re hoping we can get that going in the coming weeks, which would allow us to catch up some but would also prepare us for the post-pandemic period,” he says.
4. Jay Sifford of Jay Sifford Garden Design
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “We had to briefly shut down because we weren’t allowed to do any beautification. We could only solve issues like erosion and runoff,” Sifford says. “We generally do those types of things in the summer because we don’t plant from June until September, but I had to redesign and rearrange my schedule because of this. On the positive side, though, lots of people are working from home. I anticipated, and received, an increased number of calls because people were staring at their yards and realizing that they were falling short of the potential.”
Projects clients are requesting: “People are wanting immersive, nurturing private gardens, I think as a response to the craziness,” Sifford says.
How they are working now: “We are back to normal,” Sifford says.
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “The most surprising change has been the increase of business and people asking for ‘magic’ and therapeutic gardens,” he says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “I think the future looks really good from my present perspective,” Sifford says.
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “We had to briefly shut down because we weren’t allowed to do any beautification. We could only solve issues like erosion and runoff,” Sifford says. “We generally do those types of things in the summer because we don’t plant from June until September, but I had to redesign and rearrange my schedule because of this. On the positive side, though, lots of people are working from home. I anticipated, and received, an increased number of calls because people were staring at their yards and realizing that they were falling short of the potential.”
Projects clients are requesting: “People are wanting immersive, nurturing private gardens, I think as a response to the craziness,” Sifford says.
How they are working now: “We are back to normal,” Sifford says.
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “The most surprising change has been the increase of business and people asking for ‘magic’ and therapeutic gardens,” he says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “I think the future looks really good from my present perspective,” Sifford says.
5. Sarah Herman of Sarah Herman Landscape Design
Location: Berkeley, California
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “At the beginning of the shutdown, business slowed down considerably. Once landscape professionals were given the green light to work as essential businesses, I have been busier than ever,” Herman says. “I think many people who are confined to their homes would like to improve their landscapes to enhance their home lives. We have also seen a lot of return clients who want to further improve their properties.”
Projects clients are requesting: “We have increased our consultation services and are also reaching out to clients with smaller projects who would like economical improvements made to their properties,” she says. “I’m also finding that many homeowners are interested in the landscape design consultation services we provide because they’re interested in DIY projects.”
How they are working now: “During the initial phase of the shelter-in-place, before landscape professionals were allowed to go on-site, we were offering virtual initial consultations to clients. Now that we’re enabled to go to job sites, we mostly do in-person meetings — with safe COVID practices and social distancing,” Herman says. “I am working on more small projects, since there is a high need for beautifying outdoor spaces at every budget level.”
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “I didn’t anticipate the boom in the landscape industry that the pandemic would precipitate. It actually makes a lot of sense, since people are spending the majority of their time at home. They want their environments to be comfortable and comforting. If they are lucky enough to have private outdoor space, they’d like to enhance them to provide a sense of calm during this crazy time,” Herman says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “We are letting clients know that we are here for them in the future as their garden continues to evolve, which will continue to happen after the pandemic,” she says.
Location: Berkeley, California
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “At the beginning of the shutdown, business slowed down considerably. Once landscape professionals were given the green light to work as essential businesses, I have been busier than ever,” Herman says. “I think many people who are confined to their homes would like to improve their landscapes to enhance their home lives. We have also seen a lot of return clients who want to further improve their properties.”
Projects clients are requesting: “We have increased our consultation services and are also reaching out to clients with smaller projects who would like economical improvements made to their properties,” she says. “I’m also finding that many homeowners are interested in the landscape design consultation services we provide because they’re interested in DIY projects.”
How they are working now: “During the initial phase of the shelter-in-place, before landscape professionals were allowed to go on-site, we were offering virtual initial consultations to clients. Now that we’re enabled to go to job sites, we mostly do in-person meetings — with safe COVID practices and social distancing,” Herman says. “I am working on more small projects, since there is a high need for beautifying outdoor spaces at every budget level.”
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “I didn’t anticipate the boom in the landscape industry that the pandemic would precipitate. It actually makes a lot of sense, since people are spending the majority of their time at home. They want their environments to be comfortable and comforting. If they are lucky enough to have private outdoor space, they’d like to enhance them to provide a sense of calm during this crazy time,” Herman says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “We are letting clients know that we are here for them in the future as their garden continues to evolve, which will continue to happen after the pandemic,” she says.
6. Elizabeth Przygoda-Montgomery of Boxhill
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “We are busier than ever. Outdoor business is flourishing, and bringing people outside is my job,” she says. “We do virtual services and online design all the time, but I have seen a 200% increase.”
Projects clients are requesting: “I can’t design pools fast enough. Our local pool companies are booking out four months,” she says.
How they are working now: “We are operating the same in the sense of still wearing masks if we need to go to a job site. Sometimes if I need to meet with an elderly client about their backyard, I walk through the property while they stay inside, and I just call them and talk to them while I’m walking around the property,” she says.
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “We have seen revenue triple. That was really a surprise. And we are grateful,” she says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “We are producing more products to meet the demands and needs, and hiring more staff,” she says.
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “We are busier than ever. Outdoor business is flourishing, and bringing people outside is my job,” she says. “We do virtual services and online design all the time, but I have seen a 200% increase.”
Projects clients are requesting: “I can’t design pools fast enough. Our local pool companies are booking out four months,” she says.
How they are working now: “We are operating the same in the sense of still wearing masks if we need to go to a job site. Sometimes if I need to meet with an elderly client about their backyard, I walk through the property while they stay inside, and I just call them and talk to them while I’m walking around the property,” she says.
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “We have seen revenue triple. That was really a surprise. And we are grateful,” she says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “We are producing more products to meet the demands and needs, and hiring more staff,” she says.
7. Andrea Nilsen Morse of Nilsen Landscape Design
Location: Marblehead, Massachusetts
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “For me it looks the same. As soon as schools closed, I had to shift gears and will not be able to return to a post-pandemic workload until there is safe and reliable childcare available,” Morse says. “As well as owning my own business, I am a mother to a young daughter who was suddenly out of preschool in mid-March, and a wife to a husband who works in medicine and had to continue to work out of the home every day.
“I stopped taking new project work, except for within my own town. I focused on finishing up projects from last fall, working with contractors already selected and well versed with the projects. I’ve continued to help former or existing clients with questions or small design changes.”
Projects clients are requesting: “Many of the inquiries are the same [as I normally receive]. I’ve had to refer some work to other friends and designers, and that is an unfortunate reality. But I’ve also had a number of inquiries where prospective clients are willing to wait a bit before diving into a project. For those opportunities, I am grateful,” Morse says.
How they are working now: “I have focused on reviving my blog and newsletter and consistently providing new content to anyone interested in garden design. I’m producing both DIY-focused content, since so many people are at home wondering what to do in their yard, and giving a backstage glimpse at my own landscape projects,” Morse says.
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “I have finally had some time in my own yard to examine what works and doesn’t work, and to finish projects I’ve had on the bench for some time,” she says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “I will continue to leverage virtual meetings going forward and hope to focus new project work closer to my hometown. One of the challenges working in the Boston area, pre-COVID, was traffic. I definitely do not miss sitting in traffic every day and feel committed to a process that supports more remote collaboration,” Morse says.
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Location: Marblehead, Massachusetts
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “For me it looks the same. As soon as schools closed, I had to shift gears and will not be able to return to a post-pandemic workload until there is safe and reliable childcare available,” Morse says. “As well as owning my own business, I am a mother to a young daughter who was suddenly out of preschool in mid-March, and a wife to a husband who works in medicine and had to continue to work out of the home every day.
“I stopped taking new project work, except for within my own town. I focused on finishing up projects from last fall, working with contractors already selected and well versed with the projects. I’ve continued to help former or existing clients with questions or small design changes.”
Projects clients are requesting: “Many of the inquiries are the same [as I normally receive]. I’ve had to refer some work to other friends and designers, and that is an unfortunate reality. But I’ve also had a number of inquiries where prospective clients are willing to wait a bit before diving into a project. For those opportunities, I am grateful,” Morse says.
How they are working now: “I have focused on reviving my blog and newsletter and consistently providing new content to anyone interested in garden design. I’m producing both DIY-focused content, since so many people are at home wondering what to do in their yard, and giving a backstage glimpse at my own landscape projects,” Morse says.
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “I have finally had some time in my own yard to examine what works and doesn’t work, and to finish projects I’ve had on the bench for some time,” she says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “I will continue to leverage virtual meetings going forward and hope to focus new project work closer to my hometown. One of the challenges working in the Boston area, pre-COVID, was traffic. I definitely do not miss sitting in traffic every day and feel committed to a process that supports more remote collaboration,” Morse says.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read stories in our Resilience series
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
Location: Cohasset, Massachusetts
Business now versus the start of the pandemic: “I was terrified in the beginning that my whole team wouldn’t be able to work and make a living. That turned out fine,” Martin says. “I spent a lot of time on PPP loan applications. Now I am booked up with design and installations for the rest of the year and probably [will] have to start turning away clients.”
Projects clients are requesting: “More big high-profile projects,” Martin says. “People are home looking at their properties, wanting outdoor living spaces.”
How they are working now: When meeting with clients, “[we are] following health guidelines, wearing masks in properties, not entering clients’ homes and meeting outside,” Martin says. She also continues to meet virtually with clients and staff, she says.
Most surprising business impact from COVID-19: “[We are] getting so much more business,” Martin says.
What the rest of 2020 looks like: “I expect the economy to tank later, so trying to make hay while the sun shines,” she says.