Getting Ready for What You Say You Want

August 25, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 3 Comments

A few years ago I had the benefit of listening to Reverend Muata Rasuli. He is a frequent speaker at the San Francisco Center for Spiritual Living. He has served in some capacity there since 1996. He did a sermon on “Getting Ready”. Getting ready for all of those good things you say you want.

We Talk About Being Ready

My “Am I Ready?” face

I mean let’s face it. We’re all basically the same in that we all want the same thing. We all, basically, want everything. I see this when I meet with folks and consult with them around what they want with their yards (that is, after all, why Ahmad Hassan Landscape Services exists). They/we want seat walls and fire pits. We want flowering plants, and shrubs, that conveniently block our neighbors’ windows. We want shade for relaxing, and full sun to grow our veggies and heat up our compost. We want outdoor kitchens, man or womancaves. The list of items goes on and can become overwhelming… If you let it.

The issue, if there’s any issue at all, has more to do with being ready. Ready to say yes. Ready to pull the trigger. Anything you want, you can have, but you’ve got to have that essence, that “get down” and the where with all to simply go for it.

This takes practice, and it takes courage. I’m practicing both every day, and enjoying the rewards that stem from living this kind of life. Last week I conducted 25 mini landscape consultations, because the week before I decided to “go for it” when a friend recommended I offer my services in this way. I charged $75 for 1 hr of my time and will hopefully close 22 of the 25 prospective jobs that I looked at in Redwood City, California.

What It Takes to Be Ready

Getting things ready takes work, particularly when it comes to gardening.

This week I’m following up with each person I met with to solidify what was discussed, and begin the process of scheduling their work. That’s the flip side of “Getting ready” for whatever it is that you want. It’s less important you figure everything out, and more important that you react, respond and get busy doing what’s necessary once you’ve pulled the proverbial trigger. This might be working more hours at work, in order to pay for the landscape improvements you’ve contracted for, or getting up early to water your new organic veggie garden each morning.

It might be the necessary, but not first understood, 25 emails sent out to each client so that what was discussed can be documented and further clarified, then finally implemented. All of life is far more complex than the original seed idea that first inspires us when we think, “I want that!”

Are You Ready?

This is where we’ve gotta stay focused and handle the business side of making our dreams come true. So just for today, I support you in being an inspiration junkie. I hope this blog post serves as a friendly reminder for you to continue “getting ready”. Continue getting up early in order to manage what you must. Continue to be brave and take baby steps towards your goals. Then, in a short period of time, you’ll find yourself there and ready to move on to the next goal. Thanks for caring and sharing this post!

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We’re Really Not Controlling Anything

August 18, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 2 Comments

I’m lying in bed this morning listening to the birds give thanks for the day. Another Tuesday, another blog post. Today’s thought is all about control. The mirage of control. The idea that we humans are in control, is what still amuses me.

Sharing is caring, right?

I must’ve been 19 years old when I started going to codependents anonymous meetings. My dad recommended I check out a meeting close to where I lived in North Oakland. I continued to attend and listen to others. I learned how to love, live and not be totally enmeshed with others. Codependency is something that so many of us suffer from. It’s a characteristic, 2 steps on the other side of compassion. We people that tend to over love, over do, over give and over expect from others, can truly benefit from attending Codependents Anonymous meetings. Check and see if there’s one in your area, and sit in on a meeting if you like.

If you don’t know by now, I’ve attended counseling sessions, twelve step meetings and read countless books on self help for at least the last 20 plus years. What can I say, I come from a long line of pretty dysfunctional folks, and am of the opinion most of us do. I think that each one of us must take responsibility for our own lives. I believe that by age 16 years old, we’re pretty much adults. We want to do as we wish and want to be treated as an adult, so it’s really on us to live our lives in such a way that we might be able to do just that (live and be treated like an adult).

My oldest son Julian is 16 years old. He’ll be 17 in March of next year. I talked with him the other day about letting me and his mother know where he’s at. He often gets permission to go hang out with a friend, then at some point, the evening’s plan changes; he and his buddies are elsewhere, and his mother and I are clueless as to where our child is. This creates a feeling of not having control.

Teenage kids will help you to understand just how much you don’t control, can’t control and really don’t need to control. I see my job as a parent is to teach and educate. It’s my job to be responsible for doing both of those things. I’m a person that is responsible for so much and so many. I’m a father of 3 kids, and although Tiffanie and I are separated, we still live together and I’ll always have some responsibility to and for her. I hire and manage several employees and contractors and within my immediate and extended family, I’m a burgeoning elder, uncle, cousin and son to my mother(s).

My job is not to control this young man. My job is to educate and encourage him.

I’ve been a control freak most of my life, meaning I’ve tried and continue striving to know what I’m doing, and figure things out on my own. I’m an opinionated Virgo and a complex thinker, just talk to any of the producers I’ve ever worked with and they’ll tell you, “Ahmed’s difficult to work with.”

I spoke to one of the producers from my early days of DIY Networks “The Dirt On…” and “Yard Crashers”. She admitted that she was as good a producer as she was because she’d worked with me. I was the most difficult talent, but the most dynamic she’d worked with. I fought with my producers, not to be combative, but to be myself. I wanted to play my own character and to produce the story I understood in my own head.

ahmed-producers-were-not-really-in-control

Pop Quiz: Who is in control here?

It apparently worked, considering “Yard Crashers” spun off into “House Crashers”, “Bath Crashers”, “Kitchen Crashers” and “Room Crashers”. I also shot a few seasons of a spin off titled “Turf War” and got DIY Network to green light a full 1 hour show. I mean who does that! Yup, I did (pat on the back). This control freak, difficult to work with, confident-as-I-wanna-be-maniac, that’s hell bent on integrity, is the same guy that lives to teach and inspire folks while doing our best to encourage and show others how to believe in themselves and their abilities. I don’t have any desire to “control” people and situations. I merely want the best for those around me and am committed to doing all that I can to this end.

My mind puts things together in such a way, but I remain flexible enough to allow things to shift. The lesson learned is to stay flexible and fluid. Here is a great resource on doing just that. I plan, strategize and get up early in order to prepare for my days, then allow the day to organically happen, and call folks when I’m running behind or things need to change. I communicate as clearly and concisely as I can, and am careful with my assumptions since they all stem from my own head and aren’t necessarily reality. Just because I see it the way that I do doesn’t mean that this is real for any one else. Hey they’re not me!

Lastly, what I’ll say about being a control freak is that none of us are really “In control”. We’d like to think that we are, and we can sometimes get others to believe this, but in reality we’re all living reactive lives. Hopefully doing are best to respond to what is. We don’t control the weather, we don’t decide who our parents or children are. We don’t get to determine our neighbors, or whether or not our bosses, or clients, love us.

ahmed_were-not-really-controlling-anything

One of my idols is Sir Richard Branson. Following his intuition is what I respect most about him.

All we can do is our best. Each day, each moment and the next. The only thing we really have control over is our response to what comes, and this in itself is an awesome opportunity.

Love and Light!

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Pull the Trigger

August 11, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan 2 Comments

“Pull the trigger”, “Just do it” and “Say yes” are all, really, the same messages. The last few weeks have been interesting in that I never feel comfortable and ready, yet I’m still here and life is moving along just fine. This is in spite of me not thinking that I’m ready. In spite of everything not being properly planned, organized and rehearsed. I’m learning to pull the trigger and step into the unknown.

This is apparently how life works. The universe we live in respects action. Sure it’s great to plan, schedule and prepare. I’m not saying to run by the seat of your pants. I’m merely acknowledging that we must continue gaining forward momentum if we’re ever going to get to our goals.

If I had hesitated, we never would have reached the goal of creating a beautiful garden for Bullock Elementary!

Pull the trigger is my way of saying “Start!” A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to my buddy, Matt Andrakin, about not being ready and he commented, “I’m never ready, I just do it. If I wait until I’m ready, it’ll never happen.” As soon as he said it, I immediately resonated with the wisdom in this simple statement.

We don’t wait until everything is perfect to have children. We don’t expect to have a weed free garden before we plant our new crop. Life is about setting our goals, maintaining our vision and pulling the trigger on whatever it is that inspired us. This is how things get done. We feel the fear and we walk on through it, because we know that we must.

This is what’s meant by that “internal gnawing”, that won’t go away until we feed it, nurture it and make it happen. We’ve all experienced this gnawing. We’ve all experienced the “But I’m not ready.” Yet, as soon as we decide to pull the trigger and make it happen, all of the Universe will conspire with us to get whatever it is that needs doing, done! Our limitations are typically just ourselves; our own doubt, our own fear and our own insecurities.

So just for today, I encourage you to step out on faith and simply pull the trigger. Do as Ghandi said and be the change you wish to see in the world. Pull the trigger and make it happen. What are you waiting for? Ghandi also taught that:

“There is force in the universe, which, if we permit it, will flow through us and produce miraculous results.”

The magic happens when we allow the flow. When we say yes, I’ll do it! For the last 3 weeks I’ve been nervous about my finances, nervous about my relationship. Sometimes I’m nervous about my life. So what! I just keep on moving forward, doing my absolute best in any given moment and feel great.

Tired, maybe from all of the mental work involved with pushing through my own fears, depression and anxiety, but I’m also happy. I’m proving to myself just what I’m made of and you too can do the same. It starts with pulling the trigger. Thanks for reading and sharing.

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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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The Element of Surprise, Mental Acrobatics, and Compassion

July 22, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan Leave a Comment

I have had these three concepts entertaining my thoughts for the past few days so I thought I would share it with you. I’m a philosopher after all, I thought you knew? The characters in our lesson today are the element of surprise, mental acrobatics, and compassion. I believe they each have something to teach us, and attitudinal healing happens when we master all three.

image credit: beliefnet.com

The Element of Surprise

Interpersonal work is something I’m addicted to. Since I was a kid I’ve been involved in some sort of religion, some sort of philosophy, some sort of group therapy or self help activity. My dad was one of my life teachers.

As an adolescent I remember him teaching me how to fight. Mind you, dad was born in the biggest little city of San Francisco, California, so being street smart and being able to protect yourself was a must. You had to master the element of surprise if you wanted to save your skin. Yet, as I understand it now, the element of surprise has many applications.

As a parent, I often surprise my kids with something extra ordinary. Maybe I’ll set a date with them and bring the something special for lunch, or we’ll leave the house early and stop for coffee and breakfast. Spontaneity is a refreshing shift from the mundane routine of life. They love it, and so do I. It is different than a street fight. In that situation, you are using “surprise” as an advantage. In the example with my kids, I am using “surprise” as a gift of love. Just keep thinking and you will see what I mentioned earlier is true. The element of surprise has many different applications.

image credit: entertainmentdesigner.com

Mental Acrobatics

Mental Acrobatics is what I consider our ability to remain flexible and bend with life’s pushing, pulling and prodding. It can be uncomfortable, but it is a necessary skill to master.

You see, An acrobat is very much like a gymnast. They must be lean. They are absent of baggage or extra weight. They’re often more limber than the average individual because they have conditioned their muscles and joints to withstand just a little more than the rest of us.

These qualities and regular practice of jumping, balancing and landing on center, is what their art is all about. Lately I’ve noticed that I too am an acrobat. My life is filled with all sorts of challenges requiring me to jump, think fast and problem solve. If I had to pick one, I would say I’m much more of a mental acrobat, but because I’m a landscaper, there’s still plenty of physical mastering I have to do as well. It keeps me sharp. My body in movement gets my brain in gear. It’s like one exercises the other to keep me limber and on point.

In that vein, there are certain exercises we can all practice in order to improve our capacity to live, and master life’s obstacle course at the same time. The first is to take on the mindset that you are a mental acrobat, with the element of surprise being just one of your super powers. Trust me, if you’ve lived this long, and dealt with the shit you’ve dealt with, and you are still here… you’re sure ’nuff a mental acrobat.

The element of surprise allows you to flip the script, change your mind and change your attitude. It’s your will power, your, “Hey, I only live once, so today I’m doing things differently!” or “just for fun.” You begin to see yourself as the athlete rather than the spectator. Maybe not physically but mentally, you are in the game. Mental acrobatics allows you to fire on all cylinders.

image credit: rascoecam

Compassion

Then there are those in between times. Those moments of solace and serenity, those moments when things are slow and everything is at ease. For those moments, I suggest compassion. Compassion is being gentle with yourself and others. That’s needed in order for you to heal. Interpersonal repairs need to be made and compassion is a great mechanic. So take the space, we all need it occasionally. If you are on the other side of the equation, give space because the other person needs it.

This might be a vacation or few days of rest. It might be combining the element of surprise with compassion. Instead of responding to someone with your normal expected attitude, you might switch things up and give them a smile, or a loving nod. This simple display of compassion allows others the space to grow, change and feel their own feelings without causing a raucous.

Each person on my blog team has at some point had this experience. I believe we all have. Here’s a bit more from each of them. We share with you because we relate and we care.

Marie on Compassion…

As someone who easily bores of the mundane tasks of daily life, regularly doing things spontaneously for others, or even myself, keeps life fun and interesting. It is also a beautiful way to practice compassion.

Love and compassion are entwined in my heart and they can take on varied appearances. At its core, it is about me caring about you and giving a damn about your well being. It sometimes comes across as being brutally honest with you and other times it is sweet, quiet and gentle. Making a dedicated effort to show another human that you simply care enough to spend time with them is one of the simplest, most loving and compassionate acts that can be done. We all just want to feel important and valuable; which in turn makes us feel loved. And mentally remembering to practice love and compassion for self each day is where it all begins.

Tiffanie on Compassion…

Compassion

“We all have strength enough to endure the misfortunes of others. Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labour the body. Real strength is not just a condition of one’s muscle, but a tenderness in one’s spirit.”

I just read this quote last night for the first time. So when asked this morning to contribute to this weeks blog, I immediately thought about the quote and what it signifies to me. While it’s speaks about strength, you’ll find that the tenderness to one’s spirit is about having compassion. We all are shaped by our experiences in life and the lessons we learn. It’s how we grow and strengthen our very soul. What I’ve realized over the years, is that the more challenges I overcome in life, the more compassion I have on others. We’re all but one piece of the whole puzzle.

Karen on Mental Acrobatics…

I am proud to say that I am very much a mental acrobat. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants, if you know what I mean, and if I wasn’t flexible in my daily life, I would really be a mess. Plus, I believe that God gives us opportunities and we need to be willing to change what we’re doing at a moments notice, in order to do His will.

Jason on Mental Acrobatics…

I find I get easily distracted if I am not careful. My mental acrobatics can only do so much. Therefore, I turn off all social media while I am in the throes of freelancing. It allows me to focus on what is important. The good is the enemy of the best, so I turn off the good thing to ensure I am putting out the best product.

Thanks for reading and sharing.

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From Dog Urine to Design, A Beautiful Mess!

July 14, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan Leave a Comment

Two weeks ago I said I’d blog about dog urine damage and it’s treatment for turf. Lucky me! Dr’s. Foster and Smith have already covered the subject in a very well written article. I’m gonna take this as a sign that I get to opt-out of writing my own blog post on the subject today. I’ve got plenty of other work to do anyway. The months of summer, running my landscape improvements and nursery businesses, are beyond busy right now. I’m typically up at 5am, dodging shaving bumps in my bathroom mirror, and done with my days work around 8 pm, 5 days a week. I’m a pretty tired guy. I usually spend open weekends working in my own yard and planning the week to come.

For the past year I’ve managed 2 small nurseries, one at Churchill Hardware and another at Under the Arbor. It’s been a great learning experience in the retail nursery business. I’ve got even more respect for the nursery industry considering the itty bitty profit margins and the tremendous amount of love and work that goes into growing, cultivating and caring for container plants. My intention and focus has been on growing and selling edible, and ornamental, plant materials. Monrovia in essence started me down this road.
We did some creative works together and I was compensated with their beautiful abundant nursery stock.

These guys have been great to me. Buy all the plants you can from them. They are top notch!

It’s been a fun, busy and scrambling-to-try-and-keep-up, kinda year. Thanks to all who read and share my blog post. If you know me, you know that it’s a big deal for me to consistently, and weekly, deliver on this literary commitment. A huge thanks to my entire creative and editing team that sticks with me and assists the weekly blogging process. My author and writer Jason Britt, contributing writer Marie Blackstock, proofing/editor Karen Cook, proofer and editor Tiffanie Hassan. It takes a village to do just about anything.

Jason, Marie, Tiffanie, and Karen make my weekly posts come to life!

My weekly blog, which ranges on sustainability, philosophy, gardening and whatever else I choose to share, has become some what of a weekly therapy for me. Writing was something I dreamed about for years. I was confused at just what it was that I wanted to write about so I simply decided to keep it open to whatever I was inspired to share. When Aimee Steckowski of Anchored Design created this site, we talked about also creating a blog site since this is another one of her specialties. If you, or anyone else that you know, is interested in writing, blogging and sharing their own thoughts, information and interests with the rest of the world, I suggest you consult with Aimee and Melody of Anchored Design. They’re professional, reasonably priced and extremely comprehensive with the online and creative services they offer.

So that’s how it goes when we start off talking about dogs urinating on lawns and then transition to a kudos for my web team. You can’t get this kind of stuff anywhere else people. Read the article I mentioned earlier for insight into how dog urine damages your lawn. Click the links of my team, mentioned above, and see how they can add value to your life. They are all phenomenal at what they do… and they won’t urinate on your lawn. Well they might on mine now because of that last dig, I better go! Tuesday called and she has several things for me to do today. Thanks for sharing and caring!

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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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Choosing to Go With the Flow

June 24, 2015 By Ahmed Hassan Leave a Comment

Learning to “go with the flow” doesn’t mean we still don’t benefit from planning, setting our intentions and/or designing according to what’s wanted. I suggest you plan as much as you’d like. But don’t be so attached to things going specifically the way you’ve planned them out.

Life, after all, is so much more complex than what our little pea brains can comprehend. I don’t say this as an insult either.
I imagine that there are so many of you that read or come across my blog only seeking some information on gardening and maybe wanting to know how in the world you can get me to crash your yards. Who knew Ahmed was such a Philosopher…

How this cat acts depends on who he listens too!

I’ve always thought very deeply. For as long as I can remember, I’ve carried on these conversations in my head. As a kid I’d watch cartoons with Sylvester the cat. He’d often find himself in debates with his good and bad conscience. I related to having these good and bad sides of myself. As I’ve gotten older and more mature, I’ve come to understand that there are many more complexities than just good and bad. I sometimes joke and say I’ve got 87.5 different personalities. I simply made up this number one day but it feels right when I say it and claim the amount of various different ways in which I feel, think, understand, comprehend and react or behave in life.

Each day it’s something different. I wake up in the morning and typically start my day searching for inspiration. I like to feel good and enjoy assisting and being part of others feeling good.
I share quite openly and honestly with so many folks because I understand our commonalities as human beings and seek to bring both value and goodness to the relationships I create.
I’m a passionate, tree hugging Sanuk wearing, Northern California Foothill living, landscaping workaholic. But that’s not all!!! Nope there’s more!

When I started writing my weekly blogs I knew that what I really wanted to do was write books. I wanted to write about my life, about LOVE, about my pains, about my experiences, about what’s fun, scary, empowering and helpful. My blog is a form of therapy for me and it’s an opportunity for me to share, express and relate to others abroad. It’s practice for the books floating in my head. Those books are the ones that I’m writing and working towards, while going with the flow and trusting the process and the people along the way.

Just a few of my 87.5 personalities!

Each Tuesday my Blog writer and co-author, Jason Britt, makes time for me. I typically send him my blog in its raw form. He then takes it, reads it and assists me with adding photos, links and editing. Sometimes I’m a bit scattered and it’s Jason’s job to help me to get my flow right. I’ll then read thru what he and I have created and I’ll edit and make suggestions myself. Once Jason and I have done our writing we ask my wife, Tiffanie, and a friend of mine, Karen Cook to lay their eagle eyes on the read. They’ll assist us with proper punctuation, misspelled words, etc. My other co-author, Marie Blackstock, will sometimes join in as well depending on her availability and or interest.

Within a few hours we’re live and I’m promoting whatever the hell it is I wanted to write about that particular Tuesday. Consistency is not necessarily my strongest suit. Between my ADD and my complete intolerance for routine, I purposely have no regular routine in my life. This blog is basically it! It’s my commitment to write every week and I’ve been doing so since last October, so this is a pretty big deal for me!

Yet, I have learned with blogging what I have learned with landscaping. It’s easy to stay the course with something when you’re inspired, the trick is in staying inspired. Being inspired is what it takes to do anything worthwhile. So make your plans, continue to dream and follow your hearts inspiration. But don’t be so attached to things going specifically the way you’ve planned them out. In order to experience peace, we need to remain mentally flexible. This is what “going with the flow” is all about. Fighting life, and its changes that come, will ultimately wear you out and beat you down. Learning to go with the flow will you allow you to travel through life, hopefully, enjoying life’s processes and experiences. Allow life to show up a lil different than what you’re imagining. So long as you still arrive at your destination, does it really matter about the details of how you got there?

Let this pic serve as a reminder for your week…

Thanks for reading and sharing.

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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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Getting Ready for What You Say You Want

We Talk About Being Ready

What It Takes to Be Ready

Are You Ready?

We’re Really Not Controlling Anything

Pull the Trigger

The Problem Posing a Reality

The Element of Surprise, Mental Acrobatics, and Compassion

The Element of Surprise

Mental Acrobatics

Compassion

From Dog Urine to Design, A Beautiful Mess!

To Be Continued… The Finale

Searching for Inspiration

Choosing to Go With the Flow

To Be Continued Part 2

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