“People want to make their yards nicer. Whether it’s the patios or ponds, they want a nice outdoor area for entertaining.”

MM: HGTV has had a big impact on home and garden ideas. What kind of influence have you seen from the cable television channel?

Karl: “It’s giving people a lot of good ideas about outdoor living spaces. I like watching it, but it does give people false expectations. On those shows, they bring in 50 landscapers and do a job in a day. That’s not the way it works.”

Fred: “It gives people what I call ‘Zone Envy.’ They see these beautiful perennials that grow down in Zone 5 or 6 and want them here in Zone 4. A lot of people dabble in Zone 5 plants. I do, too. I always talk to people about where they’re planting it and if they’re willing to take a chance on it dying.”

MM: What’s the good and bad about working together as a family?

Joy: “The nice part is working with your family. It’s fun watching Karl grow.

“The bad part is I have to feed them, too.”

Fred: “The good part is you develop family bonds and you’re familiar with them. And it’s a chance to maybe know the business will be passed on.

“Family tensions can be a down side. Parents and kids with different ideas.”

Karl: “I always knew this is what I wanted to do. It’s nice working with family and the flexibility you get.

“The bad thing is you butt heads. I think I have all the ideas and dad’s been around forever and knows everything.”

MM: So, who’s usually right, you or your dad?

Karl: “I’m going to say 50-50. But he usually gets his way.”