Page 33 - Free State Summer 2022

We were a good team

for starting a business.

Chris would lead all of

the operations; I was

the administrative

lead. We already had

the foundation for

starting a company...

Marcie and Chris Vedrani
trees purchased on occasion at good
landscape projects. tasks, including hardscaping, are prices. “We have a lot of really good
subcontracted. sources being in the industry so long.
Asked for a business motto, Chris
answered, “We don’t have a true “Most clients hire us to build the We have a purchasing manager,
motto, except we want to do the right landscape and then to maintain Renee Quillin, and her job is to source
thing every time.” the gardens,” Chris said. “We do plants.” She generally sources them
maintenance a little different from from as far south as Georgia, west to
His motto might be, “We’re just better Ohio and north to Massachusetts.
at this.” He tells his staff frequently, “I most. We have two separate crews
want you to be better than the other on each maintenance contract. One Marcie Vedrani, Chris’s wife, serves
guys.” crew specializes in turf, taking care as Director of Finance and Human
of mowing and fertilization. The Resources. Graduating from
Planted Earth employs a professional other crew includes two gardeners University of Baltimore in 1995 with
staff of experienced field supervisors handling the horticultural needs.” a major in business, she always
and professionally trained encouraged her husband to go after
technicians, many with more than 20 Planted Earth offers weekly, bi-weekly his goal of owning his own company
years’ experience. “Our team of 75 or monthly garden visits. The main and promised that she would take
employees is what makes the magic areas served are in Washington, D.C., care of the financial side of the
happen,” Chris said. “We have a lot of Baltimore and northern Virginia. business.
really good people.” Planted Earth customizes its services
to build one-of-a-kind landscapes. “I knew not one plant,” she admitted,
Another motto might be, “We figure “but I married a landscaper and have
it out.” After successfully bidding Many of Planted Earth’s projects have been around the business for over 30
on a landscape architect’s project, been recognized by the Landscape years with Chris.
he might get the plans and find Contractors Association and
challenges, such as moving a tree National Association of Landscape “We were a good team for starting
through a yard with no access. Professionals with grand, gold and a business. While Chris would lead
Somehow, the tree gets planted. silver awards. Photos of the award- all of the operations; I was the
winning properties are posted on administrative lead. We already
Planted Earth can do the full scope of the company’s website, https:// had the foundation for starting a
landscaping, even installing outdoor plantedearthlandscaping.com. company, then, as Chris said, we
audio arenas. There’s a carpenter surrounded ourselves with a great
on staff; other non-horticultural Chris said his company does not team.”
grow its own plants, except a few
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Get Active. Stay Involved. • SUMMER 2022 33