Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Jackson.
Hi Gina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
With a degree in biology from Colorado State University and having worked summer jobs as a gardener, I moved to Austin in 1998 with the goal of working year round in the landscaping field. I started my gardening business in 2001 out of the back of my compact car with my very first customer. As my business grew, so did my family. We had our son and daughter and my business was always the perfect way to be able to stay home and raise them while working hours on the weekends. I laugh remembering the early days of packing plants and tools around my kids in their car seats. As my kids entered their elementary years, I pushed to working full time and bringing on crew members. It truly has been the perfect way for me to be there for my kids and pursuing my own ambitions. After 21 years of growth, we are now a dedicated group of about 10. I look forward to the opportunities and cool projects that are yet to come.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would say the road has fortunately been pretty smooth. I have to thank my husband, Mike, for always cheering me on and supporting me. He’s done his share of going to the dump and lifting rocks out of the truck, but I am mostly thankful for him giving me the freedom to pursue what I love and at the pace I wanted. The biggest challenge with landscaping has been the hard physical nature of the work. I have definitely dragged my body home many days full of poison ivy and sore muscles. As a business owner, I’ve had to wear many hats. Whether the salesperson, the wheelbarrow pusher, the estimator, or the plant purchaser, I’ve learned what I’m good at and when it’s time to delegate duties. Now that I have the years to reflect on, I recognize a big jump in success was having the core group of crew members that I still have today. They are trustworthy and truly good at their craft. When I had such awesome guys to follow through on the designs, I was able to spend more time researching new ideas, talking to customers, and shopping plants. There have been challenges along the way, but as I have gained experience, I just know problems are merely opportunities to learn something new.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Santolina Gardens?
Santolina Gardens is a small garden design, installation, and maintenance business. We are a small but well-established group of gardeners, welders, masons, and carpenters that specialize in residential landscaping projects. Our goal has always been to bring homeowners out into their yards to spend more time on their little piece of earth. We create outdoor spaces that are unique to each client. Whether they need space to entertain, play sports with friends, or a quiet sanctuary from a busy day, we really try to get to know the client and what their needs are.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
At the moment, I am enjoying the Asana Rebel app. I like starting my day with a quick meditation and yoga session to remind myself to stay calm and appreciate each day as a gift.
Contact Info:
- Email: santolinagardens@gmail.com
- Website: www.santolinagardens.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/santolinagardens
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/santolinagardens
