We are born to grow in all aspects of life. In recent months I have spent more time thinking about what I want to teach my kids about food and how we use the outdoor space we have efficiently. I recently turned a grass lawn into a place to grow and teach them about food. I always had a passion for the outdoors and nature but gardening is new. The plants we choose in our landscape can better our physical and mental well-being as well as the animals around us. I like to view these multi-functional environments as classrooms so we can change the way everyone looks at landscapes and urban spaces.

Working on my first garden this year was a great way to make a connection with what we eat. The garden can be a couple herbs in the kitchen, window boxes, planter beds, community gardens or any place you can grow.      

As an estimator for John Mini, I am always breaking down projects. A garden for some might be a simple object, but I see it in a different way. From overall design, flow, materials, plant varieties, spatial efficiencies, conveyance, equipment, labor, costs, maintenance and the list goes on. I have grown to enjoy the outdoors even more and I hope others will look at producing some of their own food in their landscapes. I cannot grow everything so we’ll still walk down to the Farmer’s Market on Sunday to get additional produce and ensure we support local business.

Peter Acciavatti, Estimating Manager & Landscape Designer