Growing a Landscaping Business with Purpose with Peter Shaw | The Front Garden EP118

04/03/25 • 37 min

In this episode...

Chris Weiss is joined by Peter Shaw—founder and creative director of Ocean Road Landscaping and author of Soulscapes: Connecting Gardens to Landscapes, for an honest and insightful conversation about building a career, a business, and a life rooted in the coastal environment of Anglesea.

With over 30 years in the industry, Peter shares the evolution of Ocean Road Landscaping from a humble ute-based operation into a thriving design, construction, and maintenance business with nearly 30 staff.

He opens up about the importance of designing gardens that belong to their place, leading with values, and finding harmony between work and life.

From staff retention to cash flow forecasting, Peter offers practical advice for landscaping professionals looking to build a sustainable business.

Key takeaways:

The value of creating gardens that are deeply connected to their environment
How Peter and Simone grew Ocean Road Landscaping organically with a clear focus on values and community
Why strong leadership and trusting your team are crucial for long-term business success
Tips on setting sustainable hourly rates and maintaining financial forecasting
The importance of listening to clients and building lasting relationships across design, construction, and maintenance
The beauty and challenges of working in coastal and Otway landscapes
Peter’s dream project, and what he might be doing if he weren’t landscaping

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👁️‍🗨️ About Peter Shaw

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The Front Garden Podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by Project Landscape. Providing an exclusive opportunity for LV members to visually showcase their work. For more details, visit project landscape.com.au

In this episode...

He opens up about the importance of designing gardens that belong to their place, leading with values, and finding harmony between work and life.

From staff retention to cash flow forecasting, Peter offers practical advice for landscaping professionals looking to build a sustainable business.

Key takeaways:

The value of creating gardens that are deeply connected to their environment
How Peter and Simone grew Ocean Road Landscaping organically with a clear focus on values and community
Why strong leadership and trusting your team are crucial for long-term business success
Tips on setting sustainable hourly rates and maintaining financial forecasting
The importance of listening to clients and building lasting relationships across design, construction, and maintenance
The beauty and challenges of working in coastal and Otway landscapes
Peter’s dream project, and what he might be doing if he weren’t landscaping

🔔 Follow The Front Garden For More Landscaping Industry Insights

👁️‍🗨️ About Peter Shaw

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

Previous Episode

Mastering Coastal Landscapes with Jane Jones | The Front Garden EP114

In this episode...

Chris chats with Jane Jones from Jane Jones Landscapes, winner of the 2024 Landscape of the Year and Softscape of the Year awards for her spectacular Portsea Project.

Jane shares the journey behind her five-year project, where collaboration, site-specific design, and ongoing maintenance were key to success.

She discusses the evolution of her design philosophy, the challenges of working in a coastal environment, and why strong client relationships make all the difference.

🔔 Follow The Front Garden for More Landscaping Industry Insights

👁️‍🗨️ About Jane Jones

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!