In the last two years PSP Expo has been to New Orleans and Vegas, each of those cities providing its own distinctive backdrop. Now it’s off to Orlando with its manicured grounds, sunshine and mouseketeers. The variety is nice.
A big difference this year (besides swapping slot machines and desert air for swamps and gators) is the show’s co-location with the Association of Professional Landscape Designers’ (APLD) International Landscape Design Conference.
This is a learning opportunity. As the pool industry has evolved toward the outdoor living industry, the relationship between builders and landscape designers has become more important. They bring valuable perspective and sheer aesthetic talent to our business of pleasing homeowners who want to have fun in their own backyards.
We can help each other. Their clients are our clients. Too often, however, the pool builder and landscape designer pass each other with a nod as they depart and arrive at the jobsite, instead of working together hand in glove from the start. In that sense, perhaps there’s something symbolic in the two groups sharing the Orange County Convention Center next month.
I’m planning on heading over to their show to meet some people from an industry we should be working with and to check out some backyard design ideas we could use.
