#club spur orchid | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rheyninwrites · 4 years

Text

Dirty Business

A DutchxF!Reader Smut

9:40am

You examined your reflection carefully, looking for the slightest flaw. If you weren’t impeccable, if you were even a hint away from perfection, you’d hear about it. Dutch expected nothing but the best, and you weren’t about to disappoint him. Not when you got so much out of the deal.

Then the man himself strode into the room, his stark white shirt cuffed to the elbows and unbuttoned to the edge of his vest. He leaned against the wall, lighting a cigar as he watched you. Your eyes met his in the reflection, and he blew a stream of smoke towards you. Raising your eyebrows, you twisted the corner of your mouth into a sly smirk.

“You know that cigar smoke disagrees with me.”

He took another deep pull as he crossed the room towards you, his eyes dark. One hand cupped your hip as you turned to face him, playful smile still twitching across your lips. He lowered his cigar, blowing the smoke directly in your face.

“And you know I don’t give a damn.”

He took your hand, twirling you around so he could have a good look at you. The dress was one of his favorites, mainly because it was so short, but also because it’s empire waist and cream chiffon fabric was a divine combination of sexy and innocent. Paired with nice, soft makeup and your doe eyes shining, you were the perfect distraction. His associates were never able to take their eyes off of you, especially once Dutch started playing.

“How do I look?”

“Are you wearing them?”

You slowly lifted the hem of your dress, revealing the pair of panties he’d brought you this morning. They were pure silk, lightweight and nearly translucent, with only a small ruffle around each leg and at the waistband. They were nearly the exact same shade as your skin, and, knowing Dutch, were also incredibly expensive.

He stepped towards you, gripping the back of your head and pressing his mouth hard on yours. While his other hand firmly gripped your ass, his tongue thrust hungrily into your mouth, searching. You leaned back, wrapping your arms around his neck as you surrendered yourself to him, moans harsh against his mouth. When he finally let you come up for air, he gripped your chin with his fingertips.

“Your lipstick’s smudged.”

After taking care of it, you followed him downstairs and into his office to get ready for the coming meeting. His secretary had taken care of most things already. A bowl of fresh orchids sat on his desk, just beside several of his favorite expensive cigars. His prized gold lighter, engraved with your initials, was placed beside a dark silk handkerchief, and a bottle of liqueur was to the front.

He settled himself in the velvet chair, taking a deep breath. You stood behind him, your hand on his shoulder, as you knew he wanted, and were rewarded with his hand placed over yours. A small smile twitched at the corner of your lip, and he pressed the golden buzzer at his fingertip. Moments later, two large, bald men with dark eyes entered, seating themselves across from him with a menacing glare. Dutch tented his fingers and began to talk.

This was your time to shine, and you reveled in it. Carefully, you sat on the arm of Dutch’s chair, lifting one leg just enough to display a flash of your underwear. The man on the left coughed lightly, eyes trailing down your legs. Dutch’s large hand grabbed the side of your thigh, his gold rings glinting in the light as he stroked up and down. Despite the venom in their words, both men now had their eyes glued to your legs as Dutch’s hand moved ever upward, raising the hem of your dress. He’d nearly reached the edge of your panties when he suddenly stopped, patting your leg.

“Sweetheart, would you get us a couple of glasses? I’m sure these gentlemen would like a drink.”

You nodded, glancing over your shoulder as you walked to the cabinet. Just as you suspected, the men were far more focused on you than Dutch. As you reached the cabinet, you paused, arching your back in a faux stretch. Your breasts pressed firmly against the thin fabric, looking for all the world as if they’d burst out at any moment. One of the men swallowed hard as you bent over, knowing damn well they were getting a good look at your panties.

When you returned with the glasses, you placed them on the table and Dutch took your hand, leading you to sit in his lap. Carefully, biting your lip, you poured the drinks, pushing them toward the men with a sultry look. With a light snarl, Dutch pulled you back into his lap, his hand against the inside of your thigh. Innocently, you leaned against his chest, draping your arm around his neck. He began talking, assuring the men he had everything under control, they’d be well compensated. They needed faith, a sense of pride.

As he talked, his hand slid up your thigh, until his fingers were gently stroking against you through the thin silk. Warmth grew between your legs, and you spread them slightly, watching as the men across the desk glanced between themselves, then at Dutch. Spurred on, he pressed against you harder, until it was getting hard to control your breathing. You were wet, soaking through the fabric, and still he caressed you, never so much as pausing his speech.

Wrapping both arms around him, you buried your face in his neck. Your soft sighs of pleasure at his touch were barely audible, but you knew there was no mistaking what was going on. His hand between your legs, the movement of his arm, your heaving chest? He had you, he owned you, anywhere, any time. Just like everything else he wanted.

It took no time at all for the men to agree to Dutch’s terms, unmistakable bulges at the front of their pants as they rushed out. They’d head home to fuck their wives or girlfriends, or maybe stop by a strip club or pick up a whore, all the while thinking of the curve of your ass and the pretty pink flush of your cheeks. They wouldn’t realize what a fool he’d made of them until it was too late.

A smile swept across your face as his hand slipped back down your thigh, grabbing your waist and sitting you on the desk in front of him. You spread your legs around his, knowing he’d want to take a good look at his work. Sure enough, he shoved his hands beneath your dress, pushing it to your waist as he pulled you to the edge of his desk. He gripped your knees, lifting them and spreading them further as you leaned back on your elbows.

His eyes were full of fire and lust, his breathing heavy as his fingers traced over the damp fabric, teasing you closer to the orgasm he still hadn’t given you. He leaned forward, murmuring praise against your thighs as he buried his face between your legs. His tongue traced lightly against the fabric as he inhaled deeply, his thumbs working against the inside of your thighs. He was utterly in heaven, the smell of your musk filling his awareness.

Then, suddenly, he drew away. He glanced at the clock, and pushed himself between your legs, pressing his hard length against you. You were trapped beneath his body as he leaned to whisper in your ear.

“Such a dirty little slut for me, soaking those new panties. You did so good. Now . . ,” he breathed against your neck, “what do I do to reward you?”

He stood, admiring you as you lay spread before him. A wicked grin crossed his face, and he put his hands on your knees, gently slipping them upward, until he reached your waistband. His fingers hooked under it, then pulled them off to leave you bare before him.

“Now,” he said as he sat back down, tucking your underwear in his pocket, “get back here on my lap. We’ve got another meeting.”

#dirty business #rdr2 smut #f!reader #dutch smut #rdr2 dutch #dutchvanderlinde #dutch van der linde #rdr2 fandom #nsft #dutch x reader

100 notes · View notes

cedar-glade · 6 years

Photo

Platanthera clavellata,

Club Spur Orchid.

Nature allowed no decent photographs of these either at Red River Gorge, with that said, these are commonplace; not so much as commonplace as Goodyera pubescens, but still everywhere.

#orchidaceae #botany #wildflowers #kentucky #platanthera clavellata #platanthera

4 notes · View notes

don56 · 7 years

Photo

Carole Lombard Filmography

1921

A Perfect Crime (as Jane Peters) 1922

1924

Gold Heels (uncredited)

1925

Dick Turpin (uncredited)

Marriage in Transit

Gold and the Girl

Hearts and Spurs

Durand of the Bad Lands

The Plastic Age (uncredited)

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (uncredited)

1926

The Road to Glory

The Johnstown Flood (uncredited)

1927

The Fighting Eagle (unconfirmed)

Smith's Pony (short)

Gold Digger of Weepah (short)(uncredited)

My Best Girl (uncredited)

The Girl from Everywhere (short)

1928

Run, Girl, Run (short)

The Beach Club (short) (uncredited)

Smith's Army Life (short) (uncredited)

The Best Man (short) (uncredited)

The Swim Princess (short)

The Bicycle Flirt (short)

The Divine Sinner

The Girl from Nowhere (short)

His Unlucky Night (short)

Smith's Restaurant (short) (uncredited)

The Campus Carmen (short)

Power

Motorboat Mamas (short) (uncredited)

Me, Gangster

Show Folks

Hubby's Weekend Trip (short)(uncredited)

The Campus Vamp (short)

Ned McCobb's Daughter

1929

Matchmaking Mamma (short)

Don't Get Jealous (short) (uncredited)

High Voltage (aka Wanted)

Big News

Love's Conquest

1930

The Arizona Kid

Safety in Numbers

Fast and Loose

1931

It Pays to Advertise

Man of the World

Ladies' Man

Up Pops the Devil

I Take This Woman

1932

No One Man

Sinners in the Sun

Virtue

No More Orchids

No Man of Her Own

1933

From Hell to Heaven

Supernatural

The Eagle and the Hawk

Brief Moment

White Woman

1934

Bolero

We're Not Dressing

Twentieth Century

Now and Forever

Lady by Choice

The Gay Bride

1935

Rumba

Hands Across the Table

1936

Love Before Breakfast

The Princess Comes Across

My Man Godfrey

1937

Swing High, Swing Low

Nothing Sacred

True Confession

1938

Fools for Scandal

1939

Made for Each Other

In Name Only

1940

Vigil in the Night

They Knew What They Wanted

1941

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

1942

To Be or Not to Be

#carole lombard #filmography

5 notes · View notes

walriding · 7 years

Text

@aloneandlosing from [x]

Waylon is right about one thing: Miles has never been much of a fan of Valentine’s Day. Denoting a set day in which to display one’s love always felt a touch contrived -- if you truly cared for someone, was there really a need to prove it on a particular calendar square? And, as with most holidays, there was the money grabbing corporate side of things to reckon with as well. It was Hallmark-induced madness; just another way for corporations to make a buck and for everyone else to get into a pissing contest over needlessly lavish gifts.That wasn’t to say he’d never participated in the chocolate covered festivities, however. From a few short lived high school romances to longer lasting bonds in college and beyond, Miles had played along with the cards and the candy and the flowers a fair number of times. It never felt particularly meaningful; just another box to check off on the list of things required in a semi-serious relationship.

And yet, for some reason, he puts a little thought into it this year.

Unlike Waylon, Miles is always hyper aware of the date and the hour and other markers of time’s passage. Being able to pinpoint an occurrence to a particular moment is an important aspect of his job, but his over awareness is also thanks to his own paranoia of losing chunks of time to certain nonhuman forces. He knows, then, when the holiday in question starts approaching, and he deliberates on how to handle it. By now, he’s starting to realize that his feelings for Waylon go beyond the vaguely platonic arrangement they’re currently caught in -- whether or not those thoughts are mutual, however, is yet to be seen. Sure, they tease each other and engage in sometimes couple-ish behavior, but the only time Waylon has responded with advances of his own was on New Year’s, when he’d been obviously tipsy. And some part of Miles is okay with that, is accepting of the fact that he’s nothing more than a drunken distraction -- a responsive body when the tech is feeling particularly lonely. But another little part of him says that maybe... maybe the affections are genuine. It’s that thought that spurs him to act. If it turns out he’s making leaps in logic, well, he’ll just laugh it off like a practical joke.

Waylon is wrong about something, though: he misjudges what Miles’ reaction will be. Truthfully, the reporter is expecting a whole lot of nothing. He leaves a potted pink orchid on the kitchen counter for Waylon to see when he wakes up (he’d practically heard his mother’s voice lamenting the popularity of wilting bouquets when he’d set out to buy flowers) but otherwise doesn’t say anything about the significance of the day. Then Waylon cooks breakfast. Sure, he’s usually the one preparing food, but it seems more... purposeful than usual. A couple hours of video games follow that, during which Miles is oddly subdued and is content to mostly watch and silently revel in their closeness. Oddly subdued defines his behavior for most of the day, in fact. None of his usual smirks or tasteless jokes mar the tranquil atmosphere; even the presentation of the first video doesn’t garner a witty response beyond “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” Instead, a soft smile pulls at his lips as he watches without commentary. He doesn’t think much of Waylon’s disappearance, and uses the opportunity to click through to another song. It’s unbelievable, almost, to think the college-aged kid in the recording is the same person as the man he now lives with. The absence of years isn’t the only thing that makes him look younger on the screen; his expression reflects a level of genuine happiness that Miles doesn’t think he’s ever seen in present day. When Waylon returns, guitar in hand, Miles is so focused on what he’s watching that he doesn’t look up until his roommate speaks.

His eyes go a little wide, features peaked in a look of mild surprise. “I’ll behave,” he assures, and he doesn’t say anything else as Waylon makes a few tuning adjustments and begins to play. Enamored is probably the only term that can aptly describe the way Miles looks at him when he starts to sing. Finally, he’s catching a glimpse of that easy contentment Murkoff had snatched from the programmer’s life. There’s a glimmer of confidence there, a sliver of the person Waylon had been before Mount Massive. Doesn’t hurt that he sounds good, too. Miles can almost imagine him singing in some bar or club, maybe even going professional with his talents. It’s a striking idea, when he considers how different their respective lives would currently be if Waylon had pursued a different path.

When there’s a lull in the music, Miles speaks up. “I... I have something for you. Hold on.” The item of interest is stashed away among his belongings, a nondescript yellow envelope buried under his clothing. He retrieves it and makes his way back to the living room, and fiddles with a corner of it before presenting it to Waylon. He waits until the tech is opening it and removing the sheets held within to say, “They’re nothing, y’know, weird. I promise,” sounding more sincere than suggestive for once.

Inside the envelope is a stack of photographs, black and white 8x10s taken in various locations. Some are local -- the woods around the cabin, different sights in town -- and some were snapped on Miles’ brief working roadtrips he’d taken during their time living together, when he’d come across places and things that made him think of the tech. A copse of trees that reminded him of their shared home, the architecture of a particular building that brought to mind something digital and futuristic. There are even a few candids in the mix, shots Miles had covertly taken of Waylon without his notice. There’s one of him standing over the stove with the light from the nearby window hitting him just so. Another of him sitting out on the front porch at dusk. The very last picture is of the both of them, taken selfie-style when Waylon had been all but sprawled over Miles during a sleepy evening on the couch. What the photos all have in common is the thoughtful composition, the attention to light and shadow and detail that indicate a careful eye behind the lens. And on the back of each is a scrawled note; a date and location and Miles’ hasty signature.

“I’m not exactly a professional photographer, but I thought... sometimes it’s nice to have physical pictures.”

#aloneandlosing #(sᴛᴀᴛɪᴄ sᴋɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴜᴢᴢɪɴɢ ʙᴏɴᴇs) ;;; Vᴇʀsᴇ: Mᴀɪɴ #major word vomit under the cut #i got so.......... so carried away i'm sorry #long post

29 notes · View notes

vandaliatraveler · 4 years

Photo

A hike in Appalachia’s summer woods revolves around four basic themes: fungi, ferns, berries, and small woodland orchids. After the canopy closes, fungi and ferns dominate the forest floor, where very little light gets through. However, a few ambitious flowering plants generate just enough energy to bloom, among them: small green woodland orchid (Platanthera clavellata), also known as little club spur bog orchid; and downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens), whose stunning, reticulated leaf pattern is impossible to miss among the brown leaf matter. Berry-producing plants, such as lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), provide much-needed sustenance for wildlife this time of year. And higher up in the canopy, the clustered, drooping, bell-shaped flowers of sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) perform an acrobatic display, a prelude to the fiery scarlet foliage that follows in the autumn. All photos taken at Coopers Rock State Forest.

270 notes · View notes

geopsych · 7 years

Photo

Deep in the woods, it’s nearly summer orchid time. Top two: rattlesnake plantain. Third picture: club spur orchid.

#rattlesnake plantain #club spur orchid #Goodyera pubescens #Platanthera clavellata #July #Pennsylvania

53 notes · View notes

thefootballlife · 7 years

Text

On the Jockey Club's plan to close Kempton

Horse Racing feels it is in a race to modernise itself. Over the past 25 years, the explosion of the internet and the pivoting of the gambling market has left it struggling to keep up with it’s own revenue streams, never mind what consumers actually want. What consumers certainly don’t want is what the Jockey Club proposed this week, the closure of Kempton Park and it being demolished to make way for a 3,000 building strong housing development, estimated to raise somewhere in the region of £100m for Jockey Club Racecourses, who run 14 courses (they count Newmarket twice) and around a quarter of all races including no less than the Cheltenham Festival, the Derby, the Grand National, everything at Newmarket and, of course, the King George. While planners are likely to reject the proposal at first, the likelihood will be that there will be an appeal and, generally, these tend to give projects the go-ahead given that central government priorities and local government priorities rarely mesh. The reasoning from a financial perspective is fairly sound: Kempton, Sandown and Epsom lie all within 5 miles of each other - were one to draw a line directly South-South-East of Kempton, you would go through Sandown and scrape Epsom - and Kempton’s house values compare favourably to the Epsom area (Sandown is even richer but richer to the extent where it forces down demand for space). But financial sense and common sense mesh even more rarely than the planning system - while it is obvious to say that Kempton is likely the prized asset for housing developers given its transport links, the Jockey Club own other land not currently used by a racecourse, they have a private members club in which hangs tens of millions of pounds worth of art. As Racing Post writer Tom Kerr points own in his own excoriation of the Jockey Club, the question was never put to anyone whether Kempton could have worked better and turned over more money, the question was simply that it was an asset and it had to go. It leaves racing with two courses inside the M25 which serve 11m people while the planned relocation of the All Weather to Newmarket will leave the town (population 20,384) served by three separate courses. Newmarket may be the central training base for the UK and have more claim than anywhere in the world to being the home of Horse Racing, but stacking it with extra meetings in a place where the only population able to support it is equine on the track, not human in the stands, seems more a cowardly submission to the gambling industry in giving it events to be gambled on rather than a sensible business plan. Speaking of the All-Weather, Kempton’s facility for this was built only in 2006. With the forecast closure coming in 2021, that it was installed at a cost just shy of £19m will mean that it will have had to have added over £1m per year to Kempton’s profit for it to have been a sensible investment. The more one scrutinises the idea, the less it makes sense, and that is before one takes into account any thoughts of sentimentality. Desert Orchid would likely be spinning in his grave at the thought of Kempton being bulldozed, but his grave will, instead, be dug up. The exhumation of one of Horse Racing, if not British sport’s, most identifiable cult heroes would surely be crime enough for many to find this whole idea repellent but, for racing, much as it is for the Jockey Club, it is all about the money. The finances being raised by the Jockey Club (£500m-ish) will see the addition of prize money throughout racing to the sum of around £250m, much of that to Jumps racing. The Jockey Club will be taking away an entire course to give an extra grand to winning a plater at Newcastle. Few would deny prize money is an issue in the sport, fewer would suggest this as a means of improving that situation. To Horse Racing as a sport, closing Kempton would be a sign of a slide further out of the general public consciousness. London’s population served by only two courses - neither of which with the transport links of Kempton - add to the complete lack of a course in Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield among others. Whatever glossy marketing put together trying to entice fans to attend, no sane new fan who watches a National Hunt meeting on ITV4 from, say, Birmingham is going to go to a meeting if their nearest course is Uttoxeter. At Kempton, you could even do something like say “Come to the Racing for free”, make some money on residual spend and hopefully pull in people who would later attend more meetings and do so as paid customers: You can do that in London, you can’t in Hexham. Moving the All Weather to Newmarket, of all places, is an even bigger issue. No longer will flat racing have a bulwark in Europe’s most vital city year round, instead it will retreat to an area where racing is life and that’s it. Racing will serve it’s own and to hell with everyone else. If a sport wished to orchestrate its own retreat into irrelevance, one step would be “stop trying to attract new customers and just focus on the ones you already have”. Added to the move of TV from the BBC, then from Channel 4 and now onto ITV1 (but mostly ITV4), Racing is becoming ever less visible on our screens. Taking Racing away from the people and into the land of the converted will likely not spur a resurgence, more allow the view that Racing is simply one big circlejerk serving those inside the tent only to grow. And all that is without sentimentality. Unsurprisingly, much of the negative reaction has been from this perspective. The King George (among other races) without Kempton is just not the same. Moving these races to Sandown will mean they live on in name, but the spirit will likely die with their home at Kempton. From a cultural perspective, moving the King George to Sandown permanently is akin to IS smashing Palmyra into dust. Much of the reason the King George is respected how it is is because of Kempton. Jumps Racing has it’s three monument chases - the Betfair Chase, the King George and the Gold Cup - and, in Haydock, Kempton and Cheltenham, they are held on three very different tracks that provide horses with three very different challenges. A mudlark staying chaser could win a Gold Cup on it’s day but it could never win a King George, no matter the weather. One Man, Edredon Bleu and more won a King George but over 3m 2f at Cheltenham were not suited. Kempton, a track whose design and format allowed the best over 2m 4f (or even 2m) to compete on even footing with Gold Cup contenders, served as Racing’s great equaliser much as Cheltenham’s finishing hill serves as its greatest divider between the greats. It is home to memories involving the spectacular Desert Orchid, the redemption of Kauto Star, the iconic jumping of Pendil, the arrival of Best Mate and, most recently, Thistlecrack. Sandown, for all its qualities, cannot hope to emulate that. All of this is sign of a governing authority which has not only happened upon the wrong course of action in attempting to grow their sport, it has also grossly misunderstood the capacity for change within the sport’s current demographics itself. Killing Kempton is, to many, cultural homicide. It also would appear to many to be commercial suicide. I write this as no great lover of National Hunt racing, but even I can see that these proposals from the Jockey Club are sheer madness. Taking the money and shutting a course rather than putting the work in on actually getting new fans through the gates and making the sport more sustainable. Let it be said that this is no simple closure for financial reasons, unlike Folkestone (where the cost of bringing facilities up to standard was too much to make sense) or Great Leighs (built on unsustainable projections and reopened as Chelmsford later), this would be a closure for greed and a closure without a basis in logic as to keeping Horse Racing as a major sport in the UK. The Jockey Club need to remember that they may sell Kempton for housing and make millions but, with decisions like this, the residents of Desert Orchid Drive on Kempton Estate are unlikely to ever step foot through the doors of the racecourse. They should be fighting battles to get people through the doors, not fighting battles with planners to close them.

0 notes

athome-businessideas · 7 years

Text

15 Environmentally-Friendly Businesses

Think Green

If you love the outdoors and have a concern for the future of our planet, here are environmentally-friendly business ideas to consider for your own “green” venture.

The 21st Century will challenge us to keep our earth clean, green, and beautiful. Fortunately, entrepreneurs are starting “green” enterprises that will help us restore and maintain our world’s health and splendor. If you love the outdoors and have a concern for the future of our planet, here are fifteen environmentally friendly businesses you may want to consider for your own “green” venture.

*Please note: Professional associations are primarily networking organizations and usually do not offer start-up information. Include a business-sized, self-addressed, stamped envelope with any “snail” mail correspondence.

1. Specialized Landscaping

The increasing popularity of gardening has spurred homeowners to hire professionals to create distinctive gardens. Specialized landscapers have the expertise and experience in the horticulture of local vegetation, trees and shrubs to design and install plants exclusive to Victorian, Feng Shui, pet and child-friendly, and other unique gardens.

Success Tips:Promote business by leading workshops, posting temporary business signs at your job sites, writing how-to articles in newspapers’ home and garden editions, exhibiting at gardening shows and encouraging referrals from satisfied customers.

Resources:

*American Horticultural Society

*Easy-to-Follow Designs for Beautiful Landscapes by Becke Davis, Harriet Cramer, Daria Price Bowman

*How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business, 6th ed. by Owen E. Dell

2. Specialty Fruits and Vegetables

The wholesale, retail, and direct sale markets for specialty and foreign fruits and vegetables have increased substantially. Heirloom varieties of peppers and tomatoes, organic crops, herbs, edible flowers, different species of lettuce and greens, and unusual fruits are all in demand. Some cities sponsor urban gardening programs that grow specialty crops for beautification and to promote entrepreneurship.

Success Tips: Talk with owners of restaurants and small grocery stores, gourmet chefs, and local residents to see what specialty or ethnic foods they desire and how they use them. For feedback, provide produce samples to area cooks and people at farmer’s markets. Track specialty food trends by reviewing television cooking shows, gourmet food magazines, and publications’ featured recipes.

Resources:

*A National Sustainable Agriculture Assistance Program – ATTRA – http://attra.ncat.org/; information, publications

*The Gardener’s A–Z Guide to Growing Organic Food by Tanya L. K. Denckla

*Backyard Market Gardening: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Selling What You Grow by Andrew W. Lee

*How to Start on a Shoestring and Make a Profit with Hydroponics by Bob Safell

*Big Dollars Growing Gourmet Salad Greens by Hilmur L. Saffell

*GrowerTalks – http://ift.tt/2iW3Qc4

3. Topiaries

Experts in topiary train plants such as ivy and herbs to grow over cutouts, chicken wire frames, ceramic forms or other bases to create whimsical animal shapes, letters, and “green” sculptures. They can also prune and trim shrubs, small trees and other plants into a variety of shapes. Topiaries can range in size from those that can fit on windowsills to life-size animal figures.

Success Tips: Enroll in some basic topiary courses and then start with small creations to hone your crafting skills. Research what topiaries are being sold in your area and fashion your own distinctive line. Markets for your plant sculptures can include bazaars, individuals’ homes and gardens, business offices, schools, gift and garden shops, mail order catalogs, and with a business web site. Offer to build or shape topiaries in individuals’ backyards or companies’ lawns for special occasions such as outdoor weddings, anniversaries, and other celebrations; or for commissioned work for zoos, parks, or museums.

Resources:

*Society of American Florists

*Quick and Easy Topiary and Green Sculpture by Jenny Hendy

4. Exotic Plants**

Many growers of exotic plants — orchids, cacti and other unique plants have turned their hobbiesinto thriving commercial businesses, selling wholesale to gardening centers and florists or directly to customers at shows, seasonal outdoor markets, through mail order, from web sites, or from home-based greenhouses.

**Follow regulations concerning transporting plants or selling endangered species.

Success Tips: Work in a commercial greenhouse to learn propagation techniques, plant care and disease prevention, plus to get experience in operating a horticultural business. Start with a small greenhouse and expand as your reputation for quality plants builds. Join professional associations for networking purposes and to enter their shows to help establish your name in the business.

Resources:

*American Orchid Society

*Gardener’s Guide to Growing Orchids by Wilma & Brian Rittershausen

*The Cactus & Succulent Society of America

*The Complete Guide to Growing Cacti & Succulents by Miles Anderson, Terry Hewitt

*Secrets to a Successful Greenhouse and Business by Ted. M. Taylor

5. Garden Problem-Solver

Homeowners spend a great deal for flowers, trees, shrubs, and lawns to beautify their properties and will pay for advice to keep their gardens healthy and free from pests and critters. As a consultant, you can price according to your expertise and training and the time it takes to research and remedy gardeners’ concerns.

Success Tips: Publicize your services with workshops and talks at local gardening centers or clubs; with a gardening column; or even a question-answer weekly radio show. Offer basic garden evaluations for a set price and then provide a listing of the fees for additional services to eradicate specific gardening problems.

Resources:

*The Gardener’s Guide to Plant Diseases, Earth-Safe Remedies by Barbara Pleasant

*Bugs, Slugs & Other Thugs — Controlling Garden Pests Organically by Rhonda Massingham Hart

*Garden Problem Solver by Pippa Greenwood

6. Property, Tree & Shrub Maintenance

Many homeowners are unsure about how to maintain their ornamental shrubs or cannot handle the pruning, removal, and the seasonal clean-up of their shrubs and trees. Professionals in this area have extensive training and education in arboriculture, knowing how to protect their customers’ lawns, shrubs, and trees from disease, insect, and weather-related damage. Clients schedule routine visits for ongoing care.

Success Tips: Besides home- and business owners, potential customers for this service may includedevelopers, planners, landscape architects, insurance companies for tree damage estimates; and municipalities for environmental impact studies, and long-term planning for placement, maintenance and preservation of existing trees and shrubs.

Resources:

*National Arborists

*The Complete Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs: Descriptions, Cultivation Requirements, Pruning, Planting by Ernie Wasson

7. Uniquely-Designed Planters, & Outdoor Lawn & Garden Décor

Gardeners like unusual containers, decorative pots and rustic and vintage items to show-off their plants and landscapes. Search flea markets, garage sales, and thrift shops to find old furniture, wheelbarrows, farming implements, and other discards gardeners could use to decorate their outdoor spaces. If you are an artist or are skilled in wood- or metalworking, pottery, or ceramics, you can also create a line of gardening accessories.

Success Tips: Read gardening publications, visit flower shows, view gardening television shows to stay current with the latest outdoor decorating trends. Contact garden designers, clubs, centers, and hardware stores to see if they are interested in buying and/or selling your items. Market your items at home and garden and craft retail and wholesale shows. Give talks to gardening clubs about container gardening and garden decor. A business web site with photos may reach nation- or worldwide markets.

Resources:

*Garden Accessories: Designing with Collectibles, Planters, Fountains, & More by Teri Dunn

*The Container Garden: Over 40 Creative Designs for Planters, Pots, Boxes, Baskets and Tubs by Stephanie Donaldson

8. Indoor Plant Maintenance Service

Contract with business owners, institutions, restaurants, and building owners to maintain the health and attractiveness of their indoor plants. Purchase plants from wholesalers or raise them yourself and rent or lease these to customers. Individuals who will be out-of-town for an extended period will also need your plant care services.

Success Tips: Offer free consultations to evaluate clients’ indoor spaces to recommend the ideal plants that will look best and thrive in the areas they designate. You should have a thorough knowledge about common plant care and diseases. Market your services through your local Chamber of Commerce and hand out business cards to contacts in offices and organizations you frequent.

Resource:

*Interior Planting: A Guide to Plantscapes in Work and Leisure Places by Lynne Lockwood Seignot

9. Specialty Herbs

The popularity of herbs has increased in recent years as research has revealed their natural benefits and multi-purpose uses. Herbs are used in all types of cooking, to enhance gardens with their beauty and scents, for natural pesticides, for dried floral arrangements, for beauty products, and in a variety of additional products like potpourri, pillows and even pet toys. You can grow herbs year-round with just a small greenhouse and a little plot of ground.

Success Tips: Professional herb-growers encourage customers with courses and workshops and sometimes host radio and cable television shows about the cultivation and use of herbs. Grow your own specialty herbs or create unique products to help you compete with larger, commercial and foreign markets.

Resources:

*Herb World

*Growing Your Herb Business by Bertha Report

*Creating an Herbal Bodycare Business by Sandy Maine

10. Raising Beneficial Insects, Earthworms

Raising beneficial insects and earthworms can provide backyard gardeners and organic farmers with safe, chemically free alternatives to control destructive pests while improving the growth and quality of their fruits and vegetables. Some entrepreneurs also raise butterfly larvae for education groups, rear mealworms for pet stores and birders or engage in traditional bee-keeping for selling honey and beeswax products and leasing their hives for crop pollination.

Success Tips: Contact your local county extension office for information about restrictions concerning the transportation and raising of insects; and for referrals to potential customers. Enroll in entomology courses and then raise some insects or earthworms on a small scale. Promote business by giving entertaining talks to schools and research the potential of selling your insects to gardening catalogs, commercial greenhouses, and/or through a web site.

Resources:

*Beekeeping as a Business by Richard Jones

*Beneficial Insects — How to Mass-Rear for a Profit by Bob Saffell

*Good Bugs for Your Garden by Allison Mia Starcher

*Profitable Earthworm Farming by Charlie Morgan

11. Recycling Consultant

As the world’s increasing population exhausts natural resources, government agencies and organizations strive to regulate and encourage businesses to be “green” and “environmentally-friendly” in their operations. Recycling consultants specialize in areas where they have had previous experience such as construction, manufacturing, and other industries and know the laws and guidelines of getting rid of that trade’s waste.

Success Tips: Contact your state, county and local municipalities for present recycling programs and regulations. Market your expertise directly to these same agencies as well as to business owners and nonprofit organizations to help them save money through recycling, and possibly act as a broker to assist them in selling by-products and scraps to other sources.

Resources:

*National Recycling Coalition

*Ecopreneuring: The Complete Guide to Small Business Opportunities from the Environmental Revolution by Steven J. Bennett

*Trash to Cash: How Businesses Can Save Money and Increase Profits by Fran Berman

12. Graffiti Removal

Graffiti vandalism defaces buildings, abandoned homes, and other places in both urban and rural settings. Studies show that speedy and continued graffiti removal results in less reoccurrences. Removal methods may include paint out, chemical removal, and power washing.

Success Tips – Many government agencies award contracts to graffiti-removal businesses that use environmentally safe cleaning and paint products. Market your services to other community business owners, apartment owners, insurance companies and institutions. Follow authorities’ graffiti-reporting procedures and their guidelines for removal and restoration. Your business will receive good publicity as it promotes civic pride when you work with law enforcement agencies, and community groups to eradicate graffiti and its causes.

Resource:

*Keeping It Clean: Removing Exterior Dirt, Paint Stains and Graffiti from Historic Exterior Masonry by Anne E. Grimmer

13. Water & Soil Testing & Air Pollution Assessment

Businesses need experts to advise them how to prevent environmental incidents and how to adhere to increasingly rigorous governmental regulations. Property owners worry about the quality of their drinking water, soil, and air. Professionals in these areas provide testing and information on the latest technologies and products, solutions for compliance to laws and how to ensure safe working and living spaces for employees and homeowners.

Success Tips – Environmental consultants can be engineers, scientists, health and safety specialists, ecologists, and other authorities in their fields. Customer referrals, direct marketing to homeowners, attending environmental conferences and shows, and having a business web site are all effective marketing methods.

Resources:

*www.Eco-Web.com/– environmental company

*http://ift.tt/PvFa9q – web information center for environmental professionals

14. Specialized Organic Compost & Potting Soil

Mulches are used in gardens to suppress weeds, conserve soil moisture, reduce soil erosion, and modify the soil temperature and help to enrich and aerate soils. If you have access to grain- or grass-eating animal waste and chemical-free compost and garden litter, you can purchase wholesale quantities of perlite, bone meal and lime to mix your own special soils and then sell to certified organic producers and gardeners who need selected growing media for starting seeds and maintaining their plants.

Success Tips: Contact and work with your local cooperative extension agents for information on soils, compost, and testing. Market your composts and specialty soils to local farms, nurseries, commercial greenhouses, landscapers, florists, and plant shops, gardening clubs and centers. Because many municipalities and landfills are not accepting “green” wastes, you can conduct workshops for gardeners on how to turn their garden and kitchen wastes into valuable compost.

Resources:

Let It Rot! The Gardener’s Guide to Composting by Stu Campbell

Mulch It!: A Practical Guide To Using Mulch In The Garden And Landscape by Stu Campbell

15. Alternative Energy Consultant for Homeowners & Businesses – Solar, Hydro, Wind

With rising heating oil and gas prices, people look for cost-efficient ways to heat and power their homes and businesses. With an engineering degree and expertise about alternative energy methods and products, you can evaluate facilities’ energy usage and make recommendations for more efficient techniques or optional energy sources. Potential clients include small utility companies, educational institutions, business and property owners, local governments, and builders.

Success Tips: Contact a local office ofThe National Association of State Energy Officials www.naseo.org/,for possible placement on their business referral list.This State Energy Program (SEP) is the only federally funded, state-based program administered by the U.S. Department of Energy that provides resources directly to the States. Promote business with presentations at local business owners associations’ meetings, conferences and home shows.

Resources:

Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Power with Nature: Solar and Wind Energy Demystified by Rex Ewing

The post 15 Environmentally-Friendly Businesses appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

from Home Business Magazine http://ift.tt/2hY8lnX via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Home Business Magazine

0 notes