Kudos about Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies by Owen Dell:

On behalf of everyone at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, I would like to thank you for coming to the Garden to share with us and our visitors your recently published Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies with a lecture and book-signing. Everyone who attended was delighted by the subject matter and we have since received overwhelmingly positive feedback about your presentation. We appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity in sharing your expertise.

Warm regards,
Sally Isaacson
Director of Education

"Owen has broadened his focus to include the conservation of all our natural resources. And yet if his subject is serious (nothing less than the preservation of the planetary ecosystem), Owen's tone in this volume is blessedly unsanctimonious. He assumes no previous knowledge of gardening on the reader's part- this is Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies, after all-but there's plenty of new information here for the expert gardener, too. Above all, this is a practical book. Owen shares with the reader the routines he has developed as a professional for organizing landscape redesigns and makes them easy for a novice to follow. He offers down to earth advice not only on how to make your personal space more attractive and environmentally responsible but also on how to accomplish this at a price you can afford, and at a pace that suits your schedule. Sustainability is a new movement in gardening, and it has badly needed a manifesto. This book fills that niche. So get smart and get Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies."

Thomas Christopher
New York Botanical Garden

Last night I surveyed, read and savored the content of your new book Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies Your friendly and humor filled choice of words are truly unique in the field of horticultural reference works. Any future teaching by me about landscape gardening will use your book as it's "Bible" to present a new and urgently needed paradigm for stewardship of the earth. While the Sunset Western Garden Book is the indispensable guide to the taxonomy and cultural needs of plants that grow in the western region, it does not give a comprehensive vision about how to garden "responsibly", After reading your book how can a person garden any other way?

John Dotter
Appropriate Horticulture Associates
Los Gatos, CA

Kudos about How To Start A Home-based Landscaping Business by Owen Dell:

February 4, 2010

Owen,

I thought I owed it to you and myself to let you know how much your book has meant to me as a landscape contractor. I began my business as a kid with a lawn mower to earn money for college and it turned out to be something I really loved to do. The next step was to turn a kid with a mower into a company, your book really helped me out and gave me a great primer on the business side of things. I read, if I am not mistaken, the 1994 version, which was the first edition. I read your book before I read any design or plant books. Don't tell Dirr that I read you first, that might be blasphemy.

Thank you for the insight and the help I recieved from it some sixteen years ago.

Respectully yours,
William Bianco

Kudos About Talks and Workshops by Owen Dell:

January 21, 2010

Dear Owen,

Thank you for bringing your awesomeness to Asilomar – you are making a huge impact with your message. The message is moving out thanks to your pioneering spirit over the years.

Many Blessings to you,
Gordon, Ken and the MBWG team

Dear Owen,

When the Friends of the Carpinteria Library Board decided to begin a speakers' program, they hoped to have events that are interesting, informative, entertaining, and relevant to the community. You provided all of this and more with the presentation on sustainable landscaping that you gave at the Carpinteria Library on July 8th. Not only were you highly entertaining, your approach is idealistic and practical, so there truly is something that every person can absorb and use. This sort of teaching helps people to go forward from where they are now. Then they actually change.

On behalf of the Friends of the Carpinteria Library, thank you.

Very best wishes,
Patricia Manuras
Secretary

MAPLE RIDGE NEWS
Creating a sustainable garden

By Mike Lascelle

In September I attended a trade seminar called Green Materials and Techniques: Working with the Natural Environment. It was a talk on sustainable garden design by landscape architect Owen Dell of Santa Barbara, California.

It only took a few minutes to realize that this man was not only passionate about the cause, but was also finding practical means of implementing these new environmental practices.

The many landscape designers and contractors attending quickly responded to his candor and it wasn't long before the talk turned into a running question and answer session – one where he seemed to learn as much from us (about local conditions), as we did from him.

"The audiences were truly impressed with your sessions and would like to have you back, My favourite feedback quote was 'you opened my eyes-my head's been in the sand'...Thanks again for being here and we all look forward to working with you again."

Ken Tomihiro
Landscape Ontario

Dear Owen,

Thank you so much for taking time from your busy schedule to help make the Sustainable Landscaping to Improve Plant Health and the Environment session at the 2006 Turf and Landscape Institute a success. I'm still receiving emails about your excellent presentation.

Warmest regards,
Janet Hartin
Environmental Horticulturist
University of California Cooperative Extension

"I was in attendance at the California ReLeaf retreat and was totally amazed and interested in your keynote speech. It was truly thought provoking...Again let me thank you for an enlightening experience."

-JH, Fallbrook Land Conservancy

"Mr. Dell, Your lecture to the Ventura Co. Master Gardeners was WONDERFUL! Today as it rained I wondered how to start harvesting my rainwater. A girlfriend called today and asked me to help her pick out plants for her front yard. I will strive to use those which are sustainable by themselves. I learned so much and thoroughly enjoyed your lecture. Hope to attend more after seeing your schedule!"

J.H.

"Dear Owen, Thank you so much for spending your valuable time and energy putting together and presenting your class, "Landscaping for Wildfire Protection"! Your work with the garden has been tireless and much appreciated. It has been a pleasure learning from and working with such an enthusiastic and conscientious individual. Thanks!"

L. Purcell
Santa Barbara City Fire Department

"I have heard over and over again from, people who have taken the time to email or call me, about what an engaging, amusing and entertaining speaker you are. I agree, and feel that in choosing you for our main speaker, we made one of the first of many good choices for this seminar. Everyone is thrilled..."

Maureen D.
California Landscape Contractors Association

Dear Owen,

"Thank you for being the keynote speaker for the Sustainable Landscape Fair and creating a wonderful plant display. Participants liked your presentation; one commenting that it was 'spectacular, informative and inspiring'. "

Alison W.
City of Santa Barbara

Kudos About Our Landscape Design and Construction Services:

"Dell's credits are more than impressive; they are an inspiration."

Montecito Magazine

Dear Owen and Melanie,

I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful job you did on Glenn's Summerland house. The landscaping was so natural and beautiful. Also, it gave both of us great peace of mind to know you were continuing to maintain the property while we were gone. Thank you so much! We hope to work with you again some day in the future (when we make it back [to Santa Barbara]).

Love to you and your family, Deena B.

"It was so good to get to know you. Although you are a great team, you are also great individuals sharing sensitive, kind and caring traits. Nancy is very pleased with the results of your work and I am touched and most appreciative of how you sensed and were attentive to my needs. I can't remember (except Nancy of course) when I have received such loving consideration. I love my pathways and place in the sun.

Love Alan & Nancy

Dear Owen:

"Thank you for a job well done. You went the extra mile day after day. You were there with the smile and quick joke to help make the work go easier. Now, we have a good idea of what 'Landscaping' means. We are pleased with the final result and with all of the sensitivity and planning that goes into your line of work."

Scott and Leah

Hello Owen:

"Thanks you for your great design for my front meadow. You fulfilled my requests / dreams beautifully. "

Linda

To: Owen Dell

"For the past eighteen years County Landscape and Design has done landscaping for me. I have been pleased with the choices made, the efficiency with which the work was done, and always the end result."

Milnore H.

Owen,

"I can't imagine doing our landscaping with anyone other than you - you've helped us be creative, let us be "hands on" in a wonderfully supportive way - and you're a wonderful person to be around - what else could one want! Thanks so much - I can't wait until it all unfolds."

Barb

The following quotes are from program evaluation forms on courses presented by Owen Dell through the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens and many other organizations. Mr.Dell receives consistently glowing reviews from his students and those who attend his lectures. These are just a few samples of hundreds of actual comments from attendees.

"Delightful & informative. Delivery and enthusiasm combined with lots of technical knowledge & hands-on experience - TERRIFIC! Well planned and organized; Owen is a clear and entertaining speaker."

"My questions were answered before we asked them. Our presenter was clear, basic and creative. Great variety of construction solutions"

"Interesting, informative talk. We will make some changes as a result of this talk. Quite an entertaining, humorous speaker."

"Excellent! Several hints are invaluable"

"Excellent - lots of information, very instructive. Also a very entertaining speaker. I hope he is part of next year's seminar."

"Everything this man does is first class"

"Exceptionally good! Repeat Owen Dell!"