EasyCare Landscapes - Landscaping Company Canberra

Vicki Berry owns and manages Easycare Garden Designs Pty Ltd T/a

Easycare Landscapes and Elemental Landscapes, a family business in Canberra, ACT.

She is highly acknowledged for her skills and achievements and has been awarded the 2005 AIH Australian Horticulturist of the Year; 2006 ACT Horticulturist of the Year; 2008 Family Business of the Year Awards winner of the First Generation Award for NSW and ACT; 2008 winner of the Chamber of Women in Business awards for Outstanding Community Spirit and Caring for the Environment; 2009 Telstra Business Women’s Award ACT winner of the Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award.

The awards she has won are not what she believes what life is about. 

“Life is about loving and giving,” Vicki says. “You get back what you give.”

She is passionate about people, plants, the environment and the industry and is a licensed D class builder and a qualified horticulturist and landscape designer.

She is lucky to have fantastic and committed staff qualified in a variety of areas such as: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours), Diploma of Science (Horticulture) and Diploma of Applied Arts (Design). 

Their level of passion for their work, the environment, sustainability and the community is invaluable. 

Annually the staff involve themselves in community events such as Clean-up Australia Day, Shave for a Cure and the 24-hour MS Swim-a-thon, just to name a few. 

Their efforts, ambition and generosity carry through to all aspects of their lives and the industry.

Easycare Landscapes provides a wide array of landscape services to its market which includes; design and maintenance consultations, garden advice, concept and master plans, maintenance visits and landscape construction to both residential and commercial properties.

Elemental Landscapes provides design and project management services.

Vicki began her landscape design, construction and maintenance business in 1999 with the intention of keeping it as a one person, part-time micro business.

It grew exponentially and was quickly out of control with no systems or processes.

She applied for and won a grant for some business coaching from the ACT Government and began to get some systems in place.

Managing to just avoid bankruptcy in 2004, Vicki realised she needed some help and joined Family Business Australia (FBA) when it first started in the ACT.

At this stage Easycare Landscapes had about 10 employees, Vicki was working seven-days a week and about 12 hours a day but was making very little money.

After joining a Forum Group of other CEOs and receiving some more coaching, Vicki began to take the business seriously and it continued to grow.

She now has 25 employees including her daughter, Lisa and husband, Gregg.

“People are more comfortable dealing with a family business because they don’t have to cut through red tape to talk to the decision maker,” Vicki says.

“They can see we care, that we give personal service and that we make sure we provide them with the best solution in the least amount of time”.

Vicki joined AIH in 1994 and has been on the ACT committee since about 1996.

Over the years she has served as president, secretary and treasurer and is currently supporting the new chairman, Peter Lees.

She has also been heavily involved with the ACT branch of the Landscape Association (now the LNA) and has represented the association when working with ACTEW regarding water restrictions and when working with the ACT government and Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) to get Tools for your Trade for Horticulture and Landscaping apprentices.

*Contact Vicki at Easycare Landscapes, 8 Beltana Road Pialligo, ACT 2609; or PO Box 5012 Garran ACT 2605; Phone: (02) 6257 8122 or visit: www.easycare.com.au

Winner: Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award 2009

When asked why she thought she'd recieved the 2009 Telstra ACT Business Woman's Award Commonwealth Bank Business Business Owner Award, managing director of Easycare Landscapes, Vicki Berry, said,"I think it's because I'm surrounded by a great team of people who all care about and work hard at customer service and satisfaction.  My team are intent on achieving outstanding results, take huge pride in their work and treat the landscapes as if they were their own."

Vicki is no stranger to awards having previously won the Chamber of Women in Business Outstanding Community Spirit Award, the Environment Award and an Honourable Commendation for the Business Women of the Year Award and Family Business Australia's First Generation Award for NSW and the ACT.

Vicki says that she takes immense pride in winning this Telstra Award.  "It reinforces credibility in the business to winning such a prestigious award.  People know that to win this award we are a business that has been around for some time, has a good reputation, good financials, and looks after their clients," Vicki said.

Easycare Landscapes is a full service landscape company doing everything in the garden from design, construction and maintenance.  They build decks and pergola's, do water features, paving and walls and are also strong on the horticultural side with planting, pruning and irrigation.

Vicki also has a very clear vision for the future of her business.  "We will stay predominately residential but will continue to design, construct and maintain the landscapes of multi-unit complexes and commercial sites.  We are also in the process of starting a new design business that will focus more on the upper end of the market,' Vicki said.

Vicki Berry and her team at Easycare Landscapes have literally become part of the Canberra landscape and are deserving winner of the 2009 Telstra ACT Business Woman's Award. 

As published in B2B magazine.

Our fearless leader Vicki Berry will be participating in the MS 24 hour Mega Swim on May 1-2.  If you wish to sponsor her please head to the website www.megaswim.com and search for “Jerra Rotary Rascals”.  All donations over $2 are tax deductible and it’s for a fantastic cause, so dig deep and support Vicki.

Vicki and Gregg were honoured to be an invited guest of Matthew Power of Iken Furniture to attend dinner with HRH The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward in Sydney on Friday 30th October on a boat on Sydney Harbour. Prince Edward arrived in Sydney on Tuesday. His first public engagement involved presenting 24 people with their Duke of Edinborough gold awards at Admiralty House, Kirribilli.

The Duke of Edinborough Award encourages young people aged between 14 and 25 to find out about themselves and their community through learning new skill s , volunteering, taking part in physical activities and planning, preparing and participating in adventurous and demanding expeditions.

Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award 

Vicki Berry- Easycare Landscapes

A green thumbed entrepreneur, Vicki Berry is passionate about protecting the environment and developing native landscapes for our harsh Australian climate.  Vicki identified a niche for low maintenance, sustainable gardens and started her business in her home office in 1999.  Easycare Landscapes now has a purpose-built office, four cars, a truck and staff of 20.

Taken from Telstra Media release.

Veronica Wensing dreams of a world in which women can live without fear of sexual violence.

But until that day, prevention is better then cure.  That is why Ms Wensing and the staff at the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre deliver a respectful relationship program in schools.  They hope there will be fewer offenders in the future.  "We are not about reaching women to avoid sexual violence," Ms Wensing said.  "We are not about teaching women to avoid sexual violence," Ms Wensing said.  We are about teaching men not to perpetrate it."

Ms Wensing has been named this years ACT Business Woman of the year in recognition of her work at the centre as executive officer.  She also won the Community and Government Award.  Judges praised Ms Wensing for being "a passionate and visionary leader" who stood up for important issues"

Other winners announced yesterday included Vicki Berry of Easycare landscapes, GHD business group managers Jo Metcalfe, and young photographer Kelly Tunney.  Winners will compete for the national award in their category at a gala dinner in Melbourne in mid-November.

Taken from an article written by Claire Low.

Published in The Canberra Times, Wednesday October 14, 2009. 

Nine talented women have been named as finalists in this year's Telstra Business Women's Awards.

All the finalists are in line to be named the ACT Telstra Business Woman of the Year.  The winner will be revealed on October 13 at Parliament House.

The ACT winner will then be in contention for the national award, to be announced in November.

Awards ambassador Holly Kramer said the finalists were selected for having business acumen, financial success and outstanding leadership while showing a work-life balance.

"This year has been exceptionally challenging for Australia's business community.  ACT business women have faced these challenges with tenacity and a positive approach across their diverse range of industries" she said.

Belconnen photographer Kelly Tunney is in line for two awards, the Young Business Women's Award for women under 35, and the Business Owner Award.

Also finalists in the Young Business Women's Award is Jill Charker who heads the development of the analytical community in the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Easycare Landscapes owner Vicki Berry is another finalist in the Business Owner Award category.  She was a high school teacher before she started Easycare Landscapes in 1999, initially form her home.  The Pialligo business now has 20 staff.

The finalist in the Community and Government award are Greening Australia Capital Region ecologist Lori Gould, Canberra Rape Crisis Centre executive officer Veronica Wensing, National Museum of Australia's audience, programs and partnership division general manager Louise Douglas and ACT Procurement Solutions executive director Robyn Hardy.

Ms Douglas said it was "terrific for someone from the museum world to be recognised in this way".

Ms Wensing manages 18 staff at Canberra Rape Crisis Centre which each year provides 2500 counselling sessions and handles about 4000 calls on the crisis line. "I feel really honoured," Ms Wensing said of the nomination. "I think it will change people's perception of the centre and make them realise it is an important service also an operation."

The finalists in the Private and Corporate Sector Award are GHD business group manager Jo Metcalfe and executive recruitment firm Fish and Nankivell Ogilivie Watson principal Kathy McLean, whose assignments have included finding a new chief executive officer of the Chief Minister's Department.

Ms Metcalfe believed the awards were "a chance to recognise and celebrate the huge contribution that women are making throughout our community".

Written by Megan Doherty.

Published in The Canberra Times, Friday September 25, 2009

All is not lost! You can still produce beautiful, green landscapes despite the continuing drought, water restrictions and the increasing price of water.

Qualified and experienced landscapers, landscape architects and horticulturists such as Easycare Landscapes and other members of the Australian Institute of Horticulture (AIH) and the Landscape Contractors Association of NSW and the ACT (LCA) can help you increase the value of your properties by more than 10%. We can show you how by considering the following:

(This article by Vicki Berry appeared in  Canberra Building News - Edition 1, 2009) 

The ACT Chamber of Women in Business presented their second annual awards on 12 August. It was a great night and a privilege to acknowledge women who have made an outstanding contribution to the local economy, the environment and the community this year.

We have four awards with three exceptional women who are very worthy winners. They all demonstrate commitment, passion and a desire to pursue excellence in all areas of their businesses. Congratulations to the winners, the highly commended and those who nominated, said Robyn Stanhope, keynote speaker at the awards.

(This article by Barbara Baikie, CWB President, appeared in B2B magazine on ...) 

What started as a hobby has become a thriving family business for local landscaper, Vicki Berry.

Vicki had no idea when she started Easycare Landscapes that nine years later her business would be winning awards such as the Australian Horticulturist of the Year, ACT Horticulturist of the Year and the Family Business Australia's First Generation Best Family Business of the Year (NSW & ACT).

Posted by FBA from Monash on 26/08/2008 at 09:28 AM in Business / Canberra on www.theword.com.au