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Patricia Gordon (click on image to zoom)

Our highly qualified staff trained to understand the complexities of indoor plant care, share in Lulu Pokinghorn's reputation for THE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF CREATIVE SPACES. They understand that our goal is to GROW our client base through ATTENTIVE AND RELIABLE SERVICE that presents itself upon the first visit and is CONTINUOUS. Our intention has always been to foster a professionalism which allows our personnel to be recognized as the best in the country. Our standards, based on the original certification process and ethical standards developed when Pat first served on the Executive Board of the Washington based, Interior Plantscape Association, are based on the following:

	There is no such thing as a "house plant." Plants grown for interior spaces come from arid and tropical regions and are prevailed upon to adapt to less than ideal conditions in commercial spaces and homes.
	The challenge is to know the plant's environmental needs and meet them.
	The INTERACTION of ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS and MAINTENANCE PRACTICES contribute to the health or decline of the plant.
	SELECTION of good quality, acclimated, healthy pest-free plants that are shipped immediately to the job site, requiring only one adjustment period, is our first priority.
	LIGHT is multi-faceted in today's world. Seasons, intensity, duration, light angles, technological innovations and quality of light bring a complex series of meanings to the question, is there enough?
	TEMPERATURE in today's energy conscious world has given us less than satisfactory parameters when we attempt to apply yesterday's temperature range which falls between 60 and 80 degrees Farenheit, similar to that found in the understory of a tropical forest.
	HUMIDITY in the desert, often a significant factor when reading a plant care manual written in California or New York, holds an entirely different meaning than the 80% or greater available to tropical foliage plants in their native environments. Specializing, as well, in arid plants we find that there are significant differences in care required throughout the seasons experienced in the desert.
	ROOT systems in this complex horticulture industry often find plants grown for expediency rather than for the long term.
	FERTILIZERS that apply in high light greenhouses and are interspersed with soil, often provide significant challenges to the detective nature of our work.
	SOIL MIXES have continued to change over the years, but now present an even greater challenge for holding moisture. As specimen plants have grown more expensive and hard to come by, the soils we see are further and further removed from anything the plant understood as supportive to vibrant health in its natural terrain.
	CLEANING is like roofing. Every year someone develops a new product which is supposedly better, and will protect your building better. For every architect that has used these products, they have a roof that now leaks faster. There is no short cut for cleaning. While there are many leaf shine products on the market and as many 'grandmother remedies touting mayonnaise', the best way to clean leaves on foliage plants is with liquid soap in room temperature conditions. Dusters are tools and provide only temporary relief. Our clients will tell you that they often see us outside our various facilities giving baths. And, while it is not often considered fun, our joy comes from watching what the plants do in the course of the next week. They simply look like they have fallen in love!
	CONTAINER SELECTION accompanied by the correct set-up in the installation process is very important to the assured health, both of the plant and the materials on which those plants sit. The wide-ranging nature of container selection makes it imperative to have qualified staff that checks for any signs that something might have changed which would allow for damage. We use the highest grade of heavy plastics along with saucers, foam collars inside most of our CONTAINERS, and have a documentation process which allows us to keep the client aware of any problems that might be developing. Painters, janitors, floor personnel provide ever day challenges to the quality of our install and we believe it is our responsibility to provide feedback on plant movement and the conditions that negate the quality of the original installation. If we are doing our jobs, considering all of the above, we keep our clients for 20 year and more. Long term issues such as plastic shelf life, etc. all prevail.
	WATERING is often thought to be the only thing we do. Our care is meant to be and look seamless. It is in the process of watering, however, that all of the components of interiorscaping come together to make the job look easy or hard. The symptoms of over watering and under watering often look the same. With today's soils we are being forced to use ever-greater quantities of water. With this in mind, every aspect whether container selection or soil and fertilizer consistency all come together in such a way that we hear many times daily, "Boy, I wish I had your job!" We have a great job because we have great plants and great people to work with. Plants, just like people, have good and bad days. Our job at Lulu Pokinghorn is to see to it that the bad days are few and far between.

REGARDING EMPLOYMENT, the above considerations require reflective, respectful and resilient personnel. If these are your standards, please do not hesitate to contact us regarding employment. Our turnover is minimal, however, we are always interested in helping green industry personnel to acquire good jobs with good companies in the Southwest.