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Jovial, young and jewels of gardens: meet J&J Greenworx

02/02/2020 - 00:00

We had the pleasure of speaking with Jesse and Evelyne, the passionate duo behind J&J Greenworx. Their eye-catching Facebook posts showcasing their projects and experiences with TerraCottem instantly grabbed our attention. What began as a hobby that grew beyond expectations has since blossomed into a small but highly specialised company, focused on garden landscaping, maintenance, and tree care.

Hi Jesse and Evelyne! Great to have you with us—thanks for taking the time. Let me dive right in, because I’m curious: where does the name J&J Greenworx come from?

Evelyne

Oh, that’s actually a pretty simple one (laughs). Jesse’s full name is Jesse Joling - so that’s already a double ‘J’. And fun fact: both our kids’ names start with a ‘J’ too - Jayden and Jaimy. So yeah… all the J’s!

That definitely clears things up! Jesse, can you give us a quick overview—what exactly is J&J Greenworx?

Jesse

We’re landscapers based in Limburg in Belgium, and we handle both garden construction and maintenance.

It all started pretty quietly back in 2020 - just a hobby that got a little out of hand and turned into a side job. At first, we focused on maintaining small private gardens. Then in 2022, I began training as an arborist at inverde, and I noticed Evelyne diving into the course material right alongside me. That’s when tree care became part of what we offer, and from there, landscaping evolved into my full-time profession.

Evelyne

We’re a deliberately small company - that’s a conscious choice. It gives us the freedom to stay hands-on with everything, follow up closely, and maintain strong personal contact with our clients. Jesse is the driving force behind the business. As for me, I work three days a week in an administrative and commercial role. I also join Jesse in the field one day a week, and dedicate another day to handling all the bookkeeping and business administration. We also have Nico, a self-employed helper who supports us regularly, and occasionally we collaborate with subcontractors as needed.

So, you’re first-generation garden contractors. Where did the interest in the trade come from?

Jesse

I’ve always been passionate about nature - plants, insects, greenery, you name it. As a kid, I dreamed of going to horticultural school, but it wasn’t feasible at the time - mainly because of the distance. So, I ended up studying accounting and IT instead (laughs). But that really wasn’t my thing. I worked for a while as a shop assistant, but I never lost the itch to work outdoors. I was constantly busy in the garden as a hobby, and luckily, over time, I managed to turn that passion into my profession - starting as a side gig. I haven’t regretted it for a second.

Evelyne
I’ll be helping out in the gardens two or three days a week. Jesse’s passion has definitely rubbed off on me (laughs). I still work as an administrative assistant, but it’s really nice to switch things up - some days behind the desk, other days out in the fresh air.

Why was tree care training specifically chosen, which is a niche after all?

Jesse

The tree care course is really diverse and extensive. Extremely interesting. There is also a large section on soil science. We personally think it's very important to have that knowledge. And we also like to share that knowledge with our clients. When we visit people in their gardens and notice ‘problems’, we always think out loud and share our thoughts with them. We like to involve them in the whole process.

Evelyne

And Jesse is simply also very passionate about trees (laughs).

Are there certain trees you particularly like to use for your projects?

Jesse
Gosh, I don’t really think in terms of favourite trees. I always start with the client’s wishes, and then look closely at the soil - what species will actually thrive there? And I also consider the environment: not just whether it fits now, but whether it will still fit in ten years or more. That long-term view is important.

You mentioned landscaping - do you also design gardens?

Jesse
Not yet, no. But it’s definitely on our wish list. We’d love to take a course on garden design sometime soon (laughs).

Evelyne

For larger projects, we collaborate with a landscape architect. For smaller projects - like planting a hedge or espaliers - there’s usually no formal plan drawn up.

Jesse

We now focus exclusively on soft landscaping. We used to do hardscaping as well, but we found that it took up too much of our time. As a small company - and wanting to stay that way - we had to make a decision. In the end, it wasn’t really a difficult choice at all: we wholeheartedly chose green (laughs). It’s where our true passion lies.

We got in touch with you after seeing your post: "We too only work with quality products, including TerraCottem."
Thanks for that (wink)!
How did you first come across our soil conditioner?

Evelyne

Right from the very beginning. We actually discovered TerraCottem through social media as well. One of your posts caught our attention, and it inspired us to start looking into your products.

"We noticed that certain soils in our region really needed a boost - especially with so many sandy soils around here. So, we reached out to one of our suppliers, Disaghor, for more information. That’s how we found the perfect boost with TerraCottem (laughs).

Jesse

We're really at 2 extremes here. If you head towards Zonhoven / Hasselt, you'll encounter sandy soils. If you head towards Beringen / Koersel, you'll encounter more loamy and clay soils.

Which type of TerraCottem do you typically use?

Evelyne

We use both TerraCottem universal and TerraCottem arbor.

We actually see results very quickly after planting - trees and hedges establish themselves well and require significantly less water. That’s why we wholeheartedly recommend it to our clients.

Are your suppliers also a source of advice for you?

Evelyne

Absolutely. When we were just starting out, we got a lot of guidance from Jo Deville at Disaghor. He gave us great advice for specific situations. Over time, we’ve built up a lot of experience ourselves - through hands-on work and training. But we still keep in touch with Jo. There’s the occasional call or email (laughs).

Jesse

The most important source of knowledge for us is the soil sample. We always aim to take one - without exception - whether it's for planting or laying turf. If, for some reason, a customer chooses not to have a sample taken, we ask them to sign a waiver stating that we can't be held responsible if the plants don't thrive.

To what extent are you, as garden contractors, responsible for whether the plants in a garden thrive or not?

Jesse

There is always an initial guarantee - meaning that when we plant something, we guarantee it will successfully take root. However, if the customer refuses a soil sample, we cannot offer that guarantee.

We once had a case in Zonhoven where the soil was almost pure sand - no structure at all. We spotted the problem immediately, but the client still didn’t want a soil analysis. In that case, we had them sign a document acknowledging that the chances of success were minimal. But fortunately, this is quite exceptional. The lion's share of our customers goes along with our story of ‘measuring is knowing’.

What happens after the soil analysis? Is it difficult to convince clients to approve a specific intervention or soil improvement?

Evelyne

Jesse is really good at that (laughs). He explains very clearly why something is necessary and what the consequences would be if we didn’t take that action.

Jesse

Apart from a few clients, we can indeed convince everyone with the right explanation.

Do you have regular suppliers you rely on for your products?

Evelyne

Yes, we have two regular suppliers for plants: Boomkwekerij Mentens and Plantenkwekerij Kenens.

And we always buy our products from Disaghor.

You also sent us some beautiful photos of your projects - thank you for that! Could you tell us a bit more about them?

Evelyne

This is a client’s gorgeous garden, which we visit almost every week. It’s a really large garden - you’re only seeing a small part of it here (laughs). It’s such a pleasant environment for us to work in. The client is very open-minded and understands what’s best for his garden. We often have great conversations with him about the interventions we propose. And the garden itself is always kept in perfect condition.

Jesse

This part of the garden used to be very uneven. We manually levelled the entire area first and then laid the lawn - also completely by hand! There were a lot of valuable trees on the site, and the client was very keen to avoid any risk of damaging the roots with heavy machinery.

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Jesse

This is another example of an earlier, smaller project. Here, we planted a Prunus hedge, an evergreen shrub (Photinia, or Christmas berry), and some beautiful columnar trees.

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Evelyne

We carried out a complete reconstruction of the garden here, working on very sandy soil. The addition of TerraCottem made a huge difference and proved to be a real added value.

We worked very closely with the client throughout the process. When they later tell us they’re extremely satisfied and that the result matches exactly what they had envisioned, it’s incredibly rewarding.

In the front garden alone, we planted more than 500 plants! The planting plan was carefully designed so that something is always in bloom, ensuring a colourful, vibrant garden all year round.

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Jesse

This is one of the first gardens where we laid turf and also started to use TerraCottem.

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Jesse

This project was also a full garden reconstruction, once again on poor, sandy soil.

It was a garden that required quite a few compromises. The client had a limited budget and initially wanted to install artificial grass. However, that turned out to be unfeasible within the budget. We ultimately chose to go with turf instead.

We had an open and honest conversation with the client, explaining that some of their expectations weren’t realistic - not just due to budget constraints, but also because of the location and soil quality. In the end, we arrived at a beautiful result that struck the right balance between ambition and practicality.

This project illustrates how good communication and a collaborative approach can lead to solutions that work for everyone - respecting the client’s budget while still delivering a garden they can be proud of.

"We enjoy thinking along with our customers and finding solutions together".

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Really beautiful photos! I see a lot of variety - don't you have a particular style?

Jesse

No, not really. We work entirely based on the customer’s wishes. We enjoy creating a classical garden just as much as a modern one (laughs). Of course, we do pay close attention to the choice of plants. We always try to guide the customer a little, making sure the plants we select will truly thrive in their new environment.

We briefly mentioned social media earlier. Is that an important channel for you to reach new clients?

Evelyne

Most people find us through Google and Facebook. For example, they’ll search for something like "gardener Heusden-Zolder" and that's how they discover us.

Do you use any other channels to boost your visibility?

Evelyne

We tried some print advertising for a while, like placing ads on restaurant menus, but that didn’t really work for us.

The best advertising remains word-of-mouth - satisfied customers who recommend us to their friends and family.

Finally, any words for our readers? Why should they choose J&J Greenworx?

Evelyne

"With us, quality always comes before quantity".

We’re not the type to work "fast, fast" just to make quick money. We prefer to take our time and complete each garden with real care and quality. That way, the customer is truly satisfied - and we can take pride in the work we’ve done too.

Jesse

We also like to think long term. That’s why we take soil samples and invest in soil conditioners. A garden shouldn’t just look beautiful at the time of completion - it should continue to thrive and look its best for many years to come.

"Plants need to grow in an environment where they can truly thrive - and that’s something we care about deeply!"

Thank you, Evelyne and Jesse. Best of luck with your projects! I’m sure I’ll be seeing many more beautiful photos on your Facebook page.

More information about J&J GreenWorx?

TUINAANLEG & ONDERHOUD J&J GREENWORX
Voetpad 35
3550 Heusden-Zolder, Belgium

T: 0479/58.72.18 - 0479/54.54.99
E: jj.greenworx@gmail.com
W: www.jjgreenworx.be

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