JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021
GROUNDWORK A P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E L A N D S C A P E C O N T R A C T O R S A S S O C I A T I O N M D •D C •V A
Plant of the Month—Flowering Quince Debunking Common Aquatic Herbicide Misconceptions: Glyphosate Sustainable Design Don’t Let Downtime Get You Down LCA Member Walnut Hill Assists With White House Rose Garden Renovation
contents
January/February 2021 4
Calendar of Events
5
President’s Message
6
Plant of the Month—Flowering Quince
8
2020 Decade Award—Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America
10 Debunking Common Aquatic Herbicide Misconceptions: Glyphosate 13 Sustainable Design 16 Don’t Let Downtime Get You Down 19 LCA Member Walnut Hill Assists With White House Rose Garden Renovation 22 Advertising Information
Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America
Plant of the Month
Level Green Landscaping Commercial Maintenance
—DECADE AWARD—
Chaenomeles speciosa “Feature” and “Plant of the Month” articles can also be found online for LCA Members under the GROUNDWORK link in your Profile Home page at www.lcamddcva.org
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CALENDAR OF
2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Paul Jester—President J&G Landscape Design, Inc.—(301) 476-7600 Aaron Raines—Immediate Past President Live Green Landscape Associates, LLC —(443) 763-8580 Ron Rubin—Vice President SavATree—(703) 625-4400
FEBRUARY TBD
Pesticide Recertification Conference (See page 18 for more information.)
Online
DIRECTORS
SPRING TBD
Excellence in Landscape Awards Celebration Dinner
Jeff Rossen—Secretary/Treasurer JRossen Landscape—(703) 327-2284
Location TBD
Krisjan Berzins Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape—(703) 921-9200 Matt Glover, CLT Wray Brothers Landscapes—(301) 906-1571 Josh Kane, CLT Kane Landscapes, Inc.—(703) 803-3146 Zack Kline A.I.R.—(240) 772-1639 James Kole, CLT Level Green Landscaping—(240) 429-3153 Kristen Mowery McHale Landscape Design, Inc.—(240) 508-8056 Barry Schneider Surrounds, Inc.—(703) 906-7600 Jeff Waters SiteOne Landscape Supply—(240) 375-7470
LCA STAFF Thérèse O. Clemens, CAE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Julianne Clarke MEMBERSHIP SERVICES SPECIALIST Julie Hill SENIOR MARKETING DIRECTOR Meghan Maker MARKETING SPECIALIST Lynne Agoston MANAGING EDITOR Kiki Devane MARKETING AND MEETING COORDINATOR Maryia Alenchyk PRODUCTION MANAGER Barbara Bienkowski, CEM EXHIBITS/SPONSORSHIP MANAGER Lynette Randazzo MEETING MANAGER Dawn Rosenfeld DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING SERVICES Deryck White WEBSITE MANAGER G R O U N D W O R K , the official publication of the Landscape
Contractors Association, MD•DC•VA, is published bimonthly by LCA, 1300 Piccard Drive, Suite LL 14, Rockville, MD 20850. P: (301) 948-0810 F: (301) 990-9771 E: lca@lcamddcva.org W: www.lcamddcva.org. Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 am–5 pm (EST). LCA is not responsible for opinions expressed and facts presented by contributing authors. Editorial Deadline: The deadline to submit copy is the 20th of the month for the following bimonthly issue and is on a space– available basis. Advertising & Classifieds: All ads must be high-resolution PDF and pre‑paid. Contact Barbara Bienkowski at bbienkowski@msp-amc.com for more information and the deadline schedule. Copyright © 2021: Landscape Contractors Association, MD•DC•VA. Reproduction of any material allowed only with prior written permission from LCA. LCA’s core purpose is to advance the success of its members and provide a community for green industry professionals.
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President’s Message Happy New Year! Moving Beyond the Challenges of 2020 Paul Jester, PLA, ASLA 2021 President
Happy New Year! I’m sure many of you are thankful to say goodbye to 2020 and are looking forward to new opportunities in 2021. While we look back on this past year as one filled with uncertainty and unforeseen challenges, I hope that we can also reflect and remember it as a time where we were able to enjoy life differently, learn new things, and invest in ourselves. Investing in ourselves has a different meaning for each of us. For some people, it involved working out more, catching up on the latest books or TV shows, or even baking too much banana bread while being quarantined! The landscape and construction industry played an important role in the last year. We were thankful to be considered essential employees and continue working through these unique times. Encountering new challenges such as implementing new cleaning procedures, working with masks, and learning new ways to meet and provide services to our clients provided us opportunities to adapt and invest in ourselves and our companies.
LCA has also been hit with new challenges, but we are adapting and working hard to move forward and provide you with the continuing education and services you have come to expect. As in-person meetings became discouraged, LCA quickly adjusted to virtual formats and modified our schedule to continue providing education and services to everyone within our community. With these adjustments, we want to partner with every one of you to invest in yourself and your company to continue providing the best services possible. Taking the time to improve on your skills and what you can offer to the community will be one of the most profitable decisions you can make. By investing in the LCA, you are investing in yourself and your employees. Following is information on the upcoming Pesticide Recertification Conference:
•
2021 Pesticide and Fertilizer Applicator Recer tification Conference (February) Adapted for a v i r t ua l, ondemand training format, this is a great opportunity to learn new technologies and strategies while earning your CEUs.
I want to thank all our members for supporting and being involved with LCA. And a special thanks to our past president, Aaron Raines, who has guided us through unique challenges these past two years. I am excited to embrace my new role as LCA president and to work with so many dedicated professionals within the landscape industry. Please do not hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can provide for you. I look forward to meeting you all virtually, and hopefully one day in person at our upcoming events! Be safe,
Paul Jester, PLA, ASLA LCA President 2021
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Plant of the Month
Flowering Quince: The Perfect Little Flower By Emily McHale Pike, McHale Landscape Design, Inc.
Chaenomeles speciosa
For most, forsythia blooming is always a perfect sign that spring is on its way. But for me, there is a very underrated dainty flower that catches my eye every time. Chaenomeles speciosa (aka flowering quince) is a beautiful shrub that produces lovely blooms on bare wood in early spring. The flowers come in an array of pink, red, white, and peach. My favorite variety is ‘Cameo,’ which produces beautiful peach flowers. They remind me of what you would describe as a “perfect” flower. Once the flowers fade, the shrub leafs out and produces a fragrant, yellow-green miniature Asian pear. The production of this fruit should not be confused with the fruit the Cydonia oblonga, which is the quince tree. The fruits produced by the quince tree are edible and are used to make jams and jellies.
from high-traffic areas because of its thorns. It can gross quite large and can easily grow to 10 feet tall by 10 feet wide. They are best used as a hedge but can also be found as espaliers. As a fun side note, flowering quince was traditionally used in Japan as Bonsai. This shrub is hardy in Zones 4–9 and will grow in full to partial sun, making it quite versatile. Typically, this plant can go without pruning or much attention at all. It is only when it starts to get “knotty” looking that it should be pruned and thinned by removing dead or weak branches. Overall, this shrub is an attractive early season bloomer that doesn’t get enough attention. So be sure to look out for those “perfect” little flowers just around the same time the forsythia blooms.
As far as the growth habit, flowering quince is best planted away GROUNDWORK 6 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1
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2020 Decade Award
Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America Level Green Landscaping
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The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land is a unique public garden located in Northeast Washington, D.C. For over 100 years this garden has provided a space for peaceful reflection and prayer. Most of the original design elements from the gardens earliest days are still in place. Under our care over the last 11 years, the gardens have been restored and transformed into a unique respite. The property is staffed with a full-time gardener. His efforts are augmented by maintenance and enhancement crews, depending on the task. Each year the gardens are plated with over 10,000 tulips and 8,000 summer annuals. GROUNDWORK 9 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1
Debunking Common Aquatic Herbicide Misconceptions: Glyphosate By Shannon Junior, Aquatic Ecologist and Senior Business Development Consultant, SOLitude Lake Management One of the most common questions asked by clients is whether the products that we use to control aquatic weeds and algae in their waterbodies are “safe.” These concerns have become considerably more widespread in light of the recent controversies surrounding the herbicide glyphosate. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation that is circulating, making it difficult to discern the difference between public outcry and peer-reviewed scientific data. Gly phosate is the most w idely used herbicide in history. It is a broad-spectrum product that is used worldwide to control weeds
in agricultural, turf, ornamental, and aquatic environments. The gly phosate controversy gained momentum in 2015 when the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an arm of the World Health Organization, classified it as a probable carcinogen after reviewing public studies. And in recent years, a series of multi-million-dollar verdicts have been awarded by California juries to people who have successfully argued that glyphosate caused their cancer. However, after further review uncovered deficiencies in the validity of the findings, two of the studies used as evidence in the trials have now been retracted by the journals in which they were published. After reviewing all of the available studies and information, in 2017 t he U. S . Environment a l P rote c t ion A g e n c y ( E PA ) concluded that “g ly pho s ate i s not likely to be carcinogenic to huma ns... (and there are) no other meaningful risks to hu m a n he a lt h
Boat application.
when the product is used according to the pesticide label.” This conclusion is widely shared by other global regulatory and research agencies. A not her m i sconcept ion about glyphosate is that it kills frogs, which would be extremely concerning for aquatic uses if it were true. However, there is only one study that has been cited by opposition groups to this use pattern, and it was done using a glyphosate formulation that was not approved for aquatic use and should never be used in aquatic environments. The only glyphosate products used in SOLitude’s management programs are specially formulated or tank-mixed with an appropriate surfactant that is completely safe for aquatic organisms.
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Debunking Common Aquatic Herbicide Misconceptions: Glyphosate continued Most of us in the lake and pond management industry have chosen our profession because we are passionate about water resources and we strive to provide the most environmentally sustainable aquatic weed treatment and water quality management solutions available. While chemical algaecides and herbicides are important tools in our management toolbox, the best approach to achieving a healthy waterbody is through an integrated Annual Management Plan. However, if your lake or pond is already suffering from an overgrowth of aquatic weeds or shoreline vegetation, the appropriate algaecides and herbicides can help get your waterbody back to square one. When applied by experienced professionals, licensed and approved chemical products are safe and effective management solutions that can help regain control of your lake or pond so that proactive solutions can be implemented.
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Sustainable Design By Bruce Zaretsky, Zaretsky and Associates, Inc.
Sustainability. The newest buzzword or a reality-based concept? Every year, there’s a new trend. One year it’s the year of the water feature. The next, it’s container gardens. Recently, all the talk has been about backyard kitchens. These fads come and go. There are so many new ideas emerging every year that it’s sometimes hard to keep up with them. Some ideas deservedly run their course. Others hang on for longer periods of time. And mixed in with all of these ideas is this little concept: sustainability. Sustainability. What is it? Is it the real thing? Or is it just a fad? Should you get on this bandwagon? Is it going to increase your bottom line?
Is it the latest and greatest thing to “sell” to your clients?
Sustainability in design and in our daily lives means simply that we do our very best to conserve resources and minimize waste. This means that we do things as simple as turning off the water when we brush our teeth. And as complex as designing everything, from gardens to office buildings, in as a “green” way as possible.
products, water use, hauling distances and the like. Everything we do in my design/build practice revolves around not only our clients’ desires and the site conditions, but also how we approach the site in regards to conserving resources. We need to consider ourselves stewards of the earth, and if landscape designers aren’t stewards of the earth, then who else is? We are, almost by definition, required to preserve our planet; after all, we purport to be the ones beautifying it. Let’s look at a few simple processes that we can implement in order to live up to our billing.
How do we do that? Well, we need to consider all aspects of our designs and installations. Look at waste
If you are installers, take a quick look at your disposal costs for the last year. How many dumpsters did
It should be. It should be the core tenet of everything we do as designers and installers.
We created a meadow-like feel along the front of busy hospital and roadway using native perennials and shrubs for a virtually no-maintenance but high impact landscape.
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Sustainable Design continued you fill with debris to be hauled off to the local landfill? How much of that debris could have been salvaged or reused on site, or on another project? Do you reuse scrap lumber and brick? Do you recycle your paper waste from your office? I’m not suggesting that you design every project to use your leftover materials. But I am suggesting that you think about what you are going to do with your leftover materials and how you design a site in the first place. We are almost too quick to “play God,” wiping out an entire site so that we can fulfill our “vision” for what the site should be. We rip out walls and shrubs and pools and regrade the land and haul in stone from distant shores and in the process fill dumpsters and landfills with thousands of tons of “waste” material a year and pay exorbitant shipping costs. Think about a new use for some or all of that waste. As an example, we recently worked with a client who had us remove an old patio and retaining wall. The debris from this project, which is not all that large, would have filled a thirty-yard dumpster. The retaining wall consisted of hundreds of old rotted pressure-treated timbers which cannot be reused (unfortunately, these do go to the dump). The original patio was installed about fifteen years ago using two-foot-bytwo-foot concrete slabs with scores in them to make them look like pavers. There were 250 of these slabs which, stacked up, would have taken up about six yards of that dumpster. But, aside from the fact that they were not visually desirable and a bit worn, they were perfectly usable for things such as a floor for garbage cans or firewood storage. What I told my client was that we were going to
Sourcing stone from a local quarry can cut down on trucking expenses while still creating very cool features. While the use of a large loader such as this one obviously does impact cost and environmental concerns, not all of our work involves stones as large as these ten-ton beauties.
place these slabs on pallets by the road with a “free” sign on them. One thing that humans love is the word “free”. I predicted that these will be gone by the time we finished the project, and they were. And it’s a great way to recycle an unwanted product. Now think about this for a minute. Not only do we save the cost of dumping these in a landfill, but also the hauling costs, the fuel usage and the wear-and-tear on the vehicles doing the hauling. It’s a winwin-win situation for the client, the hauler (the dumpster company) and the earth (not to mention the people who got their free slabs). And all it took was a simple thought: can these be reused? The single biggest ecological concern at the moment is water. Do we have enough? Is it drinkable? Where are we going to get more? If you live in the northern part of the country, this probably isn’t your largest concern. After all, the Great Lakes supply much of the water used in the upper Midwest and Northeast. But what if you live in the South?
Especially the Southwest? Where is your water going to come from? There has been discussion about buying water from the Great Lakes to supply the Southwest, but the chance of this happening is pretty small. So what’s the solution? Well, let’s start with designing a little smarter. Let’s design plantings that will live in the region in which they are planted with little care, or water. Let’s stop designing lush green lawns in the middle of the desert. Tell your transplanted northeastern-bred clients that they can’t have a lawn in Arizona. I know, they’re paying the bill, so they should get what they want. Here’s a thought: educate them instead. Instead of yessing them to death, teach them the ramifications of their decisions. A Dallas friend who is a garden designer sent us an article from a Dallas newspaper that listed the largest users of water in the area. Who do you think it was? A large corporate campus with acres of lawn? No, it was a residential user who put a million gallons of water on his lawn per month to keep it green. In his mind he thought “well, I can
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Sustainable Design continued afford it, so why not?” We should be saying to him: “Why?” It’s insane to dump millions of gallons of water on a lawn. We need to preserve water. And there are ways. Think about simple solutions, such as putting rain barrels under your clients’ downspouts. Catch some of that rainwater before it runs off into pipes taking to the local stream or river. The less water you put into the municipal system, the less overtaxed it is. And this is important in larger rainfalls, as municipal water treatment systems become overloaded, they literally “open the gates” allowing the storm runoff mixed with raw sewage run into our waterways. (These are combined sewer systems, and most larger cities and municipalities have them.) If we can lessen the rainfall impact into the system, we lessen the impact on our natural waterways. Your client can use that captured water to give to their containers and
other plantings when it gets dry. Are they not inclined to do that? Put a small pump in the container and a moisture-sensor in the garden. The barrel can then be used to automatically water the garden when things get dry. Another thing to think about are the materials you use on your site. Is it of the utmost importance that you use a stone imported from Asia? Are there any local stones available that would fit the design? One of the requirements for LEED certification of buildings is that a certain percentage of building materials come from less than 500 miles away. This lessens the impact of hauling, minimizes fuel use, wear-and-tear, and road damage costs. It’s a great idea. I have been guilty of bringing in materials from other areas because I didn’t think my local stone would work for a particular design. But, even though my two main stone suppliers are less than 400 miles away, I
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am thinking more in terms of using locally quarried stone. It not only fits the sustainability bill, but also lessens cost for our clients, which is never a bad concept. We landscape designers, installers and architects are stewards of the land. We shape the earth to benefit our clients. We design spaces of tranquility and excitement and beauty and practical use. We need to shape the earth to the benefit of the earth as well. We need to be the leaders of sustainable design. I suggest that we all educate ourselves fully in the practice of preserving our planet’s resources. It’s the only one we have at the moment and it’s us who can preserve it. This article first appeared in the Landsculptor® Magazine (Feb. 2020), a publication of the Michigan Green Industry Association.
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Order THE PRINT VERSION Online Today: www.lcamddcva.org GROUNDWORK 15 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1
Don’t Let Downtime Get You Down By Mike Zawacki
Snow and Ice Report – Workforce Training
the way to the guys managing clients’ sites.”
Whether in between snow events or during an unseasonable winter, training is an excellent activity to engage your workforce and strengthen your snow ops.
For example, if a client approaches a Sauers’ employee with a question, to request additional service or has an issue that needs to be addressed, then they need to be educated on not only the appropriate response, but what the next step in the process is, Kelley says.
Professional snow and ice managers can use any downtime to engage in ongoing professional development, and workforce training is an effective means of strengthening and improving an operation. Zack Kelley, director of operations at Sauers Snow & Ice Management, a snow-only firm based in Philadelphia, suggests organizing training into three specific buckets—operations, including day-to-day tasks; risk management, which encompasses not only legal issues, but first-aid training; and culture building, which includes team building and improvement, as well as leadership. “During any sort of downtime, polishing up on each of these three areas is a good use of a contractor’s time,” Kelley says.
Operations
This is Sauers’ biggest training bucket and includes a number of di fferent subcategories, Kel ley explains. “And the biggest thing we’re focusing on is client communication,” he says. “And that goes for the guys shoveling the sidewalks all
Every employee must have a working and thorough knowledge of not only how to communicate with clients about snow and ice management questions, but then how to communicate theses concerns and requests internally with Sauers’ management team. Kelley adds communication can be a very deep training topic. For example, how many managers know how to write a well-thought-out email, he asks. “You want to be professional and you want to be concise,” Kelley says. “Your team must communicate the right details. And professionalism is a big point we’re trying to drive home this year. Phone calls and texts … our snow managers run into all of those scenarios throughout a snowstorm, whereas some clients prefer an email, some prefer text, and others want a phone call. So, we try to train for all of those (scenarios).”
In addition, Sauers trains its employees on the ANSI Industry Standards for Snow and Ice Management, available through their affiliation with the Accredited Snow Contractors Association. “We’ll literally go through the Industry Standards with our people line by line,” he says. “The way we do training with our snow managers is weekly, so we’ll cover a few ANSI standards every week as a refresher, and we’ll incorporate photos and videos as examples to reinforce the ANSI standards.” And if there’s additional downtime, Kelley says Sauers ensures its snow managers complete ASCA-C training. “We won’t typically do this in the fall because it’s a crazy time for us getting ready for winter,” he says. “But when it doesn’t snow, we typically have our guys engaged in the ASCA-C training during that time. We feel it’s very beneficial. And frankly, it’s already premade so we don’t have to remake it if it’s already out there.”
Risk management
As the industry gets more litigious, snow contractors must seek out ways to protect themselves. Sauers addresses this issue at both a high level and at the operational level so even the guys on the frontlines shoveling know how to mitigate slip-andfall conditions, Kelley says
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COVID Alert This year, Sauers Snow and Ice Management has included CDC best practices as part of its training regimen to ensure its winter workforce is educated on the COVID-19 pandemic’s everchanging details. “We’ve included COVID training as a big portion of our training,” he says. “While our market may be in the green phase right now, we’re still teaching best practices as if we were still in the yellow phase to ensure that everyone stays safe. “We’re a very professional organization in our region and we want to make sure we portray that in all aspects of our business,” Kelley says.
“We talk about the importance of documentation and making sure they have the correct weather conditions down and they’re prepared for anything,” he says. “We must limit risk, and we feel this starts with the guys in the field. And over the last couple of years we’ve caught more things this way because our ground crews have any eye out for these details.” Risk mitigation also includes firstaid training, Kelley says, and they stress the importance of being well prepared. “We teach CPR and basic first-aid skills,” he adds.
Part of building a strong culture involves gaining an understanding of what they can do better as a team and as individuals. To achieve this, Sauers reviews every single employee and service provider. “We want them to know the chain of command and who their managers are because if they have an issue it can be addressed immediately,” Kelley says. In addition to individual assessments, the Sauers team seeks to gain a clear understanding of how their clients view their performance. “Since last year was a down year for us for snow, we beefed up our surveying process to gain better client feedback,” Kelley says.
Culture
“So, we survey all of our clients and all of our service providers and all of our employees after every single snow event … regardless if it’s just a salting event or a 6-8 inch storm.
“It’s made a huge difference in how we work and how people view us,” Kelley says.
Everyone receives a survey on their phone the next day that asks them to grade their manager, their response time, etc.”
The team at Sauers Snow & Ice has focused on building a productive corporate culture over the last two or three years.
“And it’s certainly something that can be worked on and implemented during season downtimes.”
“For example, all of our subs at the end of the year are graded on a scale from 0 to 100 on how they did,” Kelley says. “That grade is based on their communication, the documentation and app usage, their operational skills, were they on time and followed through on the scope of work … this all goes to computing a grade at the end of the year.” With clients, the Sauers’ team recognizes property managers don’t have the time to fill out extensive survey questionnaires. So, instead, they field a single question to clients: Rate us on a scale of 1-10. “If they respond with a seven or below, it automatically triggers a follow-up question that asks: We realize we could have done a better job with the storm, what areas specifically did you have an issue? These responses go to me and to the regional manager for that property and our goal is to address these issues within 24 hours,” he says. Reprinted with permission from Lawn & Landscape magazine, October 2020.
The survey has proven an effective way to highlight service issues.
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Registration Is Now Open! Weather, social distancing, travel time, and parking headaches no longer pose difficulties! Learn ONLINE from your home or office. Preserve winter snow removal work opportunities, and complete your certification at your own pace and in time for spring. Take advantage of the best opportunity to gain everything you need to know from the experts. www.lcamddcvaeducation.org Aquatics—Water Quality Kelly Billing, Aquatic Plant Specialist This session will offer practical alternatives to chemical controls for the improvement of water quality in ponds, lakes, and stormwater basins. From aeration to shoreline erosion and floating wetlands, to nutrient management—it's denitrification through beautification.
Blasted Insects for 2021 Stanton Gill, UMD Extension See what our field research has come up with when dealing with established pests and new invasive pests in the landscape.
Nutrient Management Stanton Gill, UMD Extension A good balance is so important for nutrient management. Turf managers primarily focus on the nitrogen, phosphate, and potash the turf needs. But there are other concerns that should be addressed. This presentation will help those who manage turf to determine if other nutrients are needed.
Common Yet Difficult Landscape Weeds!! Hanna Mathers, Ohio State University New research to find successful weed controls in landscape beds will be discussed, along with weed traits that increase their difficulty and are used for their identification. Fourteen common but challenging weeds from six prominent families will be presented with controls.
Landscape Diseases—A 2020 Recap Dave Clement, UMD Extension Karen Rane, UMD Extension Spots, blights, wilts, and root rots—trees and shrubs suffered from several diseases in 2020. Learn how to recognize and deal with these common and not-so-common diseases and what to expect in 2021.
New Herbicides and New Uses Hanna Mathers, Ohio State University There are several new herbicides that have been released in the landscape market over the past 10 years. However, few landscapers are taking advantage of the increased control and reduced injury provided by them. Five new granular formulations and one new liquid combination from recent MI Specialty Crop Block Grant research will be discussed. Additionally, we will cover new ways of using these products and where they fit best in your weed control program.
Right-of-Way Applications Stanton Gill, UMD Extension Pesticide application in right of ways requires care with regard to products selected and methods used. This seminar will discuss the latest information on application methods and chemicals. Discussion will include preventing overapplication of chemicals that will cause large areas of no soil cover, leading to potential erosion. A review of the region’s approved chemicals will be included.
The Cicadas Are Coming! Michael J. Raupp, Ph.D., UMD Time to get prepared for trillions of periodical cicadas that will appear in May 2021 in the mid-Atlantic region. Find out what to expect in terms of timing, biology, injury they will cause, and management. The arrival of these insects can be disturbing. Learn key steps to take to cut down on the hysteria.
Diseases of Tall Fescue: 2020 and Beyond Richard J. Buckley, Rutgers University Tall fescue is routinely recommended for lawn and landscape turf in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast due to its heat and drought tolerance, insect and disease resistance, and need for less fertilizer and irrigation than other cool-season species. Every silver lining has a touch of gray, however, and tall fescue has a disease Achilles heel that was exposed during the hot, wet summer of 2020. This 60-minute lecture covers the three key diseases of tall fescue in a lawn care setting. Proper identification and control, including all cultural, chemical, and biological options within the context of proper IPM practice, will be discussed.
Update on Fertilizer Applicator Requirements for Maryland Judy McGowan, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Nutrient Management Program
Update on Fertilizer Applicator Requirements and General Updates From D.C. Alvin Harris, District of Columbia Department of the Environment
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LCA Member Walnut Hill Assists With White House Rose Garden Renovation LCA interview with Michael Prokopchak, president of Walnut Hill Landscape
LCA member Wa l nut H i l l was enlisted to help with the recent renovation of the White House Rose Garden. The plan will provide a renewal of the design first implemented by Rachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon during the Kennedy Administration, which has been the guiding blueprint for the Rose Garden since that installation in 1962. Decades of use and necessary changes made to support the modern presidency have taken a toll on the garden and have made it more difficult to appreciate the elegant symmetry of the Mellon plan.
The refreshment of the Rose Garden will return it to its original ‘62 footprint and help ensure it will thrive with improved infrastructure, better drainage, and a healthier environment for plantings that reduce the risk of leaf blight. In addition, the plans include improved Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility, utilities, and support for audiovisual and broadcasting needs that will allow for the continued enjoyment of the garden’s natural beauty and storied history.
The plan for renewal went through the approval process of the Committee for the Preservation of the White House and aligned with the recommendations of its subcommittee, the Committee for the Preservation of the White House Gardens. The project is supported by the National Park Service, which has cared for the White House and its grounds since 1933, and is funded with private donations.
The progress of the historic restoration to the Rose Garden as seen Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Daysa Corrington)
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LCA Member Walnut Hill Assists With White House Rose Garden Renovation continued LCA interviewed Michael Prokopchak, president of Walnut Hill Landscape, about the details of the project.
How did you get involved with the rose garden renovation? We were brought onto the project through Oehme, van Sweden, the DC-based landscape architecture firm commissioned for the design of the Rose Garden. We have a strong working relationship with OvS, and been fortunate to have worked with them on a number of projects. Through our collaborations, they are familiar with our philosophy of “Whatever it takes” and were confident in our ability to successfully handle a project of this stature. Did you have any input designwise or were you just responsible for the installation aspect? For this particular project, we were hired to complete the installation using the design and specifications established by Oehme, van Sweden in conjunction with landscape architect Perry Guillot. Walnut Hill Landscape’s impact on the aesthetics of final design derived from our responsibility to provide attractive, premium-quality plant and landscape materials, installing them to the highest industry standards. This ensures that the beauty of the design is fully realized, and that the Rose Garden will thrive for many years. How did you balance renovating the space while preserving some of the historic aspects? The White House is obviously not a typical site. It belongs to the American people, which confers a certain responsibility. We took that responsibility very seriously. We carefully preserved any plant material that we were able to. The corner pieces of
the Rose Garden, both literally and figuratively, are the majestic Saucer Magnolias that were planted as part of Bunny Mellon’s original 1961 design. At the start of construction, these are the only part of the original installation that remained and, as such, were treated with the reverence they deserve. Their sculptural beauty is highlighted in the final design, and they really have been able to shine. Prior to the renovation, there were only 12 rose bushes remaining in the Rose Garden. After completion of the renovation, there are over 250. The 12 existing crab apple trees were transplanted to another location on the grounds of the White House, as these trees were shading the roses. One thing many people may not realize is that the 2020 renovation restored many aspects to Ms. Mellon’s plan for JFK that had been lost over the years. Oehme, van Sweden did many hours of historical research, including interviews with individuals who were responsible for the 1961 installation, to honor the space.
How long did the project take? Our portion of the project took roughly three weeks from start to finish which, as you can imagine, is a pretty tight timeframe for a project of this complexity and magnitude. What was the biggest challenge of the installation? The biggest challenge was probably juggling the many moving parts of the installation. At one point there were at least nine different companies working on the site, all with their own piece of the puzzle to complete. As you can imagine, it required some careful choreography to allow each team to successfully complete their portion without stepping on the feet of the others while working in the same space. What specific plants were used in the design? When we first encountered the site, we found that many of the existing boxwoods were infected with boxwood blight, which is a serious fungal disease leading to rapid defoliation (loss of leaves) and dieback of the
White House Grounds Superintendent Dale Haney prunes rose bushes during the historic restoration of the Rose Garden Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
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LCA Member Walnut Hill Assists With White House Rose Garden Renovation continued
The completion of historic restoration to the Rose Garden as seen Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
plants. If you look carefully at photos prior to the renovation, you will see brown areas and gaps along the hedge rows. For this reason, the blight-resistant variety NewGen Independence (Buxus NewGen Independence®) was chosen for the predominant portion of the design. A selection of hybrid tea-roses was installed, including JFK roses, Peace Roses, Mr. Lincoln, and Queen Elizabeth. An existing, historic Pope John Paul II rose was preserved in situ. Screen rows of Holly Osmanthus (Osmanthus heterophyllus) were planted, with Vinca (Vinca minor) and Dwarf Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) used as groundcovers. In addition, a rotating selection of seasonally appropriate annuals and perennials will provide changing color and texture to the space. The initial seasonal planting consisted of white Cleome (Cleome hassleriana), Agastache (Agastache x ‘Blue Fortune’) and Wax Begonia (Begonia x hybrida).
Is it true pollinator-friendly varieties were selected? Any plant that flowers will attract pollinators, and the Rose Garden is full of flowering trees, shrubs, and plants. As you walk through the garden, you will see all manner of happily buzzing pollinators going about their important work. Was it hard to source any of these plants? Some of the roses are classic heirloom varieties and not readily available in commercial quantities. We searched and were able to source them from nurseries across multiple states with the help of Perry Guilot. In some cases, all that could procured were smaller plants than were needed, so we needed to cultivate and nurture them under ideal conditions for six weeks prior to installation to get them ready for their big reveal.
What hardscaping and lighting was involved? Limestone walkways were added around the perimeter of the lawn panel, and the existing flagstone walkways were replaced with limestone as well. Low-voltage lighting was added in the entire garden. What can people expect the rose garden to look like come spring? Come spring, the historic Saucer Magnolias will be putting on their yearly show of magenta pink blossoms, which is breathtaking. The neatly-trimmed boxwood lattice will have a flush of brilliant, fresh green growth. The roses will have matured and filled out, and will be covered in buds, preparing to put on a show of their own. The National Park Service, who take great pride in caring for our Rose Garden, will have planted a vibrant display of spring bulbs. It will be beautiful.
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