May/June 2021 LCA Groundwork

MAY/JUNE 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—Echinacea purpurea Upland, Wetland, and Aquatic Plants Every Turf Manager Should Know About Social Media: Connecting With Clients Making Injury Prevention a Higher Priority

contents

May/June 2021 4

Calendar of Events

5

President’s Message

6

Plant of the Month—Echinacea purpurea

10 2020 Grand Award—A McLean Residence 12 Upland, Wetland, and Aquatic Plants Every Turf Manager Should Know About 18 Social Media: Connecting With Clients 22 Making Injury Prevention a Higher Priority 26 Advertising Information

A McLean Residence

Plant of the Month

Planted Earth Landscaping Inc. Residential Maintenance

—GRAND AWARD— Echinacea purpurea “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

MAY

Jeff Rossen—Secretary/Treasurer JRossen Landscape—(703) 327-2284

17

Excellence in Landscape Awards Submission Opens

18

2020 Excellence in Landscape Awards Virtual Celebration

AUGUST 16

DIRECTORS Krisjan Berzins Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape—(703) 921-9200 Matt Glover, CLT Wray Brothers Landscapes—(301) 906-1571

Excellence in Landscape Awards Submission Closes

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

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Contractors Association, MD•DC•VA, is published bimonthly by LCA, 1300 Piccard Drive, Suite LL 14, Rockville, MD 20850.

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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.

President’s Message

Brood X…Like Clockwork Paul Jester, PLA, ASLA 2021 President

2004…George W. Bush was in office, Toby Maguire was Spiderman, and the Summer Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, where U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps won six gold medals, setting a record for the most medals won at a single Olympic Games (eight total!). But as landscapers, a few weeks are ingrained in our memory—the emergence of the Brood X cicadas. Every 17 years…like clockwork.

One of the first naturalists to observe and document the 17-year cicadas was Benjamin Banneker.

A Maryland native, he is mostly remembered for helping to survey the District of Columbia and set the original boundaries of the nation’s new capital in 1791. In addition to this, he spent much of his life exploring mathematics, time, and nature.

This included the Brood X emergence in 1749, 1766, 1783, and 1800. His observations and documentation initiated an understanding of the Brood X lifecycle, and we have continued to learn even more over the years.

While our Virtual Pesticide Recertification was a great success this year, it is hard to prepare for the periodical cicada emergence. At some point this spring, the Brood X cicadas will have tunneled out of their long

dormancy and invaded the Northeastern parts of the United States.

They have emerged to set up a temporary home in our landscapes. Once emerged, they will create one of the noisiest displays of public affection while mating. While not harmful to humans, they can be quite annoying to be around. But don’t worry, they will only be here for four to six weeks. After that, they will disappear after laying their eggs. The newly hatched insects will drop off the trees and burrow underground for another 17 years. And the cycle repeats in 2038…like clockwork.

While we cannot predict where each of us will be in 2038, I know that we are all trying to provide the best service for our customers in 2021. Many companies have been overwhelmed with work due to the increased interest in outdoor living spaces as we continue to adapt with changing COVID restrictions. LCA continues to explore educational opportunities, and we are looking forward to providing new options for the association in the coming months, including a rebooted version of the CLT training! We are excited to share these opportunities with you in the coming months and look forward to providing a safe and professional community for all our members.

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As always, I want to thank all of you for supporting this organization and being involved with LCA. We are excited to support you in your goals and look forward to providing educational and informative sessions for many years to come…like clockwork.

Be safe,

Paul Jester, PLA, ASLA LCA President 2021

Plant of the Month

Echinacea purpurea— A Show of Color

By Amanda Binning, Designer, Ruppert Landscape

Meadow application of Echinacea purpurea.

Echinacea purpurea, commonly called purple coneflower, is a popular perennial being highlighted this month for its versatility in the landscape. Coneflower is traditionally known for its long-lasting flower with bold lavender petals and textured central disk. Echinacea purpurea is native to the eastern region of the United States and benefits local wildlife. This perennial can be seen in varying applications, from natural meadows to formal urban planting beds. Echinacea can easily be found in nurseries and is offered in a growing variety of color and height options. The expanding options with echinacea create opportunities for more unique planting combinations with other commonly used perennials and shrubs.

Echinacea purpurea is extremely easy to grow from any size. In meadow applications, it can be incorporated in a seed mix and successfully show within the first growing season. It can easily be installed as a landscape plug with little maintenance, which can be cost-effective for larger planting installations. In a natural planting, taller coneflowers like Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’ will reach heights of 3’. These make a great pairing with native grasses like little bluestem and Shenandoah switchgrass, along with other native perennials like rudbeckia. Coneflower is sun loving, and its ability to tolerate partial shade gives it the opportunity to be used in areas around tree canopies and incorporated along the edges of wood lines.

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Coneflower with butterfly in late October.

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Plant of the Month continued In formal plantings, using massings of coneflower in sunny areas will promote the most successful flowers and growth. Echinacea can be eye catching for planting beds along walkways or building entrances that have a lot of pedestrian circulation. Some of the shorter varieties of coneflower, such as Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Knee High’ or any of the echinacea butterfly series will finish off around 18” and can be used to create a layered effect in front of taller perennials and shrubs. Kim’s Knee High offers a rosy-pink flower, while the echinacea butterfly series has flower options that come in pink as well as a vibrant orange or a sunny yellow.

These dwarf varieties pair great with perennials that have contrasting flowers and foliage shapes, like Baptisia and Hemerocallis. Cheyanne Spirit Coneflower is a favorite that comes in a mix of pinks, yellows, and oranges, and planting in a massing is a great way to incorporate a lot of color with just a single variety. This

multicolored coneflower can really pop against an evergreen hedge, such as boxwoods or hollies.

In ornamental gardens, where the planting application can be a little looser and whimsical, echinacea can help add texture against very fine grasses and more delicate perennials.

A combination of Echinacea purpurea ‘Powwow Wild Berry’ and Mexican Feather Reed create a soft look with a bold purple color. The Powwow Wild Berry Coneflower reaches heights between 20” and 24” and will continually flower from late spring to late summer. This coneflower would also blend nicely with orange flowers like Asclepias tuberosa or a blue flowering salvia.

Coneflower is a great perennial to use and maintain on any style property, and its unique leaf and recognizable flower make it easy to identify from weeds. Once flowers start to bloom, coneflowers can continue to produce

Residential application of Echinacea Cheyanne Spirit.

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multiple flowers on a single stem.

Deadheading this perennial is not necessary but can be done to achieve a consistent cleaner look. Leaving the flower heads through the fall and winter can provide seeds and food for native birds like cardinals and goldfinches. Other wildlife, such as butterflies, visit coneflower during the summer months for its sweet nectar.

Due to its textured foliage, coneflower tends to be more deer resistant then other perennials. Healthy echinacea groupings can typically be divided and transplanted every two or three years.

Echinacea has proven to be a reliable perennial that can easily add interest to any landscape. Its increasing availability and options in nurseries reflect its success and versatile use.

No matter what planting application you are installing or maintaining, if you are looking for that pop of color this summer, adding a few coneflowers can make all the difference.

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2020 Grand Award

A McLean Residence Planted Earth Landscaping Inc.

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This is a home situated in the woods in McLean, Virginia. The client has some specific expectations as to how the property should be maintained. Symmetry is important to the client, without being too stuffy. They want to see color, but it shouldn’t be overpowering. They want an aesthetically pleasing landscape that is also functional enough for their kids have space to run around. We work closely with the client to ensure all these needs are met, while keeping their garden in top shape. Maintaining things in a manner that allows the various plantings in their natural form is important to both us and the client.

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Upland, Wetland, and Aquatic Plants Every Turf Manager Should Know About David Riedl, SOLitude Lake Management Not only are turf managers responsible for the land, but quite often they are also tasked with overseeing the maintenance of the waterbodies on the property. Pond maintenance, in combination with turf management, opens the door to a plethora of issues most turf managers might not know how to address. However, simply knowing how to identify a few types of aquatic vegetation within a waterbody can help turf managers maintain a healthy property.

Shoreline Vegetation

The first type of vegetation turf managers should be aware of is shoreline vegetation. A few notable examples can cause stress to turf managers.

Cattails (Typha sp.) grow in shallow areas and can block inflow and outflow points, ultimately increasing potential for flooding. Creeping Water Primrose (Ludwigia peploides, CWP) can be very aggressive and, if left unchecked, can quickly cover an entire pond in one season. Phragmites (Phragmites australis) is one

Shoreline restoration solutions.

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of the most aggressive and invasive plants. It can quickly grow over 15 feet tall, shading out any native vegetation.

Floating Vegetation

When it comes to aquatic vegetation, turf managers should be aware of both floating and submersed lake weeds. Floating weeds, such as duckweed (Lemna sp.) and watermeal (Wolffia sp.), often get confused with algae but are actually small plants floating on the surface of the water.

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Upland, Wetland, and Aquatic Plants Every Turf Manager Should Know About continued

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PeUpland, Wetland, and Aquatic Plants Every Turf Manager Should Know About continued

Scenic waterbody.

Golf course pond.

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PeUpland, Wetland, and Aquatic Plants Every Turf Manager Should Know About continued Duckweed and watermeal often grow in slow- moving and nutrient-rich waterbodies, such as old farm ponds or golf course ponds that are next to frequently fertilized turf areas.

While often mistaken for algae, management strategies for these types of floating weeds are very different.

Submersed Vegetation

A prime example of a problematic submersed weed is Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata). A couple of easy ways to identify Hydrilla are by its bushy appearance and, if studied closely, the edges of the leaves, which are serrated. Hydrilla can resemble other beneficial types of submersed vegetation as well, so it’s important to consult a professional who can correctly identify the plant and recommend the appropriate treatment strategy.

David Riedl is an environmental scientist at SOLitude Lake Management who is dedicated to revitalizing the natural environment.

He has extensive experience managing aquatic ecosystems through the use of sustainable solutions, including nutrient remediation, aeration, biological bacteria, sediment removal, erosion control, and other preventative measures.

Turf managers have a broad spectrum of duties, and being tasked with water management can be overwhelming. Knowing how to identify a few basic types of vegetation can go a long way in keeping waterrelated issues at bay and relieving extra stress on the job. The control techniques used for these weeds is not “cookie- cutter,” however, and each management plan should be unique based on a variety of considerations and variables. That is why it is always recommended to work with a professional lake and pond manager when combating nuisance or invasive upland, wetland, or aquatic vegetation. And, ultimately, the best solution for long-term control is a proactive and ongoing aquatic management plan.

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Social Media: Connecting With Clients

By Nina A. Koziol

Love it or hate it, social media is a tool your company needs. But what should your firm use and why?

What’s the best way to engage current and potential clients and is there one best way to do that?

like Tumblr, Spotify, Foursquare, and Pinterest entered the arena, and today, there’s a wide variety of social networking sites, including Houzz, SnapChat, Reddit, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and others.

Mer r ia m-Webster’s d ic t iona r y defines social media as “forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos).” But at this year’s iLandscape, Kathy Jentz summed it up like this: “Social media is a time suck. It can suck up all the time you give it.” Jentz is editor and publisher of Washington DC Gardener magazine and she spoke to an overflow crowd. “However, one of the best things about using social media is that it’s free marketing,” Jentz said. “Currently, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter don’t charge you.” And who can argue with free?

Then and Now

When television arrived on the scene, many saw it as the demise of radio.

Didn’t happen. When the Internet was born, others said it would be the end of books and just about everything else in print. Didn’t happen.

Likewise, social media platforms are just another tool for promoting your business.

It’s been nearly two decades since the first blogs appeared. YouTube launched in 2005 and the following year, Facebook and Twitter were worldwide attractions. Other sites

Facebook

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Posting on social media could be a full-time job or something you’d contract to a marketing firm, but that’s costly for many small businesses and may not be necessary. “There’s a big universe out there,” Jentz told the audience. “Do you need to be on all

Social Media: Connecting With Clients continued those platforms? No. What you need to do is develop deep roots on a few of them. I love Twitter— that’s where I live. I’m on Twitter the most.”

Your firm may simply need two or three platforms, like Facebook, Houzz, or Instagram, where you can feature your work and attract new clients. “When I post every day on Instagram, I connect the post to

Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter. That way, I’ve created four posts from one,” Jentz said.

Social media lets you “cut through the clutter,” Jentz explained. “The old saying is it takes seven impressions before something sinks into somebody’s brain. That’s why Coke spends tons of money on their brand.

They want to keep it top of mind.

Repeating yourself on social media is not a bad thing. Your clients might have missed the first post, and some repetition will help.”

Social media engagement—think of it as marketing—is not really free.

“It’s not free as in your time,” Jentz said. “But, that’s probably your biggest expense: time. Compared to marketing costs of the old days, it’s so much cheaper and easier.”

And, it’s incredibly fast. “It used to be six degrees of separation but now it’s one degree. Let’s say you have a stone company and have a huge amount of excess stone. You can post it immediately. In the old days, you’d do it in print [ads]. Now it’s almost instantaneous.” A good example is the ILCA Facebook page, which has featured daily video updates to help members deal with the impact of COVID-19 on their businesses.

Social media has been crucial for nonprofits like the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Morton Arboretum, and Farnsworth House, as well as garden centers, temporarily shuttered due to the virus. “We have 10,000 followers each on Facebook and Instagram, but Facebook definitely skews older and towards people who read,” said landscape architect Scott Mehaffey, executive director at the historic

Houzz

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Social Media: Connecting With Clients continued Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois.

“We also repost to Twitter, but that’s mostly for the media.”

You’re the Expert

“Using social media allows you to establish expert status and branding,” Jentz said. So, how much time should you devote to posting on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter?

“That’s the $24,000 question. What I do—and I don’t expect everyone else to do this—is an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. I own a garden magazine and I’m a communicator. But 20 minutes in the morning and again in the evening is a good aim for landscapers.”

One-third of the landscape architects in the audience said they used social media.

So, let’s say you (or a team member) post a project photo and an engaging caption in the morning and another one in the evening. Jentz recommends checking for client comments twice a day and responding to those comments.

Hashtag Heaven

A hashtag is simply a key word phrase, spelled without spaces with a pound sign (#) in front of it, for example, #iLandscape2020, #makingconections. Hashtags can be used anywhere in your social media posts: in the beginning, at the end, or anywhere in between. Hashtags turn topics and phrases into clickable links in your posts. This helps clients find posts about topics of interest. To make a hashtag, write # along with a topic or phrase and add it to your post. Experiment.

Houzz About That?

Houzz (www.houzz.com) is a hub for interior designers, remodelers, contractors— including landscape

Instagram

firms— dealers, and homeowners.

It’s an online community, directory and marketplace for all things in home design—inside and out.

Launched in 2008, it is incredibly popular and boasts more than 40 million monthly unique users and 2.3 million active home-renovation and design pros that use the site.

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“We’ve had so much more success with clients finding us through Houzz,” says landscape designer James Drzewieckiof Ginkgo Leaf Studio in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

“I was an early adopter of Houzz [after] I saw a Facebook conversation between two interior designers. I know I was skeptical because

Social Media: Connecting With Clients continued

Pinterest

it was free.” Drzewiecki began posting on Houzz in 2010 and has won Best of Houzz awards annually since 2012. His website gingkoleafstudio. net features those awards as well as the icons for Facebook, Houzz, and LinkedIn. The old adage, “a picture is worth 1000 words” rings true — if it’s a good photograph. “I’m very particular about photos,” Drzewiecki said, “and I pay for a professional photographer to shoot our projects. We’ve been the number one profile a few times under landscape design.”

Promoting Your Social Sites

Whenever and wherever you post on social media, it should be connected to your firm’s website. “Everything should link back. Direct folks back to your blog or your website, your videos,” Jentz explained.

When you send emails or e-newsletters to your client list, include links to your social media sites. You can also put short teaser text on Facebook to direct clients back to your website. For example, if you’ve installed a pollinator garden, post a photo on Facebook with a link back to the project photos on your website.

That’s the first thing a client’s going to see.”

“If I have an upcoming event, I’ll start promoting it a week out,” Jentz said. “Then, I’ll do it five days out, three days out, the day before,, and the day of the event.” She has a yearround marketing schedule and has reminders on her phone.

“Sometimes it’s hard to find people who might be our clients,” Jentz said.

She explained that Twitter skews to a younger audience. “Instagram is growing; Facebook is probably the best venue for projects as is Pinterest and Houzz. If you’re looking for new clients—ask past clients—are you on Facebook or Twitter? Let’s connect.”

“One of the biggest sins is that you set up an account and your last post was 18 months ago. Take down the account, rather than have it be inactive,” she said. “If you’re not going to keep it up, it’s better to take it down.

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If your firm does any communitybased outreach (your team donates time to work on a park, school, or restoration, etc.) tout it in your social media posts. Let your clients—past, present and future—know about those good deeds.

Reprinted with permission from The Land scape Cont ractor maga z ine, June 2021.

Making Injury Prevention a Higher Priority Focus on the reasons why safety is important to your company.

By Lisa Stryker, National Association of Landscape Professionals It seems like a no-brainer to say that safety is important, but have you really thought of all the short- and long-term reasons why it is so important to your company? If you focus on those reasons, it will help keep safety training and good safety practices at the forefront of everything you do.

So why is safety so important?

It is at the core of your company’s professional image. Safety is important to your clients. Clients, especially commercial clients, need to see that your staff is well-trained and operating safely on their property. If your staff isn’t wearing personal protective equipment, using cones and making their work area safe, and adhering to equipment safety practices, your clients will notice, and it

can damage your relationship—even if you don’t have an accident on their property.

It helps you retain employees. We all know how hard it is to find a great crew and keep them year after year.

People want to work in a professional, safe work environment, so your commitment to your employ-

Hearing protection is a must for landscape contractors. Photo credit: National Association of Landscape Professionals.

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Making Injury Prevention a Higher Priority continued doesn’t work for you, then try weekly safety training.

Use your own experience to choose the most critical safety training topics. Close-call incidents are great teaching tools. All safety policies and training resources should be in a language your workers can understand. OSHA and the National Association of Landscape Professionals provide almost all safety resources in English and Spanish. Remember to fully document policy and training delivery.

Wearing a safety vest will help alert others of your presence. Photo credit: National Association of Landscape Professionals.

ees’ health and welfare is a great step to keeping great employees.

A good safety record makes you more profitable. A bad safety record leads to higher insurance rates, medical costs, lost time, equipment repair costs, and more. An effective safety and health program can save $4 to $6 for every $1 invested according to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

How Do You Make Injury Prevention a Higher Priority?

How do you reduce injuries at your company? You must establish a strong safety culture and make sure everyone in your company knows it is the top priority, and reinforce that message with regular training and education.

Education and enforcement are keys to a strong safety culture.

Preparing and delivering safety policies and training should be ongoing activities during the entire work season. Many companies do tailgate training in the morning before crews head out for the day. If that format

does, there are literally dozens of crucial areas of safety training for your employees, including but not limited to: •

Equipment safety.

•

Personal protective equipment.

•

Slip, fall, and trip prevention.

•

Protection from crystalline-silica dust.

•

Roadway safety.

A fair and consistent enforcement of company safety policies and work procedures is important for all employees. If personal protective equipment is required on a jobsite, ensure that all workers, supervisors and subcontractors utilize these injury prevention tools. When enforcing workplace safety rules, keep the consequences of unsafe behaviors consistent for all crew and supervisory personnel.

•

Chemical safety.

•

Preventing heat-related illnesses.

•

Lifting injuries.

•

Driving safety.

•

Mower safety.

•

Carbon monoxide poisoning prevention.

Drew Garcia, member of the National Association of Landscape Professional’s Safety Committee and partner in its Worker’s Compensation Insurance Program, stresses, “Employee buy-in is critical to a strong safety program.

Having your employees participate in safety trainings or lead safety trainings creates ownership of ideas and empowers individuals, which ultimately helps your company.”

•

Protecting eyes, ears, nose, and throats.

•

Tree care and pruning safety.

And a strong safety culture will help employees make safe decisions even when they are not being directly supervised.

Equipment safet y is especially critical to your overall safety program, and equipment maintenance deserves special attention. Sometimes there is a big focus at the beginning of the year to get equipment ready for the season, but then the momentum dies off. Don’t let that happen to you—maintain a

What Safety Topics Should You Focus On?

Depending on the type of landscape or lawn care work your company

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You can quickly see just how many different safety topics apply to the work your employees are doing daily and how many opportunities there are for accidents and injuries.

Equipment Safety

Making Injury Prevention a Higher Priority continued regular inspection and maintenance schedule. Also, make sure you do extensive training on safe equipment operation.

Make Sure You Are Continually Improving

If you have a great safety education program, but don’t take the time to evaluate and assess accidents and near-miss incidents, then you are missing an opportunity to fix problems. Make sure you have a process for your crews to report safety accidents and even near misses or bad practices that could—but didn’t— result in an accident.

Accidents can and will happen. But you can make a huge difference in your company by doing everything you can to limit the amount of preventable injuries from occurring.

Also, stay on top of the latest safety trends, rules, and regulations with information from OSH A, from your state association and from the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Join a safety program like the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Safe Company Program to help plan your yearround safety tailgate training.

Internal safety campaigns, employee involvement, unique slogans, and praise and recognition for following safety requirements are all examples of how you can build your company’s safety culture.

A Few Items to Start Your Injury Prevention Checklist •

Use personal protective equipment. Ensure that your employe e s a re we a r i ng t he r ig ht personal protective equipment for each specific task.

Landscapers working off the ground trimming trees should be secured with proper harnessing and head protection. Photo credit: National Association of Landscape Professionals.

•

Use warning signs and cones.

Keep the work area safe by using cones and warning signs to keep drivers and pedestrians away from the worksite.

•

Maintain clean machine operating platforms. Remove any tripping hazards from equipment and trailer decks.

•

Use equipment and chemicals accordi ng to ma nufact urer specifications.

•

Prevent falls. Never use an aluminum ladder near electrical lines, don’t place a ladder on another object, and don’t overreach.

•

Keep shop area floors free of slippery liquids. Clean up spilled oil and lubricants immediately.

•

Drive safely. Maintain safe speeds and don’t drive distracted.

•

Use mower shields and discharge chutes.

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•

Ensure that roll-over protection is in the up and locked position and accompanied by a seatbelt for the operator.

•

Prevent heat exhaustion. Proper hydration includes 2 gallons of water per each 8-hour shift.

Time in the shade or air-conditioning is necessary on hot days.

Know that everyone tolerates the heat differently based on their health.

Lisa Stryker is the director of communications at the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).

Reprinted with permission, Green Industry Pros, May/June 2018.

2021

LCA 2021 EXCELLENCE IN LANDSCAPE AWARDS Online Awards Submission Open From May 17–August 16 “If it weren’t for the LCA Awards, we wouldn’t be half the company we are today. The LCA Awards are a significant part of our overall marketing plan, and we try to submit 4 or 5 projects every year.”

Barry Schneider, President, Surrounds, Inc. LCA Excellence in Landscape Awards recognize your best projects, and winners are published in HOME & DESIGN magazine. Enjoy these features offering convenience and value: • Submission Platform—The submission site lets you upload photos, write descriptions, save and then return to your work, and submit each project with entry fee, all on one user-friendly platform.

• Plaques Included—Each award winner will receive one plaque free of charge.

• Entries Judged Against Criteria Only—Each entry is judged against its own category criteria—not against other submissions—so each category can have an unlimited number of winners!

Show off your company’s talent. Start your entry by visiting www.lcamddcva.org/awards.

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Advertising Information Advertisers Index Babikow Greenhouses............................................................... 28 Chief Mountain Farms, LLC....................................................... 27 Manor View Farm....................................................................... 26 McCartin..................................................................................... 4 McHale....................................................................................... 7 The Perennial Farm.................................................................... 13 Spring Meadow/Proven Winners................................................ 9 Walnut Springs Nursery, Inc....................................................... 2

Delivering the Confidence You Desire and the Value You Deserve for over 40 years * Our Landscape Distribution Center has an Extensive Selection of Quality Plant Material Available for Pickup or Delivery * Field Grown Material Available for Personal Selection * Potted Liners

General Information

Classified Advertising

• See LCA website: ww.lcamddcva.org for current Media Kit. • Signed contract must accompany ad copy. Artwork can be changed monthly, provided contract is paid in full.

• When change of artwork is not received by artwork closing date, publisher reserves right to print ad from previous issue.

• There are no refunds of advertising payments.

• Payment is due with signed contract and artwork by final closing date for each issue.

Publisher Indemnities: Publisher reserves the right to mark “advertisement” on copy that readers might confuse with editorial content and to refuse copy that offends good taste or takes unfair competitive advantage. No rebates made for errors in key numbers or for omissions or errors in Advertisers Index.

Classified ads are a great way to find new employees, announce business opportunities, or buy and sell equipment. Payment must accompany copy.

Number of Words

LCA NonMembers Members

Up to 200 words

$50

$125

Each additional 100 words thereafter

$25

$40

Advertising on the Web Banner advertising is available to members only on the website.

Display Advertising Deadline July/August 2021 Issue: Monday, June 21, 2021 Contact BBienkowski@msp-amc.com for information.

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www.manorview.com

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CHIEF MOUNTAIN FARMS, LLC

Providing Native & Wetland Plants to the Industry From Plugs to Containers We Grow It All Grasses · Sedges & Rushes · Perennials · Ground Covers · Shrubs · Trees · Vines 116 Chiefs Mountain Lane Port Deposit, MD 21904 Tel: 410-658-7331 * Toll-Free: 866-530-8902 Fax: 410-658-7333 info@chiefmountainfarms.com www.chiefmountainfarms.com