The Landscape Contractor magazine August 2017 Digital Edition by Association Publishing Partners

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August 2017

CONTENTS

Excellence In Landscape Awards Project

FOCUS: Turf Education Day Preview What’s New with TED? 10 A first look at Turf Education Day 2017 Garden Speak 16 Who can resist hibiscus? Tracking the Tiny Trend Tiny landscapes that make a big difference

Creating Connection: 26 Gardens for Healing and Sanctuary

New Board Member Profile Mark Utendorf of Emerald Green Lawncare

Pots with Panache, Part 2 Coloful planter ideas for summer, into fall

Can You Hear Me Now? Fine tune your listening for a better bottom line

Member Profile 52 Knapheide Sustainable Landscape Calendar 55 What does August have in store? Native Intelligence 62 Tradescantia ohiensis — Ohio Spiderwort

EN ESPAÑOL

El Día de Educación sobre Manejo de Céspedes 36 A first look at Turf Education Day 2017

On the cover... James Martin Associates received a Gold award for Residential Landscape Maintenance for this 2016 project. The Landscape Contractor August 2017

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CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS ILCA Calendar From Where I Stand President’s Message Classified Ads Advertisers Index Photo Credits ILCA Awards Program Rick Reuland Nina Koziol Chicago Botanic Garden Aquascape Hurstnouse Inc.

1, 8-9 10, 12, 36-40 40-44. 46-48 16-20 22-24 26-33

Calendar

4 5 7 58 61

SEPTEMBER August 10, 2017 Summer Field Day College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL

Joe Villa Jason Fritz/Cardno

52 62

The official publication of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA), The Landscape Contractor is dedicated to educating, advising and informing members of this industry and furthering the goals of the Association. The Landscape Contractor carries news and features relating to landscape contracting, maintenance, design and allied interests. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication. Publication reserves right to refuse advertising not in keeping with goals of Association. WWW.ilca.net Volume 58, Number 8. The Landscape Contractor (ISSN # 0194-7257, USPS # 476-490) is published monthly for $75.00 per year by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste. 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL and additional mailing offices. Printed in USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Landscape Contractor, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. DISPLAY ADVERTISING SALES: Association Publishing Partners, Inc., Ph. (630) 637-8632 Fax (630) 637-8629 email: rmgi@comcast.net CLASSIFIED ADS, CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION: ILCA (630) 472-2851 Fax (630) 472-3150 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL OFFICE: Rick Reuland, rmgi@comcast.net, Naperville, IL 60540 Ph. (630)637-8632 PRODUCT DISCLAIMER: The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, its Board of Directors, the Magazine Committee, ILCA Staff, The Landscape Contractor and its staff, neither endorse any products nor attest to the validity of any statements made about products

ILCA Staff

Magazine Staff

Executive Director Scott Grams (630) 472-2851 sgrams@ilca.net

Rick Reuland Publisher/Advertising Sales (630) 637-8632 rmgi@comcast.net

Education Manager AnnMarie Drufke adrufke@ilca.net

Debbie Rauen Advertising Sales (817-501-2403) debbie.landscapecontractor@ yahoo.com

Events Manager Terre Houte thoute@ilca.net Office Manager Alycia O’Connor aoconnor@ilca.net Membership & Marketing Coordinator Marissa Stubler mstubler@ilca.net

2625 Butterfield Road Ste. 104S Oak Brook, IL 60523

September 21, 2017 Turf Education Day (TED) Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, IL

OCTOBER October 5, 2017 Women’s Networking Group Fall Event Chandler’s Chophouse Schaumburg, IL October 17, 2017 Impact Conference: Building Sustainable Landscapes Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, IL

v Becke Davis Senior Writer

treethyme@aol.com

at dotynu rseries.co m to rece ive our

Patrice Peltier

Feature Writer patpeltier@charter.net

Meta Levin

email ne wsle t ter

Feature Writer

dotynurseries.com

Nina Koziol

Shade TreeS • OrnamenTalS • evergreenS • ShrubS

meta.levin@comcast.net

ILCA

September 14, 2017 Golf Outing The Village Links of Glen Ellyn

Feature Writer

n.koziol@att.net Heather Prince Feature Writer

princeht@sbcglobal.net Marilyn Witney

Ryan Doty sales@dotynurseries.com

P 630 365 9063 F 630 365 9081

45W121 Beith Road Maple Park, IL 60151

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Feature Writer

madwitney@comcast.net

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

@ILCAlandscape

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From Where I Stand — It can be fairly said

that would allow a business to solve its spring cash woes. The that life’s best and yo-yo of snowfalls experienced in the last 10 years have proven it worst decisions are made in hotel bars. A few years ago, while cannot be trusted for making sound financial decisions. attending NALP’s Renewal and Remembrance in Washington The smaller the business, the more cash flow matters than net DC, the ILCA delegation gathered in the bar for some late night profit. Even investment firms are beginning to turn to statements “networking.” I was joined by Rusty Maulding and Tom Lupfer of cash flow more than net profit to determine a business’ value. of the ILCA Board of Directors. We all ordered our overpriced, Corporate accountants have become adept showing either profit or signature drinks, leaned back in the comfortable lounge chairs, loss using creative accounting strategies. In addition, net profit is and began to solve the world’s problems. allowed more tools like depreciation and amortization that can be I joke, but there is often great value in disengaging from the employed to create a different financial picture for a office. Most of my best professional ideas business. Yet, cash is cash. A bank balance is a bank have occurred in the middle of the night, in the balance. shower, or flying 35,000 feet above the surface A lack of cash flow also has a dramatic impact of the earth. iLandscape was birthed someon the business environment. It creates a tremenwhere during my 2nd and 3rd glass of scotch at dous amount of stress for ownership when they midnight on a Saturday. have to stretch dollars and put off vendors. Anyone The subject turned to the ILCA and we who has ever dealt with a creditor knows that were talking about the fiscal year. I just feeling in his/her gut when that number pops up assume every ILCA member has commiton the phone. Slow payments complicate vendor ted the July-June fiscal year to memory. Yet, relationships and even the most loyal employees when I think of every professional organizaaren’t going to let a business skip a payroll. Lastly, tion I am involved with, I have no idea what chasing cash ensures a business will make terrible their fiscal years are. I renew my dues when decisions. The business will undercut prices, cut they tell me to renew my dues. Without lookcorners, or take jobs either outside of their expering at our accounting software, I couldn’t tell tise or well below it. you when those renewals are or if they are ILCA was no exception to the cash flow trap. even consistent. When I first started, ILCA’s previous net profit I asked about ILCA’s quirky fiscal year durprojections weren’t bad, but its cash flow was a ing my first meeting with the staff. They told me mess. ILCA depended on that big MidAm check that we renewed dues in the spring because that to balance its books but that came with three is when cash flow for contractors was strongest. months left in the fiscal year. That meant for the I took this at face value and this is exactly what previous nine months, ILCA had to pinch every I believed until that night in the hotel bar. I told penny trying to make dues revenue last until that Tom and Rusty that this was the reason and they big check would arrive. Prior to my arrival, ILCA both laughed at how wrong we were. Tom and used to have to take out loans to make payroll. A Rusty are small business owners, and for the first practice our bookkeeper, Finance Committee Chair Bob Bertog, three to four months of each landscape season, cash is king, but the and I wanted to quickly end. king is usually very, very sick. The first thing Bob asked for was a cash flow analysis. Our They explained to me that cash flow was the worst in the bookkeeper and I sat down and sketched out cash inflows and exact months we were asking for dues renewals. They said the outflows throughout the calendar year and it painted a much difILCA membership dues are reasonable enough to justify not ferent picture. It also exposed months where we needed to add or changing the calendar, but it’s different when they are staring move programs to ensure profitability and smooth cash flow. If down the barrel of $10,000 vendor invoices or weekly payroll a business has never done a cash flow analysis, I highly recomplus OT with nothing but fumes in the bank. mend it, it probably saved ILCA as the noose of the recession The more ILCA members that I spoke to, I found this was tightened. It also allowed us to know how much cash we needed widespread. Cash flow dominated the first half of the calendar on hand where the rest was invested making hundreds of thouyear. Most design build work is being scheduled. Deposits come sands of dollars of additional revenue. in, but most payments won’t be received for months. Further, Tom, Rusty, and I ordered another round (maybe a 3rd) and the outlays are much greater. The work required on these sites is topic turned to maintenance. I asked them how they billed mainmuch heavier in the spring than the hot summer months. There tenance work. They said they did what most landscape companies are more material costs whether fuel, plants, or mulch. Further, do, they took their annual maintenance account and splintered it overtime begins to mount as companies battle the rainy springs evenly across the schedule of visits. I said that made no sense, if to mow, do cleanups, or install. they need cash flow in the Spring, and their highest outlays are in Banks, especially in the recession, were much more reticent to the Spring, why are they billing the costs evenly. For the sake of lend. Most businesses have lines of credit, but banks aren’t as keen consistency, they were cutting their own throats. as they used to be about lending to small business. Part of this is I got back to Illinois and did a cash flow analysis based on due to excessive regulation and part of it is simply the overly caua typical maintenance schedule. My math showed a cash flow tious nature of most lenders. Lending is coming back, but it’s still improvement from April – June of between 30-40% by frontloadabout 20% down from where it was prior to the recession. ing the maintenance contract and then allowing the payment to Snow has only compounded these challenges. It didn’t snow reduce overtime. The first few visits were billed 3-4x higher than in Chicago for almost 2.5 months last year. The previous year the July-September visits, but the work performed on site was was not much better. That means nothing is sitting in the bank The Landscape Contractor 5 August 2017

Let it Flow

Why I Give A

nswering a pressing need to exert political influence with lawmakers in Springfield, ILCA has re-instituted its Political Action Committee (PAC). Donations for the PAC are desperately needed. To demonstrate this need and serve as a personal call to action, The Landscape Contractor will interview a PAC donor in each issue for the months ahead. Mark Utendorf This month we talked with Mark Emerald Lawn Care Utendorf at Emerald Lawn Care.

TLC: Why is this cause important to you? Why should it be important to all contractors? MU: Because activists are influencing our state legislators, not based on science but on emotion, Green industry companies making lawn and tree care applications need to counteract this. Otherwise we will find ourselves trying to run our businesses with additional restrictions which will lead to higher costs and less effective/fewer product options. TLC: Do you have a history of political donation? MU: We have become more and more politically active as the regulatory pressure has increased on our industry. We think our participation must include not only our time but also financial support – the cost of not contributing now will be far higher later. TLC: Do you ever contact your local Representative? MU: Yes, we call and/or meet with our Representative on any issue we feel is critical to our industry. He has been very supportive. We also respond whenever we receive an alert from ILCA and NALP asking for email support. It takes time but we think it is crucial to the long-term success of our company. TLC: Why should all contractors follow your lead? MU There is a tendency for all of us to hope others are working on this so we can continue to focus just on our business. We are all crazy busy without adding another responsibility that doesn’t show immediate bottom line results. That is very dangerous. A single, vocal homeowner who doesn’t believe in lawn or tree/shrub applications can start an initiative that could have massive implications for our business. And it can happen very quickly, literally in a matter of days. You can’t afford to hope someone else will step up – you need to do it.

Let your voice be heard— email ILCA to make a donation or request a donation form information@ilca.net 6

From Where I Stand — less during those hot and dry months. I get that frontloading is more difficult to set up but most contractors use some type of billing software whether QuickBooks or another popular program. That is a simple setup in QB that takes a matter of minutes. After that, it’s all on autopilot. Now, the only challenge is informing the client. I have no idea how the minds of the wealthy work because I have never been wealthy nor likely will be. However, if you are a middle class family, my cash flow outlays are much higher in the summer than they are in the Spring. Our summers are jam-packed with vacations, weekend shopping trips, and dinners out after our kids’ baseball games. I am sure many clients would be thrilled if their landscape professionals would help them with their own cash flow woes. Also, the contractor is not frontloading to be selfish, he is frontloading to solve a critical problem in the business. It makes logical and defensible sense to bill for the work performed versus some arbitrary schedule that treats an August mow like a spring cleanup. Outflows must also be examined. There are a few expenses that even the most cash strapped business has to pay including payroll, rent, utilities, and fuel. However, many other outflows are negotiable. This is where vendor relationships reign supreme. Vendors can be excellent allies in managing cash flow. However, they are going to expect something in return. Past loyalty and an expectation of future loyalty will resonate with every vendor. If a landscape company price shops on every product, that company should not expect much vendor loyalty when the coffers run dry. Vendors can often agree to unique payment schedules or terms. This will be dependent on their own cash flow challenges and the flexibility of the sales rep. Also, after a business performs their cash flow analysis, identify the months where cash is flush. This is when a landscape company should reach out to vendors and purchase products up front or earlier than the agreed upon terms. If the supplier has his own cash flow issues to contend with, he may agree to a price reduction if you pay upfront and in full. Almost every company has this push-pull of cash flow considering most landscape companies and suppliers are burdened by the same season. Vendors HATE making calls on late payments. Collections is the worst part of the job for anyone. If you can reduce that burden by agreeing to upfront payments with price reductions, you can identify vendors who are interested in an “I’ll scratch your back” relationship. So, here is my recommendation. Take your senior staff out to the nearest hotel bar, order a round, and talk about the greatest challenges in the business. My guess is they will revolve around cash flow, labor, and a handful of clients. The solutions are not always as complicated as they may appear. Consider how much stress and energy is wasted during the year and how those precious resources can be conserved. Just make sure you write this stuff down and quit after that third round. If not, the next morning, you’ll be left with a headache and flickering recollections of dancing on the table and blubbering to each member of your management team, “I love you, man!”

Scott Grams July 19, 2017 The Landscape Contractor August 2017

President’s Message — “You should sit in nature 20 minutes a day... unless you are busy, then you should sit for an hour”

President

Lisa Fiore Don Fiore Company, Inc. (847) 234-0020 lfiore@donfiore.com

- Old Zen Meditation Today I had the rare occasion of having the day off during the work week and spent time at a local forest preserve, which was so nice after dealing with the hustle and bustle of spring and the rush to get projects completed for the 4th of July celebrations. Although I thought to myself, am I really on a vacation day as emails stream to my iPhone and texts chirp through my solitude? Once in a while it’s time to set the phone to DO NOT DISTURB and just “be” in the moment! That’s what I did. I had the opportunity to enjoy the peace and beauty that nature has to offer. I highly recommend it! Isn’t this the reason why we pursued careers in the landscape industry? Feeling quite at peace with an open mind as we move into ILCA’s fiscal year 2017-2018 with goals to meet and ideas to be developed. This year, we intend to focus on growing and maintaining our membership, continuing marketing efforts, providing educational and networking opportunities for all to enjoy. All done while we make sure ILCA stays financially sound. It may seem like a lot to pursue, but we now have a three year strategic plan, a five year event calendar and a current operational plan. This year’s Board of Directors has a way to measure and keep a focus on the tasks at hand. I look forward to working alongside this year’s Board including three fresh new faces, along with the returning Board members that I have grown to enjoy interacting. Each month we shall strive to meet our goals and enhance member satisfaction. I hope to see many of you at this year’s Summer Field Day hosted at the College of DuPage and future events on the horizon. Let’s have some fun, make some memories and strive toward future success.

Vice-President

Tom Lupfer Lupfer Landscaping (708) 352-2765 tom@lupferlandscaping.com

Secretary-Treasurer

Jose Garcia Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. (815) 724-0991 info@naturalcreationslandscaping.com

Immediate Past President

Mike Schmechtig Schmechtig Landscape Company (847) 566-1233 mschmechtig@schmechtiglandscapes.com

Directors

Mark Breier National Seed Co. (630) 963-8787 mark.breier@natseed.com Allan Jeziorski Hartman Landscape (708) 403-8433 allan@hartmanlandscape.net

Kevin Manning K & D Enterprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 kmanning@kdlandscapeinc.com

“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun”

Scott McAdam, Jr. McAdam Landscaping, Inc. (708) 771-2299 Scottjr@mcadamlandscape.com

- Mary Poppins Thank you,

Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net Ashley Rolffs Vermeer Midwest (630)820-3030 ashley.rolffs@vermeermidwest.com

Lisa Fiore July 3, 2017

Mark Utendorf Emerald Lawn Care, Inc. (847) 392-7097 marku@emeraldlawncare.com Donna Vignocchi Zych ILT Vignocchi, Inc. (847) 487-5200 dvignocchi@iltvignocchi.com

www.ilca.net The Landscape Contractor August 2017

O’Brien Landscape • OldFashioned Tree House Wilmette

The project began

with a sketch from an 8 year old boy who dreamed of building a treehouse for himself and his siblings. Energetic and bright, he explained what he wanted: A room to run away to, a slide, enemy look-out tower, climbing wall, fireman’s pole, monkey bars, and a secret message bucket. His parents commissioned our firm to make this dream a reality. Treehouses are built from trees so we wanted to use as many natural wood elements as we could for the structure itself. The tree itself supports some of the structure with treehouse attachment bolts specially designed to minimize damage and accommodate tree growth and movement to the tree. The remaining structure is supported with whole oak posts, pinned above

ground into concrete footings. The fort railings are made of carefully selected tree branches constructed to National Playground Safety Standards. The oak log posts were recycled from a mulch supply company. Cedar and recycled barnwood were used in the balance of the structure for floors, walls, roofs, and trim. All the elements from the child’s wish list were cleverly incorporated into the structure. The end result is a heirloom treehouse which creates an amazing spot for years of imaginative play. When this boy comes home from college, the treehouse will still be there to greet him.

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Turf Education Day 2017 —

T urf E ducation Day 2017 by Meta Levin

“This is one of the strongest Turf

Education Day programs we’ve had in years,” says Scott Grams, ILCA executive director. Turf Education Day (TED) is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, September 21, 2017 at Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL. Dr. Frank Wong, Senior Regulatory Affairs Consultant for Bayer Crop Science, will kick off the day at 8:30 a.m., with a keynote presentation, “Protecting Pollinators in Turf and Landscape.” With extensive experience in research, as well as in the field, Dr. Wong is a former editor in chief of Plant Disease

Management Reports, and now lectures to green industry professionals around the world. Professionally, he focuses on “helping the public better understand the science of pest management and advocating for science-driven public policy,” he says. Dr. Wong is the author of 48 peer-reviewed scientific publications and more than 75 trade and extension publications. To date, he has made more than 300 scientific and technical presentations in the US and around the world. Dr. Wong holds a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from the University

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

of California, Davis and a Doctor of Philosophy in plant pathology and horticulture from Cornell University. There also will be two plenary speakers: Dr. Henry T. Wilkinson, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois Department of Crop Science and Dr. Paul Koch, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, college of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin – Madison. This year’s program will be a hybrid of best practices and vendor specific information, says Grams. (continued on page 12)

Design and photography: Dan Ford, Greene & Proppe Design, Chicago, Illinois

L O N G S H A D OW

Pomona Oak Planter, LS 9070

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. COM

Turf Education Day 2017 — (continued from page 10) “We’ll have multiple sessions on the hard-core science of turf,” says Mark Utendorf, ILCA Turf Committee member. “In the past, it has been heavy on the generic or business-related topics.” This year there will be more that attendees use on a day-to-day basis. Following the keynote, attendees will break out into their choice of sessions, including another presentation by Dr. Wong. Others will include: • “The 2017 Lawn Care Season in Review and What It Means for 2018” – Jesse Benelli, Chicago District Golf Association • “Beyond NPK: Metabolic Tools for Plants” – George Murray, EnPTurf • Cultural Practices – Harold Enger, Spring-Green • “Pesticide Regulatory Program Update” – Warren Goetsch, Illinois Department of Agriculture • “Optimizing Your Weed Control Program” – Jamie Heydinger, Nufarm

Representatives from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, which handles pesticide licensing and control, regularly are an important part of TED, says Grams. They alert attendees to such things as personnel and procedural changes, what inspectors will look for in the field and provide regulatory updates. Goetsch, this year’s scheduled speaker, has presented a number of times in the past. At 11:15 a.m., during the pre-lunch plenary session, Dr. Wilkinson will discuss, “How to “Read” a Landscape so that You and Your Customer are on the Same Turf.” “I hope to simplify and clarify how to make good predictions as to what will grow in a landscape or any plant venue,” he says. A full professor, focusing on turf grass, at the University of Illinois for 30 years, Wilkinson recently retired and now runs a private agricultural consulting practice. He trained at both Purdue and Cornell universities, majoring in plant pathology and soil microbiology, with a minor in soil physics. During his career Wilkinson has consulted at sports facilities, including more than a dozen Major League Baseball fields, as well as turf establishment and maintenance of turf in stadiums with retractable domes in the US, Europe and Japan. In each case he was called in to deal with issue surrounding growing in shade or limited light conditions. Most recently he launched a new online course, “Turf and Ornamental Education (TOE). He will talk about the program during his presentation.

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Following lunch, there will be four breakout sessions: • “Turf in Landscape: When, Why, How” – Dr. Wilkinson • “Timing is Everything: Using Growing Degree Days to Time Landscape Applications” – Dr. Koch • “Is It Insect or Disease Damage” – Matt Lindner, SavATree • “The Benefits of Calcium and Sulfur Fertilizers in Midwestern Soils and How They Also Can Help With Sodium Remediation” – Brian Milam, Calcium Products Dr. Koch will give the closing plenary presentation, “Selecting Reduced Toxicity Herbicides for Effective Weed Control.” He will focus on how to select reduced-toxicity products, as well as how those currently on the market can be integrated into your program. “There is (continued on page 14)

Fire Light

Hydrangea

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10’

FIRE LIGHT® Hydrangea paniculata ‘SMHPFL’, pp#25,135, cbr#5160 FULL TO PART SUN USDA ZONE 3, AHS 8 4.5-6’ TALL AND WIDE

True Beauty. With large, full flower clusters blooming early in the season and turning pomegranate-pink, Fire Light® will keep your customers in awe well into the fall season. Its thick, sturdy stems hold up the beautiful flowers making them a standout in the landscape.

www.provenwinners-shrubs.com

Lurvey Des Plaines | Park City | Volo www.lurveys.com Cedar Path Nurseries Lockport | Barrington www.cedarpath.net Alsip Home & Nursery St. John • 219-365-0882 SiteOne Addison | Naperville www.siteone.com Hinsdale Nurseries Willowbrook IL • 630-323-1414

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Turf Education Day 2017 — (continued from page 12) increasing pressure from regulatory groups and the general public to maintain turf grass landscapes using reduced-toxicity products,” he says. He has been an assistant professor in the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Plant Pathology since 2014, doing research focusing mainly on developing and testing reduced-toxicity pest management programs in turf grass landscapes, as well as investigating the fate and impact of pesticides on the environment. In addition to his research and teaching roles, Dr. Koch oversees the University of Wisconsin’s Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab and is affiliated with the University of Wisconsin’s Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center.

To Register for TED visit: www.ilca.net/turf-education-day

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

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Arthur Weiler, Inc. Clavey’s Nursery, Inc. Doty Nurseries LLC Fox Ridge Nursery Goodmark Nurseries, LLC GRO Horticultural Enterprises Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. Kaneville Tree Farms, Inc. Kankakee Nursery Co. Midwest Groundcovers Poul’s Nursery, Inc. Spring Grove Nursery, Inc. The Fields on Caton Farm, Inc.

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Visit our website for a complete inventory listing by nursery–quickly find the hard-to-get items you need! Visit our New mobile-friendly to access thousands of acres of website northe Illinois-grown nursery stock! rn www.ogaoni.com While there, check out our members’ profiles and request a copy of our Plant Locator, a print version of our online inventory listings. The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Garden Speak — Practical Plant Evaluations

Who Can Resist Hibiscus?

by Nina Koziol

August signals

the “dog days” of summer, but with it comes some of the most spectacular flowers—those of hardy Hibiscus. Along many streams, sloughs and ponds in Illinois, the native “rose mallows” produce show-stopping pink, red or white flowers that can be as much as a foot wide. Breeders have tinkered with Hibiscus for more than a century and their work continues today. But there’s much more to the plants than their whopping flowers, says Richard Hawke, plant evaluation manager and associate scientist at the Chicago Botanic Garden. “The issue with Hibiscus is that they’re often just

too big—in older cultivars, the flowerto-plant ratio was off, but over the years breeding has brought plants down to size and increased flower production.” (Some native Hibiscus moscheutos range in size from 3 to 8 feet tall.) From a design aspect, older varieties were often hard to use, but newer cultivars offer exotic, tropical flowers on manageable sized plants. Hawke evaluated more than 50 perennial Hibiscus and found several with enhanced leaf colors and shapes, more compact habits and indeterminate blooming that provides flowers from top to bottom over a longer period of time. “They work really

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

well from a distance and near water. Looking at them from the Trial Garden to Evening Island, you can tell they’re enormous.” The plants are among the boldest subjects for large remote borders, but newer varieties are also suitable for smaller gardens as a focal point. “I tend to see them in more naturalistic wild plantings, but I have one in my small garden and it looks great. Many more now have nicely dissected foliage and come in a wide variety of heights. Flowers can be flat, funnel-shaped, have ruffled edges or contrasting color in the veins. “Some have deep red eyes

that bleed out into petals,” Hawke said. Because of all of these improvements, Hawke would like to see them used more often. “They like a lot of moisture and are wonderful planted in mass—phenomenal—so they work really well in large corporate landscapes and with grasses. As a focal point, they’re quite good, especially near water.” Hardy Hibiscus are relatively carefree—cut them back in spring. They prefer full sun to partial shade and moist soil, but they’ll tolerate a wide range of moisture conditions.“The only downside is that the flowers only last a day or two and may not fall cleanly. In a major landscape that’s something you can get past.” Most plants bloom for weeks, with some blooming as long as three months, and the flowers attract hummingbirds. Does he have a particular favorite? “I do love the new ones like ‘Midnight Marvel.’ It’s very long-blooming and handsome at every stage.” On other new varieties, “You see the quality of the foliage—from chartreuse-bronze to purple. In a small garden, a 12-inch flower might seem over the top, but how can you beat it? Hibiscus have impressive vibrant colors and newer varieties flower more freely. White flowers were the least interesting to me because they feel like the native species. I’m clearly biased to red.” Here are some of his recommendations from the trial.

Hibiscus ‘Berrylicious’ — Rated: Excellent The mauve-lavender ruffled flowers are 8 inches wide. Plants reached 50 inches tall and 60 inches wide and bloomed for nearly three months. “I loved it because of the flower color. It’s just very different. I think of them as pink, white or red, but it’s purple.” Leaves are green and maplelike. It’s a favorite among Chicago Botanic Garden visitors.

Hibiscus ‘Heartthrob’ — Rated: Excellent The deep, blood-red flowers with a blackish eye span 9 inches. Compact bushy plants reached 43 inches tall and 41 inches wide. “The flowers are so intense—I loved the color.” Leaves are green and oval. The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Garden Speak — Practical Plant Evaluations

‘Jazzberry Jam’ — Rated: Good

‘Turn of the Century’ — Rated: Good

“This is just such a nice robust plant that’s covered with flowers,” Hawke said. Deep magenta flowers with a red eye span 9 inches. Plants were 55 inches tall and 62 inches wide. Leaves are green and bronze, oval and maplelike.

H. moscheutos ‘Clown’ — Rated: Excellent “I still love Clown with its pink to white gradation on the flowers. It’s over 5 feet tall and that can make it difficult to utilize.” Flowers are pink and white with a red eye and span 7 inches. Plants are 63 inches tall and 65 inches wide with green, oval leaves. 18

Flowers are light pink to pink-red with a red eye and 6 inches across. Plants are 84 inches tall and 54 inches wide with green leaves. “The two-tone flowers are very intriguing. It has an oval leaf but often has a cut leaf too. From a distance, it reads very well.”

‘Midnight Marvel’ — Rated: Excellent Deep red flowers span 8 inches. Plants are 48 inches tall and wide with dark burgundy maplelike leaves that can reach nearly a foot long. “The flowers are a little more ruffled and the plant holds its leaf color for most of the season and dims to a bronze purple by midsummer,” Hawke said.

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Garden Speak — Practical Plant Evaluations

Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Lou Emmons’ — Rated: Good Creamy white flowers with a red eye are 7 inches wide. Plants are 55 inches tall by 48 inches wide with yellowgreen maplelike leaves. “This one has an interesting leaf color. The three-lobed foliage has some red highlights most of the season.”

Hibiscus ‘Cranberry Crush’ — Rated: Excellent From nearly black flower buds come cup-shaped deep scarlet flowers that span 8 inches. Plants are 50 inches tall and 56 inches wide. The maplelike leaves start out a shiny deep bronze and turn dark green with purple overtones later in the season. High marks were given for the great flower display, dense rounded habit and reliability.

Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Summer Storm’ — Rated: Good Light pink flowers with a red eye span 9 inches. Plants are 54 inches tall and 66 inches wide and the foliage can be a dark wine-purple. “The burgundy and green maplelike leaves made it an interesting visual up close.”

Mars Madness — Rated: Excellent Flowers are 6 to 8 inches wide with overlapping petals. Plants were 3 feet tall in 2016 and Hawke expects them to reach 4 feet tall and at least 6 feet wide over time. Spring foliage is burgundy fading to a dark copepry green in summer.

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Garden Speak — Practical Plant Evaluations

Plum Fantasy — Rated: Good

Midnight Marvel — Rated: Excellent

Magenta flowers span 9 inches on plants that reached 48 inches tall and 46 inches wide. Green and purple foliage is deeply maplelike. Hawke grows this one as a specimen in his home garden.

“The flowers are a little more ruffled and the foliage holds its color and dims to a bronze-purple.” Deep red flowers span 8 inches over maplelike burgundy foliage. Plants grew 48 inches tall and wide.

‘Party Favor’ — Rated: Excellent

Learn more about the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Plant Evaluation Program: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/ research/ornamental_plant_research/plant_evaluation

“I loved the deeply dissected leaves on Party Favor,” Hawke said. The flowers are a medium pink with a red eye and 9 inches across. Plants were 51 inches tall and 60 inches wide with green foliage. 20 The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Tracking the Tiny Trend

Tiny Landscapes That Make a by Nina Koziol

The desire for tiny houses has been around for

some time. Architect Sarah Susanka wrote “The Not So Big House” more than a decade ago. In 2008, landscape architect Julie Moir Messervy teamed up with Susanka to write “Outside the Not So Big House: Creating the Landscape of Home.” Since then, tiny and often mobile houses have become the rave. It’s a trend sweeping home improvement channels. The HGTV network has featured Tiny House Hunters, Tiny House: Big Living, Small Homes, and other programs. And builders have picked up on that. After all, not everyone can af-

ford or wants a McMansion. Baby boomers are downsizing into smaller homes and Millennials may be paying off student loans or they simply don’t want a large home with all the upkeep. Although the median size of newer homes has actually grown to about 2,400 square feet, there are several organizations promoting small dwellings. One example is The Small House Society, (https://smallhousesociety.net) founded in 2002, which lists architects of “simpler smaller living who specialize in tiny, small, miniature, and micro homes.”

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Big Impact Honey, I shrunk the garden

This article kicks off a series that looks at small landscape projects for smaller houses. For mid-income homeowners, phasing in landscape projects over time can be more affordable and can give you repeat business over the years. A small landscape could be a front entryway garden, a side yard, a patio, deck, fire feature, water feature, or an upscaled garden shed, for example. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be taking a look at all of them. Take this breezeway project in Downers Grove. The space (continued on page 24)

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Tracking the Tiny Trend (continued from page 23) is 12 by 16 feet and sits between a small refurbished ranch house and the garage. The homeowners look into the space from their dining area every day. “I was going to put in a heated birdbath to watch the birds in winter as well as summer, but this is the perfect pond for the site,” said homeowner Robert Ruyle. “We wanted a year-round scenic view from our dining room and we’ve had a considerable number of birds here.” The pond, installed by Aquascape, Inc., was scaled to fit the site. “Large rocks simply wouldn’t look right,” said Brian Helfrich, vice president of Aquascape Construction (aquascapeconstruction.com). “Almost all of our designs are done from inside the house to take advantage of the view.” A remote control pump can change the flow of water from 2000 to 4000 gallons an hour, but it’s set for about 1500 gallons so that the sound is not overwhelming in the small space. Installed three years ago, the project cost approximately $6,500. “It’s a hobby that the homeowner can grow into,” Helfrich said. Ponds are not impulse buys. Clients who have them installed have either been on a pond or garden walk or have admired one at a neighbor’s property. Another reason the Ruyles wanted a water feature in this small spot was for their grandchildren. “We wanted an area where they can care for koi fish and release toads into the water,” Ruyle said.

“Water features are an unbelievable, educational tool for children,” Helfrich said. “And, every single one of our water features has circulation. The stereotypes about ponds have been mosquitoes, but an upside down Frisbee with standing water can attract more than 10,000 mosquito larvae.” Although the homeowners did the planting themselves, Helfrich notes that the landscape can make or break a water feature. “You have to leave room for plants. We don’t do the landscape. We do what we do best—install ponds—and let the landscapers do what they do best—choose and install the plants.” The canopy of the Japanese maple and the hosta leaves soften the waterfall. Some people hang beautiful paintings or other art on their walls indoors. Amy and Robert Ruyle simply look out the window.

Does your firm have an interesting tiny landscape you’d like to share? Email ninakoziol@icloud.com

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Special Feature —

Creating Connection: Gardens by Heather Prince

There are numerous arti-

cles and studies that have proven the myriad benefits humans receive from interacting with nature. Clearly, it is essential for people to experience the natural world and plants in order to thrive. How do you create landscape experiences for clients that truly make a lasting connection? One of the hottest trends in landscaping is creating meditation, healing or sanctuary garden spaces. We talked to Virginia Burt, landscape architect; Robbi Hursthouse, registered horticultural therapist; and Bob Hursthouse, landscape architect to find out what elements are important and how to do it right.

Assess Client Needs

In many cases, we have a checklist for what should go in a garden space. For healing or sanctuary gardens, it might be water, seating, screening, fragrance, and texture. However, both Burt and the Hursthouses stressed that as designers and installers, we need to listen to the client first. It’s necessary to be absolutely clear on your clients’ needs. The client is not only the person or the board of directors paying the bills, but the end users. For example, Virginia Burt designed the University Hospitals’ Schneider Healing Garden that serves the Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland. “People with disease want to experience

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

different spaces, sometimes with people and sometimes alone,” said Virginia. These multiple audiences all had the same need for a space in which to reflect, relax, and heal. “It is important that you listen to the client needs, not just what the board may think is necessary,” commented Virginia. In building the space, she created a respite not only for cancer patients, but also for their families and perhaps equally important, the hospital staff. One of her favorite stories about the garden is the one oncologist who made special arrangements with the maintenance staff. At the end of each work day, he’d slip out a particular door so he could walk through the gardens before getting into his car.

for Healing and Sanctuary It was his way of shedding the day and grounding himself. You can experience your clients’ style and personality, just by walking up to their front door,” observed Bob Hursthouse. “You can see what’s important to them if you take the time to notice.” Pay attention to how they maintain their property and the style of their home furnishings. Ask questions – lots and lots of questions. “Some things I ask might be: ‘Has your client visited a healing garden before? If not, then what is their ideal garden? What is the garden of their dreams? What is their first memory of nature? What is their first memory of a garden?’ This helps me understand the

client’s relationship with plants and the natural world,” said Virginia. What time of day are the clients using the space? Is lighting an important element to add if the users are only in the garden at the end of the work day? What sort of surfaces are required? Are the homeowners planning on practicing yoga or meditation in their space?

Create Connection

Seek out your clients’ stories. In all those questions that you ask, look for the stories that they tell about gardens, plants or nature. A story about grandma’s herb garden may lead you to line a path with thyme so your client not only experiences

the spicy fragrance, but is also reminded of a beloved memory. Place the healing garden where people congregate, where they will use it. Connect to a living space that receives everyday use. “If you put a healing garden in the back 40, in a leftover space, it will always be treated as a leftover. No one visits the forgotten space or maintains it. You maintain what you love,” mentioned Virginia. “The original garden at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago was in the middle of the building. It really felt like a fishbowl with windows on all sides,“ related Robbi. “This garden was so alive and (continued on page 28)

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Special Feature — (continued from page 27) refreshing. Patients could look down on it, even if they couldn’t go out. Even pictures of plants can be healing. Garden therapy can be active or passive.” In any healing garden, programming is essential to keeping the space alive. Mayor Richard M. Daley and Mrs. Daley recognized that importance and endowed the Garden Play program at Lurie Children’s Hospital. Robbi has appreciated their commitment to horticulture therapy. “Maggie Daley preferred the name ‘Garden Play’ when we first started the program 32 years ago,” she recollected. “When a child is hospitalized, all control is taken away. The Child Life Program deals with the emotional needs of the pediatric patients. Gardening gives back control. You reverse

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

the dependency role.” Robbi has never done the same program twice. She finds that children can assign their own meaning to activities with plants. For example, different sizes of plants can represent a family when creating a dish garden that children can keep in their rooms. Robbi incorporates art, crafts, and other cultures to create experiences. “Even the scent of the potting mix draws people over – just to smell,” said Robbi. In a home garden, carve out small experiences. Take the BBQ as an example. It can be the forgotten, neglected element, a grill plopped on a patio slab. You can add some space, even if it’s just enough to fit a couple of chairs and grilling tools. “Make an experience, not just a chore,” (continued on page 30)

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Special Feature — (continued from page 29) observed Virginia. Then the person grilling has a place to relax, or in some cases to hide or get out of the way and it’s an intimate experience. Maybe two people share a drink and watch the steaks, but they can have a view or a water feature. Add pots of herbs to cook with and sample and now it’s a nurturing experience.

Be Steadfast in Your Design Intent

It’s easy to stray away from the foundation of client needs to add elements because you find them valuable or just outright cool. We all have that mental rolodex of plants and elements that we rely on when faced with a set of criteria. Does every healing garden need a water element or a swatch of groundcover? Once you’ve spent the mental energy

to get to the bottom of your client needs and have determined solutions to the situation, “be rock solid on your intent and goals. It’s easy to add lots of layers,” commented Virginia. Be ruthlessly selective and edit. Simplify. Healing gardens are meant to be soothing, calming spaces. Think about thresholds and how a person moves from one space to another. What signals the transition? Polish the plant palette and hardgoods choices, remembering that green is a color. Think about the four elements of a garden: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. The physical is what’s there; the sun conditions, soils, slope, and water. The mental element consists of memories and stories. It includes not only the stories we tell ourselves or each other, but the story we want to project. The

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

emotional can be found in seven archetypes described by landscape architect Julie Moir Messervy. First, the sea which represents the feeling of immersion. The cave is where you are looking out from a small enclosed space filled with nooks and crannies. The harbor involves a broader sense of looking out or safety with a view. The promontory is when you are standing on the edge or the top of a cliff. The island offers 360 degree views, but it is isolated and open to the heavens. The mountain represents ascension or a sense of the tower, treehouse or turret. Lastly, the sky which represents boundlessness. Clients all react differently to these seven concepts. Which one draws you in the most? The spiritual element can be represented by the desire for worship, sacredness, or the feeling of (continued on page 32)

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Special Feature — (continued from page 30) something greater than. Think of breath and breathing. In a healing garden, it can be necessary to create a space incorporating all these elements.

Healing and the Spiritual

There’s a great deal of good science out there proving the benefits of experiencing nature. Among them are improved shortterm memory, restored mental energy, stress relief, reduced inflammation, improved concentration, sharper thinking and creativity, an immune system boost, and improved mental health. That’s quite a list! As you work with clients and create healing spaces, don’t forget to promote the myriad benefits. We can all benefit from taking time to enjoy our natural spaces. Throughout our discussions, Virginia, Robbi and Bob all readily acknowledged the spiritual connection that humans can experience with nature. In healing gardens in particular, it is important to tap into this element of ‘greater than.’ Robbi finds that not only is horticulture therapy a unique way to care for the human condition, for her, “I did a lot of tending to the garden and felt connected to the children spiritually. It was my time to not only shed the things I couldn’t take home, but also connect with the kids.” Where the intention goes, energy flows. Virginia feels, “We are all interconnected. I believe that there is something out there bigger than ourselves. Journey with the heart.” As you explore the elements of healing and sanctuary gardens, remember to be true to your clients’ needs, steadfast in your intent, edit your choices and perhaps most important, take the time to breathe.

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

New Board Member Profile —

New ILCA Board Member— Mark Utendorf by Meta Levin

In some ways Mark

Utendorf’s path to the green industry was no different than many others, but, in its own way, it was unique. In each step, however, he followed his firm belief that it is important to get involved and help guide whatever organization he joined. Thus, when the Illinois Professional Lawn Care Association (IPLCA) dissolved and ILCA welcomed the group with a Turf Committee, offering Utendorf a place on the board, he said yes. “I want to make sure that the turf interests are well represented,” he says. Utendorf also serves on the Regulatory and Legislative Affairs Committee, as well as the Turf Committee. “My top two priorities with ILCA are education and legislative oversight,” he says. “I try to put my efforts where I can help support the industry.” Besides that, he believes that people in the green industry are the friendliest that he has met. He has found that they are willing to share information and help each other improve. It is, he admits, difficult to disengage from the day-to-day operations of a business such as his lawn care one, and focus on a big picture orientation. However, it is, “amazing how quickly things can change.” If you are not involved, you can be caught unawares by the changes, he says. His experience includes two terms as the IPLCA president, stints on the NALP Public Affairs Advisory Council, the Bayer Lawn Care Advisory Board, the District 15 Education Foundation and the Schaumburg Arts Center board. “I see value in becoming involved,” he says. 34

age 15, and a daughter, age 11, both of whom “hate bugs.” So, he has few hopes of either one following him into the lawn care business. Both play piano. His son also plays guitar. Just as important, however, Utendorf shares a love of roller coasters with both children. “They are fearless,” he says. “We’ve been on a lot of big ones.” The best? Those can be found at Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. “My wife hates them, but the kids and I love them.”

The new addition to the ILCA Board of Directors worked through high school and college doing lawn care. That’s the norm in this industry. After graduating from Arlington High School, he earned a BS from Illinois State University and an MBA from the University of CaliforniaIrvine and entered the corporate world. There he stayed for 20 years. The green industry called, however, and he went to work for a landscape contractor selling design/build as a way of testing the waters for opening his own company. Again, not quite his cup of tea, but it provided a glimpse into what he thought he wanted. Utendorf returned to business. About four years later he received a phone call from the landscape contractor for whom he had worked. Did he want to buy the business? He did. That became Emerald Lawn Care, focusing on the side of the business he liked best. Married to Janice, a pre-school teaching assistant, he has two children, a son, The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Enfoque: Sección en Español

T urf E ducation Day 2017 Por Meta Levin “Este es uno de los más sólidos pro-gramas del Día de Educación sobre Manejo de Céspedes que hemos tenido en años”, afirma Scott Grams, Director Ejecutivo de ILCA. El Día de Educación sobre Manejo de Céspedes (TED, por sus siglas en inglés) está progra-mado para desarrollarse de las 8:30 a.m. a las 3 p.m., el jueves 21 de septiembre de 2017 en el Jardín Botánico de Chicago, en Glencoe, IL. El Dr. Frank Wong, Consultor Superior de Asuntos Reglamentarios de Bayer Corp Science, iniciará el día a las 8:30 a.m. con una conferencia de apertura denominada, “Cómo proteger las plantas polinizadoras en céspedes y jardines”. Con amplia experiencia en investigaciones y en el campo, el Dr. Wong fue editor en jefe de los Informes para el Control de las Enfermedades de las Plantas y actualmente da conferencias a profesionales de la industria verde alrededor del mundo. Profesionalmente, se concentra en “ayudar a que el público comprenda mejor la ciencia 36

del control de las plagas y en promover las políticas públicas impulsadas por las ciencias”, afirma. El Dr. Wong es autor de 48 publica-ciones científicas comentadas por colegas y más de 75 publicaciones sobre la industria del paisajismo y otros temas. A la fecha, ha rea-lizado más de 300 presentaciones científicas y técnicas en Estados Unidos y alrededor del mundo. El Dr. Wong tiene una Licenciatura en Ciencias con especialización en Bioquímica de la Universidad de California Davis y un Doctorado en Filosofía con especialización en Fitopatología y Horticultura de la Universidad de Cornell.También habrá dos oradores plenarios: El Dr. Henry T. Wilkinson, Profesor Emérito del Departamento de Ciencias de Cultivos de la Universidad de Illinois y el Dr. Paul Koch, Profesor Asistente del Departamento de Fitopatología del Colegio de Ciencias Agrícolas y Biológicas, Universidad de Wisconsin – Madison. El programa de este año será un híbrido de mejores The Landscape Contractor August 2017

prácticas e información específica para proveedores, afirma Grams. (continúa en la página 12)(Viene de la página 10)“Tendremos sesiones múltiples sobre la ciencia básica del césped”, afirma Mark Utendorf, miembro del Comité de Céspedes de ILCA. “En el pasado, se ha hecho énfasis en lo genérico o en temas relacionados con los negocios”. Este año habrá más exposiciones sobre cosas que los asistentes pueden usar en sus labores diarias. Después de la presentación inaugu-ral, los asistentes se dividirán entre las dife-rentes sesiones que se ofrecen, incluyendo otra presentación por el Dr. Wong. Otras inclui-rán: • “Revisión de la Temporada de Cuidado y Mantenimiento de la Grama para 2017 y lo que significa para 2018” – Jesse Benelli, Asociación de Golf del Distrito de Chicago• “Más allá del NPK: Herramientas metabólicas para las plantas – George Murray, EnPTurf• “Cómo diagnosticar problemas comu-nes de la grama” – Harold Enger, Spring-Green• “Actualización del

Programa de Regulación de Pesticidas” – Warren Goetsch, Departamento de Agricultura de Illinois• “Cómo optimizar su programa de con-trol de malezas” – Jamie Heydinger, Nufarm Representantes del Departamento de Agricultura de Illinois, que se encarga con regularidad del control y el otorgamiento de licencias con respecto a los pesticidas, son una parte importante del TED, afirma Grams. Alertan a los asistentes sobre asuntos tales como cambios de personal y en los procedi-mientos, lo que los inspectores buscarán en el campo y proporcionan actualizaciones reglamentarias. Goetsch, el orador de este año, ha hecho varias presentaciones en el pasado. A las 11:15 a.m., durante la sesión plenaria anterior al almuerzo, el Dr. Wilkinson discu-tirá “Cómo ‘leer’ un jardín para que usted y su cliente estén bien sincronizados”. “Espero simplificar y aclarar cómo hacer predicciones acertadas sobre

lo que crecerá en un jardín o en cualquier terreno para plantas”, afirma. Catedrático de la Universidad de Illinois durante 30 años, concentrado en hierbas para céspedes, Wilkinson se jubiló recientemente y ahora administra una empresa privada de consultoría. Recibió capacitación en las uni-versidades de Purdue y Cornell, con especia-lización en Fitopatología

y Microbiología del suelo, con una mención en Física del suelo. Durante su carrera, Wilkinson ha sido con-sultor en instalaciones deportivas, incluyendo más de una docenas de campos de béisbol de las Ligas Mayores, así como establecimiento y mantenimiento de céspedes en estadios con cubiertas retráctiles en Estados Unidos, Europa y Japón. En cada caso fue llamado para tratar asuntos relacionados con creci-miento en la sombra o bajo condiciones de luz limitada. Más recientemente lanzó un nuevo curso en línea, “Educación sobre Establecimiento de Céspedes Ornamentales” (TOE, por sus siglas en inglés). Durante su presentación hablará sobre el programa. Después del almuerzo, habrá cuatro sesio-nes separadas: • “El césped en el paisajismo: Cuándo, por qué, cómo” – Dr. Wilkinson• “La administración del tiempo es lo más importante: Cómo utilizar la Suma Térmica (Días-Grado) para cronometrar las aplicaciones

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Enfoque: Sección en Español de pai-sajismo” – Dr. Koch• “Es un insecto o daño por enferme-dad” – Matt Lindner, SavTree• “Los beneficios del calcio y los fertilizantes de azufre en suelos del Medio-Oeste y cómo pueden ayudar con la remediación del sodio” – Brian Milam, Calcium ProductsEl Dr. Koch hará una presentación ple-naria de cierre, “Selección de herbicidas con toxicidad reducida para un control de

malezas eficaz”. Se concentrará en cómo seleccionar productos con toxicidad reducida y en cómo integrar en su programa los productos actual-mente en el mercado. “Existe una mayor pre-sión de los organismos reguladores y el público en general para dar mantenimiento a (Viene de la página 14) (Viene de la página 12)terrenos ajardinados con céspedes utilizando productos con toxicidad reducida”, dice. Ha sido profesor asistente en el Departamento de Fitopatología desde 2014, haciendo investigaciones concentradas principalmente en desarrollar y someter a prueba programas de control de plagas con toxicidad reducida en terrenos ajardinados con césped e investigaciones sobre el efecto y el impacto de los pesticidas en el ambiente. Además de sus investigaciones y roles en el área de la enseñanza, el Dr. Koch supervisa el Laboratorio de Diagnósticos de Céspedes de la Universidad de Wisconsin y es afiliado al Centro de Toxicología Molecular y Ambiental de la Universidad de Wisconsin.

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Containers, Planters and Hardscapes —

Pots with Panache

— Colorful planter ideas for summer into fall by Nina A. Koziol

When it comes to hot weather, July wins hands down. A computer scan of Midway Airport temperature data from 1929 to 2009 shows an average temperature of 75.2 degrees. Doesn’t sound all that hot, but add humidity and you get the picture. (Get ready: The second hottest month in the Chicago area is August.) In spite of the heat, you can create great-looking containers now that transition beautifully into fall. And, if your customers think containers are for summer only, offer them a seasonal rotation and they may get hooked. Jennifer Brennan, horticulture information specialist and manager of education at the Chalet in Wilmette, shares some thoughts about container design.

What trends do you see for container planting?

The latest trends are succulent plants because of water restrictions in some areas or simply because they’re less maintenance. And, there’s the use of sub-tropicals mixed with annuals and perennials for the exotic foliage and bright tropical flower colors. Hot and humid is the same in the Chicago area (and through much of Illinois) as in the tropics.

What makes for a great container?

I look for the plant, the colors, or the flower shape that grabs my attention, then I find a contrasting or echoing color. (continued on page 42)

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Containers, Planters and Hardscapes — (continued from page 40) What determines the number of plants? I use the diameter of the container to guide the quantity. Divide the pot’s diameter by 2 to get the number of 4-inch plants you’ll need. For example, if the container is 14 inches wide, you’d need seven 4-inch potted plants.

How about the size of the pot versus plant material? I look at the planted container from the bottom of the pot to the top of the vertical plant. A good ratio is to have plant material make up two-thirds of the total and one-third of the view is the pot. That ratio includes plants that cascade over the edge as well as the top height of the vertical plant. (continued on page 44)

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Containers and Planters (continued from page 42) Is there a simple design recipe worth repeating?

I select one vertical plant, three cascading and three mounding “filler” plants to get the maximum impact.

Tell us about this fall container.

The pampas grass provides the height as well as the dynamic flower spike. The kale’s ruffled leaf edges offer texture and the burgundy color. The ornamental peppers provide that autumn orange with the contrasting cream color. And, the orange mums echo the orange peppers while the purple asters echo the colors in the kale. The wire vine and variegated ivy both provide cascading foliage to extend the visual effect of the plant material-to-container ratio. Look how the wire vine was positioned to accent the Greenman’s face! It is all in the details!

What might you have used for the summer planting in this container?

The same ornamental grass—pampas grass—would have been used in the center, with Calibrichoa cascading down the sides. Angelonia in a complimentary color would provide height to echo the vertical grass, and a coleus with a contrasting color to the flowers would round out the display. An ivy tucked next to each the Calibrichoa would enhance the cascade and also the classical nature of this beautiful container.

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Special Feature —

Can You Hear Me Now?

Fine-tune your listening skills to improve your bottom line by Nina Koziol

“If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear.” Mark Twain

Next time you’re in a restaurant, or

at a family gathering, or in a client or team meeting, take a good look around to see what people are doing. Some are texting, scanning their phones, or doodling, or halflistening to what’s being said. The lucky ones, however, are having a real conversation. “Listening is not the same as hear-

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

ing,” said Judy Ferraro, of Judy Ferraro & Associates. “It’s a skill that can be learned. Being a good listener is one of the finest attributes you can have.” Ferraro, a former improv personality, was speaking about high-level sales communication skills last October at Midwest Groundcovers’ Landscape Contractors Educational Event.

Throughout the morning program, she had several attendees on “stage,” participating in listening exercises. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds. “When you’re talking with someone it’s difficult to resist thinking about what you’re going to say next. Sometimes, you have to stop talking and just concentrate,” she said. Here are a few take-aways from her talk.

Tip #1. Be Curious. Ideas come from curiosity. It opens new doors and possibilities. “Curious people will listen without judgement,” Ferraro said. “Ask good questions.” Good questions rarely lead to a yes or no answer. (Anyone who has a teenager knows how that works--just ask, ‘How was your day?’

and you’ll likely get a one-word response.) Ferraro suggests that instead of asking, “How was your weekend?” say, “Tell me about your weekend” to get the conversation going. “People who visit garden centers want information. Strike up a conversation about a plant. Or say, ‘tell me about your garden.’” (continued on page 48)

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

An Insiders View — (continued from page 47)

Tip #2. Lend me your ear. Don’t interrupt the other person who’s speaking and don’t finish their sentences for them. Interrupting tells the person, “What I have to say is more important.” Give yourself a moment to think instead of blurting out a response.

Tip #3. Practice self control. Whether it’s a customer or a coworker, people get turned off by someone who talks excessively without listening to them. Try not to think about your reply and, instead, focus on listening. You can overcome that habit by taking notes.

Tip #4. Know thy customer. Get to know your customers better. Ask questions and put the details into your database. “Record those personal details in your contact list and update it every time you have a contact with that customer. For example, ‘Spoke to Eva on Dec. 15 and she said Fido her dog was having surgery.” Next time you have a sales call, pull up the record and ask about it. “I put everything in my contacts--not just bids and prices. It personalizes the relationship. Even if you’re prospecting, I make a note, such as ‘I called 15 times...’ You might have to find another way, like connecting on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.”

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Tip #5. Figure out who’s on first, second and third. “If your client calls and you’re not there to take the call, who’s your backup?” Have layers of people at every account, she said. “Your customers want to be heard and not always on voicemail.”

Tip #6. Avoid saying no. Sometimes you just have to say ‘no’ to a customer. “But, the minute you say no, all creativity and forward movement stops.” Instead, Ferraro suggests that you try and rephrase your response, with a “Yes, but...” For example, if the customer wants you to lower the price, instead of saying, “no, we can’t do that,” consider, “Yes, we can talk (continued on page 51)

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

(continued from page 49) about the price, but we’d have to alter the project in another area to meet your budget” or “Yes, but the plants will be in smaller pots.” “It’s so much more positive,” she said. It sounds rudimentary, but you get the idea. Avoid saying no right off the bat and turn it to your advantage.

Tip #7. Don’t be a Debbie Downer.

“What customer or employee wants to ‘follow’ someone who is negative? It’s all about trust.” When you can, face the person and maintain eye contact. Switch off the cell phone. Respect your customer or coworker for his or her knowledge and skills, regardless of their background. And, don’t “ding” your competitors. Focus on what you and your company have to offer the client.

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

New Member Profile Snapshot

The Knapheide Manufacturing Company 1848 Westphalia Strasse Quincy, IL 62305 (630) 433-7950 www.knapheide.com

by Meta Levin

The history of

Knapheide Manufacturing Company in Quincy, IL winds its way through six generations, from Germany to New Orleans, then up the Mississippi River to Quincy, IL, where it has been ever since. The family stayed in Quincy, but their history has by no means been static. Herman Heinrich Knapheide, the company’s founder, made the trek from Germany to New Orleans to Quincy, IL. In 1848, he founded the Knapheide Wagon Company, making wagons and selling them to farmers, miners and pioneers headed out west. Each successive generation added to and upgraded the company, taking advantage of new technology, as well as the needs of their customers. In 1937, it became The Knapheide Manufacturing Company, the name by which it is known today. Harold W. Knapheide III is the current president. He runs the day to day operations, the fifth generation to do so. His son, Harold W. (Bo) Knapheide IV is senior vice president of distributor and fleet operations. Knapheide manufactures truck bodies and truck beds, including dump, landscaping, water, flat bed and KUV bodies, as well as platform gooseneck trailer bodies. “We are not a cookie cutter manufacturer,” says Joe Villa, Knapheide’s district sales manager for the Chicago area. “We will customize our products to the customer’s request.” During iLandscape 2017 the company had its KUV body on display. The van body, which includes outside utility compartments and is popular with irrigation contractors, attracted a lot of attention, says Villa. “We got good feedback on it.” They listen closely to their customers wants and needs, evaluating trends as they come along. To that end, Knapheide is building a new facility to construct aluminum bodies. “They are lighter weight,” says Villa. Knapheide has been assessing the market and working to ensure that they could build their 52

products of aluminum, while still making them as strong as steel. “Because it is lighter weight, the contractor can increase his payload. That’s where the market is going.” Knapheide is the second largest employer in Quincy, a town of about 40,000 people. The new plant will add about 500 jobs to the town’s economy. “The family is true to its roots,” says Villa. “They are genuine folks, who still live in the community.” They are committed to Quincy. In fact, the original Knapheide building number two is still in use. Donated to the community, it now houses the Boys and Girls Club. In addition, they have given to the local hospital and other charities in the area. Villa, who was an ILCA member when working for Haggerty Auto Group, made sure that Knapheide joined the association this year. He worked on the Latino Relations Committee, where he could share his knowledge to help others become more proficient and efficient in their work in the industry, he says. “That is something I am proud of.” Born in Mexico, Villa grew up in Chicago’s western suburbs. Like the family that owns Knapheide, Villa is active in his community. He volunteers for Rebuilding Together Aurora. He acts as a translator for those caught up in the justice system for whom English is not their first language. In his spare time, he rides his Harley Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle. It’s been a good year for Villa. He and his wife recently celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary. Their daughter, a senior in college, studying to become a teacher, got married only a few months later. His enthusiasm for his work and the Knapheide Company shows in everything that he does. “It’s a great company,” he says.

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

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Kubota Z725KH unit shown for display purposes only and does not qualify for featured promotional payment and price offers. Unit may be shown with optional accessories.

The Impact Conference: Building Sustainable Landscapes Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School at the Chicago Botanic Garden 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022

For full event details and to register, visit: www.ilca.net/impact-conference Sessions Include: •

KEYNOTE: Finding Your Niche: Establishing an Ecological Focus for Your Firm

•

Building Resilient Communities with Green Infrastructure One Code at a Time

•

The New IPM: Integrated Plant Management

•

Selling to the Sustainable Landscaping Customer

•

PRE-LUNCH PLENARY: A New Garden Ethic

•

Principles of Biological Systems and Implications

•

Landscape Gardening: A Weed Assassin’s Guide to the Profitable Maintenance of Revolutionary Landscapes

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Sustainable Water Management Practices

•

Habitat Makeover – Improving the Bird and Butterfly Habitat of Your Projects

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

June 1, 2016

Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Annual Calendar

Sustainable Maintenance Guide and Calendar For the next 15 months, ILCA will be releasing a monthly excerpt from the most current version (v3.0) of its Sustainable Maintenance Guide and Calendar in The Landscape Contractor magazine. The entire 12 month calendar is available to download at no cost to ILCA members, non-profits, public agencies, and units of government. Please email information@ilca.net to request a download of the entire guide and calendar. This guide is not available to private landscape companies who are not members of the ILCA. This guide is intended to equip Illinois Landscape Contractors Association members with all the tools necessary to implement a sustainable maintenance program. It takes into account the constraints of a landscape company in regards to costs, time, equipment, personnel, and horticultural knowledge. The guide is written so any landscape company can apply these maintenance principles to almost any commercial or residential landscape and improve the positive impact on the environment without sacrificing aesthetic quality.

SUSTAINABLE MAINTENANCE CALENDAR June 1, 2016

Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Annual Calendar

SUSTAINABLE MAINTENANCE CALENDAR

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Classified Ads HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Beary Landscape Management Inc.

Landscape Plant Health Care Team Administrator

Sales Professional

Rosborough Partners, Inc. is looking for a detailed and well-organized individual to provide administrative support for our Plant Health Care Team. Responsibilities include tracking client information, processing proposals, work orders, handling client calls, entering timesheets, organizing files, and supporting the operations team. The ideal candidate likes working with and supporting a team, is flexible and enjoys the challenge of adapting to the changing demands of the job.

Pizzo & Associates, Ltd. seeks a growth-driven sales professional for our southern territory (southern suburbs of Chicago and NW Indiana). They will act as the point person on projects in the burgeoning field of ecological restoration.

Is growing again, and looking for qualified employees for the following positions: LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS MANAGERS We are seeking experienced landscape maintenance & enhancement operations managers. Minimum of 3 yrs. Experience. Must possess strong communication skills written/verbal. Responsible to communicate with Crews & Customers. Responsible for supervising up to 6 crews possibly more during peak months. Must be very detail orientated, and have a great work ethic. Bi-Lingual & CDL License a +, but not required. We offer an excellent salary, company vehicle, cell phone, 401k, and vacation. Full time year round position. COMMERCIAL MAINTENANCE & SNOW REMOVAL SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVE We are seeking an experienced commercial sales & business development representative. Duties will include prospecting, estimating, and account management. Minimum of 3 yrs. Experience. Must possess strong communication skills written/verbal. We offer an excellent salary, company vehicle, cell phone, 401k, and vacation. Full time year round position. Please send resumes to: pirish@bearylandscaping.com Moore Landscapes, LLC is hiring!! Commercial Operator Applicator - Spray Tech; Field Ops Mgr.; Landscape Architect/Designer; and more. Please visit our website at: www.moorelandscapes.com/careers for more details. Come Grow With Us!!

Minimum qualifications: 3 years of office administrative experience (preferably in the landscape industry but will train appropriate candidate). Excellent communication skills (written and verbal.) Proficient in MS Office products. We provide an excellent compensation package including medical, dental and 401k benefits. Send resumes to: resumes@rosboroughpartners.com Account Manager Grow with us! Balanced Environments is looking for a full-time addition to our sales team. As an Account Manager you will manage a portfolio of commercial landscape and snow accounts, prepare and present site recommendations, maintain client relationships and develop new clients through sales of new services. Our organization offers a compensation plan that includes a competitive salary/commission structure, health/dental/disability insurance and 401k plan. For a confidential consideration please send your inquiry and resume today to: hdill@balancedenvironmentsinc.com or call Ed Reier at 847.833.3594.

+ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Conduct site visits and assessments; client meetings and communication; preparation and delivery of presentations in private group and/or public setting; preparation of plans, cost estimates and proposals; preparation of job files for sold work including site plans, plant lists and detailed description of work. This position is also responsible for client follow-up and must remain abreast of each project’s progress. +EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE Bachelor’s degree in, landscape architecture, horticulture, business, or similar concentration. Five or more years of experience with a proven record of accomplishment managing client relationships. Ecological experience a bonus. The Pizzo Group is an award-winning company with 128 awards to date. This demonstrates our record of achievement and our commitment to fostering an award-winning culture. Please send resumes to: jackp@pizzo.info

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES JAMES MARTIN ASSOCIATES, INC. Vernon Hills, IL

James Martin Associates, Inc. is a leader in the Landscape and Snow Management industry. We have been providing services to our customers for 40 years. We are seeking candidates for the following positions:

Accounting Associate

Design Build Sales

IT Desktop/ Support Technician

To be considered for any of these opportunities, please forward your resume and salary history to b.mcelroy@jamesmartinassociates.com or call Beth at 847-876-8052.

Landscape Architecture • Construction • Maintenance • Snow Management

www.jamesmartinassociates.com

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Classified Ads HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Landscape Maintenance & Snow Removal Project Estimator

Landscaping Maintenance Account Manager

Account Manager

We are looking for an additional year-round Landscaping Maintenance Account manager to be our primary contact in maintaining relationships with existing condominium & townhouse clients. Familiarity with maintenance estimating and pricing skill is required, along with a thorough knowledge of landscape maintenance and maintenance enhancement procedures.

Hanson Landscape Inc. is currently accepting resumes for an experienced Full Time Account Manager. This position is responsible for developing contracts for both commercial landscape and snow removal, along with selling enhancements for current clients or potential clients. A qualified candidate will have 2+ years of account management experience, knowledge of plant material, excellent communication skills, and a knowledge of bidding landscape and snow removal. Please email your resume or questions to: Rachel@Hansonlandscape.com.

Job Description : We currently have a full time position available for a Landscape Maintenance & Snow Removal Project Estimator. Estimator Duties and Responsibilities: • Preparation and evaluation of scopes of work for all the necessary services requested • Preparation of necessary take-offs for proper quantification of scopes. Through online systems • Preparation of estimates, analysis, and proposals through software system • Collaboration with the business development team to develop a timeline for the estimates due • Ability to coordinate bidding of multiple projects simultaneously • Composure to manage and meet tight deadlines while still producing accurate takeoffs and bids • Engage with subcontractors to obtain multiple competitive and qualified sub quotes • Evaluation of the subcontractor quotes to ensure complete scope coverage of the service is being quoted • Identification and qualification of new subcontractors to ensure proper subcontractor documentation and coverage on the bids • Analytical skills for review of subcontractor bids and vendor quotes • Landscape Project Estimator Qualifications: • Applicants must be proficient in Microsoft Office/Excel and computer knowledge. • Minimum 3 year experience and knowledge of basic landscape maintenance, snow removal and construction practices. • All applicants are required to have a valid driver’s license • Work with co-workers as a team to ensure success • Ability to prioritize and multi-task in a fast paced environment • Excellent communication skills and strong work ethic • This position is 95% office based Please send resume to: pirish@bearylandscaping.com

Come join our growing team and be an integral part of a large and successful business in the South Suburbs. For 32 years we have been growing a friendly and comfortable work environment that values quality of work as much as quality time away from the office. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS • Minimum 3 Years Experience in related field • Must possess a valid driver’s licenseGood insect/ disease diagnosis skills • Bi-lingual is helpful • Degree in Horticulture is helpful, but not required Please send your resume and salary requirements to: info@suburbanlandscaping.net RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT MANAGER Our growing landscape maintenance business is searching for an experienced residential account manager. The qualified candidate will be responsible for establishing contact with existing residential accounts, selling enhancement work as well as bidding new residential accounts.

CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES September 2017 issue ads: August 15, 2017 October 2017 issue ads: September 15, 2017 PLEASE NOTE: “HELP WANTED” AD SALES ARE LIMITED TO ILCA MEMBER COMPANIES Magazine Cost is $5 per line Minimum charge $50 Website Cost is $12 per line Minimum charge $120 (About 6 words/line) Submit your ads online at ilca.net or call Alycia O’Connor (630) 472-2851

QUALIFICATIONS: • 2+ years of account management • Knowledge of bidding landscape maintenance • Knowledge of plant material • Excellent communication skills BENEFITS: • Year round, full time, salaried position • Company vehicle • Paid vacation, personal days and sick days • Health, Dental, and Life Insurance, 401k Send Resumes to marktoms@wdlinc.com

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

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The Landscape Contractor August 2017

Knowing Native Plants

Native Intelligence A Guide through the Labyrinth of Native Plants and Cultivars

by Nina Koziol

In the Midwest,

where winter temperatures can dip to -20 F and summers can produce endless heat and periods of drought, plants must be well-adapted to survive let alone thrive. Native plants — the flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees that grew in geographical regions prior to European settlement — do just that. Many are found growing in forest preserves, open spaces, the dunes and prairies. Evolving over tens of thousands of years, Midwestern native plants have adapted to the harshest winters, they tolerate droughts, and typically prosper in local soils. Once they’re established, natives typically need less supplemental water than other garden plants. Jason Fritz of Cardno will anchor the Native Intelligence series for the next five months.

Tradescantia ohiensis — Ohio Spiderwort

“This plant will persist in pretty much any light condition and in most soils. I’ve seen it grow in full sun and dry, well-drained sand to medium shade with rich dark heavy soils. It blooms for a good long time, three to four weeks, but the flowers only open in the morning in full sun. In shade or part shade it will bloom for a longer period through the day. It does spread by rhizomes, which can be a good or bad thing.” Can also self-sow.

Cultivate: • Plant: Full sun to part shade, moist, well-drained soils • Height: 3’ • Partners: Vernonia, Culver’s root, pale purple coneflower, golden Alexanders

Bonus: Great for use in natural landscapes or prairie reconstruction

The Landscape Contractor August 2017

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