Plant Geeks Speak
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Cultivating Relationships Join us for Customer Appreciation Day Wednesday, August 25, 2021
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August 2021
CONTENTS
Excellence In Landscape Awards Project
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FOCUS: Passing the Test of Time Perennial Drama 10 Thoughts on plants and design Perennial Pros Share Their Favorites 20 The new and under used for consideration The Changing Face of Public Gardens The Lincoln Park Zoo
EN ESPAÑOL El drama de las plantas perennes — Perennial Pros Share Their Favorites
10
30
38
20
Focus on Irrigation 42 A continuing conversation with Jon Farner
It’s Time to Reassess Your Strategic Assumptions 46 Tips for Garden Pros
Diseases and Pests 53 Box tree moth and powdery mildew
Inspiration Alley 61 The Minimalist
Hidden Landscape Gems The Bahai House of Worship Gardens
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62
On the cover... Night Light, Inc. won a Gold Award in 2020 for this project titled Moonlight Magic. The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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CONTENTS
DEPARTMENTS ILCA Calendar From Where I Stand President’s Message New Members Classified Ads Advertisers Index Photo Credits
ILCA Awards Committee Midwest Groundcovers Angela Treadwell-Palmer Hans Hansen Kelly Norris Lincoln Park Zoo
1, 8-9 10-18 20-23 24-26 28-29 30-37
Calendar 4 5 7 51 56 61
AUGUST August 19, 2021 WNG Event Ball Seed
SEPTEMBER September 15, 2021 Turf Education Day
Heather Prince 53, 62 Jeanne Nolan 54 BaHai House of Worship 61
September 22-24, 2021 OWN IT! - Owners & Senior Managers Conference The Abbey Resort, Fontana, WI
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
September 30, 2021 ILCA Golf Outing
Volume 62, 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.
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October 19, 2021 The Impact Conference
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
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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From Where I Stand — It is not every day the ILCA goes toe to toe with
the world’s deadliest pest. No, it’s not lions or tigers or bears. The lowly mosquito holds the title and doesn’t have a lot of challengers to the throne. Every year, almost 700 million people are infected with mosquito-borne illnesses and about 500,000 of them die. Many of these casualties are in sub-Saharan Africa where densely packed populations and a lack of local controls lead to severe annual outbreaks. With that said, diseases like Zika and West Nile Virus have entered the American lexicon causing threats to public health as our families and pets enjoy the outdoors. I have never met an Illinois citizen who has complained that we don’t have enough mosquitoes. Our control measures range from elegant tabletop candles to $7 bottles of OFF to bluehued torture devices that zap them into eternity. Cities, towns, and Mosquito Abatement Districts apply aquatics, aerial sprays, and drive those loud, orange trucks belching adulticides from a ULV fogger. That sound and smell is enough to send any neighborhood kid inside to finish his summer evening Popsicle. Recently, lawn and landscape professionals are getting into the mitigation market. Barrier control aduliticides are becoming more popular than coating ourselves in thick layers of bug spray. Billboards for Mosquito Joe or Mosquito Squad or Skeeter Beater and dozens of other mosquito-control companies line the highways from March to November. Lawn and landscape professionals, already having the equipment, licensure, and technical know-how have bitten off a formidable chunk of the market, as well. This spring, adult mosquito control almost got zapped by the Illinois General Assembly. HB3118 was filed by State Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston). She has been a lawmaker since 2010 and was recently appointed Assistant Majority Leader in the House. She also serves on the House Energy and Environment Committee where the initial bill was referred to. Literally, this bill was the brainchild of a child with a brain Scarlett Harper. Scarlett is an 11-year old environmental activist from Winnetka. The Record - North Shore newspaper had a nice write-up on Scarlett and where she got the idea to protect pollinators like bees and butterflies. The bill was actually colloquially dubbed “The bee bill” as it was lobbied. As the father of an 11-year old girl, I know full well never to underestimate them. When my daughter seizes onto an issue that she is passionate about, no adult in a suit is going to easily scare her away. Scarlett was intelligent, driven, and motivated. She testified before the Energy and Environment Committee and then watched her bill sail through on the strength of that testimony. The crux of HB3118 was for mosquito control companies to behave more like Mosquito Abatement Districts (MADs). This should come as no surprise as much of the text of HB3118 was written by the Executive Director of the Lake County MAD. HB3118 introduced an evidence-based model onto all mosquito and tick control professionals. Now, instead of the client and applicator agreeing to the terms of service, the applicator would need to prove mosquitos were present. That sounds simple enough, but in
order to apply an adulticide, the applicator would need to drive to the client’s property, confirm the presence of adult mosquitoes, approve and then schedule the application. Neighbors would need to be notified using a special registry. Signage would need to be posted. This would need to be done prior to every application. In addition, all oversight of adult mosquito control would shift from the Illinois Department of Agriculture to the Department of Public Health. All training and testing of applicators would be done by IDPH. None of the new requirements would impact MADs or units of government. This would only impact private contractors. MADs use a multi-level, pyramid-like strategy to combat mosquitoes. They start with outright prevention where trouble spots are identified and standing water is mitigated so larvae cannot hatch. After that, they move to aquatic control of larvicide. Following that, they will use aerial techniques or ULV fogging trucks to apply adulticides. Lastly, at the top of the pyramid, they will apply barrier treatments to the landscape. They hope that methods lower on the pyramid will reduce the number of mosquitoes that need to be controlled at the top of the pyramid. MADs are funded by tax dollars and are technically units of government with the ability to levy taxes. With that said, there are only 20 of them in the entire State of Illinois and are constantly fighting for their survival. Although, they perform a valuable service, they are often used as the poster child for a leviathan-like expansion of government. As with any unit of government, they need to fight to keep their tax base and budget from a public who doesn’t like giving money away - no matter how many dead bugs it leaves in its wake. Due to the limited scope of MADs, municipalities and private applicators fill in the gaps. Since our members were now being directly targeted, we needed to lobby the Assistant Majority Leader and make a lobbying opponent of an 11-year old girl. All in a day’s work. The Turf Committee ran point on much of the advocacy on HB3118. The lawn care industry has a less reflexive attitude to regulations. They are a heavily regulated industry given the ramifications of pesticide misuse. Regulations are what also provides them legitimacy. Obviously, clients have concerns when chemicals with long names are being applied to their backyards so the lawn care industry leans towards controls rather than against them. We advocated for a temporal based model. Every entomologist would agree that that the adult mosquito season goes from April to October in Illinois so why bother with onerous evidence-based collections during periods where mosquitoes are omnipresent. Pragmatism is what makes the Turf Committee a strong advocate. The optics of pesticide applicators cavalierly applying materials that could harm birds, bees, or lead to eventual pyrethroid resistance from mosquitoes was not a great bargaining position. Instead, the Turf Committee dissected the bill and figured out if the intent could remain while dropping the more onerous restrictions. A big push was for the Illinois Department of Agriculture to retain control. That is an agency that lawn care applicators understand and who already had the customer notifications and signage requirements without creating new bureaucracy. By not throwing bombs and negotiating in good faith, ILCA became the lead voice of opposition.
Pesticide Resistance
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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From Where I Stand —
A L L TO G E T H E R B E T T E R W W W. M A R I A N I P L A N T S .COM
866-627-4264
To Leader Gabel’s credit, she listened. Scarlett and the bill’s author participated actively in our negotiations. We enlisted support from the Structural Pest Management Association. In addition, the Lyme Disease Association in Illinois expressed great concern about limiting applications when early testing in rural counties was showing upwards of a 75% infection rate of captured ticks. The more special interest groups came to the table to discuss concerns, the more layered the issue became. The clock was also ticking and, in the end, Rep. Gabel had to shelve the bill until further consensus could be achieved. The requirements of HB3118 would not be enacted, for now. Phew. Big sigh of relief. The itch got scratched. Seeing HB3118 pick up steam made me take pause. In the past, this bill likely would’ve been assigned to The Agricultural Committee where it would have withered away. Due to the gravity of the sponsor, the local community from where it was born, and the backstory of Scarlett, it was inevitable this was going to move. This bill was born form a local advocate who went to her local rep who lives in a community with the most well-funded MAD in the state. The North Shore was the perfect incubator for HB3118. This opened my eyes to a major vulnerability we have in our advocacy efforts. ILCA is constructed to take on national and state issues. We struggle mightily to handle issues at the local level. We are a formidable adversary at the state level, once these issues pop up locally, we are playing whack-a-mole with a blindfold on. It is no surprise that the most conservative and progressive communities grow frustrated by the slog of the General Assembly. These communities want to advance their own agendas. Once we get to the level of municipal ordinance setting, ILCA is at a major disadvantage. For one, city councils don’t adhere to a rigid legislative calendar. Further, city councils don’t want to hear from special interest groups like the ILCA. They want to hear from residents, not carpetbaggers. Third, state associations are not equipped to handle advocacy at one, let alone thousands of Illinois municipalities. Finally, municipal lobbying favors some members over others. Resources go to clusters of members versus helping all members at the same time. Pesticides have the shield of preemption, but noise ordinances do not. We have already had to involve ourselves in two leaf blower bans in Evanston and Oak Park in the last few months. These are not going away and ordinances hatch like mosquito larvae. We have limited options on local advocacy. ILCA is feverishly preparing issue briefs that our members can use if they confront these issues locally. If Scarlett can do it, landscape businesses with huge economic interests must be prepared to fight, as well. All politics are local and that will become painfully apparent if we are not prepared at every level of government. You may wonder, just who sits through 4-hour city council meetings? The answer is extremely motivated residents who want to fundamentally change the way you conduct business. They substitute their passion and perseverance for hard data and science. We must remain vigilant during this next chapter of ILCA advocacy and be prepared for local fights. Ordinances are like mosquitoes, as soon as you smack one down, it won’t be long until you hear that buzzing in your ear again.
Scott Grams, Executive Director July 19, 2021
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
President’s Message — As my career has evolved,
I have always striven to be successful, just like many of you. Success is a subjective concept; one which will look and feel different to each of us. And through multiple successes, and even more failures, there is one constant that remains a cornerstone to my personal definition of success — continued education and learning. I cannot speak enough about the importance of constantly learning. No, this does not mean you have to go to grad school or community college to continue educating yourself, but it does mean that you need to continue learning from others, books, seminars, and the world around you. Just because you are not sitting in a classroom does not mean there are not opportunities to learn and broaden your understanding of the world. In the context of ILCA, I would be remiss if I did not say that these opportunities are everywhere. From seminars to tradeshows to networking events — there is always someScott McAdam, Jr. thing, or someone, to learn from. In an ever increasing “gotta have it now” consumer market, we often feel that we “don’t have the time” or “we are just too busy” to take advantage of these opportunities. Sometimes, we may even say it is not worth the money because it will take too much time away from on-the-job production. If I may provide one piece of advice, make the time, and engage not only yourself, but your staff as well. By allowing yourself and your staff to continue learning, not only will you improve the success of your business, but you will also be helping each individual build on their own success. Education should not be feared but embraced. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn.” Become involved in committees; attend seminars; attend networking events; send people to tradeshows to expand their own network of industry connections. Whatever you do, never stop learning.
President
Scott McAdam, Jr. McAdam Landscaping, Inc. (708) 771-2299 Scottjr@mcadamlandscape.com
Vice-President
Jeff Kramer Kramer Tree Specialists, Inc, (630) 293-5444 jwkramer@kramertree.com
Secretary-Treasurer
Ashley Marrin Bret-Mar Landscape Management Group, Inc. (708) 301-8160 ashley@bretmarlandscape.com
Immediate Past President Donna Vignocchi Zych ILT Vignocchi, Inc. (847) 487-5200 dvignocchi@iltvignocchi.com
Directors
Eric Adams Russo Power Equipment (847) 233-7811 eadams@russopower.com Jim Cirrincione Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. (630) 323-1411 jcirrincione@hinsdalenurseries .com
Sincerely, Scott McAdam, Jr.
Kim Hartmann Hartmann Consulting 847-404-7669 hartmannkim@comcast.net Jennifer Fick Wilson Nurseries and Landscape Supply (847) 683-3700 jennf@wilsonnurseries.com Tom Klitzkie Nature’s Perspective Landscaping (847) 475-7917 tklitzkie@naturesperspective.com
Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net Kevin Manning K & D Enterprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 kmanning@kdlandscapeinc.com Mark Utendorf Emerald Lawn Care, Inc. (847) 392-7097 marku@emeraldlawncare.com
www.ilca.net
A medida que mi carrera evoluciona, siempre me he esforzado por tener éxito, igual que muchos de ustedes. El éxito es un concepto subjetivo; el cual se verá y sentirá de forma diferente para cada uno de nosotros. Y a través de muchos éxitos e incluso más fracasos, hay una constante que sigue siendo una piedra angular de mi definición personal de éxito — educación continua y aprendizaje. No puedo hablar lo suficiente sobre la importancia del aprendizaje constante. No, esto no significa que usted tiene que ir a una escuela de postgrado o a un colegio universitario comunitario para continuar educándose, sino que debe aprender continuamente de los demás, de libros, seminarios y el mundo que lo rodea. El hecho de que no esté sentado en un aula no significa que no haya oportunidades de aprender y ampliar su comprensión del mundo. En el contexto de ILCA, sería negligente si no dijera que estas oportunidades están por todas partes. Desde seminarios hasta ferias y eventos para establecer contactos — siempre hay algo o alguien de quien aprender. En un mercado de consumo cada vez más “apresurado”, con frecuencia sentimos que “no tenemos tiempo” o “estamos muy ocupados” para aprovechar estas oportunidades. Algunas veces podríamos incluso pensar que no valen el dinero que se gasta porque quitarían mucho tiempo a actividades más productivas. Si puedo dar un consejo simple, saque tiempo e involúcrese no solo usted sino a su personal también. Al permitirse usted y permitir a su personal continuar aprendiendo, no solo mejorará el éxito de su negocio, sino también ayudará a cada persona individual a crecer en base al éxito obtenido. La educación no debe ser temida sino bienvenida. Como dijo Benjamin Franklin, “Dímelo y lo olvidaré. Enséñame y quizá lo recordaré. Involúcrame y aprenderé”. Formar parte de comités; asistir a seminarios; participar en eventos para establecer contactos; enviar a personas a ferias para que amplíen sus propias redes de conexiones industriales. Haga lo que haga, nunca deje de aprender. Scott McAdam, Jr. President, Illinois Landscape Contractors Association The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Nature’s Perspective Landscaping • Evanston Evanston Tudor Revival
Our clients’ property
sat untouched for nearly 30 years, begging for an update to complement the grandeur of their historic 1928 Tudor. The dense canopy allowed moss to cover the existing patio — seemingly the only organism thriving in the backyard — while a diseased Maple loomed over excessive ground cover. It also offered dated path lights and failing limestone hardscaping in the front yard. Now custom limestone steps meet the meandering fullrange bluestone front walk, flanked by curved beds filled with
colorful new trees, shrubs and perennials that thrive in the absence of the dying Maple. In the rear, a bluestone walk connects the kitchen to the new patio, complete with a large serving buffet, a pergola, and a custom-built double-grill island. A lighting system offers a soft glow throughout the entire property, casting shadows in the new plantings, and extending our clients’ time around the fire late into the night.
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Focus — Passing the Test of Time
Perennial Drama — Karla Patterson-Lynch Shares Her Thoughts on Plants and Design by Nina Koziol
There are thousands of perennials — species
and cultivars — for sun and shade, but until you use them on a job site or in your own landscape, or see them thriving in a public garden, how do you know what works? And not only works, but goes into overtime with extra flower power, fabulous foliage, winter interest or longevity? Landscape designer Karla Patterson-Lynch, Gardens for People, is intimately familiar with many great perennials. In 2016, she designed and managed the installation of Midwest Groundcovers Perennial and Ornamental Grass Display Gardens. This spring, Midwest Groundcovers invited her to give a virtual talk about how to create drama in the garden. After all, a landscape is like a theater. You’re the director and the plants play different roles. Directing the siting and combination of plants boils down to three key elements, Patterson-Lynch said. “It’s your design intent, the specific site, and the design characteristics that you combine to create the drama. Develop a design intent for each planting plan and relate the garden style to nearby architecture.” For designers who are new to the industry, she stresses observing architecture. “Formal architecture is usually symmetrical with fewer types of plants, geometric edging and requires more care to keep the strong geometric look.” It also can make plant replacement more difficult when one or several plants in a formal line, such as boxwood, dies. “When you have informal architecture, there’s a broader range of plants and curvilinear lines that are more forgiving at the edges so losses and replacements are not so big an issue. If you’ve been to Midwest Groundcovers, you’ve seen informal gardens. I refer to these as matrix gardens. They really lend themselves to large spaces and typically involve a lot of grasses in full sun and they can be used in any setting.”
spark my creativity.” And, when choosing plants, recognize the difference between site preference and tolerance. “This is something you can only learn by experience.” Plants don’t read the books. One example is sun-loving daylilies. Some plants will perform in semi-shade, such as at the edge of tree’s drip line where they will get enough afternoon sun to flower.
MWG’s Perennial & Grass Display Garden
New plant stars took the Midwest Groundcovers stage this spring with other well-known supporting actors. “If you haven’t seen the perennial garden, it’s laid out in loose alphabetical order,” she said. “Different cultivars are close to each other so you can compare them.” Check out Midwest Groundcovers (midwestgroundcovers. com) and make plans to visit their facility so you can observe the many display gardens and plant combinations. You won’t be disappointed. Here are some of the underused newer perennials that Patterson-Lynch talked about.
Brunnera macrophylla ‘Alexander’s Great’
“It has a lot of visual energy. Because the silver and white foliage place it in the cool color family, I’d use it with blue hostas, blue carex, Orchid Frost lamium, dwarf Chinese astilbe and an ajuga with dark foliage. (Check out Ajuga reptans) ‘Binblasca’--Black Scallop Bugleweed.)
Echinacea PowWow® White
Dynamic Plantings
“If you want to create drama you need high visual energy plants.” This includes plants that provide vertical or upright forms, coarse or bold textures, and contrasting leaf or flower colors and shapes. “Flower color is fleeting. When I’m designing I want to pick form and height first, the foliage color and texture next. I worry about flowers at the end.” “We can fall into a rut using the same plants over and over,” she said. “I’ll thumb through a catalog or web sites to 10
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
(continued on page 12)
A Partnership in Plants...
SUPPORTING DIVERSITY IN THE LANDSCAPE
25865 W.Ivanhoe Rd. Wauconda, IL 60084 info@montalegardens.com 847.487.8435
Focus — Passing the Test of Time (continued from page 10)
“I feel like white is good as an accent but it can’t really carry a design unless you do an all-white garden. Other perennials like baptisia, red echinacea, grasses, and prairie dock work with it and a clear white is so nice with blues like those of salvia.”
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Focus — Passing the Test of Time (continued from page 12)
Gentiana alba
“This is a native plant called cream gentian and it’s a new plant to my palette. It doesn’t have high visual energy, but it plays a supporting role and has an interesting flower that lends itself to blues and pinks. So, to use it in the right site I searched the MWG web site to find all the plants that are native to the mesic prairie. I was able to find other natives that were appropriate partners like Liatris and Monarda fistulosa.”
Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Summer Nights’
“Last year I remember the heliopsis flopping over and laying down. If you’re not going to stake the plants, surround them with woody shrubs for support or trim them back to two or three sets of leaves around Memorial Day. If you need something tall, it’s a really nice plant. Most people think red shows up in the landscape best, but really it’s yellow that draws attention.” ‘Summer Nights’ has dark-black stems and works well with smokebush (Cotinus), Andropogon ‘Blackhawks’ and Diervilla. (See Diervilla splendens ‘El Madrigal’ Nightglow® Bush Honeysuckle.)
14
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Hosta ‘Rainbow’s End’
“How could you have another hosta? Well, a walk through the hosta display is really lovely. Because of the creamy lime green variegation I wanted to go to the opposite.” She pairs it with Astilbe chinensis var. pumila (Chinese astilbe), Carex plantaginea and Ophiopogon (dwarf lilyturf).
Iris versicolor ‘Purple Flame’
“This one was new to me,” Patterson-Lynch said. Plants reach 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. The flowers are a medium lilac but it’s the foliage that’s the show-stopper. The leaves have a rich dark purplish color. She suggested pairing it with Marsh marigold, Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia), swamp milkweed, Alchemilla mollis, Hibiscus moscheutus, and Zizia area (golden Alexander).
(continued on page 16) The Landscape Contractor 15 August 2021
Focus — Passing the Test of Time (continued from page 15)
Nepeta ‘Cat’s Pajamas’
Who doesn’t like a good blue in early summer? She suggests pairing this catmint with Calamintha and big bluestem. “Give it full sun and accent it with plants that offer pale yellow and lime green foliage.”
Penstemon ‘Midnight Masquerade’
Penstemon cultivars are competing to see which one offers the darkest foliage. This one reaches 3- to 4-feet tall and blooms May into July. “Accent it with pale yellow and lime green foliage such as Sambucus ‘Lemony Lace’.
Polygonatum odoratum ‘Ruby Slippers’
“I use the variegated Solomon’s Seal, but I wanted to try some other things and this one has red stems. I was looking for ways to play off the red. You could pair it with ‘Chocolate Shogun’ Astilbe, ligularias with dark foliage, Annabelle hydrangea, or native ginger.” Blooms May to June and prefers moist soil and shade to part sun.
16
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Dark & Dramatic
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Cotinus coggygria
Foliage emerges rich purple, then turns
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to fall, when it lights up in an array of
Effinger’s Garden Center Belleville, IL • 618-234-4600
reds and oranges. Early summer blooms become the misty "smoke" that makes
Midwest Groundcovers St. Charles, IL • 847-742-1790
this such a popular landscape plant.
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It’s compact habit ensures there's plenty of room for this dramatic, low maintenance shrub in any landscape. 15'
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Available from Proven Winners ColorChoice growers. www.provenwinners-shrubs.com
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
17
Focus — Passing the Test of Time (continued from page 16)
Sanguisorba officinalis var. microcephala ‘Little Angel’ (Little Angel Dwarf Burnet)
“This sanguisorba is fine-textured and light. It provides a great contrast with monarda, columbine, and Hibiscus ‘Holy Grail’,” she said. Rabbit-resistant, Little Angel is 8 to 10 inches tall and 10 to 12 inches wide and can be used in pots, in rain gardens, and in woodland shade gardens.
Sedum ‘Carl’ (autumn stonecrop)
“You don’t always have enough space to put in all the plant material necessary to have a color succession each season.” But the foliage on this sedum does play a great supporting role and the flowers are a huge bonus, attracting pollinators galore. Give it moist, well-drained soil and consider pairing it with ornamental grasses, coreopsis, coneflowers, and helenium. Blooms in July at 18 to 24 inches tall and the flower color packs a punch into fall.
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Special Feature —
Perennial Professionals Share Their Favorites: New and Underused Nina A. Koziol
New plants, old plants, and
tried-and-true gems. That’s what attendees heard from some preeminent plant geeks at this year’s regional Perennial Plant Association symposium, moderated by Richard Hawke, the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Plant Evaluation Manager and Associate Scientist. “We had a great line up of speakers sharing a wide range of expertise,” Hawke said. We can’t cover all the plants discussed, but here are some favorites that caught our attention.
Angela Treadwell-Palmer, founder and co-owner of Plants Nouveau, a new plant introduction and marketing company, is wild about Lisa Marie lungwort (Pulmonaria ‘Lisa Marie’). “This one was found by Hoffie Nursery in Illinois and it’s been the most amazing plant in my garden,” she said. “It’s not the typical pulmonaria — it doesn’t skip a beat and I’m growing it in full-on, hot afternoon sun. The plants can flatten out a bit but they come right back up. It has enormous leaves up to 18 inches long and it’s a wonderful dry-shade-loving perennial.”
Pulmonaria ‘Lisa Marie’ 20
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Dianthus ‘Pink Fire’
If your clients enjoy scent and color, check out Dianthus ‘Pink Fire’. “It’s incredibly fragrant and retained a nice, tight upright shape in my garden,” Treadwell-Palmer said. “And, it bloomed until early August.”
Monarda Bee-You®
Bee-You® Series of bee balm (Monarda) is another new treasure. “Bee Happy has done well in trial gardens and at 3 1/2 feet tall it has beautiful color and doesn’t get mildew. It attracts bees and other pollinators and it doesn’t spread like some varieties,” she said.
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Special Feature —
Pycnanthemum muticum
Treadwell-Palmer touted mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), a sunloving native prairie plant. “This is just a gorgeous perennial,” she said. The pollinators — oh my gosh — they’re everywhere on it.” Richard Hawke agrees. “There’s no better pollinator plant,” he said.
Sedum Mojave Jewels™
Sedum Mojave Jewels™ is a series of deep-colored hardy sedums receiving accolades from landscape designers. “I really like them,” Treadwell-Palmer said. “It’s a plant that absolutely needs full sun. They’re drought-tolerant and everybody loves Ruby. It starts out with super black chalky foliage and pink flowers. In a matrix planting it looks great with purple love grass.” 22
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Poplar Grove, IL 21283 IL Route 76 Poplar Grove, IL 61065 Clinton, WI 11228 East County Road X Clinton, WI 53525
Lorem Cotinus obovatus American smoke tree
The native smokebush, aka American smoke tree, (Cotinus obovatus) is a woefully underused woody in residential and commercial designs. “This is my absolute favorite shrub for fall color,” Treadwell-Palmer said. It’s a deciduous, rounded tree, or large, upright shrub typically growing about 20 feet tall. After blooming in midsummer, the spent flower clusters turn a smoky- to purple-pink adding multi-season interest.
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The Landscape Contractor 23 August 2021
Special Feature — Hans Hansen, Director of New Plant Development, at Walters Gardens, in Zeeland, Michigan, has bred, selected and introduced hundreds of new plants, including the Decadence® series of baptisias, the hellebore series Wedding Bells, countless hostas and other unusual perennials. While it’s very difficult to pin him down to a short list of favorites, here are a few he discussed.
Hibiscus Summerific® Berry Awesome
One of Hansen’s favorite genera is Hibiscus (hardy rose mallow). “It’s a very big crop for us. Currently we just surpassed growing one million plants.” Summerific® Berry Awesome was selected for good flower coverage, a high bud count, overlapping petals and good foliage. “It’s our number one selling hibiscus and was the 2019 Proven Winners Perennial of the Year. It’s got olive-green foliage and high flower coverage from top to bottom.”
Hibiscus ‘Inner Glow’ and ‘Blackberry Merlot’
New for 2021 are Hibiscus ‘Inner Glow’ and ‘Blackberry Merlot.’ The latter has 8-inch-wide deep, rich velvety red flowers produced on a tight, upright habit of deep green leaves. Inner Glow has luxurious rose pink
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flowers with a lavender-purple halo at the center. The flowers cover dissected, olive-green leaves in mid-to-late summer for a colorful finish at the end of the growing season. Leaf color and flower performance are best in full sun.
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Special Feature — Hosta Brother Stefan
“If I had to pick one hosta, it would be Brother Stefan,” Hansen said. It was selected as the 2017 Hosta of the Year and that’s not surprising given the striking, large leaves with heavy seersucker texture and bold variegation. The foliage is vibrant chartreuse with irregular centers and margins in graduating shades of dark green that make it pop in shade. In early summer, strong, sturdy green stems with yellow outlines support racemes of nearly white flowers.
Paeonia (Intersectional hybrid) x ‘Bartzella’
Hansen gives kudos to Bartzella Itoh Peony Paeonia (Intersectional hybrid] x ‘Bartzella’ for its incredible flower power. “It’s like the Rolls Royce of the peony world. It has a long season of bloom — two to three weeks — and has as many as 80 flowers on a mature clump.” The plant’s double bright yellow blossoms offer a pleasant spicy sent. Foliage is dark green and deeply dissected. Bonus: It’s an especially vigorous plant with sturdy flower stems that don’t need staking.
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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The Landscape Contractor 27 August 2021
Special Feature — When it comes to spacing perennials, forget the rules. Kelly Norris, author and plantsman, Gardens by Kelly Productions, is a huge fan of packing plants in tight. “There’s no opportunity for weeds to come in when you jam things close together,” he told attendees. “I’m always trying to maximize abundance. It’s amazing what plants will do when we actually let them grow at a density that’s much more akin to their ecological and evolutionary history than the horticultural one we stamp on them.”
Echinacea Kismet™ Raspberry
Throughout his matrix plantings, Norris looks for perennials that offer multi-season interest and Raspberry coneflower does just that. It flowers from early summer until frost with large raspberry-colored flowers on upright, compact plants. Each flower lasts for weeks and the dark seed heads during winter are a plus.
Andropogon ‘Blackhawks’
Norris touts Blackhawks big bluestem introduced by Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials in Hebron for its incredibly dark foliage. “This grass creates a coal, slate-colored [vertical] line in the garden and that color lasts in some form throughout the growing season. It’s dark in spring, turns green in summer, then dark again in fall.”
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Special Feature — The Changing Face of Public Gardens
Landscaping for All Animals: Lincoln Park Zoo by Heather Prince
Lincoln Park Zoo,
founded in 1868, is the nation’s only privately managed free zoo and one of the jewels of the Chicago lake front. It’s also a newly accredited arboretum and showcases a nationally accredited hardy hibiscus collection. First and foremost, however, it is an oasis for animals of all kinds from endangered species to local wildlife. Landscaping such a place presents a unique set of opportunities and challenges. With 49 acres of grounds, including a 14-acre natural area, Lincoln Park Zoo provides a diverse array of outdoor experiences for around 3.6 million visitors in a typical year. When landscaping zoo grounds, animal care is the central concern. Plants must be safe for the animals, so plant choices are screened by the animal care staff, veterinarians, and facilities to ensure they are not toxic or pose a hazard. “We often are challenged to find creative solutions,” commented Katrina Chipman, Director of Horticulture. “We do install plants inside habitats, and sometimes plants may not be as aesthetically pleasing because those habitats are created for animals and their speciesspecific needs. It may be something that the animal is going to eat or will use for enrichment. It may be something we are trying to establish inside the habitat to provide the animal with more privacy or shade. 30
For example, you may see pollarded trees — It’s not a practice that we’d normally advocate, but we do cut back some of our larger trees which keeps our animals safely inside their habitats.” The Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos & Aquariums North American Monarch SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program by planting milkweed as larval host plants for the butterfly. But, because milkweed is toxic to many other animals, the staff restricts
its plantings to their natural areas away from zoo exhibits. They will be adding more to the existing collection of swamp, common, whorled and butterfly weed this year. Once it’s decided to plant inside an animal habitat, it’s often a challenge once shovels hit the ground. Many of the habitats have a variety of top substrates used for animal health and welfare. “Soil can be a challenge. A lot of the The Landscape Contractor August 2021
soils that the animals need aren’t like the soil that we’d use in a nice, enriched garden bed,” observed Chipman. “For instance, the zebra area and giraffe yard is covered in crushed granite for their hoof health. We’re challenged to find a plant that will grow in that substrate. We planted a tree inside the red river hog habitat this past year and digging down into the soil we found years and years of built up sand and crushed granite. It’s definitely a challenge to know how well the plants are going to succeed with varying soil types.” In addition, certain species thrive with different substrates. “As regular habitat maintenance, the zoo’s facilities department in conjunction with our horticulture department will go in and loosen soils over time.” A part of the horticultural choices at the Zoo is working with the animal care staff to provide plant material as food and enrichment. The Zoo maintains a browse garden where plants and shrubs are grown strictly for animals’ diet. “Twice a week starting in June all the way through the time the plants go dormant, we will cut browse and deliver it to the animal areas,” said Chipman. “The majority is mulberry and willow, but we have a lot of other species as well. Hibiscus flowers are edible and will occasionally be used for browse. We won’t strip them of flowers, but we’ll give a few to the tortoises and sloths.” (continued on page 34)
The Landscape Contractor 31 August 2021
Special Feature — The Changing Face of Public Gardens
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Special Feature — The Changing Face of Public Gardens (continued from page 30) Finding a balance between how much can be cut back and have the plants still survive and thrive has been an ongoing challenge. “It’s been an ongoing conversation with the animal care staff on if we can grow enough for the animal enrichment or if plants can rebound before it’s needed again.” Mulberry is such a favorite for a wide variety of animals, that the Zoo has found an outside source to maintain supply. “In an exciting partnership with ComEd, they are able to drop off fresh mulberry from their routine utility line trimming that we clean and use all over the zoo, even freezing some to feed throughout the winter months.” Beyond serving the needs of the animals, the Zoo is a large public park with a long history. Over time, the horticulture needs and expectations have evolved from a park-like setting of lawn and mature trees to more planted and landscaped areas. Nature Boardwalk was a big step in creating an ecologically focused natural area to showcase
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the plants of the Midwest and create a place for local wildlife to thrive. The design process began in 2008 and it was finished in 2010. “This really was an institutional shift for the zoo to further develop and diversify the gardens inside the gates,” commented Chipman. “This moment was where we moved from having monoculture grass areas with some nice trees to diversifying our gardens to create perennial beds, focus on pollinators, and add in wildlife-friendly plantings.” As the institutional expectations shifted, landscaping requirements evolved into a need for horticulture staff to come under the Zoo’s aegis instead of being contracted out. As the emphasis moved to providing for all animals, be they in zoo habitats or wild, it was decided to add more planting areas to provide for all. “In 2018 the horticulture department was restructured so that all wildlife – plant and animal care – were in the same department. As such, the horticulture team moved to a more science-based approach as well as working
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
toward our arboretum status and accredited collections. It really has switched to having a real focus on plants and not making it an operational choice. It focuses on our actual plant choices and our installations,” said Chipman. This helped align horticulture into the mission-based programs at the Zoo and to build more garden spaces for local wildlife. “We’re very invested in the local wildlife and in migratory birds and pollinators and we’ve seen increases in these populations as our management practices evolved.” Of course, planting for wildlife isn’t without its own set of challenges. “We have a healthy population of local wildlife. Wildlife also like to eat our plants,” observed Chipman. “There’s a threshold of knowing if the plants are going to survive. Do we test it this year and see if the echinacea are actually going to live without the rabbits eating every last one? Has the rabbit population decreased over time? (continued on page 36)
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Special Feature — The Changing Face of Public Gardens (continued from page 35) All those things come into play. It’s a little bit of a different mindset.” There are also limitations on what kinds of management can be done in the Zoo’s natural areas. Controlled burns are not allowed, for example. Perennials persist over the winter as long as they aren’t a hazard for visitors to promote insect populations overwintering in plant debris. Nature Boardwalk is selectively mown and debris allowed to remain as a way to limit invasive plants. With this shift, the Zoo experience has also changed for its human visitors. “We’re not looking to replace everything. We’re trying to update as well as provide a more ornamental garden feel around our spaces and habitats. We’re focused on creating a diverse collection of plants that are going to be aesthetically pleasing for people to see and entirely immersive for the guest experience,” commented Chipman. One of the efforts
36
to engage visitors is labeling all the plants. It’s a work in progress, but nearly all the plants are tagged. “We definitely see a lot of people stopping and taking pictures now, which wasn’t so obvious in the past. I feel like we’re really starting to meet the garden expectations of the visitors and even exceed them.” Because space is one of the biggest limitations at the Zoo, plant collections are spread throughout the property instead of concentrated in a single area. You’ll find the 75-cultivar hibiscus collection planted in many different areas, for example. This also allows visitors to experience landscapes that can be repeated at home and offers wonderful spaces to gather ideas. “We’re striving to incorporate these living collections into our landscape beds,” commented Chipman. “Which I think is a benefit because people can see how to arrange them in a landscape and how they complement other plants and what other
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
plants to combine them with. Just really see them in a garden setting instead of an open collection.” As Lincoln Park Zoo continues to update and evolve its landscapes, Chipman hopes everyone will come out and experience them. “It’s a very diverse landscape! We’ve been focused on establishing our arboretum with new cultivars of trees as well as new cultivars of perennials and shrubs. We have a lot of things you may not see anywhere else. Also, our historical trees are definitely worth a visit. We have oaks here that are older than the city of Chicago. It’s really amazing to see something so majestic and old here in the Zoo. Of course, our 75-cultivar perennial hibiscus collection is amazing. Our large 14-acre natural area at Nature Boardwalk is something to see too. You’ll experience one of the best views in the city with downtown Chicago as the backdrop.”
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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El drama de las plantas pe por Nina Koziol
Karla Patterson-Lynch comparte sus ideas sobre planta
Hay miles de plantas perennes — especies y variedades — para
sol y sombra, pero mientras no las haya usado en un sitio de trabajo o en su propio jardín o visto florecer en un jardín público, ¿cómo saber qué funciona mejor? Y no solo funcionar, sino también desarrollar un rendimiento floral adicional, fabuloso follaje, interés invernal o longevidad. La diseñadora paisajista Karla Patterson-Lynch, de Gardens for People, está íntimamente familiarizada con muchas plantas perennes fabulosas. En 2016, diseñó y administró la instalación de los jardines de demostración de plantas perennes y hierbas ornamentales de Midwest Groundcovers. Esta primavera, Midwest Groundcovers la invitó a dar una charla virtual sobre cómo crear drama en los jardines. Después de todo, un terreno ajardinado es como un teatro. Usted es el director y las plantas desempeñan diferentes roles. Según Patterson-Lynch, dirigir la ubicación y la combinación de plantas se reduce a tres elementos clave. “Para crear drama, usted combina su intención de diseño, el sitio específico y las características de diseño. Desarrolle una intención de diseño para cada plan de plantación y relacione el estilo del jardín con la arquitectura circundante”. dramaquedesonlas plantas perennes — Para losEl diseñadores nuevos en la industria, ella recomienda encarecidamente observar la arquitectura. “La arquitectura formal suele ser simétrica con menos tipos de plantas, bordes geométricos y requiere de más cuidado para mantener una sólida apariencia geométrica. También puede dificultar el reemplazo de las plantas cuando mueren una o varias plantas, como bojes, en una línea formal. “Cuando usted tiene arquitectura informal, hay una gama más amplia de plantas y líneas curvilíneas que son más tolerantes en los bordes por lo que las pérdidas y los reemplazos no son un problema tan grande. Si ha estado en Midwest Groundcovers, ha visto jardines informales. Denomino a éstos, jardines de matrices. Realmente son aptos para espacios grandes y usualmente involucran mucha hierba a pleno sol y se pueden usar en cualquier entorno”.
Jardín de demostración de plantas perennes y céspedes de MWG Nuevas plantas estrellas ocuparon el escenario de Midwest Groundcovers esta primavera junto con otros actores secundarios bien conocidos. “Para quienes no han visto el jardín de perennes, está dispuesto en orden alfabético impreciso”, aseguró. “Variedades diferentes están cerca las unas de las otra para que pueda compararlas”. Verifique Midwest Groundcovers (midwestgroundcovers.com) y haga planes de visitar sus instalaciones para que pueda observar los muchos jardines de demostración y combinaciones de plantas. No se decepcionará. Estas son algunas de las nuevas plantas perennes subutilizadas de las que Patterson-Lynch habló.
Brunnera macrophylla ‘Alexander’s Great’
“Tiene mucha energía visual. Debido a que el follaje plateado y blanco la ubica en la familia de colores fríos, la usaría con hostas azules, cárices azules, ortigas manchadas (lamium), astilbe chino enano y ajuga con follaje oscuro. (Busque Ajuga reptans) ‘Binblasca’— Menta de lobo vieira negra). compararlas”. Verifique Midwest Groundcovers (midwestgroundcovers.com) y haga planes de visitar sus instalaciones para que pueda observar los muchos jardines de demostraci n y combinaciones de plantas. No se decepcionar . Estas son algunas de las nuevas plantas perennes subutilizadas de las que Patterson-Lynch habl . Brunnera macrophylla ‘Alexander’s Great’ “Tiene mucha energ a visual. Debido a que el follaje plateado y blanco la ubica en la
familia de colores fr os, la usar a con hostas azules, c rices azules, ortigas manchadas (lamium), astilbe chino enano y ajuga con follaje oscuro. (Busque Ajuga reptans) ‘Binblasca’—Menta de lobo vieira negra).
Plantaciones dinámicas
“Si desea crear drama necesita plantas de gran energía visual”. Esto incluye plantas de formas verticales o erguidas, texturas ásperas o porosas y hojas y flores de colores y formas contrastantes. “El color de las flores es efímero. Cuando diseño, selecciono primero la forma y la altura, luego el color y la textura del follaje. No me preocupo por las flores hasta el final”. “Podemos caer en una rutina usando las mismas plantas una y otra vez”, dijo. “Hojeo catálogos y navego por sitios web para estimular mi creatividad”. Y, al seleccionar plantas, reconozca la diferencia entre preferencia y tolerancia de sitio. “Esto es algo que solo se puede aprender por experiencia”. Las plantas no leen los libros. Un ejemplo son las azucenas heliófilas. Algunas plantas se desarrollan bien en condiciones de sombra parcial, como al borde de la línea de goteo de los árboles donde recibirán suficiente sol de la tarde para florecer.
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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“Pienso que el blanco es bueno como acento, pero realmente no puede sostener un diseño excepto si está cultivando un jardín donde todo es blanco. Otras plantas perennes como la baptisia, la equinácea roja, hierbas y muelle de la pradera combinan bien con el blanco y un blanco claro se ve bien con azules como los de la salvia. Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Noches veraniegas’ “Recuerdo el año pasado las heliopsis dejándose caer. Si no va a colocar las plantas en estacas, rodéelas de arbustos leñosos que les sirvan de apoyo o recórtelas hasta tener uno o dos conjuntos de hojas alrededor del Día de los Caídos. Si necesita algo alto, es realmente una planta agradable. La mayoría de las personas piensan que el rojo se destaca mejor en los terrenos ajardinados, pero realmente es el amarillo el que llama más la atención”. Las ‘Noches veraniegas’ tienen tallos negrooscuros y combinan bien con el arbusto de humo (Cotinus), Andropogon ‘Blackhawks’ y Diervilla. (Consulte Diervilla splendens ‘El Madrigal’ Nightglow® Madreselvas arbustivas). The Landscape Contractor 39 August 2021
Hosta ‘Final del arcoíris’
“¿Cómo puede tener otra hosta? Bueno, una caminata a través de la muestra de hostas es realmente agradable. Debido a la variegación verde lima cremosa quise ir a lo opuesto”. La emparejó con Astilbe chinensis var. pumila (astilbe chino), Carex plantaginea y Ophiopogon (liriope enano).
Sanguisorba officinalis var. microcephala ‘Pequeño ángel’ (pimpinela enana pequeño ángel)
“Esta sanguisorba tiene textura fina y liviana. Provee un buen contraste con monarda, aguileña e Hibiscus ‘Santo Grial”, dijo. Resistente a los conejos, el pequeño ángel mide de 8 a 10 pies de altura y de 10 a 12 pulgadas de ancho y se puede usar en macetas, en jardines pluviales y en jardines de sombra boscosos.
Iris versicolor ‘Llama purpúrea’
“Esta era nueva para mí”, dijo Patterson-Lynch. Las plantas crecen de 2 a 3 pies de altura y ancho. Las flores son medio lila pero es el follaje lo que llama la atención. Las hojas tienen un tono purpúreo oscuro llamativo. Sugiere emparejarla con caléndulas de pantano, Lobelia siphilitica (gran lobelia azul), algodoncillo de pantano, Alchemilla mollis, Hibiscus moscheutus, y Zizia area (Alexander de oro)
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Polygonatum odoratum ‘Zapatillas rojas’
“Uso el Sello de Salomón variegado, pero deseaba probar otras cosas y esta tiene tallos rojos. Buscaba maneras de contrastar el rojo. Puede emparejarla con astilbe ‘Chocolate Shogun’, ligularias con follaje oscuro, Annabelle hydrangea o jengibre nativo”. Florece de mayo a junio y prefiere el suelo húmedo y la sombra en lugar de entornos parcialmente asoleados.
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Focus — Irrigation
A Conversation with John Farner: Part 2 The Future... by Meta Levin
In April 2021, The Landscape Contractor maga-
zine listened in on a conversation between ILCA Irrigation Committee Chair Alex Mayfield and National Irrigation Association Industry Development Director John Farner.* The hour-long discussion covered everything from the industry’s performance during the COVID-19 pandemic to the future and much in between. This is the second of a three-part series of excerpts from that meeting. Q. What is the role of the irrigation industry in dealing with climate change? John Farner (JF): I think that our industry touches many components of our climate. Some are easy to see and some may not be easy to see. I’ll go to my third grader’s science class, where she has a hand drawn picture of the water cycle. In different water cycle photos, you see trees and grass and John Farner different plant material, the role they play in promoting that water cycle of evaporation, transpiration, rainfall and then back up. Promoting clean ground water. The landscape plays a significant role in promoting clean ground water. The easy thing to see is the role irrigation plays in keeping plants green — taking carbon dioxide in and releasing oxygen. The thirdgrade science class teaches us that’s the case. One of the main drivers of the greenhouse effect is amount of carbon dioxide in our air. Plants play a role in cleaning our air. We need to do a better job as an industry in promoting that. That only works if we make sure our plants are alive and thriving. Dead grass, dead trees, dead shrubs, do us no good in our environment. They need to be kept healthy and alive. The healthier they are, the better they do in promoting a healthy ecologic area. So, we look at soil health. Again, we look at the amount of moisture in the soil. Soil health is going to be key, whether it’s growing anything out of the ground, I don’t care if it’s an ear of corn or a blade of grass, soil health is going to be key
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in looking at the amount of carbon that can be stored in the soil. So, you look at the role that efficient irrigation plays in that, in not having soil erode off; in making sure that is properly irrigated, not too much, not too little, but the right amount. It all comes back to efficient irrigation. The third component is this water/energy nexus that we have. The less water used on the landscape, while keeping the plants healthy, saves energy. The majority of water Alex Mayfield used nationally in landscape irrigation is treated, potable water. That is the gold, platinum standard of water in the United States. That has the fluoride; that has the energy footprint in there to not only treat the water, but to deliver it to your house, and we’re using that for landscape irrigation, because that other infrastructure doesn’t exist for alternative water sources in many cases. So, if we can use that, use it efficiently, not waste any of it, we are saving energy and conserving water at the same time. Two of our resources that are always a focus. There are many more layers to this onion that I didn’t even mention, but those are some of the top ones. Alex Mayfield (AM): In Illinois that was one we battled with 10 years ago and I’ll use the City of Chicago as an example. Reclaimed water was one of the biggest components of their LEED points and the gold standard on their buildings. We were using that for irrigation. The Illinois EPA came in and said, that’s great, but it’s not treated. You’re going to get pathogens. You can’t spray it, you can’t do this and, if you do, you got to put in $50,000 worth of filters, just to use it. The buildings that put it in to get their points, have abandoned it, because it is not worth it, which is hurting our area. It was really going well there for a while, but then it hit a crashing halt. (continued on page 44)
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Focus — Irrigation JF: This is where infrastructure is really going to play a key role. In the future we are going to need the infrastructure available to deliver those kinds of treated water, not to drinkable standards, but to standards that are good enough to irrigate, delivered to the site, rather than relying on site treatment systems, because that is not energy efficient, nor is it financially viable to do that. That is going to be way out there. That is something as we invest in more infrastructure – there are Civil War-era pipes running down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC, wooden pipes that still deliver water. So, as we look at water infrastructure, we need to look at how we are using the water — right now it’s just this potable, treated water. How can we deliver an alternative water source – maybe start with the bigger irrigated areas, either the HOAs, the business parks, etcetera — so we don’t have to rely on that site treating it to meet health standards to apply to landscapes. Q. More and more people are working from home. On the opposite side, there are large office parks and buildings, where there are few cars, few lights in the window. What effect is that going to have in the industry? AM: We have office buildings and retail centers that are really struggling. They don’t have the funds to put into their landscape, therefore their irrigation, because they are thinking about downsizing. They’re getting ready to sell their buildings. I can only hope that if that happens and they start to shrink that those areas come back into a natural area or a park. I think we are going to see a lot of different types of buildings popping up with a lot of outside space being devoted for people who come to work only once or twice a week. It’s going to be a rough transition on the landscape end and that trickles down to
us. If they have a building where there used to be 15,000 people coming to work and now they have 5,000, they are not going to put the resources into the landscape or irrigation. JF: I think the key word there is transition. As a society, the year 2021 is going to be a year of transition from a year of pandemic to what will be a new normal. It’s a new normal of the role corporate office parks will play in our society and that cities will play in our society and our economy, and is it going to be primarily working from home. Is it going to be a hybrid of going into the office and back home? What are these office parks, these retail areas — going to look like? The good news is that our economy continues to do very well. Anecdotally, we are seeing retail areas being built, because the economy is still strong. That is one positive thing. To do that we need to see those landscapes to be healthy and living. With regard to office parks, we are seeing a lot of these centers are trying to make ends meet, but at the same time they don’t want to see their landscapes go into disrepair. So, while companies are feeling it, pennies are being pinched over there, at the same time our industries are still being expected to make sure that these centers don’t go into disrepair, that the landscape is viable, and when we go back to in person commerce, that these guys are ready to go and their centers are the ones being chosen, because it doesn’t look like they’ve been totally abandoned. But this is all speculative. I know that we haven’t seen the full affect of how our manufacturers, distributors and contractors are going to be impacted long term regarding this shift on our way of doing business, but after this year we’ll have a better idea. I’m hoping we find that middle ground where there is a role for these retail and office complexes, as well as folks working from home.
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Business Minute
It’s Time to Reassess Your Strategic Assumptions By Jill J. Johnson, MBA
Today’s business climate
is exceptionally volatile and complex. In this type of uncertain environment, it is essential to reassess all of the strategic assumptions that have been the foundation of your planning efforts. We no longer have the luxury of being able to take for granted that shifting trends will be easy to see or that customer needs will be stable. As so many external forces influence the on-going value of your enterprise, it has become more essential to challenge the assumptions you use for your strategic planning purposes. Going for-
ward, success requires detailed scrutiny to determine how much risk you really face. This scrutiny will also help you to better anticipate the changing needs of your customers.
Assumption Flaws
When assessing the assumptions that you use for your decision making, there are several critical flaws that you must avoid. These assumption flaws include internal beliefs based on incorrect information or errors in how the assumptions have been developed. Most leaders believe that they already know the most critical assumptions that impact their organization. Typically, if you have been working in your industry for a long time, it is likely that you have a strong point of view about how things
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
should be done and your own expectation of what your customers need. Yet all too often, it becomes easy to get locked into a belief paradigm that causes you to stop paying attention to what is really happening in the evolving world around you. Customer expectations change. Budgets and priorities shift. Competitors make aggressive moves. Tactics that previously worked well are no longer getting the same response from your customers. If this sounds like your situation, then it is the time to reassess your assumptions.
(continued on page 48)
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Focus — (continued from page 46)
Review Your Strategic Assumptions
Set aside time to fully re-assess all of the assumptions you use. This will help you develop strategies that leverage new opportunities offered by changing trends impacting your industry. It will also provide you with new insight to help you better anticipate the potential impact of these changes and others you may need to consider. Stepping back to determine if the critical strategic assumptions you are using for your decision criteria will also afford you with an opportunity to identify changes that need to be made before these new or emerging trends will wreak havoc on your enterprise’s future financial stability or long-term viability. The prism used for how you view the external world creates a bias in how you interpret the information you receive and how you perceive the potential impact of this information. As a result, it becomes easy to minimize the impact of changing external forces. This is especially challenging when you are busy dealing with many the pressures of the responsibilities of your day job. It is easy to lose sight of the external environment around you. You assume that everything is staying the same or will be going back to normal. But yet, after coming through the intensity of a period of economic volatility, it is essential to consider the true impact of those market changes on your business or organization. Make sure you have more than just a superficial understanding of the issues at hand. Review your strategic assumptions from outside your own paradigm of perspective so you can better navigate the complex variables impacting your customers and their decision-making processes. Ensuring your team also has a comprehensive understanding of the potential impact of complex external forces that affect your enterprise will help them be better stewards of your organization’s future.
48
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
— Business Minute Gaining A Deeper Understanding
When you are operating in a complex economic environment, a deeper understanding is required of the complexity of issues that affect your decision making. Re-assessing your assumptions encourages you to ask the hard questions about the market forces influencing your enterprise. It also reexamines your assumptions about your customers in terms of both their decision criteria and what triggers their purchasing behavior. Reviewing your assumptions also ensures that the most critical questions about your future are discussed well in advance of them impacting your bottom line. This requires your ability to realistically assess the influence of how these other factors impact your situation. This effort provides opportunities to deepen your value to your current and prospective customers. It is imperative to consider how the assumptions you are currently using may be distorting your situation and undermining your ability to make better long-range decisions. Re-evaluating your assumptions with an objective perspective will help you identify the shifts you need to make and in turn, the insight you need to obtain to move your decision making forward in the most effective manner.
Not an ILCA Member? JOIN NOW for 2021! Call Marissa at 630-472-2851 for membership information. Set yourself up for the great recovery ahead.
Developing Better Assumptions
Good assumptions are based on accurate information and this information needs to be continually updated. The most critical factor that determines how rapidly you can get clarity is grounded in the quality of the assumptions that you use to evaluate your decision options. We must become even more observant to stay on top of evolving trends. Those shifts and changes can fundamentally alter the viability of our assumptions. As a result, we need to continually update our understanding of what is impacting the decisions we make. (continued on page 50)
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
49
Business Minute (continued from page 49) Good business decision makers are always willing to assess how changing assumptions can benefit their bottom line or create new revenue streams. You have to monitor data to shake out the evolving changes that are not obvious on a macro view. This takes discipline and effort.
Final Thoughts
Reassessing your assumptions about the future will make you a better strategic thinker and give you deeper insight into how your marketplace needs are likely to change. Encourage your trusted advisors and key employees to help you challenge the assumptions you currently use in your organization for decisionmaking. Be on the lookout for emerging trends and how they may affect your enterprise. Those emerging concerns or challenges that are on the horizon might
50
affect your decision-making approaches. It is always safe to assume that something is going to change.
About the Author:
Jill J. Johnson, MBA, is President and Founder of Johnson Consulting Services, a highly accomplished speaker, an award-winning management consultant, and author of the bestselling book Compounding Your Confidence. Jill helps her clients make critical business decisions and develop market-based strategic plans for turnarounds or growth. Her consulting work has impacted more than $4 billion worth of decisions. She has a proven track record of dealing with complex business issues and getting results. For more information on Jill J. Johnson, please visit www.jcs-usa.com.
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Social Media Links:
Website: www.jcs-usa.com LinkedIn: https:/www.linkedin.com/in/ JillJohnsonUSA/ Facebook: https:/www.facebook.com/ JohnsonConsultingServices Instagram: https:/www.instagram.com/ JillJohnsonUSA Twitter: https://twitter.com/ JillJohnsonUSA Clubhouse: @JillJohnsonUSA
New Members — CONTRACTORS
SUPPLIERS
Countryside Flower Shop JP Pieterse 5301 E. Terra Cotta Ave. Crystal Lake, IL 60014 Email: jp@countrysideflowershop.com Phone: 815-459-8130
Patriot Acres LLC Todd Daniels 49 Sherwood Terrace, Suite A Lake Bluff, IL 60044 Email: tdaniels@sextoncompanies.net Phone: 224-212-1250 www.patriotacres.net The Patriot Acres, LLC will operate a state-of-the-practice organics recycling facility that is conveniently located to serve the Metropolitan Area of Northeast Illinois. The facility will accept landscape trimmings, food scraps and selected organic discard materials for recycling into high quality compost. The convenient location, in close proximity to arterial roadways for generators of food scrap, will allow collection vendors to recycle this material in an economical manner compared to disposal at landfills. The compost will be marketed to landscape contractors, companies that blend
Twin Oaks Landscaping Co of Princeton INC Phillip Erickson 1245 N. Euclid Ave. Princeton, IL 61356 Email: twinoaks13@yahoo.com Phone: 815-878-6130
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
and bag for retail sale, golf courses, municipalities, farmers, cemeteries, urban gardeners, greenhouses and other users within the horticulture and agriculture industries. Swenson Truck Equipment Danny Thomas 590 Heartland Dr. Sugar Grove, IL 60554 Email: danny.thomas@aebi-schmidt.com Phone: 630-409-6882 https://www.swensonproducts.com UPFIT Swenson is a snow equipment manufacturer. Swenson Truck Equipment is up fit center, we install Dump Body’s, Snow Plows, Platforms Body’s, Salt Spreaders.
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New Members — Wheaton Mulch Inc. Scott Wilson 709 Childs Street Wheaton, IL 60187 Email: wheatonmulch@gmail.com Phone: 630-653-4444 www.wheatonmulch.com Landscape Materials, Kiln dried firewood, AM Lenard tools, Grass seed
7463 West Ridge Road P.O. Box 189 Fairview PA 16415 800.458.2234 Fax 800.343.6819 e-mail: info@FairviewEvergreen.com FairviewEvergreen.com
INDIVIDUALS Paul Koeppen Jr. 559 S. Main Street Elburn, IL 60119 Email: pkoeppen@ahwllc.com Phone: 815-739-6010 https://www.ahwllc.com/ I’m a Worksite Pro Sales Specialist at AHW LLC’s Elburn Location. AHW LLC is a John Deere dealer with 16 stores, selling in Northern and Central Illinois as well as Western Indiana. We sell John Deere Turf and Landscape equipment. We also sell compact construction equipment, including skid steers, track loaders, wheel loaders, and mini-excavators.
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The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Special Feature
Pest of the Month: Box Tree Moth Disease of the Month: Powdery Mildew
Pest of the Month: Zimmerman Pine Moth
Disease of the Month: Bacterial Leaf Scorch
Bacterial leaf scorch (Xylella fastidiosa bacteria) is a serious disease of a wide range of tree species, most commonly red oaks, elm, sycamore, sweetgum, hackberry, ginkgo, and maple. The bacteria is found only in the xylem tissue of the plants, and is spread by root grafts. Xylem-feeding leafhoppers, treehoppers, and spittlebugs are also possible vectors. Fortunately, the disease does not spread quickly. Scorch symptoms appear on leaves in early to midsummer, becoming more intense as the season progresses. Affected leaves may turn a yellow/green color from the margin of the leaf inwards, eventually turning all brown. Older leaves are usually affected first, with individual branches or sections of branches become discolored. Branches will leaf out the following spring, but symptoms will re-appear and slowly spread through the crown of the tree over time. Symptoms are often confused with drought stress, oak wilt, cankers, etc., so this is a disease that should be submitted to the U of I Plant Clinic for clinical diagnosis.
Treatment:
Bacterial leaf scorch can be managed by increasing tree vitality by mulching to retain moisture, watering during periods of dryness lasting more than two weeks, pruning out dead branches, and fertilizing when appropriate. Antibiotic trunk injections may be effective at delaying symptom development, but they do not cure the tree, and the injection sites open new paths of entry for organisms that decay wood. Over time, repeated treatments can severely weaken the tree. Choosing non-susceptible hosts to plant near affected trees is also recommended to prevent the spread of disease.
Zimmerman pine moth (Dioryctria zimmermani) is a common pest of Austrian, red, and Scotch pines, injuring tree trunks and often killing branches. Injury on trunks are crusted areas of white pitch one to two inches in diameter or white cones of pitch that are about one inch in diameter. Heavily infested terminal leaders may bend downward like a hook. Adult moths emerge from the bark around mid-August. They mate and deposit eggs in crevices or wounds in the surface of the bark and at terminal buds. Hatching about 10 days later, the young larvae are tan or green with small dark spots. They will begin to move across and feed on the surface of the bark for several weeks. Mature caterpillars spin cocoons where they overwinter. In spring, the larvae become active again, moving across the bark for several days before boring into the tree to pupate.
Treatment:
Caterpillars are best controlled when young and actively feeding, so August is the time to scout and treat. Pyrethroid insecticides such as bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, permethrin, or other labeled insecticide to control Zimmerman pine moth are effective. These pests usually only attack the trunk in trees under 8 inches in diameter in the lower 10 to 12 feet. In larger trees, look for caterpillars in the branches.
Additional resources: University of Illinois Extension Service https://web.extension.illinois.edu/state/ horticulture/index.php 217-333-0519
The Morton Arboretum http://www.mortonarb.org/Plant Clinic: http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/ tree-and-plant-advice/ 630-719-2424 The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Chicago Botanic Garden Plant Information Service: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/ plantinfoservice 847-835-0972 53
New Member Profile Snapshot
The Organic Gardener Ltd. 2929 MacArthur Blvd. Northbrook, IL 60062 (847) 830-0093 www.theorganicgardener.net
by Meta Levin
What started as a small home vegetable garden
part of the family. has become a successful niche landscape company, a book and Adrienne Detanico started with The Organic Gardener in a family. The Organic Gardener Ltd. lives on Chicago’s North 2014 as Lead Garden Educator, but now is Vice President. Shore, but works all over the Chicago area, as well as Illinois, Nolan says she is a “fantastic coordinator of people and a Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana. master of plants. She makes gardens beautiful.” As a teenager Jeanne Nolan fled the North Shore, looking Cameron Smith is the Maintenance Team Manager. “He for a less materialistic lifestyle. Along the way, she worked is calm and collected, even when everything seems chaotic,” on communal farms in Southern California, Ashville, NC says Nolan. and Austin, TX. The last is where she met her now husband, Foreman and Project Manager Jon Colón is a master Verdant Nolan, who grew up in west suburban Oak Park, IL. craftsman, says Nolan, who describes him as conscientious She also picked up expertise in and a love for planning, plantand detail oriented. “No matter the size, he gives it the same ing, tending and teaching others about organic farming. amount of attention.” A little less than 20 years later she returned, settling temNolan says Maggie Nykaza, Garden Communications porarily in her parents’ Winnetka home, where she did what Coordinator, is The Organic Gardener’s “unsung hero. We she liked best: growing food in the yard. Family and friends have a discerning clientele and she knows how to handle suggested that she start a business. Eventually, she took a job that. She does all the customer relations.” with Chicago’s Green City Market, where she became the The Nolans emphasize a company culture of treating each assistant to the market’s founder, the late Abby Mandel. other, as well as their customers, with respect. “We all help Mandel asked her to make the Lincoln Park Zoo’s vegeach other,” he says. “You can be your own person and work etable garden more interactive. Nolan transformed it into “The at our company. We are proud of the culture we have created.” Edible Gardens,” a popular, synergistic exhibit where famiSince the beginning, The Organic Gardener has built lies can learn how food is grown. The Organic Gardener still more than 1,000 organic food gardens for homes, businesses, maintains it in partnership with the Green City Market. rooftops, non-profits and schools. Most of their customers As she worked, she realized that there was a large and come from referrals, although they often are called in by diverse urban agriculture food movement growing in Chicago larger landscape contractors to design and install an organic and across the United States, but that didn’t seem to be edible garden as part of a larger project. the case in the suburbs. Thus, the genesis of The Organic Recently, they turned to ILCA as a way of finding more Gardener, Ltd, which she began in 2005. skilled labor, as well as to take advantage of education. “I Verdant Nolan joined her a year later. The early years were always read all of the articles in The Landscape Contractor difficult. To bring in some regular money, Verdant Nolan magazine,” Nolan says. “Especially the business and trends.” taught ballroom dancing at night. “By day I planted tomatoes The couple has two children. Thea is 19 and following in and by night I taught people to salsa,” he says. For years they her parents’ footsteps, growing food to sell at the Glencoe worked seven days a week. Farmers Market. A junior at Bennington college in Vermont, In the beginning, they had one employee. Now there are 28 she plans to major in psychology. Her younger brother, Kye, in season, 12 of whom are year-round. “We don’t do much in is 13. His talents lean towards art and theater. winter,” says Verdant Nolan. “Our season goes from February The husband and wife team are proud of what they have through Thanksgiving.” The average employee stays with built. “Our intention is to do the best job possible,” says Nolan. them three to five years, but in that time, they are considered The Landscape Contractor 54 August 2021
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Join us as we celebrate 40 years! Enjoy tours of our mix plant and the Midwest Groundcovers nursery. Lunch will be provided.
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Classified Ads HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
Client Representatives
Assistant Annual Buyer
Production Coordinators
Mariani Landscape, a leader in the residential Landscape Design, Build, and Maintenance industry for over 60 years has an immediate opening for experienced residential Client Representatives. Based in Lake Bluff, Illinois, this person will be part of one of the best sales and service teams in the industry. If you believe in building long-term relationships and have a desire to provide the best service to valued clientele, we would like to hear from you. This position requires at least 2 years of residential client sales and service experience. The ideal candidate will possess a solid knowledge of horticulture, excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to create beautiful landscapes through attention to details and by partnering with fellow team members and the best vendors/ subcontractors in the landscape business. We seek a professional and courteous individual with superior multitasking and organization skills. Knowledge of computerbased client management programs would be preferred. This full-time salaried position offers competitive wages, incentive plan, comprehensive benefits, and a spectacular corporate culture that promotes growth, learning, teamwork, and employee satisfaction! Please email or fax your resume and cover letter outlining your salary expectations to: Stacy Betz Human Resources Director E-mail: sbetz@marianilandscape.com Website: www.marianilandscape.com Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/D/V.
Mariani Landscape is currently looking for an Assistant Annual Buyer to join our talented team! Mariani Landscape, a leader in the residential Landscape Architecture, Construction, and Maintenance industry for over 60 years, has an immediate opening for an Assistant Annual Buyer based in our Lake Bluff, Illinois facility. This associate will oversee the overall successful execution of multiple crop production planning and greenhouse operations. This includes all aspects of greenhouse production, including soil science, weed management, plant growing, temperature control, plant nutrition, pest and disease control, and order fulfillment of all greenhouses grown and purchased crops. This full-time salaried position offers competitive wages, incentive plan, comprehensive benefits, and a spectacular corporate culture that promotes growth, learning, teamwork, and employee satisfaction! Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/D/V. Interested candidates should send their resume and cover letter to sbetz@marianilandscape.com.
Mariani Landscape, a leader in the Landscape Maintenance industry for over 60 years, is currently looking for a Production Coordinators to join our talented Maintenance team in our Lake Bluff location. This position is responsible for the operations and management of residential crews for that location. This associate is responsible for ensuring that Mariani quality standards are being met and procedures are being always followed on each site in a safe and efficient manner by our crews. This position is also responsible for leading the maintenance production efforts, including identifying crew scheduling issues in response to client requests. The Production Coordinator is also responsible for training all crews on policy and procedures, as well as supervising the overall activities of the crew associates. Please email or fax your resume and cover letter outlining your salary expectations to: Stacy Betz Human Resources Director Fax: (847) 810-6829 E-mail: sbetz@marianilandscape.com Website: www.marianilandscape.com Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/D/V.
PLEASE NOTE: “HELP WANTED” AD SALES ARE LIMITED TO ILCA MEMBER COMPANIES Submit your ads online at ilca.net or call Alycia Nagy (630) 472-2851
Residential Maintenance Account Manager Commercial Maintenance Account Manager Landscape Designer/Project Director Management Associate Call Maria for more information at (847) 876-8042 Or visit jamesmartinassociates.com/careers 56
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
jamesmartinassociates.com | (847) 634-1660
ILCA Members!! Looking for a career opportunity or have an opening within your company you need to fill? Do you have a business or property to sell?
Post an ad in our classified section! Classified listings are posted online for 30 days from the date of submittal and run in the next issue of The Landscape Contractor magazine. We also offer the opportunity to share your posting with our industry list of over 10,000 contacts!
Pricing: $12.00/line with a 10 line minimum. Feature your ad in our monthly email for $50.00 *Features are available with Classified Posting only
Non-profit postings are available. Contact ILCA for details. Questions? Email Alycia Nagy at anagy@ilca.net
Submission Note: ads submitted prior to the 15th of each month, will be posted online within 72 hours and run in the very next issue of the magazine. Ads submitted after the 15th of the month will post online and run in the following month's issue of the magazine
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Classified Ads HELP WANTED Project Manager Christy Webber is a full-service landscape provider offering design, construction, and maintenance programs to residential, commercial, and municipal clients throughout Chicago.
HELP WANTED ing materials (5 rotations), receiving deliveries, supervising the care and installation of the floral displays at job sites, documenting installations with photos, and entering materials used in billing system, billing, and monthly inventory.
HELP WANTED Junior Account Manager Christy Webber is a full-service landscape provider offering design, construction, and maintenance programs to residential, commercial, and municipal clients throughout Chicago.
PR PROPERTY Go Good size tre tree care
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: $990,990 SALE PRICE: Under general direction, the Junior Account • Prepare rotation designs and proposWe are looking to fill a Project Manager $990,990 SALEannual PRICE: Manager is the consistent Christy Webber als position. Landscapes’ representative that clients trust. • Assist Design Studio staff with perennial The Project Manager will serve as a vital link This is an entry-level mentorship position garden designs between Christy Webber Landscape’s (CWL) • Coordinate annual flower program $4.59 designed to assist the AMs and Senior AMs high-profile construction clients and the PRICE PER SF: $4.59 PRICEDecorative PER SF: Container with contract administration, site visits, • Oversee purchasing company to ensure that client expectations measuring, documentation, and account man• Oversee fine gardening field staff crews regarding quality and service are consistently agement under 1 million dollars in actively • Sales function to include renewals and new met and exceeded for the lifespan of the projmanaged accounts. The candidate will work proposals ect. Managing the project costing, installaLOTfield SIZE: • Train oversee staff installation4.951 closely with senior staff assisting and learntion, billing and procurement for a variety of 4.951 LOTand SIZE: ing our processes and practices, all while techniques commercial construction projects. building a portfolio of their own and gaining expertise. This includes, but is not limited to, Experience: 3+ years’ Experience, green Please email your resume to jobs@christyLAND FOR SALE sales, estimating, budgeting, invoicing, and industry related degree preferred. webber.com 04-33-202-003 & 04-33-202-004 & 04-33-202-004 APN #: APN #: 04-33-202-003 quality control through management of horticultural practices and site personnel. Corporate Office: 31W478 Diehl Road 30W210 Color & 30W240 Calumet Avenue, Warrenville, 60555 Naperville, IllinoisIL60563 Annual & Perennial Coordinator Please email your resume to jobs@christywebber.com Contact Information: General Manager Job Title: Annual & Perennial Color M-1 ZONING: ZONING: M-1 Coordinator Send your resume to Job Status: Full-Time Employee Email: resume@wdlinc.com Off Butterfield Off Butterfield Road JustRoad WestJust Of West Of Phone : 630-416-0072 Company Department: Landscape Services
PR PROPERTY
Combin
300 foo
300' X 7
All utilit
TWO PARCELS TOTALING 4.95 ACRES
Consid House
Two Ad
Description: Full time position working with all aspects of the Annual Flower program. Including but not limited to planning floral displays (both Annual and Perennial), order-
IDEAL CONTRACTOR YARD
CROSS STREETS: CROSS STREETS: Route 59.Route Within59. 2 Miles WithinOf2I-88. Miles Of I-88.
KELLER WILLIAMS ONECHICAGO CCIM KELLER WILLIAMS ONECHICAGO KRIS KELLER, KRIS KELLER, CCIM 8750 W. Bryn Mawr Regional Director, KW Director, Commercial 8750 W. Bryn Mawr Regional KW Commerc Chicago, ILChicago, 60631 IL 60631 0: 847.571.5422 0: 847.571.5422
4.95 Total Acres
C: 847.571.5422 C: 847.571.5422 kkeller@kwcommercial.com kkeller@kwcommercial.com
PROPERTY OVERVIEW We obtained the information above from sources we believe t Good size lot previously used as a contractor's yard for We obtained the information above from so it. It is submitted subject to the possibility of errors, omissions it. It is submitted subject to the possibility o tree care company. projections, opinions, assumptions or estimates for example o
SALE PRICE:
$990,990
PRICE PER SF:
$4.59
LOT SIZE:
4.951
APN #:
04-33-202-003 & 04-33-202-004
PROPERTY FEATURES Combination of two lots
projections, opinions, of assumptions estim should conduct your own investigation the propertyorand tra should conduct your own investigation of th
Each Office Each Independently Owned and Office Independently
300 foot frontage 300' X 706' X 302' X 723' All utilities to site Considered vacant land
ZONING:
House on eastern property formerly used as office
M-1
Two Addresses: 30W210 & 30W240 Calumet Avenue CROSS STREETS:
58
Off Butterfield Road Just West Of Route 59. Within 2 Miles Of I-88.
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Classified Ads HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
RESIDENTAL & COMMERCIAL ACCOUNT MANAGER:
as well as in groups. Physical Requirements -This position requires the physical ability to walk properties in all seasons and the ability to sit or stand for prolonged periods of time, the ability to stoop, squat, kneel, bend and twist. Office is located on second floor so the ability to climb stairs and move around an office setting is mandatory. Language Requirement – The ability to read, write and speak English is required to communicate effectively with clients, crews and office or yard staff. Duties and Responsibilities Property Inspections, Progress Reports, Enhancement recommendations in the form of a proposal, face to face meetings with Clients or sub-contractors. Prospecting activities including telephone, email, cold calling, network groups to secure new business. Job Packages and Job Organization for work sold and the paperwork necessary to complete the work using W.D.S systems. Field supervision of enhancements work and over site of Maintenance crews on assigned client’s properties. Estimating, site analysis, measuring, proposal preparation and presentation for new business. Weekly participation in sales meetings, A/R meetings, A/P meetings, Safety meetings, etc. Client requests or concerns must be responded to within 24 hours. A professional appearance that is appropriate for the situation is required. Complete other tasks and special projects that are assigned in a timely fashion. Measurement of Performance Meeting or exceeding the sales goals assigned by profit center. Renewal business percentage and volume. Gross volume of sales production. Gross profit of all accounts by profit center. Site assessment schedule and progress reports completed on time. Special assignments are completed on time. No Safety violations. Maintain a Professional, positive, constructive, supportive, and cooperative attitude.
Reports to: General Manager This job description is general in nature, and not an exclusive list of all job duties. Employee may be assigned other duties as directed by the General Manager. Job Summary The Account Manager is responsible for exceeding customer expectations by effective management of the financial and human resources appropriated to them by following W.D.S. Quality Standards. The Account Manager will be responsible for selling the products and services W.D.S. offers as well as achieving assigned sales goals and gross profit. The position ensures the performance of W.D.S Quality Standards and the management of all resources to achieve client confidence and exceptional service for their clients. Key Outcomes and Objectives Service the assigned client base to meet and exceed client’s expectations through prompt. responsive, quality customer service utilizing W.D.S systems and methods. Generate a designated dollar volume of sales through referrals, client base and prospecting activities. Project a positive, helpful, kind, and professional public image always. Promote a safe and helpful workplace where teamwork and communication are a top priority. Work in a constructive manner promoting teamwork and camaraderie. Requirements 2 year or 4-year Degree from an accredited College/University in Horticulture or related field, or commensurate experience. Valid Driver’s License with clean driving record. 1 - 2 years’ experience in the green industry. Basic computer skills for communication, bidding, written correspondence. Technical skills - Knowledge of plant materials (trees, evergreens, shrubs, perennials, flowers, bulbs), sales, landscape maintenance tasks and procedures and basic financial statements. Functional skills – strong written and verbal communication, organization, client orientation, teamwork, leadership, motivational skills, conflict resolution, service recovery, determination, and versatility. Personal characteristics – self-starter, large work capacity, self-confidence, good judgement, respected, perseverance, stability, assertiveness. Ability to work independently
To apply, email: resumes@wdlinc.com CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES
HELP WANTED Project Manager NU Construction/ Enhancements Christy Webber Landscapes is a full-service landscape provider offering design, construction, and maintenance programs to residential, commercial, and municipal clients throughout Chicago. Through proper project management, the Project Manager serves as the vital link between CWL’s high-profile enhancement clientele and the Company to ensure that client expectations regarding quality and service are consistently met and exceeded for the entire lifespan of projects, this includes but is not limited to installation, sales and estimating, project costing, billing, procurement, and employee management. Please email your resume to jobs@christywebber.com Field Supervisor Christy Webber is a full-service landscape provider offering design, construction, and maintenance programs to residential, commercial, and municipal clients throughout Chicago. Under limited supervision, the Field Supervisor directs the work of field and snow production crews to ensure that jobs are completed efficiently and on budget and following CWL standards. Acts as a firstlevel liaison to clients and vendors to ensure job satisfaction and to advance companywide goals. 3+ years of landscaping production and crew management required. Class “C” driver’s license. Please email your resume to jobs@christywebber.com
FOR SALE Business for Sale 30-year Landscape Maintenance company located in Wheaton IL is for sale. One crew 95% residential. Contact Scott 630-665-0317
September 2021 issue ads: August 11, 2021–– October 2021 issue ads: October 13, 2021
Submit your ads online at ilca.net or Call Alycia Nagy (630) 472-285
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Plans are already underway for the 2021-22 Edition of the Green Industry Guide
THE
Single Most Comprehensive Reference in the Green Industry
Contact Debbie Rauen for advertising information
817-501-2403
debbie.landscapecontractor@yahoo.com 60
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Advertisers 1st Choice Equipment ..............................................51 Bartlett Tree Experts ..............................................48 Bonnell Industries ....................................................45 Breezy Hill Nursery ................................................23 Cardno ....................................................................46 Cedar Path Nurseries ...............................................27 Clesen Wholesale ....................................................50 Compost Supply .......................................................44 DeVroomen Garden Products .................................29 Doty Nurseries LLC ..................................................4
Inspiration Alley Editor’s Note: Over time, we run across a mountain of fun, innovative, and generally creative ideas. They don’t always fit with the magazine content, but we do collect them for some future use. This brings us to Inspiration Alley, a place where we display pure creativity. It’s up to you to judge the merit of each offering. So use it, lose it or be inspired to try something different.
The Minimalist By Nina A. Koziol
The “New American Garden” with its romantic, sweeping drifts of perennials and multi-season interest has been popular for the last 30 years. But there’s another style that’s making headway. Minimalism, with its simple, clean lines, a limited plant palette and a short period of intense color. And, less lawn. It appeals to millennials and boomers alike. Brian Helfrich of Aquascape designed this contemporary water feature — a 10- by 20-foot above-ground concrete box, sitting atop a 3,000 gallon cistern from which water circulates year round.
Fairview Evergreen Nurseries ..................................52 Green Glen Nursery ...............................................63 Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. ..........................................18 Homer Industries ...................................................25 James Martin Associates .........................................56 JKS Ventures ............................................................48 Keller Williams .......................................................58 Lafarge Fox River Stone ........................................43
Solar panels on the garden pavilion provide electricity for the house. Square and rectangular shapes are key design components in this contemporary garden.
Caesar’s Brother Siberian iris and lyme-colored creeping thyme create an eye-popping combo in May and June.
Longshadow Planters .............................................13 Mariani Plants ..........................................................6 Mariani Plants ........................................................39 McGinty Bros. .......................................................12 Midwest Groundcovers .............................................2 Midwest Trading .....................................................55 Montale Gardens ......................................................11
Above, The stone and brick labyrinth is the homeowner’s interpretation of a meditation stroll garden. And, it reduced the size of the lawn.
RWC Insurance ......................................................49 Spring Meadow Nursery ..........................................17 Straughn Farm ........................................................47 The Landscape Contractor magazine ........................52
Right, Rainwater collected from the home’s roof and stored in the cistern eliminates purchasing municipal water for the pool.
The Mulch Center ....................................................19 Unilock, Inc. ...........................................................64
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
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Hidden Gems Worth Visiting
Bahá’í House of Worship Gardens
by Heather Prince
Rising along the shores of LakeMichigan,the wedding-cake confection of the Bahá’í House of Worship offers not only stunning architecture, but beautiful gardens. Construction on the historic building began in the 1920s and after disruptions from the Great Depression and World War II, was completed in 1953. During the war, its lakeshore site meant pilots from nearby Glenview Air Station used the temple as a guide for practice missions over Lake Michigan. The gardens were based on a design by Hilbert E. Dahl in 1951 and echo the nine sides of the temple structure. In the Bahá’í beliefs, nine is the largest single number and symbolizes comprehensiveness, oneness, and unity. Also, Bahá’í readings contain metaphors likening human beings to flowers in a garden. The nine circular gardens, each with circular fountains, represent Western landscapes and serve as outdoor rooms for prayer. As you drive along Sheridan Road and pull into the parking lot on Linden, you’ll notice that the site sits above you. The façade is made of white Portland cement concrete with both clear and white quartz aggregate, creating a shimmering white focal point. There are multiple points of access and colorful containers mark entrances to the buildings and walkways. The principal axis from one entrance to the corner of Linden Avenue and Sheridan Road features a long blue-tiled reflecting pool to echo the faith’s Eastern origins. A second reflecting pool leads to the parking area and welcome center. A lower-level entranceway is beautifully framed in artfully maintained
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100 Linden Ave, Wilmette, IL https://www.bahai.us/bahai-temple/
evergreen shrubs including juniper, pine, and boxwood. The mugo pines form clumped clouds of dark green needles while pfitzer junipers spread in sprays of horizonal mint green needles, softening the edge of the walls. Containers filled with long-blooming annuals beckon visitors to the doors. A central circular path connects each of the nine oval gardens that feature a bubbling fountain. The individual gardens have the same layout of a circular pool with fountain set within a lawn with curving seat walls and semi-circular flower beds. Each garden is framed by trees and evergreens, making them distinct sheltered spaces. The use of boxwood and upright juniper ties the whole together while delineating areas. The windswept branches of the junipers lead the eye back to the temple at the center of the gardens. Swathes of perennials offer texture and foliage while annual flowers brighten beds. Each garden has a different color scheme and is framed by spring-flowering trees. Roses are featured in one garden for fragrance in shades of white, cream, lemon, and peach. The mix of deciduous and evergreen plantings ensure calming foliage no matter the season. The gardens are intended to be peaceful worship spaces and people are reminded to be respectful of the nature of these spaces. Pets, bikes, and picnics are restricted. When you visit, notice the fine detailing on the seat walls, benches, and steps. The gardens have been thoughtfully constructed to respond to the temple structure and lead prayer from indoors to outside.
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
Unsightly structures Stealing the show?
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