The Landscape Contractor magazine February 2016

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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February 2016

CONTENTS

Excellence In Landscape Awards Project

FOCUS: iLandscape Show Guide Issue

10

Should Propane Be in Your Plans for 2016?

Green trend makes sense for many contractors

Sustainable Awards Evolve with Contractor Recognition Awards reflect acceptance of practices

Jim Fizzell’s Hort Advisory Four items on which to keep an eye Roy Diblik Updates a Favorite Planting Grid

Roy Diblik has updated one of his grids

16

116

8 10 16

24 32

Know Maintenance Plant Review 36

15 of Roy’s Favorite Plants

iLandscape Show Guide for 2016

A pull-out section with all you need to know 53

Underused Perennials for the Midwest Plant recommendations by ILCA members

Underused Conifers for the Midwest Plant recommendations by ILCA members

100

Five Foliage Favorites Fine foliage brings smiles to clients

114

Plant All-Stars Syringa pekinensis ‘China Snow’ Peking Lilac

86

134

On the cover... Van Zelst, Inc. received a Gold award in Residential Landscape Construction for this project.

134 4

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

2015

iLandscape

TM

the illinois + wisconsin Landscape Show Guide Welcome to iLandscape 2016!

Places everyone! iLandscape is the final dress rehearsal before the landscape season begins. It’s where the stars of the landscape industry come together. It is three days of information, inspiration, and innovation.

Thousands of landscape professionals have made the first two iLandscape: the Illinois + Wisconsin Landscape Show smashing success stories! The critics agree - iLandscape is a hit!

The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) and Wisconsin Green Industry Federation (WGIF) welcome you to iLandscape 2016 hosted at The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center and Hotel located in Schaumburg, IL. The 2016 Show features more booths, the hottest products, amazing educational speakers, inspirational keynotes, ILCA’s Excellence in Landscape Awards Night, hospitality, entertainment, and much more.

Visit over 390 booths to see the latest trends in plants, green industry products, hardscapes and equipment. Expert keynotes will illuminate.

Rock out to a free concert on Wednesday evening. iLandscape has gathered the best minds in the green industry as part of its educational program. The event features over 20 unique education sessions. Spanishlanguage education sessions are available at no additional cost.

Please enjoy these three days and two nights of unparalleled excitement. Rub elbows with the elite. Be the first to know about incredible new products and services. At iLandscape 2016 - you are the STAR! iLandscape 2016...It’s Showtime!

Regards,

Scott Grams Executive Director, ILCA

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

5

CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

ILCA Calendar

From Where I Stand President’s Message Classified Ads Advertisers Index

Photo Credits ILCA Awards Program Christy Webber The Care of Trees Schiolarship Committee Richard Hawke

1, 8-9 10 12 14 22-26

Calendar

6 5 7 130 133

FEBRUARY February 3-5, 2016

Experience Committee Arthur Weiler, Inc

29-54 62

The official publication of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA), The Landscape Contractor is dedicated to educating, advising and informing members of this industry and furthering the goals of the Association. The Landscape Contractor carries news and features relating to landscape contracting, maintenance, design and allied interests. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication.

Publication reserves right to refuse advertising not in keeping with goals of Association. WWW.ilca.net Volume 57, Number 2. 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.

Feb 23-26, 2016 (two, 2-day classes) Digital Design 2016 Google SketchUp Workshop with Author Daniel Tal Northern Illinois University Hoffman Estates Hoffman Estates, IL 60195

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Landscape Contractor, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. DISPLAY ADVERTISING SALES: Association Publishing Partners, Inc., Ph. (630) 637-8632 Fax (630) 637-8629 email: rmgi@comcast.net CLASSIFIED ADS, CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION: ILCA (630) 472-2851 Fax (630) 472-3150 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL OFFICE: Rick Reuland, rmgi@comcast.net, Naperville, IL 60540 Ph. (630)637-8632

MARCH

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 mentioned in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication.

ILCA Staff

Magazine Staff

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

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

Education Manager Julie Nicoll jnicoll@ilca.net

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

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

ILCA 2625 Butterfield Road Ste. 104S Oak Brook, IL 60523 (630) 472-2851 • Fax (630) 472-3150 www.ilca.net

v Becke Davis Senior Writer treethyme@aol.com Patrice Peltier Feature Writer patpeltier@charter.net

March 3-4, 2016 Mastering Foremanship March 3 in Spanish March 4 in English Fox Run Golf Links 333 Plum Grove Rd. Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 [more]

March 17-18, 2016 Expande Tus Conocimientos Spanish Seminar The Lodge at Four Lakes Village 5750 Lakeside Drive Lisle, IL 60532

Meta Levin Feature Writer meta.levin@comcast.net Barbara Dutton Feature Writer Jim Fizzell jjfizz@aol.com

6

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

President’s Message The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association

President

excels at many things. We hold great networking and educational events. We lobby at the state and federal levels to protect landscape contractors and promote our interests. ILCA recently published The Source – Staffing Solutions to a Challenging Labor Market that is a comprehensive resource guide to finding employees for our membership. I may be biased, but I also think in partnership with the Wisconsin Green Industry Federation, we put on one heck of a trade show!

For those of you picking up a copy of The Landscape Contractor at iLandscape, on behalf of ILCA and WGIF, welcome. Inside these halls you will meet new people and engage with those you already know as the green industry prepares for a bright 2016. We have many shared challenges and those unique to our own situation. But through gathering information and freely exchanging ideas with your peers, the landscape profession benefits as does your business and you as a professional in this great industry. An industry that directly improves our water quality, children’s learning experience, the health of our neighborhoods, and the ecology within our environment. iLandscape is a volunteer run show with backing of staff from ILCA and WGIF. We appreciate your support and feedback as we continue to innovate and improve on this important event. Thank you to the Experience, Education, Latino, Award and Membership Committees. These volunteers make the decisions, do much of the legwork and staff the events you will attend.

To get the most out of the show, visit the vendors, attend educational sessions, enjoy the keynotes and entertainment and take advantage of events after the trade show floor closes. But most of all, after you engage your peers and exchange information and ideas, take the time to share back at the office and put this experience to use.

Rusty Maulding Nature’s View (815) 592-7582 rusty@naturesview.info

Vice-President

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

Secretary-Treasurer

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

Immediate Past President Kevin Vancina Vancina Landscaping, Inc. (815) 726-2300 kvancina@sbcglobal.net

Directors

Mark Breier National Seed Co. (630) 963-8787 mark.breier@natseed.com Lisa Fiore Fiore Nursery and Landscape Supply (847) 913-1414 lisa@cjfiore.com Jose Garcia Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. (815) 724-0991 info@naturalcreationslandscaping.com Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net

Kevin Manning K & D Entreprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 kmanning@kdlandscapeinc.com Tom Lupfer Lupfer Landscaping (708) 352-2765 tom@lupferlandscaping.com

It’s Showtime!

Best Regards, Rusty Maulding ILCA President January 11, 2016

Maureen Scheitz Acres Group (847) 526-4554 maureen.scheitz@acresgroup.com Donna Vignocchi Zych ILT Vignocchi, Inc. (847) 487-5200 dvignocchi@iltvignocchi.com

www.ilca.net

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

7

Acres Group • Wauconda Fifth Third Bank Ball Park- Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars

are renowned To achieve this expectation, we start with more than 357 flats as a family friendly entertainment destination. This was a forest of custom grown annuals that are designed to energize fans. A preserve property that was maintained as a “mow and go” for 14 giant baseball made of begonias, nestled in a carpet of verbena was years. To meet their business and civic goals, the Cougars hired created as a fun photo-op at Gate 3.

Acres Group in 2004 to create and maintain a landscape showcase.

The lawn seating area needed reconstruction utilizing 16 semi Along with the immediate need to execute a proactive annual loads of materials. This was challenging with the steep grade necturf & plant health care plan (IPM), there are some very unique essary for proper fan comfort and viewing. challenges to meet their goal of landscaping excellence.

A limestone path, anchored by a Rosetta stone wall was introRegardless of weather, the ballpark needs to be “fan ready” by duced along with a giant Adirondack patio constructed with flagearly April. Landscape quality must be maintained notwithstandstone and estate wall as a unique feature. Additionally, new planting the impact of over 500,000 fans between April and September. ing beds were designed and installed around the new batting cage Other dynamic challenges include working through a $10,000,000 facility along with a combination of 36 maple trees. brick & mortar renovation, as well as, four partnerships changes: All planting beds and calorific containers are prized for their Marlins, Royals, Cubs, and Diamondbacks. championship display of “WOW.” The Landscape Contractor 9 February 2016

Thinking Outside

Should Propane Be in Your Plans

Some contractors are finding that using propane powered mowers

By Aaron DeWeese

More and more

landscape professionals are discovering the advantages of propane-powered commercial mowers compared to traditional gasoline and diesel mowers.

From cheaper fuel, dependability and lower maintenance costs, to significant environmental emissions reductions, the merits of propane mowers are being proven on the turf.

According to a two-year study conducted by the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Tennessee and the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) analyzing the emissions, economics and performance of propane vs. gasoline fueled mowers, propane-fueled mowers cost about 30 percent less to operate than gasoline mowers. The study also revealed that propane-fueled mowers generate up to 50 percent less greenhouse gas emissions, cut carbon monoxide by more than 80 percent, and produce fewer groundlevel ozone precursors and particulate matter.

The main agents found in engine exhaust are compounds known as hydrocarbons, which help ground-level ozone form. Ground-level ozone is a particular problem in cities during the sultry summer months, when heat, sunlight and pollution combine in a potent mix. High levels of groundlevel ozone exacerbate asthma and other lung problems, and can even cause respiratory problems in otherwise healthy people.

10

As a result, more than 20 states, and 60 cities and regions, including Chicago, are issuing ozone action/advisory days.

Consequently, when high ozone pollution levels trigger restrictions on operations of traditional mowers, propane mower operators have an advantage, because propane is an approved alternative fuel under the Clean Air Act of 1990, and can therefore be operated on ozone action/advisory days, which can increase work productivity, as well as provide landscapers the public relations opportunity to promote good environmental and community stewardship.

It was this environmental benefit that first motivated the Forest Preserve District of Cook County to consider adding propane-powered mowers to its fleet in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations. Celebrating its Centennial in 2016, the Forest Preserve is comprised of more than 69,000 acres, (the largest in the United States) and is a vital component of the overall environmental health of the Chicagoland Area.

“We are by design a green organization,” observes Tom Thompson, fleet operations manager for the Forest Preserve.

“We’ve always had our eyes on propane mowers, but it wasn’t as cost effective as it is now.”

Going green was not the only factor driving the Forest Preserve. Maintaining 69,000 acres of open space requires

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

for 2016?

provides a natural advantage

a lot of vehicles and fuel. The agency maintains a fleet of 65 large riding mowers, 102 push mowers and 108 line trimmers, all in heavy use mowing picnic grove lawns and roadsides from April through October. The need for reliable, cost-efficient equipment prompted Thompson to seek a new solution. Ultimately, he and the landscape maintenance department made the decision to transition to propane.

As a government agency, the Forest Preserve was required to issue bid requests for the purchase of its first propane mowers, and selected two Gravely Pro Turn 472 mowers from Halloran Mowerworks in Palatine. Halloran specializes in factory authorized propane fuel system mower conversions. Powered by Kawasaki FX series 1000 cc 34 hp engines with XDZ 72” decks, Halloran installed Vapor Withdrawal propane fuel systems on the two test mowers.

Halloran also provided certified propane mower operations and maintenance training to Forest Preserve staff, which didn’t take very long since the mowers had standard gas engines with propane fuel injector systems.

“We spent one day learning how to fuel and operate the

new mowers,” Thompson recalls. “We soon found out how simple it was.”

The Forest Preserve gave the two test models a six-month trial period. Thompson encouraged his crew to put the mowers to the test in the field. He wanted them to go up hills and through lowlands in an effort to get a good sense of the pros and cons of the propane mowers. What they soon discovered was the propane mowers were actually performing better and more economically than their gasoline mowers.

“Our crew quickly got used to the propane mowers,” Thompson says. “Really not that much of a difference in maintenance. If anything the propane mowers are better.

We’re having less oil changes because the engines burn cleaner. Once in a while we’ll have a regulator issue, but that’s about it as far as maintenance issues go.”

The University of Tennessee study validates what the Forest Preserve has experienced in the field. The study indicated propane engines can provide comparable fuel economy to a gasoline engine based on the higher octane rating of (continued on page 12)

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

11

Thinking Outside (continued from page 11) propane, even though propane has a lower energy content per volume compared to gasoline. Propane-fueled mowers deliver propane from large tanks mounted on the mower to the engine through a clean, closed fuel system. This system results in fewer burned hydrocarbons entering the crankcase oil, which extends oil life, reduces maintenance needs, and improves overall system efficiency.

Over the past eight years, the Forest Preserve has replaced its conventionally fueled equipment with 32 propane-powered mowers – seventy percent of its 72” riding rotary mowers.

“We’re now utilizing our propane mowers more than our big tractors” Thompson notes. “They are the workhorses of our fleet.”

The Forest Preserve propane fleet uses 12,080 gallons of propane a year, realizing an average fuel cost savings of $1 per gallon verses gasoline. The Forest Preserve started out with a propane cylinder exchange program, but has now progressed to onsite fuel dispensers. According to Thompson, the propane supplier, AmeriGas, is covering the entire cost of propane tanks and related equipment.

“We found that all the area propane marketers were more than happy to provide dispensers as part of the contract,” Thompson explains. “We provided the concrete slab and electrical. We are in the process of installing twelve dual dispensers for vehicles and cylinder tanks.”

The Forest Preserve is so committed to propane that it’s currently in the process of purchasing 39 bi-fuel (gasoline/propane) police interceptors (24 cruisers and 15 SUVs).

“As a government agency, we’re very conscientious of taxpayer money,” Thompson notes. “We’ve found that propane saves us money, and reduces our

12

carbon footprint. It’s a win-win for us.”

Landscape contractor Eric Hansen, Competitive Lawn Services, Inc., Downers Grove, IL, puts propane front and center with the company’s official slogan of “We Use Green Propane Power.” Offering Illinois’ first all-propane-powered landscape maintenance crew–equipped with everything from mowers to trimmers to a heavy-duty 1-ton pickup truck, Competitive Lawn Services is proactively marketing the benefits of propane to its customers.

“It’s clean and green,” explains Hansen. “Propane has an environmentally lower impact. There’s no spilling. With propane cylinders, the fuel connectors are sealed and pressurized, which basically eliminate evaporative emissions and spillage. So there’s just less smell, which is a big advantage, especially in residential backyards.”

Hansen is a member of the Midwest Ecological Landscaping Association (MELA), a group of more than 140 Chicago-area contractors, growers, suppliers, landscape designers and architects and other professionals dedicated to finding greener ways to create and care for landscapes.

Hansen started on his road to propane in 2008 when he converted the first 48” Skag walk behind mower to see if he could get it to run on propane. According to Hansen, he was able to put 5,000 hours on that engine.

Competitive Lawn Services now has a fleet of 22 propane mowers, including John Deere, Exmark, Wright Standers, and Gravely.

Competitive Lawn Services’ Green Fleet also includes a Ford F350 heavy duty pickup truck equipped with a propane engine built at the assembly line at Rousch Performance in Livonia, MI, which adapts trucks for propane.

While green marketing is certainly a factor for Hansen, it’s still about the (continued on page 14)

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Thinking Outside (continued from page 12) economics at the end of the day. One way Hansen hopes to influence others in the industry is by collecting data over the coming season on the performance, costs and emissions of his propane-powered crew compared to his seven other mostly gasoline-powered crews. Real numbers from real work, he hopes, will help convince others in the business to consider alternative fuels.

“We typically run a stand-on mower for 800 hours per season,” Hansen explains. Each machine uses 1.3 gallons per hour or a total of 1,040 gallons of fuel. This year, we were at an average of $2.75 per gallon for gasoline, and for us we were at $1 per gallon for propane. So at 1,040 gallons, the cost was $2,860 for gasoline and $1,040 for propane, or a savings of $1,820 per mower.”

Propane is stored in cylinders as a liquid under relatively low pressure and becomes a gas at normal pressure. The liquid storage gives propane a high energy density, allowing a mower to run for about six to eight hours on a tank of fuel.

While the propane mowers are equipped with either carbureted or newer electronic fuel injection (EFI) engine technology, EFI provides greater fuel efficiency and significant emissions reductions.

Hansen also noted, that like the Forest Preserve, with a fleet of 22 propane mowers, Green Propane Power has moved to a single onsite 2,000 gallon dispenser verses a cylinder exchange program.

As in the cases of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and Competitive Lawn Services, most commercial and municipal landscape operations start off cautiously when it comes to moving towards propane mowers. As Thompson noted, the old carbureted technology didn’t have the greatest track record. New EFI engines, equipped with computer chips, are proving in the field to be much better performing workhorses. And while purchasing a propane mower can initially cost a bit more than a traditional mower, current state

14

and national rebates and incentive programs are making new propane mowers competitively priced if not an even better deal.

For 2016, the Illinois Propane Gas Association (IPGA) will again be offering commercial propane mower rebates for new and conversion mowers to landscape professionals. This marks the fourth year IPGA is offering $1,500 rebates on new mowers or factory authorized conversions on new mowers, as well as up to a $1,000 rebate on conversion kits for older commercial mowers, with a maximum of $4,500 per landscaping company per year. For more information, visit www.ilpga.org.

Landscape contractors can also match the IPGA mower rebates with a national propane mower incentive program offered by the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC). Effective immediately, but for a limited time, landscape contractors can apply to receive $1,000 toward the purchase of a new propane-powered mower, and $500 toward a qualified conversion.

Interested end-users for the PERC incentive program must submit an application form for consideration. End-users accepted into this program will receive a $1,000 incentive payment per qualifying new factory-built propane mower purchase, or a $500 incentive payment per qualifying propane mower conversion. A single end-user or company may receive incentive payments for the purchase of up to 25 eligible mowers per year. Visit www.propane.com for more information and details on applying.

Between the two programs, commercial landscapers can save up to $2,500 on a new propane mower. Combined with fuel savings on propane versus gasoline, and reduced maintenance costs, propane mowers might just be a smart choice for fleet replacement.

Aaron DeWeese is the Executive Director of the Illinois Propane Gas Association, Springfield, IL

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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Thinking Outside

Sustainable Awards Evolve with Contractor Recognition 2016 Brings Changes to Sustainable Landscape Award Category

By Becke Davis The ILCA Awards Committee has reduced the number of award categories from 14 down to eight. As part of this streamlining process, the broad category of Sustainable Landscapes has been changed to an “honor” designation.

Submissions that include sustainable features, in any award category—construction or maintenance—are eligible for this honor.

Different aspects of the project such as Storm Water Management, Native Plant Use, and Habitat Preservation and Restoration are itemized on a supplemental form. Under each applicable aspect, applicants must explain briefly how sustainable methods were used.

The Committee evaluates the responses and, using a point system, comes up with a score to determine the qualifying projects. The Gold, Silver and Bronze Award levels are based on points so some years there may be multiple winners at one level and none at other levels. This year, for example, there was one Gold Award winner and two Bronze (Merit) Award winners of the Sustainable Awards Honor.

From the ILCA Excellence in Landscape Awards Supplement information: Sustainable Honors Criteria: Submittals for Sustainable Landscape Construction must include 12 selections listed in order to be eligible. There is an opportunity to include descriptions of another feature not listed in the criteria under ‘Other.’ This will be considered a replacement for one of the minimum criteria required.

Applications pursuing sustainable honors are judged based on aesthetics and the degree to which the sustainable criteria are incorporated. Future submitters should keep in mind:

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•

•

•

•

• •

A project with poor aesthetics is unlikely to win an award regardless of the sustainable landscaping practices used.

An aesthetically attractive project is also not likely to win Sustainable Honors if sustainable landscape components are not well integrated into the construction and/or maintenance of the project.

Your submittal for Sustainable Landscape Construction must include at least 12 of the objectives listed for the category to be considered.

Descriptions should be site and project specific, and provide enough detail to clearly answer the information requested.

The appropriate boxes should be checked and detailed.

No more than 150 words may be used for each answer.

“This is the second year of honors,” ILCA Executive Director Scott Grams notes, “and twenty-five percent of submitters chose to apply for the sustainable honors supplement.

It is not easy to get this honor, and it’s a fairly rigorous process to complete the supplemental form. A leaf icon is added to [the winning] honors project, to show it was deemed worthy of recognition, to give it more exposure and to reinforce aesthetics and sustainability.

“Our ten-year goal is that every award submission could win this honor, to show that a nice-looking project can also be a sustainable project, not either/or. This is the type of thinking we want to encourage – that sustainability is not just a design style, but rather, a new way to approach designbuild and maintenance projects.” (continued on page 18)

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

L O N G S H A D OW

速

Design & Photography: H. Paul Davis, Landscape Architects

. COM

Hand crafted in Southern Illinois by Classic Garden Ornaments, Ltd. 速

Thinking outside (continued from page 16)

Gold Award Winner WRD Environmental *(Clauss Brothers) – *Joint project with an ILCA member WHS Learn+Play Gardens Excerpt from Supplemental Form: Storm Water Management - The project was designed to include storm water Best Management Practices (BMPs) that, at a minimum, capture and treat the amount of surface water runoff generated from impermeable surfaces on the site by a 1” rain event.

Stormwater from the existing parking lot is intercepted via BMPs. A French drain (trench) captures some of the volume from parking lot runoff at the downstream pavement edge. The remaining volume flows into a rain garden that has some volume for storage before overflowing into the naturebased play area where there is a dry well and underdrain underneath 6” of mulch. The dry well and underdrain allow infiltration and rainwater storage within the stone base and mulch. A 4” underdrain within the play area directs water into the dry well before being routed to the existing storm sewer adjacent to the building. The overflow for all of the BMP’s matches the existing drainage pattern which is draining to the east where the activity field is located. The volume provided within the french drain, rain garden, and dry well is 647 cf which is greater than the volume of the 10 year storm for the dry well tributary area.

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Thinking outside

Merit Award Winner Ringers - Fox River Grove Excerpt from Supplemental Form: Social/Human Experience Improvement - Outdoor spaces were designed for mental restoration and/or social interaction. Describe how noise and other potential distractions are minimized for mentally restorative spaces; include discussion of other design elements that support the quality of these spaces (shade, optimized views, privacy, enhanced connection to nature, etc). For spaces supporting social interaction, describe how spaces support people eating, working and playing together. Spaces for mental restoration cannot be the same as those for enhanced social interaction.

Teachers have begun to use the new landscape as an extension of their indoor classrooms. They recently began to take “Brain Breaks� to go outside, tour the landscape, and talk about plants. The most densely planted areas are in close proximity to classrooms and the creation of an arboretum feel (25 new species of trees planted) to both campuses and the newly installed woodland walking garden has encouraged further exploration.

In order to further the educational benefits of the new landscape, all new trees have been tagged using a QR code reading system, and rain garden interpretive signage was designed and installed along with Conservation@School placards throughout both campuses.

20

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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Thinking Outside

Merit Award Winner Logic Lawn Care — The Village Green Goes Green Excerpt from Supplemental Form: Pest Management - Use of an integrated pest management program (IPM). Describe the details of the IPM management program used and how they were applied to the site. Include specific examples of species and/or pests and control treatments. Describe ways in which chemical applications have been revised to minimize negative impacts to the landscape.

An IPM approach is used to prevent and manage pests.

For example, Grubs were monitored throughout the season through scouting. This information helped determine the population was not at a threshold that might cause damage and natural grub control applications weren’t needed. This prevented unnecessary applications and saved the Village money.

When a problem does reach a threshold where we need to take action, we do so without the use of products that are harmful to humans or the environment. For example: a combination of Corn Gluten (Spring) and Seeding (Fall) help thicken up turf areas and prevent crabgrass outbreaks.

Dandelions and clover periodically passed the tolerance threshold that had been established within our IPM program.

A natural chelated iron product was used to knock back the weed pressure. Once we gained control, cultural practices and soil management were used to help prevent reoccurrence.

22

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Jim Fizzell’s

Hort Advisory The question of the day—

What’s up with this weather?

by Jim Fizzell

Long range

weather prediction is hazardous to say the least. What can we say? The sudden early onset of the El Niño was a surprise. We were more than a little concerned about the forecast made last fall, suggesting then that no one knows for sure how the weather will turn out. If it isn’t as bad as expected, preparation is still good insurance, we said.

Actually things turned out much better than we had expected with the early onset of winter weather conspicuously missing. Greg Soulje, our weather guru warned me at the time that too much tropical activity in the Pacific could corrupt the longrange forecasts. The El Niño turned out to be much stronger and earlier than anyone had thought.

While there was a record snow event in November, Soulje’s prediction for a mild winter to develop with plenty of rain and temperatures well above normal was right on. The first killing frost did not occur until late in November. Temperatures topped 60 degrees as late as Christmas week. Winter returned after Christmas with a record sleet storm, but temperatures stayed around the seasonal norms.

Soulje notes that the El Niño has passed its peak and is in decline with winter getting back to reality. Also, the Arctic Oscillation has moved to negative after being strongly positive keeping arctic cold bottled up near the pole. A negative AO allows the polar vortex to slip south into the central U. S. The first arctic outbreak hit with a vengeance the second week of January.

Is that a sign of what is to come for the rest of the winter?

24

Soulje expects the temperatures to move to nearer seasonal norms by late January. A very active pattern with short, intense cold spells and plenty of snow will dominate the rest of winter.

A total of as much as 40, maybe even 50 inches of snow can be expected by winter’s end. Expect a lot of snow mold.

Soulje notes that the El Niño has passed its peak and is in decline with winter getting back to reality. He expects the temperatures to move back to nearer seasonal norms by late January. A very active pattern with short cold spells and plenty of snow will dominate the rest of winter. A total of as much as 40, maybe even 50 inches of snow can be expected by winter’s end. Anticipate a lot of snow mold.

Minimal frost in the ground should allow good percolation of melting snow and good recharge of ground waters.

Anticipate a cooler, wetter start to spring. Then, April and May should be a bit warmer, above average, and drier, excellent for outdoor work. Late spring and early summer temperatures will trend average to a little below normal and things will remain dry.

Summer should be seasonal to a little below temperature-wise, much drier in mid-summer. No extended heat waves are anticipated.

In summary, temperatures for the foreseeable future will be quite variable but will average near normal, with no prolonged extremes, either cold or hot. Moisture will be plentiful early, but tend to be drier later in the period.

By contrast, the US Weather Service suggests above normal temperatures and a dry summer. We shall see. (continued on page 26)

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

25

Jim Fizzell’s

Hort Advisory Question 2 —

The root of many tree problems

(continued from page 24)

Tree problems continue, certainly the majority due to the ravages of emerald ash borer. But more than ash trees are having problems. Many kinds including maples, lindens, catalpas, hickories, oaks, and others are declining or even dying.

Urban intensity, the crowding, the pollution, mechanical traumas, etc. strongly affect the longevity of a tree. And urban trees have finite predictable life spans. According to the Urban Forest Forum, the average life of common shade tree species in rural areas is about 150 years. This reduces to about 60 years in the better city sites. The average life span of city trees is about 32 years, dropping to 6 or 7 years in congested inner city locations. Usually, several factors combine to cause the losses of the trees.

The site and soil volume have major impacts on tree longevity. A 25-inch tree needs an unobstructed area of at least 20 by 20 feet that is generally only present in larger, inner-city lots. Common shade trees will reach 25-inch caliper at 25 to 40 years. More common are 10 foot by 10 foot areas supporting 12- to 15-inch trees to maybe 15 to 25 years. Tree lawns or parkways between the curb and walk are often 4 feet by 8 feet, supporting trees to 8 or 10 inches and ages of 10 to 15 years.

Tree pits, common in inner-city locations, are often no more

than 4 feet by 4 feet supporting 3- to 6-inch trees for about 10 years.

Once the trees attain these sizes, the volume of soil available becomes filled with roots, and growth slows down.

Maintaining these trees takes proper care, watering in dry spells, good drainage so they don’t sit in water, fertilizing when needed, proper trimming, and avoiding damage. Other factors that shorten a tree’s life include: salt in the winter, lawn mowers in summer, and play areas beneath their canopies.

Certainly many urban trees exceed average life spans, but often because they are given exceptional care.

Though trees in adverse situations have shortened lives, it doesn’t mean such trees shouldn’t be planted. These trees fill vital needs, providing shade or screening, softening the harsh urban environment, or just providing something attractive to look at. However, it is important that everyone involved recognizes these are temporary plants and will need periodic replacment. If this is understood in advance, and if replacements are anticipated and budgeted, there will be far less trauma when the plants begin to outlive their usefulness and replacement becomes necessary. (continued on page 28)

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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Jim Fizzell’s

Hort Advisory Question 3 —

The safe use of chemicals

(continued from page 26) Chemical misuse is more common than one would expect.

We have been called in for more than one case, as we traveled throughout suburbia, I have seen lots of instances where the chemicals used killed desirable plantings.

Much of the damage has been due to home gardeners who watch too much TV and don’t really listen to what the ads say.

We see dead spots in lawns where Glyphosate was used to kill broadleaf weeds. The common response from the owner is that the TV ad showed the stuff being used, and the owner didn’t realize that glyphosate is for weeds in the pavement, not in the lawn.

Another problem occurs when the broadleaf herbicides are used on home lawns and the over-spray or drift hits neighbor’s gardens.

But it is not just the amateurs who get in trouble.

Unfortunately, there are some people who cut grass for hire and will get a package of chemicals from Walmart to treat a customer’s lawn, doing damage.

More troublesome is the professional that improperly uses a product damaging desirable plants. We’ve seen this on some public turfgrass, on some residential lawns, on ornamental tree plantings, and on one high school football field. All were seriously damaged or totally killed off. In these cases the persons doing this actually possessed valid pesticide licenses.

In all of these instances, home gardener or professional horticulturist, the problem stems from not reading and following the label instructions correctly.

The statute regulating pesticide use is the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act, FEPCA. Pesticide labels are legal documents. They contain all the information necessary to buy, mix and use the material in the package. The packager spends a tremendous amount of money to get the label approved by the EPA which is the agency responsible for enforcing the law.

It is illegal to use a pesticide in any manner other than that specified on the label. Obviously that means that someone must read the label,whether it’s a home owner buying an insecticide for the garden or a professional landscape. If nobody reads the label, and dameage occurs. who’s to blame?

If the home gardener gets in trouble for misuse it is usually

28

in his garden and he has only himself to blame.

Where a commercial landscape firm misuses a material because the label was not consulted, it can result in a major cost. And there is no one else to blame... not the manufacturer, or the supplier... no one!

All persons applying pesticides for hire must be licensed.

This includes the wheelbarrow operator who buys the bag of weed killer at the big box store. Even if it is the same pesticide that any home gardener can buy and use without a license, a person getting paid to apply must posess a license.

The reasoning for requiring a license is to demonstrate that a professional who can pass the licensing exam will use the materials safely.

One of the questions on the pesticide exam asks when the label should be consulted: When buying the material, when mixing the material, when applying the material, or all of the above. Obviously, it is all of the above.

The difficulty arises in actually reading the label. Labels are long and the print is small. This does not relieve one of the obligation. There are sections on the labels that the user must read. There are sections that may not apply to the situation at hand which may be skipped. If you are applying a chemical to turf, it is probably not necessary to read the sections for rice or nut trees, for instance. However, if there is question as to whether a chemical might injure the desirable plants in the vicinity, it would be advisable to look at all the plants the chemical might control. If the material is to be used around rose bushes, it might be smart to see if it will control multiflora roses in a woodland planting. If it controls bluegrass in nursery plantings, maybe it should not be used on the lawn.

As we have emphasized at all the pesticide clinics, it is incumbent upon the person who will make the decisions on using the pesticide to read the label, and to understand it.

Remember, if you misapply the product, you are in violation of the law and you have no one to blame but yourself.

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

(continued on page 30)

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Jim Fizzell’s

Hort Advisory Question 4 —

Correct mulching techniques

(continued from page 28) Every so often we are reminded that there is always a new generation of plant people coming along, and things we taught in the past need repeating. With larger numbers of new trees being planted, people want to give them the best possible care to get them started. Mulches are excellent aids for getting trees started. They protect trunks from mower damage by creating grass-free areas around the trees. They preserve soil moisture, they moderate soil temperatures, reduce weed problems, and prevent compaction. They can also be attractive.

But, mulching needs to be done right. Two or three inches of mulch over the roots is sufficient. More can cause roots to develop into the mulch instead of into the ground. The mulch can extend out as far as the drip lines of smaller trees.

Most important is keeping the trunks free of mulch. Do not make mulch volcanoes on the trunks. The bark needs to breathe. Piles of mulch will keep the bark wet, and create a perfect environments for collar-rotting organisms to develop.

Sometimes, trees will try to make adventitious roots into the piled up mulch. These can develop into girdling roots. Collar rot and girdling roots eventually kill trees.

While mulch volcanoes seem to be attractive to some people, they are decidedly damaging for the trees. If you see trees with mulch piled high on the trunks, pull it back so the trunks are bare to the ground.

Masses of roots, due to years of mulch volcanoes on the trunk, killed this tree

Mulch piled on the trunks of street trees

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Know Maintenance Update

Revisiting Roy’s Grids

by Patrice Peltier

Despite our best

efforts to educate ourselves and to put the right plant in the right place, sometimes plants don’t perform the way we anticipated. That, says plantsman, author, garden consultant and Know Maintenance guru Roy Diblik, is when the real gardening comes in.

In 2007, The Landscape Contractor ran a series of articles featuring plant combinations and percentages Diblik was using at the time. He called them his grids. We asked Diblik to revisit his grids and let us know whether his plant choices have changed, and, if so, how and why.

This grid featured three plants Diblik used extensively at the time: Sporobolus heterolepis, Achillea x hybrida ‘Walter Funcke’ and Echinacea tennesseensis. Today, he rarely uses that yarrow cultivar or coneflower species unless he knows for certain they’ll be in very well-drained soil that’s not irrigated. “They don’t do well in our clay soils,” he says.

“They’re not as forgiving.”

Sporobolus heterolepsis continues to be a go-to plant in Diblik’s palette. “It does well everywhere from moist meadows to gravelly sites along railroad tracks,” he says.

These days, if Diblik were to plant this grid, he’d keep the Sporobolus and substitute Echinacea pallida for E. tennesseensis.

“Echinacea pallida can handle our clay soils. It doesn’t grow into other plants because of its nice, vertical, upright habit. It has fewer flowering stems than E. tennesseensis but it’s longer-lived,” Diblik explains.

Instead of ‘Walter Funcke’, Diblik likes to plant Coreopsis palmata. He notes that a little of this rhizomatous plant goes a long way, but he likes the yellow, daisy-like flowers from late June into late July and the way the deeply cut foliage stands out against other plants in the garden, providing a layered look.

Over time, Diblik has changed more than just his plant selection. “I’ve learned to put in more plants and to use quarts instead of gallons,” he says. Substituting quarts allows Diblik to use more plants for about the same price as gallons and yields a denser planting more quickly. He generally plants quarts on 15” centers. “The plants in quarts become gallonsize in a month to six weeks,” he says.

Knowing a plant’s growth rate, habit, self-sowing propensities and vegetative spreading habit all matter when combining plants, Diblik has learned. “It’s important that the plants 32

selected and planted for the purpose of establishing close together relate well to each other as they mature and knit together,” he explains. “They must live in a compatible and healthy relationship. One or two members of the community can’t quickly inhibit the development and lifestyle of the others.”

One example are solidagos which may begin seeding in their first year. “They mature quickly, take up much space and because of their seeding strength will germinate and fill many of the open areas in a young planting,” Diblik says.

Diblik has also started adding bulbs to almost every planting. The bulbs help provide early-season interest and then disappear as the perennial foliage develops. In this 15’ x 8’ grid, Diblik would scatter February Gold narcissus bulbs among Chionodoxa for a cheerful combination of yellow and blue in April. He would also add Allium moly for a scattering of yellow flowers among the Sporobolus in early June.

In the first two years, weeding and watering as needed are the biggest maintenance requirements. He offers these guidelines: · Make absolutely certain all perennial weeds are dead before you start planting. · The initial watering is critical. Be sure to soak each plant to provide proper root-to-soil contact. · Depending upon rainfall, water every 10 days—or as needed—during the first month. Water every two weeks—again, depending upon rainfall and observed need—thereafter.

By year three, Diblik estimates this planting can be maintained each year in 27-30 hours per 1,000 square feet.

Grid: Sporobolus heterolepis (33 quarts) Echinacea tennesseensis (22 quarts) Coreopsis palmata (9 quarts) Allium moly (120 bulbs) Chionodoxa (300-400 bulbs) Narcissus ‘February Gold’ (50-75 bulbs)

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Booth 812

Know Maintenance Plant Review

1

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Blue sedge Carex flacca (sometimes Carex glauca)

Roy says: This plant has been in the trade for awhile, but it’s highly underused because of the lack of understanding about the genus Carex. It has beautiful soft blue, narrow foliage and a mounding growth habit. It grows in sun or shade in dry soils.

In sun, it grows 18-24 inches tall in mounds about 20 inches wide. In shade, it is slightly shorter, growing in mounds 12 to 16 inches wide. It makes a great ground cover around shrubs in place of woodchips. Try it mixed with other sedges.

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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Know Maintenance Plant Review

2

GRAY sedge Carex grisea

Roy says: This beautiful, evergreen native sedge lives in flood plains that are wet in spring and dry out through summer. It grows 15 to 24 inches tall. Despite its common names, this plant’s foliage is not particularly narrow, and it’s medium green—not gray. This is a wonderful plant to integrate into shade plantings mixed with other sedges, ferns and hostas. It is durable, long-lived and creates visual contrast with other plants around it.

3

Bowman’s Root Gillenia trifoliate (aka Porteranthus trifoliata)

Roy says: This is a very engaging plant —always interesting — from the time it emerges in spring until the cold weather of fall. It even provides nice architecture and interesting seedheads through the winter.

(I cut it back in March.) Clouds of white flowers cover it in late May through June. Then, you can enjoy the narrow, maple-like foliage and deep red stems on this plant’s beautiful, upright growth habit. It grows two to three feet tall and three feet wide, developing well over time if you add leaf mulch every two to three years.

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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White wood aster

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Aster divaricatus

Roy says: This plant has a beautiful mounding growth habit with black wiry stems and heart-shaped leaves. In late August through September, small, white daisy-like flowers cover the plant. It combines well with many shade plants. It looks really nice with Hosta ‘Krossa Regal.’ It also makes a great ground-layer planting by combining 50% Carex pensylvanica, 30% Aster divaricatus and 20% Carex shortiana.

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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Brome-like sedge Carex bromoides

Roy says: A native woodland sedge, this plant enhances shade gardens with its soft green, very narrow foliage. Soft green flowers appear just above the developing foliage in May. When planted with Hosta ‘Halcyon,’ the textural contrast is exciting. Another good plant to add to the group is Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern).

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

41

Know Maintenance Plant Review

6

Early meadow rue Thalictrum dioicum

Roy says: Elegance in the shade is what this native woodland plant offers. A beautiful soft mound of foliage formed by lobed leaflets held on wiry stems, in May the plant blooms with very small clusters of green flowers with yellow stamens. This plant is easily grown in average woodland soil. For good contrast, try combining this plant with large-leaved hostas and/ or the upright habit of ferns. Once you start working with Thalictrum dioicum, you’ll find the plant combinations are unlimited.

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

7

Wild Quinine Parthenium integrifolium

Roy says: This is a strong architectural plant, mixing well with grasses. It is especially nice mixed with Geranium sanguineum and Molinia caerulea ‘Moorhexe.’

In July, the white, flat, mounded clusters of flowers look like summer clouds floating through the garden. In fall, the seed heads, stems and foliage turn dark brown, creating a strong presence going into winter.

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43

Know Maintenance Plant Review

8

Witch’s Moor Grass Molinia caerulea ‘Moorhexe’

Roy says: This vertically extreme plant is great in any scale — from small gardens to large landscapes. Flowering in August, black stamens give the appearance of black brush strokes floating in the air.

The flowering stems are strongly vertical but not densely developed, providing a see-through effect. Breezes create a gentle, swaying rhythm of soft textures. This grass works well planted in communities or massed in larger groups. For a simple community grouping, try using 60% Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’ with 40% Molinia.

9

Short’s Sedge Carex shortiana

Roy says: A native, woodland sedge, this plant has patiently waited for its horticultural opportunity. In mid-May, short, spiked green flowers develop just above the upright, slightly arching soft green foliage. In July, the flowers turn dark brown, contrasting nicely with the foliage. By fall, the foliage turns soft yellow-green, creating a bold, strong contrast to the darker foliage plants in the shade. Carex shortiana grows well in average to moist soil in part shade. It looks nice planted with simple fern combinations.

Prairie Coreopsis

10

Coreopsis palmata

Roy says: This is a nice interactive plant that lives well with mixed short grasses and sedges. The deeply lobed stylish foliage appears on strong upright stems, topped by golden-yellow, daisy-like flowers. In mid August, the seed heads are a refreshing olive green changing to dark brown in late September and lasting into spring. Coreopsis reaches about 24” to 30” in height and spreads to 18” to 24” in three to five years. The plant spreads by rhizomes and maintains itself well on average rainfall once it’s established. For an effective plant community, combine Parthenium integrifolium, Carex swanii, Sporobolus heterolepis, Perovskia atriplicifolia and Eragrostis spectabilis. Use the grasses and sedges as the supportive element of the planting.

44

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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10:19 AM

Know Maintenance Plant Review Siberian Graybeard

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Spodiopogon sibericus

Roy says: This unknown, beautiful ornamental grass has a seductive vertical growth habit due to the horizontal development of its foliage. The grass reaches a height of about 5’ and gets 24” to 36” wide in 3 to 5 years. In mid August, the spiked flowers appear just above the foliage. In fall, the foliage turns reddish-yellow, an inspiration to the season. It does best in average to moist soil in full sun to light shade. Spodiopogon combines well with Eupatorium ‘Phantom’ and Rudbeckia subtomentosa.

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

White Wild False Indigo

12

Baptisia leucantha

Roy says: In late May to early June, any landscape would welcome these beautiful white spires rising above the developing spring flowers and foliage of neighboring plants. The structure of this plant is open, well branched with gray-green, oval leaflets, creating a nice see-through effect. The foliage reaches about 24” to 30.” The flowering spires are up to 5’. Baptisia lives well in average to slightly moist soils. The plant establishes slowly, showing its elegance the third year after planting, but moving forward for years and years.

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

47

Know Maintenance Plant Review

Juncus inflexsus

13

Juncus inflexsus

Roy says: This is an impressive plant that will find its way into our landscapes with great success. It has a great presence and strong character and will live well for years. Grass-like — but not a grass — this plant has gray-green, stiff, cylindrical foliage with a slightly arching growth habit. It grows 24-48” tall with a spread of 22” in 3 to 5 years. The flowers are brownish clusters developing out of the side of the stem, appearing from June into July. This plant prefers wet soils, but will live well in average soils. It has a very giving nature.

Hard rush stays evergreen during the winter and should be cut back in mid-March. Some good companion plants are Lobelia siphlitica, Lythrum alatum, Liatris spicata, Aruncus ‘Horatio’ and Agastache ‘Blue Fortune.’

Monarda bradburiana

14

Monarda bradburiana

Roy says: Here is a plant you will need to ask for.

Northwind Perennial Farm is the only nursery I know of that is growing this plant. This monarda is native to Missouri where it lives well in average to slightly dry soils. The foliage is dark glossy green, with the new growth having a rich copper color. During the first week in June, the lavender pink flowers develop in heavy clusters. The seed heads are a beautiful rounded light brown, accenting the rich foliage. I have this planted in a gravel garden where it is doing well. Some good companion plants are Sporobolus heterolepis, Salvia ‘Wesuwe,’ Stachys ‘Hummelo,’ and Bouteloua gracillis.

48

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Know Maintenance Plant Review

Nepeta ‘Cool Cat’

15

Nepeta subsessilis ‘Cool Cat’

Roy says: In mid-June when the pale lavender-blue spiked flowers develop just above the medium-green, ovalshaped foliage, this plant defines the quiet existence of that seasonal change from spring to summer. The height is about 30” with an upright growth habit, spreading to about 16” in 3 to 5 years. Planted in moist to average soil, ‘Cool Cat’ will have a long life. Some good companion plants are Echinacea purpurea ‘Dwarf White Swan,’ Sporobolus heterolepis, Lythrum alatum, Liatris spicata and Monarda bradburiana.

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MAXIMUM RESULTS WITH THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT AT THE RIGHT PRICE. Skid steers Mini excavators Tillers Stump grinders Wood chippers

Lawn mowers Dethatchers Aerators Overseeders Concrete saws

LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT CHICAGOLAND www.rentalmax.com Crest Hill

815.729.1466

Downers Grove Joliet 630.964.1850

815.726.2723

Lake Zurich 847.438.9490

Orland Park 708.535.5080

Roselle

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St. Charles 630.377.1567

Wheaton

630.668.8200

Booth #543

IT’S SHOWTIME!

“A NON-STOP THRILL RIDE!” “UNA EXCELLENTE EXPERIENCIA!” “EPIC!” “SLICK, STYLISH, AND SERIOUSLY COOL!” ¡Las clases en Español, son gratis!

FEBRUARY 3-5, 2016

RENAISSANCE SCHAUMBURG HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER

G

GENERAL AUDIENCES ALL AGES ADMITTED

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

ILANDSCAPESHOW.COM

WELCOME

iLANDSCAPE: THE ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN LANDSCAPE SHOW IT’S SHOWTIME! • FEBRUARY 3-5, 2016 Places everyone! iLandscape is the final dress rehearsal before the landscape season begins. It’s where the stars of the landscape industry come together. It’s three days of information, inspiration, and innovation.

Thousands of landscape professionals have made the first two iLandscape: the Illinois + Wisconsin Landscape Shows smashing success stories! The critics agree - iLandscape is a hit!

The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) and Wisconsin Green Industry Federation (WGIF) are proud to present iLandscape 2016. The show will be hosted at The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center and Hotel, located in Schaumburg, IL. The 2016 Show will feature more booths, the hottest products, amazing educational speakers, inspirational keynotes, ILCA’s Excellence in Landscape Awards Night, entertainment, and much more.

Visit over 390 booths to see the latest trends in plants, green industry products, hardscapes and equipment. Expert keynotes will illuminate. Rock out to a FREE CONCERT on Wednesday evening. iLandscape gathers the best minds in the green industry as part Wednesday Education...................................................................................... 4 of its educational program. The event features over Wednesday Entertainment & After Hours................................................. 7 20 unique education sessions. Spanish-language Thursday Education........................................................................................... 8 education sessions are available at no additional Awards Night.....................................................................................................11 cost. Students attend for free!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Enjoy three days and two nights of unparalleled excitement. Rub elbows with the elite. Be the first to know about incredible new products and services.

At iLandscape 2016 - YOU are the STAR!

Friday Education...............................................................................................12 Student Activities.............................................................................................13 Artists and Musicians......................................................................................14 New Products and Services..........................................................................15 iLandscape At-a-Glance...........................................................................16-17 Guide to Locations.....................................................................................18-19 iLandscape Exhibit Floorplan.................................................................20-21 Exhibitors............................................................................................................22

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

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Sponsors..............................................................................................................32

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Friday, February 5, 2016

Exhibit hall hours: 9:00am-4:00pm

Exhibit hall hours: 9:00am-4:00pm

Exhibit hall hours: 9:00am-2:00pm

Keynote: 10:15am

Keynote: 10:15am

Education Sessions 8:30am-10:00am 1:00pm-2:30pm 2:45pm-4:15pm

Education Sessions 8:30am-10:00am 1:00pm-2:30pm 2:45pm-4:15pm

Spanish-language Education 10:00am-12:00pm

Spanish-language Education 10:00am-12:00pm

Raffles and Giveaways: 4:15pm

Raffles and Giveaways: 4:00pm

Wednesday Night Concert and Party 4:30pm-6:30pm

ILCA Excellence in Landscape Awards Night 5:00pm-9:00pm

Shuttles to Granite City Brewery 6:30pm-11:30pm

WGIF Networking Party 5:00pm - ??

Education Sessions 8:30am-10:00am 11:30am-1:00pm

Raffles and Giveaways: 2:00pm

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016 10:15AM

The Landscape of Leadership

Starring: Terri McEnaney, Bailey Nurseries, Anna Ball, Ball Horticulture, and Donna Vignocchi, ILT Vignocchi With special guest star and moderator: Ana Belaval, WGN News The green industry moves at warp speed. This velocity makes innovation and vision more difficult, and also more essential. It is easy to lose oneself in the business, left to wander without a plan or purpose. Effective leaders face the challenges of time management, delegation, and selecting a strategic direction. This esteemed panel will discuss how they manage to maximize the efforts of others towards the achievement of common goals. They will offer advice on how to focus, listen, delegate, and avoid burnout. They will share personality traits they have honed to become more effective leaders. The green industry slows for no man...or woman. Join us for this unforgettable conversation.

Terri McEnaney

Donna Vignocchi

Anna Ball

“CAN’T MISS” SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

2016 ILANDSCAPE KEYNOTES

Moderated by WGN’s Ana Belaval

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 10:15AM

Houzz & the Empowered Client: How Technology is Transforming Outdoor Renovation Starring: Liza Hausman, Vice President of Industry Relations, Houzz.com

Technology tools like Houzz enable today’s homeowners to be more informed and more confident about building, remodeling and designing. This new empowered client is taking a novel approach to educating themselves, and to finding and choosing design-build landscape professionals. How can the empowered landscape professional engage these consumers, and also stand out from the crowd?

In consultation with its members, ILCA found Houzz to be the single greatest tech platform for driving business. Find out how Houzz is revolutionizing landscape design, installations, and sales.

Houzz.com has become our #2 source for client lead generation.

—Bob Hursthouse, Hursthouse, Inc. It’s the only social media platform with true bottom line results!

—Mike Schmechtig, Schmechtig Landscaping The site is magic! It’s an incredible business-to-client resource.

—John Algozzini, K&D Landscape Design

Liza Hausman

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WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016 EDUCATION

One fee, three days. Below are the educational sessions on Wednesday, February 3, 2016.

8:30am-10:00am

UTOPIA A & B

1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“ARMAN AND LAFLAMME POSSESS A CHEMISTRY THAT’S SURE TO WIN YOUR HEART” Keep Your Keepers: Retaining & Growing the Right People Co-Starring: Bill Arman & Ed Laflamme, The Harvest Group

The war for good people is on!

Competitors are trying to recruit your best people away from your company right now. We all know that recruiting the right people is hard enough but what needs to be done to keep the good people that are currently on board? Bill and Ed are legends in the landscape consulting world. They will help employers build a solid program that will keep and grow their keepers! Learn essential lessons on pay scales, incentive programs, onboarding, and establishment of a winning culture.

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists UTOPIA C & D

“BRILLIANT AND ELECTRIFYING” Landscape Pre-Construction: Estimating and Project Planning Starring: Matt Draus, Christy Webber Landscapes

The real work occurs long before a shovel goes in the ground. This session will help contractors understand a winning process to select the jobs they want. Starting with the RFP, shrewd companies must understand where the opportunities are and which to walk away from. This will cover how to apply historical data to new projects, how to best structure estimates, and how to submit them effectively. The session will then morph to discuss negotiation, pre-construction planning, and the development of a project management plan. This is a can’t miss session for companies wanting to become a player.

1.5 CEs for LAs NIRVANA A & B

1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“AN INTELLIGENT BLOCKBUSTER, WITH HEART” Get on the Conservation Bandwagon – There’s A Big Market Out There!

Co-Starring: Sarah Surroz, Conserve Lake County, Peggy Simonsen, Citizens for Conservation, Jim Kleinwachter, The Conservation Foundation, Leslie Shad, National Wildlife Federation

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Nonprofit land conservation organizations in the Chicagoland area offer certification programs to residential, commercial and institutional property owners that follow

ecologically-friendly landscape and water management practices.

These organizations want professional partners who understand and support their conservation mission for referral to property owners who want to become certified. Are you in? Come learn more about how you can help existing and new clients who want to incorporate more ecologically friendly practices on their properties. Property owners are hungry for assistance with how to change to support these organizations. You can create the win-win!

1.5 CEUs for Arborists NIRVANA C

“A NO HOLDS BARRED, ROLLERCOASTER RIDE” Building a Winning Digital Marketing Strategy Starring: Shane Fell, Top Floor Technologies

A successful online strategy involves much more than simply having a website and a Facebook page. In this session we’ll explore what separates winning online strategies from average ones that wander around the internet with no clear direction or goals. Social media has matured since its debut. Simply being out there is no longer good enough. Learn simple tactics that focus on reaching more customers, engaging them with great content, generating more business opportunities, and measuring results.

1:00pm-2:30pm

UTOPIA A & B

1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“A MODERN DAY CLASSIC” 25 Sure-Fire Ways to Reduce Cost & Increase Profits Co-Starring: Bill Arman & Ed Laflamme, The Harvest Group

Are you frustrated working 24/7 with low profits? Does it seem the harder you work, the broker you get?

Are your sales growing bigger and your bottom line growing smaller?

It’s time to get off that hamster wheel and figure out the things that really make you money. This hard-hitting, no baloney session will be peppered with real-world case studies and practical advice. Ed, a former landscape professional, “was in your boots” and knows firsthand what companies go through and how to help you create processes that work. Those that have attended this presentation and implemented his ideas have added thousands of dollars to their bottom lines. This seminar is not to be missed.

1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“A DRAMATIC EXPLOSION, INCREDIBLE” Tap Into Your Customers’ Emotions and Grow Sales!

Starring: George Atkinson, Auxano Group

Did you know that over 80% of purchasing decisions and an astounding 100% of discretionary spending choices are made based on emotion?

People rationalize buying decisions based on facts, but they ultimately make their choice based on feelings and emotion. This presentation will explore how the approach a company takes to marketing and sales can either invigorate those emotions or turn people off to their business or products.

We will help attendees take a critical look at past practices and show them how a few simple changes can drive more sales, without increasing their marketing budget.

1.5 CEs for LAs NIRVANA A-B-C 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“A HYMN TO THE HUMAN SPIRIT, GLORIOUS!” Inspired By Nature – The “New German Style” of Planting Starring: Cassian Schmidt, Hermannshof Gardens, Weinheim, Germany

iLandscape is honored to offer attendees this special treat all the way from Germany. German gardens have attracted a lot of attention over the last few years for their innovative nature-inspired planting design that highlights perennials and grasses.

Since 1999, Hermannshof Gardens has taken the whole management of the garden one step further. By developing effective maintenance systems that suit the planting, they have drastically reduced the labor input, while retaining the ornamental character expected of residential gardens. Cassian will share many examples of design possibilities for cities as well as private gardens that require attractive, yet low maintenance greenery.

2:45pm-4:15pm

UTOPIA A & B

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“A HILARIOUS ROMP THAT NOURISHES WHILE LEAVING YOU HUNGRY” Having Your Landscape And Eating It Too. Starring: Karen Stoelzle Midden, Landscape Architect, IL, Professor, Associate Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University

Many residential landscapes are trending to include home gardening and edible landscape. Don’t mistake this as a trend. It’s a growing interest of homeowners, as well as those who rent

homes, apartments, condos and other residences, to grow and have access to healthy, delicious fresh produce. This presentation will investigate the where and how, from the perspective of the landscape professional, to ensure that the incorporation of fruits, vegetables and herbs will be located to produce healthy results. A consideration of retrofitting into an existing landscape or starting from scratch will be explored, as well as conventional ground level gardens, container gardening, vertical gardening and opportunities on a green roof.

UTOPIA C & D

WEDNESDAY

UTOPIA C & D

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“I PAID FOR THE WHOLE SEAT, BUT ONLY USED THE EDGE OF IT” Why Walls Fail: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Starring: Bill Gardocki, Interstate Landscape Co., Inc.

One of the favorite speakers of Hardscape Expo comes to iLandscape. Today’s segmental retaining walls (SRWs) are getting taller. Raised patios and tiered walls are commonplace in residential design.

The integration of seat walls, pillars, steps, and pavers has increased the need for wall installers to understand wall tolerances, geometry, load bearing, and proper construction techniques. This seminar looks at common pitfalls and mistakes in the construction process. Best practice techniques for wall construction are discussed. Excavation techniques and current installation tools will be highlighted and showcased.

NIRVANA A & B

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“A MUST-SEE THAT FILLS YOU WITH JOY” Ecology and Plant Diversity: Factors in the Design of Public Green Spaces Co-Starring: Scott Stewart and Laura Ekasetya, Lurie Garden

The Lurie Garden is a Chicago treasure that is the living embodiment of the City’s slogan, “Urbs in Horto”. Public green spaces are customarily designed around function and access. However, the modern user of public spaces demands more from their favorite park than a nice location for a concert. Many existing public spaces were not designed with ecological function in mind and must be adapted. Maintenance techniques based in ecology must be developed for these new spaces. This presentation will discuss design, plant diversity and selection, and maintenance considerations when undertaking the ecological design of a public space, using Lurie Garden as an example.

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WEDNESDAY

NIRVANA C

“REVERBERATES WITH POWER AND DRIPS WITH EMOTION, PLUS IT HAS CHICKENS!” The Birds and the Bees Fowl Profits Starring: Tim Kline, Kline Nursery Sales, Inc.

With homesteading and self-sufficient lifestyle trending throughout the world, a huge push in rural and city areas is the raising of poultry. These awesome little pets are a ‘pet with benefits.’ They are easy and fun to raise, clean and personable. With garden centers gearing up for the early business, selling chicks and chicken supplies will increase early spring numbers and keep customers coming back for more! Chicken lovers love their girls and spend a lot of money on them. This is an untapped market and only a handful of companies are taking advantage of it.

CLASES EN ESPAÑOL

Starring: Marina Rheault Post, Co-manager, Christy Webber Farm & Garden

Bee keeping can seem daunting. It requires knowledge of bees, equipment, and care considerations based on location. In this class, we’ll explore the fundamentals of honey bees and keeping them, as well as a different approach to how we think about keeping bees. Understanding what it means to take on this activity through the lens of building a new relationship, can help people realign their perception of what it means to take on beekeeping. This class is suitable for both beginners and seasoned bee keepers.

Miercoles 3 de Febrero - 10:00 a 12:00

successfully applied to landscape design. This lecture is targeted to people who are already working in the landscaping industry, business owners, designers, and homeowners interested in landscape design.

Wednesday/Miercoles

Principios de diseño del paisaje

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

La Asociación de Contratistas de Paisajismo de Illinois (ILCA) le da el placer de invitarlo al show y exhibición de iLandscape el 3, 4 y 5 de Febrero de 2016. El espectáculo se celebrará en el fabuloso Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center & Hotel, ubicado en Schaumburg, Illinois.

El estacionamiento es GRATIS y solamente cuesta $25 la entrada para los tres días!!!!! ($25 cuando compras la entranda antes del 4 de Enero de 2016, $35 después del 4 de Enero) Spanish language classes are free! ¡Las clases en español son gratis!

Landscape Design Principles NIRVANA C 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

Starring: Jose Magan Accent Urban Design

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NIRVANA C

Taking the Sting out of Beekeeping

Universal design principles are typically applied in the creation of great outdoor spaces and shared by different design professions. We will review some of these principles such as symmetry and balance, contrast, proportion and scale, rhythm and repetition, and sequence and circulation. Then, we will see how the functional use, visual characteristics, and aesthetics of plants can be

Algunos principios universales de diseño, los cuales son compartidos por diferentes profesiones de diseño, son normalmente aplicados en la creación de magníficos espacios al aire libre. Vamos a revisar algunos de estos principios como la simetría y el equilibrio, el contraste, la proporción y la escala, el ritmo y la repetición, y la secuencia y la circulación. Posteriormente, veremos cómo el uso funcional, y las características visuales y estéticas de las plantas pueden ser aplicados con éxito en el diseño del paisaje. Esta charla está dirigida a personas que ya están trabajando en la industria de la jardinería, empresarios, diseñadores, y propietarios interesados en diseño del paisaje.

Leadership Lessons for Business Owners/Lecciones de liderazgo para propietarios NIRVANA C Starring: Marco T. Lenis Vocational Rehabilitation Management of Rockford

2.0 CEUs for Arborists

Expertise in the field and a solid client list can get anyone started in the landscape business. Long-term success relies on effective leadership and building a team of empowered leaders. Leaders, whether an owner, manager, supervisor or foreman are faced with leadership challenges every day. In this engaging session, conducted entirely in Spanish by an experienced Hispanic business consultant, employees will be informed and inspired to become a better leader for their staff, companies and communities.

Firechicken

Get ready for a fun party and a FREE CONCERT! Gather with your friends, colleagues or customers for hors d’oeuvres and drinks, along with some great music.

2016 Entertainment: Firechicken Firechicken is a south side Chicago cover band that brings a mix of classic rock, pop, country and music from today. Playing the hits from bands like the Beatles, Prince, Kenny Chesney, David Bowie, Jimmy Buffet and Black Keys, they will play your favorites and get you on the dance floor.

They’ve played venues throughout the south side and also rocked Chicago venues like the Hard Rock Cafe, The Chopshop and City Winery. Recent winner of the prestigious Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation’s Rock for Charity, Firechicken brings a versatile catalog of fun tunes that gets the party started and keeps it going through the night.

WEDNESDAY ENTERTAINMENT AND AFTER HOURS

Free iLandscape Show Concert

Wednesday, February 3rd • Party and Concert 4:30 - 6:30pm

Founded in 2009, Firechicken started as the brainchild of the famous Lisowski brothers. It’s an eclectic group of talented musicians that love to play together. They’ve rocked the suburbs, they’ve rocked the city and now they will rock iLandscape. So eat your dinner, have dessert, but save room for Firechicken.

But wait, the fun doesn’t end there...free shuttle buses, courtesy of the iLandscape Show, will be available to take you to and from Granite City Food & Brewery for libations and festivities from 6:30pm until 11:30pm.

Granite City is the premier “after hours” haunt for iLandscape attendees. A private space has been set aside for iLandscape attendees.

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THURSDAY

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 EDUCATION

One fee, three days. Below are the educational sessions for Thursday, February 4, 2016.

8:30am-10:00am

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

Utopia A-B-C-D

“DIRR IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER” Flowering Trees and Shrubs & Praise for Noble Trees Dr. Michael Dirr, Professor Emeritus, University of Georgia

It’s no stretch to state that flowering trees and shrubs dominate the current retail and landscape markets. Advances in breeding have produced uniquely beautiful specimens. Color continues to dominate with emphasis on flower, fruit, and foliage. In addition, the lecture will cover the many reasons to praise noble trees. This includes their durability, adaptability, aesthetics, shade (cooling), co2 sequestration, storm water mitigation and particulate matter interception. Sustained emphasis on selection of superior native trees has increased awareness and availability of the rich and diverse genetics of North America. The lecture presents the rationales for planting flowering trees, shrubs, and noble trees and discusses the best adapted species and cultivars for the Midwest.

NIRVANA A & B

The 606: A Path to the Future

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“I GOT MY KICKS ON THE 606”

Christy Webber, Christy Webber Landscapes, Jamie Simone, Chicago Trust for Public Land, Cathy Breitenbach, Chicago Park District, Terry Ryan, Jacobs Ryan, and Joseph Sannasardo, Walsh Construction Company

The 606 is more than a new path. It is more than a new park. It’s a new way forward. This revolutionary green space offers a way to discover new talents and enjoy old ones. It allows visitors to appreciate nature and bring a little more green space into their lives. This incredible panel will bring together the major entities who turned this dream into a reality. The design, project management, and horticultural principles will be covered in rich details. Few other projects have captured our imagination like the 606. Hear the behind the scenes scoop, understand the planning and construction, and discover some of the incredible stories and people who breathed life into the project.

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1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists NIRVANA C

“BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID” IPM For Managing Important Diseases and Pests of Kentucky Bluegrass Turfs Starring: Joseph Vargas, Ph.D, Michigan State University

Sponsored by the Illinois Professional Lawn Care Association (IPLCA)

In the cool season grass growing regions, there are several disease that attack Kentucky bluegrass lawns, athletic fields and commercial properties. The major diseases on Kentucky bluegrass are Necrotic ring spot, Summer Patch, Melting-out, Rust and Powdery mildew. The nasty insects are grubs, billbugs, and chinch bugs.

Nationally renowned turf educator Dr. Joseph Vargas will offer his unique IPM approach to managing these problems.

His talk will cover irrigation timing, nitrogen fertility, resistant cultivars, and chemicals. Healthy turf is emblematic of happy landscapes...and happy clients.

1:00-2:30pm

Utopia A-B-C-D

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“DEEPLY MOVING, THIS WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR YEARS” Plants That Pay the Rent Starring: Dan Heims, Terra Nova Nurseries

No plant—be it tree, shrub, bulb, or perennial-is beyond eviction. Since 1973, Dan Heims has been deeply involved in all facets of horticulture. As President of Terra Nova Nursery, he has overseen a breeding program that has produced numerous international gold and silver-medal winners, not to mention an impressive 800 plant introductions. Dan published the Garden Clerk’s Dictionary, and co-authored Heucheras and Heucherellas. Tap Dan’s 40-plus years of plant knowledge to find out which plants fill multiple seasons with foliage color, long bloom times, fragrance, and decorative character. Discover proven plants that make the landlords smile.

You can WIN!

All attendees at iLandscape are eligible to win prizes on the day they attend. Wednesday-Thursday-Friday prize giveaways will include cash, prizes, original art, and much, much more.

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“ACTION PACKED - I WAS LEFT WONDERING WHO WILL SURVIVE AND WHAT WILL BE LEFT OF THEM” Battle Royal: Tree vs. Invasive Species Co-Starring: Andi Dierich, DuPage County and Scott Blackwood, USDA-APHIS-PPQ

”IN THIS CORNER”...forget about emerald ash borer, there are other pests and pathogens of concern waiting their turn to invade our trees. The battle of pest versus tree will be emphasized in this gripping presentation that will have folks groaning as we see what trees are next on the hit list. Learn how to fight back as we explore how to identify the invaders, discuss possible management tactics for use in the landscape trade, and calculate what the death toll could be in the Chicago region. Arm yourself with a folding chair and prepare to lay down some smack.

NIRVANA C 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO GO BACK INTO THE WATER.” Becoming a Great White Shark: Sell Jobs at the Top of the Food Chain Starring: Mark Bradley, TBG Landscape

Mark Bradley and his company, TBG Landscape, have built some of North America’s largest residential landscape projects. He brings his experiences, and his mistakes, front-and-center to discuss how he shifted his business from $5k patios to $5M residential estates. It takes a lot less effort, and less overhead, to manage 10 $50k jobs, instead of 50 $10k jobs. Attend this seminar to learn how to position your company to get bigger, better leads; how to build a brand that attracts bigger business; a proven sales process for higher end work and why most sales approaches get what they deserve; how to position yourself as an advisor instead of a salesperson; how to keep customers set and increase their landscape budget and how to turn complaints and problems into up-sells and customer satisfaction.

2:45pm-4:15pm

NIRVANA A & B

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“AN ENSEMBLE CAST THAT MIXES LIKE MAGIC” Roots to Reality Co-Starring: Line Grower Nancy Buley, J. Frank Schmidt Nursery, OGA Grower Laurie Damgaard, Kaneville Tree Farms, Forester Peter Gordon, City of Lake Forest, Design/Construction John Evans, Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architecture, and Researcher Kris Bachtell, Morton Arboretum Sponsored by the Ornamental Growers Association (OGA)

THURSDAY

NIRVANA A & B

“Diversity” in the Green Industry is a hot button topic right now.

But it doesn’t only apply to plants.

The Green Industry is unique in that the different segments of our profession each add their own “diverse” part of the process. When a project comes together successfully in the end, the result is a beautiful and thriving landscape. But how do we get from point A to point B? The Ornamental Grower’s Association is proud to bring together our “diverse” panel of experts who each specialize in bringing quality plants successfully into quality landscapes. Diversity may be the hot topic for the present, but it’s already shaping our future.

Utopia C & D

Native Plants in the Formal Landscape

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“A TOUR DE FORCE”

Starring: Mark O’Brien, Cardno Native Plant Nursery

Native landscapes are not for everyone. Landscaping with natives can be.

Everyone agrees that the preservation and establishment of native plant species are critical to the environment.

They are linked to pollinators, Monarch butterflies, stormwater and habitat. We also agree that they are in great decline along with the insects and wildlife that depend on them. But how can we use these plants in our landscapes and still maintain a clean look? This presentation talks about native species that behave in the formal landscape, the benefits of plants or seed, and the maintenance required to make it work. Making natives a formality is the new trick of the trade.

Roaming Gnomes WANTED!

Find a roamin’ gnome and collect your reward Gnomes will be hiding among the booths at iLandscape. Find one and collect your $200 reward. Gnomes will be hidden each day. In addition, one Golden Gnome will be hiding with a bounty of $500. *Exhibitors, committee members, staff, and other gnomes are not eligible to collect the reward

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THURSDAY

Utopia A & B

1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“LARRY LIGHTS UP THE SCREEN” Selecting the Right Clients and Getting Paid Starring: Larry Heuvelmann, The Owner Consultant

This lively presentation is more than just about getting paid, it’s about defining your customer service so your client doesn’t define it for you. Larry will teach you tangible steps to learn how to interview the “potential” client, avoid payment issues, as well as, what to do when you have an issue. Additionally, using these tried and true methods from over 35 years of business experience, you can maintain a consistent cashflow. We have all worked for the client we wish we hadn’t. Learn critical skills to recognize them before you start, so you don’t make that mistake again.

CLASES EN ESPAÑOL

Thursday, February 4, 2016 Jueves 4 de Febrero - 10:00 a 12:00

Thursday/Jueves

La Asociación de Contratistas de Paisajismo de Illinois (ILCA) le da el placer de invitarlo al show y exhibición de iLandscape el 3, 4 y 5 de Febrero de 2016. El espectáculo se celebrará en el fabuloso Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center & Hotel, ubicado en Schaumburg, Illinois.

El estacionamiento es GRATIS y solamente cuesta $25 la entrada para los tres días!!!!! ($25 cuando compras la entranda antes del 4 de Enero de 2016, $35 después del 4 de Enero) Spanish language classes are free! ¡Las clases en español son gratis!

2.0 CEUs for Arborists NIRVANA C

Elements of Landscape Design Starring: Marco Romani, RLA., Arrow.

Land+Structures

Successful landscape design requires careful consideration of many elements including the home, hardscapes, accessory structures, architectural styles, overall form, and function. Design for outdoor spaces goes far beyond plant material. Marco Romani will explain the detailed thinking that goes into the planning process. He will also highlight various case studies with actual designs and installations by his firm. Learn about the various factors that go into successful residential landscape designs.

Elementos de diseño del paisaje Marco Romani, RLA. (Arrow. Land+Structures)

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Diseño del paisaje requiere una cuidadosa consideración de muchos elementos incluyendo el hogar, accesorios estruc-

NIRVANA C 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“HILARIOUS WITH VISIBLE GENIUS” Staying Sane in Season: Putting Systems to Work for You Starring: Matt Dingeldein, Oak Grove Gardeners

Spring and Summer are, arguably, the most exciting times of the year for any landscaping business.

As the owner and operator of a growing green industry business, your time is incredibly valuable and always in short supply. Having organizational systems in place, allows you to make the most of your time in the office, in the field, and in your home. Drawing on his experience as a professional gardener, Matt will share with you how to plan for productivity using systems for organizing client schedules, labor, billing, and more. Learn to become the calmest landscaper in the room, while the world swirls around you. turales, estilos arquitectónicos, la forma general y función. Un buen diseño para los espacios exteriores va más allá de las plantas. Marco Romani le explicará el pensamiento detallado que entra en el proceso de planificación. También explicara diseños actuales y las instalaciones de su empresa. Aprenderan acerca de los diferentes factores que toman parte en los diseños del paisaje residencial.

NIRVANA C 2.0 CEUs for Arborists

Customer Service for Field Staff

Co-Starring: Jose Mercado, CLT and Gabriel Mercado, CLT, Rosborough Partners

Customer service is an extremely important part of maintaining ongoing client relationships that are key to continuing revenue. For this reason, many companies have worked hard to increase their customer satisfaction levels. Often there are many more people working behind the scenes at a company than there are customer service representatives, yet it is primarily the personnel that interact directly with customers that form customers’ perceptions of the company as a whole. Join us as we discuss suggestions and tips to help you improve interactions between a customer and a product provider at the time of sale, and thereafter.

El servicio al cliente es una parte muy importante de mantener relaciones con los clientes actuales que son clave para los ingresos continuos. Por esta razón, muchas empresas han trabajado duro para aumentar sus niveles de “satisfacción del cliente”. A menudo, hay muchas más personas que trabajan detrás de escenari en una empresa que hay representantes de servicio al cliente, sin embargo, es sobre todo el personal que interactúan directamente con los clientes que forman las percepciones de la Empreza en su conjunto con los clientes. Únase a nosotros para discutir sugerencias y consejos para ayudar a mejorar las interacciones entre un cliente y un proveedor del producto en el momento de la venta, y después de eso.

THURSDAY

Excellence in Landscape Awards Night The night the stars come out to shine!

ILCA Excellence in Landscape Awards Program Thursday, February 4, 2016 Reception begins at 5:00 pm; Program starts at 7:00 pm Don’t miss the ILCA’s annual showcase featuring the best landscapes in Illinois. Awards Night will be the crown jewel of iLandscape networking opportunities, as well as a great venue to see the industry’s best projects.

Come join the celebration of these coveted awards.

Please note: Awards will have a limited amount of tickets available. It is vital you register early if you plan to attend Awards Night. Awards Night sold out in 2014 and 2015. iLandscape cannot guarantee a ticket without pre-registration.

Join friends for an evening of mingling, honoring & celebrating: • Excellence in Landscape Award Winners • Person of the Year • Distinguished Service Award Winner • 2015 Scholarship Winners • Landscape Industry Certified Technicians • Student Design Competition Winners Awards Night is an additional fee which includes heavy appetizers, reception, program and cash bar.

Michael Dirr’s Shrub Crawl Join Michael Dirr for a lively review of his favorite plants

February 4, 2016 11:15am-12:30pm LIVE! from The Garden Stage Belly-up with world-famous author, speaker, and educator for an unbelievable trade show opportunity. Michael Dirr will provide a real-time overview of dozens of his favorite plants submitted by iLandscape exhibitors.

See, smell, touch, and experience a side of plants you never knew or expected. Michael Dirr wrote the book on woody plant material, literally! Enjoy a frosty beverage and prepare to laugh as much as you learn.

After the Shrub Crawl, join Dr. Dirr for a book signing at the Bailey Nurseries booth. If you bring the most dog-eared, rag-tag, bent and broken copy of his book he’s ever seen – Dr. Dirr will replace it at no cost!

Michael Dirr has a bachelor and master’s degree in horticulture from The Ohio State University. He earned his PhD. in plant physiology from the University of Massachusetts. He was an assistant and associate professor at the University of Illinois. Currently, he is a professor emeritus at the University of Georgia.

Dirr has published 50 scientific articles, over 300 popular and trade articles, and 12 books, with the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, 6th edition, which is the major teaching and nursery reference tome in the US.

Sponsor The WGIF WISCONSIN HOSPITALITY SUITE at iLandscape!

The Reception takes place on Thursday, February 4th from 5pm to ???

It’s a social get-together for Wisconsin’s iLandscape attendees. It’ll be at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center and Hotel.

Have your company name and logo on signage at the party for just $250!

Contact Brian Swingle at (414) 529-4705 or bswingle@toriiphillips.com

Sponsor The WGIF WISCONSIN HOSPITALITY SUITE at iLandscape!

The Reception takes The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center andplace Hotelon Thursday, February from 5pm to ???

1551 Thoreau Dr. N, Schaumburg, Illinois,4th 60173 The iLandscape Show is February 3-5, 2016

It’s a social get-together for Wisconsin’s iLandscape attendees. It’ll be at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center and Hotel.

Have your company name and logo on signage

11

FRIDAY

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016 EDUCATION

One fee, three days. Below are the educational sessions for Friday, February 5, 2016.

All Friday education is FREE for members of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) and Wisconsin Green Industry Federation (WGIF). Members must pre-register using a promotional code. The code may be obtained from ILCA or WGIF.

8:30am-10:00am

NIRVANA A & B

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“TRULY TERRIFYING, I LEFT CLAW MARKS ON MY SEAT” The 7 Deadly Hazard Signs of Trees Co-Starring: Gilbert A Smith, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist and Lesley Bruce Smith, ISA Certified Arborist

Trees are silent, unless you pay attention. A sure way to add value to your clients is to have a basic understanding of the hazard signs of trees. Even professionals in the green industry are not always aware of the warning signs that trees give us that they need our help and care. When we live and work near trees, it is important to be able to recognize the hazards that could kill us or cause property damage. Benefit from the combined experience and knowledge of these lifelong arborists to learn simply what the 7 Deadly Hazard Signs of Trees are and how to prevent them.

UTOPIA A & B

“EDGE OF YOUR SEAT THRILLS” Know Your Costs and Succeed in Snow Co-Starring: Jim Schwantz & Paul Washburn, The Acres Group

This session will deliver a budgeting strategy for hourly equipment and manpower costs for a snow operation. The goal of this strategy is to help manage cost and liability for a company’s snow operation. This strategy will include contract structuring, indemnification clauses, and other critical items related to a snow operation. Success in snow isn’t measured in inches and pushes. It is measured in the ability to achieve a fair profit for the contractor and quality of service for the client.

12

FREE FRIDAY!

NIRVANA C

“SCOTT DELIVERS WHAT MAY BE HIS GREATEST PERFORMANCE TO DATE” The Entrepreneur’s Mindset: Growing your Business, Personal Wealth, and Legacy Starring: Jeffrey Scott, Jeffrey Scott Consulting

Succeeding beyond your wildest dreams requires the freedom to dream big, and then dream bigger. Building your wealth - in terms of money, assets, impact and legacy - is all possible when you separate yourself from the confines of industry group-think, and explore what the wide world has to offer and the dramatic impact you can have on it, and vice versa. Highly successful entrepreneurs think differently from the average business owner. Learn their habits and thought patterns and learn how to apply them to you and your business. Immediately improve the arc of your business, legacy and wealth, with this inspiring session that understands the constraints of small business owners.

11:30am-1:00pm

1.5 CEs for LAs NIRVANA C 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

“SIX LEGS OF CREEPY, CRAWLY TERROR. I SLEPT WITH THE LIGHTS ON!” When Tree Pests Don’t Follow the Rules: Lessons from Emerald Ash Borer and Beyond Starring: Don Cipollini, Wright State University

After 12 years of study, there were no reports of emerald ash borer developing in any non-ash host in the field in North America...until 2014. Don Cipollini will describe the process of discovering that emerald ash borer can attack and complete development in white fringetree, Chionanthus virginicus. Questions remain about why this has occurred, what risks emerald ash borer poses to this species, how to protect it, and what other hosts are in the crosshairs of emerald ash borer. Cipollini will address these questions, as well as the broader implications of this finding for other herbivorous insects interacting with novel hosts.

NIRVANA A & B

“PROVOCATIVE, EMOTIONALLY INTENSE, MAY BE THE PRESENTATION OF THE YEAR!”

“A HIT! VANDERZON OFFERS ONE SURPRISE AFTER ANOTHER” Snow Efficiencies: Saving Time & Money

Living Dirt

Starring: Paul Vanderzon, ASM , Metalpless, Inc.

Starring: Bill Logan, Urban Arborists, Inc.

When snow strikes, time becomes the critical component in every event. We can’t stop time, but we can improve our capacity by increasing productivity with the right tools. With over 36 years of snow plowing experience, Paul Vanderzon will take snow pros through proven methods his company has used over the years. He will go over efficiencies used in the residential and HOA market. He will discuss how to improve commercial productivity, along with efficient snow hauling and several add on services that can be very profitable. Learn that profit doesn’t depend on weather conditions. It lies in the condition of your operations.

Bill Logan is the author of “Oak” and “Dirt”, the latter of which was made into an award-winning documentary. Dirt is not just a substrate, nor is it a series of numbers that comes from the lab. It is a living thing, the primary place where the mineral world and the organic world meet to bring forth living things. Soils are individuals, with personalities, with strengths and weaknesses. By learning how soils are born, how they grow and how they die, we can better live amongst them. In large part, we can care for our plants, by caring for their soils. We will examine the components of any soil, the ways in which they mix, the role of airborne, soil borne and beast borne spores, and the ways in which we can respond to help them be what they are meant to be. Join Bill Logan for a simply incredible, novel, unforgettable look at dirt.

Student Career Day at iLandscape Friday, February 5, 2016 iLandscape welcomes all studious students, prepared pupils, unbelievable undergrads, and serious scholars.

FRIDAY

UTOPIA A & B

1.5 CEs for LAs 1.5 CEUs for Arborists

COLLEGE High Schoo l

iLandscape is the event for green industry students. The cost to attend iLandscape for college and university students is FREE as long as the student is registered through their college or university.

There will be educational sessions, a career board, as well as an opportunity to network with young professionals and top employers.

Students may attend any day of iLandscape at no cost. Student Career Day will be Friday, February 5, 2016. On Friday, all education is free to students. Education on Wednesday or Thursday is available at a reduced fee.

10:15am – Student Roundtables - The Garden Stage The highlight of the day is an incredible student session. A diverse team of young professionals will lead table discussions about their area of expertise in the green industry. Professionals will be on hand representing: landscape designers, account reps, garden centers, and even young business owners blazing their own trail. They will explain how to get a job in the green industry, how to be successful, and how to climb the ladder.

A job board will be on hand to match job seekers up with prospective employers.

Any student looking to make the jump to becoming a green industry professional cannot miss this incredible day at iLandscape.

13

ENTERTAINMENT, ARTISTS, AND MUSICIANS

Meet the Supporting Cast!

iLandscape is more than a tradeshow. The show informs, innovates, and inspires. To set the tone, it gathers artists and musicians from across disciplines. These artists and musicians will infuse each day of the show with energy and creativity.

Wednesday Artist in Residence – The Garden Stage ArtBeat Live! Elliot From, Speed Painter Elliott has taken performance art and made it his own. Each performance is unique with a musical and visual style, all while igniting energy and passion through each subject painted on his canvas. Performance Artist Elliott From creates every canvas with explosive brush strokes, vivid colors and an expressionistic style, known today as an original Artbeat Live painting.

Wednesday Musical Artist – Lobby (Morning) Fernandez & Kimball Spanish Guitars

Wednesday Musical Artist – Lobby (Afternoon) Rolfe Hokanson and Roger Harris – Bass and Jazz Piano

Wednesday — Meet friends and bring home a friend from iLandscape!

The first two pet adoptions at iLandscape are FREE! Anderson Animal Shelter - A Humane Society, South Elgin, IL

The mission of Anderson Animal Shelter is to continue to serve as a premier private facility dedicated to the compassionate and humane treatment of homeless companion animals through direct care, education and community outreach programs.

Wednesday La Ley - Live Remote 12pm-2pm

WLEY-FM (107.9 FM) will have a live remote from iLandscape. La Ley is an extremely popular radio station in the Hispanic market specializing in Regional Mexican music. The La Ley remote will feature fun, prizes, games, and give-aways.

Thursday Magician in Residence – Promenade Magician Bill Cook

Three-time award winner at the prestigious World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas, Bill Cook has been hailed by his peers as the Young Master of Magic. Bill has been featured nationally and internationally on every major television network, including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and Showtime.

Thursday Musical Artist – Lobby (Morning) Dave Byron, Guitarist

Thursday Musical Artist – Lobby (Afternoon) Skyline Violin-Guitar Duet Ken Rothacker and April Berkowski, Guitar and Violin

Thursday Artist in Residence - Promenade Mike Dillon, Sculptor Mike Dillon is an artist living and working in Chicago, Illinois. He works in a variety of mediums including styrofoam, snow, and clay.

Friday Musicians – Promenade Mariachi Michoacana

Mariachi Michoacana, disfruta de la musica tradicional, con el mejor amviente.

Friday Musicians – Lobby (Morning) Adam Hendrickson & Ben McMunn, Guitarists

About Schaumburg, IL – Entertaining and Dining Schaumburg is known nationally as an outstanding attraction and shopping destination – synonymous with an almost unlimited choice of the finest retailers in America.

Schaumburg’s 200 restaurants welcome you in style and with something for everyone’s taste. Ranging from highend steaks to Chicago-style pizza, the list of well-known eateries includes: Chicago Prime, Morton’s Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill, Wildfire, P.F. Chang’s and Lou Malnati’s Pizza, to name a few.

14

Entertainment options abound from some of the best in international performances at IMPROV or Prairie Center for the Arts to Rivers Casino a short drive away.

Shopping is extreme at Woodfield Mall – one of the top 10 largest indoor shopping malls in the U.S. The largest Ikea store in North America is in Schaumburg!

New Products and Services at iLandscape

Look for the New Product star directly on the carpet in front of booths displaying one of these exciting new products or services.

Booth #1230 Alliance Designer Products Gator Tile System: Alliance Designer Products, a trendsetter in the hardscape industry, has answered a growing demand for the installation of the exterior porcelain tile.

Booth #311 Arborjet QUIK-jet Air: The QUIK-jet Air is an air-powered injection device featuring one-thumb switch operation, precise dose measuring, and a rugged aluminum body weighing less than 2 pounds.

Booth #314 Bailey Nurseries, Inc. First Editions French Caberet Blush Rose of Sharon: A new sterile, profuse blooming Rose of Sharon with double flowers in large pompoms, resembling those of the petticoats of the dancers in Parisian cabarets, hence the name, growing 5-8’ by 4-7’ and hardy to zone 5.

Booth #117 Better Bilt Products, Inc. Cutting Edge Auger Anchor: Helical Flight Auger Anchor biggest, strongest and easiest to install.

Booth #1236 Capital Stoneworks of Illinois Winneshiek & Sugar Run Limestone: Best match Lemont/ Joliet Limestone Booth #404 Cassidy Tire Cassidy Tire Snow Grips: Make sure your equipment is ready for snow with our Snow Grips.

Booth #936 Deere & Company Michelin X Tweel Turf: No more flats, downtime, patch kits or replacement tires with your Michelin X Tweel Turf.

Booth #341 EasyPro Pond Products Viantifalls Wall Scuppers: Accent spillways in stainless steel and brass — ideal for formal water features!

Booth #445 FX Luminaire Luxor ZDC Lighting Controller: With the FX Luxor ZDC Controller and FX ZDC Fixtures, you can create custom colors for outdoor holiday displays, team spirit themes, company colors, or special events.

NEW PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Booth #135 Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, Inc. Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’ PPAF: Deep green foliage takes on a deep purple background in mid summer deepening to dark purple, near black on this 5’+ tall upright ornamental, native grass.

Booth #1030 PMA Outdoor Equipment, Inc. TORO Z Master MyRide: Fully suspended, adjustable operator platform isolates bumps and vibrations so you don’t feel the rough terrain.

Booth #343 Porous Pave, Inc. Porous Pave: Surfacing material made from recycled rubber and stone that is permeable, for paths, driveways, tree surrounds and more.

Booth #1048 Reinders, Inc. RGB Light Orbs: These innovative light orbs are white by day with thousands of colors and patterns at night & are available in 4 sizes from 4’ to 20” plus have the option to either ground mount or hang them for any event, www.reinders.com/led.

Booth #536 Unilock Belmuro™ Wall: Perfect for seat walls and pillars, the contemporary design of Belmuro Wall offers innovative Enduracolor™ Plus technology in the modern Umbriano® finish.

15

iLandscape at-a-glance wednesday

thursday

Registration Hours

8:00am – 4:00pm

Registration Hours

8:00am – 4:00pm

Exhibit Hall Hours

9:00am – 4:00pm

Exhibit Hall Hours

9:00am – 4:00pm

Educational Sessions

Upper Level

8:30am – 4:15pm

Educational Sessions

Upper Level

8:30am – 4:15pm

Morning Session 1 En Español Afternoon Session 1 Afternoon Session 2

8:30am - 10:00am 10:00am - 12:00pm 1:00pm - 2:30pm 2:45pm - 4:15pm (See complete session listings on pages 4-6)

Keynote Presentation— The Landscape of Leadership 10:15am Garden Stage Starring: Terri McEnaney Anna Ball, Donna Vignocchi and moderator Ana Belaval

Prize Giveaways Garden Stage 4:15pm

Cash Prize #1: $200 Cash Prize #2: $200 Cash Prize #3: $1,000 Education Raffle: $500 Cash

Party Time!

Free Concert 4:30pm – 6:30pm Garden Stage

Fun, Fellowship, Festivity!

Free Shuttle to— Granite City Brewery 6:30pm – 11:30pm

16

Morning Session 1 En Español Afternoon Session 1 Afternoon Session 2

8:30am - 10:00am 10:00 am - 12:00pm 1:00pm - 2:30 pm 2:45pm - 4:15pm

(See complete session listings on pages 8-10)

Keynote Speaker— Liza Hausman Houzz & the Empowered Client: How Technology is Transforming Outdoor Renovation 10:15am Garden Stage Michael Dirr’s Shrub Crawl 11:15 am - 12:30 pm Garden Stage

Prize Giveaways Garden Stage 4:00pm

Cash Prize #1: $200 Cash Prize #2: $200 Cash Prize #3: $1,000 Three “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants” books by Dr. Michael Dirr Three “Hydrangeas for American Gardens” books by Dr. Michael Dirr Education Raffle: $500 Airline Voucher

Excellence in Landscape Awards Program 5:00pm – 9:00pm Schaumburg East Ballroom

2016 Excellence in Landscape Awards

friday program

fun fun fun

Registration Hours

8:00am -1:00pm

Exhibit Hall Hours

9:00am – 2:00pm

Stop by one of these booths for a happy hour!

Alcoholic beverages will be provided and these generous companies are picking up the tab.

Drinks are first-come, first served so make sure you arrive early.

Student Career Day 10:15am – 11:15am Garden Stage

Attendee Happy Hours*

Student Roundtable Raffle 2 Cash Prizes

Lurvey Landscape Supply—

Wednesday 3:00-4:00pm

Thursday 3:00-4:00pm

Prize Giveaways 2:00pm Garden Stage

Martin Implement—

Wednesday 4:00-5:00pm

Cash Prize #1: $200 Cash Prize #2: $200 Cash Prize #3: $1,000 Education Raffle: $250 Cash

Garden Stage Premier Sponsor—

Unilock­— Wednesday 3:00-5:00pm

Thursday 3:00-4:00pm

The Much Center

Thursday

1:00-2:00pm

Rochester Concrete Products—

Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm Kaknes Landscape Supply— Beer Tasting

Wednesday & Thursday 2:00pm *Quantities are limited and attendees are not guaranteed a beverage.

Prize Giveaways

WANTED!

Find a Roamin’ Gnome and Collect your Reward Larry, Moe, and Curly are hiding among the booths during each day of iLandscape REWARD: $200 per Gnome* REWARD for finding the GOLDEN GNOME: $500* Bring any found gnome to the registration desk to collect your reward. *Exhibitors, volunteers, staff, and other gnomes are not eligible to collect the reward

Drop your daily prize ticket in the drum for a chance to win prizes. YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN! Wednesday— Cash Prize #1: $200 Cash Prize #2: $200 Cash Prize #3: $1,000 Education Raffle: $500 Cash

Thursday— Cash Prize #1: $200 Cash Prize #2: $200 Cash Prize #3: $1,000 Three “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants” books by Dr. Michael Dirr Three “Hydrangeas for American Gardens” books by Dr. Michael Dirr Education Raffle: $500 Airline Voucher

Friday—

Cash Prize #1: $200 Cash Prize #2: $200 Cash Prize #3: $1,000 Education Raffle: $250 Cash

17

guide to locations

FIRST FLOOR — iLandscape Trade Show

T R A D E S H O W A R E A

R E G I S T R A T I O N A R E A

• The iLandscape Trade Show is located on the first floor • The Garden Stage is located on the trade show floor • The ILCA and WGIF booths are located at the entrance, Booths 504 & 506 • Educational classes are located on the SECOND FLOOR • Keynotes will be held on the show floor at the GARDEN STAGE • Excellence in Landscape Awards Night will be held in the Schaumburg East Ballroom

18

SECOND FLOOR — Educational Area • Educational classes are conducted in:

— Utopia A-B-C-D

— Nirvana A-B-C • The Education Area is directly above the 1st floor registration area.

• Keynotes will be held on the show floor at the GARDEN STAGE

19

Intrinsic Perennial Gardens

439

Surefoot Keystone Hardscape Hatcheries Products

Johnson's Nursery

136

236

336

339

Twixwood Nursery

Grass Farms Indiana 340

332

Unilock

Tuohy Horticultural Enterprises

The Knapheide Manufacturing Company

431

Arthur National Clesen Seed

428

Lurvey Landscape Supply

427 330 GRO Horticultural Dayton Enterprises

Prairie Nursery & Organics

& Kramer Burlap Tree Specialists 328

10' U.S. Arbor Products

224

122

221

220

CAST Lighting

Sheridan Nurseries

Studebaker Nurseries

er ak

rfm Tu 120

Depts of Ag

Spring Grove Nursery

219Rich's

Fox WIllow Pines Nursery

321

Old Castle Lawn & Garden J.Frank 319 Schmidt & Son

324

423

320

419

Home Tri-County Nursery Stockdale

117

Better Bilt Products

205

Valley Prince View Corporation

St.Aubin Nursery

F.S.

EXIT

208

Kaknes Landscape Supply 206

Ridge Nursery 310

Agrecol

Ecoverse

Nursery Supplies

204

!"#"$"

!%&(!#$

F.E.C.

104

Meadow Nursery

305

409

312Fox

405

308 Cherokee Manufacturing

306 DynaSCAPE Software 304

408

1st Choice Equipment

511

R.A. Adams Enterprises

Ditch Witch Midwest

507

404

Cassidy Tire

The Tree Connection

506

ILCA

504

WGIF 8;

CD;'

EXIT

EXIT

F.S.

106

210 Spring

311

Arborjet

510

Central Sod Farms

Doty Nurseries

Davey Tree Expert Company

A. Block Marketing SKATING RINK

A.Block Marketing

207

212 The

Carlin Sales/ProGreen Plus

RWC Insurance Group

10'

Goodmark Nurseries

209

Willoway Nurseries

EXIT

211

Wandell's Nursery

F.S.

Label & Sales

Bailey Nurseries

!"#"$"

United 112

108

EXIT

Arlington Power Equipment

414

F.E.C.

10'

314

Gravely, an Ariens Co. Brand

Badger Evergreen Nursery

ow ad

sh ng Lo 111

214

Rosetta of Michigan

F.E.C.

Aesthetic Metals

420

10' 114

113

GARDEN STAGE

Kankakee Nursery

223

Beaver Creek Nursery

124

Ero-Tex Hanes

119WI-IL

!"#"

436

Bag

327Garden

Triple 227 Lincoln Crown Nurseries Products

Midwest Arborist Supplies

20

536

ENTRANCE

8;

8;

8;

F.E.C.

228

128

121

F.S.

541

StoneWall Homer Retaining Industries Walls

GARDEN PROMENADE

Staple Ease, Inc.

Conserv FS

130

329

232

Eco-Roofs

Halquist Stone

ABI Attachments

Wholesale Flower Bulbs

Green Glen Nursery

132 Colorblends 229

F.E.C.

GAS

442

10'

125

F.S.

543

Rental

IGIA Max

Belgard

F.E.C.

GAS

444

Power Equipment Distributors

AISLE 700

342Blue

239

240

Hunter/FX Classic Groundcovers

Hicksgas Perfect LLC Turf

Pro Pond Products

443

Northland Farms

Native Plant Nursery

546

GARDEN PROMENADE

341Easy

344

Cardno 446

545

AISLE 600

Porous Pave

346

Natural Repellents

Weiler, Inc.

AISLE 500

343

448 Arthur

AISLE 400

NYP Corp

Sester Farms

Halloran Power Equipment

135

246 345ALTA Falls Armintrout's & W.Michigan Pond Supplies Farms 244

445

348

Hinsdale Nurseries

242

140

241

Contree Sprayers & Equipment

Sable Marco

Liberty Propane

Stockyards Brick

AIDLE 200

144

SiteOne Landscape Supply 142

F.E.C. GAS 137 F.S.

Salvador Insurance Agency

Auto Truck Group

County Materials

AISLE 100

146

143

248

AspenValley Landscape Supply

243

148

Midwestern Solutions

AISLE 300

EXIT

1042

Carlton Plants

Herman 1141 Losely & Son

1142

1241

Great Northern Equipment

Market 1239 John Financial Holmlund Nursery Group

1040 1139 Emergent Modeco Safety Systems Supply

1140

1036

1136

Pace

1243

JRCO, Inc.

Pace

Sure-Loc 1244

Edging Wolverine Tools

Exhibit Hours

F.S.

Wednesday 9:00am-4pm

F.E.C. 1238

Midwest STIHL

Deere & Company

Vermeer Midwest

Russo Power Equipment

Grand Effects

GAS

Thursday 9:00am-4pm Friday 9:00am-2pm

1236 Capital

Stoneworks of IL !"#"$"

836

736

1044

!%&(!#$

936

EXIT

!"#"$"

1stFarm Credit Services

1143

AISLE 1200

943

1046

Northshore Landscape Products

Rochester Concrete Products Alexander Equipment Company

Turf & Nursery

EXIT

1146

Reinders AISLE 1000

Kuenzi 844

Phoenix 1045 Clesen Irrigation Brothers Supply

1048

946

AISLE 900

Hayward Distributing

Dutchman Tree Spade/DPM

Paver Resources

Casey Equipment

948

AISLE 1100

846

AISLE 800

746

F.E.C. 828

928

1031 The

Midwest Groundcovers

Fiore 1029

Nursery & Landscape Supply

1027

Kuert Supply Center

1231

1132

PMA Outdoor Equipment Pizzo 1028

1127

Native Curv-Rite Plant Nursery

Eby's Midwest Evergreen Plantation Compost 1130LS

Training System 1128

ADR Bulbs

1229

Downes Pool 1227

Fabriscape

1230

Alliance Designer Products

Alert Distributing

Mulch Center

1030

Grant+NIL Invasive Plant Partnership

Encore Landscape Lighting

Ball Horticultural Company

Midwest Trading

920

1024

McKay Nursery

United Greenhouse Systems

1123

1124

1021

1022 Banner

1121

1221 1122 JWest Zanfel Laboratories LLC

JULIE

Lafarge FoxRiver Stone

RR Sales Landscape & Supply Consulting 1020

Oly-Ola Edgings

1119Red

Flint Rock & Stone

Central 1219 1120 Cornerstone Turf & Processing Irrigation Solutions Supply

Lurvey Landscape Supply- 3-4:00pm

F.E.C.

KO Supply Company

1023

MARIANI PLANTS

F.S.

Martin Implement 4-5:00pm !"#"$"

922

Wednesday Unilock - 3-5:00pm

GAS

IL-IN

1228Sea

1226

820

Happy Hours

1222

Diga-Talk 1220 College

of Lake County Horticulture

Lake Street Supply

Kaknes Landscape Supply (Beer Tasting) 2:00pm

1218

Ornamental 909

905

906

Krukowski Stone Company

McGinty Bros.

F.S.

904

Hortech/Liveroof

Eden Stone

EXIT

ENTRANCE

LMN SavATree 1006

1107

1004

B&B Bedding 1105 Arrowhead Ornamentals

Feece Oil

Wholesale Tree 1110 Forrest

Keeling Nursery

1205

1108

Rosebay Nursery 1106

DeWitt

1209

1112

Sod Solutions

Thursday The Mulch Center 1-2:00pm F.S. !"#"$"

Gas Lines 1109

Michels Stone

Permaloc Corporation

Dimex LLC

1111 Chicago

Grasshopper Company

1005

908

704

EXIT

1010

Zeiler Kenney Outdoor Insurance Solutions Services

Cedar Path Nurseries

DeVroomen Garden 8; Products 8;

1009

Tree Farms

910

Growers Association N. Illinois

808 907 Northern Family Chicagoland Grows Farms 804

1012

GAS F.E.C.

1214

EXIT EXIT

Rochester Concrete Products 2-3:00pm Unilock - 3-4:00pm Lurvey Landscape Supply - 3-4:00pm

1104 Landscape

Material Firewood Sales

F.E.C.

Ivanhoe Nursery

Lemke Stone

1011 Kaneville

F.S.

810

912

Wilson Nurseries

AVANT Tecno USA ProLine Equipment

Martin Implement Sales

Xylem Ltd/Rocks Etc

!"#"$"

Husqvarna Group 10'

1114

1014

914

F.E.C.

812

F.S.

708

Kaknes Landscape Supply (Beer Tasting) 2:00pm

21

2

1st Choice Equipment

Jeff Patterson 124 N. Schmale Road Carol Stream, IL 60188 Phone: 630.510.6050 Email: ditchwitchmidwest@gmail.com

Booth # 510

1st Farm Credit Services

Mark Ringhouse 1350 Prairie Drive Sycamore, IL 60151 Phone: 815.354.2775 Email: mringho@1stfarmcredit.com

Booth # 943

erving Agriculture since 1916 0 Make Us Your First Choice!

1 6

Mark Ringhouse  Vice President 1350 W. Prairie Drive  Sycamore, IL 60178 (815) 756-3440  www.1stfarmcredit.com

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Agricultural Financing  Crop Insurance  Home Loans  Appraisals  Leasing  Agribusiness and More.

E X H I B I T O R S

Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. Equal Housing Lender.

Crop Insurance is available to all qualifying producers regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.

ABI Attachments Lindsey Weber 1320 3rd Street Osceola, IN 46561 Phone: 574.674.5033 Email: lweber@abiattachments.com

Booth # 125

A. Block Marketing, Inc. Ron Jesselson 855 E. Golf Road Arlington Heights, IL 60005 Phone: 847.437.7088 Email: ron.jesselson@sbcglobal.net

Booth # 408+414

A.D.R. Bulbs, Inc. Chris Ruigrok P.O. Box 538 Chester, NY 10918 Phone: 800.990.9934 Email: chris@adrbulbs.com

Booth # 1128

Aesthetic Metals Kristen Reinhardt 600 18th Avenue Rockford, IL 61104 Phone: 815.316.4000 Email: hello@aestheticmetals.com

Booth # 111

Agrecol Native Nursery Rob Walker 10101 N. Casey Road Evansville, WI 53536 Phone: 608.223.3571 Email: ecosolutions@agrecol.com

Booth # 310

Alert Distributing, Inc. Jim Schroeder 14351 Ewing Avenue S, Suite 1 Burnsville, MN 55306 Phone: 952.224.4070 Email: sales@alertdistributing.com

Booth # 928

Alexander Equipment Co., Inc. Steve Johnston 4728 Yender Avenue Lisle, IL 60532 Phone: 630.663.1400 Email: sjohnston@alexequip.com • Alliance Designer Products • • Robert Cadieux • 225 Bellerose Blvd. West • LaVal, QUE 0 •

Phone: 866.212.1611 Email: robert@AllianceGator.com

22

Alta Falls & Pond Supplies Katy Geffre 2687 West Wayzata Blvd.

Long Lake, MN 55356 Phone: 952.476.2582 Email: sales@altafalls.com

Booth # 345

Arborjet, Inc. Monica Munoz 99 Blueberry Hill Road Woburn, MA 1801 Phone: 781.935.9070 Email: AJinfo@arborjet.com

Booth # 311

Arlington Power Equipment Kerry McWard 20175 N. Rand Road Palatine, IL 60074 Phone: 847.241.1530 Email: sales@arlingtonpower.com

Booth # 420

Armintrout’s West Michigan Farms Zac Armintrout 1156 Lincoln Road Allegan, MI 49010 Phone: 269.673.6627 Email: zac@armintrouts.com

Booth # 246

Arrowhead Ornamentals Gail Coleman P.O. Box 157 Hubbard, OR 97034 Phone: 503.651.2040 Email: sales@arrowheadornamentals.com

Booth # 1105

Better Plants for Better Results!

• Landscaping • Stormwater • Restoration

Arthur Clesen, Inc. Mark Simon 635 Margate Drive Lincolnshire, IL 60069 Phone: 847.537.2177 www.agrecol.com Email: info@arthurclesen.com

Booth # 332

Arthur Weiler, Inc. Nursery Dr. Phaedra Weiler 12247 W. Russell Road Zion, IL 60099 Phone: 847.746.2393 Email: sales@weilernursery.com

Booth # 448

All In One Solution

With over 100 attachments Aspen Valley Landscape Supply Inc.

Booth # 439

Bill Hackiewicz 13148 West 159th Street Homer Glen, IL 60491 Phone: 708.301.0703 Email: billh@avls.us

Auto Truck Group Carissa Saia 1420 Brewster Creek Blvd.

Phone 608.223.3571 Fax 608.884.4640 Bartlett, IL 60103 E-mail #ecosolutions@agrecol.com Booth 1142 Phone: 630.860.5600 Email: csaia@autotruck.com

Agrecol ILCA Ad 2014Final.indd 1

9/10/14 11:48 AM

Versatility: One machine for all jobs Maneuverability: compact-sized machines Booth #Articulated 1230 Minimal turf impact Powerful: Excellent power to weight ratio Economical: Low operating and maintenance costs Special features: Easy to drive, side entry, great visibility, telescopic boom

AVANT Tecno USA Craig Gustafson 3020 Malmo Drive Arlington Hts., IL 60005 Phone: 847.380.1309 Email: craig@avanttecnousa.com

Badger Evergreen Nursery LLC www.avanttecnousa.com Tim Mohrland 902 26th Street Allegan, MI 49010 Phone: 269.673.5546 Email: badger@bciwildblue.com

Booth # 243

Commitment to Excellence in Landscape

Booth # 1114

Superior Customer Service Unbeatable Selection Best Prices in the Market

Convenient Delivery Optio

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Avant Tecno USA Inc. 3020 Malmo Drive Arlington Heights, IL 60005 847.380.9822 phone 847.380.9823 fax sales@avanttecnousa.com

Wealth of Resources and P

Booth # 305

B DGER

Homer Glen Elgin Park City Evergreen Nursery, L.L.C.

13148 W. 159th St. Homer Glen, IL 60491 708-301-0703

2525 Higgins Rd.

600 S. Chestnut Ave.

IL 60124 City, IL 60085 902 -Elgin, 26th Street Park 847-426-0072 847-623-6022 Allegan, Michigan 49010

Badger@bciwildblue.com

Mulch Center

18100 W Old Romeo Rd. Romeoville, IL 60446 708-522-6046

Bailey Nurseries, Inc. Booth # 314 David Warning 1325 Bailey Road St. Paul, MN 55119 Phone: 708.935.5974 Email: david.warning@baileynurseries.com

Carlin Sales/ProGreen Plus Carol Maletzke 8170 N. Granville Woods Road Milwaukee, WI 53223 Phone: 800.657.3107 Email: cmaletzke@carlinsales.com

Booth # 409

Ball Horticultural Company Therese LaTelle 622 Town Road West Chicago, IL 60185 Phone: 630.231.3600 Email: tlatelle@ballhort.com

Booth # 922

Carlton Plants LLC Lori Spence 14301 SE Wallace Road Dayton, OR 97114 Phone: 800.398.8733 Email: lspence@carltonplants.com

Booth # 1042

B and B Bedding Kurt P.O. Box 1053 Oskakloosa, IA 52577 Phone: 800.373.8969 Email: Kurt@bandbbedding.com

Booth # 1107

Casey Equipment Co. Jim Cox 1603 E. Algonquin Road Arlington Hts., IL 60005 Phone: 847.437.8686 Email: jim.cox@caseyequipment.com

Booth # 746

Banner Sales and Consulting, Inc. Doug Fenner P.O. Box 430 Union Lake, MI 0 Phone: 888.557.2455 Email: bannersales360@gmail.com

Booth # 1022

Cassidy Tire KC Rohleder 200 S. Church Street Addison, IL 60101 Phone: 630.620.2300 Email: kcrohleder@cassidytire.com

Booth # 404

Beaver Creek Nursery Andy Ward 6604 Randall Road Poplar Grove, IL 61065 Phone: 815.737.8758 Email: sales@beavercreeknursery.com

Booth # 320

CAST Lighting, LLC Booth # 120 Brittany Blohm 1120A Goffle Road Hawthorne, NJ 7506 Phone: 973.423.2303 Email: communications@cast-lighting.com

Belgard Booth # 336 Mike Hodges 1 Hunt Court Mundelein, IL 60060 Phone: 847.894.2187 Email: mike.hodges@oldcastle.com

Cedar Path Nurseries LLC Tom Kadolph 15235 W. Bruce Road Lockport, IL 60491 Phone: 815.838.4900 Email: tkadolph@cedarpath.net

Booth # 1005

Better Bilt Products, Inc. Betsy Mostowski 900 S. Kay Avenue Addison, IL 60101 Phone: 630.543.6767 Email: sales@bbponline.com

Central Sod Farms, Inc. Chuck Warpinski 25605 W. 111th Street Plainfield, IL 60585 Phone: 630.669.0437 Email: chuckwarp@gmail.com

Booth # 507

Booth # 117

Blue Grass Farms of Indiana Booth # 342 Kevin McCart 1915 West 53rd Street Anderson, IN 46013 Phone: 800.346.0272 Over 350 native species in stock Email: kmccart@bluegrassfarms.net

Native Plants & Restoration

Restoration Materials & Services: > All sizes: liners/plugs to gallons > Quality tested pure live seed > Contract growing > Live stakes, fascines & wattles Capital Stoneworks Mario Ortegon > Vegetated coconut logs & mats > Assessment & permitting 2048 Foster Avenue > Specification assistance Wheeling, IL 60090 > Erosion & sediment control > Invasive species control Phone: 847.873.0298 > Bonded and insured

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Plants & Custom Seed Mixes For: > DOT & roadside corridor projects > Habitat & ecosystem restoration > Stormwater BMPs & rain gardens > Pollinator habitat & CRP plantings Booth # 1236 > Shoreline & slope stabilization > Wetland mitigation

Email: mario@capitalstoneworks.com

Cardno Native Plant Nursery Jason Fritz 128 Sunset Drive m nursery.com Walkerton, IN 46574 w.com/catalog Phone: 574.586.2412 Email: nurserysales@cardno.com

Booth # 446

Central Turf & Irrigation Supply Andrew Harris 960 North Ridge Avenue Lombard, IL 60148 Phone: 630.495.5500 Email: lombard@centraltis.com

• Sod is our only business — Period!

• Unlimited supply of sod — You Got It! • Fast on-time deliveries — Everyday!

• Great customer service — Call Us! • Green Industry leader — Join Us!

Booth # 1219

Real Grass...Real Fast!

800-310-0402

Cherokee Manufacturing LLC Matt Gunderman 500 Malden Street South St. Paul, MN 55075 Phone: 651.451.1138 Email: mattgunderman@cherokeemfg.com

Booth # 308

Chicago Gas Lines Zac Selleck 1118 W. Marian Road Arlington Hts., IL 60004 Phone: 847.414.7876 Email: info@chicagogaslines.com

Booth # 1111

Chicagoland Grows, Inc. Jim Ault 1000 Lake Cook Road Glencoe, IL 60022 Phone: 847.835.8244 Email: jault@chicagobotanic.org

Booth # 907

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90 2 0 1 6 E X H I B I T O R S

Classic Groundcovers, Inc. Wally Pressey 405 Blemont Road Athens, GA 30605 Phone: 800.248.8424 Email: sales@classic-groundcovers.com

Booth # 443

Deere & Company Dennis Ogle 10789 S. Ridgeview Road Olathe, KS 66061 Phone: 913.310.8076 Email: ogledennise@johndeere.com

Booth # 936

Clesen Brothers, Inc. Erik Clesen 34w240 South Drive South Elgin, IL 60177 Phone: 847.695.1500 Email: eclesen@clesenbrothers.com

Booth # 1045

DeVroomen Garden Products Roland VanDenBergen 3850 Clearview Court Gurnee, IL 0 Phone: 847.395.9911 Email: RVDB@devroomen.com

Booth # 704

College of Lake County Horticulture Rory Klick 19351 W. Washington Street Grayslake, IL 60030 Phone: 847.543.2320 Email: rklick@clcillinois.edu

Booth # 1220

DeWitt Company Jane Miller 905 S. Kings Highway Sikeston, MO 63801 Phone: 573.472.0048 Email: salesadmin@dewittcompany.com

Booth # 1214

Colorblends Wholesale Flower Bulb Hanneke Hollander 747 Barnum Avenue Bridgeport, CT 6608 Phone: 888.847.8637 Email: hollander@colorblends.com

Booth # 132

Diga-Talk Booth # 1222 Jennifer Petric 452 N. Chicago Street Joliet, IL 60432 Phone: 815-740-1780 Email: jennifer@abeep.com

Conserv FS Inc. Heather Richter 1110 McConnell Road, P.O. Box 1550 Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815.334.5924 Email: hrichter@conservfs.com

Booth # 228

Dimex LLC Jeff Swisher 28305 State Route 7 Marietta, OH 45750 Phone: 740.525.3975 Email: jswisher@dimexcorp.com

Contree Sprayer & Equipment David VonBehren W9898 Jackson Reoad Beaver Dam, WI 53916 Phone: 920.356.0121 Email: davev@contree.com

Professional Booth # 248Supplier Landscape Since 1928

The place to go for: • Spreaders • Professional Fertilizers • LEGEND Professional Cornerstone Processing Solutions Inc. Booth # 1120 Turf Grass Seed Brad Palubiak • Athletic Field Supplies 1600 S. Main Street •PTURFACE, R O C E S S I N G Line S O L UMarking TION S INC. Oshkosh, WI 54902 Chalks & Paints CreditCard, Card, ATM and Processing POS Processing Services Credit ATM and POS Services Phone: 920.651.8888 • Sprayers Email: info@cornerstoneps.net Your trusted solution for • Arborist Supplier

CORNERSTONE Est. 1999

Ditch Witch Midwest Jeff Patterson 124 N. Schmale Road Carol Stream, IL 60188 Phone: 630.665.5600 Email: ditchwitchmidwest@gmail.com Doty Nurseries Ryan Doty P.O. Box 760 Elburn, IL 60119 Casio and Phone: SAM4s630.365.9063 Registers Email: sales@dotynurseries.com

The Digital 2-Way Booth # 1012 Radio System & THE CLEAR CHOICE

in Push-to-Talk Communications

Landscape Customers

SAVE 10% Booth # 510

Booth # 207

Credit Card Advice from the Experts Downes Swimming Pool Company, Inc. Booth # 1229 CARD PROCESSING. County Materials Corp.

Booth # 143 a processing provider: Keith Wappel when choosing • Best rate guarantee!

Carl Swenson 725 W. University Drive 1. •Make surewww.conservfs.com you arecontracts! working with a local, Midwest company.

No long term Mobile & Wireless 6399 Nesbitt Road Arlington Hts., IL 60004 Equipment 2. •Know how long they havewarranties! been in business.

Lifetime equipment Madison, WI 53719 Phone: 847.398.7665 3. Check to to seefind if they have beennear a long-term Call a location you! member of your association.

Phone: 414.339.9948 Email: sales@DownesPool.com We strive to provide the 4. Make sure that815.344.5950 they are a registered ISO that meets all Email: Carl.Swenson@countymaterials.com highest quality, lowest cost MasterCard and Visa requirements.

Dutchman Tree Spade/DPM Booth #US 948TODAY! CONTACT solution while maintaining Make sure that they are ETA CPP registered.

Green Industry Curv-Rite, Inc 5. that Booth #touch 1127 personal unrivaled EN Casio and SAM4s Registers Dawn Marie Robitaille POS Software & E that disappears when 3735 Don’t get caught in the dark with a company you Nicole Wright Sideline 16 N Diga-Talk.com Mneed GR Hardware by companies.hasLbeen Alarger KIthem!

NG YCornerstone OR D in business since 1999, providing W R Brougham, ONT 0 O U 3603 N. Main Street solutions for businesses from beginning to end.

888-404-2337 We build bonds, not numbers.

Phone: 905.683.8233 Wayland, MI 49348 Email: dawn@dutchmantreespade.com Phone: 800.366.2878 Visit our Showroom at: Green Industry POS Our expanding digital 888-878-2615 x 2 www.CornerstonePS.net Software & Hardware 1600 S. Main St. • Oshkosh, WI 54902 network coverage Email: john@curv-rite.com S. Main St., Oshkosh, WI 54902 Convert 888-878-2615 •1600 www.CornerstonePS.net Check Terminal your Smart Software DynaSCAPE Booth #allows 306 you to roam Phone/ throughout most of IL, Joe Salemi D Endorsed Provider Tablet into Northern IN and up to a Mobile TerminalSte 217 3425 Harvester Road, Endorsed Provider Proud Member Green Bay WI. with Printer POS Burlington, ONT 0 Dayton Bag & Burlap CornerstoneBooth # 427 Member Processing Proud Solutions Inc. is a registered MSP/ISO of: Deutsche Bank AG, ILCA Member Phone: 800.710.1900 John Hendle New York ©2014 All Rights Reserved Exclusive: Email: sales@dynascape.com P.O. Box 436, 6604 S.Union St. Save 10% off Union, IL 60180 monthly access fees E Phone: 815.923.1234 Email: johndbb@mc.net Easy Pro Pond Products Booth # 341 Dave Ouwinga 4385 E. 110th Grant, MI 49327 Phone: 888.448.3873 Email: info@easypropondproducts.com ER

Take Diga-Talk for a FREE test drive!

24

Eby’s Evergreen Plantation, Inc. Jeff Alexander 51669 CR 33 Bristol, IN 46507 Phone: 574.848.4520 Email: jeff@exceptionaltrees.com

Booth # 1132

Eco-Roofs, LLC Homer Trecartin P.O. Box 8 Berrien Springs, MI 49103 Phone: 269.471.7408 Email: questions@eco-roofs.com

Booth # 232

Ecoverse Booth # 206 Niki Vala 1265 Lear Industrial Parkway Avon, OH 44011 Phone: 440.937.3225 Email: nvala@ecoverse.net

Fox Ridge Nursery Dan Livingston 23513 Streit Road Harvard, IL 60033 Phone: 815.943.1111 Email: sales@foxridgenursery.com

Booth # 312

Garden Prairie Nursery & Organics Michael Dimucci 11887 US Highway 20 Garden Prairie, IL 61038 Phone: 815.597.1318 Email: mike@gpocompost.com

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Booth # 327

Eden Stone Co., Inc. Jamie C W4520 Lime Road Eden, WI 53019 Phone: 920.477.2521 Email: jamiec@edenstone.net

Booth # 904

Goodmark Nurseries 3 Booth # 405 Paul Ayers 8920 Howe Road 3 Wonder Lake, IL 60097 Phone: 815.653.9293 Email: paul.ayers@goodmarknurseries.com

Emergent Safety Supply Kate Pietraszak 1055 Kingland Drive Batavia, IL 60510 Phone: 630.406.9666 Email: info@emergentsafety.com

Booth # 1040

Grand Effects Kevin Doud IDOT CERTIFIED AND APPROVED 18 Technology Dr. Suite 110 AVAILABLE WHOLESALE FOR DELIVERY OR PICKUP Irvine, CA 92618 Phone: 949-697-5270 EXCELLENT AVAILABILITY SPRUCE and SHA Email: kevin@grandeffectsinc.com

Encore Landscape Lighting Booth # 1226 Ken Rutkowski 2277 Elliott Drive Troy, MI 48083 Phone: 248.299.1919 Email: encorelandscapelighting@hotmail.com Ero-Tex-Hanes Booth # 124 Dan Salsinger 925 N. Oaklawn Avenue Elmhurst, IL 60126 Phone: 630.279.0915 Email: dan.salsinger@hanescompanies.com

F

G PREMIUM COMPO G COMAND TM

(golf course blend)

LEAF MULCH CUSTOM FIELD SPREADING AVAILABLE Booth # 1044

815-597-1318

Grasshopper Company Connie Estep P.O. Box 637 Moundridge, KS 67107 Phone: 620.345.8621 Email: show@grasshoppermower.com

Booth # 1205mike@gpocompost.com

Gravely, an Ariens Co, Brand Carol Dilger 655 West Ryan Street Brillion, WI 54110 Phone: 920.756.2141 Email: cdilger@ariens.com

Booth # 214

Great Northern Equipment Walt Linder 20195 So. Diamond Lake Road Rogers, MN 55374 Phone: 800.822.0295 Email: info@gnedi.com

Booth # 1241

www.gpocompost.com www.gpnursery.com

11887 US ROUTE 20, GARDEN PRAIRIE IL 61038

Fabriscape, Inc. James Manola 6410 W. 74th Street, Unit D Bedford Park, IL 60638 Phone: 708.728.7180 Email: info@fabriscape.com

Booth # 1227

Green Glen Nursery, Inc. Dick Ooykaas 2413 Laraway Road Joliet, IL 60433 Phone: 815.723.1140 Email: greenglennurseryinc.@yahoo.com

Booth # 329

Feece Oil Company Craig Olsby 517 Twin Rail Drive Frankfort, IL 60423 Phone: 815.557.7337 Email: craig@feeceoil.com

Booth # 1004

GRO Horticultural Enterprises, Inc. Greg Oltman 14440 Marengo Road Union, IL 60180 Phone: 847.669.8658 Email: greg@grohort.net

Booth # 330

Fiore Nursery & Landscape Supply 16606 W. Highway 22 Prairie View, IL 60069 Phone: 847.913.1414 Email: sales@cjfiore.com

Booth # 1029

Forrest Keeling Nursery Kimberly Young P.O. Box 135 Elsberry, MO 63343 Phone: 800.356.2401 Email: info@fknursery.com

Booth # 1110

H Halloran Power Equipment Jim Halloran 2159 N. Rand Road Palatine, IL 60074 Phone: 847.705.1984 Email: sales@halloranpower.com

Booth # 136

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2 0 1 6 E X H I B I T O R S

Halquist Stone Jeff Brown N51W23563 Lisbon Road Sussex, WI 53089 Phone: 262.246.9000 Email: info@halquiststone.com

Booth # 229

Hayward Distributing Co. Craig Tangi 4061 Perimeter Drive Columbus, OH 43228 Phone: 614.272.5953 Email: ctangi@haydist.com

Booth # 846

Herman Losely & Son, Inc. Jay Daley 3410 Shepard Road Perry, OH 44081 Phone: 440.259.2725 Email: sales@losely.com

Booth # 135

Booth # 1141

Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, Inc. Brent Horvath 10702 Seaman Road Hebron, IL 60034 Phone: 815.648.2788 Email: brentsmac@aol.com

Booth # 810

Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. Jr Tecza 2353 Creek Road Plano, IL 60545 Phone: 630.552.8314 Email: ttecza@hinsdalenurseries.com

Booth # 348

Ivanhoe Nursery Russ Stokes 22149 West IL Rt 60 Mundelein, IL 60060 Phone: 847.566.8001 Email: rs@ivanhoenursery.com

Home Nursery, Inc. Crystal Gebke P.O. Box 128 Albers, IL 62215 Phone: 800.628.1966 Email: crystalk@homenursery.com

Booth # 324

Homer Industries, LLC Josh Doherty 13920 S. Archer Avenue Lockport, IL 60441 Phone: 815.838.0863 Email: info@homertree.com

Booth # 541

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Hortech Booth # 804 Mike Haynes P.O. Box 533 Spring Lake, MI 49456 Phone: 800.875.1392 Email: sales@hortech.com Hunter/FX Booth # 445 Eric Simmons 1940 Diamond Street San Marcos, CA 92078 Phone: 630.200.7581 Email: eric.simmons@hunterindustries.com Husqvarna Group Chad Staker 9335 Harris Corners Parkway Charlotte, NC 28269 Phone: 704.597.5000 Email: chad.staker@husqvarnagroup.com

Booth # 812

I

26

Illinois Landscape Contractors Association Booth # 504+506 Scott Grams 2625 Butterfield Road Suite 104S Oak Brook, IL 60523 Phone: 630-472-2851 Email: sgrams@ilca.net

Illinois Green Industry Association Joe Khayyat 2900 Greenbriar Drive Springfield, IL 62704 Phone: 217.546.4733 Email: info@illinoisgreen.net

Booth # 444

IL-IN Sea Grant+NIL Invasive Plant Partnership Greg Hitzroth 1000 Lake Cook Road Glencoe, IL 60022 Phone: 847.242.6423 Email: hitzroth@illinois.edu

Booth # 1228

Jwest LLC Joel Westrate 3948 Blackhawk Grandville, MI 49418 Phone: 574.606.6548 Email: Joel@thelandscapersbuddy.com

Booth # 1221

J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Jeff Lafrenz P.O. Box 189 Boring, OR 97009 Phone: 503.663.4128 Email: talk-to-us@jfschmidt.com

Booth # 319

John Holmlund Nursery Scott Field 29285 SE Hwy 212 Boring, OR 97009 Phone: 800.643.6650 Email: scottf@jhnsy.com

Booth # 1239

Johnson’s Nursery Rob Lucas W180 N6275 Marcy Road Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 Phone: 262.252.4988 Email: info@johnsonsnursery.com

Booth # 340

Supplying the Midwest with Quality Nursery Stock www.johnsonsnursery.com

JRCO, Inc. Bill Radintz P.O. Box 41303 Minneapolis, MN 55441 Phone: 800.966.8442 Email: info@jrcoinc.com

Booth # 1243

JULIE, Inc. Barb Huff 3275 Executive Drive Joliet, IL 60431 Phone: 815.741.5000 Email: info@illinois1call.co

Booth # 1021

K Kaknes Landscape Supply Kevin McGowen 31W545 Diehl Road Naperville, IL 60653 Phone: 630.416.9999 Email: kevin@kaknes.com

Booth # 208

Kaknes Landscape Supply should be y for 2015. We have quantities for sprin and ornamental trees, shrubs and per most of your hard-to-find needs. Kno loading and high quality plant materia Kaknes Landscape Supply. Visit our ne We have nearly doubled our size expa

Kaneville Tree Farms, Inc. Paul Guzzetta P.O. Box 167 Kaneville, IL 60144 Phone: 630.557.2793 Email: trees@ktfinc.com

Booth # 1011

Landscape Material & Firewood Sales, Inc. Dave Cooper 27w250 St. Charles Road West Chicago, IL 60185 Phone: 630.231.7911 Email: vmaxincdave@aol.com

Booth # 1104

Kankakee Nursery Tim LaGesse P.O. Box 288 Aroma Park, IL 60910 Phone: 800.344.7697 Email: sales@kankakeenursery.com

Booth # 419

Lemke Stone Inc. Terry Kaphingst 21575 W. Good Hope Road Lannon, WI 53046 Phone: 262.502.1579 Email: service@lemkestone.com

Booth # 912

Kenney Outdoor Solutions Veronica Krenzel 11952 Spaulding School Drive Plainfield, IL 60585 Phone: 815.436.7942 Email: veronica.krenzel@kmcturf.com

Booth # 910

Liberty Propane/Hicksgas LLC Timothy Porter 204 N Hwy 54 E Roberts, IL 60962 Phone: 217.395.2281 Email: tim.porter@hicksoffice.com

Booth # 140+142

Keystone Hatcheries Mike Robinson 11409 Keystone Road Richmond, IL 60071 Phone: 815.678.2537 Email: info@keystonehatcheries.com

Booth # 339

Lincoln Nurseries, Inc. Bernie deWit 0142 Lincoln Street NW Grand Rapids, MI 49534 Phone: 616.453.2351 Email: bernie@lincolnnurseries.com

Booth # 227

KO Supply Company, Inc. Jay Ostrowski 1500 Foundry Street, Unit 1 Saint Charles, IL 60174 Phone: 630.768.2014 Email: jay@Kosupplycompany.com “Brand X�

Booth # 1124

LMN Booth # 1010 Abbey Gilhula 425 Whitevale Road Whitevale, ONT 0 Phone: 888.347.9864 Email: INFO@GOLMN.COM

Kramer Tree Specialists Seth Balvanz 300 Charles Court West Chicago, IL 60185 Phone: 630.440.3927 Email: sbalvanz@kramertree.com

Booth # 328

Longshadow Charlotte Ward 83 Longshadow Lane Pomona, IL 62975 Phone: 618.893.4831 Email: charlotte@longshadow.com

Booth # 113

Krukowski Stone Co. Booth # 905 Scott Chittum 3781 County Road C Mosinee, WI 54455 Phone: 715.693.6300 Email: scott.chittum@krukowskistone.com

LS Training System Sylvia Shillinglaw 2026 Oxford Street E 10" In-Ground London, ONT 0 Fabric Bag Phone: 877-482-2323 Email: arden@LSTraining.com

Booth # 1130

Swamp White Oak (1 year after transplant)

bare root

Which root system Kuenzi Turf & Nursery Boothwould # 844 Myron Kuenzi 6475 State Street Salem, OR 97317 Phone: 503.585.8337 Email: myron@kuenziturfnursery.com Kuenzi_halfpage.indd 1 Kuert Concrete Mark Walker 3402 Lincolnway West South Bend, IN 46628 Phone: 574.232.9911 Email: mark@kuert.com

you want in your spade dugSupply ball?

Lurvey Landscape Jason Castaneda 2550 E. Dempster Street Des Plaines, IL 60016 Phone: 847.824.7543 Email: info@lurveys.com 11/5/13

800-285-8337

7:31 PM

M

Booth # 1027

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Lafarge Fox River Stone Jim Slattery 1300 Route 31 South Elgin, IL 60177 Phone: 847.888.6133 Email: jim.slattery@lafarge.com

Booth # 920

Lake Street Supply Mark Moxley 1810 W. Lake Street Chicago, IL 60612 Phone: 312.226.0760 Email: sales@lakestreetsupply.com

Booth # 1218

Booth # 428

Mariani Plants Rich Bailey 13715 Horton Road Kenosha, WI 53142 Phone: 866.627.4264 Email: sales@marianiplants.com

Booth # 1023

Market Financial Group Jim Bilinski 240 Commerce Drive Crystal Lake, IL 60014 Phone: 815.526.4113 Email: jbilinski@marketfinancialgrp.com

Booth # 1140

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2 0 1 6 E X H I B I T O R S

Booth # 708

McGinty Bros., Inc. Beth 3744 E. Cuba Road Long Grove, IL 60047 Phone: 847.438.5161 Email: info@mcgintybros.com

Booth # 906

National Seed Mark Breier 4720 Yender Avenue Lisle, IL 60532 Phone: 630.963.8787 Email: mark.breier@natseed.com

McKay Nursery Company Tim Wagner 750 S. Monroe Street Waterloo, WI 53594 Phone: 920.478.8525 Email: twagner@mckaynursery.com

Booth # 1024

Natural Repellents, LLC Mark Wilson 11 Cedar Gate Road Denville, NJ 7834 Phone: 973.627.4523 Email: mwilson1123@optonline.net

Michels Stone Holly Leuhring 817 West Main Street Brownsville, WI 53006 Phone: 920.921.8280 Email: hluehring@michels.us

Booth # 431

Booth # 346

Northern Family Farms Booth # 808 Don Crandall W10757 Jeffrey Road Merrillan, WI 54754 Phone: 800.826.7094 Shade Trees Fruit Trees Ornamental Trees Email: sales@northernfamilyfarms.com Topiary Small Fruits Flowering Shrubs Booth # 1006 n

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Midwest Arborist Supplies Brian Barnard P.O. Box 151455 Grand Rapids, MI 49515 Phone: 616.456.8040 Email: bbarnard@grandarborgroup.com

Booth # 121

Christmas Trees Wreaths & Garlands Northland Farms LLC Booth # 344 Alan Garter 11161 120th Avenue Proud to be a HGTV HOME Plant Collection Partner West Olive, MI 49460 Phone: 800.253.1812 Email: agarter@northlandfarmsllc.com

Booth # 1046

Midwest Compost, LLC Patrick Murphy 1320 Spaulding Road Elgin, IL 60120 Phone: 847.931.2900 Email: info@midwestcompostllc.com

Booth # 1231

Northshore Landscape Products LLC Mike Ellis 3055 Apple Ave Waukegan, IL 60085 Phone: 847.668.9600 Email: me.nslandscape@gmail.com

Booth # 204

Midwest Groundcovers Jill Bondi 6N800 IL Route 25 St. Charles, IL 60174 Phone: 847.742.1790 Email: jbondi@midwestgroundcovers.com

Booth # 828

Nursery Supplies, Inc. Jeff Pissocra 1415 Orchard Drive Chambersburg, PA 17201 Phone: 614.764.0511 Email: jpissocra@nurserysupplies.com

Booth # 244

Midwestern Solutions Brandon Molnar 383 Vista View Drive Cedarburg, WI 53012 Phone: 414.975.7142 Email: midwesternsolutions@gmail.com

Booth # 148

NYP Corp Michael Zagorski 805 East Grand Street Elizabeth, NJ 7291 Phone: 908.351.6550 Email: sales@NYP-Corp.com

Midwest STIHL Sheila Elsey 302 N Commerce Place Peoria, IL 61604 Phone: 309.697.5860 Email: Sheila.Elsey@stihl.us

Booth # 1238

Midwest Trading Jill Bondi 48w805 IL Route 64 Virgil, IL 60151 Phone: Email: jbondi@midwestgroundcovers.com

Booth # 820

Modeco Systems Lynn Olson 1468 Amercian Eagle Drive Slinger, WI 53090 Phone: 262.677.8184 Email: Lynn.Olson@modecosystems.com

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Martin Implement Sales, Inc. Brad Beaulieu 420 Nolen Drive South Elgin, IL 60177 Phone: 630.883.3320 Email: bradb@martinimplement.com

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W10757 Jeffrey Road, Merrillan, WI 54754

sales@northernfamilyfarms.com

MIDWEST TRADING HORTICULTURAL SUPPLIES, INC.速 A Midwest-Orum Company

Booth # 1139

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Oldcastle Lawn & Garden Joe DiVencenzo 3414 Hog Haven Road Sauget, IL 62206 Phone: 618.274.1222 Email: joe.divincenzo@oldcastle.com

Booth # 321

Oly-Ola Edgings, Inc. Aymie Clayton 124 E. Saint Charles Road Villa Park, IL 60181 Phone: 630.833.3033 Email: edgings@olyola.com

Booth # 1020

Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois JR Tecza P.O. Box 67 Batavia, IL 60510 Phone: 630.879.0520 Email: info@ogaoni.com

Booth # 909

PACE, Inc. Jen Ambrose 739 S. Mill Street Plymouth, MI 48170 Phone: 734.453.6258 Email: jena@pacelink.com

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Booth # 1036+1136

R. A. Adams Enterprises, Inc. MaryBeth Adams 2600 West Route 120 McHenry, IL 60051 Phone: 815.385.2600 Email: sales@raadams.com

Booth # 511

Paver Resources Marty Halm 500 E. Cossitt Avenue LaGrange, IL 60525 Phone: 708.354.2171 Email: marty@paverresourcesinc.com

Booth # 1143

Red Flint Rock & Stone Tom Ayers 1 American Boulevard Eau Claire, WI 54701 Phone: 715.855.7600 Email: tom.ayres@redflint.com

Booth # 1119

Perfect Turf Dave Sternberg 230 Gerry Drive Wood Dale, IL 60191 Phone: 847.238.6232 Email: info@perfectturfinc.com

Booth # 239

Reinders, Inc. Tom Rowe W227 N6225 Sussex Road Sussex, WI 53089 Phone: 262.786.3300 Email: turf@reinders.com

Booth # 1048

Permaloc Corporation Jackie Arendsen 13505 Barry Street Holland, MI 49424 Phone: 800.356.9660 Email: info@permaloc.com

Booth # 908

RentalMax Peggy Rose 908 E. Roosevelt Road Wheaton, IL 60187 Phone: 630.221.1133 Email: prose@rentalmax.com

Booth # 543

Phoenix Irrigation Supply Booth # 946 Dave Freeland 1261 Howard Street Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Phone: 847.290.0698 Email: davef@phoenixirrigationsupply.com

Rich’s Foxwillow Pines Nursery, Inc. Booth # 219 Richard Eyre 11618 McConnell Road Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815.338.7442 Email: coniflora@richsfoxwillowpines.com

Pizzo Native Plant Nursery Grace Koehler 10729 Pine Road Leland, IL 60531 Phone: 815.981.8000 Email: gracek@pizzonursery.com

Booth # 1028

Rochester Concrete Products Jessica Davis 7200 N Highway 63 Rochester, MN 55906 Phone: 507.288.3810 Email: jdavis@rockwoodwalls.com

Booth # 1146

PMA Outdoor Equipment Duane Cotte 3725 Swenson Avenue St. Charles, IL 60174 Phone: 630.377.3000 Email: dcotte@pmaoutdoor.com

Booth # 1030

Rosebay Nursery Linda Charvat 6394 Old Allegan Road Saugatuck, MI 49453 Phone: 269.857.4852 Email: rosebaynursery@yahoo.com

Booth # 1108

Porous Pave Dave Ouwinga 4385 E. 110th Grant, MI 49327 Phone: 888.448.3873 Email: sales@porouspaveinc.com

Booth # 343

Rosetta of Michigan Lisa Bradley 05481 US 31 South Charlevoix, MI 49720 Phone: 231.547.6595 Email: orders@discoverrosetta.com

Booth # 114

Power Equipment Distributors Sam Oginsky 69250 Burke Drive Richmond, MI 48062 Phone: 844.304.1405 Email: soginsky@powereqp.com

Booth # 546

RR Landscape Supply Matt Buck 3900 West 167th Street Markham, IL 60428 Phone: 708.596.7200 Email: matt.buck@Rrmulchandsoil.com

Booth # 1121

Prince Corporation Liz Huber 8351 County Road H Marshfield, WI 54449 Phone: 800.777.2496 Email: service@prince-corp.com

Booth # 205

Russo Power Equipment Pete Liakouras 9525 W. Irving Park Road Schiller Park, IL 60176 Phone: 847.678.9525 Email: russo@russopower.com

Booth # 736

ProLine Equipment Milan Blaho 7163 W. Guilford Road Galena, IL 61036 Phone: 815.776.1058 Email: milanis@usa.net

Booth # 1209

RWC Insurance Group Mark Duncan 7239 Laraway Road Frankfort, IL 60423 Phone: 815.469.6585 Email: RWC@rwc4ins.com

Booth # 209

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Sable Marco Inc. Chris Carbonneau 26 Chemin de la Péche Pont-Rouge, QUE 0 Phone: 418.873.4509 Email: ccarbonneau@sablemarco.com Salvador Insurance Agency Wil Salvador 3360 N. Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 773.777.1922 Email: wil@salinsure.com

Booth # 104

Booth # 241

St. Aubin Nursery Kris Hill 35445 Irene Road Kirkland, IL 60146 Phone: 815.522.6663 Email: info@staubin.com

Booth # 137

Booth # 146

Stockyards Brick Company Karen Adams 4150 S. Packers Avenue Chicago, IL 60609 Phone: 872.444.5440 Email: matt@stockyardsbrick.com Stonewall Retaining Walls Patrick Dean 8028 Hill Trail N Lake Elmo, MN 55042 Phone: 651.777.7923 Email: ped@trenchnedge.com

Booth # 442

Studebaker Nurseries, Inc. Brian Latta 11140 Milton-Carlisle Road New Carlisle, OH 45344 Phone: 800.845.0584 Email: blatta@studebakernurseries.com

Booth # 220

SavATree Booth # 1109 Marcie Kaplan 3520 Commercial Avenue Northbrook, IL 60062 Phone: 847.726.1991 Email: mkaplan@savatree.com Sester Farms Bethany Sester 33205 SE Oxbow Drive Gresham, OR 97080 Phone: 800.832.4487 Email: sales@sesterfarms.com Sheridan Nurseries Christine Buck 12302 10th Line Georgetown, ONT 0 Phone: 905.873.0522 Email: cbuck@sheridannurseries.com

Booth # 242

SureFoot Hardscape Products Ed Berg 180 Steeles Ave. W Ste 206 Booth # 221 Thornhill, ONT 0 Delivering Value Through Phone: 416.633.1414 Creative Solutions Email: info@surefootedging.com

SiteOne Landscape Supply Booth # 144 Kortney Hendrickson Brian Worfolk United States Sales Manager 1330 Pierson Drive Batavia, IL 60510 Phone: 630.406.0645 Email: khendrickson@johndeerelandscapes.com

Midwest U.S., Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan Tel: 1-888-878-4360 E-mail: bworfolk@sheridannurseries.com

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Booth # 240

Sure-loc Edging/Wolverine Tools Karl Nieboer 494 East 64th Street Holland, MI 49423 Phone: 616.392.3209 Email: info@surelocedging.com

Booth # 1244

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Sod Solutions Brenda Roberts P.O. Box 460 Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465 Phone: 843.284.2335 Email: broberts@sodsolutions.com

Booth # 1106

The Davey Tree Expert Company Shannon Westphal 275 C 12th Street 2nd Floor Wheeling, IL 60090 Phone: 847.788.7728 Email: swestphal@thecareoftrees.com

Booth # 212

Spring Grove Nursery, Inc. Becky Thomas 1255 W. Spring Road Mazon, IL 60444 Phone: 815.448.2097 Email: bthomas@springgrovenursery.com

Booth # 224

The Knapheide Manufacturing Co. Darla Heberlein 1848 Westphalia Strasse Quincy, IL 62305 Phone: 217.222.7131 Email: dheberlein@knapheide.com

Booth # 436

Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. Jodi Griffin 12601 120th Avenue Grand Haven, MI 49417 Phone: 800.633.8859 Email: jodi@springmeadownursery.com

Booth # 210

The Mulch Center Gold Award BoothSponsor # 1031 Laura Boisvert 21457 Milwaukee Avenue Deerfield, IL 60015 Phone: 847.459.7200 Email: laura@mulchcenter.com B

Staple Ease, Inc. Mark Thomaschefsky 30688 Fulfs Road Sterling, IL 61081 Phone: 815.590.0073 Email: stapleease@yahoo.co,

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1255 W. Spring Rd, Mazon, IL 60444 (815) 448-2097 (815) 448-2139 fax bthomas@SpringGroveNursery.com

Booth # 130

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Tri-County Stockdale Booth # 423 Lyle Yunker 25520 West Black Road Joliet, IL 60404 Phone: 815.436.8600 Email: lyle.yunker@tricountystockdale.com Triple Crown Products Laurie Quernemoen 814 Ela Avenue Waterferd, WI 53185 Phone: 262.534.7878 Email: info@shoptriplecrown.com

Booth # 128

Tuohy Horticultural Enterprises Bob Tuohy P.O. Box 178 Mokena, IL 60448 Phone: 815.806.8785 Email: infothehort@comcast.net

Booth # 545

Turfmaker Corp David Myren 4931 Grisham Drive Rowlett, TX 75088 Phone: 800.527.2304 Email: dmyren@turfmaker.com Twixwood Nursery, LLC Jill Roberts P.O. Box 247 Berrien Springs, MI 49103 Phone: 269.471.7408 Email: regionalaccounts@twixwood.com

Booth # 211

Booth # 1112

Booth # 122

Wholesale Tree, Inc. Keith Alexander 3208 Adventure Lane Oxford, MI 48371 Phone: 248.969.5800 Email: sales@wholesaletreesllc.com

Booth # 108

Booth # 236

Willoway Nurseries Danny Gouge 4534 Center Road Avon, OH 44011 Phone: 866.934.4435 Email: sales@willowaynurseries.com Wilson Nurseries, Inc. Jennifer Fick P.O. Box 699 Hampshire, IL 60140 Phone: 847.683.3700 Email: jennf@wilsonnurseries.com

Booth # 1014

WI & IL Departments of Agriculture Elizabeth Meils 2811 Agriculture Drive Madison, WI 53718 Phone: 608.224.4572 Email: DATCPNursery@wi.gov

Booth # 119

Wisconsin Green Industry Federation Brian Swingle 12342 West Layton Avenue Greenfield, WI 53228 Phone: 414.529.4705 Email: bswingle@toriiphillips.com

Booth # 504+506

Unilock Booth # 536 Megan West 301 E. Sullivan Road Aurora, IL 60505 Phone: 630.892.9191 Email: megan.west@unilock.com United Greenhouse Systems, Inc. Justin Bilhorn P.O. Box 249 Edgerton, WI 53534 Phone: 800.433.6834 Email: info@unitedgreenhouse.com

Booth # 1123

United Label & Sales Peter Murphy 12900 Berea Road Cleveland, OH 44111 Phone: 216.226.4030 Email: pmurphy@unitedlabel.com

Booth # 112

U.S. Arbor Products, Inc.` Dan Kallas 5600 N. River Road, #800 Rosemont, IL 60018 Phone: 847.993.3060 Email: dan@usarbor.net

Booth # 223

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W Wandell’s Nursery, Inc. Kathy Pew 1898 CR 1700 N Urbana, IL 61802 Phone: 217.469.2170 Email: wandellsnursery@gmail.com

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Valley View Dominick Bertucci 13834 S. Kostner Avenue Crestwood, IL 60445 Phone: 708.597.0885 Email: info@valleyviewind.com

Vermeer Midwest Booth # 836 Kyle Hohmann 2801 Beverly Drive Aurora, IL 60502 Phone: 630.820.3030 Email: kyle.hohmann@vermeermidwest.com

Booth # 106

X Xylem Ltd/Rocks Etc Barb Dornfeld 18715 Rt 84 N Cordova, IL 61242 Phone: 309.654.2261 Email: sales@xylemltd.com

Booth # 914

Z Zanfel Laboratories, Inc. Steve Sisler 1370 NW 114th Street, Suite 204 Clive, IA 50320 Phone: 515.267.8099 Email: ssisler@zanfel.com

Booth # 1122

Zeiler Insurance Services, Inc. Lucas Zeiler 12159 S. Pulaski Road Homer Glen, IL 60803 Phone: 708.597.5900 Email: lucas@zeiler.com

Booth # 1009

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Kaknes Landscape Supply should be your green goods supplier for 2015. We have quantities for spring of boxwoods, shade and ornamental trees, shrubs and perennials. We can supply most of your hard-to-find needs. Knowledgeable staff, quick loading and high quality plant material should lead you to Kaknes Landscape Supply. Visit our new and improved yard.

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Plant Recommendation Panel

by Becke Davis

Several years ago

, The Landscape Contractor put together a panel of experts and asked for their plant recommendations — conifers, shade trees, ornamentals and perennials. For this issue we will recap their overall favorite perennials for the Midwest. In this case, we asked them to select five of the top Underused Perennials for the region.

Galen Gates —

curator, herbaceous plants at the Chicago Botanic Garden and adjunct professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture/Landscape Architecture. Gates has listed his recommendations month by month, starting with March.

Mark Goldenstein Rosborough Partners Plant Buyer

Tony LoBello, L.A. Mariani Landscape Landscape Architect

Rich Eyre Rich’s Foxwillow Pines Conifer Expert/Grower

Underused Perenn March: Helleborus cultivars, ‘Ivory Prince’ (Lenten rose, hellebore) – “Hellebores are great and not enough people use them,” says Gates. “Any hellebore has impact, because they bloom so early and because of the color in the flowers. ‘Ivory Prince’ is the crème de la crème. It’s the first one that holds its head up—it’s a huge breakthrough. The flowers of ‘Ivory Prince’ are white with a touch of pink at the edges, and the foliage is more gray-green as opposed to dark green, with white splotches on the leaves.”

April: Epimedium ‘Purple Pixie’ (purple pixie bishop’s cap) – “Epimediums are a harbinger of spring,” says Gates.

“Any epimedium is great, and they

are semi-evergreen in Chicago, which is unusual. The efforts today are to breed for larger flowers, flowers that stand above the foliage and foliage interest (fall color). When the season is warm, the foliage comes out so quickly it can mask the flowers. In a cool spring, you can enjoy the flowers longer. ‘Purple Pixie’ emerges with a very rich maroon leaf that looks really great with Dianthus—it’s perfect with ‘Bath’s Pink’. It won’t have as much of an impact in a bed against dark mulch.

‘Purple Pixie’ has pink flowers that are more prominent than most.”

May: Baptisia × bicolor ‘Solar Flare’ (Solar Flare™ False Indigo) – “Baptisia is slow from seed,” says Gates, “but

Epimedium ‘Purple Pixie’ purple pixie bishop’s cap Helleborus cultivars, ‘Ivory Prince’ Lenten rose, hellebore 86

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Andy Fick Wilson Nurseries Grower

Galen Gates Chicago Botanic Garden Educator

Kathy Sharp Kendall Hill Nursery Grower

Brenda McMahon Montale Gardens Grower

Roy Klehm Beaver Creek Nursery Plantsman

Tom Trayser, L.A. The Brickman Group Ltd. Landscape Architect

Lisa Fiore-Kositzki, L.A. Don Fiore Co., Inc. Landscape Architect

Charlie Keppel The Care of Trees Tree Care Expert

nials for the Midwest fortunately Dr. Jim Ault breeds at the Chicago Botanic Garden and he has developed a number of vigorous hybrids that come on quite strongly.

‘Twilite’, a Baptisia hybrid in Dr. Ault’s Prairieblues™ series, will reach three feet tall and four feet wide in five years.

It’s good in mid-May, with lighter colored flowers that stick out at a distance, while darker colors recede. ‘Midnight’ false indigo has dark blue flowers and is almost shrublike in stature, reaching four to five feet tall and four feet wide in five years. It has substance, and comes on strong in May. ‘Starlite’ will reach three feet tall and four feet wide; it has light blue flowers and good, clean blue-green foliage. It starts blooming in May to June—it’s a really strong-

Baptisia × bicolor ‘Solar Flare’

growing Baptisia. ‘Solar Flare’ is the only Baptisia to date with yellow flowers.

Baptisia prefers full sun and well-drained soil, and has no known problems. It’s an upright, vase-shaped plant with strong stems—it almost looks like asparagus when it’s coming up. Baptisia can literally be a specimen plant, and it’s a good plant for the back of the garden.”

June: Paeonia ‘Little Red Gem’ (Fernleaf Peonies) – “The range of flower colors and forms in peonies is just remarkable. Peonies are great, but I would stay with the stronger-stemmed new cultivars,” Gates stresses, “and use peony hoops still on double-flowered forms.

Take the peony hoops and drop them on top of the peonies when they first start

to emerge—when they’re about an inch tall—so you don’t break the stems by installing them later. One peony I really like is ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’, a fragrant coral semi-double and an American Peony Society Gold Medal Selection.

‘Little Red Gem’ is an early blooming peony with single red flowers and fernlike foliage. Here at the Botanic Garden we have 10,000 groups of plants but three are the stalwarts of the Midwest landscape: peonies, daylilies and hostas.

We have over 150 taxa of each.”

(continued on page 88)

Paeonia ‘Little Red Gem’ fern-leaf peonies The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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Underused Perennials for the Midwest (continued from page 87) July (#1): Hemerocallis altissima ‘Pardon Me’ (Pardon Me Daylily) – “Daylilies are great, particularly repeat bloomers like ‘Pardon Me’,” says Gates.

“A new one is Earlybird Cardinal™ from the Jersey Earlybird™ series by Dr. Darryl Apps. It’s a repeat bloomer with red blossoms, strong petals and a good bud count.

Daylilies are also salt tolerant.”

July (#2): Echinacea ‘CBG Cone2’ (Pixie Meadowbrite™ Hybrid Coneflower) – “There’s been so much work with Echinacea—one I particularly like is Pixie Meadowbrite™,” Gates says. “Typically, Echinacea flowers are purple, but Pixie Meadowbrite™ blossoms are a true, clear pink with flat rays for good impact. It reaches 24 inches tall and has a refined leaf. ‘Sunrise’ Echinacea, from the Big Sky™ series, is also a good one, with creamy yellow petals. Coneflowers are also great for attracting goldfinches and other songbirds.”

Echinacea ‘CBG Cone2’ (Pixie Meadowbrite™ Hybrid Coneflower) 88

Hemerocallis altissima ‘Pardon Me’ (Pardon Me Daylily) August: Monarda ‘Fire Marshall’ (Bee balm) – “I’ve grown to appreciate bee balm,” Gates observes. “Monarda is great for butterflies and hummingbirds. There’s a nice dwarf bee balm called ‘Petite Pink Supreme’. Dr. Jim Ault created Chicagoland Grows’ Fire Marshall bee balm by crossing Monarda 'Marshall’s Delight' and M. ‘Jacob Cline’. Monarda ‘Fire Marshall’ has dark red flowers on oversized flower heads. It reaches 24 inches tall and is disease resistance.”

Lespedeza thungbergii ‘Gibraltar’ (Pink Bush Clover) The Landscape Contractor February 2016

September: Lespedeza thungbergii ‘Gibraltar’ (Pink Bush Clover) – “This unusual plant is out there, but you may have to look for it,” says Gates. “It fills a unique niche—it’s different, fine textured with purple flowers all along the stem when you don’t have a lot for color, and it’s tall, reaching 72 inches.” (continued on page 90)

Monarda ‘Fire Marshall’

Arctic Fire

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More compact than other red-twig dogwoods, Arctic Fire™ Cornus has all of the brilliant winter color you want in a smaller package. At 3-5 feet tall and wide, this cold-hardy native plant is ideal for smaller landscapes. It’s also an excellent choice for rain gardens and bioswales.

This durable, deer-resistant, salt-tolerant plant solves lots of landscape challenges – and adds much needed color to your winter landscape. Available from Proven Winners® ColorChoice® growers.

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(continued from page 88)

October: Symphyotrichum oblongifolius ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ (Aromatic Aster ‘Raydon’s Favorite’) – “This is a refined aster, even though the genus has changed,” explains Gates. “’Raydon’s Favorite’ is a nice clear blue, and there’s a pinkish form also, called ‘Raydon’s Birthday Pink’. The foliage is fragrant when you rub your hands on it, so it has interest all the time. It’s something most plants don’t have, and I don’t think any other asters do. It reaches 24 to 30 inches and doesn’t need staking. This is a somewhat understated plant, not big and garish.”

90

November: Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ (Arends Azure Monkshood) – “ ‘Arendsii’ is good in sun and shade,” says Gates, “with yellowish fall color in shade. The flowers are rich royal blue, almost purple—a typical monkshood flower—and it has a good strong upright form. It loves high pH soil but doesn’t like it moist; normal to dry is best. The flowers and foliage make a statement, providing the last bit of impact in the garden like a reward at the end of the season.”

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

December: Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ (Northwind Switch Grass) – “ ‘Northwind’ has nice, steely blue foliage,” Gates observes. “It’s strongly upright and holds its form through the winter. It’s a great plant, reaching four to five feet in height. A real stalwart, it stands erect like a sentinel.”

January: Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’ (Blaze Little Bluestem) – “ ‘Blaze’ comes out of Nebraska,” says Gates. “It has good fall/winter color and is great for parking lot islands and for along the roadside. You can dump snow on it, and it’s salt tolerant.”

February: Geranium ×cantibrigiense (Cambridge geranium) – “Any selections of this plant are great,” Gates observes. “It’s very good in sun and also in shade, has excellent red fall color and it’s good for erosion control on slopes. The species has lavender flowers reaching four to six inches tall and blooms in June; ‘Biokovo’ has very pale pink flowers. Cambridge geranium is basically an evergreen—there is some foliage even in February when it’s twelve below.” (continued on page 92)

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Plant Recommendations

Lisa Fiore Kositzki — is operations manager at Don Fiore Company, Inc. in Lake Bluff. She has chosen the following as her top five underused perennials for the Midwest.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' - “I love this flower in the spring with its sky blue flowers and heart shaped leaves,” says Kositzki. “The silvery foliage is such a bonus in a shade garden. It really "pops" against others with darker shades of green. I also appreciate this plant for its heat and drought tolerance. This is a must have in the shade!”

Anemone 'Honorine Jobert' - “The white flower is such a powerful accent in early fall when placed in front of a shrub grouping with thick leaves as a background,” Kositzki observes. “Although the flower stalk extends way above its foliage, it's a sturdy flower with great beauty. This is a great plant to have in a cutting garden as a specimen or used in large masses for great fall flowers.”

Ligularia 'The Rocket' – “This is a great perennial for moist and shady condi-

Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’

92

tions,” Kositzki says. “It is an excellent plant used in the background with its spikes of yellow flowers shooting up high from its dark green serrated foliage at the base. It is also a good plant when battling with deer issues.”

Oenothera missouriensis – “This perennial is a great low growing plant with its large yellow flowers bursting from late spring through mid-summer,” says Kositzki. “It is a nice accent for rock gardens or to border walkways. It does best in full sun and good drainage, and works nicely when planted with purple flowering perennials.”

Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue' – “Although the Scabiosa is said to be short-lived,” Kositzki says, “I still can't help but enjoy its wispy flowers and long bloom time. It was one of the first perennials I ever planted on my own in my younger years (before I even knew I was going to study Landscape Architecture), so it has a special place in my heart.”

Oenothera missouriensis –

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Ligularia ‘The Rocket’

Scabiosa columbaria ‘Butterfly Blue’

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Brenda McMahon — is on the evaluation team for Perennials in Focus. She has chosen five favorites as her top underused perennial choices.

Helenium × ‘Mardi Gras’ – “My favorite plant this year is Helenium x ‘ Mardi Gras’,” says McMahon. “It is a cultivar of one of our Midwest natives, which has attended a ‘European finishing school’. It was discovered as a chance seedling of 2 unidentified Helenium cultivars growing in a controlled environment in Worcester, UK in 1996. Blooms of Bressingham released it to the American market in 2004. One of the common names for this plant is Sneezeweed, but not because it makes you sneeze. It was dubbed Sneezeweed because pioneers dried the flowers and leaves and used it as snuff. This full sun plant has a compact growth habit reaching 36”-40” in height and 24”-36” in width. The 1 ½” to 2” diameter flowers are yellow ray petals splashed with orange-red, giving them a tie-dyed appearance. It bloomed from July into September in my garden in 2010. If you are looking for an alternative to Rudbeckias and Echinaceas, the sturdy stems, size and quantity of flowers and the long duration of flowering make a good case for giving Helenium × ‘Mardi Gras’ a try.”

94

Kalimeris incisa ‘Blue Star’ – “This little gem, common name Japanese Aster, forms a neat, compact mound,” McMahon observes. “It grows 12”-18” in height and 12”-18” wide. Kalimeris sports 1” aster-like flowers of powder blue with a yellow center from June thru The Landscape Contractor February 2016

early September. It will tolerate part shade, but prefers full sun. The soil requirements are average, medium moisture, and welldrained. It thrives in hot, humid summers with no significant insect or disease problems. Instead of planting another Aster, give Kalimeris ‘Blue Star’ a try.”

Allium senescens ‘Glaucum’ – “The unique feature of this little Allium is its flat, swirling and twisting foliage of bluish-gray,” explains McMahon.

“This front of the border member will reach 6 to 12 inches in height, with an equal spread. The three-quarter inch diameter flowers form globular clusters of lilac to lavender in July-August.

It is not picky about the soil. Place the plant in full sun to part shade—it is an easy care plant that is drought tolerant and does not reseed.”

Aster divaricata – “This lovely North American native has many redeeming qualities,” says McMahon. “The thing I appreciate most is its ability to tolerate shade.

It blooms late in the season, when other plants are spent. Covering the plant with one inch white ray petals and a yellow center in late summer to early fall. The flowers are contrasted by dark green, elongated, heart-shaped leaves and purple, wiry stems. The seeds are a food source for Juncos, Sparrow, and Goldfinches. Height is 18 to 24 inches with an equal spread. Be prepared for it to start sprawling as it comes into bloom. Plant it with some Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’, which will stand up through the foliage and pick up the white flowers of the White Woodland Aster with its white variegation.”

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Renee Jaeger —

is farm manager and horticulturist at Klehm’s Song Sparrow Perennial Farm & Nursery, she has a soft spot for shade perennials, but she also likes the peonies and daylilies that are a Klehm specialty.

Kirengeshoma palmata (Yellow waxbells) – “Kirengeshoma is incredibly adaptable,” says Jaeger. “Its large flower buds emerge in July and it’s such a delight when they bloom in late August.

The yellow shuttlecock flowers are fantastic and the leaves are a nice true green. I like that it’s a medium scale plant, good for the middle of the garden. It has a nice stature to it—it’s not overpowering, but it doesn’t get lost.

Kirengeshoma does best in part shade to full shade.”

I like to grow it along a naturalized setting. It takes shade to full sun and likes dry to medium soils; it doesn’t like excess moisture. It’s a diminutive plant, reaching about 12 inches tall, that forms a lovely little mat. This plant becomes a little garden gem. ” Epimedium spp. (Barrenwort, Bishop’s Hat, Fairy Wings) – “We have a great selection of epimediums—we tend to carry E. grandiflorum and E. × youngianum,” Jaeger observes. “Epimediums

Polygonatum odoratum (Solomon’s seal) – “This is an underused plant,” Jaeger says. “The Chicagoland Grows introduction ‘Prince Charming’ has attractive medium green foliage with gray on the undersides and creamy-white flowers in spring. The fruit turns purple in autumn and the foliage turns a pretty golden color. It’s hardy and adaptable— Polygonatum odoratum (Solomon’s seal)

Pulmonaria spp. (Lungwort) “Pulmonaria was one of the first plants used as an alternative to hostas,” says Jaeger. “It has pubescent leaves with silver white spots, and fantastic sprays (continued on page 98)

Pulmonaria spp. (Lungwort)

Kirengeshoma palmata (Yellow waxbells)

96

Epimedium spp. (Barrenwort, Bishop’s Hat) are clump-forming hardy perennials that do well in dry shade. Some will provide a second flush of flowers, most notably with E. × youngianum. E. grandiflorum ‘Dark Beauty’ has very pretty foliage that emerges darkish purple, and it has lovely little pink and white flowers.

‘Dark Beauty’ originated in the garden of the late Harold Epstein, a well-known garden expert.”

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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Plant Recommendations

(continued from page 96) of pretty little flowers. ‘Mrs. Moon’ and ‘Sissinghurst White’ are two nice older varieties. We offer two new, improved pulmonarias with more vigor. ‘Raspberry Splash’ has raspberry-colored flowers and long, lanceolate leaves. ‘Silver Bouquet’ has silvery foliage and flowers that change from pink to blue. It speaks to the longevity of this plant that you can still find older cultivars. Pulmonaria has stuck around because it’s such a great

foliage is six to eight inches high and the flower stems are about a foot tall. Alliums are great plants and there’s a lot out there if you start digging. They’re lovely, durable, long-lived perennials, but you won’t find them at the big box stores because they don’t have the marketing behind them.”

Paeonia spp. (Peony) – “Peonies have a classic elegance—they are incredibly beautiful in summer, they are very hardy and long-lived, and they inspire a sense of nostalgia,” says Jaeger. “A nice old fashioned peony is the double-flowered, creamy pastel ‘Moon River’. ‘Ursa Minor’ is a newer style, a vibrant bomb peony in a fun raspberry color with cream flecking. ‘Easy Going’ is a rock garden peony with single, lavender pink

Allium spp. (Ornamental Onion) plant for part or full shade.”

Allium spp. (Ornamental Onion) – “There are so many species of Alliums available, it can be overwhelming,” Jaeger observes. “There’s a lot of breeding going on, with yellows and all different colors. A. tanguticum ‘Summer Beauty’ is a beautiful midsummer flower with lavender blooms—it’s a gateway plant into the genera. A. senescens subsp. glauca ‘Blue Eddy’ has lovely twirls of pearly blue-green foliage and lavender-purple flowers. It’s also incredibly hardy. A. thunbergii ‘Ozawa’ has beautiful purple flowers in October. The

98

Paeonia spp. (Peony)

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Hemerocallis spp. (Daylily) flowers that bloom very early.”

Hemerocallis spp. (Daylily) – “Daylilies have a tremendous history,” says Jaeger, “and we’ve moved so far beyond the durable ‘Stella de Oro’. There’s a whole underused color palette beyond that.

‘Autumn Minaret’ stands 68 inches tall and blooms very late in fall. The flowers are ruffled, gold with rust overtones and a rust-colored eye. ‘Shy Girl’ has beautiful cameo pink ruffled flowers; it reaches 26 inches tall. ‘Gentle Ed’, named in honor of Dr. Ed Hasselkus, has beautiful, solid purple flowers with white edging. ‘Dark Symphony’ is another good one, with beautiful dark, deep purple blossoms—it was hybridized by Bob Griesbach and introduced by Roy Klehm.”

Everybody Serves

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

99

Plant Recommendation Panel

Mark Goldenstein Rosborough Partners Plant Buyer

Tony LoBello, L.A. Mariani Landscape Landscape Architect

Rich Eyre Rich’s Foxwillow Pines Conifer Expert/Grower

A W G

Underused Conifer

by Becke Davis

Last year,

The Landscape Contractor put together a panel of experts and asked for their plant recommendations — conifers, shade trees, ornamentals and perennials. In March 2010, our experts discussed their overall favorite conifers for the Midwest. Now we’ve asked them to select five or more top underused conifers for the Midwest.

Rich Eyre — Rich Eyre and his wife Susan own Rich’s Foxwillow Pines Nursery in Woodstock, which has one of the largest selections of rare trees and dwarf conifers in the world. Eyre’s two primary passions are conifers and the Heifer Project. He has been honored with the American Conifer Society’s Award of Merit, and he and Susan were the 2009

recipients of the Heifer Foundation’s Dan West Fellow Award. Eyre was part of our 2010 conifer panel, and he has several recommendations for underused conifers.

“This is my 53rd year of creating gardens for people,” says Eyre, “and my 24th year of supplying rare and unique plant material for the horticultural community. During these years, I have

Tsuga canadensis ‘Jeddeloh’ Pinus parviflora ‘Ara-kawa’

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Andy Fick Wilson Nurseries Grower

Galen Gates Chicago Botanic Garden Educator

Kathy Sharp Kendall Hill Nursery Grower

Brenda McMahon Montale Gardens Grower

Roy Klehm Beaver Creek Nursery Plantsman

Tom Trayser, L.A. The Brickman Group Ltd. Landscape Architect

Lisa Fiore-Kositzki, L.A. Don Fiore Co., Inc. Landscape Architect

Charlie Keppel The Care of Trees Tree Care Expert

rs for the Midwest expanded my knowledge base from my forbearers and my first mentor who was born in 1863, my great-grandmother.

She trained me at age five to water plants immediately when taken from containers and to guard every root hair as a precious offering.

“Through my society, the American Conifer Society, the elder statesmen and (continued on page 102)

Tsuga caroliniana ‘LaBar Weeping’

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

101

(continued from page 101) fellow members have given me a strong feeling of self- worth (something I didn’t always have). For more than 40 years, these great men — Chub Harper, Jerry Morris, Joe Stupka, Ed Hasselkus, Tom Dilitush and Pete Girard — opened their hearts and homes and answered thousands of my questions on how to be a better grower.

“I have been asked to recommend some underused plants.

Ginkgo biloba is a gymnosperm and is classified with conifers.

Ginkgos are underused and under-appreciated. They can be used in diverse settings since they are shade tolerant or can be used in full sun, plus they are pollution adaptive.

“There are several cultivars available that are male clones Pinus x (strobus x ayachuite) is that do not produce fruit in the also known as Pinus strobiformis fall. Ginkgo biloba ‘Elmwood Upright’ has an upward branching ‘Domingo.’ habit which is thicker and superior to other forms. G. biloba ‘Todd’s Broom,’ found by Joe Stupka, Pulaski, PA, is a preferred dwarf of abstract habit with a plethora of leaf types from a quarter-inch -width flat to tube-formed leaves to normal fan-shaped leaves. Ginkgos can be hermaphroditic.

“The best shade tolerant conifers are the hemlocks. Tsuga canadensis ‘Cole’ is a superior dwarf prostrate form which creeps along the ground growing one to two inches per year. T. canadensis ‘Jeddeloh’ is a slow-growing, bright-green spreading mound that develops a bird’s nest center. It grows several inches per year and, after 20 years, might be one foot tall and three to four feet wide. Tsuga caroliniana ‘LaBar Weeping’ would be similar to T. canadensis ‘Pendula’ or ‘Sargentii.’

It displays an outstanding green color and has a special and unique manner with pendulous tips of the branches. It has a tree fern appearance, like the houseplant, unique in the hemlocks.

“I would highly recommend Japanese conifers such as Pinus parviflora ‘Ara-kawa,’ the wart-bark pine. It is an intermediate grower with a windswept appearance. Use it to answer the call of a ‘character pine’ as an abstract tree that won’t tear the gutter off.

“Picea jezoensis ‘Landis’ is a really beautiful intermediate tree with unique green color on the tops of needles with white undersides. The bicolor needles provide quite a show on the narrow habit and should be considered for the future as an alternative to other spruces.

“Pinus x (strobus x ayachuite) is also known as Pinus strobiformis ‘Domingo.’ This superior cultivar was selected

by Earl Cully, Jackson IL and Dick James (world’s authority in Mountain Laurel). This tree becomes a large scale tree with superior blue-green bicolor needles and nice cone retention characteristics. (continued on page 104) 102

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Plant Recommendations (continued from page 102) “Two new weeping forms of Eastern white pines, available in the last five years, deserve more consideration in the landscape. Pinus strobus ‘Angel Falls,’ a narrow weeper trained to five to six feet with a very strong drop, is reminiscent of Angel Falls, the world’s longest waterfall. This form provides a slender plant and great vertical accent. A dwarfer form of weeping white pine is P. strobus ‘Niagara Falls,’ with a low creeping habit and dense cascading branchlets. The overall look is fantastic as it creates a dramatic effect.

“One more native plant of the Midwest is P. strobus ‘Stowe Pillar,’ a selection from Greg Williams in Stowe, VT. This tree is extraordinary in narrow habit with dense foliage and superior to P. strobus ‘Fastigiata.’

“Foxwillow’s best plant of the future is a Pinus koraiensis witches broom found by Darren Heimbecker while he and another Polish ex-intern were cutting scions at Rich’s Foxwillow Pines a few winters ago. I named it ‘Inner Piece.’ This is the best new dwarf conifer I have seen in quite awhile, if I do say so myself.”

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Pinus strobus ‘Angel Falls’

104

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Mark Goldenstein — Mark Goldenstein is the plant buyer for Rosborough Partners, Inc. in Libertyville, where he has worked for more than ten years. Goldenstein, who has a Bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Purdue, is responsible for buying all plant material for Rosborough Partners. These are his top five underused conifers for the Midwest, and his descriptions: 1) Pinus parviflora ‘Glauca’ - ‘Blue’ Japanese White Pine - use as an accent or character plant - salt tolerant - bluish green needles that are fine textured - to 35’ tall at maturity by 25’ wide - open, pyramidal when young, developing character with age - zones 4-7.

- 30-50’tall x 20-25’wide - pyramidal type growth habit - interesting curved cylinder-like cones - beautiful blue-green needles that are 4-7” long.

3) Sciadopitys verticillata Japanese Umbrella Pine

2) Pinus ayacahuite ‘Forest Sky’ - ‘Forest Sky’ Mexican White Pine -good alternative to Eastern White Pine - zones 4-8

- zones 5-7, at the limits of its hardiness; use in a sheltered site, along the lake, or in a more temperate micro-climate setting - use as an accent or specimen - unique foliage for texture; glossy green thick 2-5” long needles - very slow growth rate, around 6” per year - variable in habit, from broad pyramidal to thin spire like

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Plant Recommendations standishii (Japanese Arborvitae) and Thuja plicata (Western Arborvitae) - a Peter Orum introduction from Midwest Groundcovers and P.P.& O. Nursery, LLC - beautiful pendulous branches of bright green that turn upward at the ends - sun to partial shade - ph adaptable - pyramidal in growth habit - use as a specimen, in groups or as a hedge - look is similar to Chamaecyparis nootkatensis

- a unique conversation piece due to its interesting texture.

4) Picea omorika - Serbian Spruce - zone 4-7 - 50 - 60’ tall x 20 - 25’ spread - narrow, pyramidal shape - has a graceful appearance due to the pendulous branching habit - a very adaptable spruce - can be used as a specimen or in groups - needles are very attractive with green coloring on top, contrasting with white striping underneath.

5) Thuja × ‘Nordic Spire’™ - ‘Nordic Spire’™ Arborvitae - zone 5-7 - 20’ tall x 10’wide - from crosses between Thuja

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107

Plant Recommendations Ryan Doty— QUARRIER OF NATURAL STONE SINCE 1964

FIRE PITS FLAGSTONE WALLSTONE COPING/CAPS OUTCROPPING OUTDOOR KITCHENS

is owner of Doty Nurseries and is a 2013 graduate of the University of Illinois.

Doty has also played an active part in ILCA’s Summer Field Day, serving on the committee for manyyears.

His top five recommendations for underused conifers for the Midwest are: Fairview JuniperJuniperus chinensis ‘Fairview’ Junipers, in general, tend to be forgotten about in the landscape. When used in sunny areas, they will perform exceptionally well in poor soil and windy conditions. ‘Fairview’ has nice green needles with no winter browning and its silver/grey fruit puts on an interesting show for fall and winter. Fairview junipers get about 15’- 20’ tall and are great for screening or as an accent planting. I enjoy this plant for its overall habit and the texture it provides in the landscape.

Bakeri SprucePicea pungens ‘Bakeri’ At a mature size of 20’ tall and 6’ – 10’

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

wide, ‘Bakeri’ is a great evergreen for those smaller spaces. The consistently vibrant blue color is my favorite attribute of this plant. It also has a uniform and tight branching habit, making it a preferred choice for our customers. It is great in a city garden planting or in a grouping for privacy.

Vanderwolf Limber PinePinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’ Yet another evergreen that works well as a specimen planting or in groupings.

‘Vanderwolf’ limber pine has a pyramidal shape, reaching 30 - 40’ in height with a 15 - 20’ spread. It is a great upright evergreen that grows quite vigorously. Not only does ‘Vanderwolf’ do well in heat and drought, it can also tolerate soils with high ph. A very unique characteristic about these evergreens is their flexible branches that can be bent to a very sharp angle and not break.

This plant also has a very showy bluegreen color with twisted needles. The combination of all these factors really

Vanderwolf Limber Pine Pinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’ waxbells

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Kaknes Landscape Supply should be your green goods supplier for 2015. We have quantities for spring of boxwoods, shade and ornamental trees, shrubs and perennials. We can supply most of your hard-to-find needs. Knowledgeable staff, quick loading and high quality plant material should lead you to Kaknes Landscape Supply. Visit our new and improved yard.

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

109

Plant Recommendations (continued from page 109) makes this plant stand out in the landscape.

Arnold Sentinel Austrian PinePinus nigra‘Arnold Sentinel’ ‘Arnold Sentinel’ Austrian pine is a compact and very upright form of Austrian pine, reaching only 25’ in height and 7’ wide at maturity. This easily transplanted variety offers beautiful blue-green needles, and is drought tolerant. This upright pine is good for smaller areas that require a narrow and upright evergreen for privacy screening.

Nigra ArborvitaeThuja occidentalis ‘Nigra’ Although arborvitae is commonly used in the landscape, ‘Nigra’ is an underused variety that grows larger than the Mission at 20’ tall and can tolerate slightly more shade. Plant ‘Nigra’ arborvitae in a grouping for a tall and dense screen. This arborvitae has a somewhat courser needle texture than the standard ‘Techny’ and will also maintain its nice dark color through the winter.

With winter fast approaching, conifers will soon take center stage. Keep an eye out for these valuable but underused landscape assets.

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Conifers for Connoisseurs

by Becke Davis

Back in the day

, Justin “Chub” Harper of Moline was a valued source of conifer information for articles in The Landscape Contractor.

When he died on March 29, 2009, the loss was felt throughout the horticultural world. A founding member and past president of the American Conifer Society, Harper collected unusual conifers and made it a practice to share both his plants and his knowledge. He donated more than 600 trees to what is now called the Heartland Collection at Bickelhaupt Arboretum in Clinton, IA. He also donated the The Harper Collection of Dwarf and Rare Conifers to Michigan State University’s Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton, MI. He received the “Award of Merit” from the American Conifer Society in 1996 for

“outstanding and dedicated support to the Society.”

The following descriptions are excerpts from interviews with Harper published in The Landscape Contractor.

In them he describes his favorite conifers — many of them underused.

“Abies koreana - Korean fir:

Not many of the firs are happy in our Midwest climate, but this fir always does well and is tolerant of heat and cold. Its beautiful bi-colored needles makes this handsome plant a winner.

There are many dwarf and slow-growing cultivars of this species. One favorite is ‘Prostrata’ that stays low and spreading. Another is ‘Aurea,’ with a beautiful muted yellow color that adds a special

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dimension in any garden. The cultivar ‘Silberlocke,’ with its upward-turned needles showing the white lower surface, has become very popular. The uprightborne cones of firs always add another attraction of color and beauty.

Larix decidua - European larch: There is no more beautiful sight than this deciduous conifer in fall color. This extremely rugged plant has yielded a few unusual forms. The best that I’ve seen have come from witches’ brooms and witches’ broom seedlings. Many of these stay very small for areas where space is limited.

The bicolor needles are very handsome on this rugged tree. There is a dwarf cultivar, ‘Nana,’ that is very nice where space is a problem.

Pinus cembra - Swiss stone pine: This is a very hardy, slow-growing symmetrical pine. There are several notable cultivars of this pine that deserve special mention.

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113

Plant Focus

Five Foliage Favorites

by Becke Davis

As rakes

and leafblowers have all been put away, it’s a good time to look ahead to the upcoming apring season. Did this year’s color palette fall a little flat? Looking for foliage with more “oomph” for next year?

Check out these fall foliage favorites — five trees and five shrubs, a mix of tried-and-true plants and exciting new hybrids and cultivars — for Kodak-worthy color.

Purple Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria)

Five trees with spectacular fall foliage 1. Maple (Acer spp.) – It’s almost a cliché, but it’s hard to beat maples for reliable fall color in the Midwest. Hardiness ranges from extremely hardy to marginally hardy in the Midwest.

Species and cultivars recommended for fall color include the hedge maple (Acer campestre), vine maple (A. circinatum), amur maple (A. ginnala), paperbark maple (A. griseum), golden full moon maple (A.shirasawanam ‘Aureum’), full moon maple (A. japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’), Japanese maple (A. palmatum), red maple (A. rubrum), sugar maple (A. saccacharum), State Street® Miyabe maple (A. miyabei ‘Morton’) and Freeman maple (A. × freemanii).

2. Purple Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria) – This small, bushy tree gets its common name 114

from the smoky plumes of flowers that bloom in summer.

It performs best in full sun and moist soil, but is tolerant of drought. Fall color is best in cultivars such as ‘Royal Purple’ (which is less cold hardy than other forms), ‘Nordine Red,’ ‘Notcutt’s Variety’ and ‘Velvet Cloak.’ American smoketree (C. obovatus) has excellent fall color; ‘Grace,’ a hybrid of C. coggygria ‘Velvet Cloak’ and C. obovatus, grows to 25 feet and has striking red-orange fall color. The University of Illinois Extension Service recommends pruning smoketree heavily to promote vigorous young stems for vibrantly colored foliage.1 3. Autumn Gold Ginkgo or Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’) – Ginkgo is a deciduous conifer, a gymnosperm dating from ancient times. ‘Autumn Gold’ is a fruitless male selection with golden yellow fall color and distinctive fan-shaped leaves. It will grow 50 to 80 feet tall.

4. White Oak (Quercus alba) – This native shade tree is long-lived and hardy, with attractive lobed leaves that turn burgundy-red in fall. It grows best in moist, acidic soil in full sun. (continued on page 116)

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Plant Focus (continued from page 114) 5. Autumn Brilliance Apple Serviceberry (Amelanchier × grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’) – While all serviceberries have attractive fall color, ‘Autumn Brilliance’ is recommended for its vivid orange-red fall color. It is hardy to zone 4 and will reach a height and width of 15-25 feet. It has ornamental flowers and fruits and is attractive to birds, bees and butterflies.

Five shrubs with fantastic fall foliage 1. Brilliant Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia ‘Brilliantissima’) – This suckering, colonizing, moisture-loving shrub is a good choice for natural, boggy and streamside plantings. It is a relatively compact plant with lustrous leaves and spectacular bright red fall foliage and abundant red fruits.

yellow and orange. Color is best in full sun and is said to be better in the species than in hybrids and cultivars.

Autumn Gold Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’) 2. Fothergilla or Witch-Alder Both large fothergilla (Fothergilla major) and dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) feature a blaze of fall color including red, purple, burgundy, gold,

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

3. Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) – Unlike the mophead-type hydrangeas, the oakleaf is both native and hardy to zone 5. It has multiple seasons of interest, with white flowers in spring, attractive foliage in summer, attractive, exfoliating bark in winter, and stunning fall color in a mix of purple, red, orange, gold and burgundy. Also available: ‘Snowflake,’ ‘Harmony,’ ‘Snow Queen,’ ‘Alice,’ ‘Sikes Dwarf,’ ‘Peewee,’ ‘Ruby Slippers’ and ‘Munchkin.’

4. Prairie Flame™ Shining Sumac (Rhus copallina var. latifolia ‘Morton’) – A Chicagoland Grows® introduction, this compact shrub has vibrant, glossy red-orange fall foliage. This male clone has a suckering habit and will colonize.

Prairie Flame™ Shining Sumac (Rhus copallina var. latifolia ‘Morton’ 5. Autumn Embers Ozark Witch Hazel (Hamamelis vernalis ‘Autumn Embers’ ™) – This native springblooming shrub is hardy to zone 4 and features rich burgundy-red fall color.

It reaches a mature height of 6-10 feet with a width of up to 8-15 feet.

Other trees and shrubs which have excellent fall color but, for hardiness considerations or limited availability, aren’t commonly found in Midwest landscapes include tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum), Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) and Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica). New cultivars of old favorites are being introduced all the time, as well as improved versions of shrubs and trees that have less-thanreliable color in species form.

Many factors determine the quality of a season’s overall fall color, but you can stack the deck in your favor by selecting the cream of the fall color crop.

SOURCES: 1 http://urbanext.illinois.edu/ ShrubSelector/detail_plant. cfm?PlantID=378

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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ILCA Business Library

Is Humility the #1 Characteristic to

We’re all hardwired for ego-based thinking yet, in the 21st century economy, success depends on how well we can listen, learn, and collaborate with others. Is humility the new key to success? You shouldn’t wait another year — or even another month — to start taming your ego.

by Dottie Dehart

As a new year begins

, most of us are focused on the resolutions we’ve chosen to pursue. While 2016 is still relatively fresh, you might want to consider adding one (probably unexpected) goal to perennial favorites like losing weight or getting your finances in order: becoming more humble.

Why? Larger-than-life egos are fast becoming liabilities, not the signs of strength and leadership they once were. Indeed, in what may first appear to be a paradox, Professor Edward Hess says that ego’s mortal enemy—humility—is one of the traits most likely to guarantee success in the 21st century workplace.

“In the tech tsunami of the next few decades, robots and smart machines are projected to take over more than half of U.S. jobs,” says Hess, a professor at the University of Virginia’s

Darden Graduate School of Business and author of Learn or Die: Using Science to Build a Leading-Edge Learning Organization (Columbia Business School Publishing, www.EDHLTD.com).

“The jobs that will still be ‘safe’ involve higher-order cognitive and emotional skills that technology can’t replicate, like critical thinking, innovation, creativity, and emotionally engaging with other humans,” he explains. “All of those skills have one thing in common: They are enabled by humility.”

Skeptical? Ask yourself this: Have you ever met someone with a big ego who was really good at being open-minded?

Really good at reflectively listening? At putting himself in another’s shoes? At playing well with others? At saying, “I don’t know,” “Your idea is better than mine,” or, “You’re right”?

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Develop in 2016?

Didn’t think so.

Clearly, if you want to be an effective leader (or even a successful employee) in 2016 and beyond, you are going to have to rein in your ego and become more team-oriented. And make no mistake, says Hess: It won’t be easy.

“We’re talking about self-work that’s never finished,” he says. “For one thing, ego-based thinking is our brain’s default position—we naturally seek to reinforce what we already think we know. Also, we have to overcome a lifetime of cultural and behavioral big-ego conditioning. But if we’re to stay competitive in the Smart Machine Age, it has to happen!”

Here, Hess shares seven suggestions to help you hone your humility this year:

First, know that you’ll have to work against your brain’s natural inclinations. According to Hess, quieting our egos actually goes against our very natures! Cognitively, we humans are wired to selectively process only information that is confirmatory—and to selectively filter out information that contradicts what we “know” to be “right.” In addition, we’re lazy, self-serving, and emotionally defensive thinkers who are driven to protect our egos.

“However, the science is quite clear that high-level and innovative thinking is a team sport,” he comments. “In order to learn, adapt, and succeed, we have to be willing to look closely at our mistakes and failures, to really listen to people who disagree with us, and to allow the best thinking and best ideas to rise to the (continued on page 120)

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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ILCA Business Library (continued from page 119) top—which requires humility! The good news is, when it comes to resisting your thinking’s natural defenses, forewarned is forearmed.”

Seek objective feedback about your ego. You can’t troubleshoot your ego if you don’t have an accurate picture of what it looks like. Since this isn’t an area in which you can trust your own judgment, have the courage to get people who know you well at work and in your personal life to fill out a 360-degree review about you—one that focuses on your emotional intelligence and your behaviors concerning open-mindedness, listening, empathy, humility, etc.

“Explain why you need honest answers,” instructs Hess. “Emphasize how appreciative you will be if they are honest and that candor will not diminish

the relationship. After receiving the data, evaluate it with a trusted other. Thank everyone who had the courage to give you honest feedback. Reflect on the picture you received and decide what you want to do with that data.”

Change your mental model of what “smart” looks like. In the past, “smartness” has been determined by the size of one’s body of knowledge. Not knowing the “right” answer was—and often still is—a big blow to the ego. But today we already have instant access to all the knowledge we want, thanks to “companions” like Google and Siri. The “new smart” means knowing what you don’t know and knowing how to learn it, being able to ask the right questions, and being able to examine the answers critically.

“As the legendary hedge fund investor Ray Dalio said, ‘We are all dumb shits,’”

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

comments Hess. “We are all suboptimal thinkers. Only those of us who can graciously and humbly admit that we don’t know it all will succeed in this new world.

So change how you keep score. Engage in collaboration, seek out feedback, and ask for help daily. That will push you toward developing the humility and empathy you’ll need to ‘win’ in the new game.”

Learn to put yourself in others’ shoes.

Research says one way to become less self-absorbed and more open to the experiences of others is to actively work on being more empathetic and compassionate. Thinking of how others helped you and saying “thank you” on a daily basis is a positive way to begin the process.

Reflecting on the people who add joy to your life helps too.

“Suspending judgment so that I can put myself in another person’s shoes has

always been a particular challenge for me,” Hess admits. “My mind always wants to jump to a conclusion instead of really considering what the other person is experiencing, thinking, or feeling. Active listening has been an important tool in helping me learn to set my ego aside. When I remind myself to focus all of my attention on what someone else is saying instead of on formulating my own response, I find that my understanding of the situation grows—and often, so does the amount of empathy I feel.

“Remember, you don’t have to fully agree with someone’s opinion or actions to still treat them with compassion,” he adds.

“Disagreeing with humility still leaves the lines of communication open and allows teamwork to happen in the future.” (continued on page 122)

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(continued from page 121) Quiet your mind to stay in the moment. Hess points to attention-focused meditation as a time-honored method of calming one’s inner self-intensity. Fully engaging with your current experience (as opposed to ruminating on the past or worrying about the future) enables you to maintain a balanced, healthy perspective. Staying in and responding to the present moment is also a powerful safeguard against ego-driven misunderstandings and misinterpretations.

“Personally, I have found that meditation makes me more aware of my physical reactions—breathing and heart rate,” he shares. “I now know that when my internal motor gets running really fast I tend to revert to a ‘me’ syndrome, and that I need to deliberately slow myself down so that I can exhibit more calmness and openness to others. I have come to understand that as a teammate and as a leader I don’t have to be right all the time or the center of attention all the time—but I do have to work with others to arrive at the best answer.”

Stop letting fear drive your decisions. We often play it safe because we don’t want to look dumb, be wrong, or fail spectacularly in front of our friends and colleagues. In other words, we’re afraid of making mistakes and bruising our egos. Hess says being okay with being wrong is a necessary and important part of developing humility.

“Fear of failure, fear of looking bad, fear of embarrassment, fear of a loss of status, fear of not being liked, and fear of losing one’s job all inhibit the kind of learning, innovation, and collaboration that’s essential for your long-term job security,” Hess asserts. “To proceed more fearlessly into the future, you need to understand that learning is not an efficient 99 percent defect-free process—so mistakes have to be valued as learning opportunities.

“The faster and better you are at turning mistakes into learning opportunities, the less likely it is that you will be replaced by some machine,” he adds. “Having an ego that’s not afraid to acknowledge mistakes, confront weaknesses, and test assumptions is a reliable strategy for long-term success.”

Grade yourself daily. There’s a reason why to-do lists are so popular: They work! Create a checklist of reminders about the need to be humble, open-minded, empathetic, a good listener, or any other ego-mitigating quality you wish to work on. Make the list as detailed as possible. Review it before every meeting and grade yourself at the end of each meeting. For example, if you want to work on being a better listener, your list might include the following tasks: • • • •

122

Do not interrupt others.

Really focus on understanding the other person.

Suspend judgment.

Do not think about your response while the other person is still talking.

• Do not automatically advocate your views in your first response.

• Ask questions to make sure you understand the other person.

• Ask if you can paraphrase what the other person said to make sure you heard them correctly.

• Really try to understand the reasons the other person believes what they believe. (continued on page 124) The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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ILCA Business Library “If you reflect and work on managing yourself every day, you will notice a difference in your humility-to-ego ratio,” Hess promises. “To start, I advise picking two behaviors you want to change. Seek the help of trusted others in creating your checklist and ask for their help in holding you accountable. Give them permission to call you out when they see you acting in opposition to your desired new behaviors.”

The journey to becoming a more humble person will not be short. It will take persistent hard work. And it will be a lifelong endeavor—not something that’s completed by December 31. But Hess firmly believes that you will find the journey to be liberating and fruitful.

“With humility comes more meaningful relationships, better opportunities, and of course, an increased chance of staying relevant and competitive in the Smart Machine Age,” he says.

“In that age, individualism and internal competition will be out, and teamwork will be in. Self-promotion will be out, and selfreflection will be in. Knowing it all will be out, and being good at not knowing will be in.

“In short, humility will be needed to maximize one’s effectiveness at thinking, listening, relating, and collaborating,” concludes Hess. “You will need others to help you outthink a smart machine! Work on yourself starting now, so they’ll want to engage with you tomorrow. Honing your humility may turn out to be one of the most important New Year’s resolutions you’ll ever make.”

About the Author:

Edward D. Hess is a professor of business administration and Batten Executive-in-Residence at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and the author of 11 books, including Learn or Die: Using Science to Build a Leading-Edge Learning Organization, by Columbia Business School Publishing

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Do You Have a Big Ego? A Five-Minute Self-Assessment Many people

who have big egos don’t realize it—they simply think of themselves as competitive, driven, selfassured, or something equally positive. This assessment will help you determine whether or not your ego is (to paraphrase Dr. Seuss in describing the Grinch) “three sizes too big.” Ask yourself: True or false: Do these statements describe my usual behavior?

1. I rarely say, “I don’t know”—especially in public.

2. I rarely admit my mistakes.

3. I rarely talk about my personal weaknesses with colleagues.

8. I rarely apologize publicly to others when I may have hurt their feelings.

9. I rarely ask people how they are feeling.

10. I always strive to be the leader.

11. I make sure I get the respect I am due.

4. I don’t often ask for personal feedback.

12. I work hard at looking good to others.

5. I dislike compromising when I am debating.

6. I interrupt people when they are talking in order to give them the answer.

7. I like solving other people’s problems.

13. I don’t enjoy talking things out with others.

Did you have mostly “trues”? Don’t despair. At least you know you have a problem...and nothing can stop you from doing some humility-building self-improvement work right away!

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Member Profile Alysstone, LLC

13332 Round Barn Road Plainfield, IL 60585 (630) 608-8377 www.alysstone.com

by Meta L. Levin

Alysstone, LLC was born

of synergies. Jay and Tania Rients have different, but complementary skills and experience – he in landscape architecture with proficiency in hardscapes, marketing and sales; she in human resources and management.

Why not, they thought, offer their knowledge and experience to help small businesses, particularly landscape contractors? And so, they did, incorporating in August 2015.

Their target market is small landscape contractors who can’t get “over the hump” to move to the next level, but their services go beyond simple business consulting, says Jay Rients. “We’ll do things that the staff doesn’t want to do.”

Or doesn’t have the time to do.

For instance, the Rients hired a part time employee with corporate experience to make outbound calls on behalf of customers. “Most often landscape contractors and architects have a problem with sales,” says Rients. Using a script approved by the customer, the Alysstone employee called a list of 100 people supplied by the client. “She made the calls no one has time to make. It’s been very successful.”

Calling current customers to sell them new services aligns with Rients’ philosophy. “I preach that the best prospects are current customers.”

The Rients also assess a client’s business to, among other things, identify the high profit margin services and upsell opportunities, provide sales training, follow up with customers, monitor what customers are saying on social media 126

and implement customer relationship management databases. “Our clients don’t have to pay a sales person or office manager to do these things,” says Rients.

The couple spent three years Beta testing their ideas before officially starting the business. “We talked with a lot of people who told us that the industry needs theses services,” he says.

Alysstone operates with a lean staff: the Rients and their part time employee, Heather Lick. “She’s the one making the calls for our clients,” says Rients. “She is very professional.”

In examining their clients’ businesses and from the results of their sales calls, the Rients have been able to identify some trends in the industry. “2008 taught everyone a lesson,” he says. He advises customers to invest money in training their employees and believes in outsourcing certain jobs. “You don’t have to pay someone benefits to perform the services that we provide.”

It’s no surprise as they make phone calls, that they also learn what is popular with customers, such as outdoor living, native landscapes and stormwater management.

Active in the community, the Rients have been involved in The Conservation Foundation, ASLA and Conservation Plainfield.

Rients was familiar with ILCA from jobs he has held, so he moved quickly to join after incorporating Alysstone.

“We’re on a limited budget, but ILCA is our best value for reaching our target market,” he says. He believes that the networking opportunities will be valuThe Landscape Contractor February 2016

able to growing their new business.

A regular at MidAm, iLandscape, and Summer Field Day, Rients intends to continue participating in ILCA and is proud of the fact that he served as one of the first CLT judges.

The couple has a blended family of three sons and a daughter - all teenagers - and believe that family is most important. “No matter what we do, we have to keep the kids grounded,” he says.

The Rients are enthusiastic about the business they have begun. There is, he says, a passion behind what they do.

“I love to see people succeed. I love to get a phone call from someone who just got the project or the job he didn’t think he would get. I love to share in other people’s success.”

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FULL- TIME ENTRY LEVEL LANDSCAPE DESIGNER Grant & Power Landscaping, a premier contractor in the western suburb, is looking for a creative, efficient and self-motivated designer to add to our team. The ideal candidate has experience with Dynascape and some knowledge of estimating and installation procedures. Experience with Google SketchUp a plus. Prefer a degree in landscape design, horticulture or equivalent industry experience. Competitive salary and benefits offered.

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Craig Bergmann Landscape Design, Inc. has a manager position available within the Install department. We are landscape design build specialized in high-end residential estates.

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Candidates should have 2-4 years of experience and excellent communication skills. The right candidate should have experience operating skid steer machines and a fair knowledge of plant materials as well as the ability to provide friendly and courteous attention to all our patrons and staff.

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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HELP WANTED

***SOUTH BRANCH NURSERY CAREER OPPORTUNITY***

Landscape Designer

***NURSERY MANAGER*** *South Branch Nurseries, Inc., a sister company of Goodmark Nursery, has been in business since 1996 and is looking to expand its production for the future. Looking for a team player to manage growing operation in Union IL. Manage container growing & propagation, field production from start to finish, planning, forecasting, inventory control, budgeting and supervision of team* Join our industry leading team!

To view full job description visit us at www.goodmarknurseries.com or contact Amy@ 847-487-5071.

Here at Topiarius we create awesome, daily. From design/build, fine gardening, seasonal rotations and interior floral we strive to provide distinctive designs and superior customer service to our discerning clientele.

We are seeking an entry-level Landscape Designer to serve in a full-time position effective immediately. The designer will be highly involved in all aspects of the design process reporting to our design team.

For all the exciting info, check out our posting at www.topiarius.com/jobs/.

Reinvent Yourself With a New Career at Chalet

Position: Hardscape Craftsman New Frontiers has been in the landscape industry for over 30 years. We are looking for that unique individual who loves the outdoors, loves hard work, loves creating a beautiful environment and seeing a smile on the customer’s face when the project is completed. If this describes you, we would love to have you join our team. Construction skills and aptitude are required. Experience would be helpful.

If you are interested, please send a resume to our operations manager, shiela@newfrontierslandscaping.com.

If you are a creative horticulture or landscape professional and want to be a part of our innovative Landscape Division Team, let’s start some conversations. Please contact Sandy at sandyv@chaletnursery.com to learn more about Chalet & our 3 year round opportunities: *Perennial Garden Designer *Landscape Construction Project Manager *Entry Level Landscape Architect

HELP WANTED Mariani Plants is seeking a motivated, knowledgeable sales person to join our OUTSIDE SALES TEAM! Qualifications: • Self-Starter with excellent Sales Skills to sevice and grow existing accounts and prospect new customers in a defined outside Sales Territory.

• Positive attitude with strong communications skills, excellent follow up, and attention to details.

• Solid Team Player to work closely with Inside Sales Staff and represent Mariani Plants in a positive, professional manner.

Excellent Computer skills including Excel/Word • Landscape, Re-wholesale, or Garden Center experience is a plus.

• Woody & Perennial Plant knowledge is required.

Full time position with competitive salary, Incentive Plan and full benefits including 401k, health insurance, vehicle, and (IPhone & Laptop) for work purposes.

Please send resume to Kevin Finley, General Manager, Mariani Plants kfinley@marianiplants.com •

We are also seeking a Seasonal Landscape Designer at our Retail location in Wilmette.

Come and be a part of our historic future and join us in celebrating and shaping our next 100 years! www.chaletnursery.com

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES JAMES MARTIN ASSOCIATES, INC. Vernon Hills, IL & Boulder, CO

James Martin Associates, Inc. is a leader in the Landscape and Snow Management industry.

We have been providing services to our customers for over 37 years.

Account Managers

We are seeking candidates for the following positions:

Designer/Sales

Superintendents

Business Development

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

Landscape Architecture • Construction • Maintenance • Snow Management

www.jamesmartinassociates.com

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Classified Ads HELP WANTED Naturescape Design Inc. Looking for qualified irrigation Service Technicians, Foremen, and Crew Laborers to add to our team. Work for Chicagoland’s Premier Irrigation Firm. Great income available with overtime, vacation, and paid holidays. Save for your future with our 401K program. Uniforms provided and boot program. Full time positions available as well as Apprenticeship positions.

Good driving record a must as well as communication skills.

Contact our office for information and applications. 847 639-6900 180 Detroit St., Cary, IL email: info@naturescapedesigninc.com

Clauss Brothers, Inc. is a widely respected Landscape Firm established since 1925.

We are seeking to fill 2 full time positions: Project Manager: Self-motivated individual with the experience to estimate projects, develop and implement construction plans, direct staff and collaborate with clients. Three years of Field experience and/or college degree.

Assistant Project Manager: Enthusiastic team member to assist Senior Project Manager. Support Project Manager with field crew management, layout, product securement, proposal development and client interaction. Green industry experience and/or college degree preferred.

We offer competitive salaries and benefits.

Please email resume to: nrg@claussbrothersinc.com LANDSCAPE DESIGNER Seeking landscape designer at a well-established, full service landscaping company. Applicant must have experience in CAD based design, estimating and customer service. Responsibilities will include meeting clients, surveying, designing, estimating, sales and field set up. Pay scale based on experience.

Please send resume to Maureen: mmonahan.tommypollina@gmail.com

HELP WANTED City Escape- Project Manager The Project Manager is responsible for all landscape maintenance, including administration of landscape maintenance contract, as well as upkeep of plant health and irrigation systems. The position involves regular meetings with clients, creating work schedules, coordinating subcontractors, contract compliance, direct supervision of work crews, reviewing time cards for accuracy, training of crews to assure work performance meets company and client standards, and oversee the work is executed efficiently, safely and within budget. Daily activities include following and fulfilling the schedule of tasks to be completed, assisting in the care of turf and plant material, pesticide spraying, meeting safety standards, and communicating with clients.

City Escape - Foreman The Foreman is responsible for implementing the required work and leading the work crew in an efficient manner in order to meet or exceed contract requirements. This includes operating landscape equipment, tool inventory (tracking and maintenance), maintaining job site efficiency and quality control. The Foreman must be able to work outdoors in a variety of conditions and must be able to stand, bend and walk for long periods of time on a regular basis. The ability to lift 50lbs or more is also required. The successful candidate will have strong communication and leadership skills. Proficiency in Spanish is strongly preferred.

Please send resume and cover letter to: jobs@cityescape.biz Sebert Landscape services the Chicago-land area with a unique and sustainable approach. We call it “the new green” and it’s our way of changing the landscaping industry.

Great Impressions, our residential Naperville branch, is looking for an experienced, highly motivated and talented landscape designer/architect to be a pivotal piece of design/builds growth. A qualified candidate will have the background in sales, knowledge of estimation & construction, and provide premier customer service. This full time position offers benefits including a competitive salary, an incentive program, paid vacation, 401k and health/dental insurance.

Send resume to Lorena in HR department at Portfolio for interview is requested.

HELP WANTED Established, boutique landscape design/build company seeking energetic Landscape professional to join our family.

Responsibilities: the management of crews providing weekly care of residential landscape spaces.

Must Have: Strong communication and verbal skills, technical aptitude and extensive knowledge of midwestern horticultural practices.

Ability to listen to clients, identify issues and effectively resolve situations.

Monitor customer inquiries and maintain customer relationships.

Knowledge of lawn care/maintenance procedures including Proficient in operation and use of necessary landscape tools and equipment a plus.

Customer service experience mandatory & ability to speak fluent in Spanish very important Salaried position Please email resumes to: susie@obrienlandscape.com GARDEN CENTER MANAGER Seeking Responsible and Friendly Individual to Assist with Yard Sales, Load Customer’s Vehicles and Maintain Sales Yard. Must love the outdoors and be hard working!

Apply in person or send resume to: Perricone Bros. Landscaping 31600 Fisher Rd. Volo, IL 60051 or Email: perriconenursery@yahoo.com Integrated Pest Management/Plant Health Lawn Manager/Applicator Applicant must be able to identify lawn diseases, have computer skills, be able to sell lawn programs and to work independently on applications.

We offer full company benefits including company vehicle, medical and dental insurance. This is a full time 8 hour day hourly position with commissions paid bi-weekly. We work year round so if you want to work for an established company then please remit resume to: Winkler’s Tree and Landscaping PO Box 1154 LaGrange Park, IL 60526 708-544-1219 phone 708-544-0405 fax

info@winklerstreeservice.com email

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

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Successful suppliers know— industry leaders read this magazine. is the Midwest’s premier monthly magazine for the landscape, nursery and garden center business.

• Sales and marketing statistics show that the single

best way to reach buyers is through highly-targeted specialty magazines.

• This award-winning magazine is frequently hailed as the best magazine of its kind. Put your message in this flattering environment.

• The Landscape Contractor has an affordable advertising program for every budget.

Get your 2016 sales year on track!

For immediate attention

CALL Debbie at

817-501-2403

or email — debbie.landscapecontractor@

yahoo.com

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The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Thinking Outside 1st Choice Equipment ...................................................................................90

JKS Ventures..........................................................................................108

1st Farm Credit Services ...............................................................................26

Johnson’s Nursery ............................................................................................42

A Block Marketing ...........................................................................................49

JRCO .............................................................................................................118

Agrecol........................................................................................111

Kaknes Landscape Supply ..............................................................................109

Arborjet ...................................................................................................124

Kramer Tree .....................................................................................................44

Arthur Clesen, Inc. ...........................................................................................97

Krukowski Stone ...........................................................................................112

Aspen Valley Landscape Supply ......................................................................29

Kuenzi Turf & Nursery ....................................................................................97

Avant Techno USA ........................................................................................106

Lafarge Fox River Stone ................................................................................121

Badger Evergreen Nursery ...........................................................................117

Lemke Stone..................................................................................................108

Bartlett Tree Experts .......................................................................................121

Longshadow Planters .......................................................................................17

Beaver Creek Nursery .....................................................................................94

Lurvey Landscape Supply ...............................................................................99

Blue Grass Farms .............................................................................................52

James Martin Associates...............................................................................130

Cardno .............................................................................................................14

Martin Implement Sales .................................................................................30

Carlin Sales.....................................................................................................122

McGinty Bros. ................................................................................................110

Cassidy Tire....................................................................................................25

Midwest Groundcovers ...................................................................................46

Cedar Path Nurseries .......................................................................................19

Midwest Trading .................................................................................................2

Central Sod Farms ..........................................................................................119

NGL Energy Partners LP ...............................................................................104

Check Express ...............................................................................................123

Northern Family Farms ...................................................................................122

Chicagoland Gardening .................................................................................117

OGA .................................................................................................................45

Conserv FS .......................................................................................................43

Perfect Turf ......................................................................................................23

Contree Sprayer & Equipment .........................................................................47

Premier Travertine.......................................................................................115

Cornerstone Processing ..................................................................................112

ProAp Fertilizer ...............................................................................................21

Dayton Bag & Burlap .....................................................................................120

ProGreen Plus ................................................................................................122

DeVroomen Garden Products ..........................................................................40

Reflections water, light, stone ....................................................................103

DeWitt ............................................................................................................127

RentalMax ........................................................................................................51

Digi-Talk .......................................................................................................113

Rocks Etc. ........................................................................................................41

Doty Nurseries LLC .......................................................................................110

Rochester Concrete Products ........................................................................37

Downes Swimming Pool Co. ............................................................................27

Russo Power Equipment ................................................................................85

Eden Stone .....................................................................................................102

RWC Insurance Group ..................................................................................120

Emergent Safety Supply .........................................................................116

Sheridan Nurseries ............................................................................................93

Expande Tus Conocimientos ........................................................................125

Spring Grove Nursery .....................................................................................122

Fairview Evergreen Nurseries ..........................................................................39

Spring Meadow Nursery..................................................................................89

Fiore Nusery and Landscape Supply ................................................................33

Stockyards Brick Co. ........................................................................................31

Garden Prairie Organics ...................................................................................91

Techo-Bloc .........................................................................................................3

Goodmark Nurseries ........................................................................................95

The Care of Trees ..........................................................................................122

Green Glen Nursery ........................................................................................135

The Landscape Contractor magazine .............................................................132

B. Haney & Sons, Inc. ......................................................................................93

The Mulch Center ...........................................................................................111

Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. ...................................................................................50

The Tree Connection ......................................................................................105

Homer Industries, Inc. .......................................................................................13

Tri-County Stockdale Co. of Joliet ................................................................107

Husqvarna ........................................................................................................35

Unilock Chicago ........................................................................................136

IL Propane Gas Association ..........................................................................125

Vermeer Midwest .......................................................................................15

Ivanhoe Nursery ..............................................................................................113

Xylem, Inc. ...................................................................................................41

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

133

All-Star Plants

China Snow® Peking Lilac

Members of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois will be the exclusive provider of content for the Plant All-Stars page during 2016.

By Ryan Doty

Some plants

— just like All-Star athletes — make everyone around them look better. What’s a plant you can use — and recommend — with confidence?

We’ve asked ILCA members—who are also members of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois — to share their thoughts on proven performers.

Japanese tree lilacs, as a group, have seen an upswing in popularity in recent years as the need for a medium size tree option has increased. Whether the application is for a smaller residential yard or in a parkway under a power line, plants with a maturity of 20’-25’ are in high demand. Along with fitting into tight spaces, Japanese tree lilacs offer a very nice flower during a time of year when most intermediate trees have already put on their annual flower show.

China Snow® Peking Lilac is a plant from the Japanese lilac (Syringa) plant family that can help bring some diversity to the medium ornamental tree category. This plant is a Chicagoland Grows® introduc-

Syringa pekinensis ‘Morton’ facts— Size:

tion selected from the plant collections at the Morton Arboretum. China Snow® Peking Lilac has an exfoliating, cinnamon color bark which is unique amongst the lilac varieties and most similar to a paperbark maple(Acer griseum), but with more apparent peeling. This ornamental characteristic is quite a showcase in the winter when the tree is bare. China Snow also offers the trademark Japanese tree lilac bloom in mid-June which really jumps out in the landscape at that time of year.

The good news about this plant is given all those unique characteristics it is hardy to the area and has no known disease or foliage problems. It can be found in the trade in a single stem, which is ideal for a parkway situation. It also grows as a clump which is suitable for use in planting beds. As it ages it can benefit from some corrective pruning to help it keep looking fresh, but overall is a solid performer with multi season interest for this area.

Ryan Doty Owner Doty Nurseries LLC

Foliage

20’-25 tall with spread of 20’

Green semi-glossy foliage, turning yellow in the fall

Flowers

Culture

Large creamy white fragrant blooms in mid to late June

Plant in full sun to part shade for best flower production. Intolerant of poorly drained soils.

Drought and salt tolerant.

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Ryan grew up in the nursery business. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in finance, he began working in the industry.

Ryan has been involved in a number of organizations. He has served on the ILCA Field Day committee for 12 years and was president of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois. Ryan is the owner of Doty Nurseries LLC which is a field growing nursery just north of Elburn, Illinois that supplies trees, intermediates, upright evergreens and shrubs.

The Landscape Contractor February 2016

Unilock Awards of Excellence is an annual photo contest showcasing the best installations with Unilock product. In order to Win, you have to Submit. Talk to your local Unilock Representative about submitting this fall.

CONGRATULATIONS 2015 WINNERS

Best Driveway County Wide Landscaping, Inc.

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Best Project Using ‘15 New Products Elemental Landscapes

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