The Landscape Contractor magazine JAN.23 Digital Edition

ILCA Person of the Year Charlie Keppel

Distinguished Supplier Award goes to Twixwood Nursery

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January 2023

CONTENTS Excellence In Landscape Awards Project

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FOCUS: ILCA Awards and Honors ILCA Person of the Year — Charlie Keppel 10

Past President and Father of the Pruning Workshop Distinguished Supplier Award Twixwood Nursery 12

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Special Recognition Award 14 The College of DuPage Horticulture Department

2022 ILCA Scholarship Winners 16

iLandscape Celebrates 10 Years Games in the Gardens — A celebration

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iLandscape Games in the Gardens A complete preview

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EN ESPAÑOL Juegos en el jardín Games in the Gardens

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Baby, It’s Cold Outside 38 Insider tips for staying warm while working outside Member Profile 54 Ruizscape Landscaping

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Inspiration Alley 61 The Gold Rush Before You Go Golden Conifers with Winter Radiance

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On the cover... This project, titled Dark Secret Oasis earned a

2022 Gold award for Night Light, Inc.

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

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

Photo Credits

ILCA Awards Committee Rick Reuland Charlie Keppel Twixwood Nursery Cpllege of DuPage Scholarship Committee

1, 8-9, 10, 20 11 12-13 14-15 16-17

FEBRUARY

February 1-3, 2023 iLandscape Schaumburg Convention Center Schaumburg, IL

4 5 7 56 61

Nina Koziol Mark Dwyer

REGISTER NOW!

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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 64, Number 1. The Landscape Contractor (ISSN # 0194-7257, USPS # 476-490) is published monthly for $75.00 per year by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste. 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL and additional mailing offices. Printed in USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Landscape Contractor, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. DISPLAY ADVERTISING SALES: Association Publishing Partners, Inc., Ph. (630) 637-8632 Fax (630) 637-8629 email: rmgi@comcast.net CLASSIFIED ADS, CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION: ILCA (630) 472-2851 Fax (630) 472-3150 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL OFFICE: Rick Reuland, rmgi@comcast.net, Naperville, IL 60540 Ph. (630) 637-8632 PRODUCT DISCLAIMER: The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, its Board of Directors, the Magazine Committee, ILCA Staff, The Landscape Contractor and its staff, neither endorse any products nor attest to the validity of any statements made about products

ILCA Staff

Magazine Staff

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

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

Education Manager AnneMarie Drufke adrufke@ilca.net

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

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Events Manager Terre Houte thoute@ilca.net

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Feature Writer

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Membership & Marketing Manager Marissa Stubler mstubler@ilca.net

SHADE TREES • ORNAMENTALS EVERGREENS • SHRUBS

Nina Koziol Feature Writer

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Heather Prince

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HUNTLEY 14029 Church Road Huntley, IL 60142

From Where I Stand — Few know this, but as the writer of a monthly

magazine column, I am legally obligated to use my January column to write about New Year’s resolutions. Us columnists write columns all year, get our late December writer’s block, and whip out some optimistic passage about New Year’s resolutions that are abandoned sometime around Valentine’s Day. I have a confession to make. I have always found New Year’s resolutions to be completely exhausting. We have just gotten through a month filled with holiday obligations. We have Christmas parties, secret santas, white elephants, on top of all the other gifts we have to buy for friends and loved ones. We have children who give us Christmas lists a mile long and spouses who shrug and say, “Just get me whatever.”

We trudge through slushy parking lots and crowded malls to try and find the perfect gift only to panic and wind up with a $50 Visa gift card or scented candle.

Buying gifts for others is stressful. A New Year’s resolution is supposed to be that gift we reserve for ourselves. Yet, it never feels that way. Instead of treating ourselves to a massage or spa day or round of golf or round of drinks, we re-gift ourselves these annoying resolutions. We take stock of our lives and determine what is missing. Our resolutions are aspirational, personal and hopeful. They are also drenched in guilt and shame. Our resolutions are never, “Drink more wine!” It is more like drink less wine and hit the gym six days a week.

Resolutions feel like penance for being alive. January is usually a giant pile of suck, and New Year’s resolutions zap even more joy out of this dark, cold, barren month.

There are even guidelines to making a New Year’s resolutions stick. It is recommended to start small, take stock in the months leading up to January, set goals, create milestones, identify what has sidetracked us in the past, and gain wisdom from our inevitable failures. That just seems like a lot of work and advanced planning for one blurry night of champagne and noisemakers.

So, I’m not doing it this year. I am not going to be as corny to say, “My New Year’s resolution is not to make any New Year’s resolutions.” That sounds like something someone would stitch onto an ugly holiday sweater. The challenge with all resolutions is that they require change and commitment and discipline. Those are in short supply immediately following an exhausting holiday season when we just want the kids to go back to school and for the sun to set later than 3:40pm.

That doesn’t mean I am taking 2023 off. Just because I refuse to heap some new goal on top of my hectic life, doesn’t mean I refuse to grow. The further we have drifted from the pandemic, the more I have come to realize I miss a lot of the normal stuff I used to do.

There was this universal assumption that when the pandemic drew to a close, we would return to our old habits and comfort zones. We never anticipated that these altered comfort zones would become permanent. Scientific American reported on how the pandemic even changed our concept of personal space. Personal space is the danger zone where an interaction goes from harmless to threat. In America, it is 18 inches to 4-feet. Studies now show our acceptable bubbles have grown by 50% in just under three years.

That is not all that was altered. I was sitting in a waiting room recently and I overheard an older couple talking about a holiday party they were going to that night. After the typical briefing from the wife on the Who, What, When, and Where, the husband stared off into the distance and lamented, “I think I’ve forgotten how to go to a party.” I empathized with him. For almost two years, intimate gatherings and parties just disappeared. Our social calendars grew empty. For some, this was heaven.

For others, it was lonely and isolating. For the rest of us, it just felt weird.

It wasn’t just parties. It was going out to dinner, watching a movie in a theater and not in our pajamas, full offices crackling with energy, crowded train cars, tradeshows, face-to-face meetings, and quick meet-ups for a drink or coffee. We missed noisy sleepovers for our kids and sporting events and concerts and crowded shopping malls and rush hour traffic. Now that life feels normal again, some of these diversions are conspicuously absent. It almost feels like the de facto weekend is curling up on the couch to watch Netflix drinking boxed wine.

Recently, my wife and I ran into an old acquaintance who is a close talker. He speaks at the same distance a baseball manager uses with an umpire after a close play at home plate.

We were catching up and he was 6-inches from my face. I could feel his breath on my cheeks. I stood my ground. I am no fan of close talking, but for the first time in a few years, this felt normal. It felt like old times when an intrusion into my personal space wasn’t met with anxiety. As we walked home that night I turned to my wife and said, “After the closeness of that conversation, my pandemic is over.”

So this year, instead of heaping resolutions onto my already busy life, I am going to try something different. My New Year’s resolution isn’t to dare to be different or go skydiving or take up kickboxing. Instead, I want to reconnect with all the simple past times I used to enjoy.

Every week, I read an article about a blockbuster underperforming at the box office. It seems every movie except for “Top Gun: Maverick” has been a complete disappointment.

These articles lazily chalk this up to Covid and how people are reticent to return to the movies. Personally, I don’t think that is the case. Like the guy who forgot how to go to a party, I

Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot?

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From Where I Stand —

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feel many of us have forgotten how to go to a movie. We are out of practice. As our comfort zones changed, seeing movies in theaters was now on the outside looking in. Hollywood keeps pumping movies out, many of them are good, they just have failed to draw us out of our comfort zones.

Seeing movies in theaters was deeply ingrained in our society.

These were billion dollar franchises. Movie theaters were morphing into restaurants and bars. We sat in Lazy Boy recliners and ordered from waiters. We spent $20 on tickets and didn’t even flinch at $10 popcorn or $15 buffalo wings. Then, Covid hit and it all went away. We fell in love with watching TV in our sweatpants. A dozen streaming services pumped content into our homes on a weekly basis. Top Hollywood films skipped theaters and were released directly to streaming. Somewhere along the way, we just forgot how to go to movies. Many of us loved going to movie theaters, we just began to phase it out of our lifestyles. Now, studios are faced with hundred million dollar movies being released to empty theaters.

At first, we erroneously assumed that once the concerns about public health subsided, life would resume uninterrupted. People would return to the movies or offices or parties or bars. We would ditch Zoom in favor of camaraderie and hearty handshakes. We were wrong. The ILCA hosts close to 100 meetings at our offices in Oak Brook. I can count on one hand how many of those have had zero virtual attendees. These committee members are not coming because they are scared of Covid, they are not attending in person because it no longer fits into their lifestyle and daily routine.

They still want to serve the ILCA, the industry, and support their fellow committee members. They have just found a new way to engage and the old way seems as foreign as lining up to watch a movie or going out of our way to make Friday night dinner plans.

I miss the old ways. I miss the connections. I miss the crowds and talking to strangers and meeting a friend for lunch. I miss dressing up to take my wife out on a date night. I miss plunging my hand into a bucket of popcorn while superheroes punch each other in the face. I miss the ILCA conference room filled with people, laughter, learning, and life.

I know everyone is on their own timetable. Introverts will be dragged from their couches. Homebodies and couch potatoes will lock the doors and close the drapes. Uber Eats will still drop off dinners that used to be enjoyed in loud restaurants. Meetings will still be confined to Zoom boxes. Movie theaters will sit empty.

I am just looking forward to reconnecting in 2023. iLandscape 2022 was still smack dab in the middle of the pandemic. It was a soft launch to the return of tradeshows that was not helped by a blizzard. iLandscape 2023 will be different. It will be crowds and handshakes and laughter and close-talkers and energy and bar tables filled with drinks and shared food. It will be reconnections, job opportunities, networking, elbows-touching-elbows and knees-touching-knees. It will be hugs, hangovers, happy hours, fun, and games. It will be just like old times, and I am so excited that I can barely sit still.

For those of you ready to return, you know where to find us.

Just be advised, I’m a hugger.

Sincerely, Scott Grams, Executive Director

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The Landscape Contractor January 2023

President’s Message — Happy New Year everyone!

President

With the new year upon us, it’s time to start thinking about what new things you want to accomplish with your team. We have had 2-3 years of being crazy busy due to the pandemic and residential clients spending more money on their property due to most people spending more time at home than they did before.

What are some of your goals for this season? Maybe increase your profit margin, more team members, deciding what market works best for your company, or investing in more equipment?

All of these things are great, of course, but it takes a lot of dedication to get any one of these things accomplished. If you are able to just get one of these items completed this year you are ahead of the game!

Jeff Kramer Work with your team members to come up with some of the goals as they often do have great ideas. If they are a part of the plan, it is more likely that the goal will be reached.

The iLandscape Show is just around the corner. This is a great event to check out the latest equipment and trends in our industry. There are many educational opportunities everyday as well. You can get your team inspired and ready to go for the new year ahead. Many new ideas await you and your team and this nationally known event is happening right in your back yard.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Jeff Kramer Kramer Tree Specialists, Inc, (630) 293-5444 jwkramer@kramertree.com

Vice-President

Ashley Marrin Bret-Mar Landscape Management Group, Inc. (708) 301-2225 ashley@bretmarlandscape.com

Secretary-Treasurer

Jim Cirrincione Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. (630) 323-1411 jcirrincione@hinsdalenurseries .com

Immediate Past President

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

Directors

Eric Adams Russo Power Equipment (847) 233-7811 eadams@russopower.com

Sincerely, Jeff Kramer

Kim Hartmann Rosborough Partners 847-404-7669 hartmannkim@comcast.net

¡Feliz Año Nuevo a todos!

Ryan Heitman The Fisher Burton Company (847) 566-9200 ryanheitman@fisherburton.com Tom Klitzkie Nature’s Perspective Landscaping (847) 475-7917 tklitzkie@naturesperspective.com Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net Kevin Manning K & D Enterprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 kmanning@kdlandscapeinc.com Kevin McGowen Kaknes/SiteOne 31W245 Diehl Road Naperville, IL 60563 Mark Utendorf Emerald Lawn Care, Inc. (847) 392-7097 marku@emeraldlawncare.com

Con el año nuevo cerca, es tiempo de comenzar a pensar sobre cosas que querrá lograr con su equipo. Hemos tenido 2 o 3 años súper ocupados debido a la pandemia y al hecho de que los clientes residenciales gastan más dinero en sus propiedades porque la mayoría de la gente pasa más tiempo en casa que antes de la pandemia. ¿Cuáles son algunas de sus metas para esta temporada? ¿Quizá incrementar su margen de ganancias, más miembros en su equipo, decidir qué mercados funcionan mejor para la compañía, invertir en nuevos equipos? Por supuesto que todas estas cosas son estupendas, pero se necesita mucha dedicación para lograr cualquiera de ellas. Si puede completar este año al menos una, ¡usted lleva la delantera!

Trabaje con los miembros de su equipo para lograr algunas de estas metas debido a que con frecuencia ellos tienen muy buenas ideas. Si son parte del plan, es más probable que se logre la meta.

La Feria iLandscape está a la vuelta de la esquina. Este es un gran evento para ponerse al tanto de lo último en equipos y tendencias en nuestra industria. También hay muchas oportunidades educativas todos los días. Puede hacer que su equipo se inspire y esté listo para el nuevo año que nos espera. Muchas nuevas ideas le esperan a usted y a su equipo en este evento de renombre nacional que se está llevando a cabo en su jardín trasero. ¡Espero con entusiasmo verlo ahí!

Atentamente, Jeff Kramer

www.ilca.net

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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James Martin Associates • Mundelein Roberts Residence

Splendiferous is the one word the homeowner used to

summarize the outcome of what the maintenance team needed to establish with their yearly landscape maintenance program. So, you can assume that the homeowner is going to be quite obsessive about the appearance of their yard. They didn’t want to just “Keep up with the Jones’” they wanted to surpass the Jones’. The

landscape’s appearance needed to be tastefully flamboyant with constant color and variety throughout the year. Once the design build team finished designing and installing the landscape it was up to the maintenance team to ensure the high standards would be fulfilled for as long as the homeowner wished.

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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ILCA Awards & Honors —

ILCA’s 2022-23 Person of the Year Charlie Keppel

by Nina Koziol

Charles “Charlie” Keppel has worn many hats over the years — arborist, fighter of forest fires, Master Mason, conservationist, safety guru, educator, committee member, church elder, Sunday school teacher, cubmaster, and vice president. Add Past President of the ILCA and the Illinois Arborist Association and the thousands of hours he’s spent volunteering and you may wonder when he has time to sleep.

“He’s a loyal and steadfast member of ILCA and has volunteered for a long time,” says Barb Rosborough, a past president of ILCA. “He’s the kind of guy who you can ask to do something and he does it happily and well—for years.”

Keppel has done an incredible job of melding his career, family, and volunteer activities into a seamless whole. “Meeting with people and educating them on the environment and how we can make a difference is one of the things I like best. If I can teach 10 people how to improve the environment by train-the-trainer, then they can expand on it. I think it’s very important.” He now is teaching the grandchildren of former students.

“We served on the ILCA board of directors together and he participated in the Leadership Council we put on back in the day,” said Bob Hursthouse of Hursthouse, Inc. “Charlie is thoughtful and insightful. He is always looking for the greater good and how he can get others to see that. He’s a loyal, long-term participant in association events, giving freely of his time and talents.”

Beginnings

Keppel grew up in Delaware, the youngest of six children. “We went camping a lot,” he said. “My uncle and my father helped me learn about trees.” His uncle had a woodlot in upper New York state and Keppel began logging there while he was in junior high. When he was a freshman at the University of Delaware he wrote a paper on how to manage a forest rather than clear cut. “Rachel Carson’s book, ‘Silent Spring’ got me interested in the environment.”

Besides attending classes and working on the university’s woodlots, he had a tree-trimming business. He transferred to Penn State University, graduating in 1976 with a degree in Urban Forestry. He also worked for the National Forest 10

Service in Delaware fighting fires and doing tree planting. “I had two jobs that kept me out of trouble.” While he was dating Nancy, the woman who would become his wife, he had an opportunity to become a smoke jumper in California. “She convinced me of the dangers out there. I’ve done prescribed burns and it is dangerous enough like climbing trees.”

Career Path

His first job in Illinois in 1977 was tree preservation for a 510-acre development in Lake Barrington. He worked for Hendricksen the Care of Trees, (later known as The Care of Trees and then The Davey Tree Expert Company). “In winter, I cross-country skied to do surveys. I had my own skis and snowshoes. I can work down to 20-below and it doesn’t bother me, but I don’t expect other people to work in that weather.”

He was district manager in a branch office, and as the company grew in the late 1980’s, he became regional manager and oversaw five offices. “I managed from southern Wisconsin to northern Illinois and I was on the road a lot. I managed the managers and the construction projects where I continued tree preservation. As regional manager, I was involved with the Arbor Day Foundation and traveled to New York city and Washington, D.C. for preservation projects.” But travel gets old, especially for someone who is hyperactive. “I got involved with ILCA and I enjoyed that much more than traveling.”

Keppel served on the ILCA Education and Political Action Committees and was a judge for the Certified Landscape Technician (CLT) program. “I was frustrated by the amount of time it took to educate people. I went head-to-head with the national organization because they said that when we did the CLT training here, if someone failed, they had to leave that test. But I felt like they should get extra help to understand the material. The old hippie in me from the 1970’s said no, so I got on committees to try and change that.”

“Charlie and I served on the Board together,” says Bob Bertog of Bertog Landscape Company. “He was always engaging and providing input on any issues presented to the Board. He was not a ‘yes man’ and would speak his mind.

He has donated countless hours of his time to the ILCA and

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

never hesitates to volunteer, whether it was judging for CLT or providing his insight for many workshops.”

Keppel retired two years ago from The Davey Tree Expert Company, but continues to consult for the firm. “I’ve trained new arborists and provided some direction. I get to pick what projects I like, which is nice. They’re good people.”

Training and Safety

The most challenging part of his career has been observing turnover. “It’s seeing people who look at the green industry as just a step, especially our college graduates who want to advance to management in 12 to 18 months.

They don’t have the patience to understand and get to know the field staff. I looked at it as a career back in the 70’s. It’s hard, especially with men ages 18 to 30 who think they’re invincible. We have a fair amount of women at Davey and they are very safety conscious.”

Working as an arborist has changed since Keppel joined the field. “When I first started, people were drinking on the job. Once the requirements for drug and alcohol tests were in place, we lost a significant amount of our work force, but it was for the better.” It’s not unusual for him to stop someone in the field who is not wearing safety gear. “If I see a contractor doing it wrong, like not wearing safety glasses, I’ll give him mine with my card. The only major accidents I had from work were people hitting my car.”

What about the future? “I think the arborist industry is going to be utilizing more specialized equipment to make it safer, but we need to continue proper training on the equipment to be safe. Basically when using a crane, if you’re topping a tree you take a big piece and if it’s an accident it’s going to be a big accident. So having checks and balances is important both in the tree and in the landscape.”

Champion for Conservation

A founding member of Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council, Keppel served along with television anchorman Bill Kurtis. “He practiced what he preached. He did a lot for the environment in Chicagoland. We have woodlands, prairie and savanna that you don’t see in other parts of the world.”

Volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America, Keppel was a cubmaster, an assistant boy scout master and then a

commissioner for the Scout’s Northwest Suburban Council, which served youth in the 34 communities. “Then I became the conservation specialist for the camps and put together a plan.”

When the Boy Scouts were selling their camps, Keppel met with the McHenry County Conservation District, which purchased the 160-acre Camp Lakota. He shared his landscape ecology plan with the group. “They’ve done a great job and picked up a lot of ecologically sensitive areas.”

“He’s a wealth of experience and a great example of an arborist,” Rosborough said. “I’d consider him one of our quiet heroes because he works without any fanfare or drama.”

Family, Faith and Community Four years ago, Keppel had what he calls “a little scare” with pancreatic cancer.

“I was down for a while and it took time to recuperate.”

The cancer is in remission.

“I believe God has something more for me to do.”

Now semi-retired — he does consulting 5 to 10 hours a week — he serves on the board of the Barrington Area Conservation Trust. “We’re creating an oak savanna and planting three-foot-tall oaks in what was a soybean field, then a prairie. We bring in high school students, scouts and Rotarians for workdays and Oaktoberfest.”

He donated a serviceberry tree to his church to honor Covid victims. “I’ve been a church elder for at least 10 years and a trustee for 25. My wife is a deacon there and my sons grew up in the church. It created a good environment for them.” His sons — Andrew and Adam — are both arborists who work in Illinois.

Now that he has more time, Keppel enjoys spending it with family. When he was working full time, he’d have breakfast and be out the door before his wife or sons were awake. “I’m spending more time with my wife because she’s been so supportive over the years. I’m not racing around before and after we go somewhere to make sure everything is ready when I leave and there’s no to do list on the return.” He enjoys vacationing with his family, including three grandchildren, where they spend time together outdoors.

“As an arborist, his specialty is a subset of the general ILCA membership and he has always been able to look at the bigger picture,” Hursthouse said. “He works for the good of our entire industry and demonstrates the belief that a rising tide raises all ships. Congrats Charlie!”

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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ILCA Awards & Honors —

ILCA Selects—

Twixwood Nursery for Distinguished Supplier Award

by Nina A. Koziol

It will come as no surprise to long-

time customers of Twixwood Nursery that ILCA bestowed them with its Distinguished Supplier of the Year Award. This premier wholesale grower of herbaceous plants in Berrien Springs, Michigan, aims to please and has done so for 54 years.

Twixwood is well known for its tried-and-true groundcovers, but scan the catalog and you’ll find everything from Scotch moss and nearly 70 types of Sedum to more than 40 kinds of sedges, dozens of coneflower cultivars, and a whopping list of heavenly hellebores, hostas and daylilies.

And, that’s just for starters. It’s a candy store of plants for landscape designers and horticulturists.

“They are a class act, whether you are talking about the owner Tom Kimmel, taking his time to show you plants, to Steve and Shelly taking care of our needs, and Wadia shipping our material when we need it,” said Kevin McGowen, operations manager for Kaknes Landscape Supply. “Twixwood and their many great people make our business better.”

Melissa Conroy of Elite Growers in Ingleside, Illinois, has known the firm for 20 years. “I respect Twixwood because as a company they are constantly striving to do better and improve themselves.

It’s easy to sit back and just keep doing the same things, but it takes effort to evaluate yourself and make changes.”

Over the years, the nursery has grown from 33 acres to 363 acres spread across six properties with one million square feet of poly-house space and much more in field-grown plants. And, its future looks very bright indeed.

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Beginnings

Tom Kimmel’s parents, George and Lou Kimmel, started Twixwood in 1968, potting periwinkle on a picnic table in their front yard. Lou was 50 years old. They’d been vegetable and berry farmers and after they subdivided their 80-acre farm, they built some houses and landscaped them with junipers and yews they grew in their nursery along with groundcovers. “Dianne married me in the spring of 1978 and she immediately went to work at the nursery learning everything from my parents,” Kimmel said.

The nursery still grows some popular products from the early days, like periwinkle and pachysandra, but the catalog’s offerings have vastly expanded. Vernonias, ornamental onions, catmints, geum and a host of grasses and native perennial cultivars fill the pages.

“Tom grows a really nice liner,” said Steve Raczak, who joined the company in 2004 as the first outside sales rep.

Before that, sales were done by phone. “My job is to convince the buyer to give us a chance at helping them. Our production people grow a strong product line.”

When comparing Twixwood to other growers, Raczak says, “We offer the core of what they want. We’re not the first or the last in line, but we pride ourselves on having a broad product line and we bring in new plants. People know they can depend on us. We try to go beyond the sale and add value.”

Homer Trecartin, Jr. is Twixwood’s manager of sales and production planning. When Kimmel’s parents retired to northern Michigan, they built some greenhouses and started growing ivy and pachysandra. Trecartin began working for them on his 15th birthday. “Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel taught me all they

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

could about the nursery business, which I put to good use as I moved around with my family from California to a mission stint in Africa and back to Georgia and Tennessee. I worked my way through college in greenhouse and landscaping businesses.”

He credits the couple as some of the most influential people in his life. “They were pleased to find a willing student.” When his family moved, he stayed in touch. “They told me if I ever wanted to have a career in the nursery business, to come back and see them. However, I took Theology in college and followed my dad into pastoring.

Eventually, though, life led me to Berrien Springs, and in need of a job, so I came back to Twixwood and rediscovered my love of the perennial nursery business. Now I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

Quality and Customer Service

From the beginning, Twixwood has sought to produce the best product possible. “I remember Mrs. Kimmel actually telling us to slow down when producing and caring for the plants because she didn’t want to sacrifice quality,” Trecartin said. “She ingrained that into me. Twixwood may not always be the cheapest or the fastest, but we do strive to make sure that the plants we send are high quality.”

The intense focus on quality and maintaining its own plant stock has positioned Twixwood for a very rosy future.

“We have acres of field stock,” Raczak said, “and 80 percent of what we sell is from our own fields.” Crews take cuttings from 200-foot-long rows of field-grown plants, which are then manually potted up. Millions of Twixwood plants end up in landscapes throughout the Midwest each year.

“In these days of supply chain uncertainties and skyrocketing prices, having control of all or most of the process allows us tremendous flexibility,” Trecartin said.

“We can increase or decrease without as much dependency on others.” It also creates challenges. “Maintaining the full cycle means we are a labor-intensive business. We have a very loyal crew most of whom have been with us for many years, but they are also aging, and the cold, snowy Novembers make them think about Texas and Mexico.”

Partnerships

Peter Orum, founder of Midwest Groundcovers in St. Charles, Illinois, met Tom Kimmel in 1974 when he arrived with plants that Orum needed. “I had a big order and we

didn’t have enough groundcovers so we bought loads from them,” Orum explained. “We’re friends and competitors and some people ask how is that possible. If you tell other people what you’re doing, they’ll tell you what they’re doing and Tom has been very open.” Orum has visited Twixwood and the two men have shared mistakes and success stories.

“Twixwood does a lot of interesting things and Tom is very innovative and so are his people.”

If there’s one thing that Twixwood does better than many other companies, it’s working with their customer base. “We go beyond writing and filling the orders,” Raczak said. “We find a way to become part of the customer’s culture so we understand what their objectives are.”

“The relationship between Twixwood and the Pizzo Group was established about 15 years ago,” said Mandy Leifheit, sales manager of Pizzo Native Plant Nursery in Leland, Illinois.

“Twixwood deserves this award because everyone there maintains great integrity of their product, and they are always honest and flexible. They also grow top quality perennials.”

Challenges

Keeping the business going during the 2008 recession was grueling. “We were lucky to survive,” Kimmel said. “It’s an amazingly cyclical business tied to housing starts. During the pandemic, when business was booming, we were running out of plants and customers wanted to know why.” That is where a crystal ball would come in handy.

“Twixwood ships to us four days a week and we have it first thing in the morning so we don’t miss a beat in sales,” McGowen said. “They have been remarkable in accommodating us with orders that we place at the last minute and they have one of the best customer service people in the industry in Steve Raczak. Steve played an integral role in Kaknes’ perennial inventory.”

Kimmel has retired twice now although Dianne is still involved in the business. “I will step away, but the mechanics of transferring ownership and management is not easy,” he said. The nursery has 80 full-time staff and 80 more who usually work March through November. They offer paid vacations and have a health insurance plan. “The owners and management team have been great about supporting our involvement with ILCA,” Raczak said. “They’re hardworking, pull-up-your-boots people. It’s been a whole heck of a lot of fun.”

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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ILCA Awards & Honors —

ILCA Awards—

Special Recognition to

Nina A. Koziol

You know an award is truly special when

it has been bestowed only nine times in 62 years. The latest recipient is the College of DuPage’s Horticulture Department.

The award honors COD’s half-century of exceptional service in supporting ILCA’s mission and the entire statewide landscape industry.

Brian Clement has been with the college eight years full-time and seven years part-time and serves as department chair, associate professor and program advisor.

“One of the best things is helping students and seeing them succeed— and finding jobs in the workforce. There are so many different facets of the industry that students can pursue.”

Early On

ate degree in applied science in Horticulture, Landscape Contracting and Management, or Sustainable Urban Agriculture. The 10 certificates focus on floral shop management, greenhouse management, horticulture, landscape and turf maintenance, landscape design and construction, nursery and garden center management, power equipment and technology, sustainable landscape, urban farming and sustainable urban agriculture.

Certificate courses are designed for students who want technical or professional courses but are not pursuing an associate degree. The program is accredited through the National Association of Landscape Professionals and the Engine and Equipment Training Council.

Although there are no specific classes on cannabis production at this

In the early days, the horticulture program leased greenhouse space at Naperville High School. In 1971, students and faculty began building the first greenhouse on campus. Today, the horticulture program is housed in the college’s Technical Education Center, a $50 million facility with 178,000 square feet of classrooms, state-of-the-art labs, greenhouses, a landscape lab outdoors, a small scale orchard, and a sustainable urban agriculture lab. More than 60 horticulture courses are offered day and night, in-person and online, and more than 350 students are currently enrolled. Another 280-plus are high school students moment, Clement said, “Approximately 30 percent of students in who are earning dual college credit while still in high school. the program would like to go into that field. They just need a hortiIn 1970, the program offered an associate degree and culture degree with specific classes focusing on topics such as soils one certificate program. Today students can earn an associThe Landscape Contractor 14 January 2023

Springs, Michigan, taught horticulture classes early on in the program. “I loved it all at COD—the program was just exploding into the community,” he said. And, it continues to do so.

Looking Forward

and fertilizers, plant propagation, hydroponics, greenhouse management, and plant breeding. Students going into cannabis production are typically going through the horticulture degree track.”

Elaina Blankenhagen of Plandscape in Elburn, is a COD graduate. “I will always hold my time at COD close to my heart,” she said. “It was just an unforgettable experience. I’m so fortunate for all my instructors and the knowledge they ingrained in me.”

More than 40 adjunct faculty teach in COD’s Horticulture Department. One long-time instructor, now retired, is Don Orton, a biologist and author of an industry staple, “Coincide: The Orton System of Pest and Disease Management”, a book about insect control of ornamental trees. Many other industry pros have taught there and three current instructors are from Ball Hort in West Chicago.

“It was my honor and privilege to be a small part of the education program and part of my career journey,” said Julia Fitzpatrick-Cooper, now retired. Her thoughts are echoed by fellow instructor, landscape architect Vallari Talapatra of Eco Scapes in Wheaton. “It’s been an absolute pleasure teaching landscape design and landscape graphics there,” she said. “The best part is when I see my students accomplish their professional goals.” Steve Raczak of Twixwood Nursery in Berrien

The green industry workforce has evolved in the past 50 years. “The program used to have a lot of older career-changers, but in the past six years, we have seen more students from high schools and those who are under age 25,” Clement said. Slightly more women than men are enrolled.

There are plans to put in another greenhouse on campus and hire another full-time instructor. Classrooms are packed at night because three-quarters of the courses are held in the evening. During the day, many current students work fulltime or part-time in the green industry.

Horticulture students must complete a 225 hour internship as part of the graduation requirement for a degree or certificate. “I know ILCA has a lot of employers interested in providing internship opportunities,” Clement said. The department is working with ILCA and COD’s Project Higher Ed on the new apprenticeship program. The age breakdown of current students is across the board with 175 students ages 19 to 25 and 82 students ages 26 to 35.

Guided by an advisory board of industry professionals, COD has significantly expanded its offerings. There’s a dual credit program with nine area high schools and a whopping 280-plus students ages 14 to 18 who take part. Plans are underway in 2023 to expand the dual credit program at seven more high schools. In one of its newer community partnerships, COD provides inmates at the DuPage County jail with training and education. And, for those who want to continue on, DeVry University has a Degree Program Transfer Guide to assist students transferring from COD’s Horticulture Programs to DeVry’s Technical Management bachelor’s degree program.

“I want to congratulate the College of DuPage Horticulture Department on 50 strong years of serving the professional landscape industry,” said Scott Grams, ILCA’s executive director. “The one thing I’ve always loved about COD’s program is that everything they teach can be used by their students in real life.” And, that’s what it’s all about. Here’s to the next 50 years.

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ILCA Awards & Honors —

Congratulations Scholarship Winners!

Christian Schlogel Clarendon Hills, IL

Felicity Guttman Edwardsville, IL

College of DuPage $10,000 Scholarship

University of Missouri $2,500 Scholarship

Scott Byron & Co., Inc. Scholarship Scott Byron & Co., Inc.

Leo and Kimberly Kelly Scholarship Kellygreen Design, Inc.

Lenna Ostrodka La Grange Park, IL

Madilyn Hoock Red Bud, IL

College of DuPage $5,000 Scholarship

Southern Illinois University Carbondale $2,500 Scholarship

Denny R. Church Memorial Scholarship The Church Family and organized by Bruce Church of Balanced Environments

Pedersen Company Scholarship Pedersen Company

Julie Miller Bartlett, IL

Riley Nebel Wadsworth, IL

Oregon State University $5,000 Scholarship

$2,500 Scholarship

Landscape Concepts Management, Inc. Scholarship Landscape Concepts Management, Inc.

James Martin Family Scholarship James Martin Associates, Inc.

Alison Branz Northbrook IL Northern Illinois University $2,500 Scholarship The Theodore Brickman, Jr. Scholarship Brightview Landscapes

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The Illinois Landscape Contractors Education and Charitable Organization (ILCECO) was established to create a perpetual fund for ILCA’s annual scholarships. The ILCECO mission statement is “To promote higher education in horticulture and green industry-related courses by funding an endowment.”

Each year, the ILCECO Board of Directors determines the number of scholarships and amounts awarded out of the fund that was established.

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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Attendees can stroll the sold-out exhibit halls, attend education sessions, taught by some of the top people in the industry, stop in the gardens for a rest, networking or to play miniature golf, ring toss or any of several other games.

“Our goal is to put on a great show for the attendees and the

exhibitors,” says Mike Wesley, iLandscape Experience Co-Chair. iLandscape will be held at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL. Vendors and participants alike are eager to get back in the swing of things after more than two years of Pandemic restrictions.

In addition to the “Games in the Gardens,” there will be raffles, plenty of opportunities for networking and meeting with vendors.

“We’re celebrating our 10-year anniversary, so we’re having one big party,” says Wesley, who also is general manager at Illinois Landscape Supply. “We are super excited.”

(continued on page 20)

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iLandscape Preview (continued from page 18) The popular raffles will be expanded from once a day to twice daily – just before lunch and before the exhibit halls close. The Wednesday evening party has been transformed into a Trivia Night, complete with prizes and Thursday evening will be a big garden party, with games, prizes and carnival food.

Trivia Night will feature beer and snacks. Attendees can compete in the trivia games both on a large screen in the main hall or, if they prefer, via an app, says Tina Scanlan-Turner, who heads the Trivia Night committee. “We anticipate we will have a lot of people there,” she says.

The competition will consist of three to four rounds with $50 to $100 prizes each, followed by one Super Round with $250 and $500 winners. Brain Bash Trivia’s Jeremy Cahnmann, who Scanlan-Turner describes as a “wild and crazy guy,” will run the Trivia Night, which will be interactive, giving attendees more opportunities for fun and casual networking. “It is a nice time to come together and see other people in the industry,” she says.

The Design Committee, helmed by Chris Walsh,

Topiarius’ executive vice president, has planned interactive garden spaces, meant to encourage attendees to stroll around, as if on a boardwalk. All are color coordinated in a joyful carnival palette of yellows, reds, blues and similar colors.

Signs are written in carnival and circus fonts.

As people enter the main exhibit hall, they will see photo cut-outs, depicting circus acrobats, perfect for taking selfies or pictures with friends. As attendees go from garden to garden, they will find four miniature putting greens in the Big Garden, areas to play bags and other games in other places, as well as tables and chairs for relaxation and conversation. The ILCA/WNLA membership booth will be decked out like a golf course clubhouse. In fact, the big raffle prize is a $12,000 electric, high tech golf cart, which, of course, will be on display.

Katrina House, general manager at Xylem, Ltd. arranged for the donation of 10 yards of sand and two tons of boulders to transform the Garden Stage into a beach scene, complete with Adirondack chairs and fire pits, so that attendees can sit back and rest. “We’re hoping people will kick off their shoes,”says Walsh.

(continued on page 22)

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iLandscape Preview (continued from page 20) To encourage relaxation, at various places in the gardens, there will be opportunities for fun, including ring toss, checkers and a “slew of other games,” he says. The gardens will showcase some of the larger prizes, including the golf cart, awards, posters and even burrito bowl stations.

The Strolling Garden will be lined with photographs of the Excellence in Landscape award winners, benches, the big raffle prizes, including the golf cart and electric bicycle, plantings and lights.

Throughout there will be sculptures, containers and other design objects. In other areas there will be places to sit and talk with each other or chat with vendors.

All the gardens do not magically appear on Wednesday morning. Walsh estimates that there will be five design operation supervisors, 25 crew leaders and staff, as well as volunteers working Monday and Tuesday so that, “by

Wednesday morning the only thing left to do is water the plants,” he says. On Friday afternoon, only 30 people will be needed to dismantle everything.

Once again John Algozzini is heading the prizes and raffles committee, with a lineup that is expected to give away nearly $50,000 in prizes (including cash) to contest and raffle winners through Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s events.

Those who want to compete in the ring toss, Bozo buckets and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head building during the day on Wednesday and Thursday, are eligible for cash prizes. The Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head contest will use real potatoes on which contestants use their creativity with everything from the traditional Potato Head parts to googlie eyes, yarns, feathers and glitter.

Other prizes include a weekend getaway, mountain bike, artwork, a 60-inch TV, the electric golf cart, sculpture, electric bike, portable bar, garden spikes, golf putter, garden containers and others. On Thursday evening there will be a total of

$10,000 in cash prizes for the “Minute to Win-It” games: bags, Bingo, miniature golf, ring toss and Bozo buckets. There also will be free food and beer.

You know those volunteers holding “Ask Me” signs? Well, they’re being replaced by information booths, says Jennifer Fick, Hospitality Chair and vice president of Wilson Nurseries. Her committee has done some other streamlining.

Largely operating behind the scenes, Fick and her committee are tasked with helping guide, answering questions and otherwise ensuring that vendors can set up and take down their booths smoothly and within the rules of the venue. Last year the committee started an exhibitor hotline, allowing vendors to text questions and get answers for the week before and continuing through the show.

“It was successful,” Fick says. So, it will be repeated this year.

They also think ahead. By the time vendors arrive on Friday, the show’s last day, there are information packets for next year’s iLandscape in their booths.

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WEDNESDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS 8:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Designing for Curb Appeal Vallari Talapatra, Eco Scapes, Inc.

Utopia CD

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s We’re used to creating the backyard “oasis”. What about the front yard that makes the neighbors rubber neck as they drive by? Over the last ten years, Vallari has conducted workshops that discuss some of the common issues and challenges that homeowners face. And she’s bringing that feedback to you! We’ll learn how to design site specific front yards that use both hardscape and plants, while honoring the architecture. After all, getting the most functionality from the front yards is something that all of us strive for!

Making Landscapes that Matter

Scott Beuerlein, Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

Utopia AB

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s This session takes you on a fascinating horticultural journey. Scott connects evolution, art, genetics, natural history, food, wine and more with landscapes that make us feel more comfortable, happy and secure. He will make the case that green spaces and the plants that create them fulfill basic human needs, not wants, and clearly shines light on the elements that matter the most.

Groundcovers: Great Alternatives to Turf Grass Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine

Nirvana BC

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Groundcovers are low-growing plants that serve many different purposes in the landscape from limiting weed growth to stabilizing slopes to adding texture to your garden. Kathy Jentz, author of the forthcoming book, “Groundcover Revolution,” will cover several of these beautiful, hard-working plants and the best kinds to use for specific situations.

Onboarding New Employees: Welcome to the Team, Now Grab a Shovel!

Kevin Battistoni, Hunter / FX

Nirvana A

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Finding the right employees is one of the most difficult challenges that companies are faced with today. You must hyper-focus on your onboarding processes and company culture during hiring, or else all the time you’ve spent finding those new team members will be wasted. During this presentation, Kevin will share strategic insights from green industry business owners, managers, and trainers who’ve built their companies through years of trial and error. From interviewing and onboarding to incentives and career path planning, you will learn proven tactics utilized by industry leaders today to successfully scale their workforces.

Wowing Your Clients With Exceptional Service Every Step of the Way Lauren Howell, Stuber Land Design

Euphoria

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s We all know that keeping a client is better than having to find a new one. Taking care of our clients by providing exceptional service is a big part of keeping them! But what does good customer service look like these days? How can I deliver better service than my competitors? How do I keep my team excited about taking care of our clients? We will look at many aspects of providing customer service - from our office staff to our frontline crews and everyone in between.

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The Landscape Contractor January 2023

WEDNESDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS 9:45 AM – 11:00 AM Winning the Talent War

Neal Glatt, GrowTheBench.com

Utopia CD

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Are you ready to start winning the talent war? In this session, Neal will help you get the recruiting and retention edge by discussing a modern approach to hiring.

Attendees will learn what today’s workforce really wants in a job, how to write compelling job postings, how to leverage the latest recruiting technology, where to find workers, how to keep your best employees, and how to get the best from every worker. Attracting people to work in the green industry has never been more difficult than today. Yet, proven strategies leveraged by landscapers around the country do exist. This session will give you the tools you need to effectively recruit and engage today’s workers.

Bad Ass Trees for Piss Poor Places

Scott Beuerlein, Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

Utopia AB

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s We put trees in some pretty difficult places, and then we ask a lot of them. This session will list some of the toughest trees for tough urban conditions. It will also discuss the importance of developing a broader list for the purpose of diversity and why we shouldn’t always rely on the toughest of the tough.

The Pros at Home: From the Tropics to the Woodland

Nina Koziol, The Landscape Contractor Magazine Additional Presenters: Bob Hursthouse, Hursthouse; Dan Biernacki, Ted’s Greenhouse

Nirvana BC

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s The personal gardens of Bob Hursthouse and Dan Biernacki couldn’t be more different. One is a tropical paradise, the other a northwoods-inspired getaway. Both gardens have been featured in ILCA’s Gardens of the Pros series. See how an awardwinning landscape architect and a long-time nursery owner shape their own outdoor spaces with unique plants. Discover their design choices based on how they want to spend time in their own home landscapes.

How Landscape Trees are Propagated and Why this is Important to You Kris Bachtell, The Morton Arboretum

Nirvana A

There are various methods used to produce landscape trees, and each method is important to understand so that you know what you are handling when maintaining a specific tree. Through demonstrations, Kris will show you how to recognize how a tree was started and how this can help you to provide the best care possible.

Quick and Easy Landscape Planting Design techniques for Crew Leaders Lauren Howell, Stuber Land Design

Euphoria

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s With everyone wearing multiple hats these days we find Crew Leaders and other field staff needing to create and sketch up quick designs on the fly many times. But how do you know where to put what to create a pleasing plant installation for your clients?

Come join us for an overview of landscape design basics and learn how to put these methods together to create planting plans that work and look great!

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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WEDNESDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM

Plants, Placement, Perfect! Creating Inspiring Containers Marianne Willburn, Author

Utopia CD

If you’re staring at that cluttered jumble of pots in the basement and wondering what you can do with them this year that won’t have you yawning before you even start, let Marianne help you create something that goes beyond the tired and traditional annual combos and boring, predictable placement. Utilize edibles and perennials, discover tropical treasures, consider adding the magical element of water, and learn what to look for when grouping plants for a successful container that thrives.

Creating Organizational Culture Mark O’Brien, Stantec

Utopia AB

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Every company has its own unique personality. The unique personality of an organization is referred to as its culture. In groups of people who work together, organizational culture is an invisible but powerful force that influences the behavior of the members of that group.

This presentation discusses how company culture is built and how it can effect the performance of a business good and bad. Who within the organization has the biggest effect on culture and how can they build positive attitudes and a highly functioning team. We will go into depth about what are the building blocks to create a positive culture that will attract and retain quality people.

Plants for Solutions

Allan Armitage, University of Georgia

Nirvana BC

Who is kidding who? No one walks into a hardware store and asks for a delicate and dainty, pineapple-sage socket wrench. They present a problem and ask for tools that provide solutions. People who purchase plants are no different. Customers, wholesalers, installers, and designers want plants that are native, plants that deer don’t eat, plants for fragrance. etc. They want solutions. Of course, we all want to know what cultivars are the next great thing, but let’s use our plant knowledge to plainly and clearly address the landscape challenges of our customers. Let’s concentrate on Solution Gardening..

Tree Risk Assessment - How to and Why Kris Bachtell, The Morton Arboretum

Nirvana A

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Trees, particularly large specimens, are an important component of a quality landscape environment. These trees have been proven to be valuable for their environmental function as well as their positive impact to human health. To provide these functions trees need to be observed and assessed on a routine basis to make sure they are strong and resistant to structure failure. This presentation will cover the basics of tree health and structure assessment to help ensure your trees will provide the positive services we desire.

Integrating Design Technology for Water Conscious Landscapes Eric Gilbey, Vectorworks

Euphoria

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Designing landscapes with sustainability in mind is no longer a matter of preference but one of meeting jurisdictional requirements. As site designers increasingly lean on design software, online resources, and other digital tools to make their current design workflows easier, these can offer additional assists to help meet the new expectations in water-efficient irrigation and on-site water management. With the help of GIS integrations, plant databases and smart 2D/3D object design, creatively managing water in your proposed landscape design can be at your fingertips.

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The Landscape Contractor January 2023

THURSDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS 8:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Reimagining an Urban Frank Lloyd Wright Landscape

Tony Gomez-Phillips, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center

Nirvana A

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Monona Terrace horticulturist Tony Gomez-Phillips discusses the process of redesigning Madison’s downtown convention center’s landscape on the belief that the benefit of Frank Lloyd Wright’s strong organic architecture is the ability to pursue the “wildness” of the gardens and their interpretation of the site. Partnering sustainable plantings with Frank Lloyd Wright’s design principles, learn how designed lines and forms engage the prairie plant palette to connect people with what the architect envisioned as an inviting and beautiful community destination.

State of the Green Industry Kevin Battistoni, Hunter / FX

Nirvana BC

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s The 2022 Green Industry survey results are shared here for the first time! Once again, over 1,600 industry professionals have participated in the annual survey, providing critical measurables on all areas of concern ranging from wages to profitability and the outlook for 2023.

Expanding the survey results will share relevant economic data from new construction to disposable personal income. In addition, the audience will have an opportunity to anonymously participate (via text message) in a similar industry survey with real-time results, leaving you with an accurate temperature reading on how your company lines up against the rest of the industry.

Gardens of the Pros: Prairie Two Ways

Nina Koziol, The Landscape Contractor magazine Additional Presenters: Dean MacMorris, Night Light, Inc.; Jack Pizzo, The Pizzo Group

Utopia AB

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s The fascinating home landscapes of Dean MacMorris and Jack Pizzo were featured in the Gardens of the Pros series in ILCA’s magazine, “The Landscape Contractor.” Both rural properties feature prairies but each site is quite different. One includes a Civil War-era house, barn, outbuildings, borders and containers filled with colorful annuals. The other features a new house surrounded by more than 40 acres of restored prairie. And both properties illustrate how two green industry pros approach design at their homes based on their own needs and preferences. Discover how they plant and maintain these sweeping properties.

Why Do Trees Fail? Summary of Concerns from Industry Professionals Melissa Custic, Chicago Region Trees Initiative/The Morton Arboretum

Utopia CD

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s The Chicago Region Trees Initiative, including Green Industry partners, is focused on improving the health and longevity of urban trees. In December 2022, a roundtable forum was held with members of the green industry, including growers, contractors, designers, and foresters to identify and address the hurdles to tree health throughout a tree’s life. This session, will report out the outcomes of that meeting and on causes and solutions to tree stressors to improve canopy cover and longevity. including urban tree stressors including stock with poor root architecture, improper planting techniques, poor site assessment and remediation, and ineffective maintenance practices. Understanding and improving the process from growing trees to planting and caring for trees can improve the health and longevity of urban trees.

Estimating Jobs for Profit and Growth Weston Zimmerman, SynkedUP

Euphoria

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Overhead is the #1 profit killer. Learn to solve that problem in your estimating to ensure that every proposal is priced for profit. Weston will cover common pitfalls that sabotage your profits when quoting jobs. Wrap it up with learning how to job cost to ensure you are on track and achieving your goals for growth.

37

THURSDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS 9:45 AM – 11:00 AM

Building a Budget to Price Jobs Profitably Weston Zimmerman, SynkedUP

Euphoria

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Ever get to the end of the year and your books show you made profit, but you have no cash in your bank account? The number one reason hardscape contractors have the “show profit- but-no-cash-in-the-bank” symptom is: overhead expenses. Overhead, if not properly accounted for, will crush you. Weston will teach you how to solve this dilemma by showing you how to build a company budget that ensures you are pricing your jobs for profit, charging the correct rate per man-hour, and making sure your overhead and all costs are factored in. And you’ll go home with free tools you can use to build your budget and start earning the profit you want from your business.

Time Management - Taking Control of Your Life Judson Griggs, Harvest Landscape Business Consulting Group Nirvana A

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s How many times during your typical week do you find yourself asking, “Where did the day go?” Throughout the day, you are inundated with requests for your time and attention.

Emails, texts, meetings, employee problems, client requests, project issues and so on.

Join Judson, as he teaches you how to manage your time better so you can begin enjoying life again and prosper. In this session, you will understand urgent vs. important tasks, how to set and meet goals and determine where you are spending your time and where to best spend your time using tools that will help you gain control of your professional and personal life.

Gaining TRACTION™ in Your Business with EOS® Matt Zega, EOS Worldwide Additional Presenter: Dean MacMorris, Nightlight

Nirvana BC

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Based on the best selling book TRACTION: Get a Grip on Your Business, this session will get to the core of what gaining TRACTION™ in your business with EOS® (The Entrepreneurial Operating System) comes down to. Three things we call vision, traction, and healthy. Vision from the standpoint of getting everyone crystal clear on where your organization is going and knowing exactly how you are going to get there. Traction from the standpoint of instilling discipline and accountability throughout your organization so that you are gaining consistent traction. Healthy meaning helping you to build a healthy, cohesive, functional team. At EOS® we empower you to live your ideal life, the EOS Life as we call it.

Why Plant Ho-Hum Trees & Shrubs

Nina Koziol, Chicago Botanic Garden Adjunct Faculty Additional Presenters: Mike Cook, Cedar Path Nursery; Jim Matusik, The Tree Connection; Jeff Kramer, Kramer Tree Specialists; Julie Janoski, The Morton Arboretum

Utopia AB

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s If you’ve been using river birch, red maple, spruces or honey locust as dependable choices, you’re not alone. But, there are many good reasons to try something different, even something better. Your projects will stand out from others, especially in residential subdivisions where these trees appear again and again. And, there’s the need for diversity in plantings. If a serious new insect pest or disease affects red maples and everyone on the block has one—well, you get the picture. To provide some inspiration and encourage the use of broader plant palettes—especially in light of plant shortages for many of these oftenused trees—we’ve assembled an expert panel for their recommendations.

38

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

THURSDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM

Building the Ultimate Butterfly Garden Daniel Gerdes, Christy Webber Landscapes

Nirvana A

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Starting with the keystone species that the ecosystem will largely depend on, you will learn about their plant profiles. Then you’ll understand where and how to use annuals and herbs. Finally, Daniel will discuss the role of host plants and which North American butterfly types are drawn to them. By the end of the session, attendees will have a step-bystep guide on designing a pollinator friendly garden.

Creating and Curating an Urban Oasis: The Meadow at the Old Chicago Post Office

Mike Ciccarelli, Ann Weiland, Shawn Weidner, Hoerr Schaudt Nirvana BC Hoerr Schaudt’s Horticulture, Site Works and Continued Landscape Management team share the process of transforming the rooftop of a desolate, unused industrial building into the nation’s largest private rooftop garden atop a modern workplace. The Meadow sets the standard for how rooftops can restore and protect ecosystems and improve tenant health and well-being as employees begin to navigate the return-to-work post-quarantine.

Overcoming historic preservation and structural constraints, the success story of The Meadow and its four-season horticultural interest will continue to inspire for years to come. Gardens are dynamic and change over time. Much of the artistry of a landscape lay in its evolution; how it is cared for and chooses to grow.

Fountain of Maturity: What We Can Do to Grow Old, Healthy Trees Michelle Catania, The Morton Arboretum/Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Utopia CD

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s The Morton Arboretum is focused on improving the health and longevity of urban trees.

Healthy, undisturbed soil is a key component to achieve future tree canopy goals.

Unfortunately, soils with ideal characteristics at supporting long-lived trees are becoming increasingly rare in the built environment. As we continue to emphasize the ecosystem services our urban trees provide, understanding below-ground conditions should be a key component to this discussion. Healthy soils offer greater stormwater storage during rain events and can provide sufficient reservoirs of water to get trees through prolonged periods of drought. Improvements to urban soils in the built environment will lead to healthy trees. Healthy, diverse forests are also better at combating pest and disease outbreaks as they have greater resources to overcome a potential infestation if they are not stressed.

To achieve our canopy goals and make the Chicagoland forest structure exceptional, we need you, the Green Industry, to help us improve our urban forest canopy through improved urban soils.

Practical Advantages of Concrete Pavers Andrew Vear, AndrewVear.com

Euphoria

As co-founder of the Advanced School for Advanced Segmental Paving, Andrew has learned a thing or two about pavers. In this session, attendees will take a deeper look into pavers, including how they work, basic installation, and how they work with freeze thaw.

He will also share easy sales tips that will help grow your business and your bottom line.

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

39

THURSDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM Growth on Purpose

Vanessa McQuade, Intrigue Media Additional Presenter: Rob Murray, Intrigue Media

Additional Presenters: Utopia CD

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s This session will introduce the concept of the Growth Triangle. You’ll learn how building a more purpose-driven company will attract the best customers and talent for your business and accelerate your growth.

Natural Lawn Care Practices for a Healthy Environment Sarah Zack, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Nirvana A

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1 CEU’s You don’t have to choose between an attractive lawn and protecting water quality. Many natural lawn care practices can help you work with nature to grow a healthy landscape while still protecting water resources. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant promotes sustainable lawn care practices at the household level to reduce the impact of fertilizer and pesticides in the Great Lakes Region and beyond. This presentation will dig into the science behind natural lawn care and give attendees some simple and effective natural lawn care tips.

Ponds: When is Dredging Necessary and What are Your Options?

Keith Gray, ILM Environments

Nirvana BC

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1 CEU Do you manage the landscaping for a property with a pond that needs help? Are you wondering if it needs to be dredged and what on earth to do about it? This session will give you answers! Whether we are talking about a small retention pond or a large natural lake, decades of sediment accumulation eventually dictates the need for dredging. We will discuss how to know when it’s actually time to dredge and then consider the different methods available for removing sediment from a waterbody. Innovative options for reusing the dredge material onsite to keep down costs will be explored. Be the hero by helping your client revitalize their degraded waterbody and turn an eyesore into an amenity they will love!

Understanding Construction Impacts to Trees Joe Hansen, Village of Wilmette

Utopia AB This session has been approved by LA CES for 1 CEU’s

Many think construction projects like new developments, buildings and houses are driving forces behind utilizing tree preservation measures, however flatwork, grading and storm sewer installations may be silently causing even more damage. In this presentation you will learn why damage is occurring, what type of damage is occurring and how trees respond to damage. Joe will provide examples from a plan reviewer perspective and what we typically look for during the permit review process. By understanding how these projects may be negatively impacting your clients trees, you will know what different options may exist to facilitate these projects and be better prepared to answer their client’s questions and be ahead of the curve in the design phase.

Recovering Lost Revenues through Hardscape Maintenance Andrew Vear, AndrewVear.com

EuphoriaAll hardscape will need some maintenance at some time. Learn how to get started with a hardscape maintenance division, cleaning, repairs and sealing.

Make sure you are set up to service what you sell. This session will give you the 40

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

FRIDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS tips to retain customer loyalty and the tools to recover revenues and profits.

8:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Know Your Natives on a First Name Basis Elliott Duemler, Taylor Creek Restoration

Utopia CD This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s

Landscape design has shifted to designing based on plant communities and how plants interact with each other. This talk will focus on species that work well as the filler/ groundcover species, with a heavy emphasis on our native sedges well adapted for a designed plant community. Attendees will walk away with a better understanding of what native ground cover species work well in a plant community-based design, and which species are generalist or specialist and any issues to be aware with these plants.

American Roots

Nick McCollough, McCollough’s Landscape & Nursery, LLC

Utopia AB This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s

Follow the journey across the US and take a closer look at gardens that designer Nick McCullough captured on his quest to celebrate the American garden in his new book AMERICAN ROOTS (Timber Press). You will explore a selection of gardens created by 20 creative gardeners across our vast land from Big Sur, California to the shores of Rhode Island.

Gain inspiration, planting tips, and an expanded notion of what an American garden is.

Beyond the Shade: The Science and Business of Arboriculture Steve Lane, Great Lakes Urban Forestry

Nirvana BC

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Let’s face it, trees are complicated! With over 100 different species in our region, being an arborist is more like being a veterinarian than being a doctor. And aside from the standard pests and diseases we have to deal with in our area, sometimes our own actions might be at fault for decline of trees as well. Join Steve as we take a deeper look at demystifying trees, arboriculture, and the benefits trees provide beyond just aesthetics. How we can maintain these benefits for our clients by properly diagnosing and providing the right services for the correct diagnosis will be a primary focus. We’ll also take a look at the ecology of trees, and how choosing the right tree for the right site will have tremendous benefits for the trees, as well as your business! This wide-ranging topic will give you a better appreciation for trees in the landscape, and how you can start to think about them on a deeper level in your planning and maintenance services.

Spring Clean Your Website for Higher Sales Katie Elzer-Peters, The Garden of Words, LLC

Nirvana A

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Two to five seconds. That’s all the time your potential customers will give you when they go to your website. The site should load within two seconds and they need to be able to locate the answer to their first question within five seconds. Otherwise, they’re out. Does your website get the job done? Find out which areas and features of your website are most important in 2023, which questions to ask yourself before embarking on a website refresh, and get details on finally adding online bill paying to your site.

Landscaping Main Street

Nina Koziol, The Landscape Contractor Additional Presenters: Dan Biernacki, Ted’s Greenhouse, Greg Stack, Ted’s Greenhouse

Euphoria

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s The hanging baskets and planters along downtown Tinley Park’s historic district burst with non-stop color from spring through fall. Discover the unique challenges and rewards of working with local municipalities, from bids and budgets to plant selection and mainte-

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

41

FRIDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS nance.

9:45 AM – 11:00 AM

Designing Native Seed Mixes for Success Jason Fritz, Stantec Utopia CD

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Native seed mixes can be tricky. You want to get good coverage without breaking the bank, but how much of each species do you need? During this session, Jason Fritz will share 20 years of insights on native seed and teach you how to design a robust, native seed mix that is not only appropriate for the site, but also delivers value for your client.

You’ll learn what makes for a good mix design, where to find references for species selection, how to calculate application rates, and how to identify site-specific conditions that may affect your final design.

Practicing New Naturalism: Site-Specific Plantings in Public and Private Places Kelly Norris, Gardens by Kelly

Nirvana BC

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s In recent years, the shift towards ecologically driven landscapes has created new opportunities and challenges, often accompanied by big questions for how we do business and engage with our audiences. How do we sell customers and stakeholders on wilder landscapes? How do we shift the narrative of the landscape design and build professions from construction and maintenance to cultivation and stewardship? How do we cultivate new practices and knowledge that can transform our industry’s relevance and purpose?

Join planting designer, artist and thought leader Kelly Norris for this vibrant exploration of recent and future work at the intersections of horticulture and ecology. His presentation will emphasize the pitch for each commission and the relative success or progress of each project to date with a preview of new developments in the seasons ahead.

Tropical Plants and How to Love Them Marianne Willburn, Author

Nirvana A This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s If you’re searching for plants that will add exciting accents to a hot and tired summer garden, last right up through the first hard freeze, and make you look like a horticultural rock star, look no further than tropicals. Using five memorable categories and a host of design tips from her new book, Marianne will focus on some spectacular examples that are easy to grow and much easier than you think to overwinter.

Creating a Marketing and Sales Conversion Machine Chris Darnell, The Harvest Group

Euphoria

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Chris will discuss the framework that will drive marketing processes and turn them into conversions. You will learn functions of how to connect marketing and sales and the tools used to support them.

42

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

FRIDAY EDUCATION SESSIONS 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM

Planting a New Paradigm Jeff Lorenz, Refugia Ltd.

Utopia CD

The World Wildlife Federation’s 2022 Living Planet Report confirmed what many of us with our hands in the dirt already knew - wildlife populations have experienced average decline of nearly 70% since 1970, with a chilling 10% occurring in the last 4 years. Loss and fragmentation of habitat is the driver of biodiversity loss globally. The good news?

Homeowners and businesses are eager to reverse this trend by making their properties sustainable, functional and resilient. Join Jeff Lorenz of Refugia Design to hear how Refugia is shifting traditional industry norms with great success. In the ‘Garden Capital’ of the US, nurseries, growers, designers, and architects have bounced to the forefront of the ecological landscape movement, creating the opportunity to take native plants and landscapes from a trend to a new paradigm. Join Jeff to explore innovative methodologies from a practitioner and small business owner’s point of view; using real data, tips and talking points for landscapers and implementers seeking to make the shift towards ecological design-build.

Personal Observations on Plant Bloom Times Over a Career Ed Hedborn, The Morton Arboretum

Utopia AB

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Plant blooms offer more than being pretty focal points in our landscapes. They can give us information about changing weather and climate patterns. Observations of plants and when they bloom can tell us a lot about how our environment is changing. In this session, we will cover some of the observations of plant bloom times, what they have taught Ed, and some of the questions raised by those observations over Ed’s 45 year career at The Morton Arboretum.

Using Native Plants for Beauty, Cost Savings and Stormwater Management Bill Bedrossian, Bedrock Earthscapes, LLC

Nirvana BC

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Join Bill as he explores why using native plants should be part of your business.

Attendees will review how native plants can be used in the built environment and then learn how they are installed and maintained. More importantly, how do you convert traditional landscape areas into native areas and not lose money!

Marketing to Attract Your A-Client

Vanessa McQuade, Intrigue Media Additional Presenter: Rob Murray, Intrigue Media

Utopia CD This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s

Are you tired of not getting enough of the right leads? This session will walk you through the tools to attract more Awesome Clients - the ones you love working with, understand your value, and refer you to other A-Clients. Discover how to tailor your marketing to attract them, techniques to use to qualify them, and how to keep them as long-lasting clients that will help grow your business.

Root Wrestling: Happy Roots, Happy Shoots Daniel Miraval, Green Extraction Technologies LLC Additional Presenters: Brianna White, Emerald Tree Care

Euphoria

This session has been approved by LA CES for 1.25 CEU’s Mitigating root defects early on leads to long-term survivability. Pneumatic soil excavation is proactive plant healthcare. From nursery harvest, planting depth, to compacted soils, to girdling roots - a vast majority of a tree’s stressors start below ground. By implementing critical root zone therapy by use of supersonic air technology, alleviating those stressors is the first step of improving installation techniques.

43

FUN - PRIZES - ENTERTAINMENT

by Meta Levin

Con atmósfera de carna-

cansar, establecer contactos o jugar mini golf, lanzamiento de aros o val, la 10.a feria anual iLandscape, cualquiera de los muchos otros “Juegos en el jardín”, arrancará el juegos disponibles. “Nuestra meta martes, 31 de enero de 2023, con es montar una feria extraordinaria talleres exhaustivos antes de la feria para los asistentes y expositores”, y un banquete de premiación y condice Mike Wesley, Co-Presidente tinuará hasta el viernes, 3 de febrede Experiencia de iLandscape. ro de 2023, con ofertas educativas, iLandscape se llevará a reuniones para establecer contactos, diversión y juegos. cabo en el Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center en Los asistentes pueden recorrer los salones de exhibición con los Schaumburg, IL. Tanto los expositores como los participantes espacios para expositores agotados por completo, asistir a sesioestán ansiosos de volver a la normalidad después de más de nes educativas, impartidas por algunas de las personalidades más dos años de restricciones por la pandemia. importantes de la industria, detenerse en los jardines para desAdemás de los “Juegos en el jardín”, habrá rifas, muchas oportunidades de establecer contactos y reuniones con los expositores.

“Estamos celebrando nuestro 10.o aniversario, por lo que estamos organizando una fiesta estupenda”, asegura Wesley, quien es también gerente general de Illinois Landscape Supply.

“Estamos muy emocionados”.

Las populares rifas serán dos veces al día en lugar de una diaria – justo antes del almuerzo y antes del cierre del salón de exhibiciones.

La fiesta del miércoles por la noche se ha transformado en una Noche de Trivia, con preguntas y respuestas de conocimientos básicos y premios, y el jueves por la noche habrá una fastuosa fiesta en el jardín, con juegos, premios y comida de carnaval.

La Noche de Trivia incluirá cerveza y bocadillos. Los asistentes podrán competir en los Mariani Plants se enorgullese en su attencion al cliente. juegos de trivia tanto en una pantalla grande Tenemos expertos ajentes de ventas de habla hispana en en el salón principal o, si lo prefieren, a través nuestras dos localidades, Kenosha Wisconsin y Garden Prairie de una aplicación, dice Tina Scanlan-Turner, Illinois. Mariani Plants esta aquí para proveerle mejores que preside el comité de la Noche de Trivia. plantas, mejor servicio y mejor selección.

“Esperamos una asistencia muy nutrida”, afirma.

Llámenos a Mariani Plants: La competición consistirá en tres o cuatro 866-627-4264 / marianiplants.com rondas con premios de $50 a $100 cada una, seguidas de una Súper Ronda con premios de $250 y $500 para los ganadores. Jeremy TODOS JUNTOS MEJOR. Cahnmann de Brain Bash Trivia, a quien Scanlan-Turner describe como “un tipo The Landscape Contractor 44 January 2023

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excéntrico y loco”, dirigirá la Noche de Trivia, la cual será interactiva, dando a los asistentes más oportunidades para divertirse y entablar relaciones espontáneamente. “Es agradable reunirse y ver a otras personas que trabajan en la industria”, afirma.

El Comité de Diseño, dirigido por Chris Walsh, vicepresidente ejecutivo de Topiarius, ha planificado espacios interactivos en jardines, con el propósito de animar a los asistentes a recorrer los jardines, como si caminaran por una pasarela. Todo con colores que combinan entre sí en una alegre paleta carnavalesca de amarillos, rojos, azules y colores similares. Los letreros están escritoscon letras de carnaval o circo.

Al entrar en el salón de exhibiciones principal, los asistentes verán recortes de fotografías de acróbatas de circo, perfectas para tomar selfies o fotos con amistades. Al ir de un jardín al otro, los asistentes encontrarán cuatro putting greens en miniatura en el Gran Jardín, áreas para jugar cornhole (lanzamiento de sacos) y otros juegos en otros lugares, así como mesas y sillas para relajarse y conversar. La cabina de membresía estará decorada como el club de un campo de golf. De hecho, el gran premio de la rifa es un carrito de golf eléctrico

de alta tecnología que tiene un valor de $12,000, el cual, por supuesto, estará en exhibición.

Katrina House, gerente general de Xylem, Ltd., hizo los arreglos necesarios para la donación de 10 yardas de arena y dos toneladas de rocas para transformar el Escenario del Jardín en una escena de playa, con sillas de madera Adirondack y fogones, para que los asistentes puedan sentarse y descansar. “Esperamos que la gente se quite los zapatos”, comenta Walsh.

Para animar el descanso, en varios lugares de los jardines habrá oportunidades de diversión, incluyendo lanza-

miento de aros, juego de damas y un “montón de otros juegos”, asegura. En los jardines se exhibirán algunos de los premios más grandes, incluyendo el carrito de golf, galardones, carteles e incluso estaciones con cazuelas de burritos.

El jardín de paseo estará bordeado de fotografías de los ganadores de los premios a la Excelencia en Paisajismo, bancas, los premios de la gran rifa, incluyendo el carrito de golf y una bicicleta eléctrica, plantaciones y luces.

A lo largo del camino habrá esculturas, macetas y otros objetos de diseño.

En otras áreas habrá lugares para sentarse y conversar o hablar con los vendedores.

Los jardines no aparecen mágicamente el miércoles por la mañana. Walsh calcula que habrá cinco supervisores de operaciones de diseño, 25 líderes de equipos de trabajadores y miembros del personal, así como voluntarios que trabajarán lunes y martes para que, “por la mañana del miércoles lo único que quede por hacer es regar las plantas”, dice. El viernes por la tarde, solo se necesitarán 30 personas para desmontar todo.

Una vez más John Algozzini preside el comité de premios y rifas, con un programa que se espera regalará cerca

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The Landscape Contractor January 2023

de $50,000 en premios (incluyendo efectivo) a los ganadores de concursos y rifas durante los eventos de los días miércoles, jueves y viernes.

Lo que deseen competir el miércoles y el jueves durante el día en lanzamiento de aros, cubos Bozo y construcción de figuras del Sr. y la Sra. Cara de Papa, son elegibles para ganar premios en efectivo. Para el concurso del Sr. y la Sra. Cabeza de Papa se usarán papas de verdad con las cuales los concursantes usarán su creatividad con todo, desde las piezas de Cara de Papa tradicionales hasta ojos bailones, hilos, plumas y brillantina.

Otros premios incluyen una escapada de fin de semana, ciclismo de montaña, obras de arte, un televisor de 60 pulgadas, el carrito de golf eléctrico, escultura, bicicleta eléctrica, bar portátil, estacas de jardín, palos de golf, macetas y otros. El jueves por la noche habrá un total de $10,000 en premios en efectivo para los juegos: “Minutos para ganar”: cornhole, bingo, mini golf, lanzamiento de aros y cubos Bozo. También habrá comida y cerveza gratis. ¿Han visto a esos voluntarios que sostienen letreros que dicen “Pregúntame”? Pues están siendo reemplazados por cabinas de información, dice Jennifer Fick, presidente de la Junta de Hospitalidad y vicepresidente de Wilson Nurseries. Su comité ha hecho otras racionalizaciones.

Operando principalmente entre bastidores, Fick y su comité tienen las tareas de ayudar a los guías, contestar preguntas y asegurar que los expositores puedan instalar y desmontar sus puestos de exhibición sin contratiempos y dentro de las normas de cada lugar. El año pasado el comité instaló una línea directa para expositores, que permitió a los expositores hacer preguntas mediante mensajes de texto y recibir respuestas para la semana antes, lo que continuó durante la feria. “Fue un éxito”, dice Fick. Por lo cual, se repetirá este año.

También piensan anticipadamente. A la hora en que los expositores lleguen el viernes, último día de la feria, habrá paquetes de información para poner en sus puestos de exhibición en la feria iLandscape del año que viene.

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47

Safety Reminder —

Baby, it’s Cold Outside!

Are your crew members layered up?

Nina A. Koziol

When I was in college, eons

ago, I took a class called “The Natural Environment in Winter.” It was January and we met outdoors for about three hours—regardless of the temperature.

I showed up at the first class wearing jeans, a medium-heavy jacket, a sweat shirt, gym shoes, cotton socks, gloves, but no hat or scarf. (Hey, I was a city kid.) The ink in my pen froze and I couldn’t take notes. We spent a lot of time standing still to observe birds, twigs, moss, ice crystals and seed heads while the wind sent bone-chilling blasts through my clothes. It was hard to concentrate on what the instructor was saying and I was freezing by the time we got back indoors. The very next day, I bought insulated boots, long underwear, wool socks and anything else that would help keep me warm.

If only I’d had the wisdom of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s staff who spend a lot of time working outdoors.

They know how to dress for the weather.

It’s all about wearing layers and staying dry.

David Murray, horticulturist Murray’s typical winter gear includes a base layer of thermal underwear and a few mid-weight layers of mixed natural fiber (like wool) or synthetic clothing for warmth. “I pull a hoodie over that layer.”

On top of that he wears an insulated jacket unless the temperature dips to 15 degrees. “At that point, I generally pull on the coveralls.” (They’re insulated.)

Heather Sherwood, senior horticulturist “When it’s just around freezing, I wear leggings and [insulated] jeans.”

She’ll pull on a tank top and places two long-sleeved tops over it. “One is thermal and tight—the other is a Garden work shirt. Next, my work hoodie and my [insu-lated] jacket are the outer layer.”

(I’m feeling toasty already.)

Ayse Pogue, senior horticulturist Covering the neck is a no-brainer for Pogue. “Scarves are a must. I also cover whatever hat I’m wearing with a hood to completely block the back of my neck,” she said. “I use a lot of gloves with varying levels of warmth,” she said. “The

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The Landscape Contractor January 2023

warmest ones are lined mittens. I used to wear hunting gloves for super cold days.”

Tim Johnson, director of horticulture “Gardeners should look at the outdoor recreation industry for their clothing,” Johnson said. “Anything designed to work well for the outdoor sports person should work well for landscapers.” He’s not kidding. He likes to hit the ski slopes via helicopter. (Which sounds terrifying to a novice skier like me.) The helicopter drops him and other skiers on a steep mountainside in British Columbia and they are on their own for hours. “It’s super fun,” said Johnson, who has skied for 28 years. “You’re in the back country skiing all day long.” He dresses depending on the level of activity. “I’m big on layering so you can adjust. It’s much better to have multiple layers than one thick coat.”

Dave Cantwell, assistant horticulturist Dave Cantwell is the outlier. “There’s that kid in high school who wears shorts in all weather,” he said. “I’m that kid.”

He adds more layers depending on the temperature. “In the winter when it gets

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pretty cold and I’m doing pruning, I’ll slip into the coveralls. I always wear gloves and always have warm, dry feet so I’m wearing my regular summer work boots. They’re waterproof on the bottom but the canvas tops breathe and I always wear thick socks in summer and winter.” He also likes his Army Surplus rubber boots. “They have an air bladder inside an extra insulating layer.

I’ll wear a double pair of socks inside my boots.” He also wears stretchy bicycling gloves inside his insulated work gloves.

So, Come On, Get Out! Winter is a wonderland even when crews aren’t snow-plowing. If you can

50

take a break, cure that cabin fever while enjoying the crisp cold air and bright sunshine. “We all have different tolerances for cold,” Johnson said. “I have regular leather gloves for when it’s moderately cold. And, I have an old pair of ski gloves that I adapted for gardening. I fixed the tears using duct tape. When you get to a certain age you don’t care what you look like. I’d rather be warm and comfortable than cold and stylish.”

Stay Dry. “I like to waterproof my boots and coveralls, either with a paste or spray,” Murray said. It’s key to staying warm. There’s nothing worse than cold wet fabric against skin. Sherwood changes her socks and gloves frequently.

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

Waterproof boots up to her knees protect her legs. “I have found that when I work hard, like snow removal, I sweat a lot, and if I stop, I get cold quickly. A little perspiration can make you chilled and a change of clothes is best.”

Apply Sunscreen. “You still get a lot of [UV] exposure and I use sun screen when I’m skiing even if it’s cloudy,” Johnson said. “Drink a lot of water, too. I think hydration is an issue in the winter as well. Drink before you’re thirsty.”

Cover Your Noggin. A bare head allows for a certain amount of heat loss. Sherwood wears a thin

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Safety Reminder — wool, moisture-wicking hat. When the temps are in the teens, she dons a fleecelined wool hat.

Protect Your Extremities. Pogue wears heavy duty snow boots that keep her feet warm and dry, but they are bulky. “I have another pair that’s lighter for not-so-frigid days.”

Do Some Winter Pruning. Johnson’s winter garden gear includes layers that come and go. “In late fall, I’ll have long underwear, a work shirt, another shirt and I’ll peel the coat off when it gets too warm.” He avoids cotton because once the fabric gets wet it holds moisture against the skin.

Take a break with some hot cocoa.

“I don’t get a cold from being cold,” Cantwell said. “My dad was an army guy. He’d say when you come in, strip down to your bottom layer so you acclimate right away indoors. If you leave your winter clothes on you’ll acclimate to the indoor temps and when you go back outside you won’t be able to get warm. The only time I caught pneumonia was in August.”

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The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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Ruizscape Construction 43W471 Bahr Road Hampshire, IL 60140 (224) 623-0323 www.ruizscape.com

by Meta L. Levin

In 2019, Juan M. Ruiz Sr. approached his two sons

with a proposition. All three worked in the landscape industry. Did they want to combine forces and start their own company? They agreed and Ruizscape Construction was born.

Ruiz started what has truly become a family business.

In addition to his son, Juan M. Ruiz, Jr., who serves as vice president of operations, and his other son, Chris Ruiz, the company’s senior estimator, several other family members work with them. Ruiz Sr.’s daughter, Angela Ruiz, is administrative assistant/accounts payable and his sister, Grace Gonzales, takes care of human resources and accounting.

“Working with family is important to Juan,” says Jessica Poyner, who oversees sales support for the company. “It’s a great dynamic.”

In fact, it was family that got Ruiz Sr. into the landscape industry. His father-in-law, Raul Del Toro, welcomed him into the industry in 1979, “He bestowed his knowledge, experience and expertise in landscape construction,” he says.

During the first year, Ruizscape Construction employed three or four laborers. Now there are 20-25 employees. Ruiz is proud to

say that it is a union shop.

“I enjoy coming in, saying good morning and seeing the smiling faces,” says Ruiz Sr. In her years there, Poyner says she has noticed Ruiz Sr.’s dedication, patience and knowledge. “He takes time with employees to sit down and explain. He emphasizes doing it the right way the first time.”

Specializing in landscape construction for municipalities, IDOT, ISTHA and airports, Ruizscape partners with major contractors and is responsible for projects at such varied sites as O’Hare International Airport and Buffalo Grove Creek along Lake Cook Road. Its services include erosion control blankets, seeding, planting trees and shrubs, excavation of topsoil, building retaining walls, laying brick pavers and other specialty projects. Several employees are specially trained to work at major airports.

It is a certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE).

At first, the Ruiz family worked out of Ruiz Sr.’s home, bought a little equipment, and gradually added a little more as

O’Hare Airport construction

54

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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work came in. By the second year the company bought a farm in Hampshire, IL and set up shop there.

The work continued to flow. “I know a lot of general contractors and they know me,” Ruiz Sr. says. “We just had to prove we could do the projects.” And prove, they did.

Ruiz Sr. is proud of the company’s ability to complete projects “on time and without excuses.” They are, he says, known for their reliability.

Ruiz was familiar with ILCA from previous jobs and joined at the beginning of 2022. “Sometimes I need extra information for bargaining and networking,” he says, noting he hopes that he will gain that through his ILCA membership. In the meantime, he has attended iLandscape, found the website to be a great tool and is looking forward to attending training himself, as well as sending his employees.

In his time off, Ruiz Sr. likes to fish, especially early mornings on the Fox River. He especially enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and working with his hands. “I enjoy working with my hands and developing machinery that improves landscape construction.”

Primarily, however, he is proud of what Ruizscape Construction has achieved. “We’ve come a long way in the last two years.”

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Classified Ads HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Account Manager/Business Development for Large Landscape Company- Chicago Branch Career Opportunity: Account Manager/ Business Development for our Chicago Location Purpose: Maintain and expand the corporate image of excellence through sales of quality products and services, servicing the customers’ needs, and providing open lines of communication to our clients. Increase knowledge of customer service techniques and sales of quality products and services.

Provide input to sales team members and mentoring of new members as required.

sales to be generated through current or prospective maintenance clients and through the completion of regular site analysis.

8. Support administration personnel in the collection of accounts receivable generated by your clientele.

9. Participate in all scheduled sales meetings and sales events.

Job Type: Full-time, M-F, year round Salary: $65,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

leads the Operating Committee to develop and manage the strategy, operational execution, financial results, and policies related to the business. One needs experience of managing full company P&L for at least $15M company. This position is located onsite, based at the Lake Bluff, IL office.

Qualifications: 1. Minimum five years experience in sales.

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Major Objectives to be Accomplished: 1. Produce budgeted sales of new maintenance, enhancement, and snow contracts.

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4. Communication of client needs to maintenance, enhancements, and snow departments, as the primary contact person with the client.

5. Maintain renewal accounts for maintenance and snow clients in your portfolio.

Responsibilities and Essential Task Activities: 1. Proactively manage clients’ satisfaction and service delivery by anticipating potential challenges and monitoring satisfaction.

2. Provide project inspection, advisement, and coordination between client and maintenance, enhancement, and snowplow crews.

3. Develop and maintain quality repeat clientele and generate yearly renewal contracts.

4. Support public relations program through print materials, ads, website, press releases, award entries, photography schedules, trade shows, networking events.

5. Involvement in snowplowing operations to include new sales, renewals, and liaison between client and snow manager.

6. Solicit new maintenance work through the approved sales process to include referrals and cold-calls, with a concentration within our existing property routes.

7. Majority of enhancement and design/build

56

Benefits: 401(k), Dental insurance, Health insurance, Paid time off, Vision insurance, Bonus pay, Commission pay.

Chicago, IL 60608: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required) Experience: Landscape: 2 years (Required) Send resume to hrbei@balancedenvironmentsinc.com Client Relationship Manager - Residential Maintenance We seek an experienced Client Relationship Manager to join us at our third generation, family-owned company in North Chicago, IL (near Gurnee). In this role, you will grow and maintain relationships with your clients, sell residential landscape maintenance enhancements, and work with our Crew Supervisors to make sure our clients are completely satisfied. Experience in landscape maintenance, sales, and strong plant identification is a must. This full-time, year-round position offers a robust benefits and compensation package including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurances, FSA, paid time off, holidays, and 401(k) with match. If you’re a customer-focused, pro-active team player consider joining us!

Please submit an application through our Paylocity Recruiting portal at https:// recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/ Details/1205663/Chalet/Client-RelationshipManager to be considered.

President, Midwest Division. Exciting opportunity! Award-Winning, Rapidly Growing, High-End Landscaping Company (Chicagoland area) Mariani Landscape is looking for a strong leader to fill the President role. One will be responsible for and leads the Mariani Midwest residential landscaping business.

The President is responsible for driving revenue and profit growth through improved customer satisfaction by delivering quality services with efficient and effective processes and systems. The President works with and

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

Landscape Architect/Project Manager $65,000 - $75,000/yr Benefits: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision, IMRF, Sick time, Personal time, Vacation time, Referral bonus.

The District’s Planning Department is excited to expand their team with a new Project Manager. Naperville Park District Project Managers design and implement park and recreational amenities for a system that serves the City of Naperville which is currently the 4th largest city in the State of Illinois.

Please visit our website to apply:

Account Managers/Business Development Managers We are seeking talented Account Managers and Business Development Managers for our three Chicagoland Branches to manage a portfolio and develop relationships with existing and new clients. In these positions you will play an instrumental role in the connection between Yellowstone Landscape and our clients — listening, consulting and building lasting relationships.

Yellowstone Landscape is dedicated to excellence in commercial landscaping and snow removal. As the largest privately-owned commercial landscaping company in the nation, we offer exciting career opportunities for Landscape Professionals across the United States.

To learn more and apply, please visit: www. yellowstonelandscape.com/careers Landscape Architect/Designer, Project Manager, Client Relations Manager, & Project Accountant Scott Byron & Co. is growing, and we are seeking additional team members to join our talented team!

Our people are the bottom line NOW HIRING: • Commercial Business Developers • Branch Managers • Account Managers • Landscape Designers • Landscape Construction Project Managers • Field Operations Managers • Turf Applicators • HR Professionals

LOCATED IN: Oak Brook (Corporate Office) WITH BRANCHES IN: West Chicago, Lemont, Plainfield, Chicago, Griffith, IN — PLUS six new Chicagoland locations coming soon!

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Classified Ads HELP WANTED - Our Design Studio is looking for a Landscape Architect/Designer to make clients’ dreams come true.

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- Our Accounting Department is searching for a Project Accountant to improve our construction and maintenance billing processes.

Please visit: www.scottbyron.com/careers to apply and learn more about Scott Byron & Co. and these great opportunities! *** LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT / DESIGNER *** ROLLING LANDSCAPES, INC., a wellestablished design/build firm, is seeking a creative and efficient individual to lead our design team in the Western Suburbs.

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matt@rollinglandscapes.com Landscape Maintenance Account Manager & Sales EverGreen Landscape Associates LLC is seeking a Landscape Maintenance Account Manager to assist in serving our clients in the west and northwest suburbs.

What we’re looking for: · Good verbal and written communication skills ·

Previous experience in the green industry

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Company vehicle, mobile phone, and laptop computer

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Retirement plan and medical insurance

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Qualified candidates should forward a resume for confidential consideration to: vickid@ evergreenlandscape.net.

Project Manager Enhancement & NU Construction Through proper project management, the Project Manager serves as the vital link between CWL’s high-profile enhancement clientele and the Company to ensure that client expectations regarding quality and service are consistently met and exceeded for the entire lifespan of projects, this includes but is not limited to installation, sales and estimating, project costing, billing, procurement, and employee management.

Email Resume to: jobs@christywebber.com Account Manager Job Summary: Under general direction, the Account Manager is the consistent Christy Webber Landscapes representative that clients trust. The AM ensures that the company’s quality and customer service standards are consistently achieved through proper account management. This includes, but is not limited to, sales, estimating, budgeting, invoicing, and quality control through the management of horticultural practices and site personnel.

Email Resume to: jobs@christywebber.com Horticulturist This position oversees all day-to-day operational aspects of the Chicago Dept of Transportation’s Landscaped Medians, including high profile sites like Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive.

Horticulturist ensures that overall operational performance targets are achieved in relation to service quality, contract costs, and cus-

Residential Maintenance Account Manager Commercial Maintenance Account Manager Landscape Designer/Project Director Management Associate Call Maria for more information at (847) 876-8042 Or visit jamesmartinassociates.com/careers 58

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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tomer expectations.

Work includes oversight of median maintenance, watering, boulevard mowing, sourcing, and planting of summer annuals, tulips and tree care.

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Landscape Architect/Designer, Account Manager, Customer Service and more With a focus on the future, Greenwise’s innovative approach to landscaping is on the cutting edge of the industry, and we are growing our team of dedicated stewards of the environment. If you’re looking to do work you can take pride in, at a company with a friendly and cooperative culture, we’d love to hear from you! We currently have the following openings:

Greenhouse Team Lead Do you enjoy working with plants as much as people? We are seeking candidates with great leadership and organizational skills to lead our greenhouse teams in growing over 200,000 plants annually at our Aurora location.

In this role, the greenhouse team lead is responsible for producing the highest quality of plants using sustainable and efficient growing practices, staff training and development as well as coordinating the daily operations of the growing facilities.

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CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES March 2023 issue ads: Feb 14, 2023 April 2023 issue ads: Mar 12, 2023 PLEASE NOTE: “HELP WANTED” AD SALES ARE LIMITED TO ILCA MEMBER COMPANIES Magazine Cost is $5 per line Minimum charge $50 Website Cost is $12 per line Minimum charge $120 (About 6 words/line) Submit your ads online at ilca.net or Call Alycia Nagy (630) 472-2851

Our Evanston location just off McCormick Blvd is easily accessible.

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Inspiration Alley Editor’s Note: Over time, we run across a mountain of fun, innovative, and generally creative ideas. They don’t always fit with the magazine content, but we do collect them for some future use. This brings us to Inspiration Alley, a place where we display pure creativity. It’s up to you to judge the merit of each offering. So use it, lose it or be inspired to try something different.

The Gold Rush

By Nina A. Koziol

Sometimes a landscape needs a few golden-yellow nuggets to make it sing. With the right foliage, you can add the Midas touch to a project. Here are a few specimens that can help you hit pay dirt.

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Bowles’ Golden Sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’) brightens shady spots but really wows in full sun.

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

Tiger Eyes Sumac (Rhus typhina ‘Bailtiger’) at Rotary Gardens in Janseville, WI.

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Before You Go —

Golden Conifers with Winter Radiance

by Mark Dwyer

As snow and cold descends on the

landscape, the winter doldrums soon arrive. Those months of November through March can be challenging in terms of noting significant color out in the garden. The warmth and brightness of yellow and golden conifers can help carry us through those months as they become beacons of interest out in the garden. Through the inclusion and proper placement of conifers with a golden hue, we can provide welcome spots of warm energy that draw attention and help us get our “color fix” during those long winter months.

Most of my landscape clients are focused on color, interest and “curb appeal” from spring through fall and seem genuinely surprised when I bring up the potential for winter interest out in the garden. The opportunity to suggest and include more plant material with winter interest is frequently overlooked and is another way to serve our clients. For winter interest we do currently promote the contributions of colorful stems, ornamental bark, persistent fruiting, perennial grasses (with winter stature!) and certainly conifers enter the equation. Some conifers with a golden or yellow hue offer the most intense contribution of color with new spring growth which later fades in the heat of summer. These plants, when used in combinations and compositions, are also contributors throughout the other seasons but in winter, they literally shine and intense focal points.

Varietal selections that are yellow or gold are well represented in most conifer genera. Again, those with golden/yel-

low spring flushes that fade may not have the same intensity in winter but still may be contributors with a degree of yellow or chartreuse. Some conifers will maintain a golden intensity or even transition to a more dynamic gold as temperatures dip and daylight shortens. While availability may be an issue, the widest range of “winter golds” exist in pines (Pinus), false cypress (Chamaecyparis), junipers (Juniperus) and arborvitae (Thuja). Placement of these conifers in terms of design should consider the other months of the year when they partner with neighboring plants and become part of the composition. Their function in the supporting cast of the landscape then changes in winter as they begin a starring role.

I’m a huge fan of many of the golden pines that illuminate our winter days. Do research the cultural needs, growth rate and mature size for these suggestions. Some of my favorite pines that transition to bright gold from green include ‘Carsten’s Gold’ mugo pine (Pinus mugo) and ‘Hillside Winter Gold’ white pine (Pinus strobus). Also worthy of note are the ‘Wate’s Golden’ Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) and ‘Nisbet’s Gold’ scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). If deer aren’t a factor, some great golden arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) include ‘Yellow Ribbon’ and ‘Gold Drop’. Golden false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) abound including ‘Golden Mops’ and ‘Sungold’. I’m also a huge fan of ‘Saybrook Gold’ juniper (Juniperus chinensis) which maintains a nice golden hue in winter. Warm up the winter landscape with splashes of rich gold from choice conifers!

Pinus mugo ‘Carsten’s Wintergold’

Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Sungold’

62

Pinus virginiana ‘Wate’s Golden’

The Landscape Contractor January 2023

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