The Pros at Home
Fire & Ice Preview
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July 2022
CONTENTS Excellence In Landscape Awards Project
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FOCUS: Bridging the Cultural Gap Bridging the Culture Gap Understanding another culture
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Notes from Chanticleer 18 Native plants in the formal landscape
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The Pros at Home 24 Down on the farm with Dean MacMorris Fire & Ice Preview 34 All the plans for one big day in the sun
EN ESPAÑOL
Acortando la brecha cultural Bridging the Culture Gap
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Business Minutes 46 Is procratination bad or good? Diseases and Pests 54 Cherry leaf spot & Crane fly Member Profile 56 The Riedell Group LLC Humdingers 61 How about a Face Lift? Hidden Landscape Gems Quad City Botanic Garden
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On the cover... Cantigny Park was the host location for
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the 2015 Summer Field Day.
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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CONTENTS
DEPARTMENTS ILCA Calendar From Where I Stand President’s Message Classified Ads Advertisers Index
Photo Credits
ILCA Awards Committee Bill Thomas Dean MacMorris Bob Hursthouse Rick Reuland The Riedell Group LLC
1, 8-9, 18-22 24-30 32 33, 36 56
Calendar ILCA & IGIA 4 5 7 56 61
Nina Koziol Heather Prince
JULY July 15, 2022 WNG Coffee Talk – July RenatlaMax LLC Carol Stream July 28-29, 2022 IGIA Summer Conference & Annual Membership Meeting St. Charles
61 54, 62
AUGUST
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
August 4, 2022 Fire & Ice The New COMBINED Summer Field Day + Summer Snow Day! Cantigny Park, Winfield
Volume 63, Number 7. 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
August 11, 2022 WNG Coffee Talk – August Ball Hort West Chicago
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
Events Manager Terre Houte thoute@ilca.net Office Manager Alycia Nagy anagy@ilca.net Membership & Marketing Manager Marissa Stubler mstubler@ilca.net
August 23, 2022 Turf Education Day Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe
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From Where I Stand — The ILCA held its “Summer in the City” Design
Tour on July 16, 2022. This event was almost four years in the making with a big ‘ol pandemic slapped right in the middle of it. It was originally scheduled for June of 2020, which meant planning had to begin in early 2019. Our Design Committee had no idea what the world and urban America were about to experience over the next 36 months. Design Tours looks deceptively simple to plan. After all, landscape professionals service thousands of sites a year. One would assume that we just need to combine a bunch of those sites together, tell people where to park, say a few words, and move on to the next one. In reality, allowing 100 people onto a functioning landscape, often at private residences, to wander around, snap photos, and touch plant material is not as welcoming as it sounds for many homeowners. Our Design Committee does an incredible job selecting sites and getting the company of record to walk the tour group through the design, installation, and maintenance challenges. We also hold these in the dead of summer, when the plant material pops. Just keeping people hydrated and upright for eight hours is a challenge. At the end of the day, our hope is that landscape professionals get to peer behind the curtain of a property and appreciate the art and science of a beautiful space. We cluster everyone together so they share the experience communally. We could easily toss a map of sites out to the ILCA members and tell them to stop by on their own time. Instead, our committee opts for a field trip style. Like everyone staring at a painting, all collectively share their nuanced impressions of the work. When we made the decision to attempt an urban tour in 2019, we knew we were in for a challenge. Instead of pulling up in an air-conditioned coach bus, we would ask 100 landscape professionals to walk in one group to eight different public sites in the 4th largest city in North America. We had to embrace the complications posed by the general public, ambient noise, and soaring temperatures. To overcome those complications we had to get creative. The Design Committee fanned out and established one-on-one relationships with the caretakers of these spaces. Education Manager AnneMarie built a robust app with audio, video, interviews, articles, and site photos to overcome the crowds and noise. We dragged a wagon filled with water bottles and fresh fruit to keep people from falling into the shrubs. Lastly, each attendee got a knapsack of sponsored items like suntan lotion, granola bars, sunglasses, a refillable water bottle, and more. The one challenge we did not anticipate were the fears and anxieties many have towards the City of Chicago. In my conversations leading up to the tour, many people expressed concerned about doing a tour of public gardens in broad daylight. To hear some concerns, you’d think Chicago was some post-apocalyptic hellscape being patrolled by Robocops. Perception, coupled with the endless doom scrolling of news outlets, created the impression that Chicago is beyond repair. I told them to register, and prepare to be amazed.
I have been blessed in my personal and professional travels to visit 40 of the top 50 largest cities in the United States. None of them are as beautiful as Chicago. Some are larger, more picturesque, crazy-fun, or historic, but none offer the total package that is Chicago. I lived in the Lakeview and Uptown neighborhoods for 12 years. My kids were born there. My father still lives in the South Loop. The city runs deep in my blood, and when I hear the old girl attacked, I feel the need to defend her. I love big cities, especially Chicago because of their vibrancy and energy. Look, this isn’t Sesame Street. When I lived there, I didn’t walk down the street signing “Sunny Days” while waving to the mailman and the grocer. Cities balance a fierce independence with a collective interdependence. It is freeing to simply put your head down or slide in some earbuds and get lost in the enormity of a big city. In that same breath, the greatest experiences of a big city are when we gather — the street festivals, parades, Cubs and Sox games, beer gardens, museums, and, of course, parks and public gardens. You are surrounded by economic, cultural, and geographic diversity. In short, a city is one big party and everyone is invited. In the same breath, I am not Pollyanna. Uptown had daytime crime, open air drug dealing, ambivalent police officers, feckless politicians, and gang violence. I have had police tape on my front door and encountered a bullet-ridden body in my alley. At this point, I am sure many would ask, “Well, then how can you possibly defend Chicago and feel safe there!?!?” That brings me back to the Design Tour. As we gathered the landscapers, designers, garden stewards, and experts who would serve as site docents, all had the same universal challenge — they needed to maintain gardens for the public that could also survive the public. The central challenge for public gardens is to create respite and beauty for millions of site visitors while not succumbing to those who wish to do the gardens harm. These gardens, like the city where they thrive, have to be resilient. None of these site stewards is naive to think children won’t break branches, dogs won’t uproot plants, discarded food scraps won’t burn turf, and vandals won’t sign their crimes. It is not possible, nor their job to stop damage. It is their job to overwhelm these occasional stains with beauty, durability, and purpose. Now, you may be saying, “that’s a nice metaphor,” but a kid snapping a hawthorn branch is a lot different than getting stabbed. I respect the claustrophobia and anxiety that big cities present to some. But, let’s be honest, that’s not the fault of a big city. Those are self-inflicted wounds. If some are waiting for the day where cities of eight million people no longer have crime and crowds, you are going to be waiting a long time. It’s like waiting for a garden to eliminate its weeds and ignoring its beauty until it does. The only way past a fear is through it, not dropping an iron curtain between Chicago and its suburbs. Chicago, like any big city, is its own wilderness. I didn’t grow up in a big city. I grew up in a suburb where I felt comfortable and didn’t need to lock my car, house, or bike. Living in a big city took some getting used to. The biggest takeaway from my
Hot Town Summer in the City
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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From Where I Stand —
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time there is understanding how to gauge a threat. It is absolutely impossible to live in a big city and not experience daily experiences outside of your comfort zone. In Uptown, I pushed my daughter in her stroller to buy milk and eggs from the Nigerian grocery that also sold wigs. I had to walk past several gang members who loitered outside the convenience store. I would get called “Governor” by the local homeless woman who called my wife “Beauty.” I’d wave to the firemen who sat in 1950s desk chairs outside the station and ironically smoked cigarettes. All this just becomes normal yet would be very unsettling to someone plucked from a different environment. Over time, you learn to trust your gut and appreciate the richness of what is happening around you. It is inevitable if you open yourself up to it. We were so grateful 100+ landscape professionals did embrace the tour in light of 90-degree temperatures in the heart of the busy season. Those who participated were able to visit Lakeshore East Park, a hidden gem designed like a sailboat that has created a new standard for maintenance and park stewardship for city residents. Following that, John Alexander and Daniel Gerdes of Christy Webber Landscapes walked us through Maggie Daley’s curving park purposefully designed to get you a little lost. The next stop was the world famous Lurie Garden where Kathryn Deery allowed us to walk beneath the famous shrub wall – the visuals were something out of a fairy tale. Patrick Thomas greeted us at the Art Institute where we learned about how each garden space unifies art, purpose, and nature. At the Dan Kiley garden, Joe Karr, who is in his 80s stood atop a granite bench and transported us back to 1964 as he discussed how the famous fountains and hawthorn trees came to exist. We headed east and met the North end of Buckingham Fountain and the famous rose garden. We doubled-back and learned the history of the Roy Diblik garden and why the arch faces south, not north. We ended up at Millennium Park where Austin Eischeid and former Director Scott Stewart (flown up from Texas) finished our day explaining how a new motif of plant material has used nature, not rails and fences to control crowds and behavior. Yes, it was as exhausting as it sounds. At the last stop, we were gathered around Austin. His passion for plants and the diverse, daring spaces he creates shine in his every syllable. A small group of fashionable high schoolers stepped through our tour group and paused for a second to find out what the hubbub was about. After a few seconds, the leader of the group, a pretty girl wearing an outfit my daughter will discover on Tik Tok in a few months rolled her eyes and said disdainfully, “They are talking about plants or something.” I smiled. Little did she know, those “plants (or something)” were the reason her and her friends decided to spend their summer afternoon in that park. The harmony those spaces create between living plants and living people continues to transform Chicago’s lakefront over 100 years after the Columbian Exposition. Landscapes have always united plants and people. If we only stop to focus on the weeds, we will always lose sight of the greater garden. Sincerely, Scott Grams, Executive Director June 21, 2022
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
President’s Message — Hello my friends!
I am very proud and honored to be your President over the next year. As you know I am following Scott McAdam Jr. who has done a great job and has taught me quite a bit about being a fearless leader. He has kept us solidly on track moving forward and has done it with great direction — keeping everyone smiling. I have some big shoes to fill, but I feel up to the challenge! I have met a lot of great number of people over my 38 years in the green industry. It has been provided me a tremendous education. Learning through conversations and relationships both in business and my personal life. I find that if you listen to people throughout your life, there is always a takeaway that you can use to better your life and others. This has done me very well and I am grateful for each experience. I try to make at least one stranger Jeff Kramer smile everyday. I find it to be very rewarding. It’s always an exciting at ILCA, but never more so than now. Everything moves quickly with so many dedicated people that make the ILCA what it is — dynamic, explosive, and fun! As you can see from the cover of this issue, we are debuting a new event for this year — Fire and Ice. This event combines Summer Field and Snow Days into one big event. It will be at Cantigny Park which is a great space to enjoy, while learning and networking among peers in our industry. I hope to see you there!
President
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
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
¡Hola amigos!
Jim Cirrincione Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. (630) 323-1411 jcirrincione@hinsdalenurseries .com Kim Hartmann Hartmann Consulting 847-404-7669 hartmannkim@comcast.net Jennifer Fick Wilson Nurseries and Landscape Supply (847) 683-3700 jennf@wilsonnurseries.com Tom Klitzkie Nature’s Perspective Landscaping (847) 475-7917 tklitzkie@naturesperspective.com Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net Kevin Manning K & D Enterprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 kmanning@kdlandscapeinc.com Mark Utendorf Emerald Lawn Care, Inc. (847) 392-7097 marku@emeraldlawncare.com
Me enorgullece y honra ser su Presidente durante el próximo año. Como saben, sucedo a Scott McAdam Jr. quien ha hecho una estupenda labor y me ha enseñado mucho sobre cómo ser un líder intrépido. Nos ha mantenido firmes en nuestro camino hacia el futuro y lo ha hecho con gran sentido de liderazgo — manteniendo a todos sonriendo. ¡Debo llenar unos zapatos muy grandes, pero me siento a la altura del desafío! He conocido a muchas personas estupendas durante mis 38 años en la industria verde. Eso me ha dado una educación extraordinaria. Aprendiendo a través de conversaciones y relaciones tanto en los negocios como en mi vida personal. Pienso que si escuchas a las personas durante toda tu vida, siempre habrá enseñanzas que puedes usar para mejorar tu vida y la de los demás. Esto me ha hecho mucho bien y agradezco cada una de esas experiencias. Todos los días trato de hacer que al menos una persona desconocida sonría. Esto me resulta sumamente gratificante. Siempre hay muchas cosas emocionantes en ILCA, pero nunca tantas como ahora. Todo se mueve rápidamente con tanta gente dedicada a hacer de ILCA lo que es — ¡dinámica, explosiva y divertida! Como pueden ver en la portada de este número, estamos estrenando un nuevo evento este año. — Fuego y hielo. Este evento combina Campo de verano y Días de nieve en un gran evento. Tendrá lugar en Cantigny Park, que es un gran espacio para disfrutar, aprendiendo de compañeros de nuestra industria y estableciendo nuevas relaciones. ¡¡Espero verlos ahí! Atentamente, Jeff Kramer
www.ilca.net The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Clark-Lindsey Village • Chicago Wheelchair Accessible Raised Garden
To combat settling and help prevent an uneven
entry/exit point for the wheelchair user, we first poured small concrete pads for the TERRAform inserts to sit on. The pads were pinned to the adjacent, existing sidewalk with rebar. We were mindful that the concrete pads were kept just larger enough to accommodate the inserts, so the remainder of the garden would benefit from an uninterrupted soil column and provide adequate drainage overall. Treated 4”x4” lumber was used at the corners to support the box that makes up the other
sides of the raised garden. The 4”x4”s were fastened to the concrete pads with Simpson post brackets and concrete crews. The 4”x4”s at the opposite end of the garden were cut longer and buried in post holes approx. 18” in depth. The sides of the box were constructed from 2”x6” smooth cedar using GRK exterior structural screws for added strength and to make future maintenance easier. The project was designed in advance in SketchUp to work through any issues ahead of time, to share the design with others in the organization, and arrive at the needed materials and associated costs of the project.
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Special Feature —
Bridging the Culture Gap by Meta L. Levin
Debbie Bartsch
remembers her first landscape job. “I dressed like an office lady with shoes that were not backlot friendly,” she says. When she was introduced to the crews, they looked at her as if they were asking, “Who is this princess?” She immediately realized that her attempt to impress her new employer had backfired. After that, Bartsch who works in production scheduling for Chalet, went out to the back lot once a day and tried to learn a little Spanish. It wasn’t, however, until she brought a crock pot of chili into the office and invited anyone to take some, that the ice broke. “Food,” she says, “is the fastest form of bonding.” People from the office and the crews mingled while they ate. It was so successful that her employer gave her a monthly budget to keep it going and the lunchtime sharing kept growing. Eventually, she arranged for catering from a Mexican restaurant. “It was fantastic team building.” Bernie’s Story Bernie Carranza, whose successful webinar, Lost in Translation: The Five Things Businesses Must Understand About the Latinx Culture, was presented in 2020, is not surprised. “It is ingrained in the Mexican culture to share food,” he says. “The act of eating together is a sacred ritual.” In fact, says Carranza, landscape contractors may see their crews sharing food during their lunch breaks. One may bring and heat tortillas and distribute them, while others may contribute other parts of the meal. “It’s nurturing,” he says. “If you are invited to share, then you are viewed as part of the group.”
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Bartsch, Carranza and former ILCA President, José Garcia, were part of a group that presented a four-part program, Uniting Latino and American Culture in the Workplace, during the 2022 iLandscape One Fiesta. Sponsored and organized by the ILCA Latino & Americano Committee, the sessions focused on understanding and appreciating the differences in the two cultures. Identifying the Need Spanish speakers and Latino employees make up more than 50 percent of the Illinois landscape industry. The sessions were based on the belief that it will benefit everyone if the two cultures understand each other. The sessions were presented in Spanish and most of the audience was composed of employees, although there was a mix of American owners, as well. Another series is planned in English. “We felt the focus should be on the appreciation of the differences,” says Garcia. “It’s time to get rid of the conflicts from the lack of understanding each other’s cultures.” For example, Garcia noted that each needs to understand why the other reacts in a certain manner. The idea was to allow attendees to walk away with something tangible, information that could be applied in the real world immediately. “We tried to provide information that would be useful,” says Garcia. “We wanted to give the membership tools to use.” The better the understanding, the more an employee feels comfortable, the better the retention and the happier they are. If people are happy, the better the production. So, the (continued on page 12)
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Special Feature — (continued from page 10) knowledge of each other is valuable. It helps avoid conflicts, promotes respect for each culture and helps to avoid mistakes. Avoiding Stereotypes It also avoids stereotypes. “Stereotypes damage relationships,” he says. Often Latinos are seen as not ambitious. That is not true, says Carranza. “They are taught to be quiet, to not speak up and not to rock the boat,” he says. As an example, he remembers early in his career that he drove an unsafe truck, rather than tell his boss. So, Carranza suggests that a non-Latino boss may have to find different ways of emphasizing that it is important to speak up or ask a question. Americanos feel good about giving an opinion, says Garcia. Many Latinos, however, do not feel comfortable speaking out. While the boss may ask how to do something better and faster, the employee might not find it easy to give an opinion. Show the Path Find a way to make it clear how to move up in the company, says Garcia. Advancement is important. For instance, what must an employee do to become a crew chief or foreman? “Let them know what options there are to move on,” he says. Such clarity can reap rewards for both sides. Garcia, who now owns his own company, Natural Creations Landscaping, remembers that 20 years ago he had employees making $30,000 a year. Those same employees now make six figures. “They are my diamonds,” he
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says. “Many did not have a formal education, but they are just as smart as those who did.” For Garcia, the key is that he is Latino – a native of Mexico – and, thus, understands the culture. There is no reason, however, that Americanos can’t learn to understand the culture of their Latino employees.
The differences in body language are often overlooked. “A lot of Latinos are humble and it is not natural for them to immediately make eye contact,” says Bartsch. Family is important to the Latino community. So, if an Americano boss tells an employee there is a lot of work and he must work on Saturday and Sunday, the Latino employee may not speak up, but will be resentful that it will interfere with things that are important to him, like going to church, doing laundry, buying groceries and spending time with the family. “Anglos may argue,” says
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
Garcia. “But many Latinos don’t feel comfortable speaking out.” Effective Communications As an employer, says Garcia, it’s important to determine what is the most effective way to communicate – big meetings, small meetings or one-on-one. Garcia tells his employees that his door is always open. They can talk to him about a problem or just stop by to say hello. He tries to make it comfortable for them to make comments or suggestions. And many of them do. Garcia, a native Spanish speaker who learned English after moving to the United States, believes it is important that his employees do, as well. He encourages them to speak English on the job, although that does not extend to their informal lunch breaks. His wife is an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher and Garcia pushes ESL and other education at work. “I teach a class where I emphasize education,” he says. “I tell them that being ignorant is going to cost more. Even in daily life, learning English will open windows that they don’t think can be opened. I tell them to embrace the language.” He has concentrated on furthering his education since coming to the United States, taking classes in law, business, marketing and other subjects. Lead From the Front He also leads by example. Just because he is the boss and owns the company doesn’t mean that he doesn’t pick up garbage if he sees it or grab a broom and sweep up the floor. “I have no problem with doing labor,” he says. (continued on page 14)
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Special Feature (continued from page 12) “I will drive a big piece of equipment if we need to get something done.” So, when necessary, he often is working alongside his employees. In that way, he also can identify employees’ quality of work. So, for instance, if he notices that an employee operates a smaller piece of equipment with skill and care, he will give that person a chance to move up to a larger, more complicated one. “I start to separate people by their willingness to do what it takes to get the job done,” he says. “I see their skills, but also if they have common sense.” He will look for the worker who doesn’t just run a machine, but can hear if something is wrong before it breaks down and will fix it; “somebody who cares.”
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The Referral Chain Often, new employees especially at the labor level, come through recommendations from current employees. They may be friends or relatives. And they may not speak much English. In those cases, Carranza recommends having someone act as a translator when talking with them about the job. Americanos understand about a job interview, but “the concept is almost nonexistent in Mexico,” he says. If you are hiring someone for a special job in the labor field, it might be more useful to give a hands-on test. Ask them to operate the machinery or perform the task. Conversely, hire the person on a contingency basis. Put him on a crew headed by an experienced crew chief or foreman and see how he does. (continued on page 16)
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The Landscape Contractor July 2022
Special Feature (continued from page 14) Of course, there also is the issue of onboarding, introducing the new hire to team members. It is, says Carranza, a way of satisfying the cultural need to be recognized. Garcia recommends introducing the new hire to the crew chief or foreman and having that person introduce him to the crew. That will ensure that it will be done with sensitivity to the culture. Carranza’s concern is attracting the sons and daughters of the immigrant Latinos now working in the industry. “How do we make the job attractive to the second generation?” he says. These potential employees are better educated, speak English well and understand the American system, but do not seem to be interested in landscape jobs. Right or wrong, they also may not be seen as productive or hardworking as their immigrant parents. He is particularly concerned with the current labor shortage. “What are we doing to market the industry to them?”
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Sustainable Landscapes —
Notes from Chanticleer:
Native Plants in the Formal Landscape
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by Heather Prince
When we think of public gardens,
largeestates with formal plantings often come to mind. Places like Longwood Gardens or the English gardens at the Chicago Botanic Garden can be top of mind. Chanticleer, a pleasure garden, in Wayne, Pennsylvania is one of the country’s premier public gardens. It is the 50-acre former home of the Rosengarten family, of which 35 acres are devoted to beautiful garden spaces, some formal and some creatively naturalistic. According to Chanticleer, it is “a garden of pleasure and learning, relaxing yet filled with ideas to take home.” Widely considered to be one of the most innovative and intriguing gardens in the U.S., it frequently sets the trends for landscape design. We were fortunate to have the Executive Director and Head Gardener, Bill Thomas, as one of the speakers at the 2022 iLandscape. Thomas has been involved with Chanticleer for the past 19 years. We had a wonderful conversation about
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gardens and landscapes and have developed a three-part series around a few of the design ideas employed by Chanticleer that are at the forefront of landscaping today. One of those design trends is naturalistic landscapes utilizing a great many native plant species. As the public has become more aware of the important role native plants play for pollinators, especially butterflies, demand for these species in home gardens and public spaces has dramatically increased. How do we marry the crisp formality desired by clients with the oftentimes casual habits of Midwestern native plants? What species of plants translate easily into a more regimented planting design? How do we think about adding a diversity of species? As in many landscape designs, let’s start with trees, the plants that often grow the largest. Some native favorites from Bill Thomas include, “I’m a Midwesterner by birth, so (continued on page 20)
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
Sustainable Landscapes — (continued from page 18) Midwestern plants are what I grew up with. I love sugar maples, bur oaks, white oaks, swamp white oaks, red maples — although red maples can have trouble if the soil is highly alkaline. I also love sycamores, shagbark hickory, and American linden. There are so many wonderful native trees. American beech is certainly a fabulous tree. If you’re planting trees in a garden, it’s really easy to go native.” All of these are large shade trees that offer impressive ceiling and when thoughtfully pruned, can become a living statue over time. Plus, while oak trees support around 2,300 species of animals according to a recent British study, Thomas’s other favorites are also important larval hosts for many butterflies and moths. These tree choices provide beautiful structure, fall color, and increase biodiversity in our landscapes. They can also be quite formal in growth habit, especially swamp white oak, maple, and linden. One of the lessons learned at Chanticleer has been planting smaller younger trees so they establish quickly and start putting on growth sooner. “One of the things we do at Chanticleer is we plant small trees, if possible bare root, so you know if you have a good root system,” commented Thomas. “They can be much less expensive to plant bare root. In an urban environment or with street trees you have to plant a bigger tree, so people don’t walk over it or mow it. However, in one’s own garden or a
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clients’ you can put some stakes around it so anybody who’s cutting grass remembers where it is. But we really plant small so the plants can get quickly established. I’ll water them a lot if it’s a dry season, but once they’re established you can get really good growth.” Not only do we have a host of wonderful native tree species to use in designs, but shrubs as well. “Some of my favorite native shrubs include bottlebrush buckeye, ninebark, chokeberry, and the colored twig dogwoods like Cornus sericea (aka C. stolonifera),” reported Thomas. “However, one of my all-time favorites is common witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana. It blooms in autumn as plants are losing their leaves. It looks so happy as the weather is getting colder and there’s less sunshine. It looks especially good on a cold drizzly October or November day. It’s one that always makes me happy when I see it.” Common witch hazel is a large vase-shaped shrub that can top out around 15 feet. However, its elegant form allows it to be a sculptural addition to the landscape, especially as an understory plant or as a specimen. Large potato chip-ruffled leaves turn brilliant gold in the fall. Smooth pale grey bark can be lovely in winter. Plus, witch hazel is a larval host to a long list of moth species while myriad small pollinators visit the flowers for a last meal before migration or hibernation. (continued on page 22)
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Sustainable Landscapes — Natives in Containers
(continued from page 20) The staff at Chanticleer have woven natives into display gardens, particularly Agastache, Echinacea, Asclepias tuberosa, mountain mints (Pycnanthemum spp.) and prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis). “The agastaches are a visitor favorite and they’re wonderfully fragrant. The echinaceas are real showstoppers,” recalled Thomas. One particularly effective use of native plants is Chanticleer’s prairie dropseed meadow. Its changing moods from spring into winter have become a visitor favorite. The soft cascading fine foliage creates almost a wave effect and is particularly effective en masse. A native ephemeral bulb that is also enchanting planted in masses is Camassia. “In terms of natives that really knock people’s socks off are Camassias,” commented Thomas. “We’ve got a mass of Camassia ‘Blue Danube’ along our creek. People stop in their tracks when they see that much blue. We also grow the eastern native, Camassia scilloides. We don’t have a big mass of it, but wherever it grows, it’s quite pretty.” The native plant is also known as wild hyacinth and can frequently be found in our forest preserves. With a silver blue flower and prominent yellow anthers, it blends beautifully with late season tulips and daffodils. The upright clusters of flowers are graceful and formal in their carriage. Try them as filler in boxwood parterres or as part of spring displays. As you make plant choices for designs this year, consider the form and function of native species. Many of the perennials boast tidy or upright habits that fit into formal gardens. Native trees and shrubs can be statement specimens, screening, or overhead ceiling for patio spaces. Try substituting native grasses for sweeps of ornamental plantings and you might just fall in love with them.
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Many native plants are also charming in containers, especially some of the spring ephemerals. “We’ve been starting to use more native flowers in our spring displays,” commented Thomas. “We then might take them out of the seasonal display area and plant in another area permanently. I hate throwing away something after it’s used just once. I like to get at least two uses out of a plant.” Some might surprise you on their versatility. “Talking about natives, one that is ephemeral, is Virginia bluebells, Mertensia virginiana. That’s a great one to use either in a spring display in the ground or in a container. Then when it starts to go dormant, dig it out and move it to a permanent spot. Trilliums are similar. You could also do it with bloodroot, Sanguinaria, but they bloom and fade so quickly, you might want to use the double one because it does bloom for a longer period of time.” By adding these woodland natives to containers, you can capture their ephemeral nature and bring them up close and personal. We are instantly drawn to the delicate and fleeting flowers, plus they pair beautifully with other cold-tolerant annuals like stock, pansies, and bulbs. Containers also allow us to interact with unusual native plants. “I’ve seen lady slipper orchids (Cypripedium spp.) done in beautifully in containers,” observed Thomas. “They are a bit of a challenge, but so wonderful when they bloom. Make sure you’re using a reputable nursery and purchase lab-propagated plants, though, as they are endangered in the wild.” Another fascinating plant that benefits from being grown in a container where the unique flowers can be enjoyed are pitcher plants. “North American pitcher plants, the Sarracenias, are intriguing however they’re used, but are quite strong in containers,” said Thomas. If you’re looking for tough, low maintenance, and beautiful in a sunny spot, Thomas recommends, “Agastaches – they’re just such a tough plant, they’re wonderful in containers. Being able to touch the leaves and get that fragrance going is really nice.” As a group, agastaches thrive in full sun and sharp drainage, making them ideal for containers on rooftops and exposed spaces. They’ll bloom for the summer months and be covered in pollinators. An edible plant in the mint family, leaves and flowers can be used in teas or lemonade for a fun floral twist. When planning or revamping your container designs this year, try thinking about combinations with natives for long-blooming flowers, fragrant foliage, and interesting textures.
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Focus — The Pros at Home
ILCA Goes Down on the F by Nina A. Koziol
Most readers know Dean
MacMorris, president of the award-winning firm Night Light, Inc. He serves on the ILCA board, is a long-time supporter of ILCA, and attends just about every industry event. “My goal is to network with other professionals to help connect each other with individuals that can enhance their lives.” And he excels at that. If you haven’t met Dean yet, you should. Driving to his home in Elgin, I pictured a sleek mid-century modern ranch house. Imagine my surprise when I pulled up to an 1855 pre-Civil War farmhouse and barn set on a hill overlooking several acres of rolling prairie, oak savanna, rambling borders and crisp lawns—one of the oldest farmsteads in Kane County. And neat as a pin down to the fresh paint on the barn, milk house and other outbuildings. It was like stepping back in time. His expansive gardens are simply the icing on the cake. Standing on the farmhouse porch and looking across the property, he said, “It’s a great passion — plants and landscaping. It’s paradise for me.” During summer, he handwaters the annuals — thousands of them — dahlias, canna lilies, gladiolas, hibiscus, mixed wax begonias, and great hanging baskets of Mega Watt begonias on the porch of the farmhouse. “I love the tuberous begonia, bright orange, red, and yellow, under the dawn redwood.” And there are containers galore filled with dazzling colors. “One year I had 52 pots.” Impatiens, zinnias, petunias, salvia, rudbeckia, butterfly weed, hollyhocks, lilies, baptisia, lilacs, iris, geraniums, monarda, phlox and countless other annuals and perennials are carefully arranged in the large borders that flank the driveway. Extensive planting beds hug the house and patio. Colorful baskets hang from a lovely pergola that MacMorris designed and had built. And, like the farmhouse and barn, the beds, borders and containers are flawless. (continued on page 26) 24
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
Farm with Dean MacMorris
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Focus — The Pros at Home A Labor of Love
There’s no automatic irrigation system but that doesn’t stop him from planting 80 to 90 flats of annuals each year. “It’s a lot of work, but for me it’s not work. Watering for me…well, I go out with my bluegrass music playing. I can check out from the world around me. Sometimes I’ll be out there until dark. I do a good heavy thick layer of mulch and once they get established I don’t have to water as much.” A semi-load of hardwood bark mulch gets turned into the beds before drilling the planting holes. “The soil is fabulous — no rocks. It was bad when I started but after more than 30 years of preparation it is great now.” He purchased the 3-1/2-acre property in 1986 and he and his wife Gina were married in the barn in 1992. Since then, he bought adjoining land and now owns 7.5 acres. Over the years, he’s added
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copper beech, bur oak, chinquapin oak, shingle oak, tricolor beech, and an Ohio buckeye in honor of his alma mater, Ohio State. When a subdivision replaced an adjoining 100-acre farm, he put in a berm and topped it with spruces for screening. The evergreens look like a windbreak one sees around many older farms. Every two weeks from spring through fall, he creates a stunning floral arrangement for indoors, but his attention to detail goes far beyond the flowers. He’s restored every structure on the site. When he had to replace pieces of the barn, he used wood from other barns that were the same age to lend authenticity. A new metal roof sits on the four-bay machine shed and he used old doors from other structures to maintain the historic look. He remodeled the old Model T garage, adding insulation, heat and air conditioning, and it served as a playhouse for his daughters, Jillyan and Jacquelyn,
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
when they were small. (I am wondering when he sleeps.)
Beginnings
MacMorris’s fascination with plants started early on. He was five years old when he began working with his dad in the garden. “Horticulture was my first love,” he said. “I always worked with my dad in the yard. My grandparents had a dairy farm on 105 acres in upstate New York. We visited as kids and pulled weeds, hauled brush.” He and Dave — his identical twin brother — worked at a truck farm in New Jersey. “We spread manure, pruned apple trees, worked the fields, picked the veggies and learned to drive the tractor before we had a driver’s license. After high school, the two brothers briefly worked for a local landscape firm. “They taught us how to install wood decks (continued on page 28)
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Focus — The Pros at Home (continued from page 26) and patios, work backhoes, and dig and prune plants at their nursery and we dry-laid stone walls. It was on-the-job experience.” He attended Mercer County Community College in New Jersey where he studied ornamental horticulture. His hard work paid off — he graduated on the dean’s list. And he credits studying index cards with photos of each plant in his coursework. “You’d have to learn about 20 plants a week. There would be pop quizzes on walks where we’d identify the trees. Every time I got it right — it was in me.” He could identify turf seeds — fescue, rye and bluegrass. “People thought I was nuts, but I loved plants. I ran the greenhouse there for a while and we built a golf green from scratch — it was cool. We had grafting, hort classes, botany, soil science, geology, surveying —i t was an action packed two years.” He-was accepted at several universities but picked Ohio State. (He
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was born in Ohio). “They focused on the use of plants in landscapes. Steven Stills ran the horticulture department. I didn’t know him from a can of paint. When I had to meet with him to transfer classes, he told me Mercer County was one of the best horticultural schools in the country. I was able to do the landscape program in three years.” His degree is in landscape architecture. While attending Ohio State, he worked for Schmidt Nursery in Columbus, Ohio, and did lawn care and pruning on high-end homes. One client was the owner of a national chain of clothing stores who wanted his property to be pristine. The bricks had cracks filled with weeds and moss and MacMorris was cleaning them one day. He didn’t know the owner was watching him intently. “He told me he was amazed at how boring the job was but how focused I was!” The owner offered him a job, but his love of plants kept him focused on his desired career path. Before graduating in 1983,
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
MacMorris heard Dick Brickman do a presentation on his company, The Brickman Group, and was wildly impressed. “I thought, ‘this guy is a god.’ Who does that? I want to be like him someday. But in ’83 there was a terrible recession. Nobody was hiring.” The recession killed his chance of working for Peridian Group in Southern California. “They had the coolest office ever — open concept. All my drawings and renderings were done by hand. Brickman called me while I was out there interviewing.” He worked for Brickman for six years before joining Adam Tecza & Sons where he did sales and marketing. “Ted Tecza allowed me to grow the department as sales & design manager.” From there he worked for Mariani as sales manager until 1997 facilitating company strategic planning. “By the time I was 40 I wanted to have my own business.” He joined Night Light, Inc., in 1998 and put together a three-year business (continued on page 30)
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Focus — The Pros at Home (continued from page 28) plan. “The business went from 23 referral partners to more than 100. It grew so fast.” The company is five times as large as when he came on board.
Prairie, Oak Savanna — and Dahlias!
In spite of a very busy work schedule, MacMorris takes time to stroll the trail he installed at home. Among his favorites spots are the upland and lowland prairies and the oak savanna. He worked with Jack Pizzo of Pizzo & Associates to restore the 3.5-acre prairie, which attracts stunning wildlife. Owls and barn swallows are frequent flyers at the corn crib. The couple can watch Eastern bluebirds, butterflies, dragonflies and sandhill cranes from the patio or porch. Or they’ll have a fish boil or chili
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over the fire pit while hummingbirds visit the flowers nearby. It doesn’t take long for most visitors to spot what is likely his favorite plant — dahlias. He received Peaches and Cream dahlia as a birthday present years ago. “It ended up seven feet tall! I know they need the right soil, right temperature, right sun. I get more blooms than I can possibly want.” He and Gina went to a dahlia show at the Chicago Botanic Garden years ago and then attended the Central States Dahlia Society show where he bought dahlia tubers. A few years later, his garden was featured on the Dahlia Society’s tour. Visitors were certainly thrilled by the special dahlia bed near the barn. He stores the tubers come fall, placing each variety in its own onion bag. Canna lilies and gladiolas are also overwintered.
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
Light it Up!
At dusk, the MacMorris farm is transformed into an evening paradise. Subtle lighting creates a soft ambiance of understated elegance. As co-owner of Night Light, Inc. landscape illumination, he understands the benefits of lighting. “Light is used as a paintbrush to enhance the beauty of the architecture and landscape while also providing safety and security,” he explained. Bistro lights softly enhance the 120-foot wraparound porch while special lights create delicate “moonlight” shadows that filter through the trees onto the patios, walkways, borders, lawn and driveway — a completely enchanting experience. “When I look out, it’s relaxing because my world is so busy. It’s beautiful — not only the flowers but these old buildings. It takes me from wherever I am to where I want to be.”
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Focus — The Pros at Home
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Special Feature — Fire & Ice
First there was
Summer Field Day. Then Summer Snow Days. Now welcome to Fire & Ice, a day-long event covering the hot topics on both sides of the landscape industry. Scheduled for 8 am to 4 pm, Thursday, August 4, 2022, at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL, the Summer Field and Snow Day combo will be packed with educational offerings, tours of Cantigny’s new gardens, equipment demos, food, music and vendors galore. Oh, yes, and garden gnomes. “I think it makes sense to combine the two,” says David Burton, chair of the Fire side of the Fire & Ice committee. In addition, he believes that combining the two committees allows for new and fresh ideas. More than that, Fire & Ice allows for one more opportunity for ILCA members and their staffs to meet and greet in person. “This will have a lot more energy,” says Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. and associate chairperson of the Ice side of Fire & Ice. In the past educational offerings at Summer Field Day were hands on and took place at the booths. Cantigny, however, offers the best of both worlds, an indoor, air-conditioned Visitors Center theater in which much of the educational sessions will take place, as well as space for Walk Abouts, equipment demonstrations and other programs in and around the vendor booths. Not to mention that Cantigny staff will leader tours of the
new garden areas. A 500-acre park in Wheaton, IL, it is on the former estate of Joseph Medill and his grandson, Colonel Robert McCormick, publishers of the Chicago Tribune. It features display gardens, natural areas, green houses and garden tours. And has been the site of Summer Field Day in the past.
Garden Gnomes
As has been the case at previous Summer Field Days, as well as iLandscape, if you find the garden gnomes, you win a prize. They will be hiding throughout the area. (continued on page 36)
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Special Feature — Fire & Ice (continued from page 35) Educational offerings for the Snow and Ice portion of the show will include subjects that are on the minds of those who provide these services to their customers. To give attendees plenty of time to get the most out of the event, organizers decided that no seminar will be longer than 45 minutes, says Bertog. Presentations will include: •
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prised of experienced professionals from three different companies and will cover such topics as finding labor, supply chain challenges, labor saving machines, using subcontractors and proper pricing, writing contracts, fuel surcharges and how to handle them in multi-year contracts and lot and yard security. The audience will be able to ask questions, says Bertog. Short topics also will be scheduled at certain booths.
and how to apply surcharges, labor saving practices and equipment, company culture, codes and permitting, transitioning to electric and anticipating challenges in the field. There will be walk abouts. In fact, two are scheduled: new plants and plant introductions and electric and laborsaving equipment. While attendees will be walked to and from the building, there also are golf carts available for anyone who has trouble walking, says Reidell.
“In the past we mostly had walk abouts,” says Jessica Reidell, associate chair of the Fire & Ice Committee’s Fire subcommittee. “There were few sit down classes.” This year that will change. Cantigny’s indoor facility will allow for panel discussions and presentations in air-conditioned comfort. The Fire’s presentations and panel discussions will cover such topics as fuel
Food, Fun and Entertainment Beer, food and music will make Fire & Ice a joyful day. The Tree Connection will return as the Beer Garden sponsor. Attendees also will be able to choose from three food options: Brats and Burgers, Mexican and BBQ, which, as happened in 2019, they will be able to take to any of several dining tents (continued on page 38)
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Special Feature — Fire & Ice (continued from page 34) located throughout the exhibit area to eat in a relaxing atmosphere. Hydrations stations will be scattered throughout the vendor exhibit area, although participants will be asked to bring their own reusable thermoses. There also will be bottled water available. Once again participants will be able to compete with one another in a variety of games. (See Exhibitor list on page 40)
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The Landscape Contractor July 2022
The Landscape Contractor 39 July 2022
Special Feature — Fire & Ice
Exhibitors at press time A Block Marketing Advanced Turf Solutions Alert Distributing Inc. Alexander Equipment Co., Inc. Allta Equipment Atlas Bobcat Bartlett Tree Experts Blu Petroleum Burris Equipment Cantigny Park Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ ProGreen Plus Cedar Path Nurseries Chapin Manufacturing Clesen Wholesale College of DuPage Hort Dept. ConservFS Cub Cadet
Dayton Bag and Burlap Goodmark Nurseries Grasshopper Company Green Glen Nursery, Inc Harrell's LLC Hinsdale Nurseries Inc Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, Inc. J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Kankakee Nursery KO Supply Company, Inc. Kramer Tree Specialists, Inc. Lafarge Fox River Stone Mariani Plants McCann Industries McGinty Bros., Inc. Michigan Chloride Midwest Groundcovers Midwest Salt
Midwest Stihl Midwest Trading Monroe Truck Equipment, Inc. Pizzo Native Plant Nursery Rainbow Ecoscience Reinders RentalMax Rochester Concrete Products/Rockwood Retaining Walls Russo Power Equipment SavATree SIMA (Snow & Ice Mgmt. Assoc.) SiteOne Landscape Supply The Tree Connection Twixwood Nursery Vermeer Midwest Weather Command Wilson Nurseries & Landscape Supply Xylem, Ltd.
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The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Acortando la brecha cultural por Meta L. Levin Debbie Bartsch recuerda su primer trabajo en la industria paisajista. “Me vestí como una oficinista, con zapatos inadecuados para trabajar en un lote trasero”, dice. Cuando la presentaron al equipo de trabajo, sus compañeros la miraron como preguntándose, ¿quién es esta princesa?” Inmediatamente, se dio cuenta de que su intento de impresionar a su nuevo empleador no tuvo el efecto deseado. Después de eso, Bartsch, quien trabaja en programación de producción en Chalet, salía al lote trasero una vez al día y trató de aprender un poco de español. Pero no fue sino hasta que llevó a la oficina una olla de cocción lenta con chile con carne para compartir con los demás empleados, que se rompió el hielo. “La comida”, asegura, “es la forma más rápida para estrechar lazos de amistad”. Miembros del personal de la oficina y de los equipos de trabajo se reunieron y charlaron mientras comían. La experiencia tuvo tanto éxito que el empleador le asignó a Bartsch un presupuesto mensual para que continuara la compartición durante el almuerzo a la cual se fueron sumando más personas. Eventualmente, hizo los arreglos necesarios para que un restaurante mexicano les enviara la comida. “Fue una forma fantástica de estimular el espíritu de equipo”.
La historia de Bernie
Bernie Carranza, cuyo exitoso webinario, “Perdido en la traducción: Las cinco cosas que los negocios deben aprender sobre la cultura 42
las culturas latina y estadounidense en el lugar de trabajo”, durante la iLandscape One Fiesta 2020. Patrocinadas y organizadas por el Comité Latino y Americano de ILCA, las sesiones se centraron en comprender y apreciar las diferencias entre las dos culturas.
Identificar la necesidad
latina” se presentó en 2020, no se sorprende. “Compartir alimentos y bebidas con otras personas es una costumbre muy arraigada en la cultura mexicana”, asegura. “El acto de comer juntos es un ritual sagrado”. De hecho, continúa Carranza, los contratistas de paisajismo pueden ver a los miembros de sus equipos de trabajo compartiendo comida durante las horas de almuerzo. Uno podría traer tortillas y distribuirlas, mientras otros pueden aportar otros componentes del almuerzo. “Es estimulante”, asegura. “Si te invitan a compartir, eres visto como parte del grupo”. Bartsch, Carranza y el expresidente de ILCA, José Garcia, fueron parte de un grupo que presentó un programa de cuatro partes, “Uniendo The Landscape Contractor July 2022
Los empleados hispanohablantes y latinos representan más del 50 por ciento de la industria paisajista de Illinois. Las sesiones se basaron en la creencia de que si las dos culturas se comprenden mutuamente todos se benefician. Las sesiones se presentaron en español y el público, en su mayor parte, estaba compuesto por empleados, aunque también hubo una mezcla de propietarios estadounidenses. Está planificada otra serie en inglés. “Consideramos que el énfasis debe ser en la apreciación de las diferencias”, afirma Garcia. “Es hora de deshacernos de los conflictos debidos a la falta de comprensión de las culturas de los otros empleados”. Por ejemplo, Garcia señaló que cada uno debe comprender por qué los demás reaccionan de determinada manera. El propósito fue que los asistentes salieran con algo tangible, información que pudiera ser aplicada de inmediato al mundo real. “Tratamos de proporcionar información que fuera útil”, dice Garcia. “Quisimos dar a la membresía herramientas que pudieran usar”. Cuanto mejor sea la comprensión, más cómodo se siente el empleado, mejor la retención y más contentos están. Si la gente
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está contenta, mejora la producción. Por consiguiente, el conocimiento mutuo es valioso. Ayuda a evitar conflictos, promueve el respeto de cada cultura y ayuda a evitar errores.
Evitar los estereotipos
También evita los estereotipos. “Los estereotipos dañan las relaciones”, afirma. Con frecuencia se piensa que los latinos no tienen ambiciones. Eso no es cierto, asegura Carranza. “Se les enseña a permanecer callados, no decir lo que piensan y no alborotar el gallinero”, explica. Como ejemplo, recuerda, al comienzo de su carrera, condujo un camión inseguro, en lugar de informar a su jefe. Por consiguiente, Carranza sugiere que los jefes no latinos podrían tener que encontrar maneras diferentes de enfatizar la importancia de hablar sin temor y hacer preguntas. Los estadounidenses se sienten bien dando sus opiniones, afirma Garcia. Sin embargo, muchos latinos no se sienten cómodas expresando lo que piensan. Por consiguiente, cuando el jefe pregunte cómo hacer algo mejor y más rápidamente, al empleado podría no resultarle fácil dar su opinión.
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TODOS JUNTOS MEJOR. opciones de ascenso existen”, dice. Tal claridad genera beneficios para ambos lados. Garcia, quien ahora es dueño de su propia compañía, Natural Creations Landscaping, recuerda que hace 20 años tenía empleados
Mostrar el camino
Encuentre una manera de expresar con claridad cómo ascender en la compañía, recomienda Garcia. El ascenso es importante. ¿Por ejemplo, qué debe hacer un empleado para convertirse en jefe de equipo o capataz? “Infórmeles qué The Landscape Contractor July 2022
que ganaban $30,000 anualmente Los mismos empleados tienen ahora ingresos de seis cifras. “Son mis diamantes”, dice. “Muchos no tuvieron una educación formal, pero son tan inteligentes como los que la tuvieron”. Para Garcia, la clave es que él es latino – nativo de México – y, por consiguiente, comprende la cultura. No obstante, no hay ningún motivo por el cual los estadounidenses no puedan comprender la cultura de sus empleados latinos. Con frecuencia, las diferencias en el lenguaje corporal se pasan por alto. “Muchos latinos son humildes y no es natural para ellos hacer contacto visual de inmediato”, explica Bartsch. La familia es importante para la comunidad latina. Por consiguiente, si un jefe estadounidense le dice a un empleado que hay mucho trabajo y debe trabajar el sábado y el domingo, el empleado latino quizá no diga nada, pero se resentirá porque esa orden interferirá con cosas que son importantes para él, como ir a la iglesia, lavar la ropa, ir al supermercado y dedicar tiempo a estar con su familia. “Los anglos podrían discutir”, dice Garcia. “Pero muchos latinos no se sienten cómodos expresando lo que piensan”. 43
Comunicaciones efectivas
Como empleador, Garcia afirma que es importante averiguar cuál es la manera más eficaz de comunicarse – reuniones grandes, reuniones pequeñas o entre dos personas. Garcia hace saber a sus empleados que su puerta siempre está abierta. Pueden hablar con él sobre un problema o simplemente pasar saludándolo. Trata de que se sientan cómodos haciendo comentarios o sugerencias. Y muchos lo hacen. Garcia, hispanohablante nativo que aprendió inglés después de trasladarse a Estados Unidos, considera que es importante que sus empleados lo hagan también. Los anima a que hablen inglés en el trabajo, aunque esto no se extiende a las horas de almuerzo informales. Su esposa es maestra de inglés como segundo idioma (ESL) y Garcia promueve la enseñanza del inglés y otras materias en el trabajo. “Imparto una clase en la que enfatizo la educación”, afirma. “Les digo que no saber les saldrá más caro. Incluso en la vida diaria, aprender inglés les abrirá ventanas que ellos no pensaban podían abrirse. Les digo que se familiaricen con el idioma”. Se ha concentrado en ampliar su educación desde que vino a los Estados Unidos, tomando cursos de derecho, negocios, mercadotecnia y otras materias.
La cadena de referencias
Con frecuencia, nuevos empleados, especialmente a nivel de mano de obra, vienen a través de recomendaciones de empleados actuales. Pueden ser amistades o parientes. Y podrían no hablar mucho inglés. En tales casos, Carranza recomienda que alguien sirva de traductor cuando se les hable sobre el trabajo. Los estadounidenses comprenden lo que es una entrevista de trabajo, pero “el concepto es casi inexistente en México”, dice Si estás contratando a alguien para un trabajo especial en el campo laboral, podría ser más útil hacerle una prueba práctica. Pídales que operen una maquinaria o realicen una tarea. De otra forma, contrate a la persona sobre una base de contingencia. Póngala en un equipo liderado por un jefe de equipo o capataz con experiencia y observe su desempeño.
Liderar desde el frente
También lidera con el ejemplo. El hecho de que sea el jefe y dueño de la compañía no significa que no recoja la basura si la ve o tome una escoba para barrer el piso. “No tengo ningún problema con hacer ese tipo de labores”, dice. “Conduciré un equipo grande si tenemos que completar una tarea”. Por consiguiente, cuando es necesario, con frecuencia trabaja hombro con hombro junto a sus empleados. De esa forma, también puede identificar la calidad del trabajo de sus empleados. Por ejemplo, si advierte que un empleado opera un equipo pequeño con habilidad y cuidado, dará a esa persona la oportunidad de operar otro equipo más grande y complicado. “Comienzo a separar a las personas por su disposición a hacer lo que sea necesario para completar el trabajo”, dice. “Veo sus habilidades, pero también si tienen sentido común”. Estará atento a los trabajadores que no solo operan las máquinas sino también oyen si algo está malo para arreglarlo antes de que se averíe; “alguien que se preocupa”.
44
Por supuesto, también está el asunto de la integración laboral, presentar al nuevo empleado a los miembros del equipo. Es, dice Carranza, una forma de satisfacer la necesidad cultural de ser reconocido. Garcia recomienda presentar al nuevo empleado al feje del equipo o capataz y que esta persona lo presente al equipo de trabajo. Eso asegurará que la presentación se hará con sensibilidad a la cultura. La preocupación de Carranza es atraer a los hijos e hijas de los inmigrantes latinos que no trabajan actualmente en la industria. “Cómo hacemos el trabajo atractivo a
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
la segunda generación”, se pregunta. Estos empleados potenciales son mejor educados, hablan inglés bien y comprenden el sistema estadounidense, pero no parecen estar interesados en trabajar en paisajismo. Sea verdad o no, pueden ser percibidos como menos productivos o menos trabajadores que sus padres inmigrantes. Le preocupa de manera especial la actual escasez laboral. “¿Qué estamos haciendo para promocionar la industria ante ellos?”
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45
Business Minute
Is Procrastination Bad or Good? By Yoram Solomon, Ph.D.
A very famous minister was procrastinating
until the last minute on writing a very public speech he was to give. He went on stage without having the entire speech completed. He was a procrastinator. Then, on stage, at the last minute, he added four more words to it and decided to start his speech with the words: “I have a dream...” What do you think when you hear the word “procrastination?” Is that a positive or negative word to you? We typically think of the word negatively and associate it with laziness, being disorganized, and not being strategic. But did you know there are positive aspects to procrastination? This article will first show both the negative and positive aspects of procrastination. It will also give you some advice on how to decide whether to procrastinate or not. But the most important part is showing you how to determine whether you should trust a procrastinator or not and whether you should be trusted based on your procrastination profile.
The Bad Side of Procrastination • • • •
•
You may find out at the last minute that you need more information, but it will be too late to try and get it, or you will no longer have access to it. You may need access to someone to discuss your project, but that person will not be available in the short window before the project deadline. The schedule may get pulled in, leaving you with insufficient time to complete it before the deadline. You may experience stress as the looming deadline is nearing. That stress could adversely impact your ability to complete the project on time and at a high quality, not to mention the negative impact on your health. Life happens. Something unplanned and unexpected could happen that will have a higher priority over the project, and once you shift your attention to it, you (continued on page 48)
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Business Minute (continued from page 46) • will not be able to complete the project on time. • The longer you wait, the higher the probability that you will forget about the project or the deadline and, as a result, miss it. • Missing the project due date for any of the reasons above could impose significant and negative consequences for you.
The Good Side of Procrastination • • •
•
•
The more time passes, the more ideas you may come across, which would make sense in the context of the project. On the same token, you may have more time to think of more (and better) alternatives if you must offer a few in your deliverable. With time, you may come across information that may not have been available early on and is available now. Information you use may be more relevant and timelier. You give information and ideas already in your head more time to incubate. You cannot force old ideas to combine into fresh ones, and you must give them time, and procrastination will give that process time. You have more time to ask more people for their
•
• •
thoughts, advice, or use more people as sounding boards for what you think your deliverable should be. There is always the probability that the project gets canceled. If you do your part early without procrastinating, you may have just wasted your time and effort. The schedule may get pushed out, causing your deliverable to become dated, irrelevant, or simply putting undue pressure on you. Even without the schedule being pushed out, as time passes, things change. Your ideas and recommendations may become invalidated given new developments and new information.
To Procrastinate, or Not to Procrastinate? • •
First, ask yourself if you get stressed over looming deadlines. If you are, then don’t procrastinate. Get it over with and avoid the pressure. Ask yourself whether you have everything you need at the beginning. Do you have all the information you need? Do you fully understand what you must do? Do you have access to the people or resources you need? Will that access stop at some point? Once you map those out, you can decide whether you can (continued on page 50)
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Business Minute (continued from page 48) procrastinate and how long. Prioritize the tasks that may have time-limited resources and information. • Ask yourself: What is the probability of you having more ideas, finding better alternatives, having more access to more (or new) information, or that having access to ideas, information, or people could improve the quality of your deliverable? If there is a low probability or impact of those things, you might as well not procrastinate. But if there is a high probability or impact, you may want to wait. • Ask yourself: What is the probability of something urgent happening, or of you forgetting the deadline? If the probability is
high, you might want to start soon and avoid procrastination.
The Best of Both Worlds
As you embark on (or are assigned) a project, map out all the questions above. Get access to all the information and people you need before they are not available to you. But most importantly, make a draft, a prototype, or something that is good enough (albeit not at the highest quality you can deliver). If something happens, you will still have something to show, and something is typically better than nothing. As time passes, you can refine your deliverable with new information, new ideas, new alternatives, incubation, and access to people to run your ideas by. Your final deliverable will be better but not in jeopardy because you didn’t do anything about it and missed the deadline. (continued on page 50)
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51
Business Minute (continued from page 50)
Should You Trust a Procrastinator?
The quick answer is, “it depends.” You can determine that procrastination is neither good nor bad in an absolute, universal way. It’s not like telling the truth, which is a universal and absolute trustworthy component. Procrastination is a personality trait, and as such, trusting a procrastinator is a relative issue. Different people are simply different in their procrastination tendencies, and it doesn’t make them good or bad. Trustworthiness is contextual, which means that you may trust a procrastinator in certain contexts, but not in others— probably depending on the consequences to you. Finally, trust is also asymmetrical, which means that a procrastinator may trust someone who is not a procrastinator. Still, someone who is not a procrastinator may not trust a procrastinator.
52
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
About the Author: Yoram Solomon, Ph.D., MBA, LLB, is the author of The Book of Trust®, host of The Trust Show podcast, founder of the Innovation Culture Institute™ LLC, and facilitator of the Trust Habits™ workshop. To book Yoram for a keynote or a workshop, enroll in his Trusted at Work online courses, get his books , get free content, or find out more information: www.trusthabits.com.
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Special Feature
Disease of the Month: Cherry Leaf Spot Weed of the Month: Crane Fly
by Heather Prince
Pest of the Month: Crane Fly
Disease of the Month: Cherry Leaf Spot
Cherry leaf spot (Blumeriella jaapii) is popping up on ornamental and fruit cherries in Illinois. Symptoms typically appear in early to midsummer, beginning as small reddish/purple spots on the upper leaf surface. Eventually the spots turn brown and may merge together. The centers then drop out giving the leaves a shot-hole appearance before turning yellow and dropping. On tart cherries, the yellow leaves drop readily, while on sweet cherries, yellow leaves are Blumeriella jaapii retained. This fungal disease can significantly affect the fruit production of cherries and cause debilitating stress on ornamental varieties.
Treatment:
Apply fungicides to highly susceptible trees or trees that were severely affected in previous years. Fungicides containing chlorothalonil, chlorothalonil + thiopanate-methyl, copper + mancozeb, mancozeb, myclobutanil, propiconazole, and pyraclostrobin + boscalid are labeled for use against this disease. Plan applications to begin in spring at petal fall, with a second application 10 days to two weeks later. If symptoms continue to develop, later applications in summer may be required. Wet and humid summers acerbate the disease. Since the fungal pathogen survives the winter on fallen leaves; rake and remove leaves in the autumn to help reduce infection the following year.
Additional resources:
University of Illinois Extension Service https://web.extension.illinois.edu/state/ horticulture/index.php 217-333-0519 54
Crane fly (Family Tipulidae) adults resemble oversized mosquitoes with slender bodies and very long legs. The adults appear during the summer and spend their time mating and layTipulidae ing eggs. They do not feed. The eggs hatch in the fall and the insect overwinters as larvae. The larvae begin eating turfgrass shoots, roots, and crowns in spring, achieving their full size by early summer.
Treatment:
Crane fly larval feeding is usually a nuisance. However, large larvae populations can cause thinning and substantial bare patches in the lawn. Turf injury is usually seen in late spring when larvae are near their full size. On golf courses, crane fly larvae injury can be mistaken for black cutworm injury. Apply a soap flush to the turfgrass to bring the larvae to the surface of the turfgrass for identification. Mix one tablespoon of dish soap with two gallons of water and pour evenly with a watering can. If you are not sure what kind of larvae you have, they can be submitted to the UIUC Plant Clinic for identification. Crane flies thrive in damp areas, so for cultural control avoid watering in wet conditions and improve drainage in damp areas. Reducing moisture will make the area less attractive to and kill larvae. Regular mowing and fertilizing to keep lawn health reduces the presence of thin or bare areas where adults prefer to lay eggs. You can also add the nematode Steinernema feltiae to reduce populations of crane fly larvae. Insecticide options for control include carbaryl, chlorantraniliprole, clothianidin, and imidacloprid. Read the label and follow directions as some insecticides are applied in fall and some in spring.
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The Riedell Group LLC 539 W. Liberty St. #717 Wauconda, IL 60084 (224) 338-8514 www.riedellgroup.com
by Meta Levin
Jessica Riedell is passionate about working in tion to detail. “We have experienced crew leaders and crew the landscape industry. She revels in doing seasonal displays members on our team.” for corporate campuses, homeowner entry ways and such Because she has faith in her team members, she pays places as Ravinia Festival. Armed with a degree in horticulattention when they come to her with suggestions. “We give ture from Iowa State University and plenty of drive, she went them the freedom to come to us and tell us what they need to to work for Brickman Landscape Company, now BrightView get the job done right,” she says. “The mentality is that we Landscape, right out of school and stayed. Until her job of 20 are going to do it right the first time and tell me what you years disappeared, she never thought about starting her own need to do it.” business. Unlike many small landscape contractors, Riedell says When BrightView closed its residential maintenance divishe is fully staffed. That takes effort. “I make sure that they sion, Riedell was one of two account managers there. Her are paid well and I feel confident that we have a good mix of boss kept telling her that if he were younger, he’d start his people,” she says. own business. “I finally got the hint,” she says. Longtime ILCA member and Past President Joe Hobson So in January 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, she was Riedell’s boss at BrightView. “He’s been a great menstarted The Riedell Group LLC in Wauconda, IL. With tor,” she says. While at BrightView, he pushed her to BrightView’s approval, she contacted her former clients, all become involved in ILCA. Eventually she became active in but one of whom came with her. So did six or seven of the the .Sustainability Committee and now that she is an ILCA employees who worked with her. In the fall, she picked up a member herself, she is on the Summer Field Day Committee. few more and now has 13 crew members. Hobson also instilled in her the importance of training, The Riedell Group offers commercial and residential not only for herself, but also for her team. This past year, she maintenance and seasonal displays, as well as snow and ice wanted to send her crews to field training and decided to join removal for commercial properties. About 80 percent of ILCA. The training was a success. “Everybody loved it,” she Riedell’s work is comprised of residential customers, with 20 says. “I will continue to rely on ILCA to provide that.” percent commercial. She began offering snow and ice removA native of Wall Lake, Iowa, Riedell is the daughter of al in large part because a couple of her supervisors came a farmer. She competed in floriculture while a member of to her about working all year around. Her main wintertime the FFA (Future Farmers of America). Once at Iowa State customer has a zero-tolerance policy, if there is even a small University, she fell in love with perennials and did an internamount of snow on the ground, it must be removed. ship at Reiman Gardens in Ames, Iowa. In fact, when she She also does installation work for landscape architects. interviewed with Brickman, the interviewer characterized “I like to do plant installation,” she says. “We also are getthe homes of some of their clients as private gardens, on ting into hardscapes. While our focus is on maintenance, we the order of the public one, in which she had interned. She do recommend improvements and enhancements.” One of the started working in the fields with the crews. regular landscape architects with whom they have worked Married to her high school sweetheart, Riedell has three recommends the Riedell Group for high-end maintenance work. children and one grandchild. Her husband formerly worked “Our focus is doing good quality work,” she says. Her for other landscape contractors and now is helping with The landscape maintenance customers all are high end and The Riedell Group, focusing on commercial maintenance. Riedell Group has developed a reputation for paying attenThe Landscape Contractor 56 July 2022
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Submit your ads online at ilca.net or Call Alycia Nagy (630) 472-2851
Submit your ads online at ilca.net or call Alycia Nagy (630) 472-2851
Come join us! We are hiring the following positions: Landscape Construction Project Manager, Senior Planting Designer and Planting Designer. We also have an amazing management opportunity in sales, purchasing and logistics for our Summerfield Trading Company. Please see our website for details about each position: https://hoerrschaudt. com/about/careers/ Director of National Recruiting This position leads Mariani’s recruiting efforts and serves as the head of the entire recruitment department. The Director of Recruiting determines the strategic direction and objectives of recruiting, which in turn supports the business’s growth while simultaneously maintaining its culture and quality standards, in all of the geographic regions of the company. The Director of Recruiting leads the development and implementation of strategic talent acquisition tactics and leads the evaluation of the entire recruiting function, strategies, and procedures in order to find opportunities for improvement. The position oversees full cycle recruitment in support of all of the company’s operating units, while leading a team of field recruiters and maintaining relationships with external firms. Scan the QR code below to apply.
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 July 2022
jamesmartinassociates.com | (847) 634-1660
Classified Ads HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
Project Manager
Landscape Design Assistant Join our well-established design, build and maintenance company. For over 40 years, Nature’s Perspective Landscaping has been providing landscape services to Chicago’s northern suburbs and Chicago’s north side. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package. In this full-time, hourly position, you will perform site surveys, assist in preparing landscape drawings and proposals for client presentations, coordinate multiple landscape projects and perform clerical duties. You must be able to handle a wide range of responsibilities, have a good knowledge of plant and hardscape materials, demonstrate excellent computer skills including Dynascape, and Google Sketch-up, be detail oriented, organized, self-motivated with good social skills. Email: pklitzkie@naturesperspective.com to apply.
This associate shall be responsible to ensure appropriate execution of day to day operations on how a project is managed after Client awards a job to Mariani Landscape. This associate shall have a thorough understanding of scope of work on the project, cost for specified scope of work on the project and schedule timeframes allocated to provide the scope of work on the project. This associate interacts with the design team, construction staff, and administrative support on a regular basis and other departments throughout the company. For a complete job description and qualifications visit https://www. marianilandscape.com/apply-here/ Scan the QR code below to apply.
CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES August 2022 issue ads: July 15, 2022 September 2022 issue ads: August 15, 2022 October 2022 issue ads: September 15, 2022 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 x1
Design Director Manage the client relationship, from the original sale to project installation, serving as the main point of contact for clients as they begin working with the Design Build department. This position is responsible for bringing in new clients and increasing department revenue. They are also are the main client advocates; leading the creative aspects of the project to ensure the project reflects the clients needs, is environmentally responsible and exhibits unique design details. They also collaborate with the Project Managers, Project Architects, and Landscape Designers in preparing presentation and construction packages. Scan the QR code below to apply.
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Plans are underway for the ALL NEW 2022-23 Edition of the Green Industry Guide
THE
Comprehensive Reference for the ILLinois Green Industry No Price Increase Same affordable Rates Call Debbie today 817-501-2403
Now in both Print and Digital versions Contact Debbie Rauen for advertising information
debbie.landscapecontractor@yahoo.com 60
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
Advertisers A Block Marketing .................................................53 Altorfer Cat .............................................................39 Arlington Power Equipment ...................................29 Bartlett Tree Experts ..............................................16 Blu Petroleum..........................................................19 Bonnell Equipment...............................................23 Breezy Hill Nursery ................................................48 Compost Supply ......................................................52 Clesen Wholesale ...................................................14 Colorblends Bulbs ..................................................46 Conserv FS ..............................................................34
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.
Humdingers By Nina A. Koziol
Forget what you’ve heard about hummingbirds. Yes, they do like red tubular flowers but they also sip at Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia). And, they’ll go to blazing star (Liatris) flowers. One of their favorite plants is the blue-flowered Salvia guarantica. Or just about any salvia — and there are plenty. Check out the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Salvia Trials evaluation: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/ plantinfo/salvia2016.pdf
Devroomen Garden Products..................................11 Ditchwitch Midwest ...............................................57 Doty Nurseries LLC ..................................................4 Green Glen Nursery ...............................................63 Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. ..........................................44 Homer Industries ...................................................15
Salvia guarantica
James Martin Associates .......................................58 Knapheide Truck Equipment ............................. 31, 38 Lafarge Fox River Stone ........................................47
Tropical hibiscus attracts a female ruby-throat.
JKS Ventures ............................................................50 Longshadow Planters ............................................13 Mariani Plants ..........................................................6 Mariani Plants .........................................................41 McCann Construction ..............................................55 McGinty Bros. .......................................................50 Midwest Groundcovers .............................................2 Midwest Salt ...........................................................37 Midwest Trading .....................................................16
Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’ — a hummingbird magnet.
Monroe Truck Equipment ........................................45
Asclepias curassavica (Tropical Milkweed)
North Shore Truck ...................................................51 Rentalmax ..............................................................35 Russo ..................................................................27, 43 Spring Meadow Nursery .........................................17 Straughn Farm ........................................................49 The Mulch Center ....................................................21 Unilock, Inc. ...........................................................64
Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’ The Landscape Contractor July 2022
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Hidden Gems Worth Visiting
Quad City Botanic Center by Heather Prince Tucked along the Mississippi River, the Quad City Botanic Center features a series of gardens and plant collections surrounding a 6,444-square-foot atrium stuffed with tropical trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. Established in 1998, the conservatory space soars to 70 feet and is filled with palms, aroids, ginger, and more. A 14-foot waterfall adds music to the curving paths and empties into a burbling stream and koi pond. Fruit-bearing plants are given special priority and include banana, vanilla, coffee, and cocoa. Winding around the atrium, the Scott County Regional Authority Rare Conifer Collection features some extraordinary specimens, including a large lacebark pine. This collection was donated by the late Chub Harper, the former grounds supervisor for John Deere’s world headquarters in Moline, IL, an avid plant collector, and a founding member of the American Conifer Society. An extraordinary conifer collector, you can also visit a Harper collection at Hidden Lake Gardens in Ann Arbor, MI. The plants at the Botanical Center were raised on his property and carefully transplanted to the gardens where they thrive today. Make sure to seek out these mature specimens. This is also a top destination for families. A vibrant children’s garden surrounding a tumbling creek stretches along the rear of the property. A quaint cottage filled with activities greets you at the gate. A large splash pad inhabited by a jovial crocodile is a delight for children and the croc is joined by spitting scallops and an impressive sturgeon. A veggie patch,
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2525 4th Avenue Rock Island, IL www.qcgardens.com Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm; Sunday 11am-5pm play equipment, picnic area, pond, and more are planted with native plants and pollinator-friendly ornamentals. There are plans to extend the children’s garden as it is clearly the most popular area. There is also a charming woodland fairy garden called Pat’s Garden filled with fairy homes and nestled under the branches of spruce trees and a bur oak. Visitors are encouraged to explore and build their own fairy house. The Heartland Railway Exhibit features a 1:24th-scale outdoor model train in a raised garden for easy viewing by small folk. Open seasonally May through October, four trains run through the trees and perennials on almost 800 feet of track. Model buildings and trestle bridges are dotted among boulders and miniature conifers. A Scrambled Alphabet garden skirts one wall of the atrium conservatory. Hexagonal mosaic tiles with each letter dot the beds and are surrounded by a variety of plants beginning with the requisite letter. Some are perennials, but more are annuals and tropicals that are replanted each year. The Quad City Botanical Center is a wonderful example of perhaps disparate collections thoughtfully knit together. The conifer combinations are layered and lovely, offering inspiration on how to incorporate them into garden beds. The children’s garden provides ample ideas for designing progressive spaces for kids of all ages. If you are in the area, make this a priority stop to refresh and refine ideas.
The Landscape Contractor July 2022
50 years of
Creative Expression
When our founder Ed Bryant first introduced the concept of segmental pavers to North America in 1972, contractors discovered a product that allowed them to get
Unilock has a vast array of exclusive paver and wall products, coatings and finishes that are beautiful, unique and fully customizable to fit your outdoor project.
creative in ways that had never been possible before. Since then, our company has launched a steady stream of innovations designed to fuel this creative expression. And we’re just getting started. Learn more about how our industry-leading product lineup can help you get creative with your next project, by connecting with us at 1-800-UNILOCK or UNILOCK.com. We have Boots on the Ground in your area and look forward to meeting you.
