The Landscape Contractor magazine MAY.23

Western DuPage Landscaping

The Pros at Home with Cliff Miller

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Latino Relations Committee 48-50

A Touch of Green 54-55 Mark Dwyer 62

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

Volume 64, Number 5. 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

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

Education Manager AnneMarie Drufke adrufke@ilca.net

Events Manager Terre Houte thoute@ilca.net

Office Manager Alycia Nagy anagy@ilca.net

Membership & Marketing Manager

Marissa Stubler mstubler@ilca.net

Magazine Staff

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

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

Meta Levin

Feature Writer meta.levin@comcast.net

Nina Koziol

Feature Writer n.koziol@att.net

Heather Prince Feature Writer princeht@sbcglobal.net

Patrice Peltier Feature Writer patpeltier@charter.net

Becke Davis EditorialAssistant

From Where I Stand —

You’re an orphan right? Do you think I’d

know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are because I read Oliver Twist?

Sean,

Good Will Hunting

That quote form the 1998 film Good Will Hunting is a realization that books and knowledge only get you so far. To connect with someone means combining intellect and life experience. To understand how someone thinks, you need to understand what he or she has gone through. It is one of the single most difficult pursuits in all of life - trying to understand another person and the human experience. Yet, in the end, it may be all that matters.

This past March, ILCA held its popular Field Staff Skills Training event. This two-day program aims to get field staff prepped and ready for the season. It covers technical topics on maintenance and construction. Each year, our joint committees of the Technical Skills and Latino Relations Committee choose from a menu of topics as the same program is presented in both English and Spanish in separate rooms. Usually, the breakdown between the languages is 50-50. This year, there were more Spanish-speakers so the breakdown was about 65-35.

be translated in real time. Further, there would be breaks for personal stories and anecdotes because our experiences showed us the Latino audience respond much better to that approach. The session was the last one of a long day of learning and content. It was quite a departure from the technical training of the day. The attendees were tired and hungry, but they stuck around.

A Conversation Starter

One element we have been bringing to the program is rounding out the technical skills training with some soft skills on leadership and crew dynamics. For years, we did, “Don’t be that Guy” and shared photos of unsafe or shoddy workmanship in a humorous slideshow. This year, we decided to cap the program in another way.

For the past two years, a subcommittee has been working on a presentation on how cultural dynamics between Latinos and American-born US citizens play in the workplace. Besides the obvious language barriers, there are cultural differences that cause confusion and friction. The goal of this subcommittee is to highlight those differences so the first response is understanding and not judgment and stereotypes. I wrote about this content a few years ago as we started this effort. We had stars in our eyes and a skip in our step. Let me be the first to admit, this has been hard.

Much of the content of this four-part program, that can be delivered in English or Spanish, comes from the book “Managing Hispanic and Latino Employees” by Louis E. V. Nevaer. Louis is a Director of Hispanic Economics and has authored a dozen books on managing Hispanics in the workplace.

Nevaer’s content was augmented by adding real world examples from our core committee. The core committee is equally balanced between Latinos and US-born Caucasians. They interject their own stories and experiences into the program. Further, we had some experience presenting this content before to groups of English-speaking managers and Spanish-speaking iLandscape attendees. Never before had we done a dually translated program in the same room at the same time. What could possibly go wrong?

The presentation was supposed to have two parts. The first was on Day 1 - entitled Who We Are. The second part would be held on Day 2 - entitled How We Think. The plan was to have the presentation materials in English and Spanish, and the content would

The presentation uses a columnar format that highlights some of the subtle differences. For example, US-born Americans, growing up in a culture with one predominant language, get uncomfortable with foreign languages being spoken around us. Latinos are more comfortable with multiple languages being spoken, as that is their reality at home, on television, and in the workplace. Americans are brought up to be individualistic and self-reliant. Latinos are typically communal and collectivist, sacrificing individualism for family and coworkers. Each presentation had dozens of these cultural differences pulled from Nevear’s work and then reinforced with stories from the presenters. It did not take long for the audience to, well, how do I put this politely? Disagree.

Within a few minutes, the crowd murmured and interjected. Many of the older Latinos whispered to each other in Spanish. Many of the English-speaking American field staff withdrew and observed. Many of the US-born Latinos, who felt caught between two cultures were very vocal about being placed into one of the camps. The presenters did their best to keep order. The Spanish-speaking presenter addressed the crowd in Spanish, the English-speaker in English. I sat in the back of the auditorium and watched this unfold.

Whenever a national event happens in America: gun violence, racism, a police shooting, looters and property destruction, we usually say, “At the very least, we need to have a conversation about this issue.” Well, let me tell you something, having participated in “a conversation” about an issue, they are harder to pull off then they sound.

It is extremely difficult to have a conversation about a charged, emotional issue with a large group of impacted people. I have been at ILCA for 14 years and this was the single most emotionally charged discussion I have ever participated in. I did not respect how little people liked being put into a box. I didn’t respect how difficult it was to view our own cultures from an outsider’s perspective. I did not appreciate how hard it would be to pull off an emotional discussion in two different languages at the same time. I did not foresee how the presenters, simply trying to convey material prepared by a leading academic in the field, would become recipients of this vented frustration.

Eventually, other members of the subcommittee courageously took the stage to calm the crowd. They spoke from their own perspectives as to why they got involved in these topics. I took the stage and discussed why ILCA dipped its toe into these waters. This wasn’t part of some woke agenda. Many owners and managers were incorrectly interpreting workplace related challenges — retention, promotion, attrition, no-show/no-call, hour long lunch breaks, lack of PPE, lack of eye contact, performance reviews, etc. Many Latino employees did not understand why their American employers did not share their views on time management, family obligations,

ALL TOGETHER BETTER

From Where I Stand —

importance of private discipline and public praise, a mindset of the crew over the individual, and so on. So, we decided to have a conversation and learned a lot about why these conversations are so hard to have.

That night, the committee gathered for drinks and appetizers after Day 1 of the program. This was all we talked about. Most of us felt like we stepped out of a boxing ring. We were a little dazed, confused, disheartened, and exhausted. We decided not to hold Part 2 the next day and pivot to an open Q&A about the entire program (technical and otherwise). I would address the crowd the next morning.

I don’t normally get nervous about public speaking, but I was nervous. The most beautiful sight was that everyone returned for Day 2. I told them we would be making a program change and that was met with nods and some light applause. I also told them they should convey their thoughts in the evaluation. They should pull a committee member, member of my staff, or me aside and tell us their concerns so we can improve. In essence, if they still wanted to have a conversation, we did too.

Then, it happened, one by one, the audience members approached me, my staff, and the various committee members throughout the day. Once they understood our motivations and our desire to unify, not divide, the conversation started to flow. Some of the interactions were tense. Some participants asked for privacy and we found chairs and a quiet corner. Some told me they went home that night and talked to their families about the issue around the dinner table. Some asked for copies so they could give us feedback on the entire premise. Some told us about efforts in their own organizations to bridge these gaps. Some told us to shut it down. Some told us to celebrate our similarities with the same full-throated approach to recognizing our differences. Some told us even the slightest alteration to the translation will change the entire message.

We had a conversation, albeit a far different one than we envisioned.

At the end of the program. We wished everyone well and gave away our raffle prizes. The committee remained on the stage. One by one, a dozen audience members, mostly Latino came up and shook our hands out of thanks and respect. I shook their hands and wished them safe seasons and blessings to their families. As always, they walked as groups to the parking lot laughing and joking with one another.

We did not solve anything over those two days. None of the workplace issues that are born from cultural misunderstandings were put in a neat box and tied up with pretty ribbon. Instead, I learned a lot about how to have a conversation. These topics flow underneath the surface of every organization — it doesn’t matter if the topic is culture, race, gender, pay scales, work/life balance, burnout, stress, or job satisfaction. Pretending they don’t exist just corrodes the foundation.

I now know the worst way to have a conversation — lock tired bodies in a room and tell them who they are based off a book. The best way to have a conversation is to listen first, have the wisdom to change the message, celebrate how amazing this industry works even in spite of these challenges, hire a translator for extremely sensitive topics, adjust on the fly, and realize “a conversation” stretches over weeks, months, years, and involves hundreds of smaller conversations.

This world, this country, this industry doesn’t need to have “a conversation.” It just needs to keep talking and listening. As valuable as books are, they will never truly capture the story of another person. Better to let them tell it.

Sincerely,

Scott Grams, Executive Director April 17, 2023

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

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

Immediate Past President

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

Directors

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

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

Ryan Heitman

The Fisher Burton Company (847) 566-9200 ryanheitman@fisherburton.com

Tom Klitzkie Nature’s Perspective Landscaping (847) 475-7917 tklitzkie@naturesperspective.com

Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net

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

Kevin McGowen Kaknes/SiteOne

31W245 Diehl Road Naperville, IL 60563

Mark Utendorf Emerald Lawn Care, Inc. (847) 392-7097 marku@emeraldlawncare.com

President’s Message —

The season is off and running!

Now that everyone is going full throttle, I want to share a story I had with a team member decades ago. Back in the early days at KTS, winter workloads were thin from time to time. It was always a struggle to get the winters filled up with work. I was just getting into sales at that time and, like all the other sales reps, I was working hard to get the winter workload secured.

It was late August and one of my crew leaders came up to me and asked how the winter was looking and what I was doing to get the work we needed. I thought for a moment and told him about several projects I was submitting proposals for. Then I asked him what he was doing to help bring in work for the winter? He had a puzzled look on his face and asked, “What do you mean?” I explained to him that I meet with clients for 30 minutes or so when providing proposals and then I leave. I have the easy part. You and your team are on a client’s property for hours a day or several days. When you are onsite how are you treating their property? When toys are in the way, do you kick them aside or do you respectfully pick them up and move them to a safe area? Are you helpful if a client or neighbor is trying to exit their driveway and can’t see due to our trucks blocking their view? What we do is very interesting to the public — climbing trees, running larger trucks, everyone is watching what you and your team do at every location.

Your actions can help bring in more work than a sales representative can. If you and your team respect every client’s property, people will see this and provide continued opportunities in the future. Referrals are the best leads and many referrals come from how well the crews perform on clients’ properties.

He thought about it a bit and agreed that he can help with the winter workload by giving a little extra effort.

Everyone is watching — use it to your advantage!

See you next month!

Sincerely,

Jeff Kramer

¡La estación está en marcha!

Ahora que todos avanzan a toda máquina, deseo compartir una experiencia que tuve con un miembro del equipo hace unas décadas. En mis primeros días con KTS, de vez en cuando las cargas de trabajo de invierno eran livianas. Siempre resultaba difícil llenar los inviernos con trabajos. En esos tiempos estaba comenzando a trabajar en ventas y como todos los representantes de ventas trabajaba arduamente para asegurar las cargas de trabajo para el invierno.

Estábamos a finales de agosto y uno de los líderes de mi equipo de trabajo me preguntó que cómo se vislumbraba el invierno y qué estaba haciendo yo para obtener la cantidad de trabajo que necesitábamos. Pensé un momento y le hablé sobre varios proyectos respecto a los cuales estaba presentando propuestas. Entonces le pregunté qué estaba haciendo él para ayudar a conseguir trabajos para el invierno. Me miró con desconcierto y me preguntó qué quería decir. Le expliqué que me reunía con clientes por unos 30 minutos al presentar propuestas y me retiraba. Tengo la parte fácil. Tú y tu equipo están en la propiedad de los clientes durante horas, un día o varios días. Cuando estás en esas propiedades, ¿cómo tratas la propiedad? Cuando hay juguetes en el camino ¿los pateas para apartarlos o los recoges respetuosamente para colocarlos en lugares seguros? ¿Brindas ayuda cuando un cliente o vecino trata de salir por la entrada para coches, pero no puede hacerlo porque nuestros camiones bloquean su vista? Al público le interesa mucho lo que hacemos – subirnos a los árboles, manejar camiones grandes, todos observan lo que tú y tu equipo hacen en todos los sitios de trabajo.

Lo que haces puede ayudar a atraer más clientes que un representante de ventas. Si tú y tu equipo de trabajo respetan las propiedades de todos los clientes, la gente advertirá esto y nos seguirá dando oportunidades en el futuro. Las recomendaciones producen los mejores contactos y muchas recomendaciones provienen del buen comportamiento de los equipos de trabajo en las propiedades de los clientes.

Pensó sobre esto un poco y estuvo de acuerdo en que podía ayudar a aumentar la carga de trabajo durante el invierno haciendo un pequeño esfuerzo adicional.

Recuerden que todos nos observan — ¡usen esto en su propio beneficio!

¡Los veo el próximo mes!

Atentamente, Jeff Kramer

Jeff Kramer

Backing up to the 15th fairway of a rural Livingston County country club, the homeowner’s maintained lawns and landscapes are perfectly encompassed by nature. Ponds, creeks, farm fields, groves of native trees, and an occasional “Fore!” echo in the background. Prior to reaching the backyard oasis, guests are greeted by a series of stone staircases and rolling lawns. No matter the chosen path, masses of roses, eye catching perennials, ornamental grasses, and crisply edged bed lines are there to

gracefully direct one’s forward motion toward the swimming pool below. After a day of relaxation, the gas fire feature offers a warm and mesmerizing flame, cutting the chill from the cool country breeze. Effortlessly sinking back into the cozy seat wall, feet kicked up, family and friends can take in a breathtaking view of both the pool’s shimmering hues of blue and the colorful foliage, all in one framed glance.

Erickson Landscaping, Inc. • Seneca, IL Patio on the Prairie

Focus — The Pros at Home Artist, Landscape Architect, Plantsman ILCA Visits with One of a

by Nina Koziol

When he was 12, Cliff Miller spent all his free time in the fields, wetlands and woods near his home in Deerfield, Illinois. “I loved amphibians and reptiles and would get yelled at for bringing them home. I had big tanks and I made tiny walls and I loved making miniature trees from boxwood seedlings. I grew up with a dairy farm behind us.” Those forays into forest and field instilled a life-long fascination with nature.

An artist by training and a landscape architect by trade, Miller’s passion has been restoring prairies, bluffs and woodlands for more than 40 years. But his portfolio of award-wining work includes many stunning traditional landscapes as well.

“One of the reasons I built my own garden—from mostly wild to mostly formal—was to show people how they could incorporate ‘wild’ into the suburban landscape as well as to remind them that we could do the traditional, too.”

He has worked with Lake Forest Open Lands and the City of Lake Forest where he oversaw the restoration and installation of Forest Park on Lake Michigan. “I was at Forest Park 24/7—at night working with headlights. There were 74,000 plants that had to be laid out.” Chorus frogs and blue spotted salamanders have returned there. “We’re slowly rebuilding the ecosystem.” On a warm day last fall, we sat on a bench in Forest Park while he shared thoughts about his long career and his own garden.

Wild Child

At age 14, Miller’s job was mowing the lawn. “My friends were out playing and I was mowing two acres.” Then a neighbor asked him to mow. He soon had three employees while he was in high school who did bed maintenance.

“After high school my father came to me and said why not skip college and use the money to buy trucks and equipment. I said I can’t do landscape, come home muddy—I won’t meet anyone,” Miller jokes.

He attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan, where he studied zoology, botany and art. “I couldn’t get over my love of plants.

(continued on page 12)

Kind, Cliff Miller

Focus — The Pros at Home

for $500 and I decided to hitchhike home.” He bought the 40 acres in the Upper Peninsula and over time bought an additional adjoining 120 acres.

“Everyone wanted to live off the land back then. I’ve always been a contrarian. In the Upper Peninsula there’s no phone, no internet and two cabins. If you don’t have a snowmobile, you can’t get to my place.” He started building the cabins in the late 1980s, during winter, the entire time staying on the property.

From Art to Landscape Artist

When he returned home, Miller was at a crossroads. “I was a voracious reader of landscape books—but there wasn’t much. I had the Time Life books on landscaping. When I came out of school as a sculptor, I had stuff in galleries but couldn’t pay my rent.”

(continued from page 10)

My tech training was as a sculptor, working three dimensionally. I developed the opportunity to see what wasn’t there.” While at school, he took as many courses as he could. “It was 1976. My car died and I had $500 in my pocket. I saw an ad for land

He became an environmental interpreter for the Lake County Forest Preserve District from 1980 to 1982 and then went on to create his first company. “We were called NatureScapes. I started doing native landscapes but I didn’t really know what I was doing,” he confessed. “I was digging bur oaks from farmers’ fields and getting seed from Roy Diblik at the Natural Garden. We were mail-ordering plants and when I figured out that the trillium we were getting was from the south, I realized it was depleting the native wildflower base there.”

He formed P. Clifford Miller Inc. Landscape Artistry in 1982, designing and installing landscapes throughout the northern suburbs. In 1989, he was hired to rebuild a bluff—

(continued on page 14)

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Focus — The Pros at Home

(continued from page 12)

Lake Bluff. He took a boat along the lakeshore to look at similar sites. “I brought in Wayne Schennum [conservation botanist] and he inventoried the whole plant community and sent the list to nurseries to get plants. That bluff changed completely and was an opportunity.”

Miller is intimately familiar with many historically significant gardens throughout the North Shore. In 2006, the prestigious Lake Forest Garden Club was invited to create a garden for the world-renowned Chelsea Flower Show in London. The club invited Miller to do the design, “Ravine Garden, Gift of the Glacier,” which received a silver-gilt award. He worked for nine days setting up the exhibit. “I just love plants and Chelsea is orgasmic for plant lovers.”

Early in his career, Miller began teaching about the benefits of restoring natural sites. He’s led many bird and nature walks. “In 1980 when bluebirds had disappeared from our county, I was determined to do whatever I could.” He put up 350 bluebird boxes. “Now there are trails all over. That was a personal achievement.”

Artist at Home

Miller bought his Lake Forest home in 2007 and the property— nearly an acre—allowed him to experiment with designs and plants. “I like to build my gardens on woody plants for the textures and colors and I had a great variety.” He opened up the site to create vistas as well as a hidden garden, a rose garden, a woodland and water gardens. His favorite garden space? “The bog gardens — I love carnivorous plants. I’m a plantsman first and foremost.”

(continued on page 16)

Focus — The Pros at Home

(continued from page 14)

Pitcher plants reach skyward creating a vertical focal point. And that watery wonderland is home to many amphibians and insects.

In spring, clouds of blue-flowered lungwort carpet the ground under canopies of white and pink crabapples. Lacy Japanese maples rub elbows with native Solomon’s Seal. Shooting stars and slipper orchids, wild geranium and trillium are tucked into pockets around boulders. But it’s the view from his house across the lawn and into a spectacular border of ornamental trees and weeping hemlocks that creates the “wow” moment.

In the rose garden, exquisitely trimmed boxwood bushes edge a path before curving around a sundial to a gate beyond. The entire landscape is a yin-yang experience — from formal and open to woodland and natural. Miller says his innate curiosity is

what drives his creativity. “But, I find that designing formal gardens is far easier to do! Who would have thought that by building rooms you could make a garden look bigger?”

Back to the Future

When he muses about his career, there’s a special highlight. “In my heart, the biggest benefit has been to teach and bring people to appreciate nature.” Miller joined Mariani Landscape as design director in 2016 and recently retired and sold his house so he can spend time at his Michigan property. “There’s a conservation easement on it. I’m going to live there for one year on a sabbatical. I want to sculpt but I also have a vision for that land. It’s not about planting.” We look forward to his next adventure.

Getting More from Native Ornamentals

by Nina A. Koziol

“Judas tree, Red-bud —A very desirable dwarf growing tree.”

That’s how The Grove Nursery’s catalog described the delightful redbud (Cercis canadensis) in 1856. The first commercial nursery in Illinois in what is now Glenview, The Grove offered many native trees and shrubs. Now, 167 years later, redbuds and other natives remain keystone plants for many projects. We brought back our tree panel for some recommendations on underused natives and native cultivars.

When it comes to redbuds, there’s a cultivar worth checking out. “Ruby Falls Weeping redbud has great leaf color — purplered — for most of the growing season,” says Jeff Kramer, V.P. and ISA Certified Arborist at Kramer Tree Specialists in West Chicago. ‘It’s a small ornamental great for tight spaces.”

Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’

North Carolina State University produced this cultivar, a second-generation descendant from a cross between Cercis canadensis ‘Covey,’ which is a weeping variety, and ‘Forest Pansy,’ which has purple foliage. An understory tree, it benefits from a sheltered location and full sun to part shade with well-drained

soil. A good specimen plant with clusters of lavender-red, sweet pea-like blooms in spring.

Viburnum prunifolium (Blackhaw viburnum)

“This is one of several native viburnums that add landscape beauty throughout the growing season,” said Jim Matusik, owner of The Tree Connection, a wholesale nursery stock distribution company in Rochester, Michigan. “It offers clusters of creamywhite flowers in May and pinkish-rose, edible black fruit in early fall. And, the fall color is purplish to shining red. Plants develop into a large shrub or they can be trained into a small, informal tree.” Can reach 12 to 15 feet tall with a 6 to 12 foot spread. Grows in full sun to moderate shade.

Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda Dogwood)

“This is a great specimen for the four-season garden,” Kramer said. “White flowers in the spring, the berries attract birds and the lateral limbs are attractive in the winter months.” Prefers part shade, moist, well-drained conditions, and a rich loamy soil that is somewhat acidic. It also adapts to full sun and light shade. Growth and development are slow reaching 12 to 15 feet tall and wide over time. “It’s a good choice for well-drained, semi-shady spots,” Matusik said. “However, the more sun it gets, the better it flowers and fruits.”

Cornus alternifolia Golden Shadows®

“I’ve always valued the pagoda dogwood for its strong horizontal branching attributes, especially in contrast to strong vertical elements in close proximity,” said Todd Jacobson, head of landscape horticulture at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “Golden Shadows is my favorite pagoda dogwood for beautiful variegated foliage that can really glow in the shade. It has stunning light green-yellow variegation that can sometimes first emerge with shades of orange and red on it.” Partial shade. 12 feet tall and wide at maturity.

The State of Native Ornamentals —

Chionanthus virginicus (Native Fringe Tree)

“I love the beautiful white flowers in spring,” said Mike Cook of Cedar Path Nurseries in Lockport, Illinois. And, it’s no wonder. The fringe tree’s most outstanding feature is the fragrant delicate flowers — 6 to 8 inch fleecy panicles — that open in late May to early June. Grows as a wide-spreading, multi-stemmed shrub or a small tree that’s useful in native woodland gardens, as a specimen plant, in groups, or borders. Yellow fall color.

Aesculus glabra (Ohio Buckeye)

“I’ve always found the five dark green leaflets to be bold and attractive, though they often drop during periods of drought, so you rarely get to see them in fall color,” Jacobson said “An improvement I like is Mike Yanny’s selection of Aesculus glabra ‘J.N. Select’ Early Glow™. It gets beautiful orange-red fall color, has strong leaf scorch resistance once the taproot is established, and produces very little seed compared to the species.”

The State of Native Ornamentals —

Ostrya virginiana (American Hophornbeam)

“Hop hornbeam is easy to find and it’s great for wildlife,” Cook said. It’s also called ironwood because of its extremely hard, dense wood. This small to medium-sized, understory tree has a rounded crown and typically grows 25 to 40 feet tall with a slightly smaller spread. Full sun to part shade, hop hornbeam is a slow-growing, low-maintenance tree.

Physocarpus opulifolius (Ninebark)

“Ninebark has pretty, pink-white flowers in late spring or early summer and fruit that are a rose-red during summer,” Matusik said. This twiggy shrub is found in moist or wet, open conditions of wet forest and meadows. Its branching habit makes it suitable for massing and screening. The vase-shaped, spreading branches can reach 6 to 10 feet tall and wide. Cultivars, like Dart’s Gold, Nugget and Tiny Wine® (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘SWPOTWG’) vary in overall size and leaf color. Full sun to part shade.

Hamamelis virginiana (Common witch hazel)

“Hamamelis vernalis — witch hazel—the spring-flowering period is February to March and there’s another species (H. virginiana) that bears yellow, ribbon-like flowers in late fall when no other plants are blooming,” Matusik said. “I’m doing them in my backyard as a filler plant that offers interest, is densely leaved and has cool, very nice spring flowers.” Mature plants reach 15 to 20 feet tall and wide. Useful in a hedge, woodlands and rain gardens.

Nyssa sylvatica (Black tupelo)

“Black tupelo is a wonderful native tree to use due to its attractive, glossy green foliage putting on a show in fall with outstanding shades of orange, red, and purple when planted in full sun with ample moisture,” Jacobson said. “It’s very adaptable to both dry and wet soils.” Mature trees can reach 30 to 50 feet tall with a 20 to 30 foot spread. “This is small native tree with great fall color and many new cultivars coming,” Cook said. Afterburner® tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica ‘David Odum’) grows 35 feet high and 20 feet wide, with a very symmetrical, upright to oval shape and excellent red fall color. Wildfire tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wildfire’) offers foliage that emerges bright red, then matures to a dark, glossy green.

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The State of Natives —

Sedges for the Landscape

Sedges have edges, rushes are round, grasses have nodes from their tips to the ground. Tracking down the useful sedge

by Heather Prince

Sedges seem to be creeping into our landscape palettes, designs, and gardens as we discover their versatility and utility as ground covering plants. Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware recently released their Carex for the Mid-Atlantic Region research report. This in-depth report summarizes the findings of their Carex trial where they grew 65 species and 5 cultivars of sedges in both sun and shade to test their adaptability. The reports from Mt. Cuba, like the Chicago Botanic Garden Plant Evaluation Program, provide the green industry and homeowners with sciencebased rigorously tested results so that we can make good choices for our designs and gardens.

You may have seen more and more Carex, especially native species, become demanded by municipalities, commercial sites, and residential projects as the naturalistic design trend becomes more rooted in our horticulture vocabulary. There is a sedge for almost any situation that will cover the ground, hold soil, and provide a beautiful grassy texture. From clients seeking a meadow-like approach to those restoring woodlands and wetlands, sedges can add lovely textural grace notes and help create a sense of Midwestern place.

Finding a place for your sedge desire

Sedges blend easily with both native and ornamental plantings, often slowly forming colonies and providing the base layer of a planting. As cool season plants, they green up early in the spring, sometimes blooming before their full growth is achieved. You’ll find all sorts of delicate flower habits from nodding clustered strands to fuzzy blonde blossoms to tiny starry flowers tossed like fairy confetti. Their dried seedheads may also be interesting and ornamental. Most of our sedges have degrees of fine narrow foliage that gently drapes as a tufted mound, although some are denser or have wider blades. Sedges should be left to dry over the winter as they provide important leaf litter for overwintering insects. They can be a nice ‘soft landing’ under trees to encourage our many species of pupating butterflies and moths that require shelter during the winter before emerging in spring. Sedges are also larval hosts to several species of butterflies and moths, while birds enjoy the seeds. You may give Carex a light string trim in late winter, but if the design allows, leave the blades as mulch. Songbirds will pick dried foliage for nesting materials, increasing the ecological functions of your planting.

The Mt. Cuba report readily admits that their choices may not be easily available. Of their top 15 selections, we chose 10 that are typically available from Midwestern growers, although you may need to seek out ILCA’s native plant partners for a good selection. Book these popular plants early! Growers report their crops may already be allocated for spring, with more coming online for summer and fall plantings.

For Mt. Cuba’s four-year Carex trial, plants were planted in 2017 with supplemental water only the first year. Plants were given no fertilizer and one late winter cut back. They were grown in average, medium-moisture, clay-loam soils with a pH of 6.5. These are listed in order of top performance, the highest rated being first in the list. You can find the complete report at https:mtcubacenter.org/trials/carex-for-the-midatlantic-region/

Carex bromoides – common brome sedge

Size: 12 inches high by 20 inches wide

Sun: full sun to part shade

Soil: requires moist to wet soil and tolerates periods of inundation

Flower: Small clouds of golden yellow fuzzy flowers appear in April Foliage: Thin, delicate bright green blades, this is a clumping sedge that slowly expands.

Notes: This can be an excellent swale, rain garden or sump pump outlet choice as it thrives in wet conditions but stays short and wide. Pair with other water lovers like cardinal flower, blue lobelia, blue flag, and rose mallow. Enrique

Rodriguez, Production Foreman for the Midwest Natural Garden nursery at Midwest Groundcovers reports, “Although easy to grow from seed, it is not a heavy seed producer. I find it takes 6 to 8 weeks from germination to a full plug. An endangered species in Illinois, it does well in full sun to full shade for us. It’s a great, versatile Carex for the landscape.” Brent Horvath, President of Intrinsic Perennials agrees. “It’s one of my favorites. It’s easy to propagate, the heavy bloom in the spring is showy, and it’s adaptable. A clumping form with a thin blade of light green color, it is a nice contrast to most other Carex.”

Carex haydenii – Hayden’s sedge

Size: 12 to 18 inches high and wide

Sun: full sun to full shade

Soil: average to wet soils; requires moisture in full sun

Flower: rusty brown and silver spikelets are held very upright on slender stems, maturing to fat wheat-like seedheads

Foliage: fine-textured narrow green leaves

Notes: This water-lover is an excellent choice for wet, shady areas and clients looking for a naturalistic texture. Try it as a softening texture around pond and stream edges.

Carex stricta – upright or tussock sedge

Size: 1 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide

Sun: full sun to part shade

Soil: moist to wet soils; tolerates standing water

Flower: brown and silver fluffy spikelets in early spring mature into stacked cylindrical brown nutlets.

Foliage: Graceful, deep green blades remain attractive all summer. Old foliage eventually forms a dense upright clump that wildlife seeks out for refuge.

Notes: In optimal conditions, tussock sedge can aggressively spread. This is a great choice for the edges of ponds and wetlands where it can be a graceful transition from water’s edge to planting beds. Rodriguez finds, “it’s best propagated vegetatively. We’ve found it thrives in consistently wet soil and it is doing well planted around one of our irrigation ponds in part shade.”

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The State of Natives —

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Carex emoryi – Emory’s sedge

Size: 1 to 3 feet and spreading

Sun: full sun to part shade

Soil: moist to wet soils; standing water

Flower: Fluffy white cylindrical flowers mature into long spiky nutlets.

Foliage: Mid-green upright blades will slightly nod at the tips.

Notes: This is a fast-growing aggressive wetland sedge. If you need to fill an area quickly, this can be a good choice. Excellent in retention areas to hold soil and prevent erosion. “This one is very hard to grow as it isn’t a heavy seed producer and not a great grower after vegetative propagation,” commented Rodriguez. “It’s doing quite well on a pond edge in part shade.”

Carex pensylvanica – Pennsylvania sedge

Size: 6 to 8 inches high and wide

Sun: full sun to full shade

Soil: any

Flower: Small fluffy butter yellow flowers are held above newly green shoots in spring.

Foliage: Very fine mid-green leaves grow in clumps, eventually expanding to fill an area.

Notes: This polite spreader easily weaves in between other plants to fill in and provide a green ground layer. The ‘Straw Hat’ cultivar from Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials is slower growing and features a larger, showier flower. Plant this one at the front of the border to take advantage of its cheerful spring flowers. Ben French, Vice President of Propagation and Product Development at Johnson’s Nursery is quite fond of this sedge. “Penn sedge, as we colloquially call this plant, is a wonderful full shade option in our area. It seems like it allows for other interesting plants to live within its territory, leaving spaces for trilliums, bloodroot, trout lily, and other spring ephemerals. It does have a mini pop of tannish yellow in its flowering stalk in mid-spring, which is close to inconspicuous, but nifty when spotted. The soft ‘green grass’ look of this sedge is hard to beat.”

Carex sprengelii – long-beaked sedge

Size: 1 to 2 feet high and wide

Sun: part shade

Soil: average to moist soils

Flower: Lovely long nodding wheat-like inflorescences in spring are held above foliage adding movement and texture.

Foliage: Upright fountain of mid-sized green blades in spring may flop after flowering. However, a light trim will stimulate a fresh flush of lush green foliage.

Notes: A clumping sedge, try this one with spring bulbs for a magical meadow-like display. “This is a great sedge for landscapes,” said Rodriguez. “It’s one of the earlier Carex to green up in the spring, We’ve found it to be very vigorous in the rich organic soils of our Carex classroom in full shade under established oaks.”

The State of Natives —

Carex albicans – white-tinge sedge

Size: 15 to 20 inches high and wide

Sun: full sun to full shade, but happiest with some shade

Soil: average to dry soils

Flower: delicate brown and white flowers in May

Foliage: Thin, delicate blades of medium green in small clumps that may be semi-evergreen.

Notes: White-tinge sedge is a sedge of the woodlands and therefore tolerates dry shade quite nicely. Interplant this with epimedium, Christmas fern, and Solomon’s seal for a layered forest garden.

Carex jamesii – James’s sedge

Size: 6 to 8 inches high and wide

Sun: part shade to full shade

Soil: dry to average to moist well-drained soils; very adaptable

Flower: Cute little clusters of light green flowers in early spring.

Foliage: Fresh emerald-green foliage in spring that matures to a tidy semi-evergreen clump.

Notes: The trials found this to be one of the most ornamental sedges due to its tidy nature and deep green spring foliage.

“This one thrives in cooler weather and emerges early in the season,” noted Rodriguez. “It does, however, brown out in the summer when it gets really hot.” Try interplanting it at the front of the border with small-scale hostas, Jacob’s ladder, and wild geranium.

Carex crinita – fringed sedge

Size: 2 to 3 feet high and 1 to 2 feet wide

Sun: full sun to part shade

Soil: average to wet soils to standing water

Flower: Tall, elegant, nodding, pendulous spikelets that mature to brown seedheads that persist all season.

Foliage: Substantial clumps of blue-green foliage in spring may be evergreen in optimal conditions.

Notes: This sedge can be a good choice to add sophisticated texture to the edge of a pond or wetland. It also can adapt to average soils and weave between larger coarser perennial forbs. “More people should know about this sedge,” commented Rodriguez. “It’s easy to grow with heavy seed production and good germination. A little on the taller side, the coarse texture is nice and it will take full sun.”

The State of Natives —

Carex plantaginea – seersucker sedge

Size: 6 to 8 inches high and 12 to 18 inches wide

Sun: part shade to full shade

Soil: dry to average to moist welldrained; very adaptable

Flower: Dark brown inflorescences arise from the base in early spring on long thin upright stems, giving it almost an appearance of grassy fireworks.

Foliage: Broad, strappy light green leaves pucker along the length, giving it its common name.

Notes: This semi-evergreen sedge is adaptable to a variety of conditions.

Its highly ornamental foliage is slow to emerge in the spring, so avoid trimming. “Carex plantaginea is hard and slow to propagate,” finds Horvath, “but once planted in the garden, it seems to be mostly evergreen and trouble-free.” This can be a very nice front of the shade border plant that blends easily with spring bulbs and native ephemerals.

Growing Carex: Notes from Production Growers

by Heather Prince

With the release of the Mt. Cuba Center report on Carex, many of our growers and suppliers have been deluged with requests for this adaptable genus of plants. We reached out to a number of ILCA member growers for their thoughts on the challenges and rewards of growing sedges.

Overall, growers use a mix of seed and divisions to propagate sedges. It can be a tricky crop to grow since it puts on growth in early spring and slows down in the heat of summer. There is high demand for sedges in both the ecological restoration arena and for ornamental plantings.

“At Pizzo Native Plant Nursery we currently grow 61 species of Carex and we attempt to grow all of them from seed,” commented Kyle Banas, Nursery Manager and Head Grower. “We sometimes rely on vegetative propagation to increase numbers, but we strive to maintain genetic diversity within our crops through seed propagation. The germination protocols on sedges are just as varied as their habitat in which they grow. We have over 20 different propagation protocols for Carex species alone and we’re refining those methods every year.”

Jason Fritz, Associate, Ecology, Nursery Business Development Manager for Stantec agrees that sedges are an important component of their plant list. “As a native restoration nursery, we are constantly looking to increase our offerings to meet the needs of the habitat restoration market. Of the Mt. Cuba list, we currently have six species in cultivation. We grow a limited quantity of Carex due to the challenges of growing from division or getting good germination from the

ones that are seed propagated. It usually takes two to three years to figure out the right propagation techniques and care to get a profitable production run. Some of the species on the Mt. Cuba report are hard to find on the market for a reason. It will take time to build up division stock and/or source seed before we can consider offering them. Sedges definitely need to be used in more landscapes. Here at Stantec, we already have 30+ Carex species in production that can be excellent choices for projects.”

Midwest Groundcovers, through their Midwest Natural Garden nursery, grows about 40 species of sedges, both native and cultivars. Their production foreman, Enrique Rodriguez, commented on the specific nature of working with the genus. “All sedges are cool season, meaning for vegetative propagation, it has to be done in the spring and the fall – they do not actively grow very much in the summer months. The window to propagate is small, so you have to really pay attention to temperature changes. That can cause availability challenges as well, since the propagation window is so specific and growing from seed is so inconsistent. Also, sedges are quite promiscuous and cross very easily with each other. So, we pay close attention to that – as we have seen it happen before.”

Mariani Plants grows several ornamental sedges as well as Carex pensylvanica. Krystal Flogel, Production Manager, reports that sedges have their own set of challenges to produce. “Our experiences with Carex pensylvanica and sedges

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in general is they like to be kept on the dry side. They are generally slow to root and fill out and they will do so even more slowly if they’re too wet. It’s also best to keep them dry going into winter or they will be more likely to rot.” Flogel also finds challenges producing a client-ready plant. “One of our issues with Carex is that, after winter, the tips of the blades turn brown and rather unsightly. They can take a long time to fill out again once they are trimmed back. We try to pot all the Carex in spring or early summer, because if planted later in summer or fall they are unlikely to root out in time for winter. They will also suffer more in the heat and humidity if planted later when they haven’t had a chance to root out.”

Twixwood Nursery also finds sedges a tricky, but gratifying crop. Homer Trecartin, Sales Manager and Production Director shared his thoughts from an ornamental grower perspective. “Carex tends to be a shade plant but shade space at the nursery is at a premium. A study like Mt. Cuba’s that specifically analyzes the sun tolerance, is very helpful in allowing us to allocate growing space appropriately. It also provides insight into what customers will be looking for in the future.” In a large-scale production facility, there are some challenges to growing and maintaining sedges. “Even though they look like grass, sedges aren’t. Grasses can be sprayed with broadleaf herbicides to control weeds which is a huge benefit in the plant maintenance department. Carex can’t so they have to be hand weeded. Primarily because of this weed problem, we have chosen to grow all our stock plants in containers instead of in the field but that means the stock plants are taking up valuable space and adding to the expense of the crop.”

Twixwood supplies garden centers and landscape contractors and Trecartin finds sedges have a particular challenge for those customers. “Many of these varieties look identical, at least in a container, and for most of the year. We are very careful to keep everything carefully labeled to avoid confusion, but mix-ups have happened. The temptation is there because the end consumer is unlikely to be able to tell the difference. For the average garden center or landscaper, many of these are going to look identical on the garden center shelf and in the landscape. Some might be able to handle a bit more water or a different soil type, but the average person isn’t going to look hard enough to see that.”

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Focus — Excellence in Landscape Professionals’ Choice

Renovate and Renew — 2023 Professionals’ Choice

by Heather Prince

On a suburban street in the far west suburbs of Chicago, a crisp newly renovated family home sits on a curving corner, bracketed by mature trees and set off by elegant walkways and modern plantings. Its striking clean black and white aesthetic is emphasized by upright Taylor junipers while strong horizontal elements are reflected in the stacked thermal bluestone slab walls. This modern home has undergone a total transformation from its original traditional style.

Western DuPage Landscaping has been the caretaker of the landscapes on the site for the past nine years and when the homeowners elected to renovate the property, they turned to Eric Galloway, senior landscape architect. A long-time client, they placed great trust in Galloway to create a landscape that responded to a new chapter in their lives. “The clients are

now empty nesters,” reported Galloway. “After raising their kids in this house, they wanted to create a home that would be a fun place for their adult children to return with their families. It was a complete 180 from their original traditional style with curvilinear beds filled with perennials, to what they called California Modern. It’s all white and black with straight lines. Over the years, they’d figured out what they like and don’t like, plus they wanted low maintenance.” The clients elected to spare no expense in their material choices. “They wanted everything to be built to last,” commented Galloway. “And after years of working together, they really trusted the team. We’ve done some big projects with them, and this was a chance to think outside the box.”

(continued on page 36)

View from the house looking across the pool. You will also see the concrete retaining walls to the left of the photo. Notice the boxwood that are still planted behind the pool. These were eventually all successfully transplanted around the existing sport court and east foundation.

Before photo showing the front foundation of the house, existing drylaid oakfield walls, and the hickory that was eventually removed.

Focus — Excellence in Landscape Professionals’ Choice Award

(continued from page 34)

Not only was the project a complete revamp of the house style, but the site itself also provided some unique challenges. The home sits about five to six feet above the street and the main entrance is around the corner from the garage court. One of the biggest challenges was directing foot traffic to the front door. A large shagbark hickory stood on the corner that the clients wanted to keep. After meeting with the engineers, “We were going to do a bridge around the tree, but it ended up being cost prohibitive and a potential maintenance concern,” said Galloway. “We ended up taking the tree down.”

Galloway chose 24” x 48” Valders Grey natural stone pavers with 4” x 8” Endicott Manganese Ironspot clay paver banding for the front walk and courtyard spaces to keep with the black and white theme of the house. Instead of bark mulch, Black Obsidian gravel was selected as the bedding mulch to set off the plants and reduce maintenance. In the main entrance courtyard, Gardenstone planters are filled with colorful annuals as directional focal points to lead you to the main entrance. “One of the coolest features of this project is the stacked thermal Bluestone wall that wraps and holds the corner of the entrance court,” commented Galloway. “It’s a signature sculptural piece that we came up with after much

discussion. It gave us a way to balance the grade change with the crisp contemporary feel of the new design.”

The builder and Western DuPage made a point of deemphasizing the door next to the garage as it is the homeowner’s office and she wanted to keep an element of privacy. “It was really important that she had a nice view out, but she wanted to make it known that it was a secondary entrance,” reported Galloway. “We de-emphasized the door, and we pinched the scale down with the seat walls and the Hicks yews. I think it was pretty successful.”

Galloway’s favorite spot on the site is the small garden outside the office. “It’s clean and simple and elegant and fresh and modern, all at the same time. So, I think that really captures the essence of what the goal was with this property.” The secondary path is bounded by rectangles of clipped boxwood filled with low-growing Little Quickfire hydrangea. Three Taylor junipers provide a visual barrier and are framed by tree-form Limelight hydrangeas. Three black Gardenstone planters offer a subtle contrast and are filled with cheerful annuals.

The clients wanted a very neutral plant palette that wouldn’t require much care. The homeowner, “knows what she likes, and she didn’t want a lot of color,” observed

Overall photo of the front foundation, showing the vertical elements that feature a stacked thermal blue-stone slab wall, boxwood hedging, Taylor junipers and flowering hydrangea.

Galloway. “We chose boxwood, Limelight hydrangea, Taylor junipers, Little Quickfire hydrangea, Hicks yews, among others and kept it very simple. They already had several boxwood and hydrangea on the site, and we transplanted many of them. We salvaged the plants and either stored them off site or moved them around the property. We lost a few, but for the most part we were able to keep or reuse a lot.” A prized espaliered Bloodgood Japanese maple was also preserved on the back elevation despite extensive work done on the beds and patios surrounding it.

Because the house sits higher, one of the challenges was making sure the pool area had sufficient privacy without installing fences. Instead of a traditional pergola, the 9-foot granite privacy wall was constructed from stacked Corinthian

Granite with sawn tops and bottoms. However, it still needed something behind it to block the neighbors and soften the hard lines of the stone. The clients didn’t like the look of blue spruce or Green Giant arborvitae. “I chose Dawyck purple beech for their columnar shape and beautiful dark leaves,” reported Galloway. “They are 18 feet tall! I tagged them at Fiore in the spring before they leafed out. Of course, when they did leaf, we discovered one was green. So that was a big challenge to track down another one. They’re really thriving and doing well.” Galloway utilized large Techny arborvitae to provide additional screening of the pool from the street. Mature Hicks yews were used to hide the pool mechanicals but allow them to be accessible by the pool company staff.

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This bird’s eye view of the entire back pool deck space containing an artificial turf lawn area, Boxwood hedging and Corinthian granite ledgestone walls with bluestone coping.

Focus — Excellence in Landscape Professionals’ Choice

Overall photo of the expanse of the north foundation of the house, showcasing boxwood hedging, Taylor junipers, limelight hydrangea (tree-form) and Hicks yew privacy hedge

Focus — Excellence in Landscape Professionals’ Choice Award

(continued from page 37)

“It’s not a glamorous spot but that’s one of the coolest areas in my opinion,” commented Galloway. “It was a challenge because of the grade, and it had to look good front and back. Plus, the homeowner didn’t want a big opening or to make it inviting from the street because she didn’t want anybody coming in through there other than the people who knew about it.”

Throughout this project Galloway worked hard not to take the clients’ trust for granted. “I really just treated it like they were a brand-new client, and I was trying to impress them. Don’t ever stop trying to impress your clients. I felt I had to give it my best even though we had an established relationship. You’ve got to keep that passion for perfection. Of course, nothing’s perfect. And this project’s not perfect either, but boy, I tried,” chuckled Galloway. “And you know, I had a blast. I’ll never forget it. I mean, I’ve been doing this for 21 years, and there’s not a lot of projects like this. We work on a lot of interesting projects, but this one is a little bit different, a little bit more special.”

Bird’s eye view showing how all of the elements come together to create a courtyard feel and pleasant view while either inside or outside of the house.

The Valders grey natural slab pavers were used for the pool deck and coping, to create a clean and seamless transition. The custom fabricated railings provide a unique artistic element that accentuates the space.

The Valders grey natural stone paving walk leads one from the driveway area to the backyard. The design intent was to make this walk feel more private. The planters are all centered on the windows to relate back to the house and provide season long interest.

48” Valders grey natural stone paving with 4”x 8” Endicott manganese ironspot clay paver banding. Black Obsidian decorative gravel was selected as the bedding mulch. We deliberately left areas on both sides of the walk plant-less to create an open feel, while also allowing for future plantings.

The front walk and courtyard spaces showcase the 24”x

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COD Horticulture Students Earn Honors in 2023 National Collegiate Landscape Competition

A team of 21 students from the College of DuPage Horticulture program placed 12th overall out of 42 colleges and universities from across the U.S. and Canada and fourth out of all community colleges at the 2023 National Collegiate Landscape Competition.

The annual three-day competition, held earlier this month at Mississippi State University, brought together top landscape and horticulture students, top industry companies, and dozens of the biggest industry manufacturers and suppliers from around the country.

The following students were recognized at the competition:

Christian Schloegel (Clarendon Hills) placed fourth overall out of 529 students, fourth in Compact Excavator Operation and 11th on Compact Track/ Skid Steer Loader Operation. Schloegel and Emerson Eich (LaGrange) took second in Truck and Trailer Operations, and Schloegel and Matthew Fiala (Lombard) placed sixth in Landscape Maintenance Operations.

In addition, Kandace Regan (Oak Park) placed third in Sales Presentation; Mia Olson (Wheaton) and Lisa Broccardo (Aurora) were fourth in Safety First; Francisco Garcia (Elgin) was seventh in Small Engine Repair; Ellen Holndoner (Bolingbrook), Teddy Allen (Elburn) and Tony Polerecky (Wood Dale) placed seventh in Landscape Plant Installation; Joseph Huttner (Oakbrook Terrace) took 11th in Plant Problem Diagnosis; Garcia and Fiala placed 13th in Irrigation Assembly; Fernanda Hernandez (West Chicago) was 14th in Interior Landscape Design; and Tim Hughes (Wheaton) placed 14th in 3D Exterior Design.

Additional COD competitors included Jimmie Sumpter (Westmont), Manuel Garcia (Wheeling), Branimira Petkova (Willowbrook), Luis Mazariegos (Schaumburg), Nathan Stinites (Chicago), Adam Peters (Villa Park), Isaac Lopez (Lombard), and Jennifer Suszek (Berwyn).

Several Chicagoland area sponsors assisted in funding the students’ trip to the competition, including Ball Horticulture, Balanced

Environments Inc. Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, Russo Power Equipment, Martin Associates, L-I-D Landscapes, P.A. Linkes Inc., Chalet Landscape, Nursery and Garden Center, Chicago St. Sunflower Co., Premier Landscape, Cedar Path Nurseries, Midwest Ground Covers/Midwest Trading, Acres Group, Yellowstone Landscape, Landworks Limited, The Growing Place, Ion Metal Pros Inc. and Greenwise.

The Horticulture program at COD provides fundamental and advanced education and practical training to help graduates successfully enter the workforce. Students can earn Associate in Applied Science degrees in Horticulture, Landscape Contracting and Management, and Sustainable Urban Agriculture as well as nine certificates. Horticulture courses are offered day and night, in-person, hybrid and virtual with more than 60 course offerings.

COD’s fall term begins Monday, Aug. 21, and includes a 16-week, two 12-week and two eight-week sessions. Course offerings include a mix of in-person, hybrid, virtual and traditional online classes. Fall registration for returning COD students with 30 or more completed credits runs April 12 to 18. Registration for all returning and new students began Wednesday, April 19.

Apply now.

College of DuPage is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Serving more than 22,000 students each term, College of DuPage is the largest public community college in the state of Illinois. The College grants seven associate degrees and offers more than 170 career and technical certificates in over 50 areas of study.

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Spring Events 2023 —

Hot Topics — Insights from Your Peers

Nina A. Koziol

The threat of a big evening snowstorm didn’t stop a crowd of landscape contractors, owners and designers from attending ILCA’s “Hot Topics” event in early March at The Village Links of Glen Ellyn. “We haven’t done this event for 10 years and we had 115 people register,” said ILCA’s Alycia Nagy, office manager and workforce development coordinator. “The Board of Directors decided to bring this back.”

The program, “Straight Talk: Examining the Business of Our Businesses,” featured moderator Dean MacMorris, co-founder of Night Light, Inc, and four panelists — Philip Rosborough, chief steward officer of Rosborough Partners in Libertyville, Jennifer Hoxsie, vice president of Greenhaven Landscapes in Lake Bluff, Steven Anderson, facility vice president of Yellowstone Landscape in Roselle, and Jim “Turk” Turcan, president of Cornerstone Partners Horticultural Services in St. Charles. Each brought a unique perspective to the topics of clients, labor, mergers, stress, pricing, snow season and technology. Here are some highlights.

How do you deal with stress and burnout?

Rosborough: With demand being through the roof and labor what it is — everyone can handle it for a while, but eventually… there’s a lot more flexibility for [some] team members to work from home. I used to do a lot of work from 7 to 11 p.m. and I just don’t do that anymore. You need hours for sleep, morning workouts.

Anderson: You don’t want a steady diet of that. Take a step back — is there a better way to do this, build a better mousetrap? If I find myself in the office too much, I get out in the field or talk to a client. I try to get a different point of view, maybe with a peer or superior to shoot the breeze, relax or vent.

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Spring Events 2023 —

(continued from page 44)

Turcan: Burnout is 24/7 between landscaping and snow. If you’re not there physically but your mind is, take a clarity break at noon if possible — no phone calls.

Hoxsie: I got a second job and started teaching last year. I’m pausing to reach back and help teach the next generation. Sometimes burnout can be a mind shift — think about what fills your bucket. Set better boundaries at work and focus on things you’re uniquely good at and that brings you energy.

Anderson: It’s about understanding expectations and setting accountability. I believe in a mostly open door policy and I try to focus on non-work issues with staff as well.

Turcan: It’s been through trial and error, for sure. We use third-party coaching and have a coach who runs our leadership team.

How do you build trust with clients or deal with their attitudes?

Rosborough: Every touchpoint along the way is an opportunity to build trust. It’s several little things over time.

Anderson: My faith is very important to me so at the beginning of each year, I go on a men’s three-day silent retreat. It’s learning something new.

How have you become a better leader?

Hoxsie: Realize that people are your greatest asset. Think about them first — respect and understand their capabilities and their approach.

Hoxsie: The sheer number of emails and calls — the demand for services — has been incredible. With increased demand, you can waste time and projects may not get built. When design leads come in, they’re given links to the web site videos and information graphics. We have a maintenance video that explains why we do certain things. We communicate what our minimums are and that filters out some leads.

How are you dealing with labor shortages?

Anderson: We have a lot of things to offer—new equipment, uniforms and I try and engage potential employees. We have an incentive program with a payment at the end of the year in November. And, we go over policies and procedures—simple things but people need to know it. And there are constant reviews.

Turcan: We’ve had a 92 percent labor retention rate — our team members know that they can make more, but it’s not just the wages. Team members get an opportunity for English as a Second Language class and we will reimburse the tuition if they get a B. And, we’ve teamed up with Chase Bank to come in and teach them about financing.

Rosborough: I know ILCA is working with The College of Lake County — recruiting through colleges is something to explore. We’re completely rethinking our Standard Operating Procedures — getting our brand out and showing our team on the web site. We need to look broader—we look in the same places [for staff] as everyone else. It’s ever changing.

What’s the hiring-onboarding process like?

Turcan: We have a stringent hiring process and use a Kolbe [assessment] test. (www.kolbe.com) We don’t ever meet with the person. That takes the emotion out of the equation. Running those assessments is so beneficial. When the results come back they tell us whether the person has got the right skills for the position. They might apply for a sales rep position, but they are great at production.

Anderson: During the interview process, we share the job description that comes with a list of competencies. We start with a training program the first day and I set a schedule with a 30-, 60- and 90-day touch base. That first lunch on that first day — take time out with the team if you can — it’s a little thing but I’ve had some major success with it.

Cómo reducir la brecha cultural entre latinos y anglohablantes en el lugar de trabajo:

Cómo Lideramos

by Meta Levin

relataron sus historias, reforzando lo que Debbie Bartsch y Zully Arroyo discutieron durante su presentación en iLandscape 2023, “Cómo reducir la brecha cultural entre latinos y anglohablantes en el lugar de trabajo: Cómo lideramos”

Y una por una, Bartsch, jefe de planificación de producción / construcción en la División de Paisajismo de Chalet, y Arroyo, quien maneja las ventas para tres centros de ConservFS, delinearon las diferencias y, en algunos casos, las similitudes de las culturas latina y anglohablante. El objetivo fue ayudar a cada uno de los grupos a comprender al otro, en un esfuerzo por reducir conflictos y generar más oportunidades para la fuerza laboral latina y local, explica Bartsch.

Este fue el segundo año en que estos tipos de presentaciones fueron parte de iLandscape.

Querían dejar en los participantes un mensaje claro, afirma Bartsch. “No importa cuál sea tu cultura, tu lugar de origen o tu idioma, esto es algo en lo que todos tenemos que trabajar”, dijo. “Tu título no importa; siempre tienes que trabajar en esto. En el caso del individuo frente al grupo, los latinos desean que el grupo se lleve el crédito, mientras que los anglohablantes prefieren que la persona obtenga el reconocimiento”.

Después de la presentación, los participantes preguntaron a Bartsch y Arroyo sobre futuras presentaciones que cubran otros temas. A juzgar por el interés, habrá más presentaciones en el futuro.

Ascensos

Muchos de los participantes latinos deseaban esforzarse por ascender a puestos gerenciales, pero temían ser rechazados, dice Arroyo. También tenían otras inquietudes. Cuando comenzaron, permanecían con los miembros de su propio grupo, trabajando juntos, comiendo juntos y, en algunos casos, socializando. Se sentían cómodos con otros que

hablaran su mismo idioma. Un ascenso significaría salirse del cascarón.

“Hay un miedo de dejar a los compañeros de trabajo atrás”, dice Arroyo. abajadores latinos con frecuencia prefieren hacer ellos la elección, en lugar de dejar que el jefe o el dueño de la compañía decida quién debe ser ascendido a un puesto gerencial, dice.

Como ejemplo, Arroyo señaló la situación en el almacén donde trabaja. Hubo una vacante para jefe de almacén. Resulta que la mayoría de los empleados ahí no hablaban mucho inglés, excepto uno. Sugirieron que él ocupara el puesto, porque hablaba inglés mejor. Ahora, ellos pueden hablar con él y él puede dirigirse a su jefe para explicarle cualquier problema o necesidad que surja. También puede hablar con los demás en el almacén en su idioma nativo.

Entre los asistentes se encontraba una joven anglohablante la cual había hecho lo posible, incluso pasar un tiempo en un país hispanohablante, para aprender español. Actualmente domina el español y pidió la palabra cuando Bartsch y Arroyo pidieron experiencias personales, compartiendo la suya primero en español y después en inglés. Su facilidad para expresarse en español le proporcionó una ventana a la cultura latina.

Arroyo utilizó su propia experiencia para hablar sobre las ventajas de salir de la zona de confort. Veterana del Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina de Estados Unidos, al separarse de las fuerzas armadas, la contrató National Seed para incorporarla al personal de recepción. Los clientes comenzaron a hacer preguntas y ella a su vez hacía sus propias preguntas, hasta que aprendió lo suficiente sobre la compañía y los productos para ayudar a los clientes.

Le pidió a su jefe que la pasara a ventas. Al comienzo, el jefe dijo que no, pero como ella insistía, al final, “vio que yo

Uno por uno los participantes

tenía posibilidades”. Cuando se vendió la compañía, ella administraba más que ventas. “Le di un 110 por ciento”, dice. “Digo a los otros que no tengan miedo de ascender a estas posiciones. No hay nada que no podamos hacer”.

También son diferentes las actitudes con respecto a nuevos puestos de trabajo y ascensos. Un anglohablante desea conseguir el ascenso primero y después familiarizarse con el trabajo. Por su parte, los latinos desean aprender primero sobre un nuevo trabajo y obtener el ascenso después. Si bien los anglohablantes tienden a querer ascender en el escalafón corporativo, los latinos se conforman con hacer el mismo trabajo por más dinero.

Actitudes con respecto a los superiores

Los latinos tienden a ser más callados y más tímidos ante sus superiores, mientras que los anglohablantes prefieren desarrollar una relación amistosa con sus jefes, afirma Bartsch. Por consiguiente, la experiencia de Arroyo no es la norma entre los latinos. Ella atribuye esto al hecho de que fue criada en Chicago y Oak Lawn, así como su experiencia en el Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina y su disposición a presionar a su jefe para lograr el ascenso.

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La historia de Bartsch es diferente. Nacida en Estados Unidos, procede de la industria de fabricación de semiconductores, donde advirtió las barreras culturales entre anglohablantes y asiáticos. “Durante tantos años, sentí la barrera cultural”, explica. Al pasar a la industria verde, advirtió la misma situación con los latinos. “Sentí que no podía ayudar a los chinos, pero sí a los latinos”.

Comenzó a buscar los aspectos positivos de cada cultura. “Podemos usar eso”, dijo.

Así, por ejemplo, tanto Bartsch como Arroyo señalaron que, si algo no anda bien, los anglohablantes tienden a echarle la culpa a otra persona, mientras que los latinos son más proclives a encontrar la causa raíz y arreglarla. “No culpan a otros”, asegura Bartsch. Por consiguiente, únicamente llaman a un supervisor después de tratar de resolver el problema ellos mismos. Si no pueden hacerlo y se

convierte en un problema de seguridad, entonces llaman al supervisor.

Individuos frente al grupo/equipo Los empleados latinos tienden más a dar crédito por los logros al grupo, mientras los anglohablantes se atribuyen el crédito individualmente, incluso cuando se trata de un logro del grupo. Por el contrario, los latinos son más proclives a atribuir un fracaso al grupo. “Los latinos desean que el crédito se lo lleve el grupo”, asegura Bartsch. “He visto a anglohablantes no dar crédito al grupo en situaciones en que deberían hacerlo”. La actitud hacia las evaluaciones del desempeño refleja esto. Mientras los anglohablantes esperan que las evaluaciones del desempeño se centren en la persona individual, los latinos prefieren que se evalúe al grupo como unidad.

Capacitación

El grupo es fundamental para los latinos de otras formas. Por ejemplo, Bartsch y Arroyo señalaron que, en casos en que

no se proporciona capacitación completa, los trabajadores latinos aprenderán el trabajo observando a sus compañeros con más experiencia. Estos trabajadores experimentados sirven de ejemplo a sus colegas más nuevos.

Por otra parte, los anglohablantes esperarán capacitación completa antes de iniciar un trabajo y que el empleador proporcione equipos de seguridad y orientación.

Dicho eso, los anglohablantes están más dispuestos a intentar algo nuevo, aunque exista la posibilidad de fracasar o necesitar ayuda. Esperan que haya cierta ambigüedad en su descripción de funciones. Los latinos prefieren descripciones de funciones claras para ellos y los demás miembros del equipo.

Arroyo estaba satisfecho con la respuesta del público. “Me complace que se empiece a comprender que hay una brecha que debe reducirse”, dice.

Disease of the Month: Red Thread Pest of the Month: Hawthorn Leafminer

by Heather Prince

Disease of the Month: Red Thread

Named for the thread-like structures produced on the tips infected grass blades, red thread is a foliar disease of turf grass. It usually occurs on tall mown lawns in the spring and fall, being particularly common on slow-growing, nitrogen-deficient, fine-leaf fescues and perennial ryegrass. Optimal conditions for outbreaks are cool, wet periods with overcast skies. From a distance, this disease appears as circular patches of tan or pink turf ranging from two to 8 inches in diameter. With close inspection, you’ll find distinctive, pink to reddish thread-like fungal growth (sclerotia) emerging from the leaves and sheaths. As the disease develops and more of the turf turns dry and tan, the pinkish fungal growth stands out and begins to resemble red threads. These threads drop into the thatch, allowing the pathogen to survive for long periods.

Treatment:

Good turf management practices will help keep this disease in check including maintaining healthy turf with fertilization, increased light and air circulation, mowing regularly with sharp blades, and collecting grass clippings when the disease is active. Fungicides may be used if the infection is severe. Recommended fungicides include azoxystrobin, fluoxastrobin, pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin, myclobutanil, propiconazole, and thiophanate-methyl. Apply in wet weather when daytime temperatures are between 65 and 75°F for best results.

Red thread

Pest of the Month:

Hawthorn Leafminer

Hawthorn leafminer (Profenusa canadensis) larvae can cause significant aesthetic damage to hawthorn leaves causing client alarm. These tiny larvae feed between the epidermal layers of the leaf, leaving small, discolored tunnels behind that eventually unite to become large brown patches. Hawthorn leafminers usually attack hawthorn species Cratagus crusgallis, C. erecta and C. persimillis. Scout for adults early in the season as they can be found in newly opening leaves. In spring,

Additional resources:

University of Illinois Extension Service https://web.extension.illinois.edu/state/ horticulture/index.php

217-333-0519

The Morton Arboretum

the females will lay eggs inside the epidermal layer of the leaf. When the larvae hatch, they immediately begin feeding. The larvae will grow to almost 3/8 inch in length by mid-June. Then they cut a hole through the lower leaf surface and drop to the ground to pupate.

Treatment: The damage by hawthorn leafminer is mostly cosmetic and should not impact overall tree health. New growth will overtake injured leaves. However, if heavy damage occurs during the previous year, treatment is warranted. Use foliar sprays labeled for leafminers early in the season as leaves open and larvae begin to feed. Timing often coincides with the blooming of bridalwreath spirea and pagoda dogwood.

http://www.mortonarb.org/Plant Clinic: http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/ tree-and-plant-advice/ 630-719-2424

Chicago Botanic Garden Plant Information Service: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/ plantinfoservice

847-835-0972

Trees, Ornamentals, Evergreens, Shrubs, Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcover.

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A Touch of Green, Inc.

12720 W. 159th Street

Homer Glen, IL 60491

(708) 942-8372

www.atouchofgreen.net

by Meta L. Levin

Jim Lahey, owner and founder of A Touch of Green, Inc., was destined to be in the green industry. The youngest of eleven children, he started his own lawn service at age 13, putting his inclination to be a perfectionist to good use by “cutting each lawn twice to make a striking diamond pattern,” he says.

By 1981 he was in college, headed toward a career as a pharmacist when he started working part time for a tree service company. “They paid me in firewood,” he says. He began going door-to-door selling it. “I traded on my confidence in talking to strangers, developing relationships that turned the lumber into a more substantial payday.”

Armed with an associate’s degree from Moraine Valley Community College, in 1982 he borrowed $5,000 from his father and started A Touch of Green. Early on, his mother bought 200 evergreens, had them shipped to the house and told him to plant them. He did, realizing he had found his calling.

By 1983 he had founded a garden center in his parents’

backyard in Hickory Hills. He also began installing landscaping projects, something he loves. Now, the company he started has grown exponentially and is celebrating its 40th anniversary. “Not many companies can say that,” he says.

In the early years, he often would make sales calls after working all day. “My potential clients could see from my hands that I had been working a full shift,” he says. “But I was still punctual and enthusiastic.”

Now, 40 years later, A Touch of Green’s offerings include a successful garden center, public nursery, landscape design/build, brick pavers, fire pits, fireplaces, outdoor kitchen and grills, outdoor lighting, pergolas, waterfalls and fountains and hot tubs. The company also has a design center featuring state of the art 3D technology, allowing clients to see their designs come to life before installation.

A Touch of Green has nearly 60 employees in season, 70 percent of whom have been with the company for 20 years or more.

Those employees include his oldest daughter, Jamilee, a gradu-

ate in landscape architecture from Purdue University, who is working towards becoming a licensed landscape architect.

Sheryl Ott, a 32-year veteran of A Touch of Green, is the financial supervisor. “She is a professional,” says Lahey. “She is like my left arm.”

Lahey hired Steve Rydecki 25 years ago as the nursery manager. “He runs it like it’s his own,” says Lahey. A dedicated employee, Rydecki “loves what he does and is a hard worker. He’s like my right arm.”

Kathy Neakarse is the assistant manager of the garden center and has been with the company for 20 years. “She is still delighting the public with her creative flower arrangements,” says Lahey. “Customers continually seek her out.”

Lahey gives credit to Ruben Aguilarea, a 33-year veteran of A Touch of Green. “He’s the leader, the flag,” says Lahey. “Not one to retire, Ruben can pick his daily duties, whatever he wants, often choosing landscape installation, which he expertly concludes with the finishing touches.”

Greg Stevens has been with the company for five years. “He’s a landscape architect,” says Lahey. “He has a wealth of knowledge and does sales, as well as landscape and hardscape design.”

Lahey boasts that “my guys do wonderful work.” He fosters a family atmosphere by greeting his employees daily, holding monthly employee breakfasts, hosting unannounced site lunches and holding staff meetings every Wednesday morning. “We are a team,” he says. “Everybody here is dedicated.”

An ILCA member since 1993, Lahey joined in part to be a part of a professional organization, but has found it invaluable as a way to learn about new products and glean helpful tips.

When he has time off Lahey may be found in Steamboat Springs, CO, riding his snow mobiles, or on his boat or playing golf in Arizona, or at his lake house in Illinois. “The kids grew up there,” he says. “We are close as a family.”

In addition to his wife, Diane, and daughter, Jamilee, Lahey’s family includes Haley, who is just finishing pharmacy school, and Toree, a freshman in college.

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Established Landscape company located in Lake County Illinois. We offer an excellent salary, benefits, and a stable environment where our team thrives on collaboration and encourages continuous learning and growth. We are seeking a Landscape Project Coordinator to join our Design Build team. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of the landscape industry. The role will manage crews in hardscapes, planting, grading, drainage, with oversee subcontractors as needed.

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our current 7 Branch Managers started as Service Managers! Our Sr. Service Manager position is an essential part of our growing company. The Sr. Service Manager will lead a team of technicians to ensure they provide quality lawn care services. This position is essential to the continued growth of our company

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Before You Go — Vertical Verve with Veronicastrum —

by Mark Dwyer

Taller perennials with “vertical presence” in the landscape can offer scale and depth to a composition as the eye is entranced by straight lines. The native Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum) is a perennial I wish I had used more often over the years for that vertical effect as it’s certainly an eye-catcher when in summer bloom. The narrow, vertical, candelabra-like flowers on this 4-7’ tall plant are instantly striking. This hardy and robust perennial should be in all of our “design arsenals” as it combines so well with perennial grasses and other neighbors to add sophistication to any scene.

Hardy in USDA zones 3-8, Culver’s root prefers moist soils and can be found natively in open woods, thickets, moist meadows and prairies. I frequently suggest Culver’s root in rain garden applications and clay soils. Full sun locations are ideal as too much shade may encourage this plant to stretch and flop. Whorled, lanceolate, dark-green foliage adorns the rigid stems and this perennial seldom needs staking. A root tea (purgative) from this plant was utilized by pioneers and Native Americans.

With no serious insect or disease problems, Veronicastrum virginicum, a member of the Plantaginaceae family, can really be the summer star in the mixed border, native plant garden or cottage garden. I rarely use a solitary specimen and like to group them in drifts where they can collectively hover and wave in the breeze. Deer and rabbit resistant, this perennial does attract both butterflies and a wide array of bees will visit this perennial when in bloom.

The flowers are technically a spikelike raceme with a central flower sur-

rounded by secondary spikes. The densely-clustered, tiny tubular flowers adorn these spikes and essentially come in shades of white, blue-violet and pink. Deadheading spent racemes will extend bloom from the subsidiary flowers although a more targeted and severe cut down to the basal growth in summer after the flowers have faded induces vigorous regrowth, a renewed plant and occasionally another wave of late flowers.

The straight species features white to light pink flowers although the varieties ‘Spring Dew’ and ‘Album’ are definitively white. Popular varieties in the subtle blue-violet range include ‘Lavendelturm’, ‘Apollo’, ‘Adoration’, ‘Cupid’ and ‘Temptation’. Pink selections like ‘Challenger’, ‘Pink Glow’, ‘Erica’ and ‘Albo-Rosea’ continue to be popular and more available. There are a wide range of vendors offering these selections although specific varieties may be difficult to locate in quantity. This perennial is most commonly propagated by root divisions in late fall or early spring or softwood cuttings in late spring. Growing Culver’s root from seed requires three months of cold-moist stratification and proper procedures should be researched.

One of the most striking uses of Veronicastrum virginicum that I’ve enjoyed are drifts of this perennial (white form) throughout the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park (Chicago, IL). With so much color and texture throughout this popular garden, the strong vertical white flowers of these repeated Culver’s root drifts are what anchors the summer scene with vertical verve!

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