The Landscape Contractor magazine August 2016 Digital Digital Edition by Association Publishing Partners

MIDWEST TRADING HORTICULTURAL SUPPLIES, INC.® a Midwest-Orum Company P.O. BOX 398 • MAPLE PARK, IL 60151 630-365-1990 • FAX 630-365-3818

W W W . M I D W E S T- T R A D I N G . C O M

August 2016

CONTENTS

Excellence In Landscape Awards Project

FOCUS: Making the Most of the Digital World Time Saving Apps Worth Consideration 10 A few new apps for the landscape industry Two Members Reveal How They Use Houzz 18 Many members use Houzz, we talk with two Taking a Community Back with Plants 22 Landscapes bring calm to an urban neighborhood

ILCA Members Attend Renewal and Remembrance 32 The annual Day of Service and lobbying mission

Ball Hosts Darwin Perennials Event

Clarence Davids and Co. Marks 65th Anniversary

New Board Member Profile Meet Allan Jeziorski, Hartman Landscape

Member Profile 56 Sky’s the Limit Dronography

Plant All-Stars 62 Aronia melanocarpa ‘Morton’ Iroquois Beauty® Black Chokeberry

EN ESPAÑOL

Taking a Community Back with Plants El verano ha llegado y el aprendizaje es fácil

On the cover... C.B. Conlin Landscapes, Inc. received an Excellence in Landscape Gold award for the 2014 project. The Landscape Contractor August 2016

62 3

CONTENTS

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

Photo Credits ILCA Awards Program 1, 8-9 Corrie Maulding 33 Christy Webber Landscapes 22-30, 34-40 Nina Koziol 42-45 Clarence Davids & Co. 46-49 Allan Jeziorski 52

Calendar

4 5 7 54 58 61 Jim Ault

AUGUST August 4, 2016 Summer Field Day Midwest Groundcovers/Midwest Trading Virgil, IL

SEPTEMBER

The official publication of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA), The Landscape Contractor is dedicated to educating, advising and informing members of this industry and furthering the goals of the Association. The Landscape Contractor carries news and features relating to landscape contracting, maintenance, design and allied interests. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication. Publication reserves right to refuse advertising not in keeping with goals of Association. WWW.ilca.net Volume 57, Number 8. The Landscape Contractor (ISSN # 0194-7257, USPS # 476-490) is published monthly for $75.00 per year by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste. 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL and additional mailing offices. Printed in USA.

September 9, 2016 Turf Education Day (TED) Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, IL 60022 September 15, 2016 ILCA Golf Outing Village Links of Glen Ellyn Glen Ellyn, IL

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Landscape Contractor, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. DISPLAY ADVERTISING SALES: Association Publishing Partners, Inc., Ph. (630) 637-8632 Fax (630) 637-8629 email: rmgi@comcast.net CLASSIFIED ADS, CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION: ILCA (630) 472-2851 Fax (630) 472-3150 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL OFFICE: Rick Reuland, rmgi@comcast.net, Naperville, IL 60540 Ph. (630)637-8632 PRODUCT DISCLAIMER: The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, its Board of Directors, the Magazine Committee, ILCA Staff, The Landscape Contractor and its staff, neither endorse any products nor attest to the validity of any statements made about products mentioned in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication.

ILCA Staff

Magazine Staff

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

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

Education Manager Julie Nicoll jnicoll@ilca.net

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

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

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

v Becke Davis Senior Writer treethyme@aol.com Patrice Peltier Feature Writer patpeltier@charter.net Meta Levin Feature Writer meta.levin@comcast.net Barbara Dutton Feature Writer Nina Koziol Feature Writer Jim Fizzell jjfizz@aol.com

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

From Where I Stand — Prior to my getting married, finding

with no promise of a future reward. In fact, items are not even given an inherent value. Cultural ties form the backbone of a fresh produce in my house was rare. I had very little use for gift economy. For example, asking a neighbor to borrow his fruits and vegetables unless they could be used as a drink pressure washer is an example of a gift economy. You don’t garnish. In fact, I used to bypass that section of the store comstand at the fence line and negotiate if the use of the pressure pletely, beaming with pride that I didn’t know the difference washer is worth three or four chickens. The item is exchanged between watercress and endives. with the idea that the recipient will owe the giver a similar good I found myself wandering into the produce section more and more after I got married and had children. At first, I would or service in the future. Barter is alive and well in today’s economy. Many service hang around the fringes. I could easily preproviders join barter groups that reach across tend I was looking at deli meats if I was spotvaried trades. So, a landscape contractor will trade ted hovering too close to the avocados. After services to a dentist. Many barter groups even a few months of produce loitering, my confihave their own barter buck currency model where dence grew. I began purchasing gateway vegthe value of the service is equated to dollars. This etables like corn and carrots. Soon, afterwards, makes it easier for bartered items to be tracked and I was diving into the misted display shelves negotiated. It sounds like cash but no actual money to grab eggplants and poblano peppers. Now, exchanges hands. The barter groups often collect I pick up a melon or pineapple and engage in a fee from every transaction for maintaining and a smelling and nuzzling ritual like we’re two growing the network. dogs meeting for the first time. The internet has caused an explosion in these The final step in this evolution is becomgroups as it’s become much easier to advertise, ing a full-scale vegetable gardener. Every track, and trade services. I know a handful of spring, my wife and I discuss how this is landscape professionals who are members of going to be the year we start vegetable garbarter groups. It’s an awkward system at first dening. We envision ourselves in matching that betrays the American habit of consumpoveralls waking up with the roosters to till tion. Once the members get used to the rules, it the land with a team of oxen. Eventually, we makes complete sense to trade landscape serrealize we spent too much time day-dreaming vices for necessary personal or business related about becoming 1800s sharecroppers and services. A contractor only needs to consider completely missed the planting window for how much he spends on website development anything we’d actually want to eat. or dental work or auto repair to understand the About halfway through the season, our value of a barter-based system. friends and neighbors begin harvesting their Gift economies perform best in small, close knit communivegetable gardens. They rave about the size of their tomatoes ties. They are easier than barter economies because both parties or color of their strawberries. Yet, I notice every few days they don’t have to have needs at the same time. Further, there is no keep dragging more and more fruits and veggies into their negotiation necessary. Good will is actually the transactional kitchens. Soon afterwards, they ask politely if we want any commodity, not the good or service. When it is ready for the zucchini or cucumbers. A few weeks later, they are begging us debt to be collected, the previous recipient must honor his oblito take them off their hands. They then drop off a brown paper gation. Most people are benevolent by nature, but under the bag stuffed with more summer squash than a village could eat, terms of a gift economy, it is expected for previous debts to be let alone one family. repaid at an unspecified time and for an unspecified amount. It seems to me that the most efficient way to vegetable garNo one keeps score in a general ledger, it is simply based on den is to become a full blown communist. I am not talking about the amount of goodwill the parties have for one another. buying a sable hat or violently seizing the means of production. ILCA shares a number of traits that could make barter and From a logistical standpoint, it would make more sense if every gift exchange systems work. ILCA member companies have neighbor agreed to plant a different kind of crop or at least to top products and services that other member companies may want. off at three or four different varieties. As plants were ready to be In addition, ILCA enjoys a close knit community. Member harvested, the neighbors would all share with one another. So companies are often aware of one another, and, for the most instead of having to come up with 37 different recipes for turnips, part, enjoy a collegial relationship even as competitors. the neighborhood would all trade with one another to stuff vegThere are even members who have set aside their territorial etable crispers with both quantity and variety. Everyone wins. relationships and have formed small buying collectives. Even In a way, this straddles the line between being a gift econfurther, they have purchased large machines like soil screeners omy and a barter economy. A barter economy is a cashless to share among the partners. Instead of spending hundreds of economy where goods and services are traded at negotiated thousands of dollars to purchase multiple machines, they used rates. An example of a barter transaction is a farmer trading their relationships as ILCA members to improve their operations fruit to a butcher in exchange for meat. A gift economy is without major and duplicative capital expenditures. another cashless system where items of value are exchanged The Landscape Contractor 5 August 2016

Who Runs Barter Town?

From Where I Stand —

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Any ILCA member can reach out to four or five other companies to explore what equipment, materials, or even labor they could share. On its face, this could be seen as a threat to suppliers and the growing rental market for equipment. I disagree. If four or five companies rotated specialized trucks or equipment, it helps build capacity. Capacity builds profit. Profit builds businesses. Strong businesses purchase more equipment, plants, and materials. The average landscape company is $1.2 million in annual revenue with 15 employees in season. Those numbers make the purchase of large, game-changing luxury equipment a rarity. However, if businesses approached capital purchases strategically and collectively, their buying power is amplified. To suppliers who service small businesses, this isn’t a model that hurts equipment purchases, it creates a larger buying group who, individually, would never be able to afford expensive dumps, truck bodies, or loaders. The last seven years have exposed a dystopian future for the landscape industry. No one seems to be growing. For the past 40 years, it was easy to track companies who went from small to mid-sized, then mid-sized to large. Those companies have all but disappeared. I know a lot of landscape companies and struggle to name five that have doubled or tripled in size in the past 10 years. Most blame the competitiveness and pricing that has prevented their growth. Without growth, they can’t invest in the materials and labor that will vault their business to the next level. A few months ago, I sat with a handful of contractors over a few beers. One mused that he should buy up all the old Dominick’s grocery stores and turn them into landscape depots. Meaning, small landscape contractors would rent yard space in the parking lot. They would have access to fuel, materials, day laborers, and even large pieces of equipment for rent or to share among the companies. We all laughed at the thought of these communal landscape farms. Yet, the idea does have merit from a purely entrepreneurial standpoint. I can’t imagine the headaches of running a landscape depot, and I can only imagine the negative impact on the market, but it’s not the zaniest idea I’ve ever heard. Perhaps small landscape companies have been going about this wrong. Instead of stagnant growth as one, perhaps four or five phone calls could allow multiple companies to grow together. For these companies, it would be business as usual. Cashless exchanges would have no impact on clients or how the participants go about their seasons. The only consideration would be figuring out how to create a barter or gift economy where materials could be loaned or traded with no bottom line impact. Many companies have that one piece of equipment that collects dust or isn’t used to its full potential. Instead of burying it in the back of the shop or selling it at auction, perhaps a better strategy is sending it across town. Think of it as borrowing a cup of really, really, expensive, shiny sugar. If not, the only other option is figuring out what to do with all those turnips. After all, caring is sharing.

Scott Grams July 20, 2016

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

President’s Message — I grew up in the landscape industry. My grandfather was a Master President

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

Vice-President

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

Secretary-Treasurer

Tom Lupfer Lupfer Landscaping (708) 352-2765 tom@lupferlandscaping.com

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

Directors

Mark Breier National Seed Co. (630) 963-8787 mark.breier@natseed.com Lisa Fiore Fiore Nursery and Landscape Supply (847) 913-1414 lisa@cjfiore.com Jose Garcia Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. (815) 724-0991 info@naturalcreationslandscaping.com Allan Jeziorski Hartman Landscape (708) 403-8433 allan@hartmanlandscape.net 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 Maureen Scheitz Acres Group (847) 526-4554 maureen.scheitz@acresgroup.com Donna Vignocchi Zych ILT Vignocchi, Inc. (847) 487-5200 dvignocchi@iltvignocchi.com

www.ilca.net

Gardener in Germany and my father started his business the year I was born. I spent my summers working with Dad in the business. Growing up, my mother was in charge of the household. She told me not to get into landscaping and get a real job. Well, like a good son, I listened to her. I went to the University of Illinois, received my degree in computer science and math and went to work in the corporate world for five years. I had a closet full of suits and a tie for each day of the week. I was learning a lot, but wasn’t happy. I missed working outside and working with plants. So, I asked my father if I could join him and the rest is history. My father was great to work with and let me do my thing from the start, finding my own way in the business. The first item on my agenda was to join the ILCA and take as many classes as I could to educate myself on areas I was less familiar with. I have met many people both old and new to the business who have become leaders in our industry. I recall one of my first all-day educational sessions. I sat down to lunch feeling a little alone and a bit intimidated by not knowing anyone. Greg Oltman, owner of Gro Horticultural Enterprises, Inc. and past President of the ILCA, sat at the table where I was seated. While I cannot remember the session or the subject matter of conversation at the table, I will always remember how he made me feel welcomed and comfortable. What I learned at that lunch has stayed with me all these years. It isn’t about competition among our companies in the ILCA, it is about sharing information and helping each member succeed. With all due respect to my mother, a career in the landscape industry is a very real and rewarding professional business. The industry is made up of designers, technicians, administrators, managers of all levels and departments, business owners, accountants, lawyers, suppliers and so much more. We get to work outside with Mother Nature creating beautiful works of art. Our clients depend on us to improve the functionality of their landscape which impacts their quality of life and property values. Not bad for a real job. As I mentioned last month, the Board had its very first three-year strategic planning session and professionalism is one of the areas of focus as it relates to your customers and your employees. The word professionalism, as defined by Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary, is the skill, good judgment and polite behavior expected from a person who is trained to do a job well. Your ILCA Board Members and Staff consider professionalism in the organization essential for its long-term continued success by taking pride in the work and service for all members. Professionalism, as it relates to our strategic plan has three components: education, membership and a voice in government. I want to touch upon education. Educational offerings were one of the main reasons I joined the organization over 28 years ago. Each year and especially at our annual trade show (iLandscape), the ILCA offers a calendar of education and networking events giving members and their employees opportunities to learn different parts of the business. These educational opportunities presented annually afford each of us the common goal of profitability and mutual respect in the business. The Landscape Industry Certified and the Certified Landscape Technician certification programs disclose to your clients and other businesses, that you meet the performance and safety standards for maintaining their property. In addition, this recognition signals to your employees you want them to learn, grow and place great value and respect on effectiveness training. The Foremanship Training class helps and guides how to walk the fine line of directing crews, handling deadlines, customer satisfaction and in some cases be responsible for profit margins. The ILCA offers marketing and sales seminars, designing classes with CEU’s, operations and profitability workshops, technology seminars and so much more. We are your educational resource. I hope you took time out of your busy schedule and registered for Summer Field Day 2016 on August 4th. This annual outdoor event is filled with free educational sessions like sustainable landscapes and cost-saving tips for common landscape practices, an allyou-can-eat lunch, tours of Midwest Groundcover’s nursery and Midwest Trading’s soil plant operation and is a great example of the ILCA’s commitment to education and fun for you, our members. Michael Schmechtig July 14, 2016

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

The Brickman Group, Ltd. â&#x20AC;˘ Woodfield Corporate Center Long Grove

This is a class

A site situated at the interchange of I-290 and Higgins road. With more than 7 years working together on this ten acre landscape the property has gone from minimal occupancy to currently 95% leased by focusing on landscape details. There are many potential critics and we take the suggestions of making the site better for all to enjoy. Being an energy star building they strive to be sustainable on the exterior, and we have worked with them over the years to develop and execute a sustainable plan. The partnership we have with management has created a focus on improving the site with constant attention on improving weak areas of the property. Over the past several years we have performed several projects such as installing out cropping stone at the entrance to tie throughout the property, and redesigned around new property signage. We have performed many changes to the irrigation system to upgrade to new technology that makes the system more efficient with less waste and increased uniform coverage. We selected sustainable plant-

ings while doing improvements to the irrigation to reduce water use and now have a diverse group and unique options in several microclimate areas around the property. As part of our sustainable turf care program we have incorporated mulching grass clippings back into the turf. Special care is taken so that organic matter does not get into the pond or excess in the turf areas. We over seed and aerate to reduce compaction and promote healthy turf. This reduces the amount of weed control which is spot treated around the property. This integrated pest management program is extended into our large tree and shrub care as well with a program to monitor the site and apply only as necessary to control disease and insects. Every angle of this property is scrutinized by the client and continually monitored by our maintenance team. We are committed to the excellence of this property and the client appreciates that partnership as we work closely together to push the industry standard to the limits of excellence at all times.

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Update — More New Apps for the Industry

For an increasingly mobile industry...

Which New Apps Make Sense for You? by Meta Levin

Bob Hursthouse of

Hursthouse, Inc. is likely to know a lot about a potential client’s tastes and preferences long before the first meeting actually takes place. That’s all thanks to an increasingly popular app in the landscape industry: Houzz. Those colorful little icons that populate your smart phone and tablet will, with one click, transport you to more and more sophisticated pieces of software that will do almost anything. They won’t put the plants in the ground, but they can add them to your procurement list. Kelly Bolger, Christy Webber Landscape’s vice president of business development, finds iScape Design a handy tool when talking with clients. “I can take a picture of the area and drop in plant material to show the client what it would look like,” she says. Bolger, a technology enthusiast, who not only finds and uses apps herself, but encourages others in the company to do so, as well, is careful about those she chooses. And that is the key: using only what you need. Hursthouse finds Houzz useful, but relies on apps that came standard with his smartphone for such things as voice memos, photos, calculations and videos. While most use ready-made apps, there are a very few who design their own. Stacey Betz, Mariani Landscape’s director of human resources, can be forgiven if she thinks some of the company’s apps were designed especially for her. They were. 10

In the last year and a half, Mariani’s Business Systems Director, Alaa Elghatit, and his staff have written and designed 15-20 proprietary apps for use by various departments in the company. “We created them ourselves because we wanted to tailor them to our own business and business processes,” he says. Elghatit has two other people working for him. Together they interview employees throughout the company, asking one, simple question: “where are your pain points?” If these can be addressed via an app, they get to work. In Betz’s case, she wanted to streamline processes, increase communication, improve response times, make the workflow more transparent and decrease the paperwork. That was a tall order, but she got what she wanted in at least one case. “One of our main pain points was the amount of paper work, shuffling from person to person,” she says. “In the past, forms might exchange hands three or four times.” For instance, there is a “time off” app. Requests for time off require approval by the employee’s manager. That used to involve completing a paper form, finding the manager, getting the necessary approval, then transporting the form to the Human Resources department. Now the employee clicks on an app on his or her cell phone, completes the form and with another click it goes to the manager’s phone or computer. Two more clicks and it’s done. Not only that, but HR generates The Landscape Contractor August 2016

a report that goes to everyone who needs to know who is in the building and who is out, including the receptionist. There is even a Mariani app for required training. One click and the video begins, another and the employee can take a test at the end to assess how well he or she learned the material. The app will even notify the correct people that the employee fulfilled the requirements. After experiencing the improvement brought about by an app that streamlines the processes necessary when an employee is injured or falls ill on the job, Todd Vena, Mariani’s maintenance operations manager, admits he is looking for ideas and new ways to leverage technology. “I think that it will be great once everyone is using the new automated systems,” says Vena. Kristine King-Utzig, Mariani’s human resources production assistant, echoes his sentiments. Pointing to the injury/accident report, she notes, “It is important that several parties get it in a timely manner. With the app we are able to attach photographs and it immediately goes to all parties, so that they can do what they need to do. Before it used to take up to two days. Now it is instantaneous.” Needless to say, Elghatit says that, as an added bonus, Mariani is saving paper. Here are some popular apps that area landscape contractors are using.

Houzz

Genius Scan

Dropbox

Description—

Specs— Seller: The Grizzly Labs

Specs—

Share ideas Share your favorite images with family, friends and design professionals, or save them to a private virtual ideabook. Find more home design ideas by reading stories, which cover everything from home remodeling and decorating tips to house tours and DIY tutorials. Find professionals Once you’ve collected ideas for your home, use the Houzz app to find architects, interior designers and home improvement contractors in your area. Read reviews and search through previous projects to find the right professional for your style and budget. Get advice If you’re looking for quick advice, ask the Houzz community! Post a design dilemma on our discussion boards to get input from professionals and other homeowners. Shop products You can also use your phone or tablet to buy products right on Houzz. We offer a wide variety of home accessories and furniture — everything from picture frames to dining tables — which makes our site a one-stop shop for all things home design.

Genius Scan turns your smart phone or tablet into a pocket scanner. It enables you to quickly scan documents on the go and email the scans as JPEG or PDF.

Category: Business Updated: May 8, 2013 Version: 3.2 Size: 7.1 MB Rating: Rated 4+ Requires: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. This app is optimized fo iPhone 5. Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Or Android platforms. Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish.

Price— FREE

Dropbox lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Access any file you save to your Dropbox from all your computers, iPhone, iPad and even the Dropbox website.

Seller: Dropbox, Inc. Category: Productivity Updated: May 2 2013 Version: 2.2 Size: 2.2 Rating: Rated 4+ Requires: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, iPad. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Or Android platforms. Languages: English, French German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese

Price— FREE

Price— FREE The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Update — More New Apps for the Industry

iScape Design

Weather Bug

Plant Pictures

Description—

It’s a great app for quick and straightforward designs right on the spot, and we use actual images to give you the most realistic rendering possible.

Specs— Seller: Home Revivals LLC

Updated: Feb. 27, 2016 Version: 2.5.4 Size: 19.6 MB Requires: Compatible with iPhone and iPad. This app is optimized for iPhone and iPad 5. Requires iOS 6.0 or later, Or Android platforms.

Languages: English, Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese

Price— $9.99

WeatherBug is powered by the world’s largest, professional-grade network of commercial weather stations, and provides the fastest weather alerts (including all watches, warnings & notifications from NOAA and the NWS), the best real-time weather forecasts (current, hourly, and 10-day), 18 interactive & animated weather maps including Doppler radar, satellite, lightning alerts, precipitation, local temperature, local pressure, local radar, wind chill, heat index, humid, wind, pollen, and much more -- including various weather widgets for your Android home screen!

Specs—

Seller: Earth Networks, Inc. Category: Weather Updated: June 16, 2016 Version: 3.0.1 Size: 17.1 MB Requires: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation, 5th generation) and iPad. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. Requires iOS 5.1 or later. Or Android platforms.

Price— FREE

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Do yourself a favor and get Plant Pictures. Using our powerful plant database of over 26,000 plant names and the power of Google Images, Plant Pictures is the quickest and easiest way to find pictures of plants. Plant pictures is perfect for gardeners or landscapers that are at the nursery or home improvement store looking at 1 quart containers of plants wondering what it’ll look like in 3 years. Or if you’re a landscape contractor or designer trying to show the home owner what you’re planting in their front yard.

Specs— Seller:

Stevenson Software LLC Updated: Oct. 3, 2013 Version: 1.0.13 Size: 15.3 MB Requires: Compatible with iPhone, iPad. Or Android platforms.

Price— $1.99

Labor Sync

Evernote Scannable

Harvest Landscape Calculator

Description—

The simplest employee time tracking solution. Labor Sync allows employers and employees to track time and location right from a smartphone or computer. Business Owners and Foremen: You no longer have to worry about accurate time tracking or timesheets. With your Labor Sync account (look up ‘Labor Sync’ on the web to get a free trial), you can actively track, monitor, and report upon employee time and GPS location. Employees log in with an individual pin, so all reporting is accurate and secure. Employees don’t fill out paper timesheets, which means more accurate time tracking and no more wasted labor costs.

Specs— Seller: Labor Sync LLC

Updated: June 4, 2014 Version: 2.0 Size 4.1 MB Requires: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad Languages: English. Or Android platforms.

Scannable moves paper forward. Scan contracts, receipts, business cards, and any paper that comes your way. Save or share documents instantly and move on.

Specs—

Seller: Evernote Corporation Updated: June 13, 2016 Version: 2.1.1 Size: 42 MB Rating: Rated 4+ Requires: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, iPad. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. Requires iOS 5.0 or later Languages: English, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Vietnamese. Or Android platforms.

Price— FREE

Dig in. This app will nourish your world. The Landscape Calculator helps determine how much soil, mulch or stone is needed for your next gardening project. Simply enter the depth on the handy slider rule and add in the area and poof! It gives you guidelines on how much bagged or bulk products you will need.

Specs— Seller:

Harvest Power, Inc. Category: Utilities Updated: Mar 27, 2013 Version: 1.2 Size: 5.3 MB Rating: Rated 4+ Requires: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Or Android platforms.

Price— FREE

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Update — More New Apps for the Industry

Waze

Expensify

Bubble Level

Description—

Waze is the world’s largest communitybased traffic and navigation app. Join drivers in your area who share real-time traffic & road info to save time, gas money, and improve daily commuting for all.

Specs— Seller: Waze Inc.

Updated: July 14, 2016 Version: 4.9 Size: 54.8 MB Requires: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish. Or Android platforms.

Price— FREE

Can’t stand your expense reports? Look no further! Expensify makes capturing receipts, tracking time or mileage, business travel and creating expense reports quick and easy. Acknowledged by the tech community as the best app for expense reporting, Expensify takes the time, paper, and headaches out of your expense reports! Simply put, Expensify does expense reports that don’t suck!

Specs— Seller:

Expensify, Inc. Updated: July 12, 2016 Version: 7.2.1 Size: 24.2 Requires: Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Language: English. Or Android platforms.

Price— FREE

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Great deal you have to know about! 3 in 1 handiest utility app is for FREE! Makes your smart phone into a level, bubble and all.

Specs— Seller:

Lemondo Entertainment Updated: August 15, 2013 Version: 2.1 Size: 7.8 MB Requires: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Or Android platforms.

Price— Free

L O N G S H A D OW

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. COM

Update — More New Apps for the Industry

Leafsnap

Sprinkler Times

Turfpath

Description—

Leafsnap is the first in a series of electronic field guides being developed by researchers from Columbia University, the University of Maryland, and the Smithsonian Institution. This free mobile app uses visual recognition software to help identify tree species from photographs of their leaves.

Specs— Seller: Peter Behumeur

Updated: June 5, 2015 Version: 3.2 Size: 7.1 MB Rating: Rated 4+ Requires: Requires iOS 5.1.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Or Android platforms.

Language: English

Used to manage large scale irrigation systems.

Specs— Seller:

Garden Apps LLC Updated: June 2 2015 Version: 5.2 Size: 34.2 Requires: Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Or Android platforms.

Language: English

Price— FREE

Turfpath is the only resource you’ll ever need to help you solve all of your turfgrass pest problems. This app has been developed by turfgrass professionals and is intended for use by anyone interested in managing their golf course, athletic field or home lawn to the highest level.

Specs— Seller:

John Kaminski Updated: May 1, 2013 Version: 1.0.9 Size: 14.7 MB Requires: Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Or Android platforms.

Languages: English, Arabic, Catalan, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese, Turkish

Price— FREE

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Focus — The New Marketing Bandwagon

Two ILCA Members Reveal How They Use Houzz by Meta Levin

Barry Conlin

Many of those in the audience, like Conlin, already had dipped a toe into the Houzz waters and were proponents of the app, which they can access from their smartphones and tablets. Conlin sees it as a step up from individual websites and Google searches. “I have gotten a certain amount of leads through Houzz,” says Conlin. “The ones I have gotten tend to be high quality with high end homes.” More than prospective clients, Conlin also uses Houzz for ideas. He peruses the work of others for concepts that he can modify for his own designs. “I can look (continued on page 20)

of C.B. Conlin Landscapes wishes he had the time to update his Houzz site every day. “The more that you visit the site, answer questions, post information and new pictures, the more you organically optimize your site,” he says. And the more you do that, the more potential clients you will attract. Houzz is a home design app that allows users to browse design ideas for both inside and outside the house and that is where it has become useful to and popular with landscape contractors. During iLandscape 2016, Liza Hausman, Vice President of Industry Relations for Houzz. com, spoke to a packed audience in the exhibit hall.

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

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The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Focus — The New Marketing Bandwagon (continued from page 18) at work from all around the world,” he says. Often he uses these not only for his own information, but for marketing ideas, as well. “It’s a huge bank of ideas.” Customers also tend to be sophisticated about the ways they use Houzz, says Bob Hursthouse of Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors. By the time he talks with them, his clients or prospective clients, have their own digital folders, called idea books. He has taken to asking them to send those to him before the first meeting so that he is prepared with ideas that mesh with their needs, tastes and preferences. “These idea books give me a sense of who they are personally,” he says. Like Conlin, Hursthouse gets high quality leads from his Houzz account. “It (Houzz) functions as a mini-website,” he says. “It’s a huge help.” Hursthouse takes advantage of the

mobility – accessing the app through his smartphone and iPad. Using what he has learned through the idea book, he can discuss specifics right off the bat. “It’s a chance to ask questions and let them tell me their stories,” he says. “it’s a wonderful tool.” Just like Conlin, Hursthouse believes that it is crucial to keep things fresh on Houzz. When he takes photographs of recent projects, he does so with Houzz in mind. He also uses the app as a communications tool, asking questions and sending pictures back and forth to clients. In the morning he can meet with a client, send pictures by the afternoon and that evening the customers can discuss the ideas. So, it serves to speed up the process. “Houzz is one of our most important and most consistent marketing tools,” says Hursthouse.

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Little Rock Farm 630-552-8314 2353 Creek Road Plano, IL 60545

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A huge benefit of Houzz is the ability to get in front of prospects with a video pitch. If you are good in person, this feature is worth its weight in gold.

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The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Special Feature — Something Worth Knowing About

Taking a Community Back, One Plant at a Time Editor’s Note— Every day, there are a thousand reasons to be proud of being in the green industry. Landscape companies spend copious amounts of time and effort to beautify and enhance our environments. That alone is a significant contribution to mankind. However, occasionally, a company will go beyond the norm, draw a metaphorical line in the sand and endeavour to reach out to a community in need. This is one of these rare, and truly inspirational stories. Please read this story, be inspired and consider what you can do to be part of a solution. By Patrice Peltier

What happens when you plant a garden in a blighted

urban neighborhood? Annamaria Leon, edible landscape manager of Christy Webber Landscapes (CWL) will tell you that a lot more than plants grow. Pride, a sense of community, a safer environment, healthier diets and perhaps even new job skills and economic opportunities are all benefits Leon points to from two garden projects in Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood.

The challenge

As community outreach & education coordinator for the North Lawndale Greening Committee, Leon became involved in a community effort to reclaim and beautify a vacant lot on 16th street. The lot, a haven for drug dealers and other illegal activities, was near a public school. People in the community were searching for ways to make the neighborhood more beautiful and safer, especially for children on their way to school. Once home to a thriving business in a robust community, the lot was one of many in the neighborhood that fell into disrepair in the years since the riots following Martin Luther King Jr.’s death. It had been vacant for a decade when Tracie Worthy, then New Communities Director of the Lawndale Christian Development Corporation, sought to give it new life. “It was a vacant lot covered up with trash. We had no resources and no budget, just a small group of people who wanted to see something positive happen,” Worthy recalls. 22

The original site located on the Northwest corner of 16th and Ridgeway Ave.

The recovery evolves

The garden, named the MLK Peace Path, struggled for a while until Leon brought it to the attention of her new employer, Christy Webber. The project was a natural for Webber who has been involved — personally and professionally -- in a variety of beautification and food production efforts on the city’s West Side. “I do a lot of public work in those communities, so I want to give back to them,” Webber explains. “I’ve been so blessed. I see it as tithing.” “When we got involved with Annamaria and Christy Webber Landscaping, that took us to another level,” Worthy says. The project eventually became two gardens: MLK Peace Path, a place for gathering, relaxation and meditation, and the MLK District Garden, a food production garden on three vacant lots across the street.

Hugelkultur?

Using permaculture principles, Leon set out to make the most of whatever was available — including brush, weeds and even dead trees. Because there was no money for soil remediation, Leon used a technique called hugelkultur — German for hill culture. It’s basically a way of making raised beds on top of decaying wood debris and other organic material. “We used big pieces of wood as our base — trees up to (continued on page 24)

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Bobo

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The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Special Feature — Something Worth Knowing About

The view from 16th Street on one of the first volunteer days with Chicago Cares. A grant from Allstate enabled them to engage several corporate sponsors to support the project.

(continued from page 22) 6-8 inches in diameter. The wood becomes a sponge and creates fungal soils,” Leon explains. The logs are heaped with weeds and other organic material and finally topped with 18 inches of soil. “Eventually, the hills will go down to almost nothing,” Leon says. In the meantime, they’ve helped to create a moist, nutrient-dense growing medium without incurring waste hauling or excavating expenses. In 2015, fruit trees were donated by various volunteer groups and an orchard was planted including peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, apple, pear and cherry trees as well as columnar apples across the street in the Peace Path. Other edible crops include hazelnuts, serviceberry, elderberry, blackberry, raspberry and currant shrubs plus tomatoes, sweet

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The Landscape Contractor August 2016

potatoes, herbs, kale and collard greens, garlic and strawberries maintained in the production part of the garden. “Ohmigosh, the kids just love the strawberries,” Leon reports. Christy Webber Landscapes contributed hardscape materials, equipment, and soil as well as Leon’s time and expertise. The Care of Trees supplied equipment and the initial layer of woodchips that form the floor of the MLK District Garden and the large trunks for the base of the hugelkulturs and seating around the firepit.

Roy to the rescue

Roy Diblik, co-owner of Northwind Perennial Farm, perennial consultant and Know Maintenance guru, volunteered his assistance on the beautification efforts. Because (continued on page 26)

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Special Feature — Something Worth Knowing About (continued from page 25) there’s no water on site, Diblik’s knowledge of plants that could thrive in adverse conditions was essential. He not only donated plants but also showed people in the community how to plant and how to propagate them. “Having plants that thrive with little water and still provide beautification is key to having these gardens elevate the community. When a space looks taken care of, violence goes down, community involvement goes up,” Leon explains. “Before Roy got involved, the gardeners were struggling to keep plants alive,” she recalls. Diblik focused on plants that could out-compete weeds. He incorporated wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium), giant fleeceflower (Persicaria polymorpha), and a vigorous yarrow popular in the 1980s, Achillea filipendulina ‘Gold Plate’. “These are plants that add beauty while they smother weeds,” he says.

It takes a village

Once Leon had a plan for the garden, other organizations lent a hand as well. All State, Motorola, Red Box, the DimeChild Foundation, Heartland Alliance, Greencorps, Chicago Cares, Inc., Old St. Pat’s Kinship Volunteer Group, Men Making a Difference (MMAD Men), Chicago Botanic Garden’s Windy City

Harvest groups, Gardeneers, Enlace Chicago, several CPS School groups, Chicago Police Department 10th District, MB Financial, Harmony Church and Hope House of Chicago are among the organizations that provided money, volunteers, and youth employees. The (continued on page 28)

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The Landscape Contractor August 2016

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Special Feature — Something Worth Knowing About (continued from page 26) Westside Access Family Health Center provided water and Edwin Muldrow, owner of Del-Kar Pharmacy next door to the gardens, provided tools. Muldrow, who took over the pharmacy from his father, pays people to pick up trash in the area and also provided important links to the community. The attention and increased activity in the area helped diminish undesirable activities, according to Muldrow. “When people see other people investing in the area, it makes them feel valuable. It helps them feel differently about their space,” Worthy notes.

expect people to accept it.” Initially, Leon’s plan was to start a production garden in 2015. Then, she realized people in the community needed the food. “People need to feel their own tomatoes are secure before we begin growing tomatoes to sell,” she said. Now, Leon hopes to fence the production area in 2017, leaving community food plots around the outside to provide continuing access.

Disappearing plants

Initially, some plants and materials disappeared from the gardens. Annamaria said, “‘They don’t have to steal. We can share it,’” Muldrow recalls. “She asked me to let people know if they need some soil or some bricks, they can take what they need.” Muldrow credits that attitude, in part, for the gardens’ success. “You have to come in and be partners with the community,” he explains. “Too many times, people just drop something in, and they

Community residents gain a sense of pride and ownership from their involvement.

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Jobs

In the future, Leon envisions the production garden as a training ground for green industry jobs. “The MLK District Garden’s focus is to find out how we integrate urban agriculture into a community that needs jobs,” she says. She believes success lies in taking a value-added approach. “We can’t compete with the subsidies that big farms get, so we have to look at ideas like not selling honey, but products made from honey or making salsa instead of selling tomatoes or making calendula salve or growing edible flowers for restaurants. The solution has to be market-based. We have to shift to smart economics instead of the old, social-based programs,” she says. Webber agrees. “The biggest problem with this food movement is they don’t know how to make money.” For now, the gardens are already having a positive impact on the neighborhood. “This part of 16th Street was classified as a high crime district and designated a red district, now it’s considered a low crime area,” Leon proudly says as evidence of the gardens’ effect. (continued on page 30)

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The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Special Feature — Something Worth Knowing About

(continued from 28) Dr. Shemuel Israel is the president of the North Lawndale Greening Committee – an organization whose mission is to create a greener, healthier, and safer community where people of all ages have places to meet and play as they build a stronger sense of community. Dr. Israel, a chiropractor who focuses on nutrition and physical activity, has run an urban agriculture program for youth during the summers since 2007. “We began our program with an emphasis on health and character edu-

cation.” Dr. Israel continues, “The young people enjoy discovering the relationship between plant life and their own lives. In the Martin Luther King District Garden they gain the experience of caring for themselves and others through their care of the soil and the food they grow.” Muldrow says although people in the community were initially suspicious of the gardens, they now help safeguard them. He chuckles as he remembers introducing Leon to some people down the block. “People sit outside this house

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

all day long,” Muldrow explains. “I told Annamaria, ‘These people are your overnight security. Heck, they’re MY overnight security, too.’” From the Del-Kar Pharmacy, Muldrow has a clear view of what happens in the gardens. “I’ve seen guys over there playing checkers. Kids play there. I’ve seen a couple of dates,” he says. “I saw an older couple having a lunch date in the garden.” Muldrow said it was such a sweet scene, he wished he had captured it in a photograph. Although Worthy claims “my knowledge base has nothing to do with gardening,” she and her husband were inspired to add raised beds in their yard for growing vegetables. “I want to show people they can grow food not only in the community garden but in their own yards,” she explains. “The MLK gardens have inspired us in a lot of ways in addition to being beautiful.” Webber is impressed by what the neighborhood — and Leon — have accomplished already. Their success has inspired her to think about other ways to help, like maybe a landscape exchange where leftover plants and materials can be donated to community beautification efforts. “You can’t believe how many people just stop and offer to help,” Webber marvels. “It’s such a rough area, and yet there’s this little piece of heaven.”

What is permaculture? In 1978, Australians David Holmgren, then a graduate student, and his professor, Bill Mollison coined the term “permaculture”. The Midwest Permaculture website quotes Mollison as describing the concept like this: “Permaculture is a holistic approach to land use design, based on ecological principles and patterns. Permaculture aims to create stable, productive systems that provide for human needs, harmoniously integrating the land with people. The ecological processes of plants, animals, water, weather and nutrient cycles are integrated with human needs and technologies for food, energy, shelter and infrastructure. “Elements in a system are viewed in relationship with other elements, and the outputs of one element become the inputs of another. “Within a Permaculture system: * work is minimized * wastes become resources * productivity and yields increase * and the environment is restored.”

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

ILCA in Action â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Renewal & Remembrance 2016 and Legislative Day on the Hill

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

by Scott Grams

For the first time

in eight years, ILCA arrived on Capitol Hill with exactly what we wanted. For the past decade, we have been arguing relentlessly for Congress to reinstall the returning worker exemption for the H2B program. The exemption allows any returning seasonal guest worker to not be counted against the annual 66,000 visa cap. This exemption adequately allows enough workers to enter the United States for the landscape season to keep up with demand. In previous years, the ILCA delegation arrived in Washington like a high school debate team, ready to convince the legislators and staffers that structural change was essential in order for the H2B program to keep up with our growing need for labor. We would get in heated exchanges with congressional staffers only to roll back down Capitol Hill defeated and disenfranchised. In 2015, as part of the appropriations process, the returning worker exemption was reinstalled. For once, we were begging our elected officials to maintain the status quo versus advancing comprehensive change. Arguing for the status quo was a foreign proposition for us. Our ask this year was another appropriations bill that keeps the returning worker exemption in place. In addition, we are looking for bill sponsors for both House and Senate companion bills that would solidify the returning worker exemption in law. Illinois either sends the largest or second largest delegation annually. Our group is comprised of members of the ILCA Board of Directors and members of the Regulatory and Legislative Committee. Some members even bring their families. Illinois has always proudly accepted our role as an advocate on the state and federal levels. We employ a full time lobbyist for state issues and lobby our elected officials year round in Washington DC. As an example, ILCA probably sent over 300 emails and made dozens of phone calls to make sure the returning worker exemption was added to the 2015 appropriations bill. Lobbying Washington isn’t about one day, its a year-long commitment. Of course, the centerpiece of the trip was our day of service at Arlington National Cemetery. We pushed fully loaded spreaders up unforgiving terrain for hours in the blazing Washington DC heat. Yet, you never heard a single complaint from our group. We are honored to lend our time, expertise, and sweat to Arlington National Cemetery and the National Association of Landscape Professionals. ILCA will continue to battle for this industry whether in Washington or Springfield. If you have a strong interest in lawmaking or the legislative process, please contact Scott Grams at sgrams@ilca.net to discuss committee service. We are always looking for a few good men and women who realize, to echo the words of Wendell Phillips, “that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Enfoque: Sección en Español —

Cómo recuperar una comunidad, Por Patrice Peltier

¿Qué sucede cuando usted

planta un jardín en un vecindario urbano deteriorado? Annamaria Leon, gerente de paisajismo comestible de Christy Webber Landscapes (CWL), le dirá que crecen muchas cosas además de plantas. Orgullo y satisfacción, un sentido comunitario, un entorno más seguro, dietas más saludables y quizá nuevas habilidades laborales y oportunidades económicas son beneficios que Leon señala provenientes de dos proyectos de jardinería en el vecindario de Lawndale de Chicago.

El desafío

Como Coordinadora de alcance comunitario y educación para el North Lawndale Greening Committee (Comité Ecológico de North Lawndale), Leon se involucró en un esfuerzo comunitario para recuperar y embellecer un lote baldío en la calle 16. El lote, refugio de traficantes de drogas y otro tipo de delincuentes, estaba cerca de una escuela pública. Los miembros de la comunidad buscaban maneras de embellecer el vecindario y hacerlo más seguro, especialmente para los niños que van a la escuela.

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

El lote, ocupado en un tiempo por un negocio próspero en una comunidad robusta, era uno de muchos en el vecindario que habían caído en el abandono en los años posteriores a los disturbios que siguieron a la muerte de Martin Luther King Jr. Había estado desocupado durante una década cuando Tracie Worthy, entonces Directora de Nuevas Comunidades de la Lawndale Christian Development Corporation, pensó en darle nueva vida. “Era un lote baldío cubierto de basura. No teníamos ni los recursos ni el presupuesto para hacerlo, solo un pequeño grupo de

planta por planta personas que deseábamos que sucediera algo positivo”, recuerda Worthy.

La recuperación evoluciona

Durante un tiempo, hubo esfuerzos por mejorar el jardín, denominado MLK Peace Path (Sendero de la Paz MLK), hasta que Leon le habló del proyecto a su nuevo empleador, Christy Webber. El proyecto era de interés para Webber, quien ha estado involucrada —personal y profesionalmente—en una variedad de esfuerzos de embellecimiento y producción de alimentos en la zona Oeste de la ciudad. “Desarrollo muchas obras públicas en esas comunidades, por lo que deseo devolverles algo de lo que recibo”, explica Webber. “He sido tan bendecida. Lo veo como pagar el diezmo”. “Involucrarnos con Annamaria y Christy Webber Landscaping, nos llevó a otro nivel”, afirma Worthy. El Proyecto se convirtió con el tiempo en dos jardines: MLK Peace Path, un lugar de reunión, relajamiento y meditación, y el Jardín Distrital MLK, un jardín de producción de alimentos en tres lotes baldíos enfrente.

¿Hugelkultur?

Utilizando principios de la permacultura, Leon se empeñó en sacar el mayor provecho de lo que estuviese disponible —incluyendo matorrales, maleza y árboles muertos. Debido a que no había fondos para la remediación de suelos, Leon utilizó una The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Enfoque: Sección en Español — técnica denominada hugelkultur —“Cultivo de colina” en alemán. Es fundamentalmente una manera de hacer arriates elevados sobre escombros de madera podrida y otras materias orgánicas. “Utilizamos grandes trozos de madera como base —árboles hasta de 6 a 8 pulgadas de diámetro. La madera se convierte en esponja y crea suelos fúngicos”, explica Leon. Los leños son apilados con maleza y otras materias orgánicas y luego cubiertos con 18 pulgadas de tierra. “Con el tiempo, las colinas se reducen casi totalmente”, afirma Leon. Mientras tanto, han ayudado a crear un medio húmedo y nutritivo de crecimiento denso sin incurrir en gastos de arrastre de desechos o excavaciones. En 2015, varios grupos de voluntarios donaron árboles frutales y se plantó un huerto con árboles de melocotón, ciruela, albaricoque, nectarina, manzana, pera y cerezos, así como manzanos columnares enfrente, en el Sendero de la Paz. Otros cultivos comestibles incluyen arbustos de avellanas, amelanchier, bayas de saúco, zarzamoras, frambuesas y pasas de Corinto además de tomates, batatas, hierbas, coles

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

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Enfoque: Sección en Español — rizadas y coles silvestres, ajo y fresas mantenidos en la sección de producción del jardín. “¡Dios mío! A los niños les encantan las fresas”, informa Leon. Christy Webber Landscapes aportó elementos de concreto, equipos y tierra, así como el tiempo, los conocimientos y la experiencia de Leon. Care of Trees aportó equipos y la capa inicial de virutas de madera que forma el piso del Jardín Distrital MLK y los troncos grandes para la base de los hugelkulturs y los asientos alrededor de la fogata a la intemperie.

dichas plantas. “Tener plantas que prosperan con poca agua y embellecen el ambiente es un factor clave para que estos jardines realcen la comunidad. Cuando un espacio tiene la apariencia de ser cuidado, desciende

Roy al rescate

Se necesita todo un pueblo

Roy Diblik, copropietario de Northwind Perennial Farm, consultor de plantas perennes y gurú de Know Maintenance, colaboró como voluntario en los esfuerzos de embellecimiento. Debido a que no hay agua en el sitio, los conocimientos de Diblik sobre plantas que pueden prosperar en condiciones adversas fueron esenciales. No solo donó plantas, sino también mostró a los miembros de la comunidad cómo plantar y propagar

la violencia y aumenta la participación comunitaria”, explica Leon. “Antes de la participación de Roy, los jardineros se esforzaban por mantener las plantas vivas”, recuerda. Diblik se concentró en plantas que puedan competir ventajosamente con las malas hierbas. Incorporó quinina salvaje (Parthenium integrifolium), hierba nudosa japonesa (Persicaria polymorpha) y una aquilea vigorosa, popular en la década de 1980, Achillea filipendulina ‘Aquilea Amarilla’. “Estas son plantas que embellecen y extinguen las malas hierbas”, afirma.

Una vez que Leon tuvo un plan para el jardín, otras organizaciones ayudaron también. All State, Motorola, Red Box, the Dime-Child Foundation, Heartland Alliance, Greencorps, Chicago Cares, Inc., Old St. Pat’s Kinship Volunteer Group, Men Making a Difference (MMAD Men), los grupos del Jardín Botánico de Chicago de la Windy

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

importantes a la comunidad. Según Muldrow, la atención y mayor actividad en el área ayudaron a reducir las actividades indeseables. “Cuando las personas ven a otras personas invertir en el área, se sienten valiosas. Las ayuda a sentirse mejor de su espacio”, señaló Worthy.

Plantas que desaparecen

City Harvest, Gardeneers, Enlace Chicago, varios grupos escolares CPS, el 10.o Distrito del Departamento de Policía de Chicago, MB Financial, Harmony Church y Hope House of Chicago se cuentan entre las organizaciones que aportaron dinero, voluntarios y empleos para jóvenes. El Westside Access Family Health Center (¿dije el lugar correcto?) aportó agua y Edwin Muldrow, propietario de Del-Kar Pharmacy, contiguo a los jardines, aportó herramientas. Muldrow, que asumió la dirección de la farmacia después de su padre, paga a personas para que recojan basura en el área y también proporcionó enlaces

Trabajos

En el futuro, Leon visualiza el jardín de producción como un campo de entrenamiento para trabajos en la industria verde. “El enfoque del Jardín Distrital MLK es averiguar cómo integramos la agricultura urbana en una comunidad que necesita puestos de trabajo”, afirma. Ella piensa que el éxito radica en un enfoque de valor añadido. “No podemos competir con los subsidios que reciben las grandes explotaciones agrícolas, por lo que tenemos que recurrir a ideas como no vender miel, sino productos

Al inicio, algunas plantas y materiales desaparecieron de los jardines. “Annamaria dijo, ‘No tienen que robar. Podemos compartirlo’”, recuerda Muldrow. “Me pidió que informara a las personas que si necesitaban tierra o algunos ladrillos, podían tomar lo que necesitaran”. Muldrow considera que esa actitud contribuyó en parte al éxito de los jardines. “Es necesario venir y asociarse con la comunidad”, explica. “Muchas veces las personas instalan algo y esperan que las demás personas lo acepten”. Inicialmente, el plan de Leon fue establecer un jardín de producción en 2015. Luego se dio cuenta de que la gente de la comunidad necesitaba los alimentos. “Las personas necesitan sentir que sus propios tomates están seguros antes de comenzar a cultivar tomates para la venta”, dice. Ahora, Leon espera encercar el área de producción en 2017, dejando parcelas de alimentos comunitarias alrededor de la parte exterior para ofrecer acceso continuo.

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Enfoque: Sección en Español — hechos de miel o hacer salsa en lugar de vender tomates o hacer pomada o crema de caléndula o cultivar flores comestibles para los restaurantes. La solución se tiene que basar en el mercado. Debemos pasar a una economía inteligente en lugar de los viejos programas basados en lo social”, afirma. Webber está de acuerdo. “El mayor problema con este movimiento alimentario es que no saben cómo hacer dinero”. Por ahora, los jardines están teniendo un impacto positivo en el vecindario. “Esta sección de la Calle 16 fue clasificada como un distrito con alto índice de criminalidad y designado como distrito rojo, ahora se considera un área con bajo índice de criminalidad”, afirma con orgullo Leon, como evidencia del efecto de los jardines. Dr. Shemuel Israel es el presidente del North Lawndale Greening Committee –una organización cuya misión es crear una comunidad más verde, saludable y segura donde personas de todas las edades tengan lugares para reunirse y jugar, al mismo tiempo que desarrollan un sentido comunitario más sólido. Dr. Israel, médico quiropráctico

enfocado en la nutrición y la actividad física, ha dirigido un programa de agricultura urbana para jóvenes durante los veranos desde 2007. “Comenzamos nuestro programa con énfasis en salud y educación del carácter”. Dr. Israel continúa, “Los jóvenes disfrutan descubriendo la relación entre la vida de las plantas y sus propias vidas. En el Jardín Distrital Martin Luther King obtienen la experiencia de cuidarse a sí mismos y a los demás a través del cuidado de la tierra y los alimentos que cultivan”. Muldrow afirma que si bien las personas de la comunidad tenían sus dudas inicialmente con respecto a los jardines, ahora ayudan a protegerlos. Se ríe recordando cuando presentó a Leon a algunas personas en la acera. “La gente se sienta afuera de esta casa durante todo el día, explica Muldrow. “Le dije a Annamaria, ‘Estas personas son tu seguridad durante toda la noche. ¡Y también son MI seguridad durante toda la noche’”. Desde la Farmacia Del-Kar, Muldrow tiene una visión clara de lo que ocurre en los jardines. “He visto a caballeros ahí jugando a las damas. Los niños juegan ahí. He visto

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

algunas parejas románticas”, asegura. “Vi a una pareja mayor almorzando en el jardín”. Muldrow dijo que fue una escena tan dulce que deseó haberles tomado una foto. Si bien Worthy afirma “mi base de conocimientos no tiene nada que ver con la jardinería”, ella y su marido tuvieron la inspiración de instalar arriates elevados en su patio para cultivar verduras. “Quiero demostrar a las personas que pueden cultivar alimentos no solo en el jardín comunitario, sino también en sus propios patios”, explica. “Los jardines MLK nos han inspirado de muchas maneras además de ser bellos”. Webber está impresionada por lo que el vecindario —y Leon— han logrado ya. Este éxito la ha inspirado a pensar en otras maneras de ayudar, como tal vez un intercambio paisajista en el cual plantas y materiales residuales se pueden donar a los esfuerzos de embellecimiento comunitario. “No podrán creer cuánta gente se detiene y ofrece ayuda”, asegura Webber con asombro. “Es una zona tan áspera, pero en la misma se encuentra este pedazo de cielo”

¿Qué es la permacultura? En 1978, el australiano David Holmgren, estudiante graduado, y su profesor, Bill Mollison, acuñaron el término “permacultura”. El sitio web de Permacultura del Oeste-Medio cita a Mollison describiendo el concepto de esta manera: “La Permacultura es un enfoque holístico del diseño del uso de la tierra, basado en principios y modelos ecológicos. La Permacultura tiene el objetivo de crear sistemas productivos estables que provean para las necesidades humanas, integrando armónicamente la tierra con la gente. Los procesos ecológicos de las plantas, los animales, el agua, el clima y los ciclos nutritivos se integran con las necesidades y tecnologías humanas para producir alimentos, energía, refugios e infraestructura. “Los elementos de un sistema se perciben relacionados con otros elementos y las salidas (resultados) de un elemento se convierten en las entradas de otro. “En un sistema permacultural: * se minimiza el trabajo * los residuos se convierten en recursos * aumentan la productividad y el rendimiento * y se restaura el medioambiente”.

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Special Report

Darwin Perennials Day

Plants with staying power showcased at The Gardens at Ball

by Nina Koziol

Neither rain, nor thunder

nor occasional lightning dampened the enthusiasm of more than 400 industry pros who attended Darwin Perennials Day at The Gardens at Ball in West Chicago in late June. “It was a pretty good turnout in spite of the severe weather,” said Katie Rotella, Ball’s senior public relations manager. The annual event began in 2010 when Ball purchased Darwin Perennials for the North American market. Attendees visited with more than 30 exhibitors who displayed their current wares along with many 2017 perennial plant introductions. “The event is a good opportunity to see what’s new and to meet face-to-face with suppliers and colleagues,” said Steven Meyer, horticulturist for the Chicago Park District. For growers, there were suppliers of plugs and liners, unrooted cuttings and bare root plant material. In the trial

garden displays, visitors compared 20 beds of zone 5-rated perennials grown side-by-side and identified by genus and by top-selling varieties. It was total eye candy from sun-tolerant plants--coneflowers, Phlox and Salvia galore--to shade. Nearly three dozen different hostas from the tiny ‘Mouse Ears’ to the voluptuous ‘Empress Wu’ fill an entire bed and show how the plants perform together. Five new Rhythmix Combos, innovative perennial container plantings, provided a good show of color and long-lasting flower power. “Homeowners need to be shown that they can do perennials in containers,” said exhibitor Joan Mazat. Each container held three beefy plants, such as new varieties of Salvia, Achillea and Lamium. “Later in the season, you can refresh the pots by adding hibiscus, for example. And the perennials can be planted directly in the ground in the fall.”

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

What’s not to love? Karen Walters of Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, touted the new Phlox ‘Fashionably Early Crystal.’ “It stays mildew-free and at 28 to 32 inches tall, it’s taller than typical hybrid phlox.” Dianthus ‘Paint the Town Fuchsia’ is another 2016 Proven Winners introduction from Walters Gardens that was bred to do well in hot, humid weather. “It’s a nice event because it gives you a chance to meet up with people that you haven’t seen for awhile and to see what’s new,” said Susy Stone, perennial manager at Lurvey’s Landscape Supply and

Garden Center in Des Plaines. Guest speakers Richard Hawke, plant evaluation manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and Paul Westervelt, annual and perennial production manager for Saunders Brothers, Inc., in Piney River, Virginia entertained the crowd with suggestions for the best plants for the Midwest and perennials with multiseason interest. “I hate when people say perennials are showy for just a couple of weeks,” Westervelt said. “That seeps into our (continued on page 44)

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Special Report (continued from page 43) thoughts and that of consumers. You have to appreciate other aspects of perennials. It’s not just about the flowers.” The foliage, he explained, needs to look good for a long time. Knowing how the plant grows, when it flowers and what it looks like afterwards is critical to good design and plant pairing. “Take Virginia bluebells--Mertensia--it’s an ephemeral. It does its thing and then it’s gone. ‘Rozanne’ geranium is a great plant to fill in the gaps but it doesn’t run all over.” Westervelt also drew appreciative nods when he explained how to deal with spring bulbs in perennial beds. “Daffodils need six weeks between the time they finish blooming to when you can pick the leaves off. They don’t have to be dry.” Six weeks is enough time for the leaves to feed the bulbs for the following spring. ‘Apache Rose’ switchgrass, Amsonia hubrichtii and Hibiscus ‘Cherry Cheesecake’ were among the plants he touted for long bloom, lasting form, good foliage or good fall color. Some of his current favorites include Aralia cordata ‘Sun King,’ for its brilliant chartreuse foliage. “It looks and grows like a shrub,

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The Landscape Contractor August 2016

and does well in dense shade to a half day sun.” For autumn color, he likes Heuchera ‘Autumn Bride.’ “This is one of the few I really love for fall with its giant white creamy flowers.” This year, Ball purchased Darwin Columbia, a leading supplier of highquality unrooted cutting and tissueculture propagated perennials. The acquisition will strengthen Darwin Perennials’ supply chain into the North American market. “For the end consumer, it means a cleaner supply and cleaner stock,” Rotella said. Learn more about Darwin Perennials at http://www.darwinperennials.com/AboutUs/

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The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Special Tribute

Back to the Future with Clarence Davids & Co. by Barbara Dutton

As this landscape enterprise celebrates 65 years in

business, reflections on its early days and its enduring philosophies and practices are certainly due. The year was 1951. Automobile owners could expect to pay 19 cents a gallon for gas on their way home from work for an evening that might include watching an episode of newly debuted I Love Lucy, after puttering around their backyard – a prized aspect of a home in the rapidly developing suburbs of the post-World War II era. Indeed, according to a description of the Smithsonian Institution exhibit, Patios, Pools, & the Invention of the American Backyard, now touring the nation (and currently being displayed at the Glen Ellyn Public Library in Glen Ellyn, Ill.), “One postwar trend was the dramatic rise in home ownership, contributing to the development of the suburban backyard,” an expansion marked by “the beauty of postwar garden design.”

It was in this climate that Clarence Davids & Co. was launched by Clarence Davids, Sr. The family-owned landscape management company is now operating under its second-generation of leadership, headed by Bill Davids, son of the founder. Having studied horticulture at Michigan State University and worked closely with his father in the business, the younger Davids now serves as the company’s president. He attributes the business’ endurance to sustaining an environment marked by customer satisfaction. “We owe our longevity to our customers,” he reflects. “We strive to establish partnerships with our clients by providing prompt, quality landscape services at fair competitive pricing.” The company’s client base consists of high-end residential, multi-family, industrial, commercial and institutional property owners. Headquartered in Matteson, Ill., with branch offices in Plainfield and Ingelside, the full-service contractor offers maintenance, design-

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

build, installation, lawn care, snow removal, tree pruning and removal, seasonal flower display and holiday décor services.

Inside a building

Starting out with a single truck, Clarence Davids back in 1951 set out to deliver high-quality work with cost-effective service. The timing coincided with the burgeoning development of suburbia, and the focus on yards that was a part of the trend. The Smithsonian exhibit explains: “The backyard as we know it grew up in the 1950s, as America was emerging from the shadow of World War II. It was shaped by facts of postwar life; returning veterans, the GI Bill, and an affluent and growing middle class. Builders met the demand for housing by creating new suburbs. Together, these forces led to a dramatic rise in home ownership.” (continued on page 48)

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Special Tribute (continued from page 47) “Following the hardships of the war years, time for leisure and a desire for privacy were suddenly luxuries that many could afford. ‘Outdoor living’ became a central theme in popular culture, and glossy magazines promoted new, modern designs for backyards across the country.”

The exhibit further relates that, “After World War II, builders foresaw a new market; returning veterans and their growing families.” Clarence Davids was one of those returning veterans. After deciding that a manufacturing job wasn’t for him, he set out to establish a landscaping business. “He realized quite quickly that he didn’t want to spend his career inside a building,” explains Bill Davids, who acknowledges that the postwar era was favorable for a business that served suburban homeowners. “After World War II,” says Davids, who like his father before him, served as president of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA), “people wanted to get back to their lives, live in homes, raise families, and have a nice lawn.” Patios, Pools, & the Invention of the American Backyard, which notes that, “In the 1950s, a luxurious lawn was a symbol of prosperity,” relates that, “A national preoccupation with living and dining ‘al fresco’ emerged after World War II. The backyard became

an extension of the house – designed for relaxing, cooking, entertaining, and recreation.” As his late father’s business grew from a landscaping operation initially run out of the family’s home, it expanded into maintenance services and to serving commercial customers. Eventually, too, it would open new offices to position the company for fresh business pursuits. “Whenever we tried to broaden our base, we would run into potential clients who said, ‘You’re not in our area, so we’re not going to use you,’” recalls Davids. “So, we moved to growing areas to be part of the community,” a strategy that, according to Davids, has boosted business opportunities in recent years.

On top of our game

Besides building solid relationships with customers, Clarence Davids & Co. has worked to maintain a positive environment in which to retain valued employees, following the idea that a talented and loyal employee compliment is essential to long-term success. “Part of developing people is giving them opportunities to move up in a career,” explains Davids, who says his company emphasizes education. Davids expresses a belief that a knowledgeable staff is better able to provide top-notch services to company clients. Indeed, company Vice President of Sales Sam Martin says, “I believe

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

that our customers are becoming much more educated.” He notes that customers tend to have done more research about a treatment or trend, as well as more than ever, are looking for value. “They demand quality with more restrictions on money,” he relates. “That drives us to be on top of our game.”

Martin also suggests that keeping up with industry directions is essential. “The landscaping industry as a whole has become much more sophisticated,” he observes. “Years ago it used to be a guy who comes and cuts the grass.” Certainly, based on the “Anatomy of a Backyard” outlined in the Smithsonian exhibit, which lists beyond mowed lawns, amenities

including shrubs, groundcover, a patio, a pool, and a fence, the evolution of yards suggests a corresponding expansion in business offerings to realize and tend to them. “We have to be aware of all new trends. Landscaping has evolved from grass cutting to design-build with pools, walls and irrigation,” says Martin, who identifies the emphasis on green/sustainable design among recent industry trends on which to keep current. “Happily,” he remarks, “it’s become a whole larger spectrum of services that we offer.” This range of Clarence Davids & Co. offerings was expanded at the urging of Bill Davids, who saw benefit in design-build. “We pursued the design-build process as necessary to go along with maintenance,” he recalls, citing his observation that the market was looking for “more design-installmaintain” as an approach to service. Based on the length of service reported (continued on page 50) The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Special Tribute (continued from page 49) for various Clarence Davids & Co. employees, the effort to cultivate staff has paid off for the business, which reports that its account representatives have an average of 25 years of experience, and that its design team features experienced staff, as well. Further, the majority of its crew foremen have more than 20 years of experience. This anniversary year for the company, in fact, is also a notable anniversary for several foremen: four celebrating 30 years, three celebrating 35 years, and a maintenance foreman who is marking 45 years with the company!

The value of longevity

Over the 65 years of its operation, Clarence Davids & Co. has garnered more than 200 awards recognizing landscape design and maintenance achievements. Among these was a first-place accolade from the Chicago business group, the Magnificent Mile Association in recogni-

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

tion of a winter/holiday display created by the landscape contractor. Davids makes proud reference to an ILCA honor recognizing the company as being the only business, of the original founding members of ILCA, still in operation. While aesthetics have earned it acclaim, the company is also credited for safety practices: Two gold awards and one silver award for overall safety achievement from the National Association of Landscape Professionals (formerly the Professional Landcare Network), Herndon, Va. According to the company, the awards recognize an investment made in providing a safe work place for employees, clients and the general public. Client satisfaction, industry involvement, education and employee retention appear to all have added up to a substantial legacy of success – a combination that, from a marketing standpoint, is seen as beneficial in efforts to secure future business. “The value of longevity is that we’re going to be here tomorrow,” says Martin. “We’ve been here 65 years and we’re a solid company. I think an educated customer would say, ‘Any company that is around for 65 years is doing it right.’” Martin adds, “We’re going to be here and stand behind our product.” Just as in its formative years, the company strives to maintain its focus on quality and service. “For every job, no matter the size, we do our best at it,” says Davids. “And it’s our desire – and that of all of our employees – to have a very happy client that hired us to do their work.” “We’ve had many very exciting projects in the past,” recounts Davids, who adds, “Even accounts my father started with we still have today.” It is such attentiveness to clients and a focus on attaining goals that have kept a business born in the mid-20th century on track to continue building upon its legacy into the 21st century: a future that continues to build upon past accomplishment. “We are proud of and thankful for these achievements and the longevity of our company,” comments Davids, “and we look forward to continuing to provide beautiful, sustainable landscapes to our customers well into the future.” The Landscape Contractor August 2016

New Board Member Profile

New ILCA Board Member— Allan Jeziorski by Meta Levin

Allan Jeziorski can remem-

ber the first time he learned of ILCA. “I read the magazine in a vendor’s office and fell in love with it,” he says. “I joined the next day.” That was about 10 years ago. Now Jeziorski, a partner in Hartman Landscape, is a new member of the ILCA Board of Directors. Jeziorski became active in ILCA almost immediately. A plaque on his office wall honors the time he spent on the ILCA Leadership Council, something that is meaningful to him. “When the program rolled out, I showed my enthusiasm, because I think that leadership is valuable for business and any other entity,” he says. Using what he has learned through that experience, Jeziorski has made some changes in Hartman Landscape. “We are focused on making the business more sustainable by being more service oriented,” he says. For the last three years Jeziorski has been involved in the ILCA Golf Committee. Like his choice of working on the Leadership Committee, with golf he also picked something for which he has a passion. “I’m an avid golfer,” he says. “By serving on the committee, I’ve been able to help with decisions. Our committee works well and I enjoy working with them.” When given the chance to be a board member, Jeziorski was pleased for a number of reasons. “I will be working with good friends from the industry, who I know well and respect,” he says. Although he had to think about his role and, especially the time commitment, within 48 hours he accepted the post. “I

knew that it was something I wanted.” This, despite the fact that he was in the midst of opening a second location for his business, as well as a personal move. “I’m the type of person who likes to have a lot going on,” he says. Jeziorski grew up in Orland Park, IL and graduated from Carl Sandburg High School and Moraine Valley Community College. Still, he had no direction. One day he and his father sat down to discuss what he wanted to do. “He said, why don’t we start a landscape business?” For a young man who had always enjoyed working around the house, planting and landscaping, it sounded like a good idea. “I grew up with a strong work ethic and my father knew whatever business we started would succeed,” he says. His father instilled three important beliefs in him: do the right work, do it the right way and never take advantage of anyone. During the first few years, the business concentrated on cutting grass and remulching. “We did basic jobs,” he

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

says. “It was labor intensive.” Jeziorski’s three brothers helped. One of them, Davin, is his partner and another brother, Kevin works in sales and project management. His father, Robert Hartman, is the shop manager. “We’re doing what we love.” After the first few years they realized that they needed to have the right people and the right processes in order to continue and grow. So they began looking for and hiring a landscape architect, a certified arborist, a horticulturalist and a CLT. Now he believes that they have a highly qualified staff to move forward. Jeziorski also began educating himself. “Fifteen years ago I became a seminar junky,” he says. “I read a lot of business books and went to industry seminars, all in an effort to enlighten myself about the business side of the industry.” He will be applying the same intensive focus on doing things the right way to his work on the ILCA Board of Directors. At first he believes that his role will be as a supportive and a good listener. “I am available to help ILCA where ever help is needed,” he says. “I am good with communication and with people.”

Plans are already underway for the 2017 edition of ILCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Green Industry Guide

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debbie.landscapecontractor@yahoo.com The Landscape Contractor August 2016

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2016-2017 ILCA Dues Renewal Save the stamp, renew online! If you missed the June 30th deadline, don’t wait a minute more, go to ilca.net and get it done today! To renew online, go to: www.ilca.net/member-login and enter the email address tied to your ILCA membership and password. If you haven’t logged into the new site yet, click “Need a password” and enter the email address tied to your ILCA membership. Then click “Find My Account” and your password will be emailed to you. If you don’t know the email address that is tied to your ILCA membership, please call the office at 630-472-2851 or email Marissa Sikirdji at msikirdji@ilca.net.

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The Landscape Contractor August 2016

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Member Profile Sky’s the Limit Dronography 33149 US-45 Grayslake, IL 60030 (224) 237-5378 www.skysthelimitdronography.com by Meta Levin

Dave Woll

officially began his business, Sky’s the Limit Dronography, on April 1, 2015, which, he says, was appropriate. “Everyone thought I was a fool for doing it.” Not for long. As the phone began to ring with requests from diverse groups, such as the Grayslake Park District, a landscape architect, a large roofing company, real estate agents and even some television news organizations, Woll scrambled to hire a second pilot. “You never know how cool something looks until you’ve seen it at 400 feet looking down,” he says. Woll does, though. His business specializes in using drones to supply video photography, suitable for promoting a business or, in the case of the landscape architect, making the sale. In August 2015 he hired a second pilot, Dale Henry, and increased his stable to four drones. “It’s nice to have a different perspective for the videos,” says Woll, who credits Henry with creating projects in process videos. “A lot of companies just want before and after videos, but Henry’s idea turned out to be valuable. Our customers’ clients wanted to see the work being done.” A Grayslake native with a degree in broadcast communication, video, video production and radio from Western Illinois University, Woll worked for a news organization in Macomb, IL before founding a DJ company, which he ran for the last 22 years. Video, however, had been his passion since he was 16 years old. When drones came on the market, he immediately saw the possibilities, 56

but had to wait while the FAA (Federal Aeronautics Administration) sorted out the details. Finally, he became one of the early holders of an FAA Section 333 Exemption, allowing him to use his drones to shoot videos of private property and residential areas, and broadcast them. There have been only 4,982 of those licenses granted in the United States. With his background, he began working to help people market their businesses. The Grayslake Park District became his first client, with the Grayslake Business Partnership close behind. “It was used as part of a business attraction program,” he says. He has even photographed a golf course, hole by hole, plus the club house and training facility as part of its promotion program. “It’s a trend that is becoming more popular,” he says. “People are more visual.” A Barrington area landscape architect has begun using Sky’s the Limit Dronography to take before pictures of properties, which he then uses to help sell his services. Once the work is done, he presents his client with a fly-over of the finished product. “A stunning image can get someone the job like nothing else,” he says. Real estate agents have begun to use his services on a regular basis. Like the Grayslake Business Partnership, the agents not only want a fly-over video of residential properties for sale, but inclusion of the neighborhood, something that easily can be done. “I’m working for about 20 real estate agents,” he says. Ninety percent of his customers call The Landscape Contractor August 2016

back within two weeks to a month to do another job, he says. Typically, Woll gives his clients a 24 to 48 hour turn-around, editing the videos and getting them delivered as fast as he can. While paying clients are the norm, Woll also gives back to his community. He has used his drones to photograph school “fun runs,” as well as the annual “Make a Mark” program that celebrates fitness. He even has flown over a graduating class laying on the ground in a pattern that outlines their year of graduation. Woll joined ILCA in February, right after iLandscape at the suggestion of one of his clients. He investigated the association and decided it was a great way to develop some relationships in the industry. Married with three children, Woll is particularly pleased that his wife, Danielle, a quality improvement specialist, supports Sky’s the Limit Dronography. “She thought I was crazy at first like most people,” he says. “Now she’s proud of me.” And his children, ages eight, nine and 11, love watching the monitor to see what he is shooting. In fact, he’s going into their schools to teach about dronography.

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LOCATE LOCATE FIRST, FIRST, WORK WORK SAFE. SAFE.

Ditch Witch Midwest The Premier Sponsor of the 2016 ILCA Golf Outing

PROUD MEMBER

Ditch Witch Midwest | 124 N. Schmale Road | Carol Stream, IL 60188 | 800-243-1328 | www.ditchwitchmidwest.com

Classified Ads HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Wingren Landscape Downers Grove, IL Visit Website www.wingrenlandscape.com

GOODMARK NURSERY CAREER OPPORTUNITYOFFICE MANAGER in Wonderlake

CERTIFIED SPRAY TECHNICIAN WANTED ILT VIGNOCCHI, INC

Wingren Landscape, Inc. is an award winning full-service landscape company for both residential and commercial properties. Our outdoor services include full-scale landscape maintenance, design, construction, lighting, and irrigation. We are ‘All Things Outdoors’. Founded on a commitment to excellence since 1957. We are seeking an experienced candidate for the following full time position: Residential Architect / Designer Position Role / Requirements: This person will be responsible for managing all phases of residential design projects of varying types and sizes from initial client outreach to project managing the job to completion. The position involves design, sales and project management. • • •

• •

B.S. Landscape Architecture or demonstrated experience. Ability to produce high-quality creative designs, estimate and sell jobs. Intermediate to advanced skill level in Autocad, Adobe Photoshop, and MS Office. Experience with Sketch Up, LandFX and Asset is considered a plus. 3 plus years of experience preferred (Licensed in Illinois a plus) Excellent communication and graphic skills

Please send resume and work samples to: mthumm@wingrenlandscape.com

Goodmark Nursery, has been in business since 1996 and is looking for an Office Manager to manage and support Goodmark and South Branch Nurseries with administrative and accounting functions. Key areas of focus would be in the areas of administrative support, inventory maintenance, customer service, accounting, invoicing, hiring, and purchasing. Strong computer and accounting skills needed as well as ability to communicate fluently in both English and Spanish. Join our industry leading team! To view full job description visit us at www.goodmarknurseries.com or contact Amy @ 847-487-5071. Landscape Maintenance Account Manager Countryside Industries is seeking an experienced Landscape Maintenance Account Manager for our Wauconda, IL office. This position requires knowledge of Plant Material and creativity with Landscape Design. Only those with experience in the Management of Turf and Snow Removal for Commercial Accounts and Homeowner Associations will be considered. Excellent Written and Verbal Communication Skills are necessary to meet the expectations of our clients. If you have what it takes, come join our team managing highquality sites throughout the Chicagoland region. Please forward your resume with references for consideration to egabler@countrysideindustries. com. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Wauconda based full service landscape company is looking for a full time spray technician. Spanish language speaking required. Applicants that are self-motivated, organized, and hard-working encouraged. Looking for applicant who wants a long term opportunity. Good pay and benefits available. Email: ilt@iltvignocchi.com Phone 847.487.5200 x2230 Landscape Maintenance Manager (F/T) Industry leading IL Landscape Company, with near 70 years experience on Chicago’s North Shore, seeks landscape professional to assist in managing daily operations for Maintenance Dept. Candidate is responsible for overseeing multiple territory managers and site managers, work together with territory managers on estimating projects, customer relations (both residential and commercial clients), possess problem solving abilities. Business/ Horticultural degree desired with a min. of 5 yrs. exp. working in the green industry; basic computer skills req. Applicant must have proven leadership, strong customer relations and interpersonal skills. Competitive salary /exc. benefits pkg. Please-email ndeeter@roccofiore.com or fax resume to 847-816-1137 attn: Nancy Deeter

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES JAMES MARTIN ASSOCIATES, INC. Vernon Hills, IL & Boulder, CO

James Martin Associates, Inc. is a leader in the Landscape and Snow Management industry. We have been providing services to our customers for over 39 years. We are seeking candidates for the following positions:

Residential Maintenance Account Manager

Irrigation Technicians

Commercial Maintenance Account Manager

To be considered for any of these opportunities, please forward your resume and salary history to b.mcelroy@jamesmartinassociates.com or call Beth at 847-876-8052.

Landscape Architecture • Construction • Maintenance • Snow Management

www.jamesmartinassociates.com

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

HELP WANTED

Landscape Maintenance Client Rep (F/T)

ACRES GROUP CAREER OPPORTUNITY— MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS/ PRODUCTION MANAGER in Plainfield!

High end, residential design/build firm in Libertyville seeks individuals possessing strong background in project & client mgmt., customer service, estimating, sales, leadership communication skills. Min. 3-5 yrs. exp. in landscape industry; Must have valid DL; SP speaking a plus. Exc. comp. & benefits pkg. FAX resume: (847) 816-1137 Attn: Nancy Deter or send Email (ndetter@roccofiore.com) Maintenance Accounts & Client Manager Seeking an individual applicant that has a history in providing superior customer service, has strong ability to design, estimate, sell and oversee installation of enhancements, manage the quality of maintenance services through site monitoring and crew supervision, and monitor contracts to maintain division profitability. This is a salaried year round position with 401K plan, no snow removal, Spanish speaking a plus. Email resume to: employment@americangardensinc.com

Account Manager & Customer Service Rep CPHort is recruiting Landscape/Snow Acct Mgrs & Customer Service Reps for Commercial, MultiFamily & Single Family clientele. Primary activities include: 1) Superior Customer Service & Retention 2) Estimating 3) New Sales. Full role descriptions can found at www.CPHort. com/contact Please email your resume to:

Acres Group, one of the top 20 professional landscape contractors in the nation, is seeking Maintenance Production Manager to manage multiple crews, equipment and materials during landscape and snow seasons. Assure quality service & customer satisfaction while monitoring job costs & crew safety. Join our industry leading team! To view full job descriptions and apply online. Visit us at www.acresgroup.com or contact Amy@ 847-487-5071.

GREEN-UP CAREER OPPORTUNITY – ESTIMATOR/SALES ASSISTANT in Plainfield! Green-Up has been creating enjoyable playground and outdoor park spaces for over 30 years and is seeking an Estimator/Sales Assistant to assist with project proposals, do plan take offs, estimates and bids. Join our growing team today! To view full job descriptions and apply online. Visit us at www.green-up.com or contact Amy@ 847-487-5071.

HELP WANTED

CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES September 2016 issue ads: August 15, 2016 October 2016 issue ads: September 15, 2016 November 2016 issue ads: October 15, 2016 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 O’Connor (630) 472-2851

HELP WANTED  CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING also available on ILCA’s WEB SITE www.ilca.net Call for information (630) 472-2851 

WesM@CPHort.com

HELP WANTED  CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING also available on ILCA’s WEB SITE www.ilca.net Call for information (630) 472-2851 

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Successful suppliers know— industry leaders read this magazine.

is the Midwest’s premier monthly magazine for the landscape, nursery and green industry. • Sales and marketing statistics show that the single best way to reach buyers is through highly-targeted specialty magazines • This award-winning magazine is frequently hailed as the best magazine of its kind. Put your message in this flattering environment. • The Landscape Contractor has an affordable advertising program for every budget.

For immediate attention CALL Debbie at

817-501-2403 or email —

debbie.landscapecontractor@yahoo.com 60

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

Advertisers Bartlett Tree Experts .............................................26

Attention Landscape Contractors:

Beaver Creek Nursery ..........................................49 Carlin Sales...............................................................6

Remember to Support ILCA Supporters!

Chicagoland Gardening .........................................61

These include:

Clesen Wholesale ...................................................24 Compost Supply .....................................................45

• Members & Advertisers who supply goods and services • Members who sponsor ILCA programs and events

D. Hill Nursery ........................................................25 Ditch Witch Midwest ..............................................57 Doty Nurseries LLC ................................................6 Fairview Evergreen Nursery ..................................26 Green Glen Nursery ...............................................63 B. Haney & Sons, Inc. ............................................50 Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. .......................................20

Where will you find them? • ILCA Membership Directory & Buyer’s Guide • The Landscape Contractor magazine advertising • The Landscape Contractor magazine reports of events with sponsor acknowledgments • www.ilca.net member lists – Finding a Landscape Contractor & Suppliers to the Trade

Homer Industries ....................................................27 ILCA Golf Outing ...................................................55 James Martin Associates .........................................58 JKS Ventures ..........................................................51 Lafarge River Stone ..............................................50 Longshadow Planters .............................................15 McGinty Bros. ........................................................43 Midwest Groundcovers ...........................................21 Midwest Trading .....................................................2 Mobile Fleet Express .............................................44 Ornamental Growers Association .........................19 ProGreen Plus ..........................................................6 Stockyards Brick Co. ...............................................17 The Care of Trees .................................................... 6 The Mulch Center ...................................................51 Spring Meadow Nursery .........................................23 Unilock, Inc. ...........................................................64 Vermeer Midwest ...................................................29

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

All-Star Plants

Aronia melanocarpa ‘Morton’

Iroquois Beauty® Black Chokeberry

Members of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois will be the exclusive provider of content for the Plant All-Stars page during 2016.

By Jim Ault

Some plants

— just like All-Star athletes — make everyone around them look better. What’s a plant you can use — and recommend — with confidence? We’ve asked ILCA members who are also members of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois — to share their thoughts on proven performers. Aronia is a small genus in the Rose family of attractive suckering shrubs with white flowers in spring, excellent yellow, orange, or red fall foliage, and outstanding fruit displays. The red chokeberry, Aronia arbutifolia, is a popular plant in the eastern U.S. where it is native, but it suffers from adaptability issues in the upper Midwest. Our Midwestern native black chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, is in my mind equally admirable in its own right! The black chokeberry naturally occurs both in low wet habitats as well as in high, dry sites, which speaks to its broad adaptability. The species can grow from 4 to 8 feet tall, and will spread over time by rhizomes to form thickets. The small white flowers in spring are as fleeting as those of an Amelanchier, but are quietly attractive all the same. The medium to dark green foliage is clean all summer and turns a lovely orange to red in autumn. Ahh, but then the fruit! The clusters of 1/3 inch wide fruit ripen to an eerie near- black in autumn. These may persist into winter, or are stripped by a variety of native songbirds in late autumn once the foliage falls off, exposing the fruit. A winner either way. There are several cultivars in the trade, but I especially enjoy The Morton Arboretum’s selection, Aronia melanocarpa ‘Morton’, the Iroquois Beauty® Black Chokeberry. Originating from seed collected by arboretum staff in Kane County, Illinois, this selection stood out, or should I say crouched down, in the original block of plants for its compact habit. Never topping 3 feet in height, it is definitely shorter than other cultivars, and so lends itself to the smaller urban landscape. Otherwise its attributes of excellent flowers, foliage, fall color and fruit, and landscape adaptability, are the same as mentioned above for the species. Utilize it in foundation plantings, in the shrub or mixed border, and in naturalistic plantings, either in sun or partial shade. Do plant it up close where its multiple seasons of interest, culminating in the black fruit, can all be equally admired. A Chicagoland Grows®, Inc. plant introduction. Aronia melanocarpa ‘Morton’ facts— 3’ tall with a spread of 5’

Size

Flowers and Fruit Small white flowers in early to mid-May, followed by clusters of near black fruit in fall

Foliage

Culture

Lustrous dark green foliage, turning orange to deep red in the fall

Plant in full sun for best flower and fruit production, but tolerant of partial shade. For moist to dry soil conditions

Jim Ault

Director of Ornamental Plant Research Chicago Botanic Garden

Jim graduated from University of Michigan in 1978 with a B.S. in botany, then went on to earn his M.S. and Ph.D. in botany and plant physiology from Louisiana State University. He spent seven years developing new display plants for use in the historic conservatory at Longwood Gardens. He has worked the past 20 years at Chicago Botanic Garden, where as Director of Ornamental Plant Research he breeds new perennial plants, manages the Chicagoland Grows plant introduction program, and participates in plant exploration trips.

The Landscape Contractor August 2016

PUT A

LOCK

ON THAT NEXT JOB.

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