August 2018 Digital Edition of The Landscape Contractor magazine by Association Publishing Partners

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August 2018

CONTENTS Excellence In Landscape Awards Project

FOCUS: Tracking Latino Careers Four Latino Careers A tribute to hard work and success Jose Garcia 10 Francisco Castillo 12 Luis Arteaga 14 Jorge Contreras 16 Intro to OSHA Regulations on Crystaline Silica 18 Worker safety is the first concern Top 10 Bulbs You Are Not Planting Jill Selinger outlines her favorites Perennial Diva Wows iLandscape Crowd Stephanie Cohen packed a perennial punch

Establishing an Ecological Focus for Your Firm Larry Weaner provides sustainable inspiration

New Board Member Profile 52 Jennifer Fick of Wilson Nurseries & Landscape Supply

EN ESPAĂ&#x2018;OL

Four Latino Careers 36 Perfiles de cuatro carreras de latinos

Member Profile 56 Uncle Duff & Daveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lawn Service

Before You Go... Creativity in the Country

On the cover... Chalet received an Excellence in Landscape award for this Highland Park Residential Landscape Construction project. The Landscape Contractor August 2018

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CONTENTS

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

Calendar

4 5 7 54 59 61

SEPTEMBER September 13, 2018 ILCA Golf Outing

Photo Credits ILCA Awards Program Rick Reuland Jose Garcia Misdwest Groundcovers Luis Arteago Jorge Contreras

1, 8-9 5, 7 11 13 15 17

Devroomen Bulb Stphanie Cohen Larry Weaner Jennifer Fick Scott Mehaffey

24 32 44 52 62

September 27, 2018 Turf Education Day (TED)

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

OCTOBER

Volume 59, 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. 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

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The Landscape Contractor August 2018

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From Where I Stand — We’ve all seen the Tweets. We wake up every morn-

ing, take a deep breath, and watch through our fingers to see what will be said online next. We retreat to our camps to process and determine the proper level of outrage or indignation. We wonder aloud what happened to civility and decorum. How could the norms and manners that form the glue of a high-functioning society be so easily cast aside in a never ending quest to be the loudest, the cruelest, and most sensational? Of course, I am referring to Wendy’s fast food restaurants. For those who Tweet, Wendy’s is known for their sarcastic and catty Twitter feed. It goes after other fast food chains in savage fashion. Here are just some examples of Wendy’s online jabs that often rely on interaction with their Twitter followers: “I want Wendy’s but my girlfriend wants McDonald’s what should I do?” Wendy’s Tweet - “There are plenty of fish in the sea “What is Subway good at?” Wendy’s Tweet - “Underground transportation “I just ate Burger King, what are you going to do about it?” Wendy’s Tweet - “Feel sorry for you.”

from liability and conduct business more seamlessly. A corporation is a “what” not a “who.” Well, not anymore. This is not intended to be an indictment of the nightmarescape that social media can devolve into at times. This column accepts social media as an inevitable part of our daily lives for decades to come, or at least until something shinier comes along. I want to explore the phenomenon of companies having a social media personality and how that personality should engage with current customers, potential customers, and other brands. Snarky corporate spats are nothing new. The Cola wars, Chevy vs. Ford, McDonald’s vs. Burger King, Bud Lite vs. Miller Light, and the list goes on. Historically, these disputes would take the form of a commercial. Verizon would send an opening salvo into the broadside of Sprint and Sprint would volley back, in kind. These skirmishes resulted in some memorable ad campaigns and slogans - “Where’s the Beef,” anyone? Yet these were not fought in real time. Even when Coke and Pepsi were locked into an unwinnable war of attrition, the commercials would take months to write, create, and air. Reactions were measured by antiquated means using sales revenue, phone surveys, and television ratings. Now, W’s and L’s are measured by likes, retweets, and emojis as they play out live. Companies have always tried to establish identities, but never personalities. Advertising, in dozens of forms has existed that attempts to tell consumers how they will feel upon using the product. The closest thing I can compare to the social media voice that companies have adopted are corporate mascots. These mascots really have no relation to the product. Ascotted tigers have little to do with Frosted Flakes. Ticklish, pudgy doughboys have little to do with bags of flour. Sinister clowns with blood red smiles have little to do with Big Macs. Yet, these mascots built identities for companies and products. The main differences were that few corporate mascots were sarcastic jerks, the Noid notwithstanding. Further, these mascots seemed like a fun escape. They were related to the brand, they represented the brand, but it was clear where they left off and the products lines started. In today’s social media environment, that lines has not only been blurred, but completely erased. Of course, the voice of these companies is really just the man behind the curtain. Wendy’s and Skittles and Starbucks don’t gather all their employees together in the breakroom and discuss what they should share with the world that day. The voice is usually a single or team of marketing professionals who have carefully constructed an online personae in an attempt to sell products. We know this to be true. Yet, it strangely still feels authentic when we see a corporate logo alongside a witty or poignant or playful post. We know that peering behind the curtain will end the illusion and, for the most part, consumers seem to enjoy the illusion that the brand has become sentient. The more a company uses social media, and, make no mistake every company will rely on it more and more, it is inevitable that a distinct voice will emerge. At a minimum, this will result from the same person posting over and over. There are ways that companies can take a shortcut and purposefully engineer a brand voice. Stephane Purinton, the Community Management Manager (because who doesn’t need one of those) at Ignite Social Media wrote an article for AdWeek on establishing a brand voice. The first step, as with

The Voice of a New Generation

Now, this social media style is not just relegated to Wendy’s. The Bears were mercilessly trolled by Butterfinger candy bars last season. After Butterfinger posted a video of a fumble by Bears quarterback Mike Glennon, the Bears clapped back with “Stick to candy.” Butterfinger, undeterred, clapped back with “Stick to football...oh wait.” They then proceeded to troll the Bears for what turned out to be a humiliating loss on national television to the hated Packers. In the end, the Lions Twitter account even piled on and rooted for Butterfinger as they took down the Bears. Now, to those who don’t Tweet or are unfamiliar with Twitter, the above paragraph must sound like an alien language or something the clinically insane would scream at each other on street corners. Football teams are fighting with candy bars, Skittles famously fought with the adult son of the President of the United States, in real time, and millions of people are following these online cage matches. In Twitter speak, the Bears and Don Jr. got owned and “took the L” which is the ultimate mark of shame in a Twitter war. I agree that these Twitter disputes between brands sound strange and ridiculous. What I cannot say is that these disputes are abnormal anymore. These flame wars, roasts, disses, and clapbacks are entirely normal in today’s day and age. They happen all the time between Twitter users, celebrities, and brands. We must accept that. It is no longer bizarre for products and companies to interact with people, unrelated products, political policies, or anything else that can be discussed on social media. These interactions are also not exclusively the domain of Twitter. They happen on Facebook and Instagram as well. Anywhere a corporate brand is situated, a personality will develop. The strange thing is how quickly social media made personifying an inanimate object, company, or product, a totally expected event. A corporation is merely a legal designation so that a group of people can shield themselves

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

From Where I Stand —

A L L TO G E T H E R B E T T E R W W W. M A R I A N I P L A N T S .COM

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most other forms of branding, is to define your audience. I would not recommend a landscape company craft a brand voice to win arguments against Wendy’s. Developing a brand voice that is completely divorced from the business’s core audience may get likes and retweets, but it won’t attract customers. A company should evaluate its customer base and try to be understand what messages will entertain, enlighten or, at a base level, invoke a feeling. Second, Stephanie recommends a company charts out a “what we are and what we are not” strategy. For example a company will say they are funny, but not corny. They are socially conscious, but not political. They are patriotic, but not nationalistic. They are playful with commenters, but not rude. The author recommends a company identify 15-20 of these statements to put guardrails around the voice and personality of a company. Laying out who a company is and who a company is not will help identify a consistent voice. The third exercise is finding 4-5 individuals or companies who come close to matching who you are on social media and seeing how they engage. Starbucks and Patagonia are great examples of sociallyconscious voices. Old Spice, Merriam-Webster (yeah, the dictionary folks), and DiGiorno are known for their sass. Arby’s and KFC are known for almost surreal weirdness. Watching how these larger brands handle cultural events, jargon, and trends will help a company better understand how to respond. Lastly, Stephanie recommends a brand maps out the small stuff. Will they post emojis, memes, hashtags, gifs, etc.? Will they retweet or share posts from others? These seem like trivial matters, but, like our favorite friends we follow on Facebook, we expect a certain tone when expounding on the affairs of the day. Although, not mentioned in the AdWeek piece, I recommend one final strategy. Don’t just go on-and-on about your products and services. That sounds counterintuitive, but social media is about branding, not marketing or advertising. A company should always mention products and services, but must intersperse that with engaging content. For example, a landscape company can post an article on vegetable gardening, post a poll about your favorite Fruit of the Loom character, post a silly Dad joke about vegetables, post a recipe for a summer salad, and wrap up the week advertising a new planting and maintenance package for edible gardens. As someone who respects the written word, it kills me to have to acknowledge a world where brands lurch around like Pinocchio trying to become real boys. Sometimes social media just feels like a circle of 8th graders shouting “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT” at two scared combatants in too deep to get out. Yet, I no longer doubt its power. I recently posted a silly 35 second long video for Summer Snow Days, it got 5,000 views and over 10,000 impressions in one week. The reach cannot be denied. Everything is upside down. No longer do we want to hear from the CEO, we want to hear from the brand itself. The CEO, after all, is just some guy in a suit where the brand lasts forever. It’s a new frontier for companies and it’s just getting started. Just remember, as you search for that online personality, “Tweet others the way you would want to be Tweeted.”

Scott Grams July 19, 2018

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

President’s Message — It was the year after the crash in ‘08 and I was looking for something

President

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

Vice-President

Jose Garcia Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. (815) 724-0991 info@naturalcreationslandscaping.com

Secretary-Treasurer

Donna Vignocchi Zych ILT Vignocchi, Inc. (847) 487-5200 dvignocchi@iltvignocchi.com

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

Directors

Jennifer Fick Wilson Nurseries and Landscape Supply (847) 683-3700 jennf@wilsonnurseries.com Allan Jeziorski Hartman Landscape (708) 403-8433 allan@hartmanlandscape.net

Jeff Kramer Kramer Tree Specialists, Inc, (630) 403-8433 allan@hartmanlandscape.net

Kevin Manning K & D Enterprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 kmanning@kdlandscapeinc.com Scott McAdam, Jr. McAdam Landscaping, Inc. (708) 771-2299 Scottjr@mcadamlandscape.com Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net Mark Utendorf Emerald Lawn Care, Inc. (847) 392-7097 marku@emeraldlawncare.com Ashley Voss Vermeer Midwest (630) 820-3030 ashley.voss@vermeermidwest.com

to differentiate my company from all the others that were disappearing faster than excrement through a water fowl, so I went to the ILCA Sustainable Conference at Aquascapes. Standing right in front of me was the President of ILCA himself; Joe Hobson. He sticks out his hand, and in that gentlemanly accent he has, asked “How are you? Why did you come?” And that was the start of my involvement with ILCA. When my wife asks how much I billed at the meeting, I respond that my company is my job, but ILCA is my career. It is where I mix and mingle with my colleagues, learn all the little secrets, and get a feel for how the industry is doing. As an owner, I can’t get promoted or go to another company for more money. For employees, there are only a few companies with a few positions that perfectly match your talents. So a career in the traditional sense is difficult. Therefore, ILCA becomes where you go to “advance your career.” I started as the Chairman of the Sustainable Landscaping Committee. The committee level is where the fun happens. ILCA has over 18 committees that do everything from a golf outing to deep dives into regulations and legislation. Whatever your interest, there is a committee for you. There is also a committee for every personality: the Design Committee are purists and loyal to the art while the iLandscape Committees are made up of larger than life personalities that make a room come alive. Committee work is where you start making connections. Then it snowballs from there. Bertog Landscape helped me with my snow contracts and Nature’s Perspective helped me look at my numbers, Hursthouse showed me how a company culture should look and Schmechtig taught me that process is everything, Roy Diblik taught me philosophy and Peter Orum taught me patience. The committees are where the actual work of the Association takes place. They develop new programs like the Summer Snow Days event this month and the Impact Conference in October. They also do things like keeping an eye on finances and organizing the Annual Party. The Board is different. The Board advises the Association on how to operate. The “heavy lifting” of committee work is over by then. We are looking more for the expertise and experience each Board Member brings to the table. We want the perspectives that each brings: the small contactor, the employee from a huge company, suppliers, second generation owners, and everyone in between. There are twelve people on the Board: eight Board Members, three Officers, and the Past President. Where the Board Members vote on the operations, the Executive Committee (EC) leads the Association. The EC is the Secretary/Treasurer, Vice-President, President, and Immediate Past President. The EC has more meetings and responsibilities, but it provides the opportunity to make a real difference. I encourage everybody to get more involved in the Association on some level. If all you do is read the magazine and attend some education events, you are missing the most valuable benefit of membership; the collective knowledge of the members and their willingness to share. Thank you, Tom Lupfer July 17, 2018

www.ilca.net The Landscape Contractor August 2018

The Navy Pier

Christy Webber Landscapes • Chicago Navy Pier Centennial Vision

Centennial Vision project presented distinct challenges, most of which were only evident during the actual installation. Having a site that is classified as the state of Illinois’ largest tourist attraction under construction, and maintaining the movement of thousands of people was a daily logistical challenge. Access was never closed 100%, for obvious tourist reasons, but also code reasons, and first responders. From the beginning, safety was a key focus. At many times, large openings were cut into the concrete structure to allow for the installation of steel & concrete tubs for the trees. Each tree hangs in a ‘tub’ supported by a steel I beam system, and a precast concrete tub. Precision placement of the trees was imperative, as they create straight lines and frame the boardwalk. Each tree is surrounded by custom aluminum tree grates, which also required exact centering. Smaller plantings, shrubs, perennials, ornamental trees, and bulbs were all installed into custom steel planters. These plantings serve two functions, one to beautify the area, and the other to define outdoor seating areas. Modern looking angular planters were contrasted with a native mix of plantings. Custom soil mixes, along with a drip irrigation system all played a vital role in the successful install.

The brick paving was a unique install on it’s own, although the installation took place along side of the plantings. Much of the brick paving was set over a concrete base with a sand setting bed, however there are 2 different thicknesses of pavers that were installed together, which required a stepped subbase. The entire paving project was hand laid, over 200,000 s.f. We also had portions of the work that were a permeable system, which drained into a large storm trap for irrigation system use. The fountain area pavers were a more conventional gravel base with a sand setting bed. Much of the brick paving work pushed us to create custom tools for our crews to help with the intricate cuts, and the shear weight of the pavers. The double herringbone, angled install of the paver pattern seems straight forward, until you are required to start and stop in all directions in order to maintain access at all times. This required the use of lasers, measuring, and a lot of good old fashioned string lines. In the end we were able to joint all the pavers together within the strict tolerances of the project specifications. Some interesting facts about the installation, over 200,000 s.f. of hand set pavers, over 80 large caliper trees hang in custom tree tubs, over 2,500 cy of custom soil was installed via conveyors, pump trucks, and with machinery, cranes & large telehandlers to set some trees, and a lot of love from our construction team!

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Four Latino Careers

José García

Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. by Nina Koziol

Jose Garcia was one of seven children born

and raised in Mexico where he graduated college in 1983 with a degree in agriculture. He immigrated to the United States in 1985 and has built a very successful career in the landscape industry. A long-time ILCA member, Garcia will become the association’s next president in 2019. “I got my first job through ILCA. I prepared my resume, had 10 interviews and landed a job.” Garcia worked for three landscape contractors before venturing out on his own. In 1995 he launched Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. The design and construction firm has grown from six employees to 90 and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in February. He is one of the most successful contractors working with most of the road builders in the Chicago metropolitan area. His firm’s motto—“Decus in Labore” (Pride in Work)—reflects Garcia’s commitment to lifelong learning and persistence. “When I came here, my background in business was limited, and first, I had to learn the language.” He married Nancy, his English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) instructor, and they have four children. “My parents were teachers,” Garcia said. “They always put education first. The need to learn and keep learning is imperative.” Although he knew the technical part of the landscape industry, he knew that he needed the business skills. “I took classes in marketing and law—you name it, I took it.” His firm has received several awards for safety and quality and many of his original employees are still with him. The road to success wasn’t easy. When their third child was born, his wife quit her job to stay home with the children 10

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

and they also lost the family’s health insurance benefits. “I decided to do something different. I had all the knowledge and resources, but we didn’t have enough money. I was a one-man show at that point. I did everything from marketing to residential installation and was sleeping about four hours a day for two or three years.” All that hard work paid off. Garcia became certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and began working with general contractors. “The amount of paperwork and dealing with contractors was not easy, but I got more highway work.” Working on government projects requires plenty of record keeping. “There’s a lot of paperwork and forms, but software programs help with that.” Networking is an important part of growing the business. Garcia joined the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association and made more contacts. “I’m always thinking about what it will take for us to get things done better.” Part of doing things better

Garcia’s Tips for a Successful Career 1. Learn the language. 2. Keep learning. Take some business classes. There’s always something to learn and to share. 3. Work your way up so you know the positions of laborer, driver, foreman, supervisor. 4. Think like an entrepreneur. Think of yourself as a business owner. 5. Be committed and dedicated to your work.

is the team effort. “Surround yourself with good people and treat them well,” he says. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve ILCA and to provide jobs.” Once he joined the ILCA board, Garcia became the voice for Hispanic contractors. “We’re often part of the industry that does the hard work, but not necessarily recognized for the smart work. But, I don’t see colors—I do what is right and I embrace that. Diversity is important.” Garcia notes that millennials think and act different from older generations. “Construction industry work is hard. We have to inspire them.” Long-term, Garcia plans to stay engaged in his business while his son Eric, 28, continues to learn the ropes. “My father is an incredible inspiration,” Eric Garcia said. “I love working with him.”

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Four Latino Careers

Francisco Castillo

Midwest Groundcovers by Nina Koziol

As a child, Francisco Castillo liked to play outdoors.

Born in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, the 51-year-old, Castillo says, “I really enjoy being connected with nature.” Castillo is Midwest Groundcovers’ Senior Nursery Manager in St. Charles, and in Fennville, Michigan. He specializes in plant propagation and growing, and nursery management. “When I came to Midwest Groundcovers in 1986, I was pulling weeds and sticking cuttings.” He eventually became a foreman running crews, and later, a propagation manager. Two years ago, he became nursery manager. “I work a lot with numbers and budgets and that’s easy for me.” He meets with two other supervisors and the sales team to determine what will be grown. “We work with past sales history by month. We have to make sure we have the plants that we need at the right time and that depends on demand. I like it a lot.” Although he’s often in front of a computer, Castillo says, “It’s an interesting field where you’re not locked up indoors all day.” In the early 90’s, he went to a community college to take English language classes from 7 to 10 p.m. after working all day. Everything else he’s learned on the job. “I think of Midwest Groundcovers as my university. They take the time to train employees. We grow people and plants.” Castillo has six children, ages 2 through 24, but laments that children today are more interested in electronic devices than nature. “I think it’s going to be hard to get kids interested in the outdoors. They’d rather see butterflies on their phone.” Although his youngest children spend one or two hours a day on their electronic devices, Castillo makes sure they get outdoor time, too. “We go outside and pinch the flowers and do a little weeding.” 12

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

One of the biggest challenges he faced when coming to the United States was the language barrier and potential discrimination. “It’s difficult when you don’t speak the language. You don’t speak English, you don’t have a driver’s license, and it becomes very complicated. If you don’t follow the rules—like getting a DUI—you can be out of the country in no time.” Castillo and others accompanied MWG’s Peter Orum on a trip to Denmark, Holland, Germany and Spain where they visited Orum’s home town and many nurseries. “When I was in Europe, it was amazing that they speak English very, very well. English is a difficult language.” The transition to citizenship happened slowly but it has all been worthwhile. “Peter Orum was an immigrant and he made me feel what it’s like to be an immigrant—I like that a lot. He’s a good man.” Castillo became a U.S. resident and then acquired citizenship 15 years ago. “I don’t drink or smoke. I have a good record, so then I could help my wife become a resident.”

Francisco Castillo Shares These Career Tips

The landscape profession poses challenges as well. “Working in hot weather, cold weather and long hours can affect people’s emotions. You have to learn how to deal with people. You have to have patience. It’s hard for me to get angry.” A member of the International Plant Propagator Society, Castillo likes color in his garden. “Roses, ornamental grasses—I like natives a lot, too. They can be low maintenance and attract butterflies.” Castillo is looking forward to many more years working in the green industry. “I see a lot of opportunity at Midwest Groundcovers. If you work hard and are not afraid of taking responsibility, they’ll give you the opportunities.” Who could ask for more?

1. Do the English-as-a-Second Language course right away so you understand others and you can defend yourself if necessary. 2. Be proud of your work. When I drive through a neighborhood and see plants from Midwest Groundcovers it makes me feel very good. I feel so proud. 3. The U.S. has a lot of opportunities but the road to citizenship can be tough. Find a sponsor. 4. Take time for yourself. I try to manage my time and get to work early and get home early. A musician who sings, plays the keyboard and guitar, Castillo plays with La Union de Chicago. The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Four Latino Careers

Luis Arteaga

Hursthouse, Inc. by Nina Koziol

Born and raised in Chicago, Luis Arteaga says

that getting into the landscape business was not the typical Latino experience where someone emigrates from Mexico or elsewhere and must learn English. “For me, it was the other way around—I was getting away from Spanish. But after working at Hursthouse, my Spanish is much more fluent. When I started here, I couldn’t say some of the words and the guys would give me a hard time,” he says with a laugh. The 38-year-old Arteaga has worked at Hursthouse for 21 years. “My dad brought me to work at Hursthouse. He was my crew leader for about two years and I learned a lot from him.” Arteaga also worked in the shop and eventually began doing service calls and things like pruning. “About four years later I became a crew leader. It was a whole new role—I was used to being by myself. I started doing a lot and was learning from Jeff, Bob, Arturo and others.” It was difficult when Arteaga’s father ended up on his crew. “He has way more experience and bossed me around. When he saw I knew what I was doing, he let go and it became fun. The biggest thing is chemistry with your crew where everyone respects each other. It makes it so much better. If something goes wrong, it falls on the crew leaders, but we fix it.” His brother and cousin joined Hursthouse and became crew leaders, too. Arteaga has always enjoyed building things and seeing an accomplishment. “I like being able to get my hands dirty and I like paying attention to details.” Things have changed since he became a project manager. “I’m not as hands on and, at first, it was a little frustrating. I couldn’t get in the trenches and help them out. But now, I can help them because I’m getting things ready and lined up for them.”

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Being outdoors, enjoying nature and planting trees is far better than being in a factory or office, Arteaga says. “The work is interesting and fun at the same time. I like to problem solve and see how things get done. I’ll rack my brain figuring out what’s the best way and the easiest way for the crew.” Every project has a different challenge. For Arteaga, the fun is figuring out the hard part of the job. “The more challenging it is, the better for me,” he says. He’s rebuilt his own patio with a fire pit. “I love to build things and plant trees and perennials.” Married with three children ages 18, 11 and 7, Arteaga says, his 18-year-old daughter would like to be a dentist. “My middle child is allergic to weeds and he doesn’t want to cut the grass. And, it’s hard work in the sun. Kids today never give it a chance or they give up, but what we do is beautiful.” For Arteaga, one of the best things about the job is the knowledge and experience gained over

time. When a project is completed, Arteaga says, “We did it. We built a new landscape, a new garden and a new space for a family that will be enjoying it for years to come. When we stop and look, what we do is really cool.”

Luis Arteaga Shares These Career Tips 1. Find a mentor or two and be open to learning from others. I learned from my dad, and from Bob, Jeff, Arturo and the crew leaders. 2. The work can be back-breaking but with new technology, like powered wheelbarrows, there are many tools to help out. 3. Don’t tip-toe around a situation when something’s wrong. Deal with it. 4. Practice patience. Slow down, take your time and build the chemistry with your teammates.

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Four Latino Careers

Jorge Contreras

Schmechtig Landscape Company by Nina Koziol

Jorge Contreras was six years old when he

began school in the U.S. “My uncle lived and worked at the Synnestvedt Nursery in Round Lake where I eventually worked. When I was little, we’d go fishing and it was fun being outdoors. I’ve always liked being around nature.” The 43-year-old Contreras started in the landscaping business in 1998. “I was a propagator and selling plants to landscapers.” He has been with Schmechtig Landscape Company in Mundelein for two years now as maintenance manager, a big job with big responsibilities and demanding clients. Schmechtig Landscapes takes care of some of the finest homes in Chicago, the North Shore and the northwestern suburbs. Prior to joining Schmechtig, Contreras ran the production side for another firm that had 37 crews. He worked with several account managers and six supervisors. “This is a different pace and I’m making sure everyone is focused on our goals and that we meet our clients’ expectations. I enjoy the challenges that come with plants and with maintaining hardscapes.” Contreras was self-taught as a horticulturist early in his career. “As I pulled the orders, I studied the plants and began learning about them.” Like every other landscaping business, one of the biggest challenges is the weather. Too hot, too cold, too wet—all make things difficult for scheduling and for the crews that work in these conditions. “The biggest challenge has been attracting labor. We want to keep them on board so they don’t move. And, sometimes you have to be a shrink,” he says with a laugh. Contreras says camaraderie helps with the day-to-day projects but there’s a caveat. “One thing with Hispanics—they start to get along quickly and you can be friendly, but you 16

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

have to be respectful, and the crews have to respect their supervisors.” Contreras describes himself as a pretty quiet guy and he likes it that way. “I’m not out there to make people see me—I don’t like to be the center of conversation.” Married with four boys, Contreras is thinking about a different career for his eldest son, age 16. “He mows the lawn and trims, but I’ve told my son to stay in school. I’d like to see him become an architect.” But, Contreras also sees the value in working outdoors and creating new landscapes. “I see landscaping as art—the natural colors, the plants, the shades of the leaves—it’s all art. Two of my favorite ornamentals are the redbud trees in spring with their flowers and the burning bushes with their great color in the fall.” Although his work keeps him extremely busy, he tries to spend as much time with his family as possible. “We watch soccer games—I played baseball, not soccer as a kid, but my oldest son does both.”

What are his plans for the next five years? “I’m hoping to see my son graduate from college and I hope to help Mike grow the company.”

Jorge Contreras Shares These Tips for Success 1. Keep with it. Learn about the industry and study on your own— whether it’s plants or hardscape. 2. Don’t get frustrated, especially with the clients. Go with the flow. 3. You can be friendly with your crews, but be respectful. And no hollering! The happier the guys are, the more they will work for you. 4. Don’t run away or hide from problems. Address them right away.

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Safety Alert —

Introduction to OSHA REGULATIONS Crystalline Silica By Meta L. Levin

Picture a grain of silica dust.

Each one is 100 times smaller than an ordinary grain of sand. Something that small can easily be inhaled. Each, individual grain cannot be seen by the naked eye, but together they can form a mass that can get trapped in the lungs, and cause damage at varying levels, from mild to irreversible, with often disabling and sometimes fatal outcomes. That is why OSHA (the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has issued rules for keeping workers safe while performing tasks that generate silica dust. It is important and serious enough of

an issue that ILCA partnered with Belgard® on a webinar that introduced participants to the major points in the OSHA Rule on Crystalline Silica. Speaker Tim Huinker, national design and construction specialist for Anchor Wall Systems, has been certified to lead these kinds of training seminars. OSHA’s regulations, which went into effect in September 2017, require employers to take steps to limit worker exposure to crystalline

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

silica. “More than 2 million construction workers regularly are exposed (to crystalline silica) and 30 percent of those are at levels higher than allowed by the standards,” says Huinker. They are exposed through working with stone, rock, concrete, brick, blocks, mortar, cement, tile while doing (but not limited to) such tasks as demolition, drilling, grinding, sanding, tuckpointing and cutting. “If you see it in the air, you are over the permissible exposure limit,” says Huinker. To help reduce exposure, OSHA has developed what is known as “Table One,” detailing “Specified Exposure Control (continued om page 20)

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Safety Alert — (continued from page 18) Methods When Working with Materials Containing Crystalline Silica.” This contains a list of common tasks on a job site that create dust and what rules to follow in order to be in compliance. This, Huinker told the participants, “is OSHA’s gift to you.” It is a list of common practices that cause dust and how to come into compliance with the regulations. “If you follow it, you are in compliance with the new OSHA dust rules.” OSHA’s new silica standard includes requirements that: 1. Employees use engineering controls, work practices and personal protective equipment (PPE) when exposed to silica dust 2. Employees receive medical examinations under certain circumstances 3. Employees receive training in respirable silica and understand the controls and PPE in place to protect them from exposure 4. Employers develop a written exposure control plan 5. A specially trained “competent person” is designed to implement the written exposure control plan 6. Employers understand the exposures of employees

The new standard also tightened permissible exposure levels, from 250 micrograms per cubic meter of air, to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air. In other words, if you see dust in the air, you can bet it is over the permissible exposure limit. That said, the standard is a time weighted average over an eighthour workday. The written exposure control plan (WECP) simply states what tasks you normally perform and the steps you are taking to reduce or eliminate exposure to crystalline silica dust – not only by your employees, but by anyone else who might be in the immediate area. This WECP also identifies the competent person, who can identify existing and foreseeable silica dust hazards, take corrective action (and has the authority to shut down the project) and can implement the WECP. OSHA and the Mason Contractors Association both offer training. Certain personal hygiene practices also can serve to limit exposure. These include avoiding eating, drinking or smoking in dusty areas. If you have been working in a dusty area, make sure that you wash your hands and face before eating, drinking or smoking. After working in a dusty area, do not use compressed air on your clothes; do not dry sweep dusty areas and bring a change of

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

clothes and change before getting into your car. The two most common engineering controls are wet cut and a vacuum dust collection system. “The vacuum and the saw manufacturers are on top of this new regulation,” says Huinker. For that reason, there are some good videos on You Tube showing what they are and how they are used. “But the biggest thing to remember is not to send up a big dust cloud.”

If you are using the wet cut method, a hose spraying water will not do. It must be a manufacturer installed system, made for whatever model of equipment you use, Huinker says. It’s important that your employees operate either of these in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure to have an adequate supply of water available when using the wet cut method and that you can use the flow rates specified by the equipment manufacturer. Of course, you need to check the equipment, ensuring that, for instance, the spray nozzle is working properly or the hoses and connections are intact. When you cut wet, however, the waste falls to the ground. Once it dries, it turns back into silica dust that must be cleaned up safely. Vacuum collection systems are available for just about all types of cutting and grinding equipment. Here, too, you must be careful to inspect the equipment, ensuring that the shroud is intact and that it encloses most of the grinding blade and is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The vacuum must have enough suction to capture (continued on page 22)

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Safety Alert — (continued from page 20) dust and the hoses and connections are intact. These dry systems require a HEPA filter, which must be inspected and cleaned regularly. This must be done according to the manufacturer’s directions. The dust collection bags need to be frequently emptied. Huinker also encourages landscape contractors to think creatively about finding ways to minimize the necessity of cutting on a job site. This might include changing a pattern in the pavers so that you can lay a pattern without cutting or even changing the type of materials in use. Outdoor work is not the only place where silica dust exposure is a problem. Think of your warehouse or shop. Be careful to use wet sweeping or HEPA filtered vacuums, where feasible and never use compressed air to clean clothing or surfaces. Wearing PPE is important. Silicosis

is the most serious effect of inhaling the silica dust. Irreversible, it results in thickening and scarring of connective tissue and is exclusively caused by inhaling silica dust. Other lung related damage includes asthma, chronic, accelerated and acute problems. Unprotected exposure can trigger problems beyond those in the lungs. In fact, it has been linked to dermatitis, eye irritation and nasal dryness, COPD, kidney damage, autoimmune conditions, latent tuberculosis and lung cancer. Huinker suggests wearing a respirator when installing or implementing controls or work practices. It’s also important to take such precautions when performing a task for which engineering controls and work practices are not possible or cannot reduce exposure below the PEL. Make sure the respirator fits properly and check each time it’s used. Also, if you are creating silica dust, you also need to keep clients, subcontractors or others out of the immediate area.

If an employee is doing an activity that requires them to wear respirators for 30 or more days a year, the employer also is required to provide medical surveillance at no cost to the employee. These exams monitor for health hazards associated with silica dust. Once you have had one, you must provide a medical assessment for your employee every three years as long as that person works for you. Here’s the bottom line, PPE and using wet or dry methods are important for health reasons, as well as for financial. If OSHA shows up on your job site and finds that you are not in compliance, they will levy considerable fines. You are fined, not your employees, even if they have failed to follow your directions. In fact, Huinker says, you can be fined by OSHA for everyone who is not in compliance. The bottom line is to be careful and take steps to limit or eliminate exposure.

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A Fresh Take on Flower Bulbs

Top 10 Bulbs You’re Not Planting

iLandscape

2 0 1 8Landscape Show The i llinois + wisconsin C T

by Heather Prince

In spring, some

experience at Synnestvedt Nursery Company and DeVroomen Bulb Company, she also was a partner and co-owner of Summersweet Gardens, a small garden design and installation business where she planted bulbs constantly. Selinger offered a blazing tour of the bulb world at iLandscape this year and offered to share the top 10 types that she feels are underrepresented in the landscape. “I recommend including bulbs in a landscape design from the outset. They really extend the gardening season. It seems a lot of people, when they think about bulbs, it’s kind of an afterthought.” Selinger feels that adding bulbs can increase the sophistication of a garden and that there are hundreds of ways to use them. “We typically use bulbs in big swathes. Let’s expand our palette and how we use them,” she commented. “Be mindful of where you plant bulbs and what is blooming or happening around them at the same time.” Well timed tulips in a complimentary color can add richness to a crabapple display or amp up

of our favorite flowers are tulips and daffodils nodding in the warming breezes. The Midwestern landscape is dotted with these tried and true favorites. Bulbs offer waves of color throughout the season, sometimes as early as January, if you plant snowdrops. They provide moments of delight in the garden and with a little planning you and your clients can be rewarded with months and months of blossoms. Are you planting bulbs for your clients? If not, it can be a solid line item on your maintenance contracts. If you are, let’s talk about the huge range of bulbs beyond red and yellow tulips. By interplanting bulbs within perennial beds or groundcovers you add a sophistication to the garden as well as maintenance work with dead heading and trimming. Jill Selinger, manager of adult education for the Regenstein School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, has a deep passion for all bulbs. With previous 24

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

the delicate branches of redbud. Selinger added, “You can stagger the display with early, mid, and late varieties using the same color scheme like pink and white.” As you add early spring blooming shrubs such as fragrant viburnum, forsythia, or quince, think about planting a selection of minor bulbs to take their fleeting seasonality to the next level. Selinger feels, “Dress the bottom with something at their feet. Minor bulbs are the little guys we tend to overlook.” This type of bulb includes ones like grape hyacinth, Siberian squill, crocus, anemone, snowdrops, and more. Bulbs aren’t only for spring. There are bulb species for summer and fall as well. “Adding seasonality, extending the season is something we really want to try to do,” observed Selinger. Jack de Vroomen, sales director at De Vroomen Garden Products has spent a lifetime working with bulbs and perennials. His passion is evident if you spend even a little time speaking with him. He agrees with Selinger, “Bulbs are perfect for four seasons. They can easily be part of the package with a client. Planting is labor intensive, so gives crew work. Blends of bulbs with different flowering times takes maintenance with dead heading and general care.” De Vroomen finds that there are three key elements to incorporating bulbs into a landscape. First is good drainage so plants thrive and return year after year. Second is a good plan. Consider color, height, and timing to get the most out of your combinations. Third is animal damage. “I find one of the biggest fears for bulbs is animals. Deer will eat tulips, so they’ll need protection. However, there is a group of daffodils that deer don’t eat, crocus too.” There are, in fact, several groups of bulbs that critters won’t touch, which can be a valuable selling point to your clients tired of feasting deer and rabbits. These include Alium, Anemone, Camassia, Chionodaxa, daffodils, Eranthis, Fritillaria, hyacinths, Leucojum, Muscari, Pushkinia, and Scilla. Selinger and De Vroomen agreed on ten types of bulbs to add beautiful blossoms and rich color to your clients’ gardens.

Allium caeruleum

A mid-range allium at one to two feet high, Allium caeruleum shimmers with ping-pong ball-sized true blue flowers. “Their thin stems also give it movement and it blooms in late June,” commented Selinger. It can make quite a statement in a perennial border above lady’s mantle or geranium. Because allium foliage starts to wither when it blooms, make sure to interplant it to hide its unkempt leaves. Consider allowing alliums to go to seed and dry. Their dried seedheads remain attractive and interesting well into fall.

Camassia scilloides

Blooming May into June, Camassia or wild hyacinth reaches about 18 to 24 inches high in full sun to part shade. One of our true native bulbs, Camassia blooms with a pyramidal cluster of blue blossoms. “It gives you amazing color, it’s easy to grow, and it’s not bothered by critters, plus drought and moisture tolerant!” enthused Selinger. Try pairing it with ornamental grasses. Camassia will bloom before warm season grasses kick into full gear and fade by the time the grass foliage overtakes them. (continued on page 26) The Landscape Contractor August 2018

A Fresh Take on Flower Bulbs (continued from page 25)

Chionodaxa forbesii

Chionodaxa, or glory of the snow, is a perfect accompaniment to spring flowering shrubs. Recently, they have been merged with Scilla and might be sold under that genus, so be aware they could be listed as Scilla forbesii or C. forbesii in nursery catalogs. At about six inches high, its dark blue flowers with pale blue centers pair easily with viburnum, forsythia, and quince. They readily spread and are easy to grow. “People love to see blue in the spring,” observed Selinger. There are white and pink blooming varieties as well.

Colchicum ‘Waterlily’

Colchicum or autumn crocus is an old-fashioned bulb that blooms in late August into September. In the spring, the strappy shiny green foliage comes up and slowly withers. Then almost out of nowhere, the large six-inch lavender to lilac pink flowers appear. Waterlily is a double-flower form that can float above an evergreen groundcover such as vinca or pachysandra. “The flowers emerge when you least expect it. It is the most lovely surprise when they bloom in the fall,” commented Selinger.

Crocus tommasinianus

Crocus tommasinianus or Tommy crocus is a dapper little lavender crocus that pops up as soon as soil starts to warm, usually in March. A squirrel resistant crocus, it’s easy to add to beds and borders where clients can be treated to one of the first signs of spring. “They’re pretty and they naturalize,” said Selinger. Melting away in April, they can be dotted in lawns as they are gone by the mowing season.

(continued on page 28)

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

A Fresh Take on Flower Bulbs (continued from page 26)

Daffodils

Daffodils come in a huge range of colors, sizes, bloom times, and flower styles. “Be a little inventive and have some discovery time with some of these different types of daffodils. You know they’re going to come back. You know your clients are going to love them. Instead of getting a ton of Dutch Master, experiment! There’s so many different kinds,” encouraged Selinger. Because they are poisonous, nothing eats them. Daffodils are a terrific bulb option for clients dealing with deer and rabbits. Allow their strappy foliage to wither in situ to ensure good bloom performance year after year. With all the types to choose from, “I love all daffodils, but I really love the small cup daffs,” reported Selinger. Try some mini early bloomers along a walkway or forced in pots for a signature sign of spring.

Iris bucharica

Corn leaved iris is something different in the iris world. Part of the bulbous irises, it blooms in May with cheerful fragrant white and yellow flowers above bright green leaves, reaching about a foot high. It can form a lovely groundcover and is exceptionally drought tolerant. “It’s really sweet and pretty,” observed Selinger.

Leucojum aestivum

Leucojum aestivum or summer snowflake resembles a snowdrop on steroids. At 18 to 24 inches high, it features up to six bell-like white flowers per arching stem in large clumps. Summer snowflake is one of the few bulbs that tolerates wet. “As part of the amaryllis family, it’s toxic, so it is one not eaten by critters,” reported Selinger.

(continued on page 30)

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

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A Fresh Take on Flower Bulbs (continued from page 30)

Muscari

Muscari or grape hyacinth is a classic heirloom bulb that delights us with its purple-blue flower clusters in April on six-inch stems. The grassy foliage will also appear in autumn to gather more energy for the little bulbs. “Muscari can offer a river of bloom of effect,” said Selinger. There are white, pale blue, lavender, pink, and bicolor varieties. They are also excellent in containers for a pop of spring. “Mt. Hood is a really cute one with its little white flower cap on top,” recommends Selinger.

Tulipa tarda

There are thousands of varieties and species of tulips available. Something different to try is Tulipa tarda. One of the species tulips, it’s short stature and strappy leaves makes it a good choice for the front of the border. With bright yellow flowers edged in white, it shimmers on a bright spring day. “Any of the species tulips are worth adding. They’re pretty and they naturalize,” commented Selinger. Although perhaps not as showy as the Dutch hybrids, species tulips come in a huge variety of colors and many have interesting mottled foliage.

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

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The Landscape Contractor August 2018

More Expert Plant Choices

The Perennial Diva Wows the iLandscape Crowd by Nina Koziol

At just under five feet tall,

Stephanie Cohen claims that she’s “vertically challenged,” but she is a powerhouse with a booming voice. The former director of the Landscape Arboretum at Temple University in Ambler, PA, Cohen is an award-winning author who taught herbaceous plants and perennial design at Temple for more than 20 years. She spoke to a packed room for her program, “Perennials from Spring to Fall,” at iLandscape 2018. “I have plant lust worse than anyone else,” Cohen told the audience. She also let everyone know that she has very strong opinions about many perennials on the market. “Salvia should be one of the staples in everyone’s garden. If you kill a Salvia, the next plant I’d recommend is plastic.” One of her favorites is Salvia x sylvestris ‘Viola Klose’ because the deer leaves it alone. Cohen didn’t mince words when it came to plant care or plant picks. “Consistently deadhead Shasta daisies and they’ll rebloom,” she said. “But ‘Alaska’ shasta daisy—it’s a god-awful plant—there are so many new ones on the market.” Here are a few of her favorites (and not so favorite) perennials for spring, summer and fall.

inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide, ‘Blue Ice’ is ideal for small gardens or massing in borders.

2. Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica ‘Gull’s Wing’). “The foliage stays good throughout the season. They just need a good garden soil and don’t plant them too deep,” Cohen said. “Perennial geraniums and Siberian iris—you can’t beat that great garden combination.” Easy to grow, Siberian iris produces clean, lance-shaped leaves on plants that are about 12 to 24 inches tall and 24 inches wide.

3. Achillea millefolium ‘Little Susie.’ “Yarrows sprawl so the clumps need to be reduced every few years. I don’t use the white-flowered ones—they turn brown and look dumb.” Plants grow about 14 to 18 inches tall and about 24 inches wide.

4. Dianthus. “They need one thing— good drainage. If you have heavy soil, you can’t please them. They can take a little shade.” Some of her favorites include ‘Maraschino,’ ‘Firewitch’ and ‘Raspberry Surprise.’ ‘Firewitch’ grows about 4 to 6 inches tall and 8 to 12 inches wide.

Spring Picks 1. Amsonia ‘Blue Ice.’ “It’s my favorite Amsonia for the flowers and foliage. The fall foliage turns yellow and there are no insects, no disease. And, it’s deer resistant.” ‘Blue Ice’ produces deep lavender flowers and tolerates part shade. It likes consistently moist, humus-rich soil, but also tolerates drought once established. At 12 to 18 32

5. Astilbe. “I like the Visions series, which is an Astilbe chinensis-type that takes a drier soil. There’s also a cuteness factor in that they’re short. Like me.” She touts Astilbe 'Little Visions White’ and 'Delft Lace.’ The The Landscape Contractor August 2018

iLandscape

2 0 1 8Landscape Show The i llinois + wisconsin C T

latter forms a robust clump of lacy, deep blue-green, waxy foliage with red highlights.

Summer Picks

By mid-summer, yellow daisy-type flowers seem to be everywhere. “Don’t fall into the deep wide darn composite garden. Coreopsis, Heliopsis—blah blah—if everything is yellow, you’ve got to change the design,” she said.

9. Rudbeckia ‘Little Henry.’ “I really like it—so cute and it stands up straight.”

7. Geranium maculatum ‘Espresso’ “It’s a native and when the pink flower disappears you have this glorious purple foliage. It was found in nature, not something developed by Frankenstein.” Plants reach about 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 1 1/2 feet wide.

6. Aruncus ‘Misty Lace.’ “The straight five to six-foot tall species scare people. This one is more compact and I think it’s a better plant.” In early summer, large, creamy white, feathery plumes are produced on dark red stems atop compact mounds of astilbe-like foliage.

10. Agastache. “Butterflies! They go berserk over Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ and ‘Cotton Candy.’” Plants reach 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 1/2 to 2 feet wide.

8. Nepeta. “You love the catmints or you hate them. You can have them flower three times from spring to fall. ‘Junior Walker’ doesn’t fail. Certainly having something flower three times is an advantage. And, Nepeta is sort of a weed suppressant.”

(continued on page 34) The Landscape Contractor August 2018

More Expert Plant Choices (continued from page 33) 11. Echinacea ‘Pixie Meadowbrite.’ “It was developed at the Chicago Botanic Garden and it’s the perfect plant along with ‘Kim’s Knee High.’ I don’t think there are any better short ones. But, I hate the double-flowered Echinacea. Butterflies? Those double flowers confuses the hell out of them. They look asinine in a meadow. Get it out of there!

12. Veronica. “We have a problem with Veronica. ‘Sunny Border Blue’ is the most miserable plant—get over it! The best one is Veronica Moody Blues® Dark Blue, a Moody Blues Series plant. It does reflower fairly well and it does come back. You need spiky flowers in the garden. Plant flowers that make your eyes rest—like daisies. And plant flowers with spikes to make your eyes move through the border.”

13. Perovskia. “This is the best garden perennial for not having to water. The newer ones are shorter. Perovskia, lavender and Teucrium should be pruned back in spring when you see the new growth. Wet springs will kill them. I particularly like ‘Denim ’N Lace.’

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The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Fall Picks 14. Vernonia. “Ironweed. Natives are easy to grow and the butterflies are still looking for nectar at this time of year.” Vernonia ‘Iron Maiden’ is a shorter selection growing 30 inches to 3 feet tall.

15. Panicum. “Native switchgrass! I like this instead of Miscanthus, which has been banned in several states. Here’s a simple fall combo—Panicum and Rudbeckia.” 16. Anemone xhybrida ‘Ruffled Swan.’ Anemones are the queen of the fall garden. There’s ‘Ruffled Swan,’ ‘Pocohantas,’ and ‘My Fair Lady.’ They’re all short and they are flowering machines.”

16. Anemone xhybrida ‘Ruffled Swan.’ Anemones are the queen of the fall garden. There’s ‘Ruffled Swan,’ ‘Pocohantas,’ and ‘My Fair Lady.’ They’re all short and they are flowering machines.”

A few Insights from Stephanie Cohen • I hope that those planting perennials think of pollinators when they make their choices. Remember they not only pollinate flowers, but also about one-third of the food we eat. I hope you particularly think of using fall flowers—that’s a time when many pollinators are still active. •

We cannot keep planting water-guzzling plants because in many states water is becoming a problem. I'd like landscapers to think about right place, right plant. No more watering something three times a day because you (or your client) saw it in book or magazine from a foreign country.

• I’d also like to see more integration with small woody flowering plants, edibles, both herbs and veggies, and to stop thinking just of the perennial border. Many herbs have fantastic flowers, good foliage, and the deer don’t eat them—they don't like the taste or the smell. Learn more about the Perennial Diva at www.ThePerennialDiva.com The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Perfiles de cuatro carreras

José García

Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. by Nina Koziol

José García fue uno de siete niños nacidos y

criados en México donde se graduó de la universidad en 1983 con diploma en Agricultura. Emigró a los Estados Unidos en 1985 y ha desarrollado una muy exitosa carrera en la industria del paisajismo. Miembro de ILCA desde hace mucho tiempo, García será el próximo presidente de la asociación en 2019. “Conseguí mi primer trabajo a través de ILCA. Preparé mi currículum, tuve 10 entrevistas y me dieron el trabajo”. García trabajó para tres contratistas de paisajismo antes de aventurarse por su cuenta. En 1995 lanzó Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. La firma de diseños y construcciones ha crecido de seis empleados a 90 y celebrará su 25 Aniversario en febrero. Es uno de los contratistas más exitosos y trabaja con la mayoría de los constructores de carreteras en el área metropolitana de Chicago. El lema de su firma—“Decus in Labore” (Orgullo en el trabajo) —refleja el compromiso de García con el aprendizaje y la persistencia durante toda la vida. “Cuando llegué aquí, mis antecedentes en el mundo de los negocios eran limitados y primero tuve que aprender el idioma”. Contrajo matrimonio con Nancy, su instructora de inglés como segundo idioma y tienen cuatro hijos. “Mis padres eran maestros”, afirma García. “Siempre pusieron la educación en primer lugar. La necesidad de aprender y seguir aprendiendo es imperativa”. Si bien conocía la parte técnica de la industria del paisajismo, sabía que necesitaba las habilidades para los negocios. “Tomé clases de mercadotecnia y derecho—tomé todas las clases que me fue posible tomar”. Su firma ha recibido varios premios por seguridad y calidad y muchos de sus empleados originales continúan con él. El camino al éxito no fue fácil. Cuando nació su tercer hijo, su esposa dejó de trabajar para cuidar a los niños en casa 36

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y también perdieron los beneficios del seguro de salud de la familia. “Decidí hacer algo diferente. Yo tenía todos los conocimientos y los recursos, pero no teníamos suficiente dinero. En ese momento, yo era el hombre orquesta. Hice todo desde mercadotecnia hasta instalaciones residenciales y dormía unas cuatro horas diarias durante dos o tres años”. Todo ese intenso trabajo rindió beneficios. García obtuvo una certificación como Empresa Comercial en Desventaja (DBE, por sus siglas en inglés) y comenzó a trabajar con contratistas generales. “La cantidad de papeleo y lidiar con los contratistas no fue fácil, pero obtuve más trabajo de carreteras”. Trabajar en proyectos gubernamentales exige mucho mantenimiento de registros. “Hay mucho papeleo y formularios, pero los programas software ayudan en eso”. El establecimiento de relaciones es una parte importante del desarrollo de un negocio. García se incorporó a la Asociación de Constructores de Carreteras e hizo más contactos. “Siempre estoy pensando en lo que necesitaré para

Consejos de García para una carrera de éxito 1. Aprenda el idioma. 2. Continúe aprendiendo. Tome cursos de comercio. Siempre hay algo que aprender y compartir. 3. Comience desde abajo para conocer los puestos de trabajador, conductor, capataz y supervisor. 4. Piense como un empresario. Piense en usted mismo como propietario de un negocio. 5. Comprométase con su trabajo y dedíquele tiempo.

hacer las cosas mejor”. Parte de hacer las cosas mejor es el trabajo en equipo. “Rodéese de buenas personas y trátelas bien” aconseja. “Estoy muy agradecido por la oportunidad de server a ILCA y ofrecer puestos de trabajo”. Una vez que fue incorporado a la junta de ILCA, García se convirtió en la voz de los contratistas hispanos. “Con frecuencia somos parte de la industria que realiza el trabajo arduo, pero no necesariamente reconocida por el trabajo inteligente que realiza. Pero no veo colores—Hago lo correcto y lo mantengo. La diversidad es importante”. García advierte que los mileniales piensan y actúan de forma diferente a las generaciones anteriores. “El trabajo en la industria de la construcción es agotador. Debemos inspirarlos”. A largo plazo, García planea permanecer involucrado en su negocio mientras su hijo Eric, de 28 años, continúa aprendiendo todos los gajes del oficio. “Mi padre es una fuente de inspiración increíble”, aseguró Eric García. “Me encanta trabajar con él”.

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Perfiles de cuatro carreras

Francisco Castillo

Midwest Groundcovers by Nina Koziol

As a child, Francisco Castillo liked to play outdoors.

Born in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, the 51-year-old, Castillo says, “I really enjoy being connected with nature.” Castillo is Midwest Groundcovers’ Senior Nursery Manager in St. Charles, and in Fennville, Michigan. He special-izes in plant propagation and growing, and nursery management. “When I came to Midwest Groundcovers in 1986, I was pulling weeds and sticking cuttings.” He eventually became a foreman running crews, and later, a propagation manager. Two years ago, he became nursery manager. “I work a lot with numbers and budgets and that’s easy for me.” He meets with two other su-pervisors and the sales team to determine what will be grown. “We work with past sales history by month. We have to make sure we have the plants that we need at the right time and that depends on demand. I like it a lot.” Although he’s often in front of a computer, Castillo says, “It’s an interesting field where you’re not locked up indoors all day.” In the early 90’s, he went to a community college to take English language classes from 7 to 10 p.m. after working all day. Everything else he’s learned on the job. “I think of Midwest Ground-covers as my university. They take the time to train employees. We grow people and plants.” Castillo has six children, ages 2 through 24, but laments that children today are more interest-ed in electronic devices than nature. “I think it’s going to be hard to get kids interested in the outdoors. They’d rather see butterflies on their phone.” Although his youngest children spend one or two hours a day on their electronic devices, Castillo makes sure they get outdoor time, too. “We go outside and pinch the flowers and do a little weeding.” One of the biggest challenges he faced when coming to the 38

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United States was the language barrier and potential discrimination. “It’s difficult when you don’t speak the language. You don’t speak English, you don’t have a driver’s license, and it becomes very complicated. If you don’t follow the rules—like getting a DUI—you can be out of the country in no time.” Castillo and others accompanied MWG’s Peter Orum on a trip to Denmark, Holland, Germany and Spain where they visited Orum’s home town and many nurseries. “When I was in Europe, it was amazing that they speak English very, very well. English is a difficult language.” The transition to citizenship happened slowly but it has all been worthwhile. “Peter Orum was an immigrant and he made me feel what it’s like to be an immigrant— I like that a lot. He’s a good man.” Castillo became a U.S. resident and then acquired citizenship 15 years ago. “I don’t drink or smoke. I have a good record, so then I could help my wife become a resident.”

Francisco Castillo Shares These Career Tips

The landscape profession poses challenges as well. “Working in hot weather, cold weather and long hours can affect people’s emotions. You have to learn how to deal with people. You have to have patience. It’s hard for me to get angry.” A member of the International Plant Propagator Society, Castillo likes color in his garden. “Roses, ornamental grasses—I like natives a lot, too. They can be low maintenance and at-tract butterflies.” Castillo is looking forward to many more years working in the green industry. “I see a lot of opportunity at Midwest Groundcovers. If you work hard and are not afraid of taking responsibility, they’ll give you the opportunities.” Who could ask for more?

Perfiles de cuatro carreras

Luis Arteaga

Hursthouse, Inc. Landscape Architects and Contractors by Nina Koziol

Nacido y criado en Chicago, Luis Arteaga explica

que involucrarse en el negocio del paisajismo no era la experiencia típica de los latinos debido a que algunos emigran de México y otros países y deben aprender inglés. “En mi caso, fue al revés—me estaba distanciando del español. Pero después de trabajar en Hursthouse, hablo español con más soltura. Cuando comencé a trabajar aquí, no podía pronunciar algunas palabras lo que me ocasionaba problemas con las demás personas”, afirma riéndose. Arteaga, de 38 años de edad, ha trabajado para Hursthouse durante 21 años. “Mi papá me trajo a trabajar en Hursthouse. Fue líder de mi equipo durante unos dos año y aprendí mucho de él”. Arteaga también trabajó en el taller y con el tiempo comenzó a hacer visitas de servicio y tareas como podar. “Unos cuatro años después me convertí en líder del equipo. Fue un rol completamente nuevo—Estaba acostumbrado a trabajar solo. Comencé a hacer muchas cosas y aprendí de Jeff, Bob, Arturo y otros”. La situación se puso difícil para Arteaga cuando su padre llegó a formar parte de su equipo. “Tenía más experiencia que yo y le gustaba darme órdenes. Cuando vio que yo sabía lo que estaba haciendo, dejó de mangonearme y trabajar con él se hizo divertido. Lo más importante es la química con los miembros de tu equipo y que todos se respeten mutuamente. Eso hace que todo camine mejor. Si algo sale mal, la responsabilidad es del líder del equipo, pero lo arreglamos”. Su hermano y su primo se incorporaron a Hursthouse y se convirtieron también en líderes de equipo. Arteaga siempre ha disfrutado de construir cosas y ver los logros. “Me gusta ensuciarme las manos y prestar atención a los detalles”. Las cosas han cambiado desde que fue nombrado 40

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gerente de proyectos. “No tengo la posibilidad de hacer el trabajo práctico y al comienzo fue un poco frustrante. No podía meterme en las trincheras para ayudarlos. Pero ahora los puedo ayudar consiguiendo y preparando las cosas que necesitan”. Estar al aire libre, disfrutar de la naturaleza y plantar árboles es mucho mejor que permanecer en una fábrica u oficina, dice Arteaga. “El trabajo es interesante y divertido al mismo tiempo. Me gusta resolver problemas y ver que se hagan las cosas. Me devano los sesos tratando de determinar cuál es la mejor manera de hacer las cosas y la más fácil para los miembros de la equipo”. Cada proyecto presenta un desafío diferente. Para Arteaga, lo divertido es determinar cómo resolver la parte difícil del trabajo. “Cuando más desafiante sea el trabajo, mejor para mí”, asegura. Ha reconstruido su propio patio con una fogata a la intemperie. “Me encanta construir cosas y plantar árboles y plantas perennes”. Casado

con tres hijos de 18, 11 y 7 años, Arteaga dice que su hija de 18 años quiere ser dentista. “Mi segundo hijo es alérgico a la maleza y no quiere cortar el césped. Y es trabajo intenso bajo el sol. A los jóvenes de hoy no les gusta intentarlo o se rinden, pero lo que hacemos es hermoso”.

Luis Arteaga Comparte estos consejos profesionales 1. Encuentre un mentor o dos y mantenga una actitud abierta para aprender de los demás. Aprendí de mi padre y de Bob, Jeff, Arturo y los líderes de los equipos. 2. El trabajo puede ser agobiante pero con la nueva tecnología, como las carretillas con motor, hay muchas herramientas que ayudan. 3. No pase de puntillas alrededor de un problema. Hágale frente. 4. Sea paciente. Desacelérese, tome su tiempo y desarrolle la química con sus compañeros de equipo.

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Perfiles de cuatro carreras

Jorge Contreras

Schmechtig Landscape Company by Nina Koziol Jorge Contreras tenía seis años cuando comenzó a estudiar en los Estados Unidos. “Mi tío vivía y trabajaba en el Vivero Synnestvedt en Round Lake, en el que trabajé años después. Cuando era niño, salíamos a pescar y era divertido permanecer al aire libre. Siempre me ha gustado estar cerca de la naturaleza”. Contreras, de 43 años de edad, comenzó a trabajar en el negocio del paisajismo en 1998. “Fui propagador y vendía plantas a los paisajistas”. Ha trabajado para la Schmectig Landscapes Company en Mundelein durante dos años como gerente de mantenimiento, un trabajo importante de gran responsabilidad y clientes exigentes. Schmectig Landscapes atiende algunas de las casas más elegantes de Chicago, la Costa Norte y los suburbios del noroeste. Antes de incorporarse a Schmectig, Contreras se hizo cargo del área de producción de otra firma con un equipo de 37 miembros. Trabajó con varios gerentes de cuentas y seis supervisores. “Este es un ritmo diferente y me estoy asegurando de que todos nos concentremos en alcanzar nuestras metas y satisfacer las expectativas de nuestros clientes. Disfruto de los desafíos que presentan las plantas y con el mantenimiento a los elementos sólidos de la jardinería ornamental”. En los inicios de su carrera, Contreras fue horticultor autodidacta. “Al atender las órdenes de trabajo, estudiaba las plantas y comencé a aprender sobre ellas”. Como en todo negocio de paisajismo, una de los mayores desafíos es el clima. Muy caluroso, muy frío, muy húmedo— todo dificulta la calendarización y el trabajo de los equipos que realizan sus labores bajo tales condiciones. “El mayor desafío ha sido atraer la mano de obra. Deseamos mantener a los trabajadores a bordo. Y algunas veces hay que ser psiquiatra”, dice riéndose. 42

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Contreras asegura que la camaradería ayuda con los proyectos diarios pero hay una advertencia. “Una cosa con los hispanos—comienzan a llevarse bien rápidamente y usted puede ser amistoso, pero hay que ser respetuoso y los equipos de trabajo tienen que respetar a sus supervisores”. Contreras se describe como un tipo tranquilo y así es como le gusta. “No salgo para que la gente me vea—No me gusta ser el centro de atención”. Casado con cuatro hijos, Contreras está pensando en una carrera diferente para su hijo mayor, que tiene 16 años. “Poda el césped y lo recorta, pero le he dicho a mi hijo que siga estudiando. Me gustaría que fuera arquitecto”. Pero Contreras también percibe el valor de trabajar al aire libre y crear nuevos diseños de jardines. “Veo el paisajismo como un arte— los colores naturales, las plantas, las sombras de las hojas—todo es arte. Dos de mis ornamentos favoritos son el árbol de Judea en la primavera, con sus flores, y las zarzas ardientes con sus colores

Jorge Contreras comparte estos consejos para el éxito

llamativos en el otoño”. Si bien su trabajo lo mantiene sumamente ocupado, trata de pasar el mayor tiempo posible con su familia. “Vemos juegos de fútbol—De niño yo jugué béisbol, no fútbol, pero mi hijo mayor juega ambos deportes”. ¿Cuáles son sus planes para los próximos cinco años? “Espero ver a mi hijo graduarse de la universidad y espero poder ayudar a Mike a desarrollar la compañía”. .”

1. Manténgase al día. Aprenda sobre la industria y estudie por su cuenta— sean plantas o elementos sólidos. 2. No se sienta frustrado, especialmente con los clientes. Vaya con la corriente. 3. Usted puede ser amistoso con los miembros de su equipo de trabajo, pero sea respetuoso también. ¡Y no grite! Cuanto más contentos se sientan los trabajadores, más querrán trabajar con usted. 4. No huya ni se esconda de los problemas. Trate de hacerles frente de inmediato.

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Sustainable Inspiration —

Establishing an Ecological By Patrice Peltier

Establishing a niche for yourself in ecologi-

cal landscaping is a lot like planting a prairie. You won’t reap the benefits without carefully doing the prep work, according to Larry Weaner, principal of Larry Weaner Landscape Associates. “You’ve got to know what you’re doing before you start marketing yourself,” Weaner told participants at ILCA’s recent Impact Seminar during his keynote address. Weaner has made a name for himself across the Eastern Seaboard since establishing his firm in the Philadelphia area in 1982. Trained in ornamental horticulture and landscape design, Weaner is a self-taught ecologist. His projects have won numerous awards and been chronicled in publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Landscape Architecture and Garden Design. His 2016 book, Garden Revolution: How Our Landscapes Can Be A Source of Environmental Change, won the 2017 Book Award from the American Horticultural Society. Weaner says his landscapes combine environmental science with good landscape design. They range from a quarter

acre to 40 acres or more. “I think of our projects as being between a garden and a wild place,” he says. Creating a niche for yourself in ecological landscapes can give you access to larger-scale projects, allow you to more precisely focus your marketing efforts, reduce competition and give you more pricing freedom, Weaner explains. But first, “you have to learn to think like an ecologist,” he says.

Think like an ecologist

Start by reading textbooks about basic ecology, he advises. (See sidebar on page 50 for Weaner’s recommended reading list.) “Keep everything you’ve learned about horticulture, but you also have to understand the basic ecology of what’s going on,” he says. “Learn about succession, disturbance and the natural processes that effect plants in nature. In addition to knowing a plant’s characteristics. Learn how it proliferates. By seed? If so, how is the seed dispersed? What kind of root system does the plant have? What is its longevity? What’s its place in succession? Is it quick to establish but short-lived or slow to establish and long-lived?

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Focus for Your Firm “You can’t solve all the problems by changing your plant palette,” he says. “You have to understand the plant’s natural processes.” Weaner used cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) to illustrate his point. “Cardinal flower’s role is to grow quickly and produce seeds fast,” he says. “The seeds must be viable for a long time because this plant’s role is to hold a space until later successional plants take over.” Weaner used his understanding of this plant’s process to maintain his design concept in a small residential garden. Because he was using cardinal flower for color, he wanted the plant to be an ongoing part of the garden. He needed to provide areas of disturbed soil for the plant to re-seed without allowing big holes in the planting where weed seeds could germinate. His solution was to rough up the soil only at the base of the plants so cardinal flower seeds could germinate every year. “It’s just common-sense thinking based on understanding the ecological process of the plant,” he says. Understanding plant processes is a must considering the scale of most ecological projects, according to Weaner. “A 40-acre native meadow can’t be managed like a traditional landscape. You can’t plant gallons and weed everything in between,” he says. “Some undesirable plants will inevitably reproduce. You have to understand the processes so you can develop strategies to plant and manage the project.” Even smaller projects, such as a quarter-acre planting Weaner showed the audience, are bigger than a typical garden bed. As such, they have to be maintained like a larger-scale planting, he explains. Consult regional resources to learn what plants are native to a specific area and learn which plants are their natural associates, Weaner advises. Books such as Plants of the Chicago Region by Floyd Swink and Gerould Wilhelm, provide “dot maps” that show what’s native to specific areas and habitats, Weaner explains. Learn how to identify invasive plants as well as learning about their lifecycles and characteristics, Weaner adds. “You need to know this so you can plan for and manage against them,” he notes. Similarly, Weaner advises learning to identify the seedlings of desirable plants as well as weed seedlings. “You have to be able to identify weeds and learn which are consequential and which aren’t,” he says. This knowledge is important not only for managing a planting but also for giving a client confidence. If you’re (continued on page 46) The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Sustainable Inspiration — (continued from page 45) walking a newly planted project with a client, you have to have an informed answer when the client spots a seedling and says, “What’s this,” Weaner explains. “You have to be confident because clients are taking a leap of faith,” he says. “In a seeded meadow, they’re not going to see anything they like in the first year.” Understanding the processes of the ecosystem you’re planting is also an important step in understanding how the project will evolve, Weaner says. “A planting is always changing,” he says. “It’s not enough to identify the plants, you have to know why are they there, what proceeded this composition and where’s it headed if you do nothing. It’s not enough to know what’s there, you have to know where it’s going.” The more the project is designed to evolve on its own, the better, Weaner adds. When evaluating where a landscape is heading, it’s important to consider what aspects of the existing planting are desirable and undesirable and what can be done to favor the desirable aspects, according to Weaner. The next step is to ask, “What should I add that would not be naturally occurring,” Weaner explains, pointing out, “This is usually the first question we ask in a traditional garden.” To illustrate, Weaner described a restoration project he observed during his travels. The site included naturally occurring sweetgum trees (Liquidambar styraciflua). He could see there were new sweetgums planted. Weaner wondered

why the project managers hadn’t introduced a new plant that would also be well suited to the site, such as swamp white oak. “Don’t plant what will already come up,” he counselled. “Plant what you want to introduce.”

Developing your skills

To develop your own skills and those of your employees, Weaner suggested: •

Take field trips

•

Experiment and evaluate, making sure to include others in your office in discussions of what you—and they—are observing. “That way, you’re not the only one learning,” he says. “The more heads involved, the more you’re going to learn.”

•

Interact with people as you travel. Mine the insights of ecologists, botanists, growers, farmers and others.

Preserve new information. “Record it someplace where everyone can reference it,” Weaner says.

Divide and conquer. Weaner assigns resources among staff members, giving each the responsibility of reviewing the information and reporting it to the group.

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

(continued on page 48)

Sustainable Inspiration — Creating your niche Once you’ve educated yourself, you can begin marketing your expertise. Weaner recommends establishing your credentials through formal certification programs and through public speaking, writing articles for local organizations and publications and participating in or hosting garden displays. “Establishing your credentials helps you get projects, and it earns you leeway during the development of a project,” Weaner says. “It gets you a longer leash.” Having expertise in ecological landscaping will help you expand your client base, become involved in larger-scale projects, more narrowly target your marketing and reduce the competition. “Many people don’t acquire the knowledge base,” Weaner says of potential competitors. Having fewer competitors also reduces or removes the pressure to be the low-cost provider, he adds. What’s more, your expertise will create opportunities for added services. If you’ve only offered design or instal-

lation in the past, now you can add maintenance, Weaner suggests. “You don’t plant one of these jobs and walk away. That’s malpractice,” he says. Controlling and removing invasive species is another service your new customer base will want, Weaner adds. When meeting with potential clients, Weaner advises providing a cost comparison between installing and maintaining an ecological planting versus a traditional landscape. Because at times installation costs may be higher for ecological plantings, his proposals highlight the difference in installation costs, savings in maintenance, and years required to recoup the difference.

Weaner provides clients with a written rationale for selecting plants and he tries to help them establish reasonable expectations for the early years of the planting. He provides a document outlining the expected timeframes. “I tell them, ‘There will be nothing you will like the first year. By the third

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The Landscape Contractor August 2018

year, it will start looking like what you expected,’” Weaner explains. It’s also important to discuss who will maintain the project, and how they’ll do it, Weaner says. You may need to install the project in phases to allow for the maintenance resources available. You may also have to train your client’s maintenance team or provide your own team, he says. Whether you’re planting a prairie or establishing yourself in an ecological niche, Weaner’s advice comes down to this: know before you sow.

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Sustainable Inspiration — Recommended reading Develop your expertise and learn to think like an ecologist, Larry Weaner advised during the keynote speech at ILCA’s recent Impact Seminar. Here are some of the resources he recommended: • The Ecology of Plants by Gurevitch, Scheiner & Fox

7463 West Ridge Road P.O. Box 189 Fairview PA 16415 800.458.2234 Fax 800.343.6819 e-mail: info@FairviewEvergreen.com FairviewEvergreen.com

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Landscape Restoration Handbook by Donald Harker, Sherri Evans, Marc Evans and Kay Harker

•

The Tallgrass Restoration Handbook for Prairies, Savannas & Woodlands edited by Stephen Packard & Cornelia F. Mutel

•

A Practical Guide to Prairie Reconstruction by Carl Kurtz

•

The Once & Future Forest: A Guide to Forest Restoration Strategies by Leslie Jones Sauer

•

Invasive Plants: Guide to Identification & the Impacts Control of Common North American Species by Sylvan Ramsey Kaufman & Wallace Kaufman

•

The Tallgrass Prairie Center Guide to Seed & Seedling Identification in the Upper Midwest by Dave Williams

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ICLA full page 7.375x9.875 8-18.indd 1

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

6/28/18 3:49 PM

New Board Member Profile Jennifer Fick by Meta Levin

New ILCA Board mem-

ber, Jennifer Fick, remembers attending ILCA events since she was a child. The association was important to her parents, as they ran Wilson Nurseries & Landscape Supply. The Fick family owns and runs the company. It all began when the Wilson brothers hired Fick’s father, Roger, to run the 300-acre farm in Volo, IL, on which they began the nursery, initially to supply their own landscape contracting business. It wasn’t long before they began selling to other landscape contractors, as well. Eventually Roger Fick bought out the Wilson brothers. Since then, the business has grown, now comprising land in Volo, Hampshire, Bolingbrook and Hanover Park. In 1997 they also opened Wilson Landscape Supply, Inc. Initially, it was Jennifer Fick’s brother, Andy, who earned a horticulture degree and entered the family business. Fick, herself, followed her passion and became a music teacher. She plays piano and flute and graduated college with a degree in education. Soon her family lured her back into the nursery business, where she has continued to use her skills. “I always feel that I am a teacher at heart,” she says. “I only stopped teaching when it became more work than fun.” That’s an attitude she brings to the industry. She loves to provide information to her clients and continues to learn from them. “You never stop learning,” Fick says. “The people we work with are so talented and creative.” Wilson Nurseries has continued to be a part of ILCA, exhibiting at and participating in various ILCA functions. Wilson Nurseries also co-hosted several Summer Field Days. So, it was no 52

Jennifer Fick

surprise when she was asked to participate in the first iLandscape committee. Admittedly, she hopped on board late in the game, but she has been an active committee member ever since. Her iLandscape committee work attracted the attention of those responsible for filling open board positions and soon Mike Schmechtig called her, asking about her interest in joining the ILCA Board of Directors. She thought about it, consulting her brother, with whom she now owns and runs the company. “He thought it was a great idea,” she says. During her tenure on the Board she wants to work toward increasing the professionalism. “It’s important to me to increase the respect that the industry gets,” she says. She also wants to increase communication among the landscape architects, growers and landscape contractors, because it is challenging for all concerned when specified plants aren’t available. “There’s often a disconnect,” she says. Fick has not given up her love of music, nor her focus on education. “Music is an important part of my life,” she says. Active in her church, she sings in the choir and directs one of the adult choirs. She just completed a three-year term as an Elder in her church. The Landscape Contractor August 2018

She also is following in her grandmother and her mother, Joy’s, footsteps as an active member of PEO, an international women’s organization that raises money for women’s education. The group provides scholarships and grants, funding not only low-income women who want to get an education, but also those who want to advance their education. Visitors to Wilson Nurseries know that the friendly standard Schnauzer nosing around belongs to Fick and is named Stella. And those really in the know, understand that she was named for the Stella d’Oro Daylily. The other dog, a yellow Labrador Retriever, belongs to Fick’s brother, Andy. Together they zip around the dog run and other parts of the nursery, as well. When her work allows her the time, Fick plays her piano and her flute, mostly for her own enjoyment, but sometimes with friends. She’s also an outdoor lover. “Hiking is my favorite,” she says. Her father is still around, as much as he wants to be, she says. “When we can’t find him, we know that he’s on a tractor somewhere,” returning to his roots. Fick is looking ahead, both in and out of the industry. “I want to do a good job for the Board,” Fick says. “I want to work diligently, but also have some fun. I view this as serving the community of which I am a member.”

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The Landscape Contractor August 2018

New Members — CONTRACTORS Abbott Tree Care Professionals, LLC P.O. Box 249 Wayne, IL 60184 Email: suea@abbotttreecare.com Phone: 630-681-8733 www.abbotttreecare.com Abbott Tree Care Professionals has been a provider of professional tree care, landscaping, lawn maintenance, and snow removal services for the Western Suburbs since 1990. We provide 24-hour emergency storm damage services. Barton Landscaping Inc. Tom Barton Maple Park, IL 60151 Email: tombarton@prodigy.net Phone: 630-327-4747 Herrera Landscape Snow Removal, Inc. Adrian Medina 8836 Lincolnwood Drive Evanston, IL 60203 Email: herreralandscapeinc@gmail.com Phone: 847-679-5622

The Service Innovators (TSI) Joseph P Gibbons 543 Diens Drive Wheeling, IL 60090 Email:joe.gibbons@tsisnow.com Phone: 773-278-8467 theserviceinnovators.com For three decades now, The Service Innovators (TSI) know when it comes to property maintenance great service is why we succeed, all year round. In addition to Landscape Maintenance in the spring, summer and fall, including irrigation maintenance and Municipal Mowing, we also maintain parking lots with Lot Sealing, Striping and Sweeping to keep them looking great. We can also maintain the exterior beauty of your building as well with Power Washing, Window Washing and our Watering Services to keep plants and flowers that don’t have access to irrigation alive and vibrant. After fall cleanups and irrigation winterization, our winter property risk management services kick in, providing Snow Removal and Liquid Deicing

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The Landscape Contractor August 2018

to keep your parking lot accessible to customers and employees. Safe passage follows them all the way to the front door with our High Volume Sidewalk Clearing services. SUPPLIERS BOSS Snowplow Mike Mindok 2010 The BOSS Way Iron Mountain, MI 49801 Email: mike.mindok@bossplow.com Phone: 906-776-3730 www.bossplow.com BOSS Snowplows is the leader in Snow & Ice Control equipment. Founded in 1985 in Iron Mountain, MI, BOSS Snowplow has long been known for Quality, Reliability and Customer Service. From the beginning, BOSS has been committed to the Professional Snow & Ice Contractor, and pride themselves on listening to the needs of their customers. Rotochopper, Inc. Rita Dullinger 217 West Street Saint Martin, MN 56376 Email: rdullinger@rotochopper.com Phone: 320-548-3586 www.rotochopper.com We specialize in grinding equipment that transforms waste materials into profitable opportunities like colored landscape mulch, animal bedding, biomass fuels, and compost with “Perfect In One Pass” simplicity OUT OF STATE

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The Landscape Contractor August 2018

New Member Profile Snapshot

Uncle Duff & Dave’s Lawn Service dba Tanna Landscape Service 42W855 Main Street Road Elburn, IL 60119 (630) 844-6984 www.uncleduffanddavesls.com

by Meta Levin

From pushing a lawnmower around neighbors’

yards as a teenager, with a little help from his brother, Dave Ellison and his wife, Jackie, have grown Uncle Duff and Dave’s Lawn Service in Elburn, IL to a 25-year-old business providing lawn maintenance to the Fox River Valley area. They offer weekly lawn maintenance, mulch, bush trimming, edging, weekly and monthly weeding programs, power washing, spring and fall clean up services and snow removal primarily to residential customers. Ellison began the business as a junior in high school. His brother, Jeff, aka Uncle Duff, helped at first, eventually leaving for other work. The Uncle Duff name – an invention of a small niece who had trouble pronouncing Jeff – stayed until now. With growth, the husband and wife team decided to rebrand. Uncle Duff and Dave’s Lawn Service will become Tanna Landscape Service, named after their two children, Tanner and Johanna. For a good part of its life, Ellison, with occasional part time help, was the face and the labor behind the company. In 2015, his wife, a graphic artist who had been doing the books, went to work for the business full time as a sales person. In two years the business had grown so much that they had replaced what she had been making as a graphic artist. Now they have a full-time foreman and “we’re going to need more,” says Jackie Ellison. “We’ve really grown.” Foreman Nate Nicholas has been with the company for two years. “He is a hard worker,” says Jackie Ellison. “He gets compliments all of the time for his work ethic.” He now knows the business so well that when the Ellisons need to be away, he can cover for them. As time has gone on, the Ellisons have noticed that the season is extending. “Before we wouldn’t start until April,” she says. Now, work often begins in March and they find 56

themselves going into mid-December. Uncle Duff and Dave’s focuses on residential work, although they do provide snow removal for a church and two businesses, as well. There is more demand for the work that they do. “In today’s society, everyone has a go, go lifestyle,” she says. “They still want a beautiful landscape. The industry is trying to keep up with the demand.” Once they start, customers seem to stay with the business. Ellison estimates that about 80 percent of the original clients are still with them, including a duplex retirement community and a church. “We do have a pretty high retention rate,” says Jackie Ellison. Now, in fact, they service the lawns of children of some of their long-time customers and are working with the niece and sons of an original customer. The Ellisons were “blown away” by ILCA’s educational offerings, especially since they are big on education for themselves, as well as passing their knowledge along to their customers. Since joining, they have participated in Turf Education Day, the sustainability conference, iLandscape and the Women’s Networking group. “We are happy with the amount of support available and the networking,” says Jackie Ellison. “We love the energy.” After each program they have been ready to apply what they have learned. “There are some great opportunities.”

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Classified Ads HELP WANTED Account Manager Grow with us! Balanced Environments is looking for a full-time addition to our sales team. As an Account Manager you will manage a portfolio of commercial landscape and snow accounts, prepare and present site recommendations, maintain client relationships and develop new clients through sales of new services. Our organization offers a compensation plan that includes a competitive salary/commission structure, health/dental/disability insurance and 401k plan. For a confidential consideration please send your inquiry and resume today to: hdill@balancedenvironmentsinc.com or call Ed Reier at 847-833-3594.

Landscape Maintenance Client Rep (F/T) Landscape firm in Libertyville seeks individual possessing strong background in project/client mgmt., customer service, estimating, sales, leadership communication skills, as well as all phases of horticulture, turf mgmt. and proper maintenance techniques. Min. 3-5 yrs. exp.; valid DL a must; SP speaking a plus. Exc. comp. & benefits pkg. Email resume: (ndeeter@roccofiore.com) Midwest – Chicagoland Certified Sales Arborist Assist owner in daily operations, sales and client contact for an established territory. Applicant must possess skills in identification of plants, insects and disease. Motivated candidate would be responsible for providing daily work and scheduling for 6 crew members. Qualified leads will be issued. Equipment will include 2 aerial towers, 3 chipper trucks and various size stump machines. Full benefits include company vehicle, medical, dental, life insurance and retirement plan. This is a salary plus commission position (6 figures). Submit resume to: Vince Winkler Winkler’s Tree & Landscaping, Inc., P.O. Box 1154 LaGrange Park, IL 60526 708-544-1219 or email to info@winklerstreeservice.com Discretion assured.

HELP WANTED Landscape Architect/Landscape Designer Wingren Landscape Downers Grove, IL Wingren Landscape is considered one of the area’s top landscape architectural and design firms. Our goal is to create a unified and stimulating environment where your talents and motivation are rewarded. Wingren Landscape is not just a place to work; it is a place to be creative and successful while at work. Wingren Landscape, Inc. is an award winning full-service landscape company for both residential and commercial properties seeking an experienced candidate for the following full time position: Landscape Architect/Landscape Designer

HELP WANTED Estimator Seeking seasoned & experienced estimator for taking a small landscape company to the next level. This of course would include knowledge of bidding landscaping and/or any other item or service that is related to the industry. Pay will commensurate w/profitability on commercial, municipal and/or private sector projects. We would like to see samples of past job or project take-offs. This would be part-time work or on a project to project basis only or it could lead to fulltime work later. References are required. Please send resumes to cindy@alvarezcorp.com.

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 will involve a combination of design, sales and project management. Requirements: • Degree in Landscape Architecture, Horticulture, 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 + years of experience preferred • Excellent communication and graphic skills Wingren offers competitive compensation and benefit packages. Please send resume and work samples to Human Resources Department, Attn: Paulab@wingrenlandscape.com CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES September 2018 issue ads: August 15, 2018 October 2018 issue ads: September 15, 2018 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

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Call Debbie @ 817-501-2403 Or email

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The Landscape Contractor August 2018

Before You Go...

Creativity in the Country:

Rural Landscape Companies That Make It Work By Scott Mehaffey

While most landscape companies are found in urban

or suburban markets, some exist in exurban or even rural markets. Exurbs are commuter towns beyond the suburbs, where a large percent of residents commute into suburban or urban areas for employment – whereas rural areas tend to be less dense, more self-sufficient and more remote. Landscape contractors – especially those with material yards or nurseries – may find land costs and zoning are more welcoming in exurban towns or rural areas. Those savings should be weighed against the availability of labor and materials, increased travel time and increasing fuel costs. More than likely, the consumers of professional landscape services are concentrated in urban and suburban areas. But this is conventional wisdom. Some companies have found success in remote markets – due to a combination of factors including less competition; less traffic; fewer zoning restrictions and ordinances to comply with; ability to stockpile bulk materials and organic waste; availability of agricultural workers and, in some cases, a lower average wage; affordability of worker housing; lower cost of living and improved quality of life. “There’s wealth in rural areas but getting people to pay for professional landscaping can be tough – especially when people have their own basic knowledge and equipment and don’t mind hard work,” said Ken Hoffman, owner of Outdoor Innovations located in Aledo, IL. “In town, people are used to paying for services so we concentrate on that market but even so, twenty percent of our customers are rural.” While the average income may be lower in small, rural towns, many people who own profitable businesses or large farms, as well as those who are independently wealthy, often choose to live in rural or exurban communities. “We have a lot of doctors, lawyers and businesspeople,” according to Dale

Stuber of Stuber Land Design, Inc. located in Tremont IL. “That said, the bulk of our business comes from middle-income households where the spend is a little lower, but the overall volume is great.” Competition for laborers can be tough in a smaller population area. Hoffman says, “Many of my competitors have smaller operations and pay less but they’re located in the city so it’s easier to get workers who live there – rather than starting and ending their day at our yard out in the country.” Stuber sees a larger shift away from manual labor: “I don’t blame the younger people for wanting an education and a professional career, but it is harder to find younger laborers these days – especially those who want to work.” Stuber does benefit from the presence of agricultural workers with green cards or H-2B visas. Rural and exurban markets face many of the same challenges as urban and suburban markets. Hoffman cited “weekend landscapers” as an increasing issue. “Many customers are deal-shoppers and they find these guys without proper insurance and registration who have steady jobs during the week but work independently on the weekends for a little extra cash – it really hurts established landscape companies like ourselves.” Hoffman and Stuber are just two of many Illinois landscape contractors who have built reputable and successful companies serving market areas outside of the Chicago Region. Editor’s Note: This series of columns is by Chicago-area landscape architect Scott Mehaffey. Scott has enjoyed a long and varied career in the landscape world. He has spent time in the employ of contractors, public gardens, and the City of Chicago. He now operates his own design firm and is an ILCA member. His musings are intended to be reflective, inspirational, and occasionally motivational.

The Landscape Contractor August 2018

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