iLandscape Education Takes on an International Flavor

iLandscape Classes have been finalized and what a stunning array it is. Browse through this remarkable selection of classes then head to ilandscapeshow.com to register. Program is subject to change. Please check the website, mobile app or on site signage for updates.

WEDNESDAY

8:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Room: Euphoria Why Plant Growth Regulators are the Sound Business Approach to Addressing the Labor Shortage

Cory McCurry, Rainbow Ecoscience Plant growth regulators can improve the way you manage landscapes. The newest generation of plant growth regulators can be used to control the growth of trees, shrubs, ground covers, hedges, and vines. Lee and Patrick will discuss how using plant growth regulators reduces pruning cycles, increases profits and safety, manages labor shortages, and maintains better-looking plants.

Room: Nirvana A The Human Resources Imperative: How to Design, Prioritize, and Implement a Human Resources Department

Steven Cesare, The Harvest Group This presentation lends clarity to the increasingly complex area of Human Resources that most business owners are confronted with on a daily basis. Steven will share how to categorize the domain of human resources into an easy-to-apply framework that will help simplify the business owner’s mindset about what should be done and when it should be done. The Human Resources Imperative identifies three specialty areas into which all human resources functions are allocated, organized, and understood. The simplicity of this model makes it easy for business owners to focus on a systematic plan to build their human resources program in a manner that is legally complaint, results-oriented, and sustainable over time. The Landscape Contractor January 2022

Nancy Buley, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co It’s a long and complex journey from seed to city tree. Today’s weather extremes call for the development of a new generation of urban trees that are climate resilient, and comprised of a diverse blend of species and cultivars – native and introduced. In this session, attendees will understand the timeline and processes of tree production. And how and why of cultivar development will help you plan ahead for choosing , growing and planting the best trees for the future urban forest.

Room: Utopia AB Everything You Should Know to Make Your Building Permit Process Flow

Jon Hirsch, Krugel Cobbles, Inc.; Moira Dillon, Krugel Cobbles, Inc.

The thought of applying for building permits is enough to make any landscape contractor scratch their head. Every municipality has different regulations which add complexity and time to the process. Krugel Cobbles has successfully submitted hundreds of permits. They have learned when you need a permit and why, understanding what municipalities need, and how to get the initial submission right. Jon and Moira will also review areas that have to approve the submitted permit, and what do they evaluate. You’ll leave with easy steps to keep track of the permit process and key mistakes to avoid.

Room: Utopia CD Art of Gardening at Chanticleer

Bill Thomas, Chanticleer Join Chanticleer’s Executive Director and Head Gardener Bill Thomas for a visual tour and behind-the-scenes look at what The Washington Post calls “one of the most interesting and edgy public gardens in America.” Chanticleer, once the home of the Rosengarten family, is known for residential-scale plant combinations featuring foliage textures and colors, a wide variety of containers, and imaginative handmade furniture. This is a garden where the staff are the designers, competing with each other and with the horticultural world to make the garden fun, visually exciting, and environmentally responsible. Bill will offer insights on what inspires this special place.

9:45 AM – 11:00 AM

Room: Euphoria Fungi with Benefits

Chelsi Abbott, Davey Tree Expert Company Plants are part of a complex ecosystem involving many organisms including bacteria, fungi, insects, and animals. Unfortunately, when one thinks of fungi, one thinks of the many pathogenic fungi that cause disease and decay that are a nuisance or a danger to humans. However even though these seem to make many of the headlines, pathogenic fungi encompass a small percentage of the fungi present in this ecosystem. This talk will aim to review some of the benefits that certain types of fungi can have while focusing on the associations fungi form with plants that can increase nutrient absorption and reduce drought response.

Vallari Talapatra, Eco Scapes, Inc. There are a myriad of ways to focus and relax. Most require some sort of connection to electronics, when the easiest way to accomplish this is to step outside into nature. Meditative gardens instill tranquility, balance and a sense of calm for most of us. In every garden Vallari designs, she includes a space for contemplation. Vallari will discuss the elements of a meditative garden and how to put these elements together. Attendees will learn how to make a meditative garden integrate with the rest of the garden setting, and leave focused and relaxed.

Room: Nirvana BC Urban Sketching 101

Aaron Elswick, WGI Take a crash course in urban sketching! This session will touch on the integral role that drawing plays with a professional setting and present urban sketching as a platform for continual professional practice and growth. We will kick off with an introductory presentation where Aaron will share the benefits of urban sketching, his tools, and tips & tricks for success. A demonstration will follow, and the group will be able to follow along as the instructor shares his approach to breaking down complex scenes, drawing in perspective, and simplifying common urban elements into replicable features and textures.

Room: Utopia AB Gardens that Rock!

Jeff Epping, Olbrich Botanical Gardens If you want a garden that truly rocks, look no further than a gravel garden. Earthfriendly gravel gardens require less of just about everything – water, mulch, energy, chemicals and most importantly labor – but give back so much more. Jeff Epping, Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, created a number of gravel gardens at Olbrich and in his own home garden that you can easily incorporate into your home landscape, as well. Don’t confuse these gardens with traditional rock or alpine gardens that can look more rocky than green and require a great deal of time to maintain. These sustainable gravel gardens are as colorful as any perennial planting around, provide food and habit for pollinators and other insects and require up to 80% less maintenance than a traditional perennial planting. Jeff will show you how to replace conventional lawns, expensive annual plantings, and labor-intensive perennial beds with these easy-to-maintain gravel gardens, just as he’s done at Olbrich and elsewhere.

Room: Utopia CD Lost in Translation: The 5 Things Businesses Must Understand About the Latinx Culture

Bernie Carranza, Consultant Back by popular demand! Join Bernie Carranza as he expands on key points discussed in his 2020 webinar. Spanish-speakers and Latinx employees comprise over 50% of the Illinois landscape industry. Bridging the gap is bigger than language. It is a cultural understanding that can reap tremendous dividends. This is a can’t miss session for anyone else looking to bridge the cultural divide and establish a more productive and harmonious workplace. Bernie will address some of the biggest misconceptions of working alongside Latino employees, leaving you with a renewed understanding and appreciation of our compadres.reduce drought response.

2:00 PM – 3:15 PM

Room: Euphoria Oak Decline: A Fight Against the Inevitable

Chelsi Abbott, Davey Tree Expert Company

Oaks are incredibly desirable trees in urban landscapes, however, in recent years many oak trees have been in decline. Oak decline is a complex of insects, fungi, and environmental factors that interact to bring about severe damage and eventual death of the tree. Since oak decline can be caused by any combination of biotic and abiotic factors, proper diagnosis before management is key. This talk will aim to cover the diagnostics of key oak problems, such as two-line chestnut borer, wood decay fungi, foliar pathogens, and cultural conditions to understand how these problems interact and attribute to oak decline. Furthermore, management practices discussed will be focused o n a holistic approach using traditional and experimental methods.

Room: Nirvana BC How to Make 20% More on Residential Maintenance

Tom Lupfer, Lupfer Landscaping

Seasoned landscape professional Tom Lupfer will take you through his operations, step-by-step, and show contractors how to make more on residential maintenance. It all starts with the bidding process and takes attendees all the way through to billing. Along the way, the presentation will cover contracts, production standards, management tools, and customer service necessary for satisfied residential maintenance customers. The focus will be on knowing your numbers by knowing what to measure, keeping track of it, and then managing and bidding based on those numbers. Landscaping is a story problem, but it doesn’t have to be a hard one.

Room: Utopia AB Leadership for Crew Leaders and Managers

Todd Kramer, Kramer Tree Specialists Green Industry staff are often promoted to leadership roles based on their ability to complete a task but may lack the qualities and skills required to be an effective leader. Some employees find it difficult to be in charge, and have trouble leading their fellow employees. It is a process to train effective leaders. Learn how to develop leadership skills that will positively contribute to developing safe, productive, and quality-oriented crews.

Room: Utopia CD A Bountiful Year: Six Seasons of Beauty from Brandywine Cottage

David Culp, Author & Creator of Brandywine Cottage Based on his most recent book of the same name, this talk digs deeper into David Culp’s celebrated garden Brandywine Cottage, featuring a focus for each month, including recipes, a garden to-do list, flower arrangements and practical information. Favorite mail order sources, gardening for biodiversity and wildlife habitat, the creation of the meadow at Brandywine Cottage, recommended plants for dry places, and even favorite weeds will also be discussed. This lecture and book are about lifestyle, and blurring the lines of indoor and outdoor living.

STREAMING LIVE FROM AUSTRALIA! Room: Nirvana A

Georgina Reid, The Plant Hunter The garden is much more than a place of solace, respite and decoration. It can also be a place of action, activism and world-making. This presentation centers garden-making as an act of care for our world. Featuring the stories of fascinating gardeners and their gardens, as well as sharing Georgina Reid’s own creative journey, the presentation will be inspiring, thought provoking, and gorgeous. You may never look at your garden the same way again.

Room: Euphoria Estimating Hardscape Projects with Confidence

Donny Duke, Arborgold Do you know your cost of doing business or performing the work that you sell or are you just guessing? The price that other trades and services charge for their work continually goes up, but have your rates and prices done the same? You can no longer hope you will become more profitable by guesswork and luck. This session will demonstrate the importance of an estimating strategy and show how to develop and implement the strategy to become profitable and stable and to ensure your company’s survival.

LIVE STREAMING FROM NEW YORK! Room: Nirvana A Brooklyn Bridge Park: Lessons (so far!) in Constructed Ecology

Rebecca McMackin, Brooklyn Bridge Park Brooklyn Bridge Park, an 85 acre, organic park in the middle of New York City, was created with ecology in mind. The park’s award winning piers include top notch recreation, from opera to outdoor films, all of it beautifully designed. But the piers also contain native woodlands, freshwater wetlands, salt marshes, and numerous meadows. These areas closely mimic native ecosystems and are managed with an emphasis on wildlife habitat. This talk will detail many of the strategies employed to design an ecological park, as well as the management techniques used to cultivate biodiverse parkland. If we can do it, so can you.

Room: Nirvana BC If Some Is Good, More Is Better (The Argument for Diversity in the Landscape)

Scott Beuerlein, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Diversity of plant material not only enriches our gardens, it also creates great habitat for wildlife. And it actually makes gardening easier and more beautiful. This indisputable case will be made. Settled. All will be in agreement. And an inspirational palette of plant material will also be presented.

Room: Utopia AB The Secret to Reducing Plant Replacement Cost and Increasing Client Satisfaction

Gary Eichen, SavATree No matter how healthy the stock, all of us have experienced plant loss – along with associated costs and potential impact on customer satisfaction. In fact, sometimes it seems as though plants just don’t thrive in certain areas. We are quick to blame too much or too little water or exposure to light. But what if the problem stems with the soil? This session will provide a fundamental understanding of soil, focusing on the composition of healthy soil. It covers the basics of soil testing, so that participants will know how to read soil test results and zero in on what’s most important. It will also include a discussion of soil additives and organic soil enhancers.

9:45 AM – 11:00 AM

Jack Jostes, Ramblin Jackson

Weed out bad fit customers before they call you while attracting qualified leads on autopilot using the proven, current, landscaper’s digital marketing & sales process. Featuring REAL ILLINOIS LANDSCAPER VIDEO CASE STUDIES. Yes, this works in Illinois! Walk away with immediate improvements in your sales process AND worksheets, templates, and actionable takeaways from the Landscaper’s Guide to Modern Sales & Marketing Podcast host and Illinois native, Jack Jostes, who got his start in the green industry working at a prominent Chicagoland nursery and who has been known to feed audiences beef jerky.

Room: Euphoria Decked Out

Eric Hoffman, Woodridge Deck & Gazebo Company Changes in permeability requirements are driving the use of decks, pergolas, gazebos and outdoor pavilions. Join Eric as he explains the various products available. He’ll highlight the characteristics of these products with samples and then describe the low maintenance options available.

Room: Nirvana BC Small Landscapes with BIG Attitudes

Kerry Ann Mendez, Perennially Yours Do you have a small area to garden but want BIG results? Maybe it’s the main entrance to your home or an entertainment area that needs jazzing up? This eyeopening presentation provides clever design and accessorizing tips for maximizing and extending color in smaller spaces. The session features remarkable, no-fuss perennials, flowering shrubs, evergreens and annuals that provide three seasons (or more) of beauty plus neat habits. Pollinator-friendly plants and sustainable practices are emphasized.

Room: Utopia AB Garden Legends! 400 Years of Ornamental Horticulture in America

Kirk Ryan Brown, John Bartram Lives Travel across America to discover what gardeners should recognize about the art and practice of high design and low dirty work. With a travelogue including 75 gardens in 45 minutes, Kirk’s topic surveys how agriculture became urbanculture…what national parks return to ‘We the People’…why cemeteries commemorate more than famous people…when public gardens disappear…and who gardens best. Expand your bucket list of must-see public gardens! This will be an enthusiastic gardener’s world-view of unblinking honesty about the importance of sowing, growing, and owning green in our lives.

Room: Utopia CD The Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic’s Annual Summary

Julie Janoski, The Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic is a free service provided by The Morton Arboretum for homeowners and green professionals which communicates with over 8,000 people and answers over 17,000 questions a year about plant health care. Plant Clinic is also part of the Plant Health Care Program at the Arboretum. Learn about some of the most common questions asked and get an update on pest and disease issues we are seeing and their management options. In addition, the presentation will provide an update on possible new disease problems we should be looking for and what to do if you see something unusual. The Landscape Contractor January 2022

Room: Nirvana BC Bullet-Proof Shade Plants for Breathtaking Gardens

Kerry Ann Mendez, Perennially Yours Shade gardening is my passion. The combination of captivating foliage and radiant flowers is mesmerizing, plus much less maintenance than full sun gardens. This session includes design tips as well as plants for dry shade and deer-prone gardens.

Room: Utopia AB Celebrating 100 Years of Horticulture! Gardening for Victory

Kirk Ryan Brown, John Bartram Lives Out of the social cauldron of the Dustbowl Depression and FDR’s Works Progress Administration, came a national drive to Go Green. Through WWII and into the construction of Levittowns and Interstate Highways across the nation, America’s family unit was reformed. Leisure activities and vacation traveling became the norm. New style, or Lifestyle, landscapes were created. Into our 2021 Post-Covid lives, comes a new demand to re-learn everything our grandparents knew about growing plants: as a food source, as an escape from the virtual world, for more color in our lives, and as a health-giving natural tonic. Compare and contrast how life now mirrors life then! Kirk shares his many views on gardens he’s loved, plants he’s coveted, gardeners he’s known and life that’s surrounded him. Be enthusiastic. Be committed, Be passionate! Gardening’s here to stay.

Room: Utopia CD It’s ALL about PEOPLE: How to Find, Attract, On Board, Keep and Grow the Right People for Your Company

Ed Laflamme and Bill Arman, The Harvest Group By far and away the most difficult challenge in 2022 for landscape companies is finding, hiring and keeping good people. Potential candidates agree on a time to meet but nine out of 10 times don’t even show up. Workers are leaving for $3.00, $2.00 or even $1.00 per hour more. The question is why? We will do a deep dive into these issues and talk about the reasons why these things are happening. Recruiting is not just putting an ad on a job site because that’s not working anymore, is it? In our seminar we’re going to teach you a recruiting plan with FRESH ideas that will help you to be more successful. One method alone will not work. What is needed is an integrated approach with multiple methods to cast your net wide and deep. But wait, once they’re hired why are they leaving? We’re going to address this head on and give you reasons why many leave, and how to change that once and for all.

Uniting Latino and American Culture in the Workplace

Presented by the ILCA Latino & Americano Committee

These sessions will focus on understanding and appreciating the differences in the Latino and American culture. Better understanding will reduce conflict and lead to greater opportunities for the Latino and domestic workforce. This will result in more opportunities for advancement and better retention. This landmark series of presentations was put together by a task force of Latino and American landscape professionals. They will draw on research, professional experience, and personal stories to convey this information. The end result will attempt to bridge the gap between the two cultures that make the landscape industry great.

This program will be presented entirely in Spanish. Bilingual attendees are encouraged to attend. This iLandscape send your field staff, Latino managers, ESL, and bilingual employees. Look for this program to be presented in English at a later date.

Sessions are scheduled to take place in Utopia CD at the following times:

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Thursday, February 3, 2022

11:00 AM – 11:45 AM 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

John Dini, Electronic Entry Systems Automatically controlled driveway gate access systems are becoming more and more popular. These systems are most often part of a greater landscape and hardscape implementation plan. The knowledge provided will help anyone involved in landscape development better prepare for what features these systems offer, and what goals they can achieve. Whether the landscape architect has a direct involvement in the automatic driveway gate access system, or is not involved but is simply interested in how these systems will impact the overall landscape plan, this presentation is for you. Everything from what types of systems are best for different situations, to how the different types of gates can be incorporated into the masonry and drive surface will be covered. At the end of this presentation, attendees will be well educated on what makes up these security driveway gate access systems and how best to offer them to their clients.

Room: Nirvana A What to Expect When Expecting H-2Bs

Kara Youngblood, Youngblood & Associates

You have decided your company should turn to the H-2B program to alleviate your workforce deficiencies. Like any first time parent, you are sitting there thinking “Now what?” Kara will provide a brief summary of the program and then walk you through how to get started. Expanding your family is expensive - and that includes your work family. Kara will outline the costs you should expect to incur and what your first week as an H-2B Employer will look like. You can bet there will be a lack of sleep involved. Then after that first week, what are your additional responsibilities after your H-2B workers arrive?

Room: Nirvana BC Native Plants And The New Ecology: Impacts for the Commercial Landscaper

Daniel Gerdes, Christy Webber Landscapes This session will outline the problems that common horticultural practices have created in ecological systems during the past 60 years in a non-confrontational, good humored and engaging way. It will describe the new native plant initiatives that are now disrupting the design and commercial landscaping industries, and this will be followed by a detailed presentation of the goals of this New Ecology and the impacts it will have on our industry over the coming decades.

Room: Utopia AB Why Should I Work For You? Finding, Engaging & Retaining Top Talent In A Post-Pandemic World

Joe Abraham, Entrepreneurial DNA If your HR department is responsible for hiring and developing people, you’ve already put yourself 5 years behind the 8-ball. This 75-minute session is lifted from the 2-day WIN IT Owners Conference held in Fall 2021. You’ll discover how values-based accountability, messaging, and coaching play into winning the talent game – especially with millennials and generation Z.

Room: Utopia CD Maximizing Landscape Design-Build Efficiency with Technology

Joe Hanauer, Landscape Architecture, LLC During the Great Recession, landscape architect and owner of a mid-size design-build company, Joe Hanauer decided to “tech up”. His goal then was to be a one-person design-build office. Now, with labor markets tight, using technology to create efficiencies for installation crews is increasingly important. With hardware including a tablet, computer, GPS Surveyor, Zip-Level and camera, combined with software for note taking, estimating and designing, this session will reveal how they are all essential to creating an efficient workflow from first call to last shovel. This session will also show how this “almost-paper-free” technology workflow can be used to run a one-person office and scaled to work with larger firms, too.

Room: Nirvana A Grower Degree Days, A Better Way to Monitor Plants, Weeds, Insects, and Fungi

John Terhesh, Goodmark Nurseries Yesterday it was 70° and tomorrow it’s snowing. What does this mean for spring? Climate change is leading to changes in weather patterns that will only be amplified in the future years. The development of plants, insects, weeds, and diseases require heat, and the old calendar based schedules are getting less reliable. A more modern approach to predicting crabgrass emergence or insect hatching is to use “grower degree days” (GDD). Using grower degree days to use as your new IPM schedule will lead to much better results which will reduce expenses and increase crop health.

Room: Nirvana BC By the Light of the Moon: Evening Gardens

Heather Prince, Fearless Gardening

Evening or moon gardens have become popular as folks rediscover the potential of their garden spaces after dark. With a long and rich history, evening gardens enchant us and provide quiet moments of respite. We’ll take a look at the elements of an evening garden, explore garden styles, and profile plants that go beyond white flowers to add layers of texture and fragrance.

Room: Utopia AB Operations, Production, & Scheduling Plant Health Care Services – What’s the Key to a Successful Approach

Lee Fredericks, Rainbow Ecoscience

What are the most challenging aspects of running an efficient and effective plant health care program? Identifying and training the right people? Scheduling procedures at the correct time of the year? Inventory management and product lifespan? Application tips and strategies? How do many successful companies perform this operational orchestra? In this session, we will explore the important aspects of the plant health care industry operational planning and implementation will be presented. Attendees will also be able to ask any production-related questions regarding the operations, production, equipment, scheduling, and the proper timing of plant health care services.

Room: Utopia CD Effective Weed Control in Landscapes

Aaron Hathaway, Nufarm

Controlling weeds in landscapes full of desirable plants requires a sound understanding of weed ecology and herbicide characteristics. Common weeds found in landscape beds have varying traits and there are many chemistries available to managers that can aid in more effective control, better safety amongst desirable plants, and increasing longevity of control. We will touch on weed identification and cover the many categories of available herbicides and their best use within these landscapes.

Room: Euphoria Customers Count – Simple Proven Ways to Build Customer Loyalty and Profitable Relationships

Judson Griggs, The Harvest Group It has been proven that, “It’s hard to make money on a customer you don’t have.” That may seem like an over-simplification, but many people forget about this aspect of sales — Retaining your great clients! The longer you keep the right customer the more you will make! Judson will explore ways to establish long term relationships and to move the relationship from Vendor to Trusted Advisor to Partner to Raving Fans. Together, we will review ways to achieve: retention, recovery, renewals, referrals and extra revenue.

STREAMING LIVE FROM WALES! Room: Nirvana A Plants First

Sarah Price, Sarah Price Landscapes Sarah believes in plant-driven design. She is developing a visual vocabulary using plants; their shapes, textures, colors and patterns to compose her designs. She will discuss her own sources of design inspiration; providing insights into how we can look more closely at plants and the environments in which they grow. Through giving real examples, she will lift the lid on her working processes, discussing her gold medal winning designs for her Chelsea Flower Show Gardens, her 2012 Olympic plantings for the Queen Elizabeth Park, London, as well as garden designs within healthcare environments and experiments within her own garden in Abergavenny, Wales.

Room: Nirvana BC Exciting Annuals for 2022

Mark Dwyer, Landscape Prescriptions by MD With so many amazing annuals coming out every year, it’s always nice to see not only some new selections but focus on some of the best of the best that continue to perform and be popular. This presentation will focus on annuals for all lighting conditions with some focus on fragrance, wildlife value and value in the container and basket. I’ll be visiting many trial gardens in 2021 to examine some of the most exciting plants coming to market.

Room: Utopia AB Landscapes with Impact: Building Spaces that Respond to Client and Community Needs

Benjamin Himschoot, Clare Johnson, Lauren Mathias; Himsben Design Studio LLC Landscapes provide people with the opportunity to connect, socialize and enjoy nature at multiple scales – from intimate backyards to public gardens. Join the team from Himsben Design Studio (HDS) for a presentation on the power of client and community-focused design at two scales. Learn about their design and build process for diverse communities and how to create spaces that are unique and feasible.

Room: Utopia CD Benchmarking for Profit Improvement

Jeffrey Scott, Jeffrey Scott Consulting Earning a high ‘return on investment’ requires a smart approach to business. What’s the difference between low profit and high (20%) profit companies? It’s the benchmarks and key indicators they track, and the strategies they set and decisions they make daily. You will learn which financial and leadership benchmarks to follow, and how to engage your team in order to maximize their performance. Learn the secrets that highly successful landscape companies use to set up and run financially successful businesses. The Landscape Contractor January 2022

Room: Euphoria The Space in Between – Shoreline Buffers

Keith Gray, ILM; Monica Komorowski, ILM When working with clients with water features on their property, special attention needs to be given to the plants along the edge of the pond or lake. Called shoreline buffers, these areas of the landscape can look breathtaking while also providing important ecosystem services like soil stabilization and water filtration. While plant selection for shoreline buffers is important, soil preparation is equally as important in order to ensure project success. In this session, you will learn about attractive native plants used for shoreline buffers and practical preparation tips. Case studies from a variety of sites big and small will be shared.

Room: Nirvana A Set Up Your Company to Run Itself

Jeffrey Scott, Jeffrey Scott Consulting You have founded (or bought) a great company, but you find that your job has taken over your life. You need help figuring out how to build up your company and your leadership team, so they can handle the day to day sales and operations without you. It’s not impossible, but it takes a shift in mindset and strategy, and an intentional approach to building your team, setting up the correct systems and culture, and empowering your team to make decisions and be accountable for their areas. This presentation will show you a step by step approach with case studies to prove that its possible to set up your company to run itself.

Room: Nirvana BC Hidden Treasures : Underused Plants for Today’s Landscapes

Nikki Melin, Midwest Groundcovers; Kevin McGowen, Kaknes Landscapes Supply; Mike Mennonah; Mariani Plants

How do you know which plants are truly the best field performers? What plants get the most promotional hype and are often overused in our landscapes? High demand, limited supply for the tried and true —these are the challenges we currently face. Join our expert panel and discover their recommendations for underused trees, shrubs, perennials, groundcovers and good substitutes for your projects.

Room: Utopia AB Designing a Healing Garden

Mark Dwyer, Landscape Prescriptions by MD This presentation will talk about many of the design features that can be successfully included in a design for a healing or enabling garden. We’ll talk about some of the plant materials appropriate for the setting but how the actual layout and features can encourage engagement and relaxation for a wide audience of users but also have the potential to be utilized for active programmatic use (physical therapy, horticulture therapy, etc.). We’ll also discuss specific enabling features that will accommodate specific users, encourage engagement and provide a welcoming garden space for all visitors and users.

Room: Utopia CD Illinois’ Most Unwanted Tree Pests and Pathogens

Tricia Bethke, The Morton Arboretum It’s a tough life for a tree! Knowing what’s ‘bugging’ them and what’s a car ride away can help protect trees in urban and rural landscapes. Join Tricia Bethke, Forest Pest Outreach Coordinator, for a lively discussion on how to identify, manage and eradicate new and potential tree pests. Early detection is the best defense, learn how to report and monitor pests and diseases before they become a real problem.