The Landscape Contractor magazine JUL.24 DIGITAL EDITION
Building Beauty in the Heart of Chicago
Espalier for a Unique Landscape Treatment
Santa is pictured holding Nordic® Brabant Arborvitae, with Nordic® Fourth of July Arborvitae in the background.
Pictured on left: Nordic® Spire Arborvitae, Nordic® Blade Sedge, Nordic® Blue Juniper, Nordic Carpet® Cotoneaster
ILCA Awards Committee 1, 8-9
Mark Dwyer 16-22
Rick Reuland 24-28
Brian Barry 30-37
Midwest Groundcovers 42-47
Tim Hawley 48-52
Winding Creek Nursery, Inc. 5 6-57
Nina Koziol 61
Mark Dwyer 6
The official publication of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA), The Landscape Contractor is dedicated to educating, advising and informing members of this industry and furthering the goals of the Association. The Landscape Contractor carries news and features relating to landscape contracting, maintenance, design and allied interests. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication. Publication reserves right to refuse advertising not in keeping with goals of Association. www.ilca.net
Volume 65, Number 7. The Landscape Contractor (ISSN # 0194-7257, USPS # 476-490) is published monthly for $75.00 per year by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste. 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL and additional mailing offices. Printed in USA.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Landscape Contractor, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. DISPLAY ADVERTISING SALES: Association Publishing Partners, Inc., Ph. (630) 637-8632 Fax (630) 637-8629 email: rmgi@comcast.net CLASSIFIED ADS, CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION: ILCA (630) 472-2851 Fax (630) 472-3150 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL OFFICE: Rick Reuland, rmgi@comcast.net, Naperville, IL 60540 Ph. (630) 637-8632
ILCA Staff
Executive Director Scott Grams (630) 472-2851 sgrams@ilca.net
Statewide Director of Development Kellie Schmidt kschmidt@ilca.net
Director of Events AnneMarie Drufke adrufke@ilca.net
In 2013, a 29-year old defense contractor named Edward Snowden uncovered the largest, most pervasive domestic spying program in the history of the United States. The program was perpetrated by the National Security Agency (NSA) and surveilled the phone and internet records of millions of Americans accused of no wrongdoing. Snowden risked his job, freedom, safety, and reputation to expose this program to the press and general public. He felt they had a right to know about this brazen and illegal surveillance program that the government claimed, under oath, never existed. Snowden knew he would face charges of espionage, but was confident that the American public were so maniacal about our privacy we would rush to his aid. Edward Snowden was convinced he would be vindicated because his values matched the values of the American people.
Edward Snowden was wrong.
If anything, the NSA will just be bored by all of us.
The truth is that Americans are very comfortable with surveillance. We allow smart phones and Alexas in our homes. We put Ring doorbells on our stoops. We allow for our private data to be sent to market research groups the second we select “Allow Cookies” on internet sites to get that annoying box out of the way. We walk into stores, airports, and elevators with CCTV cameras and we allow traffic lights to determine if we broke the law. There are hours of video sitting on a server somewhere of us picking our noses and scratching our butts — and we don’t care.
For decades, surveillance was about playing offense against the bad guys. We monitored lawbreakers to stop crime or punish criminals. In the past 20 years, surveillance has undergone a rebrand. Instead of playing offense, we have asked surveillance to play defense. Now it is used to protect us from customers, employees, employers, and even ourselves. This all started with the dash camera.
His leak landed with a thud. The intelligence agencies scrambled into defense mode expecting hearings, arrests, indictments, and threats of defunding. The media covered the story as expected, but the American people just shrugged it off. Our reactions ranged from general apathy to annoyance that he made our lives a little uncomfortable for a few months because we learned the truth.
Edward Snowden now lives quietly in Moscow to avoid extradition. He understandably worries that the intelligence agencies will still haul him to federal prison if he were to return. I wager in 10 more years, he could walk down the street and no American would even know who he was. Edward Snowden wasn’t a hero or a traitor, he was just someone who failed to read the room.
Edward Snowden made a gross miscalculation. He thought because Americans talked so much about privacy and tyranny they would be outraged to find out the government was monitoring their communications in collusion with the telecommunications companies. In actuality, outside of a few text threads and our browser histories, most Americans are not really that concerned about privacy and tyranny.
It would be easy at this point to say, “Whoa, not so fast! The internet, social media, legacy media, and podcasts are constantly complaining about government encroachment into our private lives. Pundits and politicians bring it up in every speech about everything.” My response to that is, “Exactly.” The reason Americans talk about the dangers of government overreach is because Americans don’t fear government overreach. Because there is no actual danger, we are free to talk about its dangers.
In a true police state, the rebellion doesn’t stick its head out much because that head will get lopped off. In America, we speak freely about fearing the government because we trust the government. It is our American paradox and Edward Snowden realized it the hard way. Americans didn’t freak out because we trusted that the people reading our texts won’t do anything about it.
In the late 1990s, police departments started to use dash cameras to record traffic stops. Society was not prepared for this unfiltered lens into humanity. It showed the raw, unedited lives of criminals, drunks, innocent bystanders, and honest and dishonest cops. This technology then morphed into body cameras first worn in Europe in 2005 and then brought stateside in 2012. The costs, efficiency, and value of these devices has brought them to almost 80% of large law enforcement agencies in the US in less than 15 years.
The public are massive supporters of body cams and this acceptance crosses ages, genders, and party lines. The Pew Research Center found that minority groups are the strongest advocates of body cameras and feel they keep the police honest and accountable. Police officers have learned to embrace them and have used footage to avoid countless claims of abuse, harassment, racism, and selfdefense. They have been used to weed out bad cops and as a training tool for good ones. Sure, there is enough body cam footage out there to prove any narrative, but the one true narrative is that Americans wanted more surveillance, not less.
That acceptance blew the door off the hinges. Surveillance was about to go corporate. We have always given up some privacy rights at work. We fill out timesheets, submit to drug testing, accept our communications can be monitored, and work during work hours. Fleet tracking became popular in the 2000s as a way to track vehicle use and driver safety. Employers wanted to make sure drivers with company logos plastered on the side of the vehicle were being safe citizens.
Some companies migrated to dash cameras for service vehicles. These were especially useful for crews with routes. Landscape maintenance, snow control, and lawn care companies adopted dash cams to make sure they had evidence to protect workers from customer complaints and dishonest employees. Dash cameras could be installed for less than $100. Avoiding one lawsuit or accident would pay for dash cams for 1000 vehicles.
Dash cams were generally accepted by workers because the vehicle belongs to the company. No employee could argue their employer didn’t have ownership of a vehicle covered in logos.
It was invasive, but the cab of a truck was fair game because employees were being paid to sit in it. Now, we enter the final frontier and have to ask the biggest question yet — who owns an employee’s body when that employee is at work?
ILCA is aware of our first member using body cameras. It will not be our last. This company admitted it lost one employee over this, but felt the benefits outweighed the drawbacks. The units are cheap, small, light, and ensure better service for customers. The cams are used as a training tool and to investigate client complaints. The business weighed the same pros and cons that Edward Snowden did. Will employees freak out about their privacy or does trust in the watchmen matter? Well, the body cams recently went live and almost every employee stayed.
www.marianiplants.com
Interestingly, the company found the average time spent on the property by its employees has gone up since it started using body cameras. They do not feel their employees were being dishonest before. Instead, the footage showed that employees are overly thorough when the cameras are turned on. Early results are showing the body cams are not necessarily saving money, instead, the surveillance has resulted in better service for their customers. In light of this, other employers have to ask — is ignorance bliss or is improving customer service the ultimate goal?
The two largest manufactures of bodycams are Axon and Motorola. In 2023, Axon saw 31% growth in revenue and has only been active in body cams for private enterprise since 2023. In 2024, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods announced they would begin equipping employees with body cams to reduce retail theft. Axon has active sales in industries with rates of high theft or where there are dangerous interactions between consumers and front line workers. All of this was made possible because of the lower costs of the equipment, longer battery life, and the ability to record and store countless hours of footage. Body cams have become decentralized and when technology gets affordable, it gets adopted.
We all know and accept security cameras are on us the moment we walk into a store. Now, we just need to accept that when we ask the friendly workers at TJ Maxx where the athletic socks are, they are capturing that interaction, too. Landscape and lawn care workers don’t have to worry about retail theft or workplace violence, but they do need to deal with skeptical clients. When two sides of the story smash together, body cams can provide the objective arbiter.
The fate of body cams in the lawn care and landscape industry will come down to a variety of factors. The cams need to provide useful information to justify the expense. The cams must either lower costs to the business over time or greatly improve landscape services. The cams need to be accepted by a workforce who is transitory and can easily go elsewhere. Finally, the cams must be used by process-oriented businesses, because results-oriented businesses will view them as information overload. The factor that will not matter is our concern about surveillance. Surveillance just doesn’t seem to bother us that much.
We may not be there yet, but commercial landscape and lawn care companies will likely have a discussion about body cameras in the next two years. The tech has become too affordable and accessible to ignore it for much longer. Edward Snowden realized you can’t assume anything when it comes to our perceptions on surveillance and personal privacy. The idea of constant surveillance still gives me the ick, but that opinion may evolve over time as I sacrifice more of my privacy for comfort. Hey, Alexa... what is that quote from Ben Franklin about liberty and security? Never mind, I’ll ask Siri instead.
Sincerely,
Scott Grams, Executive Director
June 17,
2024
President Ashley Marrin
Bret-Mar Landscape Management Group, Inc. (708) 301-2225 ashley@bretmarlandscape.com
Vice-President
Kim Hartmann Rosborough Partners 847-404-7669 hartmannkim@comcast.net
Secretary-Treasurer
Kevin McGowen Kaknes/SiteOne (630) 416-999 kevin@kaknes.com
Immediate Past President
Jeff Kramer
Kramer Tree Specialists, Inc, (630) 293-5444 jwkramer@kramertree.com
Directors
Adam Bellas Bellas Landscaping (309) 827-5263 adam@bellaslandscaping.com
Jim Cirrincione Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. (630) 323-1411 jcirrincione@hinsdalenurseries .com
Ryan Heitman
The Fisher Burton Company (847) 566-9200 ryanheitman@fisherburton.com
Becky Thomas Spring Grove Nursery, Inc. (815) 448-2097 bthomas@springrovenursery.com
Mark Utendorf
Emerald Lawn Care, Inc. (847) 392-7097 marku@emeraldlawncare.com
www.ilca.net
President’s Message —
I’vebeen very fortunate to enjoy each Memorial Day weekend fishing with family in northern Minnesota since I was a toddler. Each year my uncle and cousins join us for five days of cramped cabin living where all we do is eat, sleep, laugh and fish. However, since we’re a family business, someone has to stay home to keep things running smooth — especially in spring. I am so grateful that my mom, Sharon, gracefully sees us off during the busiest time of our season. It’s no easy task to stay home while the rest of the family drives off for a much needed vacation
One of the benefits of living in a cabin in the woods once meant little to no cell service. My dad, Kurt, would check in with my mom once or twice during our trip using a pay phone at the lodge. Now, we have cell service and Wi-Fi that, unfortunately, improves each year. However, my mom rarely contacts us about work. I’m proud to say that I even brought my laptop with me this year, but never cracked it open! This trip wouldn’t be possible without my mom holding down the fort and for that I am truly grateful.
It’s easy to get trapped in our daily routines. Before we know it another year has gone by. Taking a vacation in spring may sound crazy, but our family tradition has taught me that you must take time to enjoy life and one another. I often try to back out of the trip because I might feel overwhelmed, too busy, exhausted, or all of the above. My mom’s consistent response never waivers and she always responds: “YOU’RE GOING!”
As my parents take a step back from daily operations, I hope to return the favor and be that person, telling them with confidence, “I have things covered here—go take time for yourselves — enjoy life.”
Hesido muy afortunado al poder disfrutar desde que era muy niño, cada fin de semana del Día de Conmemoración de los Caídos (Memorial Day) pescando con la familia en la región norte de Minnesota. Cada año mi tío y mis primos nos acompañan durante cinco días de vida en cabañas abarrotadas en los que solo comemos, dormimos, nos reímos y pescamos. No obstante, debido a que somos un negocio familiar, alguien tiene que quedarse en casa para que todo marche sobre ruedas — especialmente en la primavera. Agradezco que mi madre, Sharon, con gentileza nos ve partir durante la etapa más ajetreada de la temporada. No es fácil quedarse en casa mientras la familia disfruta de unas vacaciones muy necesarias. Uno de los beneficios de vivir en una cabaña en el bosque en una época consistía en muy poco o ningún servicio de celulares. Mi padre, Kurt, llamaba a mi madre una o dos veces durante nuestro viaje usando un teléfono público en el albergue. Ahora, tenemos servicio de celular y Wi-Fi que, desafortunadamente, mejora cada año. No obstante, mi madre pocas veces nos contacta para hablarnos de trabajo. ¡Me enorgullece decir que incluso traje mi laptop este año, pero nunca la abrí! Este viaje no habría sido posible sin que mi madre se quedara manteniendo el fuerte y por eso le estoy muy agradecido.
Es fácil quedarnos atrapados en nuestras rutinas diarias. Antes de darnos cuenta, se ha ido otro año. Tomar vacaciones en la primavera podrá sonar descabellado, pero la tradición familiar me ha enseñado que debes dedicar tiempo a disfrutar de la vida y de la familia. Con frecuencia trato de no ir de viaje porque me puedo sentir abrumado, muy ocupado o exhausto, o todo lo anterior. La respuesta de mi madre siempre es la misma: ¡“VAS A IR”!
Cuando mis padres den un paso atrás de las operaciones diarias, espero devolverles el favor y ser esa persona que les dice con confianza: “Tengo las cosas bajo control aquí — vayan y dediquen tiempo a ustedes — disfruten de la vida”.
Stay positive!
Ashley Marrin
Ashley Marrin
Night Light Landscape Illumination, Inc • Lombard
Conway Hilltop Haven
TheConway project was a landscape lighting designer’s dream. We were referred in by an industry partner — and while the client knew he wanted to illuminate the façade and front pillars — he left the rest to our artistic license. We installed in phases: the client lived with an initial installation of all the most important elements and then asked for more.
Ultimately, we delivered a stately arrival and a sense of context among the gorgeous mature shade trees. From the back of the home, the trees are backlit, achieving a warmer, more intimate atmosphere. The pool area features towering trees lit with a neutral-toned light in the background, and sitting walls studded with under-cap lights and an accent-lit flag pole on one side.
Focus — Understanding Sales
Mastering the First Meeting
A panel of pros share their insights
by Nina A. Koziol
Alandscape firm can be one of the best when it comes to design, build, plant or maintain, but if your sales aren’t up to speed, you’ll always be chasing that next customer, trying to figure out what’s the best fit, the potential opportunities, how to weed out non-starters, and prevent headaches down the road.
We spoke with four seasoned, successful professionals — Barry Conlin, owner, C.B. Conlin Landscapes, Naperville; Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape, Wheeling; Bob Hursthouse, president/ visionary Hursthouse, Inc., Bolingbrook, and Mitch Birky, landscape designer/ design sales, Bellas Landscaping, Bloomington — and here’s what they had to say.
Where’s the first sales meeting held?
Bob H: Either in person or on Zoom with Covid we had to pivot and made this unbelievable Zoom studio — two 55-inch screens and two cameras tied to my computer. I can be just as effective on Zoom as in person.
Mitch B: For older clientele [age 50s and up], it’s more of a hands-on presentation in person. For younger clients [30s to 50s], I do an online presentation and they seem to enjoy that. They typically have busy lives with younger children.
Barry: The first step was to take a walk around the house, take notes and listen really well to what their landscape problems are. After walking around and some discussion, we may sit at the kitchen table and write down more notes and maybe do a little quick sketching — a brief sketch with ideas and shapes.
Bob B: You’re going to have a much better shot with an in-person meeting. I enjoy going to the house — if you see a piano or a piece of artwork you can comment on it and ask a question — you start a relationship and it makes a meeting so much more comfortable. Ask them questions and get them to tell the story.
How do you know if the client is the right fit?
Barry: That first 10 minutes is really listening and seeing what they feel. Before that all happens and a sales person goes out, the potential customer has been qualified about who we are and our reputation over the phone.
Bob H: We screen the call or email. We look at the address, the value of the home, how long they’ve been in the home. And, we look at five things — information about them, the site conditions, the home’s architecture, the level of maintenance and their budget — and I need answers to all before I pick up a pencil or cad.
Do you charge for design?
Bob B: Retainer is the key word. If you say design fee it sounds like you’re just charging. A retainer is for my creativity and knowledge. You want a commitment from them…it’s a two way street. Unfortunately, in our industry, people are afraid to qualify their clients. A retainer gets them to commit. If it’s a $100,000 project it’s a $10,000 retainer — that’s the basic guideline. We credit it back based on a percentage of the project. It’s great to qualify people — right then and there — they either decline or go ahead.
Barry: The discussion about do we charge for design is a whole article in (continued on page 12)
Bob Hursthouse
Bob Bertog
Barry Conlin
Mitch Birky
LONGSHADOW ® .COM
Focus — Understanding Sales
(continued from page 10)
itself and definitely a gray area. We don’t charge for a past client — we’ll provide ideas with no deposit. If it’s a referral from a past client—again a gray area—we’ll have a meeting and if the project looks like it’s quite involved, we’ll ask for some sort of deposit to get started. If it’s a new client and they’re looking for a patio design, never heard of us, we’ll tell them we’ll give a 30-minute free consultation, and at the end of that, if there’s some substantial design work to be done, we’d require a deposit. And, we sometimes do a simple bubble design at their home—this will be a cooking area, or the front walk area, or the lounge area on the patio, or the fire pit area — just circles defining how that landscape area will function.
Mitch: There are very heavy opinions on whether to charge. You could charge, but you’d have to give them the design and understand how many revisions might be included in the fee. I don’t charge for my design, but I have to be careful with my time. They could go elsewhere to bid it out, but I can say that in the past 20 years, that’s only backfired a couple of times. By the time I send them the design, we’ve talked about pricing so at that point I have a feeling we have a pretty good shot at it.
What are some effective sales tips?
Mitch: Just calling contractors [in any industry] is an experience and a lot of them lose before they price a job. There’s difficulty getting people to come out — or the contractor is not friendly. When I step foot on the property, it’s being open and honest about budgets so we’re not wasting anyone’s time — giving them not just one option but highmiddle-low options. Or a design that allows for phasing in projects. And communicating that you’re willing to work with them, not just showing one price, one idea — and that’s all before you even sketch something.
Barry: That first 10 minutes is really listening and seeing what they feel. Before that all happens and before a sales person go out, the potential customer has been qualified about who we are and our reputation over the phone. We’re making sure they’re interested in our type of service — a professional landscape design build service. Our enthusiasm and love of our industry and the work that we do and all the people who work here—we portray that this is going to be fun. This is going to be the most pleasant experience of all your contractors. And at the end they usually say that.
Bob B: If you’re not confident about what you’re talking (continued on page 14)
Focus — Understanding Sales
(continued from page 12)
about, don’t start talking — the client knows you’re just going in for the kill. We have [landscape architect] Robert Milani who is very seasoned. We may both meet with the client — it adds a lot of credibility to your company and sales people if you’re with them.
Bob H: When any sales person goes to the first meeting — are you going to sell something or serve the client? I can tell when someone’s trying to sell me and I can tell when they’re trying to serve me. I don’t want to be sold. How many homeowners have had a good experience with a contractor — plumbing, painting, etc.? So much of our web site, our marketing and videos were created to counteract that negative impression — the client needs to believe we can provide the solution they’re looking for.
What are some red flags?
Mitch: They say ‘we don’t want to spend a lot of money,’ or they want services we don’t offer, or it’s the time line. Don’t be afraid to say that it doesn’t work for us. You can pick up on those comments and come back to them a few
days later in an email or phone call and explain what would work for you.
How do you part ways when needed?
Bob H: Some potential clients we don’t connect with — they want it cheap and that’s fine. If you look online, there are “Cheapscapes” landscape companies. You can have high quality, high service or low price. But not all three. We’ve parted ways with clients — it’s when the relationship becomes exploitive — hiring us to do the design and the hard parts, but then hiring others to do the planting, the sod.
Bob B: You’re not going to gel with everybody 100 percent of the time. It’s very rare that we’d part ways with a client, but you’ll know if you’re not a good fit. You have to have the confidence to say that maybe we’re not the right company.
More to come…
• Selling other services (landscape maintenance/snow removal)
• Selling special elements (water/fire/lighting)
• The secret to client longevity.
Espalier – An Artistic
by Mark Dwyer
While we pronounce it, typically, as “es-PAL-yer” or “es-pal-YAY”, this interesting approach to treating woody plant material may have significant opportunities, value and impacts in the landscape. The French word, espalier, is derived from the Italian spalliera, which means “something to rest the shoulder against”. When used as a verb, “to espalier” a plant refers to training that specimen to grow flat against a wall, fence or trellis. Free-standing forms are also trained into a “flat plane” which minimizes the square footage they utilize and become excellent as screens or space savers in those tight, narrow spaces where traditional woody selections may become too large and out of scale.
Used as a noun, “espalier” refers to the actual plant, of
which there are many candidates of trees, shrubs and woody vines, that has been pruned, guided and encouraged into a specific, desired, form or pattern that has minimal “depth”. This long-practiced art, or process, of controlling plant growth in a flat plane can have merit as a design element for our clients and may also offer the opportunity for supplemental income from maintenance support in professionally tending, training and caring for these elements. In my 30+ years of design, I’ve recommended espaliered woody selections many times as features along open walls and fences due to some space constraints or the intentional purpose of ornamentality. Notably, I’ve never told clients that they are low maintenance. (continued on page 18)
and Space-Saving Option
Special Feature — Espalier
(continued from page 16)
Thought to originate with the Romans, the Europeans later mastered espalier techniques with the original intent revolving around space conservation and taking advantage of growing fruit trees against walls with southern or western exposure for both frost protection and the advantageous heat. Harnessing more sunshine, these espalier arrangements against warm walls created micro-climates, quicker ripening of fruit, better fruit production and a lengthened growing season. The classic European espalier styles can be traced back to the 16th and 17th centuries and were again, based on the practicality of maximizing fruit production for sustenance. Vineyards have long used espalier techniques to train grapes for support, air circulation and ease of cultivation and harvest. Later in history, espalier specimens transitioned into more appreciable, artistic, living sculptures that could soften bare facades and add scale to the space. Welltended espalier specimens with committed caretakers are true works of art
While almost any woody plant can be espaliered by continual removal of undesired growth and through the directing and guiding of desired growth, some plants are more suitable than others. There are many references and resources that explore the vast array of potential candidates for espalier. As with any plant we select for the landscape, it is important to understand the existing soil conditions, available sunlight and other site factors that might dictate or limit our available palette of contenders. Full sun is ideal, of course, for fruit-bearing woody plants. It is important to note that committing to the process of espalier is not a low maintenance endeavor and with the common installation of younger plantings and those important early training efforts, it can take many years to see significant progress in achieving your intentioned patterns. Patience is warranted.
Fruit trees, particularly apples and pears, have a long and understandable history with espalier. What makes them suitable are the many flexible, supple,
lateral branches that are easily guided and encouraged. Intensive pruning directs energy away from the vigorous, primary vertical growth and redirects it into shorter, designated laterals. Pruning schedules and training efforts will vary depending on the specimen and pattern but at least a monthly visit is warranted. Pruning should end 4-6 weeks before the first frost date as there is a danger in promoting tender new growth that won’t be prepared for impending winter temperatures. Pretrained espalier selections (apples being the most prevalent) are commonly available and are usually sold between the height of 3’ and 5’. However, they are not “plunk and run” installations and the commitment to care is paramount in maintaining their structure and contribution in the landscape. A neglected espalier specimen becomes a tangled, sprouting mess without due diligence. There are a wide range of espalier patterns to consider. Incidentally, the Chicago Botanic Garden (Glencoe, IL) (continued on page 20)
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Special Feature — Espalier
(continued from page 18)
has a diverse and well-tended collection of espalier specimens in the English Walled Garden and Fruit and Vegetable Garden. Do visit and examine their appearance and contribution in the garden. The choice of espalier pattern does influence plant selection to a certain degree and certainly impacts maintenance expectations. Simpler patterns require less maintenance although the most intricate of patterns, while laborious undertakings, are fine art and can really add to a space as a focal point in all seasons of the year. Informal or “free form” patterns allow for a less geometrical approach and can still offer all the same contributions of interest and textural softening. Free-standing arrangements can make amazing living fences, screens or unique vertical accents.
Your intended location for the espalier might affect your pattern selection and certainly your plant palette under consideration. While there are dozens of patterns, some of the most common include “Cordon” which features many horizontal branches coming off a central trunk. This most traditional of forms is common for apple and pear trees and frequently has multiple tiers for maximum fruit production. The “fan” pattern is quite versatile and common for stone fruits (cherries, plum, peaches, etc.). This dramatic approach begins with a backing of horizonal wires and involves regular and focused guidance. The “Candelabra” pattern has branches initially growing horizontally but then bending 90 degrees
into a vertical arrangement. This is a classic and popular pattern with mature specimens becoming quite striking, particularly along walls. The “Belgian Fence” pattern is a closelyplanted, free-standing option with interlocking trees in a “Y” format that creates a beautiful, living screen while still allowing for air circulation through the 45 degree angle, gridded pattern. This lattice-effect makes the Belgian Fence pattern an ideal candidate for a symmetrical, living fence. There seem to be endless variations upon a theme when researching the many creative espalier patterns as seen in some of the photos included in this article.
Keep in mind that air circulation between the espalier specimen and structure is vital so intentionally including and maintaining a 6-8” gap behind the specimen will allow air movement, minimize mildew and other diseases and also make for the “ease of harvesting” with fruit trees. This gap also will help reduce potential damage, staining or discoloration of the wall or fence. In situations where eaves or an overhang will affect available precipitation, adjust the planting location and distance from the structure as needed.
As mentioned above, I’ve suggested espaliered trees along open brick walls, tall fences and other elements that would benefit from some greenery but also, perhaps, lack the available “real estate” for larger plants or a wider bed or border. Masonry walls can be ideal for an espalier and certainly (continued on page 22)
✓
✓
Special Feature — Espalier
(continued from page 20) lend themselves to appropriately installed support systems. Placing eye bolts, U-bolts or eye screws, when properly anchored into mortar joints, can offer strong support for guiding espalier specimens. The supports are placed in specific locations depending on the pattern selected and the target plant is then pruned and secured to conform to the pattern. Heavy-gauge wires, when pulled taught, should resist the pull and weight of the branches as they gain size. If the support framework is made of wood, it’s important to select rot-resistant woods for longevity in the garden. These supports can also become a nice guide for training branches, particularly with formal espalier patterns. Free-standing, espalier “screens” can be supported by
sturdy terminal posts with taut, heavygauge wires that are stretched and secured. Research the best materials to use on your specific, intended surfaces while also taking into account the chosen plant and anticipated growth and ultimate scale.
Vigilance in pruning stray branches that grow beyond desired boundaries or the intended plant silhouette and pattern is recommended and essential. The bending and training of limbs is typically done in progression over the summer months when they are the most flexible. There are also ways to encourage, prod and develop future desired lateral growth although that is quite species dependent. If any sort of ties are utilized to secure the plant material, periodically check and loosen these as needed to avoid any
girdling of the branch. This is a perpetual task. This article is not meant as a comprehensive “how to” supplement. Additional research on proper pruning and training methods based on the specific plant is important for more guidance with establishing a successful and beautiful espalier specimen. Patience, skill and creativity are needed. While labor-intensive, incorporating espalier selections in the landscape allows you to add signature beauty and elegance to bare walls and other surfaces. Effectively used in tight, confined areas, espalier options also expand your design opportunities and may find significant appeal for the discerning client.
Event Preview — Fire + Ice 2024
August 8, 2024
by Meta Levin
Jealous of the kids going to summer camp? ILCA has got you covered. Take a field trip to The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm on August 8, 2024, for ILCA’s Fire and Ice: The Landscape and Snow Expo. This year’s event will take on a summer camp theme. Attendees will have the opportunity to earn badges at the many activities planned during the show. Compete in the Equipment Rodeo or the Container Wars. Check out the autonomous mowers. Learn about snowplow
Use this QR code to register.
efficiencies and proper tree planting. Tour the arboretum’s new Gateway to Tree Science and take a little walkabout to see what’s new and happening in the plant world.
Kick back with a cool one in the beer tent and chow down on hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and soft drinks for lunch. Cool off in the afternoon when the Kona Ice truck arrives.
Fire & Ice 2024 co-chairs, Tony Schanna and Gary Brester, are excited about returning to The Morton Arboretum. “It’s a beautiful place to take a break and get
inspired to go out and do what we do,” says Schanna.
ILCA last held what was then known as Summer Field Day at The Morton Arboretum in 2014. Prior to that, the arboretum hosted ILCA in 2006 and the late 1980s.
Schanna, Senior Managing Partner, The Chicago Group, Construction and Development, LLC, is helming the ice or snow and ice portion of the annual show, and Brester, Director of Sales for Elevations Landscaping, heads the fire or landscape side.
It’s quite a site
“The Morton Arboretum has been a great help all year throughout the planning process,” says Brester. “Having the show there will offer a wide variety of advantages for arborists, landscape contractors and others in the industry. The
arborists will get to be on a site where their contributions to the industry are highlighted.”
ILCA’s annual summer event will take full advantage of the arboretum, including tree planting demonstration by Jake Miesbauer, PhD, an arboriculture scientist at the arboretum, who also will offer a guided tour of The Morton Arboretum’s new Gateway to Tree Science, an interactive outdoor exhibit focusing on tree science and research.
Also, Attendees can walk the paved and unpaved trails that wend through the arboretum’s 1,700 acres or take a guided Acorn Express Tram Tour (subject to availability).
Suppliers are smiling
The Vendors are happy to be there, too. Typically, Fire & Ice attracts 60 to 70 exhibitors. Many of them will take (continued on page 26)
(continued from page 25) advantage of opportunities to go beyond their booths.
For instance, John Kolkman, lead product specialist for Kaplan Liquid Solutions, will provide a presentation that will include how snow and ice control professionals can get started and use liquids.
Other educational offerings, some of which will provide CEUs for participants, include a snowplow efficiencies presentation by Alta Equipment, held conveniently in the equipment demonstration area; a plant walkabout, led by Brester and Sheri Lundell and an autonomous mower demonstration.
Will there be plants?
Lundell, a sales executive at RCOP Inc., and Brester will act as tour guides for two 30-minute tours of the expo, highlighting new products and featuring a question-and-answer session with vendors. “We’ll be looking at what’s new and happening in the plants,” says Brester.
Attendees also will be able to compete in an Equipment Rodeo, for which Stihl®, who will bring a trailer of electric equipment, and other vendors, providing other equipment. Contestants will use a string trimmer, leaf blower and (continued on page 28)
We are the premier shade tree grower in the Chicagoland area with of 400 acres of quality field-grown nursery stock .
Cedar Path Nurseries has two conveniently located sales yards, Lockport and Barrington, to better serve our clients.
Growers & Distributors of Quality Nursery Stock
Growers & Distributors of Quality Nursery Stock
Cedar Path Nurseries
We are the premier shade tree grower in the Chicagoland area with of 400 acres of quality field-grown nursery stock .
We are the premier shade tree grower in the Chicagoland area with of 400 acres of quality field-grown nursery stock .
Cedar Path Nurseries carries a full line of B&B trees and shrubs, container shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. Not only are we your onestop -shop, but we are sourcing experts. We look forward to assisting on your next project.
Cedar Path Nurseries has two conveniently located sales yards, Lockport and Barrington, to better serve our clients.
has two conveniently located sales yards, Lockport and Barrington, to better serve our clients.
We are the premier shade tree grower in the Chicagoland area with of 400 acres of quality field-grown nursery stock . Cedar Path Nurseries has two conveniently located sales yards, Lockport and Barrington, to better serve our clients.
Cedar Path Nurseries carries a full line of B&B trees and shrubs, container shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. Not only are we your onestop-shop, but we are sourcing experts. We look forward to assisting on your next project.
Cedar Path Nurseries carries a full line of B&B trees and shrubs, container shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. Not only are we your onestop-shop, but we are sourcing experts. We look forward to assisting on your next project.
Cedar Path Nurseries carries a full line of B&B trees and shrubs, container shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. Not only are we your onestop-shop, but we are sourcing experts. We look forward to assisting on your next project.
(continued from page 26) mower on a predetermined course. Attendees can gauge the efficiencies between the electric and gas equipment.
While there will be some transportation available, participants are encouraged to walk the grounds from the parking lot to the show. “Take the opportunity to walk through the beautiful area and admire the trees,” says Brester.
Early bird registration rates are available from June 1 to July 7 After that the price goes up.
And for those for whom the trek from home to the arboretum will be a long one, ILCA has reserved a block of rooms at the Hyatt Regency Lisle at the reduced rate of $109 per night for those with confirmed Fire & Ice registrations.
More information is available on the ILCA website: ilca.net/ilca-events/fire-and-ice
www.clesen.com
your fall container designs and increase retail bunched sales with seasonal berries, branches & accents.
Babylon Chicago — A Continuing Series
Building Beauty in the
by Heather Prince
As office buildings entice workers back to their halls, more and more are using outdoor green spaces as an incentive. Companies are seeking out and paying top dollar for corporate sites with access to gardens and nature. Intrinsic Landscaping, Inc. specializes in rooftop landscapes and installs many throughout the Chicago area. We spoke with Brian Barry, Business Development Manager and Lead Designer, about one of his favorite projects at 225 West Wacker Drive in Chicago. A member of the team at Intrinsic Landscaping for 13 years, Barry previously worked on green roofs for Hoerr Schaudt and has more than 20 years specializing in their construction and design.
The Brief
The client is a luxury office building right on the Chicago River. They were doing a full interior remodel in 2022 and wanted an updated, contemporary green space on the fourth floor as an added amenity for tenants. Unusual for a green roof, the terrace is tucked beneath tall parapet walls, making it more protected from wind and the elements than typical rooftop gardens. G.C. Skender Construction was the lead contractor and has been a partner of Intrinsic for decades. Gurtz Interiors Group handled the electrical work. The architect for the project was Valerio Dewalt Train and the landscape architects were Oehme, Van Sweden.
“There’s a lot of competition in Chicago for commercial real estate space,” commented Barry. “We’re seeing a lot of rooftop landscapes being installed as an amenity for tenants. They can step outside for some fresh air, take a phone call, have a meeting, or host an event.” This rooftop space was designed to have opportunities for both individuals and events with a large stone terrace and a dynamic curved stone bench set amidst curving ipe wood paths and dense perennial plantings. “Skender Construction is an excellent partner to have, and we’ve done several green roofs over the years with them. Their team made the project work smoothly in an extremely tight construction window. We’ve built a lot of trust over the years. I can’t say enough positive things about them.”
The Challenges
“Probably the biggest challenge for this project was the logistics of everything,” reported Barry. “I spent many hours on the computer building the 3D model and double, triple, and quadruple checking measurements.” The team at Intrinsic had only 8 weeks to install the project and little margin for error. Construction began in March and was completed by Memorial Day. In order to ensure smooth installation, Barry had all of the metal edging and stone blocks pre-cut to exact specifications. “We came out with a surveyor and shot all the elevations to exact dimensions and really designed everything to the eighth of an inch.” The metal edging is powdercoated aluminum fabricated in long sections by Architerra in Seattle and Byus Steel, Inc. did the railings and fence. There was almost no margin for error. “Working at this level really takes a lot of planning, lots of back and forth with the team, and figuring things out. That’s the kind of problem-solving I love to do, personally. The devil is in the details, and that can make or break a project. That’s what’s going to make the project great or not.”
The centerpiece of this green roof is the pristine white stone terrace and bench where tenants can spread out and enjoy the space. “We used white Valders limestone from Wisconsin,” said Barry. “The curved ramp was very complicated to piece together as well as the curved bench. Each piece was custom cut and had to be fitted exactly.” Barry made templates of each piece of stone so the crews could plan the work and match it to the specifications. An underlayment of concrete was applied to the roof membrane and then a pedestal system supported the heavy stone blocks. Unfortunately, the concrete wasn’t laid correctly in one section. “The crew started laying out the templates and quickly figured out that there was a problem, which they were able to correct by a bit of cutting. But, without the templates, we would have been working blind. I was able to come in and mark everything properly. After that, we knew where each piece went, and my guys just grabbed the piece that was labeled and dropped it in place.” The stone blocks are set on a pedestal system so, if necessary, they can be removed to (continued on page 32)
Heart of Chicago
Babylon Chicago — A Continuing Series
(continued from page 30)
access the roof layers beneath, replace wiring, fix lighting, or be replaced. At Intrinsic, they emphasize training for these types of materials handling. “It’s wild,” commented Barry. “These are big, heavy pieces, but using the right equipment and with these guys really knowing what they’re doing, they make it look easy. Roberto Cornell was the project foreman and Manuel Valdez, Salvador Romero, and Alberto Romero were among the team members critical to our success. We really spend the time in the front end to plan and measure, but they make it happen.”
Timing was critical to the project because nearly all of the materials, including plants, had to be craned in. There wasn’t access to a freight elevator due to the interior construction happening simultaneously. Plus, the subcontractors didn’t want rooftop materials traveling through newly installed floors and freshly painted walls. LaGrange Crane worked with Intrinsic to hoist everything over the parapet walls. Intrinsic has long experience craning materials in, but the City of Chicago only allowed a crane to set up on Franklin Street to the west of the building and only on weekends. “We had to shut the street down to do this,” said Barry. “We only had a certain number of weekends, and if you missed a weekend, you’re in trouble. We were right down to the wire with the metal edging that was coming from the West Coast. And it literally showed up like at two o’clock on a Sunday.”
The Result
Today, the pure white Valders stone shines elegantly through layers of perennials, bulbs, trees and shrubs. Plants are organized in broad swathes for maximum impact and minimal maintenance. Large clump river birches provide lacy texture and a rustling soundscape in the heart of this urban oasis. Paperbark maples and hydrangeas provide seasonal interest against a backdrop of dark columnar Hicks yews. A sinuous ribbon of ipe wood path winds through (continued on page 34)
Babylon Chicago — A Continuing Series
(continued from page 32) the space providing a warm, naturalistic note against the crisp metal edging. “We used Bison two by four-foot blocks on pedestals,” reported Barry. “In Chicago, ipe is the only permitted wood product for roof decks because it’s non-combustible.”
The planting area is only 12 inches deep for the perennials, although deeper for the trees and shrubs. Layers of geofoam provide a soft topography for added dimension. Intrinsic worked with Andrew McCann Lawn Sprinkler Company to
install irrigation throughout. Built-in lighting brings the gardens alive after dark. No matter the season, the garden has become an oasis and sought-out space for the building’s tenants.
“They’re very happy with it,” said Barry. “We take a lot of pride in the work. At Intrinsic, we focus on quality. You don’t always get to go back to a job and see how it progresses, but we can walk away and know we did our best. It was worth all those headaches and early mornings.”
August 8, 2024
El Arboreto Morton será la sede —
por Meta L. Levin
El 8 de agosto de 2024, el Arboreto Morton en Lisle, IL, será la sede del evento más concurrido de ILCA en el verano.
Fuego + Hielo, el evento de Paisajismo y Nieve contendrá docenas de puestos de exhibición que incluirán una amplia
gama de productos y servicios para compañías de paisajismo, viveros y remoción de nieve — tres pilares fundamentales de ILCA.
Un evento ameno y divertido, Fuego + Hielo, ofrecerá entretenimiento, educación, demostraciones de equipos y un
Rodeo de EV (vehículos eléctricos). Habrá un exquisite almuerzo al aire libre y como deleite adicional para un día caluroso, el camión de Kona Ice ofrecerá delicias congeladas. ¡No olvide quedarse para las rifas!
El Arboreto Morton tiene muchas cosas planeadas para los asistentes:
• Recorra el Gateway to Tree Science (Portal a la Ciencia de los Árboles)
• Observe una demostración de cómo plantar un árbol adecuadamente
• Juegue en el campo de minigolf
Mejores Plantas, Mejor Servicio Y Mejor Selección.
Mariani Plants se enorgullese en su attencion al cliente. Tenemos expertos ajentes de ventas de habla hispana en nuestras dos localidades, Kenosha Wisconsin y Garden Prairie Illinois. Mariani Plants esta aquí para proveerle mejores plantas, mejor servicio y mejor selección.
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Focus — Midwest Plant Talks
Evolution of a Native Pond
by Christa Orum-Keller
In 2023, The Landscape Contractor published an article highlighting native planting work in 2022 and 2023 around the pond by the Midwest Groundcovers’ offices; that article was also published through the Natural Garden Natives eNewsletter.
Utilizing native plants in pond settings and within otherwise cultivated gardens, is a familiar goal and challenge on many sites. There was interest in digging deeper into understanding the progression of our project, its context, and our approach for success in terms of species, stewardship, and aesthetic effect. This article will give that background and we invite you, customers and industry professionals, to visit the site and walk around the pond to learn from the planting.
Over thirty years ago, we at Midwest, determined that one of the most useful ways we could help our customers gain plant knowledge was to develop the Display Gardens at our St. Charles facility. These gardens were put in place to test, trial and demonstrate plant species and cultivar performance for our industry. Our demonstration gardens are one way we
fulfill the International Plant Propagator’s motto, “To Seek and Share”. We continue to seek plant knowledge to share with specifiers, installers, and the greater industry.
During the great recession, we exercised a practice of simplifying and reducing the scope of our gardens from a cost saving perspective. As soon as our industry began to recover, we at Midwest began several years of preparation to celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2019. We began a significant garden redevelopment undertaking that required us to think outside of the box for what our gardens could achieve. Part of our master plan was to create a sort of “amphitheater” of inspirational gardens as viewed from the lower patios or lower office level event room (Hickory Hall).
Many of the redeveloped gardens surrounding the office were completed prior to 2018, but the section of the circle of view which terminated at or behind the pond remained incomplete (lighter green arrows on the illustration), so a simple conceptual plan to address this area was developed in 2018 (see sketch). Ecologist, Jens Jensen from Jensen
Planting
Ecology in Wisconsin https://jensenecology.com/, had already been working at our Midwest Natural Garden site for several years, so he collaborated with us to create a plant list of taller species for the backside of the pond and a shorter species mix for the side of the pond closest to the office. Goals included:
1. Maintaining a wide and tall enough barrier to deter Canada Geese
2. Choosing species which could thrive in the artificial ebb and flow of the engineered pond, especially through dramatic rain events
3. Create an attractive aesthetic effect to blend with the surrounding designed Display Gardens
To begin, we used the plantings surrounding The Morton Arboretum’s Meadow Lake as inspiration and assembled our plant list, starting with some of what we saw thriving there. For our pond, there would be two Zones. The first was the Tall Zone at the far side of the pond which sloped upward more than six feet and would act as the view backdrop all
the way from the office. The second Short Zone was the side closest to the office where the turf sloped down to meet the pond’s edge; this planting would only be seen when approaching and coming down to the water’s edge, otherwise it would disappear from vantage points further away. Within each Zone, we planned two subgroups, one for the dry upward portion of the area and one for the lower portion which would most often extend into the water, where plants would most frequently be submerged.
The project was challenging because it is unlike a natural pond we might look to model after. Slopes are constructed more steeply than they would occur in nature; soils have been compacted and manipulated and water flow and soil porosity are engineered in ways not mimicked by nature. Choices for plants which will thrive are at best an educated guess and this is where input from multiple people who know the plants well helped guide us toward best guesses and best successes.
Ultimately, the project developed in two phases.
(continued on page 44)
Special Feature — Midwest Plant Talk
(continued from page 43)
The initial planning and planting installation laid out by Jens Jensen and the second phase of planning and planting together with our Midwest Natural Garden Nursery Manager, Enrique Rodriguez. In both cases, I worked together with them in a collaborative, open, problemsolving manner over many months where we could refine thoughts and observations on the best species to try. Time allowed us to agree on and gain clarity about our goals for overall look.
The following plant lists illustrate the varying levels of input over time, with indicators for which plant experts influenced various species choices, as well as broad plant characteristics; moist species were planted closer to the water and dry species on the upward slopes of the planting Zones.
In addition to simply thriving, the planting had to look beautiful to blend with the designed cultivated Display Gardens on either side of the main view going down to the pond. Heights, colors and placement of some species in intentional groups creates rhythm and emphasis throughout the plantings. I’ve included a simple conceptual diagram of design ideas which Enrique used as a guide to lead the crews to plant in 2022. The design concepts were executed using on-site decisions about how to craft the layout of all the plant species.
Stewardship for the site remains ongoing and is directed by Enrique. He inspects the site and makes small adjustments on a monthly or bimonthly basis during the growing season – removing invasive species or simply culling plants which are becoming more aggressive than we would like to have them be. He will also add a flat or two of a new species to see how it performs. We meet several times a year to discuss continued development and refinement. In 2024, we are working on cleaning up areas under the existing Taxodium distichum and installing plantings of primarily Carex species as groundcover to eliminate some persistent weeds and create a more striking and cohesive effect all the way around the pond.
The overall success of such a project is dependent on a combination of plant knowledge and continual stewardship, as well as patience in terms of fine tuning, editing out and adding in of species. Considering these requirements for success, creating a beautiful natural look in a challenging environment using native species is not for every client. Identifying the client with a commitment and desire to craft and invest in
(continued on page 46)
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an ecological solution must be the foundation for the project’s success. Such a client is likely the exception and not the norm. The client must have a personal curiosity about creating a long-term solution, patience about the outcome timeline, and be willing to continue to invest for a result which brings much more than simply aesthetic reward.
Gardening has been described as the slowest of the performing arts. With
knowledgeable plantspeople, we at Midwest continue to edit one slowly performing dance partner of a plant with another from season to season; we continue to challenge ourselves to explore, trial and learn. Our Display Garden mission is to share what we have learned from our experiences with you. We welcome you to come and visit the pond, take a walk around it and be a part of our ongoing collaboration and quest to seek and share knowledge.
August 2021
November 2021
August 2022
August 2023
May 2024
May 2024 (looking back toward offices)
Focus — Urban Design
Weaving with Color— Planting for City Living
by Heather Prince
On a sparkling spring day, the mixed-use high-rise Park Tower condominium on Sheridan Road in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago is a gleaming column of sleek black glass overlooking the lush green space of the lakefront parks. At its feet, cheerful spring bulbs wave beneath crabapples in the ground level plaza’s planters and containers. The curvilinear upper terrace, echoes the building’s sinuous shape and is filled with flowers and foliage, inviting tenants to enjoy the fresh air and warm breezes.
The Brief
The project at Park Tower goes beyond providing colorful plants in containers. The designs must be cohesive across ground-level planters and containers on the plaza, through the upper terrace’s raised beds, and across to the poolside containers. Each of these areas has a different microclimate, sun exposure, and client considerations. We spoke with Elaine Schweitzer, Account Manager at Yellowstone Landscape, about how she put it all together for the 2023 season.
For this site, Schweitzer worked with the property manager as well as a gardening committee, beginning with planning in the winter of 2022. “They wanted a traditional design for the plaza to greet tenants and foot traffic, but on the terrace, they needed the plantings to last the whole season,” commented Schweitzer. “We do four seasons of change-outs with the plaza from spring bulbs such as daffodils, through summer annuals and fall mums, wrapping up with winter greens. The terrace has these wonderful deep raised curvilinear beds. Those are filled with trees, shrubs, perennials, and grasses that we interplant with annuals. They have some more naturalistic elements. And then there are containers by the pool that need to be colorful.”
The client wanted color, especially reds and yellows, to be woven through each planting area. The designs had to be full and rich for instant gratification and long-lasting impact. “We installed 4,000 spring bulbs alone in the plaza planters,” remembered Schweitzer.
(continued on page 50)
Focus — Urban Design
(continued from page 48)
The Challenges
Like many urban elevated properties, wind is a major challenge. “Their front entry is a wind tunnel,” said Schweitzer. “The plaza is a bit more protected, but you have to put the same flowers there as you’re doing at the entry. Finally, there’s the scorching rooftop terrace that requires plants that love the sun, so it’s like three different ecosystems in one building. They do have an irrigation system, so everything does get watered.”
However, even with irrigation, installation had its challenges. Before Schweitzer and her team took over, “They would have mums rolling down the street because they weren’t planted deep enough, or they didn’t get enough water and they’d pop out. In that huge wind tunnel, they would blow right out of the soil.”
The Yellowstone team visits weekly and is in regular communication with the property manager. For installations, they make sure to plant deeper and water well after witnessing how quickly the wind dried out the soils. “At a location like this, you have to make sure you water it all in thoroughly after
installation,” commented Schweitzer. “I had a great crew that really paid attention to the site. I just love the guys we worked with to do these installs. When you have a wonderful crew, it makes a world of difference.”
The elevated terrace had its own set of challenges. Beyond being in full blazing sun, the raised beds are deeply curvilinear and include two pergolas and a koi pond. The strong arcs created odd planting pockets and microclimates. The existing plant material was an eclectic mix of ornamental trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials. Through this, Schweitzer elected to design ribbons of plantings, mirroring the arcing nature of the planters, but in reverse to almost create a helix effect. “Literally I just climbed up in there and started to just think and brainstorm with what they had and what colors we needed to carry through,” said Schweitzer. “My goal was to create a snaking design that worked with their curves and their existing plants and then filling those empty areas with solid color to really make it pop.” The terrace needs to work not only from grade level, but also from above as tenants can enjoy it from multiple angles, including looking
down from their windows.
“You have to trust the process,” urged Schweitzer. “Sometimes when you have something in front of you that seems like it’s going to be really hard and a little bit of a mountain, you just start to organize it. You put everything into its little compartment. You get your measurements, you get your square footage, and you figure out the amount of materials needed. It’s just little slow steps to take. You get it done and you do it right.”
The Result
Ribbons of brilliant yellow annual rudbeckia weave amongst contrasting purple coleus and cheerful sweeps of sunpatients. The annuals echo the purple foliage of the crabapples and the cascading mounds of Japanese forest grass, cooled down with large blue hosta and trimmed boxwoods. White hydrangea and white daisies bring a freshness to the plantings, while hardy shrub roses provide fragrance.
The client is delighted. “When the property manager, who was tough to impress, told me it’s the best it’s ever looked, I got (continued on page 52)
Focus — Urban Design
(continued from page 50)
choked up,” recalled Schweitzer. “To work hard for someone that you know is hard to please and a challenging committee of people who had been let down in the past and didn’t have the best expectations, and then to be told they are impressed? That really got to my heart.”
“I’m really happy with my decision to use the curves of the raised beds and do an opposite curve of plants that undulated through it. To see the colors work together as the plants matured and see how the design got more vibrant with time, was really rewarding. It’s a difficult space and you can’t treat it like a typical rectangular city bed. So, when you go up against something difficult and it turns out better than you expected, I’m really proud of it. This project was really a pleasure. Being able to work with a client that challenges you and a site that pushes you to do your best, that’s something I really treasure.”
The Perkins family now is in its fourth generation owning and running Winding Creek Nursery & Garden Center in Millbrook, IL. Some of their customers are the fourth generation to shop with them, as well. “We talk with customers in their 20s and 30s and they say they remember coming here with their parents,” says Mike Perkins. “Now their kids are coming behind them.”
In the 1920s, Perkins’ grandfather, Ralph Perkins, began growing and selling vegetables, flowers and bedding plants from his truck farm in Bristol, IL. By 1957 he moved his family to Millbrook, IL on land along the winding, Hollenback Creek. Thus, the name, Winding Creek Nursery & Garden Center Inc. The family is still there.
Today they grow trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs and houseplants on 160 acres. In addition, in 2019, they built a new 17,000 square foot greenhouse where they grow annuals, vegetables, herbs, tropicals, succulents and houseplants. Winding Creek also ships in specialty varieties that are native to northern Illinois.
As it happens, the new greenhouse was just in time. During the pandemic the demand for such products as vegetable plants and apple trees skyrocketed. It has continued to be high, says Perkins. “Now, I wish the greenhouse was even bigger.”
The company has evolved over the years until now Perkins
describes it as mostly retail, estimating that about 70 percent of their business is retail and 30 percent wholesale.
Initially, Perkins’ grandfather and the family did all the work themselves. That included three children, Bill, Fred and Betty. Bill is Perkins’ father. Now, Winding Creek employs 13 seasonal employees, as well as four or five others in the greenhouses and doing sales. Both Perkins’ wife, Tina, and one of their sons, Tyler, are Illinois Certified Nursery Professionals.
“We treat everyone as family,” Perkins says. “Even if they just started to work here, they are treated like family.” It’s no wonder, then, that some of their seasonal employees come back year after year and have worked for them for 13 or 14 years. “In spring, it’s all hands on deck,” he says, and family members are right there working with the employees.
Even the extended family is involved. Perkins’ sister, Penny Monkemeyer and her husband, Brian, who is certified to apply pesticides; Perkins’ cousin, Sherry Eichelberger and her husband, Paul; and Perkins’ wife, Tina, are on the team.
Perkins’ son, Tyler, has a horticulture degree from Southern Illinois University and now works in the sales yard. Perkins encouraged him to work for another company after college, which he did for several years, before returning to Winding Creek.
“Customers ask for him now,” says Perkins of his son. “He’s developed a following.”
His other son, Zachary, completed a degree in agriculture business at Illinois State University and now is sales coordinator at a
nursery in southern Illinois.
“People think it’s great that we are multigenerational,” says Perkins. “We recognize our regular customers.”
Perkins’ wife was active in IGIA. Now that they are part of ILCA, they look forward to continuing to send employees and attend seminars themselves. A few staff members are going to educational seminars at “Cultivate in July,” an event that is scheduled to be held at the nursery where his son is working, says Perkins. “We value the educational opportunities and do attend other educa tional events throughout the year.”
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Sales Account Manager
Balanced Environments Inc. is an award-winning and industry-certified company for landscape maintenance, design, and installation services in addition to snow and landscape management. We offer all benefits and a great working environment. We are looking for a Sales Account Manager in our Old Mill Creek location. Come join our team!
1. Minimum five years experience in sales.
2. Two-years experience in field landscape maintenance procedures or equivalent.
3. Two-years experience in field construction procedures or equivalent.
4. Degree in the horticulture-related field or extensive horticulture training.
Major Objectives to be Accomplished:
1. Produce budgeted sales of new maintenance, enhancement, and snow contracts.
2. Increase knowledge of customer service and sales through training and practice.
3. Provide accurate job setup and follow-through for all contracts sold.
4. Maintain and grow large profile/portfolio client relationships through monthly site visits and timely follow-up on requests.
5. Communication of client needs to maintenance, enhancements, and snow departments, as the primary contact person with the client.
6. Maintain renewal accounts for maintenance and snow clients in your portfolio.
Responsibilities and Essential Task Activities:
1. Proactively manage clients’ satisfaction and service delivery by anticipating potential challenges and monitoring satisfaction.
2. Review, plan and participate in internal training activities on a daily basis through the support and guidance of the sales manager.
3. Provide project inspection, advisement, and coordination between client and maintenance, enhancement, and snowplow crews.
4. Develop and maintain quality repeat clientele and generate yearly renewal contracts.
5. Support public relations program through print materials, ads, website, press releases, award entries, photography schedules, trade shows, networking events, etc.
6. Involvement in snowplowing operations to include new sales, renewals, and liaison between client and snow manager.
7. Follow approved policies and procedures regarding client contact, bidding implementation, collections, client follow-up, and feedback.
9. Act as the primary contact person between client and company.
10. Solicit new maintenance work through the approved sales process to include referrals and cold-calls, with a concentration within our existing property routes.
11. Majority of enhancement and design/build sales to be generated through current or prospective maintenance clients and through the completion of regular site analysis.
12. Snowplow sales to include referrals and cold calls as outlined in the snowplow sales plan.
13. Support administration personnel in the collection of accounts receivable generated by your clientele.
14. Assist other Account Managers with customers outside of your portfolio account base when required with a mentoring role possible.
15. Participate in all scheduled sales meetings and sales events.
Salary: $65,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year
Benefits: 401(k), Dental insurance, Health insurance, Paid time off, Vision insurance, Bonus pay, Commission pay.
How to apply: Email resume to Susan Bradleysbradley@balancedenvironmentsinc.com
Oakton College - Groundsworker
About Oakton College :
For 50 years, Oakton College has been the setting where thousands begin or continue their college or career studies. Educating people of all ages, from all walks of life, and from more than 40 nations, Oakton focuses on improving the quality of life for everyone who enters its doors.
We offer:
Continuing Education
Great Benefits
Paid Winter Break
FRIDAYS OFF during the Summer
Job Description:
Basic Function and Responsibility:
Under general supervision, perform tasks involved in maintaining athletic fields, grounds, lawns, flower beds, shrubs and trees, sidewalks, parking lots, roads and storm sewers and drainage structures, and snow removal.
Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities:
• Perform routine tasks in maintaining lawns and grounds, including seeding, fertilizing, mowing, watering, and weed control. Install, plant, spray, and maintain flower beds.
• Plant, fertilize, spray, and prune shrubs and trees.
• Maintain and repair sidewalks, roads, and parking lots.
• Maintain and repair water and sanitary lines, storm sewers, drainage structures, and manholes and drain lines.
• Perform tasks in snow removal including use of snowplow, UTV, or tractor to remove snow and add ice control by using salt or liquid deicers. Perform leaf raking, tree cutting, grass cutting, and stump removal. Cut, remove, and perform tree-controlled burning as needed.
• Applies fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides as directed.
• Perform daily campus litter and garbage can pick up.
• Operate job-related power equipment such as end loader, snow blower, air compressor and air hammer, mowers, painter, chain saw, and other power equipment.
• Perform other general maintenance tasks as may
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HELP WANTED
be assigned by the Supervisor or Director of Facilities.
• Perform Athletic field maintenance, repair, and striping.
• Perform Sprinkler system repair and maintenance.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
Requirements:
Required Qualifications:
• High school education or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired.
• Two years of landscaping groundskeeping and athletic field experience.
• Illinois State Public Applicator or Operator License and /or Ornamental and Turf license must be obtained within 6 months of employment.
• Ability to operate various types of power equipment including lawnmowers, trimmers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, and other landscaping equipment. Ability to use hand tools required for landscaping.
• Ability to follow instructions and complete assignments.
• Extensive knowledge of landscaping techniques and processes.
• Excellent time management skills. Verbal and written communication skills. Ability to give and follow directions and to follow written and oral instructions.
• General computer knowledge is required.
• Ability to interact professionally and tactfully with people of different levels of education, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences, and to exhibit an adequate level of respect to fellow employees and the College community at large.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Illinois State Commercial Driver›s License. Class B with Air Brake Endorsement is preferred. College sponsorship for earning Class B is available.
Physical Demands:
• The position requires employees to have:
• The ability to stand, walk, and move for extended periods of time (75% - 100%).
• The ability to bend, twist, stoop, kneel, crawl, push, pull, and reach in all directions (75% - 100%).
• The ability to lift and carry 50 lbs. (75% - 100%).
• The ability to perform moderate to strenuous physical labor for extended periods of time. (75% - 100%).
• The ability to set up and operate mechanical equipment (75% to 100%).
• The ability to work at heights and the ability to ascend/descend ladders. (25% - 50%).
HELP WANTED
• Require the use of radio communication. Employees on these shifts, using these devices, are required to have the ability to hear and exchange information clearly.
Working Conditions:
Job duties may be performed in hot, cold, dusty, and dirty environments. Employees may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and outside weather conditions.
Additional Information:
Supervision Received:
Functional supervision is received from the Grounds Supervisor. Administrative supervision is received from the Director of Facilities
HOURS: Monday - Friday - 7:00 am - 3:30 pmHours may vary due to the needs of the College
SALARY: $46,789
Oakton is accessible by public transportation.
Application Instructions:
For further details, visit our website at www. oakton.edu and select the Employment link to view Employment Opportunities.
Please be sure to have a current resume, cover letter, and list of, at least, three (3) professional references with contact information prepared to submit with your application.
Oakton College is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution, committed to employing competent, qualified individuals. Oakton College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, socioeconomic status, sex or gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation in admission to and participation in its educational programs, college activities and services, or in its employment practices.
Posted positions may be removed from the Oakton website without notice when it is determined that no additional applicants are required.
URL: www.oakton.edu
Project Manager Needed
Our landscape & design firm is looking to quickly fill our Project Manager position. It is a multi-disciplinary position encompassing strong management skills, detailed administrative organization, and robust communication skills. The position bears overall responsibility for the efficient and effective management of several ongoing projects, reporting to senior management regularly, and the scheduling of crews and vendors.
Successful candidates will be well-organized while having extensive knowledge of site analysis and landscape/rooftop construction techniques with a preferred 3-to-5-year experience in a similar or
HELP WANTED
related position; possess a high level of professional conduct and ethics; and have a verified history of successful project management.
The position is a full-time, salary-based position with full benefits package including comprehensive group medical, vision, and dental coverage stipends, paid holidays, vacation and sick/personal days, 401(k) savings plan, and relocation bonus when applicable. Competitive wages are based on experience with room for advancement.
Please email your resume and salary expectations for consideration to csgaccounting@chicagogardens.com.
Join our Green Dream Team: Become our newest Maintenance Account Manager! Are you passionate about landscaping and sales? Do you thrive on exceeding expectations and building lasting client relationships? If so, we’re looking for someone like you to join our team! At Poul’s Landscaping & Nursery, Inc., we specialize in creating and maintaining breathtaking outdoor spaces. With nearly six decades of experience, we’re a trusted name in the industry. Our diverse portfolio includes construction, full-service maintenance, and a wholesale nursery division, offering our team members unparalleled exposure to every aspect of landscaping.
As a Landscape Maintenance Account Manager, you’ll be the driving force behind our success. From developing prospective clients to providing tailored solutions and ensuring client satisfaction, you’ll play a pivotal role in our growth and success.
We offer a supportive work environment with friendly people who enjoy working together, competitive compensation, and opportunities for professional development. If you’re ready to take your career to the next level and be part of a team that’s dedicated to excellence, we want to hear from you! Apply today and let’s grow together.
How to apply: Please send a resume to Info@pouls.com
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August 2024 issue ads: July 15, 2024 September 2024 issue ads: August 15, 2024
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Magazine Cost is $5 per line
Minimum charge $50
Website Cost is $12 per line Minimum charge $120 (About 6 words/line)
Submit your ads online at ilca.net or Call Alycia Nagy (630) 472-2851
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HELP WANTED
Nursery Production Manager
We seek an experienced Nursery Production Manager to join our fourth-generation, familyowned company. In this role, you’ll manage a team of up to 6-10 employees (both seasonal and year-round) at our 183-acre farm in Bristol, WI. Training on the safe operation of yard equipment and care of plant material, inspecting plants, maintaining quality standards, as well as developing plans for weed control and IPM, pruning, and propagating are a few of the core responsibilities. Crew supervision experience, horticulture knowledge, strong organizational skills, and the ability to communicate work instructions in Spanish are a must. Our full-time, year-round position offers a robust benefits and compensation package including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurances, FSA, paid time off, holidays, and 401(k) with match. If your passion for all things green balances with the desire to lead, organize, and plan – this is the opportunity for you! How to apply: You can find a complete job description and our online application at https:// recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/ Details/1781554/Chalet/Nursery-ProductionManager. Please complete our online application to be considered.
HELP WANTED
Customer Service Representative - Full Time Clesen Wholesale is a fourth-generation annual grower serving landscapers and garden centers. Qualifications:
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Highly organized with exceptional followthrough and time management skills.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks to meet objectives.
• Skills in Microsoft Office preferred. How to apply: Apply directly on Indeed
PLEASE NOTE:
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Advertisers Inspiration Alley
Editor’s Note: Over time, we run across a mountain of fun, innovative, and generally creative ideas. They don’t always fit with the magazine content, but we do collect them for some future use. This brings us to Inspiration Alley, a place where we display pure creativity. It’s up to you to judge the merit of each offering. So use it, lose it or be inspired to try something different.
Standard Fare
By Nina A. Koziol
Let’s set the standard straight for planters. “Standard” is the name given to plants trained into a tree-form with a single main trunk. Whether you choose a woody — like a hydrangea — a tender perennial, or an annual, this “thriller” becomes the focal point in a container.
Lantana standards
Verbena standard
Fuchsia standards
Shrimp plant
Before You Go —
Yellow Wax Bells – Bold Heft in the Shade
By Mark Dwyer
Relying on hostas and ferns in the shadier garden is still a successful approach to addressing color and texture in those low light conditions. While there are also a wide range of other herbaceous treasures for the shade, including sedges (Carex), hellebores (Helleborus), lungworts (Pulmonaria) and barrenworts (Epimedium), having additional large and bold plants in our “design quivers” is warranted. I was new to yellow wax bells (Kirengeshoma sp., z 4-8) over a decade ago but now, with their increasing popularity and availability, they are indispensable for color and texture and are a personal favorite. Both Kirengeshoma palmata and Kirengeshoma koreana are graceful additions to our shadier gardens with their bold, maple-like foliage and yellow summer flowers.
Native to mountainous areas of Japan and Korea, this member of the Hydrangeaceae family is a clump-forming plant, with large, palmate, deeply-lobed and coarsely-toothed leaves that really catch the eye. The exotic leaves have a nice gold fall color as well. This bold, herbaceous plant will quickly grow to the shrub-like proportions of 4’ tall and wide on average. I’ve witnessed specimens over 6’ in height as well! The stems are solidly sturdy and have a purplish tint. Preferring part shade or shade, yellow wax bells does need adequate moisture and will exhibit more flowering in brighter locations. This plant has no significant pest or disease issues and is deer resistant.
The dramatic backdrop first-rate foliage becomes the foil
for pale, buttery yellow and pendulous blooms (1.5” long) held in clusters of 3-5 flowers. The flowers start as spherical buds on branched structures in mid-summer and the tubular flowers partially open to feature five petals with pointed tips turned outwards. It’s interesting that visually, the flowers don’t truly open all the way up. The flowers last for many weeks in the heat of summer with K. koreana blooming earlier than K. palmata with flowers held a bit more open and upright. K. koreana is also a bit taller with slightly smaller leaves. Personally, I can’t easily distinguish the difference between these two species and feel they are equally meritorious in the garden. The long-lasting flowers of yellow wax bells are certainly noteworthy but the foliage contributions of this perennial are significant from spring emergence until hard frost. The late-season fruiting structures are a unique, horned fruit with three “horns” protruding from a swollen capsule. It’s nice to see this perennial being more commonly offered and I’m seeing it in more and more shade gardens which is certainly a testament to its appeal, performance and merit. This plant, unsurprisingly, won the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Award of Garden Merit (AGM) back in 1993. I’m intrigued to see some interesting chartreuse leaf and variegated forms starting to appear with very limited availability. Regardless, having another textural marvel for the shade that will achieve shrub-size proportions should be on everyone’s design radar.
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