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20 1/4"
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MIDWEST TRADING HORTICULTURAL SUPPLIES, INC.® a Midwest-Orum Company
MIDWEST
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Net Weight: 30lbs (13.61kg)
1.5 Cubic Feet (42L)
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ALL PURPOSE POTTING SOIL
June 2017
CONTENTS
Excellence In Landscape Awards Project
8
FOCUS: Landscapes & Architecture Landscapes & Architecture 10 Part one of an on-going series When Good Plants Go Rogue 18 An updated look at the state of invasives Tender Salvias: Bloom Boosters 24 Garden Speak returns In the Field 2017 29 Design Tour Preview A Firm Handshake 42 Building business relationships Member Profile 52 H & H Lawn Service, Inc.
10
24
Sustainable Landscape Calendar 55 What does June have in store? Native Intelligence 62 Monarda fistulosa — Wild Bergamot
29
EN ESPAĂ‘OL
When Good Plants Go Rogue Cuando las plantas buenas se descontrolan
38
On the cover... Moore Landscapes received a Gold Award for this Commercial Landscape Construction project.
62 The Landscape Contractor June 2017
3
CONTENTS
DEPARTMENTS ILCA Calendar From Where I Stand President’s Message New Members Classified Ads Advertisers Index
Calendar
4 5 7 48 58 61
JULY July 13, 2017 Design Tour North Shore
AUGUST
Photo Credits ILCA Awards Program 1, 8-9 Nina Koziol 10-16, 18-22 Chicago Botanic Garden 24-28 ILCA Design Committee 29-36 H & H Landscape 52 Jason Fritz/Cardno 62
August 10, 2017 Summer Field Day College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL
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 58, Number 6. 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
SEPTEMBER
PRODUCT DISCLAIMER: The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, its Board of Directors, the Magazine Committee, ILCA Staff, The Landscape Contractor and its staff, neither endorse any products nor attest to the validity of any statements made about products
ILCA Staff
Magazine Staff
Executive Director Scott Grams (630) 472-2851 sgrams@ilca.net
Rick Reuland Publisher/Advertising Sales (630) 637-8632 rmgi@comcast.net
Events Manager Terre Houte thoute@ilca.net Office Manager Alycia O’Connor aoconnor@ilca.net Membership & Marketing Coordinator Marissa Stubler mstubler@ilca.net
ILCA 2625 Butterfield Road Ste. 104S Oak Brook, IL 60523 (630) 472-2851 • Fax (630) 472-3150 www.ilca.net
Debbie Rauen Advertising Sales (817-501-2403) debbie.landscapecontractor@ yahoo.com
September 14, 2017 The Village Links of Glen Ellyn Golf Outing September 21, 2017 Turf Education Day (TED) Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, IL
v Becke Davis Senior Writer
sign up
treethyme@aol.com
at dotynu rseries.co m to rece ive our
Patrice Peltier
Feature Writer patpeltier@charter.net
Meta Levin
email ne wsle t ter
Feature Writer
dotynurseries.com
Nina Koziol
Shade TreeS • OrnamenTalS • evergreenS • ShrubS
meta.levin@comcast.net Feature Writer
n.koziol@att.net Heather Prince Feature Writer
princeht@sbcglobal.net Marilyn Witney
Ryan Doty sales@dotynurseries.com
P 630 365 9063 F 630 365 9081
45W121 Beith Road Maple Park, IL 60151
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The Landscape Contractor June 2017
@ILCAlandscape
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From Where I Stand — I recently attended a conference in San Diego of
all my counterparts across the US and Canada. My wife joked, “So, it’s a room full of Scott Gramses…shudder.” It’s an incredible few days of networking, education, and socializing. One of our speakers was planning to talk about branding, specifically in regards to non-profit associations. I rolled my eyes. Branding has become one of those words that everyone just assumes they understand. It has become so ubiquitous that it now feels embarrassing to admit we don’t know exactly what it means. We sorta understand that branding is some amalgamation of advertising, marketing, company culture, philosophy, mission, and basic graphic design. Yet, ask most people and they will say it’s a logo and cool tagline. In fact, branding is all of those things. That makes it seem overwhelming. People hate stuff that seems overwhelming. That leads us to resist branding. That leads us to roll our eyes and say branding is pseudotrendy hogwash. I know this linear progression because I believed it. Branding is like one of those words from another culture that “we don’t really have a word for” like schaeudenfraude or je ne sais quoi. It is a concept that has always existed, but just recently got a name. That makes branding seem both young and timeless at the same time. The reason branding has stuck around, and many companies are pursuing comprehensive branding strategies is because they work. In essence, branding gets to the deepest level of the human brain. It taps into our emotions, hopes, and fears. Its goal is not to sell any particular product. That’s marketing and that’s small potatoes. No, branding wants to make you a customer for life. In practice, branding is complex. That does not mean understanding branding has to be complex. Instead of defining branding and then providing an example, I will provide an example from a famous branding campaign first. The following words were overlaid on a photo of a little girl resting on the side of a rowboat. Her dad is in the background, but blurred. She has a big, peaceful smile on her face. It reads: Take me fishing. Because I get the giggles when the boat bounces. Take me fishing. You can think about work later. Take me fishing. And show me that worms really aren’t icky. Take me fishing. Because my wedding will be sooner than you think.
just considered GPS’ing the nearest Bass Pro Shop. That emotional jolt is the byproduct of branding. That is from a famous ad campaign from Takemefishing. org which is a subsidiary of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. When you strip it all away, that ad campaign strikes to the heart of one of our deepest fears as parents; the precious time spent with our kids is drifting away. Takemefishing.org plays on that fear and creates a lasting and permanent relationship with fishing. We, as consumers, without being told, identify that fishing is the way to overcome that fear. Here is the odd thing about branding, a timid organization may think, “I am supposed to scare my customers? Won’t they hate me for that?” That is the interesting aspect of branding. It doesn’t matter if you toy with emotions, it’s more important that you make potential customers feel, something, anything at all. Fishing isn’t the reason our kids are growing up too fast. Fishing is the way we can prevent kids from growing up too fast. Fishing is the brand, and the ads helped it go from a solitary activity for introverts to the key to stopping time. So, what exactly is branding? There are all sorts of definitions from marketing textbooks that no one ever remembers. Personally, the best definition I encountered was, “branding is the gut level emotion a customer feels about a product, service, or organization.” This is drastically different from marketing which is the action of promoting a product or service. In short, marketing is telling a customer how to feel, branding is the creation of that feeling. Marketing is about you, branding is about them. The most successful companies are excellent managers of their brands. Disney has mastered branding. It’s command of its brand is the reason it’s a cultural phenomenon versus a movie studio with an overpriced theme park. Other companies known for their brands include: UPS; the familiarity of brown and does anyone even know their “FedEx Guy”? Apple; everything about their brand speaks to the consumer including their tagline – “Think Different.” Starbucks who encouraged customers to loiter comfortably and normalized $5 coffee. Even CocaCola has morphed its brand from being entirely about their product (1982’s “Coke is It!”) to being about the conscious (2001’s “Life Tastes Good”) to delving into the subconscious realm of gut reactions (2009’s “Open Happiness” and 2016’s “Taste the Feeling”). Very few organizations, ILCA included, are all aboard the branding train. ILCA staff has taken baby steps towards understanding and developing a coherent brand, but you can still smell the embryonic fluid. The scope of branding is overwhelming. It seems daunting and exhausting to sit down and examine every single aspect of an organization’s operations and how they instill base level emotion in consumers. I don’t even recommend that exercise. It is too far, too soon. The first question an organization needs to ask is “How do I want customers to feel about my business?” Even “good” is a
Brand New
If you are a father, or even not a father, that last line hit you like a lightning bolt. It shot past the logical center of your brain. It overwhelmed your defenses. You got goose bumps. Your chin may have quivered. You may not even fish, but you
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
5
Why I Give A
nswering a pressing need to exert political influence with lawmakers in Springfield, ILCA has re-instituted its Political Action Committee (PAC). Donations for the PAC are desperately needed. To demonstrate this need and serve as a personal call to action, The Landscape Contractor will interview a PAC donor in each issue for the months ahead. Jim Cirrincione We begin with Jim Cirrincione Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. Willowbrook, IL of Hinsdale Nurseries— TLC: Why is this cause important to you? Why should it be important to all contractors? JC: I feel politicians are not paying attention to our level of small business. We must get their attention and make our case. TLC: Do you have a history of political donation? Are you politically active? JC: Our company has a long history of political involvement on both the State and Federal level. And I am becoming more involved on the local level. This spring, I was elected as a Park Commissioner in Western Springs. I’m living out the adage: Think Globally — Act Locally. TLC: Do you ever contact your local Representative? JC: Yes, I routinely send emails to both my Congressional Representatives and to our two US Senators. On the state level, I have recently visited my Rep. Jim Durkin in his Springfield office. TLC: Why should contractors follow your lead? JC: It is vitally important for politicians to understand what is happening on the ground floor of their constituency. They don’t understand our business, and they never will, unless we take the time to explain it to them.
Let your voice be heard— email ILCA to make a donation or request a donation form information@ilca.net 6
From Where I Stand — fair answer. Notice this is a different question than, “What do I want to tell customers about my business?” That reframes everything. I would bet most ILCA members’ websites and marketing answer that second question. I bet most “About Us” webpages talk about the company’s history, mission, beliefs, services, and people. We want to tell the story of the business. This is a result of pride and the desire to establish credibility. The question is, “Does anyone care? No landscape company is in the business of selling plants, stone, design, or maintenance services. No customer wants to buy a plant simply to own a plant. They aren’t art pieces. Landscape clients are buying a lifestyle, neighborhood bragging rights, pride, leisure, a place to connect with their kids, or a serene spot to spend retirement. Those customers are buying an emotion on the deepest, gut level. The landscape company is digging deep into a client’s psyche and finding out what desire, fear, anxiety, jealousy or base level emotion is driving the purchase. The landscape company, and the landscape company alone, possesses the ability to soothe the emotion that rages within. I made the mistake of assuming a brand is what companies desire to obtain. That is incorrect. Right now, every company has a brand. It had a brand the second the first customer, in whatever year, connected with the product. It is not something you buy or aspire to attain. The problem is that most of our brands, ILCA included, are ordinary or incoherent. They are a hodgepodge of stuff and we hope that by tweaking a logo or altering a color scheme, it will take us one step closer to self-actualization. In reality, branding is letting go. It embraces a transactional relationship well beyond the boundaries of marketing. In marketing, companies keep tight control of the message. With branding, they put it all out there and hope consumers respond in kind. It is loving our companies and then setting them free. The first step for any company is to just accept that idea is terrifying. The second step, and probably the only one a company can realistically complete in one year is to determine how customers should feel. Trust me, that’s enough for one year. Resist the urge to be clever. Resist the desire to run around the neighborhood with your new brand like a child with a kite. It’s three steps: 1. Accept the terror. 2. Acknowledge you currently have a brand. 3. Determine how you actually want people to feel about your brand. It is about control and loss of control. Takemefishing.org had one more ad. This one featured a young boy fishing with his grandpa. To me, it’s the perfect metaphor for branding. The ad shows them both standing on a dock. The boy’s face is close to the camera. The grandpa is standing at the end of the dock, again blurred, staring out at the water. The final line reads; Take me fishing So, I’ll always remember you. When your brand gets in that deep, you’ll know you’re there.
Scott Grams May 17, 2017
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
President’s Message — I am writing my last message to you as President. The year
President
Mike Schmechtig Schmechtig Landscape Company (847) 566-1233 mschmechtig@schmechtiglandscapes.com
Vice-President
Lisa Fiore Don Fiore Company, Inc. (847) 234-0020 lfiore@donfiore.com
Secretary-Treasurer
Tom Lupfer Lupfer Landscaping (708) 352-2765 tom@lupferlandscaping.com
Immediate Past President Rusty Maulding Nature’s View (815) 592-7582 rusty@naturesview.info
Directors
Mark Breier National Seed Co. (630) 963-8787 mark.breier@natseed.com Lisa Fiore Fiore Nursery and Landscape Supply (847) 913-1414 lisa@cjfiore.com Jose Garcia Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. (815) 724-0991 info@naturalcreationslandscaping.com Allan Jeziorski Hartman Landscape (708) 403-8433 allan@hartmanlandscape.net Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net
Kevin Manning K & D Enterprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 kmanning@kdlandscapeinc.com Maureen Scheitz Acres Group (847) 526-4554 maureen.scheitz@acresgroup.com Donna Vignocchi Zych ILT Vignocchi, Inc. (847) 487-5200 dvignocchi@iltvignocchi.com
has just flown by. When I began my term, I thought it would be difficult to compose my monthly message to you but with so much going on with the association, there was always something of interest and importance to share with you. The Board of Directors is made up of an incredible mix of ILCA members. Each member brings their unique experiences and personality to serving. I found each of them to be always insightful and caring about our association and members. This year’s new Board of Directors ballot is in the mail and due June 20th. It is great list of candidates. I look forward to working with them as I begin to take on the past president board position. Lisa Fiore is on the ballot for President. I know you will find her to be a calm voice of reason and always fun. Tom Lupher for Vice President brings his passion for sustainability and politics. I am very excited for Jose Garcia, a longtime board member, who is wise beyond his years for Secretary. Nominated to join the Board this year are Scott McAdam Jr., Mark Utendorf and Ashley Rolffs. Each of them are the right person to serve in their respective positions at this time. I would also like to thank retiring Board members, Rusty Maulding, Maureen Scheitz and Lisa Fiore for your time and commitment to the ILCA. Throughout this past year, I took time to highlight the different segments of the Board’s very first three year strategic plan. This would not have been able to happen without the committee chairs and members’ continued support and dedication to the association. I would like to revisit something I wrote in my September letter. Each of us has something to contribute, so why not consider joining a committee? Did you know the ILCA is run by its members and adheres to the bottom up approach to association management? We are not a top down driven organization where a few individuals are in charge. The ILCA board members and committees meet annually to discuss ideas and strategy. The board, through its strategic planning process, sets goals which are mostly completed by the staff and committees of the ILCA. Our committees are given maximum flexibility in matters not related to the strategic plan. Our bottom up approach encourages and supports collaboration to work together in resolutions for the continued growth and success of the organization. Committees change as the times change. Some run its course like the Public Relations Committee which has now evolved into a Membership and Marketing Coordinator position. Each committee works to keep things fresh, interesting and to stay in step with what is happening now while looking towards the future. I invite you to consider taking your membership to the next level by joining one of the following committees: Awards, Certification, Education and Experience, Finance, FLIP, Golf Outing, iLandscape, Latino, Magazine, Membership, Regulatory and Legislative, and Summer Field Day. Not sure which one is right for you… please give me a call or reach out to the Committee Chairs or Board members. Lastly, the staff of the ILCA is first rate. I want to thank Scott Grams, the Executive Director, Terre Houte, Alycia O’Connor, Marissa Sikirdji and of course Julie Nicoll’s, who after 28 years began her retirement at the end of March 3st, for your support this year. You are all easy to work with, organized, resourceful, helpful and fun. Don’t forget — mark your calendars and sign up to attend Summer Field Days on August 10, 2017 at College of DuPage. Respectfully, Michael Schmechtig
www.ilca.net The Landscape Contractor June 2017
7
Our client was
O’Brien Landscape • Wilmette Lake Front Wilmette
evaluating whether or not to buy house was removed and a new one positioned within the building a lakefront property based almost solely on the ability to retro-fit envelope leaving only a narrow plane above the bluff for a yard. It a gabion and concrete bluff into an aesthetically pleasing outdoor was not enough space for entertaining and play. terrace with functional beach access on a fixed budget. Our proposal to the client included strategically removing The existing gabion walls and concrete embankment providsome structures and covering as much of the remaining gabion ed ample bluff reinforcement - but they were terribly unsightly. as possible. We carved out a series of usable spaces between the Removal of the gabion baskets for an entirely new retaining sysbluff and the beach. tem was cost prohibitive. Dry, stacked stone steps take you from the bluff top to a large The property also had a sloped concrete embankment which terrace below which floats above the lake, cascading down to a the client found to be extremely unattractive. We determined the turf terrace and eventually to the beach. maximum 200 year lake level heights including maximum storm The baskets are veneered with random dry stacked stone and surges and calculated necessary elevation where we could pour special masonry ties for maximum structural integrity. Not all the a concrete abutment creating a wall to retain soil. We were then gabion baskets were covered with stone for monetary and aesthetic able to cover approximately 50% of the embankment with approreasons. Vine planting pockets were incorporated into all remainpriate landscape plantings for sloped bluff applications. ing visible gabion baskets and planted with evergreen ivy. Our Prior to purchase, we prepared a schematic design solution intention was to soften the bluff with natural plantings. and an accurate construction budget which allowed our clients to The end result created multiple usable planes on a steep bluff comfortably proceed with the purchase of the property. The old while substantially softening the original bluff structures. The Landscape Contractor 9 June 2017
Landscapes
& Architecture
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Landscapes Architecture
Timeless Landscapes: Marrying the House and Garden
By Nina A. Koziol
T
he Midwest is home to a rich and varied collection of residential architecture. In Illinois alone, there are thousands of houses that were constructed at least 25 years before the Civil War. And there are countless styles of houses that have been built since then. By the 1830’s, settlers poured into Illinois, many bringing with them sophisticated design ideas based on Colonial-era houses built further east. At that time, carpenters and masons trained in the older states did most of the design and building here in the Midwest. A stroll through many older neighborhoods typically reveals houses that can be identified as Folk Victorian, Greek Revival, Classical Revival, Tudor Revival, Mid-century Modern, Shingle, Ranch, Contemporary, Cape Cod, Queen Anne, Bungalow, Arts and Crafts, Federal, Prairie, Second Empire, Four Square, Italianate and many others. Like clothing, cars, hairstyles and gardens, trends in home design have emerged just about every decade.
One thing that hasn’t changed is this: a house is like a fine painting and the landscape is the frame. Like a good frame, the landscape should enhance, not overwhelm or detract from the dwelling. While landscapers know their plants and hardscape materials, some may not be familiar with the architecture of older homes or the landscape styles that complement historic architecture. At the iLandscape show in February, landscape architect Scott Mehaffey and I presented a broad overview of architectural styles and the gardens and landscape principles that were popular at the time the houses were built. This article kicks off a series that is intended to provide insight into some elements of various architectural styles as well as plants and landscape practices of the respective era to help you be better informed when discussing projects with your clients. Context-sensitive landscape design, which preserves historic character can increase property values, and contribute to stronger, more desirable communities. (continued on page 12)
At the time this house was built in 1842 in Lockport, Illinois, homes did not have foundation plantings. Physicians at the time warned that they would make the house damp and could invite tuberculosis.
The Milne House, Will County
The main part of this two-story house was built in 1842 from locally quarried limestone. It has a hipped roof and a
The Milne House as in 1873.
The Austrian pines, called “husband-and-wife trees,” flank the main entryway.
The site lines from indoors look good all year long. Planting beds feature hydrangeas, Hakonechloa ‘All Gold’ and dragonwing begonias for a spot of color. “All the plant material is pulled away so you can look out and onto it,” Stewart-Pyziak said.
Landscapes
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&
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
L O N G S H A D OW
ÂŽ
Design and installation: Mariani Landscape, Lake Bluff, Illinois
. COM
Washington 24 Planter with Square Base, LS 9342 on Washington 24 Pedestal Cap, LS 9222
Landscapes
& Architecture
stone cornice and parapet. “The architectural style is unique in Illinois for a residence, to the best of our knowledge,” said owner Jerry Adelmann. The architecture was strongly influenced by the classical design principles of Andrea Palladio, a Renaissance-era Italian architect. The Milne house has characteristics of the Greek Revival style (low-pitched hipped roof, a narrow line of transom sidelight windows around the main door), and some qualities of the Federal style (two-story with hipped roof, double-hung sash windows). A stone milk house is adjacent to the home. (continued on page 14) (continued from page 12)
Look Ma, No Foundation Plants
Before the Civil War, few houses had any foundation plants, including this one. That’s because physicians then thought that plants around the house would create damp conditions that could lead to consumption (tuberculosis). Instead of foundation plants, a large original and renovated limestone walk surrounds the front and side of the home. In 1848, Robert Milne purchased the
—
house and planted two Austrian pines that he bought from a tree peddler. It was the same year that the nearby I and M Canal opened. The pines are called “husbandand-wife trees” and flank the entryway. The wife tree died around 1900 and was replaced with another Austrian pine. The original “husband tree,” one of the largest Austrian pines in the state, is in decline due to pine beetle in spite of ongoing care by a certified arborist. Similar plantings of “wedding trees,” such as maples, catalpas, European larches and sycamores may be found flanking the doorways of many 19thcentury homes.
said. “It’s the typical meatloaf-andmeatball evergreens put in after World War II.” When working on houses built before 1900, Stewart-Pyziak may suggest to homeowners that existing evergreens be removed. “Healthwise, they’re not always in good condition.” One of the easiest ways to create a sense of place in the landscape is to repeat the architectural style or material in your design,” she said. In this case, it’s the home’s limestone. “We’ve used a flagstone bench, steppers, walkway and wall with stone that was quarried locally.”
Marrying the House to the Landscape
Viewing the mature trees and the wildflowers from indoors is important to the owner. “All the plant material is pulled away so you can look out and onto it,” Stewart-Pyziak said. “You look out onto woodland shade perennials in sweeping planting beds—it’s beautiful but doesn’t take away from the house. I think the site lines in creating the beds are as important or more important than foundation planting. We’re creating beds
The barns and outbuildings are gone, but towering oaks, maples and a very old ironwood tree (Ostrya virginiana) are on the property along with many native woodland wildflowers. Landscape designer Marcy Stewart-Pyziak has worked on the grounds for several years. “On a lot of older houses, the landscaping hasn’t been thought out,” she
Site Lines
The site lines from indoors look good all year long. Planting beds feature hydrangeas, Hakonechloa ‘All Gold’ and dragonwing begonias for a spot of color. “All the plant material is pulled away so you can look out and onto it,” Stewart-Pyziak said.
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The Landscape Contractor June 2017
and enclosures away from the house.” To deal with the shade and to reduce mowing, she masses sedges, epimedium, hellebores, hosta, pulmonaria and heuchera throughout the property to create unity and repetition. “I like Hosta plantaginea— August lily—it has a nice sense of place, and has been used for more than a century. The other ground cover I’m using that’s so drought tolerant is liriope.” Stewart-Pyziak also planted several varieties of hydrangeas throughout the property. “I’m using oak leaf, arborescens and paniculata and I’m using some of the newer cultivars because they have pretty good drought tolerance.”
Artemesia, butterfly bush, Miscanthus and castor beans create a contemporary cottage garden behind the stone milk house.
Style
Although the house is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, it’s a private home, not a museum. As such, the designer takes into consideration not only the style and feel of the architecture, but what the client desires as well. “You have to not only look at the style of the house, but the person currently living in it. I’m trying to do things that the owner likes, too, and he likes big bold foliage.” She uses Sun King aralia and bigleaved ligularia as focal points. “One of the things I do on older houses is use spots of annuals for color. That’s what helps carry the gardens and pull the eye through the design.” For the shade, she uses dragonwing begonias for a pop of color. “They’re bulletproof and drought tolerant and take sun or take shade.”
Elsewhere in the woodland garden, she uses Hakonechloa ‘All Gold’ and chartreuse-leaf bleeding heart (Dicentra ‘Gold Heart). “Some are newer cultivars but they feel good and work pretty well.”
“I have to think of what’s going to tolerate the drought or lack of water. One or two of the gardens are where there was once a gravel driveway leading to the barns. On these older homes, you have to know your soils and pick plants accordingly.” Know thy Site Leaves, rather than wood mulch, are “You can have all the good design shredded throughout the growing season intent in the world and be sensitive to to add organic matter to the soil surface. the style of the house, but there can be “Over the eons, being on top of a hill, problems with the site, and more impororganic matter may have eroded away. tant, the maintenance.” In this case, the The biggest problem is once it gets dry, soil tends to dry out quickly because it just doesn’t hold water.” there’s not a lot of organic matter. A bevy of native wildflowers— The Landscape Contractor 15 June 2017
Landscapes
& Architecture
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The bench, steppers, walkway and wall were constructed from locally quarried stone, most of which came from Bromberek’s Flagstone Co., in Lemont, IL. A cottage garden filled annuals and perennials surrounds the stone milk house.
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The Landscape Contractor June 2017
bloodroot, wild geranium, Virginia waterleaf, ferns and mayapples fill the understory beneath the oaks and hackberry. Stewart-Pyziak planted a living fence of ironwood, blue beech, service berry, paw paw, beautyberry, spicebush and native smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens) to create a privacy screen. Near the stone milk house, a cottagestyle garden filled with annuals and perennials mingles with native grasses— prairie dropseed and little bluestem— along with baptisia, Wendy’s Wish salvia, bergenia, heuchera, Russian sage, Joe Pye weed and amsonia. A charming effect for a remarkable house. (continued on page 16)
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Invasives Update —
When Good Plants Go Rogue: An update on invasive species Nina A. Koziol
The alarm bells about invasive species in this country have been ringing for some time. Zebra mussels inhabit the Great Lakes, “flying” Asian carp are in Illinois waterways, emerald ash borer decimates our ash trees, and European starlings compete with native birds across the lower 48 states. Some plants, like some animals and insects, were first introduced as beneficial to our landscapes, agriculture, wildlife or livelihood. Others landed here by accident or chance. Many have become pests, invading wetlands, prairies, pastures and woodlands. The landscapeswallowing kudzu vine, introduced in 1876 as an ornamental and crop plant, has twined its way from the South into the Midwest and is now found in many Illinois and Indiana counties. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an invasive plant “has the ability to thrive and spread aggressively outside its native range. A naturally aggressive plant may be especially invasive when it is introduced to a new habitat.” In 2016, Illinois legislators added several plants to the state’s Exotic Weed Act. The plants on the list, such
as bush honeysuckles, Japanese knotweed and Oriental bittersweet, cannot be sold or distributed in Illinois without a permit. The Chicago Botanic Garden includes more than 100 plants on its list, “Invasive Plants in the Chicago Region.” Most of them are not ornamental plants, but you will find Callery pear, Japanese barberry, wintercreeper and periwinkle, all of which are readily available in the trade. Over the past decade or so, many public gardens have been examining their collections to decide what should stay and what, if anything, should go. For now, it’s Miscanthus (aka Chinese
Miscanthus floridulus
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The Landscape Contractor June 2017
silver grass, flame grass, and maiden grass). The Chicago Botanic Garden will remove its entire collection of Miscanthus by the end of 2017, according to Dr. Kayri Havens-Young, the Medard and Elizabeth Welch Senior Director of Ecology and Conservation and senior scientist at the Garden. She was among several scientists from Florida, Arizona, New York and Illinois presenting at The Morton Arboretum’s summit last November, “Plants on the Move: How Public Gardens can help Control Invasive Plants.” The program examined how public gardens conduct research, control invasive plant species, and looked at case studies on how plants escape cultivation. “Because botanical gardens and arboreta across the country carefully monitor their collections of introduced plants, they are ideally positioned to be the first to detect species that may escape cultivation and thus have the potential to become invasive on a larger scale,” according to Theresa Culley, professor at the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Biological Sciences, who spoke at the summit. “Far from being blamed for past introductions of plants that later became invasive, (continued on page 20)
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Invasives Update — (continued from page 18) [public] gardens can now be recognized for their proactive role in the early detection of invasive plants and their work with researchers to reduce the negative impact of these species in natural areas.”
Escapees
Miscanthus was introduced to the U.S. more than a century ago. By 1906, “The Garden Magazine” ran a story, “Beauty in Garden Grasses,” in which Miscanthus sinensis (then called eulalia grass) was considered “an excellent substitute for tender pampas grass. The silvery plumes adorn the garden after the foliage has fallen from the trees.” According to the U.S. Forest Service, by the early 1940’s, Chinese silver grass occurred along roadsides, railroad tracks in some eastern states.
Ornamental pear invading woodlot
Like many other plants, Miscanthus has come in and out of vogue. It roared back into popularity in the 1980’s along with many perennials and breeders created dozens of showy cultivars. In the eastern U.S., Miscanthus sinensis is a problem, while in the Midwest, it’s M. sacchariflorus, which spreads by aggressive rhizomes. Miscanthus x giganteus is a natural (and sterile) hybrid of these two species and has been studied as a possible candidate for renewable energy. It can grow to 12 feet tall and spreads by slower growing rhizomes. “Invasion is a sequence of events,” Havens-Young said. “They arrive, establish, and spread to new locations. Some 25 years ago, we had the ‘sterile’ purple loosestrife cultivars (Lythrum ‘Morden Pink,’ ‘Morden Gleam’) that were self-incompatible,
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but they could breed with the wild species. Self-incompatible is not the same as sterile.” Havens-Young explained that invasive plants often have small, long-lived seeds and tolerate many ecological conditions. They can be long-flowering, mature quickly and can be highly competitive. In one study published in 2012, Miscanthus ‘Autumn Light’ set more than 220,000 filled seeds per plant. A concern with displaying any Miscanthus grasses in the Garden’s collection—even those that bloom very late and have smaller amounts of viable seed—is that it sends a mixed message to visitors who may admire the grasses and then head to a big-box store where they buy one that is potentially invasive. Speaking about invasive plants in general, Dr. Havens-Young said, “This is a problem that’s getting worse, not better. The vast majority of plant intro-
ductions are not invasive, but determining which ones are is key.”
Ornamental Pears
Professor Culley also discussed ornamental pear invasiveness and the ability of different cultivars to crosspollinate and multiply quickly. Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) was introduced more than a century ago and was used to develop fire blight resistance in common pears. The tree’s ornamental value was recognized about 1950 and since then breeders created numerous cultivars. The Callery pear was not on Midwestern invasive species lists a decade ago, but today it is listed in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Ohio, among others.
Moving Forward
Panicum as a replacement for Miscanthus
“We at the Garden are continually assessing plants and removing them when we feel they pose a significant risk,” Havens-Young said. There were (continued on page 22)
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The Landscape Contractor June 2017
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Invasives Update — (continued from page 21) debates about ‘Should we remove Callery pear?,’ but ultimately, the Garden replaced the Autumn Blaze pears outside the visitors center with native yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea).” That was done last spring and since then educational efforts through the Garden’s website and magazine have helped visitors and members understand why the popular trees were replaced. For those native plant purists who’d like everything to go back to its “natural state” (before Europeans descended on North America more than 500 years ago), it’s just not going to happen. “The cat is out of the bag,” said Teri Dunn Chace, author of Eradicate Invasive Plants (Timber Press, 2013). “It’s so complicated now to try and return our landscapes to all natives, and not every introduced plant is bad. Weeds and invasive plants move in usually when the land is disturbed, Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ so don’t leave it blank—plant it. We’re going to have to do ter of finding a balance between its invathe best we can because we can’t return sive quality and the still high consumer everything to a pristine landscape.” demand and economic importance to the industry. I still think there can be uses Growers, Garden Centers and for it in urban and suburban locations, Landscape Pros Weigh In away from natural areas. The problem “That’s interesting about the Chicago is where there are pastures or roadways Botanic Garden and Miscanthus,” said nearby. They’re not invasive in the forlandscape architect Bob Hursthouse of ests, but can choke a pasture if it’s not Hursthouse & Associates. “It’s actumaintained and that’s the dilemma.” ally been a number of years since Awareness of this issue is starting to we’ve planted any Miscanthus. We’ve affect the market somewhat. switched to more native varieties. Many “The majority of municipalities will of our clients had difficulty maintaining not “spec” them now and some landMiscanthus and dividing those monsters scape architects are starting to think can be more than many want to take on. twice about drawing them into a plan,” Also, the scale of many of the varieties Worth said. “We’ve seen the demand make it overpowering in a residential flatten out and I predict nurseries will landscape.” start to plant fewer of them. Anybody “There’s no argument that the ornathat’s forward-looking will probably mental pear tree is invasive,” said Steve keep their numbers constant or drop Worth of Kankakee Nursery. “It’s a mat22
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
them a bit. It is still an important tree for growers, especially as we continue to recover from the recession. It is probably a top 10 tree for most companies. A potential bright spot is that breeders have been working on a sterile variety, and if that works, that could be good news.” For Jennifer Brennan at the Chalet Garden Center in Wilmette, more customers are looking for native grasses. “We still offered Miscanthus last year, but the really hot grasses are the natives. They’re not going to give you the same fluffy seed heads as Miscanthus, but big bluestem and switchgrass will give the height and size. I’m really hot on the panicums—you can’t go wrong with them. And, we sell a lot of them because they’re native.” “We continue to educate ourselves and be stewards of the landscape in a manner that balances what’s good for business and what’s good for the green industry—the community, the countryside, natural areas and open spaces,” said Thomas “JR” Tecza, Jr., of Hinsdale Nursery. “Most of the issues with ornamental pears are happening in disturbed sites. Let’s use plants properly. I’ve noticed pear trees lining the edge of a parking lot or soccer fields when there’s plenty of room for honey locust, oak or other full-size trees. Let’s not go for boulevards of just pears—don’t overuse them. Regarding Miscanthus, we haven’t seen a problem on our job sites or in our nursery. One challenge we’re seeing is social media. We’ve seen homeowners stand in the garden center and type plant names into their smart phones and if the Google results somehow kicks back negative information, that’s becoming much more powerful. But sales of ornamental pears are still strong.” “As a grower, we grow what our customers want to buy as long as it’s not illegal,” says Gary Knosher, president of Midwest Groundcovers. “We look at
it from the perspective of right plant, right place. For a downtown Chicago planting, Miscanthus would be o.k. because there are few places for it to reseed. However, you wouldn’t want to use it on a country estate where it could spread. Maybe use Panicum or other grasses as a substitute.”
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(See resources below to stay informed about what plants are currently on invasive and watch lists.)
Stay Informed: Invasive Plants of the Chicago Region. Chicago Botanic Garden. http://www.chicagobotanic.org/research/ identifying_threats/invasive U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Invasive Species Information Center. https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/ main.shtml Illinois Exotic Weed Act. http:// www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3. asp?ActID=1735&ChapterID=44 Midwest Invasive Plant Network. http:// www.mipn.org Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. http://www.invasive.org EDDMAPS Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System. https://www.eddmaps.org Chicago Botanic Garden’s Plant Evaluation Program. http://www.chicagobotanic.org/ research/ornamental_plant_research/plant_ evaluation Midwest Groundcovers Invasive Species Statement. http://www.midwestgroundcovers.com/page/Invasive-SpeciesResponsibility — ninakoziol@icloud.com
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2/1/17 9:22 AM
Garden Speak — Practical Plant Evaluations
Tender Salvias: Bloom Boo
By Nina A. Koziol
Say “salvia”
and the first sun with prevailing westerly winds. For thing that comes to mind is probably water conservation and weed suppres‘May Night’ (‘Mainacht’), the perennial sion, the beds are lightly mulched with that each May forms a blue meandera compost of leaves and twigs in spring. ing river of flowers in Chicago’s Lurie The plants are irrigated only as needed Garden. It was one of many landscapeand no fertilizer is applied. Tough condiworthy perennial salvias assessed by tions indeed. Richard Hawke, plant evaluation manager and associate scientist at the Chicago Botanic Garden. His recommendations appeared in the October 2016 issue of The Landscape Contractor. (Editor’s note: If you missed it, you can read the digital edition here: (https://issuu.com/rick_r/docs/ tlc_10.16_digital_edition) Last year, Hawke began a three-year trial of tender salvias. (The term “tender” typically refers to perennial plant hardness as opposed to annuals. Many plants are perennials in warmer zones, but are considered tender in northern states. Annual plants are those whose life cycle lasts one year, and they are usually propagated by seed. So, you won’t see Lady in Red salvia in this trial, for example, because it’s an annual.) “Perennials used as annuals is a trend in gardening,” Hawke Salvia ‘Amistad’ said. “They are tender perennials that act like an annual—they get sizable or “It was amazing. We had some stunflower the first year, and tender salvias fit ning plants that were loaded up with into that scheme.” flowers. In the 25 years as a lab and test Replanting for the trial’s second year garden, we rarely saw a hummingbird, began again this spring although some but they were crazy this last year—out of the tender salvias overwintered. Keep there gangbusters. Every kind of butin mind that the trial garden sits in full terfly and bee was out there in the salvia 24
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
trial beds well into the season. We saw no disease, no insect issues and no rabbit problems. It was a pretty successful trial for the first go around, which of course is what we want to see.” “For landscapers, the groups to generally look at are the Salvia greggii, microphylla, and jamensis (S. x jamensis). And, there are a lot of the salvias—the Novasal group (Arctic Blaze series)—that are coming out of Ball.” The trial, which featured nearly 100 different tender salvias (five of each plant) was widely popular with the Garden’s visitors, too. “Every nurseryman and plant person who came here couldn’t get enough of it.” It’s true. These aren’t your grandmother’s salvias and they are certainly not the old gas station landscaping staples of years past. Walking through the trial garden in September was a feast for the eyes. Based on last year’s evaluation, here are some of Hawke’s recommendations. ‘Amistad’ Rated: Excellent This spectacular hybrid sage hails from Argentina. Each 7-inch long flower-bearing stalk is packed with violet-purple tubular flowers that are enhanced by purple, almost black calyces. Plants reached 33 inches tall and 38 inches wide and had excellent flower production from July 17 to November 20 when a hard frost occurred. (continued on page 26)
sters
Salvia ‘Anthony Parker’
Salvia ‘Golden Delicious’
Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’
Salvia ‘Golden Delicious’ The Landscape Contractor June 2017
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Garden Speak — Practical Plant Evaluations (continued from page 24) “Amistad was beautiful. Although we didn’t evaluate salvias for use in containers—we looked at when they bloom and their overall habit—in containers you’ll likely fertilize.” And the results could be even more sensational. ‘Anthony Parker’ Rated: Excellent Hawke rated this plant as one of the best-looking salvias in the trial. At 54 inches tall and wide, the plants had full dense habits and arching flowering stems. A late-bloomer, flowers appeared from early October through late November, which makes Anthony Parker a good choice if you’re doing a seasonal rotation in your clients’ gardens. Oneinch-long blue-purple flowers with fuzzy dark purple calyces covered 11-inch-long stems making this a knockout for fall.
‘Mirage Cherry Red’ 26
S. confertiflora Rated: Excellent This striking Brazilian native began blooming in late September but it was “one of the best-looking salvias in the trial,” Hawke said. “It was loaded with bees and lady bugs—a beautiful plant.” At 53 inches tall and 29 inches wide, the plants had uniform, vase-shaped habits and were covered in orange to dark red fuzzy flowering stems. S. elegans ‘Golden Delicious’ Rated: Excellent Bred by Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials in Hebron, Ill., this pineapple sage is another plant that Hawke rated one of the best-looking salvias in the trial. Another late bloomer (OctoberNovember), it offered stunning foliage on plants that were 49 inches tall and 58 inches wide. “It has vibrant golden-yellow leaves. Excellent flower production, but a short season so the full display is not realized.”
‘Mirage Burgundy’ The Landscape Contractor June 2017
S. greggii ‘Mirage Cherry Red’ Rated: Good Salvia greggii, sometimes called cherry sage, autumn sage or cherry salvia, is native to a narrow range in Texas and to northern Mexico. Flowers covered this cultivar from June 12 to November 20. “Plants had a dense, tight habit. I think a lot of these you can mass and have a beautiful display or use just one as an accent. There are a lot of possibilities with these plants and because of the diversity that only ups what you can do with them,” Hawke said. Plants were 21 inches tall and 29 inches wide. S. greggii ‘Mirage Burgundy’ Rated: Good The Mirage series is a Darwin Perennials (Ball Horticultural) introduction. Flower production was excellent and this cultivar was rated bushier and denser than most others. At 28 inches tall and 36 inches wide, the plants were covered with flowers from June 24 to November 20. “Some of the Mirage series began blooming on June 10—that’s pretty early. Plants still had about 10 to 20 percent of flowers late in the season—five months of bloom.”
S. confertiflora
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Garden Speak — Practical Plant Evaluations S. greggii ‘Mirage Hot Pink’ Rated: Good Flower production was rated excellent on plants that were 28 inches tall and 46 inches wide. “One of the bushiest and tightest in the Mirage series,” Hawke said. Just over an inch long, the deep reddish-pink blooms appeared from June 10 until November 20.
S. ‘Novasalred’ Rated: Good Part of the Arctic Blaze series, Salvia ‘Novasalred’ is another introduction by Darwin Perennials. “A nice color combination of flower and calyx,” Hawke said. “Excellent flower production from June 24 to November 20.” Plants were 22 inches tall and 26 inches wide.
S. greggii ‘Texas Wedding’ Rated: Good
S. reptans ‘West Texas Form’ Rated: Excellent The striking cobalt blue flowers are small (5/8 inches long), but provided excellent coverage from September 6 until November 20. It was another rated as one of the best in trial. West Texas form had a bushy habit and fine textured foliage that remained green at frost. Plants reached 35 inches tall and 38 inches wide.
Texas Wedding, sometimes called white autumn sage, offers a tight bushy habit with excellent flower production that began on June 12 and lasted through the first fall frost when the leaves remained green. Plants reached 27 inches tall and 31 inches wide. S. mexicana ‘Lollie Jackson’ Rated: Good The 1¾-inch-long purple flowers are highlighted by the bright chartreuse calyx. Plants had excellent flower production from October 3 to November 20. At 60 inches tall and 72 inches wide, the plants had bushy vase-shaped habits. “They had one of the nicest displays,” Hawke said.
Salvia sagittata 28
S. ‘Wendy’s Wish’ Rated: Good Dark magenta flowers (1¾ inches) are held on flowering stems that reached 25 inches long. Flower production was rated excellent with plants blooming from July 6 through November 20. Plants were 32 inches tall and 36 inches wide. “The purple calyces give the impression that there are more flowers than actually open,” Hawke said. A hummingbird magnet indeed. Learn more about the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Plant Evaluation Program: https://www.chicagobotanic. org/research/ornamental_plant_research/ plant_evaluation
S. splendens ‘Dancing Flames’ Rated Good Dancing Flames is an appropriate name for the prolific dark orange flowers that float over the upright, bushy plants. At 36 inches wide and 41 inches tall, this plant was rated: best in the Salvia splendens group. Hawke gave it the nod for its bright red stems, long flowers and yellow speckled leaves. Plants bloomed from August 8 to November 20.
S. splendens ‘Dancing Flames’ The Landscape Contractor June 2017
S. splendens ‘Louie’s Orange Delight’
Design Tour 2017 —
In the Field 2017 July 13, 2017 Presented by the Design Committee of the
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
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Design Tour 2017
Welcome Schedule:
Welcome to In the Field 2017.
7:45am-8:15am Parking/Registration at Lurvey Landscape Supply 2550 East Dempster Street Des Plaines, IL 60016 8:15am-8:45am Lurvey LEED Gold Certified Facility Tour and coffee/snacks
9:45am-10:45am
Bahá’í House of Worship 100 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091 11:00-11:45am Sheridan Road Residence – Greenhaven Landscapes 600 Sheridan Road Glencoe, IL 60044 12:00pm-1:30pm Elawa Farm 1401 Middlefork Dr Lake Forest, IL 60045
This all-day learning field trip concentrates on five successfully executed sites that offer important educational viewpoints in design, engineering, construction and maintenance. All five sites are located on Chicago’s North Shore. The full-day bus tour will stop by each of these unique and incredible sites throughout the day. At each of the five tour stops, designers and guides will be on hand to discuss various features of the site. These sites have been handpicked from dozens of projects. They will provide an injection of inspiration and a new perspective on the design process. In the Field 2017 was developed by the ILCA Design Committee. It has sold out each time it has been offered. In the Field offers 5.5 CEs for Landscape Architects. More information and registration details are online at ilca.net/design-tour.
1:45-2:30pm Green Bay Road Estate – Mariani Landscapes 740 Greenbay Road Lake Forest, IL 2:45pm-3:45pm Asian Art Gallery Residence – Craig Bergmann Landscape Design 15330 West Old School Road Mettawa, IL 60048 4:30pm Arrive back at Lurvey Landscape Supply 2550 East Dempster Street Des Plaines, Illinois 60016
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The Landscape Contractor June 2017
Premier Sponsor
Located a few miles from Chicago, along Lake Michigan’s North Shore, sits a wonderful structure rich in meaning, purpose and history. Although a common sight to nearby residents, The Baha’i House of Worship is a spectacular landmark that should truly be experienced by all. The Baha’i House of Worship grounds span nearly seven acres and consist of a one of a kind building which acts as the backdrop for nine separate gardens and nine separate ‘approaches’. The Bahá’í House of Worship gardens are part of the sacred space. The nine gardens are planted with foliage of various colors and fragrances to convey the beauty of unity in diversity. The nine rectangular approaches to the Temple, some incorporating reflecting pools, are reminiscent of those found in the East. The nine circular gardens, with round fountains, represent Western landscapes and serve as outdoor rooms for prayer. Precise plant selection, attention to horticultural details and focused maintenance practices cause the gardens to remain true to their intent- always in motion, constantly evolving and never static. Daffodils welcome the new spring season and the gardens swell with color. As summer approaches, it is embraced with fresh plantings of flowers. Flowering shrubs, perennials and groundcover are thriving and are on full display as summer turns to fall. In fall, the gardens change once again. Leaves on trees and shrubs start to turn and perennials begin to fade after a long season of brilliance.
Bahá’í House of Worship Wilmette, IL
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
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Design Tour 2017
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Sheridan Road Residence Glencoe, IL Greenhaven Landscapes
When the client purchased this property in 2010, he wanted to showcase the historical 1923 Seyfarth Tudor home. The landscape was developed concurrently with the garage renovation, back addition, and pool house. Greenhaven worked closely with the overall project team, and met the client’s wishes while addressing site challenges. The utility pole in the parkway was relocated, the front wall was opened, and the driveway was re-oriented on center of the front door. Appropriately scaled planters were added to the front entry. The motor court was proportioned from the house with an old street paver banding and quatrefoil detail. The scale of the motor court was further defined with boxwood hedges and large lindens. Layered shrub plantings and groundcover added texture while keeping the front neat and tidy. In back, the 2’ of grade change was capitalized on to create outdoor rooms and seat walls. Just off of the pool deck, a cut flower garden was designed with a stretched quatrefoil shaped hedge and a garden ornament original to the house. On the north side, the driveway required by the Village to access the garage/ pool house was designed for dual purposes. An old street paver section performs as a dining terrace and a Grasspave section is disguised as lawn. There was just enough room to place the built-in grill and fire pit between the house and back drive. In the back border, the 20’x30’ underground detention vault was covered by a lawn panel. To buffer the view of the neighbors, trees were carefully planted between the garden wall and detention vault. Now the client entertains within a beautiful setting that showcases his historical home.
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
The Elawa Farm Group was built in 1917 for A. Watson Armour, a member of one of Chicago’s oldest and most distinguished families, and is considered architecturally significant as a rare representative example of a Lake Forest gentleman’s farm. It is also noteworthy for its association with two very significant architects: David Adler and Alfred Hopkins. Adler and Howard Van Doren Shaw are generally considered the North Shore’s premier estate architects. Hopkins, a New York architect who is known to have designed only two farm groups in Illinois, is the acknowledged authority on estate farm complexes. Historically the farm group, built for Armour as their weekend home, was known as Elawa Farm, a composite of Elsa and A. Watson Armour and subsequently as LeWa Farm, named for Lelia and Wallace Carroll, who purchased the property in 1954. Because Elawa Farm is a stunning representative example of estate farm architecture, because it is virtually unaltered, and because it is unique in Lake Forest, the buildings forming the main farm group have been preserved and adaptively reused. The footprint of the Hopkins-designed complex, as well as the detailing, is still intact today. Today Elawa Farm is a non-profit center for hands-on education, volunteerism, and special events destination. The property has a 2.2 acre garden with a seasonal Garden Market open on Friday and Saturday mornings Mid-May through October. This year Elawa Farm is celebrating their centennial with some exciting events to mark this momentous occasion. Visit elawafarm.org for more information.
Elawa Farm Foundation
Lake Forest, IL
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Design Tour 2017 —
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Green Bay Road Estate
Lake Forest, IL Mariani Landscape
Classic design never goes out of style. Built in the 1920s, this estate is the epitome of country style on Chicago’s North Shore. The once 40-acre property featured a fourstory main house and a coach house designed in the French Normandy Style. Mariani worked with the owners of the coach house to reestablish the feel of a country estate, on what is now a 3-acre property. Care was taken to marry outdoor materials with the home’s exterior. Stone was imported to match the home’s medieval look and hand-chiseled for an old world feel. Incorporating into the new layout was an outdoor swimming pool along with an outdoor kitchen dining area pergola for shade, and a fireplace serving as a focal point in the outdoor living room at one end of the pool deck. The grand lawn is framed by restored Hawthorne trees, which are sunken several steps below a formal lawn panel directly off the home. This upper lawn is surrounded by stone pavers and further outlined with boxwood, setting it apart in design as well as height. The gardens are stunningly formal, with multiple annual and perennial plantings. A dramatic rose arbor runs along the entire length of the grand lawn, connecting it to the fountain garden. More boxwood hedges create quadrants in this feature garden, adding to the elegant sense of antiquity at this lovely property.
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
DESIGN WITH THOUGHT When your clients inquire about reclaimed materials and use words like sustainability, natural elements and “green” let them know that your firm is able to provide the products they desire. Stockyards Brick specializes in reclaimed architectural elements from the heart of the industrial and manufacturing districts of Chicago. We turn old growth timber into beautiful ceiling and wall exposed beams, flooring, mantels, and custom furniture; old brick and pavers into patios, fireplaces, kitchen and bar tiled flooring, back splashes, driveways and decks.
The USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system is nationally accepted benchmark for green building. Stockyards Brick is proud to support the United States Green Building Council by providing a wide selection of products that comply with LEED guidelines and contribute to LEED certification.
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Design Tour 2017 —
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Asian Art Gallery Residence
Mettawa, IL Craig Bergmann Landscape Design
Over several decades, an American collector assembled an outstanding collection of Asian artifacts which he displayed in and around his residence. As the collection grew and exhibit space in the original garden designed for this purpose became limited, the collector was encouraged to commission a building and additional gardens within a 2.25 acre area for better display and continued scholarly research. Today, two distinct gardens adjacent to a new museum building function as outdoor galleries that exhibit ancient Asian sculpture. The overall landscape strikes a careful, yet relaxed balance between Asian and Midwestern aesthetics, honoring both in simplicity, material selections and style. It successfully breaks up the mass of a large, new building, and seamlessly integrates the entire area into a much larger, wooded residential property that is not dedicated to the gallery. There are two incredible feature gardens of note. The first is the Zen-Inspired Garden. This garden lies west of the gallery and is a serene, geometric Zen-inspired garden that extends exhibit space from the gallery’s west courtyard out into the landscape. The second feature is the Gallery Entrance and Garden. The Gallery Garden is located to the south of the gallery and comprised of the gallery entrance, islands of open space where sculpture is exhibited, and a pathway network that runs through the property. The Gallery Garden has a casual, dynamic, and informal feel in comparison to the Zen Garden’s formal stability.
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
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Enfoque: Sección en Español
Cuando las plantas buenas se descontrolan: Una actualización sobre las Por Nina A. Koziol
Las alarmas
de especies invasoras en este país han estado sonando por un tiempo. Los mejillonescebra habitan los Grandes Lagos, la carpa asiática voladora se encuentra en las vías fluviales de Illinois, el barrenador verde-esmeralda decima nuestros fresnos y el estornino europeo compite con aves nativas por los 48 estados contiguos. Algunas plantas, igual que algunos animales e insectos, fueron introducidas por primera vez como beneficiosas para nuestro entorno natural, agricultura, flora y fauna silvestre o subsistencia. Otras aparecieron aquí accidentalmente o por casualidad. Muchas se han convertido en plagas, invadiendo praderas, pastos y bosques. El vino kudzu traga-jardines, introducido en 1876 como una planta ornamental y agrícola, se ha abierto camino del Sur hasta el Medio-Oeste y se encuentra ahora en muchos condados de Illinois e Indiana. Según el Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos, una planta invasora “tiene la capacidad de prosperar y propagarse agresivamente fuera de su rango nativo. Una planta naturalmente agresiva puede ser especialmente invasora cuando es introducida en un nuevo hábitat”. 38
En 2016, los legisladores de Illinois añadieron varias plantas al Exotic Weed Act (Ley de Malezas Exóticas) del estado. Las plantas en la lista, tales como la madreselva, la fallopia japonica y la agridulce asiática, no se pueden vender ni distribuir en Illinois sin permiso. El Jardín Botánico de Chicago incluye más de 100 plantas en su lista, “Plantas invasoras en la región de Chicago”. La mayoría de estas plantas no son plantas ornamentales, pero usted encontrará perales de Callery, bérbero japonés, huso de la fortuna y vincapervinca, todas las cuales son fácilmente obtenibles en el mercado. En la última década, muchos jardines públicos han estado examinando sus colecciones para decidir qué debe
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
permanecer y qué, si acaso algo, debe retirarse. Por ahora, es Miscanthus (también conocida como hierba plateada china, hierba llama y hierba doncella). El Jardín Botánico de Chicago retirará toda su colección de Miscanthus antes de finalizado 2017, según la Dra. Kayri Havens-Young, Directora Sénior de Ecología y Conservación del Medard and Elizabeth Welch y científica sénior en el Jardín. Fue uno de varios científicos de Florida, Arizona, Nueva York e Illinois que presentaron en la conferencia cumbre en el Arboreto Morton el pasado noviembre, “Plantas en movimiento: Cómo los jardines públicos pueden ayudar a controlar las plantas invasoras”. El programa examinó cómo los jardines públicos llevan a cabo las investigaciones, controlan las especies de plantas invasoras y resumió estudios de casos sobre cómo las plantas escapan al cultivo. “Debido a que los jardines botánicos y los arboretos por todo el país monitorean detenidamente sus colecciones de plantas introducidas, están en posición privilegiada para ser los primeros en detectar especies que pueden escapar del cultivo y por consiguiente tener el potencial de convertirse en invasoras en gran escala”, según Theresa Culley, profesora del Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas de la Universidad de Cincinnati, quien habló en la cumbre. “Lejos de ser culpados por pasadas introducciones de plantas que posteriormente
especies invasoras de la hierba de las pampas. Las plumas plateadas adornan el jardín después de que el follaje ha caído de los árboles. Según el Servicio Forestal de los Estados Unidos, a comienzos de la década de 1940, apareció la hierba plateada china a lo largo de los
se volvieron invasoras, los jardines (públicos) pueden ahora ser reconocidos por su papel proactivo en la detección temprana de plantas invasoras y su trabajo con investigadores para reducir el impacto negativo de estas especies en áreas naturales”. Fugitiva Miscanthus fue introducida en Estados Unidos hace más de un siglo. En 1906, The Garden Magazine” publicó un artículo, “La Belleza en las hierbas de jardines” en el cual, Miscanthus sinesis (entonces llamada hierba Eulalia) fue considerada “un excelente sustituto
plantas perennes y los cultivadores crearon docenas de derivados de plantas llamativos. En la parte este de los Estados Unidos, Miscanthus sinensis es un problema, mientras que en el MedioOeste, es M. sacchariflorus, que se propaga mediante rizomas agresivos. Miscanthus x giganteus es un híbrido natural (y estéril) de estas dos especies y ha sido estudiado como un posible candidato para la energía renovable. Puede crecer hasta 12 pies de altura y se propaga mediante rizomas de crecimiento más lento. “La invasión es una secuencia
bordes de las carreteras y en las vías férreas en algunos estados del este. Como muchas otras plantas, Miscanthus ha estado de moda y pasado de moda. Recuperó su popularidad en la década de 1980 junto con muchas The Landscape Contractor June 2017
39
Enfoque: Sección en Español de eventos”, afirmó Havens-Young. “Llegan, se establecen y propagan en nuevos lugares. Hace unos 25 años, tuvimos los derivados de la salicaria morada ‘estéril’ (Lythrum ‘Morden rosada’, ‘Morden brillante’) que eran auto-incompatibles, pero podían reproducirse con las especies silvestres. Auto-incompatible no es lo mismo que estéril”. Havens-Young explicó que las plantas invasoras con frecuencias tienen semillas pequeñas y longevas y toleran muchas condiciones ecológicas. Pueden tener períodos largos de floración, madurar rápidamente y ser altamente competitivas. En un estudio publicado en 2012, Miscanthus ‘Luz autumnal’ fijó más de 220,000 semillas rellenas por planta. Una preocupación relacionada con desplegar hierbas Miscanthus en la colección del Jardín—incluso las que florecen muy tarde y tienen cantidades más pequeñas de semillas viables—es que se envían mensajes contradictorios a los visitantes que admiran las hierbas y luego van a una supertienda a comprar una especie que es potencialmente invasora. Hablando de plantas invasoras en general, la Dra. Havens-Young dijo, “Este es un problema que está empeorando, no mejorando. La gran mayoría de las introducciones de plantas no son invasoras, pero es esencial determinar cuáles lo son”. Perales ornamentales La Profesora Culley habló también sobre el carácter invasor de los perales ornamentales y la capacidad de diferentes derivados de experimentar polinización cruzada y multiplicarse rápidamente. El peral de Callery (Pyrus calleryana) fue introducido hace más de un siglo y se usó para desarrollar la resistencia al fuego bacteriano en las peras comunes. El valor ornamental del árbol fue reconocido alrededor de 1950 y desde entonces, los cultivadores
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crearon numerosos derivados. Hace una década, el peral de Callery no estaba en la lista de especies invasoras del MedioOeste, pero actualmente está listado en Illinois, Indiana, Missouri y Ohio, entre otros estados. Salir adelante “Los que trabajamos en el Jardín continuamente estamos evaluando plantas y retirándolas cuando consideramos que representan un riesgo significativo”, afirmó Havens-Young. Hubo debates sobre si debíamos retirar los perales de Callery, pero finalmente el Jardín reemplazó los perales “Autumn Blaze” fuera del centro para visitantes, con virgilias (Cladrastis kentukea) nativas”. Eso ocurrió la primavera pasada y desde entonces, esfuerzos educativos a través del sitio web y la revista del Jardín han ayudado a los visitantes y miembros a comprender por qué fueron reemplazados árboles populares. Para los puristas de las plantas nativas que desean que todo regrese a su “estado natural” (antes de que los europeos invadieran Norteamérica hace más de 500 años), eso no es posible. “El gato está fuera de la bolsa”, afirmó Teri Dunn Chace, autora de “Erradicar las plantas invasoras” (Timber Press, 2013). “Es tan complicado ahora intentar y hacer regresar nuestros diseños de jardinería a solo plantas nativas; y no todas las plantas introducidas son malas. Las malas hierbas y plantas invasoras aparecen usualmente cuando la tierra es perturbada, por lo que no debe dejarla en blanco—plántela. Tendremos que dar lo mejor de nosotros mismos porque no podemos hacer regresar todo a un entorno natural prístino”. Cultivadores, Centros de jardinería y profesionales paisajistas opinan “Eso es interesante del Jardín Botánico de Chicago y Miscanthus”, afirmó el arquitecto paisajista Bob Hursthouse de Hursthouse & Associates. “Hace varios años que no plantamos
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
ningún Miscanthus. Nos dedicamos a hora a variedades más nativas. Muchos de nuestros clientes tienen dificultades con el mantenimiento de las Miscanthus y dividir esos monstruos puede ser más de lo que muchos están dispuestos a hacer. Asimismo, la escala de muchas de las variedades las hacen abrumadoras en un jardín residencial”. “No hay duda de que el peral ornamental es invasor”, asegura Steve Worth de Kankakee Nursery. “Es cuestión de encontrar el equilibrio entre la calidad invasora y la todavía alta demanda entre los consumidores y la importancia económica para la industria. Sigo pensando que puede haber usos para perales ornamentales en lugares urbanos y suburbanos, alejados de las áreas naturales. El problema surge cuando hay pastos o carreteras en las cercanías. No son invasores en los bosques, pero pueden invadir un pasto si no se le da mantenimiento y eso es un dilema”. La consciencia de este problema está comenzando a afectar un poco el mercado. La mayoría de los municipios no los están usando ahora y algunos arquitectos paisajistas están comenzando a pensarla dos veces antes de incluirlos en un plan”, asegura Worth. “Hemos visto una disminución en la demanda y predigo que los viveros van a comenzar a plantar menos perales. Cualquier persona con visión de futuro probablemente mantendrá sus números constantes o los reducirán un poco. Sigue siendo un árbol importante para los cultivadores, especialmente mientras continuamos recuperándonos de la recesión. Sigue siendo probablemente unos de los 10 árboles más importantes para la mayoría de las compañías. Un posible detalle estimulante es que los cultivadores han estado trabajando en una variedad estéril y si esto funcionar, podría ser una buena noticia”. Para Jennifer Brennan en el Chalet Garden Center en Wilmette, más clientes están buscando hierbas nativas. “Todavía ofrecimos Miscanthus el
año pasado, pero las hierbas realmente populares son las nativas. No van a producir las mismas inflorescencias suaves y esponjosas de Miscanthus, pero las tallos azules grandes (Andropogo gerardii) y el pasto varilla producirán la altura y el tamaño. Me gustan los panicums—no te puedes equivocar con ellos. Y vendemos muchos porque son nativos”. “Continuamos educándonos y siendo gestores ambientales en una forma que establezca un equilibrio entre lo que es bueno para los negocios y lo que es bueno para la industria verde—la comunidad, la campiña, las áreas naturales y los espacios abiertos”, dijo Thomas “JR” Tecza, Jr., de Hinsdale Nursery. “La mayor parte de los problemas con las peras ornamentales ocurren en sitios perturbados. Usemos las plantas adecuadamente. He visto perales bordeando un lote de estacionamiento o campos de fútbol cuando hay suficiente espacio para acacias de tres espinas, robles u otros árboles grandes. No adornemos bulevares solo con perales—no los usemos en exceso. Con respecto a Miscanthus, no hemos visto ningún problema en nuestros sitios de trabajo ni en nuestros viveros. Uno de los desafíos que estamos advirtiendo son los medios sociales. Hemos visto a dueños de casas de pie en centros de jardinería escribiendo nombres de plantas en sus teléfonos inteligentes y si los resultados en Google dan información negativa, eso es más determinante. Pero las ventas de los perales ornamentales siguen sólidas”. “Como cultivadores, cultivamos lo que nuestros clientes desean comprar
siempre y cuando no sea ilegal”, afirma Gary Knosher, presidente de Midwest Groundcovers. “Lo vemos desde la perspectiva de la planta correcta en el lugar adecuado. Miscanthus estaría bien para una plantación en el downtown de Chicago, porque hay pocos lugares para volver a sembrar. No obstante, no querrá usarla en una hacienda donde puede propagarse. Quizá usar Panicum u otras hierbas como sustituto”.
Manténgase informado: Plantas invasoras de la Región de Chicago. Jardín Botánico de Chicago. http://www.chicagobotanic.org/ research/identifying_threats/invasive Centro Nacional de Información de Especies Invasoras del Departamento de Agricultura de EE.UU. https://www. invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/ main.shtml Exotic Weed Act (Ley de Malezas Exóticas) de Illinois. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1735& ChapterID=44 Red de Plantas Invasores del Medio-Oeste. http://www.mipn. org Centro para Especies Invasoras y Salud de los Ecosistemas. http://www.invasive.org EDDMAPS Sistema de Mapeo para Detección Temprana y Distribución. https://www. eddmaps.org Programa de evaluación de plantas del Jardín Botánico de Chicago. http://www. chicagobotanic.org/research/ ornamental_plant_research/ plant_evaluation Declaración sobre especies invasoras de Midwest Groundcovers. http://www. midwestgroundcovers.com/ page/Invasive-SpeciesResponsibility — ninakoziol@icloud.com
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Summer Business Reminder —
A Firm Handshake:
Can Create Professional Alliances to Build Your
By Meta Levin
When Bob Bertog, president
of Bertog Landscape Co., needed a “tree guy” on whom he could rely to take care of his customers, providing work that was beyond the scope of what his people could or had time to do, he did not rely on social media. Instead he talked with someone who he had met face-to-face at ILCA functions. “Don’t be afraid to call and talk with other companies,” he told attendees during a 2017 iLandscape presentation. “We are not all competitors.” His two other panelists on the program, Jim Turcan, president of Cornerstone Partners, and Stan Holat, who at the time was district manager for the local SavATree operation, echoed his message. Holat recently was transferred to SavATree’s Colorado facility. Their presentation, “A Firm Handshake:
42
Create Professional Alliances to Build Your Business,” attracted about 50 people. For many the information was not new, but needed emphasizing. “It was an “aha” moment for a lot of people,” says Bertog. Opportunities for face-to-face networking played a large part in finding the people that the presenters used to do work for them. “Get involved in boards, committees and other organizations,” says Bertog. The three walked attendees through the steps they take to ensure that the businesses with whom they build a professional alliance will give their customers the same personal and high quality care that they provide. It’s not easy, but, they say, it pays off. “It enables us to do multiple things, rather than increasing, training and insuring our own labor staff,” says Turcan. To
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
decide where you need an alliance partner, Turcan recommends taking stock of your own core competencies. Then look at where it would make sense to use someone else on a project. “We always have the mentality that they are an extension of our crews,” says Turcan. For example, “when it comes to pouring concrete footing, we are not concrete experts. That’s the perfect time to bring in our concrete alliance partner.” He prefers to refer to these subcontractors as “alliance partners.” In Bertog’s case, when he needed a tree expert, he approached Matt Dziedzic, founder of Autumn Tree Care, which later became SavATree. The two had met and talked at various events. He did not, however, rely solely on what Dziedzic told him.
Business He visited the Autumn facility, looked at such things as the equipment, as well as number, training and experience of the employees, certifications, and insurance. He asked about how they handled different situations. He also visited their job sites, asking himself such questions as whether they behaved in a professional manner. Did they wear uniforms and, if so, what was their condition? Bertog admits that he looked at everything. That includes assessing the culture of the other company. “They have to be able to get along with each other,” he says. As an example, he talked about working with Holat. “Stan and I can be in front of a client and bounce off each other. If you can’t
click, then it is going to be a problem. The client senses if you are uncomfortable.” It helps to schedule staff meetings at, for instance, a “lunch and learn” program or holiday gathering. He has a tip for those who have doubts. “If you are not sure about using someBob Bertog body, use the company on your own house or your Mom’s house, so that you can evaluate the work,” he says. “Don’t send them to a $1 million client that you just got.” Bringing an alliance partner in to do some work for a client, can be valuable in other ways. While the partner is working on the client’s job, you are free to move (continued on page 44)
“Don’t be afraid to call and talk with other companies.”
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Summer Business Reminder — (continued from page 43) your own team down the street to another client and get some work done there, says Turcan. Because the alliance partner is experienced in the particular work that needs to be done, he can do it faster and more efficiently, but also can schedule it in at the end of the day or wherever it fits best, making it easier for Cornerstone to do more work and hit its deadlines. “We use SavATree when it starts to get to larger and larger trees,” says Turcan. “They have the right equipment, whereas we may only need such things as a bucket truck one or two times a year. If we buy one, it sits on our overhead.” Turcan also cites the example of installing mulch, which “was easy for everyone in the room to relate to,” he says. So, when dealing with a bigger job or one that just must be done by Memorial Day, he uses an alliance partner who specializes in mulch,
while his crews are putting in plants and flowers.” Especially in the case of using a new subcontractor, Bertog suggests visiting the job site daily while the alliance partner is working. “Clients like to see you there when it is a big project,” he says. By the same token, Bertog and Turcan emphasize that it is important to tell your client that you will be using a subcontractor, but also that you will monitor the work. After all, “your reputation is at stake if your subcontractor screws up,” says Bertog. That is why it is crucial to have a fully executed contract agreement, says Turcan. “I was horrified at the number of people in the room who admitted that they would just cut a purchase order (when hiring a subcontractor),” he says. “That’s just asking for problems.” Turcan recommends writing a blanket subcontractor agreement. During the (continued on page 46)
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“I was horrified at the number of people in the room who admitted that they would just cut a purchase order (when hiring a subcontractor).” Jim Turcan
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Summer Business Reminder — (continued from page 44) season, Turcan says that he will have a subcontractor on one or two jobs a week, with all the work done to Cornerstone’s specifications, as stated in the contract. That can include proof that everything was done right. Turcan cited the case of a client who had properties that extended down to Joliet, IL, well out of Cornerstone’s normal service area. The client, however, insisted that he wanted Cornerstone to take care of clearing the snow and ice for all of them. So, Turcan went down to Joliet, vetted some local providers, showed them the specifications and requirements and finally hired one. Under the agreement, Cornerstone provided the alliance partner with a digital application clock. It pings to let them know the partner has arrived on the site. The subcontractor also provides Cornerstone with pre-work photos, updates, and post-job photos. All this feeds into the accounting software. “Our clients love it,” says Turcan. So do his alliance partners, because once proof is provided, he pays them within 30 days. In addition, he can marry the invoice with the photos. “It raises the trust level with our clients.” He also can link any special instructions to the site map. Both Turcan and Bertog emphasize that
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“Don’t say that you’ve “gotta guy” if you do not. If you work with the right people, they usually have a network. If it doesn’t turn out to be a good referral, then you lose credibility.” Bob Bertog
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
it is important to share best practices with their alliance partners. “Trust is embedded in our mission statement,” says Turcan. They both believe in partnering with people who have similar goals and stress the importance of good customer relations. Once you have gained the reputation of knowing where to find and develop relationships with experts in various aspects of landscaping, Bertog notes that the reputation might extend to other areas, as well. If you have carefully vetted a “tree guy,” for instance, they might assume that you do that for everything – even eyeglasses. But, be careful. “Never give out someone’s name as a referral or try to introduce two people without their permission,” he says. That extends to giving out a telephone number or email address. Bertog notes that he has become the go-to guy for many services. Some of his clients joke that he is, “Mr. I Gotta Guy.” But, be careful, he says. Don’t say that you “gotta guy” if you do not. “If you work with the right people, they usually have a network. If it doesn’t turn out to be a good referral, then he loses credibility.” The bottom line is that networking works, but vetting is crucial. Make sure that your alliance partners (subcontractors) share your values, are skilled in what they do and behave professionally. Then, you really do “gotta guy.”
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On Demand Grass & Snow, LLC Mike Cronin 1403 Danhof Dr. Bolingbrook, IL 60490 Phone: 630-723-8261 Email: michaelrcronin@gmail.com Website: www.OnDemandGrass.com Our goal is to focus on a more personal attention basis with a limited number of clients. We achieve the best quality by not rushing through the various stages of a project while operating in a highly efficient manner. We strive to maintain a professional customer service oriented relationship with all of our clients by responding to the individual and unique needs of the properties that we maintain. Landscape Maintenance, Mulch Installation, Bushes & Trees, Turf Treatments.
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New Members — SUPPLIER MEMBERS AC Brett Equipment Corp Andrew Cameron 13907 S. Kostner Crestwood, IL 60445 Phone: 708-385-2030 Fax: 708-385-2515 Email: andy@brettequipment.com Website: www.brettequipment.com Brett Equipment Corporation is a nationwide distributor of trailer parts, trailer hitches, truck and trailer lighting, emergency vehicle lighting and related equipment. Our goal is to provide quality products and service to our customers. We have a combined experience in our industries of over 100 years and we utilize our extensive product knowledge to better serve our customers. We strive to be your one stop supplier offering superior knowledge, inventory and service. Al Warren Oil Company, Inc Troy Anunson 1646 Summer Street Hammond, IN 46320 Phone: 815-650-3493 Fax: 219-228-5256 Email: tanunson@alwarrenoil.com Website: www.alwarrenoil.com Al Warren Oil Company is a full service Fuel and Lubricants marketer and supplier.
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Landscape Contractors Insurance Services, Inc. Terry Mahlman 1835 N Fine Ave. Fresno, CA 93727 Phone: 800-628-8735 Fax: 800-440-2378 Email: tmahlman@lcisinc.com Website: www.lcisinc.com Since 1989 LCIS has provided specialized insurance to the green industry. From equipment and property coverage to liability and health protection, LCIS offers comprehensive insurance for every aspect of your business. And through Oak Creek Insurance, we also offer personal insurance protection at highly competitive rates. As an LCIS client you can access this unparalleled group of services free of charge! It’s revolutionary and it’s all part of our continuing commitment to solidify our role as green industry insurance and business services leaders. LCIS360, a hand-picked selection of business tools including insurance, financing services and a wide array of consulting services, training programs, legal consultations, HR programs, and more; to not only safeguard your business, but to also provide the type of peace of mind and savings you need to make your business grow and prosper.
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Mobile Lube Express Earle Johnson PO Box 46 Wauconda, IL 60084 Phone: 773-447-4000 Fax: 847-469-8425 Email: earle@oilmycar.com Website: oilmycar.com Rain Bird John Rader Phone: 414-507-4421 Email: jrader@rainbird.com Website: www.rainbird.com Rain Bird Corporation is the world’s leading manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services. Since 1933, Rain Bird has offered broadest range of irrigation products for farms, golf courses, sports arenas, commercial developments and homes in more than 130 countries around the globe. Specialties include: irrigation, sprinklers, watering, water-conservation, golf, agriculture, landscape, pumps, drip irrigation, Agronomy, irrigation training, pump systems, water conservation products, water filters, and Greenhouse.
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EDUCATOR
Frankfort Square Park District Ed Reidy 7540 W. Braemar Lane Frankfort, IL 60423 Phone: 815-469-3524 Fax: 815-469-8657 Email: ereidy@fspd.org Website: www.fspd.org Municipal/government service to Frankfort Square Park District residents.
Gardens For People Karla Patterson Lynch 1502 Dunstan Road Geneva, IL 60134 Phone: 331-222-1563 Email: gardensforpeople@ comcast.net Website: www.gardensforpeople.net Karla Lynch is a landscape consultant and educator. Through her company she provides instructional opportunities and residential design services. She and her spouse, Jim Lynch, organize worldwide garden travel for small groups. MS Public Horticulture, RLA.
Woodridge Park District Ryan Bordewick 2600 Center Drive Woodridge, IL 60517 Phone: 630-353-3340 Fax: 630-353-3310 Email: rbordewick@woodridgeparks.org Website: www.woodridgeparks.org The Woodridge Park District is located in Woodridge, Illinois and is a four time Illinois Distinguished & Accredited Agency Award recipient. The Woodridge Park District serves approximately 35,500 residents with 655 acres of parks and sites offering over 1,000 programs each year.
You’ll be proud to have us on your clients’ properties. From canopy to roots, caring for your trees isn’t something we just do, it’s our specialization, our area of expertise, our passion.
847.440.5344 • Tree and Shrub Pruning • Deep-Root Fertilization • Certified Arborists • Insect and Disease Management
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The Landscape Contractor June 2017
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New Member Profile Snapshot
H & H Lawn Service, Inc. 1021 St. Charles St. Elgin, IL 60120 (847) 741-6928 www.hhlawnserviceinc.com
by Meta Levin
Jeanne Hintz did not intend to get into the
lawn care business. That was her husband’s bailiwick, but not long after she retired he asked her to help out, taking over for his sister, who had become ill. Seven years later he died unexpectedly and suddenly Hintz found herself running H&H Lawn Service, Inc. in Elgin. Overwhelmed, she initially thought she would sell the business or shut it down, but a number of factors combined to make her rethink that decision. “Some of my main people came to me and said they would work for me,” she says. And she began to think about their longtime customers and “how could we leave them in the lurch?” Larry Hintz died in November 2013. H&H went right into the snow plow season and then, of course, it was spring. Hintz began to learn the business. Her husband, she says, was a hard act to follow, “He was a super businessman and the customers missed him.” Once again, longtime employees stepped up and made the extra effort. H&H was not the only business Hintz’s husband owned. From the trucking company, came Wayne Schifferer, now H&H’s operations manager. Hintz sold the truck company, but kept Schifferer. “Wayne is a super mechanic and had been the mechanic for the lawn care business,” she says. “He also has a good eye for what makes a lawn look good. He gives a lot to the company.” Jeanne’s husband and Sal Flores “were like brothers,” she says, working together for about 20 years. Flores, who now handles municipal contracts, also has his own business, but works “hand-in-glove” with H&H. Gradually Hintz began to understand what she could and could not handle. Her husband had been serving a broad geographic area, but she narrowed that to Elgin, South Elgin and Bartlett. This allowed her to make some efficiency changes, scheduling clients in the same area on the same day. The latter has paid off in several ways: not only are they saving fuel money, but they have received new business from 52
people who see their trucks in the area each week. “People call and say that they saw our trucks, then ask for an estimate,” she says. She also makes sure that the trucks are clean, the lettering clearly legible and all of the equipment in good working order. The latter has allowed them to have some fun and gain some notoriety in the process. “We have a close relationship with a local lawn equipment dealer,” she says. One of the brands he represents wanted to test a prototype of a new commercial mower. The dealer recommended H&H. They’ve had the mower all summer. “It’s been a lot of fun.” They were able to make several suggestions, including a number that came from Schifferer, based on his mechanical expertise. “He was recognized for his contributions and his picture ended up in the brochure. He got lots of positive feedback.” The company’s engineers visited H&H’s shop, eventually incorporating nine of Schifferer’s ideas into the finished project. Hintz takes pride in giving back to the community. The company donates to the Boys and Girls clubs, as well as youth baseball. As part of their city weed mowing contract, they were asked to clean some property and found that it was owned by an elderly veteran and his sick wife, who they adopted for a year, making sure that the property was well cared for. When they saw that a subdivision sign was in bad shape, Schifferer asked permission to fix it up. “It makes the whole neighborhood look better,” says Hintz. “We look for things that we can do that help.” H&H joined ILCA this year, in large part for the educational opportunities. “We want to learn more,” she says. Schifferer, especially, is interested in the information available through the association. They also find that the ILCA decals on their trucks lend an extra level of perceived professionalism.
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
It’s Time toJoin
ILCA
visit ilca.net
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The Landscape Contractor June 2017
June 1, 2016
Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Annual Calendar
Sustainable Maintenance Guide and Calendar For the next 15 months, ILCA will be releasing a monthly excerpt from the most current version (v3.0) of its Sustainable Maintenance Guide and Calendar in The Landscape Contractor magazine. The entire 12 month calendar is available to download at no cost to ILCA members, non-profits, public agencies, and units of government. Please email information@ilca.net to request a download of the entire guide and calendar. This guide is not available to private landscape companies who are not members of the ILCA. This guide is intended to equip Illinois Landscape Contractors Association members with all the tools necessary to implement a sustainable maintenance program. It takes into account the constraints of a landscape company in regards to costs, time, equipment, personnel, and horticultural knowledge. The guide is written so any landscape company can apply these maintenance principles to almost any commercial or residential landscape and improve the positive impact on the environment without sacrificing aesthetic quality.
SUSTAINABLE MAINTENANCE CALENDAR June 1, 2016
Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Annual Calendar
SUSTAINABLE MAINTENANCE CALENDAR
Š ILLINOIS LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
Hinsdale Nurseries has the best plants in Northern Illinois.
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Over 10 Acres Of Holding Yard
Little Rock Farm 630-552-8314 2353 Creek Road Plano, IL 60545
For sale updates and availabilities sign up for our email newsletter!
Š ILLINOIS LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION The Landscape Contractor June 2017
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The Landscape Contractor June 2017
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
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Classified Ads HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
Acres Group, one of the top 20 professional landscape contractors in the nation, is seeking qualified candidates for their open positions throughout the Chicago land area:
Landscaping Maintenance Account Manager We are looking for an additional year-round Landscaping Maintenance Account Manager to be our primary contact in maintaining relationships with existing condominium & townhouse clients. Familiarity with maintenance estimating and pricing skill is required, along with a thorough knowledge of landscape maintenance and maintenance enhancement procedures. Come join our growing team and be an integral part of a large and successful business in the South Suburbs., For 32 years we have been growing a friendly and comfortable work environment that values quality of work as much as quality time away from the office.
SCOTT BYRON & CO., INC.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Minimum 3 years experience in related field Must possess a valid driver’s license Good insect/disease diagnosis skills Bi-lingual is helpful Degree in Horticulture is helpful, but no required
-DESIGN PROFESSIONAL-
ACCOUNT MANAGERS (junior & senior levels) Opportunities in Wauconda, Roselle & Plainfield -Manage a portfolio of accounts in lawn and snow providing high levels of customer service; make horticultural recommendations & sell property enhancements in lawn and ice melt in snow; sell new contracted lawn & snow accounts. Entry level positions manage a small portfolio of accounts in addition to assisting and shadowing senior level account managers. PRODUCTION MANAGERS (Roselle & Plainfield Locations) Coordinate maintenance division activities, while managing and providing daily supervision and support for multiple foremen and their crews. Join our industry leading team! To view full job descriptions and apply online, visit us at www. acresgroup.com or contact Maria@ 847-487-5071 Landscape Designer and Sales James Martin Associates, Inc., a Vernon Hills Landscape and Snow Management firm, is celebrating 40 years of providing exceptional service to northern Chicago area residents! We are looking for a talented and motivated Landscape Designer/ Salesperson to join our award-winning team. We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Landscape Designer/Salesperson with significant high-end residential sales experience. • Develop, organize and execute landscape design solutions for presentations to clients • Meet with clients, develop landscape design solutions, budgets, base maps, site surveys, create estimates and proposals • Coordinate and supervise construction services Requirements for successful applicants include: • 3-5 years of experience in landscape sales/ design • Degree in horticulture or landscape architecture preferred • Superb customer service skills See the full job description and apply on our website: www.jamesmartinassociates.com. Email resumes to Beth McElroy, B.McElroy jamesmartinassociates.com, or call 847-876-8052.
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Please send your resume and salary requirements to info@suburbanlandscaping.net Full Time Assistant Superintendent of Parks Frankfort Square Park District Salary $35,000-$45,000, DOQ, plus excellent benefits package Assistant Superintendent of Parks is responsible for the overall management of buildings, grounds, and park maintenance activities. Responsibilities include working and supervising day-to-day operations of park foremen, laborers, seasonal employees, and contractors, as well as on call needs. Successful candidate would have strong mechanical abilities to perform maintenance and repairs on park equipment, The schedule is generally Monday through Friday, with evening and weekend hours, as necessary. Qualifications *High School diploma required. *At least 5 years experience in a field related to park maintenance, landscaping, turf grass, forestry, horticulture, or related field, or equivalent of education and experience. *Operator’s Pesticide License required. *Applicator’s Pesticide License in Turf, Ornamentals, Right-of-way, and Aquatic Weeds needed within first year of employment. *Valid Illinois Driver’s License. *CPSI certification preferred. *Mechanical aptitude preferred. *Greenhouse experience a plus. Email a cover letter, resume, and references to Ed Reidy, Superintendent of Parks, ereidy@ fspd.org.
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
HELP WANTED
Start your career with Scott Byron & Co. and join others who have followed their passion to design, build, and maintain exquisite landscapes. Since 1983, Scott Byron & Company has excelled in designing, building and maintaining exquisite landscapes for residential and commercial properties throughout the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond. We offer an extremely competitive salary and benefits package. We’re looking for enthusiastic, creative employees with a love for the outdoors, an eye for design, and a passion for customer service excellence.
Experience Landscape Architect for residential and commercial projects. Work with sales, estimating, construction, and property improvement – to make sure projects are designed, installed, and maintained to the highest possible standard. Bachelors of LA or Horticulture with focus in design, with a minimum of 5 yrs experience in design or design/build. Proficiency in AutoCAD, SketchUP, Photoshop, and InDesign is required. Strong understanding and practical application of the technical construction aspects of high-end landscape installation. Licensure in Illinois and/or Wisconsin a plus. Driving is an essential function of this position and a qualified candidate must possess a valid local driver’s license, maintain a clean driving record. -LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERResponsible for overall supervision of residential and commercial landscape architectural design projects. The underlying focus of the Project Manager is providing the utmost satisfaction to the client via ensuring projects are functional, aesthetically pleasing, code compliant, completed within the allocated period of time and within the budget that has been assigned. This position is directly responsible for scheduling, material sourcing/ordering, and monitoring labor and material to complete projects within budget. Knowledge of landscape construction and irrigation. A minimum of 5 years previous project management, and enhancement sales is preferred. The ability to communicate in Spanish and English is extremely helpful but not required. Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Driving is an essential function of this position and a qualified candidate must possess a valid local driver’s license, maintain a clean driving record, and may be required to obtain and maintain a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate. -CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGERThe CRM develops and manage the relationship between the organization and our Property Improvement clients; building trust, confidence and goodwill. CRM is responsibilities for the entire life cycle of the client experience and has critical
Classified Ads HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
responsibilities in client acquisition, client satisfaction and client retention. Qualified candidates must have four to ten years related experience and/or training and must be able to demonstrate knowledge of the safety issues, regulations and procedures utilized in public and private works activities. Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Driving is an essential function of this position and a qualified candidate must possess a valid local driver’s license, maintain a clean driving record, and may be required to obtain and maintain a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate. -LANDSCAPE FOREMANProfessional responsible for managing, supervising and directing crew activities associated with landscape construction projects or landscape maintenance contracts. The landscape foreman manages, leads, supports and motivates workers to achieve the organizational goals and to ensure that project work is completed properly within the stipulated deadlines. Direct oversight of equipment operation, coordination of work site activities and training employees, as well as, performing several administrative duties like managing time records and completion of safety reports. Knowledge of landscape construction and maintenance. A minimum of 2 years previous foreman or lead man experience is preferred. The ability to communicate in Spanish and English is extremely helpful but not required. Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Driving is an essential function of this position and a qualified candidate must possess a valid local driver’s license, maintain a clean driving record, and may be required to obtain and maintain a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate.
-LANDSCAPE LABORERProfessional responsible for performing work associated with landscape construction and/or landscape maintenance contracts. Work typically includes any combination of the following tasks: mowing, laying sod, pruning, planting, watering, raking, and digging. Installation of shrubs, trees, drainage systems, retaining walls, fences, planter and/or other equipment. Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Possessing a valid local driver’s license is a plus. Please mail, or e-mail your resume to: SCOTT BYRON & CO., INC. Attn: Claire Storti 30088 N Skokie Highway Lake Bluff, IL 60044 (847) 689-0266 E-mail: recruit@scottbyron.com.com Visit us at: www.scottbyron.com Driver A growing landscape company is looking for a driver to run our international water truck. Driver must have a CDL-A license as well as a tanker license. Apply today. Send resume to: Dan@woodlandcommercial.com
HELP WANTED NOTICE for JOB OPENING Landscape Specialist The Woodridge Park District has an opening for a Landscape Specialist, this is a full time, non-exempt position with an exceptional benefit package that includes medical, prescription, dental, vision, life insurance, paid time off, pension plan (IRF) and much more. Qualifications: Minimum of a certificate of completion in landscape management, horticultural science or related field from an accredited college or university (Associate’s degree preferred). Certified Landscape Technician preferred. Advanced understanding of turf, plant materials, plant care, and culture practices, pruning techniques, horticultural equipment, pest identification, and general maintenance practices. Ability to operate vehicles, and heavy equipment, operate power equipment and use hand tools. Ability to calculate, prepare, mix, spray/spread fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides using hand or automatic sprayers. Responsibilities: Care, maintain and culture all plant material (annual & perennial plants, ground covers, ornamental grasses, shrubs, trees, lawn/turf) to include but not limited to: plant removal, plant installation, transplanting, pruning, cutting, mulching, aerating, weeding, seeding, sodding, edging, trimming, watering, mowing, topsoil, application of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides as needed, and turf & prairie seeding. Creation of planning schedules with cost estimates. Install, repair, and maintain hardscape designs (e.g., retaining walls, brick paver areas, stone/boulders, etc.). Obtain bids for plant material and equipment purchases and complete purchasing process when approved. A full job description is available upon request. Salary Range: $20.00-29.00 per hour depending on qualifications and experience. Send cover letter and resume to : Woodridge Park District, Connie Curry, HR Generalist, 2600 Center Drive, Woodridge IL 60517 or ccurry@ woodridgeparks.org
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES JAMES MARTIN ASSOCIATES, INC. Vernon Hills, IL
James Martin Associates, Inc. is a leader in the Landscape and Snow Management industry. We have been providing services to our customers for 40 years. We are seeking candidates for the following positions:
Seasonal Flower Purchaser Part Time - Year Round - Flexible Hours To be considered for any of these opportunities, please forward your resume and salary history to b.mcelroy@jamesmartinassociates.com or call Beth at 847-876-8052.
Landscape Architecture • Construction • Maintenance • Snow Management
www.jamesmartinassociates.com
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Classified Ads HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
Territory Manager
Preferred Qualifications:
Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements (RTSA) is creating extraordinary breakthroughs in the green industry across the United States. A fundamental premise of Rainbow is the integrity of our people, products and services. For more than 40 years, Rainbow has been dedicated to scientifically proven-methods and we believe in continuous education, research and discovery as we support and grow as leaders in our industry. Our plant health care products and services are guaranteed to give complete customer satisfaction while delivering unprecedented service, performance, quality and value.
Education:
We are only as good as our people and our people are GREAT! Do you have what it takes to join a high powered professional sales team one of the most dynamic and entrepreneurial companies in the industry? Are you ambitious, energetic, highly adaptable, and inspired by innovation? If you have a proven track record of growing a new business and developing strong, strategic relationships with B2B clients, then you may be a fit for our team! We are currently looking for a Chicago Territory Manager to join our team to serve existin–––g clients, grow new business with professional landscapers, landscape maintenance companies, tree care companies, golf courses, cities and government organizations in the Chicago Territory (Illinois). The RTSA Chicago Territory Manager would be responsible for identifying and establishing relationships with potential clients and fostering relationships with current clients that will increase product use, value, service, and customer satisfaction.
HELP WANTED • Must possess or be able to possess within 3 months of employment an Illinois Pesticide Applicator License. • Plant identification skills
BS in Urban Forestry, Horticulture, Biology or similar field is preferred for this position but not required if sales experience qualification is met. This is remote position that would be based in the territory and home office based. Email resumes to Jason Agar, jagar@Treecarescience.com, or visit https://www.treecarescience.com/the-rainbow-difference/careers/or call 952-252-0533. Ecological Restoration Technician Wanted for an EEO/AA firm DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES • Be familiar with and practice safe and proper operation of small power equipment, such as weed eaters, chainsaws, cut saws, compactors, backpack blowers, etc. • Native restoration services including herbicide application (with license), cutting/mowing, hand weeding, native seed installation, native plug installation, native tree and shrub installation, installation of erosion control blanket and other erosion control practices and prescribed burns.
Please apply on company website at www.encapinc.net
FOR SALE Ideal Contractor’s Storage Yard For Sale – Wheeling IL • One acre lot, zoned I-4 • 3,000 SF building with 2 drive-in bays, 14 ft. ceiling height • Fully secured metal fence along perimeter and monitored with a high-end security system • Located in Wheeling, just east of Milwaukee Avenue, north of Willow Road, less than 3 miles to I-294 For further details, call Daniel Vanchieri at (312) 756-7337 - SVN Chicago Commercial Email: daniel.vanchieri@svn.com com
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS • High School graduate or GED. • Must be able to perform manual labor, operate small tools such as chainsaws, weed eaters, and back pack blowers, etc. • Must be able to lift and carry up to 100 Lbs. and navigate rugged and uneven terrain on foot. • Must be able to follow oral and/or written instructions, work outdoors in variable and rugged conditions, and establish effective working relationships with other employees, officials and the general public.
CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES July 2017 issue ads: June 15, 2017 August 2017 issue ads: June 15, 2017 September 2017 issue ads: August 15, 2017 PLEASE NOTE: “HELP WANTED” AD SALES ARE LIMITED TO ILCA MEMBER COMPANIES Magazine Cost is $5 per line Minimum charge $50 Website Cost is $12 per line Minimum charge $120 (About 6 words/line) Submit your ads online at ilca.net or call Alycia O’Connor (630) 472-2851
THINKING OF EXPANDING, BUT NEED A BIGGER LOCATION?
$$ INCREASE YOUR SALES $$
Landscape Contractors · Garden Center · Nurseries Snow Removal Contractors · Landscape Material Suppliers TWO LOCATIONS AVAILABLE, 5 AC or 50 AC - WESTERN SUBURBS – Convenient to I-355, I-80, I-55 · Outdoor Material Storage · Accessory Outbuildings · Irrigation & Wells · Large truck repair shop with paint booth · Indoor & Outdoor overhead cranes · Above ground truck lift · Paved equipment storage · Truck scale · Showroom, offices, displays · Fully secured, lighted property
Grandfathered Zoning
Bill Caton – 815-370-1236 Bill@CatonCommercial.com 60
www.CatonCommercial.com
Andy Velkme – 312-203-8441 Andy@CatonCommercial.com
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
Classified Ads HELP WANTED Maintenance Accounts & Client Manager
American Gardens, Inc. Elmhurst, Illinois Maintenance Accounts & Client Manager
We are looking for an energetic person who is passionate about providing superior customer service and has prior experience in residential landscape maintenance. Applicant must possess a strong ability to design, estimate and sell maintenance enhancements, assist in managing the quality of maintenance services through site monitoring and crew supervision and assist in monitoring division profitability. This is a full time position with excellent benefits. For more information please email us at employment@americangardensinc.com.
Account Manager
The Account Manager is responsible for managing several crews, and for regular communication with clients through site visits, quality field reports and one-on-one meetings. Good relationship management skills will help with providing enhancement proposals and retaining existing accounts and in developing new prospects to meet Seberts growth goals. The Account Manager is responsible for a full range of activities including:
Advertisers 1st Choice Equipment ............................................50
Kramer Tree Specialists ..........................................46
Bartlett Tree Experts .............................................45
Lafarge Fox River Stone ........................................53
Beaver Creek Nursery ..........................................44
Lemke Stone .........................................................42
Cardno ...................................................................50
Longshadow Planters .............................................13
Carlin Sales.............................................................51
McGinty Bros. .......................................................43
Cassidy Tire ............................................................47
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District ...............23
Caton Commercial Real Estate ...............................60
Midwest Groundcovers ..........................................21
Chicagoland Gardening .........................................61
Midwest Trading ...................................................2
Compost Supply ....................................................31
Ornamental Growers Association ..........................17
Dayton Bag & Burlap ............................................48
ProGreen Plus ..........................................................6
Deer Path Nurseries ................................................43
Rocks Etc. .............................................................25
Ditch Witch .............................................................37
Russo Power Equipment .........................................49
Doty Nurseries LLC ................................................4
RWC Insurance .....................................................44
Enterprise Fleet Management ..................................19
Snowfighters Institute ............................................54
Fairview Evergreen Nursery ...................................45
Spring Meadow Nursery ........................................11
Goodmark Nurseries ...............................................27
Stockyards Brick Co. ..............................................35
Green Glen Nursery ...............................................63
The Care of Trees ..................................................51
B. Haney & Sons, Inc. ...............................................54
The Landscape Contractor ......................................60
Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. ......................................54
The Mulch Center ...................................................48
Homer Industries ...................................................53
Unilock, Inc. ...........................................................64
James Martin Associates .........................................59
Xylem, Inc..............................................................25
JKS Ventures ..........................................................45
• Provide quality customer service to all existing / prospective clients • Resolve customer issues/complaints in accordance with company guidelines. • Provide enhancement proposals both on Lawn Maintenance Contracts as well as special landscaping needs to existing and prospective clients. • Manage daily landscape projects and maintenance to ensure they are performed within proposed budget and hours. • Ensure communication between Supervisor & Crew Foreman is clear regarding client expectations. • Ensure crews are properly maintaining/operating equipment to prevent onsite issues. • Inspect trucks/trailers/equipment for cleanliness as well as crew members are in proper uniform to maintain Seberts professional image. • Prepare “take-offs” to determine contract pricing for prospective clients. • Canvass for potential clients to assist in increasing sales volume and company revenue. • Manage employee’s adherence to company policy and safety procedures. • Personal development through acquiring/ maintaining State licenses/certifications. • Manage/participate in Snow Operations in the winter months. • Participate / contribute in the company’s “lean management” principals / strategies Please email resume to: lorena@sebert.
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
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Knowing Native Plants
Native Intelligence A Guide through the Labyrinth of Native Plants and Cultivars
by Nina Koziol
Monarda fistulosa — Wild Bergamot
In the Midwest,
where winter temperatures can dip to -20 F and summers can produce endless heat and periods of drought, plants must be well-adapted to survive let alone thrive. Native plants — the flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees that grew in geographical regions prior to European settlement — do just that. Many are found growing in forest preserves, open spaces, the dunes and prairies. Evolving over tens of thousands of years, Midwestern native plants have adapted to the harshest winters, they tolerate droughts, and typically prosper in local soils. Once they’re established, natives typically need less supplemental water than other garden plants. Jason Fritz of Cardno will anchor the Native Intelligence series for the next five months.
Monarda fistulosa — Wild Bergamot Besides attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, wild bergamot is one of the best foraging plants for bumblebees. “The flower color can be pale pink or violet, but is different depending on light and nutrients. It’s in the mint family so that tells you it likes to spread. It’s a prolific bloomer with very showy, fragrant flowers. If you have a large enough landscape and can control it you should definitely include it. It will hang around for a few years before it peters out. Most of the time it will have spread to other locations. So, the initial plant won’t be there but will reseed or spread through rhizomes.” It’s also a host plant for larvae of hermit sphinx and snout moths.
Cultivate: • • • •
Plant in full sun Height: 3-5’ Blooms July-September Partners: Hoary vervain, butterfly milkweed, black-eyed Susan, wild petunia
Bonus: Somewhat deer resistant. 62
The Landscape Contractor June 2017
BUILD YOUR REPUTATION With the Best Materials and Support We want to help you build a profitable business. And as we all know, the most profitable projects are those that run smoothly. You can count on Unilock to stand behind you. We’ve got experienced in-field representatives in your area and we offer unmatched service and support. We’re here when you need us, to work with you and your crews, one-on-one. Unilock products can also help you build your reputation for style and quality. Our EnduraColor Plus Architectural Finishes set a new standard for everlasting beauty, with premium surface textures and unique style options that are exceptionally durable. MEET WITH US TODAY TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO YOUR BUSINESS.
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