Women’s Networking Group Fall Event

Fall Event

August 18, 2021

Editor’s Note: Just a word of warning. This is likely to be a fairly exuberant report of a relatively common event. Why, you might wonder?

Like many ILCA folk, I had not attended an Association event since iLandscape at the end of January 2020. You’ll remember those carefree days.

In the ensuing months, ILCA learned a great deal. With that knowledge, programs pivoted to provide members the best virtual experiences that any association could provide.

Now fast forward to August 18 of the following year. Like many well intentioned people, I’m sticking my head out more and more. But this is my first event.

I think ILCA and the event host Ball Horticultural came through with flying colors; outdoors, unmasked, with as much distance as anyone could want.

Beyond that, it was just glorious to see so many members live and in-person. The Ball setting was tremendous and in full bloom. Anna Ball and Jeff Gibson put out the red carpet for the event. RR

by Nina A Koziol

As the sun set on a warm

August evening, towering cumulous clouds were outlined in gold. But there was no rain in sight to dampen the nonstop conversation and laughter at the Women’s Networking Group (WNG) event held at Ball Horticultural Company. The outing was a chance to catch up with friends and suppliers and experience Ball’s new plaza and (continued on page 20)

Jeff Gibson Nicole Nault, Committee Chair

Anna Ball

(continued from page 18) beautiful grounds. While attendees sipped and snacked (courtesy of Ball), they heard from Anna Ball and two representatives from Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, the firm that has been instrumental in redesigning Ball’s spaces the past 15 years.

“I think having the event at Ball attracted a lot of people,” said Marissa Stubler, ILCA’s membership and marketing manager. The opportunity to meet up in person and to take in the delightful setting was a no-brainer for many. Claire Josephson, marketing manager for Kieft Seed, thought it would be interesting and the event lived up to her expectations. “I work in marketing and I’m really curious about what people want in a landscape as well as plant performance.” Surrounded by thousands of flowers and unusual foliage, this was the place to be.

Ball’s New Gardens

What began as a row trial garden for seed varieties in 1933 is now more than nine acres of display beds for annuals, perennials, cut flowers and vegetables, including the newest plants from the industry’s leading breeders and marketers. Julie Sajtar and Simon Prunty of Hoerr Schaudt talked about the site’s transformation. In 2006, landscape architect Doug Hoerr began redesigning the trial beds.

“It was flat and everything was rowed-out like a traditional display garden,” Sajtar explained. “Doug said, ‘It looks like kiddy golf at Disneyland.’ So that was the start of a beautiful relationship with this space. It’s been wonderful to build the bones of the garden. Hoerr wanted to make bold moves — creating topography and different design ecologies for the lay of the land. His goal was to be imaginative and innovative, using the plants in ways that are surprising. The site lines and views beckon visitors across and through the gardens.”

Theatrical Naturalism

Ball’s new $25 million Innovation Center houses state-ofthe-art research and development laboratories. Hoerr Schaudt created the new gardens around the building, which Sajtar calls ‘theatrical naturalism.’ “It’s a new term for the style of the garden. We’re employing a naturalistic palette and it’s very in fashion right now.”

The new beds, including a gravel garden, boast more than 14,000 plants. It took three days for Sajtar’s two-person team to lay out the one- and two-gallon pots. “The gravel garden features a little more embroidery in the space,” she said. “The design intent dictated the style while maintenance dictated the plants.”

Simon Prunty, Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architecture

Inspiration Galore

After the presentations, attendees networked with suppliers and friends or strolled, drinks in hand, to enjoy the eye-popping colors. Dragonflies darted over the ponds and there was non-stop conversation and laughter.

Of the 150 or so registered, about 30 men were present. Jack Pizzo, owner and president of Pizzo and Associates, Ltd., told a group about a $10,000 scholarship his firm created in memory of a special employee, Grace Koehler, a familiar face to many at iLandscape. And Jeff Gibson, IGC, Landscape & University Trials Manager at Ball told another group, “It’s the perfect time to see the gardens and take a walk in the late afternoon with a glass of wine.”

Lindsay Muscavitch, a seasonal color specialist at Lurvey Landscape Supply said, “I absolutely love being inspired. It’s so cool to see the plants bedded out and displayed in different ways. It gets everyone excited and that’s what’s fun about it. And, I love networking.”

It was the first time attending a WNG event for Patti Maciejewski, sales administrator at Grant & Power Landscaping. “The site is beautiful and the event was very informative, especially the discussion about how the design and plantings were created.”

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Landscape designer Elaina Blankenhagen of Plandscape, Inc. is new to the industry. “I had so much fun at the St. Patrick’s Day Zoom event, I wanted to attend this one in person.” With her was horticulture student Debbie O’Connor who also came to network. “I’m changing careers next year and I wanted to get out and meet people. I gardened at Anna Ball’s place with Roy Diblik and learned a lot.”

“It was a wealth of information just sitting at the table with members,” said Debra Brown, senior sales rep for Al Warren Oil Co. “Even looking at the different plants and experiencing what the designers talked about — so many new ideas and it was very educational.”

Nicole Nault, WNG Committee Chair, was pleased with the event. “I thought it was fantastic. There was a wealth of information on so many topics. For example, at the tables we were talking about the H2B visas. Everyone comes with the same mindset — :even though we may be competitors, it’s all for the greater good.”

After months of virtual get-togethers, meeting face-to-face was a big plus. “The thing I took away from the event was how excited people are to be together again and networking at ILCA events,” Stubler said. “The event was scheduled from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and at 8:00 p.m. I was literally kicking people out. They were having such a good time, they didn’t want to leave.”

Worth Noting

ILCA offers many educational and networking opportunities throughout the year. See what’s coming up next: https:// www.ilca.net/professional/education.

Interested in joining a committee? See https://www.ilca.net/professional/ committee_involvement/

Thank You Sponsors!

• A Block Marketing • Cedar Path Nurseries • Elite Growers • Joe Cotton Ford • Kramer Tree Specialists • Night Light • Pizzo & Associates • Pizzo Native Plant Nursery • RentalMax LLC • Russo Power • SiteOne Landscape Supply • SmithAmundsen • Turtle Creek Nursery

The Women’s Networking Committee l to r: Sue Halfpenny, Peggy Rose, Marissa Stubler, Noel Street, Nicole Nault, Laura Gianorio, Carrie Hancock, Debbie McGuire.