The Landscape Contractor magazine OCT.22 DIGITAL EDITION

Pros at Home Jerry Adelmann

The Morton Arboretum Grand Garden

Proven Plant Partners

Excellence In Landscape Awards Project

FOCUS: The Impact Conference

The Pros at Home

garden tour with Jerry Adelmann

Garden Speak

— a jewel of late summer

The Changing Face of Public Gardens

Morton Arboretum Grand Garden

The Impact Conference

EN ESPAÑOL

Celebración del 50th Aniversario del Departamento de Horticultura del College of DuPage

College of DuPage Celebrates 50 Years of Horticulture

Women’s Networking Group Mentorship Program

- Career Development - Fun

Minute

are the best recruiters you have

College of DuPage Celebrates 50 Years of Horticulture

Diseases and Pests

Black spot on rose and turfgrass rust

Member Profile

Landscape Services

Inspiration Alley

little black dress

Hidden Landscape Gems

Rotary Botanical Gardens Sunken Gardens

On the cover... Chicago Specialty Gardens won a Gold Award for Residential Construction in 2021 for this project

Fulton Market Panorama.

Landscape

Road, Ste. 104S, Oak Brook, IL

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Drufke

Houte

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Magazine Staff

Rick Reuland

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Debbie Rauen Advertising Sales (817-501-2403)

Meta Levin Feature Writer

Nina Koziol

Writer

Heather Prince

Writer

Road

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Patrice Peltier

Writer

Stand —

On May 13, 2022, Illinois Governor J.B.Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3433 into law. If followed to the letter, within a few months, cities and towns could legally remove half of all the trees in their communities. On top of that, these munici palities could demand that residents remove these trees at their own expense. If the resident refused, private contractors could be sent onto that land to remove the offending plant material and force the resident to pay for it.

ILCA bcked this aggressive and expansive legislation. The Chicago Region Trees Initiative provided full-throated support. Environmental groups like the Sierra Club, Natural Land Institute, Illinois Ornithological Society, and the Illinois Environmental Council joined the chorus to promote this government sanctioned tree genocide.

Now, before the landscape and tree care industries get the torches out of the shed and begin sharpening those pitchforks, let’s add some context. SB3433 focused on one particular type of tree - buckthorn. Specifically, the bill amended the Illinois Exotic Weed Act. This would allow any municipality to demand the removal of all species of buckthorn on public or private land within their geographical boundaries. All a municipality had to do was pass an ordi nance, send a letter to a resident, and whir the chainsaws.

hid piles of grass clippings, old pavers, or long lost soccer balls.

That argument is now moot. Laser Imagery Detection and Radar (LiDAR) has become so sophisticated it can identify indi vidual species from thousands of feet above the ground. In fact, anyone can go onto the CRTI website, dive into the data, and find buckthorn in all sorts of nooks and crannies. It can even penetrate the overarch ing tree canopy to peer into the understory. It can use imagery, chromatic analysis, and late leaf drop as telltale indicators of invasives. It does all of this while never requiring a single forester to step foot on a piece of property.

The Thorn in our Sides

When the 2020 tree census dropped, we all winced. We knew that the devastating impact of EAB would cause serious setbacks to the health and size of Illinois’ tree canopy. Thankfully, the news was not entirely awful. There was an expectation that EAB losses would have caused tree canopy decline in the ten-year lookback. That was not the case. In Illinois, the tree canopy increased by 3%. That number is within the margin of error, but it is far from a single digit, or even double-digit declines. In total, Illinois has 173,000,000 trees, 23% canopy cover, and it would cost $44 billion to replace them all.

Flash forward four months later - there still seems to be a lot of buckthorn hanging around. To our knowledge, not a single village has passed one of these ordinances. Not a single resident or commercial property owner has been cited. No demands have been made to clear out the lines of buckthorn that separate many of our houses from our neighbors. No piles and piles of buck thorn branches have been fed to chippers and sprayed into the backs of dump trucks. The genocide is yet to occur.

Anyone who lives in a quaint suburb knows what happens if you don’t mow your lawn. The grass climbs above 8”, the neigh bors complain, and the village soon arrives with a letter and a demand that it be cut. If the homeowner refuses, a contractor is authorized to access the property and the homeowner is charged an exorbitant amount to cut the grass. This fine is meant to be punitive and to notify the property owner there are rules to living in a polite society.

One would think that a similar process could be used to control buckthorn. A forester or public works employee could notify the homeowner that buckthorn is present on the property. They have a reasonable amount of time to hire a contractor, or a specialized crew is sent in with chainsaws and glyphosate along with an eye-popping invoice.

The previous argument was that it was too difficult for vil lages to know where buckthorn was hiding. Often it ringed back yards as screening and was barely visible from the street due to setbacks and fences. It’s a lot easier to spot knee high grass than scrub plants behind sheds and fence lines. Most consumers were completely unaware they had buckthorn hiding in plain sight and enjoyed the fact that it blocked the view of their neighbors and

Nationally, Illinois has the third most commu nities designated as Tree Cities by Trees Cities USA. We rank only behind Wisconsin and Ohio. We are also #1 in growth for new cities that have received the Tree Cities USA designation.

Now, for the bad news. The tree canopy, along with being more diverse and expansive, is also more invasive. Focusing on buckthorn, specifically buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) it accounts for 28.2% of all the tree species in Chicago’s seven county region. In Lake County, it is 42% of all trees. Buckthorn is 32% of all trees in Cook County, 36% in McHenry County, and 25% in DuPage County. Those numbers, without proper control, show no signs of slowing down. They are choking out healthy tree species and hurting biodiversity.

So, we know how much buckthorn we have. We know where it is. We know where it is not. We have a handy law in place to remove it once and for all. We even have a lawn-mowing prec edent in most communities to remove it at zero cost to the taxpay ers. Now we must ask two fundamental questions: Why is there still so much buckthorn? Why are we dragging our feet?

It’s probably best to start with some good old fashioned finger pointing. Let’s start with the easiest target - the residents. After all, they are the ones letting buckthorn ravage their backyards like a zombie plague. They are poisoning the planet with their environ mental irresponsibility. They should be strapped to a lawn chair and forced to watch as contractors chainsaw their poor man’s screening. Ok, that’s probably a little harsh. Most homeowners have no idea they have ringed their yards with invasive species. Also, the larger question is what responsibility to individual home owners feel for a problem that ends at their property lines? Of course the growing prevalence of buckthorn is a threat, but can we blame consumers for not thinking our problem is their problem?

Let’s move on to the contractors. When a property owner

finally makes that call, contractors will get to work on the property. Most landscape and tree care professionals are not going to miss the chance to remove scrub trees and replace them with better alterna tives with higher margins. If a client balks due to cost or preference, it is up to the contractor to either be happy with the job as presented or push a little harder. On top of that, removing buckthorn is hard work. This is not the same as ripping a zero-turn across 8” grass for $1000. This will take time, effort, full-size crews, and debris removal. If a homeowner calls in May to get buckthorn removed to avoid a ticket, is it going to be the first visit a landscape or tree care company makes that day? That is difficult, low margin work that can quickly slide down a callback list.

Finally, let’s pile on the villages. After all, this is their prob lem. Many of these are “Tree Cities”, remember? They run annual removal and replacement plans. Because of the lobbying of the IAA and ILCA, these are not subject to prevailing wage. Most of the cities with the greatest prevalence of buckthorn have means and a vocal cadre of environmentally obsessed residents. City Foresters bemoan buckthorn and have prayed for a magic wand and now they won’t wave it. Then again, these are communities. A resident getting an orange sticker slapped on their door is going to call the mayor, village manager, seven trustees, and write a scathing post on Next Door. Those are all problems most village foresters don’t want to deal with. Further, a forester only gets so much political capital and does he or she want to expend that demanding removal of buckthorn when widespread tree planting programs are in the budget and limbs are falling on cars, houses, and people?

As you can see, it’s not a simple solution.

The game is not lost. We are only in the top of the first in a 9-inning game. Finger-pointing is a waste of time only 4 months after SB3433 was signed into law. In the same breath, it’s decision time for all three legs of this stool - residents, contractors, and vil lages.

Most of the time, monumental problems rarely have simple solu tions. There is a reason that problem became monumental in the first place. This is not one of those times. For once, everything is in place to tackle the problem except for one variable - the will to get started. Because of groups like The Morton Arboretum, CRTI, Tree Cities USA, ILCA, IGIA, IAA, Mike Brunk and the UCFC, and hundreds of trained contractors and foresters we have never known more about our tree canopy and it’s threats. You will not find more hardworking and focused professionals than Lydia Scott and Melissa Custic of CRTI/The Morton Arboretum. They are the field generals we need. They are so skilled they can talk contractor, academic, bureaucrat, and data wonk all in the same meeting. Everything is in place. I have faith that it will take only a handful of communities to con nect all the dots. It may take one community to step forward and see the greater picture beyond grumpy residents at village board meet ings and mean Next Door posts. Once that happens, the floodgates will open. Years from now, we may even have a cottage industry of remove-and-replace buckthorn contractors paid by villages through fines of their residents all in the name of ecology. If that fails to occur, the problem is more invasive than we thought.

Sincerely,

Scott

President

Jeff Kramer

Kramer Tree Specialists, Inc, (630) 293-5444

jwkramer@kramertree.com

Vice-President

Ashley Marrin

Bret-Mar Landscape Management Group, Inc. (708) 301-2225 ashley@bretmarlandscape.com

Secretary-Treasurer

Jim Cirrincione

Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. (630) 323-1411 jcirrincione@hinsdalenurseries .com

Immediate Past President

Scott McAdam, Jr. McAdam Landscaping, Inc. (708) 771-2299 Scottjr@mcadamlandscape.com

Directors

Eric Adams Russo Power Equipment (847) 233-7811 eadams@russopower.com

Kim Hartmann Hartmann Consulting 847-404-7669 hartmannkim@comcast.net

Jennifer Fick

Wilson Nurseries and Landscape Supply (847) 683-3700 jennf@wilsonnurseries.com

Tom Klitzkie

Nature’s Perspective Landscaping (847) 475-7917 tklitzkie@naturesperspective.com

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

Mark Utendorf

Emerald Lawn Care, Inc. (847) 392-7097 marku@emeraldlawncare.com

www.ilca.net

President’s Message —

Hello fellow green industry partners!

I want to take some time to talk about some of the things I love about our industry and reflect on how lucky we all are to be in such a fluid profession.

None of our days are ever the same. We wake up every day and have a general plan of how our day will go. But as you all know, our day can and will change as it goes on. The weather is different everyday — sometimes in our favor and sometimes not. We coordinate our days based on what the weather is each day. Equipment is another element we deal with. The challenge this year is getting the equipment and parts we need to keep things going in a reasonable amount of time.

Having no day be the same is what I look forward to most. I love the challenges and rewards that each day brings. When I go home at the end of the day, I have a new story to tell and believe me, I have had a lot of interesting stories to tell over the years.

The thing I love most about our great industry is that very few people leave the industry outright. People will go work for other companies and families throughout their career to see where they fit best. They may try different opportunities within the green industry whether consulting, selling, or working for a company that serves the green industry. But at the end of the day, I feel that most people stay within our industry because it is so dynamic, fun, and rewarding each and every day!

Sincerely, Jeff Kramer

¡Hola, compañeros y colegas de la industria verde!

Quiero dedicar tiempo a hablar sobre algunas cosas que más aprecio de nuestra indu stria y reflejan lo afortunado que somos al pertenecer a una profesión tan fluida.

Nuestros días nunca son iguales. Nos despertamos todos los días y tenemos algo así como un plan de cómo se desarrollará nuestro día. Pero como todos ustedes saben, nuestro día puede cambiar y cambiará a medida que pasan las horas. El clima es diferente todos los días, algunas veces a nuestro favor y otras no. Coordinamos nuestras jornadas depen diendo de las condiciones climáticas de cada día. Los equipos, por supuesto, son otro elemento con el que tenemos que lidiar. El reto este año es obtener los equipos y piezas que necesitamos para completar nuestro trabajo en un tiempo razonable.

Que todos los días sean diferentes es algo que espero con entusiasmo. Aprecio los desafíos y las recompensas que proporciona cada día. Cuando regreso a casa al final de la jornada, tengo algo nuevo que contar y créanmelo, he tenido muchas historias interesantes para contar a lo largo de los años, igual que ustedes, estoy seguro.

Lo que más me gusta de nuestra gran industria es que muy poca gente abandona la industria totalmente. Hay gente que se va a trabajar para otras compañías y familias a lo largo de sus carreras para ver donde encajan mejor. También prueban diferentes oportuni dades dentro de la industria verde, como consultoría, ventas, trabajar para una compañía que atiende la industria verde y así. ¡Pero al final del día, siento que la mayor parte de la gente se queda en nuestra industria porque es tan dinámica, divertida y gratificante diari amente!

Atentamente, Jeff Kramer

Jeff Kramer

Rosborough Partners, Inc. • Libertyville

The Rabbitry

540 West Madison is a 29-story Class A office building located in Chicago’s West Loop. The tower is 99% leased. The client wants to retain the property’s market-leading status while delivering an exceptional experience for tenants.

Four rotations of seasonal flower displays and holiday lighting delight visitors and make sure the building stands out from the com petition. An intense focus on pruning and detailing every plant on the site helps create the formal appearance and lush, but immaculate landscape.

Green spaces include the 6th Floor Roof Garden with 15,200 SF of landscape beds, turf, and 44 mature trees. The only access to the roof garden is through the service elevator.

540 West Madison is one of only 15 Chicago buildings to achieve LEED Platinum certification. The use of pesticides and herbicides is limited, rainwater is harvested for irrigation, and the site’s 35 irrigation zones are frequently adjusted to conserve resources.

Through Prairies Woodlands and Jerry Adelmann’s roots run deep

by Nina A. Koziol

Walking through Lockport Prairie in Will County is like entering a time machine. You’ve suddenly stepped back several centuries—before the first settlers pressed westward through Illinois. Big bluestem grasses and tall coreopsis sway like ocean waves. Migrating monarch butterflies sip at goldenrod and asters. The colorful Hine’s emerald dragonfly, (a federally endangered species) darts overhead and at your feet are rare and uncommon plants like leafy prairie clover, lakeside daisy, low calamint and slender sandwort. They are just some of the gems that managed to survive widespread development and land use.

This rare remnant of dolomite prairie sits on a floodplain along the Des Plaines River where the plants have adapted to a high water table—a feat that has only taken them a few thousand years or more to accomplish. This type of

plant community has almost completely disappeared from the Midwest. If it wasn’t for Gerald “Jerry” Adelmann, the Lockport Prairie and many other very special places like Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and Openlands Lakeshore Preserve (the former site of Fort Sheridan) would look very different today—perhaps home to sprawling subdivisions, distribution centers, strip malls or casinos.

Adelmann is President and CEO of Openlands, a nonprofit organization that works to protect natural and open spaces in northeastern Illinois and surrounding areas. “Our natural resources are critical to the resilience and sustainability of the region,” he said. “They are an integral part of our metropoli tan fabric.”

He has been active in preservation, conservation and plan ning since the 1970s. He was initially spurred into the pres

Mixed borders flank path from the limestone milk house.

and Historical Sites —

ervation arena after a builder bought two historic houses on the main street in downtown Lockport with the intention of keeping them. Or that’s what he claimed. But once the deal closed, they were soon demolished. One had been in Adelmann’s family for years.

While working on a pre-doctoral fel lowship at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, Adelmann became involved in volunteer projects to save some of Lockport’s remaining historic buildings and unique natural areas. “The Forest Preserve District of Will County suggested I contact Openlands with my ideas for a regional landscape-scale approach that would include recreational trails, revitalized waterfronts and historic downtowns, and protected natural and cultural treasures through the five-county region.” Under his guidance, Openlands launched the 21st Century Open Space Plan, which called for expanded park lands, greenways, and trails.

Beginnings

It’s no surprise that Adelmann has formed a deep connec tion to the land. His ancestors were among the first settlers in the area nearly 200 years ago. In 1832, the Potawatomi Indian

Chief Shabbona warned Adelmann’s great-great-great grand father to flee Will County and go to Fort Dearborn along Lake Michigan. “The Black Hawk war was imminent. Thanks to Chief Shabbona, I am here today.”

In the late 1970s, Adelmann’s parents purchased the Robert Milne House in Lockport, Illinois. Milne, a master mason who built five of the locks on the Illinois and Michigan Canal, built the house in 1842 from locally quarried lime stone. “It’s likely that Abraham Lincoln visited this house when he came to Lockport,” Adelmann says with a twinkle in his eye.

Smokebush, irises, rudbeckia, coneflowers, catmint and allium take their turns in bloom in the sunny beds.

FOCUS — The Pros at Home

(continued from page 11)

“I can’t prove that he slept here, but he probably did.” Local lore holds that Lincoln traveled through Lockport sev eral times.

Adelmann tells an amazing story of two giant pines that flanked the front door. They were Austrian pines, purchased by Milne from a roving tree peddler and planted in 1848 as commemorative wedding trees. The pines are also called “husband-and-wife trees.” The “wife” tree died around 1900 and was replaced with another Austrian pine. The larger “husband” tree was taken down this year after battling decades of disease and insect pests despite treatments.

“An arborist from The Morton Arboretum looked at it many years ago and thought it may have been the largest Austrian pine in the state,” he said. Wood from the venerable tree was saved for future use.

The Garden

Adelmann has gardened around the home for decades and enjoys everything from planting and watering to cut ting back perennials. “Most weekends I work in the garden, but of course I have a lot of help.” He’s worked with Marcy

Stewart-Pyziak, horticultural instructor at the College of DuPage on the site.

There is little foundation planting except behind the kitchen, which directs the focus to the home’s unique archi tecture and stonework. There’s a stone milk house surround ed by a cottage-style garden filled with annuals and peren nials. Native prairie dropseed and little bluestem grasses mingle with baptisia, fragrant nicotiana, bergenia, heuchera, acanthus, Russian sage, Joe Pye weed and amsonia. “We just finished harvesting the garlic in July,” he said. The garlic includes many heirloom varieties that were originally grown by his father and saved over the years to be replanted each fall.

A fabulous borrowed view looks onto the field of the adjacent Milne Grove Elementary School. Behind the field, is a tree line that conceals a road. A Victorian church steeple appears over the treetops to give the illusion that time stopped long ago. Although a resident family of red foxes regularly trots through the borders, Adelmann laments that they take little notice of the bunnies.

It’s hard for him to pick his favorite plants, but the con color fir with its striking blue needles is up there on his (continued on page 14)

The Austrian pine (right) planted in the 1840s was removed this summer after battling decades of disease.

FOCUS — The Pros at Home

(continued from page 12) list. “Gosh, it’s hard to single out a favorite,” he said. “In addition to shrubs and trees, I do love my spring ephemer als, the giant castor beans, hellebores, bear’s britches and cardoons, to name a few.” Another tree he adores is a lowbranched katsura, which smells like cot ton candy when the leaves turn gold in fall.

Some treasured plants simply disap pear. “I was growing Tasmanian acan thus, which is variegated and I really like it, but it didn’t make it over winter indoors and it’s very difficult to find. I’ve had it for years.” Coleus, tall heir loom canna lilies, irises, smokebush, allium, rudbeckia, echinacea and salvia create striking colors and textures in the sunny beds. Sweeps of Japanese forest grass and Max Frei geraniums hug the edge of the shady borders along with large drifts of Annabelle hydrangeas, hostas and ferns.

Water Woes

Large trees, including an ancient hop hornbeam that pre-dates the first settlers, have developed massive root systems that frequently rob the soil of water. During summer when we don’t get that recommended one inch of rain per week, he gets out the hose. Watering takes hours and there is no automatic irrigation system. (One inch of rainfall on a 10-foot by 10-foot space is the equivalent of 65 gallons of water.) Dry spells during the summer require pulling the hose around to many of the beds and borders. Amending the soil when plant ing and regular mulching helps retain some moisture, he explains, but the soil is quick to dry out.

Past, Present, Future

Two hitching posts and a stone car riage step flank the sidewalk by the road, hinting to the property’s past as a rural 19th-century farm. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places and is illustrated in the Will County Atlas of 1893.

Russian sage hugs the steps to the milk house.

FOCUS — The Pros at Home

(continued from page 14)

Adelmann’s position with Openlands has taken him around the country as well as to Asia and Europe. He has been involved in conserva tion and historic preservation projects in China since the early 1990s. Since 2008, he has served as an international adviser on regional planning and sus tainable development for the Yangon Heritage Trust in Myanmar. Lewis University bestowed him with an hon orary doctorate and he is an honorary member of the American Association of Landscape Architects.

The garden boasts an eclectic mix of annual fountain grass, cacti, milkweed and sedum.

But now, he’s thinking about retire ment and spending more time outdoors. “Being in the garden is so relaxing. I look forward to it each weekend.” We wish him well.

Lespedeza—

Bush Clovers the Jewels of Late Summer

Plant Guru Richard Hawke of the Chicago Botanic Garden Shares his Favorite Performers

Nina A. Koziol

Bush clover is one of those fine-textured beefy plants whose appearance is quite deceiving until August when it suddenly shines big and bright with a profusion of cascad ing flowers. These semi-woody perennials or subshrubs have a stop-you-in-your-tracks look when blooming. They’re a mem ber of the genus Lespedeza (less-peh-DEEZ-uh), which has about 40 species in habitats that range from North America to eastern Asia and Australasia.

Some of the more interesting non-native species were originally introduced to the United States as ornamentals in the 1850s. In 1922, renowned plantsman Liberty Hyde Bailey wrote about them saying, “Two or three of the oriental species are now becoming popular.” A century later, bush clover is still

relatively unknown here in the Midwest, but it’s worth a close look.

Richard Hawke, Director of Ornamental Plant Research at the Chicago Botanic Garden conducted a recent plant evaluation to see which ones are garden worthy. “I’d see it in the fall in Wisconsin and I’d think I kind of love this,” he said. “I see it every so often, but it’s mostly farther north, not so much in the Chicago area, which is why I did the evaluation. They’re just jam-packed with flowers.”

The two bush clover species most cultivated in gardens are shrub bush clover (Lespedeza bicolor and cvs.) from east Asia, and Thunberg bush clover (L. thunbergii and cvs.) from China and Japan. They are semi-woody plants

that are treated like perennials. Although some non-native lespedeza species are incredible weeds or designated inva sive in parts of the Southeast where they were planted for wildlife, forage and erosion control decades ago, there are many better-behaved species and underused cultivars for the Midwest.

Plant Evaluation

Hawke has evaluated 16 different bush clovers in com parative trials over the years. He looks at their ornamental traits, growth habit, adaptation to environmental and soil conditions, and potential disease or pest problems. Plants are also assessed for injury or loss over winter. Perennials are evaluated for a minimum of four years in the Zone 5b evaluation beds where they are sited in full sun on welldrained, alkaline, clay-loam soil. Minimal care is provided during all evaluations, which allows the plants to thrive or fail under natural conditions.

Hardy to Zone 4, bush clovers in the evaluation bloom on new growth. “It’s a woody plant, but it’s a dieback, a sub-shrub,” Hawke explained. “I would cut them down in late winter. I wouldn’t take them down before then because they hold snow and there’s a level of attractiveness. Don’t take them down too soon.” A bonus: no serious disease or pest problems were uncovered.

Uses

Because some species and cultivars are whoppers—75 inches tall to 116 inches wide—Hawke pictures them used in big borders and sweeping corporate landscapes. “They’re too large to place in a small landscape unless you

use a smaller one. I see it more commonly as a big landscape plant—a big border kind of thing.” Their arching, fountainlike habit also makes bush clovers suitable for use on slopes, spilling over retaining walls, in cottage gardens and perennial borders.

“One way to use it is as a specimen plant. But it also works as a nice big massing and in shrub borders, and it works perfectly well in an herbaceous border as long as you recognize its size.” Best of all, Hawke says it is low mainte nance. “All you have to do is cut them back in the spring.”

A member of the Fabaceae (pea or bean) family, bush clover grows in less than ideal situations like those with infertile, sandy soils, because it increases soil fertility by absorbing and con verting atmospheric nitrogen. For that reason, avoid over fertiliza tion. For the best flowering, site bush clovers in full sun (although they’ll take part shade) and well-drained soil (good drainage is essential). Once established, bush clovers tolerate drought.

Plant Partners

“Before it flowers almost anything will go with bush clover because it’s green,” Hawke said. “You just have to recognize and be aware of the ultimate size.” He considers grasses to be good partners. “You could put it with some of the larger grasses—panicums, andropogon—and play off that.” Sterile forms of fountain grass (Pennisetum) are another choice because of the color echos. “I recommend one of the safer sterile selections, such as chocolate-plumed ‘Cayenne’ or the smaller and pinker ‘Hush Puppy’ for the dark flower heads and fountain-like look to both. You could pair it with cone flowers, too, but many plants would not be flowering when this flowers. Bush clover carries color later in the season.”

Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Edo Shibori’ offers fuchsia-white flowers that blanket arched stems from mid-August to early October on plants that were 54 inches tall and 90 inches wide. Spring leaves have a bronze cast that holds into early summer. Hawke notes that cold temperatures proved problematic resulting in crown loss over multiple winters. On the positive side, the plants rebounded vigorously to become attractive and floriferous every summer.

Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Gibraltar’ forms a dense, multi-stemmed mound covered with rosy-pink flowers from late August to early October. It’s a big one — plants were 75 inches tall and 116 inches wide. Bonus: great fall color.

Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Pink Fountain’ bloomed early September to mid-October on plants that were 62 inches tall by 95 inches wide. A profusion of pink flowers blankets blue-green foliage that turns yellow in fall.

Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Samidare’ also bloomed from late August to early October. The name ‘Samidare’ translates as “mon soon rain over land,” a fitting description of the shower of fuschia-purple flowers. “Samidar was very comparable to Gibraltar,” Hawke said, “but it had bigger, darker flowers and in the end was the best in the trial.” Plants were 58 inches tall and 98 inches wide.

Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Pink Cascade’ bloomed from early September to mid-October, reaching 50 inches tall and 55 inches wide. The cultivar name might be a tad misleading since the plant has a tight, rounded habit, although it produced some arching stems closer to the base.

Lespedeza thunbergii ‘White Fountain’ bloomed from early August to early October on plants that were 57 inches tall and 87 inches wide. Although Hawke’s evalua tors were more enthusiastic over pink- and purple-flowered cultivars, he found this one to be a refreshing change.

The Grand Garden: A New Experience at The Morton Arboretum

by Heather Prince

On a bright autumn afternoon, there’s a new garden humming with color and life at The Morton Arboretum. A hummingbird stops to sip from zinnias and echinacea. Monarch butterflies dance overhead in search of nectar before migration. The trees are loud with bird song as fountains burble. As part of its 100th anniversary festivities, the Arboretum has just opened The Grand Garden a few steps away from the Visitor Center. Designed as a celebration of

of Marketing & Communications, to dig into how these new garden spaces were developed and implemented. Many familiar with the Arboretum have been watching the garden take shape in the former Hedge Garden space. Begun in 1934, the Hedge Garden was one of the few formal planted landscapes at the tree museum. Over the years, it has transformed with the times again and again. “There once was a rose garden,” observed Jacobson. “Elms used to punctuate

the central boxwood parterre and the Japanese crabapples that shaded it. “The four floribunda crabs were beautiful, but as time went on, it became very labor intensive to keep them healthy,” commented Jacobson. “We’ve kept crabapples in that location in the new garden space to echo the past. We chose Golden Raindrops® crabs for their hardiness and dis ease resistance.” The hedge examples also changed frequently over the years depending on performance and as new shrub varieties were tried. The new garden continues to honor the view to the Four Columns that sits high on the hill. Suzette Morton Davidson, founder Joy Morton’s granddaughter, had them installed as a focal point after her father, Sterling Morton’s recommendation. Suzette would say that they repre sented the four Morton brothers: Joy, Paul, Mark, and Carl.

As landscape trends have evolved, the Hedge Garden was earmarked in the master site plan as an opportunity for a new planted garden space that would provide gather ing space and offer homeowners new ideas for their own gardens. “The Hedge Garden was the first formal garden at the Arboretum,” commented LaVire. “It was a demonstra tion garden of formal hedges which were very en vogue at the time and showcased pruning and planting techniques. As we thought about the centennial, the Arboretum had an opportunity to reimagine the garden while still maintaining its phenomenal view.”

Special Feature — The Changing Face of Public Gardens

(continued from page 23)

The Arboretum contracted Tres Fromme of 3.Fromme Design and Hodgson Douglas Landscape Architects (HDLA of Nashville, TN) to re-envi sion this historic nexus. “The goal of the garden is to showcase the beauty and diversity of plants and to reimagine this central gathering space that is just steps away from the Visitor Center, to provide a new destination for people at the Arboretum,” commented LaVire. “I think it truly does that. The garden really envelops you. There’s a different view depending on where you’re stand ing, but no matter where you are, you hear the sounds of falling water and you see beauty and color in every season. Providing that experience to guests at the Arboretum that was a key goal.”

“Accessibility for those with wheelchairs and strollers was also a goal of the project and a priority for the Arboretum,” said LaVire. The

walkways are wider than standard, and surfaces are easy for visitors with mobil ity issues to navigate. “This garden was designed from the beginning to make it more easily accessible to everyone,” reported Jacobson. “Whether you have a double-wide stroller, a wheelchair, a walker, or other mobility needs, we made the walkway six feet wide for ease of navigation. Two wheelchairs can pass each other easily and it meets ADA standards from one end to the other. The grade does go up as you go east, but the slope is managed to avoid the need of handrails.”

The Grand Garden is divided into three garden spaces. The Joy of Plants Garden at the west end nearest the Administration building is anchored by an 18-foot-diameter cast stone circular fountain with two rows of bubbling jets. Two cement paths lead east through six garden rooms into the circular Centennial Plaza that is surrounded by

four raised planters featuring seasonal displays and galvanized steel arbors that showcase wisteria, clematis and lonicera vines. As you continue east you step into the Celebration Garden and terrace featuring a 12-foot long oval fountain set at the rear and embraced by 100-year-old juniper trees.

The Joy of Plants Garden

The Joy of Plants Garden is designed as six connected garden rooms set into colorful garden beds. “Each of these garden rooms has a different color pal ette that moves from pink to blues to purples,” said Jacobson. “The plants are mirrored on either side of the central lawn panel so that it reads as one land scape,” said Jacobson. “As you explore the beds surrounding these rooms, we’re using different varieties of perenni als and mid-range shrubs like clethra, hydrangea, and caryopteris. We used (continued on page 26)

Special Feature — The Changing Face of Public Gardens

(continued from page 24) several varieties of each species so people can compare. clethra cultivars, for example, include 16 Candles, Summer Sparkler, and Ruby Spice. It gives us the opportunity to showcase plants we haven’t had a chance to feature before.”

The different garden rooms are defined by galvanized steel treillages with custom decorative laser cut panels. Each panel features cut-out patterns of four trees: white oak, sugar maple, American elm, and American linden. Galvanized steel was chosen for its ability to hold up to Chicago winters for many years to come. Each garden room holds a pair of steel benches inviting visitors to sit and enjoy. “We wanted this end of the garden to be colorful, yet calm and contem plative,” observed Jacobson. “You can watch the humming birds and butterflies while sitting here and reading a book, and you could still have a wedding going on at the other end.”

Centennial Plaza

The Centennial Plaza is a large circular paved space of cus tom color concrete inset with stainless steel leaves and separated by limestone banding. One of the challenges was placing the steel leaves in the concrete at just the right moment when it was mostly, but not quite, completely set. “Centennial Plaza is a spot designed for large gatherings like big cocktail parties, lectures, or live music,” commented Jacobson. “The raised beds feature an ornamental annual display that will be changed out seasonal ly. We’ve kept the color palette around the outside fairly neutral with greens and whites.”

Centennial Plaza acts as the central orientation point on a direct axis from the Visitor Center path network. The entry por ticos on the north and south sides of the plaza also feature lasercut leaf designs giving an airiness to the structure. It is a space (continued on page 28)

Special Feature — The Changing Face of Public Gardens

(continued from page 26) where you feel embraced, where you can pause and change direction, or come to rest. Bistro sets are at each corner invit ing you to grab a seat by one of the eight rectangular falling water fountains. The fountains also have steel leaves set into the base and clustered for a custom scupper at the edge to add musicality to the falling water.

The Celebration Garden

The Celebration Garden anchors the east end of the space and is designed to host weddings and special events. “We have much more of a neutral palette here with various shades of green, yellow, and a lot of white and pastel flow ers,” reported Jacobson. “We kept the four gingko trees at this end, and we’ve added six new magnolia trees as well as Kousa dogwoods for their lovely white flowers.”

In The Celebration Garden you’ll find waves of hydran gea, Chardonnay Pearls deutzia, boxwood for an evergreen note, and layers of white annuals as the perennials settle in. At the far end, “the last room is a juniper terrace that is surrounded by a variety of unique evergreens,” commented

Jacobson. “We want to entice visitors into the conifer collections.” Steel benches are placed at regular intervals to welcome people to take a break among the flowers and offer photo opportunities for brides and guests. The pale palette is soothing and as with the rest of The Grand Garden, a murmur of water is everywhere.

Challenges and Opportunities

Of course, no large project is ever without its challenges. The primary hurdle for The Grand Garden was the pandemic and the resulting supply shortages. The project was launched in 2019 with a relatively short time window from concept to construction. “We had a huge team that suddenly had to adapt and collaborate over Zoom,” remembers Jacobson. “There I was video chatting with Tres Fromme and his team as they were in Florida in hotel ballroom working on the decorative metal leaf layouts. We were finalizing the leaves and his team was laying them out on the floor so we could get an idea of scale and spacing.”

The most significant material shortage was plants. It required flexibility from the design team. “We often couldn’t source our first choice, much less our third or fourth,” commented Jacobson.

(continued on page 30)

Special Feature

(continued from page 28)

The Changing Face of Public Gardens

“We had to get creative. The Arboretum plant production team grew peonies and iris from rootstock in the propagation houses. We transplanted specimens from trial beds and collec tions that were either starting to be overgrown for their spaces or we had multiples. Todd Jacobson, Head of Landscape Horticulture for the Arboretum, was able to leverage his network of contacts across the country to secure some of the hard to find trees and shrubs.”

The construction allowed the Arboretum to lay infrastruc ture including landscape lighting, something not readily found elsewhere on the property. It also allowed for hose quick connects throughout the garden spaces, making watering and maintenance easily accessible. Perhaps the favorite new ele ment of the landscape crews is a retractable hose on the juni per terrace that allows staff to hose down the pavement for brides and events, plus water the plants.

A Grand Garden Indeed

The Grand Garden was funded primarily by donation. “The garden is a $16.6 million project, and it was primarily funded from the generosity of Arboretum donors,” reported LaVire. “We also received half a million dollar grant from the

Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. 2020 was a difficult time for all of us, including the Arboretum. This garden project was able to advance because of the gen erosity of donors who were able to look beyond that critical moment and see that the garden was something people would need more than ever. People need to be outside in nature and surrounded by the beauty and benefits of trees and plants.”

There are 21 varieties of trees planted throughout the new gardens. Each garden room features a different species of flowering tree, and a few have been planted outside the Cornus mas hedge to pull the flowering display outward. Plant choices have been deliberate. “We want to provide a horticulturally-rich experience, showcasing many varieties,” said Jacobson. “This is not an experimental garden, but rather we really wanted people to experience a breadth of plants.”

The Grand Garden is an elegant space, yet on a very human scale. The waves of perennials and shrubs have filled the beds with layers of color and texture and in turn, have attracted pollinators and birds. This will be a space for ideas and contemplation, as well as music and celebration.

Event program as of press time.

CHECK IN & BADGE PICK UP — 7:30 AM - 8:20 AM

8:20 AM - 9:20 AM

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Alsdorf Auditorium

Creating a Sustainable Urban Oasis: The Meadow at the Old Chicago Post Office

Stan Szwalek, Shawn Weidner, Ann Weiland Hoerr Schaudt

Hoerr Schaudt’s design, horticulture, and construction administration team share the process of transforming the rooftop of a desolate, unused industrial building into the nation’s largest private rooftop garden atop a modern workplace. Designed with sustainability in mind, The Meadow sets the standard for how rooftops can restore and protect ecosystems, retain and treat stormwater, reduce local micro-climate temperatures, improve tenant health and well-being, and so much more. Overcoming historic preservation and structural constraints, the success story of The Meadow will continue to inspire for years to come as it redefines how to reposition historic buildings for the future.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

9:20 AM - 10:10 AM

Alsdorf Auditorium

Improving Environmental Quality Through Phytoremediation Using Native Plants

Eric Fuselier, Olsson

In this session, you’ll learn about how native plants can be used to improve soil, air, and water quality by removing or transforming common environmental contaminants found in urban, suburban, and rural settings through a process known as phytoremediation. You’ll also learn how to consider the land uses surrounding your next project so that you can select species that will benefit the environment beyond providing habitat for pollinators and wildlife. The contaminants and species covered in this presentation can be applied to residential, commercial, and municipal landscaping projects.

Setting Client Expectations with Native Plant Maintenance

Paul Brown, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Pullman

See website for full description.

BREAK — 10:10 AM – 10:20 AM

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS

10:20 AM – 11:10 AM

Building Company Culture through Sustainability

Nathan Wright, Nathan Wright Landscape Design

Pullman

Zero Emissions Equipment

Paul Klitzkie, Nature’s Perspective

Linneaus

Site Preps: Out With the Old, In With the New

Monica Buckley, Red Stem Native Plants Design Studio

This will be an open discussion about eliminating existing vegetation in order to give a new native garden the very best chance for success. Also considered will be other important preparatory steps.

LUNCH — 11:10 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. McGinley Pavilion

AFTERNOON SESSION 12:10 – 1:00 p.m.

Jeff Lorenz, Refugia

See website for full description.

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS

1:10 PM – 1:50 PM

Before the First Step, Know Where You Are Walking: Developing a Sustainable Action Plan (SAP)

Mallory Rasky, Scott Byron & Co.; Christian Schloegel, C+I Services; Kate Refine, Kate Refine Designs Pullman

It helps having the will, but it’s even better to have a way. Last year, 12 ILCA member companies embarked on a journey to develop their own Sustainable Action Plans (SAPs). These plans are specifically tailored to their companies, operations, and personnel. The personal nature of an SAP ensures these changes get implemented versus stored in a 3-ring binder on a dusty shelf. Participants from the first SAP cohort will help you understand how an SAP is developed and structured. After that, you can determine if this is the path to enlightenment for your organization.

Native Plant Maintenance

Kasey Eaves, Vivant Gardens

Share with attendees your big wins and burning maintenance and stewardship questions. By pooling our knowledge, we can discover what works in both small and expansive native plantings.

Linneaus

Reflecting on an IMPACTful Day

Mike Nowak, Mike Nowak Show Design Studio

BREAK — 1:50 PM –

PM

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

CLOSING KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Unlawning Suburbia: Lessons in the Design, Management, and Activism of Prairie-Inspired Yards

Benjamin Vogt, Monarch Gardens Alsdorf Auditorium

Over the last several years Benjamin has worked on a variety of lawn-conversion projects, from 2 acres of sown meadow at a university to countless urban front yards. In this diverse presentation, we’ll explore several public and private spaces, how they were designed and implemented, what the management issues have been, and how neighbors (and city code enforcement officers) have responded. This will be a messy discussion, because destabilizing the status quo is inherently complex. Naturalizing lawnscapes takes landscaping to the next level, often becoming an intense and brave collaboration between client, designer, neighbors, and the wildlife that seek refuge where no refuge was before. But there’s nothing more worthwhile than rethinking pretty where we live, work, and play.

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

RECEPTION

Burnstein Hall

Premier Sponsor

Tabletop Sponsors

Session Sponsors

Celebración del 50th Aniversario del Departamento

Horticultura del College of DuPage

by Meta L. Levin

El College of DuPage está celebrando su 50.o Aniversario con un evento abierto al público el 13 de octubre de 2022, hace aproximadamente 52 años desde el día en que la Junta de Colegios Universitarios de primer ciclo de Illinois y la Junta de Educación Superior aprobaron su primer pro grama de horticultura ornamental. Ese hito ocurrió el 12 de octubre de 1970.

Desde ese día, el programa ha crecido hasta conver tirse en lo que el Presidente del Departamento Brian Clement considera uno de los programas de horticultura más grandes de Illinois – 325 estudiantes – y quizá del Medio Oeste. Guiado por un consejo consultivo de profesionales de la indu stria, ha ampliado significativamente sus ofertas, inició un programa de doble crédito con 10 escuelas secundarias del área, estableció oportunidades de pasantía y formación prácti ca y, en uno de sus programas más nuevos, proporciona a los reclusos en la cárcel del Condado de DuPage (COD) capacit ación y educación. El departamento está trabajando con ILCA y el Proyecto de Educación Superior del COD en el programa de formación práctica.

“Nuestro consejo consultivo tiene cerca de 15 profe sionales de la industria, algunos instructores de doble crédito en la secundaria, un miembro estudiante y Scott Grams, Director Ejecutivo de ILCA”, afirma Clement. “Contamos

con mucho apoyo de la industria y el consejo desempeña un rol sumamente importante en el programa”.

El evento abierto al público, programado para el 13 de octubre de 4 a 7 p.m., está abierto a estudiantes, ex alumnos, profesionales de la industria, profesores activos y jubilados y estudiantes potenciales y se presentarán vídeos de ex alumnos del programa que comparten sus experiencias de cuando estu diaron ahí y lo que ha significado para ellos y sus carreras, así como refrigerios, álbumes de fotografías y oportunidades para establecer contactos.

En 1970 el programa de horticultura ofreció un diploma básico de dos años y un programa de estudios con certifi cación. Ahora los estudiantes pueden obtener cualquiera de tres diplomas de Asociado en Ciencias Aplicadas o AAS (por sus siglas en inglés; en Horticultura, Contratación y Gestión de Paisajismo y Agricultura Urbana Sostenible), nueve cer tificados (gestión de floristerías, gestión de invernaderos, horticultura, mantenimiento de terrenos ajardinados y cés pedes, diseño y construcción de paisajes, gestión de viveros y centros de jardinería, equipos eléctricos y tecnología, paisajes sostenibles y agricultura urbana sostenible) así como escoger entre más de 63 ofertas de cursos.

Acreditado a través de la Asociación Nacional de

Mejores Plantas, Mejor Servicio Y Mejor Selección.

Departamento de

Mariani Plants se enorgullese en su attencion al cliente. Tenemos expertos ajentes de ventas de habla hispana en nuestras dos localidades, Kenosha Wisconsin y Garden Prairie Illinois. Mariani Plants esta aquí para proveerle mejores plantas, mejor servicio y mejor selección.

Llámenos a Mariani Plants: 866-627-4264 / marianiplants.com

Profesionales del Paisajismo y el Concejo de Capacitación en Motores y Equipos, el depar tamento de horticultura de DuPage cuenta con dos miembros del personal de tiempo completo, un asistente de laboratorio a tiempo parcial, dos trabajadores estudiantes, un especialista en el pro grama y cerca de 40 profesores adjuntos, todos los cuales son “increíbles”, afirma Amy Hull, Supervisora de Invernadero, quien ha estado con el programa durante los últimos 30 años.

Hull, quien también es profesora adjunta, señala los cam bios en el trabajo y las instalaciones de laboratorio. “Ahora cuentan con las más modernas técnicas y tecnologías”, dice. “Tenemos una explotación agrícola sostenibles y un nuevo huerto de pequeños árboles frutales que fue establecido a través de una subvención de la Asociación de Árboles Frutales”. Esto dista mucho de los primeros días del pro grama, cuando pagaban $800 para arrendar las instalaciones del invernadero en el Naperville Central High School.

No obstante, en un año, se dieron cuenta de que necesita ban algo más. En la primavera de 1971, comenzó la construc ción del primer invernadero en el campus. Estudiantes y pro fesores proporcionaron la mano de obra y el invernadero fue compartido por estudiantes tanto en las clases de horticultura

JUNTOS MEJOR.

ornamental como en las de ciencias biológicas.

Ahora el programa de horticultura se aloja en el Centro de Educación Técnica del colegio universitario, una insta lación de $50 millones y 178,000 pies cuadrados que ofrece capacitación en varias disciplinas.

Cuando azotó la pandemia, el departamento de horticul tura se dio cuenta de la necesidad de ofrecer educación con tinua para satisfacer las necesidades tanto de los estudiantes como de los empleados en la industria paisajista. Rápidamente pivotaron, aprendiendo algunas lecciones que los impulsarían hacia adelante.

Usando la flexibilidad adquirida durante la pandemia, las ofertas de cursos se han ampliado más allá de clases en persona y webinarios, para incluir ahora clases en línea, híb ridas, prácticas y virtuales. También llevan a sus estudiantes a diferentes lugares donde pueden ver, de primera mano, cómo funciona la industria, lugares como al Arboreto Morton y el Parque Cantigny. “Nuestro decano se ríe al comentar que

nunca había firmado tantos formularios de excursiones como lo hace ahora para el departamento de horticultura”, afirma Hull.

Un 40 por ciento de sus estudiantes son de fuera del distrito, algunos de otros estados, incluyendo Michigan, Nueva York, Texas y Georgia, y algunos de otros países y continentes, como Corea del Sur y África. Mediante acuerdos con otros colegios universitarios comuni tarios, dan clases a estudiantes de Elgin, Harper, Waubonsee y Moraine Valley. El estudiantado tiene una proporción de género de 50-50, afirma Hull. Durante la pandemia, hubo un incremento en el número de estudiantes de diseños flo rales y diseño paisajista.

La mayoría de los estudiantes ya están trabajando, sea en la industria o buscando un cambio de carrera. “Muchos de nuestros estudiante tienen empleos a tiempo parcial o de tiempo completo”, dice Clement. Bajo el nuevo programa de formación práctica, los estudiantes deben aceptar trabajar para la compañía a la que son asignados al menos durante dos años después de com pletar el programa. Hay siete pistas de

aprendizaje disponibles a los estudiantes.

Como Clement y Hull, muchos de los estudiantes vienen de campos con exos. Hull fue influida por su padre y su abuela quienes trabajaban en jardines con ella mientras crecía. No fue sorpresa que, cuando tomó una encuesta de carreras, la horticultura resultó la primera en la lista. Estudió en la Universidad de Illinois. In 2012 el College of DuPage la contrató como Supervisora de Invernadero.

Clement, por su parte, vino a la industria desde la agricultura. Creció en una granja y enseñó agricultura en la escuela secundaria durante 13 años; pos teriormente dio clases en un centro de carreras tecnológicas, antes de pasarse a la construcción paisajista. “Tenía más pasión por eso”, asegura.

Para 2014, se convirtió en instructor de horticultura de tiempo completo en el College of DuPage y en poco tiempo fue nombrado presidente del departamento. Incluso antes del COVID 19, buscaba maneras de llegar a más estudiantes. In 2015 desarrolló la primera clase en línea del departamento, un presagio de lo que vendría después.

Para que crezca su negocio, unase a...

Focus — Women’s Networking Group

Camaraderie Career Development + Fun

= Success

Women’s Networking Group— enhancing opportunities for career and personal development

by Nina A. Koziol

Some meetings are simply better when held outdoors (at least when the weather is good and the grounds are fabulous). That was the feedback from attendees at the ILCA Women’s Networking Group (WNG) after their August Coffee Talk event where the topic was “How do you strengthen your team?” It was held at the Gardens at Ball in West Chicago. After the discussion, many attendees took advantage of touring the beds and borders that offered eye-popping colors and inspi ration.

“We had a great conversation and the weather was wonder ful,” said Carrie Hancock, key account supervisor at Ball Hort, the event’s host. “I enjoyed meeting new people, but it was also great to see familiar faces.”

These casual monthly meetings are small gatherings that focus on a specific topic. But the WNG offers ILCA members much more, like the Mentorship Program initiative that kicked off in early 2022. “We have 16 pairs of mentors and mentees for this first session,” said Marissa Stubler, ILCA’s membership and marketing manager. “Some mentors have more than one mentee.”

“This program is only open to ILCA members, so there is a common understanding of industry demands and the need

to accommodate schedules,” said Nicole Nault of Fox River Decorative Stone. She serves on the WNG Mentorship subcom mittee.

“We have some pairings that meet in person, some virtually, some both,” Nault said. “Some chat on the phone during the day in between job sites, some text in the evenings, some have a video lunch meeting, and some meetup for dinner or at one of our WNG Coffee Talks.”

Brenda Ward of Beary Landscaping and WNG’s associate chair has two mentees. “That wasn’t the initial plan, but I was happy to step up to fill the need since I have a lot of passion for this program. It’s funny because I recently found a small slip of paper that I wrote on years ago in a discussion group with words of how I hoped to describe myself in 10 years,” Ward said. “Among other things I had written ‘mentor.’ I still feel excited for every meeting to hear more and learn more about my mentees.” She continues to explore important questions for her mentees in an effort to examine obstacles that may prevent them from achieving their goals.

We asked Nault and Ward for a program update.

A new twist

Philadelphus

Women’s Networking Group

How is the program going?

Ward: I am really happy with the participation and the feed back so far. We have already learned a lot and look forward to the continued upgrades and improvements in the next session. We really had no idea how many participants to plan for so we got commitments from committee members…and we instituted a cap based on that. We were pleasantly surprised with the number of people that applied and we were able to pair up everyone looking for mentorship.

Nault: We’ve received a lot of positive feedback. All the par ticipants have been great with sharing their thoughts. There seems to be a lot of pride in the women [mentors] knowing they are help ing to shape the program. They are providing us encouragement to grow the program into the future.

Will there be a whole new group of mentees/mentors in January?

Nault: Participants may sign up again. A couple of our cur rent mentees have already indicated they have interest in becoming mentors to other women for future sessions, as well.

Ward: It’s been an evolving process. I know that we have people that already applied for the January session because winter is a better time for many in our industry, but I don’t really see that our freshman class of mentees will end the relationship they have with the current mentors.

What’s the age range and job levels of participants?

Ward: We have a range of early career admins all the way up to VPs and owners from their twenties to their fifties.

What would you say to someone who is interested, but they’re concerned about the commitment?

Ward: It is indeed a time commitment. Nothing in life is free and this experience costs you time and energy, but you will get out of it so much more than you put in. The benefits will also stay with you as you build your career and beyond into your personal life

SNOWPLOW SEASON IS

Why Non-Recruiters Are the Best Recruiters You Have

By Jeremy Eskenazi, SHRM-SCP

Not every recruiter can be an engineer, or hair stylist, or accountant. They know how to hire these roles, but not how to become them. On the flip side, it’s not as hard for every employee to act as a recruiter. In fact, recruiting power in each employee is often unrealized because we’re so busy relying on recruiters to be the only one recruiting.

There was an incredible program once developed for a service industry. Every manager in this company went through training to both spot and learn how to engage with potential candidates. A calling card was available to hand out to potential superstars and managers could facilitate an introduction to a recruiter. The candidate would always get a call and the managers received a referral bonus if there was a connection with the candidate – even if they were not hired. The company paid managers for this time, and with a 20% success rate, a fruitful pipeline of high-quality candidates emerged.

What they learned was just giving out the cards wasn’t enough – managers needed training to know what to look for! They needed a little of that magical recruiter eye. If a 20% success rate using resources you already have isn’t convinc ing enough, here are six more reasons why non-recruiters are the best recruiters you have:

1. They far surpass your post and pray method. We know a lot of recruiters do this – get the generic job ad posted everywhere, then wait. You may get hundreds of applications, but most of them are not the right fit or don’t have the right experience. You end up spending heaps of time reading resumes that are not the right fit. This is not a strategic approach (or an effective one!). You need to do more than passively wait for people to come to you and investing in your untapped recruiting potential is a fantastic way to build your pipeline of bet ter candidates.

2. Your employees, hiring managers, and top performers have a very clear idea of who they want to work beside and what it takes to be successful at your company.

Once they know what roles you’re hiring for, give them tools to help you - train them on how to be a recruiter so everyone is looking for talent that makes the workday, the product, and the customer experience better. Everyone wins when you do this and you become less fixated on referral rewards, and more excited about the benefit of the team. Don’t lose sight of that recognition for their efforts to help with recruiting – it is important too. It may not be as motivat ing to get the right talent if you’re offering a bonus for vol ume of resumes over spotted potential talent.

3. You can motivate and inspire your own team help ing find key talent in personal and visible ways. Who wouldn’t want to be celebrated for their part in building a great workplace for themselves and their peers? One way to do this is to share broadly the talent each employee has brought into the team and thank them for it. Thank them in front of the company and through gestures that don’t come with strings – this means you shouldn’t hold referral bonuses for months on end to see if the new per son works out. Their job was to bring someone amazing into the organization and they did that!

4. If you can work fast to meet these candidates the nonrecruiters bring you, they will want to do it more and feel more credible wearing their recruiting hat. You may need to update your processes to be able to move faster to connect with this spotted talent. Don’t make them go through a long process or wonder if you’re going to get back to someone. This will not encourage them to bring you more superstars. Be ready to follow up with every single person the non-recruiters spot and refer!

5. If they have the time, they can be very effective. Think about the value of giving them one hour away from their day job to find you two more top performers like them. Giv ing the non-recruiters time to act as recruiters means paid time, or extra time paid to do this work that is so valuable. Asking people to do work that is not in scope is a terrible experience and does not entice them to say nice things about

your brand or the culture. It suggests you don’t value their time! Think about a few hours per week that they can be compensated to call people, go on LinkedIn to ask people if they are interested, or follow up with their pro fessional associations. It will go a long way and help them feel good about helping in this effort.

6. They don’t need a lot to feel appreciated. Make sure you have a planned approach to show them that you value their effort, and that you are happy to have them helping bring the best people to join you. Beyond the splashy recognition that you can get into, take notice of the simple things in being thankful for their effort. They are giving their time and expertise to the process and learning how to be a non-recruiter does take a little bit of investment. Spend your money on a solid program that is easy to work

with, giving time and resources to the training, and help your employees develop the skills to look for what you need – it’s an easy way to show appre ciation for the huge scale you can get in your recruiting efforts.

As with all programs, you need every stakeholder to be on board for it to be successful. While you’re investing in great programs and recognition for this stretch role outside of the recruiting team, make sure your recruiters are on board with the plans. They are the best teachers and advocates to help make this a success, but they can also derail your efforts mightily. Don’t let your recruit ers get territorial with their efforts. It’s critical that they understand the goal is not to replace them, or that their work is not valued. This is a way to scale the recruiting function and have the best people possible helping fill each open role on your team. If everyone can come

to work with the mindset that it is part of everyone’s job to attract the best talent – especially in mid and large companies –everyone wins!

About the Author: Jeremy Eskenazi, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CMC, is the founder of Riviera Advisors, a boutique talent acquisition optimization consulting firm. Riviera Advisors does not headhunt, it specializes in recruitment training and strategy consulting, helping global HR leaders trans form how they attract top talent. From best practice recruiting, to improving speed to hire, to candi date experience, Riviera Advisors is a go-to place for strategic talent advisors. For more information, visit www.RivieraAdvisors.com

College of DuPage Horticulture Department 50th Anniversary Celebration

by Meta Levin

COD is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its Horticulture Department with an open house October 13, 2022, nearly 52 years to the day that the Illinois Junior College Board and the Board of Higher Education approved its first ornamental horticulture program. That mile stone happened on October 12, 1970.

Since that day, the program has grown to what Department Chair Brian Clement estimates to be one of the largest horticul ture programs in Illinois — 325 students — and perhaps the Midwest. Guided by an advisory board of industry professionals, it has significantly expanded its offerings, started a dual credit program with 10 area high

schools, established internship and apprenticeship opportuni ties and in one of its newest programs, provides inmates in the DuPage County jail with training and education. The depart ment is working with ILCA and the COD Project Higher Ed on the apprenticeship program.

“Our advisory board has about 15 industry profession als, some high school dualcredit instructors, a student member and Scott Grams, ILCA executive director,” says Clement. “We have a lot of industry support and the board plays a huge role in the program.”

The open house, sched uled for 4 to 7 p.m. October

13, is open to students, alumni, industry professionals, current and retired faculty and prospective students and will feature videos of program alumni reminiscing about their time there and what it has meant to them and their careers, as well as refreshments, photo albums and opportunities for networking.

in 1970 the hor ticulture program offered an associate degree and certifi cate program. Now students can earn any of three degrees (Horticulture AAS, Landscape Contracting and Management AAS and Sustainable

Urban Agriculture AAS), nine certificates (flora shop management, greenhouse man agement, horticulture, landscape and turf maintenance, landscape design and con struction, nursery and garden center management, power equipment and tech nology, sustainable landscapes and sus tainable urban agri culture), as well as more than 63 course offerings. Accredited through the National Association of Landscape Professionals and the Engine and Equipment Training Council, DuPage’s horticulture depart ment has two full

-time staff members, one part-time lab assistant, two student workers, a program specialist and nearly 40 adjunct faculty members, who are “incredible,” says Greenhouse Supervisor Amy Hull, who has been with the program for the last 30

years.

Hull, also an adjunct faculty, points to the changes in laboratory work and facilities.

“They now are state-of-the-art,” she says.

“We have a sustainable agriculture farm and a new orchard of small fruit trees that was estab lished through a grant from the Fruit Tree Association.” This is a far cry from the early days of the program when they paid $800 a year to lease the green house facilities at Naperville Central High School. Within a

year, however, they realized they needed something more. In the Spring of 1971, construction of the first greenhouse began on campus. Students and faculty provided the labor and the greenhouse was shared by students in both the ornamental horticulture and life science classes.

Now the horticulture program is housed in the college’s Technical Education Center, a $50 million, 178,000 square foot facility that provides a place for training across several disciplines.

When the pandemic hit, the horticulture department realized the need for ongo ing education to meet the needs of both students and employers in the landscape industry. They pivoted quickly, learning some lessons that will carry them forward.

Using the flexibility nurtured during the pandemic, course offerings have expanded beyond in-person and webinars, to now include online, hybrid, hands-on and vir tual classes. They also take their students to various locations where they can see,

firsthand, how the indus try works, places such as Morton Arboretum and Cantigny Park. “Our dean laughs that he never signs as many field trip forms as he does for the horticulture department,” says Hull.

About 40 percent of their students are from out of the district, some from out of state, including Michigan, New York, Texas and Georgia, and some from other countries, like South Korea and Africa. Through agreements with other communi

ty colleges, they teach students from Elgin, Harper, Waubonsee, and Moraine Valley. Students are about 50-50 men to women, says Hull. During the pandemic, there was in increase in floral and landscape design students.

Special Feature —

Most students already are working, whether in the industry or looking for a career change. “A lot of our students have part- or full-time jobs,” says Clement. Under the new apprenticeship program, stu dents must agree to work for the company with which they are paired for at least two years after completion. There are seven apprenticeship tracks open to students.

Like Clement and Hull, many of the students come from related fields. Hull was influenced by her father and grand mother who gardened with her as she grew up. It was no surprise, then, when she took a career survey, horticulture came up at the top. She studied at the University of Illinois. In 2012 the College of DuPage hired her as the Greenhouse Supervisor.

Clement, on the other hand, came into the industry from agriculture. He grew up on a farm and taught high school agricul ture for 13 years, then moved to teaching at a career technology center, before going to landscape construction. “I had more passion for that,” he says.

By 2014 he became a full-time horti culture instructor at the College of DuPage and it wasn’t long before he became the department chair. Even before COVID 19, he was looking for ways to reach more students. In 2015 he developed the depart ment’s first on-line class, a harbinger of

Disease of the Month: Black Spot on Rose Turf Disease of the Month: Turfgrass Rust

by Heather Prince

Disease of the Month: Black Spot on Rose

A common disease of roses, black spot is a fungal disease usually found on old garden or heirloom varieties of roses, but occasionally on newer hybrids. Black spots with fringed margins appear on upper leaf surfaces in late summer. Leaves turn yellow and drop from the plant and similar symptoms can appear on petioles and fruit. Canes may become infected the first year of the disease and lesions are purplish red, then turn black and slightly raised. The fungal pathogen overwinters on rose canes and fallen leaves to reinfect the following spring when spores splash onto new foliage. Wet leaf surfaces, high humidity, and warm temperatures can spur secondary infections in late summer and early fall.

Treatment:

Choose resistant rose cultivars when possible, but sometimes a client landscape contains beloved old garden roses. Create beneficial cultural conditions by planting roses in full sun with spacing and pruning for air flow. Rake and remove fallen leaves in the fall, bag, and dispose. Do not compost. There are several fungicides available to treat this disease, but multiple preventive applications are required, beginning as new leaves appear and repeating well into the fall on highly susceptible varieties. Lengthen spray intervals or skip sprays altogether during dry weather.

Turf Disease of the Month: Turfgrass Rust

In early fall, as moderate temperatures and long evening dew periods occur, turf rust outbreaks are com mon occurrences. These rusts are stress diseases and are most severe on slow-growing turf stressed by drought, summer heat, low-fertility, shade, or compaction. If you are looking at a lawn from a distance, severely infected turf appears as patches of thinner turf and tinted yellow, red, or brown. Upon closer inspection you will find individual blades with numer ous yellow-orange pus tules. The orange spores produced within these pustules easily transfer to shoes, pets, children’s toys, mowers, or any thing that contacts the rust-affected lawn. While harmless, the spores can cause client alarm and are annoying.

Treatment:

Fortunately, turfgrass rust diseases are mostly cosmetic in established lawns. Cultural controls include applying supplemental fertilizer to problematic areas to help stimulate growth and allow the turf to out-grow the rust’s relatively slow infection cycle. Also, mowing actively growing turf on a regular basis will remove infected tissues before problems arise. Consider irrigation if the turf is suffering from drought stress, making sure to water early in the day to allow leaves to dry before sunset. If you are dealing with rust on an annual basis in a turf area, consider overseeding or reseeding with a turfgrass cultivar known to have a high resistance to rust dis eases. Several fungicides are available and effective, however, they are usually not warranted on established turf.

University of Illinois Extension Service

The Morton Arboretum

Chicago Botanic Garden

Information Service:

Elite Landscape Services

by Meta Levin

By age 10, Michael Kissel already was work ing for his father, who owned Elite Lawn Maintenance. His maternal grandfather also owned a lawn care business. In 1985, when Kissel decided to go out on his own, he approached his father about using the Elite name. Thus, Elite Landscape Services was born.

“The name is sentimental, because it is the Elite por tion of my father’s business,” he says. “I remember seeing my Dad pick out the Elite name from the dictionary.” Now, Kissel and his son, Drew, are in charge.

Kissel prepared for running his own business by start ing to attend classes. He studied horticulture and landscape design at Kishwaukee Community College and “took every seminar that ILCA offered, where I learned a boatload.” He also studied on his own. “ILCA was huge to me,” he says. “It is one of the reasons I am who I am.”

Early on he began doing work for Platt Hill Nursery. When Kissel first went to Platt, the owner said he wanted him to go back to school, join ILCA and become a CLT. “It took me a couple of years to do that,” Kissel says. “When I did, I went back to him with a design and won his business.”

“I’ve worked hard at making the company grow,” says Kissel. “I have always given 100 percent to this business.” Now, Elite Landscape Services offers lawn care, hardscapes, landscape design, seasonal clean-ups, mulching, sodding and seeding.

Kissel prides himself in taking good care of his customers and “doing whatever is needed to keep them,” he says. “I try to do little things over and above what is needed.” He gets a lot of work from recommendations, as well as his website. He is pleased that many of his customers endorse his work on the Hampshire Community website.

In 1985 he was doing all the work himself, but by 1986 he had a three-man crew and in 1989 he had four employees. That grew to eight. In 2015, however, health challenges inter

fered with his work. He lost half his business, even though when he felt the worst, he pushed himself to get out and work.

Now he has five employees and is working to build the business back up. “I have good guys,” he says.

Kissel’s son first began working in the business as a teenager, but tired of the work and went to another industry, eventually becoming the manager of a car dealership. As Kissel worked to rebuild following his medical problems, he realized that he needed someone on whom he could rely and turned to his son.

Now Drew Kissel serves as Elite’s general manager. He also does office work, sales and runs a crew in the field.

Although Elite Landscape Services was an ILCA member early on, Kissel dropped the membership during the 2008 recession when he was trying to cut back. Both his son and Platt Hill Nursery encouraged him to rejoin, which he did in 2022. “I put a lot of faith in ILCA,” he says. “I want my business to be one of the best.” He plans to take more classes this winter. Already his son already wants to join him in that endeavor.

In addition to his son, Kissel has a daughter who provides podcasts for WebMD and is married to a firefighter, as well as two grandchildren, ages eight and six.

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED

Account Manager

American Gardens LLC is actively searching for an Account Manager to service our recurring book of business and achieve gross profit objectives through leadership and management of staff while meeting contractual commitments to customers in a timely, high quality manner.

Knowledge of the landscape/green industry, spe cifically turf and ornamental plantings is essential.

This career opportunity offers a competitive salary, a performance-based bonus program, reimbursed business expenses and other company benefits.

To apply for this position, and learn more about job requirements and responsibilities, please for ward a resume and cover letter to: Recruiting Director (hr@americangardensllc.com) with “Account Manager” as your email subject

Project Manager

American Gardens LLC, Elmhurst, IL, is actively searching for a Project Manager with a proven track record of success in managing multiple proj ects and crews while hitting the forecasted gross profit margins.

Ideal candidate will instruct, direct, and monitor staff; providing materials, directions, tools and logistical support to the field in order to maximize output per labor hour.

Experience in the landscape/green industry, spe cifically hardscapes, lighting and ornamental plant ing is required.

This career opportunity offers a competitive salary, a performance-based bonus program, reimbursed business expenses and other company benefits.

To apply for this position, and learn more about job requirements and responsibilities, please for ward a resume and cover letter to: Recruiting Director (hr@americangardensllc.com) with “Project Manager” as your email subject.2

Operations Manager

We are looking for an experienced operations man ager for our Chicago Heights location. Salary and benefits package included. Please send a resume and salary requirements to info@suburbanlandscaping.net.

Landscape Project Manager

Buhrman Design Group (BDG) in Mundelein, Illinois, is a well-established, family oriented, land scape company.

We take pride in being one of the top performers in the residential landscape industry for 25 years. BDG offers excellent pay, benefits, and a stable environment where our team thrives on collabo ration and encourages continuous learning and growth.

BDG is growing and looking to add a Landscape Project Manager to join our construction team. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of

landscape construction. This individual should have the ability to be part of a team, lead and man age construction crews in hardscapes, planting, grading, drainage, with overseeing subcontractors as needed.

Landscape Project Manager’s Role

Daily and Field Responsibilities:

• Be part of the team to manage landscape con struction projects on projected budget.

• Help schedule all construction projects and assign construction crews.

• Manage crews to ensure efficiency and pro jected completion date.

• Be part of the team to review design plans with crew staff and assist in project layout.

• Help procure and assign special equipment as needed.

• Conduct weekly safety meetings and training to all construction staff. Reinforce safety protocols and introduce new safety regulations.

• General Requirements and Office Responsi bilities:

• Organized, responsive, and has excellent communications skills with our clients and company members. (Spanish is a plus)

• Maintain a neat, clean appearance and a clean driving record.

• Daily review of crew time records, work orders, change orders and project billing.

• Help manage hiring and termination of employees and conduct routine performance evaluations.

• Solid verbal, written and computer skills (a plus).

What Buhrman Design Group Offers:

• Excellent pay.

• Heath Care

• Matching 401K program.

• Paid vacation time, sick days, and holiday pay.

• Continuing education support.

• Company vehicle, phone, and laptop.

Email your resume to: rod@buhrmandesigngroup. com www.buhrmandesigngroup.com

Sales (Hardscaping / Construction)

Responsibilities:

*Identify and properly qualify new business oppor tunities using available resources.

*Provide customer support by responding to cus tomers inquiries and requests.

* Inspect completed work to ensure conformance to specs, standards, and contract requirements. Experience is a plus / not necessary

Please appy in office: 9 Hillside Dr Lake Barrington, IL 60010

HELP WANTED

Landscape Design and Sales

EverGreen Landscape Associates LLC is seeking a highly motivated and talented Landscape Designer to join our team. We are a 27-year, full-service design/build landscape contractor serving clients in the west and northwest suburbs.

What we’re looking for:

• Strong eye for design and graphics

• Self-motivated and high-energy

• Knowledge of local plants, trees, and flowers

• Good verbal and written communication skills

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in commer cial and residential landscape design

• Proficient in DynaSCAPE

• Great time management and project manage ment skills

• Keen attention to detail, organized

What we offer:

• Flexible work schedule and paid time off

• Use of vehicle, cell phone, and laptop

• Retirement Plan and medical insurance

• Competitive salary based on experience

Qualified candidates should forward a resume and portfolio for confidential consideration to: vickid@ evergreenlandscape.net.

Learn more about us at http://www.evergreenland scape.net.

Landscape Designer

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivat ed Landscape Design candidate to join our DesignBuild team in a full time, year-round position. Excellent benefits will be provided; compensation based on experience level.

Position requirements:

- Confidence in planning and designing complex residential projects

- Ability to quickly pivot project direction

- Contribute to a team driven environment The ideal candidate will have:

- 5 years experience with hard and soft scaping (required)

- Knowledge of proper plant siting (required)

- CAD skills (required)

- Hand rendering skills (preferred)

- Project management experience (preferred) Please send resume and work samples to Michael DiCristina at mdicristina@hinsdalenurseries.com

Maintenance Account Executive – Northbrook Moore Landscapes is seeking a highly moti vated, experienced Account Executive to join our Northbrook Commercial Maintenance team that serves suburban Chicago. This individual is respon sible for managing, nurturing and retaining client relationships and also has a role in new sales growth. The core of the job is understanding client priori ties and communicating relentlessly about the con dition, challenges, and opportunities within clients’ landscapes.

Experience in horticulture or related industry is required. Landscape degree preferred or general degree with coursework in the landscape/horticul ture field is acceptable.

Moore Landscapes is a growing company where you will be involved in many areas of our business and have a high impact on your success and ours.

For a complete job description, to learn more about Moore, and to apply, visit www.MooreLandscapes.com.

Email bclements@moorelandscapes.com

Maintenance Account Executive –City Branch

We are seeking a highly motivated, experi enced Account Executive to join our Downtown Commercial Maintenance team and manage some of downtown Chicago’s most iconic and highprofile landscapes.

The core of the job is understanding client priori ties and communicating relentlessly about the con dition, challenges, and opportunities within clients’ landscapes.

Office location: 2901 West 31st Street, Chicago, IL 60623

Experience in horticulture or related industry is required. Landscape degree preferred or general degree with coursework in the landscape/horticul ture field is acceptable.

We believe in a respectful culture of collaboration, high energy, open communication, being helpful, and having fun while we do it.

For a complete job description, to learn more about Moore, and to apply, visit www.MooreLandscapes.com.

Email bclements@moorelandscapes.com

Purchasing Specialist – City Branch

Moore Landscapes is hiring a Purchasing Specialist to work directly with suppliers and sub contractors to procure materials sold to clients by the Account Executive team.

The Purchasing Specialist ensures that the speci

fied materials are delivered on time, in class A condition, and within budget. This individual also keeps the yard and material inventories safe and orderly and handles administrative duties related to purchasing and materials.

Knowledge of seasonal color and annual flowers is required. Strong time management, organizational and self-management skills; excellent communica tion skills; and a positive and collaborative attitude are essential for success in this role.

For a complete job description, to learn more about Moore, and to apply, visit www.MooreLandscapes.com.

Email bclements@moorelandscapes.com

Sales Executive

Perfect Turf, the Upper Midwest’s premier syn thetic turf company is looking for up to four Sales Executives to join our fast-growing company. If you have experience in commercial, municipal, or residential landscape sales, fencing sales, or any other related area, send us your resume. We offer competitive salaries, commissions, bonuses, retire ment plan contributions, health insurance, generous PTO policies, and a great work environment. Send us your resume or give us a call today, we hold all applications in confidence.

Email (daves@perfectturf.com) or Call 888-796-8873

Relationship Manager / Account Executive

You must have strong experience managing and growing existing accounts with a history of grow ing, protecting, and expanding a multi-million dol lar client portfolio. You have successful experience renewing annual contracts with existing clients, comprising industrial and business parks, com mercial and retail establishments, and homeowners associations. You must be able to meet with deci sion-makers and help them solve their problems in a consultative manner. You should be goal-oriented and work well without supervision, achieving sales goals by working with existing customers for new opportunities and referrals. Outstanding communi

cation and experience with CRM’s, creating work orders, and Google Workspace are highly desirable. Experience with property maintenance/construction/ project management services is a plus. You must have previous earnings of at least $90,000.

Email Resume to Be-A-Star@CPHort.com

Landscape Operations Manager

Manfredini Landscaping & Design is a full-service landscape maintenance/design build firm that has been serving the north shore for over 50 years. We are truly a family business and are looking for someone who wants to grow with us! Full Time Positions Now Available. Manfredini offers excel lent pay, benefits, positive working environment, and the best coffee!

Manfredini landscaping is looking for an operations manager to join our team. The ideal candidate would have prior working knowledge of the land scape construction & maintenance industry. This individual is responsible for managing, nur turing and retaining client relationships as well as procuring more sales. Landscape Operations Manager Roles

• Must be Nice!

•

Will lead and manage construction crews in hardscapes, planting, grading, drainage, & oversee subcontractors when needed. As well as maintenance.

• Provide quality control on jobs and bid proj ects.

• Assist in daily scheduling of projects. and expected completed time.

• Conduct weekly safety meetings and training to staff.

• Daily review of crew time records, and proj ect billing.

Email- Nick@manfredini-landscaping.com or call(224)-504-2979

Classified Ads

Account Manager/Business Development for Large Landscape Company- Chicago Branch Career Opportunity: Account Manager/Business Development for our Chicago Location

Purpose: Maintain and expand the corporate image of excellence through sales of quality products and services, servicing the customers’ needs, and pro viding open lines of communication to our clients. Increase knowledge of customer service techniques and sales of quality products and services. Provide input to sales team members and mentoring of new members as required.

Qualifications:

1. Minimum five years experience in sales.

2. Two-years experience in field landscape mainte nance procedures or equivalent.

3. Two-years experience in field construction pro cedures or equivalent.

4. Degree in the horticulture-related field or exten sive horticulture training.

Major Objectives to be Accomplished:

1. Produce budgeted sales of new maintenance, enhancement, and snow contracts.

2. Provide accurate job setup and follow-through for all contracts sold.

3. Maintain and grow large profile/portfolio client relationships through monthly site visits and timely follow-up on requests.

4. Communication of client needs to maintenance, enhancements, and snow departments, as the pri mary contact person with the client.

5. Maintain renewal accounts for maintenance and snow clients in your portfolio.

Responsibilities and Essential Task Activities:

1. Proactively manage clients’ satisfaction and service delivery by anticipating potential challenges and monitoring satisfaction.

2. Provide project inspection, advisement, and coordination between client and maintenance, enhancement, and snowplow crews.

3. Develop and maintain quality repeat clientele and generate yearly renewal contracts.

4. Support public relations program through print materials, ads, website, press releases, award entries, photography schedules, trade shows, net working events

5. Involvement in snowplowing operations to include new sales, renewals, and liaison between client and snow manager.

6. Solicit new maintenance work through the approved sales process to include referrals and cold-calls, with a concentration within our existing property routes.

7. Majority of enhancement and design/build sales to be generated through current or prospective maintenance clients and through the completion of regular site analysis.

8. Support administration personnel in the col lection of accounts receivable generated by your clientele.

9. Participate in all scheduled sales meetings and sales events.

Job Type: Full-time, M-F, year round Salary: $65,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Bonus pay

Commission pay

Chicago, IL 60608: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience: Landscape: 2 years (Required) Send resume to: hrbei@balancedenvironmentsinc.com

Branch Manager- Large Landscape CompanyChicago Branch

This position will oversee and have full control over branch operations. Which includes controlling labor, material, and equipment costs for service lines that include: maintenance, installations, irri gation and snow.

Job Responsibilities:

· Assemble and lead a team of highly motivat ed, skilled employees for the local market.

· Manage all billing with Accounting Depart ment.

· Manage daily operations in Chicago includ ing; discipline, and production.

· Supervise and manage a portfolio of land scape and snow accounts.

· Prepare and present site recommendations for client properties.

· Maintain client relationships and develop new clients through networking and sales of new services. Upscale Properties.

· Calling on prospective clients and developing the market.

· Prepare formal estimates and quotes for clients.

· Address clients’ questions and concerns, as needed.

· Assist Sales team at trade shows, marketing and networking events as needed with a con centration in Chicago.

· Actively pursue annual renewals on accounts sold.

· Other tasks and responsibilities outlined in the position description.

· Report to the CEO and COO to monitor and insure revenue and performance benchmarks.

· Responsible for ensuring delivery of quality services and customer satisfaction.

· Develop long-term relationships with clients to ensure open-line of communication.

· Provide estimates for supplemental work & enhancements to improve the quality of landscape.

· Responsible for monitoring operation expens es. Review financial reports and seek avenues to improve the branch’s bottom line.

· Develop and coordinate plans for the efficient use of personnel and resources.

· Participate in branch recruitment plan to ful fill staffing needs.

· Train and mentor crew personnel.

· Participate and conduct routine training ses sions to maximize production and efficiency. Promote high standards for customer service.

· Develop a safety culture, and create a posi

tive team environment.

Requirements:

• Experience as a Landscape Branch Manager

• Adequate computer and technological skills

• Ability to estimate maintenance and instal lations

• Understand job costing and financial state ments

• Managerial skills

Reports To: President/CEO and COO

Job Type: Full-time, M-F, year round

Salary: $85,000.00 - $105,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k)

Dental insurance

Flexible schedule

Health insurance

Life insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Chicago, IL: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Experience: Landscape development: 2 years (Required)

Send resume to: hrBEI@balancedenvironmentsinc.com

Director of Union Construction

Job Summary: The Director of Union Construction will be responsible for coordinating, implement ing, and supervising all phases of the department’s activities to ensure effective, efficient, and profit able outcomes for our clients and the company. The role requires leadership, accountability, and strong communication skills. Please send your resume to hr@christywebber.com

CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES

November 2022 issue ads: Oct. 15, 2022

December 2022 issue ads: Nov.15, 2022

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 Nagy (630) 472-2851 x1

Magazine Cost is $5 per line

Minimum charge $50

Website Cost is $12 per line

Minimum charge $120 (About 6 words/line)

Submit your ads online at ilca.net or Call Alycia Nagy (630) 472-2851

Inspiration Alley

Landscape’s Little Black

By Nina A. Koziol

Like a black dress that makes a statement at a swanky, stylish get together, dramatic dark foliage is a seductress. Take the bronze-black beefy leaves of a canna lily or elephant ears. Striking in their texture and size and they “go” with everything — red-hot begonias, yellow dahlias, cool-colored pinks.

Black Swan elephant ears (Colocasia ‘Black Swan’) is a stunner in pots with bright annuals.

Australia canna lily alongside Dahlia ‘Flare’ and Salvia ‘Figaro’

Perennial Black Pearl, a coral bells from Walters Gardens.

The near-black foliage of Holy Grail hibiscus (Summerific® Hibiscus ‘Holy Grail’ Rose Mallow) with

flowers.

New Zealand castor bean (Ricinus), a daring (and poi sonous) annual.

Hidden Gems Worth Visiting

Reception and Sunken Gardens at Rotary Botanical Gardens

by Heather Prince

From an abandoned sand and gravel quarry, a beautiful 20-acre garden set around quiet ponds and mature trees now resides in Janesville, Wisconsin. Started in 1988, as a clean-up project for the two local Rotary International clubs, one member, Dr. Robert Yahr, envisioned grand possibilities for the site. Now, several international-themed gardens, lush seasonal displays, a daylily collection, woodland gardens, and more are lovingly tended by staff and many volunteers.

One of the gardens that has become a popular wedding venue and a spot for quite respite, is the Reception Garden and adjacent Sunken Garden. Among the formal spaces at Rotary, these are framed by the mature trees of the Shade Garden and Woodland Glen, creating a private sense of serenity.

The Reception Garden is designed as a square to welcome you to these more organized spaces after the naturalistic surrounding gardens. Walls of Techny arborvitae screen the busy parking lot. Raised lannon stone planter beds pro vide strict horizontal structure. Blue paver stones give a clean and elegant note to the hardscape. The raised beds are planted in layers of perennials in blue, white, and silver, making this space magical after dark. Plants have been chosen for softness of texture and fragrance including white calamint, blue fescue, blue campanula, laven der agastache, blue Russian sage, and silver willow. At the center, simple concrete planters feature gardenia stan dards underplanted with blue lobelia. It is instantly romantic.

1455 Palmer Drive Janesville, WI

Hours: 9 am to 6 pm, daily, but check the website for seasonal variations https://rotarybotanicalgardens.org

The entrance to the Sunken Garden is a Tudor-style stone arch that was once the entrance to the Parker Pen Company’s world headquarters formerly located in Janesville. Step through into large beds filled with white flowers and silver foliage. You’ll walk down a slight incline of memorial bricks to a panel of lawn surrounded by a brick path. More than 200 plants are planted in these gardens including bulbs, perenni als, and annuals. The mature arborvitae walls tower over you creating a sense of snug enclosure. At the far end, a round pool with a bubbling fountain adds to the soundscape of bird song and bees buzzing. Comfortable benches are scattered throughout inviting you to bring a book and settle in for the afternoon. Four huge urns are planted with colorful annuals that change in theme from year to year.

Although clearly an event space, these formal gardens are breathtak ing in their restrained plant palette and the romantic blowsiness of the plant choices. Annabelle hydrangeas tumble in the background as the flower spikes of white liatris, the white daisies of echinacea, and spilling white petunias grace the beds. This is a place for ideas on incorporating white and silver into garden spaces, experiencing proportions that shift from human-scale to grand, and mixing weights of plant material for a deep richness of texture. Make sure to run your hands through the fragrant foli age and stop and smell the gardenias, spicy perfume.

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