The Landscape Contractor magazine November 2016 Digital Edition by Association Publishing Partners

p.o. box 748 • st. charles, il 60174 847.742.1790 • fax 847.742.2655 www.midwestgroundcovers.com

MIDWEST TRADING HORTICULTURAL SUPPLIES, INC.® a Midwest-Orum Company P.O. BOX 398 • MAPLE PARK, IL 60151 630-365-1990 • FAX 630-365-3818

W W W . M I D W E S T- T R A D I N G . C O M

November 2016

CONTENTS

Excellence In Landscape Awards Project

FOCUS: Pet Centric Landscapes Ready for Rover: 10 Creating landscapes with pets in mind iLandscape 2017 — Branching Out 18 More to do + more entertainment = more fun! Wonen’s Networking Group Fall Event 22 A well-attended fall event The Evolution of the Essential Earthman 24 A new perspective from Roy Diblik Knowing Native Plants 32 Introducting a new series — Native Plant Inteligence

10th Annual Old Timers’ Gathering A grand time full of fellowship and reminisences

ILCA Business Library 48 Are You Creating a Culture of Unwanted Employees? Member Profile 52 Wakefield Biochar

Sustainable Landscape Calendar November 12 Months of sustainable landscape tips

Plant All-Stars 62 Quercus bicolor — American Dream® Oak

EN ESPAÑOL

iLandscape 2017 — Branching Out Part 2 se está ramificando para 2017 40

On the cover... Premier Landscape Contractors received an Excellence in Landscape award for this 2015 project. The Landscape Contractor November 2016

46 3

CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS ILCA Calendar From Where I Stand President’s Message New Members Classified Ads Advertisers Index Photo Credits ILCA Awards Program Perfect Truf Rick Reuland Walters Gerdens Midwest Groundcovers

1, 8-9 12 18-2, 22-23, 40-44, 46-47 24, 28, 38-39 25-26, 30

Calendar

4 5 7 54 58 61

NOVEMBER

Membership Party

Chicago Botanic Garden Wildfllower Farm North Creek Nursery Klehm Song Sparrow Farm Wakefield Biochar

The 2016 Annual Party and Member Meeting Thursday, November 3, 2016 Two Brothers Roundhouse 205 N. Broadway Aurora, IL 60505 5pm-8pm

28-29 36 32, 35 37 62

The official publication of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA), The Landscape Contractor is dedicated to educating, advising and informing members of this industry and furthering the goals of the Association. The Landscape Contractor carries news and features relating to landscape contracting, maintenance, design and allied interests. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication. Publication reserves right to refuse advertising not in keeping with goals of Association. WWW.ilca.net Volume 57, Number 11. The Landscape Contractor (ISSN # 0194-7257, USPS # 476-490) is published monthly for $75.00 per year by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste. 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL and additional mailing offices. Printed in USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Landscape Contractor, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. DISPLAY ADVERTISING SALES: Association Publishing Partners, Inc., Ph. (630) 637-8632 Fax (630) 637-8629 email: rmgi@comcast.net CLASSIFIED ADS, CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION: ILCA (630) 472-2851 Fax (630) 472-3150 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL OFFICE: Rick Reuland, rmgi@comcast.net, Naperville, IL 60540 Ph. (630)637-8632 PRODUCT DISCLAIMER: The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, its Board of Directors, the Magazine Committee, ILCA Staff, The Landscape Contractor and its staff, neither endorse any products nor attest to the validity of any statements made about products mentioned in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication.

ILCA Staff

Magazine Staff

Executive Director Scott Grams (630) 472-2851 sgrams@ilca.net

Rick Reuland Publisher/Advertising Sales (630) 637-8632 rmgi@comcast.net

Education Manager Julie Nicoll jnicoll@ilca.net

Debbie Rauen Advertising Sales (817-501-2403) debbie.landscapecontractor@ yahoo.com

Events Manager Terre Houte thoute@ilca.net Office Manager Alycia O’Connor aoconnor@ilca.net Membership & Marketing Coordinator Marissa Sikirdji msikirdji@ilca.net

ILCA 2625 Butterfield Road Ste. 104S Oak Brook, IL 60523 (630) 472-2851 • Fax (630) 472-3150 www.ilca.net

v Becke Davis Senior Writer treethyme@aol.com

Premier Sponsor

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DECEMBER December 14-15 AutoCAD to Photoshop Workshop NIU Conference Center Hoffman Estates, IL

Patrice Peltier Feature Writer patpeltier@charter.net Meta Levin Feature Writer meta.levin@comcast.net Barbara Dutton Feature Writer Nina Koziol Feature Writer Jim Fizzell jjfizz@aol.com

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

February 1-3, 2017

From Where I Stand — On August 16th, a Facebook message popped up on my

newsfeed. I had no idea who the original sender was. It was being shared by a friend of a friend. The message contained three photos. The first two were close-ups of a dog’s mouth. They showed pink scarring and bleeding from where the dog was purportedly hit with a weed whacker from a professional landscaper. The third image was a close-up of the landscape company’s name on the side of their truck with a phone number and “free estimates” written below. The decal on the side of the truck was ripped and tattered. The driver of the truck was hiding his face as the photo was being taken. The area code was (708) - this was local. This was the actual message that accompanied the photo (I removed the company name): My neighbors use (REDACTED) landscaping service, today while they were doing their lawn our dog was in the backyard. My husbands cousin saw one of theiright guys swipe at Bane with a weed wacker. When confronted they acted like they didnt know what we were talking about, despite being seen. The mailbox for their voice mail is full when it’s not I’ll be sure and tell them what pieces of sh*t they are. I will be reporting this as much as possible, please share and if you live near me and use them, please don’t. The next morning, another member of my staff said she saw the same message on her newsfeed, shared by someone else. My wife received the same message, shared by yet another person. Within 24 hours, the image and message went viral. The original post has been shared 42,000 times. I found a subsequent share that had been shared 80,000 times. If the average FB user has 250 friends, that means this post, at the very least, has been viewed by over 30 million people. I had not heard of the contractor. He was not a member nor in the ILCA database. He did not have a website. He did have a Yelp page that contained minimal details about the business. I perused the comment section and every single comment, except for one, was about the weed whacking incident. The comments were nasty. Some were death threats and threats of physical violence. The very first comment was from an actual customer with some questions for the landscape company. That customer used the contractor’s full name. I looked up the contractor. His name was not in our database. I looked on the Illinois Worker’s Compensation Commission to see if the landscape business has a comp policy. I could not find them. I looked a little more at the person who posted the original message. Her page was public so I could read some of the past messages and articles she had posted. She was clearly a strong advocate for animal rights. She had posted articles in the past about animal abuse. This injected some doubt into my mind. Did this situation actually occur? Was there more to the story? Was the story exaggerated or fabricated. Was it a coincidence that a staunch advocate for animal rights had a firsthand encounter with a heinous attack on a dog? For a few minutes, I thought about playing junior detective. I could contact the contractor and get the other side of the story. I could contact the original poster and see if she could elaborate on what happened. Then it dawned on me. It didn’t matter if it was true or not. The damage had been done. 30 million people had seen the

post in less than 48 hours. From the look of the truck and the magnetic decal, the best optiom for the contractor would be to peel the name off and start over. Yet, I wondered what the outcome would be if the company was large and established. Accidents happen. Negligence happens. Animal cruelty happens. 30 million people were left to judge the situation based on the facts that were presented, and I would assume very, very few took the side of the landscape contractor. I have no reason to doubt what the original poster said was true. The photos were there. The message corresponded with the photos. The name of the landscape truck was prominently displayed. I just thought about the devastation that would occur if an established landscape company, who couldn’t just peel a decal off and start over, were to encounter a similar situation. Three digital photos and 96 words of text could have destroyed a company’s entire reputation. Most of what happens on social media is harmless junk. Our feeds become littered with selfies, toddler photos, and pictures of food. Social media is a great way to communicate with friends, acquaintances, and strangers. It is also a wonderful place to have cross-eyed, ALL CAPS, fact-free arguments with perfect strangers. This isn’t a column on having a social media policy and how a company should utilize one in case their misdeeds go viral. Yes, the landscape company in question could have issued some statement to explain themselves, but would it have really mattered? Let’s even, for sake of argument, say the story was fabricated. The damage had already been done in less than two days. The old expression goes; a lie goes around the world before the truth gets out of bed in the morning. This Presidential election will mercifully be over soon. 597 days since the candidates first declared we will pick a winner and move on with our lives. Most other countries’ presidential campaigns last for weeks or months, not years. I am already bracing for the first internet article that will look at the field of 2020 candidates two days after the election ends. This election was 90% depressing and 10% fascinating. I’ve always loved presidential politics because you get to see refined debate focused on policy. In addition, you get to watch the American people consume this information and use it to determine who best represents their values. Sounds like 2016? Yeah right! This election has been post-factual mudslinging since day one. You know, that is actually an insult to mud. It’s been far worse and smellier than that. Every day my Facebook newsfeed is choked with links to articles or memes that don’t even come close to telling the truth. Back in the day, we had only Snopes to steer us through the slop. We’d get some email from our uncle that said Osama Bin Laden is the CEO of Arby’s or some ridiculous nonsense. It was only natural that the ease of sending misinformation would create a cottage industry of factcheckers. Now, there are dozens of sites dedicated to fact checking like Politifact or FactCheck or The Sunlight Foundation. I’ve seen so much anti-Trump and anti-Hillary stuff flash across my newsfeed that it became impossible to fight it. It’s in my nature to get to the truth; I simply love researching topics so I don’t regurgitate half-truths or clichés. This election was impossible to keep up with.

You Can’t Handle the Truth.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

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It was like digging in sand trying to overcome the onslaught of lies either being perpetrated by each candidate or by their ardent supporters. Even when I’d actually engage in debunking a Facebook post, the poster would usually just say something like, “well, that’s the internet for ya!” Then gleefully post another lie 45 minutes later. A recent Pew research survey suggested that this election has moved far, far beyond differences in policy. Almost 90%, of Democrats and Republicans felt they no longer can agree on basic facts. That is terrifying. It is impossible to have civilized debate when no foundation or boundaries exist. If either side in an argument can make up whatever they want, or simply refuse to accept basic facts, we’re heading into dark water. Unfortunately, the internet is filled with agenda-driven websites begging for clicks. Journalism, no matter how hard it is to do, presents both sides of a story. It does not conveniently leave out facts that don’t fit its narrative. Yes, certain journalists and publications have “biases”, whether those be conservative (Wall St. Journal, Fox News, Chicago Tribune) or liberal (New York Times, MSNBC, Chicago Sun Times). Those biases do not mean they are not doing journalism. The internet has created a slew of sources that unsavvy readers confuse with actual journalism. Now, many will say, this is a Presidential campaign, it comes with the territory. Both sides are going to make up a bunch of stuff. Social media didn’t create baseless lies or misinterpretation. It merely provided the perfect delivery method. Even biased internet sites could be easily avoided. With social media, that is no longer possible. Lies are taken to your eyeballs on a daily basis whether they are links to articles, heavily edited videos, memes, or posts. Yes, we can block a sender, but most of the people we engage with on Facebook are supposed to be our “friends” in the first place. That brings us back full circle to the dog and the landscaper. In my gut, I believe the woman who posted the story, but the internet has burned me too many times to not feel some skepticism. Anyone could go out and snap a few photos of a landscape truck and create any story they want to accompany it. It would take less than 30 minutes. If that occurs, that company will be dragged into the virtual public square to face judgment. Very few companies could withstand the fallout from 30 million people being told to boycott them in less than 48 hours. Presidential candidates, entertainers, and athletes seem like they are a million miles away from us. We feel little harm and guilt sharing stories and spreading innuendo that isn’t true. The problem is that the awesome power of social media cannot be tamed or controlled. It can come for any of us. When the angry mob comes, they will not be sent away with simple contrition. We owe it to ourselves to be better fact checkers. We owe it to each other to look for truth and validity before blindly hitting “share.” This election disgusted me on so many levels. I fear we will only sink deeper into the abyss unless we seek the truth even when uncomfortable. We are the ombudsmen of this new medium. We are the sheriffs of this virtual town. We are the ones who must demand civility, or our leaders will merely become a reflection of our worst selves.

Scott Grams October 17, 2016

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

President’s Message — President

Mike Schmechtig Schmechtig Landscape Company (847) 566-1233 mschmechtig@schmechtiglandscapes.com

Vice-President

Lisa Fiore Don Fiore Company, Inc. (847) 234-0020 lfiore@donfiore.com

Secretary-Treasurer

Tom Lupfer Lupfer Landscaping (708) 352-2765 tom@lupferlandscaping.com

Immediate Past President Rusty Maulding Nature’s View (815) 592-7582 rusty@naturesview.info

Directors

Mark Breier National Seed Co. (630) 963-8787 mark.breier@natseed.com Lisa Fiore Fiore Nursery and Landscape Supply (847) 913-1414 lisa@cjfiore.com Jose Garcia Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. (815) 724-0991 info@naturalcreationslandscaping.com Allan Jeziorski Hartman Landscape (708) 403-8433 allan@hartmanlandscape.net Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net

Kevin Manning K & D Enterprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 kmanning@kdlandscapeinc.com Maureen Scheitz Acres Group (847) 526-4554 maureen.scheitz@acresgroup.com Donna Vignocchi Zych ILT Vignocchi, Inc. (847) 487-5200 dvignocchi@iltvignocchi.com

www.ilca.net

The 2016 Great Lakes Nursery and Landscape Association Great Lakes Leadership Conference were held in Madison, Wisconsin in September. Attendees included members from Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin’s Nursery and Landscape Associations, Ohio Landscape Association, Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association and our own ILCA represented by Scott Grams - Executive Director, Lisa Fiore - Vice President and myself. The roundtable topics and discussions included labor shortages, employee and membership recruitment and retention, training and education, consumer outreach, business and association development, trade shows, technology and student outreach. I found it interesting to learn each other’s issues, our similarities and differences, including how each association is dealing with them. We look forward to attending next year’s conference in Indiana. Environmental leadership is a goal we discussed at the Great Lakes Leadership Conference and is part of the ILCA’s Board of Directors three year strategic planning session. Sustainability with its practices and education is key to protecting the environment and keeping ecosystems in balance. Sound horticultural practices are desired by the consumer, profitable to our business and will move us closer to the goal of environment sustainability. These practices influence one another and reward our future generations. Composting has the most impact of any sustainable gardening practice. Composting yard and garden wastes means less material going to landfills and more organic material for your customers. Utilizing integrated pest management techniques (IPM) keeps a balanced ecosystem. This ecosystem-based strategy focuses on solving pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices and use of resistant varieties. Ultimately, IPM helps to protect water as it goes through the soil leading back to the water supply. Since water is a precious commodity, drip and direct irrigation cuts down on water evaporation loss. In addition, water will not drain or evaporate quickly when using mulch and ground cover. Native plants tolerance of drought conditions is another consideration for water conservation. Creating shade areas around a house assists the homeowner in reduced home energy usage and provides a home for wildlife. Terracing and planting shelter belts assist in erosion control. Installing recycled and environmentally friendly building products along with products from businesses that support sustainable practices encourages more of us to follow the path of sustainability. The ILCA is committed to environmental leadership and is one of the lead partners in the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI). Established in 2013, the Chicago Region Trees Initiative is a collaboration of Chicago area partners who are working together to develop and implement a strategy that builds a healthier and more diverse urban forest by 2040. The program is administered through The Morton Arboretum. This strategy is based on findings from the Regional Tree Census which was produced with the USDA Forest Service and The Morton Arboretum. It is known that trees improve the quality of life through cleaning our air and water, assisting in reduced flooding, creating habitat for wildlife and improving property values. CRTI’s vision is to understand the value of the tree population, share management opportunities and measure the regional tree health and improvement of the health and stamina. This requires considerable information gathering, analysis, and agreement to develop a plan that is practical, realistic, measurable and supported by a wide range of forest managers. Participants across the area, in the public and private sectors, need to engage and take ownership in the steps required to ensure a healthy forest for the region. I encourage you to visit The Morton Arboretum website’s science and conservation section to learn more. I look forward to seeing everyone on November 3rd for our New Member Mixer followed by ILCA’s 57th Annual Party & Member Meeting. Lastly remember registration is now open for iLandscape 2017! Respectfully, Michael Schmechtig

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

The Brickman Group, Ltd. â&#x20AC;˘ Kemper Lakes Business Park Long Grove

With unrivaled

settings and quality around every corner, Kemper is the ultimate business park. It is located at the junction of north and west suburban markets in Lake Zurich, IL. This 164 acre business park is nestled into a golf course with several ponds, a lake, with beautiful landscaping in view from windows throughout the buildings. This property has mature trees of many differnt kinds offering many textures and colors throughout the seasons. More than 5000sf of annual flowers with four seasonal rotations. Displays include tropicals, pumpkins, and 12â&#x20AC;&#x2122; evergreen trees. Along with changing the irrigation controllers we have performed many upgrades to the irrigation system to introduce new technology that makes the system more efficient with less water use and increased uniform coverage. We selected sustainable plantings for all new improvement areas. The irrigation system pulls 100% of its water from one of the lakes. The lakes that surounded the park are cared for weekly and we make every effort to promote the health of the lakes.

During the summer, six swans call this home with hopes of raising their young. As part of our turf care program we have incorporated mulching grass clippings back into the turf. Converting some areas to native grasslands with wild flowers we have reduced the carbon footprint of the landscape turf areas. Large open areas of healthy turf weave through paved walking paths throughout the property. We over seed and aerate turf areas to reduce compaction and promote health. This reduces the amount of weed control which is spot treated around the property. An integrated pest management program is extended into our large tree and shrub care program to monitor the site and apply only as necessary to control disease and insects. This property is reviewed by the General Manager every morning and our maintenance team which is on site everyday. We are all committed to the excellence of this property and the owner and tenents appreciate the level of detail in the landscape that we bring to the site. Together we push the industry standard to the limits of excellence.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Focus — Pet-Centric Landscapes

Ready for Rover: Creating Landscapes with Pets in Mind

by Barbara Dutton

A pet’s wellbeing is important to a homeowner,

who in contemplating a pet’s use of a yard, will likely be concerned about a range of threats – as well as be cognizant of an animal’s comfort and lifestyle factors. Homeowners who are also devoted pet owners might not see a backyard as merely a place for themselves and their children – or their guests – to enjoy, but are mindful of the nonhumans in their household that they consider to be part of the family. And, while dogs are conceivably seen as the primary class of pets that inhabit backyards, cats, birds and other beloved creatures might also be considered in landscape design and maintenance. Lawn care pros, for example, are discerning concern from clients who love and care about man’s best friend. “We’re hearing customers say, ‘We want a safe lawn for our pets,’ and who understand the risk of repeated exposure to chemicals,” relates Jeff Swano, owner of Dig Right In Landscaping, Westchester, Ill. “That’s trending big time.” Steve Neumann, owner at Logic Lawn Care, Evanston, Ill., concurs that concerns about safety have “definitely created demand in the industry.” For Swano, whose company offers chemical-free, organic lawn care, an initial step in determining needs to accommodate pets in a landscape is to interview clients about what they expect out of a yard. If a pet-friendly environment is desired, he indicates that an emphasis on pet health is in order. “If we’re going that route,” he explains, “we let them know about organic. “Dogs have a tendency to lick their paws and eat grass,” he 10

continues, conveying that his company draws guidance from the Midwest Pesticide Action Center, Chicago, in devising petfriendly lawn care strategies. “Dog cancer is on the rise because dogs are in direct contact with lawns that have been treated with chemicals,” he says, declaring, “We’re trying to combat the incidence of dog cancer.”

One of the main reasons

“Clients come to us more aware of harm posed by conventional pesticides and are looking for alternatives to herbicides and conventional chemicals being put down,” relates Neumann, who as a member of the ILCA Sustainability Committee is focused on educating the industry about healthy lawn care practices. “I think pets are one of the main reasons customers are seeking out natural lawn care,” he concludes. Since, Neumann points out, pets are “closer to the lawn, and might even eat it,” he believes that they are more susceptible to toxic effects of chemicals. An advocate of Integrated Pest Management methods, he says that his company through organic applications and cultural practices relative to aeriation, seeding and composting can accommodate both desires. “We can give them that great looking lawn without using herbicides on a regular basis.” Being cognizant of the wellbeing of an animal isn’t, according to Jeff True, vice president of operations at Hursthouse Landscape Contractors and Architects, (cont. on page 12)

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

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The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Focus — Pet-Centric Landscapes (continued from page 10) Bolingbrook, Ill., necessarily confined to a pet dog. “Pet friendly is something we consider even when an owner doesn’t even have a pet,” remarks the ILCA Board member and specialist in residential landscape design, who indicates that concerns about other animals – both domestic and wild – in the neighborhood are taken into consideration.

What’s the breed?

A safe environment, suggest landscape industry practitioners, is a priority for clients concerned about basic pet health and wellbeing. Some owners, however, might also focus on accommodating a pet’s proclivity for playfulness or need for exercise in an outdoor setting. Indeed, says Swano, some owners maintain, “This is the dog’s yard.” “We get into petcentric planning, when the pet is really a part of the family, and they want to spend time together,” relates True, who says that in meeting with clients to get an understanding of their interests and values, information is sought about family pets – such has how much space will be

required for play, and what kind of enclosure might be needed. “Want to make sure we’re catering the need of the dog or pet,” he says, “and still consider the neighborhood or the family.” People who say that a pet is “the number one love in their life often have more than one dog – which is when it really becomes pet centric,” observes Swano. “If a client wants to be pet centric in their landscaping direction,” he reports, “We start by asking, ‘What’s the breed?’” The answer, he explains, will help in establishing suitable yard features and placement to appropriately accommodate a pet’s “innate” behavior and other needs. For example, explains Swano, herding breeds might be disposed towards loping repeatedly around a yard’s borders. In such a case, says Swano, “You wouldn’t want a muddy surface.” He recommends finding an overlay – such as flat or angular stones rather than big round ones – for the perimeter that is not painful to a dog’s paws. “Crushed limestone is good,” he adds, “and it’s definitely not muddy.” Other breeds might be naturally inclined to digging. (continued on page 14)

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The Landscape Contractor November 2016

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Focus — Pet-Centric Landscapes (continued from page 12) For these types of canines, Swano advises the use of sand in an area where the dog will play. “Knowing the breed will allow you to better design the features for the pets,” he says. “It will tell you how big they are and what their habits are, enabling us to design into that.” Make life better Configuring spaces and selecting yard components also enters the picture when planning for pets. In many families, declares Swano, “Kids are the focus.” And in some, he says, “Dogs are your kids. Each is to be given a play space. Dogs can’t use a Jungle Jim, but will get their own separate areas.” In organizing yards spaces for various users and their respective activities, he explains that a goal is to avoid austerely confined areas, instead seeking a solution that is more “free range. “We won’t build areas that confine pets,” says Swano, pointing to landscape devices such as raised garden beds surrounded by a path to help define spaces. “See, here’s the area where the dog is running,” he says. “So you’ve designed in the elements

– the dog elements and the human elements.” A concession to cat wellbeing, however, can call for an enclosure that allows for an outdoor experience but limits opportunity for escape or exposure to attack. Not only cats, but dogs and other pets need to be kept from being prey, suggests True, who reports having to deal with “hawks and other predator issues.” Unattended smaller dogs should be assigned a small space close to the house where, he says, a predator is less likely to go, finding such a location intimidating. When delineating a safe area, he says, “Make it so uncomfortable for that predator.” True mentions other safety strategies in designing a yard to accommodate pets. These include selecting appropriately scaled and spaced fence components, and avoiding the use of thorny or poisonous plants. “We’ve actually measured a dog’s head to size pickets,” he relates. True also advises looking at the types and placement of planters/containers, furniture and accessories to avoid hazardous situations. (continued on page 16)

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The Landscape Contractor November 2016

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One especially significant spot to consider in a landscape plan to accommodate a dog is a place for the animal to do its business. “We build them a waste station almost every time,” explains Dig Right In Landscaping’s Jeff Swano referring to what he calls a “doggie doo-doo area.” A designated location making use of creative surface materials for this function, he continues, saves the homeowner from having to “run all over cleaning up.” Additionally, an otherwise lovely lawn is spared the patches of “burnt” grass that urine creates. Dog owners might also look to a synthetic solution to avoid urine-stained grass, says a supplier of artificial turf for dog runs. Besides ease of the area’s clean-up and a gentler feel on a dog’s feet than gravel or mulch gives, Dave Sternberg, executive manager at Perfect Turf, Wood Dale, Ill., asserts that artificial turf is a good choice for homeowners who want

lawns looking good outside and carpets clean inside. Pet owners, he indicates, often are resigned to dealing with a mucky mess indoors, while taking into stride torn-up yards, repeatedly re-sodding them. After a rain, indicates Sternberg, homeowners can be particularly inconvenienced by dogs coming in from a natural outdoor space. “You let those dogs out and you cringe, because you know they’re going to come in with muddy paws,” he says. While homeowners opting for artificial turf won’t likely miss cleaning carpet dirtied by a muddy mutt, will a pooch be pleased with unnatural turf? While Sternberg acknowledges that he hasn’t “had too many interviews with dogs,” anecdotal evidence from owners tells him that “dogs either prefer it or are nondifferentiating. For most dogs,” he concludes “it’s a non-issue.”

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Little Rock Farm 630-552-8314 2353 Creek Road Plano, IL 60545

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(continued from page 14) Besides offering welcome shade on a warm day, foliage, explains True, “can deter a view” – and prevent a predatory bird from entering an area. Conversely, landscape features may be used to keep a pet from seeing other animals that might rile it. “We look at site lines,” says True, who relates that clients might report a happy dog – until a neighbor dog walks by. Then, says True, “The client complains, ‘My dog goes berserk.’” To avoid undue irritation for all involved, True offers a solution: “Screen this view off to make life better for you and your dog.” When it comes to assessing whether accommodating pets will be part of a landscaping strategy, Swano indicates that he gets vibes from clients as to the level of attention dogs, cats or other cherished critters will require in developing a solution to alleviate health concerns or to elevate the importance of a pet’s activities or habits in a plan. “My gut instinct,” he says, “tells me that pets are really important to them.”

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iLandscape 2017

Branching Out with

February 1-3, 2017 by Meta Levin the Spanish Guitar Duo, juggler and acoustic duo. And for the Wednesday night party, that will feature dueling pianos from Howl at the Moon. Veteran ILCA members might find the concept of dueling pianos familiar. In fact, it’s the signature entertainment at Howl at the Moon, a live music/dueling piano bar where the ILCA women’s group had its annual night out during Mid-Am. The piano duo was such a hit that the 2017 iLandscape entertainment committee decided to import it for a Wednesday night diversion. “Everyone loves a night out at Howl at the Moon,” says Katrina House, the Wednesday night cochairperson. Wednesday night will have some other new features, as well. After reading and listening to comments about previous

Have a little fun

with your iLandscape. Skip through the gardens, hum along with the music, relax with a chair massage and impressed with the sculpture. This year will offer all the seriousness, fun and frivolity of past events. It’s scheduled for February 1-3, 2017 at The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center and Hotel in Schaumburg, IL. “We’re trying to keep it fun, light and fresh,” says Tina Turner, iLandscape Entertainment Committee co-chair. Attendees will be treated to music that spans the gamut from a one-man band to blues to Frank Sinatra style crooning. There will be a human stilt walker. The ice sculptor will work in full view on Wednesday, outside the lobby windows. There will be steel drums, a magician, a caricature artists and chair massages. Not to mention

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Wednesday evening parties, they decided to tweak it in other ways. The food will be what House terms, “heavy appetizers.” We fully understand that the party goes when the liquor flows. “We heard some complaints about the cost of drinks,” says House. So, they are trying to remedy that. “We’re trying to turn the Wednesday night party into a great networking event; to keep the day going,” says House. “It’s going to be the place to be.” For the rest of iLandscape, Turner and her committee are eagerly anticipating using all that the venue has to offer. “We have the hallway and two stages,” she says. They also have the lobby. And they will use all of them. Thursday will feature chair massages in the lobby. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. attendees will be able to have a masseuse work the kinks out from a long day at the expo. From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., that will be accompanied by the sounds of a steel drum band. “We love our music and wanted to diversify this year,” says Turner. Diversify they did. During the day on Wednesday, offerings will include “Fretless Music” and a one-man band. Besides the steel drums, Thursday’s daytime offerings will include blues and a crooner, whose music is reminiscent of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. Friday will feature a (continued on page 20)

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

iLandscape 2017 (continued from page 19) Spanish Guitar Trio, an acoustic duo (mandolin and guitar) and a banjo/fiddle acoustic duo. Wander through the ballroom on Wednesday and you might see a human sculpture and a stilt walker. Or press your nose to the lobby windows and watch the ice sculptor. On Thursday the caricature artist will set up in the ballroom. Even if you can’t get close to her, you’ll be able to watch it via a large screen. The same will be true of the acrylic painter, who will lay a large canvas flat on the stage. You won’t have to climb up there with her to watch her work, because that, too will be projected onto the jumbo screen. Once completed, the acrylic artist’s work will be part of the daily raffle. But that’s not all. Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., a magician will be roaming between the ballroom and garden stages. Come be amazed at his wizardry. From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., a juggler will wander the area. There will be daily raffles, scheduled for 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and 1:45 p.m. on Friday. All three on the garden stage. Prizes will include a bicycle, a $1,500 Southwest Airline voucher and $1,000 in walking around money, as well as other prizes.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

ILCA Fall Events

Women’s Networking October 6, 2016

The Women’s Networking Group roared back with a successful program on persuation led by acclaimed speaker Lynne Franklin. Sponsors included: Premier Sponsor — Smith Amundsen

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Event Sponsors: A. Block Marketing Arthur Clesen JM Irrigation LafargeHolcim/Fox River Decorative Stone Landscape Concepts Management Pizzo Native Plant Nursery Rental Max Rochester Concrete Products The Tree Connection Xylem, Ltd.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Special Feature —

~he ∂volution of the ∂ssential ∂arthman ªoy µiblik muses on meadows, Monet and the mysteries of design by Nina Koziol

≠y first encounter with plant guru Roy Diblik

was at The Morton Arboretum’s spring garden symposium. He took the podium after the renowned landscape architect Julie Moir Messervy. She gave the keynote presentation on designing contemplative, mystical garden spaces, such as the the Toronto Music Garden, a collaboration between her and the venerable cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Messervy was wearing some bling. Roy wore overalls and a long ponytail that sprung from his ever-present baseball cap. That was 15 years ago and he was explaining how to create a prairie garden in a home landscape. Much has changed since then. (The ponytail is gone but the cap remains.) “Prairie” landscapes have become synonymous with meadows. Better plants have come along and not all of them are native to the Midwest. But the painterly effect of plant combinations is where artistry meets nature. Diblik is perhaps best known as the plant genius behind Piet Oudolf’s garden designs, such as Lurie Garden in Chicago’s Millennium Park. He designed and installed more than 5,000 perennials at the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa 10 years ago. His recent work includes a planting at the Oceanarium for Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, and much more. For the record, he has only two crews. “Four guys, two women,” he said. “We want to stay small and have a good life.” In October, Diblik led a group of landscape contractors and designers around the display gardens at Midwest Groundcovers in St. Charles. He had just returned from visiting public gardens in New York and was musing over plants, prairie, people and places that provide design inspiration. We were handed a copy of Claude Monet’s painting, 24

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Claude Monet’s ‘Bordighera” 1888: Monet called the spot “an earthly paradise” evoking “...a garden that resembles nothing else, it is a pure fantasy, all the plants in the world grow outside here and do not seem to be tended: it is a tangle of all the varieties of palm trees…” “Bordighera” done in 1884. Bordighera is a town on the Italian Riviera and the painting evokes a hazy Mediterranean plant palette in warm tropical colors. “The Monet painting-Impressionistic-era painting--is how I start the design process. I look at it and the colors and I just pick the plants to start with that at least inspire me color-wise.” (When pressed, he’ll admit that his favorite Impressionist artist is Frenchman

Pierre Bonnard, who died in 1947.) Diblik begins each design by drawing a series of overlapping ovals. “Every garden I do uses grasses as part of the matrix. I do a short-grass matrix and then I look at the percentages of color.” Two of his go-to grasses are Sporobolus (prairie dropseed) and Schizachyrium (little bluestem). But, the actual plant selection is truly the fun part

Plantsman/Designer Roy Diblik at Midwest Groundcovers in October 2016 talking to landscape contractors and designers. The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Special Feature — and he won’t do that until he considers the site’s conditions. “Ask yourself, ‘What are the goals and objectives for the site and who will care for it?’” he said. One of his design goals is that 50 percent of the plants be “entertaining” in July and August. This past summer, Diblik, Piet Oudolf and Midwest Groundcovers staff evaluated the display garden in front of the company’s headquarters. Since that visit, many plants were removed and others--some newer varieties--will be added. “The bare spots here will redefine the garden--there will always be an ongoing evaluation. For example, in a clothing store, the window displays are always changing. The display gardens are like the clothing store.” Newer, betterbehaved, lower-maintenance and overall improved plants. The bare soil won’t be bare for long. “We want everything here to be sensual and intimate. Unless you want to fill spaces with annuals, bare soil equals weeds. It’s all about having plants touch--they love to touch and collide with each other and that reduces your weeding labor by about 70 percent.” Diblik continues to draw inspiration from Midwestern prairies where grasses rub elbows with forbs--rattlesnake master, shooting stars and native coneflowers, such as Echinacea pallida and Echinacea purpurea--the straight species, no fancy cultivars. Although he often uses hybridized plants in his designs, he suggests, “Don’t overwhelm yourself with plants. If you’re buying ‘fashion’ plants, you’re going to fail.” The worst thing you can do is put in plants you don’t understand, he cautions. “Evaluate them and understand how they interact.” When Diblik took Oudolf to see the Schulenberg Prairie

at The Morton Arboretum in 2002, Diblik says, “Piet cried... the prairie was filled with Baptisia leucantha and Echinacea pallida.” After seeing the prairie, Oudolf quickly revised the Lurie Garden design to include more natives. And forget the rules you learned in school. “If you believe there are rules for landscaping, you’re wrong. The only rule I have is that if you’re in this industry, know 25 to 30 plants well. Befriend the plants and make sure they are ‘clumpers,’ modest seeders, and that each plant respects its space.” A key to good design, he says, is do your homework and start simple and that will save you some grief. Some things you simply chalk up to experience. The Molinia (moor grass) in Lurie Garden died. “Too dry,” he says. “Silphium seeded everywhere. It’s all about the culture of care and the plants. You have to have a gardener who knows the plants.” That careful weeding out and maintenance by trained landscape professionals keeps the garden intact as the designer intended. At the Grand Prairie in Lake Geneva, Diblik initially repeated two sweeps of grasses with thousands of other perennials, but, “I didn’t know what I was doing,” he admits with a chuckle. “I thought it looked cool, but the asters reseeded heavily. There was ironweed and the more you leave (standing) the more seed it produces.” His recommendation: Plant the aggressive re-seeders, things like Pycnanthemum (mountain mint), asters and goldenrod, into the garden 3 to 5 years after the initial design installation. “Most plants that seeded are opportunistic.” Live and learn. He once sat in a Starbucks for four hours with Piet Oudolf. “We were talking about things that didn’t work. If

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Goodmark Nurseries, LLC 8920 Howe Road Wonder Lake, IL 60097

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Over 600 acres of land in production and 30 irrigated acres of above ground availability.

The trees you plant today will be growing long after you depart. Leave a Goodmark! The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Special Feature — people knew all the things I screwed up, they’d wonder why I’m not a plumber,” he jokes. But landscape design is like that. If you install a prairie-inspired meadow for a residential or commercial client, you have to provide intelligent maintenance or the design will quickly unravel in year two. “You have to look at the capabilities of the people caring for the garden. If it’s just a ‘mow and blow’ situation, don’t put this kind of (meadow) garden in.” Another lesson Diblik learned early on is that using mushroom compost raised the organic content of the soil to over 8 percent. “That’s good for tomatoes or dahlias, but it should be 4.5 to 5 percent. Plants were rotting.” He switched to leaf mulch and uses a small walk-behind Billy Goat mower to cut the plants and leaves the debris in place, if the client doesn’t object. Diblik shares that his average cost for maintenance runs about $1.20 per square foot while the installation fee is $6.75 per square foot. “We give clients a square-foot price for installation and maintenance and our goal is not to haul away debris.” What he’d really like to do these days is take the 450,000 or so Naperville homeowners who own yawn-provoking landscapes to visit the 167-acre Gensburg-Markham Prairie near Harvey in south Cook County. “I took two busloads of Europeans to see our local prairies. They were awestruck, but we don’t appreciate prairies. I take students in the IIT landscape program to see the beauty and look at the matrix of plants. More homeowners are getting a sense that things

look pretty sterile around most homes.” Diblik knows that education is critical if you want to sell your ideas and work. “Don’t limit yourself. Landscape contractors need to educate their clients--explain how to make the property more beautiful. We have to live up to our industry’s obligation to bring beauty into the world.” His design ethic continues to evolve. He’s currently using hardy, beautiful sedges in one client’s garden to shade out and control the weeds. “Take Carex pensylvanica. You can grow it on the roof of your car,” he jokes. He’s adding yellow pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima) to the sedge planting to create the effect of a yellow airy blanket floating above the green leaves. “We’re leaving more room in gardens for annuals and vegetables. On an artistic level, this type of planting has value.” His signature meadow designs continue to feature non-native plants, such as Astilbe ‘Visions,’ which he says is an architectural piece that adds “action” moments to the garden. Salvia ‘White Hill‘ is another favorite along with Coreopsis ‘Full Moon.‘ And, even the sometimes aggressive Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Firetail’ is a must-have for Diblik. “I love it. I even spray it for Japanese beetles. Nothing else gets sprayed, but I can’t not have that red coming through the garden. It blooms July to October.” While most of Diblik’s designs have used a mix of native, native cultivars and non-native plants, he’s not shy when it comes to using annuals in initial plantings. “You can use a palette of annuals the first few years in spaces between small

Dixon Prairie at the Chicago Botanic Garden 28

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

plugs. The next year, add other annuals in different colors or a drift of bell peppers and purple basil through the perennial garden.” The edited display garden at Midwest Groundcovers will include groups of spring-flowering bulbs. Chionodoxa (gloryof-the-snow) will sprout through the duff alongside Tete-aTete daffodils and species tulips. A few hybrid tulips--Shirley and Spring Green--will be placed randomly for what Diblik calls entertainment value. “Change is happening and it’s inevitable,” Diblik says. “That’s our future. Small lots, communities and permaculture.” He points to the development of 1100 “farms” developing in Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood. “They’ll be selling to Caputo’s (grocery) and the Chicago Botanic Garden and teaching young people there how to be urban farmers. We’re in this changeable time.” So, what’s next for Diblik? “I’m 63 years old and I found Carex digitalis. I’m still seeking out new plants.” But even more exciting for us, he’s going to start the “Diblik School of Design and Maintenance.” Plans are underway for a series of classes in 2017 at Midwest Groundcovers. “We’ll be looking at planting and maintenance and visiting gardens around Lake Geneva. Since I was 21, I’ve never done anything for money. I do what I do because of passion. But, I’ll have to charge,” he says, eyes twinkling under that baseball cap. “My truck has 410,000 miles on it.” Stay tuned.

Astilbe ‘Visions’ is one of the perennials that Diblik calls “architectural pieces that add action moments” to the garden. Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

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The Landscape Contractor November 2016

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Inspirational Road Trips: Check out the 400-acre Chiwaukee Prairie in the town of Pleasant Prairie in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. It boasts more than 400 plant species, including 26 rare plants. Open all year from dawn to dusk. For more information, visit http://www.pleasantprairieonline.com/ parksandrec/chiwaukee/ Visit Schulenberg Prairie at The Morton Arboretum. Planted more than a halfcentury ago, it is one of the largest restored prairies in the Chicago area. http://www.mortonarb.org/visit-explore/ plan-visit Visit the 167-acre Gensburg-Markham Prairie. It contains rare plant plant species such as grape fern, sundrop, narrow-leaved sundew and grass pink

orchid. One of Diblik’s favorites. https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/ INPC/Pages/Area2CookGensburgMarkhamPrairie.aspx Visit Dixon Prairie at the Chicago Botanic Garden: http://www. chicagobotanic.org/gardens/prairie For More Inspiration: Read Roy’s book, “The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden,” Timber Press, $24.95. Check out Diblik’s Northwind Perennial Farm in Burlington, WI. http://northwindperennialfarm.com

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Knowing Native Series Introduction — Native Intelligence

Introducing a new plant series to help guide Landscape Contractors thr by Nina Koziol

In the Midwest, where winter temperatures can

Spigelia marilandica — Indian Pink

dip to -200 F and summers can produce endless heat and periods of drought, plants must be well-adapted to survive let alone thrive. Native plants--the flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees that grew in geographical regions prior to European settlement--do just that. Many are found growing in forest preserves, open spaces, the dunes and prairies. Evolving over tens of thousands of years, Midwestern native plants have adapted to the harshest winters, they tolerate droughts, and typically prosper in local soils. Once they’re established, natives typically need less supplemental water than other garden plants. This is the second in a series of articles that looks at natives, cultivars of native plants (‘nativars’), and examples of effective plant combinations, including non-native plants. We spoke with landscape architect Scott Mehaffey, (www. scottmehaffeyinc.com), former landscape coordinator for the City of Chicago and staff landscape architect for The Morton Arboretum. Mehaffey also worked for design/build and designonly companies before starting his own practice in 2014. Here are his picks.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Plants

rough the labrynth of native plants and cultivars Spigelia marilandica — Indian Pink

“It’s a dumb name as it’s brilliant red and yellow,” Mehaffey says. “A shade garden plant, likes rich soil, and frankly, the flowers don’t last for more than a month, but the foliage is beautiful, as well. Reminds me of a species fuschia or a wildflower in Sleeping Beauty’s glade or some other old Disney movie.”

Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’ —

Cultivate: • • • •

Plant in part shade to full shade. Height: 1-2’ Spread: .5-1.5’ Hardy in zones 5-9. Combos: Combine it with spring-blooming bulbs, ferns, Epimedium, Astilbe, Hellebores and Hosta. Bonus: Blooms in June, attracts hummingbirds, tolerates drought.

Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’ — Autumn Bride Coral Bells

Commonly called hairy alum root, Heuchera villosa is noted for its velvety leaves and airy flowers that appear in late summer. This shade-tolerant heuchera grows in rock gardens, borders, open woodland gardens, rocky slopes or native plant gardens. Mehaffey likes it planted in large groups where the show flowers draw the eye.

Cultivate: • • • •

Plant in full sun to part shade. Height: 1.5-3’ Spread: 1.5-2’ Hardy in zones 3 to 8. Blooms in August and September. Combos: In full sun, pair it with prairie dropseed grass, Allium, coneflowers, shrub roses. In shade, pair it with Hosta, Epimedium and Hellebore. The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Series Introduction — Native Intelligence

Conoclinium coelestinum aka Eupatorium coelestinum

Eupatorium coelestinum — Hardy Ageratum

Hardy Ageratum or Mist Flower “Hello, where have you been? How did I not know we had a winter-hardy blue ageratum? I came across this plant two years ago and thought it was a new annual. Wrong! It’s indigenous to moist open woods and stream banks in the southeastern U.S. but also in southern Illinois. The butterflies love it--it flowers in the fall but has clean foliage and a mounded habit that looks good during the summer months, which make it the perfect foil or backdrop for cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and brown-eyed Susans.

Cultivate: • • • • •

Plant in full sun to part shade. Height: 1.5-3’ Spread: 1.5-3’ (Spreads aggressively by rhizomes.) Hardy in zones 5 to 10. Combos: Anemone, Columbine, Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’, Astilbe, Dicentra, Hosta Bonus: Good for naturalized areas and open woodlands.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Porteranthus trifoliatus aka Gillenia trifoliata — Bowman’s Root

Porteranthus trifoliatus aka Gillenia trifoliata Bowman’s Root

Mehaffey’s number one favorite native plant is Bowman’s Root, also called Indian Physic. “It’s a beautiful, subtle, woodsy perennial for light shade or partial (morning) sun. It tolerates root competition, has great fall color--I can’t say enough. There is a pink strain available, but I prefer the white. Especially with birches.”

Cultivate: • • • •

Plant in full sun to part shade. Height: 2-4’ Spread: 1.5-3’ Hardy in zones 4 to 8. White flowers in May to July. Prefers moist, humus-rich soil Combos: Heuchera, woodland aster, Anemone, Columbine, Ferns, Aruncus, Astilbe.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Series Introduction — Native Intelligence Symphyotrichum oblongifolium— Aromatic Aster

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium aka Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’ Aromatic Aster

“I found this in a mail-order catalogue in the early 1990’s while I was landscape architect at The Morton Arboretum, and planted it at the head of the walk leading from the parking lot to the Thornhill Education Center. People went nuts over it and you can buy it locally now. Loose, billowy, aromatic, attracts butterflies, but don’t overwater or it turns yellow. Likes dry soil and full sun but will easily tolerate half-day shade, as well.”

Cultivate: • • • • •

Plant in full sun to light shade. Height: 1.5’ Spread: Slowly by rhizomes. Hardy in zones 3 to 8. Combos: Allium, Echinacea, Stachys ‘Hummelo’ Prairie dropseed, Joe Pye weed.

Bonus: Good for mass planting.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Allium thunbergii ‘Ozawa’— Ornamental Allium

Allium thunbergii ‘Ozawa’ Ornamentsal Allium

Although this allium is not a native, Mehaffey mixes it with native asters and prairie grasses. “Personally, I like Allium ‘Ozawa’ and Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Prairie Blues’ (little bluestem) and just about every aster there is for fall,” Mehaffey said. “I like fall-blooming allium because it’s unusual, and the pale purple is a nice contrast to the yellows and oranges that are so prevalent at that time of year. Also, it’s a true late bloomer generally lasting through Thanksgiving--it tolerates cold weather and light frosts. It’s definitely a front-of-the-border plant, a bit more diminutive than culinary chives. Also, as the sun is lower in the sky in autumn, we get deep shadows and this plant is a real bright spot in semi-shady areas.”

Cultivate: • • • •

Plant in full sun to part shade. Height: 9-12” Spread: 9-12” Hardy in zones 4 to 9. Combos: Asters, Liatris, Stachys, Amsonia, native grasses, Sedum

Bonus: Tolerates drought and is deer resistant.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Series Introduction — Go Native! Amsonia tabernaemontana — Blue Star

Amsonia tabernaemontana Blue Star

“It’s not used as widely as the fine-textured Amsonia hubrichtii, but it’s a very useful semiwoody ‘sub-shrub.’ In fact, I’ve used it as an unsheared hedge and it works really well! It likes heavy clay soils, full sun, and flowers May into June with occasional blooms in fall. You can clip it back after flowering to keep it tighter, but I like the willow-like look when it’s left unsheared.”

Cultivate: • • • • •

Plant in full sun to part shade. Height: 1-1.5’ Spread: .75-1’ Hardy in zones 4-9. Combos: Coneflowers, Coreopsis, black-eyed Susans in sun. In shade, combine it with Hosta, Pulmonaria, Heuchera and ferns.

Bonus: Tolerates some drought, clay soil and deer.

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The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Prairie Blues’— Little Bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Prairie Blues’ Little Bluestem

“This grass provides a great bluish color contrast to all of the saturated greens of late summer, then gradually takes on a rosy-orange tinge as autumn progresses,” Mehaffey said. “This particular cultivar is a little relaxed in form, and there are others, like ‘Standing Ovation’ and ‘Carousel’ that stay more upright. Little bluestem has been the focus of breeding work in recent years, and there are named selections with various attributes, but all of them share native plant hardiness and wonderful color through fall and winter.”

Cultivate: • • • •

Plant in full sun, well-drained soil. Height: 3-3.5’ Spread: 1.5-2’ Hardy in zones 3 to 9. Combos: Coreopsis, Allium, Russian sage, Echinacea, Buddleia, asters, Baptisia

Bonus: Deer resistant, tolerates dry soil and black walnut trees, and provides winter interest.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Enfoque: Entretenimiento en iLandscape —

February 1-3, 2017 Por Meta Levin

Diviértase un poco

dúo de guitarristas españoles, un malabarista y un dúo acústico. Y para la fiesta de la noche del miércoles, se presentará un duelo de pianos. Los miembros de ILCA veteranos podrán estar familiarizados con el concepto de duelo de pianos. En realidad, es un entretenimiento distintivo en Howl at the Moon, un bar con música en vivo y duelo de pianos donde el grupo femenino de IILCA tuvo su noche de salida anual durante la Mid Am. El dúo de pianos tuvo tanto éxito que el Comité de Entretenimiento de iLandscape 2017 decidió importarlo para entretenimiento el miércoles por la noche. “Visitar el Howl at the Moon es una actividad nocturna muy popular”, asegura Katrina House, Co-Presidente de la noche del miércoles. La noche del miércoles tendrá otras atracciones nuevas. Después de leer y escuchar comentarios sobre las fiestas del miércoles por la noche en otros años, decidieron darle nuevos giros. House

en la feria anual iLandscape. Salte entre los jardines, tararee la música, relájese con un masaje en silla e impresiónese con las esculturas. Este año la feria anual de paisajismo tendrá la seriedad, la diversión y la frivolidad de eventos pasados. Está programada para los días 1-3 de febrero de 2017, en el Hotel y Centro de Convenciones Renaissance Schaumberg en Schaumberg, IL. “Estamos tratando de mantenerla divertida, “light” y fresca” dice Tina Turner, Co-Presidenta del Comité de Entretenimiento de iLandscape. Los asistentes disfrutarán de música que abarca la gama completa, desde un hombre orquesta hasta blues y baladas románticas tipo Frank Sinatra. Habrá un caminador sobre zancos. El escultor de hielo trabajará a plena vista de los asistentes el miércoles, fuera de las ventanas del vestíbulo. Habrá tambores metálicos, un mago, un caricaturista y masajes en silla. Además, un 40

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

describe la comida como “aperitivos fuertes”. Y las bebidas serán de cortesía, gratis, sin cargo. El Comité está buscando más patrocinadores para cubrir los costos. “Escuchamos algunas quejas sobre el costo de las bebidas”, dice House. Por consiguiente, están tratando de remediarlo. “Estamos tratando de convertir la noche del miércoles en un gran evento para establecer contactos; para darle más dinamismo al día”, afirma House. “Será el lugar donde hay que estar”. Para el resto de iLandscape, Turner y los miembros de su Comité anticipan con entusiasmo aprovechar todas las ventajas que ofrece el lugar. “Tenemos el pasillo y dos escenarios”, informa. También tienen el vestíbulo. Y los usarán todos. El jueves se ofrecerán masajes en silla en el vestíbulo. De 10 a.m. a 2 p.m., los asistentes tendrán la oportunidad de que un masajista los libere de todas las tensiones después de un largo día en la feria. De 9 a.m. a 11 a.m., eso estará acompañado por los sonidos de una banda de tambores metálicos. “Amamos nuestra música y decidimos diversificarnos este año”, afirma Turner. Y se diversificaron. El miércoles durante el día, las diversiones incluirán “Música sin diapasón” y un hombre orquesta. Además de los tambores metálicos, el jueves durante el día habrá blues y un cantante melódico, cuyas

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Enfoque: Sección en Español — interpretaciones recuerdan a Frank Sinatra y su clan. El viernes tocará un trio de guitarristas españoles, un dúo acústico (mandolina y guitarra) y un dúo acústico con banjo/violín. Camine por el salón de baile el miércoles y podrá ver una escultura humana y un caminador sobre zancos. O presione su nariz contra las ventanas del vestíbulo para ver al escultor de hielo en acción. El jueves la caricaturista estará en el salón de baile. Aunque no pueda acercársele, podrá verla en una pantalla grande. Igual podrá ver a la pintora acrílica que extenderá lienzos de gran tamaño sobre el escenario. No tendrá que subir al escenario para verla trabajar porque sus obras también serán proyectadas en la pantalla “jumbo”. Una vez que la artista acrílica

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Para que crezca su negocio, unase a...

Servicios y Beneficios • Certificaciones • Seminarios • Talleres de Trabajo • Publicaciones • Capacitación • Videos • Eventos • Programa de Seguros • Trabajadores Temporarios • Subasta de Herramientas de jardinería

El Paso al Professionalismo. Llame al 630-472-2851

Para mas informacion sobre como inscribirse miembro.

Enfoque: Sección en Español — haya terminado su trabajo, éste será parte de la rifa diaria. Pero esto no es todo. Entre 11 a.m. y 4 p.m., un mago actuará entre el salón de baile y los escenarios al aire libre. Venga y asómbrese con su magia. De 11:30 a.m. a 1 p.m., un malabarista deambulará por el área. Habrá rifas diarias, programadas el miércoles y el jueves a las 4:15 p.m. y el Viernes a la 1:45 p.m. Las tres en el escenario al aire libre. Los premios incluirán una bicicleta, un vale de Southwest Airline por $1,500 y $1,000 en dinero suelto, además de otros premios.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

ILCA Fall Events —

Old Timers’ Gathering October 15, 2016

A cross-section of photos from the 10th annual Old Timers’ Gathering. ILCA membes gather for a day of fellowship and reminising.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

From the ILCA Business Library —

Are You Creating a Culture of Unwanted Employees? Twelve Low-Cost Suggestions for Welcoming New Hires By: Kate Zabriskie

acqueline remembers her first day at her last job almost as if it were yesterday. She had on a new outfit, left her apartment early, and was excited to get to work and learn everything she could about her new company.

selves. These encounters were somewhat random, and clearly there wasn’t much of a plan for dealing with new hires. When 12:30 rolled around and nobody said anything about lunch, she finally took herself out for her first day on the job.

Granted it was a small office with no formal orientation, but really? The message was loud and clear. They were less than excited to have her there! That first day still stands out as a lonely eight hours.

After a brief “hello” in the morning, she was shown the coffee pot and led to an empty office. The desk obviously had not been cleaned well, as evidenced by the personal notes, candies and other items left by the previous occupant of what was now her chair. The person apparently had a thing for peppermints and not much use for pennies. Happy to have the change but afraid to touch the candy, she spent time cleaning. During the next few hours several people stopped by to introduce them-

The afternoon played out much like the morning. Jacqueline read and tried to figure out what she was supposed to be doing, and a few more people walked by her door. Some stopped. Some didn’t. She began to wonder what she had gotten herself into. Eventually 5:00 arrived, and her new boss asked how the first day had gone. “Okay I guess,” was the best she could come up with. How else did he think it had gone? Reflecting upon it now, Jacqueline stands by that answer.

Were they bad people? No. Were they unprofessional? Surprisingly not. Did they position themselves to get the most out of her? Not so much. Could they have easily done better? You bet. Sadly, Jacqueline’s story isn’t unique or unusual. In fact, similar situations are unfolding right this very moment to dozens or even hundreds of people starting new jobs today. And how do they feel about the organizations they’ve just signed on with? Probably not too great. (continued on page 50)

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Special Report

(continued from page 48) Statistics and practical experience show it costs time and money to replace an employee, so does it not make sense to get new hires off to a good start? For very little money and a modicum of effort, you can set the stage for a new hire’s success. 1. Send new employees a note (handwritten if possible) before they start work. These aren’t messages about policies or parking passes. Rather, you are writing to say “We are glad you are going to be working with us.” 2. Tell new people exactly what to do when they arrive on their first day. Do they park in visitor parking? Should they report to Human Resources first? Eliminating uncertainty will show that you’ve got your act together. 3. Make sure the space a new hire is going to occupy is clean and free of the last person’s personal effects and well stocked with supplies. Nothing says “We don’t care” like dirt and clutter do. 4. Does the new person get a computer, phone, or other electronics? If so, be sure to have those items in place as soon as possible. Without the proper tools, it’s hard to hit the ground running. 50

5. If your organization has coffee mugs, shirts, or other promotional items emblazoned with the company name, gather these together, and present them to the new hire. Most people like a present, and this small gesture is another signal that you are welcoming and excited to have a new team member. 6. Avoid doubt and confusion by providing the new person with a written schedule for the first day. The schedule should include lunch with the immediate supervisor, new colleagues, or other people who will contribute to making the new hire’s first days a success. And while you’re at it, provide the firm’s emergency telephone number. 7. Along those same lines, establish expectations early. Meet with the new person and review what you expect in terms of quantity and quality of work, appearance, hours, and so forth. Much of this could also have been covered by Human Resources or outlined in an employee manual provided by your organization. However, if something is important to you, highlight it verbally. New people have a lot of information to digest, and extra emphasis can’t hurt. The Landscape Contractor November 2016

8. During a new hire’s first few weeks, set up 20-minute informational meetings with key employees throughout your company. This should go without saying, but be sure to choose people who believe in your organization, set a good example, and can provide insight about the business. 9. A little background information can help new employees avoid potential landmines. While gossip is obviously not a good idea, insight on the idiosyncrasies of the workplace should be shared if knowing about them will help the new person without hurting anyone else. 10. Pay attention to distribution lists. New people won’t necessarily see the emails or memos they should if someone isn’t looking out for them. 11. If the employee is new to your industry, share trade magazines, websites, and other resources that might be useful. 12. Finally, check in through-out the week, but don’t be a pest. None of these suggestions is difficult to implement, but they all take planning. The good news is, it’s usually worth it. The faster you can get new employees up to speed, the sooner they will produce the work you hired them to do!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team help businesses establish customer service strategies and train their people to live up to what’s promised. For more information, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com.

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The Landscape Contractor November 2016

New Member Profile Snapshot

Wakefield Biochar

2101 W. Broadway Ste. 103-274 Columbia, MO 65203 (708) 762-0137 www.wakefieldbiochar.com by Meta Levin

The world of biochar beckoned Tom and Tony

Marrero for many reasons, but particularly because they thought it would be a good fit for their father, who was getting ready to retire from his job as an engineering professor at the University of Missouri. In 2014 they began Wakefield Agricultural Carbon LLC dba Wakefield Biochar. As a professor, Thomas R. Marrero, focused on green engineering, particularly the coal log pipeline. He was active and passionate about what he did, teaching Boy Scouts and becoming a master gardener, among other things. His sons could not imagine him retiring to an easy chair. He did not get that chance; Professor Marrero died from an aggressive form of cancer soon after retiring in February 2015. He was, however, able to work in the business for a short time and his sons, by this time interested in biochar, combined their expertise to forge ahead. Tom Marrero, holds a PhD in chemistry and had researched biochar while working on his doctorate. His brother, Tony Marrero, holds a Bachelor of Arts in marketing. “We’re doing this in our father’s spirit,” says Tom Marrero. Marrero’s father-in-law is a farmer, who provides not only consulting, but further inspiration to the brothers. Biochar is a carbon based product, produced from plant matter, that is added to the soil with the intent of improving 52

soil health and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Wakefield’s product is a soil conditioner, designed to improve its water holding capacity, soil aeration and preventing nutrient bleaching, as well as to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gasses by returning carbon to the soil. Popular with those interested in sustainable practices, it also is used in research. “It is an environmentally positive product,” says Marrero. It’s also a light weight product – half the weight of dirt, says Marrero, which works well with the now popular rooftop gardens. These need to minimize the weight of anything used on the roof. Landscape contractors doing remediation have approached Wakefield, in particular for filtering storm water from rooftops. “They need to get cleaner water going through their systems,” say Marrero. “They are dealing with metals and other pollutants, and thinking about how to handle them.” The biochar also is popular with smaller restaurants that are growing their own produce, as well as distilleries that are cultivating their own ingredients. It’s all part of the trend towards urban farming. “They are looking at biochar as a soil conditioner,” says Marrero. “They are trying to keep metals from getting into plants. It’s cool to see it happening.” Wakefield keeps itself lean. There are only five employees – located in Nashville, Chicago and Columbia, MO - most of whom do sales. The company is, however, looking to bring in a landscape architect to work with customers. “We feel confident that we will grow in the landscape sector,” says Marrero. While it sells its own product, the company partners with manufacturers to make it to their specifications. Marc Stone is based in Nashville. He has been with Wakefied for a year and has a strong sales, computer and business background. “He’s a positive person and brings another perspective into the company,” says Marrero. Kim Marrero, Tom’s wife, is the new chief financial officer. With a CPA from the University of Missouri and a history working for Price-Waterhouse in St. Louis, she also holds a Master’s degree in education and taught business at the high school level. The couple has four children, ranging in age from 12 to four. The biochar market is still developing, but Marrero sees it as an important part of the sustainability movement. In fact, Wakefield joined ILCA at the suggestion of Tom Lupfer, now ILCA’s secretary-treasurer, but formerly its Sustainability Committee chair. Marrero jumped at the chance to join ILCA. “We felt that the landscape industry was underserved,” he says. In talking with some members, he realized that only a few knew about biochar. He sees biochar as one more step in the attempt to heal the environment. “We’re hoping to find ways to mitigate what we are doing to the world,” he says. ” I’m trying to do my part. If everybody does theirs, it just might become possible.”

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

June 1, 2016

Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Annual Calendar

Sustainable Maintenance Guide and Calendar For the next 15 months, ILCA will be releasing a monthly excerpt from the most current version (v3.0) of its Sustainable Maintenance Guide and Calendar in The Landscape Contractor magazine. The entire 12 month calendar is available to download at no cost to ILCA members, non-profits, public agencies, and units of government. Please email information@ilca.net to request a download of the entire guide and calendar. This guide is not available to private landscape companies who are not members of the ILCA. This guide is intended to equip Illinois Landscape Contractors Association members with all the tools necessary to implement a sustainable maintenance program. It takes into account the constraints of a landscape company in regards to costs, time, equipment, personnel, and horticultural knowledge. The guide is written so any landscape company can apply these maintenance principles to almost any commercial or residential landscape and improve the positive impact on the environment without sacrificing aesthetic quality.

SUSTAINABLE MAINTENANCE CALENDAR June 1, 2016

Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Annual Calendar

SUSTAINABLE MAINTENANCE CALENDAR

New Members CONTRACTOR MEMBERS

GOVERNMENT/NONPROFIT MEMBERS

Arteaga Landscapes & Erosion Control LLC Julio Arteaga 2413 N Periwinkle Way Round Lake Beach, IL 60073 Phone: 224-444-8675 Fax: 224-444-8675 Email: julio@arteagaland.com arteagaland.com

City of Wheaton Jason Douglas Email: jdouglas@wheaton.il.us INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

HLS INC Mike 4711 W. Midlothian Tpke, Suite 14 Crestwood, IL 60445 Phone: 7083850327 Fax: 7083850337 Email: huberlandscape@gmail.com www.huberlandscape.com Full Landscape and hardscape company. 54

Kevin Clarke Landscape Design Kevin Clarke 1793 Hannah Lane Pingree Grove, IL 60140 Phone: 630-386-3089 Email: dogwood249@comcast.net www.kcfoxhort.com Landscape Design.

Not an ILCA Member? This is the time to join! Call Marissa at 630-472-2851 for membership information or JOIN NOW at ilca.net

It will be your best investment in 2016!

The Landscape Contractor November 2016 LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Classified Ads HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

GREEN-UP CAREER OPPORTUNITY – ESTIMATOR/SALES ASSISTANT in Plainfield!

James Martin Associates Vernon Hills, Illinois Boulder, Colorado

ACRES GROUP CAREER OPPORTUNITYMAINTENANCE PRODUCTION MANAGER in Plainfield!

Green-Up has been creating enjoyable playground and outdoor park spaces for over 30 years and is seeking an Estimator/Sales Assistant to assist with project proposals, do plan take offs, estimates and bids. Join our growing team today! To view full job descriptions and apply online, visit us at www.greenup.com or contact Maria @ 847-487-5071.

Commercial Account Manager Business Development Associate Residential Maintenance Account Manager Irrigation Technicians – Boulder location

Acres Group, one of the top 20 professional landscape contractors in the nation, is seeking Senior Maintenance Production Manager to coordinate maintenance division activities, while managing and providing daily supervision and support for multiple maintenance managers and their crews. Will assure quality service & customer satisfaction while monitoring job costs & crew safety. Join our industry leading team! To view full job descriptions and apply online, visit us at www.acresgroup. com or contact Maria @ 847-487-5071.

Premier Service is a comprehensive design/build landscape, commercial maintenance and snow management contractor. Our service area encompasses the entire Chicagoland market. Premier’s primary mission is to provide the highest level of service in each of its distinct divisions. This combination has resulted in a stable, growth driven environment that allows Premier to remain competitive and provide its clients with the high quality service they require. Premier is seeking to fill the following positions: • Account Manager • Color Coordinator

• Do you strive to enrich lives by creating and maintaining beautiful landscapes? • Are you enthused about managing and building client relationships? • Are you looking for a team environment with a company that values work-life balance and promotes safety first? James Martin Associates has given outstanding landscape services to residential and commercial clients in Design/Build, Maintenance and Snow Removal in the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago area for almost 40 years. Please see our website, www.jamesmartinassociates.com, for more information about our company. We are also hiring Irrigation Technicians at our Colorado branch, L.I.D. Landscapes! See www. LIDLandscapes.com for a detailed job description and more about our award-winning company.

Applicants must be experienced, highly motivated, organized, detailed oriented, willing to work in a team environment, and have a 4-year industry specific degree or equivalent. We offer competitive wage and benefit packages commensurate with experience as well as opportunity for growth.

**Attention all Commercial Landscape Estimators** A growing Western Suburbs Landscape Construction firm is seeking the following: Landscape estimator: Will be responsible for bidding take-offs from several GC’s that are brought in from our sales team and bid tools. Company currently runs a planswift program. While not a must, CAD experience preferred. Must have a minimum of 2 years experience in bidding. Please email: dan@woodlandcommercial.com HELP WANTED  CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING also available on ILCA’s WEB SITE www.ilca.net Call for information (630) 472-2851 

If are interested in joining our team, please send your resume to Beth McElroy, at b.mcelroy@ jamesmartinassociates.com, or call 847-876-8052.

Please submit resume, references, and salary expectations to hr@premierservice.com or fax to 630-321-9540.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES JAMES MARTIN ASSOCIATES, INC. Vernon Hills, IL & Boulder, CO

James Martin Associates, Inc. is a leader in the Landscape and Snow Management industry. We have been providing services to our customers for over 39 years. We are seeking candidates for the following positions:

Residential Maintenance Account Manager

Irrigation Technicians

Business Development

Commercial Maintenance Account Manager

To be considered for any of these opportunities, please forward your resume and salary history to b.mcelroy@jamesmartinassociates.com or call Beth at 847-876-8052.

Landscape Architecture • Construction • Maintenance • Snow Management

www.jamesmartinassociates.com

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

HELP WANTED

Client Relations Manager

Green Grass Landscape Architecture & Construction, an always growing and expanding design/build/maintenance firm serving the western suburbs since 1997, seeks to fill two positions. Green Grass focuses on providing a full spectrum of landscape services while specializing in highend residential landscapes. If you are looking for a fast paced, multifaceted environment where hard work is rewarded this is the place for you!

Landscape Designer

At Scott Byron & Co., we create beautiful environments. We are looking for a Client Relations Manager to join our team. This position manages the relationship between the organization and our clients by performing the following duties • Responsible for the entire life cycle of the client experience. The CRM has critical responsibilities in client acquisition, client satisfaction and client retention. • CRMs must understand the needs of their customers and articulate the ability of our company to meet the clients’ needs with products or services. • Directs sales forecasting activities and sets performance goals accordingly. • Provides data and sales forecasts to buyers and production for scheduling and material requirements. • Coordinates liaison between sales, buyers, yard, production staff and other personnel. • Design, develop and implement strategic site standards to address client requirements. • Assists Division Manager in preparing periodic sales report showing sales volume, potential sales, and areas of proposed client base expansion. Bachelors Degree required and four to ten years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Valid drivers license. Please submit resume to: hrtrybus@gmail.com EOE Garden Center - Tree and Shrub Sales Red’s Garden Center is seeking a friendly, hardworking individual to join our nursery staff. This is a unique opportunity to use your knowledge about plants or to increase your knowledge, while getting your hands dirty. Sales will be main focus with the added responsibilities of loading/unloading trucks, tagging and maintaining plant material. plus other nursery duties. This is a year round position. Must be able to be on your feet for 8 hours +, lift over 50 lbs, work most weekends in the season, have the willingness to learn, and the ability to communicate clearly. Spanish speaking a plus. Please email resume to Jeff@redsgardencenter.com or call Jeff @ (847) 272-1209 with any questions

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT/DESIGNER Applicant is to be well-versed in planting and hardscape design, construction methods, design sales and client/project management. Proficiency in Dynascape/CAD is required. Applicant is to have a BLA or related degree. Minimum 2 years experience. MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT MANAGER/SALES Applicant must have degree in Horticulture, Turfgrass Management or related degree. A thorough knowledge of all landscape plants, diseases, pesticides/fertilizers and maintenance methods is also required. Proficiency in Spanish is a plus. Please email resume, portfolio and salary requirements to: contact@greengrasslandscape.com. All inquiries are kept confidential. Project Bid Manager At Scott Byron & Co., we design, build, and maintain the most beautiful outdoor landscapesprimarily for residential properties- but including commercial and public spaces- in Northern Illinois and contiguous states. We are looking for a Project Bid Manager to join our team. You will be responsible for building out a new sales channel, effectively identifying new business opportunities emanating from Landscape Architecture firms who perform Design Only services. The Project Bid Manager will call on such Landscape Architecture firms in our target market area, indentifying new opportunities, obtaining bid packages and managing/performing the estimating process, ultimately ensuring that we bid in a timely way with a complete and professional winning proposal. This is a hybrid position, requiring time management, technical/construction, project estimating, and sales and presentation skills. We require a Bachelor’s degree, 8-10 years of estimating experience, Certified Landscape Architect preferred. Competitive compensation and benefits. EOE Send resume and salary requirements to hrtrybus@gmailcom

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Clarence Davids & Company, a landscape architecture design-build firm, has an opening for a landscape designer in the Matteson, Illinois corporate office. The full time position will include developing design solutions and graphic presentations for both commercial and residential clients, with a strong emphasis on seasonal floral displays. The designer will also assist the production department and sales staff on the installation and supervision of projects. Clarence Davids & Company was established in 1951 and specializes in landscape management, seasonal rotations, and design/build landscape construction. The company has three offices; Matteson, IL (Corporate), Plainfield, IL, and Ingleside, IL. More information can be found online at www. clarencedavids.com and facebook.com/clarencedavids. This is an exciting opportunity to work for an award-winning design-build firm! Skills required: • Graduate of an accredited Landscape Architecture Program • Experience in AutoCad, Photoshop, and Microsoft Office • Good knowledge of annuals, perennials, and woody plants • Strong design creativity, including seasonal floral design • Ability to work independently and be selfmotivated Interested applicants should send a resume and work samples to: Alan Watkins Clarence Davids & Company 22901 S. Ridgeland Avenue Matteson, IL 60443 alan.watkins@clarencedavids.com CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES December 2016 issue ads: November15, 2016 January 2017 issue ads: December 15, 2016 PLEASE NOTE: “HELP WANTED” AD SALES ARE LIMITED TO ILCA MEMBER COMPANIES Magazine Cost is $5 per line Minimum charge $50 Website Cost is $12 per line Minimum charge $120 (About 6 words/line) Submit your ads online at ilca.net or call Alycia O’Connor (630) 472-2851

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HELP WANTED Residential - Architect/Designer and Superintendent/Project Management Wingren Landscape, Inc. has provided award winning full-service landscape services to both residential and commercial clients in Design/Build, full service Maintenance, Lighting, Irrigation and Snow. We specialize in high-end residential landscapes and we are seeking an experienced Residential Landscape Architect / Designer and a Field Superintendent to join our team. Positions are open and available immediately. Please see our website www.wingrenlandscape.com to learn more about our company. Residential Architect / Designer Applicant is responsible for managing all phases of residential design projects of varying types and sizes from initial contact with client to managing the project to completion. You need to be well versed in planting and hardscape design along with client/ project management. • B.S. Landscape Architecture or demonstrated experience • Ability to produce high-quality creative designs, estimate and sell jobs • Exceptional plant knowledge • Intermediate to advanced skill level in Autocad, Adobe Photoshop, and MS Office. Experience with Sketch Up, LandFX and Asset is considered a plus • 2 - 3 years of experience preferred (Licensed in Illinois a plus) • Strong design, graphic and communication skills Residential Superintendent / Project Manager This person will be responsible for field managing all phases of residential design projects of varying types and sizes. • Demonstrated experience project managing • high end residential jobs and multiple crews • Extensive hardscape construction experience • Plant identification and layout • Recommends measures to improve production methods; suggests changes in working conditions and use of equipment to increase efficiency of department or work crew. • Analyzes and resolves work problems, assists workers in solving work problems. Initiates or suggests plans to motivate workers to achieve work goals. May train new workers. Responsibilities include adhering to and enforcing company policy and procedures. • Bi-lingual a plus If you are interested in joining our team please send your resume and work samples to: stacyi@wingrenlandscape.com Founded on a commitment to excellence since 1957.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

Advertisers

Attention Landscape Contractors:

Bartlett Tree Experts .............................................51 Beaver Creek Nursery ..........................................21 Carlin Sales...............................................................6

Remember to Support ILCA Supporters!

These include:

Chicagoland Gardening .........................................61

Compost Supply .....................................................12 Deer Path Nursery ..................................................39 Doty Nurseries LLC ..............................................6 Goodmark Nurseries ..............................................27 Green Glen Nursery ...............................................63 B. Haney & Sons, Inc. ............................................60 Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. .......................................16 Homer Industries ....................................................45

• Members & Advertisers who supply goods and services • Members who sponsor ILCA programs and events

Where will you find them? • ILCA Membership Directory & Buyer’s Guide • The Landscape Contractor magazine advertising • The Landscape Contractor magazine reports of events with sponsor acknowledgments • www.ilca.net member lists – Finding a Landscape Contractor & Suppliers to the Trade

James Martin Associates .........................................58 Lafarge River Stone ..............................................51 Longshadow Planters .............................................13 McGinty Bros. ........................................................31 Midwest Groundcovers ...........................................2 Midwest Trading ....................................................30 Mobile Fleet Express .............................................14 North Shore Truck .................................................38 NutoneHaven ........................................................17 Perfect Turf .............................................................49 ProGreen Plus ........................................................35 RWC Insurance .....................................................60 The Care of Trees ...................................................6 The Mulch Center ...................................................31 Spring Meadow Nursery .........................................11 Stockyards Brick Co. ...............................................15 Unilock, Inc. ...........................................................64

The Landscape Contractor November 2016

All-Star Plants

American Dream® Oak Quercus bicolor

Members of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois will be the exclusive provider of content for the Plant All-Stars page during 2016.

By Beck Thomas

Some plants

— just like All-Star athletes — make everyone around them look better. What’s a plant you can use — and recommend — with confidence? We’ve asked ILCA members who are also members of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois — to share their thoughts on proven performers. Who wouldn’t want to plant the American Dream into their landscape! This new oak introduction from J. Frank Schmidt Nursery is quickly becoming one of our favorites as a grower. We started growing this “nativar” variety of the native swamp white oak back in 2014 shortly after the liners were available from our supplier & developer of the tree, J. Frank Schmidt Nursery in Oregon. They praised the foliage and branching superiority of the new cultivar so we were happy to give it a try in our fields. We have been impressed with how it has grown in our field, and we will be harvesting our first crop next spring. The American Dream Oak will get 50’ tall by 40’ wide. The foliage is a bright glossy green that turns to yellow in fall. The bark is similar to the species with a slightly shaggy look. What makes this cultivar distinctive from the species is the strong resistance to anthracnose and powdery mildew. It also has nice branching angles with a broadly pyramidal shape. The beautiful thick glossy foliage stays green all season, turns yellow in fall, and holds a nice brown into early winter. The texture in the landscape in all seasons is an asset to the plant. You can learn more about the tree on our nursery website at www.SpringGroveNursery.com. If you search American Dream Oak on the top in our search box, several blog posts about the tree will pop up. Most recently, we had the opportunity to visit J. Frank Schmidt Nursery & tour their arboretum led by the famous plant duo Michael Dirr & Keith Warren (plant breeder who developed it). We posted a video clip of them talking about American Dream Oak. Check it out! There is nothing more American than a beautiful old oak tree. With this new cultivar of an old native favorite, you are sure to see the American Dream growing soon in our communities!

American Dream® Oak — Quercus bicolor ‘JFS-KW12’ Size

50’ tall with spread of 40’

Foliage Bright, glossy green turning yellow in fall with brown leaves persisting into winter.

Culture Full sun in moist, well-drained soils. Tolerant of both poor drainage and drought. Shows strong resistance to anthracnose and powdery mildew.

Becky Thomas Grower and Landscape Architect Spring Grove Nursery Inc. Becky Thomas graduated from University of Illinois in 1993 with a B.A. in Landscape Architecture. In 1999, Spring Grove Nursery took root as Becky and her husband Jamie planted their first crop of trees. Now the nursery grows on 94 acres in Grundy County just south of the Chicago suburbs. Their nursery specializes in a diverse and superior selection of shade, ornamental and evergreen trees. Becky currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Green Industry Association. Spring Grove Nursery is a member of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois.

The Landscape Contractor November 2016