the landscape contractor magazine may 2016 digital edition

Although Groundcovers

are our specialty,

Midwest Groundcovers

grows a robust list of

plants including:

• Evergreens

• Broadleaves

• Deciduous Shrubs

• Perennials

• Ornamental Grasses

• Vines

• Native Plants

Vinca minor 'Bowles Variety'

Schizophragma Rose Sensation™

Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'

Allium 'Summer Beauty'

Spiraea Double Play® Big Bang™

Pinus mugo 'Slowmound'

p.o. box 748 • st. charles, il 60174847.742.1790 • fax 847.742.2655www.midwestgroundcovers.com

26

40

May 2016

10

20

CONTENTS Excellence In Landscape Awards Project 8

FOCUS: Getting Greener — from Roofs to Turf

X-treme Plants for Green Roofs 10 Taking green roofs to new heights of durability

Surveying the Landscape for Neonics 20 Pesticide regulation can be tricky

Experts Recommend Grasses You Can Trust 26 Butterfly bush

ILCA Winter Event Highlights 40 A busy winter: from digital design to foremanship

Are You Creating a Culture of Unwanted Employees 46 A checklist for new hires

Member Profile 60 Ayala Landscape Co.

Plant All-Stars 62 Betula nigra ‘Little King’

On the cover... Grant & Power Landscaping Inc. received a Silver Award for this 2015 Residential Landscape Construction project.

The Landscape Contractor 3 May 2016

Although Groundcovers

are our specialty,

Midwest Groundcovers

grows a robust list of

plants including:

• Evergreens

• Broadleaves

• Deciduous Shrubs

• Perennials

• Ornamental Grasses

• Vines

• Native Plants

Vinca minor 'Bowles Variety'

Schizophragma Rose Sensation™

Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'

Allium 'Summer Beauty'

Spiraea Double Play® Big Bang™

Pinus mugo 'Slowmound'

p.o. box 748 • st. charles, il 60174847.742.1790 • fax 847.742.2655www.midwestgroundcovers.com

August 4, 2016 Summer Field DayMidwest Groundcovers/Midwest TradingVirgil, IL

SAVE THE DATE!September 15, 2016ILCA Golf OutingVillage Links of Glen Ellyn

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 5. The Landscape Contractor (ISSN # 0194-7257, USPS # 476-490) is pub-lished 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: [email protected] CLASSIFIED ADS, CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION: ILCA (630) 472-2851 Fax (630) 472-3150 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL OFFICE: Rick Reuland, [email protected], Naperville, IL 60540 Ph. (630)637-8632

Photo Credits ILCA Awards Program 1, 8-9Richard Hawke 28-30, 34, 38Chicago Botanic Garden 10-, 12, 14-15Walters Gardens 29, 38Nina Koziol 26Midwest Groundcovers 32-33

ILCA Staff

Executive DirectorScott Grams

(630) [email protected]

Education Manager Julie Nicoll

[email protected]

Events ManagerTerre Houte

[email protected]

Office ManagerAlycia O’[email protected]

Membership & Marketing Coordinator Marissa Sikirdji

[email protected]

ILCA 2625 Butterfield Road Ste. 104S

Oak Brook, IL 60523(630) 472-2851 • Fax (630) 472-3150

www.ilca.net

CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS ILCA Calendar 4 From Where I Stand 5 President’s Message 7 Classified Ads 57 Advertisers Index 61

Magazine Staff

Rick ReulandPublisher/Advertising Sales


Debbie RauenAdvertising Sales

(817-501-2403)debbie.landscapecontractor@

yahoo.com

v

Becke DavisSenior Writer

[email protected]

Patrice PeltierFeature Writer

[email protected]

Meta LevinFeature Writer

[email protected]

Barbara DuttonFeature Writer

Nina KoziolFeature Writer

Jim [email protected]

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.

Rick Reuland 20, 40-45The Morton Arboretum 62

4 The Landscape ContractorMay 2016

AUGUST

Calendar

2. Is the ILCA Nordstrom? Do we set haughty and lofty mem-bership requirements? Do we attempt to appeal to only a select few firms whose work and clientele will vault the ILCA brand further?

3. Is the ILCA Target? Should ILCA have offerings for a broad base of consumers, but recognize there exists a segment of compa-nies we do not want affiliated and actively avoid? Do we embrace most companies, but a draw a line at those who skirt clear legal stan-dards and harm the reputation of the industry?

Most of us have shopped at each of those stores. Wal-Mart is cheap. It has bad lighting. It lacks the creature com-forts of most department stores. Nordstrom is the opposite end of the spectrum. I don’t dare walk into a Nordstrom with my kids. Everything looks expen-sive and breakable. The sales staff acts as if they are doing me a favor. Target has mass consumer appeal, but provides flashes of class. Its stores are better organized, its prices are a little higher, the shelves don’t look like they’ve been swept clean by pan-icked hordes preparing for a zombie attack. Many consumers even jokingly call it “Tar-jay” because of its attempt to improve the image of big box stores.

Now, before I get hate mail or get slapped with a libel suit from the Walton family, realize I have nothing against Wal-Mart. I shop at Wal-Mart too. I like being able to pick up a crossbow, butter, and diapers in the same trip. Yet, we’ve all seen the “People of Wal-Mart” videos on the internet. We’ve all had that scary moment where you hope the guy standing next to you is wearing pants. Let’s face it, there is a reason Wal-Mart has “greeters” and not bouncers. It’s pretty much come as you are.

For decades, ILCA had been operating with a Wal-Mart philosophy. We embraced anyone whose check cleared. We asked for no validation or proof that the company was professional, or even legal. We

just hoped that by affiliation, some of the ILCA magic would rub off on the business. Before long, they would be pricing jobs accordingly, holding the requisite insurance, winning awards, and growing their businesses one season at a time.

With some exceptions, that wasn’t happening. The black market companies weren’t joining. In truth, the black market of landscape companies is only expanding and we all know it. Many open truck and trailer companies, working for cash, have no interest in joining a professional trade association. The tired, poor, and huddled masses have no interest in changing their ways or joining our ranks. When ILCA recently ran lists of contractors through the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Database we found that roughly 40% were operating without comp coverage. That isn’t just unacceptable, it’s despicable.

Eventually, this question had to be answered by the Board of Directors and the Membership Committee. Both groups unanimously and enthusiastically agreed that ILCA should aspire to be more like Target. We should have mass appeal but prescribe to higher stan-dards. We should present ourselves better, charge increased but not premium pricing, and don’t add burdensome membership require-ments that would alienate professional businesses. Yet, we needed to draw a line in the sand between the legal and illegal.

After much deliberation, the Board, with full support from the Membership Committee agreed that all new members should be required to submit an FEIN and two insurance policy numbers when they join. In addition, both groups felt that current ILCA members should be asked to provide the same information during this year’s

ILCA members will see something they have never seen on their membership dues renewal forms this year. No, not mustard stains. We always wait until after lunch to stuff enve-lopes. At the bottom of each renewal form, ILCA members will be asked to provide the following three pieces of information in order to be renewed:

1. Their Federal Employment Identification Number (FEIN).

2. Their workers’ compensation insurance policy number.3. Their general liability insurance policy number.

Now, any business should be able to produce this information in less than five minutes. A quick glance at a W9 and two insurance policies is all that is necessary. ILCA is not doing this to be a nuisance or to send our members deep sea diving in their file cabinets. We are doing this for a purpose and we feel this purpose is vital to the long term identity of ILCA and our plans to grow ILCA’s reputation among the public.

The purpose of this article is to explain why, after all these years, we are asking for this information. Further, it will explain just what we intend to do with this information once col-lected. Finally, it will demonstrate how we will use this information to improve your experience as a member.

First, the back story. Many months ago, I had my staff read a book called “The Purple Cow” by Seth Godin. Although it sounds like a pop-up children’s book, it is actually a book on business improvement. The main premise of the book is how to transform a business into something the author deems “remarkable.” Brown cows are boring and forgettable, purple cows are remarkable.

One of the lessons imparted by the author stuck out in my staff’s mind. The book asked: If you were to create a company today to compete with your current company, how would you do it?

Developing a strategy to compete against yourself is an eye-opening exercise. I recommend every company try it on a rainy afternoon. Often, when we attempt to innovate, we are still deep in the weeds of our own organizations. We are too afraid to blow up tried-and-true systems. Even though we are smart enough to recognize glaring deficiencies, we are too scared to rock the boat or change too much, too soon.

The staff eagerly got to work and, before long, had multiple easel sheets with many features we would change. Yet, we were stumped on one fundamental question. If the new ILCA was going to go after an audience of landscape contractors, which contractors did we want as part of the fold?

Attempting to categorize something abstract like landscape com-panies required the use of a metaphor. Given we’ve got a few shop-aholics on staff, we used an alternative metaphor to place landscape companies into three categories. We surveyed the broad spectrum of landscape companies and compared them to popular retail stores.

We wanted to know:1. Is the ILCA Wal-Mart? Do we try and appeal to anyone and

everyone? To paraphrase the Statue of Liberty, do we want the tired, poor, and huddled masses yearning to plant trees.

Expect More


From Where I Stand —

renewal. New members and returning members will not be asked for this information every year. They will only be asked for this information once - at the time of their application or this renewal cycle if they are a current member.

The Board decided to set our sights on the legal requirements of running a business. The objective is to raise the bar and demon-strate that there are clear legal standards for running a landscape business and that all ILCA members must meet those standards. If a company cannot meet those legal standards, we will ask that company to return to the ILCA when they can. For decades, ILCA has preached that consumers should ensure a landscape business is legal, legitimate, and possesses the proper insurance policies, yet ILCA was not checking ourselves. With this landmark Board deci-sion, those days are now over.

ILCA staff was apprehensive about changing our requirements to join. We worried about creating barriers to membership. We worried we would upset current members now saddled with the one-time burden of establishing their legitimacy. Then we began talking to our members. One by one, our members spoke up. They applauded the ILCA for finally taking an interest in policing its own ranks and the ranks of future members who carry ILCA’s reputation out into the field.

Finally, the eternal question of what is ILCA going to do with a file drawer of FEIN and insurance policy numbers? The answer lies in the new www.ilca.net. ILCA’s new website shows that the ILCA Board, staff, and its committed volunteers are changing the image of the association. Any member who has visited the new website knows the starting point is a landing page. That landing page takes the visitor to either a site aimed at consumers or professionals. This is just the first step in a multi-pronged plan to better promote the value of ILCA to consumers.

For the first time in our history, ILCA will be able to tell every consumer, that at the time of application, ILCA makes sure our members are incorporated businesses who have the proper insur-ance necessary to protect them as landscape customers. What a more powerful consumer message than, “well, their check cleared.”

These baseline standards are so important to establishing a pro-fessional identity for landscape contractors in Illinois. All members know, for decades, no one has been minding the store and the black market for landscape services has not only grown, but thrived. ILCA loves the power of being able to say to government agencies, code enforcement officials, state legislators, and, above all, land-scape clients, that our members are a different breed. ILCA mem-bers definitively possess the ethics and legal credibility we have been paying lip service to for decades.

So we ask for your support this one time. We ask you to spend the five extra minutes to jot down those three numbers. Target’s motto begins with the phrase, “Expect more...” You can trademark a slogan, but you can’t trademark a philosophy. It’s about time landscape clients “expect more” from their contractors. As we enter the next phase in the maturation of our association, let’s first strengthen our message to consumers. After that, let’s preach that message as often and as loudly as we can. Let’s preach it until the purple cows come home.

Scott GramsApril 15, 2016


From Where I Stand —

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Ahhh Spring… That magical time of year when young kids get home from school and bolt for the great outdoors. Spring is when families resume taking walks and gather on patios, decks and front porches. Spring, that time of year when on a picture perfect day, everyone wants to play hooky and play a round of golf, go to a park, or do anything to be outside relaxing, soaking up the warm 75 degree weather before bugs abound. Smiles all around. Except for maybe the landscape contractor.

Those in the landscape business are experiencing something much different. Take a day off? No way, there’s work to do. Soak up the sunshine, well maybe while you are hurrying between client appointments, setting up crews and scrambling to get back to the office to get that proposal turned around.

Then there’s the stress of a burgeoning new season. You are burning through cash faster than Trump can change his position. Crews are still trying to get into a groove and productivity is off. Worse, it’s creating addi-tional overtime because the work has to get done. The phone is ringing, your cell is chirping from texts, email has ramped up to a frenetic pace and people continue to reach out in a dizzying array of new social media ways that may be convenient to them, but you can’t remember anymore how many different ways you have to check messages, let alone get it done. Oh, and everyone wants it done today and if you don’t get back quickly enough, someone else will and that income is lost.

Stressed… maybe just a little. But then in a sanguine moment you remember why you do this. A client sends a genuine letter of thanks. You watch a leader emerge from your staff after you finally delegated more. You see a wife, dropping off a hus-band for work and realize you are supporting a family. You check in on a project and the only question is “How soon can we walk on it?” They are excited to play, relax or roll out the grill in that space and act like kids on Christmas morning. They just can’t wait!

We make a difference in people’s lives. We provide the backdrop for some of those most special moments in life. I had a friend and client text me out of the blue one day stating her daughter was getting senior pictures taken and the photographer wanted to know where, there might be magnolias in bloom. We recently had sub-freezing temperatures, and as to be expected, the magnolias had all turned a pretty unattractive brownish black, looking more like something out of a Tim Burton film than a gor-geous flowery pink. So after breaking that news, I suggested a location where there was a grove of ornamental pears bursting into their glory. She was very grateful and they now have that moment captured for a lifetime.

This was all made possible because a landscape designer or architect had the fore-sight to layout that space. A landscape contractor scurried around to get the work, installed it correctly and ensured it would be well cared for on a busy spring day a decade ago. And this landscape contractor had a sanguine moment while bouncing around between crews and clients to take in the beauty just long enough for it to leave an imprint.

While it’s extremely difficult to take a day off in the spring and live like “normal” people, we can take moments from time to time and allow the work we do to have an imprint on our lives as well. Be open to that and you will have the best of both worlds.

Be well.

Rusty MauldingApril 18, 2016

PresidentRusty MauldingNature’s View (815) 592-7582

[email protected]

Vice-PresidentMike Schmechtig

Schmechtig Landscape Company(847) 566-1233

[email protected]

Secretary-TreasurerLisa Fiore Kositzki

Don Fiore Company, Inc. (847) 234-0020

[email protected]

Immediate Past PresidentKevin Vancina

Vancina Landscaping, Inc.(815) 726-2300

[email protected]

DirectorsMark Breier

National Seed Co.(630) 963-8787

[email protected]

Lisa FioreFiore Nursery and Landscape Supply


Jose GarciaNatural Creations Landscaping, Inc.


Kevin Manning K & D Enterprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 [email protected]

Tom LupferLupfer Landscaping


Maureen ScheitzAcres Group


Donna Vignocchi ZychILT Vignocchi, Inc.


www.ilca.net


Dean MacMorrisNight Light, Inc.(630) 627-1111

[email protected]

President’s Message —

cated in place by our carpentry sub-contractor. The bending of the ipe required back-cutting the ipe in order to gain flexibility and was fastened from the interior of the bench so all fasteners were hidden.

The plantings consist of a sodded lawn, perennials, grasses, shrubs and trees which were lifted via helicopter due to the street being vault-ed and not able to support the weight of a crane large enough to make the tree lifts. The lightweight soil was loaded in 1.5 CF bags, used to ballast the geofoam prior to install (high wind concerns were constant) and hoisted via the service elevator, all during evening hours.

Steel framing and grating was used to create the tree planting pits and a support structure required for some areas of decking that covered existing cell phone equipment.

It was a true team effort from owner, designers, GC and con-tractors. A world class amenity deck with a world class view, installed by skilled craftsmen led by a highly competent project management team. We appreciated the opportunity to be involved in such a unique and exciting project.

The project focused on the installation of a new 12,000 sqft. amenity deck on the existing 11th floor roof of the Prudential Plaza building. Roofing was replaced by others prior to our installation.

Grading was achieved with multiple drainage layers, filter material and 1,550 cubic yards of geofoam fill.

The decking is a mix of poured-in-place concrete (by others), concrete pavers and custom (straight & curved) ipe decking pan-els all set and fastened to a pedestal system with the mechanical systems running below decking.

Custom-fabricated, curved ipe decking seating and amphi-theater seating was fabricated off-site in approximately 24” wide panels. The radius of the curved panels and seats was quite chal-lenging due to the imperfect concrete curves (poured by others), therefore we created templates for all the panels to assure a con-sistent (¼” maximum) gap between all ipe and concrete.

The custom curved ipe benches and steel framing was fabri-

Christy Webber Landscapes • Prudential Plaza 11th Floor Roof DeckChicago


Focus — X-treme Plants for Green Roofs

By Patrice Peltier

Our climate already demands a lot of plants. Ask them to grow on a rooftop, and you up the ante considerably.

“Many common garden plants will not survive on a green roof,” says Richard Hawke, plant evaluation manager and asso-ciate scientist at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Rooftops are subject to drying winds not to mention intense heat and cold without the insulating buffer of deep soils. “When choosing plants for green roofs, it is important to understand that a green roof is not the equivalent of a typical landscape elevated to the top of a building,” Hawke says.

In 2009, the Chicago Botanic Garden set out to discover what plants are best suited to the harsh growing conditions of green roofs by creating a 16,000 square foot green roof. The green roof, divided into North and South gardens, sits atop the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center, a LEED Gold-rated research facility.

“The green roof gardens have a two-fold purpose: to dis-play the best plants for green roofs and to trial untested plants for their adaptability to this environment,” Hawke explains. The gardens were designed by Oehme, van Sweden Landscape Architecture in Washington, D.C.

“The gardens feature the firm’s signature combinations of herbaceous plants to create a succession of ornamental traits throughout the seasons,” Hawke says. For instance, the gar-den includes sweeps of Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta inter-planted with Perovskia atriplicifolia to offer contrasts in flower and form. The pairing of Solidago ‘Wichita Mountains’ with Calamagrostis brachytricha combines the bright yellow flowers of the goldenrod and the delicate seedheads of the feather reed grass for fall interest.

Each half of the garden is divided into areas for display and evaluation. Those areas are further divided into beds with four, six or eight inches of growing medium. In 2009, 156 taxa of her-baceous and woody plants were installed on the rooftop. In 2011, an additional 60 taxa were planted, for a total of 41,561 indi-vidual plants. The plants included native North American taxa as well as non-native species and cultivars. Plants were evaluated for at least five years on the basis of their adaptability to the growing medium and environment, disease and pest problems, winter hardiness and ornamental qualities.

(continued on page 12)

Plants for Green Roofs


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(continued from page 10)Although most of the plants were grown in just one soil

depth, 77 taxa were planted in two or more depths, with 31 taxa planted in all three.

The plants were given minimal maintenance. They were watered regularly after planting to help them get established. Thereafter, they were only irrigated for 30 minutes a time during extreme drought—a total of three times between 2010 and 2014.

The gardens were selec-tively weeded throughout the trial to remove unwanted seedlings and invading spe-cies that entered at planting or through bird or wind dis-persal. In late winter, all her-baceous plants were mowed to the ground and plant debris removed. The plants were not fertilized, or winter mulched

to chemically treated for insect or disease problems. The results? Nine taxa received 5-star (Excellent) ratings

while another 69 taxa were rated 4-star (Good). There were nine taxa that received 5 stars: Antennaria dio-ica, Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta, Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii ‘Viridis,’ Phlox subulata ‘Apple Blossom,’ Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Snow,’ Phlox subulata ‘Snowflake,’ Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low,’ Sporobolus het-erolepis, and Sporobolus heterolepis ‘Tara.’ Thirty taxa did not survive to complete the trial. As of 2014, losses totaled about 14% of the original plants. Not surpris-ingly, the first winter proved the hardest. “Of the plants planted in 2009, approxi-mately 25% died during the first winter,” Hawke noted. “Winter losses in later years


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(continued from page 12)were more commonly associated with weakened plant health due to environmental causes such as drought rather than cold hardi-ness,” he added.

By the end of the first full growing season, some of the taxa were already growing vigorously. Hawke reports 44 taxa established quickly and remained consistently healthy and vigorous throughout the trial.

One notable exception was Coreopsis lanceolata, which Hawke says was a robust, heavy-bloomer in all locations from 2010-13. During the win-ter of 2013-14, many of the plants in the six- and eight-inch beds died. “Only the plants in the four-inch plots were alive in 2014,” Hawke reports, adding, “Despite Coreopsis lanceolata being somewhat short-lived, its performance between 2010 and 2013 was commendable.”

Plants that performed well every year included: • Amorpha canescens (in 6” & 8”)

• Andropogon gerardii (in 4”, 6” & 8”)• Antennaria dioica (in 4”)• Bouteloua curtipendula (in 8”)• Calamagrostis brachytricha (in 8”)• Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta (in 6” & 8”)• Dalea candida (in 4” & 8”)• D. pupurea (in 4”, 6” & 8”)• D. villosa (in 6”)• Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Firewitch’ in 4” & 8”)• Festuca amethystina ‘Superba’ (in 6”)• Geum triflorum (in 6”)• Helianthus mollis (in 8”)• Heuchera richardsonii (in 8”)• Hieraceum spilopheum ‘Leopard’ (in 4” & 8”)


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Focus — X-treme Plants for Green Roofs(continued from page 14)

• Hosta lancifolia (in 6”)• Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii ‘Viridis’ (in 8”)• J. horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’ (in 8”)• Koeleria glauca (in 6”)• K. macrantha (in 4”, 6” & 8”)• Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’ (in 8”)• Penstemon digitalis (in 6” and 8”)• P. hirstus (in 6” & 8”)• P. hirsutus ‘Pygmaeus’ (in 6” & 8”)• Phlox bifida (in 8”)• P. subulata ‘Apple Blossom’ (in 6”)• P. subulata ‘Emerald Blue’ (in 4”)• P. subulata ‘Snowflake’ (in 4” & 6”)• Potentilla arguta (in 8”)• Rhus aromatic ‘Gro-Low’ (in 8”)• Rosa Carolina (in 8”)• Schizachyrium scoparium (in 8”)• Scilla numidica (in 6”)• Sedum hybrid ‘Immergrunchen’ (in 6”)• S. kamtschaticum ssp. ellacombianum (in 6”)• S. kamtschaticum var. flo riferum ‘Weihenstephaner Gold’(in 6”)• S. spurium ‘John Creech’ (in 4”)• S. spurium var. album ‘Leningrad White’ (in 4”, 6” & 8”)• Solidago rigida (in 8”)• S. ‘Wichita Mountains’ (in 8”)

• Sporobolus heterolepis (in 4”, 6” & 8”)• Sporobolus heterolepis ‘Tara’ (in 4” & 8”)• Tetraneuris herbacea (in 8”)• Viola sagittata (in 6” & 8”)

Other plants, although consistently healthy, were slower to establish or to increase in size. By the end of the trial, however, all these plants were deemed to be good performers, according to Hawke:

• Amorpha nana (5 years to reach substantial size)• Asclepias tuberosa (very slow growing)• Baptisia alba var. alba (few stems and open habit until 5th season)• Campanula rotundifolia (slow to bulk up until 3rd year)• Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’ (loose habit)• Eryngium yuccifolium (slow to gain size)• Fragaria virginiana (slow to begin spreading; stolons continually damaged during hot, droughty periods)• Galium verum (not vigorous until 3rd season)• Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple’ (off-colored dramatically in hot weather)• Iris tectorum (grew best in area shaded by building)• Lespedeza capitata (spindly for couple of years)• Liatris ligulistylis (slow to bulk up; often single-stemmed)• Oliogoneuron album (began reseeding widely in third year; seedlings more vigorous than original plants)


• Perovskia atriplicifolia (a bit loose in habit)• Petrorhagia saxifrage ‘Rosea’ (lacked vigor; best where interplanted with Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Blue’)• Potentilla fruiticosa (loose, uneven habit)• Pycnanthemum virginianum (remained loose; often single-stemmed)• Salvia x sylvestris ‘East Friesland’ (never gained size)• Symhyotrichum ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’ (remained prostrate; never developed arching stems)• Symphyotrichum sericeum (open to spindly habit)• Talinum calycinum (slow to establish until began re-seeding)• Thymus praecox ‘Coccineus’ (not vigorous until 3rd year)• Tradescantia tharpii (slow to increase in size)• Oenothera fruticosa ‘Fireworks’ & O. macrocarpa (strong performers for 3 years; began to decline and die out in 2013)

The Chicago Botanic Garden green roofs were designed to be beautiful as well as functional. “Many taxa had exceptional flo-ral displays, which enhanced the ornamental aspect of the green roof in spring, summer and fall,” Hawke says.

Best early bloomers (late April to early May) include:• Viola sagittata• Antennaria dioica• Geum triflorum• Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Firewitch’• Phlox bifida• Tetraneuris herbacea• Tradescantia tharpii• Phlox subulata ‘Apple Blossom’, ‘Emerald Blue’ and ‘Snowflake’

For blooms from June through August, the best performers were:• Coreopsis lanceolata• Amorpha canescens• Agastache foeniculum• Bouteloua curtipendula• Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta• Dalea candida• D. purpurea• D. villosa• Koeleria glauca• K. macrantha• Penstemon digitalis• P. hirsutus• P. hirsutus ‘Pygmaeus’

For late season interest, Hawke favored a variety of grasses plus:• Helianthus mollis• Hosta lancifolia• Hylotelephium ‘Rosy Glow’• Lespedeza capitata• Liatris ligulistylis• Salvia azurea var. grandiflora

• Solidago rigida• Solidago ‘Wichita Mountains’

Self propagation was another factor monitored in the trial. None of the plants that spread by vegetative means such as rhizomes, stolons or suckers proved to be too aggressive or problematic. Reseeders, on the other hand, were sometimes troublesome. In fact, Chamaecrista fasciculata proved to be the most prolific reseeder. “It dropped so much seed that the result-ing seedlings formed an impenetrable mass that filled all nearby open ground and enveloped other plants,” Hawke reports.

Other vigorous reseeders included:• Artemisia caudata• Calamagrostis brachytricha• Helianthus mollis• Hieraceum spilophaeum ‘Leopard’• Koeleria glauca• K. macrantha• Oliogoneuron album• Potentilla fruticosa• Rudbeckia hirta• Talinum calycinum



(continued from page 17)One surprising finding of the trial was several Sedum species

that did not perform as well as expected—given that Sedums are considered go-to plants for green roofs. Hawke speculates the reason may have been foot traffic across the Sedum beds that trampled plants and compacted growing medium.

The following Sedum species did not have the vigor to bounce back after foot traffic:

• S. acre ‘Areum’• S. album• S. album ‘Chloroticum’• S. album ‘Coral Carpet’

These Sedum species managed to bounce back despite being tread upon on occasion:

• S. hybridum ‘Immergrunchen’• S. sexanglare• S. spurium ‘John Creech’

“While Sedum pachyclados and Hylotelephium sieboldii may have suffered from foot traffic, they sustained their greatest plant losses in winter, and generally seemed less suitable to growing on the green roof,” Hawke reports.

So far, the green roof gardens have met both goals of provid-ing an attractive display garden as well as an evaluation site for untested plants. In fact, in 2015, 44 new taxa were added to the trials. Going forward, Hawke plans to increase the number of taxa growing in two or three medium depths. “This is especially important for taxa that have not been previously grown on a green roof,” he says.

“Ultimately, the success of a green roof is due to the success of the plants growing on it,” Hawke says. “Plant trials like the one undertaken at the Chicago Botanic Garden are crucial to increasing the knowledge about the best plants for green roof culture.”

Note: The complete Plant Evaluation Notes on this, and other trials at the Chicago Botanic Garden are available on the Garden’s website: http://www.chicagobotanic.org/research/ornamental_plant_research/plant_evaluation



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by Barbara Dutton

A class of pesticides called neonicotinoids – neonics, for short – has stirred controversy, with detractors claim-ing hazards to insects not meant as targets – notably bees, while characteristics rela-tive to the efficacy of such products have sustained their use.

Used by many sectors of the green industry to battle pests, neonics have prompted questions and analysis as to their impact, and are a topic of regulatory debate. This article provides perspectives from many industry voices and is intend-ed to inform, not influence. As always, readers are encouraged to look more deeply into the subject and form their own opinions based upon scientific fact and research.

The story unfoldsThe clash is alluded to in a blog,

“Insects in the City” published by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, a member of the Texas A&M University system:

“Initially neonicotinoids were praised for their low-toxicity to many beneficial insects, including bees; however recently this claim has come into question. New research points to potential toxicity to bees and other beneficial insects through low level contamination of nectar and pollen with neonicotinoid insecticides used in agricul-ture. Although these low level exposures do not normally kill bees directly, they may impact some bees’ ability to forage for nectar, learn and remember where flowers are located, and possibly impair their ability to find their way home to the nest or hive. Despite the controlled stud-ies completed to date, the actual impact of neonicotinoid insecticides on honey bees in the field are difficult to measure. It is still not known whether these effects

Surveying the Landscape for Neonics

explain bee colony collapse disorder, or have had any effect in agriculture or, especially, in urban areas.”

The post continues, “The relative infrequency with which bees are expected to encounter neonicotinoid insecticides in urban landscapes suggest that the impact of these insecticides in backyard gardens, when used appropriately, is probably minor.” But, environmental advocacy group Friends of the Earth, Washington, D.C., and Berkeley, Calif., has outlined concerns about pollinators and pesticides on its website, and in a report titled,

Growing Bee-Friendly Garden Plants.“It’s a hotly contested issue nation-

wide,” reports Craig Regelbrugge, senior vice president - industry advocacy & research at AmericanHort in Washington, D.C. “Nobody would quibble with the notion that neonics can kill bees,” he asserts, indicating dangers could arise if products – as with most insecticides – are misused. He maintains, however, that neonics are “broadly effective and tend to be low in toxicity to humans and other mammals, and to have a very good envi-ronmental safety profile.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a schedule for reviewing the pesticide class, declar-ing, “As EPA completes risk assessments for the neonicotinoids, the Agency will pursue risk mitigation, as appropriate.”

Only sparinglySt. Charles, IL.-based Midwest

Groundcovers expresses a policy for using these synthetic insecticides. “We use neonicotinoids only sparingly and with a high regard for the potential impact on our environment and pollina-

tors,” explains the company, which lists guidelines that address timing applications to avoid pollinators and minimize residue.

The propagator, grower and wholesale distributor of container nursery stock conveys on its website that it opts to use neonics “when it’s the safest and least harmful alterna-tive.” To avoid disturbing pollination processes by reducing the possibility of ingestion of neonics by bees and other insects, Midwest Groundcovers explains, “We minimize the con-centration and target the application time when plants are not flowering.”

Similarly, Emerald Lawn Care, Arlington Heights, Ill., takes precautions in using a commercial product containing imidacloprid – a material in this class of insecticides – in grub prevention. “We’re making sure we’re not spraying when something is flowering; we do it early or late in the day to avoid higher times of bee activity,” relates company owner Mark Utendorf. “More importantly, we just avoid certain flowering trees and shrubs.

“As far as turf applications go, I think it has no or little impact,” says Utendorf,

(continued from page 22)

Special Feature — Neonics in the Landscape



(continued from page 20)“I think it’s a shame there’s this move-ment to ban something very useful not only for us, but for tree care specialists and agriculture.”


To protect trees and shrubs from inva-sive insect pests such as Emerald Ash Borer, F. A. Bartlett Tree Expert Co., a Stamford, Conn.-based scientific tree and shrub care business with an operation in

Northbrook, Ill., uses neonics via trunk injection or soil application to minimize pollinator exposure, and provides training on ways to minimize potential impacts on pollinators when it is necessary to use neonics as a sprayed application.

According to Gretchen Pettis, Ph.D., an entomologist with the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories, which provides technical support to arborists at Bartlett, “There is no such thing as a nontoxic pes-ticide. By their very nature and use they are designed to kill,” she continues. “When used indiscriminately neonics have the potential to cause harm and it is incumbent upon our industry to do whatever we can to stop improper or excessive use.”

A targetConsulting horticulturist Jim Fizzell,

president of James A. Fizzell, Park Ridge, IL., suggests that the prevalence of neon-ics, such as imidacloprid, has provoked criticism. “Anytime you get something that is extremely popular, like DDT, it eventually becomes a target,” he says. “This industry has been regulated for a very long time so most of the bad stuff has been eliminated,” remarks Utendorf, “and now they’re going after the good stuff.”

Industry observers say that hive col-lapse, or Colony Collapse Disorder, is not occurring in Australia, where neonicoti-


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noid insecticide material is used, but that varroa mites – which have been linked to bee dysfunction – are not present. Other potential culprits cited are foraging habi-tat decline, and strain that bees suffer in being handled.

Although Fizzell articulates that there is some suspicion that susceptibility to these mites might increase through bees’ expo-sure to imidacloprid, he contends that other things, such as transportation of commercial beehives are “hard on bees. There are all kinds of stresses they undergo that could contribute to hive collapse,” which, he explains, has occurred historically – before imidacloprid was introduced. “There is a lot of research going on,” he says, “but, by and large, no connection has yet to be estab-lished between use of these materials and hive collapse.”

Regelbrugge, who urges that integrated pest management be prac-ticed throughout the industry, argues “Challenges to bees are multi-factorial; there’s more than one thing at work.” He further remarks that, “while the debate has been dominated by extremes, we are in this middle position. If we need to mod-ify practices, we will, but decisions need to be based on science – not emotion.”

Regelbrugge asks, “What is the real risk of using neonics in plant produc-tion and landscape in keeping with the

label? Are there residues getting into nectar or pollen at concentrations high enough to cause adverse effects?” and explains that his organization is funding research to learn more, citing Agricultural Scientist Richard Cowles, Ph.D., with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), who has been studying neonics, with research underwritten by AmericanHort’s research affiliate, the Horticultural Research Institute.

Through work at the CAES Valley Laboratory in Windsor, Conn., to gauge insecticide residue in nectar or pollen, Cowles observes, “At the same time that legislation is being considered that make it appear that neonics are to blame for ills regarding wintertime bee mortality, there is convergence in evidence that average exposure of bees to this class of insecticides is approximately 2 ppb for imidacloprid – and perhaps 6 ppb for all neonicotinoids – when their toxic effects are all placed in terms of imidacloprid equivalents, and the minimum threshold for seeing any sublethal effects on honey bees is about 25 ppb.

“Putting these facts together,” he continues, “results in the conclusion that honey bees are exposed to one-fourth or one-tenth the amount of neonics in the environment that would be required to observe any sublethal effects.”

Tools in the toolkitCowles believes in evaluating use of

products on an application-specific basis, and assessing risks presented. “There are certain uses for neonicotinoids for which we do not have effective substitutes, such as imidacloprid for treating hemlocks to manage hemlock woolly adelgids,” he notes. “The industry should make clear to legislators which of these uses are essen-tial and fight to retain them.”

Other uses of neonics materials, Cowles acknowledges, are excessive. “For example,” he offers, “I calculate that labeled treatments of shrubs with imida-cloprid may use doses that are at least 10 times greater than necessary for manag-ing many easy-to-control pests.” He lists specifically aphids, lace bugs, whiteflies, and other honeydew-producing insects.

“So, one response by the industry should be to support research to define the lowest effective dose for managing these pests, and to modify treatment prac-tices for trees and shrubs to be most pro-tective of pollinators,” explains Cowles, who notes that not all neonics are alike with respect to danger to bees. “With this strategy, everybody benefits.”

In considering issues surrounding neo-nics, Regelbrugge encourages listening to those who present what he identifies as a


(continued from page 23)“balanced view. We know that we need to control pests,” he says, and asks, “Do we have the tools in the toolkit to get the job done?”

“Forward-thinking companies con-sider neonics as important and valuable chemical tools in a diverse toolbox of plant health management tactics,” com-ments Pettis. “As such, Bartlett provides continuing education and training on plant health care Best Management Practices to our applicators, she adds, explaining that the practices frequently exceed labeling precautions promoting safety.

Where are we? Management of important landscape

and horticultural pests will need to con-tinue, contends Cowles, regardless of whether or not neonics are available. “Neonicotinoids are important insecti-cides because they are very effective, they are systemic, long lasting, and have very low toxicity to humans. If unable to use this class of insecticides,” he warns, “practitioners may have to use alternative products that are more toxic to humans and the environment than the neonics that they are trying to replace.

“It will be important that any legisla-

tion that seeks to regulate neonicotinoids to try and protect honey bees takes into account the mode of action of the insecticides and the acute toxicity of the products,” cautions Cowles, who, in expressing concern that fault for bad bee health is misplaced, opines, “it is almost certainly the combination of varroa mites and viral diseases that are causing honey bee mortality.”

“We have an extremely effective material that doesn’t hurt people and is extremely valuable to the landscape care community,” concludes Fizzell, who advises that those concerned should not use neonics near pollen plants until blooming is over and bees are no longer present. “I think there is going to be a lot of debate, but as of yet there’s very little data pointing to problems – and the fact that the material is a very good material, and we don’t want to stop using it.”

Pettis, who points to EPA findings and independent studies that she reports have determined that imidacloprid poses minimal risks to honeybees and other pol-linators overall when applied according to label instructions, reminds landscape professionals of the importance of proper care in product use. “Stewardship of chemical management tools,” she advises, “is always the best option for the environ-

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ment and for green industry businesses.” Appeals are made to look to research

for direction in making decisions about the use of neonics. “There’s this rush to judgement,” perceives Utendorf. “It would be nice if everyone would sit back, let science do that.” Regelbrugge concurs, “Our overarching concern is that decisions should be made based on best science. If we depart from that,” he asks, “where are we?

Editor’s note: Near ILCA press time, Marysville, Ohio-based Ortho brand of insect control products for lawn and garden use, announced that it would start transitioning away from the use of neonicotinoid-based pesticides for outdoor use. “This decision comes after careful consideration regarding the range of possible threats to honey bees and other pollinators,” said Tim Martin, general manager of the Ortho brand. “While agencies in the United States are still evaluating the overall impact of neo-nics on pollinator populations, it’s time for Ortho to move on.” The company also announced a partnership with the Pollinator Stewardship Council to help educate homeowners on the safe and appropriate use of pesticides.


Plant Recommendation Panel

By Nina Koziol

Fashions come and go. Like the evolving styles of houses, cars and clothes, which go in and out of vogue, plants are no exception. Take the cover of Gardening magazine, published in Chicago on March 1, 1893. It features a border of hardy grasses — fountain grass (Pennisetum), variegated Japanese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis

Heather Prince, The Pizzo Group

“There’s so much to choose from, but my absolute favorite native grass is little bluestem (Schizachyrium sco-parium). It has four-season interest with pale blue-green foliage. It stays short, has pretty flowers and the fall color is fabulous--it starts with pale blue- green foliage and then turns a reddish-burgun-dy to orange to blond. The seed heads are fluffy and I grow it just so I can have bunches of it in the house.” She notes that bluestem can seed around but not aggressively. At 3-4’ tall and 1.5-2’ wide, bluestem is a warm-season grass that prefers full sun and tolerates deer, drought, dry or shallow- rocky soil.

Her second favorite is prairie drop-seed (Sporobolus heterolepis), another warm-season native that she touts as well behaved, readily available and a plant with multi-season interest. “It’s a pretty, low clumping grass that stays put, has a fragrant flower, tawny fall color and a moppy habit.” At 2-3’ tall and wide, dropseed is a low-maintenance, deer- resistant plant that needs full sun and average soil.

Her third pick, purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis), is a cool-season native grass that she recommends for the front of a sunny border. “It’s short, like a mini-tumbleweed, but when it flow-ers, it’s a clump. It has really nice red-

Experts Recommend Grasses You Can Trust Heather Prince


‘Variegatus’), zebra grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’) and giant reed (Arundo donax).

More than a century later, grasses have come roaring back and for good reason. They can be used in home and commercial landscapes as ground cov-ers, in mixed borders, as focal points, in containers and in prairie restorations.

They add texture, color and movement. New cultivars come to mar-ket almost every year while others fall by the wayside. Some are cool-season plants, sending their leaves up in cold wet soil. Other warm-season grasses don’t emerge until the soil is quite warm, usually in late May.

To make sense of the mind-boggling array of grasses available today, we’ve asked a five-mem-ber plant panel to name their top three favorites.

Plant Recommendation Panel Experts Recommend Grasses You Can Trust

dish fall color and flowers like baby’s breath.” At 1-2’ tall and wide, lovegrass grows in average, dry to medium, well- drained soils and tolerates drought once established.

Prince suggests pairing these grasses with purple coneflower (Echinacea), Rudbeckia, wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), slender mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium), wild qui-nine (Parthenium integrifolium), Liatris and milkweeds (Asclepias).

“No prairie garden is complete with-out milkweed.” She suggests butterfly weed (Aclepias tuberosa), whorled milk-weed (A. verticillata) or short prairie milkweed (A. sullivantii).

For maintenance, Prince says, “I like to keep my grasses up, but not every-body likes that look. In that case, you can cut them back in December.” She also offers this caution: “There’s a feel-ing that when using prairie plants you drop them in the hole and that’s it, but they’re like any other garden plant. They may take two to three years to get going — that’s when they’re setting their roots, but once established, you don’t have to do anything with these guys.”

(continued on page 28


Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)

perfectly round and they don’t open in the center. I like the plain old ‘Aureola’ (H. macra ‘Aureola’), but ‘All Gold’ is very nice, too.” The green and yellow variegated foliage on ‘Aureola’ turns reddish-pink in fall, while ‘All Gold’ has brilliant solid gold leaves and a more upright habit.

“The species is more vigorous. You might look past it, but it’s stunning.” You can find the straight species growing at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Evening Island.

“I tend to put Hakonechloa around something with a different texture. You can pair it with hostas of equal size or grow it with with Polygonatum

Grasses You Can Trust


Richard HawkeChicago Botanic Garden

Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa) tops Hawke’s list. “It’s such an amaz-ing grass. It’s one of those plants that always looks like it’s moving,” he says. The species (H. macra) offers medium green leaves that look like bamboo, but a handful of cultivars produce an array of gold and chartreuse foliage, which makes for stunning focal points in a shade gar-den. Growing about 1-2’ tall and wide, Hakonechloa is a cool-season grass that spreads slowly but is not invasive. It thrives in part to full shade and likes a moist but well-drained site.

“When grown as a specimen, it’s phenomenal. Structurally, it’s one of my favorites. They cascade and are almost

Richard Hawke

(Solomon’s Seal) and it’s beautiful next to Rodgersia.” In his home gar-den he pairs H. macra ‘ Aureola’ with the chartreuse-leaved bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis '‘Gold Heart'). “In a shady garden, the combina-tion just glows.”

Little bluestem, a warm-season native prairie grass (Schizachyrium scoparium) is Hawke’s second choice. “It’s one of those plants I learned years ago, but they were always laying on ground.” Hawke likes newer cultivars like ‘Carousel’ (2-3’ tall and wide) and ‘Jazz,’ (2-2 1/2’ tall by 1-1/5’ wide) for their compact, upright habits. “During the growing season and in fall they have such great color. ‘The



Blues’ is also upright and I like ‘Little Luke’ a lot. I’m not a big fan of mak-ing everything that’s big, small, but in the case of bluestems, I think that’s ok. I like the fact they’re making them sturdier, too.”

He suggests using companion plants that are billowy, like asters and perennial geraniums such as ‘Starman’ or purple coneflower, such as Echinacea purpurea ‘Butterfly Kisses.’ “You could also pair it with a shorter Stokesia with a mounded habit or Stachys officianalis. Choose some-thing that doesn’t smother the grass,” he said.


Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis

Grasses You Can TrustHis third pick is another warm-sea-

son native, prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis), which he likes for its fine textured leaves, longevity and drought tolerance. “I think it’s one of my favor-ites, whether the species or ‘Tara.’ They’re both beautiful plants. On our green roof we’re growing the species and ‘Tara’ together. They have a differ-ent colored inflorescence and different habits.”

For plant partners, Hawke suggests pairing prairie dropseed with goldenrods, geraniums, asters, such as ‘Snow Flurry’ aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides 'Snow Flurry') or simply planting the grass in large swaths. “A big bed of ‘Tara’ is so structural, more so than a lot of grasses.”

The fragrance is another aspect that can be appealing to some. “I love the fact that just as the days get autumnal that fragrance of movie theater butter comes on.” For him, “The fragrance along with the quality of light signals the change of the season.”



Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa)


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Melisa Bell, Montale Gardens

Melisa Bell tends to gravitate to shorter grasses, because “they’re a lot more landscape friendly,” she says. “If the tall-er grasses aren’t used skillfully, they don’t look good. When it comes to grasses, it’s all about scale and good design prin-ciples. I always go back to the purpose--is it to screen or to bring attention? Keep in mind the use.”

Her current favorite is the cool-season autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis), which grows about a foot tall and wide. “In spring, everyone’s looking for green and this grass is a little workhorse. It takes full sun, can handle a little shade, and is pretty much pest free.”

One big plus is that Sesleria rarely needs dividing. “Most

grasses need to be divided every 3 to 5 years. It doesn’t have an extensive root system like Miscanthus and you can easily handle it yourself.” For those who like a manicured garden, Bell suggests cutting it back in the fall.

“I’d pair it with Echinacea purpurea ‘Pica Bella’ for a very midwestern garden look, or Coreopsis ‘Sunny Day’ or Allium ‘Summer Beauty,” she says.

Like others on the panel, she chose ‘Carousel’ bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Carousel’). “I love bluestem and I love native plants. This one has a cool form--it’s a bowl shape. It’s fuller and rounder than other bluestems and it looks great all season.” And, because it’s a native cultivar.


Melisa Bell

Sesleria autumnalis


Bell says it doesn’t need coddling. Unlike some other grasses, she’s never seen rust on the leaves even with overhead water-ing.

One caution, Bell says, is that bluestem doesn’t tolerate shade, high fertility or a lot of water. “Give it full sun and mediocre soil and it will do great. And, the fall color is amaz-ing, from coppery-pink to mahogany — really cool.” She pairs it with any of the autumn-flowering blue asters, ‘Mon-trose White’ calamint (Calamintha nepeta ‘Montrose White’) and ‘Pica Bella’ coneflower.

Her third recommendation is a ‘Blonde Ambition’ blue grama, a warm-season native cultivar (Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’), which she says is not getting the atten-tion it deserves. “It has a horizontal seed head that looks like a little flag. The native species reseeds freely, but not this one. We haven’t had any problems with it reseeding at the nursery. If you’re doing a restoration, the straight species would be great.”

Because it doesn’t appear to reseed, she suggests one way to use it is planted en masse. A low maintenance grass once established, Bouteloua prefers full sun and low to medium moisture. The foliage is about 1’ tall and with flowers, the plant can reach 2 1/2 to 3’ tall.

“It would be great in an all grass garden and it’s a faster grower, which is good.” She suggests growing ‘Blonde Ambition’ with any of the Baptisias or Eupatorium ‘Baby Joe.’ “This grass is definitely new and it’s really worth taking a look at.”

Aesculus parviflora

Callicarpa japonica


Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’

Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Carousel’


Craig Kruckenberg, Cantigny Gardens

When it comes to well-behaved grasses, autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis) is a big draw for our panelists. “I like its habit. It’s been a tough plant for us at Cantigny. It’s in the sidewalk islands that get little attention and it’s been very durable and pretty forgiving,” Kruckenberg says. “We have a lot of foot traffic and the warm season grasses don’t show up right away like the cool-season ones.”

He uses autumn moor grass as an accent plant and he pairs it with two ornamental onion cultivars — Allium ‘Sum-mer Beauty’ and ‘Millenium.’ “I like ‘Millenium’ a little bit more, but I mix them a lot and they’re a little different in their bloom time.” Other favorite plant partners include east-ern beebalm (Monarda bradburiana) and calamint (Cala-mintha nepeta subsp. nepeta), which he says are similar in size to the grass.

Kruckenberg’s second choice is flaming moor grass, (Molinia caerulea ‘Moorflamme’), which he likens to an

upright prairie dropseed. “It’s a really cool plant. The foli-age is low, but the seed heads stand above it. They’re airy and kind of dance with the wind.” The grass reaches 3-4’ tall and 2-3’ wide. It likes moist, well-drained soil and full sun. He hasn’t noticed any reseeding on this cultivar, which has a golden fall color.

“I like to use them as accents and I use them with Geum triflorum (prairie smoke), which is a tough plant. I also like them with geraniums — ‘Biokovo’ or ‘Dark Reiter.’ I always look for things that have a different color foliage or texture.” In some instances, he combines contrasting grasses for effect. “I’ve mixed the Sesleria and Molinia to give a lot of different textures.”

His third pick is Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa). “I really like the cultivar ‘All Gold’ for that pop of color. Although I’ve seen them touted more for part sun to part shade, I’ve seen them in sunny areas and they’ve done fine.”


Craig Kruckenberg

Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa)



Water new plantings, but “once it’s established, there’s not a lot to do with it. Just don’t let it dry out.”

Hakonechloa is a good partner with colorful Heuch-eras and Heucherellas. “There are a lot of new colorful cultivars — open any catalog. I also like it with Pulmo-naria and some of the lower Hostas in the 6-12” range look good with it.

Although ornamental grasses are typically left standing for winter interest, Kruckenberg notes that Hakonechloa has weak stems and would be on the ground with the first snow. But there’s another reason he tries to cut many of the grasses down before winter: mice and voles. “Mice make nests in the grasses. If we don’t take our grasses down in the fall, we lose a lot of them. If we can get to it, we try to cut them back. If you take away their shelter, it’s less likely to happen. If you didn’t have rodent problems you could leave the Sesleria or Molinia up in fall.”

Miscanthus is one group of grasses that Kruckenberg finds problematic. “I’ve been staying away from Miscan-thus the last few years because people have been talking about how invasive they are. We’ve made a conscious decision to get rid of them one at a time because there are better grasses that are native.” Don’t overlook unusual applications for ornamental grasses, he says. “Using upright grasses like Panicum and Calamagrostis grown like a hedge is kind of cool. They’re architectural upright plants and a quick barrier.”

Molinia caerulea ‘Moorflamme’


Kevin McGowen, Kaknes Landscape Supply

Pennisetum. Miscanthus. Karl Forester. They’re all popular grasses, but tend to be overused, McGowen says. “My feeling in general is that there are so many natives and native cultivars, it’s time to look at using them.” All three of his picks—and he sorely wishes this list could have been longer—are drought-tolerant and two are native cultivars.

He, too, chose autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis) because “it can handle dry, moist, sun, shade and it’s salt tolerant so it’s good for city planting. It’s an all around great landscaper’s plant.” McGowen sees the grass as a nice sub-stitute for ‘Hameln’ fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroi-des ‘Hameln’). “The seed heads start out bright white, it’s tough and durable, has winter interest and won’t be seeding everywhere. It’s not native, but I’ve never seen it reseed.”

He pairs it with Calamint (Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta) and Allium. “I love it with Allium ‘Summer Beauty’ and I like the overall size of Sesleria — 18 inches tall by

two to three feet wide.”A cool-season prairie plant, ‘Northwind’ switchgrass

(Panicum ‘Northwind’), is his second choice for its good looks and for sentimental reasons. “It’s Roy Diblik’s plant. I love how narrow it is as an exclamation point.”

McGowen likes the plant because it doesn’t develop rust like other switchgrass. To showcase its upright habit, he placed eight of the grasses in a perennial border and spaced them six feet apart. “It can grow six to seven feet tall and two to three feet wide and it doesn’t flop.”

Because the bluish-green foliage is a nice complement with perennials, McGowen pairs the grass with ‘Rozanne’ and ‘Jolly Bee’ geraniums and garden phlox, saying “the bigger flowers look good with the grass foliage. I also like it with coneflowers — Echinacea ‘Magnus’ — the pink against the blue, or ‘White Swan,’ and also with Liatris spicata or ‘Becky’ shasta daisy, (Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Becky’).”


Kevin McGowen

Sesleria autumnalis



Panicum in general one of the last ones to come up in spring, McGowen says. “Prune it before new growth appears, other than that, it stays up with sleet and snow.” It may need dividing, but McGowen’s plants are over seven years old and he has not had to divide them. “If you were going to do that, cut into the base of the plant like you would a piece of pie. Roy Diblik taught me that — it keeps the integrity of the plant.”

His third favorite is the cool-season native, ‘Blue Heaven’ little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Heaven’). “It’s a great substitute for ‘The Blues,’ which has been around forever and lodges and flops over,” McGowen says. In flower, ‘Blue Heaven’ can top out at nearly five feet. In the fall, the steely blue foliage, which has purple highlights becomes a mix of purple, red, pink and orange. Glossy purple panicles stand upright over the leaves and the plant looks good with other sun-loving prairie plants, such as Echinacea, Liatris, Asclepias and Rudbeckia. “The seeds are a little hairy and that adds texture. It’s real graceful and in the wind, it adds movement to the garden.”

Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Heaven’

Northwind’ switchgrass (Panicum ‘Northwind’)


Favorite Plant Combinations Featuring Grasses


Plans are already underway

for the 2016 edition of ILCA’s Green Industry Guide

Contact Debbie Rauen foradvertising information

[email protected]


ILCA Doubles Down on Digital Design—

February brought a return engagement for nation-ally recognized expert, trainer, and author Daniel Tal. This year he conducted two, two-day seminars on learning how to use the 3D modeling software SketchUp. These hands-on workshops were conducted in a modern computer lab setting at the Northern Illinois University campus in Hoffman Estates. The class began with SketchUp basics and reviewed important tools and approaches to generating simple to complex models. The course taught participantss to model a simple site plan and structure. Day two introduced intermediate and advanced SketchUp techniques.

Participants received take-away models that can be used on their own to work with SketchUp. On day two the instruc-tor demonstrated more complex modeling concepts including working with terrain and integrating SketchUp with CAD programs. Tal’s easy going style facilitated a great learning environment.

The class was limited to a maximum of 20 students per two-day session and was sold out for both.

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ILCA Winter Events

ILCA Hosts—2016 Foremanship SeminarMastering Foremanship

The two-day event was held March 3-4, 2016 at the Fox Run Golf Links Elk Grove Village. The class was presented by long-time ILCA member, Professor Armando A. Actis.

Production and maintenance landscape foremen have unique needs as they have to wear two hats: a worker and a leader. Foremen have to walk the fine line in working side by side with the employee and having to direct, motivate and critique at the same time. Managing former peers and friends can be especially difficult, dealing with problems and obsta-cles can take skills that only can be developed by stepping out of the work environment for a few days, learning best prac-tices, applying it in a learning environment through role play, and then going back and applying it on the job.

In this dynamic seminar, participants learned how to more effectively handle tight deadlines, tight margins and increase customer satisfaction. Also, participants were energized when they saw the class was prepared and designed specifically to meet their unique needs and not just another cookie cutter seminar.

Key components of the program included—• The central role of the “worker-leader”• How to properly supervise friends, peers, and former equals• How to effectively communicate with your boss and superiors• To generate 100 percent accountability from your team• How to motivate and delegate at the same time• To require accountability for all work (both bad or good)• How to implement and follow daily & weekly work schedules• How his team can produce quality work that stays within the budget and is completed on time• The effectiveness of the work team• How to deal with challenges and personal problems that occur outside the workplace that impact productivity• To manage problem behavior• How to produce client focused work using a moral compass• To understand that mannerisms and values are as important as technical abilities



ILCA Hosts—2016 Foremanship SeminarMastering Foremanship

Professor Actis provides inside sales management & knowledge, public relation, training and his education experience with the landscaping & construction industry at Rendel’s Inc. He is Sales Department, Training & Project Manger at the Joliet Branch. He also provides end user opera-tion, application and maintenance training. He trains anyone from the casual user to the professionals in OSHA, safe & correct usage of landscaping and construction equipment. He is also Equipment Manager for ILCA’s (Illinois Landscape Contractors Association) CLT section & judge for the Certified Landscaping Technician final exams at Joliet Junior College.

His education credentials include a New Jersey Teaching Certificate, B.A. in English, minor in Spanish, M. A. in Education and an Honorary Doctorate from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, where he taught English. He presently teaches English & Spanish at College of Dupage. Additionally he is a Motorcycle

Instructor for Northern Illinois University and University of Illinois.

His mechanical credential includes riding/repairing 2/4-cycle motorcycles since he was 9, racing them in motor cross races for years and building/repair-ing Harley-Davidson engines for over 30 years. He has been using Stihl chain saws since he was 15 and as a manager for a New Jersey construction company he taught OSHA Safety Usage & technical courses.He has taught at high school and col-

lege levels and in multinational compa-nies. While in South America he worked for Chemical Bank and Mobil Oil and his responsibilities included organizing/supervising English, Spanish, computer classes and teachers; updating foreign staff on economy, finance and political matters in South America and providing direct assistance to country managers.

About the Instructor — Professor Armando A. Actis


ILCA Latino Relations Group CommitteeChair: Erika Walters, The Mulch CenterBoard Advisor: Jose Garcia, Natural Creations LandscapingArmando Actis, SMC Corporation of AmericaEduardo Alonso, Lurvey's Landscape SupplyMarcos Ayala, Schmechtig Landscape CompanyBernie Carranza, CLT, Premier ServicesJulio Barrientos, Lurvey's Landscape SupplyHernan Cortez, Midwest TradingCarlos Puente-Martinez, CLT, Four Lakes VillageCatalino Mendoza, Midwest GroundcoversJoe Villa, Haggerty Auto Group

Expande Tus ConocimientosMarch 17-18, 2016 • Four Lakes Village • Lisle, IL

ILCA Winter Events


Expande Tus ConocimientosMarch 17-18, 2016 • Four Lakes Village • Lisle, IL


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By: Kate Zabriskie

Jacqueline 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.

After a brief “hello” in the morning, she was shown the coffee pot and led to

an empty office. The desk obviously 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 pen-nies.


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(continued from page 46)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 themselves. These encoun-ters 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 park-ing? Should they report to Human Resources first? Eliminating uncertainty will show that you’ve got your act together. (continued on page 50)

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(continued from page 48)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 com-puter, 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.

5. If your organization has coffee mugs, shirts, or other promotional items emblazoned with the com-pany 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 pro-viding the new person with a writ-ten schedule for the first day. The schedule should include lunch with the immediate supervisor, new col-leagues, 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 outlines in an employee manual provided by your organization. However, if some-thing is important to you, highlight it verbally. New people have a lot of information to digest, and extra emphasis can’t hurt.

8. During a new hire’s first few weeks, set up 20-minute informational meet-ings with key employees throughout your company. This should go with-out saying, but be sure to choose peo-ple who believe in your organization, set a good example, and can provide insight about the business. (continued on page 52)


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(continued from page 50)9. A little background information can

help new employees avoid potential landmines. While gossip is obvi-ously 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 some-one isn’t looking out for them.

11. If the employee is new to your indus-try, share trade magazines, websites, and other resources that might be use-ful.

12. Finally, check in throughout 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 informa-tion, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com.

AttentionLandscape Contractors:

Remember to Support ILCA Supporters! These include: • 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


During the 2016 iLandscape show, Ayala joined ILCA because he wanted to be a part of the community of land-scapers, but there are other benefits. “I want access to training for myself and my workers,” he says. “I think it will be beneficial to all of us, but especially for the new employees, to be trained by pro-fessionals.”

Ayala Landscape Co.26112 N. Hickory AvenueMundelein, IL 60060(847) [email protected]

by Meta Levin

Juan Ayala, Jr. has a 91-year-old client. His father first met her when she hired his firm as a newly-wed. It’s one of the things that makes Ayala Landscape Co. in Mundelein special. “We have clients we first met as babies and now they are grown with children of their own,” says Ayala. “Some of our customers date back to when my uncle owned the company.”

Ayala grew up in the family land-scape business. As a child he would accompany his father to work, where he would help out by pulling weeds. As the years past he took on more and more responsibility, walking behind a mower by the time he was a young teen. Gradually he realized that he loved the work. A few years ago he bought out his father, who still is active, meeting with long time customers and doing esti-mates.

His uncle, Pedro (Pete) Ayala, who sold the business to Juan Ayala, Sr. in 1986, still is on the job as a foreman. He had originally purchased the company from another owner and was known as Trentio Landscaping, so it has been around for quite some time. Ayala still serves some of the original owner’s cli-ents.

In his uncle’s heyday, the family landscape firm was known as Pete Ayala Landscaping and primarily provided landscape maintenance to its customers. Gradually Ayala’s father added design and installation, as well as hardscapes, while continuing to provide mainte-nance.

Now Ayala Landscape has grown and has nearly 10 employees in season and three trucks. They are trying to expand slowly, so that they can keep their sig-nature close relationships with their customers, most of whom are on the North Shore, says Ayala. “I know every customer by name,” says Ayala. “We have 140 regular customers and I am proud that I can go up to every one of them and call them by their last name.” He does that, because his father taught him to greet them by “Mr.” or “Miss” or “Mrs.”

The business provides design/build, snow plowing, hardscapes, landscape enhancement, pots for all seasons and herbicide and pesticide management for primarily residential customers. About 20 percent of the clients are commercial or homeowners’ associations, however.

All along the North Shore, Ayala sees younger people buying older homes and restoring them. That includes redo-ing landscapes and he is right there to help. “Each customer wants something different,” he says.

There also is a big call for outdoor living environments, including modern, complete outdoor kitchens with lots of appliances. “People appreciate the time that they spend out of doors,” he says.

As he has matured in the business, Ayala has realized how much his com-munity has given to him. A native of Mundelein, until recently he lived in the house in which he grew up. He is looking for ways to give back to the Mundelein area.

Member Profile


SUPPLIER MEMBERS

Vulcan Construction Materials, LLCLisa Kapoun1000 E. Warrenville Road, Suite 100 Naperville, IL 60563Phone: (630) 955-8541Fax: (630) [email protected] of crushed stone, sand, gravel, decorative stone, salt, haul-off service, aggregate delivery, hourly trucking and construction spoil removal.

Alexander Equipment Co., Inc.Steve Johnston4728 Yender Ave.Lisle, IL 60532Phone: (630) 663-1400Fax: (630) [email protected] Equipment is a full service dealer for Morbark brush chippers, tub grinders & whole tree chippers, J.P. Carlton stump grinders, Boxer mini skid steers, Timberwolf log splitters, FAE forestry mowers, Stihl power products and an impressive selection of Arborist Supplies. Our 18,000 square foot service facility in Lisle, IL is packed with inven-tory and staffed with knowledgeable personnel ready to provide the kind of service you expect!

RelaDyneKatie Zagone2250 Arthur AvenueElk Grove Village, IL 60007Phone: (708) 741-5277Fax: (847) [email protected] nation’s leading provider of lubri-cants, fuel, hydraulic fluid, and diesel exhaust fluid. Servicing the Great Lakes Region for over 135 years!

Illinois Truck and EquipmentSteve Dillon320 Briscoe DriveMorris, IL 60450Phone: (630) 300-8070Fax: (815) [email protected] in the Midwest in Morris, Illinois on a 25 acre facility, just off Interstate 80. We provide quality machines and equipment, for sale or rent for over 25 years. Your premier Rental Source, One Call Rents It All! We offer competitive rental rates on our complete line of construction equipment. Immediate job site delivery or customer pick-up. From excavators to dozers, off-road track trucks to light plants, we have one of the largest selection of over 1,000 units of heavy equipment and attachments at a single location in the Midwest. Offering full Sales, Rental, Service, Trucking, Parts and Finance departments to better serve your needs.

New Members


Construction Foreman

Chicago Specialty Gardens, Inc. (CSG) is an award-winning landscape design/build firm head-quartered in Chicago. We specialize in the design and installation of contemporary urban rooftop gardens and city landscapes. We seek an experi-enced Construction Foreman to join our team.

Job Description:The Construction Foreman is responsible

for overseeing a small installation crew on landscape,hardscape and rooftop garden projects.

The Construction Foreman:• Ensures that all installation work is per-

formed in accordance with industry and company standards.

• Ensures that each crew member is trained appropriately for each designated job assignment.

• Follows directions from Construction Manager.

• Communicates well with all crew mem-bers, suppliers, supervisor, and clients.

• Strives to improve job skills and develop the potential for upward mobility, and leads by example.

• Tracks and records all job expenses and hours worked accurately.

• Maintains clean and safe job sites.Experience working in city buildings and rooftops is a plus. Two years of Construction Foreman experience or equivalent is required. Valid driver’s license is required. Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a plus. Compensation is BOE. Working season runs roughly between March 1st and December 15th.

Contact: Rick Connolly (Construction Manager) [email protected]

Laborers Needed

Laborers needed. Excellent growth potential. Job entails installing exterior and Christmas lighting. Must be willing to climb ladders. Drivers License is a plus but not necessary. Three years experience in a landscape based business is preferred.

Email resume to: [email protected]

FULL TIME MECHANICGolf Course and Sports Field Contractor seek-ing experienced equipment and truck mechanic at Marengo shop. Class A CDL required to transport equipment between jobs. This is a salaried position with benefits.

Please forward resume to [email protected]

CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES

May 2016 issue ads: April 15, 2016May 2016 issue ads: May 15, 2016

PLEASE NOTE: “HELP WANTED” AD SALES ARE

LIMITED TO ILCA MEMBER COMPANIES

Magazine Cost is $5 per line Minimum charge $50

Optional Website Cost is $7 per lineMinimum charge $70(About 6 words/line)

Use the online submission form located atwww.ilca.net

Call Alycia O’Connor (630) 472-2851

Spray Technician - Plant Health Care

Rosborough Partners, Inc. is seeking an experi-enced Spray Technician. Responsibilities include handling and applying pesticides according to label specifications, loading materials and schedul-ing routes to achieve efficient use of time. This position also requires the ability to neatly organize and store inventory with a minimal amount of space and during peak season- April 1 thru July 1, the ability and willingness to regularly work on Saturday.Requirements for this position are:

Operator/Applicator license in turf, ornamental and mosquito. Class C Driver License.Horticultural knowledge and landscape industry experience. English & Spanish fluency is a plus. Prefer 3 to 5 years of experience.

Please email resume to:[email protected]

ACRES GROUP CAREER OPPORTUNITY-SPRAY TECHNICIANS in Plainfield!

Acres Group, one of the top 20 professional land-scape contractors in the nation, is seeking Spray Technicians to manage application route assuring quality standards and production timelines are met, mix & apply chemicals, complete turf & ornamen-tal applications, respond to and rectify customer inquiries. Join our industry leading team! To view full job descriptions and apply online, visit us at

www.acresgroup.com or contactJoel@ 847-487-3257.

HELP WANTEDHELP WANTED HELP WANTED

Landscape Architecture • Construction • Maintenance • Snow Management

www.jamesmartinassociates.com

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 37 years.

We are seeking candidates for the following positions:

To be considered for any of these opportunities, please forward your resume and salary history to

[email protected] or call Beth at 847-876-8052.

Irrigation Technicians Account Managers Superintendents

Business Development

Classified Ads


Classified Ads

Wingren Landscape Downers Grove, IL Visit Website www.wingrenlandscape.com

Wingren Landscape, Inc. is an award winning full-service landscape company for both residential and commercial properties. Our outdoor services are virtually limitless and include full-scale landscape maintenance, design, construction, lighting, and irrigation. We are all things outdoors. Founded on a commitment to excellence since 1957. We are seek-ing experienced candidates for the following full time positions:

• Maintenance Account Manager/ BusinessDevelopment• Maintenance Supervisor/ Superintendent• Lawn-care TechnicianPlease send resume to:[email protected]: 630-759-8155

Residential Architect / DesignerPosition Role / Requirements:

This person will be responsible for managing all phases of residential design projects of varying types and sizes from initial client outreach to proj-ect managing the job to completion. The position involves design, sales and project management.

• B.S. Landscape Architecture or demonstrated experience.• Ability to produce high-quality creative designs, estimate and sell jobs.• Intermediate to advanced skill level in Autocad, Adobe Photoshop, and MS Office. Experience with Sketch Up, LandFX and Asset is considered a plus.• 5 plus years of experience preferred (Licensed in Illinois a plus)• Excellent communication and graphic skills

Please send resume and work samples to: [email protected]

ACRES GROUP CAREER OPPORTUNITY-SALES ACCOUNT MANAGERS

(junior & senior levels) in Wauconda!

Acres Group, one of the top 20 professional land-scape contractors in the nation, is seeking sales Account Manager to manage a portfolio of accounts in lawn and snow providing high levels of customer service, make horticultural recommendations & sell property enhancements in lawn and ice melt in snow, sell new contracted lawn & snow accounts. Join our industry leading team! To view full job descriptions and apply online, visit us at

www.acresgroup.com or contact Amy@ 847-487-5071.

SEBERT LANDSCAPING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Sebert Landscape services the Chicago-land area with a unique and sustainable approach. We call it “The New Green” and it’s our way of changing the landscaping industry.

*Construction/Enhancement Supervisor*This position is responsible for assisting the

residential Landscape Architect/Designers in supervising construction/enhancement crews and all the functions pertaining to the crews. Supervising job quality and performance are the primary responsibilities. Other responsibilities include scheduling of projects, management of crews and materials, and others.

We are seeking an individual who works independently and has strong problem solving and organizational skills. 2-3 years of experience managing hardscape and landscape projects is highly recommended. This position calls for an individual who is eager to learn and looking to be a part of a growing team. Competitive salary with incentive package, paid vacation, insurance, 401k and vehicle are a few of the benefits available.

*Account Manager*The Account Manager is responsible for man-

aging several crews, and for regular communica-tion with clients through site visits, quality field reports and one-on-one meetings. Good relation-ship management skills will help with providing enhancement proposals and retaining existing accounts and in developing new prospects to meet Seberts growth goals.

*Landscape Designer*Great Impressions, our residential Naperville

branch, is looking for an experienced, highly moti-vated and talented landscape designer/architect to be a pivotal piece of design/build’s growth. A qualified candidate will have the background in sales, knowledge of estimation & construction, and provide premier customer service.

If interested in any listed position, please send your resume to: [email protected]

Landscape Crew Leaders and Laborers

Wanted landscape crew leader and laborersfor small family business. Jobsites locatedin Chicagoland area. Bilingual is a plus.Must have landscape experience. Pay is based on experience.

Send resume to [email protected] call the office at (847) 551-1105.

Landscape Construction Manager

Are you working for a company that just promises but doesn’t deliver? If so read on. We have been

in business for over 30 years and service both resi-dential and commercial clients. We’re proud of our people with their, “let’s make it happen attitude”. We have a positive, exciting, family culture, not a, “that’s how it’s done around here” corporate one. We are the Diaz Group serving Chicago and the surrounding area, you can find us on the web at,

www.diazgroupllc.com.Because of our rapid growth we are looking for an experienced landscape construction manager

to head up our construction operations. Now with this unique position we need a unique person. You

need to be familiar with all phases of both resi-dential and commercial construction both masonry and plantings. If you can speak Spanish that would

be a plus and of course a valid drivers license is required. You will need experience in estimating,

buying job materials and managing multiple crews. If you have some working computer skills that

would be helpful as well. This is an outstanding opportunity with a competi-tive salary and compensation package, including a

company vehicle and benefits. If you want to work for a “growing, learning

organization” and have experience in executing landscape projects, WE WANT YOU! We will

need appropriate references and will check them. Does this sound good? If you know your stuff and feel you fit the bill then send me your resume right

now to…….. [email protected]

Landscape Residential Maintenance Account Manager

Rosborough Partners, Inc. is accepting resumes for an experienced Residential Maintenance Account Manager to manage portfolio of residen-tial maintenance clients. Responsibilities include preparing proposals, contract renewals, identifying and selling new sales leads and ensuring qual-ity control is followed on client sites. Revenue and profitability goals will be set each year and accomplished by analyzing, planning, organizing, and adjusting schedules to achieve efficient use of resources and people.

Establishing, building and maintaining client relationships are the keys to being successful in this position.

Landscape industry experience and/or a horti-cultural degree are required. English & Spanish fluency is a plus. We offer competitive wages and benefits.

Please email resume to: [email protected]




ACRES GROUP CAREER OPPORTUNITY-MAINTENANCE PRODUCTION MANAGER

in Roselle & Plainfield!

Acres Group, one of the top 20 professional landscape contractors in the nation, is seeking Maintenance Production Manager to manage multiple crews, equipment and materials during landscape and snow seasons. Assure quality service & customer sat-isfaction while monitoring job costs & crew safety. Join our industry leading team! To view full job descriptions and apply online, visit us at www.acres-group.com or contact Amy@ 847-487-5071.

Client Relations Manager

The Client Relations Manager manages the relation-ship 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 cus-tomers and articulate the ability of our company to meet the clients’ needs with products or services.Directs sales forecasting activities and sets per-formance 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 requirementsAssists 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 send resumes to: [email protected]

Installation Representative

Due to rapid growth, Synthetic Turf of Illinois is in search of people looking to join our installation team. Ideal applicants will be bi-lingual and have a strong background in hardscape, landscape construc-tion or golf course type experience. CDL is a bonus! Great pay and lots of opportunity for advancement. We will train the right person. Please email or fax your resume to Doug at [email protected] or fax to 708-961-2037. If no access to a computer or a fax machine, please call Doug at 815-685-5733.

FIELD SUPERVISOR

Garden Prairie Organics; Northern Illinois Compost Facility is seeking for a full time position;

FIELD SUPERVISOR

Expectations of Position:• Supervise and work with team in the field• Perform daily tasks in compost operation• Work in conjunction with operations manager• Heavy equipment experience• General equipment maintenance knowledge• Work around all types of moving equipment• Good communication skills• Organized• Self starter• Enjoys working outside• Experience in organic recycling or mulch opera-

tion a plusPlease send resume to:

[email protected] 847-963-6151 fax

Foracres Landscape Group

We are a full service-commercial lawn maintenance company located in the far west suburbs. We are growing and need your talents to help us continue our expansion. We are looking for individuals who want to make a difference. If you are unyielding to the staus quo, creative, organized, tenacious and self-motivated, COME JOIN OUR TEAM!

Positions Available:

Design Build Sales: Experienced/entry level

Lawn maintenance Sales: Experienced

Foremen: Experienced with Driver’s license

Laborers: Experienced/entry level

Please send your resume to: [email protected]

or go to our website and fill in your contactinformation: www.foracres.com

Spray Technician

Martin John is seeking an experienced Spray Technician. Responsibilities include handling and applying pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer accord-ing to label specifications. Requirements for this position are:Operator/Applicator license in turfHorticultural knowledge and landscape industry experience. English & Spanish fluency is a plus. Past experience is helpful.

Please email resume to:[email protected]

Project Manager

Clauss Brothers, Inc. is a respected, well established Landscape Contracting Company building extensive, high profile outdoor environments since 1925.

Project Manager:Self motivated individual with the experience to estimate projects, secure materials, develop a con-struction plan, field implement plans and layouts, direct staff, perform documentation and continue developing successful working relationships with clients. Computer generated layout skills benefi-cial. Qualified candidate will take project from cost development to final project sign off. Similar Field experience and/or college degree preferred along with a background in the green industry. We offer a com-plete benefit package and competitive salary.

Send resume to: [email protected]

Landscape Foreman/Laborers

Patch Landscaping and Snow Removal, Inc., located in the heart of Chicago, is currently searching for a landscape foreman and laborers for the 2016 land-scape season. We are searching for motivated indi-viduals to be part of our crew.

Available positions:

* Landscape Installation Foreman/Laborers* Hardscape Laborers* Lawn Maintenance Laborers

To apply, send your resume to: [email protected]

ACRES GROUP CAREER OPPORTUNITY-TREE CREW LEADERS & CLIMBERS

in Plainfield, Roselle or Wauconda!

Acres Group, one of the top 20 professional land-scape contractors in the nation, is seeking experi-enced Tree Crew Leaders and Climbers to manage a portfolio of accounts year round and providing high levels of customer service, scaling, cutting, and pruning trees at various heights, removing debris, maintaining equipment and following proper safety protocols. Join our industry leading team! To view full job descriptions and apply online,

visit us at www.acresgroup.com or contact Amy@ 847-487-5071.

Landscape Designer/Sales

Landscape Designer- 1-3 years experience. P.A. Likes, Inc. Is currently seeking a Landscape Designer for high-end residential and commercial work. The successful candidate will work directly with our owner and be directly involved with all aspects of the landscape project. Duties will also include customer service for existing landscape and maintenance clients. The candidate must be personable with strong knowledge of hardscapes and plant materials. Strong organizational skills and project professionalism is a must. Ability to use Dynascape, Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Sketch Up, and Quickbooks a plus.

Education Requirements: Bachelors or Associates Degreein related field preferred.

Please email resume and cover letter to [email protected]

Or fax: 630-904-8732

Christy Webber - Project Manager

CW is seeking a dynamic Project Manager with the ability to estimate projects, secure materials, develop a construction plan, direct staff, perform documentation and continue developing successful working relationships with internal and external customers. Qualified candidate will take project from cost development to final project sign off. 4+ years of field experience with a background in the green industry a plus. Competitive pay and benefits.

Send resume to: [email protected]

CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES

May 2016 issue ads: May 15, 2015July 2016 issue ads: June 15, 2015

PLEASE NOTE: “HELP WANTED” AD SALES ARE

LIMITED TO ILCA MEMBER COMPANIES

Magazine Cost is $5 per line Minimum charge $50

Optional Website Cost is $7 per lineMinimum charge $70(About 6 words/line)

Call Alycia O’Connor (630) 472-2851

or use the online submission form located atwww.ilca.net

HELP WANTED


Reach more buyers and MAKE MORE SALES!

Successful suppliers know— industry leaders read this magazine.The Landscape Contractor is the Midwest’s premier monthly magazine for the landscape, nursery and garden center business.• Sales and marketing statistics show that the single best way to reach buyers is through highly-targeted specialty magazines.

• This award-winning magazine is frequently hailed as the best magazine of its kind. Put your message in this flattering environment.

• The Landscape Contractor has an affordable advertising program for every budget.

Get your 2016 sales year off to a fast startFor immediate attention CALL Debbie

at 817-501-2403 or email — [email protected]


AttentionLandscape Contractors:

Remember to Support ILCA Supporters! These include: • 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

1st Choice Equipment ............................................53

Agrecol..............................................................6

Bartlett Tree Experts .............................................52

Beaver Creek Nursery ..........................................43

Cardno ...................................................................22

Carlin Sales...............................................................6

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

Compost Supply .....................................................23

Dayton Bag & Burlap .............................................24

Doty Nurseries LLC ................................................6

Goodmark Nurseries ..............................................47

Green Glen Nursery ...............................................63

B. Haney & Sons, Inc. ............................................25

Hinsdale Nurseries, Inc. ......................................14

Homer Industries ....................................................21

James Martin Associates .........................................62

JKS Ventures ..........................................................22

Kramer Tree Specialists ..........................................25

Lafarge River Stone ..............................................49

Lemke Stone ...........................................................41

Longshadow Planters .............................................11

McGinty Bros. ........................................................57

Midwest Groundcovers ............................................2

Midwest Trading .....................................................12

Mobile Fleet Express .............................................24

Ornamental Growers Association ..........................19

Perfect Turf ............................................................55

ProAp .....................................................................51

ProGreen Plus ..........................................................6

Rainbow Farms Enterprises ....................................50

RealDyne ...............................................................46

Rocks Etc. .............................................................48

Snowfighters Institute ...........................................52

Stockyards Brick Co. ...............................................15

The Care of Trees .................................................... 6

The Mulch Center ...................................................46

Spring Meadow Nursery .........................................31

Unilock, Inc. ...........................................................64

Xylem, Inc. ............................................................48

Advertisers

By Joe Rothleutner

Some plants — just like All-Star athletes — make everyone around them look better. What’s a plant you can use — and rec-ommend — 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.

The Fox Valley® river birch (Betula nigra ‘Little King’) is a dwarf version of the species that is well known for its charming, salmon-colored, papery bark. The leaf maintains a good green color through the summer and has a golden yellow color in the fall. I think the bark looks the best in the winter, when it brings some warmth and life to the landscape.

This tree was selected by Jim King of King Nursery in Oswego Illinois, and is being promoted through the Chicagoland Grows®plant introduction program. Fox Valley river birch has local roots and is a reliable performer.

You can use this small specimen tree near an entry way or along a patio, so the bark may be enjoyed up close. Fox Valley river birch could also be used as unique screen along a property line or in a low maintenance border. These are new ways to enjoy river birch which usually would be too large for these situations.

In youth, Fox Valley river birch has a broad pyramidal form, which becomes more rounded as the tree matures. With some shaping and pruning, the canopy can be lifted to make the bark more visible. Prune in late fall or winte. Pruning in the spring may cause excessive sap “bleeding.”

This tree is easy to keep happy. It is bronze birch borer resis-tant and is drought tolerant when established. Like all birches, it may develop chlorosis in alkaline soils, but performs well in most garden settings and can tolerate periodic flooding.

In 10 years the plant will reach 8-10 feet tall and wide and then slowly grow to a final height near 15 feet, about 1/4 the scale of the species type river birch.

This plant is available at local nurseries and can be sourced by looking at the Ornamental Growers Association plant locator.

When your landscape needs call for a river birch that’s more compact (not to mention one that has excellent disease and pest resistance), I recommend Fox Valley river birch.

Betula nigra ‘Little King’ facts—

Ornamental Features

Betula nigra ‘Little King’ Fox Valley® River Birch

Joe RothleutnerTree and Shrub BreederThe Morton Arboretum

Joe joined The Morton Arboretum in 2012 after receiving his master’s degree in plant breeding, genetics and biotechnology from Oregon State University. He has a bachelors degree in urban forestry from the University of Maryland.

Foliage8-10’ tall and wide in 10 years, maturing to 15’.

Size:

Pale salmon and cinnamon-red exfoliating bark develops when plants reach 3-4 years old. No catkins or seeds are produced.

Adapts well to most soil types and growing conditions but performs best in moist, slightly acidic soils. Heat- and drought-tolerant.

Culture

All-Star Plants

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

GBright green, becoming medium green with pleasing sheen as season progresses. Fall color is yellow-gold.


the landscape contractor magazine may 2016 digital edition

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