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Irrigation & Water Management

Leeper’s Lawn Service

Managed growth keeps a company strong Photos Courtesy of Leeper’s Lawn Service. Attention to detailis evident on theproperties maintainedby Leeper’s LawnService. Established by Chris Leeper in 1984, Leeper’s Lawn Service, Inc. is celebrating 25 years of serving Fort Wayne and the surrounding area of northern Indiana. Cory Leeper joined his brother in the business shortly after it began. They’ve grown from a two-person company to the largest family owned and operated lawn and landscape company in the area. The company was recently voted the number one lawn and landscape service in a best of the best selection program featured in both of Fort Wayne’s newspapers, The Journal Gazette and The New Sentinel. Cory, Chrisand John Leeper (leftto right) are picturedjust outside the officeentrance to theLeeper’s LawnService, Inc. facility. Total maintenance of the propertiesincludes flowerbed and container plantings,like this pot filled with assortedannual flowers. Chris initially offered only fertilization and mowing, but soon realized that he needed the whole package to attract more customers. He and Cory gradually added aeration and dethatching, the multiple-step lawn care program, pruning and mulching, the landscape design build division and snow removal. Cory says, "We started out small and grew a little bit each year, expanding our services and customer base while controlling the growth. That’s been our philosophy from the beginning. We just turned down a major project because we couldn’t fit it into our schedule without taking a chance on lessening the quality of the product we deliver to the client." The brothers ...

GIE+EXPO Preview

Louisville, Ky., Oct. 23-25, 2013 GIE+EXPO 2013 happens at an excellent time for manufacturers to show their complete new lines. There are 750 exhibits throughout 500,000 square feet inside the Kentucky Exposition Center and in the turf area outside, and 19 acres of outdoor demonstrations and test-driving adjacent to the indoor exhibits. The show also features seminars to boost your efficiency and bottom line. For more information, email info@gie-expo.com or visit http://www.gie-expo.com. Educational Sessions GIE+EXPO Workshops Attend the GIE+EXPO Workshops that will be delivering cutting-edge information for landscape and lawn service professionals, grounds managers and hardscape pros. The workshops are sponsored by the Professional Landcare Network and Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute. Each session is $50 and preregistration is required. Thursday, Oct. 24 7:30-9:15 a.m.: Brain Food for Breakfast, “Common Problems, Simple Solutions.” (Light breakfast included) 10-11:30 a.m.: Hardscape Session 1, “Adding Hardscape Installation to Your Company’s Success” 1:30-2:45 p.m.: PLANET Session A, “Understanding Your Sales Process: Is it all about YOU or the CLIENT?” 3-4:15 p.m.: PLANET Session B, “Ten Ways Significant Money is Slipping Out Your Back Door and You Don’t Even Realize It!” Friday, Oct. 25 7:30-9:15 a.m.: Brain Food for Breakfast, “Calculating Your Equipment’s Owning and Operating Costs” (Presented by Total Landscape Care and Equipment World magazines. Light breakfast included) 10-11:30 a.m.: Hardscape Session 2: “Production Management and Crew Motivation on the Hardscape Jobsite” 1:30-2:45 p.m.: PLANET Session C, “Why Not You? Five Strategic Actions You Can Take Now to Grow” 3-4:15 p.m.: “PLANET Session D, “How ...

Lauritzen Gardens Blossom in Omaha

A maintenance program of the highest standards.

Hardscape Products, Pond Maintenance and Landscape Products

ABI ABI offers the UltraClear line, a variety of biological products for improving water clarity in ponds and lakes. Aeration Industries Aire-O2 Aerators oxygenateand circulate ponds, preventingalgae, scum and odors.Subsurface horizontal flowprevents stagnant conditions. Aeromix Systems The Symphony Floating Fountain requires 30 inches of water depth, is easy to install and comes completely assembled with four different spray patterns. Allan Block Allan Block Retaining Wallproducts can be used for gardenand landscape walls orlarge-scale retaining walls. Anchor Wall Systems The Anchor Highland Stone free-standing wall in earthen colors is available in two heights and three face lengths. Column units available in two heights. Aqua Control Display aerators and fountainsrange from .5 to 40 hp with34 spray patterns. Pump allowsfor water intake from deeperthan 5 feet below the surface. AquaMaster Fountain aerators create oxygen through a stainless steel propeller diffuser system. Oxygen circulation and wave action prevent thermal stratification. Becker Underwood Black Onyx lake and pond colorant is a high-concentrate colorant that helps create the natural look of black-colored water. Collier Metal Specialties Offers 14-gauge steel landscape edging that is 3/16-inch thick and comes in 4 and 6-inch heights. Powder-coat colors include green, brown and black. Contech Contech Bridge Solutions offers a comprehensive line of bridge products to suit any application, including plate, precast and truss structures. Decorating Elves Decorating Elves is a Christmas lighting and holiday décor franchise offering design, installation, maintenance, removal and storage. Ecologel The Aqua-T line includes natural bacterial cultures to reduce sludge, control odors and digest excess ...

Team Effort

Contracted turf maintenance helps Tarrytown House staff manage the grounds Just 25 miles north of Manhattan, overlooking the Hudson River, sits a unique retreat. Two historic mansions serve as the heart of Tarrytown House Estates & Conference Center, which recently underwent an $11 million renovation to restore the mansions, while updating the hotel’s more modern facilities. Today, Tarrytown House boasts 212 guest rooms and 30 meeting rooms, totaling 30,000 square feet of meeting space, not to mention a fully equipped fitness center and recreational amenities that include indoor and outdoor pools, as well as tennis, volleyball and basketball courts. The égreat lawn,_ first added to the property in 1922, provides a shining example of how turf quality at Tarrytown House has been dramatically improved over the last several years. As impressive as the buildings are, it’s the property itself that separates Tarrytown House from other hotels and conference centers. Where others might have just a few flower gardens or a patch of lawn, at Tarrytown House there are 26.3 estate-like acres of landscaped grounds. It’s this setting that attracts guests to the property, and therefore the grounds must be kept in finely manicured condition. Norm Christian, director of engineering, is responsible for maintenance and grounds at the historic facility. “Some of the grounds work we do ourselves, but much of the maintenance is contracted out to a landscaper,” he says. The arrangement, he adds, allows the hotel to lower costs by assigning its own staff to handle certain projects, while ...

2008 Landscape Industry Show

Los Angeles, Calif. February 27-28 The Landscape Industry Show is the leading green industry show in the West. The show provides you with the ultimate customer connection—bringing you face-to-face with an expected 8,000 attendees and 300-plus exhibitors. Green industry professionals come ready to make decisions and learn about the latest and greatest products. For complete information, visit www.clca.us/lis. Show Schedule Registration Tuesday, February 26 12 – 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 27 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Thursday, February 28 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Educational Seminars Wednesday, February 278 a.m. – 3 p.m. Thursday, February 288 a.m. – 3 p.m. LocationLos Angeles Convention Center, South Hall 1201 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015 Educational Seminars Wednesday, February 27 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Thursday, February 28 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Educational Sessions Wednesday, February 27 8 – 10 a.m. • The Design-Build Process—Kent Gordon England, owner of Kent Gordon England, Inc. • Becoming an Exceptional Performance Coach—Bob Coulter, professional landscape industry motivational trainer with JP Horizons. • Top Ten Employee Issues Plaguing Landscapers/’08 Labor Law Update—Stacy Rochelle, regional director for the California Association of Employers. • Job Costing for Profit vs. Existence—Brian Van Bower, president of Aquatic Consultants and Genesis 3 Design Group. • Preserving Mature Trees During Construction—Barrie Coate, ISA certified arborist and owner of Barrie D. Coate and Associates. • Implementing Water Management Performance—John Moore, program manager for CLCA’s Water Management Certification Program. 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. • Water Management Certification Test—$200 general public/$100 for ...

A Bright Idea

Bright Former farmer lights up the night in New Jersey PHOTOS COURTESY OF GREEN GIANT NURSERY & LANDSCAPING. Lighting water features at night is now common in New Jersey, but lighting the peaks of the house adds a whole new dimension. Louis Cappuccio came into the landscaping game a little late, but he is really lighting up the outdoors in New Jersey with what he calls “lightscaping”. Outdoor lighting makes up a significant percentage of his business. Here’s what his Web site (www.greengiantlandscape.com) says on the subject: “With outdoor lighting, your home’s unique landscape and architectural features can have a dramatic effect by having a second life under the stars.” And, it’s not just a few lights. Cappuccio’s customers want a whole new dimension to their landscapes, front and back. He’s the kind of lighting designer who doesn’t even require a piece of paper to diagram the extensive lighting patterns, using an artist’s sense to visualize the illumination that will best suit an outdoor situation. He’s a technician, too, but he is most proud of the creative lighting designs that show off some of the most expensive homes in the state. He’s an upbeat man with a small company focusing on the upscale custom home landscaping market. Which might seem a little odd, because for many years he was a farmer. Cappuccio grew up on the New Jersey farm, operated by his father and uncle, and later worked at an even larger farm. However, the hours were killing him, and ...

Minnesota Green Expo

January 9-11, Minneapolis, Minn. The 2008 Minnesota Green Expo will take place January 9-11, 2008, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) and the Minnesota Turf & Grounds Foundation (MTGF) are partners in the regional trade show and educational program which targets a broad spectrum of green industry professionals. Give us three days … … and the Minnesota Green Expo will give you a leg up on what’s new to ensure you’re on the cutting edge of the market. All of it: products, accessories, educational seminars, marketing and business workshops, parties, receptions and networking. It’s all business, and it’s all at Expo. Make it your business to be there in January, or you’ll be left behind! The show’s audience includes nursery and greenhouse growers; garden center operators; landscape and irrigation contractors; landscape designers; lawn, tree and gardening professionals; golf course and park superintendents; school and cemetery grounds supervisors; sports turf managers; and arborists. Over 8,000 green industry professionals are expected to attend from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota. Hotel information The Hyatt Regency will be the headquarters hotel for the 2008 Minnesota Green Expo. The Hyatt is connected by skyway to the Minneapolis Convention Center, as well as to shopping, dining and entertainment venues. Guest rooms include amenities such as in-room movies, large work desks with two-line phones and voice mail. The hotel features a fully equipped health club and indoor heated swimming pool, as well as sauna and Jacuzzi. Discounted room ...