Southwest Boulder & Stone owner Michelle McLeod (right) gave a tour of her Lake Forest, Calif. facility while Edward Wallace (left), owner of Midwest Landscaping, checked out verdant stones.
Photo: Courtesy of Larry Shield

Landscape professionals who design and build landscapes, got an opportunity to get some ideas on how to make their business more profitable and take a tour of host Southwest Boulder & Stone's facility. Tacos and Cokes and networking opportunities were part of the California Landscape Contractors Association/Orange County Materials Tour on Nov. 5.

The company's product line includes freestanding retaining wall systems, clay brick and clay pavers, soil and turf products, soil binders and rock stains and concrete interlocking pavers. SWB distributes manufactured stone: cultured, Coronado, precast rock panels and precast boulders.

Landscape contractors can help their clients by taking advantage of incentive programs to remove turf from their residences, replacing it with drought-tolerant and native plantings. In this win-win scenario the home owner can get rebates back from water districts and save money. Contractors get the chance to design and build a new landscape with hardscape materials and plant materials.

"We've had a severe drought in Southern California for a number of years, so it's clear that we have to do something," said Michelle McLeod, owner of Southwest Boulder & Stone. "Landscape contractors need to educate their clients about the parameters of what their hardscape products can and can't do."