Elephant ears and chartreuse and chocolate ipomoea potato vine decorate this Brooklyn stoop.
Brooklyn, N.Y. ?EUR??,,????'??? The Brooklyn Botanic Garden, in partnership with the Brooklyn Borough President and Independence Community Bank, has announced the winners of the 10th Annual Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest.
First place in the residential category was E. 25th Street block between Clarendon and Avenue D in Flatbush.
?EUR??,,????'??We?EUR??,,????'???re elated,?EUR??,,????'?? exclaimed Hazel Foster, greening coordinator and president of the E. 25th Street Block Association. ?EUR??,,????'??Our block began entering this contest nine years ago and this is the first time we?EUR??,,????'???ve been honored with the top spot.?EUR??,,????'??
This year marked the first time individual storefronts were recognized for awards. First place in the commercial category went to the Association of the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corp. in the Boerum Hill neighborhood.
In the first year of the contest, just 50 residential blocks entered the contest, a number that is closer to the number of judges this year. This year, 224 blocks participated, including 188 residential and 36 commercial entrants.
The winning blocks displayed lush window boxes spilling over with a variety of colorful trailing annuals and tropical plants, such as the giant elephant ears and the chartreuse and chocolate ipomoea potato vine. The well-designed blocks were impressive in their use of mixing perennials such as heuchera, daylily and hostas of every variety, with evergreens, street trees and the hardscapes and planters. There is a tapestry of vertical and horizontal plantings set off by the greenery that ignites the senses and makes the borough a summer of visual delight.
For a full list of winners and for more information about the contest, visit www.bbg.org/greenbridge.
In June, the San Fernando Valley Chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) announced the 2004 recipients of their annual Beautification Awards. The purpose of the competition is to recognize superior landscaping work by professionals in the landscape industry. The following winners entered projects that offered the most innovative ideas for landscaping, as well as the highest quality in both creativity and functionality.
The Sweepstakes Award
Majestic Pools & Landscape of Northridge, CA
The Special Effects Award
Southern California Landscape of San Fernando, CA
The Colorscape Award
Oliver Holt Landscape of Northridge, CA
The Excelsior Award
SK Landscape of Northridge, CA
The Hardscape Award
Southern California Landscape of San Fernando, CA
The President?EUR??,,????'???s Choice Award
Tokiwa Landscape of Arleta, CA
The F. H. Arklin Memorial Award
Blumel?EUR??,,????'???s Sunset Landscaping of Newhall, CA
The Bob Moore Memorial Award
John Vorbeck Landscape Contracting of Burbank, CA
The Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America (PLCAA) plan to join forces January 1, 2005 into a new green industry association, pending ratification by the membership of both organizations.
?EUR??,,????'??We are very excited about this new association,?EUR??,,????'?? said Kurt Kluznik, CCLP, president of ALCA. ?EUR??,,????'??It brings together two powerful organization that will now be able to provide even greater benefits and programs for our collective memberships.?EUR??,,????'??
The two organizations have partnered on a number of projects and programs over the years, including the annual Green Industry Expo (GIE).
Throughout 2004, ArborMaster??????oe Training, Inc. of Willington, Conn., will be a key component of Husqvarna?EUR??,,????'???s ?EUR??,,????'??Team of Pros?EUR??,,????'?? by providing professional instruction for chainsaw users across the country.
ArborMaster emphasizes hands-on training specifically designed to improve the skill, safety and productivity of tree care professionals. The training will be led by Ken Palmer and Rip Tompkins who have more than 40 years of arborist experience and are both titleholders in the International Society of Arboriculture?EUR??,,????'???s International Tree Climbing Competition (the Olympics of the arborist industry), with Palmer winning the championship three times and Tompkins once.
As a leading provider of chainsaws, chainsaw accessories and safety equipment, Husqvarna?EUR??,,????'???s primary goal is safe operation, and they are committed to providing the resources necessary to achieve it.
Husqvarna will be sponsoring ArborMaster?EUR??,,????'???s participation at the following events:
?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR Aug. 7 ?EUR??,,????'??? 11: ISA Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, Pa.
?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR Aug. 20 ?EUR??,,????'??? 22: Woodsman?EUR??,,????'???s Days, Booneville, N.Y.
?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR Oct. (TBA): Society of Municipal Arborists Conference, Denver, Colo.
?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR Oct. 1 ?EUR??,,????'??? 3: Paul Bunyan Days, Nelsonville, Ohio
?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR ?????EUR??,,?EUR Oct. 28 ?EUR??,,????'??? 30: TCIA Expo, Detroit, Mich.
For additional information about ArborMaster Training, visit the company Web site at www.arbormaster.com, or call (860) 429-5028.
Show: November 14-16
Education & Certification: November 11-16
Tampa Bay, Florida ?EUR??,,????'??? This year?EUR??,,????'???s show includes the exhibition, certification exams, a new product contest, technical sessions, education courses, an international business center, industry tours and business seminars. For the second year in a row, the U.S. Department of Commerce has designated the International Irrigation Show an International Buyer Program Show.
For more information contact the Irrigation Association at (703) 536-7080 or log on to their website at www.irrigation.org for registration.
The Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) is pleased to announce the release of the Spanish version of their popular training resource, Landscape Training Manual for Maintenance Technicians. This manual is the first of a three-volume series of training manuals to be developed for Hispanic landscape technicians. Later this year, Spanish versions of the Landscape Training Manual for Installation Technicians and Landscape Training Manual for Irrigation Technicians will also be available.
Filled with detailed tables, charts, landscape drawings and photographs, the manual offers companies a training resource that can improve field performance. It features comprehensive information for turf maintenance, spring/fall cleanup, turf types, aeration, chemical applications, weeds and pests, diseases, plant care, equipment operation, basic irrigation maintenance and snow removal.
For Hispanic Certified Landscape Technician (CLT) candidates, this manual, plus the upcoming companion installation and irrigation manuals, will serve as a comprehensive study guide in preparing for the written and hands-on certification examinations
The manual is now available for $55 for ALCA members and $80 for nonmembers, plus shipping and handling.
For more information or to place your order, visit the ALCA bookstore at www.alca.org or call (800) 293-5542.
The Western Nursery & Landscape Association has moved its yearly get-together to the Overland Park Convention Center. This new, larger, state-of-the-art facility will add 100 booths to their show space and make every aspect of the upcoming trade shows and conventions easier and more convenient for exhibitors and attendees.
The Western Nursery and Landscape Association is a regional association which includes the following participating associations and their members: the Iowa Nursery and Landscape Association; the Kansas Greenhouse Growers Association; the Kansas Nursery and Landscape Association; the Missouri Nursery and Landscape Association; the Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association and the Oklahoma Nursery and Landscape Association.
The 2005 trade show and convention is scheduled for January 9 to 11, 2005 at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas.
SANTA ANA, Calif. ?EUR??,,????'??? The Orange County Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth has honored Sukut Construction, Inc., with the ?EUR??,,????'??Emerging Growth Award.?EUR??,,????'?? This award honors organizations with revenues up to $500 million that exhibit leadership and superior growth.
Steve Muzzy, Wells Fargo Bank, presented the award to Sukut at a ceremony of 250 guests at the Westin South Coast Plaza.
?EUR??,,????'??Sukut has quadrupled its revenues in four years, growing from a small local contractor to one of the nation?EUR??,,????'???s top 300 contractors,?EUR??,,????'?? Muzzy said. Sukut?EUR??,,????'???s clients include a number of the top land developers and homebuilders, including the Irvine Company, Standard Pacific Homes, Lennar Communities, Toll Brothers and Centex Homes.
Sukut has also won regional awards for ?EUR??,,????'??Contractor of the Year?EUR??,,????'?? and ?EUR??,,????'??Best Place to Work.?EUR??,,????'?? The company has the largest earth-moving fleet (200 units) in Southern California.
Tucson, Ariz. ?EUR??,,????'??? Rain Bird Corp. has donation 800 quarts of its irrigation supplement to ?EUR??,,????'??Trees for Mt. Lemmon?EUR??,,????'?? to aid in the group?EUR??,,????'???s efforts to reforest private land damaged in last summer?EUR??,,????'???s Aspen Fire near Tucson.
Trees for Mt. Lemmon has already planted approximately 400 trees, each with two one-quart cartons of the irrigation supplement, a time-released water in gel form ideal for establishing native plant material where permanent irrigation is not available. Trees for Mt. Lemmon will also plant an additional 400 trees that will be watered by permanent irrigation.
The U.S. Forest Service donated about 800 trees for planting, Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir seedlings, which are indigenous to the Mt. Lemmon area.
?EUR??,,????'??We?EUR??,,????'???re happy to be able to play a role in the reforestation efforts,?EUR??,,????'?? said Gurmeet Singh, Rain Bird product manager.
In July, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) launched a campaign aimed at securing ammonium nitrate against criminal misuse. The campaign, known as ?EUR??,,????'??America?EUR??,,????'???s Security Begins With You,?EUR??,,????'?? urges everyone handling ammonium nitrate to implement security plans, maintain records of sales of ammonium nitrate and alert law enforcement officials of suspicious activity through the toll free hotline (800) 800-3855. The hotline is operated by the ATF. Campaign materials include a poster, a brochure and a window sticker for use at the distribution and retail outlets that handle ammonium nitrate. In addition to urging retailers to keep records of all sales of ammonium nitrate they also require all purchasers of ammonium nitrate to furnish a government issued picture identification to verify both their identity and address.
For more information contact: information@tfi.org.
Woodbine, Md. ?EUR??,,????'??? Culling the expert advice of noted green industry authorities, GIYP.com (Green Industry Yellow Pages), a leading digital directory, has unveiled its newest research and service tool called virtual plant tags (VPT).
The VPT database on GIYP.com is a wealth of information of plant information and professional plant images. The site currently hosts over 20,000 virtual plant tags and expert advice from Dr. Allan Armitage (annuals and perennials), Dr. Michael Dirr (trees and shrubs), Kirsten Llamas (tropicals), and Richard Schuck (aquatics expert).
?EUR??,,????'??Green goods companies are using the virtual plant tags to cultivate online customers,?EUR??,,????'?? notes GIYP.com founder and CEO Steve Cissel. Cissel explains that for as little as $295 per year, a garden center or nursery can start reaching the online customer with its entire spread of plant material through its participation on the GIYP.com website.
December 2-3, 2004 ?EUR??,,????'??? Gainesville, Florida
Join nursery and landscape industry professionals from across the southern U.S. at the fourth annual Great Southern Tree Conference.
Developed through the joint efforts of the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) and the University of Florida, this event is ?EUR??,,????'??the tree conference to attend.?EUR??,,????'?? The event is centered around a 15-acre outdoor demonstration area with topics on tree selection, landscape, production, establishment, marketing and management issues in the southern United States. No other educational conference takes concepts from the classroom and implements the ideas in a demonstration site.
Growers, propagators, landscape contractors, plant brokers, allied suppliers, landscape architects, inspectors, foresters, arborists, city and county planners, water management district staff, educators, research scientists and other tree industry professionals will be in attendance.
For more information, log on to www.greatsoutherntreeconference.org.
