Pro Landscaper USA April 2026

Let’s Hear It From Alex Salazar, the CLCA’s new president

Plug-in Polinature

Landscaping solutions for public spaces

AGZA Certification Guide

Helping landscapers

switch to battery power

Mow Like a Pro with Honda ProZision

Honda ProZision is Coming Soon!

Almost 50 years ago, Honda revolutionized lawn care with our very first walk-behind mower. And now it’s time for a change just as momentous: our new ProZision™ battery-powered ZTR (Zero Turn Radius) models. Premium power. Best-in-class cut quality. Maximum comfort. And the trusted reliability that’s made Honda mowers the benchmark of the industry. They’ll be available this spring in 54-inch and 60-inch versions. And coming soon, the biggest news of all--our groundbreaking ProZision ZTR Autonomous mower. The future is here, and once again, it’s powered by Honda!

Learn more at https://powerequipment.honda.com/zero-turn-mowers

April 2026 CONTENTS

AGZA’s Electrification Mission

AGZA shows landscapers how to electrify without sacrificing profits

Carbon-Sink Landscapes

How an app could offset a project’s carbon in 15 years

Financing a Green Transition

Advice on electrifying using metrics and incentives to prove returns

Let’s Hear It From: Alex Salazar

Sharing knowledge with competitors drives sustainable growth, not guarding secrets

Against the Tide

Madrone transformed a patio using marine-grade materials and native plants

Meet the Supplier: EGO Commercial

EGO Commercial introduces its scalable charging and data tools

Top Tips Battery Fleet Management

Stihl’s recommendations for treating batteries as system investments

Plug-In Public Spaces

How a self-sufficient prototype proof-of-concept aims to cool vulnerable neighborhoods

Regulatory Compliance Design

An expert on designing with enviromental regulations

Nature as Client

Botanist-turned-designer discusses treating ecosystems as stakeholders

Ecological Knowledge

What can we learn about resilience from Traditional Ecological Knowledge?

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As the Pro Landscaper USA team put together this Green Issue special, I found myself lingering on one single, loaded word: Green. For generations, it has been the default descriptor for what landscapers do—a synonym for healthy turf, vibrant plantings and thriving livable landscapes. But the bar has risen. Today, ‘green’ demands a broader and more urgent definition—one that encompasses true sustainability, ecological responsibility and environmental stewardship.

In this issue, Pro Landscaper USA brings forward some of the most respected voices advocating and advising on these critical premises. On page 10, Daniel Mabe, founder of the AGZA, details how his organization is helping landscapers trade gas tanks for battery packs. On page 15, business consultant David Whittaker follows suit with guidance on financing sustainable solutions without breaking the bank.

The conversation shifts from the back office to the built environment on page 49, where Harvard professor Belinda Tato discusses the potential of ‘plug-in’ landscaping as a viable response to climate-induced global heating. Similarly, on page 12, Pamela Conrad outlines the practical steps necessary to ensure a design-build project is capable of offsetting its carbon footprint within 15 years.

Our lead ‘Let’s Hear It From’ interview features new CLCA president Alex Salazar, who delves into his history in the industry and offers advice for professionals new and old on page 19. Then, turning from industry leaders to the next generation, ASLA award winner Maria Gonzalez discusses her priorities—and those of the upand-coming landscapers she represents—for the future of the profession.

Here’s to rich learning, productive conversations and a greener future built on both!

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Register for APLD’s April webinar

Discover the art of pro bono practice in landscape design and join the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) for a webinar on Wednesday, April 29, at 2 pm, Eastern.

In this session, participants will explore how landscape designers can incorporate pro bono work into their professional practice while balancing generosity with business realities, managing scope and expectations, and delivering high-quality outcomes beyond the traditional fee-based model. Through practical guidance and real-world examples, participants will gain insight into structuring pro bono engagements, aligning them with personal or firm values, and integrating service-based work into sustainable professional practice.

About the Speaker: Haig Seferian is a University of Guelph and California Polytechnic Institute of Environmental Design graduate. As the founder and principal landscape architect of Seferian Design Group since 1992, Haig has been a consistent leader in the profession, advocating on government affairs issues, guiding students through mentorship and shaping the future of the field. His volunteer efforts have resulted in the creation of meaningful public space community projects, and he continues to share his expertise widely through educational outreach across North America.

Registration closes April 27. Register now: apld.memberclicks.net/probono-webinar

Join NADRA this spring for networking and Deck Safety Month

The North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA), a community of Industry professionals, is waiting to uplift and inspire you.

The spring season is here, and it’s time to get ready for the exciting changes that come with it. Home shows are in full swing, new projects are taking shape and homeowners are eager to invest in their outdoor spaces.

One thing we’ve always believed in is the importance of staying connected. That’s why we’re excited to announce our NADRA networking events. These events are a great way to meet new people, share ideas and strengthen the relationships that make our industry so successful.

We’re also gearing up for Deck Safety Month in May. This is something NADRA has been advocating for years, and it’s a reminder of the importance of safety and doing things the right way.

Check out membership, events, education and how to become a Deck Safety Ambassador today. Visit NADRA.org for more information.

Learn pool construction and design with GENESIS virtual courses

Take your skills to the next level ahead of the busy season with GENESIS, a company of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA). The association’s curriculum is designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and techniques to create outdoor living spaces that sets them apart from the competition. GENESIS is offering three virtual courses this spring in preparation for summer.

E245: Standards, Codes and Ordinances—April 13 and 15

Familiarize yourself with the current standards, codes and ordinances that govern swimming pool and spa construction and how these documents differ in application. You’ll walk away with a helpful set of graphs, charts and spreadsheets needed for pool and spa permits.

E211: Fluid Hydraulics for Pools & Spas—April 20-23

Understand the basics of the hydraulic principles in order to design more efficient and serviceable systems for pools and spas. Learn to identify the physics of water and apply the basic principles, code limitations and guidelines to your hydraulic designs.

D271: Architectural Styles—May 5, 7, 12, 14

When the pool is well-designed to match the home’s architecture, the effect can be breathtaking and add real value to the property. This process can only begin after a basic understanding of architectural styles—the palette from which we draw.

Find the full lineup of GENESIS courses at phta.org/genesis/find-a-course

Total Pro Landscape Expo overcomes weather to deliver a successful 2026 event

Despite challenging winter weather, the Total Pro Landscape Expo & Conference once again demonstrated why it remains the Northeast’s premier green industry trade show. The event brought together professionals from across the green sectors to connect, learn and explore emerging technologies shaping the industry.

Held February 18–29, at the New Jersey Convention Center in Edison. The event continued its tradition of strong participation and valuable education.

The success of the Total Pro Expo would not be possible without the leadership of the New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association (NJNLA), which plays a central role in organizing, promoting and delivering the conference.

Highlights of the 2026 Expo included:

• 150+ exhibiting companies showcasing equipment, services and technologies

• Extensive continuing education opportunities for industry professionals

• Engaging presentations from leading industry speakers

• Comprehensive trade show featuring the latest innovations in the sector

A notable feature of the event was the second annual AGZA Green Zone, a unique exhibit area focusing on commercial battery-electric landscape equipment and charging systems. The Green Zone highlights platforms that have undergone independent AGZA AFTC field evaluation, as well as other emerging technologies entering the marketplace. The AGZA Green Zone was coordinated by AGZA Northeast Representative Richard McCoy, with additional support from AGZA Mid-Atlantic Representative Zack Kline.

Both representatives delivered classroom presentations and worked with AGZA AFTC manufacturers to educate attendees about the benefits and operational considerations of battery-electric landscape equipment.

“Total Pro 2026 was another successful year, featuring valuable education, strong industry participation, and an opportunity to inform professionals about low-impact landscape practices—from clean technology equipment to organic land care case studies,” says Richard McCoy.

During the event, AGZA also reinforced its partnership with NJNLA, whose mission is to advance green industry businesses in New Jersey through networking, education, public promotion and advocacy.

“While weather challenges required us to condense the event to one day this year, we have many more programs and opportunities planned for the months ahead. Our commitment to supporting New Jersey’s landscape industry remains as strong as ever,” comments Lori Jenssen, executive director of NJNLA.

The collaboration between NJNLA, AGZA, and Total Pro Expo highlights a shared commitment to profitable, sustainable landscape practices, as interest in low-impact and regenerative solutions grows across the industry.

Inside AGZA’S MISSION

Daniel Mabe on how AGZA is helping landscapers trade gas tanks for battery packs—without leaving profits behind

The American Green Zone Alliance’s (AGZA) raison d’être is improving communities’ quality of life, operator working conditions and landscaping industry standards. AGZA guides professionals in shifting to quieter, cleaner and more sustainable operations.

Understanding AGZA’s mission begins where its founder started. Daniel Mabe came to this work from the front lines. “I started working in the landscape maintenance industry at a very young age, so my early experience was rooted in conventional operations—gas-powered equipment, traditional chemical fertilizers and standard pest management practices,” Mabe explains. Over time, as he heard residents’ concerns about noise and exhaust, he began to wonder whether a different model was possible.

Through experimentation, Mabe built a low-impact landscaping business, which became AGZA’s model. The organization now helps the industry transition using a framework of certifications.

Service Pro Certification

When asked what gaps AGZA Service Pro Certification fills for businesses already using

battery equipment, Mabe says the program provides meaningful value. For example:

• The certification leverages independent field data to offer insight into equipment performance and battery longevity.

• Training covers workflow management, teaching crews how to handle the complexities of managing dozens or hundreds of batteries.

• The program unlocks cost-saving opportunities, with many AGZA AFTC Certified manufacturers offering discounts to certified contractors.

“Our training focuses on several key operational areas,” he comments.

that could afford multiple industry memberships and formal programs,” he notes. “AGZA works with everyone—from large firms to one-person operations—ensuring that access to training and knowledge is available across the industry.”

AFTC

“AGZA works with everyone—from large firms to one-person operations—ensuring that access to training and knowledge is available across the industry”

“First, we place a strong emphasis on preventive maintenance and safety, which helps crews extend equipment life and operate more reliably.”

Though, what does certification mean for the average crew member? Mabe emphasizes AGZA’s role in professionalizing the industry.

“Historically, workforce training and continuing education were often limited to larger companies

As the market floods with new electric options, contractors face the challenge of separating marketing claims from true commercial-grade durability. This is where AGZA’s AFTC (AGZA Field Tested Certified) designation comes in. So how is it different from a manufacturer’s own claims?

“The key difference is independence and real-world validation,” Mabe answers. While manufacturer claims are typically based on internal testing under controlled conditions, AFTC certification relies on independent evaluation by professional crews using the equipment in real commercial environments, across different regions, moisture levels and temperature extremes.

“When a landscaper purchases an AFTCcertified tool, the assurance they’re getting from AGZA is that the equipment has been tested outside the manufacturer’s lab and proven capable of performing in real commercial conditions,” Mabe observes. The certification evaluates durability, workload capacity, battery performance, year-over-year battery decline, safety and integration into daily operations.

AGZA Green Zone Certification

Mabe outlines that AGZA’s Green Zone Certification has four levels helping municipalities, campuses, commercial properties and other institutions transition their landscape maintenance operations to cleaner, quieter and lower-impact practices. The certification focuses on replacing high-emission gas equipment with battery-electric alternatives while also improving practices that affect noise, air quality and worker safety.

“What the certification ultimately achieves is the creation of a defined area—an ‘AGZA Green Zone’—where landscape maintenance practices are independently verified to substantially reduce noise, eliminate exhaust exposure for workers and the public and lower overall environmental impacts,” he says.

Beyond electrification, the program incorporates broader sustainability practices including soil health management, water conservation, reducing invasive plant species and encouraging regional native plants.

A ‘prudent’ transition to battery power AGZA urges businesses to switch “prudently.” Mabe broke this down into two pillars. “The first is operational feasibility. Businesses, institutional operations and individual professionals must be able to maintain efficiency, productivity and safety while integrating battery-electric technologies into their daily workflows.”

“The second is economic feasibility. Companies need to remain profitable while transitioning away from gas-powered equipment. In simple terms, a prudent transition means adopting cleaner technologies in a way that works in the real world—operationally, financially and safely.”

However, with an escalating number of local and state regulatory efforts affecting gas-powered landscape equipment nationwide, what would a prudent transition look like in these conditions?

Mabe addressed this directly. “We’re already seeing a significant number of local and state actions related to gas-powered landscape

equipment. At this point, there are more than 200 different bans, restrictions or regulatory measures affecting the purchase or use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment across the US.”

AGZA approaches this reality neutrally. Mabe remarks that he understands operational challenges but also recognizes community frustrations.

“From the beginning, AGZA has encouraged a ‘carrot, not just stick’ approach—similar to what we’ve seen in the EV and solar industries, where governments have invested heavily in incentives, workforce training and public education to support technology transitions.”

Nevertheless, he acknowledges industry tension. “We’ve seen both strong pushback from the landscape industry and equally strong momentum from communities advocating for restrictions. Because of that reality, our advice to business owners is not to panic—but to pay attention and be prepared.”

Overall, Mabe’s prescription is pragmatic: contractors should start exploring gas-alternative technologies where they fit naturally into their operations and build from there. At the same time, he and AGZA encourage policymakers to support the industry with training resources, transition funding and practical implementation timelines.

Daniel Mabe spent two decades in gas-powered landscaping before founding AGZA. He now helps contractors, municipalities and institutions transition to sustainable, battery-electric operations through certification and training. agza.net

Instagram @agzainfo

SUSTAINABLE Sinks

Landscapes can become carbon sinks in just 15 years. Pamela Conrad discloses how smarter design choices make it possible

A2024 UN-Habitat report estimates that urban built environments are responsible for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions—a statistic that places noteworthy responsibility on the landscaping and construction sectors to drive meaningful reductions.

Pamela Conrad, founder and executive director of Climate Positive Design, has built her career around tackling this challenge. Through her work in landscape architecture, she champions naturebased solutions that actively sequester carbon, a process she insists is more accessible—and more impactful—than many professionals realize.

The simplest and most rewarding carbon improvement on most projects is to plant more and pave less.”

This principle extends into the early stages of design, where Pathfinder enables practitioners to test concepts against climate data. “Sketch a concept—or a few options— do a quick material area takeoff, and plug them into Pathfinder as design alternatives. The scorecards make it easy to see which concept performs best from a carbon perspective,” she says. When evaluating materials, Conrad advises focusing on the primary offenders.

“The simplest and most rewarding carbon improvement on most projects is to plant more and pave less”

To help demystify carbon accounting, Conrad developed the ‘Pathfinder’ app. She emphasizes that the journey begins not with complex calculations but with fundamental design philosophy. For those just starting, she offers a straightforward directive: “Start by looking at your planting-to-paving ratio.

“Concrete is usually the biggest hotspot,” she notes, recommending reducing Portland cement by incorporating supplementary materials like fly ash or slag, and for metals prioritizing the highest possible recycled content. She suggests designers “design out heavy below-grade infrastructure in favor of natural systems like bioswales.”

Plant selection plays a critical role too. “Biomass matters—bigger plants store

more carbon,” Conrad states, advocating for long-lived, fast-growing trees. The calculus also includes operational carbon from maintenance. “Transition maintenance equipment to electric as it reaches end of life,” she advises and reduce irrigation demand through drought-adapted planting.

The industry is also seeing a shift toward transparency through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Conrad urges professionals to utilize these documents critically: “Look for the Global Warming Potential (GWP) and compare that number between products.” She underlines that requesting EPDs is itself a significant act, as “it signals to manufacturers that transparent carbon data matters in our specifications.”

Nevertheless, a common misconception, Conrad observes, is the pursuit of perfection. “People think the calculations have to be perfect. They don’t. Start early, stay high-level and update the analysis at key design phases. If you get lost in the details, you risk never doing the analysis at all.” This pragmatic approach underpins the optimism of her Climate Positive Design Challenge, where “the median project in the Challenge offsets its impacts in about 15 years,” proving that landscapes can rapidly transition from carbon sources to carbon sinks.

Pamela Conrad is a landscape architect, Harvard Loeb Fellow, and Architecture 2030 Senior Fellow. She champions nature-based solutions in the built environment and leads global climate action as ASLA’s inaugural Biodiversity and Climate Fellow. climatepositivedesign.org

H-2B VISA NAVIGATION

As cap limits squeeze 2026 labor planning, the question isn’t whether H-2B will arrive—but what strategic alternatives you’ve built.

If you’ve spent time in landscape operations or business ownership, you know that workforce planning can make or break a season. Traditionally, H-2B visas in the landscaping industry have closed the gap between peak demand and available domestic labor. But in 2026, relying on a single, federally administered visa program with static caps, uncertain supplemental allocations and lotterydriven timelines is no longer a defensible staffing strategy. Across the country, established firms are redesigning their staffing architecture to protect margin, stabilize scheduling and reduce exposure to federal unpredictability.

● Conservative: 50%-60% of requested visas

● Moderate: 70%-80%

● Optimistic: Near full allocation

“Labor volatility must become part of your financial modeling”

Then tie revenue commitments, backlog expansion and equipment purchases to the conservative scenario. When you model capacity this way, you avoid cascading risk. If visas arrive late or in reduced numbers, you’re already operating within a realistic envelope. If approvals exceed expectations, that becomes upside capacity rather than emergency relief.

Reframing H-2B in workforce architecture

The first shift to protect labor planning is strategic. You still file and advocate for program reform, but you also build diverse labor sources, so your business doesn’t hinge on one government decision.

Currently, the cap is set at 66,000 workers per fiscal year. However, you can’t guarantee full visa approval. Instead, structure three workforce projections, based on estimated allocation figures:

This disciplined workforce planning in landscaping aligns your sales and operations teams. If your conservative labor model supports only $18m in annual revenue but your sales pipeline projects $23m, you may secure alternative labor channels to recalibrate growth targets. Optimism isn’t a staffing strategy.

Advanced labor cost modeling for 2026

Labor volatility must become part of your financial modeling. Wage pressure in domestic markets, overtime exposure during visa delays and subcontract rate premiums can compress margins if not anticipated.

Start by calculating revenue per labor hour across different divisions, such as maintenance, enhancements, irrigation and installation. Then run margin sensitivity tests based on:

● A 10%-20% domestic wage increase

● A four-week H-2B delay requiring overtime

● A 25% shift to subcontract labor

You should know precisely at what point subcontracting becomes more cost-effective than overtime, and when overtime erodes net profit beyond acceptable thresholds. This level of analysis transforms landscape business staffing strategies into integrated financial controls rather than HR exercises.

In addition to wage pressures and overtime risk, almost all jobs have stagnated in growth due to broader economic uncertainty. This further tightens the labor market and emphasizes the need for conservative scenario-based planning.

Operational efficiency as labor multiplier

When labor is constrained, operational engineering is a critical lever. Route densification reduces windshield time, fuel costs and crew fatigue. Mechanization like stand-on mowers also shortens job duration. Design is another strategy. Shifting commercial clients from high-maintenance

CREW AND CULTURE

turf and annual flowers to native plantings lowers recurring labor needs at the design level. This approach strengthens workforce planning while reinforcing sustainable solutions.

Finally, audit production metrics. Labor hours per property and equipment idle time reveal hidden capacity. If inefficiencies exist, they represent labor you already have.

Strategic use of subcontracting

Subcontracting is a highly competitive job in the industry with plenty of talent. It should be pre-engineered into your capacity model.

Prequalify subcontractors during the off-season. Establish scope standards, safety requirements, quality benchmarks and rate structures before peak demand. When labor gaps appear, activation becomes seamless rather than chaotic.

Domestic recruitment as infrastructure

If you treat domestic hiring as a seasonal scramble, results will remain inconsistent. Instead, you must treat recruitment like capital infrastructure— something you build and maintain continuously.

Back in 2020, Ideal Landscape Group publicly discussed shifting away from heavy H-2B reliance by investing in culture, wage competitiveness and referral incentives. Its leadership emphasized retention as the multiplier. If you reduce churn, you reduce hiring pressure. That applies at any scale.

To implement durable seasonal workforce solutions, focus on three structural elements:

1. Educational partnerships: Connect with horticulture programs at local colleges. Offer internships with clear wage progression to elevate landscaping from seasonal work to a profession.

2. Structured onboarding: Many lose workers early due to unclear expectations. Develop 30-, 60- and 90-day skill benchmarks tied to pay increases.

These decisions require coordination between sales leadership and operations leadership. They are long-term refinements to your landscape business staffing strategies.

Advocacy matters, but execution wins

“If you treat domestic hiring as a seasonal scramble, results will remain inconsistent”

3. Referral economies: Employees know reliable candidates. Structured bonuses paid in stages align incentives with retention.

Scheduling discipline and contract realignment

Labor volatility must also influence your sales and contract structures. If you’re still signing multi-year agreements with fixed pricing and rigid service scopes, you’re absorbing disproportionate risk. Consider shorter contract durations or built-in escalation clauses tied to wage indices. Evaluate service frequencies—determine if weekly visits are always necessary, or if some properties transition to hybrid schedules during peak constraints. Prioritize high-margin enhancement work over low-margin volume when labor tightens.

Industry advocacy for H-2B reform remains critical. Expansion of returningworker exemptions or cap increases would stabilize forecasting and reduce operational stress. You should continue supporting those efforts through trade associations and direct engagement. The companies that’ll outperform in 2026 are those that treat H-2B visas in the landscaping industry as one element within a diversified workforce portfolio.

Turning constraint into control

The goal isn’t to eliminate uncertainty around H-2B visas, but to ensure it no longer dictates your ceiling for growth or stability. When you embed conservative modeling into your workforce planning in landscaping, formalize diversified seasonal workforce solutions and build durable landscape labor alternatives into your operating structure, you shift from reacting to cap outcomes to controlling your own capacity narrative.

GREEN RETURNS

Fractional CFO David Whittaker offers a practical roadmap for financing sustainability without breaking the bank

The landscape industry is facing increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices, from electric fleets to eco-conscious service offerings. But for the majority of small- to mid-market companies, the path to a green transition presents significant financial hurdles.

David Whittaker, president and executive advisor at EquiScape, brings a dual perspective to this challenge. He began his career in landscape labor at age 16 before moving into executive roles, including a position with a $2bn real estate investment trust. “I speak on a level that most landscape owners can relate,” he says. “I take very complex issues and explain them in a way that landscape professionals understand.”

have the capital or the resources to [fully transition] yet.”

Despite these limitations, market forces are pushing the industry toward greener equipment and service offerings. Notably, noise ordinances in some municipalities mandate battery-powered equipment, particularly backpack blowers. Likewise, commercial clients with ESG (environmental, social and governance) commitments are also exclusively seeking sustainable vendors.

“Unfortunately, over 90% of landscape companies do not have the capital or the resources to [fully transition] yet”

Consequently, for cash-constrained owners wanting to scale into electric fleet or sustainable practice options, Whittaker advocates a measured approach: start small, track performance and let data guide decisions. “Convert a small segment of your company and offer that service,” he advises.

Calculating ROI: Beyond sticker shock

Calculating ROI on fleet electrification requires a Total Cost of Ownership approach across three horizons: upfront capital, operational savings and strategic value. EquiScape guides clients through this framework in determining ROI:

Operating cost comparison

Diesel trucks typically run $0.50 to $0.70 per mile, including fuel and maintenance. Electric vehicles run $0.15 to $0.25 per mile. For a single commercial vehicle logging high annual mileage, this can translate to $15k–$25k in yearly savings. Similarly, smaller battery-powered tools often achieve positive ROI within a single season due to eliminated fuel costs and reduced maintenance requirements.

In Whittaker’s view, the financial reality of a green transition for most landscape businesses is stark. “Large companies like BrightView, True Green, Davey—they make up the top 1%,” he explains. “Those guys have the capital and the creditworthiness to do whatever they want.” The remaining majority face different constraints. “Unfortunately, over 90% of landscape companies do not

“Work on it one truck at a time. If you’re a 10-truck fleet, commit to doing one electric truck. Test the market, learn how to market it, learn how to operate with it.” The following guidance and data from EquiScape provide a first step roadmap.

Incentive stacking

The federal Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit can offset up to $40k per zero-emission truck. State rebates and local utility programs may cover 20-40% of charging infrastructure costs. EquiScape advises its clients to combine these incentives to significantly shorten payback periods.

Revenue considerations

ESG-compliant commercial clients and municipalities may pay premium rates for certified sustainable vendors. As Whittaker reports: “The ROI isn’t just about fuel savings—it’s about who you can sell to.” By simply testing the waters, a single electric crew could qualify a company for contracts that exclude competitors without green capabilities.

The metrics that matter

To assess whether sustainability investments are delivering returns, Whittaker recommends dedicated tracking systems. “Every green investment needs its own P&L line,” he says. “I help clients build a sustainability sub-ledger so they can see exactly which initiatives are generating returns—and which are just feel-good expenses.”

Key metrics EquiScape advises monitoring include:

• Gross margin by service line for ecoofferings (target: 45–50%)

• Fuel and maintenance cost per route (target: 15–25% reduction)

• Green revenue percentage (should grow year-over-year)

• Equipment payback period (target: 24–36 months)

• Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR)— lenders typically require above 1.25x before funding new green initiatives

An often-overlooked component that Whittaker details is that labor stability directly affects a company’s ability to finance green transitions. Before lenders evaluate equipment purchases, they assess operational profitability and cash flow stability—and high turnover undermines those metrics.

EquiScape figures show that replacing an employee costs 50–200% of their annual salary, including recruiting, training and lost productivity. Complicating the matter, industry data from the consultancy indicates that a quarter of landscape companies have retention rates of 69% or less. For lenders, persistent turnover signals unpredictable labor costs and increases perceived risk.

“A stable, skilled workforce is the collateral behind every green loan,” Whittaker notes. “Banks don’t just finance equipment—they finance businesses. And a business with 40% annual turnover doesn’t look like a creditworthy borrower.”

Companies that invest in retention strategies—including healthcare benefits, certification reimbursement and career ladders—report retention rates above 83%. Such workforce stability enables companies to staff specialized green services, including smart irrigation, a sector projected to reach $5.8bn by 2033.

Practical steps forward

Whittaker observes that some early adopters of green technology struggled because they moved too quickly. “A lot of companies that did have the capital jumped into the deep end of the pool and weren’t successful at it,” he recalls. “It scared the rest of the market.”

His recommendations emphasize financial discipline. Avoid borrowing for new initiatives while carrying debt from past investments. Rather than full fleet electrification, test one truck, train one crew and track results before scaling.

“The landscape market is very vast and wide, but everybody knows everybody. The owners who win aren’t the ones chasing every new idea. They’re the ones with the financial discipline to survive long enough to see a transition through.”

For businesses considering green investments, the message from financial experts is clear, a successful approach is incremental: start with a single crew, track performance rigorously and let financial results determine the pace of expansion.

David Whittaker brings over 30 years of experience in the landscape industry, including leadership roles at Post Properties a $2B REIT and Chatham Landscape.

As president executive advisor at EquiScape Business Advisors, he works with green industry companies on financial strategy, acquisitions and operational improvement. equiscape.co

Pivot-All Wheelbarrow

Ergonomic Features

Designed with patented pivoting handles, the product has been tested by an independent Ergonomic Specialist. The Pivot-All Wheelbarrow:

• Promotes neutral wrist posture during dumping

• Promotes neutral upper body/back posture during transportation and dumping

• Promotes wrist and hand protection thanks to the steel handle cuffs

“B“IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOUR COMPETITORS KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING. WHAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU’RE CONSISTENT.”

What is the smartest business move? Admitting you don’t have all the answers. CLCA’s newly elected president on why learning from your peers fills the gaps

e very careful who you take advice from.” That’s Alex Salazar’s advice for professionals entering the landscaping industry. The newly elected president of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) has watched young professionals turn to TikTok influencers and AI chatbots for guidance—he, however, believes the answers of real substance lie elsewhere. They lie, he says, among competitors and fellow professionals willing to share what they know. It’s a lesson he’s learned throughout his career: transparency—open dialogue, not secrecy, is the foundation of success. In a sit-down with Pro Landscaper USA, Salazar traced how that conviction took shape. He discussed the winding path back to the family trade, the operational lessons from his corporate

detour and the transformations that have defined the growth of Groundcare Landscape Company, the business he co-owns with his brothers. Furthermore, he shared his vision for the CLCA as it navigates the challenges of a rapidly changing market.

Born into the business, but finding his own path

In Salazar’s experience, landscaping isn’t just a job; it’s a heritage woven into his family’s history. “I’m actually a third-generation tradesman,” he explains, a note of pride in his voice. While he holds the distinction of being the first officially licensed contractor in his family, the groundwork was laid long before he ever signed his first contract. His father and grandfather were gardeners, and for Alex and his two brothers, growing up meant growing up in the gardens of others.

“Along with my brothers, I grew up going to work with my dad,” Salazar recalls. “As children, we would all hang out with my dad at work after school. When you’re a kid, you may not want to do that. You’d rather go play with the neighbors. But that’s what we did. We were learning how to use a rake, how to mow lawns.”

This informal apprenticeship was an immersive education. By the time they reached adulthood, Salazar and his brothers had logged a decade of after-school and weekend work alongside their father—learning not just how to care for plants, but how to care for clients.

Despite this background, the Salazar brothers did not immediately fall into the family business. In a pattern familiar to many family enterprises, they all initially pursued different paths. Alex ventured into the financial sector, getting his real estate

license at 18 and eventually landing in banking at Wells Fargo. It was a world away from his early years gardening—a landscape of spreadsheets, suits and corporate hierarchies —yet it offered an unexpected education in structure and management.

Cross-industry lessons

After a career in finance, he experienced another pull familiar to many in family enterprises: a return to the business. Two of his brothers had already returned to work with their father, and Alex could see they were struggling to take the business to the next level. Additionally, the corporate ladder, he realized, wasn’t leading him where he wanted to go.

“I saw my brothers struggling, and I realized: I don’t like what I’m doing. I don’t like banking. But if we work together, I know we can build something

significant,” Salazar remarks. In 2012, he opted to join them. “We then made the decision to become a legitimate operation. We had the contractor’s license, but we lacked the insurance required to work with commercial clients, municipalities and public agencies.”

Transitioning from a bank to a landscaping company might seem like a radical career pivot, but according to Salazar, it was an opportunity to transplant valuable skills. He credits his time in the corporate world with teaching him about structure, management and the importance of systems— knowledge that wasn’t as critical when his father ran a small crew of four but became essential as the business scaled.

“There’s no secret formula that’s going to enable you to be successful”

One of the most enduring lessons came from a Wells Fargo training program called “11 Ways to Wow,” a customer service framework the company published openly in its Vision and Values document. Wells Fargo wasn’t guarding it as a trade secret—and Salazar recalls the core tenet as someone who has tested its truth in the field: “It doesn’t matter if your competitors know what you’re doing. There’s no secret formula that’s going to enable you to be successful. What matters is that you do it, how you do it and that you’re consistent.”

He’s carried that philosophy into his own business and volunteer role at the CLCA. It has liberated him from the paranoia of competition and

allowed him to embrace collaboration. “I can tell people, ‘This is what I do, this is how I do it’ and I’m not worried they’re going to take my knowledge and put me out of business,” he explains. “Because it’s really hard to run a business, to do the things you say you’re going to do consistently. It’s really hard to actually get it done.”

Groundcare’s evolution

Since formalizing the partnership in 2012, Groundcare Landscape Company has undergone several distinct iterations, each a response to market conditions and a growing understanding of its own business model. Salazar describes the current moment as being in the “middle of our third iteration” as a company.

The first phase focused on servicing small residential properties around the neighborhood. As they became more sophisticated in their pricing and production goals, they began analyzing which property types were most profitable. This analysis naturally led them to target larger, more efficient accounts, prompting an intentional push into the commercial sector and a rebrand to Groundcare Landscape Company.

Then came Covid-19. The commercial clients who had been their target just years before began hitting the brakes. Salazar adds: “Through our CLCA network, we started sensing that commercial work was slowing down. A lot of customers told us, ‘We don’t know what’s going to happen. Let’s just pause servicing for a few months.’ We lost some accounts—including a few big ones.”

GROUNDCARE EARNS TOP HONORS

In 2025, Groundcare Landscape Company received two honors at the CLCA San Fernando Valley Chapter’s Beautification Awards: first place for Best Large Residential Landscape Maintenance and the President’s Choice Award for Residential Excellence in Craftsmanship. The recognition came for the firm’s work on ‘Delresto,’ a formal Beverly Hills estate the company had maintained for over a year.

But as commercial work receded, a new wave of opportunity emerged, flowing directly through their CLCA network. Referrals began coming in for high-end residential properties. Homeowners, often stuck at home and paying closer attention to their surroundings than ever before, were seeking a more sophisticated level of care than their average gardener could provide. There was a demand for expertise, attention to detail and a consultative approach.

“We

The shift was significant. Unlike commercial accounts, where work could sometimes fade into the background, the homeowners were almost always present. “We were forced into a position where we had to be almost perfect in the way that we did things. But it was really exciting. It forced us to look at how we were doing things and to make sure that we were doing them the right way.”

He recalls one memorable high-end property that came with its own dedicated “rosarian” for an extensive rose garden. “It was the first time I met a customer who had a specialist in roses,” he laughs. “The key with high-end clients is demonstrating genuine interest in solving their problems. When they see that, they give you remarkable latitude— they’ll let you experiment, bring in specialists.”

were forced into a position where we had to be almost perfect in the way that we did things. But it was really exciting”

A new challenge that converted Salazar from a seasoned gardener into a willing student once more. Diagnosing plant dieback, assessing soil health, troubleshooting irrigation issues and managing a team of specialists—the work became more granular, more scientific and ultimately more engaging. “It was fun to push ourselves into that space,” he details. “I willingly became a student again. I already knew gardening, but now I was being challenged to know so much more.”

The CLCA: Building a network Salazar’s deep involvement with the CLCA began organically. When he and his brothers decided to legitimize their operation, they knew they had the practical skills honed over a lifetime, but they lacked the blueprint for scaling a business. “The decision was either one of us go work for a large landscape company, or we meet people that are doing it,” he says. They chose the latter, identifying the CLCA as the place to connect with established business owners and seek advice. Now, as president, he is focused on giving back by strengthening that same community. He acknowledges the challenge of declining memberships—a trend affecting many professional and civic organizations in the 21st century. The

CLCA’s new strategic plan for the next three years focuses less on broad-brush marketing and more on the human element: recruiting and retaining strong volunteers who “buy into the mission.”

“Marketing is not the problem. We have the visibility,” Salazar asserts. “By focusing on recruiting and retaining strong volunteers who live and breathe what we’re doing, I think that over the long term, that’s going to be a much more effective way of getting new members. If they buy into the mission, that energy spreads.”

A key initiative embedded in CLCA’s new three-year strategic plan is refining the Leadership Conference to serve as a dedicated hub for transitioning and onboarding chapter leaders. With 14 chapters across CA, equipping local volunteers with the tools to lead effectively is central to the association’s long-term health. This year marked the first time the conference was shaped around that goal in practice—chapter leaders received direct how-to education on running their chapters, and were asked a simple but meaningful question: how can the state board help support your goals?

“We wanted the Leadership Conference to be a two-way conversation, not just a presentation. Yes, we gave chapter leaders practical training on how to do their jobs more effectively. But we also sat down and listened. We asked what they need from us, because if our chapters are strong, our association is strong—and ultimately, that serves our members and the industry.”

This approach reflects the perspective Salazar brings to the presidency—identifying himself not only as a representative of the industry’s giants but also as a champion of smaller business owners.

“I approach every decision through the lens of a small business owner. I ask: Does this work for other small contractors? Does it serve our associate members or is it only relevant to firms with 100+ employees? The majority of our membership are small contractors, so they’re my priority.”

Advice for the next generation

For young professionals, Salazar’s advice is rooted in his own experience. He is a strong proponent of networking, but with a purpose beyond collecting business cards. “Build relationships. Be curious. Be friendly. And go where you’ll meet people doing the same work—even your competitors. Some see competitors as threats, but I’ve gotten countless referrals from mine. The reason we survived the pandemic as well as we did is I had a network.”

However, in an age of social media gurus and AI-generated advice, he offers a word of caution.

“Be very careful as a new contractor who you take advice from. A lot of people are creating TikTok

channels, and much of what they say isn’t accurate. I get it—they’re trying to build an audience, so they feel pressure to embellish. But it makes things sound faster, easier, than they really are. The reality is, building a strong business isn’t easy,” he says.

“The people I’ve met through the CLCA taught me that. You can’t watch a five-minute video and learn what you need to know. It’s an investment—in

yourself, in your network, in your craft.”

The pandemic put that lesson to the test. When commercial work slowed, what saved Groundcare Landscape Company wasn’t a secret formula or an influencer hack—it was a network of competitors who became collaborators. In an industry of fleeting trends, relationships remain the only currency that never depreciates.

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REFERENCES

Irrigation suppliers

Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply

ewingoutdoorsupply.com

Hunter Industries hunterirrigation.com

Fertilizer supplier

Liquinox liquinox.com

Planting

Devil Mountain

Wholesale Nursery devilmountainnursery.com

Hardscaping

Thompson Building Materials thompsonbldg.com

To capture the essence of Italy, a designer must go beyond the surface, for the true goal is not only to replicate a specific aesthetic but also to evoke the atmosphere and sensory richness of the culture itself. In Beverly Hills, on a residential property framed by classical architecture and bathed in Southern California light, GreenPlace was commissioned to channel the spirit of ‘Il Bel Paese’—the beautiful country.

For this residence, the homeowners envisioned a garden that would honor the Mediterranean character of the property while introducing a sense of life and expressiveness the outdoor space had been missing. Two requests stood at the heart of the brief. First, the planting palette needed to incorporate bold color accents, particularly reds and yellows, to bring seasonal vibrancy and emotional warmth to the space. Second, despite this desire for color, the garden had to remain elegant, structured and unmistakably Beverly Hills in its bearing. It was a request for controlled expressiveness: a garden that could be both spirited and composed.

Across approximately 4,000 sq. ft of outdoor space, GreenPlace began interpreting the brief by installing an expansive surface of travertine paving, articulated with decorative tile inlays. This pattern establishes a graphic rhythm across the courtyard— one that feels both classical in its order and distinctly contemporary in its execution. The dialogue between warm stone and contrasting tile does more than define a surface; it organizes the courtyard into functional zones, establishes a visual cadence that guides movement through the garden

and ties the landscape directly to the architectural language of the residence. On a project of this scale, the hardscape functions not merely as a surface to be walked upon but as the architectural skeleton around which the living elements of the garden are composed.

Within this structured framework, landscaped areas and lawns introduce the softer organic textures essential to a Mediterranean garden. Planting beds are positioned to create visual relief, breaking the expanse of travertine while reinforcing the sense of order. The contrast between warm stone, deep foliage and the bright California sky produces the stratified atmosphere that defines the region’s best outdoor spaces.

A small peach orchard integrates naturally into the landscape, bringing seasonal rhythm to the garden—blossoms in spring, fruit in summer and textured branches in winter. The studio was intentional with this planting, the trees reinforcing the Mediterranean identity while adding a sense of reciprocity that purely ornamental planting cannot achieve. In a city where gardens often lean toward the manicured, this productive element makes a quiet statement: the garden lives and gives.

The central patio is further broken down through raised planting platforms, each roughly three by four feet and standing two and a half feet high. These functional design elements create spatial definition within the open courtyard while providing elevated stages for planting displays. Within these beds, the team installed succulents chosen for their sculptural forms and textural contrast against the travertine, introducing a contemporary accent while remaining suited to the climate and requiring minimal

Previous page: A composition of varied forms and textures defines this classical landscape design

Current page: A tranquil space designed for quiet relaxation and unhurried garden walks; Vibrant accents defining the entrance composition and terrace space

irrigation—a practical consideration for responsible stewardship. Looking ahead, GreenPlace’s work in datadriven systems could one day allow such plantings to be monitored and irrigated with even greater precision, though for now the focus remained on the immediate composition.

It is no surprise that a high-end residential garden presents some design tensions, and this project was no exception. GreenPlace discovered that the primary challenge lay in balancing the visual weight of the hardscape with a planting scheme that could hold its own without overwhelming the composition. Four thousand square feet of travertine commands attention; the planting needed to soften that presence without competing against it.

The solution was layered planting, beginning with an evergreen framework of hedging and architectural forms providing yearround structure. Flowering plants in the client’s requested reds and yellows were then introduced within this green scaffold as controlled accents— carefully placed to draw the eye and mark transitions without destabilizing the overall calm. Color became punctuation within a quieter narrative.

The completed garden transforms the property into a cohesive environment where every element contributes to a unified experience. From a distance, it reads as an elegant extension of the home’s classical architecture. Up close, it reveals layers of texture, color and material that invite more intimate engagement. The travertine grounds the space in permanence while the succulents and orchard remind us that a garden at its best is always in motion.

For GreenPlace, this project embodies the studio’s conviction that landscape and architecture belong to a single discipline—where the built and the living are not separate elements arranged beside each other but parts of a whole that would be incomplete without either. A garden that looks effortless, feels inevitable and is engineered to endure.

Top to bottom: A place of inspiration set within a peach orchard, especially enchanting in spring; A composition of varied forms and textures defines this classical landscape design

ABOUT

GreenPlace—a California-based landscape design and construction studio specializing in residential gardens—was founded on the principle that a great garden demands multidisciplinary expertise. CEO Volodymyr Dragan and CTO Viktor Peshekhonov provide deep, hands-on oversight of landscape design and hardscape engineering, while chief digital and AI officer Ruslan Sychov directs the studio’s emerging work in robotics, artificial intelligence and data-driven systems. greenplaceusa.com

Instagram @greenplace_usa

Mediterranean MAKEOVER

REFERENCES

Contractor

JPB Landscapes

jpblandscapes.co.uk

Paving London Stone

londonstone.co.uk

Planting

Practical Plants

practical-plants.co.uk

Planters

Torc Pots

torcpots.com

Irrigation

Landscapeplus landscapeplus.com

The team at Consilium Hortus are no strangers to creating high-end spaces and this contemporary garden in Cambridge, England, was no exception. They were presented with a brief that envisioned a multifunctional space that echoed the modern architecture of the property, and that didn’t compromise on the softer elements of the space. With a contemporary design already established in the property, Consilium Hortus had the perfect canvas to extend this theme into the garden.

The client desired a garden that would not only serve as a place of beauty but also as a hub for entertainment, dining, cooking and relaxation. With a design brief that included the creation of several spacious patio areas, which would serve as

versatile zones for hosting guests. Pathways were thoughtfully laid out to lead guests naturally from one area to another.

To bring the concept to life, the team developed mood boards that captured the overall aesthetic and ambiance of the garden. Consilium Hortus director, Sam Moore, notes how these boards were “instrumental in conveying the desired look and feel”, allowing the client to visualize the finished space, from the materials and planting down to the colors and textures.

A key feature requested by the client was the inclusion of a fireplace, which would not only provide warmth during cooler evenings but also act as a striking focal point - “the fireplace was designed to complement the modern aesthetic,

incorporating clean lines and contemporary materials, while also offering a cozy atmosphere that invites conversation and connection,” says Moore. The overall garden layout has been designed to enhance the functionality and visual appeal of the space, “ultimately the goal was to create a garden that not only offered the clients a space that is as practical as it is visually appealing, perfectly suited to their lifestyle and tastes.”

The client sought to infuse the timeless charm and tranquility of a Mediterranean landscape, to achieve this vision, a range of plant species was carefully selected to evoke the warm, sun-drenched ambiance characteristic of Mediterranean gardens, while also ensuring that the plants would thrive in the local English climate.

PLANTS

• Agapanthus ‘Charlotte’PBR

• Lavandula

• Calamintha nepeta ‘Marvelette Blue’

• Pennisetum advena

• Verbena officinalis

• Salvia officinalis

• Anemanthele lessoniana

• Deschampsia cespitosa

• Pinus sylvestris

• Taxus baccata

• Prunus laurocerasus

At the heart of the garden also stands a majestic Olea europaea (F), a quintessential symbol of the Mediterranean. “This feature tree not only serves as a striking focal point but also brings an authentic Mediterranean essence to the space,” comments Moore. “Its silvery leaves and gnarled trunk add both beauty and character, creating a sense of age and permanence that anchors the design.”

To complement the structural elements, Consilium Hortus introduced a variety of flowering plants that contribute to the garden’s color palette and sensory appeal, including Salvia and Verbena, for their vibrant purple and blue blooms, which bring bursts of color that attract pollinators, adding life and movement to the space. For ground cover and to enhance the Mediterranean feel, Calamintha

was planted—a fragrant herb that releases a pleasant minty aroma when brushed against.

Mature Taxus hedging was planted around the perimeter of the garden to ensure privacy and create a sense of seclusion; “this evergreen hedge serves to screen the existing fencing, softening the boundaries of the space and enhancing the overall aesthetic. The dense foliage of the Taxus provides an effective barrier, both visually and acoustically, contributing to a peaceful and private retreat,” Moore remarks.

Throughout the project several periods of heavy rainfall, typical British weather, posed a challenge in maintaining the work’s quality as

excess moisture can affect everything from the stability of the foundations to the handling of materials like soil and concrete. To address this the team implemented measures to protect the site, including temporary drainage solutions to manage water accumulation. Another obstacle for the team came in the form of accessibility to the garden— with limited entry points to the space posing a challenge. “This restriction meant that every aspect of the project, from the delivery of materials to the movement of machinery, had to be meticulously coordinated.” Larger materials such as mature trees and paving stones had to be transported in smaller quantities – this with the challenging

weather conditions ultimately led to a longer build time. Moore says despite this, “the experience underscored the importance of adaptability and teamwork, as the success of the project depended on our ability to respond to unforeseen challenges without compromising the client’s vision.”

The garden seen today is the result of a meticulous and collaborative design process that involved close communication and cooperation with the client. “From the initial concepts to the final execution, we worked hand in hand with the client to ensure that their vision was fully realized. It is a testament to the dedication and resilience of everyone involved.”

Consilium Hortus is a UK-based, innovative garden designer team working in East Anglia and London, offering bespoke garden design packages to create stunning gardens that perfectly match the client’s brief and vision. Whether the client needs a design that they wish to implement themselves, or they want a complete garden delivered by the team, Consilium Hortus can help. consiliumhortus.co.uk ABOUT

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THE TIDEAgainst

MADRONE LANDSCAPE

SHORELINE INN BEACHFRONT TERRACE

Location dictates design, and few locations are as demanding as a beachfront. At the Shoreline Inn, where salt air and water permeate the habitat, a sloping, dated patio has been transformed

by Madrone Landscape into a multi-functional oceanfront entertainment hub. Completed in early 2025, the redesign reportedly navigated a tight winter construction schedule and a corrosive marine environment to reposition the hotel as a

unique destination, balancing California coastal aesthetics with hard-won commercial practicality. Prior to construction, the oceanfront area was characterized by a large lawn, a series of small concrete patios fronting guest rooms and an

irregular layout with awkward grade transitions. For the client, the primary goal of the overhaul was to address these grade issues, create dedicated zones for various group sizes, upgrade an existing outdoor kitchen and implement measures to protect the property from rare but powerful winter waves that can crest the seawall during peak swell season.

Each element of the final design works to break the linear space into multiple smaller areas while preserving a larger entertainment zone at the far end, allowing unobstructed views from the guest rooms. A central feature is a planted island, backed by a new concrete wall, which serves a dual purpose. It creates a walkway along the existing seawall that functions as a drainage channel should waves crest the barrier. This design element is intended to divert

REFERENCES

Fire pit infrastructure supplier Spotix spotix.com

Concrete installer Rojas Enterprises Concrete rojasenterprise.com

Concrete countertop and fire pit installer Wells Concrete Works wellsconcreteworks.com

Paver manufacturer Air Vol Block airvolblock.com

Decking supplier TimberTech timbertech.com

Lighting supplier

SPJ Lighting spjlighting.com Unique Lighting uniquelighting.com

Irrigation supplier Hunter Irrigation hunterirrigation.com

water away from planted areas and interior spaces, mitigating potential storm damage.

Throughout the terrace, undulating lines of stone walls and patio edges break up the rigid rectangular footprint of the property. This curvilinear design introduces a sense of fluidity reminiscent of ocean swells, creates sheltered nooks for fire pits and frames small lawn areas that offer breathing room within the hardscape. Fire pits throughout the space are equipped with salt-resistant, field-serviceable electronic ignition systems, timer controls and emergency shutoff switches for both safety and ease of maintenance by hotel staff.

Modifications to the outdoor kitchen prioritized both cost and time efficiency without sacrificing function. The existing brick wall was retained to anchor new floating concrete countertops, effectively quadrupling the available

counter space. A former pit barbecue was repurposed into a planter, adding greenery where there was once only utility. The updated kitchen is complemented by new gas and wood-burning grills, while seating throughout the area is provided by custom composite benches designed with angled backrests for comfort around fire pits and dining tables.

Low-voltage landscape lighting was integrated extensively into the hardscape to extend the terrace’s usability into the evening hours. Fixtures include under-cap lights along benches; recessed lights set into poured concrete and task lighting for the barbecue area. The lighting design aims for a balanced illumination, with fixtures spaced to create a natural gradient from brighter central areas to the periphery, ensuring the space feels inviting rather than overlit.

Given that the project’s most significant constraint was the schedule, meticulous planning proved essential. The project met the deadline thanks to favorable weather throughout the construction window. Conversely, the seaside location presented ongoing material challenges that required consistent attention. Standard 304 stainless steel was deemed insufficient for the corrosive salt air, so all exposed hardware was specified to be marine-

Previous page: Lighting integrates seamlessly with hardscape features and fire pit illumination

Current page: Sorted beach stones and undulating stone walls emulate the Cayucos vibe; Floating countertops and carpentry revitalize the existing brick structure

grade 316 stainless steel, aluminum or copper. While most materials were preordered with these specifications in mind, the team handled several expedited special orders for appropriate hardware as needs arose during installation.

Planting plans were developed with a focus on salt tolerance, drawing primarily on California coastal natives and colorful succulents that thrive in the harsh coastal conditions. This plant palette was chosen for its dense foliage and seasonal color, providing a visual counterpoint to the extensive hardscape areas while requiring minimal irrigation once established. Mulches include both bark and gravel to add textural complexity and reduce water loss from the soil. In a last-minute design decision that added distinctive character, native beach pebbles were collected and color-sorted to create layered, swelling patterns within the succulent beds, providing a natural contrast to the locally quarried rock used elsewhere in walls and pathways.

Sustainability considerations informed material sourcing and design choices throughout the project. All rock-base materials and gravel were sourced from within 15 miles of the site, reducing transportation emissions and supporting local quarries. The use of composite wood for benches and marinegrade stainless steel for hardware was intended to ensure the longevity of the installation, reducing the need for future replacements and the associated material consumption. The plant palette, consisting of native and droughttolerant species, also contributes to the project’s long-term resource efficiency by minimizing ongoing water requirements in a region where conservation is increasingly critical.

Top to bottom: Pavers, textured concrete, stone and gravel create a tapestry of textures; Partitions for room patios step down to provide views, lighting, and privacy

Founded in 1977, Madrone Landscape is a custom design-build landscape construction company providing design, construction and maintenance services. With a staff of landscape architects, custom builders and industry specialists, Madrone Landscape strives to provide cutting-edge custom projects for residential, commercial and hospitality properties. madronelandscapes.com ABOUT Instagram @madronelandscape

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Powering

THE FUTURE

Everyone is familiar with the suburban hum of gas-powered machinery. Even so, it is no secret that a quieter revolution is underway, and leading the charge into a new era is EGO POWER+—a brand internationally synonymous with battery innovation. With the launch of its dedicated professional-grade brand, EGO Commercial, the company now aims to achieve an ambitious goal: convincing the professional market to switch from gas to battery power. Marketing manager Brady Bjorkman and key account manager Jacob Callegan of Chervon North America (EGO’s parent company) detail the pitch for EGO Commercial’s new products and how they are tackling the realworld concerns of landscaping contractors.

A line built for the pros

Anyone familiar with EGO’s green residential tools will find the commercial line clearly distinguished. Bjorkman comments that the EGO Commercial lineup is “purpose-built for contractor and municipality-focused users,” marking a deliberate separation from its residential roots in terms of power, utility and performance.

While forward-thinking design unites the battery platforms across both lines, professional

crews operate on an entirely different energy level. “It’s all purpose-built. It doesn’t share any components with the residential line,” Callegan explains. “It’s designed for professional users who need performance and reliability. The commercial platform places additional emphasis on charging capabilities to meet the scale and demands of professional operations.”

That focus on charging sits at the heart of the manufacturer’s commercial pitch—not just the tools themselves, but the ecosystem that supports them. Enter the PGX, a scalable charging solution designed to eliminate the logistical headaches of managing a large fleet of batteries. Callegan describes it as the “bread and butter” of the platform, a system conceived to handle the “bigger operations” required by businesses.

With its dedicated EGO Commercial brand and purpose-built tools, the company is making a bold case for battery-powered landscaping

“There’s no comparative solution out there—that’s as efficient and scalable,” Bjorkman notes.

“The commercial platform places additional emphasis on charging capabilities to meet the scale and demands of professional operations”

Although that eye on scalability extends well beyond the PGX. For crews working in remote areas, EGO offers a mobile solution. A portable power bank can be integrated into the PGX chain, allowing crews to charge batteries on the go. “It transforms charging into a productivity strategy. You can scale it however you need—set up in a trailer, at a facility or out in the field. It fits every solution.”

Navigating a gas-dominated market

From a design standpoint, the PGX system is elegantly simple. A single charger plugs into a standard wall outlet and can be expanded with daisy-chained docks, capable of charging up to 70 batteries overnight from one power source.

With the majority of the American landscaping market still gas-powered, converting these businesses requires a compelling argument. According to Bjorkman, government legislation is a significant driver, pointing to mandates in Colorado and California. “Similarly, we’re seeing opportunity with golf courses and HOAs when it comes to limiting noise pollution,” he adds.

Nevertheless, the EGO Commercial pitch is nuanced by region. In markets like Texas— where gas is cheap and environmental or noise regulations are largely absent—the conversation develops differently. Here, Callegan finds the main selling point lies in data, specifically the EGO Fleet App. “The fleet app touches all our commercial tools. Users can track all their tools, trigger pulls, runtime, etc. and proactively budget for next season.” Those analytical insights guide companies in shifting from unpredictable capital expenses to manageable operational costs.

Making the switch

Unsurprisingly, the transition to battery is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Though EGO Commercial is seeing adoption across the spectrum. For example, smaller companies are typically leveraging the quiet, fume-free operation of battery power as a niche selling point. “The smaller companies can offer customers a specialized service,” Callegan says. “They can go into HOAs with noise ordinances or communities that prefer a quieter solution.” Larger firms, meanwhile, are reportedly drawn to the management and maintenance benefits. But for most, Bjorkman observes, the transition is gradual. “We’re seeing a lot of people

convert aspects of their crews right now. They’re not diving fully in and converting all at once— they’re slowly transitioning.” This trend makes the scalable PGX system a perfect fit. Businesses can trial and adopt battery products gradually, investing incrementally with confidence that their equipment won’t become obsolete.

Performance that surprises

Nonetheless, perhaps the single biggest hurdle for battery adoption is the perception of power—a question Callegan and Bjorkman field constantly. “We really try to compete with gas,” Callegan affirms. “We build every aspect thinking we need to match the power—and I think we meet or exceed that.” He points to the new 1000 CFM backpack blower and the 30-inch mower, which Bjorkman notes is also the lightest in its class.

Closing that perception gap is exactly why EGO emphasizes demonstrations. Its national sales team travels with demo trucks, leaving products with potential customers for weeks at a time. “The best thing we can do is connect businesses with our sales team for demo leave-behinds,” Bjorkman remarks. “They can test the product for a few days.”

The EGO Commercial team reports that feedback from businesses has been overwhelmingly

positive. Managers appreciate reduced maintenance, while crews cite ergonomics and noise reduction as gamechangers on the job site.

The future is electric

Despite its success, EGO Commercial isn’t resting on its laurels. The company is heavily invested in R&D and is actively exploring autonomous solutions, believing this will be a major part of the industry’s future. A push, driven in part by a persistent labor shortage, is accelerating the demand for robotics and semi-autonomous mowers.

Ultimately, the message from EGO Commercial is clear: the battery revolution isn’t just about being green—it’s about being smarter, quieter and more efficient. As Bjorkman concludes: “People are waking up to the fact that battery might simply be the better operational solution.”

Launched in the US in 2024, EGO Commercial is a leading brand in professional-grade cordless outdoor power. Designed for professional landscapers, products feature durable components, weather resistance and power comparable to gas engines. egocommercial.com

Instagram @egocommercial

EGO COMMERCIAL

New tools and a scalable charging platform signal EGO Commercial’s push to equip professional crews from job site to depot

Commercial

1000

CFM Leaf Blower

This model is powered by a 1.7k-watt brushless motor running on the company’s 56V ARC Lithium platform, producing air speeds up to 185 mph and a force rating comparable to a 60cc gas engine. It features IPX5-rated weatherresistant housing and digital controls with an LCD display. According to EGO Commercial, the blower can operate for up to 100 minutes on a single charge when paired with a 10.0Ah battery (sold separately). The tool carries a twoyear warranty for commercial users.

PGX Commercial Charging 1600W Hub

Designed for fleet management, the PGX Charging System is touted as a scalable solution. Built around a 1600W Hub, the system plugs into a standard 15-amp outlet, requiring no electrical upgrades. The hub can connect to multiple 3-Port Docks, which are sold separately, allowing users to charge up to 70 batteries—or an estimated 15 kWh—overnight. EGO Commercial states that the hub is compatible with wall mounting and E-Track systems for installation in buildings or vehicles. The components are backed by a two-year commercial warranty.

PGX Commercial Charging Power Bank Kit

Expanding the PGX Charging System is a portable Power Bank. The product houses a 2.2kWh high-capacity battery, allowing crews to recharge standard 56V ARC Lithium packs off-grid via dual 700W ports. It can charge two 5.0Ah batteries in 30 minutes or two 12.0Ah batteries in 75 minutes. It features a roll cage design and can be stacked for storage. Up to six Power Banks can connect to a single 1600W Hub, enabling overnight charging of an estimated 15kWh from a standard 15-amp outlet.

EGO Commercial 30” Composite Armor

EGO is set to release the LMX7600SP, a 30-inch walk-behind mower weighing 127 pounds, which the company states make it the lightest unit in its class. Powered by dual 1,000-watt brushless motors, it delivers torque equivalent to a 230cc gas engine. The deck is constructed from the company’s Composite Armor material, intended to resist dents and corrosion without the weight of steel. EGO Commercial reports that the reduced weight is designed to aid maneuverability on sloped terrain. The mower features Peak Power technology, though specific battery runtime figures were not detailed in the initial announcement.

PLANET-FRIENDLY Picks

A selection of the latest sustainable products for landscaping professionals, from alkylate fuel to solar power innovations

Aspen Fuel

Aspen 2 is a ready-mixed product combining alkylate fuel with a fully synthetic, biodegradable oil that exceeds JASO FD standards for lubrication and engine cleanliness.

Suitable for equipment requiring a 50:1 or 40:1 mix, the fuel is formulated for various two-stroke engines, including clearing saws, hedge trimmers and power cutters. Its composition is ethanol-free and largely devoid of benzene and other aromatic hydrocarbons, which reduces carbon build-up and harmful emissions. The cleaner burn results in smoother engine operation and easier starts. The fuel reportedly offers a longer shelf life than standard pump fuel. aspenfuels.us

Vroom Power

Vroom Power has launched the VS3000, a solar-direct power system designed to provide electricity without requiring batteries or grid connection. The unit converts sunlight into usable power through a control center that prioritizes direct solar use before determining if energy storage is necessary.

It includes an integrated Automatic Transfer Switch that can connect to optional batteries, generators or the grid as supplemental power sources when solar energy is insufficient. Its Smart Solar Management technology automatically switches individual outlets between power sources based on available sunlight. vroom-power.com

Liberty Tire Recycling

Manufactured from 100% recycled rubber, Liberty Tire Recycling offers an eco-friendly alternative for outdoor design. Its landscaping collection includes rubber mulch, landscape edging, pavers, tree rings and gutter splash blocks. Designed for durability, the materials do not freeze, crack or rot.

The products are intended to reduce long-term maintenance costs, as well as provide safety benefits such as resistance to insects and a softer surface. libertytire.com

Naturcycle

Naturcycle manufactures lightweight planting media and green roof blends for engineers and architects, with a focus on meeting maximum saturated weight specifications. The engineered products contain inert minerals and compost, sourced from the Northeast US, and are designed to be free of weed seeds. Drawing on German FLL guidelines, it offers standard extensive and intensive blends, as well as custom formulations for unique pH or material requirements. Products are available in bulk, super sacks or bags, with delivery options supporting logistics in major metropolitan areas like New York City and Boston. naturcycle.com

Bionetix

Bionetix provides two products aimed at natural turf management. The first, ECO-D-THATCH, is a biological treatment designed to accelerate the decomposition of thatch, a layer of dead plant material that can impede water and oxygen penetration. By converting thatch into humus, decayed organic matter essential for plant growth, the product is intended to lessen the need for mechanical dethatching and support soil health. The second product, ECO-TURF, is an organically based nutrient blend formulated to support growth across various turf types and seasons. It contains humic substances, beneficial microorganisms and biostimulants, and is designed to enhance color, stress resilience and root development. bionetix-international.com

FINANCING THE Backyard

HFS Home Improvement Loans

HFS Home Improvement Loans (HFS) connects homeowners with fast, affordable financing for projects ranging from hot tubs and pools to outdoor living enhancements—like hardscaping, plantings, grading, or even a complete property redesign. If you can dream it, HFS can help finance it.

The application process uses a soft credit pull with no impact to the customer’s credit score, and there are no equity requirements or appraisals. A simple loan inquiry delivers loan options in under 60 seconds, and helps homeowners understand a monthly budget they’re comfortable with.

Both homeowners and contractors benefit from 100% upfront funding to $300k, low fixed rates and terms to 20 years. Additionally, loans can fund in as little as 24 hours. There are never any contractor or dealer fees. Contractors reportedly see higher close rates, larger project scopes and a smoother, more predictable sales process. hfsfinancial.net

LoanStar Technologies

MerchantLinQ, a platform from LoanStar, provides point-of-sale financing solutions designed for contractors and businesses selling home improvement products. The service allows merchants to offer customers access to fair, competitive lending through a network of local banks and credit unions.

Businesses can personalize a branded financing portal to present at the point of sale. Customers complete loan applications through this portal and are matched with a lending partner. Loan amounts and terms are determined by the backing financial institution. The platform is intended to help merchants increase sales, close deals more efficiently and build customer loyalty by providing accessible financing options.

loanstartechnologies.com

Fixed rates and flexible terms—a financial options briefing for pools, decks and landscaping projects

Lyon Financial

Swimming pool financing

Lyon Financial offers residential swimming pool loans with APRs starting at 6.99%* and terms up to 30 years, with loan amounts up to $200k.

Deck financing

For deck home improvement loans, Lyon Financial offers rates starting at 7.49%†, terms up to 20 years, and amounting to $200k.

Landscape financing

Landscaping home improvement loans are available through Lyon Financial with rates starting at 7.49%†, terms up to 20 years, and loan amounts up to $200k.

Disclosures

*Available on approved credit; not all applicants will qualify. The lowest advertised rate requires excellent credit, a minimum $50k loan and a maximum 20-year term. Loan terms may vary based on credit profile, loan purpose and state. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised terms are subject to change without notice.

†Minimum FICO score of 820 required for 7.49% APR for 15- or 20-year terms. Payment example: A $50,000 loan at 7.49% APR for 15 years results in 180 monthly payments of $463.22. Terms vary based on credit.

lyonfinancial.net

TECH SOLUTIONS

Scheduling, billing, client management, AI and beyond—a look at the specialist digital tools helping landscape professionals operate more efficiently

Modern landscaping is no longer just about machinery and mulch; it is increasingly technology guided. As operations scale and client expectations rise, professionals are turning to specialized digital solutions to streamline their workflows. From managing the financial back-office and optimizing crew routes to enhancing sales presentations with AI-generated imagery, a new wave of software is transforming the green industry.

RealGreen by WorkWave

RealGreen by WorkWave is built for lawn and landscape businesses that are serious about growth. Connecting field teams, day-to-day workflows and financial operations, RealGreen gives operators the visibility and data they need to make faster, smarter decisions while operating from one single source of truth. Built on decades of lawn care industry expertise, RealGreen combines proven solutions with AI-powered innovation. Key features include a robust CRM, Customer Portal, Dynamic Routing, FinTech and analytics that go beyond reporting to drive real outcomes. RealGreen is part of WorkWave’s broader suite of software solutions serving field service professionals across multiple industries. realgreen.com

PRO Landscape+

Operated by Drafix Software, this software provides a comprehensive suite of tools designed to help landscape professionals create compelling presentations that drive sales. Features include advanced photo imaging for visualizing hardscapes, lighting, plants and outdoor living elements, along with CAD tools for producing accurate scaled drawings and 3D renderings. Integrated AI design tools speed up the process by automatically removing existing landscaping, generating realistic design elements and helping users quickly build professional concepts from photos. Subscriptions include free updates, technical support and training. Users also gain access to an extensive image library with plants organized by climate zone, as well as water features, hardscapes and outdoor living products. A companion mobile app also allows designers to create and present projects directly from a tablet. prolandscape.com

HeyFlora has launched an AI-native platform for the landscaping and grounds maintenance industry centered on a knowledge-base query experience and a growing network of autonomous multiagent systems. Described by the company as “Artificial Grounds Intelligence,” the platform allows teams to chat naturally with Flora to instantly access company documents, SOPs, landscape data sets and compliance standards, while specialized agents work in the background to automate workflows across every role, from field operations and office administration to proposal generation, reporting, procurement and executive decision support. Its mobile experience, FieldSmart, gives crews hands-free voice access, while the broader HeyFlora platform transforms fragmented business knowledge into a unified intelligence layer that continuously learns and drives faster, more consistent operations. heyflora.ai

BATTERY POWERED FLEETS

We asked an expert how to protect your bottom line by mastering battery maintenance, charging logistics and crew training

With battery-powered equipment becoming standard in the industry, understanding its supporting ecosystems is critical. Ryan Kropfelder, senior product segment manager at Stihl, shares advice on maximizing investment, solving logistical issues and helping crews’ transition.

Protect your power packs

Because batteries represent a significant investment, Kropfelder says extending their lifespan should be a daily priority. To that end, he shares three essential maintenance tips. “First, start each workday with a fully charged battery, storing and charging packs in a cool, dry location —excessive heat, such as leaving batteries in a hot trailer or direct sun, is one of the biggest contributors to premature wear.”

Maintaining hardware and keeping it clean is equally vital. He advises crews to regularly clear debris from vents, as buildup can trap heat during operation and charging. Safety is also paramount: “Any battery showing cracks, swelling

or other damage should be removed from service.” Kropfelder also stresses matching the battery to the task. “Using the right battery for the workload prevents overtaxing, balances cycling and extends service life.”

Regarding storage, he confirms that for longterm downtime, you should avoid keeping packs at 100%. “The ideal storage level for lithium-ion batteries is around 40-60% charge, in a dry location between 50°F and 68°F.”

Solve bottlenecks by building a system

Keeping the fleet running all day is a reasonable concern with battery power. Although Kropfelder outlines that charging bottlenecks often stem from planning. He discloses: “Understanding how long each battery takes to reach 80% and 100% on different chargers will allow you to right-size your battery count and charging setup.”

For growing fleets, he signposts professionals to centralized charging solutions like the Stihl AL 301 4 multi-battery charger or CM series power units. These organize multiple batteries and distribute power efficiently between chargers.

System-based thinking is essential. Kropfelder reports that underestimating system needs is the biggest mistake when buying the first tool. “Battery isn’t just about replacing one piece of equipment;

it’s about building a system. For example, choosing a battery with insufficient amp-hour capacity for commercial use can lead to frustration if crews need to stop mid-job to recharge.”

Transition smart, train safe

Regarding business owners curious about electrification but still reliant on gas, Kropfelder instructs a targeted entry point. He suggests assessing your fleet and identifying an older, highuse handheld tool to switch first. “These tools are frequently used throughout the day and give crews a quick sense of the runtime and convenience battery tools can deliver.”

As crews adopt new technology, safety training should adapt. Quieter equipment doesn’t mean no risks. Kropfelder stresses maintaining work zones, PPE use and training on tool-specific handling. “Reinforce these basics” to ensure a safe transition.

Ryan Kropfelder serves as senior product segment manager for Stihl USA, where he leads the strategy for the company’s batterypowered lineup. Stihl offers a wide selection of battery tools. stihlusa.com ABOUT Instagram @stihlusa

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With extreme heat threatening vulnerable communities, a Harvard-led prototype offers solutions through ‘plug-in’ landscaping

PLUG-INPolinature

As urban centers worldwide grapple with extreme heat, the need for immediate, adaptable solutions has never been more pressing. Traditional landscape architecture, while vital, often involves lengthy planning cycles and permanent installations that struggle to keep pace with rapidly changing environments. It is this challenge that Polinature—a prototype ‘plug-in public space’ designed and installed in 2024—directly addressed.

The temporary installation, which provided instant bioclimatic relief, is the work of Belinda Tato and her partner, Jose Luis Vallejo. Tato is an Associate Professor in Practice of Landscape Architecture at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Together with Vallejo, they lead the architecture and urban design firm, Ecosistema Urbano.

great that cities have these ambitious plans,” says Tato. “But sometimes there are no resources, there is no capacity or there is no political will, so the projects get delayed or even cancelled. The questions we had were: what can we do now? What can we do in the short term?”

structure can be assembled, disassembled and relocated with zero waste. The vision is bold but simple: to seed oases of climatic comfort and biodiversity across the most heat-vulnerable neighborhoods, transforming the most heatvulnerable neighborhoods.

“It’s great that cities have these ambitious plans. The questions we had were: what can we do now? What can we do in the short term?”

Answering those questions gained stark urgency through Tato’s collaboration with research groups across Asia. “Scientists know which communities are likely to be most affected by extreme heat. They know which cities, which neighborhoods, and which population within these neighborhoods— mostly women and the elderly.” This reality, compounded by the “park equity gap” in low-income areas, became the project’s primary target.

Functionally, Polinature operated as a selfsufficient micro-climate. A tensile canopy provided shade. Sensors monitored conditions both inside and outside the structure. When heat thresholds are met, fans automatically activate, inflating “climatic bubbles” that release a cooling breeze. All of this is powered by perched solar panels. Tato explains: “When the temperature hit a certain threshold, the fans would start to work. The inflatables would then inflate, creating a breeze. It was automatic, responding in real time to the actual conditions.”

Tato reports that the project was born from frustration with the gap between long-term urban planning and immediate community needs. “It’s

Sponsored by a grant from the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University, the pavilion was installed at the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities in Cambridge. It served as a proof-of-concept. Designed as an open-source “kit-of-parts,” the

Beyond human comfort, the structure supported biodiversity. The team selected native plants “appealing for pollinators,” and appartently according to Tato during construction, the installation was “full of butterflies and bees.”

The planting list included Purple Coneflower, Milkweed and Bee Balm—all chosen to attract honeybees, hummingbirds and monarch butterflies. Digital displays offered visitors real-

1. SOLAR PANELS

2. SCAFFOLDING RINGLOCK BARS

These horizontal bars create a multitiered vertical garden, wrapping the structure in a layer of biodiversity.

3. GROW BAGS

A crown of solar panels powers the entire installation—the sensors, fans and lights—ensuring it operates completely off-grid and within its own energy means. 1 3 7 9 5 2 6 8 4

Hundreds of fabric grow bags are attached to the ringlock bars, holding hundreds of plants without the need for heavy, permanent planters or soil disruption.

4.

TENSILE STRUCTURE

A lightweight, white fabric roof stretches across the top of the scaffolding, providing essential shade.

5. POLLINATORS

The planting scheme focuses on native, pollinator-friendly species like Milkweed, Purple Coneflower and Bee Balm. During the installation. Tato reports that the structure was teeming with butterflies and bees, demonstrating its potential to support urban biodiversity.

6. CLIMATIC BUBBLES AND AIR NOZZLES

Integrated into the tensile structure are inflatable orange “bubbles.”

When climatic sensors detect high heat and humidity, the bubbles inflate and release a cooling breeze through nozzles below.

7. LIGHTING PODS

White, globular lighting pods hang within the structure, illuminating the space for evening use and creating a welcoming, sculptural presence.

8. CANOPY STRUCTURE

The pavilion’s frame is constructed from standard construction scaffolding. This choice makes the system affordable, accessible, and easy to assemble and disassemble anywhere in the world, leaving no permanent footprint.

9. BASE PLATES

The scaffolding rests on simple base plates, protecting the ground surface and ensuring that when the structure is removed, the only trace left is the temporary impression of the plates on the grass.

time data, allowing them to “interact with their environment in a new, informed way.” Sensors revealing a temperature difference of two to five degrees Celsius between the interior and exterior, though Tato notes this would have been “more dramatic if, instead of green, it had been asphalt.”

What could ‘plug-in landscaping’ mean?

The Polinature project introduces a conceptual shift, challenging traditional ways of thinking by presenting public spaces landscaping as a ‘plug-in’ feature. As Tato and Ecosistema Urbano envisioned dynamic, temporary landscapes can, as she says, “hack the system,” and bring comfort, ecology and beauty to overlooked spaces.

Central to this concept is addressing climate change’s immediate impacts. As Tato reports, while planting trees for future canopy is crucial planning, public design must also address the present realities of extreme heat. Furthermore, plug-in designs allow testing before investing in permanent installations. For landscaping contractors, this opens new opportunities: temporary fixtures in urban heat islands, green spaces on undeveloped lots or mobile biodiversity units for different neighborhoods. “There are so many plots of land waiting for development,” Tato observes. “How can we use them productively and cost-effectively in the meantime?”

Economically, the benefits extend beyond initial installation. Tato emphasizing the collective healthcare element, “This is not just individual care, it’s collective,” especially for vulnerable populations facing the greatest climate risks. Temporary green spaces can serve as public health measures, with the adage of reducing reliance on financially expensive and energy taxing residential cooling, facilitating “equity in an era of climate change.” For municipalities, investing in such projects additionally reframes public spaces as essential infrastructure that can put forwards solutions to the needs of a community.

On the professional landscaping level, the project further highlights the utility of integration of smart technology into landscape design. Real-

time sensors enabled the installation to respond automatically to changing conditions. This requires collaboration among landscape professionals and fields such as engineering and data science to create responsive holistic solutions. As an afterlife, the data collected can then inform and educate communities, organizations and policymakers about the tangible benefits of such interventions.

A final key lesson from Polinature, which Tato underlines, is considering a project’s full lifecycle. The team planned for careful deconstruction— returning scaffolding to rental companies, recycling inflatables and giving away over 1,400 plants to the community, with some going to schools and community gardens, ensuring the pollination mission continued in that locality. This “cradle-tocradle” thinking turns project completion into a community event. It offers a new narrative: value extends beyond a project’s removal, serving as a prototype, educational tool and ongoing source of greenery. As Tato puts it, the goal is to make it “super evident to humans that we’re part of the ecosystem—not above or beyond it.”

What’s next for Polinature?

After receiving interest from cities in Mexico, China and Spain, the Ecosistema Urbano team plans to release technical drawings and kits as open source, enabling communities worldwide to adapt the concept. Future versions will explore new proportions, plant species and climates. Sister installation, Plant Table, was completed in Boston’s Chinatown in 2025, showing how these principles can adapt to new neighborhoods and needs.

Ecosistema Urbano is an urban design and architecture studio with offices in Boston and Madrid. Founded in 2000, the studio focuses on creating climatically comfortable public spaces that improve community resilience in the face of climate change.

ecosistemaurbano.com

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When Rules INSPIRE

Regulations are often considered to be further red tape. Tony Somers argues they are actually a blueprint for resilient and legally sound projects

Environmental regulations are often viewed as complications—bureaucratic layers that delay projects and frustrate clients. But for landscape architecture team lead and planner at SWCA Environmental Consultants Tony Somers, understanding these frameworks is fundamental to effective project delivery.

Wetland protection and compliance

In Massachusetts, the Wetlands Protection Act offers an example of where environmental regulation intersects with landscaping work. As in many states, the Conservation Commission oversees projects with potential environmental impacts, establishing buffers around resource areas—zones where commercial activities are restricted, prohibited or require permits.

“Wetlands filter water into groundwater, and that’s the water that we drink,” Somers explains. “They are a soft reservoir for maintaining water in the landscape, particularly as we witness more frequent and prolonged droughts resulting from climate change. We’ve recognized wetlands’ ecological functions in law, but there needs to be education about how they are protected.”

For landscaping professionals, the practical implications are sometimes significant. Common violations include encroachment into wetlands and dumping of debris or fill materials. “Unfortunately, cutting down vegetation and dumping grass clippings or debris in these areas still occurs,” Somers notes. “Those are violations of the Wetlands Protection Act.”

In Somers’ view, responsibility for compliance involves multiple parties. He describes the typical sequence: “If a Conservation Commission is getting involved with a landscaping service, or an owner, it’s likely because of an infraction, an enforcement order—meaning you’ve already done wrong.” Preventing that outcome requires that team

NATIVE SPECIES REGULATIONS

Local municipalities are increasingly requiring native plantings. Somers offers practical guidance on meeting those design regulations: “The main task is knowing how to prescribe the right plant for the right environment.” The common mistake he has witnessed is designs that do not have the needs of the native plant in mind, such as planting large tree species in five-by-five-foot street planters. Likewise, Somers warns that maintenance crews may not “differentiate between what’s a weed and what’s a native plant,” especially seasonal workers. His design solution is to cluster and intelligently define the space so crews can clearly distinguish between weeds and intentionally planted native species.

leaders and crew members have knowledge of the current regulatory requirements from the outset.

The seasonal nature of landscaping employment could potentially complicate staff regulatory education efforts, however, Somers sees potential for organic knowledge sharing as workers move between companies. “If these crews can set solid guidance at one company, there’s potential for cross-pollination across service providers,” he observes. “They can inform other people, even if their manager doesn’t.”

With enforcement limitations and crew turnover, Somers advocates for landscape design strategies that include regulatory boundaries visually apparent through natural buffers. On many SWCA residential and commercial projects located near wetlands, design teams incorporate natural buffers that both protect the resource and create a more natural transition in the landscape.

These buffers serve dual purposes: protecting the wetland while signaling to maintenance crews where work should stop. “We’re putting in shrubs and woody material and making it very evident that you’re mowing the lawn to this point. When you see this big shrubby layer, stop.” Additional strategies include installing bird boxes around perimeters or placing small signs indicating important habitat. Written regulations alone won’t protect resources—design must make protection intuitive.

When regulations catalyze better outcomes Somers acknowledged that regulations can sometimes conflict with development objectives. “In some cases, if there were just a bit more space—or if a design could extend to land on the other side of a stream—it could unlock additional development potential. But that stream might support cold‑water trout fisheries or sensitive

riparian habitat. In those situations, regulatory agencies are, understandably, very particular about what activities are allowed in and around those areas and obtaining approval to build there can be very difficult.”

On the other hand, there are projects where regulatory constraints improved results. One Massachusetts developer wanted maximum density on a tight site surrounded by wetlands and streams. Initial designs struggled against buffer zones. After education from Somers’s team about permitting requirements, the developer agreed to modify the approach.

looking at the parking lot or the adjacent street.

The owner got everything he wanted and preserved the regulatory areas. I think ultimately, he got a better product for his end users.”

The road ahead

“The owner got everything he wanted and preserved the regulatory areas. I think ultimately, he got a better product for his end users”

“The owner was amenable to slightly modifying the orientation of the building, which allowed us to shift the parking in a way that pulled the development away from resource area buffers,” Somers recalls. “The building maintained the unit size the owner was going for, and it was oriented so that people in the facility had more expansive views over the preserved woodlands and wetlands.”

The outcome was superior to the original concept. “To me, that’s much more pleasant than

Somers sees several trends shaping the regulatory landscape.

Pollinator scorecards are established or proposed in numerous jurisdictions.

Laws addressing overgrown invasive plants and fire risks create additional compliance considerations, with some localities offering financial incentives to support ecosystem services.

For landscape professionals, staying ahead of a changing regulatory terrain means participating in educational opportunities and maintaining awareness of evolving frameworks. Conferences, industry publications and professional forums provide platforms for understanding emerging requirements.

The fundamental challenge remains: translation—between regulatory text and on-theground reality, between designer intent and crew execution, between client desires and ecological limits. Success requires all parties to share a common understanding of what protection means and why it matters.

As Somers puts it, understanding how to work within regulatory frameworks rather than against them ultimately delivers results that serve clients, communities and ecosystems alike.

Tony Somers is the landscape architecture team lead and licensed planner at SWCA Environmental Consultants, a 100% employee-owned firm. At SWCA, Somers applies national expertise in landscape design and restoration to help clients navigate regulatory compliance. The firm’s experts deliver solutions across environmental planning, cultural resources, biological and water resources, climate-driven services and sustainability. swca.com ABOUT

DIRT AND

Diagnosis

The root of most business problems isn’t operations—it’s communication. Business consultant, Rayne Gibson, gameplans for fixing both

For businesses trapped in cycles of operational chaos—lurching from labor crises to cash flow scares—the promise of a lasting solution often feels like a mirage. Rayne Gibson, founder of the firm Taproot Horticulture Consulting, argues that this relentless firefighting is a symptom of a deeper, more pervasive problem: most businesses are looking in the wrong place. With over 12 years in the green industry, Gibson approaches troubled companies not as a generic business consultant but as a specialist mechanic. He diagnoses precisely “where and when to hit the hammer”—identifying the singular, often overlooked bottleneck that will bring the whole engine back to life.

A consultant with a psychologist’s hat When Gibson is called in to troubleshoot, he habitually finds that operationally stagnant companies are crippled by a single, underlying ailment. “They’re more often than not used to trying or doing new things,” he explains. “They don’t flex that challenge

muscle very often, and unused muscles atrophy.”

The prognosis of this structural inflexibility is that it creates an impasse—compounding unaddressed problems and allowing bad practices to settle and harden like silt on a stagnant riverbed.

Symptoms of this rigidity reveal themselves in predictable patterns, he adds. “Hired for production planning? Turns out there’s also a communication leadership problem. Hired for sales coaching? Turns out they have an inventory control problem—and, again, a communication problem.” In fact, he notes, “I haven’t worked on a single engagement, yet that didn’t include some kind of communication improvement.”

“They don’t flex that challenge muscle very often, and unused muscles atrophy”

In family-owned operations, Gibson has found that communication gaps prove particularly acute: generations collide, personal history complicates professional relationships and succession planning goes into the weeds. His approach in these cases is to work with both sides—typically parents and their children—to separate business relationships from family dynamics.

“Normally, it starts with a parent: a career’s worth of intuition, hoping a family member will eventually take over.

But that successor is likely to have their own ideas—and their own vision.” The parents’ instinct, he says, is often to reject unfamiliar approaches immediately. “However, that doesn’t develop the next generation’s own intuition. So, you need to build an organizational structure that supports productive conversations.” At the root of this intergenerational tension, Gibson believes, lies perception.

Parents carry decades of mental imagery—the five-year-old who spilled juice, the teenager who made mistakes—into what should be evidencebased boardroom discussions. “It is only natural for parents to think about their children through those references and see them in that light,” he says. “That’s part of the reason why a parent may want to retain control. Whereas when you hire someone, you only see them in view of the day you first interviewed them.”

Nevertheless, for the would-be successor, the experience can be isolating. “Nine times out of ten, the next generation feels unheard, disrespected, invisible,” Gibson observes. “Their ideas are shot down before they’re even considered, so they retreat into a complacent corner.”

His solution for family-led businesses is structured communication—moving conversations from the back porch to a setting distinct from domestic life, with intentional meetings and clear

agendas. He also coaches leadership to resist the reflexive “no” and instead respond with curiosity: “That’s interesting. Tell me more about that.”

“Nine times out of ten, the next generation feels unheard, disrespected, invisible”

This approach does more than open, collaborative dialogue—it transfers responsibility. Gibson describes the conversation’s format: “I tell them that a better way to communicate is to say, ‘Look, in the past we tried something like this, but maybe we weren’t ready yet. If you think it’s worth pursuing, come back to me with more details. Write out a simple budget.’” By forcing the next generation to build a business case, the process cultivates the 10,000-foot view essential to management. It also lays the groundwork for a self-educated, practical and nuanced understanding of why the organization may have been initially hesitant toward the idea.

The bottom line

Ultimately, Gibson’s investigative work

reveals that the most persistent problems in the green industry—whether stalled growth, family conflict or operational bottlenecks—are rarely what they first appear.

Time and again, as his outline of difficulties in family business dynamics illustrates, he finds that the true obstacle is a failure to communicate and a reluctance to create space for the reframing of mindsets.

For owners staring down another cash flow crisis or managing a siloed team, his advice is deceptively simple: stop reacting and start questioning. By learning to pause the reflexive “no” and instead ask, “Tell me more,” leaders can transform stagnant organizations into dynamic ecosystems. It is in that moment of curiosity, he suggests, that a company can finally stop chasing fires long enough to begin the conversations which will lead to a clear path forward.

Forecasting the future of the green industry In his professional opinion, Gibson states that the future direction of the green industry belongs to specialists. While the one-stop shop won’t disappear entirely, he foresees a decisive, snowballing shift toward fragmentation, with nursery businesses especially thriving by dominating specific niches—whether that’s serving high-end garden centers, commercial developers or large-scale landscape contractors.

“Instead of putting out a very thin layer across multiple industries,” Gibson explains, “you have very direct and thick applications toward one, two, three. I don’t do a little bit of this and that; I solely do these aspects really well.”

This focus is not just a strategy for growth, but a safeguard against collapse. He warns that a failure to commit to a core competency can be catastrophic, pointing to examples on both extremes: hyper-specialized nurseries that folded after losing a single major contract, and sprawling operations that spread themselves too thin, excelling at nothing. In an evolving market, he argues, mastery—not breadth—is the key to business resilience.

ABOUT

Taproot Horticulture Consulting provides horticulture business consulting across the US. Founded by Rayne Gibson, a veteran of nursery operations and logistics, the firm uses a value-based approach to deliver customized, actionable strategies for nurseries and landscapers. taprootshc.com

Instagram @taprootshc

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Recognizing

Every spring brings fresh shoots, and with them a new generation of landscape professionals putting down roots. Pro Landscaper USA spoke with one of the most promising voices of that next generation of green professionals: Maria Fernanda ‘MaFe’ Gonzalez, the 2025 recipient of the ASLA Emerging Professional Medal. In an interview, the botanist-turned-designer discussed her journey from science to design and her philosophy of treating ‘nature as a client.’

Could you tell our readers a bit about yourself and your path to landscape architecture?

“I’m originally from Colombia and my career began in the sciences. I studied biology and worked as a botanist for almost 10 years, conducting flora inventories and conservation studies. While that work was valuable, I started to feel a personal conflict. As a scientist, you’re trained to be neutral and objective. But I found myself wanting to be an advocate—for a forest, for a species. I saw landscape architecture as a way to bridge that gap. It allows me to ask those same scientific questions

FRESH SHOOTS

From botany to design: how Maria Fernanda Gonzalez bridges science and advocacy as one of the industry’s most promising new voices

but also take a stand. I want to protect communities that include people, plants and wildlife.”

You mentioned a specific moment that pushed you from pure science toward advocacy. Can you tell us about that?

“Yes, I was part of a team working to get a site in Colombia nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. For nearly two years I conducted fieldwork, recorded plant life and worked to secure the nomination. It was a huge achievement when it was recognized as a treasure for all of humanity. But just a few months later, I saw it on the news—it was on fire. Agricultural pressure was leading to deforestation. I remember thinking, ‘What is the point of all these reports if this is happening on the ground?’ That experience solidified my desire to work directly with people. Landscape architecture allows us to listen to

“Landscape

communities, understand ecological needs and propose something that benefits both.”

That leads perfectly to our next question. In your work, you’re advocating for two things at once: the environment and your client. How do you reconcile them?

architecture

allows us to

listen to communities, understand ecological needs and propose something that benefits both”

“That was the question I struggled with during graduate school! I would ask my professors, ‘If we’re advocating for nature, why do we have to do everything the client asks even if it harms the environment?’ That questioning led me to the idea of having nature as a client.

“At BASE we’ve adopted this as our design manifesto. From the first conversation we tell clients, ‘We’re going to design a place that meets your needs but we’re also thinking about the bees, the creek and the biodiversity of the site.’ We try to show them that human and nature’s needs aren’t separate—they’re nested. If I design a place where a bumblebee is safe, humans will be safe there too. Sometimes clients are hesitant, but through the design process they transform. The clearer we get with our message, the more clients come to us specifically because they want to design for nature.”

Do you see this hyper-awareness as unique to your generation?

“The new generation of green professionals is incredibly hyper-aware. With social media we’re exposed to everything—the good and the bad. It can be overwhelming but it’s also a superpower. It allows us to collaborate easily. We at BASE are building a network of collaboration with professionals across the country and internationally. We’re all asking the same questions: ‘How can we increase biodiversity in cities? How

can we create stepping stones for wildlife?’ This hunger for collaboration will push the profession forward quickly.”

You also remark on the importance of representation. Why is that a critical issue for you, and for the industry as a whole?

“Our cities shouldn’t be built from only one perspective. As a Latina designer I work with many Latino communities. We share language, values and cultural understanding. When an individual with a similar cultural framework describes a cherished memory—such as the feeling of security while gazing up through a tree canopy—I have a deep intuitive grasp of that reference. This shared understanding allows me to more authentically translate that memory into a design element.

“I’m not saying only Latino people can design for Latino communities. But their voices must be at the decision-making table. And it is the same for all communities, for example if we’re designing for a Black community, it’s vital to have a Black designer on the team—not just providing input but also drawing the spaces. Different cultures relate differently to their environment and the people. We design outdoor spaces for all, so all should be represented in the design team.”

What kind of landscape architecture excites you most? Is there a particular style you gravitate towards?

“I’m most interested in ecological benefits. I love the ‘messy’ aesthetic—vibrant, functional gardens that look different and wild but are rich habitats for wildlife. With my science background I embrace the technical side. I like to research phytoremediation using plants to clean soil and water and I’m fascinated by incorporating seeds, bulbs and mycology—mushrooms— into designs to regenerate degraded landscapes.”

“The mission of landscape architecture— to create a healthy, safe environments for all—is full of hope”

optimistic emerging professionals and students are.

Is the profession heading in the right direction?

“The mission of landscape architecture— to create a healthy, safe environments for all—is full of hope. I want to believe it’s heading in the right direction. The complexity lies in applying it.

“Of course it’s hard to meet human, environmental and economic needs all at once. But what gives me hope is seeing how engaged and

They’re questioning the curriculum, demanding more information about ecology and local communities, reenvisioning the profession more like a service for everyone than a privilege for a few. They’re taking an active role in transforming the profession. And that’s not just good; it’s beautiful to witness.”

Gonzalez, a landscape designer at BASE Landscape Architecture in San Francisco, is a 2022 UC Berkeley MLA graduate. She serves as cochair of the ASLA Northern California Chapter’s Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee and is a member of the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. baselandscape.com

LIVING LANDSCAPES

Indigenous communities are a rich source of ecological knowledge. Milena Fiore, executive director of ReScape, outlines what landscape professionals can learn from them

Across the Amazon, Pacific Islands, sub-Saharan Africa and the American West, Indigenous communities have managed living landscapes for thousands of years. Indigenous peoples steward over 25% of the Earth’s land, including 37% of all remaining natural lands and 36% of intact forests. These territories hold a disproportionate share of the planet’s biodiversity and where Indigenous communities retain management authority, deforestation rates are lower. This is the measurable outcome of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) refined over millennia through observation, practice and intergenerational transmission.

TEK isn’t folklore or primitive practice. It’s a sophisticated, place-based science: encoded in controlled burns, sustainable agriculture, seed stewardship, water harvesting and polyculture design. It is knowledge that maintained functioning ecosystems across vastly different geographies and climates long before the discipline of landscape management existed. As climate disruption accelerates globally, these systems offer not historical curiosity but essential proven blueprints for resilience.

Nowhere is this more urgent than in California. At ReScape, Indigenous land stewardship is foundational to our vision of regenerative landscape management. California’s Indigenous communities shaped this landscape. As our industry confronts megadroughts, wildfires and biodiversity collapse, their knowledge is the syllabus.

Water: Ancient wisdom for a thirsty state

Water scarcity is a global crisis, yet Indigenous communities worldwide developed sophisticated responses long before modern infrastructure. The qanats of Persia, chinampas of Mesoamerica, and amunas of Peru—each represents millennia of engineering in harmony with local hydrology. The common thread: slow water, spread it, and let it sink into groundwater. These same principles underpin the bioretention systems, bioswales, and green stormwater infrastructure our industry now races to install.

In California, Indigenous communities demonstrated profound understanding of the state’s boom-and-bust hydrology. Rock alignments, check dams, and terraces slowed and spread seasonal flows. By cultivating native plants— species adapted to long dry summers and wet

winters—communities eliminated the need for irrigation while supporting entire food webs. Living in alignment with cycles and seasons, traditional ecological calendars tracked far more than four seasons, guiding landscape interventions with precise ecological signals: when certain plants bloomed, when fish runs began, when birds migrated. This seasonal literacy is something our static maintenance schedules rarely achieve.

Fire: A global practice, a California crisis Cultural burning, the intentional, strategic use of fire to manage landscapes, is one of the most widespread and well-documented Indigenous practices on Earth. Aboriginal Australians have used fire-stick farming for over 40,000 years to manage habitat, promote food plants, and prevent catastrophic fire accumulation. Communities across sub-Saharan Africa use seasonal burns to maintain savanna ecosystems. In the Pacific Northwest and throughout California, tribes— including the Karuk, Yurok, Miwok, Hupa, Tule River Indian Tribe, North Fork Mono Tribe, Tübatulabal, Chumash, Washoe, and Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians—practiced controlled burns as a foundational form of land stewardship, reducing hazardous fuel loads, promoting fire-adapted native plants, stimulating seed germination, and enhancing soil fertility through ash distribution.

California’s landscape industry inherited the opposite approach: aggressive fire suppression that, over a century, created the dense fuel loads now fueling uncontrollable infernos. The lesson from Indigenous fire stewardship is clear: some landscapes evolved with fire. California

tribes are reclaiming leadership in prescribed burning, and agencies are seeking their guidance. Recent legislation, California Senate Bill 310 (SB 310) signed in September 2024 and became effective January 1, 2025, allows tribes to conduct cultural burns on ancestral lands, removing barriers to fire management for ecological and cultural benefits. We advocate fire-adapted landscape design and tribally led fire stewardship.

Plants and Soil: Biodiversity as the foundation

From the forest gardens of the Amazon, largely human-cultivated, to the camas prairies of the Pacific Northwest maintained through harvest and burning, Indigenous communities around the world developed plant knowledge of extraordinary depth and sophistication. Not just identification but ecological relationships: propagation strategies, seasonal growth patterns, interconnections with insects, birds, soil organisms and water cycles. Traditional landscapes were layered polycultures providing food, medicine, habitat and soil health. Plants served multiple ecological functions. What the industry now calls “regenerative landscaping” is a concept Indigenous communities never abandoned.

Soil stewardship followed the same logic. Controlled burns returned nutrients in bioavailable forms. Nitrogen-fixing species were strategically placed. Organic materials were returned to soil rather than hauled away. Compare this to conventional landscape maintenance, blowers that erode topsoil, synthetic fertilizers that bypass soil biology, pesticides that kill soil organisms and the contrast is stark. Regenerative soil management isn’t innovation; it’s a validation of what Indigenous communities practiced for millennia.

Partnership, not appropriation

The landscape industry’s responsibility is to support Indigenous leadership and integrate proven principles with proper attribution, compensation and respect. This means advocating for Indigenous land rights and legal recognition of TEK. In California, it means direct partnership with tribes, centering Indigenous expertise and supporting land-

back initiatives. It means learning whose ancestral lands we work on, and acknowledging Indigenous knowledge as the source when incorporating fire-adapted design, native plant selection or water-harvesting systems. Fundamentally, it is recognizing that some of California’s best-managed landscapes today are tribally managed—not by accident but because the knowledge systems that created them are still alive.

If Indigenous stewardship can protect 37% of the planet’s natural lands and sustain biodiversity globally, it can inform how we design gardens, campuses or streetscapes. The landscape industry stands at a crossroads: continue with resourceintensive interventions, or learn from communities that have developed sustainable management without fossil fuels, synthetic chemicals or excessive water use.

The question isn’t whether Indigenous communities around the world have knowledge worth learning. The question is whether we’re humble enough to listen.

Fiore is the executive director of ReScape California. She acknowledges that this article offers only a brief overview of Traditional Ecological Knowledge developed by diverse Indigenous communities across California and around the world. Landscape professionals seeking to incorporate these approaches should engage directly with local tribal communities and consult Indigenous land management experts. rescapeca.org

@rescape_ca

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Landscape Craft Studio landscapecraftstudio.com

Other than the US, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

Japan. The restraint, the respect for nature, and the idea that landscapes reveal themselves slowly over time.

You’re on vacation—lounge on the beach or explore a city?

Explore a new city. I like walking neighborhoods, studying parks, noticing planting palettes and seeing how public space is used.

Dream project?

Designing a large regional park from raw land, where ecology, recreation, water systems and community life all come together. A place that will still feel relevant 50 years from now.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Earlier involvement of landscape designers/ area developers in planning. Too often we’re brought in after key decisions are made.

Trend you’re tired of?

The casual use of the word “sustainability.” Too often it’s used as a buzzword rather than a genuine commitment to working with the land.

INTERVIEWS THE LITTLE

Douglas Kent+Associates anfractus.com

Other than the US, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

I am inspired by the Persian Gulf State landscapes, and their paradise, hanging and cloistered gardens. They made life worth living in some hostile and hot environments.

Best piece of advice?

Create your own work and you’ll be never unemployed.

Dream project?

A two-acre fiber arts garden is my wish. These types of landscapes support artist communities, reduce the buildup of vegetative fuels in the interface, and lean into indigenous relations with land.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Promote the benefits of our work! Urban greening boosts property values, reduces crime, cools communities, improves public health and cleans air and water. Every citizen should understand the impact of our profession.

Trend you’re tired of?

Plants that stab or poison people along entryways and sidewalks. That’s so 1990s.

Brookway Landscape & Irrigation brookway.com

Other than the US, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

I would love the opportunity to experience places like Italy, Japan and Ireland where history, architecture and natural landscape come together in such unique ways.

Best piece of advice?

Show up, work hard and treat people well. Skills can be learned, but integrity and relationships are what truly open doors.

Dream project?

A large-scale mixed-use development where the landscape design plays a central role in how people experience the space—beautiful gathering areas, trees that mature into a canopy over time.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Stronger mentorship and education about the complexity of what goes into landscape management.

Couldn’t get through the week without…

Talking to my son who is stationed in Japan. Our time difference makes it hard but, on the days, I get to talk with him in the morning on my way to work sets the tone for my day. Definitely makes my day better!

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