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With around two months to go until 2025 draws to a close, it’s time to start thinking about what we’ve achieved so far this year—but perhaps more importantly, how we hope the next 12 months will look, and what we can do now to give us the best chance of success. The temptation is to slow down in the run-up to Christmas and put off tasks until the new year. But in what can be quieter months for the industry, how can businesses use this time to prepare for busier periods? This could be turning your attention to staff training and development, updating your marketing strategy, or servicing your equipment ready for the new year.
In this issue of Pro Landscaper USA, we have a whole host of advice from industry experts who are helping you look ahead and weather any potential storms. Cetane Associate’s Nick Stein shares tips for combatting inflation, whilst podcaster Jeff Muff advises how small businesses can tackle the labor shortage, and MotionOps’ Trevor Maddux talks smart financial habits.
Landscaping and improvement expert Rose Morrison also shares ideas for smart revenue streams throughout the winter months, giving tips for how companies in colder states can adapt their offering and thrive.
Another great opportunity to explore how to take your company to the next level is at FutureScape USA, our inaugural show in Los Angeles on December 9-10. Discover innovations from our range of exhibitors (a handful of which are showcased on pages 8-9), and hear about the topics that are shaping the industry—from H-2B visas to ‘firescaping’—in our seminar theaters. We’ll also be highlighting rising stars, hosting the North & South America heat of the Pro Landscaper International Awards, and putting a UK and a US-style show garden head to head in what the ‘Ryder Cup of landscaping’— giving you plenty of inspiration to start next year on a high!
Acting editor Nina
New at NADRA
Entries are now open for NADRA’s 2025 National+ Deck Competition, with new categories being introduced for this year’s awards:
• Alternative Deck $251k – $500k
• Alternative Deck Over $500k:
• Limitless Creation (up to $200k, $201k–$400k, and over $400k)
• Framing (Up to 70k, 71k to 150k, 151k to 250k, 251k and up)
NADRA members are encouraged to put forward their best projects to be in with a chance to receive industry-wide
recognition from their peers at the 16th edition of the awards gala.
The deadline for entries is Monday, November 3.
As this issue goes to print, NADRA will be in attendance at the Deck Expo in Las Vegas, hosting in-person education at the show and networking its members. Voting will also be taking place for the NADRA board of directors, newly elected members to which will be installed at the 2026 NADRA Summit.
Upcoming events:
• November 11, 2025: NADRA Northeast Networking Meeting at Village Brewing in Somerville, New Jersey
• January 7-9, 2026: 2026 Summit and Awards Gala at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach, Florida
Education:
• November 20, 2025: Deck Evaluation / Inspection Certification
For additional information about NADRA events or joining, go to: nadra.org.uk
Winners announced for CLCA San Diego Chapter’s Beautification Awards Banquet
The CLCA San Diego Chapter recently hosted its annual Beautification Awards Banquet at the charming Bernardo Winery, where award-winning industry professionals who display excellence in landscape construction and maintenance were celebrated. This long-standing program encourages interest in landscaping, recognizes professionals who produce outstanding landscapes, and creates pride in superior workmanship.
The evening was filled with high spirits, flowing laughter, and unbeatable energy! This year’s entries were truly exceptional; the creativity, skill, and heart behind every project was incredible and evident in every detail. Congratulations to the awardwinning landscape contractors honored this year: Belle Terre Landscapes, Bradley Landscape Development, Greenway Landscape Design and Build, KH Pavers, Verde Property Services – LaBahn’s Landscaping, MSE Landscape Professionals, Nature Designs Landscaping, Pacific Green Landscape, Torrey Pines Landscape Company, Van Slyke Landscape, and Western Gardens Landscaping. Way to raise the bar!
To see photos and the full list of winners, visit clcasandiego.org
2025 award-winning Pacific Highlands Project by Bradley Landscape Development
• 2025 award-winning RSF Ripple Project by Torrey Pines Landscape Co
• 2025 award-winning Haskell Project by Van Slyke Landscape
Become APLD certified
today
In the world of landscape design, talent and creativity are essential—but in today’s competitive market, professionalism, credibility, and trust are just as important. That’s where certification through APLD comes in. Becoming an APLD Certified Landscape Designer is more than just earning a title—it’s a declaration of your commitment to high standards, ethical practice, and ongoing professional growth. It’s a mark of distinction that sets you apart in a growing field.
The benefits of certification
Professional credibility: Certification signals to clients, employers, and peers that you meet nationally recognized standards of excellence.
Client confidence: Certified designers instill trust. Clients feel confident hiring someone who has demonstrated both experience and accountability.
Industry recognition: APLD-certified designers are part of a respected network of professionals dedicated to advancing the field of landscape design.
Continued growth: Maintaining certification requires ongoing education, keeping designers current on trends, best practices, and innovations in the industry.
Competitive advantage: Whether you’re building a solo practice or working in a larger firm, certification gives you
PHTA launches center of excellence training hub
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, is proud to announce the launch of the Center of Excellence, an online, on-demand education hub. Built by the industry, for the industry, the Center of Excellence offers the most comprehensive course curriculum available for businesses and working professionals. Launching with more than 100 on-demand courses, and more coming online this fall and winter, the Center of Excellence offers researchbacked training via learning pathways for a wide range of industry sectors: Building & Engineering, Service & Maintenance, Retail & Distribution, Facility Operators & Managers, Manufacturing, and Business. From foundational courses to advanced expertise, each learning pathway is designed to guide the user through progressive levels of knowledge and skills specific to the individual. Achieve #EveryDayExcellence at phta.org/coe
an edge in attracting clients and projects that align with your expertise.
Ready to take the next step?
Visit APLD’s website to learn more about the process, requirements, and how to get started; or reach out to certification@apld.org.
Last chance to register for APLD’s November Webinar! Gravel Gardens for Our Changing Climate (1 CEU)
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 2pm Eastern
Presented by Jeff Epping, Epping Design & Consulting
Join APLD for an inspiring webinar on gravel gardens with Jeff Epping. As climate change challenges traditional gardening, eco-conscious gardeners are seeking sustainable alternatives to water-guzzling, chemically dependent lawns. In this webinar, Epping will show how gravel gardens offer a beautiful, lowmaintenance solution—requiring minimal water, no fertilizers or chemicals, and supporting native wildlife. Don’t let the name fool you, these resilient gardens are as stunning as they are sustainable.
Scan the QR code to register now: apld.memberclicks.net/ gravel-gardens-webinar
The registration deadline is November 10.
GO AND SEE
Be sure to stop by these booths at FutureScape USA, taking place on December 9-10 at the Los Angeles Convention Center
Mighty Fire Breaker
Mighty Fire Breaker (MFB) is leading the way in proactive wildfire defense with CitroTech®, the only EPA Safer Choicecertified fire chemistry. Supported by UL GREENGUARD Gold and ASTM E84 extended test results, MFB’s systems provide Class A protection for homes and buildings from the inside out. From spraying interior framing lumber with MFB-34 CitroTech® to defending perimeters with the Mighty Fire Breaker wildfire defense system, it delivers a safer, more affordable approach to wildfire risk reduction. Its trusted solutions create fire-resilient communities across California and beyond. citrosafe.com
Heritage Handmade Garden Collections
Heritage Handmade Garden Collections is a specialist maker of fine quality, artisan crafted garden planters, fountains, dining furniture, seating, statuary and ornament. It takes inspiration from the antique originals to reproduce garden design classics, utilising the best and most suitable materials, superior craftsmanship and traditional techniques. Each item is handmade to order with bespoke commissions undertaken. Based in the Cotswolds, England, it is the first choice for many garden designers and private clients alike. Delivery and shipping worldwide. heritagegardencollections.co.uk
Lucihub is a next-gen video production platform built for speed, simplicity, and scale. Teams can turn smartphone footage into professional videos in just 72 hours, no crews or technical expertise needed. The platform combines professional editing with Creative Copilot, an AI suite for scripts, shot lists, voiceovers, and translations. From event highlights and training videos to social content, Lucihub helps organizations produce more videos at a fraction of the time and cost. Exclusive for FutureScape USA attendees: Get a free, professionally edited highlight video by requesting a demo, creating your account, and uploading your footage. lucihub.com
Aquascape, Inc. is North America’s leading innovator in the water features industry, designing and manufacturing products for ponds, waterfalls, fountains, and water gardens. Built on a sustainable ecosystem philosophy, Aquascape integrates nature’s elements—plants, fish, rocks, and filtration—to create low-maintenance, naturally balanced water features. Its mission is to “connect people to water the way nature intended.” Visit booth 410 to explore its latest innovations, including the new Ecosystem Wetland Filtration System and self-contained fountains. aquascapeinc.com
Grad Concept USA
Starting from scratch in 2020, Grad Concept USA is located in Houston, TX but partnering with corporations across the US, quadrupling your machining capabilities to profile grooves, ensuring a wider range of product options and faster delivery times across the nation. At FutureScape USA, Grad Concept USA will be showcasing its market-changing Grad rail systems for builders and architects. Highlights will include everything from traditional decking systems using pedestals with boards to custom designs for walls and soffits, demonstrating innovative solutions for any project. us.gradconcept.com
Torc Pots and All Green
Torc Pots handcrafts beautiful, enduring pieces from its British Isles studio—from pots and fire tables to outdoor furniture and water features. This family-run studio blends artistry and innovation, creating bespoke designs that inspire landscape architects and garden designers with texture, scale, and timeless craftsmanship. Allgreen offers a unique range of premium stone and landscape materials, making it easy to source everything you need in one call or a few clicks. It saves you valuable time by simplifying the process, ensuring consistent quality and service. Allgreen—your first choice for stone and landscape materials. torcpots.com allgreen.uk
Vuba Stone
Vuba Stone is a leading manufacturer of resin systems and a processor of aggregates with a global online presence. It combines natural marble stone with UV resin suitable for the Americas harsh climate to create beautiful, durable, and low-maintenance surfaces for residential and commercial applications. At FutureScape USA, Vuba will be showcasing its innovative range and conducting live product demonstrations throughout the event, as well as showcasing its patented DIY stone binder called Easihold and its new GrassMac base for the artificial turf industry. Visitors can experience its mixing and installation process firsthand and learn about its comprehensive training programs, designed to support installers and professionals at every level. vuba-stone.com
Struxure SoCal
Struxure SoCal is Southern California’s premier provider of luxury smart pergolas and outdoor living solutions, transforming ordinary backyards into extraordinary spaces. As an authorized Struxure dealer, it specializes in fully customized, motorized pergolas that blend cutting-edge technology with timeless design—built to adapt to the SoCal lifestyle and weather with a touch of a button.
What sets Struxure SoCal apart is its commitment to innovation, precision, and personalized service. Every project is thoughtfully designed to complement a home’s architecture while enhancing functionality and value. From initial consultation to final installation, its team of experts ensures a seamless, white-glove experience that turns a client’s outdoor vision into a reality.
Proudly serving Orange County, Los Angeles, and the surrounding areas, it brings a passion for craftsmanship and a dedication to quality that’s unmatched in the industry.
When temperatures dip and turf goes dormant, many crews shift from lawn care to coldseason maintenance. Winter landscaping demands different rhythms and plans than the typical work done in warmer weather. Those who prepare early can carry talent, equipment and cash flow through the cold season and emerge ready for a strong spring.
Landscaping is a seasonal trade in much of the US, so the first question clients ask is simple—what do landscapers do in the winter?
In many markets, demand for weekly maintenance drops while overhead stays put. Fuel efficiency also falls. Equipment takes longer to reach the optimal temperature, which hurts short-trip routes, and winter gasoline blends can contain slightly less energy per gallon1 Both reduce mpg and raise route costs.
Owners also deal with crew utilization, idle equipment and frozen ground that delays hardscape phases. Add regional snow variability, shifting precipitation patterns and tight budgets, and the case for a pivot grows fast. As the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ (NALP) economic brief puts it, slower periods are a time to prepare for the next surge.
“Use the slower period in 2024 to be preparing for the growth that comes in ‘25 and ‘26,” advises Taylor St. Germain of ITR Economics in guidance to landscape firms2
7 Alternative revenue streams for landscapers in winter
A practical pivot starts with services that fit existing skills, equipment and client lists. These strategies show how to generate winter income for landscapers while building credibility for spring.
The Off-Season Pivot
Rose Morrison shares smart revenue streams for landscape companies in winter
1
Commercial Snow and Ice Routes
If a region gets workable snow, locking in seasonal or per-push agreements stabilizes cash flow and keeps operators alert. Cities are testing private-crew models like Chicago’s Plow the Sidewalks, which deploys teams by accumulation thresholds—a sign municipalities are exploring contracted sidewalk work. “Plan for winter volatility and prioritize hospitals, schools, and mission-critical sites,” says Tim Vela, CEO of United Veterans Construction and Landscape Solutions, who urges firms to use weather intelligence and smart irrigation shutdowns.
2
Dormant season pruning and structural tree work
Leaf-off visibility and plant dormancy make winter ideal for corrective pruning, cabling and removals. Tree care teams can also apply anti-desiccant sprays for evergreens exposed to wind or road salt. They create a thin waxy coating that reduces transpiration4, protecting foliage during deep cold.
3
Evergreen interest and winter planting enhancements
Designers can propose winter color plans using perennials with evergreen foliage and strong texture. Ornamental grasses, dianthus and hellebores carry form and even midwinter blooms5 in many zones, helping properties look maintained when turf is asleep. Package this as a winter-interest audit plus a punch-list item.
4
Irrigation winterization and pipe upgrades
Clients expect irrigation blowouts and controller shutdowns, but there is add-on work worth proposing. Where retrofits make sense, explain the resilience of crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) systems. PEX can expand as water freezes6 and shows lower leak risk than rigid materials, reducing emergency calls and maintenance. It is a capital cost, yet the investment can be recovered over time in avoided damage and service calls.
How marketing changes for winter landscaping
Winter buying cycles are shorter, budgets are tighter, and clients are stricter. Messaging should shift from aesthetics to uptime, savings and safety. Advertise year-round with a different mix during winter months. Tighten the geo-targets, write more personalized emails and extend project offers that speak to risk control, like guaranteed response windows or fixed monthly rates for sidewalk services. Set up seasonal landing pages on websites for snow, winter pruning and lightning with proof of capacity and roadmaps. Email fall client lists with several choices, such as winter garden care, lighting storage or removal, or dormant pruning. Use the time to prepare for spring by pre-selling mulch rounds and irrigation starters. Companies that invest in planning during the slow months tend to outrun the pack when demand spikes.
Carry the business from winter to spring
Holiday lighting and seasonal decor
What do lawn care companies do in the winter when mowers are parked? Many shift crews to professional lighting. Commercial campuses want cohesive displays across entries, trees and facades. Technicians already trained in power distribution and fast changeouts can execute these well.
Winter garden care packages
Bundle site checks, bed mulching, storm cleanup and selective cutbacks to extend maintenance season hours. Build a “winter health” item that includes inspecting stake and guy systems, adjusting deer protection and applying anti-desiccants on exposed evergreens where needed.
7 5 6
Off-season design and planning
Use the quieter months to refresh master plans with clients. Update planting schedules for shifting hardiness zones and get approval signed before spring. The NALP advises firms to start planning during slowdowns2 so they can execute when growth returns. This message resonates with commercial buyers who want shovel-ready projects when budgets become available again.
Winter reveals which companies run with discipline. The ones that win treat cold months as a stage for reliability. They keep people working, deepen client trust and arrive in April with signed enhancements instead of empty weeks. The more attention paid to seasonal extremes, the more a company positions itself as the industry expert clients call first. Make the pivot, package the value, and let winter carry the business into a stronger spring.
References
1. U.S Department of Energy. Fuel Economy in Cold Weather.
2. National Association of Landscape Professionals. 2024 and Beyond. 15 January 2024.
3. City of Chicago. Plow the Sidewalks Pilot Program.
4. Arborist Enterprises. What Tree Care Companies Do in the Winter.
5. Better Homes and Gardens. 7 Winter Landscape Ideas to Add Color to Your Garden. Kelly Roberson, 1 October 2024.
6. Renovated. How to Prevent Pipes From Freezing in Winter. Olivia Elsher, 20 December 2023.
ABOUT
Rose Morrison is a landscaping and home improvement expert with a decade of experience in the industry. As managing editor of Renovated Magazine, she stays on top of the latest trends in outdoor design and sustainable practices. With a passion for creating beautiful and functional outdoor spaces, Rose offers insights and inspiration for landscape professionals looking to elevate their projects and businesses.
The labor shortage is significantly affecting the landscaping and decking industries, leading to increased costs, project delays, and risking the growth and quality of future projects. Within the sector, approximately 80% of companies report difficulties in sourcing and keeping qualified workers.
How labor shortages impact businesses
Rising labor costs: As competition for a limited skilled labor pool intensifies, companies are compelled to boost wages and enhance benefits to attract and retain staff. These expenses cut into profit margins and often translate into higher prices for clients.
Project delays and cancellations:
Understaffed teams struggle to take on new jobs or often have to postpone scheduled work, which impacts revenue streams and customer satisfaction. Some companies have to decline projects altogether.
Compromised quality and safety: To meet deadlines amid staffing shortages, firms might hire less experienced workers or rush jobs, raising the risk of subpar work quality and on-site accidents.
Pressure on current employees: Fewer workers mean staff face heavier workloads.
Root causes of the labor shortage
Aging workforce: Many experienced tradespeople are nearing retirement, leaving a gap in expertise.
Lack of interest among young generations: The physically demanding nature along with low pay and limited career advancement deters younger workers from entering the trades.
Competition from other industries: Fields like warehousing and manufacturing
THE GAP Plugging
Jeff Mudd breaks down the impact of the labor shortage and what small businesses can do to help tackle it
offer more stable, less physically demanding roles with comparable or higher wages.
Limited visa programs: Changes to programs such as H-2B visas have reduced access to temporary foreign labor, which companies relied on for seasonal work.
Seasonality of work: This makes it hard to attract workers seeking year-round employment.
Strategies to adapt to the labor shortage
Competitive pay and benefits: Offering higher wages, bonuses, and improved benefits helps attract and retain talent.
Workforce development: Investing in training, creating clear career pathways, and fostering a positive workplace culture supports employee retention.
Embracing technology: Using project management software, route optimization, and other innovations can improve efficiency and reduce reliance on labor.
Creative recruitment: Partnering with staffing agencies, educational institutions, and community programs can open new avenues for hiring.
Rebranding trades: Industry groups and companies are working to elevate
landscaping and decking as desirable, wellpaying careers to draw in new talent.
What can you do to stay competitive?
• Use dual marketing campaigns that highlight your company culture.
• Reach out to local schools and training centers.
• Volunteer for or even host workshops and seminars to raise visibility.
• Establish internship programs.
• Implement employee referral programs with meaningful bonuses.
• Utilize vocational rehabilitation programs that offer on-the-job support.
• Hire military veterans, who often bring valuable skills and strong work ethic.
• Explore overlooked demographics such as retirees seeking part-time work or parents wanting flexible schedules.
• Review your hiring practices for inclusivity—are women being considered? Tapping into this often-overlooked labor pool can be very beneficial.
• Focus on retention strategies.
• Pair new hires with experienced mentors.
• Recognize individual contributions.
• Offer performance-based incentives.
• Highlight that you prioritize employee well-being, with benefits like workers’ compensation.
With over four decades of experience in the home improvement industry, podcast host Jeff Mudd is no stranger to the skilled trades. He is dedicated to providing opportunities and information to help young people learn new skills and find rewarding careers in the construction trades. He can be reached at jeff@thetradespodcast.com
Inflation WEATHERING
Nick Stein shares how landscaping companies can combat the impact of inflation consequences across nearly every industry, exception. For businesses, inflation brings a mix of rising costs, pricing challenges, labor concerns, and even opportunities for business adaptation and growth.
Rising operational costs
One of the immediate effects of inflation on the landscape industry is the increased cost of doing business. Materials, supplies, and equipment often see price hikes due to increased input costs. Vehicle costs also rise significantly during inflationary periods. Fuel, maintenance, and even new vehicle purchases become more expensive, especially on routes with more windshield time. Focusing on route optimization, leading to denser routes, is crucial during inflationary periods as it can help offset rising vehicle and labor costs.
Labor market pressures
outpace their ability to raise prices quickly enough to compensate. This creates a dual strain—higher payroll costs and competition for skilled workers. Companies must now focus more on retention strategies, training programs, and automation tools to offset labor expenses without compromising service quality.
Pricing and customer retention
One of the difficult challenges during inflation is adjusting pricing structures. On the one hand, businesses must increase prices to cover rising costs. On the other, residential clients might reduce the frequency of maintenance or defer nonessential installations, while commercial clients may renegotiate contracts or bid out services more aggressively.
availability of mulch, fertilizers, plants, and hardscape supplies. This unpredictability requires businesses to be more strategic about inventory management, possibly purchasing in bulk or diversifying suppliers to mitigate risks.
Strategic opportunities
Despite the challenges, inflationary periods can also offer strategic opportunities. Businesses that streamline operations, invest in automation, or renegotiate vendor contracts may improve efficiency and protect margins. Leveraging technology, like route optimization software, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and digital invoicing, can help cut costs and improve service delivery.
The labor shortage in the industry has been a persistent challenge, and inflation has only intensified it. As the cost of living rises, workers demand higher wages to maintain their standard of living. For many small and mid-sized companies, wage increases
ABOUT
Nick Stein is a director at Cetane Associates, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, financing, and valuation advisory. With experience at PestCo, Q Advisors, and RSM, he has closed over 15 transactions and helped build PestCo into a PCT Top 20 firm. He earned his MBA from Florida State University. cetane.com
This puts landscape businesses in a delicate balancing act: raising prices enough to stay profitable, but not so much that they alienate loyal customers. Transparent communication and customer education become vital. Explaining price changes and framing them as necessary to maintain quality and reliability can help retain customer trust.
Supply chain disruptions
Inflation often goes hand-in-hand with supply chain disruptions. Global shipping delays, raw material shortages, and manufacturing slowdowns serve to increase inflation and can impact the
Inflation poses real challenges, from higher costs and wage demands to pricing pressures and supply uncertainties. Companies that adjust pricing models, communicate transparently with clients, and embrace operational efficiency will emerge stronger and more resilient. Inflation may test the industry, but it also rewards those who adapt with foresight and innovation.
WProfit Isn’t LuckIt's a Process
hen we founded our company, one of our guiding beliefs was this: exceptional contractors don’t stumble into profit. They build it, every day, through systems, discipline, and smart financial habits.
Over the years—first as a contractor myself, and later through MotionOps, our operations platform where I’ve had a front-row seat to how service businesses run—I’ve noticed a clear pattern: Luck might land you a big project, but it’s the habits that keep you in business.
Here are a few things that set thriving contractors apart:
1. Use your experience to estimate
One of the biggest risks is underestimating costs, whether it’s labor, materials, or time. When you check estimates vs. reality regularly, you begin noticing trends; if a job took 120 hours last time, it won’t magically take 80 this time.
The best contractors I know track everything from past jobs and use those numbers to tighten their future estimates. Estimating isn’t guesswork—it’s learning from experience.
2. Clean, consistent, and immediate billing
Cash flow is everything. If you wait weeks to invoice, you’re basically giving clients an interest-free loan. Delayed invoicing, unclear terms, and overlooked change orders all cost you in the end. Send the invoice as soon as the job’s done—or better yet, at milestones along the way. Keep terms simple, payments easy, and don’t let paperwork pile up. Contractors who get paid faster sleep better, trust me on that.
jobs are hitting targets. If margins are shrinking, you want to know which jobs are worse, which materials or crews are over-costing, and where inefficiencies lie. Spot a problem early, and you can fix it before it sinks you. Review and regroup, that’s what I like to say.
4. Writing things down (yes, everything)
“Delayed invoicing, unclear terms, and overlooked change orders all cost you in the end”
3. Review numbers monthly It’s not enough to hope the accountant tells you that you’re profitable at the end of the year. The contractors who thrive check their key numbers frequently: gross margin, revenue per job, labor costs, accounts receivable. It doesn’t take an MBA—just a regular look at whether
Don’t make liability an afterthought. Even though keeping proper documentation can be time consuming—and boring—it saves you in the long run. Photos of site conditions, time logs, punchlists, change orders, waivers and agreements—all of it adds up. Not keeping a clean and organized job record can come back to bite you hard. When there’s a disagreement—which does happen—the crew that has the records usually comes out ahead. Think of documentation less as paperwork and more as profit protection.
5. Making payments easy
If it’s a hassle to pay you, people will drag their feet. It’s as simple as that. Clear
terms, modern payment options, and polite but firm follow-up turn “slow money” into cash you can actually use.
Profit isn’t just about what you’ve written in the invoice, it’s about getting the money in the bank with no setbacks.
6. Process over luck
None of these habits are flashy, but they’re what builds businesses that last. Get your money habits right, and watch your business thrive. If I could leave one piece of advice: pick one of these habits, start doing it weekly, then add the next one. Over time, you’ll look back and realize you’re not just staying afloat—you’re growing.
Trevor Maddux, founder & CEO of MotionOps and Cransten Remodeling & Handyman, brings two decades of sales leadership. At Vivint, he built high-performing teams generating millions in revenue. He later scaled national healthcare tech operations before launching his own ventures. He drives growth through sales, systems, and technology. motionops.com
Trevor Maddux reveals the financial habitats of thriving contractors
Angeles Convention Center December 9 - 10, 2025
Join us at the inaugural FutureScape USAthe premier landscaping event on the West Coast.
More than just an exhibition, this prestigious event offers an exclusive opportunity to connect, share insights, and discover the latest trends and innovations driving the future of landscaping. This event attracts key decision-makers and influencers dedicated to advancing landscaping practices and shaping vibrant urban and outdoor spaces, it’s the place where the industry comes to life.
Two Seminar Theatres
Hear from leading industry experts across four themes:
• Soft Landscaing
• Public Spaces
• Business
• Inspirational Design Ideas
Stay tuned for speaker announcements coming soon!
Pro Landscaper International Awards –USA and South America
Celebrating outstanding achievements in design and showcasing the best landscaping projects, these awards will recognise excellence across five categories, spanning high-end residential, commercial, urban development and placemaking.
Rising Stars Awards
The Rising Stars awards highlights emerging leaders and next-generation professionals who are shaping the future of landscape design, construction, and care. See the winners collect their awards at the show!
Show Gardens - Landscaping Ryder Cup Competition - UK vs USA
Step into two fully realized gardens that showcase the creative and technical depth of landscape design on both sides of the Atlantic. Designers from the UK and the USA will be competing for the Ryder Cup of landscaping with their own show gardens. As a visitor, you’ll be invited to cast your vote for the garden you feel best captures the future of landscape design, not just in form, but in function, sustainability, and imagination.
Demo Zone
This is where ideas get practical. The Demo Zone brings the tools, techniques, and technology of modern landscaping to life in real time. From hardscaping and irrigation to equipment handling, plant installation, and turf management, you’ll witness hands-on demonstrations and training sessions led by industry experts.
Outdoor Living and Catering Zone
As demand for lifestyle-driven landscapes grows, the Outdoor Living Zone becomes essential for anyone designing or building multifunctional outdoor spaces. Here, you’ll discover the latest trends in outdoor kitchens, fire features, lighting, and comfort-forward installations that blend seamlessly with residential and commercial environments.
Over 100 incredible exhibitors!
Come and meet our fantastic array of exhibitors from all areas of the industry, have meaningful conversations and be inspired by the latest innovations shaping the future of landscaping.
Turn your passion for ponds and waterfalls into a thriving business! Aquascape Academy 2026, running January–March, gives you hands-on training in construction, maintenance, design, and leadership. With profit margins up to 50%, water features are one of the most rewarding trades you can step into.
Whether you’re brand-new or ready to sharpen your skills, Aquascape Academy will show you how to build water features—and a business—that lasts.
THE
WE ARE IN URBAN SITUATIONS, AND THAT’S IMPORTANT – FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, RAINWATER MANAGEMENT AND SO ON. BUT AROUND US
AROUND BUILDINGS WE SHOULDN’T FORGET THE REAL LANDSCAPE
This year’s IFLA Jellicoe Award winner, Günther Vogt, on why we need to remember the “real landscape”
Nestled in the Swiss Alps for centuries, the picturesque village of Blatten was destroyed in an instant earlier this year, smothered beneath nine million tonnes of debris and ice. Part of the Birch Glacier collapsed and obliterated most of the homes below, killing a 64-year-old man who had not evacuated with the other 300 residents a few days earlier, and wiping out more than 800 years of history. There had been growing concerns around the stability of the glacier, but the devastation it caused took even specialists by surprise.
Not Günther Vogt, though. The landscape architect and his students at ETH Zurich—where he taught for nearly 20 years until 2023—had realized the threat a few years ago and had warned about the danger of continuing to live in the valley. “And they are now talking about rebuilding this village—but we as landscape architects know it’s impossible.”
He argues that there needs to be more of a shift in landscape architecture to the larger scale. It’s currently understood as part of architecture. “We are designing the landscape around buildings in urban situations, and that’s important—for climate change, rainwater management and so on. But we shouldn’t forget the real landscape around us.”
In Vogt’s home of Zurich, for instance, this isn’t just small urban parks—it’s the lake, the rivers, and even the nearby Alps. And in London, the city is “jumping over” the green belt, says Vogt, changing the landscape for those living within it. These are large scale changes to consider, and most studios are unable to go beyond localized projects. “Most are too small to deliver what we are currently
doing; we should be more open to this scale, because society doesn’t see us like that—that’s a problem. We should really show more that we are responsible for this scale.”
Vogt has been asked to consider whether artificial lakes could be installed to produce snow on the Alps, where it’s disappearing due to climate change—taking into account topography, altitude and exposure and how these could change in the future. He’s also exploring the idea of flooding agricultural fields seasonally to create a cooling effect. “This, for us, is more interesting than just doing nice designs. I’m not criticizing that; but in reality, what are the questions of this discipline in the future? And that’s really coming out of the academic and not the professional offices.”
The academia side “is becoming more and more important, especially in Switzerland” where these avalanches are occurring. But Vogt has extensive experience in both. He founded Vogt Landscape Architects in 2000, following the passing of Dieter Kienast who he’d forged a studio with five years earlier. The practice now has offices in Zurich, London, Berlin and Paris, working on landmark projects across Europe and further afield.
These have led Vogt to view landscape architecture as a “cultural production”. Take his work for the Tate Modern in London, where his initial “Mediterranean approach” of putting trees in a grid was deemed not appropriate for a British landscape, and where benches were thought mostly unnecessary as Brits prefer to sit on
the grass and touch it.
“Even elderly women in their 70s are sitting on the grass. So, in an urban situation, it’s a cultural production, a different culture, and you have to accept it. As an architect, you can propose a high-rise building in Hong Kong or London or New York; but a landscape is very difficult, not because of different climates but because of different cultures—that’s the real difference.”
It requires a lot of knowledge to be brought into a design, says Vogt. He was often invited by his colleagues at the Department of Architecture at ETH Zurich to cover ‘nature’; but for his classes, Vogt would bring in hydrologists, botanists and geologists, and so on. “I’m not saying architecture is easy, but it’s easier than landscape
architecture. Our discipline is so complex, but we are generalists I would say, we’re not experts in every field. We should respect disciplines outside of ours who know more than we do, and we have to find out where’s the end of our knowledge, where we have to ask an expert.”
Vogt is reluctant to use the word ‘nature’ too, since air pollution sparked widespread Waldsterben—or forest dieback—across Germany and other parts of central Europe in the 1980s. “It happened in completely abandoned areas in the Alps, where it was really wilderness—that means our influence is on another scale.”
He was sure, as a student at the time, that within 50 years our forests would be halved – but the opposite is true, thanks to coal power stations closing, agricultural land abandonment
and reforestation. “You have to constantly observe political changes and regulations and so on, and the consequences.”
Research has also found that forests are shifting 100m upslope for every increase in temperature of 1°C. “I’m explaining to people, forget the Swiss landscape as a white one with snow; first it will be gray, and then it will be green. And that means you have to change from winter tourism to summer tourism, to people walking in the forest as a kind of park.”
As temperatures rise in the Mediterranean and become “too hot”, tourists might start preferring cooler destinations such as those north of the Alps. “We’ll then have the stress of tourism on these landscapes. Where the public spaces of cities such as London and Zurich are now in the surrounding
landscape as well, we have to be careful not to destroy it, like Venice. Many people will change their minds about going to Tuscany or Sicily and stay in the country. We have an office in London and sometimes, on a Saturday morning, I’ll take a train two hours outside of London and it’s just beautiful—but we have to explain that if you stay in the country and use this resource, there is a limit of using such a landscape. The pressure is quite high, and it’s growing.”
It’s yet another reason for landscape architects to work on a larger scale. The destruction of Blatten shows the need to understand the wider landscape to avoid making the same mistakes, some of which could have far wider consequences.
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A CRAFTEDMeadow
PETRUS LANDSCAPE
SARATOGA LAWN
On the edge of Silicon Valley lies Saratoga, an affluent city nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, where the owners of an expansive property here were looking for a unique landscape. Their existing garden already featured ornamental grasses of
REFERENCES
Ornamental grasses supplier
Boething Treeland Farms
boethingtreeland.com
Grass supplier
Delta Bluegrass Co. deltabluegrass.com
different varieties such as Miscanthus, which provided a meadow-like aesthetic, and a natural creek runs alongside the property.
They brought on board Petrus Landscape to maintain the property and to help replace the lawn, renovate the
ornamental grass mounds, and create a border around the lawn with a nomow variety of grass that would require little water.
Nearly 20,000 sq ft of the original failed lawn had to be hauled off the property, which encompassed most
Previous page: Mexican feather grass planted along the properties creek
Current
page left to right: Lavender contrasts well with nearby ornamental grasses; Completed lawn bordered by Canary Island Palms and no-mow grass border; Pathway leading around garden; Mass planting of Mexican feather grass creates a stunning meadow look throughout the property
of the work for Petrus Landscape, a company that specializes in high-end residential and estate landscapes, offering complete services from design and installation to ongoing garden care and maintenance.
Bolero Plus, a popular variety of grass
in the Bay Area, was used in its place. It contains a blend of dwarf fescue and bluegrass that is tolerant of high foot traffic and requires less water than other varieties.
Rather than purchasing more plant material, it dug out and split the existing
‘Karl Foerster’ variety of grass and replanted this in each grass mound, installing a steel header to retain the mounds’ form for the new plantings.
Ornamental grasses respond well to being split in the winter and transplant easily into a new plant. The “no-mow”
grass on the border of the lawn is a great variety of grass that creates the feel of a sweeping meadow and requires much less water than a traditional lawn.
Where soil health was poor in many areas, the soil needed to be amended, and several large truck loads of compost blends were brought onto the site. The location of the lawn was hard to access, so materials needed to be transported via ride-on powered wheelbarrows.
Whilst the start of winter in California’s San Francisco Bay Area is typically a great time to plant a new
lawn, it can also bring strong downpours and winds. During the installation of the lawn, Petrus Landscape had to contend with a few days of a tropical storm which caused large Eucalyptus branches to fall on the new “no-mow” border.
But what it achieved is a garden that continues to look vibrant and naturalistic, with swathes of grasses and homeowners who can enjoy a thriving landscape.
Current page: Aerial view of completed project where the renovation can be viewed from above
ABOUT
Founded in the heart of Silicon Valley, Petrus Landscape is a premier designbuild landscaping company known for transforming outdoor spaces into timeless works of art. Led by founder Ward Dilmore, Petrus Landscape combines creative vision with meticulous execution, ensuring every project reflects the client’s lifestyle and the natural beauty of California. Petrus has built a reputation for elevated design, exceptional service, and lasting relationships. petruslandscape.com
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RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL HOSPITALITY
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REFERENCES
Designers
Adam Vetere Landscape & Garden Design adamvetere.co.uk
Bryan Halliday Gardens
Contractor
TSLandscapes tslandscapes.co.uk
Podium system and paving Raaft raaftsystems.com
Water feature (OASE Cube) Landscapeplus landscapeplus.co.uk
Irrigation system
Landscapeplus landscapeplus.co.uk
Lighting Landscapeplus landscapeplus.co.uk
Plants
Premium Plants premiumplants.co.uk
PLANTING
• Elaeagnus x ebbingei
• Agaoanthus Poppin’ Purple
• Cistus x purpureus ‘Alan Fradd’
• Pinus mugo
• Pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’
• Achillea tomentosa ‘Aurea’
• Salvia nemorosa Sensation Rose
• Santolina chamaecyparissus
• Teucrium x lucidrys
• Pennisetum alopecutoides ‘Little Bunny’
When the client first stepped onto the roof terrace of her new apartment, she was greeted with a vast expanse of wooden decking and not much else. The potential, however, was immediately evident. With an area equivalent to the size of her living room, kitchen, and dining room combined, this blank canvas offered the perfect opportunity to create an outdoor sanctuary that would both reflect her personal style and expand her living space into the open sky.
She had a clear vision: a place to relax in solitude, entertain friends and family, and enjoy the changing light and seasons. The roof terrace needed to be as functional as it was beautiful with a dining area for six, a lounge space for quiet reflection, and subtle lighting that would make the evenings as inviting as the days. The gentle sound of running water was a must, as was ensuring the garden could be admired from the apartment’s main living area. But transforming a 100m² rooftop into a sophisticated, weightconscious garden was no small feat.
With a weight limit of 300kg m², every decision made was informed by this limitation and extreme consideration was taken to ensure the site and finished space remained safe, but also that the client got the desired rooftop terrace in the end. Due to the site’s elevated position, a crane was used to lift the bespoke glass reinforced plastic planters onto the terrace, while all other hard and soft landscaping materials and consumables were required to be brought in by hand through the communal building.
From a soulless space void of planting to a now contemporary terrace with 40% of its space dedicated to soft landscaping, the site’s overall ecology and biodiversity value has dramatically risen, with a good number of birds and pollinators visiting the space every day, much to the client’s delight. Due to the site’s south-east positioning, the planting scheme was carefully chosen to tolerate the terrace’s extreme microclimate and associated wind stresses. While lightweight soil substrates were used across all raised planters to reduce soil weight by 60%
Previous page: View of the dining terrace
Current page left to right: View of the water feature; Secluded seating area; Aerial view looking east
compared to regular soils; several of the lightweight layers also act as insulators against frost and heat. On average, planting depths were calculated at 150mm of lightweight soil. Selecting trees shrubs and perennials which would thrive in these growing conditions was quite a challenge. Despite this, a richly diverse planting scheme full of color, interesting structure, textures and form was achieved and with the aid of a targeted feeding program has flourished in its first year.
All of the site’s original wooden decking tiles were removed and were gifted to a neighboring property to be reused. In its place a high quality, durable and antislip, modular podium system was installed to protect the building’s waterproof membrane, while also creating space for integrated drainage, cabling, and an irrigation system. Careful consideration was also paid on wind loadings at height; screening for privacy had to be natural, as heavy wind conditions ruled out most manmade options. The thoughtful placement of planters and evergreen plants provide both intimacy and shelter, as well as an acoustic barrier to the upward travelling nearby sounds.
The design’s inspiration came from the geometric light pattern cast by the client’s favorite copper light pendant in the living room. The triangular angles have been translated into the geometry of the different zones within the roof terrace space, with some of the interior colors and materials – particularly the copper –replicated outside to create a seamless narrative between the interior and exterior, which has resulted in a secluded sanctuary enriched by pops of color and personal detailing, perfect for catching the midday rays to enjoy the nighttime breeze with friends.
Top to bottom: View of the water feature; View looking east
Adam Vetere is a multi-award-winning Garden and Landscape Designer, member of the SGLD, APL and BALI, who has been honed from a unique background in horticulture, graphic design training, practical landscaping and business design. He is enthused by his continued passion for plants and sustainable design. adamvetere.co.uk ABOUT
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Currents of Discovery
BURTON & COMPANY SHENANDOAH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Aplayful blue river pathway meanders through the yard of Shenandoah Elementary School in Los Angeles, connecting the outdoor learning stations and playground amenities. It twists through the library, flows past the basketball courts, and
eventually widens at the makerspace known as Shark’s Cove. The “river” bends back through the Kinder Yard and continues north around the field, culminating in the Instructional Garden. Across the landscape, there are various learning gardens, including weather
stations, a Math Garden, and a Rainbow Garden, enabling instructors to teach in tandem with nature.
It’s somewhat hard to believe that, prior to this transformation, the school grounds were a sea of asphalt, covered in portable classrooms, with worn
playground markings and minimal trees. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) set about with a modernization project to create a greener, more engaging space that supports outdoor learning and environmental awareness. It’s part of a wider plan for the district to reach 30% campus greening and 20% shading, with Shenandoah Elementary School acting as a benchmark for future developments. During site development, the team navigated a known fault line located 300ft east of the school. Because the fault boundary intersects the campus, a new classroom building was strategically positioned along the southern edge, opening up a large portion of the site to
be transformed into a playground.
The design led by design prinipal Robin Carmichael of Santa Monica-based Pamela Burton & Co—which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year—included a series of planted island mounds where trees and shrubs provide evenly distributed shade and green space. The landscape features a play field surrounded by an undulating edge that incorporates trees and grassy drifts, creating room for unstructured play.
Outside the library, an outdoor reading room incorporates a “learning ladder” with famous authors’ names, inspiring students to improve their reading skills and “climb” the ladder. In the courtyard outside the
Previous page: Vibrant landscape replaces former asphalt, creating a dynamic environment
Current page left to right: Aerial view highlights the playful blue “river”; The Reading Garden features a learning ladder with authors’ names; Organic play field encourages movement
new classroom building, a makerspace shaded by canopy trees was created for outdoor projects. At the southeast corner of the site, an instructional garden with raised vegetable planters offers space for students to grow vegetables and study plant life cycles.
The weather station includes ornamental grasses, a tetherball pole with a sundial painted at the base, and a mix of tree species to provide varying levels of sun and shade. At the northeast corner of the campus, the Math Garden showcases plants which exhibit Fibonacci Sequence patterns. The Rainbow Garden highlights Anigozanthos rufus (red kangaroo paw) next to orange Leonotis, followed by yellow Encelia californica (California brittlebush), blue Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’, and finally Buddleja davidii Nanho Purple (‘Monum’) (butterfly bush). Behind the
REFERENCES
Concrete benches
Wausau Tile wausautile.com
Playground climbing structure
RecWest Outdoor Products recwest.com
Decomposed granite
Gail Materials gailmaterials.net
Cool coat paving StreetBond streetbond.com
Rainbow Garden is the Stormwater Management Garden, where rainwater flows between rocks and infiltrates into the ground before entering a culvert at the site’s low point.
As observed by instructors, the curved shape of the play field and mounded grass around the perimeter created a space where girls felt more comfortable participating in play. The playground is designed to encourage environmental awareness at an early age, using colorful and accessible signage to explain natural systems.
Recognized by the district for its design and execution, the school has been highlighted as a model project. The design approach—including material selection, site design, and landscape palettes— was praised for embracing challenges, presenting solutions, and enhancing both
the functionality and the aesthetics of the school. The integration of outdoor learning spaces, physical education (PE) stations, and CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) criteria for sustainable schools reinforced LAUSD’s commitment to innovative and impactful design.
Sustainable elements such as solarreflective paving, low water-use plants, and
stormwater management features give students firsthand experience of how these strategies improve their environment. The trees planted across the site will mature to provide essential shade in a warming climate, and the solar reflective coating applied to the paving reduces the heat island effect, making the playground comfortable year-round. Planting palettes designed with low water-use species
conserve resources, while the stormwater system demonstrates the importance of protecting natural waterways.
This project brought together LAUSD educators, designers, and contractors to create a space that prioritizes students. Designing with students’ experiences as the foundation allows LAUSD to build campuses that educate through naturebased learning, support conservation efforts, and develop environmental stewards by creating spaces children are genuinely excited to inhabit and explore.
ABOUT Top to bottom: Signage highlights sustainable features like water-efficient landscaping and drought-resistant planting; Students enjoy tetherball in Weather Station’s sundial design
Pamela Burton & Company (PB&Co) is an award-winning landscape architecture firm with over 50 years’ experience crafting engaging landscapes for residential, commercial, institutional, and municipal clients around the world. Its design work blends horticultural expertise, architectural fluency, and artistic composition. PB&Co is certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and a Small Business Enterprise (SBE). pamelaburtonco.com
OUTDOOR, ON DEMAND
With 50 years of consumer success behind it, Backyard Discovery is expanding into the professional market. Its new Pro Program and premium brand, Range, are set to transform how contractors deliver outdoor living.
For the last five decades, Backyard Discovery has become known for its quality outdoor products in the consumer market, starting with swing sets. But as its range has grown into larger structures, from pergolas to outdoor kitchens, the Kansas-based company is seeing synergies with contractors, leading to the launch of its brand-new Pro Program as well as the introduction of a new brand—Range. It’s a company that’s not new to evolution. In fact, it first started in the 70s manufacturing cattle and livestock supplies. An opportunity then arose to make slides for swing sets which it grew into a successful business before
acquiring one of its customers and starting to manufacture the full swing set. Backyard Discovery has grown from there.
“We’re really well known in the swing set market, it’s what we’ve been doing the longest; but over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to realize white space in sectors such as pergolas and gazebos and, more recently, outdoor kitchens,” says Alexis Guetzlaff, vice president for marketing. “We look for products that are being served by the custom-build market, and by using the best engineering of those custom-build items, we create ready-to-assemble products that consumers can purchase and install themselves. It makes them a lot more accessible to the market.”
It’s also where synergy with contractors comes in. While there might not be much site preparation needed for a swing set other than leveling the ground and perhaps adding mulch underneath, more is needed for the larger structures. Consumers might also be looking for hardscaping around them, for instance.
“We saw an avenue for us to build partnerships with contractors like that, so landscapers, hardscapers, pool contractors, concrete contractors and homebuilders. We can bring them highquality, ready-to-install products that are easy for their teams to add into projects rather than taking weeks to install. It gives them a diversity of options within their catalog. So, a hardscaper might also offer custom stone kitchens, for instance, but not all their clients have the budget for that. Our kitchens are top-of-the-line, premium products that can be installed in an afternoon to a day and, rather than costing $50k would be more like $10k-$20k. So, it opens up the opportunity for them to continue the conversation with those clients.”
Its Pro Program offers exclusive trade pricing, visualization and planning tools, a consumer-style ecommerce experience online with access to the full catalog of products—both Backyard Discovery and Range—and priority service and support. “We’re a brand that’s been around for a long time, but we operate like a small company in the best ways; we’re very hands on,” says Guetzlaff. “Our pros get a one-on-one concierge service, and we strive for the personal touch on the consumer side too; we want to make
sure our customers can call us to ask questions. So, as we’re developing our Pro Program, we’re asking what our partners would like from us and are creating true relationships with them.
“We’re building a network of professionals so that, when someone is looking for one in their area, we can recommend one. Some pros are going to want a more transactional relationship and the ability to order straight from the website, and others are going to be more engaged and want more of a partnership.”
On top of the Pro Program, Backyard Discovery has just launched its new brand, Range, which will include its premium outdoor kitchens and larger structures. “These are going to be the structures that often need more hardscaping work or something more than just assembling it in your existing backyard. So, it makes sense for us to partner with pros for that brand, to help them build their businesses and for us to offer a premium option to the market.”
It now offers a wide assortment of products for clients, from those with young children looking for swing sets, for instance, to those whose children have left home and are looking into entertaining spaces. There are also greenhouses for growing their own fruit and vegetables, and soon there will
even be chicken coops available. “Our customers are split between DIYers who will build the products themselves, those who order assembly from us, and those who want to go through a pro and have a full project— or those who just want something for their backyard that’s ready to go. And we’re extremely dedicated to building as much quality as we can into a price that is affordable.”
Backyard Discovery’s Pro-Tect™ guarantee means that all its structures are third-party tested to ensure they can withstand strong winds and snow loads, backed by a five-year warranty. “We stand behind all the products we have.”
Guetzlaff says the company is always looking to add to its product range too. Under the Backyard Discovery brand, it’s launching cooking stations with top-ofthe-line appliances housed within a cabinet structure with countertops on either side for preparing food outdoors. “They’re great to add to an outdoor space and make it feel intentional, seamless and well-designed.”
To take advantage of the growing wellness trend, it is bringing its own
saunas to market, with four sizes of indoor infrared saunas and three designs for outdoor saunas: one that’s like a traditional barrel sauna, another that’s a more modern cube, and the third is rectangular with a slanted roof.
“This is a really exciting category for us as more people are getting into saunas and understanding all the benefits from them, and the outdoor versions have a natural, scenic aspect to them that’s really beautiful.”
It’s part of a much broader trend since the pandemic, says Guetzlaff. “It shifted the way we think about our outdoor spaces and how we invest in them and spend time in them—how we bring the indoors out by creating spaces for entertaining, wellness, hobbies. We want to continue to imagine all the ways we can help facilitate that for our customers.”
Stepping into the professional market is yet another part of Backyard Discovery’s evolution, one that will see the company grow—all while no doubt retaining the personal touch for which it has become known.
Talk to Backyard Discovery abouts its Pro Program and new brand Range at FutureScape USA, taking place December 9-10 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
For more information about Backyard Discovery, visit backyarddiscovery.com.
On Firm Ground
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HOME ADVANTAGE
Long Beach is setting the stage for the 2028 Olympics Games with a $1.1bn legacy investment in parks, transport and community spaces
Long Beach is no stranger to the Olympic Games. When the event returns to LA in 2028, it will mark the city’s third time as host—first in 1932, and then again in 1984. This time, though, Long Beach is preparing to raise the bar, rolling out a series of improvements designed to give visitors the best experience yet.
Its infrastructure investment plan, Elevate 28, will see $1.1bn being shared across more than 180 projects over a five-year period. This includes a series of ‘Olympic legacy projects’ that are set to not only ensure the city is ready to host thousands of visitors to the sporting events, but also ensure residents will continue to benefit from the enhancements even after the closing ceremony.
“This is a really exciting program, with a lot of time and money being invested in our infrastructure, our wayfinding signage and in our major corridors to really enhance the
connectivity throughout all our different communities,” says Joshua Hickman, acting director of public works for the City of Long Beach.
“We’re also focusing heavily on parks— not just on adding space or amenities where we can but also refreshing what we already have to really stretch those dollars and encourage folks to get out and be active and utilize the spaces.”
Hickman has lived on the west coast since 2008, at first working in construction and project management, traveling all over Southern California, until in 2017 he realized he wanted to contribute more to his local community in Long Beach. Despite initial reservations about switching from private to public, he quickly fell in love with
it. “It made me really appreciate the public side and you get to see all the fruits of your labor—the good and the bad. We see a lot of great things that we do, people enjoying and using the spaces.”
It’s a fairly green city too, with 166 parks falling under its Parks, Recreation and Marine department.
“We’re also focusing heavily on parks—not just on adding space or amenities where we can but also refreshing what we already have”
But there are some “park poor areas” that have been a focus for the department and the city’s latest Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), ensuring more people have access to green spaces. “That’s what we are doing— providing equitable space. Having those areas and open spaces for people to utilize is such an important aspect of quality of life.”
The city’s Long Beach Municipal Urban Stormwater Treatment (LB-MUST) project
has created more open space with newly established wetlands in one of these areas that also supports tackling water pollution. “It’s taking our stormwater, flushing it through wetlands, and then discharging it into the Los Angeles River to help clean up the water and create open space in an area that’s a bit park poor. The first phase is already complete, and we’ll be working on future phases too.”
A lot of the projects it has planned are tied together too. Take the Shoreline Drive Alignment Project, which will see an area of downtown Long Beach currently divided by a major arterial street transformed into new parkland, connecting the existing Cesar E. Chavez Park—which will nearly double in size—to surrounding communities. This forms an integral part of plans to replace the Shoemaker Bridge, which divides Chavez Park and Drake Park. Another project that is key in the City’s vision for a phased transformation
of this downtown area is the Drake-Chavez Connection, which will create 4.5 acres of new parkland by transforming a former industrial parcel into an open space for community recreation.
“We’re going to bring those together, thereby opening a whole park area and open spaces in what we’re calling the Drake-Chavez Connection. The vision is to eventually connect and transform these urban spaces along this new, realigned waterfront.
“We still have some funding gaps; we need to figure out how we’re going to phase it and to fund all these components. But this is landscape architecture at its best, masterplanning how we’re going to connect all these areas with green space and really activate it.”
This won’t necessarily be achieved by the time the Olympics comes around in just three years. “But we’ve got a lot of other projects outlined in the Elevate 28 program
that will be completed prior to that, such as park refresh projects and enhancing our major corridors, and other less landscaperelated elements, such as traffic signal synchronization and so on.”
Eleven different events for the Olympics are slated to take place in Long Beach, spread out across three different locations. Downtown, for instance, the Long Beach Convention Center’s parking lot will gain a temporary open-air stadium for aquatic performances and a purpose-built climbing theater. On the waterfront, there will be rowing at the Marine Stadium, which also hosted events for the 1932 Games and will now, for the first time, also be hosting events for the Paralympic Games. Visitors will head to Alamitos Beach to watch volleyball and blind football.
Ensuring visitors can get easily to and from each of the 11 venues is vital. Los Angeles’ bumper-to-bumper traffic is infamous, but Mayor Karen Bass has pledged a “transit-first” approach throughout the Games, and Hickman sees
this as part of the legacy of the Olympics. “We’ve been looking at how we can do this, not only for the Olympics, but for our own community—creating more multi-modal systems and infrastructure that can be used after the Games.
“The team has done a great job of creating a really bike-friendly city, with miles of infrastructure as well as our own municipally run Long Beach Bike Share— the blue bikes you see everywhere. We have rolled those out across the city, and also, because we manage a number of parking lots, we’re looking at how we can bring bike infrastructure and other mobility elements to these spaces, such as the LB Circuit. This is a micro-transit service that you could use to get around parking-impacted areas along the waterfront. So, we’re looking at how we pair everything together to make transportation that much easier and more effective.”
Though Long Beach won’t host any matches itself, the ripple effect of Los Angeles being a FIFA World Cup host city next year will likely be felt there and could act as taste of what’s to come. “It’s really exciting if you’re into sports; it’s a great time to be here in LA and to see how it’s all shaping up.”
visited Paris last year during the Olympic Games to see how the city had managed the influx of visitors, to see the potential legacy from the event and how it had created open space and made it accessible.
“That was really eye-opening. From my impression, I thought the Games there were great and very successful, and there were some lessons we could take away. For example, utilizing open space adjacent to the different venues to help with transportation efforts, and keeping people there a little longer to help spread out traffic demand.”
One big factor to consider is the ongoing maintenance of any refreshed or new open spaces, and—like any other city—Hickman says this is something Long Beach grapples with as well. “We’re taking it into account and looking at where we can offset costs with either operational savings— such as converting to LED fixtures—or improving a park area in a way that isn’t going to require additional maintenance or personnel to manage it. It’s a delicate balancing act; we want to build more amenities, but that comes with a cost.”
the city in the form of murals and art. “We’re looking at how to create spaces and identities for our different districts, not only with different landscaping improvements and facilities, but art restoration murals too. We have a gateway entrance sign planned for Cambodia Town here in Long Beach which helps with placemaking, for example.”
“It’s really exciting if you’re into sports; it’s a great time to be here in LA and to see
how it’s all shaping up”
Then there’s Long Beach Walls, where a group of artists partner with local buildings to paint murals on the side, in addition to the city’s utility boxes where the Arts Council for Long Beach engages artists to transform the traffic signal controller cabinets. “It adds that extra fun element when you’re walking down the street, but it also helps with graffiti and tagging as well. Public artwork not only helps to beautify the area, but it also helps to cut down on some of that other blight.”
Community engagement could be part of the solution, creating a sense of ownership of these public spaces. Cultural placemaking projects are sprawled across
It’s perhaps not surprising that Hickman wants those visiting Long Beach to see the city as a “pretty cool place to be.” More than that, it’s a city that’s willing to invest in its community. Rather than simply pledging funds to support those visiting for a temporary event, it sees the Olympics as an opportunity to enhance the city and its landscape permanently, and to find ways to ensure green spaces are available to all.
Hickman
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WATER WHERE IT MATTERS
Keith Coulsting and Art Elmers explain how precision irrigation brings green benefits to public and commercial grounds
Public and commercial landscapes, whether they’re city-managed parks, resort grounds, or university campuses, are expected to be attractive and lush settings for their users. Meanwhile, increasing weather volatility, water restrictions, and tighter budgets, as well as staff availability, are challenging conventional grounds maintenance practices. These factors are encouraging designers and contractors to reconsider how irrigation systems should fit into site planning. One of the most effective yet underused options is subsurface drip irrigation.
Designed for control, built for efficiency
Traditional sprinkler systems are notorious for wasting water. Up to 50 percent of water is lost through overspray, runoff, and evaporation. The excess water pooling where it is unwanted, over time, affects soil integrity and can damage pathways and outdoor art installations. The benefit of subsurface drip is that it brings water
from the lack of exposed hardware, no spray drift, reduced trip hazards, and liability. Because the irrigation components are buried, they’re also less vulnerable to vandalism or accidental damage.
Today’s subsurface drip systems are designed for ease of use and reliability, with internal check valves, pressurecompensating selfflushing emitters, and copper-lined parts that are highly resistant to clogging and the intrusion of roots. These installations are engineered for public environments and long-term use and are aesthetically pleasing.
Designed
for
Versatile in application
Drip systems operate efficiently under the turf, around treescapes, and through planting beds, even on slopes or irregular terrain. With smart controllers and weather-based scheduling, they are able to quickly adapt to changing weather conditions and allow site-specific water targeting. They’re also easy to maintain and operate. Valve boxes provide direct access for flushing and inspection. Many commercial systems installed in the 1980s remain operational today, evidence of long-term value when designed correctly.
“The benefit of subsurface drip is that it brings water directly to the root zone, which reduces moisture loss and increases the accuracy of application”
Optimal irrigation results start in the planning stages
high performance on busy grounds
directly to the root zone, which reduces moisture loss and increases the accuracy of application. Lawns and beds that are near footpaths or entrances also benefit
Subsurface drip systems are doing the work behind some of the most visible green spaces in the country that host millions of visitors annually, like the Great Lawn in Central Park, the Liberty Bell grounds, and Liberty Island. These iconic sites all rely on drip networks to maintain healthy, resilient turf and plantings without visible irrigation disrupting design or day-to-day use. These installations demonstrate that precision drip systems can handle high-traffic environments where performance, longevity, and aesthetics are top priorities.
The scale of outdoor water use in public and commercial spaces is substantial. As regulatory pressure and environmental accountability inevitably increase as resource access tightens, the case for precision irrigation only grows stronger. Landscape professionals are in a position to lead. Subsurface drip offers tight control, economical efficiency, and resilience, with minimal trade-offs. Precision subsurface drip supports long-term water strategies, supports sustainability metrics, and improves safety across shared spaces.
Keith Coulsting is an experienced sales professional serving as the National Sales Director for Landscape, Wastewater, and Mining at Orbia Netafim USA.
Art Elmers, district sales manager for Orbia Netafim USA, has been in the irrigation industry for over four decades and has presented seminars to irrigation professionals throughout North America. netafimusa.com ABOUT
