PROFILE Wimberg Landscaping | GROUNDBREAKER Tim McAuliffe
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WINTER 2026
VOLUME 4 | ISSUE 1 PLAN FOR SUCCESS
our community
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From the Publisher Stronger Together: Looking Ahead With Intention and Purpose in 2026 News Clippings Vectorworks Highlights Industry Trends, Durante Joins Takeuchi’s Network, Project EverGreen Teams Up In Texas, Nature Sacred Marks a Milestone, and a Preview of Coverings’ Educational Programming
inspirational works
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Designing With Wood in Exterior Spaces Column: Angelica & Matt Norton Open Envelope Studio
raise the bar
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Charging for the Sales/Design Process Column: Eric McQuiston Eric R. McQuiston, LLC
Project: Three Projects, Two Firms, One Vision Collaborating on a Retreat Minutes From the Nation’s Capital Project: Mountain Modern Contemporary Design Meets the Natural Landscape
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28 GROUNDBREAKER TIM MCAULIFFE An Award-Winning Next Chapter
22 LEAD STORY WHERE WETLANDS LEAD THE WAY
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Natura Gardens and the Art of Designing with Nature
Q&A Navigating Industry Challenges Company Profile Wimberg Landscaping Evolving to Build Like Nature The Landscape Designer’s Perspective Handling Challenges with Confidence, Part 2
Cover photo: Ceramiche Supergres | Outdoor Kave collection
For latest content, to view digital issues & to find out about upcoming events, visit www.synkd.io. Follow us on these social media platforms: @synkd.landscape
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@SYNKD On Air
raise the bar
323 Polk Street Lafayette, LA 70501 FOUNDER & CEO
Angelique Robb
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angelique@synkd.io | (337) 852–6318
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Seeds of Wisdom Short Takes From the Podcasts of Synkd On Air
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Pantone’s New Color of the Year Shaping Garden Palettes for 2026
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Tile, the Italian Way Stories from Cersaie 2025 The Quiet Season Decides Everything Column: Chris Cooper Vine & Compass SYNKD Live 2026 Let’s build the future of our industry—together. Bring your expertise. Bring your questions. Bring an open mind. Join us in Phoenix. Stop Guessing Column: Kelly Dowell onlawn
Tom Schoen
tom@synkd.io | (773) 490–9557 EDITOR
Erin Z. Bass GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Trisha Klaus
PHOTOsynthesis ELEVATE 2025
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SALES DIRECTOR
SEPT. 29-OCT. 1, 2026 PHOENIX, AZ
Bring your expertise. Bring your questions. Bring an open mind.
Next Issue: SYNKD Spring 2026 The Green Issue
WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS Jenifer Bar-Nur | pg. 12 Angelica & Matt Norton | pg. 16 Ibi Pashaei | pg. 18 Dave Marciniak | pg. 18 Adam Frederico | pg. 22 Eric McQuiston | pg. 26 Tim McAuliffe | pg. 28 Chris Semko | pg. 32 Pierre Bridger | pg. 32 Ryan Hogan | pg. 32 Joe Guida | pg. 32 Chad Diller | pg. 32 Peter Wimberg | pg. 34 Mardi Dover | pg. 38 Tom Schoen | pg. 40, 50 Chris Cooper | pg. 43 Kelly Dowell | pg. 46 Jonathan Torres | pg. 47 Zech Strauser | pg. 47 Paul Voresis | pg. 47 Katie Dubow | pg. 48 PRINTED BY Modern Litho | www.modernlitho.com Published by ©SYNKD SYNKD is published four times a year and distributed to 10,000 qualified members of the green industry. Postmaster: Send address changes to 323 Polk St., Lafayette, LA 70501. SYNKD verifies information as much as possible. The views expressed by editorial contributors and the products advertised herein are not necessarily endorsements of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.
Contact Angelique Robb at angelique@synkd.io for more information on how you and your company can be featured in upcoming issues.
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synkd | our community
— FROM THE PUBLISHER —
STRONGER TOGETHER Looking Ahead With Intention and Purpose in 2026 Angelique Robb, SYNKD Founder & CEO
-Angelique
Fall 2025
& sust Innovation
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ainability for
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KS IONAL WOR t | INSPIRAT Hot Spo at t Trap to Comfort R From Hea s | PRODUCTS ITY | COVE on ary Garden GY & QUAL ne Draugh TECHNOLO Extraordin EAKER Dua E THE BAR | GROUNDBR eal | RAIS dscapes Curb App Lan Viva ILE Tierra Home | PROF
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s we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to bring you the Winter Issue of SYNKD magazine—an issue centered on reflection, intention, and planning for what’s next. This edition is all about helping you prepare for the year ahead with clarity and purpose. Inside, you’ll find insights from industry leaders on the challenges companies faced in 2025 and the real, practical ways they’re addressing them moving forward. These conversations aren’t just retrospective—they’re meant to spark ideas, encourage better decision-making, and help you approach the next year with confidence. You’ll also find excerpts from our podcast in Seeds of Wisdom, where guests share the lessons, turning points, and perspectives that shaped their journeys. Alongside that, we’re proud to showcase standout projects, company profiles, and leaders who continue to raise the bar for our industry. As always, this issue reflects the innovation, resilience, and creativity that make this community so strong. We encourage you to take a moment—sit down, slow down, and truly absorb what’s here. Then reach out and tell us what resonates. Your feedback matters. Our goal is to keep SYNKD relevant to you and your business, and to continue providing content that challenges, supports, and elevates the industry as a whole. We also want to share our excitement coming off the heels of SYNKD Live in New Orleans. What started as an event has evolved into something deeper—SYNKD Live 2.0. This new chapter is more intimate, more collaborative, and focused on meaningful conversations that go beyond the surface. And we’re just getting started. Mark your calendars for SYNKD Live 2026 in Phoenix, happening September 29 through October 1. The theme, “The Details Matter,” will take a deep dive into technical detail across design, construction, and enhancements, as well as business improvements to help you today. If you’re ready to sharpen your skills and push your work further, this is one you won’t want to miss. Thank you for being part of the SYNKD community. Here’s to learning, planning, and raising the bar—together.
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SYNKD Winter 2026
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