ELA recently wondered what our members are up to. What changes have they seen in their ecological landscapes and what new directions do they see their businesses or organizations going in the next few years? What ecological practices are resonating with their clients? We’ve asked a few members to give us a glimpse inside their…
Featured Members
Working Magic on Plants
by Kevin Richardson Do you know that the same microbes in a compost pile that break down food scraps, lawn clippings, leaves, paper, and wood back into soil are also responsible for these same mechanisms in nature that provide all the food and protection plants need? Nobody is out spraying the forest or prairie with…
What’s New at Fourth Generation?
by R.P. Sokol The 2013 winter trade shows have brought some pleasant surprises to us at Fourth Generation Nursery. The first is that many in the Landscape industry are beginning to “get it;” rainwater harvesting is finally starting to catch on. And second, an increasing number of professionals recognize that “Storm Water Management” means more…
Active Zone Profile: Water House Pools
by Maureen Sundberg Introduce water into the landscape and it brings changes in light and sound. Introduce water in the form of a natural pool, and the results are magical according to Chris Rawlings of Water House Pools. “Take something as ancient as stone and put it with something as alive and precious as water,…
Exhibitor Profile: HerbaNatur Controls Weeds Naturally
A water-soluble herbicide that’s safe for humans, safe for pets and wildlife, and kills targeted plants in one application? Is this an ecological gardener’s dream come true? Visit HerbaNatur at Booth #313 in ELA’s Eco-Marketplace on March 8th to find out and to learn more about the company and its products.
Exhibitor Profile: Groundscapes Express, an Evolving Business
by Nick Novick John Engwer had been running his own Wrentham, Massachusetts-based landscaping business for about twenty years when an idea occurred to him while looking through one of the trade magazines. One of those hydraulic mulch-blowing trucks would sure make it easier to service the growing number of client properties that needing mulching; much…
North Creek Nurseries Cultivating a Community: Members Making a Difference
by Carrie Wiles Located in the heart of Chester County, PA, North Creek Nurseries strives to propagate and market plants that develop the relationship between people and sustainable outdoor environments. Focusing on eastern US natives, the combined 45 acre/two farm footprint produces over seven million perennial, ornamental grass, fern, and vine plug liners annually. Employees…
The Great American Rain Barrel Company: Members Making a Difference
Interview with Suzanne Gebelein Water is one of nature’s most abundant resources with over two-thirds of the globe covered in blue. Fresh water, however, has become an increasingly precious resource. In arid parts of the globe, fresh water falling as rain has been valued and saved for centuries. And now, traditionally water rich areas, such…
Van Berkum Nursery: Members Making a Difference
by Leslie Van Berkum One goal at Van Berkum Nursery is to provide perennials that we feel will help gardeners create more sustainable landscapes. We currently maintain three lines of native plants and one group of really tough perennials that stand the test of time.