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Author: Sarah Webb

Sarah Webb

Sarah Webb

Sarah Webb is Landscape Management's former managing editor. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University, where she studied journalism and Spanish. Prior to her role at LM, Sarah was an intern for Cleveland Magazine and a writing tutor.

Trevor Lively Project Photo (Photo: Blue Jay Sprinkler Systems)

Making a splash

When Bruce Lively founded Blue Jay Lawn Care in 1982, offering irrigation services was not even on his radar. The company was little more than a grass mowing endeavor, run by a high school kid. That all changed for the London, Ontario-based company when Bruce Lively attended the Landscape Ontario trade show in 1986 and […]

Holiday lighting installation (Photo: Brite Ideas)

Brighten your biz

Holiday lighting installations aren’t just festive and fun—they also can be a end-of-season revenue booster, as well as a way to keep some employees busy. “If you’re looking to fill a certain amount of days for your company to help retain employees, holiday lighting is a great avenue, but there are a lot of factors […]

Web Extra: SafetyWatch in Spanish (aerator operating hazards)

The following is a Spanish version of SafetyWatch from the August 2018 issue of Landscape Management. It discusses aerator operating hazards. Find the original SafetyWatch in English here or see page 16 of the magazine. SafetyWatch en español: Los peligros del aireador de césped Hay ciertos riesgos asociados con la operación de aireadores de césped. […]

Web Extra: SafetyWatch in Spanish (generator safety)

The following is a Spanish version of SafetyWatch from the September 2018 issue of Landscape Management. It discusses generator safety. Find the original SafetyWatch in English here or see page 16 of the magazine. SafetyWatch en español: Uso seguro de los generadores Es importante recordar los siguientes consejos cuando use un generador. Antes de usar […]

SafetyWatch in Spanish (understanding loading, operating limits)

The following is a Spanish version of SafetyWatch from the July 2018 issue of Landscape Management. It discusses understanding loading and operating limits. Find the original SafetyWatch in English here or see page 18 of the magazine. Safetywatch en español: Entender los límites de carga y operación Todas las máquinas tienen ciertas restricciones. Estas son […]

Web Extra: SafetyWatch in Spanish (Spread safely)

The following is a Spanish version of SafetyWatch from the June 2018 issue of Landscape Management. It discusses spreader safety. Find the original SafetyWatch in English here or see page 16 of the magazine. Esparza con seguridad Los esparcidores de fertilizante se usan aplicar fertilizante y otros productos granulares a la superficie. Algunos de estos […]

Warm white holiday lighting (Photo: Christmas Decor)

Web Extra: Holiday lighting tips

You now know the do’s and don’ts of holiday lighting, but we went a little deeper and talked to the pros—Josh Scearcy, vice president of business development for Brite Ideas; Brandon Stephens, president of the Décor Group, the umbrella company of the Christmas Décor brand; and Arnie Arsenault, president of A. Arsenault & Sons, the […]

Dale Drier and Bob Drost (right); Photo: Molly Hauxwell Currier

Divide + Conquer: How well-defined roles help Drost Landscape grow

Drost Landscape existed long before its founding in 1991—if only as a handful of potential logo drawings on the dining room table of founder and owner, Bob Drost. From the time Drost began working as a landscape laborer in the late 1970s, he knew he wanted to start his own company. He waited until he […]

NALP members visit D.C. to volunteer, lobby

More than 500 members of the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) visited Washington, D.C., for Legislative Days on the Hill and Renewal & Remembrance July 15-17. Legislative Days is NALP’s annual education, networking and lobbying day on Capitol Hill. Renewal & Remembrance—in its 22nd year—is the association’s annual service project during which hundreds of […]

Blake Shelton and Blake Shelton. Photo: Blake Shelton

Backstory: Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton Owner Blake Shelton Landscaping Franklin, Tenn. Education Centennial High School Franklin, Tenn. Class of 2005 “I started cutting my neighbors’ yards in 2002. I used to push mow from 2002 to 2005.” Work Experience 2005-present Blake Shelton Landscaping Franklin, Tenn. Owner “I’ve never worked for anybody else. If I want to go see […]

Crews and K&D Landscaping truck.Photo courtesy of K&D Landscaping

Family matters: A look behind a successful generation transition

As children, the White siblings—Justin, Shane and Kelsie—weren’t sure they wanted to take over K&D Landscaping. Their parents, Kendall and Dawn, started the company in 1986, expecting it to be little more than a side venture. “We all had different ideas of what we wanted to do when we grew up,” Justin White says. “We […]

Photo: Complete Landsculpture

LM150 company profile: Complete Landsculpture

Like so many in the business, Chris Strempek, founder, co-owner and president of Complete Landsculpture, entered the landscaping industry as a boy, equipped with an old mower, summers full of free time and an asking price of $5 per lawn. Strempek later founded Complete Landsculpture in 1985 when he was a second-year college student at […]

sprayhead. Photo: SiteOne

Spray smarts: A look at sprayhead trends

Thirty-one billion gallons of water could be saved each year by replacing water-inefficient sprayheads with efficient ones, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates. It’s no wonder the irrigation industry has started to see more water-saving sprayheads entering the market. After all, experts say water savings and cost savings go hand in hand. “Ultimately, the customer […]

BrightView takes next step in public filing, reveals prices for shares

BrightView—which once again ranked No. 1 on the LM150 list of the industry’s top 150 revenue-generating firms—announced the launch of its initial public offering of 21,300,000 shares of its common stock. According to a report on StreetInsider, the initial public offering price is expected to be between $22 and $25 per share. “It’s a fabulous […]

Web Extra: SafetyWatch in Spanish (transporting dangerous goods)

The following is a Spanish version of SafetyWatch from the May 2018 issue of Landscape Management. It discusses transportation of dangerous goods. Click here for the original SafetyWatch in English or see page 16 of the magazine. Transporte de bienes peligrosos Cualquiera persona que trabaje con bienes, productos o materiales peligrosos debe obtener la preparación […]

Team safety meeting. Photo: Curby's Lawn & Garden

Safe Company Profile: Curby’s Lawn & Garden

When asked about the last time Curby’s Lawn & Garden dealt with an accident, Larry Craig, safety and quality control manager, replies “Maybe we had a minor traffic accident more than a decade ago, but it was so long ago, I can’t quite remember.” A winner of the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ (NALP) 2016 […]

green lawn. Photo: Plant Health Care Systems of South Florida

Testing before treatment

When Keith Weyrick patronized his local plant diagnostic clinic in 2012, samples in tow, he didn’t realize one of the clinic’s employees, Ian Maguire, would become his future business partner. Almost six years later, the pair co-owns Plant Health Care Systems of South Florida, a Miami-based plant care company that’s grown into a $1.7-million organization […]

soil with well-defined horizons. Photo: John Palmer

One industry veteran’s take on proper plant installation

As John Palmer has moved into his second career as a landscaper, he’s focused much of his attention on tree and shrub installations—and the poor planting practices that have become the norm. More than 15 years of experience as an arborist led Palmer, an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist and owner of PlanetCare Landscape […]

SafetyWatch in Spanish (handling spills)

The following is a Spanish version of SafetyWatch from the April 2018 issue of Landscape Management. It discusses how to handle spills. Click here for the original SafetyWatch in English or see page 14 of the magazine. Manejo de los derrames Implemente un plan de contención para los derrames para asegurar que su compañía maneje […]

Edward L. Wallace and Richard Cohen. Photo: Edward L. Wallace

Backstory: Edward L. Wallace

Edward L. Wallace Owner Midwest Landscaping Long Beach, Calif. Education Grove City High School Grove City, Ohio Class of 1973 Olympic Community College Bremerton, Wash. Business Administration 1973-1975 “I ran track and played football there. My main event was the 440 intermediate hurdles.” Fort Steilacoom Community College Tacoma, Wash. Graphic Arts Class of 1977 Work […]

SafetyWatch in Spanish (lockout/tag-out procedures)

The following is a Spanish version of SafetyWatch from the March 2018 issue of Landscape Management. It discusses lockout/tag-out procedures. Click here for the original SafetyWatch in English or see page 16 of the magazine. Los procedimientos de cierre y etiquetado         Es importante que las compañías implementen y ejecuten los procedimientos de cierre y etiquetado. […]

Photos: Lotus Gardenscapes

Double down: How one pro found a balance between passion and growth

When Traven Pelletier acquired Lotus Gardenscapes in 2015, the size of his landscape company, Bloom Garden Center & Elemental Design, grew from $1 million to $2 million overnight. He realized he would have to implement a set of systems to split his focus between being an owner managing a now-doubled company and a designer trying […]

SafetyWatch in Spanish (using the rolling stop)

The following is a Spanish version of SafetyWatch for the February 2018 issue of Landscape Management. It discusses how to use the rolling stop when plowing. Click here for the original SafetyWatch in English or see page 18 of the magazine. Evitar detener el tractor completamente cuando remueves la nieve Una técnica clave a considerar cuando se remueve […]

Photo: LandCare

Train to retain

An onboarding program, including in-the-field training for all team members, is part of LandCare’s new staffing philosophy. As good employees become more difficult to find—and keep—LandCare, a commercial landscape maintenance company with more than 50 locations across the U.S., has adopted a new philosophy: train to retain. “It’s never been harder for our industry to […]

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