Landscape Management, January 2012

FUTURE SUCCESS PHOTOS COURTESY TESSELAAR PLANTS TOP BOTTOM LEFT BALL HORTICULTURE of climate and soil extremes provide a better value states Anthony Tesselaar cofounder and president of Tesselaar Plants in a recent news release Gardeners are more aware than ever that choosing the right plant for the right situation is imperative if you want to help save the planet let alone your bank balance 3 Sell sustainability The renewed interest in the environment in recent years is not slowing with the pace of the economy In fact the recession may have brought even more attention to the importance of sustainable landscapes Green roofs are one example of a growth area that owes its popularity to environmental awareness From reducing heating and cooling costs to improving air quality and lowering city temperatures the benefi ts of green roofs are becoming too obvious for many city planners to ignore Landscapers can learn the specialized skills needed to install green roofs themselves or fi nd partnering opportunities with progressive roofi ng companies who are installing the structures needed to top cities with green The focus on reducing our environmental impact by buying locally sourced products is a boon to local growers nurseries and landscapers Its also an opportunity to market the benefi ts of native plants Mixing native species in with more traditional cultivars can help lower the need for inputs and maintenance Edible landscapes have been making headlines for years From modern victory gardens to the First Lady planting edibles at the White House consumers have taken notice Economic nutritional environmental and social interests are converging to elevate the practice of home vegetable gardening to mainstream relevance said Jessie Atchison brand manager for Burpee Home Gardens at an Edible Garden exhibition presented by the New York Botanical Garden during the 2010 growing season And edibles continue to make inroads into suburban back yards In addition to being seen as providing free food some clients also equate personal fruit and vegetable gardens with lessening the environmental footprint of shipping produce globally The economic benefi ts of a welldesigned landscape are one thing but the intangibles should not be forgotten A beautiful landscape can provide your clients with a welcome respite from their economic anxieties Some property owners will certainly still be in a spending mood in 2012 but having service and pricing plans to appeal to all income levels looks like a safer bet this year than focusing only on the high end LM Gooch is a freelance writer and editor based in Northeast Ohio A container garden featuring Tangerine Tango the Pantone Color of the Year Tropicanna Black cannas top ornamental peppers lower left and croton lower right HOT COLOR FOR 2012 The world is an increasingly smaller place From national television marketing campaigns by plant producers fashion labels and even paint manufacturers to social networking among friends and families design trends travel more quickly now than ever before Some of those trends are little more than hopeful soothsaying but one in particular is backed up by some serious research Pantone LLC is well known to many who work with color Graphic artists interior designers and fashion designers use the companys color swatch library regularly Color is literally Pantones business So when the company announced Tangerine Tango PANTONE 17 1463 as its color of the year for 2012 plant breeders and consumers paid attention The color of the year selection is a very thoughtful process according to a Pantone press release To arrive at the selection Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for color infl uences This can include the entertainment industry and fi lms that are in production traveling art collections hot new artists popular travel destinations and other socio economic conditions Infl uences may also stem from technology availability of new textures and effects that impact color and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention Over the past several years orange has grown in popularity and acceptance among designers and consumers alike according to the companys research As clients hear about and see more orange shades they may request a complementary color palette for their landscapes Anthony Tesselaar cofounder and president of Tesselaar Plants suggests using red orange with other plants featuring subtle echoes of the same color Not too much of this fi ery hue he says A little goes a long way Or since the orange red tangerine color is opposite of blue green on the color wheel it could be grouped with frosty cool hued plants For more information on Tangering Tango visit www pantone com coy2012 Can Can Orange Calibrachoa top can be used to pinpoint spots of color Bonfi re begonias add a punch of tangerine color to the landscape bottom LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET JANUARY 2012 50