Business Celebrates 125 years, Saluting Branches Event Scheduled: This Week’s Industry News

image_pdf

Want to keep up with the latest news in lawn care and landscaping? Check back every Thursday for a quick recap of recent happenings in the green industry.

Bigger Saluting Branches Event Set for September
Saluting Branches is expanding to more locations across the United States for their second event. This year the Saluting Branches: Arborists United for Veteran Remembrance national day of service is on Sept. 21, 2016. The event will be held at 36 cemetery sites in 27 different states. This is an increase of 25 percent over the first event held last year in the number of veteran cemeteries that will receive free tree pruning, removals and tree healthcare services from volunteer professionals.

Graham’s Greenhouse & Landscaping To Celebrate 125th Birthday
Graham’s Greenhouse & Landscaping and Graham Florists are planning a celebration on July 29 to mark their 125th anniversary. The business began in late 1800s when a Scottish immigrant, George L. Graham, opened his flower shop in 1895 in Broadford, Pennsylvania. Today, Graham’s has a store selling plants and trees, and offers landscape design and service. The sister company, Graham Florist, offers cut flowers and gifts. Fred and Ben Graham are the fifth generation to run the family business.

Landscapers Pros Honor Heroes at Arlington and Advocate on Capitol Hill
On July 11 and 12, nearly 500 landscape professionals volunteered at Arlington National Cemetery for the 20th year. The following day, on Tuesday, more landscape pros and NALP members made the trip to Capitol Hill to advocate for their business and discuss current issues affecting the industry such as H-2B and pesticides.
Read more of our coverage here:
Renewal & Remembrance Gives Back to Fallen Heroes
Landscapers Advocate for Their Businesses on Capitol Hill

Scotts CEO Hagedorn Makes Huge Bet on Pot
Jim Hagedorn, Scotts Miracle-Gro CEO, is betting $500 million on the business of marijuana, calling it “the biggest thing I’ve ever seen in lawn and garden,” in an article in Forbes. Hagedorn, CEO of Scotts since 2001, came to his epiphany one day in 2013 in Yakima, Washington, when he saw hydroponic equipment used to grow pot flying off the shelves of a garden center. Hagedorn told Forbes that Scotts is not getting into marijuana production but in the soil, fertilizer, pesticides, lights and other growing systems required for its cultivation.

Ruppert Landscape Helps Beautify The Children’s Home
Ruppert Landscape and Baltimore’s ABC2 News (WMAR-TV) recently partnered to provide a facelift to the landscape of The Children’s Home in Catonsville, Maryland, just west of Baltimore. Called “Built Upon A Dream,” the community service project involved more than 100 Ruppert employees. The total value of the campus renovation, including time and materials, was approximately $16,000. By the time it was finished, more than 200 man-hours had been invested in refurbishing the landscape.

Worldlawn Buys Former Husqvarna Nebraska Facility
Worldlawn Power Equipment Inc. this past June 30 finalized the purchase of a 275,000-square-foot facility in Beatrice, Nebraska. The building was previously occupied by Husqvarna. The new building acquisition will serve as a means for diversification, expansion and warehousing. Once a timeline for expansion is underway, there will be a need for more employees alongside the 25-plus people already at Worldlawn.

Rain Bird Marks Smart Irrigation Month with Charitable Landscape Renovation Partnership
In celebration of Smart Irrigation Month, Rain Bird is unveiling the CLC Landscape Renovation Project, a partnership that showcases irrigation products and smart watering practices from 25 Ways to Save, a Rain Bird initiative. Throughout Smart Irrigation Month, Rain Bird will be sharing photos, tips and ideas from the CLC Landscape Renovation Project on social media.

NAEDA Honors Dixie Chopper with Most Improved Award
Dixie Chopper, part of Jacobsen, a Textron Inc. company, won the North American Equipment Dealers Association’s (NAEDA) 2016 “Most Improved” award for the second year in a row. The company received the award for attaining the greatest percentage of improvement in overall ratings compared with 2015 based on the NAEDA’s annual dealer-manufacturer relations survey.

Connect with Turf Magazine: Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter