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Landscape Forms has introduced the Plains & Pods™ system of seating, surfaces, and planters created with renowned London-based design studio, Industrial Facility. As two sibling products, Plains & Pods are designed to work elegantly both together and independently, and are unified in their use of minimalist, non-prescriptive design to prioritize flexibility, adaptability, and user autonomy.

Rectilinear and architectural, Plains is comprised of large-format platforms and a trestle, varying in height and width to create customizable settings of layered seating and surfaces. Constructed of naturally weathering wood, powder-coated metal, or a combination thereof, Plains are offered in four widths, each with short and tall heights. Optional metal backs and attaching side tables allow the creation of installations with a level of detail rivaled by custom solutions. Plains can branch, network, stair-step, overlap, crisscross, create runs, and more to enable the full freedom of design in three dimensions.

Plains’ curvilinear counterpart, Pods, are seating and planters designed to be grouped together in multi-layered clusters of respite space and attractive greenery. Different groupings of Pods modules give users the opportunity to determine how they interact with space—large and open communal zones, areas for privacy, single seating, and quick individual touch-down points can be scattered to bring social and aesthetic depth to the landscape.

Rounded rectangles and squares ranging from individual to communal, Pods seating modules are crafted from bent and powder-coated sheet metal for their bases and naturally weathering wood caps for the seats. The Pods short planter modules mirror the shape and scale of the seats, while tall planter modules add height and a tiered effect to installations.

“This is one of those product systems that’s changing the narrative about how to use furniture in public space,” describes Landscape Forms Chief Innovation Officer Kirt Martin. “We’re seeing a lot of demand for these interactive, multi-dimensional site furnishings in the custom sphere, but Pods is the first standard product in our portfolio that combines these ideas of layers and multiple use cases.”

As fully-fledged product systems, both Plains & Pods individually bring depth, multi-functionality, and user freedom to the landscape, but together their impact is magnified. The interplay between Plains’ crisp right angles and Pods’ friendly curves offers added aesthetic richness, and combination installations create a variety of opportunities for different social experiences.

Landscape Forms Director of Design, Ryan Heiser, comments, “People can approach a Plains & Pods installation from 360˚ and determine exactly how they want to use it.” He adds, “Laying down, perching, sitting cross-legged, breaking down the division between ‘me space’ and ‘we space’—using Plains unlike a traditional bench feels much more natural because it’s not encoded with the same rules or expectations.”

Landscape Forms is a leading North American designer and manufacturer of high-design site furniture, structure, LED lighting, and accessories.

For more landscape furniture and patio solutions, see:

Landscape Forms Wins 27 Design Awards In 2023

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Walker Manufacturing has announced the planned acquisition of the Model 7 and Model 11 hydrostatic transmission product lines from Danfoss Power Solutions II, LLC. Danfoss is currently located in Eden Prairie, MN. This acquisition includes the ongoing design, production, and supply of the Model 7 and Model 11 transmissions.

Walker President Ryan Walker explains: “This acquisition underscores our passion and intrigue with the design and performance of the Model 7 and Model 11, and, more importantly, our commitment to the many transmissions currently operating in Walker Mowers and many other pieces of equipment around the world.”

Walker Manufacturing has utilized the Model 7 in the Walker Mower for over 40 years. Assembly, testing, and support functions will be based in Walker’s Fort Collins, CO factory. Sourcing components will largely be maintained within the existing supply chain. Walker is preparing the factory with the necessary space, infrastructure, and colleagues to support these products.

“We are excited to extend our decades of experience and talented team towards manufacturing and supporting the Model 7 and Model 11 transmissions,” explains Walker, “We strive to serve people well, and multiply opportunities for everyone associated with Walker Manufacturing, and the acquisition is an opportunity for Walker to increase our effectiveness.”

For more recent Green Industry acquisition news as covered by Turf Magazine, click here.

Photo courtesy of: Ewing Outdoor Supply

Ewing Outdoor Supply has grown its presence in South Carolina. It has expanded its services for customers in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area with the acquisition of 360 Supply, LLC bulk landscaping materials yards in Rock Hill.

Ewing Rock Hill is conveniently located on 10 acres a half-mile from Interstate 77 Exit 77, approximately 25 miles south of Charlotte, NC. It will serve contractors, school districts, golf courses, government agencies, and homeowners in communities throughout the region.

The location is Ewing’s first bulk materials yard in the region and its fourth location in the state. It’s well-stocked with a large variety of quality decorative rock, soil, sand, mulch, screen fill, top soil, composted top soil, rough fill, aggregates, and more.

Ewing also operates six landscape supply stores in NC, including North Charlotte, Pineville and Indian Trail. Each location is within a short drive of Rock Hill.

“We’re excited that Yard Manager Michael Glosson, who grew up in Rock Hill, has stayed with Ewing after the acquisition,” Ewing South Atlantic Division Vice President Jake Ray said. “Michael’s knowledge of the area and his experience in management, sales and supply are a win for both Ewing and our customers, who know they can lean on us for everything they need to complete their jobs efficiently and profitably.”

Irrigation and landscaping contractors, golf course superintendents, and sports field managers lean on Ewing for troubleshooting and jobsite solutions. They also count on Ewing for turf-care advice, world-class educational workshops, continuing education courses, and business tools. The company also participates in three national Cooperative Purchasing Programs and accepts school district and government agency purchasing cards.

Ewing’s commitment to its customers has been a green industry staple for over 100 years. It’s highlighted by exceptional in-person service at the Blue Counter, online account management, and loyalty rewards programs like ProAdvantage.

“It’s exciting to add bulk materials to our offerings for Charlotte Metro customers,” Ray said. “Our friendly, knowledgeable staff is looking forward to helping customers create incredible residential and commercial outdoor spaces. There is no job too large or too small.”

For more recent Green industry corporate expansion news, as covered by Turf Magazine, click here.

The Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipse douses Umatilla National Forest in shadow, rimming the horizon with a 360˚ sunset. Credit: NASA/Mara Johnson-Groh

On Monday, April 8, most of North America will have the chance to see the Moon pass in front of the Sun during a solar eclipse. And while this phenomenon is fascinating to humans, who understand the dynamics, how will light-dependent landscape plants react? And what about pollinating insects?

Photo: Tom Koerner/USFWS

Previous research from the 2017 eclipse has shown that bees stop buzzing during totality and returned to their hives. Then, when the sunlight re-appeared, the bees seemed disoriented, according to a paper published in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America, reported ABC News.

Another study during the 2017 eclipse, conducted by the University of Missouri-Columbia, looked into whether plants have a set circadian rhythm (or internal clock) separate from the more immediate response of sensing changes in light. According to a phys.org article by the American Society of Agronomy, Tim Reinbott and colleagues at the University observed four plants with visible, but different, habits in terms of response to light and temperature: mimosa, oxalis, drought-stressed soybeans, and drought-stressed corn. Ultimately, the results were varied but interesting.

If you have an oxalis plant, see if its leaves or blooms close or open during the eclipse. Photo: AdobeStock/drutska

Since it was a hot day, the oxalis leaves were folded up to reduce sun exposure and retain water. As the eclipse started, the oxalis leaves opened up. After totality passed, the leaves closed again, but the plant didn’t fold its flowers as oxalis does at dusk. “This shows that they have a circadian rhythm and were not fooled by the change in light from from the eclipse. They only responded to the temperature change,” Reinbott said in the article. However, the soybeans behaved the same during totality as they do at sundown, showing they did not have a circadian rhythm.

Yet another study published in Scientific Reports in 2019 looked at how sagebrush, a woody and aromatic shrub, reacted to the 2017 eclipse. Researchers found that the drop in temperature and changes in vapor pressure deficit, messed with the sagebrush circadian clock, slowing down the process of photosynthesis and transpiration in the plant during the period of less sunlight, reported Fox5/KUSI.

“However, because the totality only lasted about two minutes long, the plant was not affected in the same way it typically would be during dusk or predawn hours, researchers concluded. Instead, the sudden return of sunlight once the moon passed ‘shocked’ the sagebrush, causing a spike in activity,” stated the article.

For the 2024 eclipse on Monday, as part of the NASA-funded Eclipse Soundscapes project, scientists at Southern Illinois University will be studying insects and birds in the region based on soundscapes made during the eclipse. NASA and other members of the public will also be collecting data to better understand how the total solar eclipse affects different ecosystems. Brent Pease, an assistant professor at South Illinois University’s School of Forestry and Horticulture, told ABC News that the project relies on citizen science reporting for the breadth of its data, with more than 200 participants in 64 counties in the Midwest.

Watch With NASA

Besides the Eclipse Soundscapes project, NASA is inviting the public to participate with in-person events, opportunities to do NASA science, and multiple ways to watch online. Millions of people along the path of totality – which stretches from Texas to Maine in the U.S. – will see a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the Sun. Outside the path of totality, people across the contiguous U.S. will have a chance to see a partial solar eclipse, when the Moon covers part of the Sun. Learn how to safely view this celestial event.

NASA will host live coverage of the eclipse starting at 1 p.m. EDT. The agency’s eclipse coverage will include live views of the eclipse from across North America, special appearances by NASA experts, astronauts aboard the space station, and an inside look at NASA’s eclipse science experiments and watch parties across the country. NASA’s broadcast will last three hours, and features live locations from across the nation including the agency’s only center in the path of totality, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio, as well as: Carbondale, IL; Dallas, TX; Houlton, ME; Indianapolis, IN; Kerrville, TX; Niagara Falls, NY; and Russellville, AK

The April 8, 2024, solar eclipse will be visible in the entire contiguous United States, weather permitting. People along the path of totality stretching from Texas to Maine will have the chance to see a total solar eclipse; outside this path, a partial solar eclipse will be visible. Credits: NASA

The NASA broadcast will stream on NASA+, air on NASA TV, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media and the agency’s app. NASA also will host a watch party of the eclipse in Spanish starting at 1:30 p.m. on YouTube. NASA will additionally provide a no-commentary, telescope-only feed of the eclipse on NASA Television’s media channel and YouTube, starting at 1 p.m. and running for three hours.

Opening Photo Credit: NASA/Gopalswamy

For more interesting plant and science news, read:

Glow-In-The-Dark Firefly™ Petunias Will Light Gardens This Spring!

The Science Against No Mow May

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid, Of What Lurks In Lawns & Forests

KeyServ Company has announced its recent acquisition of Landmark Landscape Group. This will expand its presence and capabilities in the Birmingham, AL market. The acquisition is strategically positioned to bolster KeyServ’s landscape services in the Southeastern U.S. and offer long-term value to the organization.

Landmark Landscape Group was founded by Guy Roemen and Randy Williams in 2011 on a foundation of commercial landscape experience and rewarding relationships with Birmingham property managers. Over the next decade-plus, Landmark grew through the founders’ consistent delivery of customer care. Today, it provides full-service landscape installation and maintenance services to an expanding base of residential and commercial clients in the region. While Williams retired in 2019, Roemen will continue to run Landmark as a valued resource within KeyServ Company.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to partner with Landmark Landscape Group; the acquisition complements our current Alabama operations with Quality Creative Landscaping in Birmingham and Huntsville,” said Jeff Domenick, CEO of KeyServ Company. “Our team values Landmark’s commitment to their people and customers, track record of success and solid position for growth. With the addition of Landmark Landscape Group, KeyServ continues to build a great company around our associates and customers in an amazing industry.”

“This is a big win for Landmark Landscape Group and for all our employees,” said Roemen. “I am very excited to join the KeyServ team and look forward to growing an already stellar company.”

The acquisition of Landmark Landscape Group reflects KeyServ’s commitment to the Green Industry. It does this by utilizing their industry knowledge to find and grow highly valued local residential and commercial landscape companies. By aligning with the right partners, leveraging synergies, and executing a strategic roadmap, the company is setting the stage for a thriving future.

For more recent Turf Magazine news from the Green Industry in business trends and acquisitions, click here.

Husqvarna has introduced two of the world’s first battery-powered chainsaws with a clutch. With the power equivalent of a 40cc gas engine, the T542i XP® and 542i XP® chainsaws are “coming in clutch.”

With the clutch, users experience a kick-start of energy at the beginning of every cut engagement. Users can cut up to 10% more when compared to Husqvarna’s current professional 40V battery chainsaw platform without the clutch feature.

The new T542i XP and 542i XP provide the familiar feel of a gas-powered engine, with a fraction of the noise and no fumes. With the average takedown of a tree requiring up to 40 pull-starts. The ability to start these saws with the push of a button means climbing arborists can maximize efficiency while on-the-job.

“These industry-first chainsaws are in direct response to the needs of professionals who demand innovations that enhance their workdays,” said Alvaro Trinidad, VP/GM of Husqvarna Group North America. “The clutch enables users to experience a more aggressive response and enhanced capability while cutting.”

Operating on Husqvarna’s 40V ecosystem, the T542i XP and 542i XP require minimal downtime for maintenance. Gone are the hassles of gas, air filters, and costly engine repairs. Husqvarna’s active cooling technology provides consistent power and longer battery life. An IPX4 rating ensures operation in most weather conditions. Additionally, these chainsaws come equipped with SP21G X-Precision cutting equipment to further enhance cutting performance.

The T542i XP and 542i XP chainsaws are available now at your local dealer or at Husqvarna.com.

For Turf Magazine‘s recent Get Equipped: Tree Care feature from the October 2023 issue, click here.

Spring Meadow Nursery has added Kintzley’s Ghost honeysuckle (Lonicera reticulata) to its line of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs. No, it’s not a “new” introduction, says the nursery, but they feel there will be a huge audience clamoring for this one-of-a-kind native honeysuckle. It’s deer-resistant, drought-resistant, attracts pollinators, and is non-invasive—with a highly interesting back story.

According to Missouri Botanical Garden, it was originally discovered and propagated in the 1880s by William “Ped” Kintzley, a professor at Iowa State University. He passed it along to family members thereafter, but it was never formally introduced into commerce. The vine disappeared at one point but was eventually rediscovered growing in the yard of a Kintzley relative in Fort Collins, CO.

In 2001, Scott Skogerboe of Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery was driving down a side street in Fort Collins, according to Plant Select®, when he slammed on his brakes to get a closer look at an unusual plant. At first glance it looked like a silver dollar eucalyptus because it was covered abundantly with silver-dollar sized white disks. Fascinated and curious, Skogerboe went to the door and an elderly gentleman answered and told the tale of this unusual beauty. He said it was a family heirloom. In the 1880’s, the man’s grandfather, William “Ped” Kintzley, had worked in the greenhouses at Iowa State and found this unusual form. He propagated it himself, and over the years, gave plants as gifts to members of the Kintzley family throughout the country. The vine was discovered to be an improved selection of the species.

In Spring, Kintzley’s Ghost honeysuckle has foliage that emerges looking like any other honeysuckle, but as it gets going and develops flower buds, unique blue-white, saucer-shaped bracts form around them, and tubular yellow flowers emerge from the center. They have a light scent and attract pollinators, including hummingbirds, but it’s the bracts that people take notice of. They look quite a bit like a silver dollar eucalyptus, as mentioned, and remain effective on the plant until it defoliates in Fall. Flowers fade to reveal glistening red berries in each bract, but not to worry – this North American native species is not invasive and won’t make a nuisance of itself.

USDA Zone: 4 – 8
Exposure: Full sun, Part sun
Height 6-12′
Width 5′
Type: Deciduous
Bloom Time: Early summer
Flower Color: Yellow
Foliage Color: Green, Blue
Soil: Adaptable to most any soil; avoid excessively wet areas.
Pruning: Little required. Blooms on old wood but pruning after blooming will remove the most ornamental feature, the blue leaf bracts around the blooms.
Uses: Covering trellises, obelisks, railings, fences, and posts. Durable and easy to grow. Vines around structures without intervention.

Photos from Spring Meadow Nursery.

For related reading, see:

Groundcover Alternatives To Mulch 

The Best Drought & Flood Tolerant Plants

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