Sage Johnson (TLC)BusinessChinese government targets landscapers in corruption crackdownThe Chinese government has as of late been targeting corruption in its own ranks. In the past two years, Leader Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive has led to the purging of high-ranking officials in industries like telecommunications, electricity and petroleum. What’s new is the investigation and punishment of corrupt landscapers, who, according to recent reports have been […]April 14, 2015BusinessLocal governments in California respond to water use restrictionsAs the reality – and implications – of California Gov. Jerry Brown’s call for a 25 percent statewide water use reduction, landscapers are watching to see how the issue unfolds in the drought-stricken state and across the country. The nation-wide coverage of the water use restrictions shows Americans’ increased awareness of water conservation. Less than […]April 13, 2015BusinessDiscovering new methods for creating landscape illustrationsHomeowners have come to expect landscapers to provide digital representations of their designs and projects. A new book, Representing Landscapes: Digital, by Nadia Amoroso, explores a variety of methods for creating these illustrations. Amoroso, who has authored several books, is an urban designer, landscape architectural designer, academic, mapping and visual representation expert and the Director […]April 13, 2015BusinessReport sheds light on homeowners’ approach to projectsHomeAdvisor released its 2015 True Cost Guide Report, which provides insight into how cost influences homeowners’ approaches to home projects. According to the report, almost half of homeowners surveyed will put off home projects – including landscaping – when they don’t have reliable cost information. Knowing this can help you grow your landscape business. By providing homeowners with […]April 10, 2015BusinessApril is Safe Digging MonthWashington enacted its Underground Utilities Act, or “Call Before You Dig” law, in 1984, and since then each state has enacted similar laws that require excavators to call the 811 utility-locate hotline before digging to have all utilities located and marked. April is National Safe Digging month, designed to communicate the importance of safe digging […]April 10, 2015BusinessSummer gas prices projected to be lower than the same period last yearGas Buddy, which tracks gasoline prices in real time across the country, is predicting 2015 second quarter gasoline prices will be below 2014 prices by $0.75 to $1.25 per gallon. This coincides with data released Wednesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which projected an average price over the summer of $2.45 per gallon. The […]April 8, 2015BusinessColorado park overhaul focuses on native landscape elementsOne of Dillon, Colorado’s most popular attractions, Marina Park, is getting a makeover after pine beetles deforested the shore several years ago. The project includes planting more than 500 shrubs, alpine grasses, and several spruce, aspen, chokecherry, maple and blossoming crabapple trees. “We wanted a mix of more native plant material that will thrive at […]April 8, 2015BusinessWater-use restrictions have California homeowners looking for drought-resistant landscapingWhen California Governor Jerry Brown imposed mandatory water restrictions on residents, businesses and farms last week, he caused many to wonder about how to maintain their lawns. The Governor, who ordered cities and towns in the state to reduce water usage by 25 percent, suggested people move away from grass in favor of more drought-tolerant […]April 8, 2015BusinessCommunities seek to limit use of loud landscaping equipmentAs spring is welcomed in communities across the country, landscapers are ramping up their businesses. But the din of landscape equipment – from skid steers to leaf blowers – is the focus of some homeowners’ chagrin. In response, some communities have enacted restrictions or outright bans on landscaping equipment. In Scarsdale, New York, engine-driven power […]April 8, 2015Previous PagePage 16 of 16Top StoriesHomeJCB unleashes its most powerful teleskid & compact track loader: The 4TS and 400TThe 4TS Teleskid, with 15-foot telescopic boom, and 400T CTL get 109 horsepower, 41 gallons per minute of flow and 380 foot-pounds of torque.HomeThe newest innovation in drip irrigation prevents cloggingHome“A handy, light machine” – Test run of Kubota’s SCL1000 Stand-On Mini LoaderHomeJohn Deere launches Operations Center PRO ServiceHomeBobcat donates $150,000 to local parks
