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Landscape Volunteer Project
As one of our 2004-2005 charity projects, The Design Network volunteered to design and install the landscapes for three Geauga Country Habitat for Humanity homes in Middlefield, Ohio. The Design Network members contributed their considerable knowledge of horticulture, creative talent and expertise in design and installation, and tapped into their green industry resources throughout the project.
With the completion of the master landscape plan for all three Habitat for Humanity properties, master plant lists were created and plans for a Spring, 2005 installation were set in motion.
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The first phase began in the fall of 2004 and involved conducting interviews with the prospective homeowners, measuring, photographing and assessing each property. Then in January of 2005, an all day Design Workshop was held with fifteen Design Network members teaming up to create three custom designed landscape plans. The designs reflected each individual homeowner’s long term needs, wishes, and plant preferences as expressed during the design interviews. The landscape designs incorporated trees, shrubs, and perennial plantings with multi-season interest, and vegetable gardens, decks, patios, fencing, screening and shade needs to create three unique landscape plans. |
| The next phase was a massive effort by Design Network members to secure the donation of over 355 trees, shrubs and perennials from 26 area wholesale and retail nurseries in northeastern Ohio. Plant material was stockpiled and site preparations were made without much cooperation from the northeast Ohio weather. On Installation Day, May 29, 2005, eighteen Design Network members and other green industry workers donated their labor to install all the plant material according to the designs created at the January workshop. The end result was three very happy homeowners who are delighted with their new landscapes. As part of the project, Design Network members will continue to mentor the new homeowners for one year, teaching them how to care for their plants. |
Landscape Installation Day! Design Network members and other helpers install 355 donated trees, shrubs and perennials in planting beds which had previously been aerated and amended with donated compost. Planting beds were mulched, trees staked and vines trained onto trellises. Watering instructions, donated hoses, Tree Gators, and hand pruners were given to the homeowners to help them care for their newly installed landscapes.
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A Design Network member counsels a Habitat for Humanity homeowner on the care of her French Hybrid Lilacs. The Design Network members will continue to help the homeowners learn about and care for their new landscapes for one year.
A Street Fair, sponsored by Habitat for Humanity, was held on August 6, 2005 to celebrate the completion of these homes and landscapes. The Design Network participated in the Fair, answering questions about the project and responding to general landscape and horticulture questions.
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The Landscape Volunteer Project was a challenging, but wonderful opportunity for The Design Network to use our knowledge, skills and resources toward a good cause. In a first time ever collaborative effort, the Geauga County Habitat for Humanity worked together with us to coordinate this project during the construction phase of the new homes. The Design Network tapped into our members' horticultural, design and installation knowledge and flexed our business and organizational skills to make this project a reality. Members who are arborists, landscape designers nursery owners, installation contractors and landscape maintenance professionals all contributed their skills and used their contacts in the green industry throughout the project. It was a logistical tightrope walk since many of The Design Network’s members are small business owners or self-employed in the green industry and parts of this project clashed with some of the busiest times of the landscaping season. During the project, we shared our knowledge, gained respect for and learned about each other’s talents, experience and training. We also got to know some very wonderful people at Geauga County’s Habitat for Humanity and the three families who now reside in these newly landscaped homes. In the end, the real reward was seeing the Habitat for Humanity homeowners who were beaming with pleasure at their newly installed landscapes and are already conscientiously caring for them. |
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Plant Material Donations: Arcola Creek Nursery – Madison, OH Art Form Nurseries – Chagrin Falls, OH Auburn Pointe Greenhouse - Auburn, OH Avalon Gardens – Chardon, OH Bluestone Perennials – Madison, OH Brotzman’s Nursery – Madison, OH C.M. Brown Nurseries – Perry, OH Budding Artists – Pepper Pike, OH Chagrin Valley Nurseries – Gates Mills, OH Cottage Gardens – Perry, OH Davis Tree Farm – Valley City, OH East of Eden - Pepper Pike, OH Gilson Gardens – Perry, OH Girard Nurseries – Geneva, OH Klyn Nurseries – Perry, OH Lake County Nursery – Perry, OH Leuty Nursery – Chagrin Falls, OH Maple Ridge Garden Center – Concord, OH Mentor Heights Nursery – Mentor, OH Northcoast Perennials – Madison, OH Pam’s Perennial Plant Farm – Akron, OH Ridge Manor Nurseries – Geneva, OH Roemer Nursery – Madison, OH Rusty Oaks Nursery – Valley City, OH Sunnybrook Farms - Chesterland, OH Sunleaf Nursery – Madison, OH Sunny Border Ohio – Jefferson, OH Warner-Kingwood Nursery – Willoughby Hills, OH Willoway Nurseries – Avon, OH |
Other Donors: Paul’s Do-It-Best Lumber – Middlefield, OH (Lumber for raised vegetable gardens) Forestry Suppliers – Jackson, MS (Pruners) Gardener’s Supply Co. – Burlington, VT (Stackable Corner Joints for raised vegetable gardens) Georgios - Middlefield, OH (Pizza on Plant Installation Day) Giant Eagle – Middlefield, OH (Lunch on Plant Installation Day) La Cava Landscaping - Grand River, OH (Plant material trasportation & installation) Mark Hoenigman, Certified Arborist - Busy Bee Services, Novelty, OH (Soil improvement & planting bed preparation) J.T.O. – Mentor, OH (Donation of mulch) Kurtz Brothers – Independence, OH (EarthPro Premium Compost) A.M. Leonard & Co. – Piqua, OH (Pruners) MacKenzie Nursery Supply – Perry, OH (Pruners) Nature's Way Landscaping - Chesterland, OH (Mulch and mulch installation) Sagamore Soils – Hudson, OH (Leaf humus) Shemin Nurseries – Oakwood Village, OH (Pruners) Alan R. Siewart - Urban Forester, ODNR Division of Forestry (Tree preservation & soil consultant) Spectrum Products – Youngsville, NC (TreeGators – tree watering system) Your Gardener & Company Inc. - Chardon, OH (Stocking, transportation and installation of plant material) |
