A Place to Grow: Lydia Home’s Garden

On a recent Saturday, three Nature’s Perspective staffers, led by John Ciesielski, headed out to Lydia Home, a children and family services organization located in the northwest side of Chicago, to donate materials and work on their fenced 50′ x 50′ vegetable and flower garden. The group joined forces with Lydia’s garden coordinator Imelda “Mel” Gonzales and two of its young and enthusiastic residents to install a wood chip path, add compost to the beds and lay stepstones. The 32-degree weather and frozen ground did not deter the crew, who completed the work just before the first big snowfall arrived two days later. “This will give them a headstart next spring,” said John.

Nature’s Perspective’s design team donated the design last winter, and developed the Lydia garden to showcase its recently installed koi pond. The new garden will feature sitting areas, an ornamental wrought iron grape arbor, a gazing ball, pole bean teepees and ornamental trees at the corners for visual interest.

The various beds will contain vegetables, herbs, fruit, raspberries and cut flowers which Lydia residents hope to sell next year at the local farmer’s market, helping them gain valuable skills and developing their love of gardening.

Donations are welcome to help bring this garden to fruition. Keep checking our blog to view the evolution of this very special garden!

ABOUT LYDIA HOME ASSOCIATION

Founded as an orphanage in 1916, Lydia has become a successful alternative to state-run foster care and family assistance agencies. Based in Chicago, this organization serves children and families in need, providing a diverse range of programs, from residential treatment to foster care, counseling to parenting classes. Most of its services are supported entirely by private contributions, and volunteers play a vital role in keeping its ministry strong. For more information, visit www.lydiahome.org.

An ILCA Member for 25 Years… and Counting

President Tom Klitzkie and Vice-President Barbara Schwarz attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association on October 23 at the Marriott O’Hare in Chicago. Their company, Nature’s Perspective Landscaping, received a special award for 25 years of continuous membership in the ILCA. They are proud to be a member of an organization that strives to promote excellence in landscaping.

ABOUT ILCA

Since 1959, the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association has enhanced the professionalism and capabilities of its landscape contractor members by providing leadership, education and valued services while promoting environmental awareness within the landscape industry.  The association serves as a forum for the free exchange of ideas among landscape contractors, their suppliers and the government, working together to create a greener, more beautiful Illinois. More information can be found on their website, www.ilca.net.

30 YEARS YOUNG

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF PROVIDING BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS

In 1979, when Tom Klitzkie had a full-time job as grounds manager for the Bahai’ Temple in Wilmette and his wife Barbara Schwarz was the plant information specialist at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, they started their own business in off-hours. “We worked harder on the weekends than during the week,” Klitzkie says.

From that small beginning the couple grew their company, Nature’s Perspective Landscaping, and is celebrating its 30th anniversary milestone this year. In addition to themselves, they employ 3 full-time landscape architects, 45 seasonal maintenance/installation employees, and 5 full-time employees handling administrative, billing and business-related issues. The company also mentors a new intern each season to learn about the landscaping industry hands-on.

As President and Vice President, Tom and Barb say they are proud of what they and their employees have accomplished. The company helps its clients, that include private residences and commercial properties, create and maintain beautiful, functional outdoor settings.

“We are proud of our employees and our reputation in the community,” Klitzkie says. “Our goal is to satisfy our clients, never stop learning and continue to create new and exciting designs for our customers.”

To help customers visualize their designs, the company offers photorealistic renderings of clients’ landscapes, and 3-D visualizations of hardscape work such as entry steps and raised patios.

The company has always used a green or sustainable approach to lawn and garden maintenance, striving to maintain a balance between keeping a property healthy and looking at its best, while minimizing unnecessary pesticide applications.

In its other eco-friendly efforts the company began a partnership with a local supplier to recycle its plastic plant containers. To help customers conserve water and address drainage issues, the company offers solutions to divert, store and recycle rainwater. To minimize watering needs and enrich the soil on landscape beds, Barb stresses the benefits of organic compost and shredded hardwood bark mulch. They also promote the use of pavers made with recycled materials and water permeable environmental pavers, and are always looking for ways to beautify in a sustainable way.

About Nature’s Perspective Landscaping

Founded in 1979, Nature’s Perspective Landscaping is a full service landscape contractor offering landscape design, installation and lawn and garden maintenance, as well as installation of stonework, brick pavers and hardscapes, ponds, custom woodwork, drainage work and landscape lighting. Newly planted trees, evergreens, shrubs and groundcovers are backed with a two year warranty, exceeding what most of the industry offers by one year. Its Evanston-based three-acre facility at 2000 Greenleaf has a nursery where customers may see and hand pick landscape plants; a paving showroom with an array of natural and man made paving materials and a lighting showroom with low voltage lighting fixtures. For more information, visit www.naturesperspective.com.