green Archives | Marek Landscaping

Plant of the Week! Wisconsin’s Hepaticas

Justine — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 16:14:17 +0000

Plant of the Week! It’s a little bit early now, but soon we will be seeing native ephemeral wildflowers emerging from last year’s leaf litter. One of the plants you might be lucky enough to encounter is Hepatica (Anemone acutiloba or A. americana). The two species here in Wisconsin are Sharp-lobed Hepatica and Round-lobed Hepatica, the main difference being the bluntness or “pointy-ness” of the three lobes of the leaf. The first thing you might notice about this plant, other than the beautiful delicate flowers, is how furry it is! Dense, downy trichomes cover the plant and are very noticeable as it first emerges. This protects the plant against the cold and wind. Another fascinating characteristic about this wildflower is how it reproduces: The capsule that holds the seeds also contains an oily structure that attracts ants. The ants take the seed capsules to their nests, essentially planting the seeds as they do. Start looking for this spring species in high quality woodlands next month.

Flowers can be white, light pink, or blue

The plants are densely covered in furry trichomes to help protect it against cold, windy weather.

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Plant of the Week: Wisconsin’s Native Aralia

Justine — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 17:13:41 +0000

Plant of the Week! New year, new Perennial of the Year! If you haven’t heard, Aralia ‘Sun King’ has been named 2020’s Perennial Plant of the year by the Perennial Plant Association. It’s fast-growing, hardy to zone 3, and has bright gold foliage, making it an attention-getting plant, to be sure. Here at Marek Landscaping, we prefer ‘Sun King’s’ Wisconsin native relatives, Aralia racemosa, Spikenard, and A. nudicaulis, Wild Sarsaparilla. Both are herbaceous plants in the ginseng family. Spikenard can be used in the garden like a shrub, albeit one that will die back in winter, as it grows 3-5′ tall and wide and has large, pinnately compound leaves that lend it a course texture. Wild Sarsaparilla is a bit smaller, only reaching 2′ in height. Both have clusters of small white flowers followed by small round fruits that ripen to dark purple.

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Plant of the Week: Celastrus scandens

Justine — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 21:59:39 +0000

Plant of the Week! We love decorating with plants for the holidays. Their colors and scents bring warmth and memories to our doors, dining tables, and living rooms. But we have to remember to be careful when selecting our favorite botanical baubles. Plants from big box stores are often transported from out of state, potentially accompanied by new pests. Floral arrangements often contain the viable seed heads of invasive species. As if that wasn’t enough, even using native species isn’t always the answer, as it can lead to major impacts on wild populations. One plant that is experiencing such an impact is Celastrus scandens, American Bittersweet. Its berries are beautiful and long-lasting, making them very popular for arrangements. However, demand for the berries has led to a steep decline in wild populations. One way you can help is by buying American Bittersweet from a reputable nursery to plant in your yard. You can even pick your own decorative branches off your cultivated Bittersweet, in moderation, of course! To learn more about American Bittersweet and the problems it’s facing, check out this article from In Defense of Plants: http://www.indefenseofplants.com/…/…/12/american-bittersweet (Photo from In Defense of Plants)

Photo from In Defense of Plants

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Maryland Avenue Montessori Named MMSD Green Luminary

Marek — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 21:56:31 +0000

This past summer we designed and installed a Sensory Rain Garden at Maryland Avenue Montessori School, which is this month’s Green Luminary, as designated by Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. Watch a wonderful video here about the project and its environmental features. You can also read a complimentary article about the project at onmilwaukee.com. Kudos to Landscape Designer Patrick O’Connor and all involved with the project!

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Mitchell Park Domes Honored as MMSD Green Luminary

Marek — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 04:16:52 +0000

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is highlighting local inspiring leaders in sustainability through its Green Luminary program. The Milwaukee County Mitchell Park Domes, which has made numerous sustainable design upgrades over the last five years, is this month’s honoree. Milwaukee County hired Marek Landscaping to construct a state-of-the-art entryway rainwater harvesting system, comprised of 10,000 sf of permeable paving, and basins for water storage which feed reclaimed stormwater to decorative fountains. We are proud to be a part of the Domes’ Green Infrastructure initiatives! Here’s a video about the project.

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30th Street Corridor Wet Relief Project Underway

Marek — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 15:34:43 +0000

September 15, 2014 – The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District has hired a design team, led by CDM Smith and including Marek Landscaping, to perform a preliminary engineering study for the north section of the 30th Street Industrial Corridor. Marek’s scope will entail landscape architecture, restoration ecology, green infrastructure design, public and stakeholder involvement, conceptual design, final design, and post-construction vegetation monitoring. The 30th Street Industrial Corridor is an immense portion of the City Milwaukee and is currently undergoing an exciting urban revitalization effort. An overview about the Corridor’s history and its current state can be found here. Marek is thrilled to be a part of the Corridor’s transformation.

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“Where Ecology Meets Economy” Forum on September 17th

Marek — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 15:23:15 +0000

August 4, 2014 – Marek Landscaping is proud to be a sponsor of this year’s “Where Ecology Meets Economy: Season 2; A Forum for Green Industry & Land Management Professionals,” hosted by Johnson’s Nursery, Inc. and the Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium, Inc. The event takes place on September 17, 2014 from 8am-3:30pm at Johnson’s Nursery in Menomonee Falls. The sessions and tours focus on how to reduce the impact of invasive species. Consider attending the event and invite others who may be intrested. The Event Program and Registration Form can be found here.

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Presentation for 2014 Clean Rivers Clean Lake Conference

Marek — Thu, 01 May 2014 15:14:46 +0000

May 1, 2014 – Marek Landscaping, LLC will be presenting at the May 1, 2014 conference, which will be held at the Harley Davidson Museum and hosted by the Southeastern Wisconsin Watershed’s Trust. The presentation will focus on Milwaukee’s Best Practical Green Infrastructure Lessons.

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Milwaukee Mayor’s Design Award

Marek — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:38:49 +0000

June 1, 2012 – The 91st & 92nd Green Streets project received a 2012 Milwaukee Mayor’s Design Award for its green infrastructure. Marek Landscaping installed the landscape features of the project and worked with the City of Milwaukee’s landscape architecture group in redesigning the layout and specifying native plants that withstand urban streets.

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