Stop By and See Us at the New England Flower Show

This year they are calling it Plant Geek Night (Tuesday, March 11, 5:30-9:00) and The Underground will be participating. On hand will be several volunteer members to answer plant questions and distribute information about our "Find A Landscape Pro" wiki website where consumers can contact landscape professionals in their area.

We would like to say thank you to the following volunteers
Alya Shklovskaya, Joanne Neale and Russell Stafford. We really appreciate your contributions to our group.

Our heartfelt thanks also goes to our resident Underground authors for donating copies of their books for our drawing held at the show. Thank you to Barbara Gee, C.L. Fornari, and Vincent Simeone.

Join Us at NELDHA's Career Day

The President of The Underground is set to speak at NELDHA's (New England Landscape Design and History Association) upcoming Career Day on Friday, February 22, 2008.

Please join us for an afternoon of information exchange on The Business of Landscape Design and Landscape Design History. Hear business people in the field discuss their recipes for building their company's success and profitability.

Thanks to Our NE Grows Volunteers

All your help to make our participation at the NE Grows show on February 6-8, 2008 was very much appreciated. Thank you again to all the volunteers who made it happen.

Pamela Burton
Karen Fountain-Lantelme
Seija Halva
Sally Naish
Ted Chapman
Dori Smith
Denise Pegrum
Mike Smith
Melanie Neuman
Jay Bearfield
Kath Holland
Kathy Tunsley
Paul Shoemaker
Susan Quateman
Alya Shklovskaya
Barbara Gee

Compromise Language for HB3182

On January 25th, a meeting was held to discuss changes to the current language of this bill. As a result of this meeting the following compromise language was accepted by Laura Kuhn of the APLDNE and Heidi Kost-Gross of NELDHA.

The language:

“Nothing contained in the foregoing as amended shall be construed as constituting regulation and/or oversight of any designated firms or identified professional services. The amended sections shall apply to the procurement of services and the allocation of said services by agencies of the Commonwealth identified herein.”

Although this language does not specifically address the landscape design profession, The Underground has accepted this language based on its acceptance by APLD and NELDHA.

Thank you to Susan Tuttle and The Massachusetts Horticultural Society

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Susan Tuttle for making arrangements for our January program to be held at The Massachusetts Horticultural Society's Elm Bank. Susan has helped our organization over several years and has been a supporter of The Underground as a steering member-at-large and now as our newly elected secretary. She continues to volunteer at programs by helping with registration, setup and numerous other tasks.

We also would like to thank The Massachusetts Horticultural Society for providing their wonderful facilities for our program "Landscape Contractor and Designer Relations".

Landscape Contractor and Designer Relations

The "Landscape Contractor and Designer Relations" program showed you how you could improve your relationships with your contractor or designer. This program discussed the major components for an ideal designer - contractor relationship. Attendees were asked to come to this program prepared to ask questions of our panelists.

Our guest panelists included:
Jay Bearfield, Liquid Landscape Designs, Carlisle, MA
Carolyn Carleton, Outdoor Design, Inc., Southborough, MA
Ed Coykendall, Landscape Artisans, Shirley, MA

Landscape professionals, in their quest to build and design things, sometimes fall short in building relationships. Designers and contractors can find themselves competing for control and the good favor of a project owner. Although some rivalry is expected, we know that too much tension can turn what should be a collaborative relationship into an adverse one – perhaps delaying a project or driving up its costs. Why do contractors and designers clash in some cases, but not in others? Can conflict be avoided? Or, is a little tug-of-war important to building the best project possible for the client? This program explored the answers to these questions and more.

Our panel of landscape contractors discussed the issues that have faced them in working with designers and architects. They answered questions that you had about specific areas of concern – from pricing to change orders to the importance of having a designer on the job or having very specific drawings. They also suggested ways in which we can work more effectively together to produce jobs with fewer change orders and better quality for our clients. Program participants of learned how they could build better relationships.

Jay Bearfield - Is an Internationally Certified Pond Contractor, and owner & lead designer of Liquid Landscape Designs of Carlisle MA. Liquid Landscape Designs, Inc. is a New England-based company that specializes in the residential and commercial aquatic-landscape (aquascape) industry. www.liquidlandscapedesigns.com

Carolyn Carleton - Is the owner of Outdoor Design Inc. of Southborough, MA. In business since 1987, Outdoor Design Inc. has a team of skilled craftsmen, professional masons, site developers, and planting specialists to ensure the highest quality workmanship possible. They perform both residential and commercial property installations throughout New England. www.outdoordesigninc.com

Ed Coykendall - Is the owner of Landscape Artisans of Shirley, MA. In business since 2001, Landscape Artisans specializes in the construction of artisan quality residential landscapes. Their team creates custom landscapes by crafting various media including manufactured pavers, walls, natural stone, wood and plant materials. Their projects deliver high value by turning the clients relationship to the outdoors all within their budget - creating distinctive expressions on the land. Bachelors of Landscape Architecture, Massachusetts Certified Landscape Professional, International Concrete Paver Institute Certified Installer.

New Feature - Post Your Job Opportunities

We would like to announce a new feature that is now available at our wiki website --- the ability to post job opportunities to our members! Just visit our website and click on "POST YOUR JOB"

By filling out the Employment Opportunities form, members as well as non-members will be able to post new job openings that will be forwarded to members of The Underground via our Yahoo Group.

Looking for some help this coming season? Then please give it a try.

New Online Store

We would like to announce that The Underground now has an online store. We have a great selection of books and supplies that you may wish to purchase for the holidays and we are happy to add more based upon member suggestions.

A small portion of your purchase price of items selected through our website will go to benefit The Underground. We thank you for your support of our organization.

Please visit our website and click on STORE.

If you have other suggestions for great books or merchandise please let us know and we will add them to our store. What's in your top ten list?

Article About Native Plants As Part of the Sustainable Landscape

We would like to give a very big thank you to Scott LaFleur and Tom Smarr of The New England Wild Flower Society for writing our latest online consumer article "How Native Plants Work as Part of the Sustainable Landscape". This article can be viewed at our Find A Landscape Pro wiki website.

If you would like to contribute an article or photo to either of our wiki websites or to our forums please let us know. We welcome your contributions.

New Speakers Bureau

The Underground is currently developing a Speakers Bureau and will be providing listings on our 'Find A Landscape Professional' wiki website. All speakers must be members in good standing of The Underground. To add your speaker listing please visit our website and fill out our form.

Garden Ornamentation Workshop with Marie Stella and Artisans

Photos credit: Charlotte Fleetwood

Garden ornamentation has been integral to private and public garden spaces for more than two thousand years. In this "Garden Ornamentation Workshop" we examined the history of garden ornamentation, materials that are commonly used, and how fine garden art can be incorporated into your landscape projects. Our presentation was followed by a studio visit, artisan demonstrations and a self-guided tour of local installations.

Guest Presenter: Marie Stella, Kirin Farm Enterprises, Inc., Charlemont, MA
Guest Artisans: Ray Ciemny, Artist/Blacksmith and Doug Patten, Artist/Stone Carver, Groton, MA

Fine garden ornamentation adds a sense of embellishment to an existing garden. Using one-of-a kind pieces can establish a new sense of peace or provide a complete makeover for the garden. Incorporating extraordinary furnishings and art of the past or present can create a sense of ambiance and mood or establish a focal point that demands attention. It can draw people into the garden, frame an important view or anchor a perennial bed. It can create unity and harmony in a garden that might not otherwise exist.

In this workshop we looked at ways that we can enhance our landscape plans and add that special finishing touch to our projects.

Following our slide presentation we drove a short distance to visit a local studio to see wrought iron forging and stone carving demonstrations and talk with the artisans about their craft.

Marie Stella - MA, MS, is a landscape historian and designer. Her design firm, Kirin Farm Enterprises, Inc., specializes in historic gardens and environmental landscapes. She is on the faculty of the Landscape Institute, Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, and adjunct faculty at the New York Botanical Garden, Tower Hill Botanic Garden, The Institute of Ecosystem Studies, and Cooper Union.

Ray Ciemny (Artisan/Blacksmith) - Ray received his initial professional art training at the Massachusetts College of Art. He worked as an illustrator and founded a computer design studio. When he first touched hammer to iron, however he knew this was his true passion. Mr. Ciemny began an apprenticeship with Master Blacksmith William Senseney of Williamstown, MA in 1987. Following years of honing his craft, Mr. Ciemny now offers his personal vision of the fusion of Art and Craft. http://www.ArtisanIron.com

Doug Patten (Artisan/Stone Carver) - DM Patten began carving small wooden objects as a young boy. While in his twenties he discovered stone sculpting and was instantly hooked. Over the years he has developed his own style and methods for working in various native stones. His skills are primarily self taught from readings and occasional conversations with old timers who practiced this craft many years ago. Patten’s work is peppered throughout Groton, the surrounding communities and beyond.

Thank you to Charlotte Fleetwood for providing her digital photos taken at this workshop.

Discount on Google SketchUp for Members

We have a special time limited offer for Underground members only. Purchase Google SketchUp Pro Single User license through 11/22 and save $50 off the current price of $495. If you are interested in this offer please and are a current Underground member please contact us for more information.

You do not need to have attended our Software Shootout to take advantage of this offer. Google SketchUp is PC and Mac compatible.

Discount on Dynascape Software for Members

Dynascape will offer members of The Underground a 10% discount on any purchase of DynaSCAPE Design, DynaSCAPE Quote, or DynaSCAPE Color through December 31, 2007. This includes any purchases made by Underground members since the Software Shootout on October 20, 2007. Please contact us for more details. Prior to processing the purchase, DynaSCAPE will validate membership in The Underground. The offer is open to any current member of the Yahoo Group. Purchases are to be made directly with the Sales staff of Dynascape at (800) 710-1900 or by visiting http://www.dynascape.com

2007 Election Results Are In!

The Underground Elections results are in, with 23% of our nearly 300 eligible members casting their votes in our first election. All candidates ran unopposed and received 68 votes each. The slate of candidates has been elected to serve for a two year term beginning in January 2008.

The announcement of theses results and introductions of the new officers were made at our annual meeting (required by the bylaws) on Saturday, October 20th at The Software Shootout.

Thank you to everyone for continuing on and working to build this wonderful organization.

2007 Annual Report Now Available

Yesterday we held our first annual meeting at the Software Shootout program. Our annual report as presented is now available at our website.

Thank you to our participants at yesterday's program - (Reid Bertone-Johnson, Mike Ambrose, Sally Naish and Len Hordyck) you helped make this program a tremendous success.

Congratulations also goes to our software winners.
Amy VanDoren - Google SketchUp Pro
Risa Edelstein - Dynascape Design and Quote

Much thanks goes to our program sponsors DynaSCAPE Software and Google SketchUp

A special thank you to Mary Coyne, Professor Emerita, Wellesley College and the Wellesley College Science Center for providing their wonderful facilities for this program.

2nd Annual Software Shootout

Howdy, pardner! Mosey on down and join us at the "2nd Annual Software Shootout" for a rootin' tootin' shootin' good time at this exciting program which will explore how landscape professionals are using today’s high falutin' techniques to create their landscape plans and documents.

The software presented at this program was representative of just a few of the applications available, and ranged in price, capability and complexity. Yeeeeeeeeeeha!

Our guest presenters included:
Reid Bertone-Johnson, Dodson Associates, Ltd., Ashfield, MA - Google SketchUp
Mike Ambrose, Ambrose Plants & Design, Millis, MA - Drafix ProLandscape
Sally Naish, Light & Shade Garden Design, Arlington, MA - Dynascape Design

Attendees learned the secrets to creating high quality, graphically rich landscape plans using their computers. Designers showed examples of their projects and described the step-by-step process for their implementation. They discussed their software products’ learning curve and the strengths and weaknesses from their personal perspectives. Handouts provided additional information including tips and tricks, equipment requirements, costs and other special considerations and comparisons. Attendees were also encouraged to bring in design examples that have been created using these software programs for a show and tell session at the end of the program.

DynaSCAPE Software representative Len Hordyk was on hand to answer questions about specific components of their software and show us their new product DynaSCAPE Color 1.0.

This program gave you information you need to find the software that will work for you in your landscape business. It gave a real-world perspective of the products’ capabilities from real users.

Working in Cooperation with NOFA OLC

The Underground is pleased to be working in cooperation with The NOFA Organic Land Care Committee. NOFA OLC provides education and outreach to landscape professionals, homeowners, activists and all concerned with organic land management. Offering the 5-day NOFA Accreditation Course in Organic Land Care annually in winter in MA, CT and RI; and the 1-day NOFA Organic Lawn & Turf Course annually in August in MA and CT. For more info contact Ashley Kremser, program manager. Visit www.organiclandcare.org

Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Article

We would like to point your attention to an article about The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden which is now available. The article and pictures were submitted by Undergrounder Beth Ranahan and details how The Underground brought about the workshop and made this project happen - thanks to you, our wonderful members!

Click here to see more of our workshop pictures.

Heartfelt Thanks go to the following donors and volunteers who joined the cause:

Donors
Aclearium, Inc., Westford, MA
BayLeaf Studio, Maynard, MA
BJ’s Wholesale Club, Framingham, MA
Crocker Electrical, North Quincy, MA
Dunkin' Donuts, Framingham, MA
EssentialSpace EarthScapes, Newburyport, MA
Eves Electrical, Waltham, MA
Landscape Artisans, Shirley, MA
Lepidoptera Landscape Design, Framingham, MA
Liquid Landscape Designs, Inc., Carlisle, MA
NECC Corporation, Woburn, MA
New England Nurseries, Bedford, MA
NorthStar Farm Perennials & Groundcovers, Westport, MA
Penske Truck Leasing, Framingham, MA
Savio Engineering, Albuquerque, NM
Starbucks Coffee, Westford, MA
Trader Joe’s, Framingham, MA
The New England Wild Flower Society, Framingham, MA
The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, Inc., Harvard, MA
Weir Meadow Nursery, Wayland, MA
Weston Nurseries, Hopkinton, MA
Whole Foods Market, Framingham, MA
Z-Taylor Trucking, Leominster, MA

The Underground Volunteers
Paul Angelli
Lisa Bailey
Jeff Barone
Jay Bearfield
Barbara Blake
Susan Bringola
Darrell Buchannan
Ted Chapman
Ed Council
Ed Coykendall
Elizabeth Dudley
Martha Eisenberg
Todd Eves
Hasso Ewing
Laurie Fitzgerald
Charlotte Fleetwood
Nancy Forbes
Karen Fountain-Lantelme
Sherri Geldersma
Lori Gotlieb
Rochelle Greayer
Mike Gudejko
Seija Halva
Suzanne Higham
Katherine Holland
Chris Kelly
Mabel Liang
Linda Lischer
Adaela McLaughlin
Bridget McManus
Laurie Pegrum
Denise Pegrum
Bruce Piper
Beth Ranahan
Judith Reeve
Julie Seavy
Michael Smith
Dori Smith
Susan Tuttle
Jill Vollmuth

Fundamentals of Landscape Estimating

From project conception to bid acceptance, the accuracy of your current working estimate is vital to landscape installation success. This informative program "Fundamentals of Landscape Estimating" explored professional methods for accurately costing out landscape projects.

The guest speaker was Frank Crandall, Wood River Evergreens, Inc., Hope Valley, RI

Participants learned about the techniques for taking the guess-work out of landscape estimating. Our speaker discussed the fundamentals of estimating landscape projects, pricing of plants and materials, vehicle and equipment costs, and job costing. Attendees were provided with insights, methods, and techniques to help make their business more profitable.

This program provided the novice as well as the seasoned landscape professional suggestions and tips to improve and streamline their landscape estimating methods. It also helped to demystify the cost estimating process to allow you to work more effectively with your contractor/installer.

Frank Crandall, owner of Wood River Evergreens, Inc., in Hope Valley, RI, an award-winning landscape company serving Southern Rhode Island, horticultural speaker, author of Lessons from the Landscape, noted photographer, and current chairman of the Master Gardener Foundation of Rhode Island. He has been a frequent Flower Show speaker who delivers his presentations with entertainment, education and creativity.

Participants were free to enjoy the trails at Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary upon the conclusion of this program.

Underground Merchandise Available for Purchase

The Underground is now selling merchandise through our event registration site. Merchandise can be purchased and then picked up at our educational programs. Pictures and descriptions of our most requested items - our coffee mugs and journals are viewable upon registering for our programs. Visit our store at CafePress for even more items.

The Underground Needs You!

The Underground is an all volunteer organization that would appreciate your help. We need volunteers to assist with a wide range of activities throughout New England. You can choose to help occasionally or regularly, as your schedule permits. No experience is necessary. This is a great opportunity to learn, make new friends, and share with others who have similar interests, while promoting our organization in New England. Many of the committee tasks and responsibilities can be shared, so feel free to enlist friends and colleagues to work on your committee if you need additional assistance.

The following committees are available:
Programming
Publicity
Membership
Exhibits
Annual Meeting
Internet Technology
Audio/Video Production
Sponsorship
K.O.T.B.
Photojournalism

Click here for more information and to sign up.

Elections End September 1st

For those members who have already voted in our elections thank you. For those who have still not voted, please take a moment to show us your support. Email voting instructions were already sent to all eligible members.

It is very easy to cast your vote, so don't delay, vote today!

If you are a new member of The Underground, you may not be eligible to vote. Only those members who have received previous notification containing registration codes are eligible.

The Underground In the News!

Check out the article that appears in the MetroWest Daily News.

New Program Cancellation Policy Implemented

Cancellations and Refunds

You may cancel an event (program, workshop, or tour) registration and receive a partial refund by notifying us (by email or phone) up to the time of the event. With such cancellations, a cancellation fee of 15% (with a minimum of $5.00) for each cancellation will be deducted. Cancellations received after this time, or after the event will not be refunded. We regret that no refunds or credits can be given for events that are in progress or that you have not attended.

If registration numbers are insufficient, The Underground reserves the right to cancel a program. In this case a full refund will be issued. The Underground also reserves the right to modify this general cancellation and refund policy for a specific event as needed; any modifications will be announced with the details of that event.

Weather Cancellations

Program cancellations due to inclement weather will be announced in advance of the event (typically by email). If you think that your program may be canceled please contact us.

Please Welcome New Member of Steering, Ed Coykendall

We would like to announce the addition of a new member-at-large to our steering committee. Please welcome Ed Coykendall of Landscape Artisans, Shirley, MA. We look forward to Ed's participation in our organization.

We would also like to thank Denise Pegrum for agreeing to continue on the board as a member-at-large. Denise will be stepping down as Secretary as of January 2008.

The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Project in the News!

Today's edition (Sunday) of the Boston Globe NorthWest (page 10) has an article by Cindy Cantrell about the efforts of The Underground to install the water feature at The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden. You can read the article here.

Elections Begin!

If you have been a member of The Underground for at least 60 days (i.e. you have been part of our Yahoo group), then you are eligible to vote in the elections of officers for The Underground. Voting is open until September 1, 2007 and will be conducted via our online voting system at Ballotbin. You will receive a registration letter shortly. Please find statements from our candidates below.

The elected officers will be introduced in October at our Annual Meeting. Watch for a posting with all the details!

Thank You from the Executive Director!

We wanted to pass along this message to The Underground from Betsy Tyson-Smith, Executive Director of The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden.


I can hardly think of words to describe my joy at seeing the beautiful addition of water, sound, stones and plants to our little place…. Julie told me how long and hard you all worked on Saturday in the heat and humidity.

It is simply beautiful. It fits in place so seamlessly. The design, the stream and perfect bridge stone, the pond, the plantings, the sitting stone, the path - it all fits in so well, it is so elegant and soothing. As it melds into its place I can see it becoming such a special place for our clients, as well as for us here at the HG - it already is so special.

Today we have a water bug and a frog who have arrived. I have to stop myself from wandering out there to just look, pause, and feel the awe of something so lovely, and Julie, Lana and I are so, so grateful that it belongs to the HG! Our clients will be thrilled.

You have created a singular place of beauty which will benefit all who visit it. Thank you.

Elizabeth Tyson-Smith, MA, LMHC
Executive Director
Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, Inc.

Water Feature Workshop A Success!

We just wanted to send you all a quick note about yesterday's workshop. We had a wonderful and very hardworking team of about 40 Underground members who came together to build an absolutely beautiful water feature at The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden. Our group was instrumental in moving nearly 9 tons of rock, spreading 3 yards of mixed sized gravel, planting almost 200 plants, spreading loads of compost, mulch and more. It truly amazes me at what we were able to accomplish yesterday. You all were just wonderful! We hope you had fun and learned a whole lot too.


We all worked very hard and many of you (especially Ted) got good and muddy - so now its time to take just a little break and rest our aching bones.

If any of you have the opportunity to stop by the healing garden to see the results - please do. We will post pictures from yesterday's workshop as soon as we can. I think you will all be very proud of what our organization was able to do for such a wonderful cause.

Thanks to everyone who participated. You all did a really a great job!

Bridget McManus
For the Steering Committee

Water Feature Building Workshop with Jay Bearfield

Participants in the "Water Feature Building Workshop" learned first hand how to build a water feature — AND contributed to a good cause as well! We were pleased to offer this unique opportunity to participate in this day-long workshop to benefit the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden which serves as a place of healing and renewal for women suffering from breast cancer. The Underground facilitated the donation of a beautiful water feature with the help of our members. Our feature included a waterfall that provides the gentle sound of flowing water connects to a meandering woodland stream which culminates in a pool close by an existing circular sitting area. Alongside are sitting rocks so that its beauty can be enjoyed up close. A pathway leads to a natural stone bridge over the stream and to a secluded area of contemplation.

Our instructor was Jay Bearfield, Liquid Landscape Designs, Inc., Carlisle, MA

This workshop was led by Liquid Landscape Designs owner and internationally certified pond contractor, Jay Bearfield. Jay and his team taught the ‘tricks of the trade’ in building water features. Attendees learned first hand how a water feature should be located, excavated and constructed by learning how to calculate the total volume, the project materials needed, and how to put all of the parts together. Material recommendations, fish and plant stocking procedures, electrical considerations and maintenance requirements were also discussed.

In our previous workshop, using Feng Shui principles, we identified the optimal location for our feature at the healing garden. We discussed different types of features and how they might be integrated into the site. Using your design suggestions, we have taken this project to the next step. In this follow-up workshop we started with a freshly excavated area where we set the skimmer and biofalls filter. Next we layed the rock and gravel, placed the stone bridge, planted aquatic plants, installed the pump and when the water feature was filled with water, we saw the water spilling over the waterfall. Finally we surrounded the water feature with marginal and woodland plants that added to the beauty of the area. Upon the conclusion of the workshop participants will know how to install a beautiful, natural looking and ecologically friendly water feature.

Lunch was included. Attendees were asked to bring their tools - gloves, shovels, and safety gear. Due to conditions, tools, and individual skills, The Underground assumed no responsibility for any damages, injuries suffered, or losses incurred as a result of participating in this workshop. All attendees were required to sign a liability waiver in advance of participating.

Press Release - The Underground Announces the Construction of a Water Feature to Benefit The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden

Press Release July 23, 2007 - The Underground Announces the Construction of a Water Feature to Benefit The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden - downloadable file

House Bill 3182 Hearing Scheduled for July 10

We just became aware that the proposed Massachusetts House Bill 3182 hearing has been scheduled for July 10 at 10:30 a.m. in Room A-2 at the State House. To read the full text of the bill go to http://www.mass.gov/legis/hbillsrch.htm and type in 3182. Unfortunately we are not aware of changes (if any) to this bill.

As you know The Underground along with other organizations such as NELDHA, APLD and ALCM are very concerned about this bill and it's potential affects on our industry. Please visit http://www.apldne.org/legislation.htm for more information about this critical issue. If you are concerned as we are, then we suggest you write your legislators immediately and make a point to attend this upcoming hearing on Tuesday.

In particular, we are concerned with the following:

- that the bill's intention is to cancel the profession of "designer". The "related professions" only include landscape architects - page 5 section

- that the danger of this bill is not so much in the procurement of state projects as it is in the fact that Landscape Designers will not be allowed to compete in any project at all that receives state funding, which may include private and municipal institutions.

- that in order for professionals to qualify for state funded projects they will be required to be licensed, registered or certified by the Commonwealth. Currently, there is no such program in place for Landscape Design professionals. Only Landscape Architects, Land Surveyors and Professional Engineers are registered by the Commonwealth. While it has yet to be a problem, passage of this proposed legislation could significantly affect what professions are recognized by the Commonwealth.

- It is very unclear what is meant by "certified" in the context of this proposed legislation. Within the green industry, the Commonwealth does not certify individuals or currently recognize certifications without some additional process of registration.

If you would like to find out more information about this bill and the upcoming public hearing, please contact Heidi Kost-Gross, president of NELDHA, who will be happy to answer your questions.

Weir Meadow Nursery Tour with Kurt Tramposch

This was a guided tour of Weir Meadow Nursery in Wayland, MA, led by owner and plantsman, Kurt Tramposch. Weir Meadow specializes in shade perennials, select groundcovers, reblooming daylilies, and native plants.

Tucked away in a bend of the Sudbury River is a gem of a wholesale shade plant grower. Kurt Tramposch, specialty nursery owner and our host, has 34 years of experience supplying designers, contractors, garden centers and institutions throughout the Northeast — including some famous garden spots. Participants asked our expert about the choicest varieties of hardy shade perennials, hostas, ground covers, and native plants including ferns. Kurt prides himself in growing sustainably and organically. He discussed his growing practices and many of his interests.

A Weir Meadow plant list was sent to program attendees so they could come prepared to pick up an order.

New Feature - Post Your Events

We have just added a new feature to our wiki website that we thought you might like to know about. The main navigation menu on the home page now has a link to "LIST YOUR EVENT" where non-members can submit event information and have the details sent to The Underground.

Events submitted should be green industry, landscape and garden related only, and should be located in one of the following states (MA, NH, VT, ME, CT, RI, PA, NJ and NY).

Please feel free to pass along this information to all those who are interested.

Water Feature Project Announced

This summer Harvard's Virginia Thurston Healing Garden will receive a new water feature courtesy of the efforts of The Underground. You can read the article about it here.

The Healing Garden with Lisa Bailey, RLA

Held at the Tower Hill Botanic Garden, "The Healing Garden" program provided attendees information on how they could create garden spaces for healing.

The American Horticulture Therapy Association says that healing gardens are becoming increasingly common throughout the U.S., this amid growing evidence that the gardens really do heal. They improve mood, lower blood pressure and reduce stress levels.

Our guest speaker was Lisa Bailey, RLA, BayLeaf Studio, Maynard, MA

In this program participants learned how garden spaces can be made to feel safe, contemplative, exciting and healing. They found out how landscape archetypes affect our moods, and how to create a space for wellness to occur. We examined the seven essential components to creating gardens that heal. Participants in this program explored the capacity of the natural world to refresh, renew and re-engage the human spirit while promoting increased rates of healing, improved productivity and personal well-being. This program examined the healing power of landscapes on a variety of scales, from the intimate surrounds of healthcare facilities, to those of prisons, hospice facilities, eldercare homes, public parks, play areas and residential gardens.

Lisa Bailey is a registered Landscape Architect with over 25 years of experience designing public and private landscapes. She is particularly interested in bringing gardens into healthcare environments to enhance healing of the mind, body and spirit. She works from her studio at Artspace in Maynard, MA.

We Now Have 300 Members!

The Underground has reached a milestone - we now have 300 members representing (MA, NH, VT, ME, CT, RI and NY). Please continue to spread the word about our great network of professionals to your colleagues. Pass out our membership flyer or direct them to our website.

Celebrate Earth Day!

Do something good for the earth. Celebrate earth day today and everyday!

Water Feature Design Workshop with Jay Bearfield

The "Water Feature Design Workshop" provided attendees a unique opportunity to participate in the design/build of a new water feature for the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, Inc. in Harvard, MA. The garden serves as a place of healing and renewal for women suffering from breast cancer. In acknowledgment for the wonderful work that they do, The Underground facilitated the donation of goods and services to the garden. The Underground gladly accepted donations on behalf of the garden from vendors, suppliers and members to bring this project to fruition.

Instructor: Jay Bearfield, Liquid Landscape Designs, Inc., Carlisle, MA

Attendees learned how to incorporate water into their designs at our first workshop in our Artisan Educational Series focusing on the different ways to successfully implement the varying uses of water in today’s landscape. Taught by Jay Bearfield, Internationally Certified Pond Contractor, and owner & lead designer of Liquid Landscape Designs of Carlisle MA, this workshop addressed the siting, design creation and the advantages/limitations of the many types of features being installed today.

In July, our follow-up hands-on “Water Feature Building Workshop” will bring a completed design to life. At that time we will bring together all donations of materials collected during our campaign and install a beautiful water feature. We will also bring together a wonderful collective of Underground members to complete this project and we invite you to join them. Jay Bearfield will direct our participants in the installation of the water feature. All site excavation work will be done prior to installation by Ed Coykendall of Landscape Artisans and all landscape site work will be overseen by Lisa E. Bailey, Registered Landscape Architect, BayLeaf Studio.

We wish to express our sincere thanks to the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden for providing their wonderful facilities for this workshop. Thanks also to the following people who have made this workshop possible. Elizabeth Tyson-Smith, Executive Director, Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, Inc.; Jay Bearfield, Liquid Landscape Designs, Inc.; Lisa E. Bailey, Registered Landscape Architect, BayLeaf Studio; and Ed Coykendall, Landscape Artisans, MCLP, ALCM.

Press Release - The Underground Announces the Donation of a Water Feature to Benefit The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden

Press Release March 2, 2007 - The Underground Announces the Donation of a Water Feature to Benefit The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden - downloadable file

New Way to Register for Programs Through Eventbrite!

Announcing a new way to register for our educational programs and workshops! We are now using Eventbrite for our registration system.

You may now register for our programs through our wiki website. Payment for our programs can still be done via all methods of payment - by check, at the door, and now even by credit card, but online registration for our programs and workshops is highly recommended.

All major credit cards will be accepted via our secure online payment process. All processing is done through Paypal - an encrypted and secure processing service that has come to be a trusted leader in online payment solutions.

Welcome Our New Steering Member, Jay Bearfield

We would like to announce that Jay Bearfield is a new Steering Member to The Underground. Jay runs his own practice in Carlisle, MA called Liquid Landscape Designs specializing in natural and artistic water features. He is also our expert moderator for ponds and water features at our online forums, and he has been an active participant in The Underground. Jay's enthusiasm and support for our group has not gone unnoticed. We think Jay will make a wonderful addition to our management team and we would like welcome him as our newest member.

The Underground is an all volunteer based organization and we would welcome other members to join us in volunteering some time to help with educational programs, public relations, and more. If you would like to help, please contact us.

NE Grows Connections

It's the end of the second day at the New England Grows Conference and Expo and I've met some wonderful Underground members and potential members - so many very nice people. It's so great to finally be able to put faces with some of those email messages that have been posted on The Underground.

One person whom I met today was Ruth S. Foster, and she has generously offered to share her growing archive of online articles with our members. Feel free to download them and give them to your clients (with proper credit of course - see below).

Here is a brief bio that Ruth provided to let you know a bit more about herself. Ruth S. Foster is a landscape professional and arborist who also writes a lot and was garden columnist for the Boston Globe for 25 years. Her web site has unbiased, scientific information which can be downloaded and used or reprinted (free) as long as the web site is noted. Her web site is http://www.ruthsfoster.com or http://www.mothersgarden.net.

Wishing you all a great season ahead.
Bridget McManus
President, The Underground

Wiki Website No Longer Accessible

Based on feedback that we have gotten from many of our members about our wiki websites, we have made a few changes. We have eliminated the "Members Only" password protected "Notes from Underground" wiki. Many members were confused on how to log in, what the password was etc.

So this collaborative wiki website is no longer accessible (through The Underground wiki) or editable by our members. It is gone. All articles and information that resided on "Notes from Underground" have been moved to our online forums. We will continue to build content at our online forums.

The online forums are still private and password protected (to prevent spam from non-members) and we encourage those who register to use a password and ID that you will remember and keep a record of this somewhere where you can refer to it if necessary. We now have 88 registered members at the forums.

So with these changes we will no longer have a website that requires a member to log in. But we will still have sign in/log in requirements at our Yahoo group and online forums.

NE Grows Begins Tomorrow

This is a reminder to everyone to attend the upcoming New England Grows Conference and Expo February 6-8 at the at the Boston Convention & Expo Center. This is an event you should not miss!

For more information visit www.negrows.org
Don't forget to stop by and see us at our booth #2375.

We would also like to invite you to attend our member meet and greet at NE Grows on Wednesday 12:00-1:00 in room 204A. Bring your lunch and come and meet The Underground Steering members and hang out with your fellow colleagues.

Thank You to Former Steering Member, Mary Coyne

The Underground Steering Committee would like to thank Mary Coyne for her service as a Steering Committee member-at-large. Mary has been an invaluable member of our team and she will be missed. All our best wishes go out to her for a very successful career in landscape design.

With Mary's departure, the Steering Committee is looking for a few more people to join our team and help us to organize and lead - The Underground.

We have a host of ideas for professional programs, tours, roundtable discussions, collaborative efforts etc. that we would like to be able to offer to our members. But as you all know it takes time and volunteers to make it all happen. We believe that The Underground has great potential to become a networking force and vehicle for learning. So won't you join us to make it happen?

The time commitment involved for a steering member would primarily be during the off season (fall, winter and early spring) months and the term for remaining on the committee would be approximately 2 years depending on your willingness to continue according to the rules as set forth in our bylaws. You would be expected to participate in steering meetings (held in the Boston Metrowest area) which are held periodically throughout the year as determined by the committee - approximately 6-8 times per year as well as participate in online email discussions about relevant issues that may arise. Most of the day to day business is done via email.

Together we can make The Underground a huge success! If you are interested in joining our Steering Committee please contact us.

Join Professed Plant Junkie On the Forums

Join professed plant junkie and phyto-nerd, Russell Stafford, for interesting discussions on anything and everything about plants. Russell has recently posted a welcome message and suggested discussion topics to get the conversation started!

Join all our experts for information on specific topics of interest at our online forums at http://z9.invisionfree.com/theundergrnd/index.php

While you are there don't forget to pop in to visit our other experts in residence and ask your topic specific questions.

Do you have a specialty or area of expertise? Then why not join our lineup of expert moderators on The Underground Forums? We would welcome your participation. If you are interested please send email.

Thank You to Our NE Grows Volunteers!

We would like to acknowledge the following people for volunteering to help us staff our booth at the upcoming New England Grows Conference and Expo. Feel free to stop by and say hi to them next week at our booth #2375.

Kathy Tunsley
Kath Holland
Ted Chapman
Denise Pegrum
Debby McNulty
Ed Council
Susan Tuttle
Seija Halva
Sally Naish
Debra Elson
Sherri Geldersma
Judy Eisenberg
Justin Kelleher
Barbara Gee
Bruce Piper
Lisa E. Bailey
Mike Smith

Thanks to all of you for making The Underground great!
The Underground Steering Committee

Sharing Our Visions

The focus of this informal gathering "Sharing Our Visions" was to clarify your business or learning plans for the coming year, get feedback from others, and meet other members who share some aspect of your vision. There was also plenty of networking time set aside at this meeting. This program was held at the Common House on Half Moon Hill in Acton, MA and was coordinated by Dori Smith.

Winter is a great time to review your past year ... reflect on how well you met your goals ... review your priorities for the upcoming year ... and refresh your sense of purpose.

If attendees wished, they could do some writing before the meeting. The questions below were given to help focus the discussion.
- What did you learn and/or accomplish last year?
- What would you like to accomplish in the coming year?
- Does your business / learning plan reflect your deepest values?
- What would you like to change about your business or learning plan?
- How can expanding your network of colleagues - for example, networking/collaborating with people in the Underground -- help you meet your goals?

Thank You to Our NE Spring Flower Show Volunteers

We would like to thank the following members for volunteering to represent The Underground at the upcoming New England Spring Flower Show on March 20th.

Ted Chapman
Jay Bearfield
Darcy Paige
Sherri Geldersma

Thanks to everyone for making The Underground Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!

The Underground Steering Committee

Article About Wikis

We just wanted to point your attention to the recent article in the Boston Globe about wikis. Wikis are quickly becoming mainstream online collaborative tools.

From artists to spies, more going wiki on Web
Open editing model spreads
By Robert Weisman, Globe Staff | November 18, 2006

Read the article here.

New Organic Land Care Forum Moderator

We would like to announce our new forum moderator. He moderator is an expert in his field and active Underground participant who you may already know.

Please give a warm welcome to Ted Chapman who will lead the Organic Land Care Forum. He will be happy to facilitate discussions and answer your questions about this very interesting topic on our online forums. He would also welcome others to help co-moderate this forum with him. So if you are an Organic Land Care whiz, then please let us know so we can add you as a moderator to this forum.

Thanks to everyone who has registered for the forums so far. We will try and keep things interesting and lively and add more expert moderators as we go along. We now have 7 expert moderators at our forums. We will work to build valuable content and welcome your questions and discussions.

Learn more about how to get started in the Getting Started forum. While you are visiting the forums why not take our online poll in the Announcements from The Underground forum.

Not registered yet? Go to our website and click on "Members Please Register Here".

Welcome Our New Plant and Herb Forum Moderators

We would like to announce that we have two new forum moderators. These moderators are experts in their fields and will moderate the Plant Forums.

Please give a warm welcome to Russell Stafford who will moderate the Plant Forums (Trees, Shrubs, and more) and Linda Russell who will lead the Herb Forum. They will be happy to facilitate discussions and answer your questions about these very interesting topics on our online forums. Why not stop in and say hi.

Want to help them out? If you know your plants or have a special plant interest let us know. We will be happy to add you to our growing list of expert moderators.

Thanks to everyone who has registered for our forums so far. We will try and keep things interesting and lively and add more expert moderators as we go along.

We still have many members who have not registered yet. Go to our website and register today.

Welcome Landscape History Forum Moderators

We would like to announce that we have two new forum moderators. These moderators are experts in their fields and active Underground participants who you may already know.

Please give a warm welcome to JoAnn Robinson and Ann Uppington who will lead the Landscape History Forum. They will be happy to facilitate discussions and answer your questions about these very interesting subjects on our online forums.

Thanks to everyone who has registered for our forums so far we now have nearly 50 members who have registered. We will try and keep things interesting and lively and add more expert moderators as we go along.

While you are there why not take a look at the wonderful checklist about Fall/Winter water pond preparation, posted by Jay Bearfield in the Pond and Water Features Forum.

Go to our website and register today.

Find A Landscape Professional Website Launched!

The "Find A Landscape Professional" wiki website has now been launched and is available to the public at http://findalandscapepro.pbwiki.com.

We will continue to make on-going improvements to our consumer articles as well as add new search capabilities to our listings.

Thanks to everyone who provided their professional listings to us. We'll keep you posted.

Wishing you the best of success in your business.

Send Us Your Testimonials

As part of our campaign to attract new members we have begun to collect testimonials from our current members. Please help us in our effort to spread the word about the benefits of becoming a member by sending us your testimonials. They can be as brief or detailed as you would like. We would really like to hear from you.

Some questions to think about about when writing your testimonial:

1. What do you like best about The Underground?
2. How has The Underground been useful to you?
3. Any suggestions for improving The Underground?
4. What do you like best about our monthly programs?
5. How have our programs been helpful to you?
6. What program topics would you be most interested in seeing?
7. Any suggestions for improving our programs, our website, or anything else?
8. Would you recommend The Underground to others?
9. What else can you tell us?

So please help us out won't you? Tell us how The Underground has benefited you.

Please send them to us via our website at http://theunderground.pbwiki.com

From Parking Lot to Wetlands

The Wellesley College Campus master planners sought to restore and renew the landscape with respect to the college's site-sensitive needs and rich tradition. Attendees with an interest in sustainable landscape design, restoration, and native plants were encouraged to attend "From Parking Lot to Wetlands".

The guest speaker was Andrew Gutterman, Michael Van Valkenburg Associates, Inc., Cambridge, MA

Landscape architect, Andrew Gutterman, from Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc., and a major player in the design and implementation of this award winning landscape surrounding the new Campus Center at Wellesley College explained how it all evolved. The designers wrestled with brownfield problems, major stormwater management and reconstruction of an original wet meadow. Mr.Gutterman described the design process and lead a tour of the new elevated wetlands, rolling meadows and extensive plantings of native trees and shrubs. This program had something in it for everyone from designers to landscapers to arborists.

Andrew Gutterman has been a guest critic at the Harvard Design School, the Boston Architectural Center and the Rhode Island School of Design. Andrew received a Bachelor of Science degree in ecology at the University of Connecticut in 1996 and a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture from the Harvard Design School in 2000, where he was awarded the Charles Eliot Traveling Fellowship.

American Society of Landscape Architects General Design Award of Excellence 2006. For more information visit http://www.asla.org/awards/2006/06winners/309.html

Annoucing Our New Forum Moderators

We would like to announce that we have two new forum moderators. These moderators are experts in their fields and active Underground participants who you may already know.

Please give a warm welcome to Jay Bearfield who will lead the Ponds and Water Features Forum, and Derek Walters who will lead the Landscape Lighting Forum. They will be happy to facilitate discussions and answer your questions about these very interesting
topics on our online forums.

Thanks to everyone who has registered for our forums so far. We will try and keep things interesting and lively and add more expert moderators as we go along.

Hey I just recently visited The Mount. Check out my pictures at the online forum in the Great Places to Visit section!

Visit http://theunderground.pbwiki.com and register today.

Do you have a special interest or expertise in a certain area of landscape? Let us know if you would like to become a forum moderator. We welcome your contributions and participation in The Underground Forums.

New Online Forums

Our new online forums are now open and available at our wiki website. To get to the website go to http://theunderground.pbwiki.com. Click on "Members Please Register Here" link to register. Please note that your registration will require validation before you can post messages to the board - we will do this as promptly as possible.

The forum will offer a few features that are not currently available at our Yahoo group. The forum will allow for easier online viewing and searching of message threads. All messages will appear in appropriated forum categories. You will be able to upload photos and other files. Customize your avatar (signature). Post your questions, help wanted and for sale ads and more. There is also a handy calendar to add upcoming events. Leave us your feedback, give us your testimonial - we want to hear from you.

On The Underground Forum includes:
Announcements from The Underground
Steering The Underground
Getting Started

Our All about the Biz Forum includes:
General Discussion
The Landscape
Specialty Services
Ecological Practices
Plants
The Toolbox
Business Practices

Our Community Forum includes:
Network with Members In Your Area
The Voting Booth
Project Showcase
Great Places to Visit
The Marketplace
Feedback

Register Today! Then get started by browsing the information in the Getting Started forum. Take our poll and help us choose program topics for next season.

Announcing Our New Wiki Website

We are very pleased and quite excited to announce the launch of our new members "wiki" website.

What's a wiki you ask? The term wiki comes from the Hawaiian word wiki wiki which means quick. A wiki is a kind of website that is written collaboratively and that multiple people can edit easily and quickly.

Our new members wiki website is a public informational website that can only be edited by The Underground Admin. It will provide information to the public about our group, our programs, and how to become a member.

The wiki was chosen for its ease of maintenance and updating. We welcome your comments and feedback about our new site.

Thanks,
Bridget McManus
For The Underground Steering Committee

ROCK ON - An Examination of Stone Sculpture in the Garden

This program "ROCK ON - An Examination of Stone Sculpture in the Garden" showed us how we can integrate artful stone sculpture to enhance the surrounding landscape. It examined the careful placement and installation of these sometimes massive works, as well as discussed the creative process involved in their making. It included a guided tour of the ROCK ON exhibit led by Tom Smarr of The New England Wild Flower Society.

Guest speakers included:
Tom Smarr & Scott LaFleur, The New England Wild Flower Society, Framingham, MA
Ron Rudnicki, Artist/Sculptor of Sculptural Environments, East Freetown, MA

Stone has a presence, beauty, and history that makes it the natural choice to adorn and enhance the landscape. The placement of stone sculptures in the ROCK ON exhibit were chosen by the artists themselves to reflect the beauty of the surrounding plants, water, and sky - to capture the spirit of place. But once their location was chosen, what did it take to install these works?

Tom Smarr and Scott LaFleur discussed the challenges posed by the installation of these sculptures in various locations around the garden. Artist and ROCK ON participant, Ron Rudnicki also gave us a brief slide presentation showing examples of his sculpture and discussing his creative process.

Tom Smarr has been working with the New England Wild Flower Society for the past five years, first as Horticulturist and now as the Horticulture Director. Scott LaFleur joined him as Senior Horticulturist this past spring. Together, they are responsible for the development and maintenance of the Society's botanic garden, Garden in the Woods, famous for its extensive native plant collections. They were also responsible for the installation of ROCK ON.

Ron Rudnicki received an MFA in Visual Design/Sculpture from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. His works have been featured in exhibits at the DeCordova Museum, the Fuller Craft Museum, and the Newport Art Museum. Ron has received many awards, including the prestigious Boston Society of Landscape Architects Award.

2006 Annual Report Now Available

Our 2006AnnualReport.pdf is now available from The Underground Steering Committee. This file has been sent to our members as an email attachment and has also been uploaded to the files section of our Yahoo Group for those members who wish to download it from our site.

If you have questions or comments please send them to us. We are all looking forward to more wonderful programs and a great year ahead.

The Underground Steering Committee

Yahoo Makes Improvements to Group Email

You may have noticed a bit of a change in the way you receive email from our Yahoo Group. Yahoo has made enhancements to the email format. See details below.

Get ready for a new look for your Yahoo! Groups email.
We've made your Daily Digest and Individual group emails easier to follow and more engaging than ever.

And this is just the beginning. Be sure to keep an eye out for more great additions to Yahoo! Groups.

Here are a few ways we're improving your Yahoo! Groups:
* Browse through your messages more easily, thanks to the new layout
* Get alerted anytime your group adds new photos, files and more
* Watch for more improvements to Yahoo! Groups based on user feedback

Have questions about the new Groups email? We've got answers.

Why did Yahoo! Groups change the look of my group email?
With the new email design, we've made Yahoo! Groups messages easier-to-read, friendlier and more informative by letting you know when information in your group has been updated.

I noticed that the group messages are now organized differently. Can you tell me more about this?
With message threading, customers can easily read thru messages around a specific subject. On the Web you can see all the messages associated with a single subject. In the Daily Digest, you can easily scan a group of messages and click on the subject line for instant access to the message contents.

Are there any other new changes to Yahoo! Groups?
Yes. We've also updated our search functionality. Now you can more easily search for, and find, specific content within your group's message archive.

I get overwhelmed by the number of individual email messages in some of my groups. Any solutions?
If your group is generating a lot of messages, you may want to get a summary of the daily messages in a single email. The new Daily Digest is a great way to keep up with what's happening in your group, particularly if you don't need to respond immediately to the messages. Sign up for the new Daily Digest.

Water-Friendly Landscaping

This program was held at Green Meadow Farms in Hamilton, MA and was coordinated by Susan Quatemen. Thank you Susan.

The guest speaker for "Water-Friendly Landscaping" was Mary Whitney, Principal of Whitney Associates, Salem, MA.

The Water-Friendly Landscaping program explored approaches to water efficient landscaping. Attendees learned how to use a site’s natural features together with landscaping to protect local water resources by reducing storm run-off, preventing erosion, and increasing infiltration. Includes descriptions of lawn alternatives and what plants to include or avoid when landscaping for water health.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 26 billion gallons of water are used daily in the U.S., of which approximately 7.8 billion gallons (30 percent) are devoted to outdoor use. This program discussed natural landscaping approaches to using water efficiently, through reduced lawn areas, careful planning and design, soil analysis,
mulching, and appropriate plant selection. This approach not only saves water, but also reduces chemical use and can save time, costs, noise and pollution associated with mowing and lawnmowers.

The program provided suggestions and tips to consider when planning future projects or updates for a more water-efficient landscape. It suggested how you could beautify your landscape, keep your family safe, and help the environment using low-cost ways to preserve and protect our water supplies.

Mary L. Whitney is a Planner, Designer, and Educator for ecologically sound land use and Principal of Whitney Associates Landscape Planning | Design | Management located in Salem, MA. She is a member of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Low-Impact Development Working Group, promoting ways that residents, municipalities, and developers can protect local water resources and preserve open space, while fitting human use into natural systems.

Get Your Underground Merchandise at CafePress!

We would like to tell you about The Underground's new great looking merchandise available at Cafe Press. Get your shirts, caps, bags, mugs, posters and more.

• Keep the sun off with our sporty logo caps.
• Have that morning cup o' joe in The official Underground mug.
• Carry your papers and tools in our attractive canvas tote bag.
• Display our "What's Underground" poster in your office.
• From golf shirts to t-shirts and hoodies we have something for everyone.

A small portion of your purchase price will go directly to help The Underground fund more wonderful programs and other group activities. Some of these items were recently on display at yesterdays program.

We welcome you to show your support of our group by purchasing some of these fabulous products.

Check them out today by going to http://www.cafepress.com/the_undergrnd

Professional Methods for Estimating Landscaping Projects

From project conception to bid acceptance, the accuracy of your current working estimate is vital to landscape installation success. This informative program "Professional Methods for Estimating Landscaping Projects" explored professional methods for accurately costing out landscape construction projects.

Guest panelists included:
Mark Saydah, Whole Earth Landscape and Design, Inc., Harvard, MA
William S. Parker, Parker Garden Design, Nashua, NH

Attendees learned about the diverse methods and proven techniques for taking the guess-work out of producing construction bids and estimates. Our panelists described the processes they use for cost estimating and the steps involved in calculating quantity take-offs. They also discussed what a contractor/installer needs from a designer in order to provide the most accurate estimates. Basic materials formulas were provided and real-world examples of cost estimates for a variety of landscape projects were shown. Finally direct and indirect costs, profit margins, and other guidelines were also considered.

This program provided suggestions and tips to improve and streamline your landscape estimating methods. It also helped to demystify the cost estimating process so that you can work more effectively with your contractor/installer.

Mark Saydah is an entrepreneur with a business & horticultural background and has been running Whole Earth Landscape and Design, Inc. since 1989. He earned the MCLP certification in 1994 and the MCH in 2003. He is a past board member and co-founder of the ELA and a member of the MNLA. Mark is a local authority on the subject of landscape design and low-maintenenace landscaping and has been a speaker for various organizations including the Ecological Landscape Association (ELA) and the New England Wild Flower Society (NEWFS).

Bill Parker has been landscaping in Southern New Hampshire for 25 years. In 1996 he started, Parker Garden Design. PGD is a full service design and build landscaping company with a focus on natural hardscapes and native plants. Bill has developed PGD into a well known high-quality landscape company. He oversees all design work and does all of the estimating, bidding and selling. Through his years of experience in designing and implementing landscapes, he has developed an understanding of what it takes to create accurate estimates.

Practical Wetlands Protection for Residential Landscape Projects: Working With Conservation Commissions

This informative program "Practical Wetlands Protection for Residential Landscape Projects: Working With Conservation Commissions" was held at The New England Wild Flower Society's Garden in the Woods, and was geared to help you make the right decisions when dealing with wetland protection issues.

Panel members included:
Ecological landscape designer and conservation agent Kale Kalloch,
DEP circuit rider Kathy Robertson
DEP circuit rider Jason Lederer

Healthy wetlands are crucial for maintaining water quality for humans, animals and plants. The Massachusetts' Wetlands Protection Act, administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), requires approval of certain activities by each municipality’s conservation commission before site work begins in the wetland buffer zone.

This panel discussion, with case studies, was designed for homeowners and landscape professionals who want to act responsibly to protect our threatened marshes, ponds, and streams. Attendees learned which landscape activities and resources are regulated; how to determine whether your project must be reported; and how to work effectively with your local conservation commission to avoid homeowner liability. This important seminar covered basic wetland identification and great native plants for buffer zones. Questions and site-specific issues were addressed.

Thank You to Our NE Spring Flower Show Volunteers

Thank you to Denise Pegrum and Debby McNulty for volunteering to help at this years New England Spring Flower Show.

Welcome New Members from LDSA

We would just like to take a moment to welcome new members from the LDSA yahoo group. This group represents landscape design students and alumni from the New York Botanical Garden.

To all of you from New York, please feel free to contribute links to favorite resources, take our online polls, add your contact information to our database, pose questions and share ideas. We want to hear from everybody and through your participation we will all grow.

Wishing you all a wonderful season ahead!

Software Shootout Software Discounts

Thank you all for coming to the Software Shootout yesterday. We were so happy you could join us for our first program of the new year - it was great to see you.

We just wanted to point your attention to some software offers the you may be interested in. For those of you who picked up a discount sheet for CADtools there is a code for 50% off the regular price for this Adobe Illustrator plugin which is good until March 15th, 2006.

Also if you contact Nick La Forest or Pablo Lora at Nemetschek and mention that you attended The Underground Software Shootout, they will be offering a discount on the purchase of VectorWorks Landmark.

Congratulations to our software winners yesterday - Mary, Ferris, Ted and Rolf.

For more information please contact us.

Software Shootout

Held at the Wellesley College Science Center, the first "Software Shootout" program explored cutting edge techniques to creating landscape plans and documents. The software presented ranged in price, capability and complexity.

Our guest presenters included:
Monica Fairbairn, Gardening by Design, Watertown MA
Mary Coyne, Coyne Landscape Design, Wellesley, MA
Bridget McManus, Lepidoptera Landscape Design, Framingham, MA
Andrew Buck, Not Yet Landscape, Jamaica Plain, MA

The software presented included MSPublisher, Autosketch, Adobe Illustrator, and VectorWorks Landmark.

Attendees learned the secrets to creating high quality, graphically rich landscape plans using your computer. Designers showed examples of their projects as well as described the step-by-step process for their implementation. They discussed their software products’ learning curve and the strengths and weaknesses from their personal perspective. Handouts provided additional information including tips and tricks, equipment requirements, costs and other special considerations and comparisons. The presentations were followed by a breakout session in which presenters demonstrated their software in
small informal groups.

Whether a novice or a seasoned landscape professional, this program gave you the information you needed to find the software that would work for you in your landscape business. It helped you to make an informed decision by giving you a real-world perspective of the products’ capabilities.

Welcome All Our New Members

We would just like to welcome all our new members to our group. Since our participation at NE Grows we have recruited 28 new members which brings our current total membership to 126 with more memberships coming in daily.

The following information may be helpful to our new members.

Our group operates via a Yahoo group and members connect via this group by email. All email messages posted to the_undergrnd@yahoogroups.com get sent to the entire group of 126 members. If you wish to respond to only the person who originally posted a message (and not the entire group) then please be sure to use their personal email address which will be found in the From field of the message.

The Underground has a number of nifty web features available for those of you who have set up their Yahoo ID's and password. To gain access to these features you must go to our Yahoo site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_undergrnd/ and sign in.

Once you have signed in you will have access to all the great features that are available. These features include:
Scheduling online chats with members
Sharing Files - upload and download them to the Yahoo file section
Sharing Photos - upload and download them to the photos section
Sharing links to great websites - we have 78 links so far in the links section
Sharing your contact info in our online database (member list and collaboration list) - listing is optional
Taking member polls about various topics
Adding your event to our Calendar and sending out automatic reminders to members

We encourage you to utilize all these features and participate.

Welcome to The Underground!

Thanks to Our NE Grows Volunteers

We would like to acknowledge the following people for so graciously volunteering their time to helping us staff our booth at New England Grows. All your hard work was so very much appreciated! You made our first show a success!

Thank you all so much!

Justin Kelleher
Susan Tuttle
Priscilla Williams
Erin McNeill
Susan Quateman
Seija Halva
Tom Ryan
Dori Smith
Mary Coyne
Katie Haried
Karen Fountain-Lantelme
Sally Naish
Denise Pegrum
Jennifer Campbell
Kathy Tunsley
Liz Evans
Ed Council
Melanie Neuman

Thank you.
The Underground Steering Committee

Happy 1st Birthday!

We thought you might like to know that The Underground Yahoo Group was established exactly 1 year ago today - December 16, 2004. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The group began a few short months before it's migration to Yahoo, and was formed by a small number of folks from the Clark University/Tower Hill program. The group has evolved over time to include many professionals, students and instructors from various organizations and institutions.

Thanks to all our members who have stuck by us from the beginning. And to all our newer members, we welcome your support. We will continue to offer some great educational programs and look forward to your continued participation!

We have a great line-up being planned for the coming year. Stay tuned for more information.

Ed Council joins as new treasurer

Today Ed Council has agreed to join our steering committee as The Underground's new Treasurer. Ed will keep all financial records and report to our committee on our status.

Thank you Ed.

How to Develop and Prepare An Effective Landscape Design Portfolio

This educational program "How to Develop and Prepare An Effective Landscape Design Portfolio", featured guest speaker Todd Richardson, founding principal, Richardson & Associates, Inc. It was held on November 30, 2005 at the Landscape Institute, Cambridge, MA.

Your portfolio is a career communication tool that creates a narrative about your landscape design talents and philosophy. It is a compilation of your best and most recent accomplishments and your primary marketing tool for obtaining new clients. Your portfolio is constantly evolving as you in turn, gain experience as a creative professional.

Todd Richardson of Richardson & Associates, an instructor at the Landscape Institute, guided us in preparing a new professional quality portfolio presentation or improve upon our existing one. Todd has offered to review individual portfolios so bring your portfolio with you to this very informative professional development program.

Whether you are a student or a professional, this program will provided an honest assessment of skills and techniques by objectively examining your portfolio's strengths and weaknesses and offering suggestions for refinement.

Todd Richardson MLA, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; principal, Richardson & Associates, Inc., Saco, Maine; cited by the dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study as Distinguished Radcliffe Seminars Instructor; former instructor, Rhode Island School of Design, University of Massachusetts, and Bowdoin College; registered landscape architect, Massachusetts and Maine; merit awards in design and
planning, Boston Society of Architects.

Welcome New Steering Member, Mary Coyne

We would like to announce that Mary Coyne has become the newest member of The Underground Steering Committee and Priscilla Williams has joined our Advisory Board.

Our Steering Committee Members

Mary Coyne
Bridget McManus
Denise Pegrum
Dori Smith
Susan Tuttle

Advisory Board

Priscilla Williams

If you would like to volunteer to coordinate a program, tour, or other educational event in your area, please let us know. We would appreciate any volunteer assistance you wish to provide.

We have several volunteer positions still available, so if you would like to help us to grow this organization, please contact us we would love to have you involved.

We also would like to acknowledge the following people for their volunteer efforts in helping to coordinate upcoming programs.

Mary Coyne
Susan Quateman
Sharon Davis

Thanks to all.
The Underground Steering Committee

Marketing on a Shoestring

This educational program entitled "Marketing on a Shoestring" was held on October 29, 2005 at Garden in the Woods, Framingham MA and featured guest speaker Louise Sacco, Marketing Consultant, The Enterprise Group.

Every landscape business wants more customers, more revenue and more profit. With focus, planning and imagination, your shoestring budget can produce powerful results. This fast-paced educational session focused on practical ideas that you could use, without spending buckets of money. Our speaker has helped small businesses, including many one-person businesses for over 20 years.

This interactive session included proven approaches to help you increase sales and profits by using skills and assets we already have.

Louise Reilly Sacco of The Enterprise Group develops marketing strategies for small companies. Her primary focus is on cost-effective, high-impact strategies that bring both near term and longer range results, an approach she calls "Marketing on a Shoestring." She is a guest lecturer at Lesley College, Babson College, Framingham State College, Northeastern University, and Simmons College. She has been a speaker or panelist for Cambridge Business Dev Corp, New England Women Business Owners, MIT Enterprise Forum, and many more.

Thank You to Former Steering Member, Paul Carlson

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Paul Carlson for his service as an Underground Steering member. Paul is an original founder of this organization and he has been very instrumental in providing input and helping to establish our young group. He will be sorely missed!

The Underground Steering Committee

Organic Landscape Design - Project Site Tour

The guest presenter for this project site tour was Priscilla Williams, owner of Pumpkin Brook Organic Gardening. We looked at one of her recent design projects installed at a residence in Pepperell, MA.

Project Description: A log house in the woods of Pepperell, accessed by a private dirt road and with plenty of wildlife around, is our destination. The garage was completed in spring 2004 which required removal of 2200 square feet of woodland. This structure was surrounded by sand which was rapidly eroding downhill when I first visited the site in May 2004.

Pumpkin Brook Organic Gardening stabilized the soil with compost/loam mix and a cover crop; then we designed and installed a cutting garden in 2004. Stonework was completed in the late fall by Whole Earth Landscape and Design.

This past spring and summer, we added a bank stabilization planting, foundation planting and transitional planting to a woodland remnant at the street. Meanwhile the porch on the house was completely rebuilt and composite recycled wood decking connecting porch to stone terrace was completed. During this construction we kept working on site to recreate layers of woodland understory, taking cues from native plants existing on site and within a one mile radius. A low mow lawn mix has just been installed in late summer as a connection between areas of the property. Plans for 2006 include a raised bed of ferns at the garage and installation of climbing hydrangea to carpet the bank opposite the garage at the side of the driveway. Throughout the project, organic methods and materials have been used, per the NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care. This was a priority for the client.

Priscilla Hutt Williams is a founding member of the NOFA Organic Land Care Committee which developed standards for organic land care and the course which trains and accredits landscape professionals. She has a successful organic garden design/maintenance business, as well as a seedling sales business.

Welcome Denise Pegrum to Our Board

We would like to announce that we have a new Underground Steering member, Denise Pegrum. She joins the rest of our team who are working diligently on upcoming Underground programs and events.

Our Steering Committee Members

Paul Carlson
Bridget McManus
Denise Pegrum
Dori Smith
Susan Tuttle

Thank You to Former Steering Member, Andy Buck

We would like to thank Andy Buck for his service as an Underground Steering member. Andy provided some wonderful input in the formation of our organizational procedures. Thank you Andy. All the best in your endeavors.

The Underground Steering Committee

Tour at Cavicchio Greenhouses

The Underground tour of Cavicchio Greenhouses was led by Martin Grealish, sales rep at Cavicchio Greenhouses, Inc. We were given a rare opportunity to tour behind the scenes of one of the leading wholesale distributors of plant materials and landscaping supplies in New England. We toured the Codjer Lane facility of more than 9 acres of greenhouses and viewed the only completely mechanized planting room that exists in the country. We heard about the latest trends in plant materials, tools, and techniques, and learned about the water garden courses offered. Following the tour, we traveled a short distance to Cavicchio Nursery on Lincoln Road, where we saw an additional 35 acres of nursery products, specimen plants, and bulk materials.

Our topic of discussion was "How to work with your sales representative". We were guided through the step-by-step process — from initial quote to purchase and pickup of materials. We learned the best ways to build a relationship with our sales representative so that plant and material preferences, substitution suggestions, and budgets are always taken into consideration when filling our orders. These techniques can also be applicable to any wholesale distributors that you choose to work with. The importance of good record keeping practices and billing was also discussed. Cavicchio catalogs and credit applications were available for attendees to open accounts on the spot.