Ball Horticultural Company: Making BMPs Work in …...Solution Provide dedicated walkways and...

Bill Doeckel Director, Retail & Brands Ball Horticultural Company Jay Womack, ASLA, LEED AP Director, Landscape and Ecological Design WRD Environmental September 10, 2014

Ball Horticultural Company:

Making BMPs Work in Our Region

Ball Horticultural Company

Founded in 1905 Third-generation Serving – Ornamental Growers – Retailers – Landscapers – Gardeners!

Anna Ball

President “All The Best and Nothing Else” -George J. Ball

George J. Ball

Founder

Floriculture – From Idea to Reality

• Research and develop new ornamental plant varieties

• Produce top-quality seed and cuttings

• Distribute products to growers and retailers

• Market plants to gardeners and landscapers

Find Us on Six Continents

Our global family of over 3,300 employees has a strong presence in over 20 countries around the world

• North America

• South America

• Europe

• Asia

• Australia

• Africa & Middle East

Project

Location

Prairie/

Woodland

Restoration

Ball Horticultural

Campus

Main Street

Project

Ball Campus

West Chicago

Project

• Transform an old 1960’s landscape

• Create a new look and feel for horticultural company headquarters

• Goals:

– Create landscape reflective of our horticultural leadership

– Harmonize new LEED building landscape with existing

– Improve the ecology of our landscapes

The Exhibit Gardens

Restoration Goals

• Restore 27 Acres to prairie, wetland, and woodland

• Protect the existing stream

• Reduce maintenance

• Increase wildlife habitat

Ball Campus

Restoration

The Next Project

Create a world class lab for seed production.

Objectives 1. Manage stormwater through green infrastructure. 2. Develop a safe pedestrian environment and “Main Street” feel. 3. Create outdoor spaces for Ball venues. 4. Incorporate native plants with Ball’s perennials and annuals.

Objective 1

Manage stormwater through green infrastructure. Note: existing building is two feet lower than Road.

Solution

Create rain gardens that move water through the landscape. Conflict – City and County viewed rain gardens completely different.

June 2012 – Initial installation. Rain gardens successfully capture water.

Native grasses mimic the movement of water when the rain gardens are dry.

July 2013 - rain gardens still capture water and move it from side to side…

Water is collected

and reused from

the Premier Lab

roof in three 5000

gallon cisterns.

Develop a safe pedestrian pedestrian environment and “Main environment and “Main Street” “Main Street” feel

Objective 2

Solution

Provide dedicated walkways and crosswalks for staff and visitors. Create a sidewalk east of Town Road for neighbors.

Headquarters

Main Entry

Parking

Premier Lab

Parking

Conflict – City did not like sidewalk meandering through the trees.

Neighborhood sidewalks are now safe and connected

Create outdoor spaces for Ball’s venues.

Objective 3

Solution

2010

Objective 4

Incorporate native plants with Ball’s perennials and annuals.

Solution

Incorporate Ball’s perennials along the edges of walkways.

Incorporate Ball’s perennials along the edges of walkways.

Highlight Ball products within a sustainable design

Incorporate Ball’s edibles into the landscape

Lessons Learned

Education, Education, Education…

Education, Education, Education…

Sustainable Results

• Ball has seen more wildlife

• Witnessed a rain event that

flooded neighbors but left Ball

high and dry.

• Has earned accolades from

numerous groups.

Awards

Thank you!