Kevin Manning

Kevin Manning

Kevin has deep roots in the Chicagoland area, growing up in Plainfield and now residing in Naperville. He holds a degree in Ornamental Horticulture from the University of Illinois and serves on the board for the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA). Since KD's inception in 1998, Kevin has loved creating outdoor environments to match the lifestyles of thousands of customers. In his spare time, you can find him spending time on the water with his wife, daughter, son, and labradoodle.

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Recent Posts

7 Old Landscape Design Trends to Avoid (& The Best Ways to Update Them)

7 Old Landscape Design Trends to Avoid (& The Best Ways to Update Them)

Do you feel like your Greater Chicago commercial landscape is a little stale? Maybe it’s time for an update.

You can’t deny your landscape can add significant value to your commercial business in so many ways. Attracting new customers and amplifying your community's reputation and presence are two of them.

Creating stunning, inviting commercial landscapes is the best way to get these perks. Having modern, eye-catching landscaping can impress anyone who comes to your facility.

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Climate-Resilient Trees: Selecting Trees for Chicago’s Changing Landscapes

Climate-Resilient Trees: Selecting Trees for Chicago’s Changing Landscapes

Greater Chicago is pretty tough. It survives harsh winters, sweltering summers, and everything in between.

But as the impacts of climate change advance, the city’s landscapes are facing new and unpredictable challenges. Recent years have brought shifts that even make it tough for the hardiest native tree species.

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Snow Removal Contracts: Per Occurrence vs Seasonal vs Multi-Year Plans

Snow Removal Contracts: Per Occurrence vs Seasonal vs Multi-Year Plans

Greater Chicago winters are never very predictable. Old Man Winter likes to shake things up each year.

A harsh and heavy winter can especially wreak havoc on a commercial property that needs to clear ice and snow from its entryways to ensure seamless traffic flow on its property at all hours. That's why it's important to have your snow removal contract signed and sealed before winter weather arrives.

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Appropriate Budgets & Timelines for Large Commercial Landscape Installations

Appropriate Budgets & Timelines for Large Commercial Landscape Installations

You want your Greater Chicago commercial property to look good. What property manager doesn’t?

But how much of your budget should you put toward large landscape projects for your commercial property? And how long should these projects take? What kind of planning and time is necessary? Commercial landscape costs can differ greatly, as well as project timelines, so you want to be prepared.

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Which Commercial Landscaping Projects Can I Safely Get Started in Summer?

Which Commercial Landscaping Projects Can I Safely Get Started in Summer?

You want your commercial property in Greater Chicago to look great all year long.

And when you are making plans for improvement, you don’t want to have to wait – especially when you have the budget dollars to get the job done.

But summer’s high temperatures and drought can put a damper on your plans.

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Cemetery Landscape Services: 7 Maintenance & Enhancement Options to Consider

Cemetery Landscape Services: 7 Maintenance & Enhancement Options to Consider

Cemeteries aren’t just resting places for the departed. They are sanctuaries of peace, reflection, and remembering for the living. Families visit to pay their respects, seek solace, and connect with others. This solemn atmosphere at a cemetery is important for showing people the proper respect regarding those who have passed away.

This is why maintaining the beauty and tranquility of a cemetery cannot be taken lightly. Cemetery landscape maintenance requires ongoing attention and care to ensure these spaces remain inviting.

Let’s talk about why cemetery landscaping is important and discuss the main cemetery groundskeeping options a project manager should consider when planning and caring for these types of spaces in Greater Chicago.

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10 Top Drought-Tolerant Trees & Shrubs for Commercial Landscapes

10 Top Drought-Tolerant Trees & Shrubs for Commercial Landscapes

Sure, Chicago summers can get hot with average temperatures between 78 degrees and 92 degrees Fahrenheit, heat radiating off of concrete surfaces, air conditioning blasting, sweat dripping off your brow the moment you walk outside. You get the picture.

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5 Common Lawn Diseases in Chicago Landscapes (And How to Address Them)

5 Common Lawn Diseases in Chicago Landscapes (And How to Address Them)

Sure, weeds are easy to spot in your Greater Chicago commercial lawn. They stick out with their nasty, spiky, mismatched shapes that look markedly different from your nice, even, thick lawn.

But lawn diseases are another story altogether. The right weather conditions can bring them about without warning. Most of the diseases out there resemble patchy or irregularly shaped spots in your lawn, which are symptoms that are hard to distinguish from other problems. For all you know, those marks could be from drought.

If you're in the business of maintaining commercial lawns in the Windy City, you know that keeping those green spaces looking pristine is no easy task.

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How Planting & Landscape Design Can Add Shade to Your Commercial Property

How Planting & Landscape Design Can Add Shade to Your Commercial Property

In the bustling urban landscape of Greater Chicago, where concrete jungles dominate the skyline, finding respite from the scorching summer sun can be a challenge.

Commercial properties that beckon visitors with shade and serenity can have an edge over the competition.

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6 Essential Summer Pruning Techniques for Chicago Commercial Landscapes

6 Essential Summer Pruning Techniques for Chicago Commercial Landscapes

Trees and shrubs bring more than just color to your commercial property in Greater Chicago.

They add color and greenery that people can enjoy as they shop at your retail center or work at your office park. They can ease the nerves and worries of your healthcare patients and stressed-out medical professionals. They can bring color and texture to your industrial facility or homeowners’ association grounds.

And in all of these commercial property types, trees and shrubs bring plenty of other benefits. Placed correctly and maintained well, these plants can lower energy bills, manage stormwater by reducing erosion and flooding, sequester carbon, and provide food and shelter for wildlife. Trees and shrubs can even increase spending at your retail center or boost recruitment and retention at your multifamily property.

But to continue providing these benefits, your trees and shrubs must remain healthy and strong.

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