Stopping to smell the roses

The University’s campus has often been viewed as one of the most beautiful in the nation. Students pass by landscaping everyday, but what they might not see is the behind-the-scenes work of the individuals in Facilities Operations who transform the campus into what it is. Here’s a look at what goes on:

photo

Behind the Scenes

The University’s campus stretches 1,000 acres and has about 10 large flower beds and hundreds of shrub beds. Keeping campus beautiful takes 32 full-time employees and a $1.36 million budget within Facilities Operations.

Wayne Reusch, skilled trade supervisor, said employees worked every day from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. planting and maintaining landscaping around campus. He said they mowed, planted and maintained flowers, trees and shrubs, collected trash, cleaned up after events such as football games, removed snow in the winter, and even handled animal control.

But the planning process begins long before these employees actually start planting flowers or mowing. According to the landscape master plan, a report about landscaping on campus, landscapers are responsible for upkeep for 685 acres of turf and 85 acres of flowers.

The first step in the process is choosing the flowers. Mike Lang, campus landscape manager said he and landscape architects chose flowers for the different areas of campus. Marion Paulette, landscape architect, said there was a lot that went into choosing the plants.

“It depends on the location, function of the space, how much maintenance is required, and how much sunlight there is,” Paulette said.

Paulette said the landscape architects also designed new planting areas.

After an area is designed and the plants are chosen for a project, Lang said the Carruth- O’Leary pursing department sends out a bid to vendors around the state. Whichever vendor has the lowest price will provide the plants. The bid is sent out in December and it usually takes three to four weeks for the bid to be awarded, Lang said. Lang said that for the last five years, the University has used Neosho Gardens, a company in Council Grove that raises and sells plants.

Lang said the flowers from the bid arrived on campus May 1 every year so the landscaping crews can plant, water and fertilize them.

According to the landscape master plan, landscaping plays an important part in acquiring and retaining new students, athletes, faculty, staff and administrators.

Chris Paradies, Lawrence junior and orientation assistant, said it was important for the campus to look good because it said something good about the University.

“It shouldn’t be the top priority,” Paradies said. “But it helps with recruitment, which helps with everything.”

Special projects

Paulette said a recent landscaping design project was the Mississippi terrace, west of Lippincott Hall. An alumnus wanted trees and shrubs to be replanted after construction left it bare, Paulette said.

Rosita McCoy, vice president of communications for the Kansas University Endowment Association, said the donor donated $10,000 for the landscaping.

“People donate to memorialize someone or because they have fun memories from the campus and want it to stay beautiful,” McCoy said.

Money donated to landscaping goes through the endowment association. After the work is done, landscape architects notify the endowment association when they get the bills and the association transfers the money to pay for it.

Campus buildings can also request landscaping by writing a letter and meeting with the landscape architects. Paulette said she was currently working with Nunemaker Hall on a project to landscape around the building.

The landscape architects draw up conceptual plans and budget estimates and meet with whoever requested the work. She said the campus building was in charge of securing funds from its budget to pay for the landscaping.

Budget

Lang said the department spent about $9,000 every year on summer annual plants such as petunias, impatiens and begonias. The landscapers plant the flowers in areas such as around the Chi Omega fountain and in front of Strong Hall.

Lang said they spent another $3,000 for the tulip bulbs that would be planted this fall and would bloom next spring.

After a preliminary 4 percent budget cut for landscaping last spring, Lang said, the department decided not to plant mums, which saved $3,000. He said the department also tried to save money by buying smaller, less mature plants, which are usually less expensive.

Rose bushes were also chosen for several flower beds around campus because they need less maintenance, which means fewer man hours. Reusch said they planted rose bushes at the Vietnam Memorial, at the west end of Memorial Drive and at several other locations.

Steve Green, associate director of Facilities Operations, said landscaping also cut one full-time position, which saved them $23,000.

Reusch said it took longer to do certain jobs with one less person working, but everyone around the University was cutting back — not just landscaping.

“If we can save some money on landscape, maybe we can do some street repairs that we don’t have funding for,” Lang said.

— — Edited by Jason Baker

 

Related articles

Green trucks, green thumbs

/news/2005/apr/21/jayplay_notice_landscaping/

Policy prevents recycling tulips

/news/2005/apr/20/news_campus_tulips/

Taking out the bloom

Every year in April, Facilities Operations has to uproot the tulips, an ...

/news/2011/apr/21/taking-out-bloom/

Campus tree population cut temporarily due to ...

Football facility project costs campus dozens of trees, but officials say they ...

/news/2007/jun/04/campus_tree_population_cut_temporarily_due_stadium/

‘Green space’ on campus is endangered

Marvin Grove, other natural icons at the University threatened because of weather, ...

/news/2009/nov/19/green-space-campus/

Funds needed for entrances

/news/2005/mar/10/news_campus_entrances/

A strong foundation: Campus architect builds legacy

After a 63-year career, Warren Corman, University Architect, will retire on Thursday.

/news/2010/dec/06/strong-foundation/

Enjoying the fruits of campus foliage

Students and community members forage campus edibles.

/news/2011/nov/14/enjoying-fruits-campus-foliage/

More than a pretty campus

Explore nature and improve your health by stepping off the sidewalk

/news/2010/oct/27/more-pretty-campus/

What it's like

To landscape campus

/news/2008/mar/13/what_its/

Facilities Operations keeps campus moving

Though rarely recognized, KU's maintenance crew are to thank for campus running ...

/news/2011/aug/29/facilities-operations-keeps-campus-moving/

Rain garden by recreation center to prevent ...

Native flowers and grasses will allow the $40,000 garden to manage the ...

/news/2008/jun/13/rain_garden/

Grounds crew proactive about winter weather

Unusually heavy snowfall keeps facility operations department busy clearing campus roads, sidewalks ...

/news/2010/feb/12/grounds-crew-proactive-about-winter-weather/

Bagworms eat away at campus trees and ...

A cool, wet summer has increased the worms’ population in Lawrence.

/news/2009/sep/22/news_bagworms/

Campus elections 2009: Envision

Senate ethics, a sustainable campus and fiscal responsibility comprise Envision’s platform.

/news/2009/mar/26/envision_elections/

Whistle out of service until middle of ...

/news/2005/sep/08/whistle/

Football complex goes green with grass roof

The Athletics Department kept the beauty of Campanile Hill by building a ...

/news/2008/jul/08/roof/

Road work to continue, but not hinder

/news/2005/jun/08/repaving/

The wild side of KU

The 160-acre Suzanne Ecke McColl Nature Reserve was added last month to ...

/news/2007/oct/10/reserve/

Departments feel the pinch of budget cuts

Groups around campus rely on different solutions for budget woes.

/news/2010/apr/15/budget/

KU receives C+ in sustainability efforts

Sustainable Endowments Institute evaluated the 332 colleges on their green efforts.

/news/2009/oct/29/ku-receives-c-sustainability-efforts/

Volunteers work to remove pesky plant from ...

The long process of renovating Potter Lake continued Saturday.

/news/2010/oct/10/volunteers-work-remove-pesky-plant-lakes-polluted-/

Engineering school working to preserve tree

Planned new building would be built on land where beautiful, changing tree ...

/news/2010/oct/24/engineering-school-working-preserve-tree/

Green fund will help make campus more ...

Student Senate approved $10,000 to start a fund for green projects at ...

/news/2010/apr/14/green-fund-will-help-make-campus-more-sustainable/

Student farm project comes to a standstill

Despite the semester’s close and a lack of money, the farm’s leaders ...

/news/2010/apr/29/student-farm-project-comes-standstill/

Leaving a lasting legacy

As Hemenway prepares to retire, he and others look back at how ...

/news/2009/may/04/leaving_legacy/

Campus elections 2009: United Students

Extending the textbook refund deadline, lowering the All-Sports combo price are some ...

/news/2009/mar/24/united_students/

Fishing a fulfilling, inexpensive hobby

State parks are trying to promote an interest in fishing among children ...

/news/2009/aug/18/fishing_fulfilling_inexpensive_hobby/

Demonstrators hope to stop wetland road talks

Students, locals at Strong Hall try to convince the University to preserve ...

/news/2009/nov/03/demonstrators-hope-stop-wetland-road-talks/

Low budget restricts elevator renovations

For more than one year, elevator repairs in buildings such as Wescoe ...

/news/2010/oct/11/low-budget-restricts-elevator-renovations/

Editorial: Campus well-maintained

The number of on-campus maintenance problems rises as available funds decrease.

/news/2007/mar/02/edalison/

Widower librarian shares wife's KU legacy

/news/2005/oct/06/widower/

Senate notebook: February 28, 2008

Notes from the Feb. 28, 2008 Student Senate meeting.

/news/2008/feb/28/senate_notebook_february_28_2008/

Editorial: Small steps, big effects

New energy-saving deal needs attention.

/news/2010/apr/19/editorial-small-steps-big-effects/

Hemenway stays with University

Kansas University Endowment Association provides funding for former chancellor to take sabbatical, ...

/news/2009/aug/31/hemenway/

NCAA celebrations cost the city thousands

Lawrence ensures extra firefighters, medical officers and police were present for downtown ...

/news/2008/may/06/costs_city/

Center dedicated to alumnus' mother

The Wilna Crawford Community Center will provide a place for scholarship halls ...

/news/2007/apr/23/crawford/

Assistant leaves for coaching vacancy

Karen Lange named head coach of Mid America Nazarene University’s women’s basketball ...

/news/2010/mar/31/assistant-leaves-coaching-vacancy/

Students act as own landlords in Ad ...

After being rescued from demolition for $1, the co-operative Ad Astra house ...

/news/2007/may/09/cooperative/

Parched future of the plains

A warming climate is adversely affecting animals native to Kansas and the ...

/news/2008/apr/24/climatechange/

Comments

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment