Articles written by guest contributors

Bill directs his landscape construction students during the live raised patio build at New England Grows in December 2015.

New non-stop demo at HNA

By Bill Gardocki, Interstate Landscape

I’m excited about some changes coming to the October 2016 Hardscape North America (HNA) Education program. This year, none of the construction for the hardscape demonstration seminars will be done in advance.

Instead, all construction will be done live and almost non-stop during show hours across both days of the show. And, the construction crew will consist of my students in the Landscape Construction program at the Thompson School of Applied Sciences at the University of New Hampshire.

I will be leading my students in building a raised patio project including seat walls, retaining walls, lighting, pillars, steps, a water feature, and both interlocking and permeable pavers.

I'll be mic’d, and one of my students will be mic’d so you can hear what’s going on. In addition, there will be cameras on us and big screens so that people in the stands can get a close up look at what we’re doing.

The timing of the live build will be coordinated with the hands-on demonstration seminars that will elaborate on our live build at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. For example, we won’t start building any part of the Permeable Paver Installation until it’s time for that topic’s 11am Friday seminar. Seminar presenters joining us will also be mic’d.

The new program will allow you and your crew members to watch the progression of the build from the beginning. This could be a great opportunity for your less experienced crew members to watch and learn new installation techniques. For the more experienced crew members, you may want to pick and choose specific topics such as Patio Lighting or Permeable Paver Installation. All will have an opportunity to see how the most up-to-date tools are used on a hardscape project, and to pick up tips from industry experts.

For an idea of what the demo will be like, watch the Thompson School Landscape Construction students live build at New England Grows in Dec 2015. On YouTube, look up Masshardscaper and click on NEGrows UNH Paver Patio Construction Time Lapse.

Demonstration seminar schedule

All 6 demo seminars will be held in the HNA Outdoor Arena tent in the Outdoor Demonstration Area. Each demo is eligible for 1 ICPI Certified Installer Continuing Education (CE) Credit. Pick up a CE tracking form at the HNA registration desk.

Thursday, Oct. 20

11am - noon Paver Installation
1pm - 2pm Tools of the Trade
3pm - 4pm Basic Wall Building

Friday, Oct. 21

11am - noon Permeable Paver Installation
1pm - 2pm Pillar, Step and Specialty Applications Installation
3pm - 4pm Lighting and Water Feature Installation

New competitors for Installer Championship

I’m also looking forward to this year’s Hardscape Installer Championship. Some of the UNH Thompson School Landscape Construction students will be helping with the set up and running of the competition while others will be participating in the competition. I thought it would be a great experience for my students to test their skills against seasoned pros.

Prior to HNA, ICPI will have regional competitions in California, Texas and Ohio. The winners of these competitions will be invited to the Hardscape Installer Championship in Louisville.

ICPI also issued an Installer Championship invitation and a $4,000 scholarship to a team of Virginia Tech University students who won the Hardscape Installation event at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition hosted by Mississippi State University last March.

Lastly, as you’re planning on which HNA indoor sessions to attend, check out one of my favorites, YouTube Your Next Hardscape Project presented by The DirtNinja, who happens to be my son, Tom Gardocki.

Contractor education events are for all of us: student to pro. Look for educational opportunities in your area and beyond. Take advantage of any opportunities to improve your installation skills and business practices. I hope to see you in Louisville!

Bill Gardocki is the owner of Interstate Landscape Co. Inc. in Londonderry, NH, installing hardscapes for over 40 years. Bill has taught over 100 classes as an NCMA and ICPI certified instructor. He also provides hardscape seminars for dealer/contractor education days, and in 2013 became the Landscape Construction instructor at his alma mater, the University of New Hampshire. Contact Bill@InterstateLandscapeNH.com