"Schererville Town Parade"
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"Articles Written on R.A.L. Landscaping & Garden Center"

"R.A.L. Landscaping has 30 year rep of reliability." "Growing Memories" "Tribute Though Memory" "Filling a Holiday Niche"

"R.A.L. Landscaping has 30 year rep of reliability."

It's the busy season for R.A.L. Landscaping & Garden Center, so it's no surprise to see owner Roger Ladd bouncing from one customer to another, always with a friendly greeting and smile on his face.

"I'd be great inside a pinball machine," he jokes, before scurrying to assist another client he calls by name.

Not one to wish the Golden Goose dead, Ladd says he endures the 16-17 and 18 hour days he puts in.

"I haven't had a day off since Easter, and I won't have another until the Fourth of July when we're closed," he says. " I never imagined a garden center would be so hectic. The physical wear on you is amazing."

Ladd opened R.A.L. at its 6616 W. Lincoln Highway location in Schererville 30 years ago, after a stint at Woodmar Country Club that began in 1971 and ended when he began doing landscaping on his own.

FOCUS ON QUALITY

Ray Saunders of Schererville swears by the quality of R.A.L.'s landscaping work.

"There are very few places that come in, do the work, leave, and you don't know they've been there. All the debris is cleared," Saunders, a 15 year-client, says, adding of Ladd, "When he says he'll be here, he's here."

That reputation for reliability is important to Ladd, who values quality.

"One thing that makes us unique is that we carry lifetime warranties on so many products," Ladd says, pointing to his Rockwood Retaining Walls, Midwest Rake Hand Tools, Gilmore sprinklers and hoses and ValleyView edging.

Ladd explains big-box, chain stores often have items made to their specifications in order to meet certain price requirements. As a result, quality suffers.

"The stuff we have we know is quality," Ladd says. "You can buy it once or buy it twice."

Ladd says that the caprice of weather is the biggest challenge to his business.

"It was 92 degrees yesterday, and it's 61 degrees now," he says, adding he dreads when clients ask why a certain plant died, because there often is no real answer.

Ladd does, however, continue his education to remain current in the industry.

He also maintains his license with the Indiana State Chemists. That way, he says he may advise on the use of pesticides.

Visitors to R.A.L. can find everything from do-it-yourself, landscaping products to an extensive array of garden art to bedding plants, trees and shrubs. In between, there are gazebos, water garden materials and more on the acreage that stretches north from US 30 to 75th Ave.

"They have everything," Saunders says.

Cindy Schulte, of Crown Point, agrees. "We've known them as a business venture for a long time. "(Ladd has) assisted us with so many suggestions, He's such a hard worker."

She added that she has been impressed by the fact that R.A.L. keeps its landscape crew people year after year, unlike other landscaping firms.

"He always has good help," she says.

ALL ABOUT THE WORK

Ladd says he likes to keep his employees year-round and is studying new ventures to make that easier. In the end, it's all about the work.

"The advantage in this business is the finished product. There's a personal reward for me in pleasing 90 percent of my clients," Ladd says, adding with a grin, "You can't please everyone."

"Growing Memories"

S'ville students plant trees, make crafts for Arbor Day

Schererville - Third-graders lined up and took turns shoveling dirt around the root ball of a Cleveland Pear Tree as part of an early Arbor Day celebration.

"If we have kids, we can tell them we planted that tree 30 years ago," said 9-year-old Brianna Martin.

"Yeah, we can show our kids," added 9-year-old Jessica Moore.

The girls were part of a group of about 100 students from Peifer Elementary School that learned about the importance of Arbor Day on Thursday at Redar Park. Officially, Arbor Day is celebrated the last Friday in April.

Students took turns learning to plant trees, playing games, making crafts and, with the help of the Schererville Garden Club, planting marigolds in pots.

"My nails got all dirty," Moore said of the day's events.

Using hands-on learning to teach elementary students about Arbor Day is something the Schererville Parks and Recreation Department has facilitated for many years, said John Novacich, park superintendent.

"They really need to know the importance of trees to the environment," he said.

Roger Ladd, of R.A.L. Landscaping, said he's been working with the department for about 15 years, teaching students how to plant trees.

"We try to put in flowering trees," he said.

Students sat in a semicircle around Ladd as he taught them about soil, trees, much, earth worms and watering.

The children had something in common with the tree they helped plant. Both were almost 10 years old.

"They're like you, growing and small," Novacich told the children. He also encouraged them to take ownership of the tree.

"This is your tree, so when you come by the park, make sure it's taken care of," he said.

Though Arbor Day falls on the last Friday in April, the department had to spread the celebration over two days because it was working with the Schererville elementary schools.

The third-grade teachers at Peifer expressed appreciation of the Parks Department's involvement over the years.

"We can look around the park and see trees we've planted here before," said teacher Jill Izsak.

"Tribute Though Memory"

Park site honors public servants and victims of drunken drivers.

Schererville - Joe Ladd was in middle school when the 9/11 attacks happened, but even then he understood and appreciated the magnitude of the sacrifices made by those who gave their lives through not fault of their own.

And what better way to honor those sacrifices than with a tree, the young man thought.

His admiration and respect for those people manifested itself Saturday afternoon at Rohrman Park, where he, his father, Roger Ladd, and members of the military and local police and fire departments planted four trees in tribute.

About 35 people braved the blustery cold to watch the memorial come to life.

The trees - a Bradford pear, a plum, and October Glory and a Cleveland Select pear - were chosen for how they would look during the different seasons, according to Joe Ladd, but some of their characteristics matched the groups he was honoring.

For example, the October Glory representing firefighters turns a vibrant red in the fall, while the plum, planted in honor of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, blooms in the spring and stays a lovely shade of purple year-round.

"Moms like flowers," said Roger Ladd in a lighthearted moment.

In true "mother" fashion, Marie Greger-Smith, state chairwoman for MADD Indiana, reminded the crowd to make sure their loved ones know how much they love them through the people "If I Knew."

"You may think you live only two three miles from home, but my mother died three miles from home," Greger-Smith said. "Never did she think that she wouldn't be coming home from the grocery store that day."

Marine Edgar Otero, meanwhile reminded the crowd that freedom isn't free.

"People point out to me that we're losing more men and women overseas," he said. "But we lose kids to drugs, violence, suicide. My brothers and sisters over there are dying with honor."

Bill Howe, interim fire chief for the Schererville Fire Department, talked about the sacrifices of the "Domestic Defenders."

"Fortunately, we lose relatively few of our brothers, about 100 a year nation-wide," Howe said. "So when we do lose one, it does mean a lot to all of us."

John Novasich, Schererville park superintendent, worked with Joe and Roger, who owns R.A.L. Landscaping.

He was pleased to see a young person so respectful.

"I've watched him grow up these past few years, and he came up with a creative way to honor these people," he said. "Trees are a living memorial."

"Filling a Holiday Niche"

Schererville - The pillows and blankets sold by R.A.L. Landscaping and Garden Center warm hearts rather than beds.
As its work winds down when winter approaches, the business switches gears to sell Christmas trees, but also something many places don't stock among their holiday decorations; cemetery wreaths, grave pillows and blankets.

"At Christmas time, a lot of people come here to spruce up their loved ones' graves," said Roger Ladd, who opened the business 20 years ago and immediately developed the niche. "It's important to families. It's sort of like a Christmas present to loved ones. Something to say, 'I love you.' 'I remember you.' "

Some cemeteries require the wreaths, pillow and blankets to be made of all natural materials, but Ladd also decorates the greenery with artificial flowers and other items for use in the cemeteries that allow it. A customer recently ordered a baby-size pillow of greenery decorated with a pair of ballet slippers for a young girls' grave, he said.

Many cemeteries sell the pillows and blankets, but don't do customized orders, Ladd said.

The pillows are normally 2.5 square feet, while the blankets cover the entire grave. Costs range from $32 to $200, depending on size and additional ornamentation, Ladd said.

"I think it makes you feel you're still taking care of your loved one." said 54-year-old Lakes of Four Seasons resident, who has purchased blankets for both her parents graves. "It's something psychological: a combination of blanket for warmth and Christmas greenery for the holiday. It also makes a place that ordinarily is sad have a Christmas touch that makes you feel better."

Ladd won't disclose how many of the cemetery items he sells, citing competition, but acknowledged that it is substantial. The Christmas items keep him busy during the time he normally would have little work.

"I'd rather be golfing," he said.