Bertog Landscape Co. receives state industry award

The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) has given Bertog Landscape Co., Wheeling, Ill., a Silver Award for residential landscape design. Bertog was honored during the ILCA’s recent industry awards banquet.

The ILCA’s mission is to enhance the professionalism and expertise of its members by providing leadership, education, representation and services while promoting environmental awareness and the value of the landscape industry. Award entries were judged by industry peers as part of the association’s annual trade show and expo.

Bertog Landscape Co. received the award for its residential landscape project, “A Classic Residence Redefined.” Following a planned addition to their 1928 Country Georgian-style home on Chicago’s North Shore, the owners requested a renovation of the existing landscape to complement the home’s architectural style. The result is formal, monochromatic and classical.

Careful planning to source original house brick ensured a seamless transition from old to new. Front foundation plantings of Frans Fontaine Hornbeam and Pyramidal Arborvitae accent architectural lines. Prairie Fire Crabapple provides seasonal interest. Yews, boxwood and Bobo Hydrangea create timeless elegance. A bluestone terrace with grass joints creates an informal gathering space near the outdoor kitchen, while a nearby patio with brick seat walls encloses space for dining. Angled slab steps with grass treads offer geometric contrast. A wood-burning brick fire feature on the lower-level bluestone chip patio is tucked behind terrace walls for secluded gatherings. The rear yard landscape transitions to an informal, colorful mix of sedges, native perennials and serviceberry trees.

Bertog’s principals on the project were Robert Milani, senior landscape architect, and Jose (Jovanni) Martinez, landscape construction division manager. The Bertog team represented on the project includes Greg Roos, purchasing manager; Cheryl Mart, accountant; Stephen Carlin, general manager; Robert Bertog, president; Tracy Bertog, founder/owner; Sue Ryba, account advisor/marketing director; Todd Fisher, new business development/account advisor; and Steve Bertog, irrigation and lighting director.

A family-owned business founded by Tracy Bertog, the company has grown through the years from a single maintenance crew to an award-winning landscape design, construction, maintenance and irrigation firm. It received a top award from the ILCA in 2022 and was named “Best Landscaping Company – Suburbs” by Better magazine in 2021 and 2022. The company prides itself in building harmony between the landscape and home and is dedicated to bringing clients’ landscape visions to life. 

For more information, visit Bertog Landscape Co. online at www.bertoglandscape.com.

The company is also on Facebook and Instagram.