Riverside resident Tom Lupfer has been recognized with a top award from the Illinois Contractor’s Association for his company’s work on the renovated gardens at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
For the fourth year in a row Lupfer Landscaping, which is located in Lyons, has been awarded an ILCA Gold Award for sustainable landscaping. Previously, the company won awards for residential landscapes in Hinsdale and Riverside, which the company installed and maintains.
Shedd Aquarium decided to replace more than 18,000 square feet of bluegrass lawn with low-maintenance perennial plants. The landscape now includes a rain garden where storm runoff is collected and used by plants; a drought-resistant Xeriscape garden; a wetlands garden and demonstration gardens.
Lupfer Landscaping, which specializes in sustainable landscaping practices, maintains the gardens for the Shedd Aquarium, creating a program that eliminated pesticides, uses natural fertilizers, limits the use of emissions-producing machinery and reduces water use.
