worked so well that when the New York Times wrote an article about the Grove, they included a short reference to how our team worked its magic. We were able to meet our expectations of efficiency and excellence. And in the following years, dozens of campus and community organizations are made to feel a part of the “wow” experience, while gaining needed funds for their own projects.
The Vision
Tough it looks tranquil now, for each home football game, the Grove at Ole Miss is home to one of the best tailgating experiences in the world.
right after you had nurtured and grown it back into place left us feeling defeated, even if the team won. Remaking the campus and returning it to its normal beauty was a daunting and debilitating task. For years the cleanup process took all the following day. Te good news is that our team tapped into their creative side and came up with a solution that has become a collaborative success and “wow” moment for Landscape Services.
“How can we do this better after every football game?” I asked our group of 30 plus landscapers one fall afternoon. One guy laughed and said, “I know. We can close the Grove on game day.” We laughed along with him, because of course it was absurd. As much as we wanted our grass and trees left intact, we knew the bigger picture. Our campus students, alumni, fans, community members, and visitors came for the Grove. Closing it down was, really, a laughable option.
So, we quickly moved to the next idea. Let’s contract it out, someone suggested. It was a great idea, so plans were made to put it out for bid across the state. Unfortunately, when bid day came, we did not have one bid on the trash removal, and we were back to square one.
So, we gathered the team once again to discuss viable options. “What if we asked a student organization to help us clean it? We would pay the organization for the work. All student organizations need operating funds.” We thought about that. Why not ask a group or two and see what they say? We first approached the Baptist Student Union who said yes. After the next home football game, they showed up with over 80 students at midnight and cleaned up the Grove in about two hours. Tis was a task that used to take over 8 hours with 30 employees. Wow! It worked! In fact, it
TPI Turf News March/April 2019 15
We were on a roll! Only up from there, right? We had accomplished the seemingly impossible—a magic trick of sorts that brought us a lot of attention and congratulations. Te real story only starts with the cleanup trick. After football season is over the Grove work
really begins its facelift. With over 4,500 pounds of tall fescue to be reapplied, the Grove must first go through a deep cleaning—removing debris, leaves, and then aerification. Te process takes 5 to 10 days to complete. Universities like Ole Miss need trusted sod growers and installers. We count on a high-quality product that we can use to make an instant positive impact in an area. Nothing changes the landscape faster than putting down a fresh roll of beautiful sod.
Te University of Mississippi is in the recruiting business and our product—yours and ours—matters. One study performed in December 2001, confirmed a 1980’s Carnegie study which found that for 62 percent of prospective students, "appearance of the grounds and buildings was the most influential factor during a campus visit." Te original report is called “How Do Students Choose A College?” and was prepared by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and published in the January/February 1986 issue of Change magazine. "First impressions are critical." Te way the buildings look, the way the landscaping looks, and the cleanliness, are top factors that play into that decision.
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