KC students place in landscape competition

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Two Kishwaukee College horticulture students placed in the top five in their divisions in the 2009 Illinois Landscape Design contest, sponsored by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association.

Joel Balentyne, Sycamore, placed fifth in the Computer-Assisted Design division. Balentyne will graduate from Kishwaukee College in May with a degree in horticulture-landscape design and construction and will be transferring to the University of Illinois to continue his education in landscape design.

Danielle Buesch, Monroe Center, placed fourth in the Hand-Drawn division. Buesch will also graduate from Kishwaukee College in May with a degree in horticulture landscape design and construction and has accepted a position as an entry-level landscape designer with Tyler’s Landscaping in Rockford.

Two additional Kishwaukee students participated in the competition – Stephanie Pinkous and Erin Scott. Scott took sixth place in the Hand-Drawn division.

In the competition, each student was given the same assignment: landscape the grounds around a residential property. According to Balentyne and Buesch, designing students must consider year-round appeal, as well as factor in such variables as climate zone, angle and duration of sunlight during the day, plant hardiness and soil conditions. Students could choose any plants they wished to create the best landscape.

For more information on the horticulture program, contact Kishwaukee College at 815-825-2086, ext. 2830, or at mvanhise@kishwaukeecollege.edu. Registration for summer and fall will begin April 15 (online) and April 16 (in person).