This unique hotel sticks out among the concrete jungle of New York City, New York. For seven years, John Mini Distinctive Landscapes, based in Congers, New York, has maintained the stunning ivy wall that greets visitors, leading them to win a 2024 Gold Award of Excellence. Two members of the John Mini team share the benefits of winning.
“It’s a true honor to be recognized for a project we take great pride in, especially when it’s an important part of the client’s business,” says Keith Behringer, director of business development.
Matt Wessol, director of outdoors, says it inspires and motivates the team.
“This project represents our values and inspires us to push the limits.” Wessol says. “We told everyone about the award to reinforce that we’re all part of one team.”
The wall has undergone a few changes since John Mini took over the property.
“Before we arrived, the wall was struggling,” Wessol says. “Some of the ivy would dry out during the growing season, and other areas were overgrown. Because our team has lots of experience with living walls, the hotel called us for help.”
When guests arrive at the hotel, the ivy wall is the first thing they see.
“It’s truly their focal point, so we ensure it looks 100% throughout the growing season,” Wessol says. “In summer, we’re on-site several times a week for quality control. This involves checking irrigation and moisture levels. For the actual maintenance work, we try getting everything done in one day.”
A typical maintenance visit involves four to five team members, and nearly everyone has been involved with this project at some point. While a typical visit lasts the whole day, the maintenance can be split into shorter visits when the hotel or patios are extra busy.
From trimming to irrigation, there’s a wide range of weekly tasks. All the ivy is watered using drip irrigation, and the system is closely monitored to avoid leaks or breaks that could affect hotel guests.
One challenge is a series of exhaust vents along the building that form air pockets. The team adjusts the water amounts with these different microclimates to ensure equal coverage. From a timing standpoint, the irrigation is run for short periods to help with drainage. So, if the team runs the system for 30 minutes, they’ll break it into 10-minute intervals and let the water drain before it runs again. Regarding trimming, the focus is keeping the vines off the hotel signs and windows.
With the harsh winters, a handful of plants need replacing each year.
“After seven years, we have a good idea of how many plants will need replacing,” Wessol says. “In the fall, we meet with the client and have that conversation to create a budget. Once approved, we work with our nurseries to have the material ready by spring.”
The team uses special equipment to install these plants for the upper parts of the building. On the lower level, safety barriers and the ground team below provide clear directions for pedestrians to navigate the sidewalks.
Before the season begins, Behringer says the team schedules each visit for the whole year.
“We notify the client well in advance for each visit, including ivy replacements, irrigation start-up/shut down, and maintenance visits,” Behringer says.”All the work is performed during off hours, either before the restaurant opens or after closing. This also keeps foot traffic to a minimum on the sidewalks.”
In 2024, the hotel received updates to its façade. During the project, scaffolding covered the lower parts of the ivy, reducing the amount of sunlight. While these light levels weren’t ideal, supplemental lighting and indirect light kept the plants healthy.
“We kept a close eye on those areas with lower light,” Behringer says. “The scaffolding worked in our favor since we could service areas above the project via ladder instead of a machine.”
After years of working together, the hotel’s feedback remains the same.
“Each year, they tell us the wall has never looked better,” Behringer says. “We always strive to do better than our last at-bat. When higher executives stay at the hotel, the hotel staff also receive compliments, which contributes to our goal of making clients happy.”
Interested in participating in the Awards of Excellence? Be sure to enter your projects when entries open in early 2025.
