Companies in the News: Ruppert revives landscape for The Children’s Home and more from Ecologel, Davey

Ruppert Landscape and ABC2 News—WMAR Baltimore teamed up to revitalize the landscape of The Children’s Home in Catonsville, Md., June 30 as part of the “Built Upon a Dream” community service project. More than 100 Ruppert employees participated in the campus renovation, valued at $16,000 in time and materials and 200 man-hours. Volunteers planted 500 perennials and 85 shrubs at The Children’s Home, which provides “safe, home-like living” for young victims of abuse and neglect, according to the company.

Ecologel Solutions is sponsoring a social media photo contest for Smart Irrigation Month. The company’s flagship product, Hydretain, is a liquid or granular substance that reduces evaporation and helps water get to plant roots. For a chance to win a $50 gift card, share a picture holding, applying or selling Hydretain to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Be sure to tag the company and use the hashtags #SmartIrrigationMonth and #Hydretain to be eligible.

Davey Tree partnered with Evergreen Cemetery, the oldest operating cemetery in Jacksonville, Fla. Like Davey, Evergreen was founded in 1880. This is the first time the cemetery has outsourced landscaping duties in its history. Among the more than 80,000 interred, notable Floridians buried at Evergreen Cemetery include Isaiah D. Hart, who founded Jacksonville, Fla., in 1822; Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, 19^th governor of Florida; and Cora Crane, wife of American novelist, poet and journalist Stephen Crane.

Weed Man was named one of America’s best franchise opportunities under an initial investment of $150,000 by Forbes Magazine for the second year in a row. The lawn care company ranked second in this category—eight spots higher than in 2015. Last month, CNBC.com named Weed Man one of nine “low-cost franchises that could make you rich.”