The Big One: Care for the whole campus

Company: Ruppert Landscape
Location: Washington D.C.

Georgetown University Law Center’s motto is cura personalis, or care for the whole person. Ruppert Landscape takes the same approach to its care of the landscape on the school’s seven-acre campus. 

“This is a very high-profile campus and is visited regularly by high-level government and military officials who give guest lectures and attend graduation ceremonies,” Daniel Derrow, Ruppert Landscape’s area manager said. “This necessitates that the campus be in ‘company’s coming’ shape at all times.”

The location of the campus also makes access a challenge for crews in trucks and trailers. D.C. Metro also enacted a gas-powered leaf blower ban, so crews only use battery-powered blowers to service the property.

The property suffers from an aging irrigation system. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the property’s courtyards served as outdoor testing sites. Several times, tent vendors damaged or broke a main line to the irrigation system.

Irrigation managers monitor the property’s plantings and mature trees for fungus and diseases, given the property’s location near the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. 

Ruppert Landscape won a Gold Award from the 2022 National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Awards of Excellence program for this project. 

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

To create a formal and inviting site, Ruppert blends turf, sitting areas, gardens and walkways with vivid annuals, perennials and formal hedges.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

The main entrance to McDonough Hall is the first place visitors see. The campus often hosts prestigious visitors and guest speakers, such as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

Crews carefully prune the Boston ivy along the wall to keep windows (along the street-facing wall), entrances and signage clear. Crews deadhead the hydrangea lining the stairs to keep blooms fresh.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

Crews use string lines, hand pruning and sheering to keep the boxwoods at a consistent height and shape.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

An in-house integrated pest management specialist treats more than 50 sycamore, London plane, hollies, willow oak and crepe myrtle trees to prevent pests like white scale and aphids.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

Ruppert fills the property’s planters with summer annuals of mostly tropical, drought-tolerant plants, such as caladium, lantana, begonia, SunPatiens, cordyline, and canna lilies or fall annuals of pansies and cabbage.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

This naturalized shaded seating area features self-sustaining plants previously installed by students. Ruppert crews perform rejuvenation pruning, fertilization and weeding.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

Ruppert crews spread more than 80 yards of mulch twice a year in the property’s tree beds.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

Crews limb the mature trees on site to keep walkways clear and to maintain clear views from the classrooms.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

The campus hosts thousands of students, faculty and guests for graduation ceremonies. Crews keep the property looking its best all the time as guest lecturers often visit the campus year-round.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

A noise restriction prohibits crews from using the equipment before 8 a.m. during the week, and crews must work around extended noise restrictions twice a year during finals week.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

During the height of the pandemic, Georgetown Law received a special permit to have an outdoor classroom on the quad. This required crews to work around class schedules and repair turf from extra damage.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

With the very warm microclimate created by this urban environment, crews constantly monitor materials for insect infestations, treating affected plant material when necessary.

(Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

Ruppert works closely with Georgetown University Law Center representatives to incorporate enhancements to make the property inviting to students, faculty and guests.