Relative resistance to defoliation by Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica Newman) was compared among 28 cultivars of flowering crabapples (Malus spp.), 8 species and cultivars of lindens (Tilia spp.), and 53 cultivars of hybrid tea, floribunda, and grandiflora roses (Rosa spp.) in multi-year field evaluations in central Kentucky. Defoliation of crabapples ranged from >95% to <10% among cultivars at the same site, with cultivars ‘Jewelberry’, ‘Louisa’, Malus baccata ‘Jackii’, and ‘Harvest Gold’ having greatest resistance. All lindens were severely damaged in years with heavy beetle flight, but Tilia americana ‘Legend’ and T. tomentosa ‘Sterling’ were less damaged than the others in years with moderate beetle pressure. When beetles were abundant, all rose cultivars were severely defoliated regardless of bloom color. Under more moderate beetle pressure, however, ‘Milestone’, ‘Dynasty’, and ‘Headliner’ hybrid tea roses sustained less damage than others. Damage among individual plants within cultivars often varied widely on a given date, reflecting the beetles' tendency to aggregate on foliage with prior feeding damage.
Little consumer research is available to help landscape design and installation businesses develop service marketing strategies. We investigated the effect of three components of a landscape design on the perceived value of a home. This information would be useful in marketing lawn and landscape services to prospective clients. Our objective was to provide a consumer perspective on the value of the components in a ‘good’ landscape and determine which attributes of a landscape consumers valued most. Using conjoint design, 1323 volunteer participants in seven states viewed 16 photographs that depicted the front of a landscaped residence. Landscapes were constructed using various levels of three attributes: plant material type, design sophistication, and plant size. Results showed that the relative importance increased from plant material type to plant size to design sophistication. Across all seven markets, study participants perceived that home value increased from 5% to 11% for homes with a good landscape.
How much value do consumers place on a good landscape? Self-selected attendees to a Detroit, MI, flower show indicated that plant size was the most important factor in the perceived value of a landscape. Holding other factors equal, increasing from the smallest size plant generally available for installation to the largest size defined in our study increased perceived home value by 5.0%. Design sophistication was almost as important as size. Holding other factors equal, upgrading from a traditional foundation planting to a sophisticated design that incorporated multiple bed and curved bedlines increased perceived home value by 4.5%. The type of plant material used was the least important. The relative importance of plant material selection as a factor contributing value added to the home by the landscape was almost half that of plant size and over 40% less than design sophistication. The conjoint model produced from 158 survey responses predicted that from the least valued landscape to the most valued landscape the perceived value of the home increased 12.7%.
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