Planterra Takes Highest Honor at 2019 International Plantscape Awards
The award-winning atrium at Parkview Cancer Center provides warm natural space.
August 28, 2019 (West Bloomfield, Mich. ) –Planterra’s installation of the healing garden at the Parkview Cancer Healing Garden in Fort Wayne, Indiana earned the Diamond Award from AmericanHort’s International Plantscape Awards. The Diamond is the highest honor given to any plantscaping firm in North America.
The atrium space - designed by Landscape Architect Cathy Offenberg, ASLA of CRJA-IBI Group - offers an escape that replicates a stylized walk in the woods, with forms of plant material the evoke a sense of familiarity, warmth and comfort.
“This project was a fantastic opportunity to showcase what Planterra does best: creating an awe-inspiring green space though a combination of aesthetic passion, technical knowledge, and logistical precision. I believe in the power of plants to promote peace and to aid in healing and am proud to have created this space for patients and their families to enjoy together” says Sarah Stalker, Planterra’s creative director.
Planterra was hired to procure and install the healing garden’s specimen trees, understory plantings and flowering plants. The trees - which included 16 to 18-foot Bucida buceras, Ficus alli and Ficus nitida - were scouted for their sculptural qualities and then acclimatized for interior use for a 14-month period. Planterra is a nationally recognized authority on acclimatized tree procurement, which ensures the long-term success for interior landscapes.
Shane Pliska, president of Planterra, is passionate about incorporating plants into healthcare settings. “Plants greatly contribute to healing environments and it is a privilege every time Planterra is part of a product which benefits the health and well-being of society.”
This is the second time the professionals at Planterra have earned the prestigious Diamond Award. Judging is conducted by a panel of horticulture and interior plantscape peers. One Diamond Award is given annually by the panel to highlight a project deemed to have merit considerably greater than any other project at the conference.
ABOUT PLANTERRA
Founded in 1973, Planterra is a leading provider of interior landscape services for commercial buildings, offering design-build, horticulture maintenance and project consulting. Family-owned and operated, Planterra has extensive expertise in assisting architects, designers and building owners on projects that incorporate live and replica plants into architecture. Planterra is located at 7315 Drake Road in West Bloomfield Township, Mich. Learn more at Planterra.com. Visit @planterraplants on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT AMERICANHORT
Green industry businesses perform better, grow faster and prepare for the future as a member of AmericanHort, the green industry’s leading association. With a rich history of serving horticultural professionals, AmericanHort supports nearly 14,000 member and affiliated businesses that include breeders, greenhouse and nursery growers, garden retailers, distributors, interior and exterior landscape professionals, florists, students, educators, researchers, manufacturers, and all of those who are part of the industry market chain. The horticulture industry's production, wholesale, retail, and landscape service components have annual sales of $196 billion, and sustain over 1.6 million full- and part-time jobs.