Exhibit 1 to Form 8-K
- ---------------------
For further information contact:

                                       Claire  Buchan,  VP  Comm,  (630)271-2150
                                       Bruce Duncan, VP IR,  (630)271-2187 Steve
                                       Preston, CFO, (630)271-2637 Peter Forbes,
                                       LandCare CFO, (713)331-4145

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 1999

SERVICEMASTER AND LANDCARE USA, INC. ANNOUNCE
COMPLETION OF MERGER 

     DOWNERS GROVE, Illinois -- ServiceMaster  (NYSE:SVM) and LandCare USA, Inc.
(NYSE:GRW)  today  announced the  successful  completion of the  acquisition  of
LandCare by ServiceMaster,  following the approval of the transaction at today's
LandCare stockholders' meeting. Based on a exchange ratio of 0.55, ServiceMaster
will issue  approximately 10.2 million shares in exchange for approximately 18.5
million outstanding  LandCare shares. The closing price of ServiceMaster  shares
on the New York Stock Exchange on March 17, 1999 was $18.8125.

     The merger creates the largest  commercial  landscaping  company in America
with annualized  revenues in excess of $550 million.  The combined  company will
provide landscape and tree services to customers through more than 100 locations
in  metropolitan   centers  across  the  country.   The   acquisition   broadens
TruGreen-ChemLawn's  ability to integrate fully its  traditional  fertilizer and
weed control services with landscape  maintenance and  installation,  as well as
indoor plantcare for commercial customers.

     "Combining  TruGreen-ChemLawn  and LandCare is a strategic expansion of our
most profitable  business unit and will provide great benefits to the customers,
associates and shareholders of both companies.  We believe this acquisition will
position us to capitalize on the  significant  opportunities  in the $20 billion
commercial and  institutional  landscape and tree services  industry as we offer
customers an expanded array of green services," said Carlos Cantu, ServiceMaster
President and Chief Executive Officer. "The commercial landscape market has been
growing at double-digit rates and is ripe for consolidation.  We look forward to
taking advantage of these growth opportunities."

        William F. Murdy, LandCare Chairman and CEO, said, "We believe that with
this  merger,  we will be able to  capitalize  on the  operational  expertise of
TruGreen-ChemLawn  to  serve  our  customers  better,  while  at the  same  time
increasing opportunity for our employees."

     ServiceMaster  serves more than 10.5 million customers in the United States
and in 41 countries around the world, with annual customer level revenue of $6.4
billion.  ServiceMaster is a network of quality service companies with two major
operating segments, ServiceMaster Consumer Services and ServiceMaster Management
Services.

        ServiceMaster   Consumer  Services  now  includes  eight  market-leading
companies--  TruGreen-ChemLawn,  Terminix,  American Home Shield, Rescue Rooter,
ServiceMaster  Residential and Commercial Services,  Merry Maids,  AmeriSpec and
Furniture  Medic--  which  operate  through the  ServiceMaster  Quality  Service
Network of  approximately  5,800 U.S.  Company-owned  locations  and  franchised
businesses.

        ServiceMaster  Management Services is the leading facilities  management
company serving health care,  education,  and business and industrial facilities
with  management of plant  operations and  maintenance,  housekeeping,  clinical
equipment maintenance, food service, laundry, grounds and energy.

        In accordance with the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
the Company  notes that  statements  that look  forward in time,  which  include
everything other than historical  information,  involve risks and  uncertainties
that may affect the Company's actual results of operations.  Factors which could
cause actual results to differ materially  include the following (among others):
weather  conditions  adverse  to  certain  of the  Company's  Consumer  Services
businesses,  the entry of additional competitors in any of the markets served by
the Company,  labor  shortages,  consolidation  of  hospitals in the  healthcare
market,  the  condition of the U.S.  economy,  the inability of key suppliers to
achieve timely Y2K compliance in their delivery  systems or the inability of the
Company to make its own systems Y2K  compliant,  and other  factors  listed from
time  to  time  in the  Company's  filings  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission.