Landscape Trades - Dec 2021/Jan 2022 by Landscape Ontario

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TRADES PREVIEW

STATE OF THE

INDUSTRY CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL TRADE PUBLICATION

DEC 2021/JAN 2022

We’re Back!

BOOTH #1414

Unbelievable! Two intensely busy years just zipped by since the last in-person Congress. Definitely time to catch up. No invitation necessary… pop by the booth, check out the display & our focus on "Working Smarter Together". Looking forward to it. It’s been far too long.

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2 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

GREENPENCIL

Reconnect at Congress BY TERRY CHILDS

FOR OUR PROFESSION, Landscape Ontario

Congress is more than just a trade show. The annual event is really a homecoming, and a chance to unite every element of the landscape and horticulture industries under one roof. For me, Congress has always been about reuniting with old friends, and building new relationships.. I like to say, “it’s a relationship show as much as it is a trade show.” After a one-year, in-person hiatus due to COVID-19, Congress is once again opening its doors at the Toronto Congress Centre from Jan. 11-13, 2022, to welcome thousands of like-minded professionals. As show committee chair, I am proud to welcome you to Congress Redefined, an event like no other for Canada’s green professionals. In 2022, Congress Redefined will provide more opportunity than ever to forge strong bonds across our own landscape. The show will provide a chance to celebrate the many challenges we have overcome throughout the pandemic. As always, Congress will present the latest products and ideas our profession needs, with more than 400 exhibitors and a Live Series! Stage featuring leading industry speakers. Congress Redefined will look somewhat different compared to previous years, as we move forward with a hybrid model. On the show floor, attendees will be able to meet exhibitors, watch product demonstrations and participate in networking opportunities. However, some annual in-person events typically held in conjunction with the trade show will remain virtual for 2022. Congress Conference will once again take place via Zoom the week following the show, from Jan. 18-20. The speaker lineup is truly remarkable, and the range of topics covered has something for just about every green professional. The conference will deliver 36 sessions featuring 47 leading experts from across the various sectors of horticulture and

PREVIEW landscaping. The Zoom format will allow us to showcase international experts and their work environments. As a bonus, Conference attendees will be permitted to replay sessions for a limited time period following the seminar. The IPM Symposium (Jan. 6), Landscape Designers Conference (Jan. 25) and the Awards of Excellence Ceremony (Feb. 3) will also be virtual this year. In preparation for Congress Redefined, safety considerations are obviously top of mind. Landscape Ontario’s event team and show committee are working closely with public health officials, colleagues at the Canadian Association of Event Managers (CAEM), the Toronto Congress Centre, as well as suppliers and exhibitors to ensure public health measures are in place to protect the safety of every Congress participant. And as safety regulations continue to evolve, I encourage you to visit congressredefined.com to ensure you’re up to date with the latest protocols required to enter the show. Within the show committee, we define the show’s purpose as an opportunity to communicate, educate and celebrate. For Congress Redefined, I believe we have found an ideal balance of communication, education and celebration to help kick off 2022 as another successful year for the landscape and horticulture professions. I hope to see you at the show. To register for Congress as an attendee or exhibitor, visit congressredefined.com. Terry Childs operates Nature’s Way Landscaping in Gananoque, Ont., and serves as chair of Landscape Ontario’s Congress committee and a member of Landscape Ontario’s COVID-19 Task Force.

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 3

LANDSCAPE TRADES

CONTENTS

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 VOL. 43, NO. 6

LANDSCAPETRADES.COM PUBLISHER EDITOR

Bill Tremblay | btremblay@ ASSISTANT EDITOR

Robert Ellidge | rob@ CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Mike Wasilewski | mikew@ ACCOUNT MANAGER

Greg Sumsion | gsumsion@ COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Angela Lindsay | alindsay@

DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST

Adele Bedard | abedard@ ACCOUNTANT

Joe Sabatino | joesabatino@

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Gerald Boot CLM, Laura Catalano, Lindsay Drake Nightingale, Jeremy Feenstra, Mark Fisher, Hank Gelderman CHT, Marty Lamers, Bob Tubby CLM, Nick Winkelmolen Landscape Trades is published by Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 comments@landscapetrades.com www.landscapetrades.com

Landscape Trades is published six times a year: February, March, May, August, October and December. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One year – $46.90 Two years – $84.74 Three years – $118.64 HST included. U.S. and international please add $20.00 per year for postage and handling. Subscribe at www.landscapetrades.com Copyright 2021. All rights are reserved. Material may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Landscape Trades assumes no responsibility for, and does not endorse the contents of, any advertisements herein. All representations or warranties made are those of the advertiser and not the publication. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the association or its members, but are those of the writer concerned.

ISSN 0225-6398 PUBLICATIONS MAIL SALES AGREEMENT 40013519 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT LANDSCAPE TRADES MAGAZINE 7856 FIFTH LINE SOUTH, MILTON, ON L9T 2X8 CANADA

4 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

CONGRESS ISSUE

Scott Barber | sbarber@

36 COLUMNS

42 MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Improving employee recruitment and retention. BY MARK BRADLEY

46 LEGAL MATTERS

A municipal slip and fall claim goes to the Supreme Court of Canada. BY ROB KENNALEY

66 MENTOR MOMENT

Dr. Nadina Galle plugs into the Internet of Nature.

DEPARTMENTS

3 GREEN PENCIL 50 CNLA NEWS 53 NEWSSCAPE 58 NEW PRODUCTS 65 ADVERTISERS/CLASSIFIEDS/EVENTS

12 26

FEATURES

6 6

2021 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY REPORT

The results are in from Landscape Trades’ inaugural State of the Industry survey.

32 24 A FAREWELL FROM HIS FANS

Rod McDonald’s wise words will be missed by Canada’s landscape profession.

12 CONGRESS PREVIEW

26 PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT

20 A TRUE LEAVES FAN

32 HORTICULTURAL THERAPY FROM COAST-TO-COAST

Canada’s premier green industry trade show returns as an in-person event Jan. 11-13, 2022. The Canadian Museum of Nature honours Ken Jewett with lifetime achievement award.

BY BILL TREMBLAY

22 THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER

Demand outgrows supply in the sod industry.

BY BILL TREMBLAY

Joel and Courtney Hordyk share their passion for shooting outdoor spaces.

Community gardens enrich lives across Canada.

38 A GREEN RECOVERY

Landscape Trades interviews Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 5

2021

STATE OF THE

INDUSTRY REPORT

The results are in from the inaugural Landscape Trades State of the Industry survey. The good news is customer demand is as strong as ever, with many landscaping businesses, garden centres and nurseries posting record years in 2021. But on the flip side, labour shortages and supply chain issues are causing headaches. See the survey results and read our supply chain analysis on pages 8-10. Thank you to the 458 readers who responded to the email survey, and congratulations Shades of Summer Landscaping on winning the $250 participation draw prize.

6 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

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“

Do you believe landscaping is becoming a more desirable career path?

24%

27%

28%

YES

69%

NO OTHER

13%

A LOT

63%

48%

Did your business increase its prices in 2021?

YES

69%

NOT AT ALL

Do you expect to increase prices in 2022?

15%

YES

A LOT

31%

24%

SOME

SOME NOT AT ALL

Did your company experience equipment or material shortages in 2021?

NO 8 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Did your company experience labour shortages in 2021?

85%

“

The biggest challenge we faced was clients not understanding the supply chain issues and product shortages, and the increased costs.

“

While strong consumer demand led to a solid financial year for many Canadian landscape professionals, material and labour shortages meant 2021 wasn’t all smooth sailing. Looking ahead to next year, both issues are expected to remain major challenges. Landscape Trades recently conducted a state of the industry survey in an effort to check the pulse of the trade across Canada. The survey found product and equipment shortages were the most common challenge for landscapers in 2021, with 61.1 per cent of respondents naming material or equipment shortages as a major issue. Recruiting or retaining staff was the second biggest challenge, with 57 per cent of respondents noting staffing as a significant concern. Overall, 75 per cent of survey respondents experienced labour shortages in 2021, while 87 per cent experienced some degree of equipment or material shortages. As well, 85 per cent of respondents experienced price increases throughout the year, yet only 68.8 per cent increased their own prices. “(We had) record revenues, but not profits after expenses,” said one survey respondent. Looking ahead to 2022, the survey found 63.5 per cent of respondents expect recruiting or retaining staff will be one of the biggest hurdles they face, while 51.5 per cent expect sourcing materials or equipment to remain a major issue. The good news is the industry is recording more business, with 17.5 per cent of respondents noting a record year financially in 2021, and 43 per cent experiencing a strong financial picture for their business. As well, nearly 70 per cent of respondents believe landscaping is becoming a more desirable career path. “Normally recruiting and training is an issue. However, we discovered some new team members looking for a change from retail and service industries that have been quite unstable during COVID,” said a survey respondent.

“

We could not keep up with the demand for work. It was our busiest season yet.

Navigating the supply chain

What were the biggest challenges your business faced in 2021? (select all that apply) RECRUITING/RETAINING STAFF

Looking ahead to 2022, what do you expect to be your biggest challenges? (select all that apply) RECRUITING/RETAINING STAFF

57% SOURCING MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT

64% SOURCING MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT

61% SALES (LACK OF CUSTOMER DEMAND)

52% SALES (LACK OF CUSTOMER DEMAND)

7% LOWER PRICED COMPETITORS

23% LEGISLATIVE/REGULATORY BURDEN

24% LEGISLATIVE/REGULATORY BURDEN

19% I DID NOT FACE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES

15% I DID NOT FACE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES

8% OTHER

10% OTHER

Do you plan to purchase new equipment in 2022?

How would you rate your business’s financial picture in 2021? 43%

50%

34%

27% 23%

YES

18% 4%

UNSURE

POOR

MODERATE

STRONG RECORD YEAR

OTHER

Demand exceeds supply The increase in business for landscapers is pushing against an already stressed supply chain. “The demand is greater than it has ever been for anything we sell in this industry,” said Jamie Riddell, SiteOne Landscape Supply’s area manager for Eastern Canada and the I-90 corridor in the United States. “And there is little hesitation to forecast very good growth for the year ahead.” At Congress Conference, Riddell will join four other industry experts for the Current Supply Chain Issues and

Forecast seminar at 1 p.m. on Jan. 19. “The overriding message I will be conveying is there are uncontrollable impacts on a lot of the things we are doing,“ Riddell said. The COVID-19 pandemic created swollen consumer demand that outpaced forecasts. Looking at lighting and irrigation products, for example, supply was further hindered by environmental factors. Last year’s hurricane season knocked resin manufacturers offline on the East Coast. Then, an unlikely winter storm in Texas shut down resin producers in the southern United States. A lack of resin meant plastics were not available to manufacture

lighting components. The same resin is also used in manufacturing PVC pipe and polybutylene pipe for irrigation systems. “Resin availability for manufacturers is dramatically reduced, which is driving the cost of that resin through the stratosphere.” Riddell said. “What we had considered to be an already tight supply chain became an almost impossible supply chain. To this day, there’s still products that are not being manufactured at the same pace as they were prewinter 2020.”

continued >

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 9

The answer isn’t abroad Importing materials is met with its own logistical problems, as a backlog of goods builds up at ports on the West Coast, and container ships must wait several weeks to unload cargo. In 2020, moving a shipping container from China to California would have cost about $3,000. This year, the price increased to more than $20,000. Once the container arrives, the freight cost to move it across North America has almost doubled compared to pre-pandemic numbers. “This is almost the same across every industry and sector group that relies on any supply chain,” Riddell said. “There’s so many

things in our industry right now that are making it so hard to be the most prepared. I spend more time today managing difficult supply chain situations than I do actually facing customers.” At Best Way Stone in Vaughan, Ont., demand for hardscape products has increased as much as 400 per cent, on average, in the last 18 months. “We have been able to adjust and find ways to increase our capacity to fill as much of that demand as we could,” said Best Way Stone sales manager Jason Vettese, who joins Riddell on the Congress supply chain panel. “That’s not to say it hasn’t been challenging meeting

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that demand, and there definitely were and continue to be shortages and longer lead times for products,” Vettese said. Most hardscape manufacturers have limited their product offering in response to the demand increase. “Between delayed freighting and constantly increasing costs, we are faced with a moving target that is very hard to work with when trying to plan and perform effectively for customers,” Vettese said. “We don’t see this challenge getting any easier over the next year or two, and we will all have to do our best to continue to be proactive and agile to changes in order to best serve our industry.”

How do you receive industry information? (select all that apply) TRADE MAGAZINES

87%

1% TRADE SHOWS AND CONFERENCES

LMN

62%

11% NETWORKING WITH INDUSTRY COLLEAGUES

HINDSITE SOFTWARE

57%

1% EMAIL NEWSLETTERS

DYNASCAPE SOFTWARE

60%

10% ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP

JOBBER

50%

2% DIRECT SALES WITH SUPPLIERS

NOT APPLICABLE TO MY BUSINESS

52%

25% SOCIAL MEDIA

NONE

41%

40% OTHER

OTHER

12%

The path forward Riddell explained he hasn’t noticed any indicators that signal an end to supply chain issues. So, the answer to a successful 2022 season will be to understand business needs well in advance. “Given enough notice and time

10 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

to construct orders, we are able to get something to complete the project. In a last minute situation, your options are limited,” Riddell said. He added two-way communication with suppliers will be key to ensuring materials are available when needed.

“An open, honest conversation — both ways — is what’s going to get the job done the best,” Riddell said. “Communicate early, often and choose partners that are working with you to communicate the good news and the bad news to you.”

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PREVIEW

COME HOME TO

Canada’s premier green industry trade show returns as an in-person event

12 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Landscape Ontario Congress is coming back as a live and in-person event. Returning as Congress Redefined, the annual trade show takes place at the Toronto Congress Centre on Jan. 11-13. Rated as one of North America’s top rated shows for the green industry, Congress is celebrating its 49th year in 2022, and will once again prove why it is the definitive trade show for Canadian landscape and horticulture professionals. Tony DiGiovanni, executive director of Landscape Ontario, describes the show as “a homecoming” for all green professionals, from students to seasoned industry veterans. “The value is within the relationship building that defines a community. It is also exciting to see the diversity and size of our sector under one roof,” DiGiovanni said. “Congress is community-building accelerated. Attendees learn new things, meet others in the same profession, renew old friendships, enhance their financial position and in many cases build a legacy.” The trade show element of Congress, which is expected to welcome more than 10,000 green professionals, will feature more than 400 exhibitors from various sectors that fall under the landscape profession’s umbrella, including everything from hardscape to softscape and nurseries to snow and ice management. “We are beyond excited to bring our community back together safely at LO Congress,” said Heather MacRae, Landscape Ontario’s director of events and trade shows. “The support from the suppliers to the landscape profession have made it an absolute pleasure to re-create the new version of Congress.” Alongside exhibitors on the trade show floor, Landscape Ontario has created several feature events to ensure Congress attendees have the best show experience possible.

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 13

SAFETY AT CONGRESS

For the 2022 instalment of Landscape Ontario Congress, numerous protocols will be in place to prioritize the health and safety of all that attend. “I want to assure you, we will be taking every step recommended by public health professionals to ensure Congress is a safe event,” said Joe Salemi, deputy executive director of Landscape Ontario.

PROOF OF VACCINATION

Proof of vaccination and identification is required to enter the Toronto Congress Centre. The show is unable to accept proof of a negative COVID-19 test for admittance. A verified medical exemption will be accepted, in the form of a written document from a physician or nurse practitioner. The medical exemption must include the name and contact information of the physician or nurse practitioner, a logo or letterhead identifying the physician or nurse practitioner and a statement explaining there is a medical reason for your exemption from being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Children who are 11 years of age and younger are exempt from proof of vaccine and testing requirements. As well, the show asks that all attendees complete a self-screening assessment for COVID-19 symptoms before arriving at the show.

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

The New Product Showcase will offer Congress attendees the opportunity to see the latest product releases from exhibitors. Located at the trade show entrance in Hall D, the New Product Showcase highlights new equipment, technology and plants introduced since last year’s Congress. The showcase will feature images of the new product, as well as the exhibitor’s booth number, to serve as a trade show roadmap.

LIVE STAGE

Congress previously hosted live demonstrations at three locations throughout the show. Now, the LIVE Stage in Hall F will serve as a hub for all demos and feature various industry sectors.

PATIO LOUNGE

The Patio Lounge offers attendees a place to take a break, recharge or chat with colleagues. Located near the LIVE Stage in Hall F, the lounge offers seating, charging stations and free Wi-Fi.

RECRUIT LIVE

Recruit LIVE will connect employers with prospective new employees right on the show floor. Located in Hall F, Landscape Ontario’s Recruit LIVE is an opportunity for employers and future employees to network, conduct interviews and hire candidates right at the show.

CONGRESS CONFERENCE The Congress Conference will take place online via Zoom Jan. 18-20, 2022. The conference has established a name for itself as Canada’s top professional development event for horticulture, and this year is no different. Conference attendees will be able to virtually attend 36 sessions, led by industry experts covering horticulture, business and special interests. “The speaker lineup is truly remarkable, and the range of topics covered has something for just about every green professional,” said Joe Salemi, deputy executive director of Landscape Ontario.

SEE YOU AT THE SHOW

While Congress will look somewhat different in 2022, the event has existed for as long as Landscape Ontario has been an association. DiGiovanni recalls attending the event just as he entered the profession. “When I was a horticulture student wondering if this industry was really for me, visiting Congress reinforced that I had made the right choice and that there was a life after college,” DiGiovanni said. “Whether this is your first congress or your 40th, we can’t wait to see you at the Toronto Congress Centre,” Salemi said. Early bird discounts for Congress are in effect until Dec. 17, 2021, and Landscape Ontario members qualify for additional savings. To register for the show, visit congressredefined.com.

FACE MASKS

Face masks are mandatory for all guests ages two and up. Neck gaiters are not permitted. The City of Toronto has passed a bylaw requiring everyone to wear a mask or face covering in all indoor public settings. Congress attendees are also asked to maintain a safe distance from one another, as per rules and regulations.

14 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

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CONGRESS CONFERENCE

EVENT SCHEDULE

While the trade show is in-person, a number of partner events remain virtual for 2022, providing accessibility for landscape professionals all across Canada. JAN. 11, 12, 13

CONGRESS TRADE SHOW | Toronto Congress Centre

Your trade show pass provides access to more than 400 exhibitors as well as live demos and recruitment opportunities in the Patio lounge. The show floor is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 11-12, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 13. Parking onsite is free.

congressredefined.com JAN. 18, 19, 20

CONGRESS CONFERENCE | Virtual conference via Zoom

Landscape Ontario’s virtual Congress Conference will offer attendees the opportunity to learn from experts from around the world. The annual seminar series returns Jan. 18-20, via Zoom, and delivers 36 sessions featuring 47 leading experts from across the various sectors of horticulture and landscaping.

congressredefined.com/conference THURSDAY, JAN. 6

IPM SYMPOSIUM | Virtual conference via Zoom

Landscape Ontario’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Symposium includes seven seminars covering a range of topics from applied research for turfgrass management to common disease identification and treatment to an overview of MECP’s pesticide program along with inspection and compliance updates. Symposium attendees earn six Continuing Education Credits (CECs) from the IPM Council of Canada upon completion of an online exam.

landscapeontario.com/ipm-symposium-2022 TUESDAY, JAN. 25

LANDSCAPE DESIGNER CONFERENCE | Virtual conference via Zoom

An initiative of Landscape Ontario’s Landscape Designer Sector Group, the conference delivers a full day of seminars created for landscape designers and landscape architects. Throughout the day, 16 industry experts will deliver six seminars covering a variety of topics from selecting the right plants based on home, style and environmental conditions to using drones in landscape design. The 2022 edition is presented with recognition of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA). Sessions qualify for OALA CECs.

landscapeontario.com/landscape-designer-conference-2022

16 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

PREVIEW Held Jan. 18-20, 2022, Congress Conference delivers 36 virtual sessions featuring 47 leading experts from across the various sectors of horticulture and landscaping. For more information on sessions, or to register, visit congressredefined.com/conference.

TUESDAY, JAN. 18 POND MANAGEMENT THE OPPORTUNITY AND NECESSITY

David Sim 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

EMBRACE YOUR INNER GEEK

Grant Harrison 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

GARDEN CENTRES AROUND THE WORLD

Paul Cooling, Rachel Doyle, Nick Stodel, Leanne Johnson, Karen Moad 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. SUSTAINABILITY BUZZ WORD OR BUZZ KILL?

John Bladon 11 a.m. to noon

INNOVATIVE SOILS IN THE MODERN CONSTRUCTION LANDSCAPE

Jose Haig 11 a.m. to noon

SUCCESSFULLY RECRUITING AND RETAINING LABOUR

Lindsay Drake Nightingale, Christine Moffit, Kathy Thomas, Scott Wentworth 11 a.m. to noon GET SMOOTH OPERATIONS WITH REPEATABLE SYSTEMS

Jacki Hart 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

2021 TRIAL GARDEN RESULTS

Rodger Tschanz 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

BUILDING A MORE INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE IN GREEN PROFESSIONS

Jeanette Barber 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

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TUESDAY, JAN. 18

PROTECTING FRUIT TREES FROM PESTS AND DISEASES

Susan Poizner 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19 GARDEN SPOTLIGHT: ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS KEW (London, UK)

Richard Barley 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

THE COOKIE HAS CRUMBLED: CONSIDERATIONS FOR DIGITAL ADVERTISING WITHOUT THE COOKIE

Zachary O’Connor 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

BUILDING WINNING TEAMS: KEEP THEM AND TRAIN THEM TO SUCCEED

Rob Redden 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

HIGH LEVEL ESTIMATING: STRATEGIC VS. TACTICAL THINKING

George Urvari 11 a.m. to noon

ESTIMATE AND LEARN TO USE IT LIKE A PRO! THE INTERNET OF NATURE

Nadina Galle 11 a.m. to noon

CONTAINER GARDENING FOR FOUR SEASONS

Catherine Karpman 11 am to noon

CURRENT SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND FORECASTS FOR 2022/2023

Jamie Riddell, Jeff Olsen, Mike Schiedel, Jason Ireton, Jason Vettese 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. RECOMMENDED REPERTOIRE OF RESPECTABLE PLANTS 4.0

Jon Peter, Colleen Cirillo, Darrell Bley 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. OPTIMAL RECOVERY, SLEEP AND ENERGY FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH

Dr. Matthew Posa 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

FIVE SEASONS: THE GARDENS OF PIET OUDOLF (VIRTUAL SCREENING)

3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

THREE REPORTS EVERY LANDSCAPE BUSINESS NEEDS TO GROW PROFITABILITY

Greg Herring 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

TREES AND CONSTRUCTION DAMAGE

Kyle McLoughlin 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

THANK YOU

SENIORS GARDENS: A GROWING MARKET WITH HIGH PROFIT POTENTIAL

Ron Koudys 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

PROFITING FROM SAYING “NO”

Haig Seferian, Beth Edney, Frank Ferragine, Jim Mosher, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

THURSDAY, JAN. 20 PREPARING THE GROUND FOR HEALTHY SOIL

Glenn Munroe, |Greg Patterson, Jon Durzi 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

ARE YOU DIGITALLY RELEVANT? FACE THE NEW WORLD OF ONLINE COMMERCE AND COMMUNICATIONS HEAD ON

Leslie Halleck 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

COLLABORATION WITH MUNICIPALITIES & CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES

PARX: A PRESCRIPTION FOR NATURE AND HEALTH

Paul Brydges 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Dr. Melissa Lem, Jennie McCaffrey 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS WITH STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS

INVASIVE SPECIES FOR CAROLINIAN TREES

BUDGETING DURING AND POST PANDEMIC

HELP YOUR LANDSCAPE SHINE WITH PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Jacki Hart 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Peter Guinane 11 a.m. to noon

INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURE TECHNIQUES

Isaac Crosby 11 a.m. to noon

THE PLANT PARENTING REVOLUTION: CONNECT & CULTIVATE HOUSEPLANTS TRENDS TO MAXIMIZE RETAIL SALES

Kyle McLoughlin 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

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A TRUE LEAVES FAN Canadian Museum of Nature

HONOURS KEN JEWETT

with lifetime achievement award

BY BILL TREMBLAY

t age 65, Ken Jewett decided to hand the reins of his business, Marsan Foods, to his sons, Graeme and James. Marsan Foods recorded impressive growth since Jewett started the business in 1969. The company was born in the Jewett family kitchen, and has grown to become a supplier of frozen prepared meals, soups and sauces for restaurants, health care facilities and the airline sector. Although he stepped away from Marsan Foods, Jewitt wasn’t ready to retire. Instead, he turned his attention to the diminishing sugar maple tree population in Ontario. Jewett had noticed the native maple trees that once lined rural Ontario roads and farm laneways were in decline. So, in 2002, Jewett, a resident of Mulmur, Ont., officially launched Maple Leaves Forever (MLF), a charitable foundation that advocates for and supports the planting of native Canadian maple trees. “The maple tree, the maple leaf, maple

WE DO

syrup, it’s part of our whole Canadian heritage,” Jewett said. “I saw native maple trees disappearing and being replaced by cultivars and invasive species. I’ve made a pledge to try and stop this, and to help farmers and landowners plant native maples along their roadsides and laneways.” This fall, the Canadian Museum of Nature honoured Jewett with its 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award. “These awards are taking place at a time when the pandemic is reminding us how much we need a responsible connection to nature for our health and well-being,” said Meg Beckel, president and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Nature and chair/exofficio member of the awards selection jury. As part of the museum’s Nature Inspiration Awards, the lifetime achievement honour recognizes leadership through innovative projects that connect Canadians with the natural world. Jewett received the award for dedicating his life and personal finances to the planting of native maple

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trees across Canada. Through MLF, Jewett has provided more than $2.5 million to individuals and groups for planting initiatives and to promote environmental education on the importance of native Canadian maple trees. Under Jewett’s leadership, MLF created a Thank You Rebate program for rural landowners to help plant native maples. The program provides a rebate of up to 25 per cent for purchases of 10 to 50 native maples planted on rural roadsides. By working with seed collectors and nurseries, MLF ensures a supply of certified, native, seed zone specific sugar, red and silver maple seedlings are available to be grown into saplings and trees. Today, MLF has helped plant about 130,000 native maples throughout Ontario in partnership with 22 nurseries and several municipalities. The trees represent more than 2,000 km of maple-lined roadways and laneways. Furthermore, Maple Leaves Forever partners with several like-minded organizations, including Ontario Envirothon, GrandTrees Climate Change Solutions, Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign and One Bench One Tree. Most recently, MLF partnered with Highway of Heroes Campaign to support the planting of 175 native maple trees at the Afghanistan Repatriation Memorial in Trenton. Ont. For more information on Maple Leaves Forever, visit mapleleavesforever.ca.

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THE GRASS IS ALWAYS

GREENER Demand outgrows supply in the sod industry

BY BILL TREMBLAY

or Canada’s sod growers, the COVID-19 pandemic created an abundance of opportunity, possibly too much opportunity. When COVID-19 and its travel-related restrictions hindered the ability to vacation, homeowners focused their attention — and their disposable income — on their properties instead of their wanderlust. “It’s the lockdown effect. People can’t travel so they’re focused on creating their own little oasis in their backyard. Everybody’s landscaping,” said Brett Jeacle, president of the Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario and director of revenue operations at Manderley Turf Products Inc. “It’s a perfect storm that nobody saw coming, obviously.” Before the pandemic, the sod market was shrinking. Some growers opted to sell their inventory and leave the industry in favour of higher-demand crops. Others downsized their sod crops to diversify their product offering. After COVID-19 restrictions came into effect, Manderley Turf Products, which operates in Ontario, Alberta and Quebec, noticed its customers’ orders increased dramatically. “All of a sudden we come into the COVID era, and the script flips entirely,” Jeacle said. “We were talking about initiatives to preserve the market we had. Then, all of a sudden, the market is growing for the first time in decades.” When lockdowns became a reality, Fairgreen Sod Farms, located in Markham and Oro-Medonte, Ont., was deciding how many acres of land they would dedicate to sod production. With garden centres and home improvement stores limited to curbside pickup, Fairgreen opted to increase cash crop production, rather than sod. “We ended up taking 300 acres that would have gone into sod, and put it into corn and soybeans. Obviously, we guessed wrong,” said Matt Gauthier, farm manager at Fairgreen Sod Farms. “We thought the pandemic would be

22 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

bad news for the industry. We were thinking we weren’t going to have a season.” By the end of 2020, Fairgreen would cut 700 acres of sod, but only plant new grass seed on 400 acres. Fortunately, 2018 marked the largest amount of seed planted in Fairgreen’s history. “We got lucky, we had extra inventory going into it,” Gauthier said.

DELAYED REACTION

The remedy to sod supply isn’t as simple as growing more grass, since the time from seed to sod may take as long as three years and usually a minimum of 18-months. If we could put more sod in the ground today, and have it ready for Friday, we would have done that,” Jeacle said. As well, grass isn’t harvested in the same manner as other crops. “It’s not like corn or soybean where it’s all about plant health. For us, it’s all about density,” said Mike Schiedel, manager at Greenhorizons Sod Farms. “We need a healthy grass plant that’s dense enough without weeds or holes that can make a roll. You need the root structure. If you start harvesting sod prematurely before you should, you start to bring your yield down.” Sod is also a uniquely local product with a minimal shelf life, meaning importing isn’t an option. “When we harvest it and cut its roots off, it’s stacked on a skid, and the clock starts ticking,” Schiedel explained. With farms in Hamilton, Cambridge and London, Ontario, Greenhorizons operates about 6,000 acres with upwards of 4,000 acres green in grass per year. The company supplies landscapers, commercial properties, municipalities and homebuilders. Throughout its diversified customer base, demand has increased between 30 to 50 per cent.

Once sod is harvested, “it’s stacked on a skid and the clock starts ticking,” says Mike Schiedel, manager at Greenhorizons Sod Farms.

Schiedel explained that while homeowners focused their attention on their properties, demand from new home construction also increased dramatically. “It’s exciting and worrisome. We’re harvesting inventory that we should really be harvesting in the spring of 2022. How do you solve that?” Schiedel said. “There is no other way to find more sod. What you have is what you planned for two years ago.”

GROWING PAINS

Bob Buckton, of the Peterborough, Ontario-based Graham Turf Seeds, said the grass seed market is also expecting a lack of supply. An increase in demand, as well as drought in the seed producing regions of the western United States, has impacted seed availability. Buckton explained environmental factors alone are expected to reduce this year’s seed crop by 30 to 40 per cent. “They’ve had such high heat out there, the crops have really been hit hard,” Buckton said. “The demand is unprecedented for sure. Prices are going to go up a bit, just because of supply and demand.” Competition from other, more profitable crops will also hinder grass seed supply. With wheat prices climbing, some farmers opted to forego, or reduce, grass seed crops. “Supply is getting very, very tight. With that, pricing will go up,” Buckton said. Mother Nature is also causing issues for

sod farms. In 2020, drought affected grass development. This year, too much rain is threatening to hinder the seeding of new crops. “When we seed, we need it dry. Otherwise it sticks to the seeders. Then it doesn’t come out level and the sod ends up with ruts and holes when you harvest,” Gauthier explained. Input costs are another growing issue for sod farmers. Fertilizer is facing supply issues and prices have nearly doubled. Like many other industries, fuel prices are also taking a toll on production costs. “The crops we are planting this year are going to be sizably more expensive,” Jeacle said.

NO CLEAR CUT SOLUTION

An increase in demand for sod is expected to continue. However, exactly how demand will play out is unknown. “On one hand, it’s exciting and great because it’s an opportunity to sell. But it’s also challenging to manage,” Jeacle said. If growers decide to plant more grass seed, it may be ready to harvest in time for demand to return to pre-pandemic levels. As well, Jeacle said it’s unlikely farmers have additional land to plant extra sod crops, or would consider purchasing space to expand. “The answer isn’t trying to produce more, especially because it’s not an immediate reaction,” he said. Jeacle said he believes the best solution

is to stay the course, manage inventory and employ supply and demand economics. “If everybody is knocking on the door, I would be using things like pricing mechanisms to obviously try to slow some of that demand,” he said, adding sod prices have been relatively stagnant for years. “I think a large enough correction is probably overdue. We’re not having secret meetings to do that. It’s up to the individual growers, but ultimately I would think there will be a good size increase next year.” A price increase isn’t an easy solution for sod farmers. Jeacle explained they see their customers as partners, often with a lengthy history of cooperation. “It should be a dream situation in terms of the textbook, but it’s not. It’s very difficult,” he said. “You have to recognize it’s not only the livelihoods of you and your employees, but your customers as well.” Schiedel explained some sod farmers have started using a quota system to provide sod to their regular customers, while turning away new clientele. Fortunately, Greenhorizons wasn’t forced to turn anyone away this summer. “We are giving people the heads up that supply is tight and there’s a shortage,” Schiedel said. “We are getting worried about how we properly handle this to make sure next spring we’re looking after everybody.” He added the sod industry has put in the extra effort to maintain prices, or implement minimal increases this season. “We treat our landscapers as partners. We need to make sure they’re getting the proper price increase for their labour and able to cover the supply,” Schiedel said. “Looking at our replacement costs and for next year’s seasons, that’s just not the case. There will definitely be significant increases to cover next year.” Gauthier recommends that landscapers check with their sod suppliers before they quote a job. “In the past, the industry set their prices in the spring and then stuck to those prices through the season,” he said. “With Mother Nature the way it is, and the market the way it is, it might not be a given that those prices will hold.” LT

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 23

A farewell from his fans Rod McDonald’s wise words will be missed by Canada’s landscape profession

n the August issue of Landscape Trades, Rod McDonald announced his retirement from penning his Road to Success column. McDonald owned and operated Lakeview Gardens, a successful garden centre and landscape firm in Regina, Sask., for nearly three decades. After selling the business, he shared his insights into Lakeview Gardens’ successes, struggles and its learning experiences via a column in each issue of Landscape Trades. However, after reflecting on the industry for 14 years, McDonald decided he had mapped the road to success as best he could, and announced his retirement. “There are only so many ways I can phrase the basic concept that by taking care of your customers, your staff and your business affairs, everything will work out,” McDonald said in his farewell column. In retirement, McDonald plans to spend more time with his wife Maureen. He also plans to continue to coach Saskatchewan’s next generation of boxers at the Lonsdale Boxing Club in Regina. He is grateful for the 45 years in our industry and for all of the wonderful men and women he has met. Judging by the responses generated by his farewell column, his stories and advice will be missed by Canada’s landscape profession. Here are a few of the well wishes sent in from readers: “Congratulations on your retirement! I have always read your columns with interest. It is as you mentioned, a great industry full of great hard working people. We have a unique industry and I have been fortunate to be a part of it.” KARL STENSSON Vice executive chairman at Sheridan Nurseries Georgetown, Ont.

24 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

“I’ve enjoyed reading your articles for a long time, so I will miss them. I also fully agree with your description of all the incredible people working in this industry. It is also my story, as I have never witnessed such dedication, knowledge, info exchange and full readiness to provide help to a fellow industry person in need, whether or not they were competitors. I worked in five different industries in my life and this is the only one with this very unique quality and ever-learning knowledge. My heart is embedded in it. Take care my friend. Enjoy retirement, but keep some busyness.” CHRIS ANDREWS Former executive director of The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association Woodbridge, Ont. “Thank you for sharing with me your final column for Landscape Trades. I connected with several ideas in this column, including the importance of remaining “teachable.” This is a virtue that I hold onto dearly. Growth mindset requires it. Yet, it requires humility — and that can be hard. And the second idea which I was fond of was in your closing paragraph: ‘In my younger days, I saw everything in black and white, and I was too hot headed. I burnt bridges when I should have been building them. Stay on the road to success.’ I couldn’t agree more.” RILEY HAMMOND Former Lakeview Gardens employee Brandon, Man. “Congratulations on everything you achieved in our industry!” GERRY AUBIN Owner of Aubin Nurseries Carman, Man.

“Needless to say, all good things come to an end. Upon reading your articles, I have enjoyed your writing abilities in expressing situations as they really are. Life’s experiences bring loads of wisdom if we let them. And yes, as we age with the passing years change inevitably happens.”

SHARON RONALD Owner of Jeffries Nurseries Portage la Prairie, Man.

“Your writing has been to me the best part of Landscape Trades and I turn to it every issue. You have chosen your own time to “retire” and that is honourable. We will hope to keep in touch. I hope your health continues to serve you well. God Bless.” WILBERT RONALD Owner of Jeffries Nurseries Portage la Prairie, Man.

“That was a graceful exit, Rod. Well done, and that advice about building bridges rather than burning them is worth remembering in every aspect of our lives.” GAIL BOWEN Author and playwright Regina, Sask.

“It is always enjoyable to read about someone’s personal struggles and successes. You started from the bottom and built a very successful gardening business. Your second career as a writer was putting the lessons you learned in the business on paper. It has been a joy to read about your experiences.” HANS DE JONGH Owner of Paridon Horticultural Delta, B.C.

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Cameron St.

Visual Storytelling HAMILTON, ONT.

oel and Courtney Hordyk are the husband and wife team behind Cameron St. Visual Storytelling, a photography and videography firm based in Hamilton, Ont. Joel recently connected with Landscape Trades to talk about their passion for shooting landscapes and gardens. Joel will also be part of the Congress Virtual Conference this year, as an expert panelist for the “Help Your Landscapes Shine with Professional Photography” session on Jan. 20, 2022. Visit congressredefined.com/conference to register. continued >

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 27

Landscape Trades (LT)

How did you get started in landscape/ garden photography?

Joel Hordyk (JH): Cameron St Visual Storytelling began in 2014 as a landscape construction and maintenance focused photography company by

28 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

my wife, Courtney. At the time, I was working as a landscape construction foreman for a Landscape Ontario member company. In January of 2017, I joined my wife’s company. We started offering video services as well. We noticed how more and more people in the landscape community had begun to use social media

as their main source of advertising and we wanted to offer them high-quality photography and video content to use on these platforms. So that has been our niche since the company started and is a natural fit given my 15 years working in the landscape industry.

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LT: What catches your eye when you are

photographing a garden?

JH: When capturing a landscape, I’m

looking for how to creatively frame each photo. And when it comes to hardscapes and structures I’m looking for symmetry and leading lines to help frame it. When photographing a professionally designed landscape, it makes our job easier since the plant material and hardscapes are often spaced out and layered in a very pleasing way.

LT: Do you have any tips or tricks you can share? JH: You can save a lot of headache by

conducting a pre-photoshoot inspection of the property. This is most often done by a rep of the landscape company we’re shooting for, but that’s not always the case. We have quite a long list of requirements before we can complete a proper photoshoot. This list has grown over the years as we’ve experienced new “firsts” when showing up for a photoshoot. At the end of the day, the more work you put into the prep stage, the more success you’ll have. And that’s what we want for every single shoot and every single client of ours.

LT: What are some of your favourite gardens you have photographed?

JH: Over the years we’ve had the privilege to photograph some incredibly impressive landscapes and residences. Although a few do stick out in my head as the most stunning, I find the majority of landscapes we shoot all have at least one or two elements that are really exciting to capture and are very rewarding.

LT: What is your favourite camera gear for

shooting gardens?

JH: Our main landscape photography

gear consists of a Canon 1DX with Canon 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200 lenses. These lense options allow us to capture each detail and part of the landscape as creatively as possible. We also use a DJI Phantom 4 PRO for aerial shots where applicable. LT

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Horticultural therapy from coast-to-coast Community gardens enrich lives across Canada

BY JORDAN WHITEHOUSE

everal years ago, an elderly man was admitted to Homewood Health Centre, a mental health and addiction facility in Guelph, Ont. Diagnosed with reactive depression following the death of his wife, the former farmer was lonely, had little interest in life and was physically weak from inactivity. With encouragement, however, he attended Homewood’s horticulture program, led by horticultural therapist Mitchell Hewson. Slowly, the man began participating in a range of activities, from plant propagation to vegetable planting. He was soon sharing his experience and skills as a farmer with others. Eventually, the man left Homewood, but back home he continued gardening. He built raised containers and planters on his balcony to maintain his interest in horticulture. Hewson stayed in touch, and the man told him that gardening gave him another chance to use his skills to care for something and reconnect with life. “Horticultural therapy helped him rediscover his strengths and abilities, giving him a renewed sense of purpose and hope,” Hewson said. Hewson has a 50-year career full of stories just like this one. He was likely the first horticultural therapist to practise in Canada, and he leads a popular online horticultural therapy course, so he has witnessed the modality’s evolution up close. Initially, horticultural therapy was mainly used with the elderly and those suffering from mental illness. It still is today, but you can also find people from all walks of life benefitting from horticultural therapy in a wide variety of settings, including health care centres, correctional facilities, farming communities and community gardens.

32 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

The Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association distinguishes between two types of plant-based therapy. Horticultural therapy is a goal-oriented and formal practice administered by trained therapists who use plants, horticultural activities and the garden landscape to promote well-being. Therapeutic horticulture, on the other hand, isn’t necessarily goal-oriented, but still uses plants and plantrelated activities to promote health and wellness. Perhaps what ties these different types of therapy together, in all of these different settings, is what Hewson says has made the practice successful: its client-centred approach. In other words, horticultural therapy is often guided and structured by trained professionals, and it encourages people to help themselves.

Well-being Garden

About 35 km northeast of Sarnia, Ont., on the shores of Lake Huron, sits Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, a community of about 2,000 people. One of the main streets on the reserve is Indian Lane, and if you were to drive down it and take a peek between the health centre, the seniors’ facility and the school, you might spot Ruth Anne Cook among the plants of a bursting community garden. In 2020, the educator and horticultural therapist was asked to help develop a garden there, and with support from members of the community, she set to work. At first, it was just a three-quarter-acre grassy area, but soon they transformed it into several plots. One area is for white corn, another is for medicinal plants and herbs, and a third has 24 raised boxes filled with vegetables. In the centre of the garden

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 33

counselling services to those in need, and is a six-metre plot resembling a medicine as the director of employment services, Rob wheel. A wooden arch welcomes visitors, McLennan explains “our footprint pretty displaying its name: “Well-being Garden.” much goes to the sidewalk; not a lot of soil.” “It’s a very fitting name,” Cook said. Six years ago, though, about 3,200 square Initially, the Well-being Garden was metres of soil was offered to Stella’s Circle conceived as a way to help alleviate by the owner of a downtown condominium. some of the food insecurity issues in the McLennan and others jumped at the community, but it soon became more. opportunity to build a community garden Elders, for example, would visit to share their history with gardening. Cooking demonstrations were Innisfree Farm held on Tuesdays. And Cook put in Courtenay, B.C. her horticultural therapy training specializes in to good use — with one man in medicinal plants and particular. also features a Victory Vegetable Garden. This man was homeless, and he began using the garden as a place to sleep. Slowly, Cook got to know him, and found out that he had run away from a residential school as a child and had struggled with mental illness and substance abuse. “This led to family disconnect; nobody would take him,” Cook said. “He had a whole history of not belonging anywhere.” For a few weeks, however, he found a place at the Well-being Garden, working there, sharing food and engaging in conversation with Cook. Later, and following Cook’s encouragement, the health centre opened a respite location for people who need a place to live in the community. there. Soon, funding was secured and Stella’s “I like to think it was partly through us Circle had a Green Team of women who working with him and having him there that had been involved with the criminal justice they opened that, but that was one of the system developing the land. Today, the plot is good things to come out of this,” Cook said. filled with fruits and vegetables, annuals and Although the pandemic has put a damper perennials, as well as small greenhouses, on more therapeutic uses of the garden, trees and other spaces to just enjoy the Cook is hoping to add additional wellness outdoors. programming for families and others soon. Not long after developing Bonaventure “This all started out as a food security thing, Community Garden, Stella’s Circle began but has developed and morphed into so enrolling a few staff members in Mitchell much more,” Cook said. “It’s been wonderful.” Hewson’s horticultural therapy course. Now Bonaventure the garden is sometimes used both formally Community Garden and informally for therapeutic purposes. Like most organizations located in Stella’s Circle program participant Jeff downtown areas, Stella’s Circle doesn’t Dwyer is one of the many people who have have much greenspace. The St. John’s, benefitted from the garden. “It’s helped me Newfoundland-based non-profit offers because it’s taught me a lot about staying housing, training, employment and calm, and not overreacting when things 34 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

don’t work exactly [right] the first time,” Dwyer told CBC News in 2019 “Instead of just sitting there talking to someone, you actually get to go and do something, and feel better about yourself. You get to express yourself through your gardening.” McLennan explained there can be social therapeutic benefits as well. “When people are doing things in their communities, feeling productive, talking to others, they’re building relationships and feeling engaged. And when this is happening outdoors in green spaces, it seems to work all the better,” McLennan said. “So, in the garden, maybe you’re working alongside one of the people who lives in the condominiums and you’re talking about where to best grow tomatoes. Nobody is the expert and the exchange is based on a common purpose and shared experience. The opportunity to be included and to make a contribution that benefits self and others can be huge for people who have experienced all kinds of intersecting oppressions and marginalization.” Other members of the St. John’s community have used the garden as well, including area schools, the Association for New Canadians and the Assertive Community Treatment Team, which provides community-based treatment to clients with severe and chronic mental illness. As the garden continues to expand, the hope is that even more community members find it beneficial. “We want it to appeal to everyone,” McLennan said. “You come to the garden and you take from it what you need to. You interact with the garden features as much as you want or as little as you want.”

Innisfree Farm

In 2005, when Chanchal Cabrera and her husband Thierry Vrain bought a sevenacre property in Courtenay, B.C., they had a very strong mission in mind. “We wanted to connect people back to the land, to the source of their food, and ultimately to the

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Ruth Anne Cook helped develop a community garden for the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.

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source of their well-being,” Cabrera said. It was a bold mission, but it made sense for Cabrera, a medical herbalist, and Vrain, a retired soil scientist. And they got to work putting it in motion, eventually planting hundreds of vegetable and medicinal plants; setting up a greenhouse and a nursery; and installing a pond, sculptures and an oyster shell labyrinth. They even have a tea room onsite. Fifteen years later, Cabrera and Vrain’s mission has taken many forms. While anyone can visit to explore, work on and learn about the property, both formal and informal horticultural therapy happen there too. Cabrera said informal therapy happens when people visit to just enjoy being outside. “We have a volunteering program, for example, where people come twice a week to work in the gardens for their own pleasure and benefit on a personal level,” Cabrera said. “We have a lot of fun, we serve lunch and do a casual question-andanswer session on one of those days.” On the more formal side, care attendants visit with individuals from a wide range of health-related organizations to engage in specific activities, such as planting or making art. Cabrera and Vrain may organize some of these activities and even help measure the benefits or progress of these individuals. About 10 years ago, a non-verbal woman who suffered from frequent seizures, began visiting regularly. She loved petting the farm’s cats and putting her hands in dirt, Cabrera remembers. “Those activities calmed her down, and she never had a seizure on our property.” One year, they decided to enter a small planter box that the young woman had grown in a local agricultural fair — and she won. She was thrilled. “That was incredibly empowering for her,” Cabrera said. “Could I measure that she needed less medication after being here? No. But did she benefit from that experience? Absolutely. In fact, I’m in touch with her mom and she tells me that she still has an interest in the gardens and being outside. So, that was a great success.” Cabrera and Vrain have more than a decade of stories similar to this one, and the aim is to continue delivering on that mission of connecting people to one source of their well-being. “It’s not a very hidden secret here,” Cabrera said. “We have a big agenda of getting people back in touch with nature.” LT

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A green recovery LANDSCAPE TRADES INTERVIEWS CANADA’S MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES Jonathan Wilkinson

andscape Trades had the opportunity to speak with Jonathan Wilkinson, who was recently named Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources after serving as the Minister of Environment & Climate Change. Wilkinson outlined the Government of Canada’s Federal Budget 2021 and what it means for the country’s nursery and landscape industry.

Landscape Trades: What are some of the key environmental initiatives announced in the 2021 Federal Budget?

Jonathan Wilkinson (JW): Climate change is the challenge of our times. And, it is also one of our greatest opportunities. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested roughly $60 billion toward climate action and clean growth. In December 2020, the federal government published A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, Canada’s strengthened climate plan to create jobs and support people, communities and the planet. The plan includes 64 strengthened and new federal measures, with $15 billion in new investments. Measures fall under five pillars of action: make the places Canadians live and gather more affordable by cutting energy waste; make clean, affordable transportation and power available in every Canadian community; continue to ensure that pollution isn’t free and that households get more money back; build Canada’s clean industrial advantage, and; embrace the power of nature to support healthier families and more resilient communities. The federal government has since expanded on these investments and committed an additional $17.6 billion in new, green recovery measures announced under Budget 2021. Key measures announced in recent months include launching the $3 billion Strategic Innovation Fund Net-Zero Accelerator to support Canada’s industrial transformation

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across all sectors and committing an additional $5 billion through Budget 2021 to support projects that will help decarbonize heavy industry and support clean technology; providing $2.6 billion to help homeowners improve their home energy efficiency by providing grants for energy-efficient improvements and up to one million free EnerGuide energy assessments, with additional funding of $4.4 billion under Budget 2021 to help homeowners complete deep home retrofits through interest-free loans worth up to $40,000; investing $1.5 billion over three years for green and inclusive community buildings through retrofits, repairs, upgrades and new builds; investing $1.5 billion in a low-carbon and zero-emissions fuels fund to increase the production and use of low-carbon fuels (e.g., hydrogen, biocrude, renewable natural gas and diesel, cellulosic ethanol); investing an additional $964 million over four years to advance smart renewable energy and grid modernization projects to enable the clean grid of the future; providing Sustainable Development Technology Canada with an additional $750 million over five years to support startups and to scale up companies to enable pre-commercial clean technologies to successfully demonstrate feasibility as well as to support early commercialization efforts; investing up to $631 million over 10 years to restore and enhance wetlands, peatlands, grasslands and agricultural lands to boost carbon sequestration; and releasing Canada’s Hydrogen Strategy, which sets out a path for integrating low emitting hydrogen across the Canadian economy. As announced by the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in April 2021, Canada’s new and enhanced 2030 greenhouse gas mitigation target is 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels, which is a significant increase from Canada’s original target of 30 per cent below 2005 levels. Canada’s new target is ambitious, required and achievable, reflecting both the

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scale of the climate crisis and economic opportunity that climate action presents. Furthermore, the 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework, 2020 Strengthened Climate Plan, additional investments through Budget 2021 and other actions, including strengthened alignment with the United States to further cut pollution from transportation and methane emissions, mean that Canada is now positioned to reduce emissions by about 36 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. We remain committed to working with the provinces and territories to advance shared priorities that will further lower emissions, including on a regional and bilateral basis. We will also continue to partner with First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation to advance Indigenous climate leadership and ensure that federal policies and programs are designed to address Indigenous peoples’ climate priorities.

How do you see Canada’s nursery and landscape industry participating in the procurement of clean energy equipment?

JW: There are a number of opportunities for Canada’s nurseries to grow seedlings, while using clean and renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, geothermal and bioenergy to heat and power nursery greenhouses. These high-efficiency systems are able to significantly reduce carbon emissions and other particulate matter

in comparison to traditional heating fuels and are able to provide between 65 to 85 per cent emissions reduction on a life cycle basis, in comparison to heating oil. In addition, new technology is emerging to further increase both the heating efficiency and carbon emissions reduction of these wood-powered systems for greenhouses. For example, biomass furnace flue gas emissions technology captures waste heat from wood pellet systems, which can be redirected back into the greenhouse, furthering the systems heating efficiency while also capturing emitted carbon to be used in the greenhouse to grow seedlings. Technologies such as these, along with readily available low-carbon fuel sources like wood pellets, can help make the use of these technologies by nurseries attractive low-carbon and low-cost options.

How do you see Canada’s nursery and landscape industry participating in the carbon capture and storage initiative?

JW: There is ample opportunity for Canada’s nurseries to participate in and to support the development of carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) and bioenergy carbon capture utilization and storage (BECCUS) since nursery greenhouses require carbon dioxide (CO2) to grow seedlings. For example, the Toundra Greenhouse in Saint-Félicien, Quebec, is a 19-hectare greenhouse complex that uses carbonic

anhydrase enzymes in a salt solution to capture both waste heat and CO2 from the neighbouring sawmill’s wood pellet-fired cogeneration heat and power (CHP) plant. The greenhouse captures up to 11,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, equivalent to removing 2,300 vehicles from the road a year, while growing upwards of 45 million cucumbers a year. The greenhouse has also won several sustainability awards for its circular approach in reducing emissions from the neighbouring sawmill and using this traditional ‘waste’ stream to grow vegetables. Furthermore, the coupling of CCUS/ BECCUS technology with integrative and circular business models like the Toundra Greenhouse can make adopting this technology a viable solution for Canada’s nurseries by providing the necessary CO2 to grow seedlings while also supporting emissions reductions at the point of combustion in another sector. Carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) is an important tool for reducing emissions in high emitting sectors. It uses advanced technologies to capture carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion, industrial processes or directly from the air. The captured carbon can then be stored deep underground or used to create new and innovative products. CCUS is the only currently available technology with the potential to generate negative emissions. LT

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MANAGEMENTSOLUTIONS

Improving employee recruitment and retention

BY MARK BRADLEY HAVING AN EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT and retention strategy is an investment that many landscape business owners undervalue. On a recent episode of the Landscape Disruptors podcast, hiring strategist Kelly Dowell and I discussed the different recruitment plans lawn care and landscape management companies should be using to streamline their operations and improve their hiring strategies. Before we get into those strategies and solutions, let’s first address some of the problems facing contractors in today’s labour market. Lots of work, not enough staff

A recent report by Angi, an internet service connecting homeowners with contractors, concluded the perception among tradespeople is that the skilled labour shortage will continue to worsen. More than two thirds of active service-based companies have struggled to hire skilled labour, and more than one-third are slightly or highly understaffed. More than half of tradespeople say a lack of available workers is stunting their growth, and the majority say they could grow their business if they could find more workers. In addition, one-third of the skilled trade force are within 10 years of retirement age.

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Despite the pandemic-related supply chain breakdown affecting everything from the automotive industry to construction to consumer goods, most landscaping and lawn care companies continue to report significant year-over-year growth. However, many are reporting they have more work opportunities than capacity to get the jobs done. And that brings us to our next point. Although we are living through a growing economy with a severe labour market shortage, perhaps there are some areas to focus on within your business to ease the pain of recruiting, retaining and training your team.

Target the right people

Stop looking for the most talented individuals and build a recruiting, retention and employee development pathway where your company and your team members thrive and grow within the business for years to come. Recruiting people effectively depends on the individuals you can engage. While career fairs and postering have been effective and proven methods in the past, there are newer and modern mediums that can better engage the up-and-coming generation of contractors. For instance, some

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business owners have found great success using Facebook ads to generate job interest. Social networks like Facebook, Indeed and LinkedIn have all disrupted how human resource reps narrow their hiring pool for landscaping businesses. What makes these recruitment tools effective when it comes to hiring is their affordability and targeting. Unlike a poster, job notice or career fair, digital job postings can be used to target a specific segment of the broader job market. For example, landscape business owners can target individuals interested in gardening, contracting or landscaping with Facebook ads. With targeting, not only are you improving the cost efficiency of your hiring strategies (about $6-9 per application), you are also adjusting your hiring pool to individuals who are more likely to be interested in — or have to experience with — the landscape industry.

leaders can connect their hiring practices with the interests of their ideal applicants. This can inform not only how you engage applicants, but also how you successfully interview and onboard candidates.

Create a professional development pathway

Beyond your ideal candidate profile, being able to communicate and showcase a clear professional development pathway for your new hires right from the outset is essential for retention. If a team member doesn’t feel like they can contribute and have long-term opportunities to grow, why would they stay? Building a training method to onboard your team members properly from Day 1 and then providing professional development training throughout their career, can be the difference between a thriving team versus a team that does the bare minimum. LT

Build your ideal candidate profile

One of the most significant insights from my discussion with Dowell was that candidates are researching businesses as much as companies are researching them. Identifying this relationship is essential when developing job postings because it can help inform hiring strategies. After all, you cannot target a candidate type if you don’t know what they are looking for. By creating a candidate profile, landscape human resources

MARK BRADLEY

is CEO of LMN Software, and former CEO of TBG Environmental, both based in Ontario.

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DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 45

LEGALMATTERS

Municipal slip and fall claim goes to the Supreme Court BY ROB KENNALEY IN NELSON (CITY) V. MARCHI, municipal employees plowed snow from angled parking spots on a downtown street creating a snowbank between the spaces and the sidewalk, without carving a route to the sidewalk. The predictable, perhaps, occurred: A woman attempting to climb over the bank fell, suffering (it was later agreed) $1 million in personal injury damages. The matter proceeded to trial, where British Columbia’s Occupiers Liability Act, which places obligations on the “occupier” of a premises to take care to see those who enter the premises are reasonably safe, did not apply as public roads and highways are exempt from its application. Similar exclusions to occupier’s liability legislation exists in other jurisdictions in Canada. The case made it all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. At trial, the city said its policies were to remove the snow banks only after other priority areas were addressed and, even then, only when doing so would not interfere with downtown business traffic or create noise overnight. It argued these were, in the context of budgetary restraints, “core policy” decisions for which it was immune, in law, from liability. The trial judge agreed. He then went further, and held that if the city was not immune, its conduct nonetheless did not amount to negligence (because the snowbank did not pose an objectively unreasonable risk of harm and its policies were reasonable). He also held the plaintiff could in any event not recover because she was the “author of her own misfortune.” The B.C. Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada both ultimately disagreed on all three points. The Supreme Court acknowledged the well-established principle that government decisions should be immune from negligence liability because they “are based on public policy considerations, such as economic, social and political factors.” It observed that subjecting such “value judgments” to legal review would “entangle the courts in evaluating decisions best left to the legislature or the executive.” As well, “if courts were to weigh in,” it held, they would “be second-guessing the decisions of democratically elected government officials.” The court accordingly confirmed the remedy for those harmed by core policy decisions “must be through the ballot box instead of the courts.” On the other hand, the court confirmed the Crown can be

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subject to liability “as if it were a private person,” and confirmed “good reasons to hold public authorities liable for negligent activities falling outside this core policy sphere.” It further confirmed the modern law of negligence applies to both private and public defendants alike, “subject to any contrary statutory provision or common law principle.” How, then, does one decide what is, and is not, a core policy decision? On this question, the court confirmed the determination must be made on a case-by-case basis. Generally speaking, however, the court held core policy decisions will usually: 1. Be intended for broad application and prospective in nature; 2. Be made by those with high levels of authority who are required to balance public policy considerations and make budgetary allotments; 3. Be the product of sustained deliberations, and often debate, sometimes in a public forum and with input from different levels of authority. Operational decisions, on the other hand, are generally made “on the basis of administrative direction, expert or professional opinion, technical standards or general standards of reasonableness,” by individual employees who are responsible to implement previously formulated policies without a sustained period of deliberation. The court also clarified a core policy decision does not exist merely because it involves budgetary, financial, or resource considerations or because the word “policy” is used to describe it. On the case before it, the court held Nelson had failed to prove its failure to clear paths had resulted from core policy decisions, such that the city could be liable in negligence for those failures. We anticipate governments in general (and municipalities in particular) may adjust their processes to have practices and policies that are risk susceptible increasingly decided by highlevel employees as part of general budgetary allotments and debates. These decisions might even be dealt with in some detail before legislatures, councils or committees, where the public can be invited to make submissions. The approach might extend well beyond construction and maintenance activities, of course,

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to include risk management in relation to a wide range of risk-intensive services and programs. In addition, and of interest to CNLA members, public authorities will no doubt continue, and perhaps increase, their efforts to off-load risk in contracts. In doing so, they might also increasingly look to transfer risk through contractual hold-harmless clauses and indemnity agreements. Through such clauses, providers are often asked to fully indemnify and save those that hire them harmless where claims are made in connection with the underlying contract, or where the provider is in any way at fault (and sometimes even where the authority is itself partially at fault). Such broad indemnity clauses should be resisted by contractors (and their insurers) on the basis that the scope of the contractor’s liability should never extend beyond the consequences of the breach of contract or negligence of the contractor or its forces. The Supreme Court’s response to the trial judge’s finding the plaintiff was “the author of her own misfortune,” also deserves comment. Notably, the court confirmed under British Columbia’s Negligence Act (and in other statutes passed across Canada) damages must be apportioned on the basis of comparative fault, such that contributory negligence is no longer a complete bar to recovery. The court also held the “voluntary assumption of risk” defence was not a bar to recovery because it must be “narrowly applied” and requires the defendant to prove the plaintiff, among other things, “understood that she bargained away her right to sue.” The point, for present purposes, is that neither government authorities nor contractors should assume that, where a claimant makes a terribly bad decision that causes him or her injury or damage, they will face no liability. Rather, unless it can be said the claimant knowingly waived the claim, the claimant’s contribution to the loss will have to be weighed with the contributions of others. LT

ROB KENNALEY

is with Kennaley Construction Law, a construction law firm with offices in Simcoe, Toronto and Barrie.

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CNLANEWS WORK CONTINUES ON ST. MATTHEWS HOUSE PROJECT The children at the daycare centre at St. Matthew’s House in the Barton Village community in Hamilton, Ont. have a new way to connect with nature. In November 2021, the Green Cities Foundation completed the second phase of the #GreenMyCity project at St. Matthew’s House, plus a fall lawn care Program at Woodlands and Birge Parks. Time in nature is more important now than ever with all the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. This natural playground is an opportunity for kids to engage in unstructured, physically distanced play that encourages discovery and new experiences. The Green Cities Foundation wants to inspire nature appreciation for the next generation of children and help them to connect with plants for a greener, healthier urban environment. The renovated playground now features seven new trees, new garden beds with

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CNLANEWS fresh soil and mulch, reclaimed log benching and tables, and the removal of years of built up asphalt which has been stabilized with limestone screening in preparation for interlock paver paths to be installed in 2022. The fall lawn care program at both Woodlands and Birge parks consisted of lawn aeration, grass seeding and fertilizing to prepare the parks for the winter. GCF anticipates completing the #GreenMyCity Hamilton project next summer, COVID-19 permitting. Once completed, St. Matthew’s House will have a completely redesigned natural playground with logs, sand areas, hills, plants, trees plus a transformed parking lot into a community gathering space to serve a fully populated and dense urban area. Three parks in the neighbourhood will also have improved landscape spaces. The Green Cities Foundation thanks its partners and sponsors for their support of the Phase two project build - RBC Insurance, Hamilton Community Foundation, St.

Matthews House, Barton Village BIA, Golden Horseshoe Chapter of Landscape Ontario, Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, Beautiful Alleys, City of Hamilton, Connon Nurseries, Dutra Landscape, Three Seasons Landscape, AVK Nursery Holdings,

Arborwood Tree Service, Miller Compost, Budgetbin, Martek Supply, Abingdon Heights, Oriole Landscaping, Wentworth Landscapes, Turf Systems, Al’s Lawnmower, Rock Crest Landscapes, Fibertop, Scotts, and Plant Products.

YEAR OF THE GARDEN 2022 Excitement is building around the Year of the Garden 2022. The Canadian Garden Council is happy to announce that Proven Winners confirmed their position as Founding Sponsors of the Year of the Garden (YOTG) 2022, along with Scotts Canada and Premier Tech. A total of 14 municipalities have proclaimed 2022 the Year of the Garden, as well as committing to celebrate National Garden Day on June

18, 2022 and to be a Garden Friendly City. Toronto was the first city to commit. The Communities in Bloom “Plant Yellow” campaign will transform into “Plant Red” in 2022 to showcase Canadian Garden Pride. The public facing website will go live at the end of December, and the official launch of the YOTG 2022 will take place at Landscape Ontario’s Congress trade show, Jan. 11-13, 2022.

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 51

CNLANEWS FOUR P’S OF PLANT HEALTH

After a year’s absence due to the pandemic, the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) held its 44th annual meeting virtually, November 3-5, 2021. Among many other items, the agenda

consisted of updates from the National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPO) of Canada, the United States and Mexico, along with a full day of presentations and discussions on systems-based approaches as sustainable

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risk management tools. Wendy Asbil from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), shared Canada’s perspectives on some of the risks that “keep us awake at night” – Pests, Pathways, Patterns and People. The most obvious of the four P’s are Pests — invasive species like: spotted lantern fly, Lymantria spp., box tree moth, elm zigzag sawfly, Japanese stiltgrass, kudzu, jointed goatgrass, and giant reed and molluscs. In addition, there are many pests we are not even aware of yet. Pathways refers to how pests enter Canada, and it’s not just through plant movement. Conveyances and cargo, like containers, pipes, tiles, trucks, campers and marine vessels all carry risk. Mail and courier pathways are not new, but the volume of materials being shipped in this manner is increasing, with pest risk increasing along with the volume. Pattern shifts in import/export and new trade routes are also contributing to increased pest spread risk. Port congestion means some materials must now travel further overland to find a port that can handle them. Consumer choices are changing to more exotic foods and goods, with some consumers even trading in insect pests. In addition, more equipment is being shipped to northern ports to support mining and natural gas exploration. Lastly, people have led a surge in online buying and selling, turning consumers who are unaware of international obligations, into importers and exporters. But people are also supporting management of the risks through their active and growing involvement in community science. The public has proven to be enthusiastic and extremely adept at finding pests in their local communities and then posting their discoveries on public platforms like iNaturalist. NPPO, like the CFIA, are the nation’s firewall in a sense to manage these risks. It is an immensely challenging task. Certainly, systems approaches that help manage the risks and support NPPO’s efforts are going to become more and more important within each country as well as between trading partner countries around the world. LT

NEWSSCAPE AAS AWARDS QUEBEC GARDENS IN LANDSCAPE DESIGN CHALLENGE

Montreal Botanical Garden placed second in the 2021 AAS Design Challenge.

All-America Selections’ (AAS) 2021 Landscape Design Challenge has awarded two Quebec gardens with top three finishes in their respective categories. The Montreal Botanic Gardens placed second in the challenge’s Category 3: Over 100,000 visitors per year segment. Le Domaine Joly-De Lotbinière in SainteCroix, Que., placed third in Category 2: 10,001-100,000 visitors per year. The Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ont., received an honourable mention in Category 2 for “Use of Spiral.” This year’s theme for the contest was “Diversity in the Garden,” inspiring the AAS display gardens with a platform to create

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their own diverse garden using the resources they chose to represent the theme. For the challenge, AAS provided the gardens with recent AAS Winner seeds and plants. The gardens also had the option to incorporate older AAS Winners in their design to illustrate the theme. “While Montreal Botanical Garden has been affected by the pandemic, which has deprived them of international visitors, they are embracing their many local visitors with beautiful garden displays,” AAS noted. Le Domaine Joly-De Lotbinière’s gardens were inspired by Black Lives Matter. They used Ornamental Pepper Onyx Red to create a mosaic of an open black hand. Petunia Scentsation was planted nearby to enclose the display with the colour blue, reminiscent of the AAS logo. Plants were spaced close together, not regarding heights or widths, just as humans in society should be interlaced. The display was in the Jardins Français, the heart of the garden, allowing it to be viewed by everyone who came to visit.

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Aspire Software has entered into definitive agreements to acquire Go iLawn and LandOne Software. Founded in 2009, Go iLawn provides cloud-based property measurement with parcel boundaries using aerial and satellite imagery. LandOne Software, created in 2018, offers digital takeoff for irrigation design and landscape enhancement projects. “The addition of Go iLawn and LandOne will help meet Aspire’s goal of providing end-to-end services and solutions to the landscaping industry,” said Mark Tipton, CEO of Aspire Software. “By adding online tools for property measurement and design, we’re one step closer to that goal.” The planned integration of both Go iLawn and LandOne with Aspire’s platform will enable Aspire users to seamlessly use property intelligence tools directly within Aspire to measure, design, estimate, and bid on new jobs and enhancements. When the acquisitions are finalized, all Go iLawn and LandOne employees will join Aspire. Both Go iLawn and LandOne will continue to be sold as stand-alone solutions, powered by additional product investment from Aspire and ServiceTitan to accelerate the development of both technologies. “Becoming part of the Aspire team is an exciting opportunity for us,” said LandOne founder Joshua Martin. “We’ll be able to more rapidly expand our product and scale our mission to serve contractors by giving them the simple tools they need to quickly deliver accurate bids, proposals, and designs.”

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TREES FOR LIFE HELPS UNIVERSITY REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT The University of Guelph is now home to a future forest, thanks to Trees for Life. The university’s Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Sustainability Office partnered with Trees for Life to plant about 700 trees on Sept. 29. More than 200 volunteers participated in planting a variety of native tree species on a former toboggan hill on the school’s campus in Guelph, Ont. The trees will help transform the hill into a naturalized area to offset carbon emissions generated by the recent construction of Lang Plaza. Located outside of U of G’s MacDonald Hall, Lang Plaza features seating areas, a fire pit, bioinfiltration garden and a water fountain. “We are so pleased to welcome Trees for Life to campus to participate in this important event at the Lang School,” said Dr. Lysa Porth, Dean of the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. “We value collaborative communities, good citizenship and a strong sense of belonging and this tree planting initiative captures the essence of our healthy and diverse community. I’m excited to join our students, faculty and other community members in planting these trees next to our campus.” The tree planting was sponsored by the University of Guelph and funded in part by Trees for Life, which is supported by Natural Resources Canada through the Federal Government’s 2 Billion Trees Program. Trees for Life is a national charity committed to empowering tree-planting initiatives across Canada. Its first two campaigns, the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute Campaign and GrandTrees Climate Solutions, raised over $12.4 million and planted more than one million trees. An additional one million trees are expected to be planted by the end of 2022. For more information, visit treesforlife.ca. DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 55

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Proven Winners has announced a partnership with The Plant Company to begin marketing houseplants. Proven Winners looked to The Plant Company due to their innovative selection of plant varieties as well as their new production facilities. “The main goal for starting The Plant Company was to supply our customers with the best quality indoor house plants available and supply those consistently year-round,” said Jason van Wingerden, CEO of The Plant Company. “When the opportunity arose to partner with Proven Winners, we quickly realized the similarities in beliefs for innovative genetics and consumer success. We are beyond thrilled to work with the Proven Winners brand and team in transforming the indoor house plant market in North America.” For The Plant Company, the partnership will result in increased promotion of their houseplant product line through partnership with a recognized consumer brand. For Proven Winners, the partnership expands the brand with a year-round product and helps support its retail partners. “The garden plant market, including annuals, perennials, flowering shrubs and trees, and caladiums, has been the strength of the Proven Winners brand,” said Dave Konsoer, director of sales for Proven Winners. “By bringing a strong and up and coming houseplant supplier into the Proven Winners family, consumers will be able to find top quality houseplants under a name they know and trust, resulting in an even stronger brand for retailers and consumers.”

NEWSSCAPE AMERICAN GARDEN ROSE SELECTIONS ANNOUNCES 2022 WINNERS American Garden Rose Selections (AGRS) has crowned four cultivars as its 2022 winners. Awarded on a regional basis, the AGRS testing program recognizes roses that are easy to care for, disease-resistant and suitable for different regions. In addition, awards are given for fragrance to help guide consumers who desire roses for their scent. The 2022 AGRS winners are: Celestial Night Introduced by Weeks Roses and bred by Christian Bedard, Celestial Night is the Regional Choice Award winner in the South Central, Southeast, Southwest regions, as well as a Fragrance Award winner. Easy on the Eyes Introduced by Weeks Roses and bred by Tom Carruth, Easy on the Eyes won the Regional Choice Award in the North Central, Northwest, South Central, Southeast, Southwest regions and a Fragrance Award winner. Pink Freedom Pink Freedom won the Northeast, Northwest, South Central and Southeast Regional Choice award. Bred by Christian Bedard, the rose was introduced by Weeks Roses and Spring Hill Nursery. Pretty Polly Pink Pretty Polly Pink was introduced by Star Roses and Plants and bred by David Zlesak. The rose won the Regional Choice Award in the Northeast, Northwest, South Central and Southeast regions. All roses entered into the AGRS program are tested for two years in six different geographical regions, with each region hosting two test gardens. The plants are also evaluated on vigour, foliage proportion, plant habit, flowering effect, rebloom habit, bloom form, aging quality of blooms, fragrance and hardiness. In order for a variety to be granted an award, the rose must demonstrate superior performance in at least three of the six regions entered. LT

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NEWPRODUCTS Here’s a selection of new products from

EXHIBITORS

ZERO TAIL SWING COMPACT EXCAVATOR JCB expands its next generation lineup with the introduction of the new 35Z-1 zero tail swing compact excavator.The 3.5 ton compact excavator includes high-flow, electro-proportional, double-acting auxiliary hydraulics, delivering 70 litres-per-minute of flow. The machine is powered by a threecylinder Perkins engine, providing 24.7-hp. This engine uses mechanical fuel injection and does not require a diesel particulate filter (DPF) or any form of exhaust aftertreatment.

JCB

jcb.com

To locate a distributor in your area, or become a distributor of Great Lakes Premium Barks and Mulches, cal us at 1-877-266-0636.

For full product details, visit us at GLWP.ca 58 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

NEWPRODUCTS

PREVIEW

DINGO TX 1300 The Dingo TX 1300 features Toro’s Intelliscope loader arm with SmartLoad technology, providing an additional 66-cm of reach. A hinge-pin height of 2.7-m allows for loads to be lifted over the side of a dumpster or truck. The TX 1300 is powered by a 37-hp Yanmar Tier 4 engine and delivers a 590-kg rated operating capacity. The Dingo also includes a quick coupler system and larger operator platform.

Toro

toro.com

LONG BED SPECIAL APPLICATION VEHICLES John Deere introduces a new line of long bed special application vehicles. Available in either gas or diesel power, the vehicles were created to provide solutions for customers needing additional bed space to haul larger, bulkier items. The vehicles include a 1.4-m x 2-m heavyduty, powder-coated aluminum bed, automotive-style tailgate and a maximum travel speed of 72 km/h.

John Deere

deere.ca

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 59

PREVIEW

NEWPRODUCTS BRUSHLESS DRY-WET MASONRY SAW Makita has unveiled its new brushless five-inch, dry-wet masonry saw. For dry cutting, the saw is equipped with an Auto-start Wireless System (AWS), which uses Bluetooth to communicate between the tool and an AWS-equipped dust extractor (sold separately). For wet cuts, an integrated water delivery system, with flow adjustment, continuously feeds water in masonry cutting applications.

Makita

makitatools.com

500S ZERO TURN MOWER Ferris Mowers introduces the 500S Zero Turn Mower, the latest addition to the company’s line of lawn care equipment. The 500S is equipped with a pivoting front axle and coil-over shocks on each wheel, a fabricated 10-gauge steel mowing deck and dual commercial transaxles with 18-cm cooling fans. The new mower is available with a Briggs & Stratton Commercial Series or Kawasaki engine.

Ferris Mowers

ferrismowers.com

Infinitely adjustable wings allow operators to easily clear along side curbs without damaging equipment or property.

Find out more at hlasnow.com

60 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

NEWPRODUCTS

PREVIEW

VERTEX STAND-ON ZERO-TURN MOWER Exmark’s new Vertex S-Series stand-on zero-turn mower features a new design created to improve maneuverability, productivity and ease of maintenance. The models feature UltraCut Series 4 cutting decks, which provide flow control baffles to optimize air and clipping flow through the deck. A single-point deck lift enables easy, tools-free changes to cut height.

Exmark

exmark.com

HYDRO-DRIVE SOD CUTTER Billy Goat introduces the SC240HG hydro-drive sod cutter that features a variable speed hydrostatic drive to deliver speeds of up to 5.6 km/h. Powered by a 6.5-hp Honda engine, the sod cutter is equipped with set and forget blade depth adjustment, a 60-cm width and a lockable rear caster wheel for curved cuts. The SC240HG is also built with a laser clad cutting blade to extend blade life.

Billy Goat billygoat.com

#1 Kentucky Bluegrass | Low Mow | Extreme or Tall Fescue | Native or USGA Bentgrass | Large or small rolls

DELIVERING SUPERIOR SOD WITH QUALITY SERVICE

zandersod.com

17525 Jane St., Kettleby, Ontario L7B 0J6

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 61

PREVIEW

NEWPRODUCTS

TV620B COMPACT TRACK LOADER Case Construction Equipment introduces the TV620B compact track loader, the company’s largest and most powerful compact track loader ever built. The CTL delivers 114-hp and a 2,800-kg operating capacity. It also comes with a new, custom-designed 1.25 cubic yard, heavy duty bucket, a hydraulic coupler, autoreversing fan and high-flow hydraulics.

Case Construction Equipment

Your one stop shop for custom artificial grass projects! Providing the best quality products in artificial grass, green walls, sports flooring systems, synthetic ice and golf simulators with industry leading accessories to help your clients dream project or enhancement come to life.

905-263-4977 - durhamartificialgrass.ca

Visit us at Booth 2218!

62 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

www.WPEequipment.ca

casece.com

Experience the Difference Service Makes!

WPE is a Premier Dealer of Landscape & Construction Equipment

WE SELL WE SERVICE WE RENT

Visit or call us today at a location that is convenient for you:

HAMILTON: MISSISSAUGA: 151 Hwy#5 W / 905-628-3055 3165 Unity Dr. / 905-569-2055

NEWPRODUCTS

PREVIEW

CX SERIES CAB TRACTOR Kioti Tractor expands its CX Series tractor line with the new CX2510 HST cab model. The model includes a factory-installed, full-size cab with air conditioning and heat, a 24.5-hp Kioti engine and a hydrostatic transmission. The new compact tractor joins two other models in the CX Series released last year.

Kioti

kioti.com

VISIT US AT CONGRESS - BOOTH# 1634

CLASSIC STRUCTURES THAT SAVE YOU TIME Wholesale Suppliers of Quality Landscape Mulches

NATURAL MULCH PLAYGROUND MULCH

Complete projects faster. Structures that are handcrafted off-site, delivered on-time and installed in a day.

COLOURED MULCH SOIL AMENDMENTS

KillaloeWoodProducts.ca

Find out how at limestonetrail.com

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 63

NEWPRODUCTS

PREVIEW

FLAIL MOWER ATTACHMENT Steiner has unveiled its new flail mower attachment equipped with an articulating and oscillating frame. The flail mower attachment comes with two different knife options, including a standard “Y” knife to cut tall, heavy grass and brush and a scoop knife to give turf a more finished look. The attachment’s deisgn also includes a rear roller and a rear discharge deck.

Steiner

steinerturf.com

Environmentally friendly weed control PROFESSIONNAL USE ONLY

Non-selective herbicide Safe for concrete, paving stones and other waterside areas Concentrations/specificities: 20% acetic acid based herbicide

2192, Wyecroft Road Oakville (Ontario) L6L 6R1

64 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Available formats:

20-liter delcans, drums and totes

905 827-4133 info@kencro.ca www.kencro.ca

SPRAYSTRIKER DE-ICING SPRAYERS Hilltip introduces the tailgate-mounted SprayStriker 65 TR and 90 UTV liquid de-icing sprayers. Designed for compact tractors, loaders and UTVs, the new brine sprayers allow smaller vehicles to take advantage of Hilltip’s SprayStriker technology. The sprayers are powered by 26.5 litre-per-minute, 12V pumps designed for de-icing liquids. An Android smartphone comes standard with the SprayStriker 65 TR and 90 UTV sprayers, preloaded with the Hilltip StrikeSmart app to customize spreading sessions.

Hilltip

hilltip.com

EVENTS

ADVERTISERS COMPANY

WEBSITE

A.M.A. Horticulture Inc

PAGE

amahort.com 57

AVK Nursery Holdings Inc

avknursery.com

Atlas Polar Company Ltd atlaspolar.com 52 Bailey Nurseries Beaver Valley Stone Ltd Best Way Stone Ltd

baileynurseries.com 29 beavervalleystone.com 20 bestwaystone.com 25

Bobcat Company

bobcat.com 11

Coivic Specimen Trees

coivic.com 54

Cub Cadet Pro Durham Artificial Grass

cubcadet.ca 39 durhamartificialgrass.ca 62

Dutchmaster Nurseries Ltd dutchmasternurseries.com 51 Echo Power Equipment echo.ca 7 Echo Robotics

echorobotics.com 35

Exmark Manufacturing Co Inc exmark.com G&L Group GoGPS

Hortico Inc

Kioti Tractor Kubota Canada Ltd Limestone Trail Co Inc

horstwelding.com 56,60

JAN. 25, 2022

LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS CONFERENCE Virtual horttrades.com/landscape-designer-conference-2022

CLASSIFIEDS

hortico.com 53 33

killaloewoodproducts.ca 63 kioti.com 59 kubota.ca 19 limestonetrail.com 63

M Putzer Hornby Nursery Ltd putzernursery.com

Miller Compost – The Miller Group millercompost.ca

Miska Trailers

JAN. 18-20, 2022

CONGRESS CONFERENCE Virtual locongress.com

gogps.com 56

Isuzu Commercial Trucks of Canada isuzutruck.ca Killaloe Wood Products

JAN. 11-13, 2022

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO CONGRESS Toronto, Ont. locongress.com

gandlgroup.com 55

Great Lakes Wood Products Inc glwp.ca Horst Welding

JAN. 6, 2022

IPM SYMPOSIUM Virtual horttrades.com/ipm-symposium-2022

miskatrailers.com 68

Neudorff North America neudorff.com 15

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES OTTAWA LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE COMPANY FOR SALE Providing soft landscape services to an established clientele since 1987, there is great growth potential and the perfect opportunity for a company who wishes to expand. Details available for serious buyers only. Perfect opportunity for companies wishing to expand. Training and client introductions will be available to the new owner. Please contact: karlanarraway@rogers.com

Oaks Landscape Products oakspavers.com 2 PRO Landscape by Drafix Software prolandscape.com Pro-Power Canada Inc Rinox Inc

propowercanada.ca 43 rinox.ca 31

Spring Meadow Nursery Inc springmeadownursery.com 17 Stihl Ltd Techniseal The Salt Depot The Toro Company

stihl.ca 67 techniseal.com 45 saltdepot.ca 57 toro.com 41

Turf Care Products Canada Ltd turfcare.ca UBA Inc WPE Landscape Equipment Walters Gardens Inc

uba.ca 64 wpeequipment.ca

waltersgardens.com 21

Windy Ridge Corporation stonehook.com 48 Zander Sod Co Ltd

zandersod.com 61

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 65

PREVIEW

MENTORMOMENT

Plugging into nature AN ECOLOGICAL ENGINEER BY TRAINING,

Dr. Nadina Galle researches, designs and pilots emerging technologies to better monitor (and reconnect people to) urban ecosystems — a framework she coined in her doctoral thesis titled “Internet of Nature” (IoN). Some IoN examples include utilizing high-resolution satellite imagery to map tree conditions; natural language processing to uncover citizen opinion on urban green space; and “Internet of Things” (IoT) soil sensors to optimize soil health and tree watering. This interview is adapted from a conversation Landscape Trades’ publisher Scott Barber had with Galle on the Landscape Ontario Podcast, which you can listen to at landscapeontario.com/podcast.

Scott Barber (SB): How did you become interested in urban ecology?

Nadina Galle (NG): I grew up in Waterloo, Ont., one of Canada’s fastest growing areas and very much a tech hub. Growing up there, in very much a typical suburban neighbourhood, I witnessed suburban sprawl happening all around me at a rapid pace. My parents used to live on the outskirts of Waterloo, which has now almost become the centre because of all the development that has happened. And I think from a young age that stemmed a lot of questions for me. Who gets to decide when we lose an ecosystem and we get a human or urban ecosystem in its place? Who gets to make the decisions about how we develop our cities? And eventually, that led to me becoming interested in how we could perhaps develop cities that are both great for humans, but also great for all of the other species we share our cities and suburban areas with.

SB: What is the Internet of Nature?

NG: The Internet of Nature is a little bit of tongue and cheek to two different concepts, which I hope to bring together. On the one hand, it’s the idea that earth has its own natural form of internet. For anyone that has read the Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, it presents the idea that trees are not the solitary individuals that we thought they were. They are actually social beings that are in constant communication with each other via their underground fungal fibres. So if that’s the case in natural

66 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

forest ecosystems, what happens to those fungal networks when we plant trees and other vegetation in cities? It turns out that the network is often disrupted in cities. And perhaps when it is disrupted, we as humans, need to take responsibility to then take the best care that we can for those trees and vegetation, and perhaps technology is the tool that we need to be able to plug in to that existing biological communication network. And the flip side, of course, is that the Internet of Nature sounds a lot like the internet of things, which is of course one of the most ubiquitous smart city technologies that we have. During my research examining all of these different smart city technologies, whether it be sensors, remote sensing, surveillance cameras, machine learning, blockchain, or big data, all of these technologies and applications that we want to use to improve our urban life, they’ve been used for all kinds of different things, like mobility, waste management on so on, but it seems like urban ecology has been left behind from that digital revolution. My goal with the Internet of Nature is to take nature online to help us better understand and protect urban ecosystems, but also reconnecting people back to nature, because that’s what we really need to do to create this mindset shift that nature is a key determinant of our economic, social and ecological well being.

SB: What is an example of the IoN in practice?

NG: I think anyone who has been in the urban forestry space is no stranger to remote sensing, the use of aerial imaging, drones and satellite imagery to be able to assess what the canopy looks like in cities. I think that’s critical moving forward, especially because the most important thing we have to do is better understand our urban ecosystems so that we can better protect them. I think tools like remote sensing have a really important role to play in that. Using satellite imagery, we are able to get an idea of where we have trees and where we’ve lost them, but also we are able to look at the condition and health of trees, and even identify the species of trees. Ultimately, it allows us to make more evidence-based decisions in terms of where we need to prioritize maintaining existing forest stock and perhaps where to plant new urban forest stock. And it could even play a role in helping us enforce deforestation on private lands. LT Learn more about the Internet of Nature when Nadina Galle speaks at the Congress Virtual Conference on Jan. 19, 2022. Register online at: congressredefined/conference.

Reliability that counts ƒ FSA 135 R BATTERY BRUSHCUTTER① HIGH POWER SOLUTION FOR PROFESSIONALS. The FSA 135 R is the latest brushcutter in our battery-powered line-up that can be used in noise-sensitive situations. It is a lightweight, powerful and efficient choice for landscapers, municipal workers and those that have large yards to upkeep. The AP battery can be inserted directly into the powerhead, as opposed to using an adapter system. The ergonomic loop handle makes it comfortable to operate and easy-to-manoeuvre, while also providing a three-step speed adjustment with LED light. Built with a metal mesh air filter, it delivers a longer service life and provides optimum motor cooling. Also, a wide selection of cutting attachments can be used on the FSA 135 R to suit the job at hand. NOTE: Bike handle version also available.

SPECIFICATIONS VOLTAGE

36 V

WEIGHT ② (BIKE HANDLE)

4.6 KG/9.2 LB 4.9 KG/10.8 LB

CUTTING HEAD

AUTOCUT® C 26-2

① Battery and charger sold separately. ② Weight without battery.

Battery Power. Made by STIHL. PRO-FLEET COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE PROGRAM STIHL’s Pro-Fleet Commercial Landscape Program is designed to provide commercial landscapers a volume discount on major purchases of five or more landscaping power tools. Visit your STIHL Dealer today to find out more and take advantage of the savings!

THE

CLUB EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT

CLUB DONT TOUT LE MONDE PARLE

Scan code for more product information or visit www.stihl.ca

DEC 2021/JAN 2022 | 67

Landscape Trades - Dec 2021/Jan 2022

Articles inside

MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

HORTICULTURAL THERAPY FROM COAST-TO-COAST

MENTOR MOMENT

A FAREWELL FROM HIS FANS

A GREEN RECOVERY

THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER

CONGRESS PREVIEW

PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT