In the nursery world, change is a constant. And with change comes possibilities. Join us at the 2011 Farwest Show, where we are tackling the evolving wholesale and retail environment head-on with new ideas and innovative
August 25-27
2011
solutions. With hundreds of exhibitors, mind-opening seminars and networking opportunities, you’ll return home inspired and ready for action. Save the dates!
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www.FarwestShow.com
Chapter events
Landscape Ontario and industry events
For more chapter event listings, visit www.horttrades.com. July 15 Upper Canada Golf Tournament Briar Fox Golf Club, Marysville Take a break from your busy season and join the Upper Canada Chapter for a fun day on the links at Briar Fox Golf Club, Marysville. Contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354, or helen@landscapeontario.com. July 28 Dick Sale Memorial Golf Tournament Nobleton Lakes Golf Club, 125 Nobleton Lakes Drive The Toronto Chapter is returning to Nobleton Lakes Golf Club for the annual Dick Sale Memorial Golf Tournament. Pricing and sponsorship information will be available shortly. August 14 Toronto Chapter Baseball Tournament Richmond Greens Sports Centre and Park Bring your staff, family and friends to the Toronto Chapter’s annual baseball tournament. This slow-pitch tournament will run from 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with trophies and a barbecue lunch included in the fee of $550 per team. Each team is guaranteed two games. August 17 Golden Horseshoe Golf Tournament Willow Valley Golf Course, Mount Hope Come enjoy a social outing with fellow industry members at the Golden Horseshoe Chapter Golf Tournament. Pricing and registration information will be available shortly.
August 25 Durham Chapter’s Annual Barbecue T. Arnts Loam Supply, Pickering The Durham chapter has started planning its annual summer barbecue. This year’s event will take place from 3 - 7 p.m. This event will feature a supplier showcase, dinner provided by the Chapter and much more. If you are a supplier looking to participate, contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354, or helen@landscapeontario.com.
For more Landscape Ontario and industry event listings, visit www.horttrades.com.
July 21 – 22 Landscape Industry Certified Technician evaluations LO Home Office, Milton Take advantage of the opportunity to obtain your Landscape Industry Certified – Technician designation. The first day involves both written tests, while day two has participants challenging themselves in the field. To register, go to http://bit.ly/ lox2o3.
August 26 Ottawa Golf Tournament The Canadian Golf and Country Club, 7800 Golf Club Way, Ashton The Ottawa chapter invites you to come out to their annual golf tournament. Sponsorship and registration information will be available shortly.
August 11 and 12, Ottawa Kemptville College Prove your competence by challenging the CLD, CLP, CLT Landscape Industry Certification written test. We are currently accepting registrations for both new test and re-test applicants. For information, contact Rachel Cerelli at rachelc@landscapeontario.com.
September 9 London Golf Tournament Pine Knot Golf Course, Dorchester Treat yourself to a great day on the links! Support your association and take a well-deserved break! Our sponsors have been very generous, and we invite everyone to come out to this event. Contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354, or helen@landscapeontario.com.
September 12 - 13 Canadian Snow and Ice Expo Rideau Carleton Entertainment Centre, 4837 Albion Rd., Ottawa The Snow and Ice Sector Group of Landscape Ontario’s Ottawa Chapter will host this inaugural event. For exhibitor information, contact Gilles Bouchard at gillesb@landscapeontario.com, 800-265-5656, ext. 323, or Paul Day at pauld@landscapeontario.com, 800265-5656, ext. 339.
September 10 Windsor Golf Tournament Orchard View Golf Course, Leamington Come enjoy the last of summer at the Windsor chapter’s annual golf tournament. Registration information will be available shortly.
Committed to Helping
Gardeners & Landscapers
GROW
call us at 416.789.4749
earthcosoils.com
HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 3
Landscape Ontario staff LO staff members are committed to member service. Please call with your questions or concerns. Tel: (905) 875-1805 or 1-800-265-5656 Fax: (905) 875-3942 Web: www.horttrades.com
Landscape Ontario’s mandate is to be the leader in representing, promoting and fostering a favourable environment for the advancement of the horticultural industry in Ontario. Suffix for all e-mail addresses below: @landscapeontario.com
Executive Board
Windsor Chapter
President
President: Mark Williams Board rep: Garry Moore
Past president
Garden Centre
Tom Intven, tintven@ Robert Adams, robertadams@ First vice-president
Tim Kearney CLP, tkearney@
E-mail suffix for all staff members: @landscapeontario.com Executive director Tony DiGiovanni CHTR, ext. 304, tonydigiovanni@ Executive assistant Kathleen Pugliese, ext. 309, kpugliese@ Controller Joe Sabatino, ext. 310, jsabatino@
Chair: Michael Van Dongen Board rep: Bob McCannell, bmccannell@
Manager, education, and labour development, Sally Harvey CLT, CLP, ext. 315, sharvey@
Grounds Management
Administrative assistant Jane Leworthy, ext. 301, jleworthy@
Second vice-president
Chair: Mike DeBoer, CLT Board rep: Brian Marsh
Secretary/treasurer
Growers
Provincial Board
Interior Plantscapes
Membership coordinator, Helen Hassard, ext. 354, hhassard@
Irrigation
Chapter coordinator, Georgian Lakelands Chapter Lexi Dearborn, ext. 317, ldearborn@
Phil Charal, pcharal@ Dave Braun
Durham Chapter
President: Greg Scarlett CLT Board rep: Mark Humphries, mhumphries@
Georgian Lakelands Chapter
Chairs: Mark Ostrowski Board rep: Gerwin Bouman Chair and board rep: Stephen Schell CLT Chair: Chris Le Conte Board rep: Steve Macartney CIT, CLT
Education, labour, and certification project coordinator Rachel Cerelli, ext. 326, rachelc@ Seminar and safety group coordinator Kathy McLean, ext. 306, kathym@
Chapter coordinator, Ottawa Chapter Martha Walsh, ext. 368, mwalsh@
President: Michael LaPorte CLT Board rep: Warren Patterson
Landscape Contractors Chair and board rep: Peter Guinane
Golden Horseshoe Chapter
Manager, information technology Ian Service, 416-848-7555, iservice@
Lawn Care
Manager, Pesticide Industry Council Tom Somerville, tsomerville@
President: Fiore Zenone Board rep: Brian Cocks CLT
London Chapter
President: Grant Harrison CLT Board rep: Peter Vanderley CLP
Ottawa Chapter
President: Sarah Johnston Board rep: Bruce Morton CLP, CIT
Toronto Chapter
President: Lindsay Drake Nightingale Board rep: Ryan Heath CLP, CLT
Upper Canada Chapter President: Dan Clost CHTR Board rep: Paul Doornbos CLT, CLP
Waterloo Chapter
President: Rob Tester Board rep: David Wright CLP
Chair: Steve Tschanz Board rep: Alan White, awhite@
Landscape Design Chair: Tony Lombardi CLD Board rep: Paul Brydges
Lighting
Trade show manager Paul Day CDE, ext. 339, paulday@ Trade show manager Lorraine Ivanoff, ext. 366, lpi@
Snow and Ice Management
Trade show coordinator Linda Nodello, ext. 353, lnodello@
Chair: John Fulford Board rep: Gerald Boot CLP, geraldboot@
Members at Large Gregg Salivan Bruce Warren
CNLA Board Rep
Gerald Boot CLP, geraldboot@
June 15, 2011 • Volume 29, No. 6 Views expressed in Horticulture Review are those of the writer concerned. Horticulture Review and Landscape Ontario assume no responsibility for the validity or correctness of any opinions or references made by the author. Copyright 2010, reproduction or the use of whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Published 12x per year. Rates and deadlines are available on request. Subscription price: $43.51 per year (HST included).
Conference and events coordinator, Kristen McIntyre CLT, ext. 321, kristen@ Director of public relations Denis Flanagan CLD, ext. 303, dflanagan@ Publisher Lee Ann Knudsen CLP, ext. 314, lak@ Editorial director Sarah Willis, ext. 313, sarahw@ Editor Allan Dennis, ext. 320, aldennis@ Web editor Robert Ellidge, ext. 312, rob@ Art director Melissa Steep, 647-723-5447, msteep@
The Voice of Landscape Ontario
4 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011
Director of events and trade shows Gilles Bouchard, ext. 323, gbouchard@
Chair and Board rep: John Higo
Horticulture Review
For subscription and address changes, please e-mail subscriptions@landscapeontario.com
Executive director Ontario Parks Association Paul Ronan, ext. 349, pronan@
ISSN 0823-8472 Publications Mail Agreement No. PM40013519 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses To: Circulation Department Horticulture Review 7856 Fifth Line South Milton, ON L9T 2X8
Graphic designer Mike Wasilewski, ext. 343, mikew@ Sales manager, publications Steve Moyer, ext. 316, stevemoyer@ Communications assistant Angela Lindsay, ext. 305, alindsay@
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
An evaluation of LO’s success By Tom Intven LO president
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andscape Ontario has been called one of the most successful horticultural associations in the world. Certainly, our numbers might suggest that. But let’s evaluate our success with a look to the future and how we can sustain true long term success. How do we measure success? What do we mean by success? While the membership number is Tom Intven a statistical valuation of success, it does not measure the heart and soul of LO. Participation (or engagement) in our events, educational offerings, chapter and sector meetings is another way to measure success. Active participation seems to be holding in most areas – a good sign for LO. Volunteerism, remains the driving force of LO. We must be ever-vigilant to cultivate volunteerism among our members. This speaks to the very core of our association. On the organizational side, staff retention and their sustained productivity is also a way to evaluate LO’s success. Tony, our ED, is now in his 22nd year and certainly has been an integral part of our success. We trust him to keep his staff motivated and directed to execute our priorities. So many of our staff have served for many years and performed at consistently high levels over that time. Achievement of the objectives of our strategic plan is certainly a way to measure the effectiveness of both our staff and our volunteers. We seem to have had some success in our main objective of professional development of our members. Other areas like branding our image among ourselves and to the public, and chapter/ sector relevance need our attention. Our priorities seem to be changing with the times. We need to ensure that systems are in place to ensure that we ‘keep in touch’ with the pulse of our members. Another measure of success of our complex organization of ten sectors and nine chapters, is, “does it work?” Is there a sense of cohesiveness, of common purpose; is there glue that holds us all together? This glue is solid in LO, and we must ensure we keep adding more in order to make LO work.
How have we achieved success to date? In my opinion, there are four main reasons for our success: • The single biggest contributing factor to our success to date has been great volunteer leaders. In last June’s President’s Message, I highlighted our incredible pioneers and recent volunteer leaders who continue to ensure that we operate with clear direction and vision. • Our visionary ED has been a definite contributing factor. Tony’s strength has been to bring us all together under a common vision and strategic plan, to cultivate leaders, to liaise with government and partners across Canada and the world. • A written strategic plan has been followed. This has been a major contributing factor to our success. Strategic plans need to be reviewed regularly in order to stay relevant. • Landscape Ontario has 25 years of momentum — created by our volunteer leaders and staff, with activities like Canada Blooms, our trade shows, educational offerings, chapter and sector meetings, and our connections with government and educational institutions. Our success breeds more success. We have become the go-to group that represents the horticultural industry in Ontario. What are the limitations in our pursuit of success? Part of a good evaluation is the identification of our limitations. Here’s a short list of what are considered, by myself as well as experts in the field, to be some of our limitations in the pursuit of success. Motivation of our volunteers: Our strength as an association is in direct proportion to the spirit, and quality of our volunteers. Volunteerism is a very fragile entity tied in with human emotion, egos, and the complex issue of why members volunteer. We must provide members what they want in order to keep them motivated and engaged. Our size: With over 2,000 members and over 30 staff, it is a real challenge to communicate effectively to everyone, even in this day when we have so many tools to communicate. Our diversity: With 10 sectors, each with its own unique needs and demands, our challenge is to keep all groups happy with a sense of common purpose. We need good glue.
Maintaining relevance: At the end of the day, members must feel that their dues have shown value. They also must feel connected. They want return on their investment. While we have been successful, we need to be ever vigilant and ensure that success will continue to be achieved well into the future. How do we ensure success in the long term? Let’s be positive about the future and use our evaluation of success to ensure that it is maintained. Here are a few areas on which we need to focus. Fostering volunteerism, both in governance and in our many activities is a must. We have to give members what they want in order to keep them motivated and engaged. Untapping the LO gene to identify and unlock the potential of volunteer leaders is the key to sustaining a healthy governance with effectiveness and vision. Make all the factions within our complex association work together. Communication is the key. Let’s ensure that we all keep each other aware of what is going on. Our governance model of representation is a very good one. Our leaders and volunteers need to remember to keep all those in their chapter or sector informed of what is going on in our association. And, if you have an issue, please don’t let it fester. Communicate it to your governance representative, or to a board member, executive member or our ED. Let’s continue to find common ground among all sectors and chapters. Let’s identify the components of the glue that holds our association together and direct our attention to them. Keep our strategic plan up-to-date and relevant. Let’s continue to review all key areas we are engaged in and ensure that they remain important and relevant to our members. Continue to focus on demonstrating relevance and value in membership in LO. We should be advertising the value of membership more effectively, both tangible and intangible benefits. This is all part of our campaign to ensure membership retention and improve recruitment. I am confident that we are continually focusing our efforts on these areas that are needed to ensure our long term success. In all of our association activities, let’s all work toward this same goal. Tom Intven may be reached at 519-631-1008, or tintven@landscapeontario.com.
HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 5
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
You don’t miss your water ’til the well runs dry Tony DiGiovanni CHTR LO executive director
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hose of you who are my age will remember the popular song, “You Don’t Miss Your Water (‘Til the Well Runs Dry).” This year, in the middle of one of the wettest springs on record, the well in South Ottawa went dry. A major water main break forced the city to declare a complete ban on outdoor watering during the construction period, estimated to end sometime this August or into the fall. Tony DiGiovanni It is a rude wakeup call for the industry. Our members were forced to scramble to deal with cancelled landscape jobs. Garden centres are having difficulty selling inventory. Contractors are being forced to either delay jobs, or add the expense of trucking in water. Some homeowners refuse to pay to
open their sprinkler systems, because they can’t be used. Tim Kearney, Bruce Morton, Sarah Johnston and I met with City of Ottawa officials to discuss how we could mitigate the damage caused by the water ban in South Ottawa. Our goal was to communicate the potential impact from the perspective of jobs, economy and environment, and to see if we could develop ideas to help. We asked them for: • An exemption for new plantings. They told us that water capacity is down to 10 per cent. They simply cannot exempt new plantings, or introduce limited water use programs. The fear is that the present capacity would be overwhelmed, resulting in no water for drinking, cooking, washing and fire protection. The capacity issue is serious. Water for landscaping purposes must come from water trucks or collected rainwater. • Support regarding the use of water trucks. They could not commit to this, because how much water is required is unknown and the scheduling logistics.
• Support for the distribution of collapsible rain barrels that have three times the water capacity of traditional rain barrels. The city is offering a $50 rebate on each one distributed. On the positive side, we agreed to participate in a public education campaign. We created a website specifically for the issue at www.landscapeontario.com/south-ottawa-watering-ban. We co-hosted two “Gardening through a Water Ban” public seminars, featuring Ed Lawrence, Denis Flanagan and Nicholas Bott. We negotiated discounts with three LO members who own water trucks. We are supplying gardening experts to media outlets. We are encouraging members to offer watering and mulching services as business add-ons. The problem is all of these actions are reactionary. As an industry, we must become more proactive. Water is our most important resource. It does not make logical sense for municipalities to build a huge infrastructure to bring in treated water, when the bulk of it is wasted. We have the opportunity to solve some of these issues. Water harvesting design and techniques must become a priority for our industry. We must encourage the public and government to think about the importance of capturing water through the use of cisterns, barrels, water bags, grading, rain gardens, and plantings. We must remind site developers that the earth can absorb huge amounts of water, if we take care to encourage water percolation and prevent compaction. A tree is a vertical rain garden. Turf is one of the best ground covers to capture and filter water. We must find ways to use grey water and rainwater. Our plants prefer it anyway. We must encourage a new image for the horticulture industry. We are already agents of beauty. We must now become stewardship experts and professionals. We have a great role to play in how we capture and use water. We have an even bigger role to play in the mitigation of pollution, conserving our energy, cleaning our air and generally enhancing our environment. And speaking of environment, watch your mail for information about the National Plastics Recycling event June 21 to July 4. Over 20 of our members have agreed to accept plastic from customers and other members. This is the pilot for a permanent solution to our industry’s waste plastic. Tony DiGiovanni may be reached at tonydigiovanni@landscapeontario.com.
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PUBLIC RELATIONS
A balancing act Denis Flanagan CLD Director of public relations
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ife and work is often a balancing act as we must decide on what we will spend our time doing. A few Friday evenings ago, LO staff members Kristen McIntyre, Linda Nodello and I all represented LO at a fundraising event for the Riverwood Conservancy in Mississauga. The evening was supported by a mix of politicians, business people and conservationists. My job at the Denis Flanagan event was to run the live auction for a wide variety of prizes, which varied from a signed print by Robert Bateman to an exclusive lunch with Mississauga’s renowned mayor Hazel McCallion. Funds from the event will support various projects at Riverwood, including educational programs for children.
The latest project at Riverwood is the building of a new display garden, which combines a formal garden, a special needs garden, a teaching garden, and at the same time carefully blending and conserving the natural surroundings. Other features will include a new primary walkway leading to the MacEwan House, an accessible pergola featuring vines and perennials, seating areas with benches and low walls, decorative garden fencing and stone columns, a network of secondary paths and enhanced wetland edge, new directional and park Mississauga’s celebrity mayor Hazel McCallion was on hand to signage, and donor recogni- help raise funds for Riverwood. tion signage to acknowledge spring, it has been delayed by the cool wet those who gave to the Riverwood Fundraising conditions. Campaign. The project is being built by Gateman Denis Flanagan may be contacted at Milloy. Like most construction projects this dflanagan@landscapeontario.com.
HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 7
THE UNDERGROUND WORLD
Review your underground excavation plans By Terry Murphy CLP
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ach spring always check and service all your equipment before starting up your landscape operation. You must attend meetings, planning sessions, job reviews, but you also must check on how you will handle underground excavation challenges this season. Here is an underground checklist for your consideration: Get locates — Do not dig unless you have called Ontario One Call and received your locate paperwork. By the way, it’s the law. Underground safety meeting — You should make sure that all your people are aware of the dangers that exist underground, and that they cannot dig unless the locate company has marked (painted) the soil. Have your locate paperwork on site at the time you excavate. Job planning with the locate company — You should give the locate company a month’s advance notice on all the jobs that require locates, with approximate dates of when you plan to start. This will help the locate company have the utilities marked out when you require them. One metre hand dig rule — Remember that if you are digging within one metre (39.37 inches) of a marked utility line, you cannot
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use machinery or equipment, but must carefully hand dig. Know what to do if you hit a utility line — Immediately call the utility and/or Ontario One Call. Record all information and complete your Accident Investigation Report. Take a photograph of the utility line, the site and surroundings. Write out whatever you can to describe the hit, including why you think it happened. (If it goes to court, it will be months or years later and you may need all this information.) Review ORCGA best practices manual — Make sure you and your landscape crews review all the important excavation rules before you dig. Contact the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) for a copy of the best practices manual for excavation (orcg@cogeco.ca), or call 1-866-4464493. Alternate locate agreements save time and money — Consider getting an ALA from each local utility in your area. Once you have completed the process, you may get approval over the phone to proceed with your excavation without having the locate company actually put the markings on the soil. Discuss the costs of hitting a line — Most hits will cost a minimum of $800 from the Technical Standards and Safety Association and a repair bill in the area of $2,000 from the
individual utility. You will look at approximately $3,000 minimum, not counting overhead time. At a profit level of five per cent after tax, your company will need sales of more than $60,000 just to cover this unnecessary cost. Preventing underground utility hits is mainly about employee awareness and making sure you follow a couple of simple rules. The main prevention rule is to get locates before you dig. Remember, “Get Locates and Excavate Safely.” Contact Terry Murphy at tvmurphy@ca.inter. net if you have any comments, or if you need any information on dealing with underground issues.
Young workers blitz targets landscaping sites Since early May, health and safety inspectors have focused on workplaces where many new and young workers are employed. One of the prime areas in the focus includes landscaping sites. The provincial government announced the blitz, stating it wanted to ensure employers are complying with regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and that young workers are instructed, trained and supervised on jobs. The blitz also will determine is companies are using proper safety measures, equipment and procedures to prevent injuries and meeting minimum age requirements for the work they are doing. This is the fourth annual blitz focusing on new and young workers in Ontario. For more information, go to www.labour.gov.on.ca.
PROFESSIONAL AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Important survey to help fill gaps for skilled trades for the landscape industry By Sally Harvey CLT, CLP Education and Labour Development Department
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andscape Ontario, in partnership with Humber College and Ontario Parks Association, successfully achieved the support of the Government of Ontario to obtain a Market Partnership Grant. Through Employment Ontario, the project is entitled, ‘Identifying Labour Issues and Challenges in the Landscape Horticulture Industry.’ As one of the most Sally Harvey significant contributors to the Ontario and Canadian economy at present, the horticulture (landscape) industry is expected to double in size within the next decade. A significant challenge to attract workers in the horticultural trades already exists. With the baby boomer cohort heading toward retirement, and gardening and landscaping considered one of the top five areas of interest among retirees, the industry will experience rapid economic growth, coupled with a severe shortage of trained workers. We need to determine a plan of action to identify gaps in training, forecasting longand short-term employment opportunities and encourage workers to consider entry into the horticulture industry. A well developed strategy in the form of a master Human Resources Plan is critical to the future growth of the industry and the continued and robust economic growth in this province. Our project with Humber and OPA involves six steps that should guide our strategies and provide tools to increase the number of skilled workers in the landscape horticulture industry. This is intended to help relieve the growing gap in skilled labour availability in Ontario. The six steps are: 1. Survey the entire industry in Ontario (employers, certified individuals, apprentices and journey persons, municipalities and educators). We will encourage members and non-members of Landscape Ontario to complete the survey that corresponds to their role in the industry so that our data is complete and accurately identifies the barriers
to skills development. 2. The survey results will guide the development and implementation of a communications and awareness campaign. This will result in the identification of barriers to industry and stakeholder focus groups in four regions across the province (Ottawa, Sudbury, Toronto and London). These four, half-day facilitated brainstorming sessions will engage industry and stakeholders in a process that will create strategies to remove barriers to skills development. 3. With the guidance of a human resources consultant, we will develop a plan to educate and promote professional human resource management within the horticultural sector to gain an industry-wide competitive advantage. 4. A consultant will develop a human resource strategy that provides tools and resources to educate and inspire effective human resource management systems to help employers introduce and maintain professional recruitment, retention and skills development. This tool kit, or plan will be tested in a pilot project in the central region. 5. Our marketing consultant will develop a marketing plan that will communicate the skills development opportunities in apprenticeship, certification and other training in order to generate participation. The marketing plan, will include a cost/ benefit tool. 6. The final report will provide a detailed summary of the research carried out and recommendations for implementation. The industry and all skilled trades education and training delivery agents will benefit from the project with new and/or enhanced awareness of the challenges that exist and tools to facilitate skills development and increase skilled labour in the landscape horticulture industry
Horticultural Technician, and Certified Landscape Technician. • Improve communication between educational institutions and industry. • Connect employers across Ontario and increase awareness of resources and tools available to encourage development of human resource strategies. • Increase the number of skilled labour to the industry now and in the future. Landscape Ontario and its partners are enthusiastically coordinating the project. In the coming months, the industry and stakeholders will be invited to participate in the survey and the awareness/communications sessions. We encourage your input and participation, as we endeavour to develop solutions for our skilled labour challenges Sally Harvey may be contacted at sharvey@landscapeontario.com.
Expected results • Understand the barriers to skilled labour development and increase participation in programs, including apprenticeship, certification and technical seminars. • Improve existing training programs and graduate success in the following programs, as a result of a human resource capacity strategic plan: Certificate of Apprenticeship, Certificate of Qualification, Certified HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 9
PROSPERITY PARTNERS
Leadership — Never let ‘em see you sweat By Jacki Hart CLP Prosperity Partners program manager
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hen it comes to leadership, the expression, ‘Never let ‘em see you sweat,’ fits like a glove – figuratively speaking. It’s an important part of leadership to work WITH your staff, beside them in the trenches, so to speak. You need to break a sweat when they do, and do the less desirable tasks with them from time to time. However, Jacki Hart it’s equally important to always appear to have a plan, and to be one step ahead of them. It’s in this sense in which I mean ‘never let ‘em see you sweat.’ In my business, I have seen good and poor leadership qualities come and go in vari-
ous employees. The one thing in my experience which stands out way ahead of all other motivating factors and ‘crew glue,’ is for the leader to be purposeful, intentional, clear and focused at all times. Uncertainty causes falter The moment a crew of workers sees their lead hand falter, show uncertainty, ask the workers for advice or help, that lead hand is sunk, from a leadership perspective. I’ve had a lead hand work for me, who unbeknownst to me, was constantly texting other lead hands for how-to info, and asking the crew members how to set up the process on several jobs. I was completely blindsided by this. What tipped me off was the feedback from the crew members, all asking to be put onto a different crew. When I dug a bit deeper, I discovered that the leader’s lack of confidence created a lack of respect from everyone on the crew. That lack of respect translated into lower than average pace, lower than average productivity, and sub-standard finishing touches – not something on which we pride ourselves. Leadership is about confidence Leadership is about confidence. It’s about clarity. It’s about communicating consistently. And, it’s about being respectful, accountable, also holding others accountable in a positive way. Take a few minutes as you drive to your next appointment or project, and reflect on how your staff and peers see you in terms of leadership. Are you consistent? Are you respectful? Are you confident? Are you and your staff accountable to each other? See this month’s Prosperity Primer. It should get you started on thinking smarter about what goes on behind the scenes to successful leadership: You can learn leadership skills in a variety of ways. Some of us are reported to be born leaders and others figure out leadership along the way. In either case, I believe that good leaders hold themselves to a higher standard than others, and they expect to be challenged. As we race our way through these busiest of months, many of us who are leaders just want a bit of slack – a break from the ongoing pressures of the day to day, and perhaps a bit of predictability in the weeks to come. If this sounds familiar, remember this important saying that we use in the Prosperity
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Prosperity Primer What promises did you quietly make yourself last year to improve the way your company performs? Try this short primer to get you going on improving your leadership: To improve the leadership within this company, the most important thing to change is: ______________. The consequences of NOT making the effort to change this are: _______________ The result of this change will be ________________. The resources I need to use are __________________. I am going to contact, access, read this resource by July ___, 2011. Or, I’m going to file this in my November File, and will work on it next winter. When I have done this, here’s what I anticipate will be different and improved: _________________________. Partners seminar: “If you are aiming at nothing, you will hit it with HUGE accuracy!” So, with respect to your role as a leader – whether among your peers, or as a supervisor or owner – what are you aiming for? What does it look like when you are a good, strong leader? I invite you to contact the Prosperity Partners team in membership services at Landscape Ontario, or go online to www. horttrades.com/prosperity to see what our unique business program offers for your leadership journey. There is light on the horizon – two of the busiest months are behind you now – so keep your chin up, give yourself a pat on the back, and take the time to ask yourself how improved leadership can help your career and business. Jacki Hart may be contacted at prosperity@landscapeontario.com.
SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS
Do the work, not the job By Mark Bradley
This series of articles, published in Horticulture Review for the past two years, follows Dan, a struggling landscape contractor, and his longtime friend and mentor Bill, who has recently introduced Dan and his company to systems.
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his month, Dan’s spring schedule is in full swing, but things are just OK at Danscaping. Dan is busy and sales are up, but he is also working just as hard to get some of his new company systems off the ground. Convinced he is either doing something wrong, or the systems just aren’t for him, he sought out Bill for advice. “We’ve really focused on systems this spring,” said Dan. “I’ve Mark Bradley been preaching to everyone in the company. Results have been good in some areas, but falling apart in others. I’m just not sure systems are right for our type of business. Things change on-the-fly. We don’t always have all the information before we start a job. Or, things happen spontaneously and we must react. I can’t depend on systems with all these other variables up in the air. We don’t have the time, or the people to keep on top of everything.” Surprisingly, Bill nodded in agreement, “That’s every contractor, Dan.” Dan looked confused. Bill didn’t say anything more, so Dan continued, “Here’s the problem. I have some systems up and running. Not every system, but it’s better than anything we ever had. But now, I’m driving around to sites and I’m still seeing waste. I see waiting. I see rework. I’m coming down hard on using our systems to fix the problems, but my foremen are turning it around, blaming the systems for the problems. They’re burying their heads in busywork, and then blame the systems for missing information when they’re falling behind. Bill asked, “So, what makes you think it’s your systems that are causing your problems?” Dan had thought long and hard about systems during a late drive home. Dan needed a wall finished asap to hit a big payment milestone. During a quick site visit to check on progress, Dan found that his crew hadn’t even started the wall. The measurements on the drawing were off. The foreman sent one email a few days ago
asking about it, but then had gone silent. No one had done anything to fix the problem. The foreman pointed to his job package and noted that he hadn’t had any updated designs or information since he noticed an incorrect measurement on the drawings. Dan had heard about it a week ago, but at a bad time, and forgot about it. The foreman was blaming the job package system for not being able to move forward. “It’s because our projects aren’t like projects in other industries. There’s information that’s not perfect. Things aren’t always planned perfectly when we start. We can’t just stand around waiting for everything to be planned, or we’d never start any of our projects. Now I’m preaching systems, systems, systems to my people, but they’re starting to blame the systems for slowdowns and waste. Bill responded, “Dan, you’re mostly right. We’re not ever going to solve all the problems in a landscape project. We know it. Do your foremen know it?” “Sure, they know that,” said Dan “Well, if they really knew it, they wouldn’t use it as a reason for waste, except in the rare cases where they’ve run completely out of options. But, that situation is rare. Your problem is not in your systems, Dan, it’s in your company’s expectations of them. You need to make the role of systems crystal clear to everyone. “Systems take care of the day-to-day problems. They make sure that your crews leave the shop with fuel and the right tools and equipment, and that they know how many hours are allocated to their tasks, so that work is done safely and efficiently. “Foremen/supervisors and key staff are paid a premium to get work done. They are problem solvers, who take action and make decisions when our problems are bigger than our systems. “Do the work, not the job.” – Seth Godin “Don’t allow your systems to become an excuse for waste. You and your foremen need systems. No amount of planning and preparation is going to solve every problem in the landscape industry, especially with construction work. In our industry, foremen need to think on their feet, see the road ahead and solve the problems that aren’t fixed with simple systems.” As Bill spoke, the lights came on for Dan. He had built his staff to expect everything from the company’s systems. But landscape construction is not an assembly line – it requires constant
problem solving, creative thinking and great communication. Dan had some great staff, but he’d set up the expectations all wrong. They were expecting the systems to eliminate all the problems for them. Bill recalled several years back, when he experienced the same frustration Dan was feeling. “I started with a staff meeting, where I put it all on the table. I explained just some of the 100 reasons that, despite our best planning, jobs won’t go exactly as planned.” • Waiting on customer decisions, or changing requirements • Design flaws, or missing information • Weather and site conditions changes • Late material deliveries, unavailable materials • Equipment breakdowns • Schedule juggling for cash flow “Systems aren’t going to fix these issues. A foreman’s job is to work through these problems to ensure the job gets done. He needs to communicate when he requires information, what decisions are holding up the progress, and when he is going to require resources. Foremen are problem solvers. That’s the first role on their job description.” “Every day, foremen need to look at their goals and ask, ‘What do I need today to make this happen on time and on budget?’ Even with systems, problems are going to happen, information will be missing, and questions will be unanswered. When a foreman can’t solve a problem, they need to take every step to ensure he’s communicated the issue to the person who can. If he needs information from me, I want an email or phone call every day letting me know that I’m holding them up. Then, the problem is my fault, and I know about it.” Bill continued with a last bit of advice for Dan, “See these problems right now as an opportunity. Your job as an owner is to teach your key staff that problem resolution is everyone’s job. When you get employees pushing back at the systems, you need to ask one simple question: ‘So what did you do about it?’ Their response will help you identify great staff who can help you grow your business, and lesser staff whose problems will be your problems, and whose productivity will suck your profits dry.” Mark Bradley is the president of The Beach Gardener and the Landscape Management Network.
HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 11
Great reasons to become certified By Mike Lunau CLP, CHT
The question I hear most often is, “What is the value of certification?” The majority of business owners are concerned with knowing where the direct monetary value lies in becoming certified, and more importantly, in having their employees certified. For the owner of the company I work for (Eden Gardenworks of London), and for myself as operations manager, the answer was never one of direct dollar value. The decision to become certified as a CLP and CHT stemmed from my continued commitment towards education and professionalism, which began as a student in the Landscape Technician Program at Niagara College. Certification recognizes and rewards an employee’s education and training in a way that is easily and universally recognizable across North America. A shared concern among many employers is, “Once I pay for my employee to get certified, what is to stop him from walking out the door with my investment?” Employers shouldn’t allow that fear to
stand in the way of certifying employees, because employers should be dedicated to advancing their employees’ skills and knowledge. A corporate culture encouraging the continual evolution and improvement of employees ensures staff members remain engaged and challenged. The culture at our company has always been committed to education. I have had the opportunity to attend many conferences, seminars and trade shows offered by Landscape Ontario and PLANET Certification evaluations are coming in July. throughout Ontario and the U.S. I believe it was those experiences, along education points (CEU) accumulated quickly. with my education at Niagara College and However, the most rewarding way I have extensive field experience, which helped me found to achieve continued education credits to successfully complete both certifications on is through volunteer work. my first attempt. By continuing to attend those Over the past year-and-a-half I have conferences and seminars, my continuing become involved with the certification committee. This incredible group of people is responsible for administering all of the certification testing, in addition to diligently working to promote and improve the program. It has provided me with a wealth of opportunities to meet members of the industry from all areas of the province. The value of conversations I’ve had during my attendance at the courses is immeasurable. My personal career development and the abundance of opportunities that have presented themselves through my involvement in the committee have vastly exceeded my expectations. I initially became certified as a way to formally define my experience and qualifications. It is a way to identify myself immediately as a professional in an industry where it is often very difficult to do so. Certification is just one of the many tools our company uses to convey to prospective clients that we are educated, experienced and dedicated to our work. I truly believe that certification will soon reach a critical mass in the minds of consumers, and it is our responsibility to ensure that these increasingly elevated demands are met. Are you prepared? The next Landscape Industry Certified testing is at the LO home office on July 21 - July 22. For more information, contact Rachel Cerelli at rachelc@landscapeontario.com.
12 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011
MEMBERSHIP
Time to refresh your profile By Helen Hassard Membership coordinator
W
ith spring nearly over, if you haven’t already done so now is the perfect time to create or refresh your Landscape Ontario membership profile on www. landscapeontario.com. One of the huge benefits of being a member is the promotion you receive through our consumer website. You really need to take full advantage of this and make sure your profile gives as much informaHelen Hassard tion as possible about your company and the work you do. For many of you, this may mean updating your profile with new job site photos, or it could mean starting from scratch. For those of you who have never created a profile, or even heard of this feature, go to
www.horttrades.com. Under Membership, go to Edit Member Profile. From here, it will take you to a sign-in page, where you use your personal email address to sign in. The email to use is the one that we have on file and the one that receive the weekly (or in the summertime – bi-weekly) e-news. If you`re not sure which one you are using, feel free to give us a call 1-800-265-5656. If someone else at your company has already used this email login to pay for something, download the logo or sign-up for an event, and if you’re not sure of the password they created, don’t worry, there is a button below the sign-in portal that resets the password for you. Send an email to the email listed. Once you`ve successfully logged in, click on ‘Create a Member Profile!’ From there, you may add photos, get specific with the type of work you do and the geographical locations in which you work. In this modern age, where consumers want to see everything at the click of a mouse, you don`t want to fall behind your competitors by leaving out key information. Most of the profile may be completed online. Only the link from
your profile to your company`s website needs to be entered by home office staff. If you try to put it into the description portion, it will not automatically create a link. The profile also needs final approval from home office staff, before it can go live. This does not take long, but is a necessary part of the process. So, sign-in today and give your company the recognition it deserves. Helen Hassard may be contacted at helen@landscapeontario.com.
Create a profile Landscape Ontario members (active, intro and satellite) are strongly encouraged to create or update their free member profile to advertise their company and services to thousands of consumers on www.landscapeontario.com. Go to http://bit.ly/GFLprofile to learn more.
HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 13
Chapter News London Chapter ends season with mini-trade show By Daryl Bycraft CHT London Chapter correspondent
The London Chapter final meeting for the 2010-2011 season took place in March in the form of a mini-trade show, featuring local suppliers to the trade. Also attending the meeting was Joel Beatson, from the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, outlining reasons to become a member of Landscape Ontario. He reviewed the discounts offered through preferred suppliers such as Caterpiller, Chase Paymentech, General Motors, Telus, Nebs, John Deere, Primus, and Penske Truck Rentals, Petro Can and Esso. Beatson also outlined the group insurance with Hort Protect for individuals and businesses. Suppliers at the trade show included TSC Stores, Outdoor Living Solutions, Oxford Dodge, Tillsonbrands, Turf Revolution, Echo Power Equipment and Johnny Blades Grading Systems. This was also the final meeting for the London Chapter coordinator Wendy Harry,
Wendy Harry
who earlier announced she was leaving Landscape Ontario to pursue other endeavors. The chapter members presented her with a gift and wished her well. Door prizes were offered at the meeting for gift cards, hats, garbage pickers and an Echo weedeater. The London Chapter is organizing its third annual Garden Tour on July 9.
Ottawa water ban updates The City of Ottawa has placed an immediate ban on all outdoor watering in the communities of Barrhaven, Manotick and Riverside South. The move has possible dire consequences for Ottawa area landscape companies. The ban is a result of planned construction this summer to repair a major water main break back in January. The city is allowing use of water in homes, but the city council decided that outdoor water use will not be allowed until after the construction is complete. Initial estimates place that date sometime in August. Ottawa members of Landscape Ontario are very concerned. Some members report that orders have already been canceled. A recent survey revealed: • 74% of those who took the survey say they will be affected by the ban • 33.3% feel they will need to lay off staff • 76.2% feel customers will cancel work orders • 61.9% feel customers won’t purchase plants, if they can’t be watered A delegation from Landscape Ontario has met with the City of Ottawa to discuss ways to mitigate damage caused by the water ban. The group asked for an exemption for new plantings; support regarding the use of water trucks and the distribution of collapsible rain barrels. The city said it couldn’t exempt new plantings or introduce limited water use programs, the entire water capacity will be down to 10 per cent during the construction period An ongoing update of the issue may be found on the Ottawa Chapter page on www.horttrades.com.
14 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011
Wine country is site of this year’s auction By Kristen McIntyre CHT Conference and event coordinator
The 2011 Industry Auction presented by Landscape Ontario’s Growers Group is being held Thurs., July 14. This year’s event will be hosted in the heart of wine country by Blue Sky Nursery in Beamsville. The auction, open to all landscape trades people, is a popular event that sees its proceeds benefit horticultural research and scholarships. Known for many years as the Growers Auction, this year the name has changed to Industry Auction to reflect the fact that the event includes everyone in the horticulture industry. If you want the opportunity to purchase high quality plant material at below-wholesale prices, then bring your staff and your trailer. All items are ready for pick-up immediately after bidding. Over the years, landscape contractors asked, “What is the auction anyway, and what do I have to do to bid?” The answer is simple: the auction is an industry-buying event where you can expect to see anything on a skid. There is no admission fee. Before the live bidding begins, everyone has the opportunity to grab a coffee and preview the lots. Attendees can sign up for a bidder’s number (just give us a business card and we’ll give you a card with a number on it), and then bid on lots of lots. The day will get underway at 10:30 a.m. with wagon tours of the farm, while the Growers Awards of Excellence submissions are judged beside the bidding area from 9:00 am until 12-noon. Winners will be announced at the end of the bidding (approximately 3:30 p.m.) and the prize-winning skids will then be auctioned off. Each year there are a lot of great offerings from our industry. My personal favourite was an entry a few years ago that featured a garden fence and a ‘no-dog-peeing’ sign. Yep, creativity abounds at the LO Auction! Typically we will have skids full of the industry’s best offerings of deciduous shrubs, trees, perennials and evergreens up for bid. We also have hard goods and related supplies, with skids full of fertilizer, pots, gardening tools, plant tags and labels. Anyone may donate product (bring it to the site the day before or the morning of, on skids or not) and we will gladly accept it with a smile. The Growers Group, along with staff from Blue Sky and LO, will assign a lot number and place it out on the lot for bidding. This year there will be a silent auction area with items that should appeal to everyone such
Although some changes are taking place for this year’s auction, the high quality plant material available will remain the same.
as local wine, gift certificates and much more. If that wasn’t enough to get you excited, a local caterer known for its use of fresh, local produce will be serving up a delectable lunch from 11:45 to 12:45, all compliments of our host, Blue Sky Nursery. Bidding opens at 1 p.m. If you get thirsty, visit a tasting tent hosted by
a local winery. As mentioned above, plant material, hard good donations and gift certificates to the auction are welcome and appreciated! For more information, contact Kristen McIntyre at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 321, auction@ landscapeontario.com.
HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 15
Hillen Nursery Inc Botanical Name
Qty. 1 Gal Qty. 2 Gal Qty. 3 Gal Botanical Name Avail. Price Avail. Price Avail. Price
VINES Ampelopsis glandulosa Elegans 241 8.00 Aristolochia durior 114 Campsis radicans Balboa Sunset 194 8.00 Hedera helix Thorndale 200 6.00 Hydrangea anomala petiolaris 271 8.00 Lonicera per. Serotina 78 8.00 Parthenocissus quinq. Engelmannii 995 8.00 Parthenocissus quinquefolia 248 6.00 Parthenocissus tricus. Veitchii 1,000 6.00 Polygonum aubertii 831 6.00 Wisteria macrostachya Blue Moon. 100 EVERGREENS Azalea Northern Lights 198 Azalea Orchid Lights 239 Buxus Faulkner 100 5.00 330 Buxus microphylla 49 5.00 524 Buxus X Green Gem 74 5.20 299 Buxus X Green Mound 845 5.00 1,000 Buxus X Green Mountain 90 5.00 51 Buxus X Green Velvet 1,000 5.20 1,000 Chamaecyparis pisifera Aurea Sungold 35 5.00 183 Chamaecyparis pisifera Filifera 190 5.00 175 Chamaecyparis pisifera Filifera Aurea 80 5.00 258 Cotoneaster dammeri Coral Beauty 1,000 5.00 162 7.00 Cotoneaster microphyllus 168 5.00 45 Cotoneaster salicifolius Repens 1,000 7.00 Euonymus fortunei `Emerald n Gold` 1,000 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Canadale Gold 305 5.00 171 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Coloratus 185 5.00 Euonymus fortunei Emerald Gaiety 1,000 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Emerald ‘n Gold 165 5.00 Euonymus fortunei Goldtip 266 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Sunrise 279 7.00 Ilex X meserveae Blue Prince 891 5.00 298 Ilex X meserveae Blue Princess 951 5.00 527 Juniperus chinensis Gold Coast 186 Juniperus chinensis Gold Star 366 5.00 343 Juniperus chinensis Mint Julep 390 5.00 233 Juniperus chinensis Pfitz. Compacta 300 5.00 63 Juniperus chinensis San Jose 250 5.00 89 Juniperus communis Green Carpet 451 Juniperus communis Repanda 260 5.00 Juniperus conferta Blue Pacific 200 5.00 279 Juniperus hor. Turquoise Spreader 200 5.00 297 Juniperus horizontalis 100 5.00 Juniperus horizontalis Andorra Compacta 841 5.00 13 Juniperus horizontalis Bar Harbor 190 5.00 27 Juniperus horizontalis Icee Blue 261 6.00 959 Juniperus horizontalis Lime Glow 170 6.50 10 Juniperus horizontalis Wiltonii 416 5.00 10 Juniperus horizontalis Yukon Belle 400 5.00 938 Juniperus media Armstrongii 142 5.00 250 Juniperus procumbens nana 95 5.00 210 Juniperus sabina 200 5.00 182 Juniperus sabina Buffalo 228 Juniperus squamata Blue Carpet 150 5.00 272 Juniperus squamata Blue Star 217 Juniperus virginiana Grey Owl 90 5.00 43 Metasequoia glyptostroboides 247 7.00 Microbiota decussata 697 5.00 Picea glauca Conica 565 Picea pungens glauca 375 7.00 Picea pungens glauca StJuan 632 7.00 Picea pungens Globosa 399 Pinus mugo var. mugo 1,000
16  HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011
11.00
12.25
13.50 13.50 11.00 11.00 11.20 11.00 11.00 11.20 11.00 11.00 11.00 9.00
11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 13.00 11.50 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 22.00 11.00
Qty. 1 Gal Qty. 2 Gal Qty. 3 Gal Avail. Price Avail. Price Avail. Price
Pinus strobus 1,000 Taxus X media Densiformis 305 5.00 Taxus X media Hicksii 516 5.00 1,000 Taxus X media Hillii 431 Taxus X media Wardii 690 5.00 Thuja occidentalis 179 Thuja occidentalis Brandon 98 5.00 188 Thuja occidentalis Golden Globe 100 5.00 Thuja occidentalis Little Giant 325 5.00 48 Thuja occidentalis Nigra 990 5.00 1,000 Thuja occidentalis Smaragd 1,000 5.00 258 Thuja occidentalis Wintergreen 438 5.00 449 Thuja plicata Spring Grove 54 5.00 513 Tsuga canadensis 1,000 5.00 10 7.00 1,000 Yucca filamentosa 121 7.00 35
11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00
DECIDUOUS SHRUBS Acanthopanax sieboldianus 679 7.00 Acer ginnala 141 7.00 Acer rubrum 551 7.00 Acer tartaricum Bailey Compact 133 7.00 Alnus glutinosa 126 7.00 Alnus rugosa 458 7.00 Amelanchier alnifolia 445 7.00 Amelanchier canadensis 770 7.00 Amelanchier laevis 147 7.00 Aronia mel. Autumn Magic 222 7.00 Aronia melanocarpa 542 7.00 Aronia X prunifolia Viking 253 7.00 Berberis thunbergii Rose Glow 335 6.00 380 Berberis thunbergii Royal Burgundy 316 Berberis thunbergii Royal Cloak 134 6.00 Buddleia davidii Black Knight 359 7.00 Buddleia davidii Ellens Blue 392 7.00 Buddleia davidii Ile de France 582 7.00 Buddleia davidii Nanho Purple 465 7.00 Buddleia davidii Petite Plum 612 7.00 Buddleia davidii Pink Delight 396 7.00 Buddleia davidii Purple Prince 907 7.00 Buddleia davidii Royal Red 343 7.00 Buddleia davidii White Profusion 278 7.00 Caryopteris clandonensis Grand Blue 271 7.35 Caryopteris clandonensis Worchester Gold 130 7.00 Cephalanthus occidentalis 257 7.00 Cercidiphyllum japonicum 137 7.00 Cercis canadensis 498 7.00 Chaenomeles speciosa Nivalis 387 7.00 Chaenomeles speciosa Rubra 647 7.00 Chaenomeles speciosa Texas Scarlet 583 7.00 Chaenomeles sup.Crimson and Gold 184 7.00 Chaenomeles sup.Pink Lady 120 7.00 Clethra alnifolia Hummingbird 136 7.00 Clethra alnifolia Paniculatum 295 7.00 Clethra alnifolia Pink Spire 373 7.00 Cornus alba Elegantissima 1,000 7.00 Cornus alba Gouchaultii 218 7.00 Cornus alba Ivory Halo 412 7.45 Cornus alba Red Gnome 201 7.00 Cornus stolonifera Kelseyi 1,000 7.00 Corylus americana 157 7.00 Corylus avellana Contorta 186 15.00 Cotoneaster apiculatus 323 7.00 Cotoneaster preacox Boer 1,000 7.00 Deutzia crenata Nikko 769 7.00 Deutzia gracilis 404 7.00 Deutzia X Strawberry Field 152 7.00 Euonymus alatus Compactus 1,000 5.00 102 8.00 90 Forsythia Kumson 459 7.00 Forsythia ovata Ottawa 480 7.00
13.50 13.50
9.00
c. Botanical Name
Many More Cultivars and sizes available Qty. 1 Gal Qty. 2 Gal Qty. 3 Gal Botanical Name Avail. Price Avail. Price Avail. Price
Forsythia X inter. Northern Gold 1,000 7.00 Forsythia X intermedia Lynwood 650 7.00 Genista tinctoria Royal Gold 191 7.00 Hamamelis virginiana 197 7.00 Hibiscus syriacus Diana 198 5.00 204 Hibiscus syriacus Lavender Chiffon 189 5.60 Hibiscus syriacus White Chiffon 180 5.60 108 Hibiscus syriacus Woodbridge 451 5.00 Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle 1,000 7.00 Hydrangea macr. Bouquet Rose 274 7.00 Hydrangea macr. Penny Mac 245 7.30 Hydrangea paniculata Kyushu 462 7.00 Hydrangea paniculata Little Lamb 222 7.60 Hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky 303 7.60 Hydrangea paniculata Tardiva 253 7.00 Hydrangea quercifolia PeeWee 158 Hydrangea serrata Bluebird 232 7.00 Ilex verticillata Jim Dandy 169 7.00 Ilex verticillata Afterglow 1,000 7.00 Ilex verticillata Southern Gentleman 329 7.00 Ilex verticillata Winterred 143 7.00 Itea virginica Henrys Garnet 276 7.00 Kerria japonica Pleniflora 118 7.00 Kolkwitzia amabilis Pink Cloud 1,000 7.00 Ligustrum jap. Aureomarginata 193 7.00 Ligustrum ovalufolium 160 7.00 Ligustrum vulgaris 286 7.00 Liriodendron tulipefera 233 8.50 Lonicera tatarica Arnold Red 318 7.00 Lonicera xylosteum Emerald Mound 822 7.00 Lonicera xylosteum Miniglobe 741 7.00 Magnolia stellata Royal Star 142 Magnolia X loebneri Leonard Messel 248 Philadelphus coronarius Aureus 155 7.00 Philadelphus Innocence 670 7.00 Philadelphus Minn.Snowflake Dwarf 129 7.00 Philadelphus Minnesota Snowflake 375 7.00 Philadelphus Natchez 154 7.00 Philadelphus X virginalis 527 7.00 Physocarpus opulifolius 697 7.00 Physocarpus opulifolius Diabolo 1,000 7.60 750 Populus tremuloides 199 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Coronation Triumph 1,000 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Dakota Sunrise 1,000 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Gold Drop 295 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Goldstar 1,000 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Mango Tango 273 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa McKays White 261 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Tangerine 147 7.00 Prunus cistena 970 5.00 1,000 7.00 Prunus virginiana 345 7.00 Quercus bicolor 383 7.00 Quercus macrocarpa 80 7.00 48 Quercus palustris 127 7.00 Quercus robur Fastigiata 1,000 9.00 Rhus typhina 1,000 7.00 Rhus typhina Tiger Eyes 15 10.50 87 Rosa Henry Kelsey 330 7.00 Rosa Bonica 1,000 7.00 Rosa Carolina 1,000 7.00 Rosa J P Connell 385 7.00 Rosa rugosa 1,000 7.00 \Rosa rugosa Morden Blush 179 7.00 Rosa x Champlain 362 7.00 Rosa x George Vancouver 324 7.00 Salix discolor 1,000 7.00 Salix eriocephala 1,000 7.00 Salix exigua 1,000 7.00 Salix gracilis Purpurea Nana 964 7.00
8.00 8.60
14.00
11.00 11.00
8.60
8.00
12.50
Qty. 1 Gal Qty. 2 Gal Qty. 3 Gal Avail. Price Avail. Price Avail. Price
Salix nigra 70 7.00 Salix repens 57 7.00 Sambucus canadensis Aurea 1,000 7.00 Sambucus nigra Black Lace 85 9.50 28 Sambucus pubens 251 7.00 Sorbaria aitchisonii 340 7.00 Sorbaria sorbifolia 22 7.00 Sorbaria sorbifolia Sem 238 7.00 22 Spiraea alba 1,000 7.00 Spiraea arguta 281 7.00 Spiraea betulifolia Tor 213 7.00 Spiraea bumalda Gold Mound 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Anthony Waterer 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Crispa 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Dakota Goldcharm 631 7.00 Spiraea japonica Darts Red 106 7.00 Spiraea japonica Flaming Mound 635 7.00 Spiraea japonica Froebelii 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Golden Princess 343 7.00 Spiraea japonica Goldflame 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Little Princess 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Magic Carpet 1,000 7.25 Spiraea japonica Shirobana 325 7.00 Spiraea japonica Shirobana (Genpei) 324 Spiraea japonica White Gold 278 7.00 Spiraea nipponica Snowmound 316 7.00 Spiraea vanhouttei 459 7.00 Spriaea vanhouttei Golden Fountain 5 8.00 90 Stephanandra incisa Crispa 293 7.00 Symphoricarpos albus 1,000 7.00 Symphoricarpos chenaultii Hancock 690 7.00 Syringa meyeri Palibin 50 7.00 Syringa patula Miss Kim 583 7.00 Syringa Tinkerbelle 640 7.50 Syringa vulgaris Beauty of Moscow 97 7.00 Syringa vulgaris Monge 1 7.00 20 Syringa vulgaris Primrose 150 7.00 Syringa vulgaris Sensation 35 7.00 34 Syringa X hyac. Pocahontas 35 7.00 Syringa X prestoniae Minuet 164 7.00 Tamarix pentandra 78 7.00 Tilia cordata 270 7.00 Viburnum carlcephalum 32 10.00 Viburnum dentatum 83 7.00 Viburnum dentatum Chicago Lustre 485 7.00 Viburnum farreri nanum 31 7.00 Viburnum nudum Winterthur 50 7.00 Viburnum opulus Roseum 7 7.00 19 Viburnum plic. Summer Snowflake 96 7.00 Viburnum plicatum Mariesii 252 10.00 Viburnum plicatum Shasta 180 10.00 Viburnum rhytidophyllum Alleghany 51 7.00 Viburnum trilobum Bailey Compact 228 7.00 Weigela florida Alexandra 208 7.60 Weigela florida Bristol Ruby 241 7.00 Weigela florida Bristol Snowflake 83 7.00 Weigela florida French Lace 279 7.60 Weigela florida Java Red 285 7.00 Weigela florida Minor Black 85 7.00 Weigela florida Minuet 202 7.00 Weigela florida Nana Variegata 398 7.00 Weigela florida Polka 615 7.00 Weigela florida Purpurea Nana 1,000 7.00 Weigela florida Red Prince 310 7.00 Weigela florida Rubidor 20 7.00 Weigela florida Rumba 385 7.00 Weigela florida Tango 147 7.00 Weigela florida Variegata 73 7.00 Weigela florida Victoria 170 7.00
11.50
8.00
8.00
9.00
8.00 8.00
8.00
RR 2, Mount Brydges, ON N0L 1W0 Tel: 519-264-9057 • Fax: 519-264-1337 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011  17
Letter to the editor I enjoy reading Sally Harvey’s columns in Horticulture Review each month. The past article (May issue, page 9, Prepare for summer safety issues) has a paragraph concerning the issue of wearing shorts. Our company does not allow shorts. Two years ago we had a critical injury when one of our employees was hit by a skid steer, and had his leg broken. Throughout and after the ensuing investigation, we had no orders or fines against us and all our training and paperwork were in place. The incident occurred around the same time we instituted our policy about not wearing shorts. As you can imagine, this was met with some resistance from our employees. I took the opportunity to discuss the shorts issue at length with the Ministry of Labour inspectors who were working on our file. The two gentlemen we dealt with were both of the opinion that in landscape construction, there is no grey area – we are considered construction, and therefore no shorts are allowed. In our maintenance duties, they felt the only time shorts may be OK would be during the cultivating or edging of gardens. They said anytime we were using machines (cutting,
trimming, weeding, etc.) pants would be required. The other thing they said was that in the end, each inspector has the right to interpret rules as they see fit. This was an acknowledgement for me that there are a lot of grey areas which are subject to interpretation. After all is said and done, I am glad none of our guys had shorts on the day of the abovenoted incident. Our H&S consultant said that both inspectors seemed to have had more of an industrial background, but I’m not sure if that was good or bad. Most of our employees now use pants made by Coolworks, which zip off at the bottom. However, there is still a sturdy mesh underneath, allowing for air circulation. These do meet MOL requirements. Another step we have taken is that anyone using hedge trimmers must wear chainsaw chaps. We all know someone who has at some time nicked their leg using this machinery. Leon Denbok CLP, CLT Denbok Landscaping and Design, Burlington
Niagara school and OPA mark 75th Back in 1936, the wisdom of The Niagara Parks Commission to create its own School of Horticulture has resulted in award-winning dividends. The school’s graduates now number more than 600 and have impacted horticulture across Canada and beyond. This Aug. 19, 20 and 21, both the NPC School of Horticulture and OPA will join for three days, to celebrate their mutual 75th milestone anniversaries. Each organization welcomes and invites the participation of their affiliates
during the celebrations. Registration and all event details may be viewed online at www. ontarioparksassociation.com. The goal is to celebrate the many successes and leadership together, along with fundraising to create a 75th Anniversary Legacy Garden. The garden is to be constructed as a tribute to the graduates of the Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture and to past and present members of the Ontario Parks Association.
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In Memoriam Sibylla Dorothea Peters Sibylla Dorothea Peters, co-founder of Humber Nurseries, passed away on Thurs., May 12, 2011, at Woodhall Retirement Village, Brampton, at the age of 92. A Catholic Mass was held on Tues., May 17, at Our Lady of the Airways Parish, Mississauga. Burial took place at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. Memorial donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated by the family. Sibylla Peters was the loving wife of the late Frans L.Peters, and beloved mother of Sibylla Sikking (deceased), (Henk), Frans G. (Vita), Astrid (Harry) and Guy (Elaine). Much loved “Oma” to Wesley (Kelly), Henk Jr. (Kristen), Monica (Ron), Anita (Richard), Peter, Frans Jr. (Michelle), and Travis (Anna). “Great Oma” of Katelyn, Declan, Carter, Skylar and Cassandra. Sibylla will also be greatly missed by her extended family members and all her friends. Sibylla and Frans L. Peters began Humber Nurseries in 1948. To mark her 75th birthday in 1998, Sibylla Peters was honoured with a fragrant, pink hybrid tea rose named “Mrs. S. Peters.” Roy Ford Roy Kenneth Ford passed away, surrounded by his family, at Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, Burlington, on May 4, in his 75th year. He was the beloved husband of Margaret for 52 years, and loving father of Todd and his wife Sandra and Lorraine Forbes and her husband Barry. A memorial service was held on May 7. Ford was well-known within the landscape industry, having worked over 50 years in the business, the last number of years at Outdoor Supplies and Equipment. Owner Rick McDowell says that he was known for being dedicated to this industry, always at the office seven days a week.
More changes coming to national plastic recycling program In just its second year, some significant changes are coming to Canada’s national program to recycle horticultural plastic. In Ontario, the plastic will be collected at 19 individual centres from June 25 to July 4. This compares to last year when LO and the British Columbia Nursery and Landscape Association combined to collect over 120 skids of used plastic pots in just a handful of locations. The inaugural event was considered a thumbs-up success. This year, dozens of new participants have joined right across Canada, giving gardeners even more locations to deposit flowerpots and trays, instead of in landfill sites. In Ontario, the recycling partners will be Plastix Canada and Agricultural Plastic Recyclers, along with Clean Farms and ITML/ Myers Lawn and Garden. Nearly 20 Ontario green industry businesses will collect plastic pots, trays, greenhouse film, tags, fertilizer bags, irrigation piping etc. Homeowners and members of the horticultural trade will be invited to bring their used horticultural plastic to these locations. Horticultural plastics will be collected before and during the national recycling event from June 24 to July 5. The aim is to divert horticultural plastic from landfills, and divert it to create new plastic products. Currently, there is no permanent program to recycle horticultural plastic. However, the Region of Halton is piloting a five-month project to collect pots/trays at the Milton landfill location. The goal of the national plastics recycling event is to demonstrate the need for an organized, sustainable collection program. Landscape Ontario and CNLA continue to work with other stakeholders to develop solutions to keep our plastic out of landfills. Ontario centres taking part in the program include Bradford Greenhouses in Bradford and Barrie, Kamstra Landscaping of Oshawa, Fresh Landscape and Garden Solutions of Tweed, Black Forest Garden Centre of King City, Alcock Nurseries of Campbellcroft, Bala Garden Centre of Bala, Taylor Nursery of Milton, Waterloo Flowers of Breslau, Valleyview Gardens of Scarborough, Tarantino Nursery of Vaughan, Verbeeks Farm and Garden Centre of Clinton, Humber Nurseries of Brampton, Van Dongen’s Garden Centre of Hornby, Mavis Garden Supplies of Mississauga, Native Plant Source
of Kitchener, Cudmore’s Garden Centre of Oakville, Walter’s Greenhouse of Paris and Greenbelt Farm of Mitchell.
Questions or comments may be directed to Lorraine Ivanoff at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 2366, or email lorraine@landscapeontario.com.
Last year over 120 skids of horticultural plastic were collected in Ontario and B.C.
HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 19
New show committee chair talks about changes coming to Expo Canada’s fall show for the garden and floral industries, Expo was launched more than a decade ago. Now independent garden centre owners, retail florists and mass merchants all depend on Expo as an important source for the right products. The growth and continued success of the trade show is primarily due to the input and influence of Landscape Ontario’s mem- Beth Edney bers and volunteers who participate in sector groups, sit on committees and volunteer their time and talent to the show. To recognize and honour some of those people, interviews in Horticulture Review over the next few months will feature some of the key players. This issue we highlight the new chair of the show committee Beth Edney CLD. Q. You’ve had a remarkable career,
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owning your own landscape design firm and contributing hundreds of volunteer hours to Landscape Ontario and your community. Tell us how you got involved in Landscape Ontario’s show committee and what your roles and responsibilities have been to date? A. I got involved with the show committee through Paul Day back in 2000, when he helped me coordinate a minitrade show for the annual conference of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. My first meeting with the committee was in the summer of 2001. So, it’s been 10 years already! In that time frame, my role with the show committee evolved. I was the vice chair for Expo from 2006 to 2010. In 2009, I created the first entrance garden, helped design the New Product Showcase and introduced the
Landscape Designers’ breakfast at Expo 2009. I remained active in all of those aspects and helped design the Green for Life Stage in 2010. My role was to help fulfill the artistic director’s and the show manager’s vision and take it to the next level. One of my proudest accomplishments was creating a Landscape Designers’ Conference at Congress. Q. What compelled you to take on this new role as chair of the show committee? A. The decision to take on the role of chair was an easy one. I am always humbled by the incredible commitment of my peers who sit on this committee and take time out of their busy schedule to actively help out before, during and after each show. This working committee is comprised of dedicated professionals who understand the value of the Landscape Ontario trade shows and are always looking for ways to make the shows better, year after year. As chair, I hope to contribute in some small way to these efforts. Q. What new directions and new opportunities does Expo 2011 provide for LO members and the larger audience of trade show vendors and visitors? A. Everything about the show is being revitalized with a move to a new building, new show dates and hours and an entirely new look that spotlights plants and products with enhanced lighting. The atmosphere will showcase vendors’ products and create a more intimate setting, which is conducive to networking. The new setting for Expo is meant to help engage more personal contact. This is an element that is missing when dealing with suppliers or buyers in our everyday exchanges, most of which are taking place over the telephone or the Internet. Q. What do you see as the greatest challenge to growing Expo 2011 and keeping it relevant to the green industry? A. Many attendees think that the show is always the same old thing year after year, but since 2009 when Expo took a new artistic direction, the show has proved itself on the cutting edge of trends, innovative plants and products, and has become a must-attend event to keep upto-date on all things floral and garden.
To paraphrase David Austin Jr. (of David Austin Roses), Expo has nothing to envy from the European horticultural trade shows. It has managed to carve itself a unique and trend-setting identity. The challenge is to get people to realize that they need to come to this show. Q. How important is greening Landscape Ontario’s trade shows, and is that an important part of your future plans? A. In order to appeal to the younger generation of buyers and exhibitors,
we need to be cognizant of the carbon footprint of our trade shows. For the last three years, these concerns have been integrated into our planning process and we are proud to be Green for Life. Many of the products are reused, composted, or recycled, thanks to the diligent efforts of our exhibitors and suppliers. Q. Do you have any other comments about the show and your role as chair? A. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for members of our industry to
attend Expo and Congress, to grow as professionals by engaging with their peers. The trade shows provide an important platform for the exchange of ideas. Expo is going to be a great opportunity for the green industry to gather and plan for the future. I look forward to helping engage the next generation and helping them become more involved in the horticultural community.
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
Living wall in Cape Breton Landscape Ontario member Nedlaw Living Walls of Breslau has been awarded the contract for development and installation of one of its patented living wall systems at Cape Breton University in Sydney, N.S. The structure, 16 ft. tall by 23 ft. wide, will be a key feature of the University’s Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment. Installation of the living wall at the Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment was scheduled for completion by the end of June 2011, with an official opening of CSEE slated for mid-September.
president, says he plans to turn the land into a demonstration of sustainable landscapes. “We are planning on seeding it with wildflower meadows and trails, gardens and everything sustainable in landscaping.” The article quotes Lippert, “My genera-
tion is looking forward to buying homes and running businesses. They have this environmentally aware mindset and we want to meet them on that path.” To see the article, go to http://bit.ly/ quietnature.
Supplier featured in Toronto Star
Environmental Factor owner Lorelei Hepburn of Oshawa was the focus of a feature story in the Apr. 30 Toronto Star, under the headline, ‘She rode a green wave with natural precision,’ The story traces Hepburn’s business beginnings in 1991, making her first corn gluten product in her driveway and her appearance on CBC’s Dragons’ Den.
Landscaping firm in the news
Quiet Nature of Ayr was the subject of a feature article in the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, highlighting the Landscape Ontario member’s use of battery-powered lawn mowers as well as hand tools. Two years ago, the business moved to a four-hectare property in Ayr. Derek Lippert, HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 21
LO STAFF PROFILE
Linda Nodello
Trade show coordinator What is your job description at LO? My job is to ensure the needs of our trade show customers, exhibitors and visitors are anticipated and satisfied. I’m a planner, matchmaker and problem-solver. Bringing people together at events, meetings, parties, trade shows, social gatherings or a volunteer build for Habitat for Humanity is rewarding work. When a mutually beneficial relationship develops, I’m thrilled. What is your background before coming to LO, and when did you begin work at LO? After Roxanne, my daughter, was born I decided to leave the Ontario Jockey Club (now Woodbine Entertainment) and find an opportunity more compatible with parenting. The Toronto Star featured a story about the manager of the National Home Show. The description of the job sounded enjoyable. A letter to the president of the publishing firm that managed the show resulted in an interview and job offer.
Surprisingly, my career with LO began in the late 1980s when The Garden Festival co-located with the National Home Show. It was a privilege to work with many master gardeners, horticulturalists, retail celebrities like Mark Cullen and Denis Flanagan, and some of our members such as Parklane Nurseries, Melo Landscaping and Evergreen Environments. The best project was building a tropical rain forest, complete with bird songs. Isn’t it interesting how it has come full circle? When not at work, where can you be found? At home, trade and consumer shows, movies, concerts, weddings, funerals, hospitals, hotels, train stations, airports, theatres, malls, sporting arenas, restaurants, amusement parks, churches, and grocery stores. Otherwise, anywhere there are people. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I’m living my dream. My first show, staged on the front porch, netted $1.10 for the Ontario March of Dimes. To have the privilege of
doing what I do, regardless of career status or reward, makes my life awesome and fun. What inspires you during your time at LO? The creativity, risk-taking and speed demonstrated by the community — staff and members — in bringing ideas to fruition. Name your all-time favourite movie, musical group and TV show. Man of La Mancha — book, ballet, musical, movie and theme song — The Impossible Dream. I prefer solo musicians to groups. I’m very fond of Neil Diamond, including his full orchestra. Most family situation comedies play to my sense of humour. My current favourite is Tim Allen’s Home Improvement. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Been there — twice and would go again — Australia. The people there know how to play and have fun. Tell us one thing that few of your colleagues know about you. I’m working my way through my bucket list and dream of being immortalized in a song. Having a rose or an orchid named for me would also send me into orbit.
NEW MEMBERS Durham
Royalty Landscape Design
Mary-Jo Melnyk 943 Crocus Cres, Whitby, ON L1N 2A9 Tel: 416-562-0754 Membership Type: Active
The Gardener
Lawrence Hatfield 655 Down Cres, Oshawa, ON L1H 7X9 Tel: 905-926-9911 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
Georgian Lakelands Murphy Property Maintenance
Richard Murphy 47 Burton St, Meaford, ON N4L 1C9 Tel: 519-538-3999 Membership Type: Active
Quality Curb and Garden
Amy Spence 1692 Flos Rd 11 W, Elmvale, ON L0L 1P0 Tel: 705-322-4562 Membership Type: Interim
Golden Horseshoe Bansil Inc
John Moore 250 13th St W, RR 4, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4K3 Tel: 519-426-3636 Membership Type: Active
Blooms to Blades
Double Tree Landscaping Inc.
London
Frontiers Landscape Architecture
Nicola Kamp 37 Foxbar Rd London, ON N6C 2A6 Tel: 519--890-3268 Membership Type: Active
Invision Landscaping & General
Joy Paul CLTI 513 Old Hwy 24, Waterford, ON N0E 1Y0 Tel: 519-443-0468 Membership Type: Active
Nicola’s Garden Art
Ottawa
Garden by Design
Karin Banerd 625 Patterson’s Corners Rd, RR 2, Oxford Mills, ON K0G 1S0 Tel: 613-258-0492 Membership Type: Interim
Toronto
3D Pool and Landscape Design
Brent Clark 756 - 115 High St, Sutton, ON L0E 1R0 Tel: 888-850-4024 Membership Type: Active
Brick By Brick Interlocking Designs and Paving Inc. Dino Moscardelli 90 Silvervalley Dr, Bolton, ON L7E 2Z1 Tel: 416-889-3466 Membership Type: Active
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Blair McKergow 31B Westlake Cres, Toronto, ON M4C 2X3 Tel: 647-921-0220 Membership Type: Active Doug Taylor 10310 6th Line, Georegetown, ON L7G 4S6 Tel: 519-993-8521 Membership Type: Active Michael Canu 3545 Sideline 34, Locust Hill, ON L0H 1J0 Tel: 416-837-0135 Membership Type: Active
Rosegarden Landscapers Inc.
Michael Medeiros 5 - 150 Britannia Rd E, Mississauga, ON L4Z 2A4 Tel: 905-755-8999 Membership Type: Active
Upper Canada
Lasting Impression Landscape Construction Mike Mckay 909 - 829 Norwest Rd, Kingston, ON K7P 2N3 Tel: 613-561-0720 Membership Type: Active
Group buying sites leave members hot and cold Group buying sites such as Groupon and get to because we were bogged down with WagJag are gaining popularity across the discounted visits.” country. They target local businesses, invitStockham says so far her two designing them to post attractive offers that are only ers have completed 120 designs that came available if a minimum number of people sign via WagJag, and are booked until October up for them. Once the daily deal is offered, to complete their commitment. While Let’s and emailed to the group’s subscribers, it is Landscape Together creates designs for do-ithoped that subscribers will forward the deal yourselfers, many times it can end up being to interested friends, and in that way the deal hired to do the work for the homeowner. With goes ‘viral.’ the discount customers this is not proving to Horticulture Review contacted two mem- be the case, with only two small jobs booked bers who had polar-opposite feelings about from the 120 designs. their experience with She explains the group buying site that WagJag will “I analyzed the WagJag. only accept heavily maximum amount Vanessa Stockham discounted promoof Let’s Landscape and takes half we’d have to give away tions, Together in Burlington, the money collected. to attract buyers.” signed on with WagJag “We charged $29, this spring, and offered and WagJag either a $29 deal for a landtook $14 cash, or scape design drawing and consultation valued would give us one-and-a-half times the amount at $100, while Terry Vanderkruk at Connon in a credit for advertising with Metroland pubNurseries CBV Holdings in Waterdown and lications (WagJag’s parent company). Trenton, put together a deal that allowed cus“I would never do it again,” says tomers to purchase $30 worth of annuals and/ Stockham. or hanging baskets for $15. “We always like to try new things and Over 5,500 coupons sold saw that other landscapers hadn’t advertised On the other hand, Vanderkruk is thrilled with on WagJag yet, so we thought we’d give it a the 50 per cent off deal he offered. Connon’s try,” explains Let’s Landscape’s Stockham. WagJag offer quickly went viral, and by the She notes they also thought participating time the offer closed, 5,563 discount coupons would add to their company’s search engine had been sold. “I’d been watching WagJag optimization (SEO) ranking on the web, help since it first started, and analyzed the maxiits branding and be a great promotion to the mum amount we’d have to give away to attract buyers, and settled on offering $30 worth of local community. annuals, baskets and containers for $15. “I Too much volume dealt with our regular Metroland sales rep and “It was our choice to participate, but the he was willing to accept and promote a 50 per whole experience has gone completely awry. cent discount deal,” he adds. We would never do it again. We told WagJag “We made a lot of renovations at the we couldn’t handle over 250 designs, but ran garden centre over the last year, and were up over 500 purchases.” The final total of looking for a way to bring in lots of people. Let’s Landscape Together’s WagJag was 512 And the WagJag offer was definitely a good landscape design drawings. traffic generator for us. People really do their Because of the volume, Let’s Landscape research now before committing themselves, has been unable to keep up with demand. so we submitted some good photos for the “We’re a big company, with 55 employees. WagJag offer, and made sure our website was But we’ve stressed out our employees and attractive before the offer went live,” said have damaged our reputation,” says Stockham. Vanderkruk. “We don’t want to be known as a discount landscaper, but have attracted every weekend Track coupon purchases warrior in the area. “We’ve involved our programmer who has “Maybe this idea would work for a built a WagJag code into our POS system, so retail store with a product to sell, but it we can scan the coupon and immediately tell has been a disaster for us as a service busi- if it has already been used. We are also able to ness. We’ve lost customers that we couldn’t track the purchases WagJag customers made
above and beyond the coupon limit.” It’s too early to access all the numbers, but Vanderkruk estimates most purchased $20-30 above the value of their coupon. Connon’s WagJag expires July 4, and already 4,000 of the coupons have been redeemed. Vanderkruk stated, “We thought a lot about the offer we wanted to make on WagJag, and picked something with good margins and that appeals to a large audience. Our timing was perfect, the offer went live the third week in April.” Vanderkruk cautions that WagJag doesn’t want to see too many rules and parameters put on the coupons, but he was pleased with the terms they offered. The fine print on Connon’s WagJag limited the offer to two coupons per customer and they were only allowed to use one coupon per day. “This has given us some really good exposure, and if I was to do it again, the only change I’d make would be to limit the offer to one coupon per customer, as I think everybody bought two.”
HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 23
Cold, wet spring hit all sectors Extreme weather conditions in April and May, with near-record rainfall and low temperatures, affected all sectors among Landscape Ontario members. Business is down, challenges are up, but the trade is making the best of it all — through flexibility and positive attitudes. Jacki Hart CLP, of Water’s Edge Landscaping in Bracebridge, reflected the attitude of the majority of LO members interviewed. “I’m keeping my sense of humour in my front pocket every day, as I reschedule crews, logistics, barges and water taxis, half-load restrictions and impassable cottage roads.” Sarah Johnston, of Greenlife Garden Care and Landscaping in Manotick, said, “The sun had just come out in Ottawa, when we were hit by a windstorm and then an outdoor watering ban to 80,000 homes in the south end..... aagh.....where is my sense of humour? I’m with Jacki: have a sense of humour and make the best of it.” John Lamberink CIT of Aquality Irrigation and Illumination in Acton, admits the weather has “completely screwed up my schedule. We couldn’t get to any booked work, and when we did manage to get on a site, we did more damage than anticipated due to the softness of the soil and tenderness of the plants.” Now in his 15th year of business, however, Lamberink remains upbeat, “I have no choice.” He confides that based on what he sees so far, he will have a banner year. “I think there is a bit of pent-up demand out there. Everyone was scared of the economy, and when the tax incentive dried up last year, people stopped spending. A year later, it seems people are ready to go ahead with projects,” says Lamberink. Steve Macartney CIT, CLT of Raintree Irrigation and Outdoor Services in Hamilton,
says it has been tough to get on job sites. This spring, for the first time ever, he shut down his installs for two weeks. “Some guys switched to service calls, and some labourers went home.” Much of Macartney’s service work is prebooked, but scheduling has been difficult, to say the least. “We’ve had guys working partdays or half-days, as we can’t get on the sites.” Macartney is pragmatically honest about the effect the weather has had on business. “We have meetings and communicate to our staff what’s going on. My guys know we’ll struggle this year because of the rain.” Ron Swentiski CLD, of Trillium Associates in Thornhill, continues along the same theme of devastated schedules. His landscape design company also serves as project manager for its jobs. “We are about three to four weeks behind because of the wet weather.” Most of Trillium’s clients are commercial, and might be a little more understanding than impatient homeowners. “On one commercial site, we’ve been unable to do any test bores for the geo-technical soil testing for six weeks.” Dealing with disappointed clients is all about communicating with them. Swentiski had met with a condo board the previous evening and he noted they understood the situation, “They know it’s in God’s hands, not ours.” John Hewson CLP, of Greenscape Lawn Maintenance, Mississauga, refers to a question of the poor spring weather as ‘challenging.’ He said that he had the most work ever booked in his company’s 21 year history. “It began as an outstanding year, but it has turned into one of the worst ever,” said Hewson. “The weather stopped us from going onto sites, or if we could, we couldn’t finish the job.” As of May 31, he was still behind schedule. He did note that most clients were very understanding, and he didn’t require any lay-
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offs. Hewson’s company works in the sectors of grounds maintenance, landscape contracting and landscape design. Paul Doornbos CLT, CLP, of Thornbusch Landscaping Company in Lansdowne, says, “I think a little perspective is always needed. Someone, somewhere has it far worse than we do. As a matter of fact, many of our parents and grandparents survived far worse things. I think that if you don’t like what you’re looking at, change where you’re standing.” Doornbos says that communication with customers on the challenges of the weather is important. “Get busy, get wet and thank God we get to do what we love and are passionate about!” Peter Scholtens, of Verbinnen’s Nursery in Dundas, says, “We’re not complaining in the native plant industry. It’s been wet, but our sales have been steady. We’re glad it’s not as crazy as it was last year.” Tim Dyer, of Kings Creek Trees in Ashton, revealed he is dealing with the weather situation on three fronts: garden centre, outdoor nursery and greenhouse. He explained that he just opened a new garden centre this spring. He finds it incredible how everyone arrives at the garden centre when the sun comes out. “No sun, no customers.” Dyer’s outdoor nursery operation was the hardest hit by the heavy rainfall in the Ottawa area this spring. “We are on bedrock, with very little soil cover, so there is very little drainage.” He estimates to have lost up to 60 per cent of his seedlings and transplants that are under water. The greenhouse operation isn’t much better. With so little sunlight, Dyer estimates the plants are at least two weeks behind schedule. Joan Johnston of Peter Knippel Nursery in Ottawa believes retailers will be fine. “After all, you have to be an optimist in this business,” she says. She predicts sales of annuals may well be down because of the rain and late spring this year, in addition to an Ottawa water ban, and higher fuel and food prices, yet her outlook remains positive. Johnston is thankful that as an independent retailer, she has the facilities and staff to hold plant material; the challenge has been much more difficult for big-box retailers, forced to try holding plants on racks. She appreciated receiving the letter of encouragement LO president Tom Intven sent to all members. Regarding 2011’s late spring, Johnston observes, “What else can you do? This is agriculture!”
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Changes coming to health and safety system Ontario’s health and safety system is about to undergo some major changes. In the largest revamp of Ontario’s worker safety system in 30 years, a series of new amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Workplace Safety and Insurance Act passed third reading on May 18 through the legislature. The provincial government created a panel in early 2010 to study Ontario’s health and safety system and recommend changes. Placed at the head of the panel was former senior civil servant Tony Dean. Amendments under Bill 160 will include: • The Ministry of Labour is the lead agency for accident prevention, transferring the responsibility from the WSIB. • A new chief prevention officer will be appointed to coordinate and align the prevention system. • A new prevention council, with representatives from labour, employers, and safety experts, will advise the chief prevention officer and the Minister of Labour. Once Royal Assent is received, the Act will become law, and come into force no later than April 1, 2012. Employers can expect the addition of compulsory training for new workers and supervisors, and the need to evaluate existing training programs. The prevention council will be composed of representatives from the following workplace groups: trade unions and provincial labour organizations; employers; and non-unionized workers, the WSIB, and persons with occupational health and safety expertise. The council must include equal
number of members from the trade union and employer groups, while the third group may not comprise more than one-third of the council members. The new guidelines will give organized labour a more significant role in influencing the future of Ontario’s safety system. The Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) Board of Directors expressed its concern with potential implications from changes to Ontario’s prevention system: • Coverage under the revised WSIA – approximately 65 per cent of employers pay for 100 per cent of the prevention system. • The operating model and stakeholder consultation methods of the proposed prevention council, including methods for reaching decisions on matters of advice for the minister. • The process for nominating members to the prevention council. • The current strong linkages and model of accountability to member firms and the future potential for changes to this relationship and potential changes to the Health and Safety Associations (HSAs) governance and funding formulas. • Further blurring of the lines between enforcement and service delivery and the need for extensive communication to reduce confusion regarding the roles of WSIB/MOL/HSAs. • The need for assurance that the data entrusted to HSAs by member firms will not be used for regulatory and prosecutorial purposes. • Accountability and transparency regarding the use of funds collected by the WSIB to support prevention programs.
Interim salting report released An interim research progress report, Optimum Salting for Parking Lots and Sidewalks, has been released. The report was authored by Liping Fu and Raqib Omer, both of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo. The primary goal of this research project is to develop a better understanding of the conditions that influence the effectiveness of commonly used deicing and anti-icing treatments for parking lots and sidewalks, and to develop knowledge for optimum selection of materials, application rates and techniques. Initiated by LO’s Snow and Ice Management sector group, it is hoped the report will lead to defendable and uniform guidelines for snow and ice control methods, materials, and application rates. The lack of uniform salting guidelines, as well as clients’ desires to minimize business risk and legal exposure, has resulted in application of what many consider excessive salt quantities. LO executive director Tony DiGiovanni CHTR, explained the process required to complete the research. “There will be an expansion of on-theground research, coupled with an online survey of many members. Further data will also be collected by special computer-equipped snow vehicles.” He went on to say, “At the end of the day we should have a proper standard that will stand up in court. Right now, there is no standard rate for parking lot salt applications. This project has huge benefits, because of the liability challenges the snow group faces.” The state-of-the-practice survey should be completed by December of this year. From Jan. to Mar. 2012, a field test on deicing operations using both dry salt and liquid salt will be conducted. Also expected next year is a second interim report and a field test on organic deicers. The final report and guidelines are expected in 2013. To read the entire interim report, go to http://bit.ly/saltreport.
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Expo to feature newest digital marketing tool Expo 2011 is looking to help the green industry embrace the new digital marketing medium known as Quick Response, or QR. Bringing you closer to your customers is the main motivation for Expo 2011 including its own QR code in the show’s advertising, promotion and marketing campaigns. Many companies and garden centre retailers at Expo will also introduce QR codes, either on their products, promotional flyers, or on store shelves this year. QR codes provide an instant connection to the Internet. No need to type lengthy URL addresses. Driven by smartphone technology, users simply scan the QR code with the device’s camera. It is instantly directed to a specific web page or website. This offers a unique opportunity to engage your customers and provide them with specific information that is educational, entertaining, and most importantly, instantaneous. It also expands a company’s marketing efforts to full 24/7 customer service. Expo’s new QR code enables the show to share updates on the changes and developments underway, as it enters a new decade at a new location, with new dates and show hours
QR Code for Expo
QR Code for Congress
and a dynamic new look spotlighting plants and products being introduced for the spring 2012 season. The QR code allows visitors to check in regularly to see what is lined up for them. In addition to introducing the convenience of QR codes, the show plans to educate vendors and visitors on how they may incorporate digital marketing into their own advertising, marketing, promotional and product knowledge programs. Expo 2011 moves to the North Building, Halls H and I, at the Toronto Congress Centre, starting Wed., Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and
Thurs., Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is one of the first Canadian horticultural trade shows to use QR codes in its marketing. Lorraine Ivanoff, show manager, says, “We are excited to introduce this smart technology to exhibitors. Not only will we provide information about our show, we will demonstrate how to integrate this technology into marketing strategies.” To learn more about Landscape Ontario’s marketing efforts, scan this QR Code, or if you prefer the more traditional method visit www. loexpo.ca.
SERVICES AND SUPPLIES
NURSERY STOCK
NURSERY STOCK
LARGE TREE MOVING AND SALES 115 inch and 90 inch tree spades available for hire. Largest truck mount machine in Ontario. Call Burkraft Services (905) 689-1269
Hofland Gardens Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Ground cover Tel: (905) 355-3392 E-mail: hoflandgardens@phc.igs.net
Scenic Grove Nursery Linden ‘Glenleven’ 50-70mm Linden ‘Greenspire’ 50-70mm Lynden, Ontario Email: marty@scenicgrove.com Fax: (905) 648-6395
CLASSIFIED ADS
TREE TRANSPLANTING Transplanting trees up to 9” truck diameter with 10,000 lb. rootball. 44”, 80” & 90” spades to move trees with and can basket up to 90” 100 acres of trees to choose from. BOTANIX OXFORD INSTA-SHADE RR # 2, Burgessville ON N0J 1C0 Tel: (519) 424-2180 • Fax: (519) 424-2420 Toll Free: 1-800-387-0246 Contact Jan Veldhuizen Email: jan@oxfordinstashade.com www.oxfordinstashade.com
EQUIPMENT
FINN Hydroseeders & Bark Blowers New and Used: • Flex Guard FRM • Soil Guard BFM • Erosion Control Blanket Seed & Fertilizer Toll free: (888) 761-1101 Fax: (905) 761-7959 www.fibramulch.com
28 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011
PERENNIALS Large assortment of perennials, ground covers and native plants. Price - Variety list available. FRANK SCHENK PERENNIALS 663 River Road (Belfountain), Caledon, ON L7K 0E5 Tel: (519) 927-5415 Fax: (519) 927-9084
View ads online at www.horttrades.com/ classifieds
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING INFORMATION
All classified ads must be pre-paid by VISA or Mastercard. Rates: $45.20 (HST included) per column inch Min. order $45.20. 15% discount on ads run for entire calendar year. Box Numbers: Additional $10. Confidentiality ensured. Deadlines: 20th day of the month prior to issue date. (eg: June issue deadline is May 20th). January deadline is Dec. 1. Space is limited to a first come, first served basis. To advertise: E-mail your name, phone number and ad to Robert at classifieds@landscapeontario.com or fax to (905) 875-0183. Online advertising: Website only ads are available for $45.20 (HST included). Website ads are posted for 30 days and are limited to 325 words. View these ads and more online at:
www.horttrades.com/classifieds
AD INDEX COMPANY
PAGE
PHONE
WEBSITE
Custom-fabricated steel planters
ACO Systems Ltd................................................24.......... 877-226-4255.................................... www.acocan.ca Caledon Hills Perennials.....................................10.......... 905-473-1145......... www.caledonhillsperennials.com Cerka Industries Ltd............................................21.......... 877-876-3344....................................... www.cerka.ca Connon Nurseries/NVK Holdings Inc.................32.......... 905-628-0112.................. www.connonnurseries.com Dutchmaster Nurseries Ltd.................................20.......... 905-683-8211......... www.dutchmasternurseries.com Earthco (G&L Group)..........................................3........... 416-789-4749......................... www.earthcosoils.com Estate Lighting Supply Ltd..................................15.......... 905-874-1022...........................www.estatelighting.ca Gro-Bark (ONT) Ltd.............................................29.......... 905-846-1515................................ www.gro-bark.com Ground Covers Unlimited...................................13.......... 705-277-3005..... groundcoversunlimited@gmail.com Helmutz Landscape & Interlock..........................14.......... 519-888-9536................................ www.helmutz.com Hillen Nursery Inc.............................................16-17.......519-264-9057 Kobes Nurseries Inc . .........................................12.......... 905-263-8814.................... www.kobesnurseries.com Legends Landscape Supply Inc..........................6........... 905-336-3369....................... www.landscapestore.ca Limestone Trail Company Ltd..............................9........... 905-563-8133........................www.limestonetrail.com M Putzer Nursery................................................31.......... 905-878-7226....................putzernursery@primus.ca Mankar Distributing Inc........................................8........... 647-309-7826.................................... www.mankar.ca Newroads National Leasing................................13.......... 416-587-1021................. www.newroadsleasing.com Oregon Associations of Nurseries.......................2............................................................www.farwestshow.com Potters Road Nursery Inc...................................18.......... 519-688-0437.............. www.pottersroadnursery.com Riverbend Farms (Ontario) Ltd...........................30.......... 519-765-2130......... riverbendfarms@amtelecom.net Sipkens Nurseries Ltd..........................................7........... 866-843-0438................. www.sipkensnurseries.com Stam Nurseries....................................................26.......... 519-424-3350.................... www.stamsnurseries.com Uxbridge Nurseries Ltd.......................................23.......... 905-655-3379................www.uxbridgenurseries.com V. Kraus Nurseries Ltd.........................................7........... 877-727-2100............................www.zandersod.com Winkelmolen Nursery Ltd....................................19.......... 519-647-3912.........................www.winkelmolen.com
Are you
landscape industry
certified
Don’t miss this one-time opportunity to buy planters featured at the Landscape Ontario garden, Canada Blooms 2011! 13 units available in Milton, Ont. Wooden edge surrounds double as seating Indestructible, will last a lifetime — and look great
Irrigation and lighting conduits are built in Perfect for high-design projects, including municipal settings
First come, first served! Contact Rob Ellidge, 647-722-5645, rob@landscapeontario.com
Written and Practical Test Dates and Locations
:ƵůLJ Ϯϭ͕ ϮϮ͗ >ĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞ KŶƚĂƌŝŽ ,ŽŵĞ KĸĐĞ͕ DŝůƚŽŶ ƵŐ͘ ϭϭ͕ ϭϮ͗ <ĞŵƉƚǀŝůůĞ ŽůůĞŐĞ͕ <ĞŵƉƚǀŝůůĞ ;KƩĂǁĂ ĂƌĞĂͿ Sept. 30, Oct. 1: St. Clair College, Windsor KĐƚ͘ Ϯϰ͕ Ϯϱ͗ >ĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞ KŶƚĂƌŝŽ ,ŽŵĞ KĸĐĞ͕ DŝůƚŽŶ EŽǀ͘ ϱ͗ &ĂŶƐŚĂǁĞ ŽůůĞŐĞ͕ >ŽŶĚŽŶ ;ǁƌŝƩĞŶ ŽŶůLJͿ
Register Today — Space is Limited
ŚŽƌƩƌĂĚĞƐ͘ĐŽŵͬůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞͲŝŶĚƵƐƚƌLJͲĐĞƌƟĮĞĚ ^ƉŽŶƐŽƌƐŚŝƉ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ
Soil experts know that the problem with most soils is that they just aren’t porous enough. Roots need air, water and drainage. Unlike top soil or triple mix, Gro-Max™ provides the right balance in a complete blend that will endure.
ůƌĞĂĚLJ ĞƌƟĮĞĚ͍ Collect CEUs and be a Judge &Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ZĂĐŚĞů ĞƌĞůůŝ ƌĂĐŚĞůΛůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞŽŶƚĂƌŝŽ͘ĐŽŵ ϭͲϴϬϬͲϮϲϱͲϱϲϱϲ͕ Ğdžƚ͘ ϯϮϲ
Georgetown (905) 846 • 1515
HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011 29
MEMBER PROFILE
Taste for adventure and good business sense bring success to Hermanns Contracting By Allan Dennis
O
ne only needs to speak with Jorg Hermanns for a short time to discover he is a dynamic, energetic and creative
thinker. He began Hermanns Contracting of Schomberg in 1991, and since then his company has grown into one of the largest landscape contractors in the province, taking on some of the most challenging projects available. Jorg Hermanns’ personal philosophy is the driving force behind the company’s success. Some of that is revealed in his statement, “A taste for adventure and a profound aversion to boredom are two things that set us on a unique path.” The company has evolved into four operating divisions: blower truck services, mulching, landscape contracting, and soil production and nursery. Blower truck technology Back in 2002, Hermanns revolutionized large scale seeding programs through the unique blower truck technology called TerraSeeding. Huge savings were found in time and costs compared to contemporary methods of installing large-scale seed, soil and mulch projects. The company soon established itself as the largest blower truck company in Ontario with a fleet of seven units The system has been involved with such projects as the 100-acre sports complex in
Brampton that includes 14 soccer fields, a green roof project on the second storey roof of the Ontario Science Centre, the Guelph Civic Centre green roof project, and more. Green roof projects are one of the fastest growing business opportunities in the industry. Hermanns’ blower truck technology has placed it in a great position to become one of the leading companies in green roof construction, by offering a cost effective soil system. The trucks are capable of blowing soils as high as 12 storeys. The mulch production facility is located at Hermanns’ 33 acre site next to Highway 27. The property also houses the company’s administration offices, truck centre, nursery and landscape department. As blower truck technology evolved for Hermanns, the next natural progression was the mulch side of the business. Hermanns now produces huge quantities of its own mulch. Purchased from Northern Ontario sawmills, pine bark is shipped to Schomberg, where a variety of mulches, compost and soils are produced. Hermanns will deliver bulk orders, or install the product from one of its blower trucks. Nursery All the available land on the Schomberg site is used to grow nursery stock, while a nearby 80 acres is also used for planting. Hermanns wholesales some of the nursery material, but much of the plant material and trees are used for Hermanns’ landscape projects.
A variety of coniferous and deciduous trees are grown. Jorg Hermanns says growing their own trees allows the landscape designers on staff to be creative and unique in their choice of plant material in a project. Landscape contracting Jorg Hermanns speaks with great pride when talking about his company’s involvement in very large and award-winning projects. “We are proud to have grown to a full-service landscape construction firm, thriving since 1991, by aggressively pursuing the most interesting and challenging landscape projects, both large and small-scale.” The most recent cause of his pride is the BILD (Building Industry and Land Development Association) Award 2011 for Mattamy Homes, Mount Pleasant Village project. Hermanns provided landscaping expertise, creating one of the most impressive parts of the project, a reflecting pool that converts to a winter skating rink. The BILD Award category was Project of the Year – Low-Rise. The Mount Pleasant Village project includes more than 120,000 trees and shrubs. Jorg Hermanns sees more mega-projects ahead. His message on the company’s website reflects how he will lead his company into the next phase, “We at Hermanns Contracting consistently embrace new ideas and we strive to pursue new business ventures as opportunities unfold.”
Riverbend Farms (Ontario) Ltd. 51240 John Wise Line, Aylmer, ON N5H 2R5
1980-2011
Award winning evergreens and broadleaf evergreens
O
ur
ines Bus
s is
Growing!
Flowering shrubs Perennials Phone (519) 765-2130
Fax (519) 765-3171 E-mail riverbendfarms@amtelecom.net
30 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011
Skills Canada adds design competition Skills Canada - Ontario took place on May 2 and 3, in Waterloo, with over 1,800 student participants competing at elementary to post-secondary levels. More than 30,000 spectators watched, at over 60 skilled trades contest areas. Landscape Ontario was pleased to see the introduction of the Landscape Design demonstration. Sally Harvey CLT, CLP, manager of education, labour development and membership services, says the significant participation in the landscape gardening competition is truly a sign that the Ministry of Education and Skills Canada - Ontario recognize that youth have the potential for a successful career in the landscape industry.
Growing today for a greener tomorrow
Landscape Design Secondary The following students are in the order of placement at the end of the design competition: Brittany Martin, Elmira District Secondary School Thomas Saleh, E. C. Drury High School Ben Warner, Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School Kostas Paliulis, Notre Dame Roman Catholic Secondary School Dylan Page, Cobourg District Collegiate Institute East Michael Achmatowicz-otok, Grey Highlands Secondary School Brandon Mckenna, Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School Landscape Gardening Teams of two students represented their school in the landscape gardening competition. The following list is in order of placement at the end of the competition. Grant Fisher and Evan Ryckman, Grey Highlands Secondary School Nick Olshewski and Mike Palermo, Notre Dame Roman Catholic Secondary School Josh Berger and Amanda Beatson, College Heights Secondary School Candice Lapointe and Jessica Barrett, Glenview Park Secondary School Sean Daley and Ryan Daley, Bendale Business and Technological Institute Guyllaume Duval and Carl Gigoux, École secondaire publique Le Sommet Jake Hambleton and Kory Clute, Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School Dylan Burden and Daniel Creek, Hill Park Secondary School Steven Zeppieri and Andrew Martino, St. Marguerite d’Youville Secondary School Dylan Booth and Colin Mayer, St. Michael High School Josiah Schade and Collin Dunn, Stratford Northwestern Secondary School Ryan Moore and Cody Russell, Resurrection Catholic Secondary School Shawn Keizer and Matt Anderson, E. C. Drury High School Dallas Potter and Marshall Leblanc, Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School Juwaan Mcclean and Michael Chalaturnyk, North Peel Secondary School The national competition is from June 1 to 4 in Quebec City.
Trees: Caliper, Bare Root, B&B, Wire Basket, Container Grown Shrubs: Container Grown Broadleafs: Container Grown Evergreens: Field Grown, Container Grown Perennials, Grasses, Vines, Ferns
We have it all!
M. PUTZER HORNBY NURSERY LTD 7314 Sixth Line, Hornby, Ontario L0P 1E0
Phone: 905-878-7226 s 1-800-377-3363 Fax: 905-878-8737
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32â&#x20AC;&#x192; HORTICULTURE REVIEW - JUNE 15, 2011
1155 Dundas St. W. (Hwy. #5), West Flamborough, Ontario 7HO á )D[ www.connonnurseries.com email: mail@connonnurseries.com