Landscape Ontario’s mandate is to be the leader in representing, promoting and fostering a favourable environment for the advancement of the horticultural profession in Ontario.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Lindsay Drake Nightingale Past President - Dave Wright Vice President - Ed Hansen Second Vice President - Lindsey Ross Jeff Olsen
As I was beginning to write this article, I heard of the Queen’s death and immediately thought of the sadness this would cause many people. We were all very used to her presence… like an old friend, one filled with quiet determination, wisdom, humour and grace. What will we do without her?
With the changes this naturally brings, there is also a loss of history and perspective. Yes, there are books and the internet, but what will surely be missed is the longevity of human memories. Memories disappear with the individual and this results in change. We cannot hold on to what once was, because now, a different person brings forward their perspective. The same can be said for changes at Landscape Ontario.
Tony DiGiovanni, our fearless leader for more than 30 years retired in September. As Tony leaves, he takes with him his wisdom, insight and determination. Yet in doing so, Tony has made room for Joe Salemi to grow into his role as our new executive director with his own unique perspective and direction. Change brings forward its
own set of challenges, but ultimately, it will lead to good things. I am certain that Landscape Ontario will continue to be governed by a strong, forwardthinking board of directors and staff will be led by a caring, compassionate, and future-driven leader in Joe.
Tony may have retired from Landscape Ontario, but I know he will continue to be a part of our wider professional landscape community through his continued involvement with Trees for Life, Canada Blooms, Toronto Botanical Garden and many other worthy causes and organizations. It seems Tony will be able to focus his interests on his passions with some terrific people.
In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to extend a heartfelt thank you to Tony for all he has done for us over the years. His warmth and commitment to the profession and the people in it has made it easy for us all to be part of Landscape Ontario.
As always, I welcome your questions and opportunities for further discussion. Please reach out to me at the email address below.
Cheers!
By Gail Pope
After 38 years in the landscape industry, Jim Mosher of Landscape Plus felt it was time for a change. With a great team and a lot of hard work, the Toronto, Ont.-based landscape design, build, and maintenance company had built an enviable portfolio and assembled a regular client list that included many of the nicest properties in and around the city. So what was the problem?
As Mosher explained, “I love my job. The design of these spaces and the entire process of getting them on the ground and watching our teams bring them along into fruition over the years has been hugely satisfying and rewarding. It’s just that I felt this overwhelming need to create some time and space for other things both professional and personal. If I don’t make the room, work and life is just fated to get busier and busier. I think at this point I want to be very selective on how I spend my time.”
A love of all things involving design and detail ruled out the option of outright retirement. “The idea of perhaps selling the business, hanging around for a couple of transition years and then retiring was just setting up to leave me unsatisfied and grumpy,” Mosher said.
As the outline of potential changes was discussed with staff, it became clear that opportunities were being created for those within and outside LP.
The decisions were far from easy, but after more than a bit of wrestling, reconsidering and rejigging, Mosher and his team arrived at some choices.
At the end of 2022, severances will be paid out to all LP employees of two years or more. This is to recognize the dedication and loyalty of the numerous long-term LP employees that make up the team. More than a few have been with the company for over 30 years. The severances are also intended to help ease people’s transition to either the new LP model or perhaps a venture of their own.
The garden maintenance component of LP known as ‘Garden Development’ will be disbanded as of the end of 2022. This cornerstone of the business has kept LP gardens in top form for decades and provided regular contact with an ever-increasing client base.
The upshot of this change is a number of new ventures emerging as LP employees launch businesses of their own. As Mosher noted, “I love the mentoring part of this process. There is so much to share… pricing, client relations, overheads. I see eyes opening up like saucers when this stuff starts going up on the white board. It is my hope to set these people up for success right out of the gate.”
Val Groves, the Garden Development manager and LP employee for over 13 years, commented, “I think it’s giving everybody the chance to evaluate what we really want to pursue. We all feel supported… and I would certainly support my team in whatever they want to do next. I think it’s providing some good potential opportunities for everybody.”
On the irrigation install and service front, clients have been provided with a number of vetted industry providers
to select from, as well as the opportunity to continue independently with another new entrepreneur who has been handling operations internally for LP for a number of years. Landscape lighting installs and service is similarly being addressed by providing vetted provider options.
What will remain is the core business: landscape design and build. However, there are a couple of key caveats. Firstly, the build season will begin on May 1 and end on Sept. 15, with a two week summer break beginning on July 1.
“I guess we are turning it back into a summer job,” Mosher said. “Many of our senior employees are quite pleased with the proposed setup. A solid four months with LP on something truly exceptional in conjunction with a few gigs of their own outside LP both before and after our May-to-September season appears quite appealing.” As for some of the younger employees Mosher said, “Admittedly this is trickier, but I believe the opportunity to hone skills at a pretty high level on an LP project while putting a mentored toe into the water with their own new ventures before and after our season has value. If nothing else it certainly is a safety net.”
Secondly, LP has always been very selective on the projects they take. Client fit and qualifying has always been front and
centre. Moving forward, this will be truer than ever as potential new projects will, “need to be deeply interesting, challenging and financially viable. The clock is ticking and no time will be spent on something we don’t really want to do,” Mosher explained. Projects are currently booking into 2024-2025.
Lastly, Mosher will be opening up the doors to designing and consulting outside the Toronto area. Previously, Landscape Plus was only involved in drawing projects that they would be building themselves. As a result, opportunities outside the Greater Toronto Area were regularly turned down.
“I am super excited with the challenges being presented to us and the opportunity to perhaps help other designers and contractors with the challenges they are facing, wherever they may be,” Mosher said.
More than 350 community members, colleagues, friends and family gathered at the Landscape Ontario home office in Milton, Ont., on August 18 to celebrate Tony DiGiovanni’s 33-year career as the association’s executive director. The party included food, drinks and live music, including a special performance by the DeeGees, Tony’s band.
A contribution from each ticket sold for the event is being donated to the Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship. Managed by the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation, the scholarship provides $1,000 annually to a post-secondary student, “who best exemplifies the qualities that build trust in the profession of horticulture.”
Officially, Tony’s retirement begins Sept. 30, with Joe Salemi moving into the executive director position. However, Tony plans to stay active in the horticulture profession through roles with numerous horticulture groups and charities.
Landscape Ontario President Lindsay Drake Nightingale led off the speeches by wishing Tony well and thanking him for his contribution to the profession.
“Tony, you have had a strong presence in Landscape Ontario for over 33 years,” Drake
Nightingale said. “You have worked for 17 presidents and Executive Committees as well as thousands of volunteers since you started back in 1989… You have brought Landscape Ontario forward to federal, provincial, and municipal governments. You have brokered deals that have benefited the entire profession. You have led incredible teams of professionals that have pushed LO beyond everyone’s wildest expectations.”
Drake Nightingale noted that Tony’s immense impact on the horticulture profession will continue for years to come.
“The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of retirement is, ‘the action or fact of leaving one’s job and ceasing to work.’ Doesn’t really sound like Tony, does it? In fact, I know that Tony is going to be just as busy in retirement through his consultation and volunteer work with Canada Blooms, Communities in Bloom, Toronto Botanical Garden, Highway of Heroes Tree for Every Hero Project, Canadian Trees for Life, and Maple Leaves Forever – just to name a few.”
She added, “Tony, the accolades are endless. The friendships are countless. The respect is unlimited. On behalf of the entire board of directors who join with me today to wish you grand successes in the next chapter of your life. Enjoy the journey.”
Tony thanked the LO community, his family and friends, as well as the association
staff. He also reflected on the past three decades.
“It has been a wonderful 33 years acting as your representative. From the very beginning, you have been supportive. I have met so many wonderful individuals. The association world is filled with contribution-oriented and collaborative people who reach beyond themselves and work to make a positive difference in the lives of people they do not even know. I used to call myself the official observer, listener and summarizer. By doing this, it became clear what Landscape Ontario really was. Landscape Ontario is a community for mutual benefit and
improvement focused on advancing a profession by working together to grow a prosperous, professional, ethical, valued and contribution-oriented industry. Who would not want to be part of a community with such a wonderful purpose and vision?
I have also been able to discern patterns of thought, values and actions that connect one generation to the next, inspiring each other. What are those common values and actions? Landscape Ontario is blessed with individuals who voluntarily take responsibility and choose to act. People who care and contribute. Caring is infectious, inspiring and communicates at an emotional level.
Our organization is filled with individuals who have a common vision for the future, who set goals and priorities and work together to make them happen. It is made up of individuals who understand the value of sharing and who have empathy. Our association is filled with people who understand that meaning comes from serving others. It is not just about us. These are some of the patterns I have noticed and been inspired by. Our association is in good hands. It will continue to be prosperous as long as these principles keep being propagated from one generation to the next. Thank you for enhancing my life.”
If you ask just about anyone in the landscape and horticulture profession if they’ve heard of Sally Harvey, you’ll get a resounding YES. As a successful entrepreneur, volunteer, board member, relationship builder, public speaker and mentor to many, Sally has made a lasting impression on all sectors, pioneering the Interior Plantscape Sector Group, Water Smart Irrigation Program, the Apprenticeship Group sponsorship and GROW programs. Her influence has helped post-secondary schools and levels of government recognize the indispensable value green professionals have, not just on the environment, but on the economy and the health and wellness of society.
“Sally’s dedication to elevating the profession is unmatched,” Tony DiGiovanni, Landscape Ontario’s former executive director said. “Although she does not like to be the focus of attention, the work she has accomplished is monumental and has changed many lives for the better. I am always coming across members and landscape professionals who remark that Sally has helped them.”
Harvey’s roots in landscape and horticulture go back to her childhood. Her father was passionate about the outdoors and an avid gardener. Due to her father’s neurological disease, Harvey said, “I ended up being his hands. We had one of the nicest landscapes in North York and it was important to him, so I learned through his knowledge. I was the doer and he was my mentor.”
Harvey eventually ended up using that knowledge to start her own lawn-cutting and garden maintenance business at age 16. “I hired a couple of my siblings who had very different ideas of what a straight line for mowing the lawn was,” Harvey said with a laugh. “I learned a lot about HR with my siblings.”
As she gained the trust of her clients, Harvey began to expand her services to overseeing their houses and interior landscapes while they travelled.
Harvey didn’t yet imagine that caring for landscapes would be the start of a long career, and said: “Never ever was it on my radar as a career. It was a great summer business.” In fact, when she first went to university, Harvey planned to become a physical education teacher or work in physiotherapy. But for many reasons, it just didn’t feel right.
When Harvey switched gears and completed the Recreation Parks Operations Program at Seneca College, and the Independent Study Qualified Plantsman Course at the University of Guelph, she “thrived, achieved highly, had a lot of fun, and completed university courses in plant sciences, organizational theory and business, as well.” Starting a new landscaping business felt like a natural fit.
Of course, the desire to grow and nurture didn’t stop with plants. Rather, Harvey looked at the big picture of the entire profession and sought ways to develop the people within.
Being a business owner meant
developing and reviewing HR programs, processes, and supporting a growing team of people. “I’d taken a lot of organizational theory in university and was pretty passionate about that,” Harvey said.
Harvey soon became involved in the safety group, then overseen by Terry Murphy at Landscape Ontario. “Health and Safety as part of that HR development culture for a fledgling company is really, really important,” Harvey said. “I quickly learned how important it was to learn HR management and attracting, recruiting, and retaining great people.”
Although landscaping is traditionally a seasonal industry, Harvey’s own company, Green Design Landscaping, operates year round. A large component of their work includes full service interior landscape design, installation and maintenance, exterior landscaping design and build for residential clients, holidayscaping, consulting and an education and training division.
She developed a passion for the burgeoning interior landscape industry which, years ago, did not have strong recognition within the trade; so, Harvey sought support from Landscape Ontario.
“I, along with a group of leaders in the sector connected with Tony DiGiovanni years ago and said, ‘LO needs to represent the interior landscape sector,’” Harvey recalled. The LO board reviewed and at the next AGM, Interior Plantscape was announced as a new sector group.
As one of the founding pioneers of the sector group, Harvey became the first chair and held that position for five years. That led to becoming the provincial board rep
for the sector group, and eventually, Harvey explained, “through evolution, I became the volunteer HR chair for LO.”
A glance at Harvey’s LinkedIn page shows a timeline of progressive leadership roles within Landscape Ontario, Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), Landscape Nova Scotia, Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador, and back to Landscape Ontario. Harvey credits her dedication to service as integral to her career arc.
“I’ve always volunteered in the community as well,” Harvey said. “Volunteering is, in my mind, key to most success. Looking back, volunteering and building a network has been critical to my career.”
Harvey’s volunteer experience included sitting as a board member with the certification committees for CNLA and LO, joining the LO executive as treasurer, and then as vice president. “I think the trajectory of the volunteer positions and the role that I played, unbeknownst to me, led to Tony offering me the opportunity to apply for this job [Director of Education and Workforce Development] when Terry Murphy decided to retire,” Harvey recalls. “It wasn’t on my radar. At all. It came as a shock to be honest with you.”
DiGiovanni said, “One of the best things I ever did was to convince Sally Harvey to leave her role as chair of the Interior Plantscape Sector Group and treasurer of LO to join our staff family. Sally is one of the most dedicated and productive individuals I know. She is able to take very complex problems of workforce development and visualize solutions focused on helping newcomers, employees and employers to become better professionally and personally.”
Ever the industry champion, Harvey created opportunities to raise the profile of landscaping and horticulture at every turn. “The legacy we leave, designing, installing and maintaining living green infrastructure is incredibly rewarding,” Harvey said. “That legacy can mean a sprawling residential estate, a lush commercial interior landscape, or planting a seed of inspiration in younger generations.”
One of Harvey’s long-term clients has been Cadillac-Fairview, a property development company known for their large shopping centres. Green Design provided them with interior and exterior landscaping services at numerous centres in Ontario, and they also worked with her company to develop a program for school-aged children called ‘Wake Up and Smell the Dirt.’
Educators at the mall would guide groups of students through a curriculum designed to create awareness about the
pride and importance of being green infrastructure stewards. By facilitating such a program, Harvey helped connect more young people to the soil, just as her father had when she was a child.
Harvey has had the privilege of mentoring many people through the years, and has a reputation for being generous with her knowledge. While teaching the certified landscape professional program, she remembers peers asking, “‘Why do you share so much about your company and what you do and the processes that you developed?’” She would tell them, “together we’re better.” She always felt a duty and responsibility to support others, without assuming if or how they’d use her advice.
When Harvey launched her career in the 1980s, the trade was still male dominant. It was rare for women to work in landscaping, but she never gave it much thought because she loved what she was doing. Harvey was the first female to work for the Town of Bradford in public works, an experience she described as an “honour and a lot of fun.”
Harvey worked as a Gardener and AR Foreman and on special projects for the City of Toronto. “I had the pleasure of learning from a number of incredibly skilled and knowledgeable European old country horticulturists as their ‘apprentice,’ which was phenomenal,” Harvey said. “All that knowledge transfer; it was a pleasure and an honour.”
That’s not to say there haven’t been challenges. Harvey describes various biases she’s faced from potential clients: “‘I want to deal with the men,” and “Who’s the owner? I want to deal with only the owner.’” Harvey does own her business with her husband,
but is often the client rep, as well. She learned to, “just measure those as wrongfit clients. Things like that caused us to improve our pre-qualification process and move forward.”
During her term on the Ontario College of Trades board of governors and chair of service trades, Harvey observed a shift in the ratio of women to men in the landscape and horticulture trade. “Landscape horticulture is 37 per cent female,” Harvey said. “Other than Early Childhood Education (ECE) and personal care services, such as hairstylists and estheticians, we have the highest female to male ratio in the trades.”
In 2022, 49 per cent of registrants in Landscape Ontario’s GROW program are women. In the Horticultural Technician Apprenticeship program, between 30-40 per cent identify as female. Feeling encouraged by these rising numbers, Harvey is proud that, collectively, the industry has become more welcoming to everyone, and hopes to see this momentum continue in apprenticeship programs and post-secondary education. “‘Employers of Choice’ with progressive leadership and HR practices will attract a diverse ‘workforce of choice’ that will support the future growth of the industry. Exciting times ahead,” Harvey said.
Landscape and horticulture companies across all sectors struggle to hire enough people to fill crews, with an estimated gap of 30,000 skilled labourers by 2025. Statistics Canada reports a 158.4 per cent increase in job vacancies in the construction trades helpers and labourers category over the last two years.
As Director of Education and Workforce Development, Harvey has been keen to promote the value of green professionals, especially in the wake of COVID-19. “The demand for our workforce is going to be even higher,” Harvey said. “With the recognition of the value of green space on health and wellness, the government has come to realize what we’re doing. That’s been a challenge for us before the pandemic — to imprint on decision makers, government and corporations about the value of building green infrastructure and what it does for productivity, what it does for emotional, physical and mental health and wellness. We know we’re healthier outside.”
Harvey feels the biggest challenge in her various roles at Landscape Ontario has been to demonstrate that those working in this trade are more than grass cutters. “When I joined LO, I became very well aware of the fact that we are a humble group of people,” Harvey said. “We, as an entire sector, need to tell our story much more progressively.
What’s our elevator pitch but genuinely, what is it we do? And I often ask my peers, How do you introduce yourself at a party? And I often hear ‘I’m just a landscaper.’ No, we are landscape professionals. We design, install and maintain living green infrastructure.”
Harvey recalls a conversation with a post-secondary school president who underestimated the role of landscapers. “When I mentioned to him that we are designing and installing stormwater management systems. We are mitigating against property damage and human health impacts; we are stonemasons, electricians, plumbers with irrigation and lighting. We are pool and hot tub installers, gas fitters, heavy equipment operators and technicians. And landscape horticulturalists as well. Business owners, entrepreneurs, marketing specialists... and he was floored. He said, ‘I never looked at it that way.’”
Harvey credits the early efforts of Tony DiGiovanni and Terry Murphy for improving the perception of the profession, and insists, “We really, really need to collectively continue to take advantage of the trajectory
we’re on right now. And all of us need to speak to that when we are going out to provide landscape solutions to clients. We are problem solvers in the landscape profession who create better function, better health and wellness and enjoyment in green spaces. We also protect and enhance lives, too, at the end of the day.”
Harvey’s management philosophy is to nurture a team that can function without her. Harvey said, “That was our goal: to build a team, build a department, build activities so that Sally Harvey could take off again. And I built my business on that premise, which is what enabled me to go to LO in the first place.” Having the right people and systems in place has enabled her to continue operating her own business while fulfilling instrumental leadership roles at Landscape Ontario.
While she plans to be available to strategically support the association if needed, Harvey is excited to see LO take projects and goals to the next level, adding that she’s confident, “The people we’ve got in place right now are strong and I think they’re ready to go.”
For the next generation of growth at Landscape Ontario, Harvey hopes her successor will connect with the next strategic plan and use that as a guide. She humbly defers any claims that she’s leaving big boots to fill, and said the, “Next person will create their own footprint as I did for years after Terry Murphy left. I had wonderful phone calls and emails reminding me that I had huge boots to fill.” Harvey wryly added, “and I reminded them that I have a very different foot size and I will make my own footprint, hopefully honouring what Terry had done because he did a lot. However, time for new. So I encourage whoever takes over to create their own footprint, but use the guide, the strat plans. Listen to the gaps, seize the opportunities. Listen to the pain points and be a problem solver. In my mind, that’s huge.”
When asked for some final words, Harvey had no hesitation. “It’s been an absolute honour and pleasure to serve and to have the opportunity to work with amazing people who have passion for the industry. I look forward to seeing what’s next.”
Sally Harvey invites her colleagues to stay in touch by connecting with her on LinkedIn.
Over 80 landscape professionals attended the Trial Garden Open House at the Landscape Ontario site in Milton, Ont., on Aug. 18, 2022. The annual event showcases plant cultivars from a variety of breeders before they are available for purchase in a retail or wholesale environment. This year’s event saw the return of the morning speaker series, which had not been possible for the past two years.
The morning kicked off with a well-rounded speaker program that began with Joy Keeler, Canadian Sales and Product Representative from Danziger, who talked about the various uses of Danziger plant selections in the landscape. Rodger
Buddleja Summer Bird Raspberry
Calibrachoa Bloomtastic Peach Grenadine
Calibrachoa Superbells Double Twilight Cyperus Queen Tut Ipomoea Sweet Caroline Medusa Green Petunia Splash Dance Calypso Cherry Petunia SureShot Blueberries & Cream Portulaca Pazzaz Nano Fuchsia Improved Ptilotus Matilda Salvia Sallyfun Blue Lagoon
Tschanz, University of Guelph Trial Garden Manager, then gave a presentation on the early season perennials in the Trial Garden that were no longer blooming at the time of the open house. Paul Ronan, Executive Director, Ontario Parks Association, gave an inspiring talk about approaches to putting a dollar value on the impact of green infrastructure in urban areas. Ronan’s green infrastructure topic drew a lot of interest, questions and conversations from the approximately 40 attendees.
Visitors then toured the various garden beds where they voted for their favourite plants (container, annual and perennial). The results are:
Canna Cannova Red Golden Flame Cleome Sparkler Blush Coleus Stained Glassworks Flashbulb Dahlia Venti Mango Helianthus Suncredible Yellow Petunia Headliner Pink Sky 23 Petunia Red Carpet RIMarkable Petunia SureShot Blueberries & Cream Salvia Rockin’ Deep Purple 2023 Verbena Vanessa Bicolour Indigo
Agastache Little Adder
Echinacea Double Scoop Cranberry
Echinacea Sombrero Adobe Orange
Festuca Buddy Blue Gaura Steffi White
Heliopsis Sunstruck
Hibiscus Summerific Evening Rose
Lavandula SuperBlue
Rudbeckia American Gold Rush Sedum Rock ‘N Grow Bundle of Joy
Over 40 members of the general public attended an open house on Aug. 13. Organizers would like to recognize the support of numerous plant breeders and suppliers, plus a special thank you to the team at Landscape Ontario and the
Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance.
plant list from this year’s trial, as well as a multi-part video series can be found
open-house-2022
Snowposium, the annual gathering of snow and ice professionals, was held Sept. 15 at Landscape Ontario’s home office in Milton, Ont. Hosted by Landscape Ontario’s Snow and Ice Management Sector Group, the sold out, one-day conference and trade show had nearly 400 attendees, exhibitors, sponsors and speakers.
Throughout the day, attendees were able to check out the latest equipment and technology from a wide range of exhibitors and hear from industry leaders on many relevant and timely topics. The two outdoor demonstrations were also very popular: salt spreader calibration, with Raqib Omer from Viaesys, and a full commercial vehicle
safety check led by Scott Olfield of Tri-Shield Consulting.
Ivan Sikkema from Eloquip said: “We were very happy with the show. We had lots of interest and good discussions with existing and new customers. PS. Lunch was fantastic!”
Wendy Ladd from Jim Pattison Lease
commented: “Snowposium is always a great event and it never disappoints. Lots of excitement and excellent information.”
At the conclusion of the event, Gerald Boot, an LO past president and chair of the sector group, recognized the association’s executive director Tony DiGiovanni for his many years of contribution to the sector and
wished him well in his upcoming retirement. Landscape Ontario would like to thank the many sponsors, partners and exhibitors whose support helped to make the event such a huge success. Information on next year’s event, scheduled for Sept. 14, 2023, will be posted to snowposium.ca as it becomes available.
Landscape Ontario has partnered with KSMI Weather to provide all members with hyper-local weather data, real-time threat alerts, plus access to hundreds of provincial/municipal road weather systems. You will be informed with the right information to make the right decisions at the right time. Access will be provided to all LO Members beginning Nov. 1, 2022.
The idea to provide a weather service to members originated with the LO Snow and Ice Management Sector Group. An agreement was negotiated with KSMI Weather to provide the service at an annual cost of $40 per member. The Landscape Ontario Board of Directors approved the agreement at its August meeting.
Since 2014, KSMI Weather has been a private weather leader for a variety of industries, including public works departments, property maintenance, snow removal, transportation, education, agriculture, and special events (such as sports, concerts, festivals, parades). Features include:
The KSMI client portal is your one-stop-shop for all weather data. Accessible on all devices, the portal contains: the latest forecast updates, interactive radar, mapping tools, weather alerts, live cameras, road surface conditions and more are always just a click away.
Get push notifications (SMS/Email) to anyone on your team when short-fuse threats such as lightning, strong winds, hail, or rain are approaching.
The app’s forecast discussions, site-specific hourly and daypart forecast, and map products give you the data you need to effectively anticipate weather risks and plan ahead.
Email updates include detailed forecasts, and a human-written discussion surrounding the forecast.
Weather data from your event can be logged, exported, or documented for various reports, including evidence for insurance in the event of damage or loss.
Details on how to access the new service will be sent to all members by email and via LO’s weekly Enews in the coming weeks.
Peter Jacobsen, owner of Parkway Garden Centre in London, Ont., passed away at home, surrounded by family on July 18 after a long battle against Parkinson’s.
Peter was born Nov. 6, 1933, in the farming village of Holt, Germany. As a young man, Peter showed a love of horticulture, completing his Journeyman’s qualifications. Seeking greater opportunities, he immigrated to Canada in 1954, speaking almost no English. He worked in virtually every conceivable job, from road building to construction to manufacturing. In the evenings and weekends he loaded up his VW Beetle with garden tools and plants and worked in garden maintenance.
Within a few years he met the love of his life, Carina, and impressed her by taking her on a first date to the Stratford Festival to see As You Like It. They married on Oct. 31, 1959 and had three children. His hard work and hustle allowed him to bring his young family back to Holt to meet his delighted parents. Soon, he had saved enough money to buy a 25-acre farm west of Hyde Park, and built the family home that he lived in until he passed away.
By the early 1970s, he had built his first greenhouse and began to grow plants — both field-grown and under glass — to sell to local garden centres, retiring from his full-time job to focus on the growing business. One of the most iconic crops were his handselected beds of pansies, sold as “Dig your own, $1 a dozen.” He delighted in finding new plants to sell, even patenting his own strain of geraniums. The business flourished and expanded steadily, continuing after Peter’s retirement.
Many staff and customers remember him regaling them with anecdotes, sharing gardening tips or providing free fresh grown figs from the greenhouse. He was always accompanied by his canine companions through the greenhouse, and especially on spaziergang through the forest. His charm, generosity and presence are remembered to this day. For many years he was a mentor in the garden centre, and even in illness in later years enjoyed his tours through the greenhouses.
Peter had a genuine gift for flower arranging and would often present Carina with a bouquet of fresh flowers picked from the gardens. He created beautiful Christmas arrangements and epic Advent wreaths for church.
Memorial donations can be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, Parkinson Canada, or to the Brain Tumour Foundation.
Landscape Ontario Congress celebrates its golden 50th anniversary
January 10-12, 2022 at the Toronto Congress Centre. LO members are invited to join in this year’s special celebration. Redeem free trade show passes for yourself and your staff by using the promo code: 50YRLOMAG when registering at LOCongress.com
Congress is Canada’s largest and longest running landscape show, featuring over 400 equipment, nursery, supply and product exhibitors. The Congress trade show floor is the best place to connect with suppliers, see new products and equipment, and gear up for the coming season.
Trade show passes also provide free access to the LIVE Stage. Bring your team along to learn from hardscape, horticulture and vehicle safety experts live on the show floor each day of the event.
The Congress Conference returns to an in-person format at the Toronto Congress Centre, with a stacked lineup of leading speakers and educators. Save by purchasing your Conference Passes before the early bird deadline of Dec. 16. Consider bringing key staff members this year to get them energized for the coming season. LO members receive preferred pricing.
Partner events, including the IPM Symposium, the Peer to Peer Workshop, and the Landscape Designers Conference will also provide top-notch networking and learning opportunities the week of the show.
The Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence has celebrated the best of the best in Ontario since 1973. To mark the occasion, the LO team is planning a very special gala evening. Come celebrate with your peers in the LO community.
Special events will be bigger and better than ever, including the Tailgate Party across the street at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto Airport and Conference Centre the evening of Jan. 10.
Free beer returns to the show floor with the Ale Trail! Grab a map and make stops throughout the show for cold beer samples.
Willem Jacob Frank “Jim” Bauer passed away peacefully on August 20, 2022, in his 88th year.
Beloved husband of Anneke for 61 years. Dear father of Bud, Juke (Jay) and Rick (Aimee). Loving opa of Sydney, Jacob, and Ellie. He is lovingly remembered by both the Bauer and Van Beekum families in Holland, so many friends in Manotick, Ont., and especially the Millview Street neighbours.
Jim was one of the founding members and past-president of Landscape Ontario’s Ottawa Chapter. With his son Bud by his side, the two grew and ran Bauer Landscape Garden Maintenance for many years. Jim shared his passion for gardening with anyone who would listen. His drive and dedication to beautify a space was evident to all lucky enough to witness his work.
On July 26, 2018, Jim was appointed an Honorary Life Member of Landscape Ontario — the association’s highest accolade given “in appreciation for years of selfless dedication to the horticultural profession and outstanding contribution to the association.”
Jim’s hobby of racing homing pigeons proved to be exciting competition and gave him great joy. His knowledge and kindness was known to many. His quiet sense of humour came through with a giggle and a glint in his sparkly, mischievous blue eyes.
A private family gathering to remember Jim will occur on a morning when the sun is shining. In lieu of flowers or donations, the family asks that you take a moment to hug a loved one, take a walk outdoors, wake up to see the sunrise, smile, and smell the roses.
Robert Mendonca passed away on August 22, 2022 after a lengthy health battle, leaving behind his two beloved children, Isabella and Daniel.
Born on April 8, 1971 to loving parents Angelo and Maria Mendonca, Rob touched many in his short life and will be missed dearly. Those who were lucky enough to know him knew there was no greater love than the love he had for his kids.
Rob was a valued member of the landscape industry as well as the Landscape Ontario community, which he served as a past member of the Golden Horseshoe Chapter Board.
Rob was a protector of those he loved, and was a man of his word with fierce integrity and pride. Rob had a huge heart with a smile that would light up a room; he was always the life of the party and an endless joker. He was never one to let you see his pain and would give the shirt off his back for anyone. He is now free of his pain and suffering and will live on in those who loved him most.
Rob lived life to the fullest and loved to travel. He was lucky enough to do much of that during his life, sharing his love of adventure with friends and family on his many travels. Florida was one of his favourite spots, bringing out his “not-so-inner child” on his many trips to Disney. The beach was his happy place and a spontaneous road trip was one of his favourite past times, anywhere, anytime. Rob not only loved his children and family, but also his many friends. He would want everyone to remember him for his joy of life and reminisce on all of his shenanigans (of which there were many) over the years.
Winners of the 19th annual National Awards of Landscape Excellence (NALE) were announced on August 10, 2022, in the ballroom at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Ont.
Each year, the NALE celebrates outstanding work across the country, honouring top projects in landscape construction, design, and maintenance. In order to qualify for the NALE, applicants first enter their projects in their respective provincial association awards of excellence competitions. Then the provincial associations submit up to three entries per category to the national competition.
The judges, a volunteer panel of industry experts, did not have an easy job evaluating several dozens of projects ranging from exceptional to extraordinary. The national judges evaluated each entry based on standardized criteria first developed by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) in 2004 to narrow the submissions down to this year’s best in each category.
Following two summers as a virtual event, the CNLA was excited and eager for the national awards to return to being an in-person event. The ballroom was packed with more than 140 members of the industry from across the country, representing a cross section of the horticultural trades.
Congratulations to all winners this year! The recognition is well deserved for all of this outstanding work that significantly
raises the level of professionalism in the landscape industry.
The ceremony also included the CNLA awards for Grower and Garden Centre of the Year, as well as the Green for
Life Industry Awards, which recognize individuals, companies and communities which benefit the public through the development and maintenance of green spaces.
SEFERIAN DESIGN GROUP
Commercial Construction Paradigm Condominiums Burlington, Ont.
DAROCHA WEBSTER LANDSCAPES
Residential Landscape Construction Perched on the Rocky Cape Montreal, Que.
LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Landscape Design Urban Sanctuary Halifax, N.S.
STRATHMORE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS
Commercial Landscape Maintenance Centropolis Laval, Que.
THE CULTIVATED GARDEN Residential Maintenance Contemporary Beauty Toronto, Ont.
BROOKDALE TREELAND NURSERIES
CNLA Grower of the Year Award Schomberg, Ont.
SHERIDAN NURSERIES
CNLA Garden Centre of the Year Award Etobicoke, Ont.
HUMBOLDT URBAN
GARDEN SANCTUARY (HUGS)
Green for Life Community Award
LANDSCAPE ONTARIO COVID-19
TASKFORCE GARDEN MAKEOVER PROJECT: PARTICIPATION HOUSE Green for Life Community Award
GENERAL MOTORS CANADA
Green for Life Industry Award for a Corporation
ALEX RAAB
Green for Life Distinction Award
RAYMOND CARRIÈRE
Green for Life Distinction Award Industry Award for an Individual
TONY DIGIOVANNI
Green for Life Distinction Award Industry Award for an Individual
Yukon Sun is the latest addition to Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection of made-in-Canada roses. The bright yellow rose has been released by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) and will be available in Canadian garden centres next spring.
Yukon Sun is a golden yellow rose with dark green foliage and early, continuous bloom. Growing to about one metre tall, it is winter hardy to -35 C and moderately resistant to black spot and powdery mildew.
“Canadians have embraced these stunning Vineland roses since we first introduced the collection in conjunction with Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 2017. We are excited to expand the collection once more with the addition of the first yellow rose,” Vineland President and CEO Ian Potter said. “Yukon Sun was specifically bred for the Canadian climate and will brighten any outdoor living space with its warm, sunny hues.”
Yukon Sun joins three other roses in the collection: the red Canadian Shield, the coral Chinook Sunrise and the pink Aurora Borealis. All Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection roses come from Vineland’s rose breeding program and Vineland’s close collaboration with the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA). The CNLA has owned the rights to Agriculture and AgriFood Canada’s hardy rose breeding program for more than 10 years. Roses in the collection are known for being low maintenance, black spot tolerant and able to withstand temperatures down to -35 to -40 C.
“We value the ongoing partnership with CNLA and its members who are helping us deliver what Canadian gardeners and consumers across the country are looking for: hardy, beautiful and easy-to-grow roses thriving in Canada’s varied climates,” Potter said.
More information about Yukon Sun and the rest of the collection is available at 49throses.com
Many unique and hard to find varieties
Fruits and succulents
Over 1200+ varieties of perennialsThis is my last article as Executive Director of Landscape Ontario.
It has been a wonderful 34 years “working” alongside so many awesome, inspiring and positive individuals. “Working” is really not the right word. It has not felt like work.
When I started in 1989, I was not sure what Landscape Ontario was. I had a vague idea the job was to advance the profession. Although true in one sense, this definition was not complete.
The job description I like best was articulated by LO member Perry Molema before he passed away. Perry once said: “We are in the business of enhancing lives.” What a wonderful and simple way to look at our collective purpose as an organization and as individuals. Thank you, Perry.
Another concept that describes my experience is “family.” The LO community is a family that cares for each other. It is energized by individuals working collaboratively for mutual improvement and benefit. It is driven by a common purpose to grow a prosperous, professional, ethical, valued and contribution-oriented community focused on enhancing lives. Its aim is to leave the world better. Who would not want to be
In my time at LO I have learned so much from so many. In the near future I look forward to telling the stories of some of the individuals who inspired me so that their stories can do the same for you. As an observer and listener, I was able to recognize common threads and patterns. Our LO community is made up of many individuals who voluntarily take on responsibility and choose to act. They have a strong contribution ethic. They want to “give back” to the profession that has fed their families. They are not afraid to dream of a better future and work hard to realize this vision. They reach beyond themselves to leave a legacy that inspires others to do the same. These are some of the characteristics of the individuals I have had the privilege of working with for so many years.
In August, a retirement celebration was organized by my work family. I was deeply touched and humbled by the outpouring of goodwill at the event and in the many emails and phone calls I received from so many friends. Your support, encouragement and well wishes have enriched my life beyond what words can describe. I will never forget.
It gives me a great deal of pride and
satisfaction to witness the next generation of staff team members led by the new Executive Director, Joe Salemi. Joe did not apply for the job. His talents were recognized by the Executive Committee and by our staff team. I am so thankful the provincial board allowed me to tap Joe on the shoulder — just as Neil Vanderkruk tapped me on the shoulder in 1989. The future of LO is bright. Landscape Ontario is in great hands. The staff family has never been more unified. I am in awe of their talents, dedication and service ethic. The team is dedicated to helping you realize your vision.
I am also thankful for the many leaders serving on the provincial board, chapters, sector groups and committees. Our association is filled with people who understand that meaning comes from serving others. It is not just about us. All of us are inspired by the thread of care and contribution that connects one generation to the next.
Thank you for enhancing my life.
Tony DiGiovanni CHT Executive Director
We are social beings, so it makes sense that we naturally want to get together with our peers. The pandemic was riddled with heartache, illness, loss, and tremendous isolation. There is no doubt the past two and a half years profoundly affected our mental health. Many of us (extroverts, I’m waving at you) started to rack up quite a bit of social debt. Getting together in social settings is a necessity for social beings. For every occasion or event we weren’t able to go to, it felt like it was something we would have to make up for. This is how the term social debt came to me.
It’s pretty apparent that the Landscape Ontario community is ready to pay off that social debt. Once the calendar flipped over to September, it was clear that in-person events were something we all needed to get back to. LO staff and members somehow managed to book and execute four big events in one week.
On Sept.15, the Landscape Ontario Snow and Ice Management Sector Group hosted Snowposium. We welcomed over 350 snow professionals to our conference facility in Milton, Ont. That evening, Landscape Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe Chapter held its 30th annual Chicken Roast,
hosting around 550 people. Wow! Then, on Sept. 16, the Waterloo and London Chapters each hosted their annual golf tournaments. We are happy to say both tournaments were at full capacity.
It was important to me to try and speak to as many people as possible who came out to these events. Landscape Ontario’s relevance is through our chapters and our sector groups. I didn’t get to speak with everyone, but I definitely tried.
Here’s a list of recent and upcoming events LO has organized to help you pay off your social debt:
• Ottawa Chapter Nine and Dine, Sept. 29
• Toronto Chapter Shop Talk, Sept. 29
• Upper Canada Chapter Golf Tournament, Sept. 30
• Toronto Chapter Tool Swap, Oct. 8
• Waterloo Chapter Fall Freeze Up Dinner and Dance, Nov. 18
• IPM Symposium (virtual), Jan. 5
• 2023 Peer to Peer Workshop, Jan. 9
• 2023 Landscape Designers Conference, Jan. 9
• 50th anniversary Congress, Jan. 10-12
Landscape Ontario creates community through these events. Sure, we hosted an incredible amount of virtual events, but we
just don’t connect the same way via video as we do in person. I have observed a surge in engagement from our community through our recent events. If you haven’t been able to make it to a local chapter event, this is your invitation to attend the next one.
I want to make sure you get the dates for LO Congress in your calendar. As you’re reading this, please pause for a moment and block off January 9-12, 2023 right now. I’ll wait.
Many of us were devastated to have to cancel Congress for 2022, including the staff team that put in so much of their time and hard fought efforts. So, let’s make this the best Landscape Ontario Congress ever. It’s our 50th anniversary and we have a lot to celebrate! Landscape Ontario’s Congress Trade Show is where friendships are made, relations are renewed, and where the landscape community reunites.
Let’s collectively pay off our social debt by supporting Landscape Ontario’s events. See you there!
Joe Salemi CAE LO Deputy Executive Director jsalemi@landscapeontario.com
R E D E E M Y O U R F R E E L O M E M B E R P A S S E S F O R C O N G R E S S W I T H T H E P R O M O C O D E :
Generation Z. That wonderfully energetic, project-focused generation under the age of 29 are a tricky bunch — if you’re an employer over the age of 45. Statistics show (Gallup) they will change jobs at least three times more often than their older cohorts (Gen X and Baby Boomers). So what does this mean for you? It means you have to adjust your recruiting strategy to reflect this new reality. Job hopping is here to stay.
Careers look different now than ever before. We’ve shifted from Boomers and Gen X learning a trade, graduating college and expecting to have a long career with a single employer — at the end of which we would get the customary gold watch and a pension. The status quo was that companies could count on a steady and long-term workforce and employees would enjoy a lifetime of predictable income and benefits.
In 2022, we find a career driven generation who are ready to take advantage of the job seekers market. They don’t accept the status quo. If you want to attract, hire and retain them, you have to get with the Gen Z Program and meet them where they are. They won’t have it any other way.
In the absence of any handy Canadian statistics on this topic, I looked south of the border to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for context and research. I discovered the median tenure of workers aged 55-64 is 10 years. For the 25-34 age group, it’s 2.8 years.
More than a third of Gen Z workers expects multiple job offers every time they look to switch jobs — which they do whenever they’re looking for meaningful work where they can make an impact,
learn new skills and build on their work experience for their next gig (i.e. what’s in it for them if they work for you). They are bold and not afraid to pursue new opportunities.
Why is this a big deal? Gen Z and Millennials make up over 40 per cent of the current workforce. The cost of turnover might be higher than you think. According to labour statistics by the Center for American Progress, the cost of losing an employee can range from 16 per cent of what you pay them annually, to 213 per cent for highly trained positions. This includes costs for other people on your team, who already have other work to do, and to attract, hire, onboard, and train new recruits.
I encourage you to stop and think about this for a moment. If up to 40 per cent of your team are either leaving or onboardinga every three years, this can be a huge cost and have very negative impacts on your bottom line — not to mention team morale and customer confidence.
The best way forward is to develop a recruitment team who are focused on developing candidate pipelines and trendy strategies for employee retention. The key is to build long-term strategies that not only respond to job hoppers, but that stay one step ahead of them.
How can you do this? Here are a few tips to help you attract the right candidates, build a strong hiring brand, and be the winning employer when candidates have multiple offers:
• Create a candidate relationship strategy, to continually foster relationships with candidates throughout their career journey, even if they don’t accept your
Prosperity Partners Program Manager
info.peertopeer@landscapeontario.com
offer the first time. There are software products out there to help you manage these ongoing relationships. Keep the door open.
• Promote how candidates will make an impact and enjoy meaningful work. We know Millennials and Gen Z prioritize salary and work-life balance as the most important factors when considering a new job. One big difference is that Gen Z places increased value on job duties or projects, where Millennials look for career growth opportunities. Job ads could include specific timelines and plans with actionable first steps a candidate could take once hired.
• Slow down to go faster. Taking less time to hire is the end goal, after retention. Reduce costs of attracting, recruiting and onboarding by creating a rinse and repeat process. Make sure you bake in questions that identify potential bad hires early on in the process. There’s a high cost associated with constantly returning to the drawing board on hiring. There are even higher costs of being short staffed/limited in fulfilling your client service obligations.
I realize even the best hiring questions can’t prevent you from losing a great worker who prematurely heads for the exit, but I believe you can proactively minimize the risks. So, as you head into the next season, ask yourself, “What can we do to best ensure our business isn’t caught flat-footed when it’s time to find a quality replacement or make an addition to our growing team?” And, “What can we rinse and repeat in our recruiting process?”
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What happens at the crossroads of the built world and the natural world? That’s what Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation (OHTF) Post-Secondary Scholarship recipient Craig Klomp hopes to explore.
Klomp’s parents own a landscape design/ build firm in Stratford, Ont., where he was exposed to both the artistic and construction parts of the business. That early introduction sparked an interest in how landscape architecture is shaping the future.
Klomp, currently in his second year of a masters program in Landscape Architecture (MLA) at University of Guelph, says his formal education continued the journey that led him toward building a green and sustainable future. Klomp said: “I did my undergrad at U of T — a double major in architecture and environmental studies — which really kind of guided me to where I am now.”
As a child, Klomp imagined exploring different environments, both in the built and natural worlds. As he moved through his education in architecture, he grew more aware of how landscape architecture was somewhat of an afterthought, instead of being part of initial design and planning.
Klomp feels that architects and landscape architects need to collaborate on projects right from the start “Because often landscape architecture is responding to issues related to architecture rather than working with architecture. Landscape architects can be on the forefront of helping make these decisions be better, not just for the site, but also for the greater urban area.
“The natural and built-up worlds collide all the time. And they’re instrumental in the way they function together, their relationship together,” Klomp said. “So when I came into grad school, the biggest eyeopener for me was the idea that landscape architects should be onsite before anything else, before a shovel hits the ground. Before an architect designs the building, because often what happens is the building is already in that construction phase.”
Klomp describes the opportunity to focus on learning as the best reward. Receiving the OHTF scholarship has allowed Klomp to keep that focus.
“I’m really grateful for Landscape Ontario [and OHTF] for the opportunity. The scholarship has been a huge, huge benefit,” said Klomp. “We all know education is extremely expensive and so the scholarship allows for the opportunity to really engage with education at the forefront and not have to worry about financial strains of living and paying tuition. Obviously, we still do those things, but it helps mitigate those concerns a little bit more.”
By being fully engaged in his education, Klomp plans to be well armed with skills and tools with which to pursue his career, whether working for others or starting his own business.
“I’m really interested in starting a practice that is focused on sustainable practices in landscape architecture and have a multi-disciplinary firm where there are architects and landscape architects and engineers working together towards these
sustainable practices,” Klomp said. “And if there’s ways I can then take those tools as a firm and implement them with design/ build companies, that would be the dream because I definitely think this topic is much broader than just being able to apply it to one firm or to one business.”
As an admitted lifelong learner, he anticipates designing future green spaces where individuals come to enjoy and learn as a community. “That sense of belonging really needs to come from how the community wants to function. And so I definitely see those spaces where it’s a site that has multiple programs where individuals can feel comfortable in different spaces and balancing that with some sort of resilience towards climate change.” He suggests programming could help people learn about protecting biodiversity, flood mitigation, water preservation, and other sustainable practices.
Although fond of his hometown of Stratford, Klomp plans to branch out to gain experience. “To develop as a designer, I would love to gain experience from other parts of the country, so go to B.C. maybe and learn where sustainability is at the forefront right now and is a priority, especially on the West Coast. And then learning those tools and how we implement them to practices here in Ontario.”
When asked what his future holds, Klomp said he hopes to bridge the gap between sustainable design and landscape architecture. He explained, “the biggest thing for me is to become an advocate and a leader in the community to deeply engage these conversations of sustainable practices. And I hope to explore that through my thesis and my final year of my graduate studies and hopefully come up with some really articulate design principles that I can share with the greater community.”
The OHTF’s mandate is to nurture and advance the horticultural profession through the funding of industry-related scholarships. Learn more at OHTF.ca.
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