Landscape Trades - May 2022

LANDSCAPE TRADES 2022

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DESIGN-BUILD ISSUE

20 28

12 12

DELIVERING VALUE

Striking the balance between exceeding expectations while staying in budget.

BY INDIRA KANNAN

20 OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

Design-Build pros from Vancouver to St. John’s share their most ambitious projects.

BY KARINA SINCLAIR

34

44 38 TREES FOR LIFE

Talking trees with Mark Cullen.

BY SCOTT BARBER

44 LET THERE BE (landscape) LIGHT

Keep lighting off the budget chopping block.

BY AUDRIANA VANDERWERF

28 BEATING THE HEAT

Green spaces play key role in mitigating the urban heat island effect.

BY MARK DOUGLAS WESSEL

34 PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT

Zooming in on Effie Siamalekas’ passion for shooting gardens and landscapes.

ABOUT THE COVER Effie Siamalekas shot this gorgeous landscape in Seguin, Ont.

MAY 2022 | 3

LANDSCAPE TRADES

MAY 2022 VOL. 44, NO. 3

LANDSCAPETRADES.COM EDITOR & PUBLISHER ASSISTANT EDITOR

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COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

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DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST

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

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DESIGN-BUILD ISSUE

Scott Barber | sbarber@

48 COLUMNS

8 GREEN PENCIL

Make a green impact by supporting Trees for Life, Year of the Garden 2022 and the Green Cities Foundation.

BY SCOTT BARBER

48 LEGAL MATTERS

Construction law expert Rob Kennaley provides a review of insurance coverage issues.

BY ROB KENNALEY

DEPARTMENTS

50 NEWSSCAPE 57 CANADIAN NURSERY LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION (CNLA) NEWS 61 NEW PRODUCTS 65 ADVERTISERS/CLASSIFIEDS/EVENTS 66 MENTOR MOMENT - GLORIA BECK

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MAY 2022 | 5

PARTNER CONTENT

Techo-Bloc Supporting Ontario Landscape Contractors ONT – An all-new, state-of-the-art production facility, owned and operated by industry-leading hardscape brand, Techo-Bloc, has opened its doors in Ayr, Ontario. This location will be Techo-Bloc’s ninth manufacturing plant.

The Ayr plant plays a vital role in improving the company’s product

This 100,000 sq ft facility is one of the most sophisticated precast

founder and president of Techo-Bloc is proud to invest in the hardscape

concrete manufacturing sites in the world and a first for Techo-Bloc

community’s future, “The Ontario market has been great to us. Your

in the province of Ontario. The site also features one of the largest

continued support has allowed us to make this plant in Ayr possible.

industrial permeable pavements in North America, using Techo-Bloc’s

We’re committed to supplying the products you need with the quality

Hydra permeable pavement system. This initiative is now added to the

standards we are known for with improved lead times. You can count

growing list of active case studies funded by the organization to measure

on us to support the growth and success of your business now and

the performance of environmentally conscious pavements.

into the future.”

6 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

availability and logistics, transforming the region into an inventory hub, thus making it easier for local authorized dealers to fulfill orders with shorter lead times. The goal is to ensure Ontario contractors get the hardscape products they need, when they need them. Charles Ciccarello,

PARTNER CONTENT Techo-Bloc also has plans to inaugurate a Hardscaper Training Centre at this site. A first of its kind, the training centre will be outfitted to host educational events for Ontario contractors. Industry-leaders will host courses on installation best practices, design trends, technology and product trainings for local contractors and their crews. This initiative is being piloted by Techo-Bloc’s education department whose mission is to support, inspire and elevate the contractor community through education and best practices.

Through the support and funding of the federal and provincial governments, the newly opened Ayr location has created 50 new jobs to support growth in Southwest Ontario’s manufacturing sector, one that’s continued to embrace and support Techo-Bloc as their product of choice. The Techo-Bloc family is excited to now be closer to a market filled with such motivated, experienced, and talented professionals who are hungry for great inspiration, incredible designs and cutting-edge hardscape products.

Canada’s Best Managed In addition to these important advancements, Techo-Bloc is proud to celebrate its third consecutive Canada’s Best Managed award. As Canada’s leading business awards program, it recognizes excellence in private Canadian-owned companies. Each year, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies undergo a rigorous application process, but only the best are awarded with this prestigious designation. TechoBloc currently has many career opportunities available and is hiring.

Candidates can apply on www.techo-bloc.com/careers/LT.

From Manufacturing Prowess to Inspirational Experiences Product innovation and creative thinking have made Techo-Bloc a leader in landscape inspiration and design on a global scale. And so, it makes sense that along with the all-new production facility, a flagship Techo-Bloc depot will be opening its doors in Ottawa.

This unique boutique experience will offer local designers and contractors the opportunity to present Techo-Bloc’s vast array of hardscape products to their clients in-person. As an added support to the company’s already successful local authorized dealer network, the showroom will be designed and outfitted with tables for contractors to host meetings with their clients to help inspire creativity and finalize product selection.

To learn more about the company, visit www.techo-bloc.com/LT.

MAY 2022 | 7

GREENPENCIL

Creating greener communities together SPRING IS HERE, and not a moment too soon. Whether

you’re a landscape contractor, designer, architect, nursery grower, garden centre retailer, or in any other part of the expansive green profession, I hope your season is off to a great start.

If 2022 is anything like the past two years, it will be a good one for our profession. The pandemic saw a lot of Canadians redirect their vacation budget to home improvement. Spending more time than ever at home, people rediscovered the value of outdoor spaces. Rising home prices and equity gains have also played a role. Now it’s time to build on the momentum to ensure the excitement for landscaping lasts.

One of the keys will be making the connection between landscaping and healthier, more environmentally sustainable communities. We know the landscapes we design, build and maintain aren’t just beautiful — they also clean and cool the air we breathe, sequester carbon, support pollinators and wildlife, and so much more. We’ve got to ensure all Canadians, young and old, see this too.

While we can all do our part to educate our clients and wider networks, we can achieve even more by working together. Fortunately, there are some great opportunities to do just that this year.

Canadian Trees for Life is a new charitable organization that evolved from the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign. Now that HOH is fully funded and set to hit their goal of planting two million trees this November, the group is going national.

The new mission is to provide tree-planting organizations with the tools, resources, and networks to enable them to expand existing tree-planting initiatives, implement new ones, and educate members of their communities about the vital role of trees.

On page 38, Trees for Life president Mark Cullen outlines how they plan to achieve those goals, and why landscape and horticulture professionals are critical to the mission’s success.

Year of the Garden 2022 (YOTG 2022) is another initiative

8 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

working to get Canadians excited about gardening.

Supported by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association and the Canadian Garden Council, the movement aims to inspire and inform Canadians about the many health and well-being, economic, and environmental benefits gardens and gardening provide.

In this issue’s Mentor Moment on page 66, YOTG 2022 co-chair Gloria Beck explains how landscape horticulture professionals can get involved.

Finally, the Green Cities Foundation (GCF) is another great way green professionals can make a positive impact through horticulture. Their #GreenMyCity campaign is reinvigorating the green space at St. Matthew’s House in Hamilton, Ont. (covered in the February issue). GCF is planning more projects in the coming months and years, so be sure to visit their website at gcfoundation.ca to see how you can help.

By working together we can ensure Canadians understand landscaping and horticulture provide many, many more benefits than beauty. Indeed, green infrastructure is key to mitigating the impacts of climate change to keep our communities healthy and sustainable.

Scott Barber is the editor and publisher Landscape Trades.

You can reach him at sbarber@landscapetrades.com or 647-478-3171.

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BY INDIRA KANNAN

W

hen Robin and Ron Perlmutter were helping plan their daughter’s wedding, they knew the backyard of their Toronto home would be a special place for wedding photos. But they also knew the space needed some work.

So Robin, a retired music teacher, began calling landscaping companies to plan a 12 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

redesign of the backyard and quickly decided the Toronto-based Infinite Possibilities, coowned by Alex Zalewski, was the one they wanted to work with.

“It was being done in a somewhat rushed manner because of our timing, not his, and we did not know Alex beforehand, so it took a lot of blind faith,” Ron recalled. “We felt

EXCEED EXPECTATIONS AND STAY ON BUDGET

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MAY 2022 | 13

The Perlmutter’s backyard in Toronto, Ont was designed and built by Inifinite Possibilities Landscape and Design.

comfortable enough just based on speaking with him,” Robin added.

STICKER SHOCK

Then it was time for the sticker shock.

Zalewski popped the budget question in their first meeting, and Ron, a commercial real estate executive, swatted it away.

“It’s like when you’re buying a car, they say how much do you want to spend?

Well, you don’t really give a straight answer,” Ron joked. By their second meeting, Zalewski had a conceptual outline of the redesigned backyard, complete with an estimate. “I think everything in our wish list was there and things that he had in his wish list were there,” Ron said. “It was over $200,000,

14 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

which was totally not going to happen.”

That was nearly double what the Perlmutters had in mind. But they also realized it included work they planned to get done separately, like a fire pit. “in his design, he clearly mapped out everything, the lighting system, where out fire pit goes,” Ron said. Zalewski added value by creating a detailed plan the Perlmutters could build off.

Landscaping is a big commitment in time and money for clients, especially when the tab hits six figures.

“Increasingly, clients come with a budget of $250-350,000 and find things are closer to $400-500,000,” Adrian Bartels, owner of the Oakville, Ont.-based Cedar Springs Landscapes said.

Clients, even those who understand and appreciate the value of professional landscaping, can quickly become overwhelmed as costs soar during the planning phase. How can landscape contractors navigate the maze of large projects, negotiate budgets and the scope of work, and finally pull themselves and their clients across the finish line?

DISCUSS BUDGET, EARLY

For Zalewski, the cost discussion is important to have early on.

“I’ve been doing this long enough that I can get a kind of sense of how much something is going to cost after hearing a client describe the project. So when I’m meeting them, I might say, ‘what’s your

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The Brodnar’s backyard in Oakville, Ont., designed and built by Cedar Springs Landscapes.

budget?’ and if they don’t know or if it’s too low, I kind of go through each of the items they talked to me about, give them a general idea where they stand. It could be $50- to 100,000 dollars, it could be a very big range, but just to get them thinking about that neighborhood is how I start.”

That approach is echoed by Bartels.

“Throughout the design phase, the client is shown concepts, revisions and final drawings with a budget to ensure they meet both of their objectives: an awesome yard and a budget that they deem reasonable. Every client has both of these objectives, but they pull in opposite directions. The design phase is meant to ratchet these two objectives together.”

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS

When Sandy Brodar and her husband approached Cedar Springs in 2016, they too were in for a sticker shock. Owners of a plumbing and drain business in Oakville, Ont., the couple had prepared their own estimate of what a complete landscape design project for their house might cost, but they were still surprised when an estimate of nearly $250,000 came back, about 15 per cent higher than expected.

The central part of the negotiation between company and client often

16 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

between the quote and the customer’s target budget. The solution could involve various components, including a detailed explanation of the cost, adjusting the design, and changing materials.

In Brodar’s case, she was reassured when Cedar Springs Landscapes team pointed out their cost included things that she had not taken into account.

“Compared to others’ quotes, they really took in all the factors that you don’t think of before, from painting to electrical to the disposal fees,” Brodar said. “Often you’ll hear people say ‘oh, we went way over budget.’ We knew going in what our budget was and it stayed within that budget because of how detailed the quote was.”

The pool in their backyard was an important feature that involved some back and forth. The Brodars wanted a giant pool, because, why not, and who doesn’t?

Bartels advised against it.

“They explained it’ll be too overwhelming, not enough social space, and that’s not as advantageous when you sell your house. They put the design more into scale for the size of our backyard,” Brodar said. Cedar Spring’s professional design also nailed the pool location.

“Our pool is in the sun all day,” Brodar said.

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

The view from the Perlmutters’ kitchen was a nearly 60-foot brick wall, enclosing their neighbour’s pool that ran the width of the backyard. Their project included making the wall less visible, improving privacy, adding a garden bed to help Ron indulge his love of gardening, and an inviting outdoor dining area.

Mature tree coverage over the backyard meant tree roots spread across the space, making it difficult to maintain the lawn, so artificial turf was used instead. “That was something on our wish list,” Ron said. The roots also made it necessary to raise the garden bed.

There was an existing cedar screen hiding part of the brick wall, and Zalewski suggested a similar structure as a more decorative element that would harmonize with the functional one, and also replace part of a fence with another neighbour.

“It was highly unlikely our neighbours would share the cost of the fence, so his idea was to extend the concept of this lattice screening as, not a complete length of the fence, but just panels which played off of the other end of the yard where most of the screening was. It accomplished a lot of things, certainly one was the budget was less, the other was it made the whole

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The Perlmutter’s backyard was the backdrop for their daughter’s wedding photos.

backyard have an integral aspect to it, and gave us privacy as well,” Ron said.

Zalewski also used natural stone left over from a previous job in the front for banding around the patio, helping integrate the looks of both spaces. “That was helpful - saved money, used up what we had, it was a win on all fronts,” Ron added.

Some ideas suggested by Zalewski were left out due to the cost, like a second level for the deck, and new glass panel railings.

During their early discussions, Ron had joked they would love to have a fountain, and was pleasantly surprised at the end.

“We did get it, at the end of the project he gave us a gift essentially, which was a larger, more intricate water feature than we paid for,” he said.

Similarly, Brodar was happy she didn’t get what she wanted with Cedar Springs.

She got more.

“We initially wanted the barbecue in the back and they made a very good point to move it up towards the sliding door because if you want to barbecue in the winter you’re not going to want to walk through the snow, so we made that space more accessible all year round.”

Jennifer Hayman, who runs Jennifer Hayman Landscape Design Group, a 18 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

boutique landscape design firm with clients around the GTA and Ontario’s cottage country, notes a design should focus on maximizing a client’s budget rather than merely stretching it.

“Where a designer really can add value is to figure out what their priorities are.

For some clients the priority may be a pool and for others it may be privacy. Once you identify that you’re able to figure out where to maximize the budget, so for instance if privacy is most important then maybe larger trees are the key. You want to make sure that ultimately the clients have the greatest return on their investment and then you know they will refer you to everybody.”

Apart from design adjustments to meet the clients’ budget, the most successful outcome for landscape contractors obviously lies in convincing the customers of the value of the service.

Especially if the cost exceeds what they originally had in mind.

From the landscapers’ point of view, one way of ensuring satisfied customers is to pre-qualify clients before taking on their projects. Both Bartels and Zalewski note their design fees are their best de facto qualifiers.

“The design phase costs between $4,000 and $10,000, and is typically between three to five per cent of the overall projected budget,” Bartels said. “Once they agree to our design process, most clients end up buying the project from us.”

Zalewski agreed: “If someone is shopping around looking for the cheapest possible price, they’re probably going to go with someone who offers free design services.”

The entire process, from the first meeting to the last paver, is a delicate dance between contractor and client.

Sometimes, it goes on even longer. Three years later, Brodar is still raving about the customer service she gets from Cedar Springs Landscapes.

The Perlmutters were able to get great photographs in their backyard before their daughter’s wedding, and their backyard has become their sanctuary.

“We cannot get over the fact that we’re blessed to have this outdoor space in the city,” Robin said. “When guests come over, their mouths literally drop. I’m not bragging,” she added with a laugh.

That’s going from sticker shock to mission accomplished, for both the LT landscaper and the client.

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MAY 2022 | 19

OVERCOMING

O BSTA C LES OBSTACLES

“Westwind” by Derue Designs

CANADIAN LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS DESCRIBE THEIR MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECTS

T

BY KARINA SINCLAIR

he bolder the risk, the bigger the gain. From armour stone to timber frames, from tiny houses to vast estates, each landscape project brings a fresh set of challenges and rewards.

For the 2022 Design/Build Issue, Landscape Trades asked four landscape

20 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

professionals from across Canada to describe their most ambitious projects. We wanted to learn about the barriers they broke through and what they learned along the way.

From St. Johns to Vancouver, Ottawa and Kingston, here’s what they had to say.

RHONDA DERUE Derue Designs, Kingston, Ont.

Derue described ‘Westwinds,’ a waterfront property in Mallorytown, Ont. as one of the most ambitious projects she has completed to date. The property sits on a hillside beside the St. Lawrence River in the 1000 Islands Region. Hired to lead both the home renovations and the landscaping, the sheer volume of design choices and problems to solve made it a monumental task. The project was anything but straightforward—a challenge Derue said she was thrilled to take on.

What was the most difficult part of completing this project?

The most technically difficult piece was finding room for their new septic system. The size/shape/elevation of the property, the close proximity to the river and the filter bed size left very little room for everything and it had to go in their front yard. Set back constraints for the tanks from the house and lot lines also made placement for the new driveway very challenging. Together with the septic installer we created a proposal and then brought in a structural engineer to re-enforce the design with a tiered L-shaped concrete wall on the north hillside so we could essentially create a new usable space to hold the septic bed.

Was there any point where you thought this wasn’t going to happen?

I always thought we would get to an end point, but the winding path getting there had a heightened sense of urgency to get all the details ‘right.’ I never assume I can solve all the problems and seek out others in their field of expertise to assist when making important decisions.

Did you anticipate this challenge or was it a surprise?

The septic was a surprise!! It began to fail after the house renovations had started and so the landscape plan for the front yard had to radically change. The bonus from the large footing wall excavation at this site was that it provided enough large granite boulders to construct a natural stone retaining wall to hide the

new septic tanks and edge of the concrete septic wall at the driveway entrance.

What was the key takeaway you learned that you’ve been able to apply to other projects since?

I learned that we never really know what we are capable of until we try. My ‘try’ now is a whole lot more capable and nuanced than what it was 20 years ago, but previous to this project I might have held back and done less. My takeaway is that if we never put ourselves out there, we never know what new and exciting things we have to offer.

continued >

MAY 2022 | 21

TAYLOR FIFIELD

Calumma Creative Landscapes, North Vancouver, B.C. Calumma Creative Landscapes was hired to create a spectacular build with extreme attention to detail. One of the highlights are its multiple staircases that required precise cutting to accommodate large boulders that sit flush along the sides. There is also a custom curved stainless steel railing, with fasteners hidden under the pavers to give the impression its coming up through the stone.

What was the most difficult part of completing this project?

Fall in the Lower Mainland of B.C. is VERY rainy. On this project we had 31 rain days, and we had three weeks of abnormal snow coverage which prevented us from working. There wasn’t much we could do to resolve the weather, although some days we worked under a tarp.

Was there a point where you didn’t think it would come together?

Due to the large scope of work and the large wish list, the project came in over double what the client wanted to spend. I didn’t think they would proceed because of this, and went back and forth with them on the pricing, taking out items, proposing new ideas, etc. However, they ended up

22 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

going ahead with everything, and adding even more to the scope of work while we were on site building (such as a beautiful flagstone patio inside the ravine).

Did you anticipate this challenge or was it a surprise?

I try to solve all the problems on a job before stepping foot on site. I was, however, surprised by the fact that they almost tripled their budget for the build.

That doesn’t usually happen!

What was the key takeaway you learned that you’ve been able to apply to other projects since?

If you want to build high-end projects, price them out that way. You can always scale back. Show your clients what it takes to build something that will be mind blowing, and show them those costs. If they want it, they can have it.

But if they want to scale back, you can show them the things they will need to remove in order to bring the budget down.

This particular client saw our vision, and understood what was involved to make it look a certain way. And no matter where you look on this property, it is clear that it was built with love and passion for creation.

continued >

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ANDREA ROWE AIRO Landscapes is used to designing around the rugged terrain of Newfoundland, but working on the Farm Road Project presented extra challenges.

The existing site had a very small footprint and a steep grade. The property’s backyard was on a hill that had a drop of about 75 feet to the tree line from top to bottom.

It was a feat of engineering to build an to build a patio large enough for entertaining, without distubing the natural without disturbing the natural environment or endangering the crew.

What was the most difficult part of completing this project?

The most difficult part of the project was the topography. We had to manipulate the land to work with the grades while staying true to the design intent. The area in front of the lower door only had an area of eight feet before there was a drop of 50 ft. We had to connect the lower and upper areas and create a comfortable seating area on the lower level, about a 15 foot difference.

We worked with the grades and raised and lowered transition/walking areas

24 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

AIRO Landscapes, St. John’s, N.L.

and seating areas. To create a larger level seating area to the side we then installed a large retaining wall with timber steps to the upper area built in. When digging into the seating area bank we uncovered an old concrete septic system. This caused us to stop work. The tank had to be pumped out, filled and compacted in. We removed the concrete overflow portion of the system to have enough room to install the geogrid to maintain the structural integrity of the wall.

Was there any point where you worried you might not pull through?

At the beginning of the construction project, we were concerned about site constraints.

Our team lead joked that this project was impossible, and that we should leave. With a limited area to work with, a steep hill, and an overhang roof that was low, we had to ensure that we had a large enough area to create that much needed outdoor lounge area. We spent a lot of time in site planning mode analyzing grades before much of the work started. Using our site transit level, we made many marks on the walls working with the grades. When we began excavation,

we also had to create a small road to get equipment down to the lower area safely to build the project. We also would often stop and go back to the drawing board to analyze the grades to optimize the area we had to work with, tweaking the design as we went.

Did you anticipate this challenge or was it a surprise?

We anticipated that this project was going to be a challenge. This was a design-build project and it evolved constantly between drawings and construction. As the designers we were always onsite guiding the construction team. We also made sure to choose the right construction materials to ensure this project would have structural integrity.

What was the key takeaway you learned that you’ve been able to apply to other projects since?

Key takeaway is to not let a challenging site stop you from taking on a project!

This project was very rewarding to see completed and is now a very special space for our clients to enjoy. continued >

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IAN STEWART,

Yards Unlimited, Ottawa, Ont.

Ian Stewart recalls a project that was a race against Mother Nature.

The Yards Unlimited crew was forced to start work on a waterfront property sooner than expected after it was badly damaged by a rising Ottawa River. The existing dry stack retaining wall had been destroyed and a second record-breaking flood was imminent. The crew had to remove all the old stone, shore up the pool by pouring a deeper concrete foundation under the existing pool walls and then install new retaining walls constructed on concrete foundations well below the sand beach level — all while watching water levels rise and waves crash against the shore.

What was the most difficult part of completing this project?

The most difficult part was shoring up the existing pool foundation. We had to work on it in sections so the pool would not fall down. This was all being done while Ottawa was experiencing more flooding.

Was there a point where you thought you wouldn’t pull through?

Yes, many times we thought we were beaten as the water kept rising and it became very dangerous to work on the site. We actually had to delay work for safety reasons. Fortunately, the pool did not move and we were able to continue work after the flood waters started to lower.

Did you anticipate this challenge or was it a surprise?

This was a total surprise as the Ottawa River exceeded the 100-year flood levels so quickly.

Many parts of the city and surrounding areas were under water.

What was the key takeaway you learned that you’ve been able to apply to other projects since?

Get help from engineers and always overbuild when around water. LT

26 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

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HEA Beating the

GREEN SPACES PLAY KEY ROLE IN MITIGATING THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT

BY MARK DOUGLAS WESSEL 28 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

AT

A

blistering heat wave killed hundreds of people across the Pacific Northwest in British Columbia, Oregon and Washington state in the summer of 2021.

In B.C., temperatures soared above 40 C throughout much of the province. In June, the village of Lytton, B.C., registered a temperature of 49.6 C, breaking the previous Canadian record for highest temperature. In the same month, 90 per cent of the small village would be destroyed by a wildfire.

Many climate experts believe extreme weather events, such as last summer’s heat wave, are a direct result of climate change. And the unprecedented warm weather experienced worldwide is often amplified by a phenomenon known as heat sinks or heat islands.

In Lytton’s case, the heat island was created by geography.

The town is situated in a canyon, surrounded by mountains, and it is too far from the Pacific.

More common in larger urban centres, the heat island effect is caused by concentrations of pavement, buildings and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat, combined with widespread removal of trees and other vegetation that would otherwise help to offset temperature spikes.

The consequence is urban areas are recording temperatures up to 12 C higher than rural areas, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. So, what can be done to counter urban heat islands, which are impacting global health and wellness?

Fortunately there are solutions, and the landscape horticulture profession has an important role to play.

A GREEN MINDSET

Hamilton, Ont.

Haig Seferian, founder and principal architect of Burlington, Ont.-based Seferian Design Group (SFG), said combating heat islands will require educating policy-makers, landscape professionals and property owners. According to Seferian, landscape architects need to take a leadership role on cooling initiatives, many of which are still in their infancy stages.

“Hot spells are just going to get longer and longer … the (polar) ice is melting. We’ve got people dying of heat exhaustion,” Seferian said.

Despite such challenges, residential development and intensification continues to progress at breakneck speed.

The net effect is cities are releasing more heat back into the environment.

“We’re seeing it in Toronto and the entire Greater Toronto Area, with the sprawl that’s taking place, the development of highrises and the need for air conditioners,” Seferian said.

Part of the education process, according to Seferian, is for landscape professionals to work with municipal officials MAY 2022 | 29

Seferian Design Group worked with the City of Hamilton on the Gage Park fountain terraces redevelopment project.

and other professionals in order to set a standard for green infrastructure requirements.

Landscape architect Mike Flint, also with SFG, believes part of the problem is histroically, landscape professionals haven’t been included in the planning stages for residential projects.

“I think we need to be part of the process, because there’s no mandate in certain municipalities for providing more softscape versus hardscape, so that the water can permeate back into the ground,” Flint explained. “There’s no mandate that the pavement has a certain Solar Reflectance Index value,” so that less heat is emitted from the surface.

Paul Brydges, principal of the Guelph, Ont.-based Brydges Landscape Architecture, has worked with some of the largest builders in the Guelph/KitchenerWaterloo area over the last 20 years.

“They’ve always been very progressive with alternative (green) solutions towards creating more vibrant communities,” Brydges said.

However, he said many builders “want very little” to do with landscaping. Like Seferian, Brydges believes landscape

30 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

professionals should do more to educate and inform developers and municipalities on the value of sustainable, low impact development.

Brydges said Communities in Bloom, a Canadian not-for-profit with the goal of promoting environmental responsibility and civic pride, is a tool for municipalities to utilize experts to explain methods to mitigate heat, sequester water and carbon and help with pollinator populations. In the spirit of engaging in more of a twoway dialogue, he said governments are contacting Communities in Bloom and similar associations, posing the question: “you’re the experts, how do we fix this problem?”

THE TREE EQUITY CHALLENGE

Sarah Weber Hertel, a PhD candidate in environmental science and public policy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., is examining the impact trees have on our quality of life.

In an article for TheCityFix, Weber noted: “trees improve the life for the millions who live and work in urban areas by filtering polluted air, reducing smog formation, preventing erosion and cleaning up

contaminated land, supporting local wildlife, and sheltering buildings from heat and cold — saving up to 10 per cent of the energy needed to regulate a building’s temperature.”

Hertel, based in Washington, D.C., established the goal of growing the city’s tree canopy to 40 per cent of the district’s surface area by 2032. However, as she pointed out in a recent interview, despite such a lofty goal, D.C. is still grappling with the reality that tree cover and green space isn’t divided equally between different parts of the city.

One non-profit group that is seeking to address this challenge is Casey Trees, which Hertel has worked with in the past.

“I think what they’re trying to do, unlike a lot of cities, is to focus on tree equity and not just having trees planted in the wealthiest parts (of the city), but instead focus on the canopy cover of other parts of the city that could actually benefit more,” Hertel said.

The city of Hamilton, Ont. also set a goal to increase its tree canopy from 21 per cent to 30 per cent by 2041.

Catherine Plosz, Hamilton’s natural heritage planner with the Planning and Economic Development Department, admits it’s “a gargantuan effort to raise

SELF - WAT ERING

LechuzaCanada

P LAN TE R S

WWW.LECHUZA.CA MAY 2022 | 31

Hamilton, Ont. heat map.

the canopy even by a small percentage.”

Hamilton has conducted a land cover analysis using satellite imagery, which Plosz said helps identify “where we have vegetation, and where we have water, buildings and roads. Then we’ll be able to say, ‘here are the areas where we have low canopy cover’.”

Hamilton has found tree canopy levels vary significantly between neighbourhoods. It ranges from a 40 per cent tree cover in an affluent area in the city’s northwest, to as little as 7.6 per cent in a downtown neighbourhood.

In terms of assessing the positive impact trees have, Hamilton has determined “four per cent of the benefits come from streetside trees. Yet, streetside trees account for 3.2 per cent of all of the trees in the city.

“The street trees tend to be bigger and they tend to be planted in areas that provide the most benefit and they’re well maintained and cared for,” Plosz explained.

FILLING THE GAPS

Sam Scarlett, Hamilton’s manager of forestry and agriculture explained the city

has several tree planting programs which focus on getting trees into neighbourhoods with low canopies. He said they also have a free Street Tree Planting Program where residents can request a tree planting in the public road allowance adjacent to their property. As well, the city’s Private Tree Giveaway Program has distributed about 3,000 trees.

Recognizing the tremendous benefits trees and green spaces provide in the fight against global warming, Haig Seferian said “we should be planting trees everywhere.”

And a critical part of that process is to get builders and homeowners on board with everything from making space for more trees to the inclusion of green roofs, rooftop gardens and green walls.

Adding to Seferian’s recommendation, Flint adds that “as we grow vertically, we need to add more parks and municipalities need to be mandating larger parks as well as small intermittent parks.” Parks aren’t just about leisure and recreation, they also help keep our cities cool.

At the end of the day, the one positive take away from these initiatives — from assessing the status quo and what needs to be done, to pushing for greener, cooler, more equitable communities — there now exists an unprecedented opportunity for landscape professionals to play a pivotal role in the solutions to one of climate changes most challenging components.

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PHOTOGRAPHER S P O T L I G H T

34 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

EFFIE

SIAMALEKAS OAKVILLE, ONT. EFFIEEDITS.COM : @EFFIEEDITSMEDIA

E

ffie Siamalekas has loved taking pictures for as long as she can remember. In 2013, she turned her passion into a career with the launch of her photography and videography business Effie Edits.

Her specialty is capturing important milestones for couples and families, and she also has a gift for showcasing beautiful gardens and landscapes.

Siamalekas recently connected with Landscape Trades to share why she enjoys shooting outdoor spaces. continued >

MAY 2022 | 35

Landscape Trades: How did you get into garden photography?

Siamalekas:

I have some friends that are landscapers, and I would show up to some of the sites they worked on periodically. I was still experimenting with what I loved to photograph the most — at the time I was doing a lot of wedding videos and automotive photography.

I started bringing my camera to shoot before and after photos to help them market their landscaping company. I loved watching the transformation and helping showcase the beauty of the homes.

What catches your eye when you’re photographing a garden?

36 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Any time there is movement, like fire or water features. These elements really bring the photos to life and help curate a story and experience.

What are some of your favourite gardens you have photographed?

Are there any you would like the chance to shoot?

Do you have any tips or tricks you can share?

My favourite landscaping projects to shoot have always been the spaces that are unique, and feel so zen and spa-like as soon as I step foot onto the property.

I would love to shoot more cottages and homes by the water!

My favourite times to photograph are sunrise, sunset or during overcast days.

Harsh shadows in the middle of the day can take away from the design and building materials. I have some great landscaping clients that help clean or prepare a property before I arrive. This leaves me with more time to look for great angles to show off the property and can make a big difference for the end product.

What is your favourite camera gear for shooting gardens?

For photos, I love using my 16-35mm lens. When I shoot video, I love using my drone and a camera stabilizer to get those LT smooth, cinematic shots.

MAY 2022 | 37

TREES FOR LIF

TREES FOR LIF

TREES FOR LIF

TREES FOR LIF 38 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

FE

TALKING TREES WITH MARK CULLEN

FE T

FE

FE

INTERVIEW BY SCOTT BARBER

rees for Life is a new national charity committed to mobilizing, empowering, and inspiring tree planting initiatives across Canada. It stems from the success of the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign, a program that saw two million trees planted in honour of Canadian servicemen and women.

Landscape Trades editor and publisher Scott Barber interviewed Trees for Life’s volunteer president Mark Cullen on an episode of the Landscape Ontario Podcast. In their conversation, Cullen talked about the charity’s goals, its connection with Canada’s two billion trees commitment, and why landscape horticulture professionals are key to its success.

Tell us about the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign.

The Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign has been an incredible experience. We are very proud to say that we have reached our fundraising goal of $10 million, and we are on track to plant the two millionth tree in 2022.

The Highway of Heroes is the 170 kilometre stretch of Hwy. 401 between CFB Trenton and the coroner’s office in Toronto. It’s a significant

route because it’s the way each Canadian who died in the Afghan conflict travelled when they were brought home. As many Canadians will remember, the Highway of Heroes became a very special memorial, as thousands of people came out onto bridges and overpases with flags to pay tribute to fallen soldiers.

Our idea was to honour Canadian servicemen and women by planting trees along the Highway of Heroes. The goal was to plant 117,000 trees, one for each Canadian soldier lost at war. Then we expanded that idea to add an additional 1.8 million trees, representing the number of Canadians who have served during wartime. So it became 1.8 million plus 117,000, for a total of two million.

We didn’t know how long it would take to raise $10 million and plant two million trees because we’d never done it before. In fact, a living memorial of this scale had never been done anywhere in the world. But fast forward to the spring of 2022, and the campaign has been fully funded and we are planning to plant the final tree - number two million - during Remembrance week in November.

What is Canadian Trees for Life?

We are so excited about where we go from here. We’ve got momentum. We’ve learned so many lessons. We started with nothing

MAY 2022 | 39

Trees for Life partnered with the University of Guelph to plant 700 trees in 2021.

but an idea and it grew, and it really is thanks to all the countless people out there who joined in by coming out to tree planting events, or making a donation to honour their grandfather or their aunt. And also to all the landscape and horticulture professionals who provided trees at cost, or who donated materials or labour in kind. They were all critical to the success of the campaign.

Now we are taking the campaign national with Trees for Life, and our mandate is to plant trees in the urban environments where we live, work, learn and play.

So if you’re reading this anywhere in Canada and you are planting trees that are going to benefit the public, we want to hear from you. We want to help.

We are pleased to say we have received support from National Resources Canada through the two billion tree program. We recieved funding in 2021 which enabled the planting of 275,000 trees. We are very proud to be part of the program, and we hope to recieve support once again this year.

Partnerships with landscape and horticulture professionals are also key. The Highway of Heroes saw incredible support from Landscape Ontario members. Now with Trees for Life, we’re expanding our 40 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

message to members of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association.

We would love to hear from landscapers, growers, retailers, landscape maintenance professionals, and really everyone in the horticulture profession.

We want you to be part of Trees for Life.

A lot of our business model is built on in-kind donations. I want members to know that if you can sacrifice a day or two of a crew to come out and help us plant trees, if you can bring a skid steer loader, a dump truck load of mulch, or if you can donate trees because you’re a grower or if you have an excess inventory, we really want to hear from you.

What lessons have you learned from the Highway of Heroes that you can apply to Trees for Life?

One of the things we learned was that Canadians are prepared to invest in trees when they honour someone important to them. Maybe it’s an aunt or an uncle who fought or was involved in the Second World War or the Korean War. Maybe it’s somebody that’s long gone and maybe was connected to the military during the First World War or even the war of 1812.

You’d be amazed by the stories we’ve heard.

The lesson is that Canadians will invest in trees to benefit the environment, yes, but an even more powerful message is investing in trees for people. And right now, as we come out of the last phase of COVID-19, we reflect on the fact that 32,000 Canadians have died, and that over three million Canadians have served in a variety of ways.

I’m thinking of the health care providers, teachers, front line workers, first responders and all the people who stepped up to support their communities during the pandemic. I think we’re still dealing with the loss we’ve experienced, and what we want to do is provide an opportunity for every Canadian to make a donation to plant a tree in honour of a hero in their life.

It’s great that we say thank you to our front line workers and first responders with bus boards and signs on our front lawns. But a tree is a living memorial that will last for generations.

Who are some notable individuals contributing to these campaigns?

There are a lot of people connected with Canadian Trees for Life and the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign who have been amazing inspirations. continued >

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Where should people go if they want to learn more and participate?

Trees for Life planted 1,400 with LEAF (Local Enancement and Appreciation of Forests) in 2021.

Canada’s former Gov. Gen. David Johnston and his wife Sharon, the honorary Captain of the Royal Canadian Navy, have been extraordinary. They joined us as honorary patrons on the Highway of Heroes while David was still the governor general of Canada.

Another inspiration is Corporal Nick Kerr. Nick served two tours of duty in Afghanistan with the Princess Patricia’s

42 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

[Canadian Light Infantry] and he saw nine of his friends die in the campaign. Nick has been our honorary military patron from just about the beginning, and he says he deals with his PTSD by planting trees.

Every time he digs a hole and puts a tree in the ground he says to himself, “This one’s for you, buddy. Where life was taken away, I’m putting life back.”

I hope people will visit our website at treesforlife.ca to learn more about how they can get involved. Public tree planting days will be posted online. If you want to put up your hand, just go to “contact us” and send us a message. We’re checking it all the time.

Without the enthusiastic participation and partnerships that we’ve had in the past with landscape professionals and nursery growers, we would never have succeeded. We want to thank everyone who has supported us so far: we couldn’t have achieved our goals with the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign without you. Now, as we move onto the next chapter with Trees for Life, we cannot wait to make even more connections from coast to coast. Let’s do LT this together!

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Let

there

be (landscape)

44 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Award winning lighting by DiMarco Landscape Lighting

BY AUDRIANA VANDERWERF

O

n snowy winter nights, I love being out for a walk with my rescue, Holly. On one such walk, I noticed the white ground flashing and twinkling, refelecting the red and and greens of Christmas lights shining brightly around our neighbourhood.

“They should be up all winter,” my neighbour Tim said, pointing to his long string of multicoloured bulbs as we passed his place, “to brighten the nights.”

I couldn’t disagree. The lights add a bit of brightness to a long, dark winter night.

“What if we designed some landscape lighting?”

I offered.

“We already have that,” he replied, nodding to the solar mushroom-style fixtures, intended to light his front walk.

At the end of her leash, Holly quivered as though she read my thoughts, and since I was not there as a consultant to offer opinions, we continued down the street.

If Tim were my client, it would have been a prime opportunity to educate him: with professional landscape lighting, his clump jacquemontii would look exquisite well into the evening hours while providing visual distraction from the building beyond it; the patio would be inviting for a late night beverage and conversation; the gardens along the fence could be enjoyed even from inside year round; and the path could be more dependently lit, not only in the evening, but also in the early morning hours. Additionally, the foundation garden’s uplights could accentuate architectural highlights,

giving a fresh look to the home’s curb appeal at night while also providing security. Clearly, there are lots of ways professional landscape lighting can enhance a property.

Certified Landscape Designer Kari Renaud of Lily Design near Windsor, Ont., designs landscape lighting in just such a fashion. “The beauty comes from all of the different ways you can light up an area or feature,” Renaud said. “Never competing with the home, lighting is meant to accent the home’s best features.”

Landscape design is the art of combining beauty and function, and devising a lighting schematic is no different. How to carefully illuminate the route to the hot tub so a naked client can both find the way, and run to it without their neighbours seeing, requires just the right fixture, placement and lumens.

Suppliers are almost always eager to help with layout and willingly “bare” with designers as we tackle the learning curve.

Unfortunately, landscape lighting is often the first element on the chopping block when a client is looking to trim costs from their project.

“No kidding,” remarked Justin Scott, owner of The Grounds Guys in Barrie, Ont., when I mentioned this unwelcome, yet common scenario.

“Landscape lighting is the piece that turns your outdoors from a daylight space to a nighttime entertainment area, creating a whole different ambiance to the already great space.” Scott said.

But, he admits, in his 24 years of landscaping, no one has reduced hardscaping to make room in the budget for lighting.

I find it interesting that while lighting can be a tough sell, it’s often one of the most beloved

MAY 2022 | 45

elements of the finished project. One of my clients, Grant M., testified, “When we hired Audriana to transform the gardens at our home in Springwater, we agreed with her that aspects needed to be illuminated for enjoyment at nighttime. We get countless comments from neighbours about how lovely the grounds, especially the water feature, look at night. We also feel the safety aspect has been beneficial. It would be difficult for someone to lurk in the shadows without being noticed.”

Educating clients on the benefits of landscape lighting during the proposal stage is a popular and mostly successful way of approaching the subject. To further entice, what if we also offered lighting in tiers, as we do with many other parts of a project?

For example, we could begin with a basic package and present at least a minimum of fixtures — perhaps pathway and security lighting. Once that is accepted, we can approach with mid-level then high-level upgrades.

Designer Ann-Marie Brewer of Price Landscaping in Lutes Mountain, N.B., has a tip when starting small: “I spec a transformer with lots of room for future additions,” she explained. “I find that in most cases, once a client has some lighting installed, they love it and often ask for more. If the transformer is big enough to accommodate additions, then adding more fixtures in the future is super quick and easy.”

And, um, aren’t we forgetting something? We don’t even start designing without the landscaping budget at hand. When clients sign on with you, they are mostly saying, “Here’s my money, do your thing!” Perhaps the monetary priorities are only as limited as our priorities and imagination?

Perhaps we need to make sure we always design the lighting with, not after, the landscaping. We can design it in zones, so implementing it in stages is an easy option. Barring that, Renauld suggests laying conduit for future lighting at the very least.

We have pathways to “yes.” Lit LT pathways.

46 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

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LEGALMATTERS

Insurance coverage issues

BY ROB KENNALEY LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICIES are

designed to respond to claims made against the insured by other people. They are not designed to cover damage to the insured’s own person or property. Where they respond, liability policies generally provide the insured with two types of coverage: the duty to defend and the duty to indemnify.

Where a third party’s claim falls within the scope of a policy’s coverage, the duty to defend requires the insurer to pay for a lawyer to defend the claim, while the duty to indemnify requires the insurer to pay any amounts which the insured is legally obliged to pay in relation to the claim. It should be noted that the insurer also has the right to defend.

Liability policies are never all inclusive. They virtually always include certain exclusions. In the construction context, liability policies can be broken down into two basic categories: “errors and omissions” insurance (otherwise known as “E&O” insurance) and “comprehensive general liability” insurance (otherwise known as “commercial general liability” or “CGL” insurance).

Errors and omissions insurance covers errors and omissions in the performance of services. In the construction context, and depending on the terms of the particular policy, E&O policies cover errors in design, inspection, supervision and, at

48 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

times, contract administration. If your role in construction is as a consultant or designer, you need errors and omissions insurance.

Contractors, subcontractors and suppliers generally carry CGL insurance. These policies are intended to respond to claims by third parties who allege either personal injury or property damage resulting from an “occurrence.” An occurrence, in turn, is most often defined to refer to some kind of “accidental event.”

In construction, the insured’s own work is generally excluded from the scope of coverage under a CGL policy, as are any obligations which the insured assumes under contract.

CGL policies are thus not designed to cover the contractor’s own deficient work. Rather, CGL insurance policies cover damages which a construction deficiency causes to other persons, or other person’s property.

An example helps make the distinctions clear.

If you as a contractor are to make a mistake in constructing a retaining wall such that it falls down, your CGL policy will not cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding the wall. From the insurer’s perspective, you did exactly what you wanted to do: there was no “accident.” Further, the exclusions for the contractor’s own work, and for contractual obligations, will generally apply. You will therefore have to rebuild the wall

on your own account.

If the wall falls on a neighbour’s car, however, the CGL policy will generally respond to the claim of the car owner, who has a third party claim against you for liability. The damage to the car can be considered an accident. It is an unforeseen consequence of the construction deficiency, unrelated to the work itself. These types of losses are generally described as “consequential” damages, to which the CGL policy usually responds.

Consider, however, where the wall was constructed by a subcontractor you retained to build the wall on your behalf. In this circumstance, the CGL policy may or may not respond, depending on the wording of the particular policy. Some CGL policies expressly cover the deficient work of subcontractors, while some do not. Where the policy covers your subcontractor’s work, it will also generally require you to ensure that the subcontractor itself carries CGL insurance.

What about where the wall falls down and your client claims damages for delay? The CGL policy will generally not respond because it is only intended to respond to claims for property damage and personal injury. It is not intended to respond to what are often described as purely “economic” losses.

Consider also where you have both designed and built the wall. If you have built it according to your design and the wall falls down due to a design error, the CGL policy will generally not respond. This is because the CGL policy generally excludes liability for inadequate or deficient design. As discussed above, errors and omissions insurance is intended to respond to this type of risk. It is accordingly very important that “design-build” contractors obtain both types of insurance coverage.

You should also understand that your insurer may be able to refuse coverage and/or a defence to a liability claim if you breached a condition of your insurance policy. This can occur where: you have undertaken work which you have advised your insurer you do not perform; where you have failed to accurately disclose the nature or history of your business in applying for the insurance; where you have not put the insurer on notice of a claim upon your becoming aware of it; and where you have taken steps to address or respond to a claim without your insurer’s knowledge or consent.

Essentially, under an insurance contract your insurer agrees to provide you with coverage in exchange and other conditions. The insurer will assess the risk (and determine the premium) based on what you tell them in applying for the insurance and on the expectation that you will meet the conditions of the policy.

You have insurance for a reason. It is accordingly important that you make sure it is in place when you need it. You should work with your broker to make sure that you have proper (and enough) coverage, and that you answer your insurer’s application questions fully and accurately. Where your circumstances change such that your answers would change, you should consult with your broker about amending or increasing your coverage.

Finally, where there is the potential for a claim, you should consult with your broker and/ or lawyer to ensure you do not do anything to prejudice your insurer and that notice to the insurer is provided as required.

Next issue, we will discuss the scope of insurance and what it can mean to be “underinsured” on a policy.

LT ROB KENNALEY

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

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NEW RULES FOR TFWP has been in place since 2015. In addition, the maximum duration of these positions will be increased from 180 days to 270 days per year.

• L abour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will be valid for 18 months — an increase from nine months. Prior to COVID-19, LMIA’s were valid for six months.

•T he maximum duration of employment for High-Wage and Global Talent Streams workers will be extended from two years to three years. This extension will help workers access pathways to qualify for permanent residency, enabling them to contribute to the workforce for the long term.

Carla Qualtrough

On April 4, 2022, Carla Qualtrough, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion announced the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program Workforce Solutions Road Map. In a media release, the Canadian government says the reformed program will address labour shortages, enhance worker protections and build “a stronger workforce for today and tomorrow, including through pathways to permanent residency.” According to the federal government, TFWs made up less than 0.4 per cent of the Canadian workforce in 2020. Five key policy changes will be implemented in the coming weeks as part of the TFW Program Workforce Solutions Road Map. Effective April 4, 2022: •T o address seasonal peaks, there will no longer be a limit to the number of low-wage positions that employers in seasonal industries, such as fish and seafood processing, can fill through the TFW Program. This makes permanent the Seasonal Cap Exemption that

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Effective April 30, 2022: •F or seven sectors with demonstrated labour shortages, such as Accommodation and Food Services, employers will be allowed to hire up to 30 per cent of their workforce through the TFW Program for low-wage positions for one year. All other employers will be allowed to hire up to 20 per cent of their workforce through the TFW Program for low-wage positions until further notice — an increase from the former 10 per cent cap for many employers.

•T he government will end the current policy that automatically refuses LMIA applications for low-wage occupations in the Accommodation and Food Services and Retail Trade sectors in regions with an unemployment rate of six per cent or higher.

Qualtrough also announced she will convene the inaugural TFW Program Ministerial Consultative Roundtable in June 2022 to hear directly from worker representatives and other stakeholders on how to make the program stronger and more effective for workers, employers and their communities. The focus of the first roundtable will be on housing accommodations, as the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for safe and adequate employer-provided housing for TFWs.

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NEWSSCAPE BTN SHORTLISTED FOR GROWER OF THE YEAR Brookdale Treeland Nurseries (BTN) has been shortlisted for International Grower of the Year 2022. Based in Schomburg, Ont., BTN is the only Canadian company of the top nine ornamental growers being considered.

Presented by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and judged by an international jury of industry experts, the awards recognize best practices in horticulture production by ornamental production nurseries around the globe and celebrate the expertise and energy they give to horticulture.

BTN is one of the largest and most respected growers of garden plants in Canada, specializing in: trees, flowering shrubs, evergreens, perennials and tropicals.

They operate from five locations in Canada

52 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

with over 500 acres in production. They service over 2,400 retail stores throughout Canada and the U.S., and employ nearly 600 people during peak season.

The IGOTY awards were postponed due to COVID-19, but will now take place on June 14, 2022, at GreenTech Amsterdam. Winners will be announced at an evening awards ceremony.

The IGOTY Awards 2022 consists of four categories: Finished Plants and Trees, Cut Flowers and Bulbs, Young Plants and Sustainability. Within each category, bronze, silver and gold awards will be given.

One winner will be crowned the ‘AIPH International Grower of the Year 2022’ and receive the ‘Gold Rose’ — the industry’s most coveted prize.

The IGOTY 2022 finalists are (in alphabetical order): Bunnik Grou, Netherlands Brookdale Treeland Nurseries, Canada Jens Meyer Jungpflanzen, Germany Luxaflor Roses, Zimbabwe Matina Flowers S.A.S, Columbia Metrolina Greenhouses, USA Prim’rose (SCA Clementine), Morocco Sitio Kolibri, Brazil Wagagai, Uganda

NEWSSCAPE FLOWERS CANADA GROWERS GETS FEDERAL FUNDING Canada’s floriculture industry got a boost from the federal government in February. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced an investment close to $535,000 to support Flowers Canada Growers (FCG) projects to develop market opportunities, address industry challenges and contribute to a stronger Canadian agricultural sector.

Flowers Canada Growers is the national trade association of the Canadian floral industry. Canada has more than 2,400 farms producing floriculture products (2016 Census).

“Canada’s flower growers are proving their resilience, innovation and adaptability with creative solutions to increase economic growth in the floriculture sector,” Minister Bibeau said in a press release. “This investment for Flowers Canada Growers will help many Canadian growers to have the tools they need to capitalize on new markets while expanding their local businesses.”

Nearly $460,000 from the AgriMarketing Program is aimed at bolstering Canada’s reputation as a high-quality floriculture producer,

and increasing and diversifying exports to international markets.

“Canadian flower growers have seen steady growth in both export and domestic sales in recent years thanks to the generous support received through the AgriMarketing Program,” said Andrew Morse, executive director of FCG. FCG will also work with farmers and floriculture businesses to provide trade-related information and support, training and certification to enhance industry knowledge and maintain access to international markets.

An additional $75,000 has been earmarked for addressing insurance challenges.

“The AgriRisk initiative is assisting Flowers Canada Growers conduct a feasibility study for the development of a viable longterm comprehensive insurance coverage solution to support reduced insurance premiums for the floriculture greenhouse sector,” Morse said. “FCG is extremely grateful for the financial support being provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.”

MAY 2022 | 53

NEWSSCAPE BAYER SELLS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE DIVISION TO CINVEN Headquartered in Cary, N.C., the Bayer division offers environmental solutions to control pests, diseases and weeds in non-agricultural areas such as vector control, professional pest management,

Bayer and Cinven have entered into a definitive agreement regarding the sale of Bayer’s Environmental Science Professional business for a purchase price of $2.6 billion USD.

vegetation management, forestry, and turf and ornamentals. In 2021, the business had approximately 800 employees supporting operations and sales in more than 100 countries.

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Wade Hartwell passed away on March 25, 2022, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Hartwell was a past president of the Canadian Nursery Trades Association (CNTA), now the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA). “Wade was larger than life, with a big personality and an even bigger heart,” his obituary says. “He was eternally curious and young at heart.”

Wade spent 45 years in the garden nursery business and was the founder of Golden Acre Garden Centres in Calgary, Alta.

During his years in business, Wade travelled extensively around the world sourcing plant material for the Calgary climate and cultivating friends at every stop.

Wade served as a Cattle Baron for the Calgary Exhibition & Stampede for 35 years, supplying beautiful greenery for the event.

He was an active participant and board member of the Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association (and CNTA) for three decades. Wade also co-hosted Let’s Talk Gardening on Calgary’s QR770 radio.

In association with the City of Calgary Parks, Wade created the BP Birthplace Forest where 50,000 trees were planted. He generously fostered the McInnis & Holloway Memorial forest, which continues to grow. Wade received an honorary degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Olds College and generously provided scholarships to the college.

Celebrations of Wade’s life will be held in Vancouver and Calgary later this year. In lieu of flowers, the family asks people to plant a tree in Wade’s memory.

NEWSSCAPE DIRT REPORT SHOWS IMPROVEMENT

STIHL NAMES TERRY HORAN NEW CEO

The Canadian Common Ground Alliance’s (CCGA) latest Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report shows a three per cent decrease in reported damage events in 2020 compared to 2019.

The report is a confidential database where various stakeholders may enter information related to damages to buried utilities.

Key findings include: The total number of reported damages Canada-wide totaled 11,573, which is a drop of three per cent from 11,949 in 2019, and four per cent from 12,041 in 2018; natural gas and telecommunication facilities were affected in 83.4 per cent of damages, 40.9 per cent and 42.6 per cent respectively; and the most common known root cause of damages was excavation issues at 36.7 per cent.

Contributing to DIRT is voluntary. The report does not reflect the total number of damages that take place in Canadian provinces and there is no legal obligation for reporting such damages, the CCGA says.

Visit canadiancga.com to read the full report.

Terrence “Terry” Horan has been named president and CEO of STIHL Incorporated, effective April 1, 2022. Horan is responsible for the management of the STIHL Group’s largest market and subsidiary. Based in Virginia Beach, Va., STIHL Inc. supplies the majority of STIHL products to the United States market. As an integral part of STIHL Group’s manufacturing and sales network, STIHL Inc. also supplies components and products for more than 100 markets worldwide. The company employs more than 3,000 people in the U.S. “We are pleased to welcome Mr. Horan, an internationally successful leader with 35 years of experience in the power tools, DIY, and consumer goods industry to the STIHL family,” said Nikolas Stihl, chairman of the advisory board and supervisory board at STIHL Group.

Horan joined the company after a successful career as RPM Consumer Group president at RPM International. Horan has held various senior leadership roles, including president and CEO of DAP Products, president of The Master Lock Company, president and CEO of the Robert Bosch Tool Corporation North America, and president of Dremel Power Tools.

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UNILOCK CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY In 1972, Ed Bryant brought the Uni-Stone paving stone to North America — a decision that launched the modern hardscape industry. That paving stone was also the catalyst to founding Unilock, a leader in concrete interlocking paver stones for patios, retaining walls, walkways and more.

Now entering its 50th year of operation, Unilock is celebrating its continued growth within the industry.

“Unilock was founded by my father, Ed, on the spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship and strong partnerships set upon a foundation of integrity, trust and a unique family-oriented culture,” said Andrew Bryant, Unilock president and CEO, and son of late Ed Bryant. “For five decades, we have been setting the gold standard for the hardscape industry, and today, that culture and heartbeat are still fresh, strong and evident in every aspect of our operation.”

Along with the paving stone, Unilock boasts a number of ‘industry firsts.’ This includes product innovations, the establishment of an authorized contractor program for installers, and implementing a lifetime product guarantee.

Unilock has continued to grow over the decades through strategic investments in capital, product development, staffing, and facilities to align with market growth and the needs of its customer base. Recently, this includes building additional facilities in Ayr, Ontario; Uxbridge, Mass; and Cincinnati, Ohio; as well as acquiring Quebec-based Rocvale to increase manufacturing capacity.

Bryant said Unilock has over 700 employees across 17 locations in six regional companies, and estimates they’ve manufactured millions of square feet of pavers.

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CNLANEWS GARDEN CENTRES CANADA SET FOR JULY 12-14 IN EDMONTON

After a two-year hiatus, Garden Centres Canada (GCC) is excited to present the return of its annual summer retail summit. This year’s edition takes place at the Coast Plaza Hotel in Edmonton, Alta., from July 12-14.

The 2022 GCC Summit kicks-off with an evening networking reception on July 12, where attendees can network and exchange ideas. Day two starts early and will be jam-packed with exploration. Attendees will tour eight different garden centres in and around Edmonton to meet owners and staff and learn how each business operates. Their acreages and products are all a bit different, but each garden centre will exhibit their distinct personality and strengths.

Morning coffee and treats will be served at Kiwi Nurseries provided by their in-house coffee shop Caffeinated Kiwi. Lunch will be served at Salisbury Greenhouse’s one-of-a-kind location inside the gorgeous Enjoy Centre — a vast, glass building and indoor oasis in St. Albert, Alta. The tour will then settle in for an evening of industry stories while enjoying a wood-fired pizza dinner at Greenland Nursery and Garden Centre’s Branches Restaurant.

The final day will revolve around keynote speakers with expertise in the industry who will share the latest market research and trends. Topics include tips and tools for owners to motivate and inspire staff, and reduce stress. There will be discussions about productive ways to engage and retain employees, creative ways to attract customers, and how to evolve marketing strategies. It’ll be a chance to digest all sorts of useful concepts and to take home loads of information to share with your teams.

Throughout the three days there will be on-point group discussions to help everyone reach solutions and generate innovative ideas to improve their own retail operations.

The 2022 GCC Summit is generously sponsored by HortProtect, Inline Nurseries, Ball Horticultural Company, TerraLink Horticulture, and Landscape Trades magazine. This is the ultimate networking and educational opportunity for independent garden centre owners, entrepreneurs and senior leaders within the retail horticulture industry.

Learn more and register at: cutt.ly/Summit22Reg

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CNLANEWS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVESTS $1.5 MILLION IN CNLA PROJECTS The government of Canada is helping promote and expand the ornamental horticulture sector across the country through $1.5 million in funding for the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA). The bulk of the money ($1.36 million) is provided through the Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food’s AgriMarketing program.

“This investment will help the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association develop its market and increase its exports, which means growth for local businesses,” Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, said.

Announced on March 21, 2022, the funding builds on a previous $1.1 million investment in the CNLA. The money will support the association’s efforts to increase market share of nursery products and international exports. The funds will also support promotional initiatives, including marketing the Year of the Garden, as well as incoming and outgoing trade missions, delivery of technical training, attendance at trade shows,

market research and trade advocacy.

An additional $111,309 in funding through the AgriAssurance Program will help the CNLA modernize its Clean Plants program, enabling Canadian growers to assure domestic and international customers that the plants they sell are free of pests and diseases.

The ornamental horticulture sector represents the largest portion of Canada’s horticulture industry, and generated farm gate sales of $2.54 billion in 2020, including resales by producers.

CNLA president Anthony O’Neill said the partnership with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada shows a commitment to both expanding markets for the horticultural sector and to making a difference in the lives of Canadians.

“By securing a vibrant and progressive sector of horticulture that expands its domestic and international markets, we show respect to our planet and its people,” he said.

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CNLANEWS WRIGHT AND GUINANE JOIN CNLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association welcomed Dave Wright, Landscape Ontario past president, and Peter Guinane, chair of the Landscape Canada Committee, to its board in January.

The story of Dave Wright begins when Wright Landscape Services was established in 1967 by his father, John Wright, in Bloomingdale, Ont. Dave started working in the maintenance division part-time while still in high school.

After working on several design and build projects, Wright decided his back wasn’t going to survive the rigours of manual labour. “But I still wanted to be in the industry,” he said.

Upon graduating from the University of Guelph, Wright worked on municipal parks, malls and condo towers in the Vancouver area. However, the joy of designing those projects was frequently met with obstacles.

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CNLANEWS he recalled. “And then you’re fighting with the owner or the client to invest the money to maintain it.”

The solution was clear: move back home to Bloomingdale and bring a holistic approach to his father’s business, where designing, building and Dave Wright maintaining could all be done under one umbrella. The wheels for that concept began turning in 2002, when Dave and John Wright became business partners. John retired four years later, handing the reins over to Dave, who is currently celebrating his 20th year with Wright Landscape Services.

His two-year term as LO president, which began in January 2020, quickly pivoted around the pandemic. Through the creation of the LO COVID-19 Task Force, up-to-date information was made available to members, which ultimately helped the industry get back to work safely. Wright attributes this success to a recent increase in new membership.

Guinane brings decades of experience in the horticultural industry as a business owner and volunteer. While a student in university, Guinane created a summer job by starting Oriole

Landscaping with his neighbour George Urvari in 1986. Ten years later, LO appeared on the Oriole Landscaping radar through the association’s launch of Canada Blooms in 1996.

Guinane wanted in on Canada’s first indoor flower and garden show, Peter Guinane but in order to build a display garden he needed Oriole Landscaping to become an LO member. Guinane said he “jumped in with both feet” at LO, discovering suppliers, products, and educational opportunities.

Recently, Guinane has been involved with the Green Cities Foundation, a charitable organization aimed at increasing urban green spaces across Canada. This summer as Project Lead on the revitalization of the surroundings of St. Matthew’s House, a Hamilton multi-service agency, Guinane and other volunteers will finish turning a paved area of the city into an inviting community green space.

“You have to have green space to really fully gain appreciation for the world around us,” Guinane said. “I think it will make a big difference for everyone in that neighbourhood.”

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NEWPRODUCTS

SLAB Cast from natural flagstone using Reala Technology, Unilock says Richcliff is virtually indestructible thanks to Ultima Concrete Technology, which makes the slab up to four times stronger than typical poured concrete.

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ELECTRIC PRESSURE WASHER The 2100 MAX PSI 1.2-GPM 13-Amp Electric Jobsite Pressure Washer has internal storage for its wands and nozzles. The kit includes a 25-foot high pressure hose, turbo nozzle, 15- and 40-degree nozzles, a soap nozzle, and a built-in removable soap tank.

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ELECTRIC TELEHANDLER Merlo will launch two new compact e-Worker models this summer. Both have a 2.5-ton load capacity and 4.8 metre lifting capacity, and can operate silently for eight hours with zero emissions, Merlo says. The 25.5-60 has two electric motorized wheels, while all four of the 25.5-90’s wheels are motorized.

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NEWPRODUCTS MINI EXCAVATOR Built with a reduced radius design, the 304 from Caterpillar features a narrow 66.9-in. track width for more versatility and access to confined spaces. While narrower, the new 304 design increases performance, balance and stability of the four-ton class model.

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LINEAR OUTDOOR FIREPLACE Choose from a single-sided or see-through option and three sizes to suit your outdoor space. Customize with accents of ember glass, driftwood logs, and decorative stones and rocks.

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NEWPRODUCTS

SNAP-OFF KNIFE The Stanley FATMAX 18-mm Snap-Off Knife with Wheel Lock features a built-in mechanism designed to allow for simpler and safer operation. No need to use secondary tools to break and remove the snap-off blade — simply line up the blade with the indicator line, lift up on the top button to snap it, and continue cutting with a fresh sharp edge.

CORDLESS PENCIL VIBRATOR The new M18 FUEL Concrete Pencil Vibrator offers a completely cordless compact solution for working in confined and restricted spaces.

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PERMEABLE PAVER Ecoraster Bloxx is now available with recycled rubber pavers. Designed for patios, driveways, walkways, hot tub pads and parking lots, the Bloxx permeable paver grid system has a high filtration rate that is excellent for stormwater management.

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GRANITE The flamed and waterjet finish on Onyx Black Granite from STONEarch allows for a sparkled appearance, particularly in the daytime as the fine crystals shine and reflect sunlight. This stone is available in a variety of products such as pavers, copings, wall copings, bullnose pool copings, pier caps, steps, curbs and tiles.

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PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE SUITE Toro’s new business software suite, Horizon360, lets landscape contractors track the productivity of crews and equipment and automate billing. Horizon360 also offers proof of service, job and office notes, real-time equipment tracking and a bilingual phone app for managing scheduling, weather events and multiple crews.

SANDSTONE Natural Stone Traders adds a pair of new styles to its Rundle Series: Dusty (pictured) and Canary. The Rundle Series is 100 per cent natural sandstone and comes in pavers, flagstone, copings and treads.

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White’s Wearparts Ltd

One of Canada’s finest manufacturers and designers of Ornamental Concrete Garden products is for sale. This privately-owned company has been in business since 1965 with the current owners having owned it for 33 years. Steadily increasing the selection while keeping the attention to details as a cornerstone of the business producing high-quality, resilient products for the residential, commercial, landscape trades and Landscape Architects nation-wide is the goal that has been achieved.

With 100s of moulds in the inventory, the business is a perfect turnkey operation that can be easily relocated anywhere necessary.

Visit gardengateltd.com to get a sampling of what is available.

Serious inquiries only please..

519-624-0688 gardengate@bellnet.ca

EVENTS

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limestonetrail.com

Limestone Trail Co Inc

BUSINESS FOR SALE

JUNE 21-24, 2022

SIMA SNOW & ICE SYMPOSIUM Milwaukee, Wis. go.sima.org/tradeshow JULY 16-19, 2022

CULTIVATE ‘22 Columbus, Ohio cultivateevent.org AUGUST 10-12

LAWN & LANDSCAPE TECH CONF. Scottsdale, Ariz. lltechconference.com SEPT. 18-21

ELEVATE PRESENTED BY NALP Orlando, Fla. landscapeprofessionals.org/ELEVATE JAN. 10-12, 2023

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO CONGRESS 2023 Toronto, Ont. locongress.com

MAY 2022 | 65

MENTORMOMENT

Year of the Garden 2022 GLORIA BECK IS ENCOURAGING Canadian

landscape and horticulture professionals to support Year of the Garden 2022. The owner of Parkland Garden Centre in Red Deer, Atla. says if the profession rallies around the initiative, it could really grow public awareness about the environmental and lifestyle benefits of plants and gardens.

What is Year of the Garden 2022?

Beck: Year of the Garden 2022 is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the Centennial of Canada’s ornamental horticulture sector marked by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s 100th

anniversary.

It gives us an opportunity to celebrate, engage, educate and inspire Canadians to include gardens and gardening in our lives.

After the difficulty of the pandemic, it gives reason to celebrate the recovery by hosting or attending events in private or public gardens, growing more food, or just relaxing in gardens and nature around us. Gardening has such a positive impact on the quality of our lives, which helps with our physical and mental well being.

Gardening brings people together. Never before have we needed an activity that the majority of people embrace in one way or another regardless of other beliefs. People take such pride in their accomplishments of gardening and enjoy the calmness that nature brings us.

Year of the Garden 2022 is a year-long campaign inviting Canadians to: • Celebrate how plants, gardens and gardening have and continue to contribute to the development and growth of Canada.

• Honour Canada’s rich horticulture and garden heritage.

• Recognize today’s vibrant garden culture.

• Create legacies for a sustainable future.

• Bring gardening into schools.

at the garden centre. Education is a huge component of this celebration, whether it be experiencing a new site, attending workshops or discovering the benefits to one’s health.

Horticulture has changed immensely over the years and we have so much to celebrate with so many new plants and opportunities for our gardens. We see customers trying out new plants, challenging their neighbours to do the same. There is excitement in gardening and we feel it with our customers as they share their secrets and successes.

Another reason it is important to our business is that we have just come through two difficult years of a pandemic. We need to celebrate. Parkland looks forward to hosting numerous activities this year to celebrate 100 years of horticulture.

Whether it be Music in the Garden, Back to the Roots Days with our Indigenous friends, workshops, markets or festivals, we will be celebrating at Parkland Gardens.

How can people get involved?

The theme for Year of the Garden is “Live the Garden Life,” so some activities Canadians are invited to take part in are: • Plant RED and show your Canadian garden pride.

• Follow the weekly Therapeutic Garden Invitations.

• Visit a public garden.

• Discover our garden heritage.

• Check out the Year of the Garden website for activities hosted by your local municipality, by your favourite garden centre, or taking place all across Canada.

• Host a celebration in the garden or in nature.

• Visit livethegardenlife.gardenscanada.ca for more information.

Why are you supporting the initiative?

One of the reasons Parkland Garden Centre is supporting the Year of the Garden is because of the positive impact it has on us as individuals, communities and for our environment. Being outdoors is so good for our health. I have seen firsthand the health benefits of so many people as they share their stories

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Gloria Beck is the co-chair of the Year of the Garden Advisory Council Board for the Canadian Garden Council.

HIGH QUALITY

L ANDSCAP E | WALLS | SHORELINE CUSTOMER FOCUSED | LARGE INVENTORY P I C K U P O R D E L I V E R Y AVA I L A B L E – F L AT B E D O R R O L L - O F F B I N S

1950 PETERBOROUGH COUNTY RD 36, BUCKHORN, ON (HWY 36 & HWY 507) INFO@PLATINUMNATURALSTONE.COM | OFFICE: (249) 387-2690

P L AT I N U M N AT U R A L S T O N E . C O M

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