Horticulture Review - November 2010 by Landscape Ontario

National Insurance

Program

Commercial Operations Employee Benefits

YOU! Employee Home & Auto

HUB Sinclair Cockburn International Serving the horticultural industry for over 30 years Proud member of Landscape Ontario

Contact: Darren Rodrigues • 416-790-2149 x361 • darren.rodrigues@scfg.ca 2 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

LO and industry events

For more Landscape Ontario and industry event listings, visit www.horttrades.com. November 17 Free webinar on succession SB Partners and Landscape Ontario are offering a series of free webinars on planning for succession. The fifth webinar in the series is entitled, Financing Options. The webinar runs from 4 to 5 p.m. For more information and to register see Coming Events in www.horttrades.com.

November 18 Building Your Prosperity Landscape Ontario, 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton The introductory Prosperity Partnership seminars will get you started on to the road of success. This program is intended to help green industry members clarify what they excel at and what components of their business needs atten-

Chapter events

For more chapter event listings, visit www.horttrades.com. November 16 Ottawa Chapter meeting RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Dr., Ottawa Our lunch and learn speaker will be Mark Buchshon, publisher and editor of the Ottawa Construction News. The meeting begins at 11 a.m. and lunch is at 12-noon. November 18 Windsor Chapter meeting Dominion Golf Course, 6125 Howard Ave. Join the Windsor Chapter from 5 to 8 p.m. for an informative presentation about snow and ice/salt applications by Robert Roszell, chair of LO’s Snow and Ice Sector Group’s salt research committee. Dinner is provided from a select menu. For more information, contact Helen Hassard at helen@ landscapeontario.com. November 18 Golden Horseshoe Chapter meeting Connon NVK, 1155 Hwy. 5 W., Dundas Join the Golden Horseshoe Chapter at Connon NVK, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for an informative meeting about Succession Planning and Safety Policies. Cost is $10 per person, and lunch is included. Please pre-register by Nov. 11. For more information, contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-2655656, ext. 354, or helen@ landscapeontario.com. November 19 Waterloo Fall Freeze-up Waterloo Inn, 475 King Street North, Waterloo This year’s Fall Freeze-up has an all-new location, the Waterloo Inn, and features a new menu. The Freeze-up is one of our most popular Waterloo Chapter events. Tickets

are $120 per couple. For more information, contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354, or helen@landscapeontario.com. November 18 Georgian Lakelands Chapter meeting RexPlex, 1724 Mosley St., Wasaga Beach The Georgian Lakelands Chapter welcomes Mr. Bob at 7 p.m., when he will discuss advertising and promotion. Please contact helen@landscapeontario.com, or 1-800265-5656, ext. 354. December 1 Waterloo Chapter meeting Knights of Columbus, 145 Dearborn Place, Waterloo Join the Waterloo Chapter from 7 to 9 p.m. Meeting topic will be determined shortly. For more information, contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354 or helen@landscapeontario.com. December 3 Georgian Lakelands Christmas Dinner Fendley’s Banquet Hall, 565 Bryne Drive, Barrie Don’t miss the great times at the annual Georgian Lakelands Chapter Christmas Dinner. Tickets are on sale for $55 per person, or $100 per couple. Social hour begins at 6 p.m., with the casino and cash bar opening at that time. Dinner will begin at 7 p.m., followed by the silent auction. For more information, contact Helen Hassard at helen@landscapeontario.com or 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354.

tion and improvement. A seminar workbook will be provided. Cost of workshop includes lunch. For more information go to the Prosperity Partners page on www.horttrades.com and look for the menu Professional Development. November 24 Free webinar on succession SB Partners and Landscape Ontario are offering a series of free webinars on planning for succession. The final webinar in the series is entitled, Legal and Tax Considerations. The webinar runs from 4 to 5 p.m. For more information and to register see Coming Events in www.horttrades.com. December 3 Landscape Industry Certified written testing Landscape Ontario home office, Milton Written tests in all categories of Landscape Industry Certified will take place on Dec. 3, in Milton. To access the new Ontario Test Application, go to www.horttrades.com and locate certification under the Professional Development menu. December 7 Financial information session for nursery growers Best Western Beacon Harbourside, Jordan, Ont. AAC Farmers’ Financial is holding a complimentary information session on how to use the AAC advance payment program for nursery growers, lease financing options and operations improvement tax credits. The session runs from 7 to 9 p.m. To reserve a seat, email abenedict@ accfinancial.ca. If you cannot attend, but want more information, contact ACC Farmers’ Financial at 1-888-278-8807. December 16 Building Your Prosperity seminar Landscape Ontario, 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton The introductory Prosperity Partnership seminars will get you started on to the road of success. This program is intended to help green industry members clarify what they excel at and what components of their business needs attention and improvement. A seminar workbook will be provided. For more information go to the Prosperity Partners page on www. horttrades.com and look for the menu Professional Development.

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 3

Landscape Ontario staff LO staff members are committed to member service. Please call with your questions or concerns. Tel: (905) 875-1805 or 1-800-265-5656 Fax: (905) 875-3942 Web: www.horttrades.com

Landscape Ontario’s mandate is to be the leader in representing, promoting and fostering a favourable environment for the advancement of the horticultural industry in Ontario. Suffix for all e-mail addresses below: @landscapeontario.com

Executive Board

Windsor Chapter

President

President: Mark Williams Board rep: Garry Moore

Past president

Garden Centre

Tom Intven, tintven@ Robert Adams, robertadams@ First vice-president

Tim Kearney CLP, tkearney@

E-mail suffix for all staff members: @landscapeontario.com Executive director Tony DiGiovanni CHT, ext. 304, tonydigiovanni@ Executive assistant Kathleen Pugliese, ext. 309, kpugliese@ Controller Joe Sabatino, ext. 310, jsabatino@

Chair: Michael Van Dongen Board rep: Bob McCannell, bmccannell@

Manager, education, and labour development, Sally Harvey CLT, CLP, ext. 315, sharvey@

Grounds Management

Administrative assistant Jane Leworthy, ext. 301, jleworthy@

Second vice-president

Chair: Mike DeBoer, CHT Board rep: Brian Marsh

Secretary/treasurer

Growers

Provincial Board

Interior Plantscapes

Membership coordinator, Helen Hassard, ext. 354, hhassard@

Irrigation

Chapter coordinator, London Chapter Wendy Harry, 519-488-0818, wharry@

Phil Charal, pcharal@ Jacki Hart CLP

Durham Chapter

President: Greg Scarlett Board rep: Mark Humphries, mhumphries@

Georgian Lakelands Chapter

Chairs: Mark Ostrowski Board rep: Dave Braun Chair and board rep: Stephen Schell CHTI Chair: Chris Le Conte Board rep: Steve Macartney CIT, smacartney@

Education, labour, and certification project coordinator Rachel Cerelli, ext. 326, rachelc@ Seminar and safety group coordinator Kathy McLean, ext. 306, kathym@

Chapter coordinator, Ottawa Chapter Martha Walsh, ext. 368, mwalsh@

President: Michael LaPorte CHTC Board rep: Warren Patterson

Landscape Contractors Chair and board rep: Peter Guinane

Golden Horseshoe Chapter

Manager, information technology Ian Service, 416-848-7555, iservice@

Lawn Care

Manager, Pesticide Industry Council Tom Somerville, tsomerville@

President: Fiore Zenone Board rep: Brian Cocks

London Chapter

President: Grant Harrison Board rep: Peter Vanderley CLP

Ottawa Chapter

President: Sarah Johnston Board rep: Bruce Morton CLP, CIT

Toronto Chapter

President: Lindsay Drake Nightingale Board rep: Ryan Heath CLP

Upper Canada Chapter

President: Dan Clost CHTR Board rep: Paul Doornbos CHTM, CLP

Waterloo Chapter

Chair: Steve Tschanz Board rep: Alan White, awhite@

Landscape Design

Executive director Ontario Parks Association Paul Ronan, ext. 349, pronan@

Chair: Tony Lombardi CLD

Director of events and trade shows Gilles Bouchard, ext. 323, gbouchard@

Lighting

Trade show manager Paul Day CDE, ext. 339, paulday@

Snow and Ice Management

Trade show manager Lorraine Ivanoff, ext. 366, lpi@

Chair: Ed Hewis Board rep: Gerald Boot CLP, geraldboot@

Trade show coordinator Linda Nodello, ext. 353, lnodello@

Members at Large

Conference and events coordinator, Kristen McIntyre CLT, ext. 321, kristen@

Chair and Board rep: John Higo

Gregg Salivan Bruce Warren

CNLA Board Rep

Gerald Boot CLP, geraldboot@

President: Rob Tester Board rep: David Wright

Art director Melissa Steep, 647-723-5447, msteep@

The Voice of Landscape Ontario

Views expressed in Horticulture Review are those of the writer concerned. Horticulture Review and Landscape Ontario assume no responsibility for the validity or correctness of any opinions or references made by the author. Copyright 2010, reproduction or the use of whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Published 12x per year. Rates and deadlines are available on request. Subscription price: $43.51 per year (HST included).

For subscription and address changes, please e-mail subscriptions@landscapeontario.com

4 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

Editorial director Sarah Willis, ext. 313, sarahw@ Editor Allan Dennis, ext. 320, aldennis@ Web editor Robert Ellidge, ext. 312, rob@

Horticulture Review November 15, 2010 • Volume 28, No. 11

Director of public relations Denis Flanagan CLD, ext. 303, dflanagan@ Publisher Lee Ann Knudsen CLP, ext. 314, lak@

ISSN 0823-8472 Publications Mail Agreement No. PM40013519 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses To: Circulation Department Horticulture Review 7856 Fifth Line South Milton, ON L9T 2X8

Graphic designer Mike Wasilewski, ext. 343, mikew@ Sales manager, publications Steve Moyer, ext. 316, stevemoyer@ Communications assistant Angela Lindsay, ext. 305, alindsay@

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Opportunities for growth in the green industry By Tom Intven LO president

on’t you wish you had a crystal ball to help set your course for the future? Sometimes experts get it right, but other times they are way off. Check out these predictions that were slightly off: “Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.” – Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949. “$604,000 ought to be enough for anybody.” Tom Intven – Bill Gates, 1981. “We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” – Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962. “Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction.” – Pierre Pachet, professor of physiology at Toulouse, 1872. “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” – Charles H. Duel, commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899. We are all trying to look into the future; trying to keep ourselves and our businesses ahead of the curve. While some of us are struggling to maintain profitability, we are all concerned about where the opportunities for growth will come from in years ahead. Renovation market Soon after I entered into the business of growing and selling plants, our economy entered a long and protracted recession. The early 1980s were difficult times for many with 20 per cent interest rates, sky high inflation, and worst of all, no new housing construction. Many people in Ontario simply walked away from their homes when refinancing their mortgages. In our town of 30,000, there was not one house built for two years. At that time, we developed a strategy for growth that focused on the renovation market. We targeted our advertising towards established communities where mortgages were paid off, disposable income was high, and landscapes were old and in need of renovation. We focused on new and improved cultivars of plants that were dwarf, needed less maintenance and had at least three seasons of appeal. We offered more sizes of plant material in all different price ranges, so that plant purchases would fit in all budgets.

Our landscape division at the time created portfolios of before and after pictures with testimonials from happy clients. The strategy paid off and our sales never lost a beat. Economic conditions today are similar to those that appeared in the early 80s, sans the high interest rates. There is a large market of baby boomers that are established homeowners and have disposable income. I also call on the federal government to reinstate the Home Renovation Tax Credit. The World Bank just released a report stating that Canada’s fiscal position was healthy enough to allow for more stimulus money to be infused into our economy. The green movement I re-iterate what I wrote in an earlier President’s Message: “As an industry and as individual companies, we should align ourselves with the green movement that is sweeping the world. Gen X, Gen Y and even the baby boomers are spending intelligently, directing their expenditures toward products and services that are sustainable, green, and environmentally friendly. This is the message of Green for Life. Make sure all your messages to the consumer resonate with this brand. Your company needs to be perceived as green. Do the LO audit. It will ensure that Gen X and Y will be comfortable engaging your company.” Food and entertainment The hugely popular Independent Garden Centre Show, held in Chicago during August, promoted how to incorporate food into your business. While this may be somewhat restricted to the garden centre sector, food is hot! The newest garden centres under construction in North America have partnered with food and drink franchises. Contractors should consider the following story on how to include food and entertainment into a marketing strategy. While attending the Great Lakes Horticultural Association Conference, I was fascinated by a story from a very successful highend contractor from Pittsburgh, Pa., named Dan, who specialized in the renovation market. The Pennsylvania association also has an awards of excellence program similar to LO’s. When he won an award for a backyard makeover, he would offer to host a party for the homeowners in their own backyard. He provided the food, wine, entertainment, and spent time making sure the gardens and outdoor entertainment areas were pristine. He asked the hom-

eowners to invite 20 of their closest friends to the party, at which the contractor presented the award plaque to the homeowner. At the same time, he and some of his sales staff schmooze with the crowd talking about the details of the beautiful outdoor living space that had been created. The contractor inevitably got two or three solid leads for other jobs. How brilliant was his tactic? Strategic partnerships As an association, we strategically align our members with many groups that have great potential to provide opportunities for growth for our industry. The projects underway and the potential for new initiatives at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre represent huge opportunities for the growers, contractors, and other sectors. The Greening of the Highways project alone could provide a market for millions of plants for Ontario nurseries. Kudos to Steven Peck for forming Green Infrastructure Ontario (GIO), a coalition consisting of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Evergreen Foundation (EF), Ontario Parks Association (OPA), Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF) and Landscape Ontario (LO). The purpose of GIO is to advocate for the importance of green infrastructure at all levels of government. The initiative may hopefully lead to a Green Infrastructure Act in Ontario which would ensure the inclusion of green space in all public and private developments. Gardens and health Society is slowly being educated on the physical and emotional health benefits of green spaces through research and books, like Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv. The author presents a growing body of research, indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development, and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults. His book directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation. With the winter fast approaching, hopefully we will have time to contemplate where we are heading in the future. Please keep these potential areas for growth in mind when planning your future in this industry. Tom Intven may be reached at 519-631-1008, or tintven@landscapeontario.com.

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 5

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

What are your priorities? Tony DiGiovanni CHTR LO executive director

resident Tom Intven and treasurer Jacki Hart did a wonderful job representing you at the Great Lakes Conference this year. They were articulate, intelligent, caring, empathetic, inspirational and humourous. I was proud of the way they represented Ontario. You would be, too. The conference is an annual event that brings together nursery/landscape associaTony DiGiovanni tions located around the Great Lakes. The purpose of the group is to discuss common issues and share information. Landscape Ontario is the only Canadian association, compared to eight U.S. states that were represented. This year the Michigan Nursery and

A RCHITECTURALLY D ESIGNED

GARDEN BUILDINGS

GAZEBOS AND S HELTERS

 Tel.: (905) 563-8133 • Fax: (905) 563-7526 Visit us at: www.limestonetrail.com

Landscape Association hosted the meeting. The event was held on beautiful Mackinac Island. There are always great ideas exchanged in an atmosphere of mutual improvement, benefit and respect, and this year continued that process Many in U.S. suffering The slow economy in the U.S. permeated the discussions. Many U.S. industry members are suffering. Not surprisingly, most of the associations were also forced to downsize and adjust to a new reality. We have been fortunate in Canada because the banking crisis did not hit us as hard. Listening to what our American neighbours are going through, it was difficult not to have a sense of apprehension and a little fear. Could the same thing happen in Canada? Our economies tend to be interdependent. It was also difficult not to be inspired by their resilience and sense of hope for the future. At dinner time, I sat beside a grower from Illinois. He told me that American growers are finding it particularly difficult. They are being forced to sell material below cost in order to generate cash flow. If things do not turn around, many will not survive. He felt they are in crisis mode. Answers are possible He asked me directly how I would solve the problems. The question took me aback. I am not a grower, and have no experience in what U.S. growers are going through. It would be arrogant to think I have the answers. I told him so. However, my experiences and observations over the years have convinced me that answers are possible. In times of trouble, it is hugely important to be involved with a community. Associations become much more relevant. Hard times reveal the myth of independence. Interdependence is the reality. Engagement with other association members in a spirit of mutual benefit will provide some answers, inspire action and lighten some of the burden that is associated with dealing with the issues on your own. Why not convene a meeting of growers to discuss ways to deal with the economic changes? I know good ideas could be generated. It is so difficult to turn competition into collaboration, but the effort is worth it. Action is possible. There is always hope.

6 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

Growth not materializing Back home, the headlines in the paper are warning that the predicted economic growth this year is not materializing. The finance minister announced we must lower our expectations. Although Canadian economic fundamentals are sound, we are not an island. Yes, it is a new world. If the U.S. experience and the Canadian headlines are right, what should be our response? One thing I know for sure is we are never powerless or helpless. There is always something that can be done. Recently, I was inspired by the actions of David and Denise Gaze of David Gaze Landscaping. In the face of a downturn in their business, their reaction was to give back to their community. They assumed leadership in building the Lighthouse Shelter Garden of Hope. What a bold statement. David and Denise’s actions reflect their character, but they also elevate all of us in the landscape Industry. They demonstrated the Green for Life benefits of our industry in a very real way and on so many levels: practical, emotional and spiritual. Their actions are a reminder that the economy, although important, is not everything. As a matter of fact, it is not even the most important thing. What would people say My wife is currently taking a university course entitled, Death and Dying. In one of the classes, the professor asked everyone to imagine they were present at their own funeral and listening to the eulogies. What would your family say about you? What would your boss (in our case customers) say about you? What would your friends say about you? What would your employees say about you? He then asked everyone to write down the speeches. He then told them that their life work was to make those eulogies come true. In the hugely busy and stressful lives of entrepreneurs, it is very easy to lose sight of the most important things. Tony DiGiovanni may be reached at tonydigiovanni@landscapeontario.com.

PROFESSIONAL AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Certification, safety groups and women’s program By Sally Harvey CLT, CLP Education and Labour Development Department

ur team has been busy wrapping up certification and summer chapter events, and then preparing for a busy fall and winter of professional development and membership networking opportunities for you, our members. Certification presented a full agenda with practical and written test days in both Ottawa and at home office in Milton during the month of September. It never ceases to amaze me how much dedication is forthcoming from this industry. The amount of time and energy from volunSally Harvey teers and staff members that goes into a test day is extensive. However, we never seem to experience a shortage of leaders. Every time they step up to make the day a huge success. I guess that is part of what makes them great leaders. We welcome all members to become involved with the various committees within LO. Most of our events and activities have committees attached to them, as it is you who drive our association and industry forward. I speak from my experience. It is definitely a fantastic time to learn and grow by networking with other likeminded individuals and firms. Contact me to discuss the right fit opportunity for you. Certification is definitely gaining popularity as a recognized method to prove and market competency in our industry. Written tests will be offered to candidates next, on Dec. 3, at home office, then at Congress and throughout 2011. For more information on future certification test dates and judging/volunteer opportunities to gain recertification points please go to www. horttrades.com/landscape-industry-certified. By now you should have received the Professional Development Seminar Guide and the Congress Conference Guide. We hope that you find the new format easier to navigate, while planning your training journey for the upcoming winter season. As with any progressive team, we aim for continuous improvement and thus welcome your comments and recommendations for improvement by sending them to sharvey@ landscapeontario.com. Make sure you give your staff a copy of the

two guides, so that they too can plan their winter training. Register early to avoid disappointment and to take advantage of some of the early bird discounts offered. If you need more guides, or want to direct staff to the website then call us, at 1-800-265-5656, or check out the online info at www.horttrades.com. Safety Groups news The 2009 Landscape Ontario Safety Group score has just arrived from WSIB. The 2009 firms performed very well with 24 firms to receive rebate cheques. We welcome the participation of members and non-members in the Safety Group, which provides a network and exposure to the resources and requirements to compliance advantageous to every business. The Landscape Safety Group is how our firm started a journey many years ago towards a safer workplace. It really benefitted our human resource strategy and employee retention program. As I visit several firms this past year that are undergoing audits, it is apparent that we need to work harder to develop a safety culture that meets the requirements of the Ontario Health and Safety Act. Many LO members meet some of the requirements, but I would guess that there are some gaps. The Safety Group will help you to understand the gaps and provide tools and mechanisms to close them. To find out where you stand in regards to safety compliance at your firm, go to www.wsib. ca and search for the Workwell Small Business Audit. It is a fabulous tool to measure the compliance level and find the gaps in safety policy and process at any small business. The Landscape Ontario Safety Group can help you get on the road towards compliance. Register for the 2011 group now. For more information on the safety groups, or to register for the 2011, go to www.horttrades. com/safety-groups-2. Pre-apprenticeship update Landscape Ontario supports apprenticeship training programs across the province. Lately, LO has become more involved in the Microskills Women’s Pre-Apprenticeship Program offered at Humber College. Our role is the employment network and connection for the class of 25. We interviewed over 100 women, which resulted in creating a group of women who are committed to a career opportunity in the landscape horticulture industry. The women had to undergo several inter-

views and a physical-demand test to ensure they are the right fit for the program. I had the privilege of spending a good part of the day with the class to train them on the topic of landscape industry safety. We reviewed the Act, the roles and responsibilities of all workplace parties. This included a couple of training modules from the Landscapesafety.com program, so that the students had a solid introduction of what is expected of them and what to expect from an employer. These women embraced the training day enthusiastically, showing a great desire to learn and retain the information to ensure they are productive employees. I reminded them that unsafe employees are short-term employees with no future; if they do not contribute to the vision and mission of their employer, then they are of no value to us. We will host an orientation night in November for employers in the GTA, who are interested in employing these fledgling apprentices in April 2011. Please contact me at sharvey@ landscapeontario.com if interested in more information about this opportunity.

Uxbridge Nurseries

“We keep on growing” P.O.BOX 400, UXBRIDGE, ONTARIO L9P 1M8

905.655.3379 1.877.655.3379 FAX: 905.655.8544 sales@uxbridgenurseries.com

www.uxbridgenurseries.com

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 7

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Greening our communities By Denis Flanagan CLD Director of public relations

s part of my role representing LO, I am the current chair of Communities in Bloom Ontario, an organization that has added enormous value to towns and cities across Canada. Community groups, municipalities and professionals are encouraged to work together to beautify and showcase their communities. The group’s provincial awards presentations were held in Sarnia. As the host for the recent event, the City of Sarnia did an amazing job showcasing its community. Over 25 municipalities were represented at the event. LO was well represented by Bob Allen from St. Thomas, Bruce Warren from Burlington and Paul Ronan from the OPA. Also judging this year were Tom Somerville, Charlie Dobbin and Kristen McIntyre. In order to promote LO through

Congratulations to the KDSS Recycled Garden, winner of the first CiB Green for Life Award of Excellence, sponsored by Landscape Ontario.

Communities in Bloom, we created a new awards category under the name, Green for Life Community Awards of Excellence. This program gives community groups the opportunity to enter a single project. Judges for the new category this year were from the Municipal Cultural Planning (MCPI), with support by the Ministry of Culture. MCPI is a grassroots, non-profit cultural services directorate that encourages local community groups.

It believes that citizen-engaged planning processes, smart policies and public investment in culture are essential for vibrant, prosperous, creative communities. Judges were asked to evaluate the entries on community spirit, innovative ideas and environmental sustainability. The following entries were recognized with a LO certificate: City of Markham for Grandview Park Woodlot Restoration, City of Sarnia for Sarnia Horticultural Society Park Upgrade, City of Waterloo for University Downs Park Playground, Crystal Beach for Streetscaping, Friends of Pelee for Beautification of Pelee, Municipality of North Glengarry for Beautification of Alexandra Town Hall, Municipality of Southwest Middlesex for 2010 Open Garden Tour, Niagara Falls for The Olympic Torch Run Legacy Trail, Prince Edward County for Picton’s Shire Hall Parkette, Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury for Bear Carving, Town of Goderich for Goderich Lighthouse and Garden, Town of Huntsville for The Brunel Historic Lift Locks Renewal, Town of Wasaga Beach for Schooner Town Heritage Site Restoration, Township of Redrock for Church Park Restoration, City of Hamilton with three entries of the Hamilton Trillium Awards Program, Extreme Park Makeover and Community Clean Trailer. The Judges’ Choice for overall winner was presented to Municipality of Kincardine for Tiverton Environmental Green School. They are shown in photo with the award. Our partnership with Communities in Bloom will grow in 2011, when the awards will be held at Expo next fall. We encourage all members to get involved and enter a project. Denis Flanagan may be contacted at dflanagan@landscapeontario.com.

8 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS

Lessons learned from a successful year By Mark Bradley

In this month’s article Dan and Bill look back over Danscaping’s past year.

an had a smile when he met Bill for their annual review meeting. It was a well-earned one. After three consecutive years of no profit, Danscaping had the best year on record. “It’s meant the world to me, my family, and my business,” stated Dan. “A year ago, I was ready to get out of this business… really. But after this Mark Bradley year, something feels different. For the first year in a long time, some of the things we wanted to do actually were accomplished. Most years we get fired up over the winter, but it’s all out the window by the second week of May.” “So you had a great year?” asked Bill. “Sales were way up?” “Yeah, sales were up,” said Dan, “but it was the rest of the operations that really came together.” “So you’re more excited about your operations than your sales? That’s not something you hear much in this industry. What was so much better than last year?” asked Bill. “Profit!” exclaimed Dan. “We had our best year on record. Ever. We haven’t made money for four straight years, until this year, when we churned out one of our best years we ever have. And, we still feel like we’re just scratching the surface.” “That’s great news,” said Bill. “So let’s hear it – what changes do you think had the biggest impact on your success this year?” Dan and his wife had already spent a few nights discussing some of the biggest differences they had seen this year. They were determined to keep doing what had worked for them, and keep working to improve what hadn’t. Price work based on budget “First and foremost was our budget,” Dan explained. “For the first year ever in our business, we actually priced our jobs following a system. Before that, I priced everything from the hip. Our hourly rate was something we’d

stuck with for years, otherwise, we used a system for pricing materials that just seemed to work, but we didn’t know why. “This year really showed us how much our old pricing system was actually harming the company! It wasn’t that we just raised prices across the board; some of our prices went up, and some of our prices went down. What it did do was the change the way we priced specific types of jobs. This year, we won more of the right-fit jobs – our jobs were more profitable jobs than ever, and we walked away from problem jobs because we knew our price and stood our ground. “At the end of the day we priced jobs right, and it showed. We knew – to the dollar – where we had to be on every job, and it made a big difference, especially when it came to saying, ‘No.’ Now I’m convinced that saying yes to those jobs in previous years was killing us. But, I had no way of knowing for sure where we needed to be on any specific price. “And, for the first year in our business, I actually budgeted a fair wage for myself, and I paid myself like an employee. Personally, the difference was night and day for me and my family. The overhead recovery system calculated by our budget ensured our prices covered our expenses, and we received a fair profit. We stuck with the pricing system all year and it paid off on our bottom line. Project packages for the crews “Taking your advice Bill, this year we gave our crews job packages that let the foremen know: • Amount of hours estimated for each task. • That equipment was estimated for the job. • Materials and specifications required for the work. “Our foremen worked to beat the goals. In previous years, we just felt we were too busy to prepare sheets for the crews. It wasn’t like I wanted to hide the information from them, I just didn’t have the time to put the plan on paper. The result was that our foremen put their heads down and worked – they didn’t know times that were expected, couldn’t properly manage their crew, and relied on me to coordinate all the material logistics. “I got busier preparing the work, while my life was much easier once the project began. I wasn’t running around doing work for other people anymore. My people knew what was expected and started to bring jobs in on time, on budget, and best of all, on their own.

Reduced non-billable hours “We’ve always had way too many payroll hours last year that weren’t billed to customers. This year, the job packages forced efficiency on the foremen, and they responded. They did a great job of bringing in the jobs at, or below the budgeted hours. The bonus side effect of this effort was a reduction in non-billable hours. Crews got out in the mornings faster, stayed on task at sites, and kept the work lean and mean. “Through training and through the budget, company success became more of a team responsibility. I didn’t feel like I had to be on top of every detail or decision. “First, we implemented a bonus system which rewarded the crews directly for beating sales targets. Combined with the work packages, our foremen had the information they needed to bring jobs in on time, and the motivation to do it. “Then we pushed training hard, with everyone involved in eliminating every wasted minute and making small, every day improvements. The results were better than any of us ever expected. Our productivity was up, we rewarded some of our key people, and we’re all gearing up for next year. This year, we improved as we went along. Next year, we’re starting off way further ahead than where we were last year. If the economy holds up, we’re going to beat the pants off this year – for everyone’s benefit.” Bill smiled, “Sounds like you’re well on your way. You guys have done a great job this year but, as I’m sure you know, it can get even better. Keep building on what you’ve done – and don’t go back!” “No chance,” said Dan. “I almost gave up on this business. Now my heart’s back into it. We’re going to keep improving, keep moving forward, and keep changing to stay ahead. For the first time since I can remember, I’m excited to own my own business again. But you’ll still be around to help, right?” “Give me a call,” said Bill. “We’ll talk.” Mark Bradley is president of The Beach Gardener and the Landscape Management Network (LMN). For more information about LMN’s landscape business management tools and systems, email info@landscapemanagementnetwork.com, or call 1-888-347-9864.

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 9

Expo enters new era with a blaze of colour

Both days at Expo saw the show floors crowded with horticulture and floriculture professionals. Attendance increased slightly over last year.

This year’s Expo opened in a blaze of colour and well merchandised displays, capturing the attention of more than 2,800 horticulture and floriculture professionals visiting the show. This was a slight increase in attendance over last year, which is very positive since most trade shows across North America are experiencing declining attendance. Creative booth displays, hundreds of new plant and product introductions, sector-specific symposia, floral masterpieces and a visit by some of Canada’s leading garden writers left attendees feeling excited and inspired. Expo, formerly known as Garden & Floral Expo, is Canada’s fall show for the floral and garden industry. This year’s event took place on Oct. 19 and 20 at the Toronto Congress Centre. “We’ve worked to enhance the uniqueness of our show, a transformation that began last year with the help of designers such as Albert Graves and Beth Edney,” said Lorraine Ivanoff, show manager. “Our goal is to give attendees and exhibitors a world class show that is located within their own market.” Best booths Determining winners of the best booth awards was a challenge for the judges, who had to decide from among the many high quality exhibits at Expo. It’s more than looking attractive, the booths must also educate attendees. Exhibitors receiving the top marks included, Freeman Herbs of Beamsville for best booth under 200 sq. ft., and Scotts Canada, Mississauga, for the best booth over 200 sq. ft. “I enjoyed how both booths were visually merchandised to invite people to come in and learn more about the products. Retailers, in turn, can emulate the concepts to make their store product displays more inviting to customers, thereby increasing sales,” said Elizabeth McCullough, general manager of Trade Shows,

Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating. Other booth judges were Jennifer Allaby, senior account executive, Stronco Group of Companies, and Deborah Dugan, vice president of sales and marketing, CONEXSYS Registration. New product showcase Over 100 of the latest product additions to the world of ornamental horticulture were featured in the New Product Showcase. Greenstar Plant Products was the major sponsor of this area. Connon Nurseries - NVK Holdings and Medallion Fence contributed plants and fencing that enhanced the products within the showcase. Michael LaPorte, Clearview Nursery, Terry Childs, Nature’s Way Landscaping, and Klaas Sikkema, LO alumni member, are congratulated on designing and merchandising the products within the showcase. The winner of People’s Choice for Expo’s New Product Showcase, by a landslide at 104 votes, was Gardens Central magazine, published by Cornwall Publishing Co. Next up was a tie between Triolife with the Plant Pyramid, and Bosman Home Front’s Glider Rocking Chair, each receiving 10 votes. Flowers dazzle attendees Albert Graves, artistic director, brought new plant and flower growers, as well as floral industry suppliers to this year’s Expo. Attendees experienced first-hand how Ontario growers’ specialization, allows quality control that results in larger blooms, more intense colours, enhanced fragrances and longer vase life. A new addition to the show was the induction ceremony of eight new Canadian Academy of Floral Art (CAFA) members. The members participated in a competition, based on Expo’s theme Window to the World. Third prize went to Kara Johnston, New Liskeard, second prize to Maria Lackman of Ottawa, and the 2010

10 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

CAFA cup winner Kris Friesen is from Portage La Prairie, Man. “There is power in the bloom and the Academy is pleased to have been part of Expo‘s Garden Party and a wonderful evening,” said Joel Marc Frappier, president of the CAFA. Florists were impressed by a design demonstration entitled, Doing What Sells with a Twist, presented by Suzy Caiger, Shannon Jukes and Mona Star, all members of the Canadian Institute of Floral Design. Caiger and her team shared tips on how to create stunning fruit and floral centerpieces to sell for the holidays. Many attendees put on their retail hats by wearing hair bands and hair pieces created by Dorina Idvorian and her floral design students from the retail floral program of Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advance Learning. Floridus Design Images supplied the materials and sponsored the students. LO booth receives rave reviews Again this year’s LO booth received rave reviews. Said LO manager of education, labour relations and membership services, Sally Harvey, “It made our members proud and better still, the booth generated a lot of interest in membership, as well as our products and services, including publications, seminars and our new Hort Protect supplier – Marsh Insurance.” Designed and coordinated by Beth Edney CLD, Harvey stated, “As always, Beth went way beyond the call of duty and is commended for her vision and follow-through on another outstanding project.” Members of the LO booth development team included, Beata Feher, Helen Hassard, Joel Beatson, Kristen McIntyre CLT, Martha Walsh, Stephen Krampert, Tom Somerville, Tyler Garrard and Sally Harvey, CLP, CLT. Thank you also goes to the excellent partners in production of the booth, ShowTech, Stronco and the Toronto Congress Centre. The foundation of retail success is a

knowledgeable store staff. Once again, Master Gardeners of Ontario partnered with the show to help garden centre owners and employees gain more knowledge on a variety of plant related topics. Special thanks to Ron Rossini, Dianna and Gary Westlake, Sean James and Robert Pavlis for their insights. Rodger Tschanz showcased plant samples and shared comments on how the perennials and annuals fared in this past summer’s University of Guelph Trial Gardens. Visitors could view the plants at the New Product Showcase and on the Green for Life stage.

sponsor, Fafard et Freres and contributors Brookdale Treeland Nurseries, Canadale Nurseries, Canadian Nursery Landscape Association/Garden Centres Canada, Langendoen Nurseries, Manchester Products, Turf Revolution, Valleybrook Gardens (Ontario) and Willowbrook Nurseries. Landscape Designers’ Breakfast: Connon Nurseries NVK Holdings and Permacon. Entrance Garden: Fresh Landscape and Garden Solutions, Fafard et Freres, Connon Nurseries - CBV Holdings, Permacon dealer - Sprout’s Premium Earth Products and Westbrook Floral. Green for Life Stage, sponsored by Turf Revolution, partnered with Landscape Ontario in offering educational programming to help industry professionals become green for life. Connon NVK and Camilla House Imports contributed to the decor.

Design ideas inspire visitors From the elegant entrance garden designed by Diana Cassidy-Bush, Fresh Landscape and Garden Solutions of Tweed, to the Green for Life stage, designed by Beth Edney, Expo 2010 vice chair and president, Designs by the Yard, the show abounded with design ideas to implement on store floors. Garden Centre Symposium “Retailers are looking for exciting and cre- A great line-up of speakers shone a light on the ative ideas that they can do themselves in their changing retail landscape. The Garden Centre stores,” said Beth Edney. “Collaborating with Symposium audience, on Oct. 18, enthusiastiAlbert Graves, our artistic director has given cally heard some of the highest quality of interLO the chance to share imaginative concepts nationally acclaimed speakers ever presented at with both garden centres and florists. Displays this event. we created at Expo are affordable. Attendees “A favourite was hard to pick, as their are encouraged to let their imaginations and presentation styles differed, but Judy Sharpton creativity soar in creating a “wow” experience had all of us laughing and commenting as she for their customers. A small relayed her experiences creative risk combined with with garden centre owners interesting visual displays who were there to improve will motivate customers to their stores,” commented buy.” the event’s chair Perry Over 30 members of the Grobe of Grobe’s Nursery Garden Writers Association and Garden Centre, participated for the first time Breslau. “Those who in a ‘connect’ meeting at didn’t hear Eve Tigwell Expo 2010. Members, always speak on how to improve looking for products and their businesses, or Doug plants to test and talk about Green on deciphering the Internet and social media with their readers, were awed like Facebook and Twitter, by the variety of plants, flowreally missed out!” ers and products available at Tom Intven, LO presExpo. The show is now on their agenda as a must attend Business, education and networking ident, closed out the procontinue as the strong anchor points gram with a detailed and annual event. at Expo. enthusiastic presentation Thanks to generous sponsors on what’s new in woody plants. Everyone in Experiences at events like Expo are always attendance now has a head start on their comimproved with the support of sponsors. LO is petition for spring plant choices. proud to associate with companies that demonstrate commitment to the industry and its mem- Special breakfast presentations bers through generous sponsorships: Theresa Syer is passionate about service and Garden Centre Symposium: Presenting connecting with people on an emotional level.

Judy Sharpton wowed the audience at the Garden Centre Symposium.

Her keynote presentation was made at the Landscape Designers Breakfast on the opening day of the show. As a successful entrepreneur, she presented great ideas on how business owners can work with their teams to create outstanding customer experiences. Over 30 delegates attended Environmental Design: Interior Plantscape Breakfast, for the panel presentation featuring Joanne Young, Greenery Office Interiors, Calgary, Alta., Kathy Fediw, Johnson Fediw Associates, The Woodlands, Texas, and Liz Klose, Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. Awards of Excellence Landscape Ontario’s Awards of Excellence winners for Garden Centres and Growers were announced at the ceremony luncheon that was held in conjunction with the Garden Centre Symposium at Expo. LO’s director of public relations Denis Flanagan announced the winners, with Tony DiGiovanni and LO president Tom Intven presenting the plaques to award recipients. The awards were developed by Landscape Ontario to honour the growers, as well as the retailers. The following are the winning entries in the 2010 Garden Centre Awards of Excellence: Canadale Nurseries, St. Thomas: Merchandising Techniques - outstanding promotional event; outstanding display of plant material - annuals and/or perennials; Outstanding display of plant material deciduous shrubs and/or trees; Outstanding display of plant material - evergreens and/or broadleaf evergreens.

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 11

Cudmore’s Garden Centre, Oakville: Outstanding display of plant material - annuals and/or perennials. Cut & Dried Flower Farm, Glencairn: Merchandising techniques outstanding promotional event; Permanent display gardens over 500 square feet Ego’s Nurseries, Coldwater: Permanent display gardens over 500 square feet. Mori Gardens, Niagara-on-the-Lake: Permanent display gardens over 500 square feet; Outstanding display of plant material deciduous shrubs and/or trees; Outstanding display of plant material - evergreens and/or broadleaf evergreens. New North Greenhouses, Sault Ste Marie, Outstanding display of goods – giftware; Outstanding display of goods – hardgoods. Sheridan Nurseries (Georgetown): Outstanding display of plant material - annuals and/or perennials; Outstanding display of plant material - deciduous shrubs and/or trees; Merchandising techniques - Creative POP Area (Cash register or immediate surrounding area); Outstanding display of goods – seasonal; Permanent display gardens - over 500 square feet; Merchandising techniques - outstanding promotional event.

Exhibitors displayed a huge array of products at this year’s Expo.

The Pond Clinic, Ottawa, Permanent display gardens - under 500 square feet. The Growers Awards of Excellence Winners were also presented at Expo. The list of winners was printed in the August 2010 edition of Horticulture Review. “Building on the success and excitement from the 2009 show, I am extremely pleased with the entire trade show department team at Landscape Ontario for keeping their vision of Expo 2010 clear and in the best interest of what

Palace Perennials

Proudly growing fine perennials in Wyoming, Ontario for over 22 years • • • •

Over 1200+ varieties of perennials Many unique and hard to find varieties Available in 9 cm, 15 cm and 2 gal. pots Great fern and ornamental grass section, plus tropical vines, hardy vines and clematis • Herbs in 9 cm pots, waterplants with large picture tags • Ornamental grasses in 50 cells for growing on (and contract growing) Phone: 866-843-0438 (sales) or 519-542-8353 Fax: 519-542-1079

Robert Schuijt (on the road sales): 519-827-0853 Catalogue at www.sipkensnurseries.com 12 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

the delegate wants to see at a show. This event continues to evolve, grow and become stronger by welcoming many partners to the table in order to be the must-attend event for the horticultural and floricultural communities,” said Gilles Bouchard, LO director of events and trade shows. LO’s next big event is Congress, from Jan. 11 to 13. To see more information on the popular trade show, go to www.locongress.com.

The underground world By Terry Murphy CLP

ost people would not believe what exists below ground in terms of underground utility assets in Ontario. I didn’t realize the complexity of the system until several years ago when I sat on the board of the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) representing Landscape Ontario. Billions and billions of dollars, and miles and miles of live wires, pipes, conduits and gaslines have the potential to injure or kill you, if not managed properly. This is the first article in a series that will focus on underground utilities and damage prevention and hopefully raise our consciousness about the dangers, costs and potential liabilities that exist for the green industry. I believe as an industry we are an accident waiting to happen. We are increasing our underground hits each year and we must make an effort to reverse this trend. Why it is important As an industry, represented by Landscape Ontario, we must again lead the charge just as we have done in the area of health and safety management in the late 90s and early 2000. Here is why it is important: • Every time we dig into the soil, there is a chance of serious injury. • Statistics show that landscape hits of underground utilities are on the increase. • The landscape and fencing industry are noted for a consistent record of hits across North America. • Costs to the green industry are on the rise. • Safety organizations (MOL, WSIB, TSSA, ESA) are now pooling their records to target firms with poor safety management for general safety audits. • Total repair costs required from the green industry in the last five years is over $7 million.

Green industry utility hits Year

Agriculture

Fencing

Irrigation

Landscaping

Total

2009

365

542

914

2008

339

393

735

2007

422

386

812

2006

366

317

697

2005

406

195

993

Total

1,898

1,833

3,821

Financial impact The repair costs for last year were approximately $2,170,000. This is directly out of our industry bottom line. To put it in perspective, if your after tax profit was five per cent, you would need to increase sales by $44-million to absorb this pure cost. All estimates are by ORCGA members, who do this for a living. Every time you hit a utility line, the Technical Standards and Safety Association (TSSA) will investigate and charge you between $500 and $700 for administration. The repair bill alone from the utility will vary, but on average it’s about $3,200. This is about $4,000 cost outlay per hit. I’m sure you can add that amount again in your overhead costs for your own time and energy to resolve the repair. It may then trigger a WSIB Workwell audit, which alone could cost you thousands more dollars. These costs are increasing annually.

Our focus over the next several issues will be to further explain the whole subject of the underground utility industry, give suggestions on how to avoid these hit problems, review some best practices for excavators, have some of your landscape colleagues describe their actual experiences, review how to streamline the process of obtaining locates, report on new statistics and keep you posted on any new legislative information. Please start talking about this subject at meetings, chapter events, board meetings, or one on one. Our goal will be to reduce our landscape industry hits by over 50 per cent in the next two to three years. We can do it! Our target goal for 2013 is 270 hits. Let’s make it happen! You may want to clip and save this series of articles on the underground industry for your company safety training sessions. Terry Murphy may be contacted at tvmurphy@ca.inter.net.

Strategy We now have the opportunity to improve our poor industry record of underground hits. The key measurement of improvement will be the number of hits of underground utilities. This data comes from a special program from the ORCGA called DIRT. LO will be working with the ORCGA that will provide us with statistics, speak at our chapter events over the winter, attend Congress 2011, and provide seminars at our winter workshop program. Awareness, education and training are the keys to our improvement.

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 13

MEMBERSHIP

Check out LO’s endorsed suppliers By Helen Hassard Membership coordinator

endorsed supplier and is offering a great package to LO members.

ately I’ve spoken with quite a few members who are unaware of our endorsed supplier program. This is not something you want to miss out on, so I encourage each of you to go to www. horttrades.com and check out the endorsed suppliers under the membership drop down menu (look in lower left-hand corner of page). There you will see a list of suppliers that have cost-saving Helen Hassard deals for our members. We have everything from purchasing, or renting equipment, to insurance and marketing companies. Even if you already know about this exciting program, still check out the website, as Telus has recently come onboard as an

Busy fall season The fall finished up with three big events, the Golden Horseshoe Chicken Roast, the Durham Fall Barbecue and Supplier Night and LO Day at the Rogers Centre in Toronto with the Argos and Ti-Cats game, along with a handful of chapter meetings. Everyone had a great time at the chicken roast on Sept. 16, despite the terrible weather. See page 15 for the complete story. On Sep. 21, it was the Durham chapter’s fall barbecue and supplier night. The event was held at Kobes Nurseries with approximately 65 people in attendance. Agrium Advance Technologies, Arnt’s Topsoil, Battlefield Equipment, Brooklin Concrete, Direct Landscape Supply, Durham Truck Isuzi, Evergreen Farm and Garden, Green Tractors, Kobes Nurseries, Nisco National Leasing and Sheridan Nurseries all sponsored and attended

Winkelmolen Nursery Ltd. For Bareroot and Container Grown Trees

• Native • Shade • Ornamental

148 Lynden Road, P.O. Box 190 Lynden, Ontario L0R 1T0 Tel: 519-647-3912 Fax: 519-647-3720

www.winkelmolen.com 14 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

the event. Last, but not least, LO hosted 150 members and their families in to watch the Argos and Ti-Cats duke it out at the Rogers Centre. Permacon generously sponsored a bus to bring the Ti-Cat fans from the Golden Horseshoe Chapter and JDJ Trailer donated reusable bags for our guests. Overall the event was well received. Winter seminars With the cooler weather comes a lot more free time for some of our members, and many more exciting opportunities to get involved with at LO. This past month Kathy McLean, seminar coordinator, with the help of our publishing department, put together a very informative and eye-catching professional development guide to your winter seminars. The book is filled with great opportunities to learn more about what LO offers. In the back you will find a section with the chapter meetings and special events. I encourage you to tear this out (Kathy won’t mind) and pin it up, so you won’t miss out on anything. Most of the chapter meeting information is there. Any additional information will be available at www.horttrades.com. November meetings The next few events to note are the Georgian Lakelands Chapter meeting on Nov. 18 to discuss advertising and promotion. The Windsor Chapter meeting on Nov. 18 will feature a presentation by Robert Roszell, the chair of the salt research committee through LO’s Snow and Ice Sector Group. The Golden Horseshoe Chapter meeting, also on Nov. 18, will discuss Succession Planning and Safety Policies. On Nov. 19, Waterloo is hosting its annual Fall Freeze-Up at the Waterloo Inn. Tickets are $120 per couple. Contact Cheryl at 519-7462288, or email cheryl@tsbenefits.net to order tickets. The Waterloo Chapter meeting is on the Dec. 1, and then on the 3, the Georgian Lakelands Christmas Dinner is at Fendley’s Banquet Hall in Barrie. Tickets are $55 per person, or $100 per couple. For more information about any of these meetings, or events, feel free to contact me directly at helen@ landscapeontario.com.

Chapter News Golden Horseshoe Chicken Roast a smashing success “A smashing success.” That’s how most of those who enjoyed the annual Golden Horseshoe Chapter’s annual chicken roast described this year’s version. Despite the dreary weather, the facility at Grand River Brick and Stone in Stoney Creek was packed. The chicken roast is a total family event, and is very affordable with $10 meals for the adults, and free for children 12 and under. The kids were kept busy with activities, such as the bounce castle, reptile man, flower planting, loot bags and gumball guessing contest. Kids weren’t the only ones taken care of at this event, with prizes including a stone bench, wheelbarrow, big screen TV and lots more! The buffet dinner was expertly cooked and served by the chapter board members, who even constructed a barbecue shelter to make sure no one received soggy chicken. The event not only was a blast for all attendees, it also served a great cause with proceeds from the raffle tickets and gumball guessing contest donated to the trust fund set up for the children of Mark Smith (Marcus and Madison). Mark Smith was a hard working and dedicated employee of Scott’s Landscaping, who at the age of 38, passed suddenly in the family home on Mar. 10, 2010.

The chapter board thanks Doug Coote for all his hard work. Although no longer on the chapter board, Coote has continued to volunteer every year with the chicken roast. Also special thanks go to Gelderman Landscaping for providing the barbecue each year. And, a big thank you to all of the sponsors who helped to make this event a success: Permacon, Unilock,

Oaks Concrete Products by Brampton Brick, Eldorado Stone, ArtStone Hardscapes, Connon Nurseries NVK, Pearson Dunn Insurance, Cap Brick, Wiley Automotive, Select Stone, Brother’s Equipment Rental, Bobcat of Hamilton, Hamilton Builders’ Supply, Green Mountain Garden, Connon Nurseries CBV, and O’Neil’s Farm Equipment (1971) Ltd.

LO Movember team formed Ryan Heath CLP, CLT, provincial board representative for the Toronto Chapter, has registered an LO team for Movember, an awareness campaign for men’s health, which also acts as a fundraiser for Prostate Cancer Canada. The Movember Foundation is a non-profit organization that runs the global men’s health initiative. “Given that we are such a male dominated industry, it only seems logical that we do our part to help out,” said Heath. “This is a great opportunity to companies to come together and have some fun.” Heath owns and operates Ryan Heath Professional Landscape in Keswick. To link to the LO Movember team go to http://ca.movember.com/mospace/698692/.

Each year, Movember, the month formerly known as November, is responsible for the sprouting of thousands of Mos (Australian slang for moustache, where the movement began) on men’s faces around the world, raising vital awareness and funds for men’s health - specifically prostate cancer. Men who grow moustaches for the month of Movember, called Mo Bros, become walking, talking billboards for the cause, raising awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health. Movember funds raised in Canada benefit Prostate Cancer Canada (www. prostatecancer.ca). Contact Ryan Heath by email at ryan@ryanheath.com.

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 15

Hillen Nursery Inc Botanical Name

Qty. 1 Gal Qty. 2 Gal Qty. 3 Gal Botanical Name Avail. Price Avail. Price Avail. Price

VINES Ampelopsis glandulosa Elegans 280 8.00 Aristolochia durior 149 Campsis radicans Balboa Sunset 273 8.00 Celastrus orbiculatus Diana 182 8.00 Celastrus orbiculatus Hercules 231 8.00 Hydrangea anomala petiolaris 205 6.00 322 8.00 Lonicera japonica Halliana 153 8.00 Parthenocissus tricus. Veitchii 1,000 6.00 Polygonum aubertii 968 6.00 EVERGREENS Azalea Northern Lights 225 Azalea Orchid Lights 290 Buxus Faulkner 100 5.00 330 Buxus microphylla 264 5.00 582 Buxus X Green Gem 379 5.20 693 Buxus X Green Mound 1,000 5.00 1,000 Buxus X Green Mountain 700 5.00 257 Buxus X Green Velvet 1,000 5.20 1,000 Chamaecyparis pisifera Aurea Sungold 100 5.00 265 Chamaecyparis pisifera Filifera 190 5.00 176 Cotoneaster dammeri Coral Beauty 1,000 5.00 Cotoneaster dammeri Major 230 7.00 Cotoneaster microphyllus 178 5.00 45 Cotoneaster salicifolius Repens 1,000 7.00 Euonymus fortunei `Emerald ‘n Gold` 1,000 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Canadale Gold 305 5.00 1,000 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Coloratus 482 5.00 Euonymus fortunei Emerald Gaiety 1,000 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Emerald Gaiety BL 240 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Emerald ‘n Gold 195 5.00 Euonymus fortunei Goldtip 885 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Sunrise 446 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Surespot 584 7.00 Euonymus fortunei Vegetus 258 7.00 Ilex X meserveae Blue Prince 965 5.00 367 Ilex X meserveae Blue Princess 1,000 5.00 670 Juniperus chinensis Gold Coast 379 Juniperus chinensis Gold Star 400 5.00 365 Juniperus chinensis Mint Julep 400 5.00 476 Juniperus chinensis Pfitz. Compacta 300 5.00 63 Juniperus chinensis San Jose 250 5.00 156 Juniperus communis Green Carpet 451 Juniperus communis Repanda 260 5.00 Juniperus conferta Blue Pacific 250 5.00 317 Juniperus horizontalis Andorra Compacta 1,000 5.00 1,000 Juniperus horizontalis Bar Harbor 200 5.00 175 Juniperus horizontalis Blue Prince 166 Juniperus horizontalis Icee Blue 391 6.00 1,000 Juniperus horizontalis Lime Glow 200 6.50 Juniperus horizontalis Turquoise Spreader 200 5.00 407 Juniperus horizontalis Wiltonii 500 5.00 13 Juniperus horizontalis Yukon Belle 400 5.00 938 Juniperus media Armstrongii 142 5.00 250 Juniperus procumbens nana 200 5.00 337 Juniperus sabina 200 5.00 256 Juniperus sabina Buffalo 261 Juniperus squamata Blue Carpet 150 5.00 311 Juniperus squamata Blue Star 316 Juniperus virginiana Grey Owl 100 5.00 240 Larix laricina 272 7.00 Metasequoia glyptostroboides 307 7.00 Microbiota decussata 729 5.00 453 Picea abies 257 7.00 Picea glauca 506 7.00 Picea pungens glauca 636 7.00 Picea pungens glauca StJuan 696 7.00

16 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

11.00

13.50 13.50 11.00 11.00 11.20 11.00 11.00 11.20 11.00 11.00 9.00

11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 13.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00

Qty. 1 Gal Qty. 2 Gal Qty. 3 Gal Avail. Price Avail. Price Avail. Price

Picea pungens Globosa Pinus mugo var. mugo Pinus strobus Taxus cuspidata Aurescens 100 5.00 Taxus X media Densiformis 495 5.00 Taxus X media Hicksii 746 5.00 Taxus X media Hillii Taxus X media Wardii 700 5.00 Thuja occidentalis Thuja occidentalis Brandon 98 5.00 Thuja occidentalis Little Giant 395 5.00 Thuja occidentalis Nigra 1,000 5.00 Thuja occidentalis Smaragd 1,000 5.00 Thuja occidentalis Wintergreen 538 5.00 Thuja plicata Spring Grove 54 5.00 Tsuga canadensis 1,000 5.00 60 7.00 Yucca filamentosa 223 7.00

806 1,000 1,000 114 696 1,000 474 79 431 245 218 1,000 543 474 535 1,000 56

22.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00

DECIDUOUS SHRUBS Acanthopanax sieboldianus 734 7.00 Acer ginnala 289 7.00 Acer rubrum 1,000 7.00 Acer saccharinum 661 7.00 Acer saccharum 477 7.00 Alnus rugosa 663 7.00 Amelanchier canadensis 1,000 7.00 11 Amelanchier laevis 176 7.00 Aronia mel. Autumn Magic 242 7.00 Aronia melanocarpa 742 7.00 Aronia X prunifolia Viking 253 7.00 Berberis thunbergii Rose Glow 449 6.00 452 Berberis thunbergii Royal Burgundy 409 Berberis thunbergii Royal Cloak 174 6.00 Buddleia davidii Black Knight 432 7.00 Buddleia davidii Ellen’s Blue 404 7.00 Buddleia davidii Ile de France 583 7.00 Buddleia davidii Nanho Purple 476 7.00 Buddleia davidii Petite Plum 660 7.00 Buddleia davidii Pink Delight 433 7.00 Buddleia davidii Purple Prince 908 7.00 Buddleia davidii Royal Red 357 7.00 Buddleia davidii White Profusion 332 7.00 Callicarpa japonica Issai 102 Caryopteris clandonensis Grand Blue 281 7.35 Caryopteris clandonensis Worchester Gold 140 7.00 Cephalanthus occidentalis 289 7.00 Cercidiphyllum japonicum 247 7.00 Cercis canadensis 910 7.00 Chaenomeles speciosa Nivalis 402 7.00 Chaenomeles speciosa Rubra 692 7.00 Chaenomeles speciosa Texas Scarlet 648 7.00 Chaenomeles sup.Crimson and Gold 236 7.00 Clethra alnifolia Paniculatum 310 7.00 Clethra alnifolia Pink Spire 439 7.00 Cornus alba Elegantissima 1,000 7.00 Cornus alba Gouchaultii 233 7.00 Cornus alba Ivory Halo 948 7.45 Cornus alba Red Gnome 318 7.00 Cornus amomum 254 7.00 Cornus racemosa 905 7.00 Cornus stolonifera Kelseyi 1,000 7.00 Corylus americana 220 7.00 Corylus avellana Contorta 221 15.00 Cotinus coggygria Purpureus 194 Cotoneaster acutifolius 501 7.00 Cotoneaster apiculatus 355 7.00 Cotoneaster preacox Boer 1,000 7.00 Deutzia crenata Nikko 809 7.00 Deutzia gracilis 536 7.00

8.00

13.50 13.50

8.00

c. Botanical Name

Many More Cultivars and sizes available Qty. 1 Gal Qty. 2 Gal Qty. 3 Gal Botanical Name Avail. Price Avail. Price Avail. Price

Deutzia gracilis Duncan 115 7.00 Deutzia X Strawberry Field 175 7.00 Diervilla lonicera 433 7.00 Euonymus alatus Compactus 1,000 5.00 144 8.00 1,000 Fagus sylvatica Purpurea 62 7.00 157 Forsythia Kumson 493 7.00 Forsythia X inter. Northern Gold 1,000 7.00 Forsythia X intermedia Goldtide 218 7.00 Forsythia X intermedia Lynwood 687 7.00 Genista tinctoria Royal Gold 204 7.00 Hamamelis virginiana 287 7.00 Hibiscus syriacus Diana 218 5.00 271 Hibiscus syriacus Lavender Chiffon 231 5.60 Hibiscus syriacus Marina 140 5.00 Hibiscus syriacus White Chiffon 207 5.60 151 Hibiscus syriacus Woodbridge 468 5.00 19 Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle 1,000 7.00 Hydrangea macr. Bouquet Rose 326 7.00 Hydrangea macr. Endless Summer Blushing Bride 157 Hydrangea macr. Endless Summer Twist n Shout 135 Hydrangea macr. Penny Mac 265 7.30 Hydrangea paniculata Kyushu 472 7.00 Hydrangea paniculata Limelight 112 7.60 Hydrangea paniculata Little Lamb 419 7.60 Hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky 461 7.60 Hydrangea paniculata Tardiva 263 7.00 Hydrangea paniculata Unique 115 7.00 Hydrangea quercifolia PeeWee 247 Hydrangea serrata Bluebird 258 7.00 Ilex verticillata Jim Dandy 359 7.00 Ilex verticillata Afterglow Female 1,000 7.00 Ilex verticillata Southern Gentleman 379 7.00 Ilex verticillata Winterred 217 7.00 Itea virginica Henry’s Garnet 316 7.00 Kolkwitzia amabilis Pink Cloud 1,000 7.00 Ligustrum jap. Aureomarginata 193 7.00 Ligustrum ovalufolium 298 7.00 Ligustrum vulgare 596 7.00 Liriodendron tulipefera 368 8.50 Lonicera tatarica Arnold Red 366 7.00 Lonicera xylosteum Clavey’s Dwarf 331 7.00 Lonicera xylosteum Emerald Mound 856 7.00 Lonicera xylosteum Miniglobe 746 7.00 Magnolia stellata Royal Star 234 Magnolia X Butterfly 178 Magnolia X loebneri Leonard Messel 335 Magnolia x Susan 252 Philadelphus coronarius Aureus 237 7.00 Philadelphus Innocence 735 7.00 Philadelphus Minn.Snowflake Dwarf 259 7.00 Philadelphus Minnesota Snowflake 484 7.00 Philadelphus X Natchez 157 7.00 Philadelphus X virginalis 692 7.00 Physocarpus opulifolius 1,000 7.00 Physocarpus opulifolius Diabolo 1,000 7.60 Physocarpus opulifolius Summer Wine 272 7.85 Populus tremuloides 586 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Coronation Triumph 1,000 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Dakota Sunrise 1,000 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Gold Drop 297 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Goldfinger 244 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Goldstar 1,000 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Mango Tango 285 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa McKay’s White 349 7.00 Potentilla fruticosa Tangerine 637 7.00 Prunus cistena 1,000 5.00 1,000 7.00 Quercus alba 221 7.00 Quercus bicolor 523 7.00 Quercus macrocarpa 320 7.00

9.00 8.00

8.00 8.60 8.00 14.00 14.00

14.00

11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00

Qty. 1 Gal Qty. 2 Gal Qty. 3 Gal Avail. Price Avail. Price Avail. Price

Quercus palustris 172 7.00 Quercus robur Fastigiata 1,000 9.00 Rhus aromatica Low Grow 1,000 7.00 Rhus typhina 1,000 7.00 Rhus typhina Tiger Eyes 103 10.50 389 Rosa Henry Kelsey 386 7.00 Rosa Bonica 1,000 7.00 Rosa Carolina 1,000 7.00 Rosa J P Connell 443 7.00 Rosa rugosa 1,000 7.00 Rosa rugosa Morden Blush 293 7.00 Rosa x Champlain 399 7.00 Rosa x George Vancouver 360 7.00 Rosa x Morden Amorette 162 7.00 Salix caprea 140 7.00 Salix discolor 1,000 7.00 Salix eriocephala 1,000 7.00 Salix exigua 1,000 7.00 Salix gracilis Purpurea Nana 863 7.00 Sambucus canadensis Aurea 1,000 7.00 Sambucus nigra Black Lace 170 9.50 100 Sambucus pubens 568 7.00 Sorbaria aitchisonii 340 7.00 Sorbaria sorbifolia 394 7.00 Sorbaria sorbifolia Sem 511 7.00 22 Spiraea alba 1,000 7.00 Spiraea arguta 372 7.00 Spiraea betulifolia Tor 258 7.00 Spiraea bumalda Gold Mound 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Anthony Waterer 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Crispa 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Dakota Goldcharm 631 7.00 Spiraea japonica Flaming Mound 665 7.00 Spiraea japonica Froebelii 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Genpei 324 Spiraea japonica Golden Princess 353 7.00 Spiraea japonica Goldflame 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Little Princess 1,000 7.00 Spiraea japonica Shirobana 453 7.00 Spiraea japonica White Gold 281 7.00 Spiraea nipponica Snowmound 420 7.00 Spiraea vanhouttei 479 7.00 Stephanandra incisa Crispa 335 7.00 Symphoricarpos albus 1,000 7.00 Symphoricarpos chenaultii Hancock 323 7.00 Syringa meyeri Palibin 663 7.00 Syringa patula Miss Kim 232 7.00 94 Syringa Tinkerbelle 680 7.50 Syringa vulgaris 319 7.00 Syringa vulgaris Beauty of Moscow 191 7.00 Syringa vulgaris Primrose 190 7.00 Syringa X prestoniae Minuet 165 7.00 Tilia cordata 350 7.00 Viburnum dentatum Chicago Lustre 515 7.00 Viburnum opulus Roseum 210 7.00 19 Viburnum plic. Summer Snowflake 167 7.00 Viburnum plicatum Mariesii 342 10.00 Viburnum trilobum 470 7.00 Weigela florida Alexandra 437 7.60 Weigela florida Bristol Ruby 362 7.00 Weigela florida French Lace 291 7.60 Weigela florida Java Red 305 7.00 Weigela florida Minuet 232 7.00 Weigela florida Nana Variegata 711 7.00 Weigela florida Polka 625 7.00 Weigela florida Purpurea Nana 1,000 7.00 Weigela florida Red Prince 400 7.00 Weigela florida Rumba 625 7.00 Weigela florida Tango 314 7.00

12.50

11.50

8.00

RR 2, Mount Brydges, ON N0L 1W0 Tel: 519-264-9057 • Fax: 519-264-1337 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 17

LO behind research project to help growers identify pests A new digital identification technology is being tested in hopes it will help nursery growers pinpoint which pests are threatening their crops. A research project, supported by LO, will use a cutting-edge system to capture colour images of live insects, identify them and then enter them into a new digital guide to Ontario nursery pests. This should allow growers to quickly identify pest problems and take appropriate actions to minimize the impact on plants. Researchers, led by Professor Stephen Marshall of the University of Guelph, School of Environmental Science, are completing the development of a digital guide to nursery insects. It will be published in the Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification, which will be available as an online tool for growers. The project received a grant of $7,000 from the Farm Innovation Program (FIP), which is aimed at boosting agricultural research, competitiveness, and productivity in Ontario’s agricultural sectors. FIP is one of the Innovation and Science Suite of programs in Ontario for Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative, which is administered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) on behalf of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and OMAFRA. “Fast and accurate identification of nursery-associated pest insects is an important tool for our sector to remain competitive and grow top quality products for our customers,” says Tony DiGiovanni, executive director of Landscape Ontario. “New technologies will make it easier to quickly capture and share information throughout the sector.”

NISCO: THE LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY LEASE SPECIALISTS Committed to professionalism

Currently, modern identification tools and up to date taxonomic data are lacking for many insects and arthropods. Nursery growers often rely on a combination of their own expe-

rience and the help of nursery specialists from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to identify pests and determine suitable control strategies.

Ontario sod growers begin Green Certification Program The Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario (NSGA) has initiated a green certification program. Peter Rauwerda, NSGA president, stated, “We are really excited about the interest our members have shown in this new program, and we are ready to promote it to our consumers. This strictly voluntary program provides assurances that NSGA members meet or exceed standards for water conservation, water source protection, soil conservation, and approved nutrient application.” The program is designed to certify sod operations that are meeting the NSGA standards. In order to receive certification, all sites owned or leased by a grower must participate in an on-site audit conducted by Validus, the approved third-party audit firm for the NSGA. Upon certification, each operation must submit an annual report and conduct an on-site verification audit a minimum of once every three years. Qualified growers will receive their NSGA green certification certificate and be included on the NSGA list of approved “Green Certified” providers. All Green Certified NSGA members are listed on the NSGA website,

www.nsgao.com. For more information on the Green Certification program or purchasing “Green Certified” sod, contact the NSGA at (519) 2656742 or e-mail nsga@rogers.com.

Staycation is now an official word A word that the landscape industry has been using for the past number of years, received its official status when the New Oxford American Dictionary announced that staycation has been accepted as one of this year’s new words. The definition of staycation? “A vacation that is spent at one’s home enjoying all that home and one’s home environs have to offer.” We can now use the word knowing, it is no longer in the slang category.

Nisco National Leasing has the vehicle you need:

• Any make/model of truck including cab and chassis • New and used vehicles • Equipment used by landscape industry • Terms as flexible as necessary • Over 20 years in the automotive and equipment leasing business

Laura Catalano is available to find the right equipment for your job — just call

1-888-634-9559 18 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

13-3245 Harvester Rd., Burlington, ON L7N 3T7 Ph: 905-634-9559 Fax: 905-634-8219 e-mail: lcatalano@niscocanada.com Endorsed supplier of Landscape Ontario

We go anywhere in Ontario — from Windsor to Ottawa

Two landscape companies big part of Amazing Bed Race

In the photo, from left, are Glenn Herold of Brown’s Concrete Products in Sudbury, Rick Stinchcombe of Rosetta Hardscapes, Mel Hajdu and Bill Hajdu, both of Decorative Landscape Stone. Landscapers compete in Amazing Bed Race

Two Burlington landscape companies, DenBok Landscaping and Design and Green Thumb Landscaping, were part of an amazing event that raised $81,000 for the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Rotary Club of Burlington North. The event, on Sept. 26, was the first-ever Burlington Amazing Bed Race. Five-person teams of four pushing and one perched on the bed competed for both bragging rights and helping a good cause. The inaugural title eventually went to Halton Police Services. Leon Denbok, one of the organizers of the event and president of the Rotary Club – North Burlington, said, “We are super excited about next year. We hope to raise between $150,000 and $200,000.” The four Burlington Rotary clubs have pledged $1 million over five years towards the hospital. The two bed racing teams entered by the LO members had fun while raising funds for the cause. They were evenly matched as they faced each other in the special landscapers’ challenge, which saw the Green Thumb Gorillas edge the DenBok Dirt Devils. The 2nd Annual Amazing Bed Race will take place on Sept. 25, 2011. Organizers say it will be an even bigger event.

Otterville landscaper wins TV Over the past year, more than 50 landscape contractors from across North America provided feedback on their experiences installing Rosetta Hardscapes products for the chance to win a 40 inch television. When Rosetta’s corporate office held a random draw to select winner, the entry by LO member Bill Hajdu of Decorative Landscape Stone in Otterville was read out. Decorative Landscape Stone distributes and installs Rosetta products manufactured by Brown’s Concrete Products, Limited in Sudbury. “I filled out the survey because I wanted to give some helpful feedback on the product. I’ve never won anything before, so it was really exciting,” Hajdu said. The survey asked installers to give feedback on Rosetta design software, ease of installation, challenges, and plans to use Rosetta in the future.

I can assist your company to put a program in place for your specific needs and provide you with great customer service and employee satisfaction . Sara Munshaw, Group Benefits Specialist, The Investment Guild

Uniquely developed to protect the green industry Customizable programs and exclusive coverage such as: • Commercial and general liability, including snow removal operations • Automobile fleet coverage • Group of “ONE” flexibility • Employee Assistance Program • Group RRSP & Critical Illness Insurance program brokered by Marsh Canada Limited:

,QYHVWPHQW *XLOG

ʨˑ˔ ʣˎˎ ʻˑ˗˔ ʫː˕˗˔˃ː˅ˇ ʰˇˇˆ˕

(PSOR\HH %HQHILWV %\ 'HVLJQ

1-888-949-4360

1-800-459-8990

For more information on HortProtect, please visit: www.HortProtect.com

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 19

WISIB sets 2011 rates Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has increased the average premium rate for 2011 by two per cent. Particularity hit with a higher than average rate increase is the snow plowing sector. Rates here went up 11.1 per cent, while the remaining horticulture sector groups either remained the same as last year’s rates, or had less than one per cent hikes. See the chart below. The WSIB says that close to half of all

employers will pay the same rate as last year. The maximum insurable earnings ceiling for 2011 is $79,600. This is an increase of 2.6 per cent from $77,600 in 2010. Changes to the maximum insurable earnings ceiling are linked to changes in average earnings in Ontario as measured by Statistics Canada, and provisions under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. For more information, go to the WSIB’s website at http://bit.ly/OntWSIB.

WSIB rates for horticulture industry categories Rate Group

Sector

WSIB description

2011 Premium Rate

Rate increase

181

Nursery Growers

Fishing and Miscellaneous Farming

$3.51

0.4%

184

Lawn Care

Poultry Farms and Agricultural Services

$3.13

0.5%

190

Landscaping and Related Services

$4.72

0.4%

570

Snow Plowing

General Trucking

$6.43

11.1%

636

Garden Centres

Other Sales

$1.40

Emerald ash borer now in Wellington County The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the presence of the emerald ash borer (EAB) in Wellington County (Guelph), south of Highway 401 between Wellington Road 32 and Wellington Road 35. Movement restrictions will be placed on the affected property. Further regulatory measures will be considered once survey work is completed for the year. The emerald ash borer is quickly spreading throughout Ontario and Quebec. The key challenge, according to CFIA, is to prevent people from moving potentially infested ash materials, such as logs, branches, nursery stock, wood chips, and firewood of all species to noninfested areas.

Stam Nurseries Inc. m Custoing digg able avail

Your source of quality shade trees and evergreens Phone: (519) 424-3350 Fax (519) 456-1659 E-mail: info@stamnurseries.com

www.stamnurseries.com 20 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

LO STAFF PROFILE

Sally Harvey CLT, CLP

Manager of education and labour development What is your basic job description at LO? I work with an amazing team of individuals who strive to serve our members as directed by the strategic plan. Our priorities are to retain and develop membership by providing valued professional development and networking opportunities that help our members develop sustainable, professional businesses. What is your background before coming to LO, and when did you begin work at LO? Prior to my arrival at Landscape Ontario in May of 2008, I was (and still am) a proud co-owner/operator of Green Design Landscaping, an interiorscape, exterior landscape and holidayscape design/ build firm. I was also an avid volunteer at Landscape Ontario as past chair of the

Interior Plantscape Sector Group, a provincial board member and treasurer of Landscape Ontario. I was also the Interiorscape and CLP captain on the National Certification Committee. When not at work, where can you be found? Most of the time when not at work, I work on my garden(s) at home, and also spend time with my husband Rick and our four daughters. I love to be active, either with gardening and any outdoor sports/activities. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A physical education teacher. What inspires you during your time at LO? The staff and volunteer leaders who commit so much time and effort to elevating the level of professionalism and recognition that our industry so deserves.

Name your all-time favourite movie, musical group and TV show. The recent movie, Invictus, which tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team to help unite their country. It was inspiring. My favourite musical group is Phil Collins/Genesis, and more recently I like Adam Lambert. The Amazing Race is my favourite TV show. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Ultimately, I would love to travel around the world, but if I have to select one place it is Japan. I was invited to apprentice there in my university days, but it wasn’t in the cards at that time. Maybe down the road. Tell us one thing that few of your colleagues know about you. It’s that I have a disgraceful sweet tooth, with jelly beans as the favourite! Only the good ones though!

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 21

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Native plants can be used in structured landscapes Re: Tom Intven’s President’s Message, Horticulture Review, Sept. 15, 2010, native plants, and two ideals of beauty. I very much appreciated Tom Intven’s reflections on the increasing use of native plants in the landscape. It was with pleasure that I read about the Horst Dickert Award for native plants. I was also happy to consider the differences between the gardening techniques of St. Francis and St. Benedict. I believe that it is only by appealing to, or changing people’s belief systems that we can ever effect true change. I do want raise a cautionary note about the conclusions of the article. It’s the statement that the majority of people will always want to garden with ornamentals like St. Benedict, implying that the way of St. Francis is only for those who are passionate about helping the local environment. I believe that this is a false dichotomy, and hope to point out that our choices as horticultural professionals in highly-structured gardens have a much greater impact than we may realize.

First, it is important to consider how important native plants are for supporting the needs of local wildlife populations. Douglas Tallamy, in his excellent book, Bringing Nature Home, points out that while all plants can provide shelter, and ornamentals with berries can provide some food, but only native plants function well in ecosystems. Native plants have unique relationships with a variety of organisms, allowing them to transfer energy up throughout the food chain. Second, all plants in the landscape act as seed reserves from which local parks, woodlands, roadside areas and other natural lands receive seed to grow the next generation of plants. When we plant natives in our urban gardens, we directly affect the plant community of other ecosystems besides the ecosystem that is within our own backyard. What does all this have to do with choices? When I walk around my neighbourhood in west Hamilton, I see many ornamentals used in the landscape, creating an impoverished ecosystem. In wild areas along the escarpment,

it is full of Norway maple, tree of heaven (or ghetto palm), and white mulberry, affecting those ecosystems. How did these trees get into these environments? They arrived largely because of horticultural professionals. And my observations are true of most urban environments. Nursery growers and landscapers of the past made choices, and we are dealing with consequences. Currently most residential landscape planting practices still use predominantly ornamental species. As a result, we are continuing to contribute to these problems. Here is where I believe Intven’s article presents a false dichotomy. It is possible to use native plants to solve most of the problems we encounter in the landscape. There is no reason why a variety of native plants cannot be used in highly structured landscapes, foundation plantings, and specimen trees. Our choices today as horticultural professionals have a much greater impact than just our own back yards. Peter Scholtens, Verbinnen’s Nursery

TBG appreciates LO’s support I wanted to thank you (Landscape Ontario) very much for co-sponsoring such a wonderful (and highly successful) lecture at the Toronto Botanical Garden by Jacqueline van der Kloet. Everyone who attended couldn’t fail to be inspired by her interesting and naturalistic methods for planting bulbs. And the colour combos! Gorgeous. What a fantastic treat for Toronto Botanical Garden and Landscape Ontario members, and a full house, too. Some 240 tickets were sold, and the TBG netted a most welcome and much appreciated $3,490. Again, many thanks for your generosity to Toronto Botanical Garden. We truly appreciate the ongoing support given to us by Landscape Ontario. Aldona Satterthwaite, TBG executive director

22 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Good reasons to choose native plants Re: Your President’s Message, Sept. 15, 2010, Horticulture Review. Having switched from traditional landscaping to a deep interest in naturalization and how to best plant native species, I was somewhat amused by your idea that the deepseated reason for people like me to choose native plants is rooted somehow in historic Christianity. While your idea that there is a connection to some obscure Christian ideal is interesting, I fail to see how it has an ounce of relevance. I am totally aware that there are many incorrect myths about native plants, especially the ones that say that natives are stronger and less vulnerable at all times. They are stronger in their own micro-climate type, or soil type, but weaker if planted without taking into consideration special requirements, i.e. sugar maple, versus Norway maple. With regard to infestation by bugs, quite often they are host species for local insects and therefore may be more vulnerable if you are struggling for a perfect specimen plant. However, it is just such vulnerability which also makes them extremely important in the local landscape and therefore should be encouraged in landscape plantings. I would say the reason to plant native plants, other than the tremendous variety and beauty, would be rooted in the following idea: The base of all life starts in the soil with the billions and billions of microscopic bacteria,

fungi, etc., making the earth work by breaking down dead material, nourishing plants and working to keep plants healthy. This is the base of the huge pyramid of life on earth. Above that are the macroscopic creatures like worms and nematodes. Then there is the vital range of insects, then the higher ranges of life up to man. Native plants work with these lower levels of the pyramid, and in turn feed the fish, birds, mammals and eventually us. To change or eliminate their habitat is to take huge segments out of the pyramid, which other creatures, up higher on the scale of life, rely upon. Native plants, planted correctly and maintained with sensitivity, keep the genetic material alive and available, not only for ourselves to selfishly enjoy for its esthetic value, but actually serving a purpose in so many unseen and unappreciated ways. Moreover, unless you open your mind to the diversity of native species, you miss an amazing opportunity for plants that are extremely useful in the landscape for a multitude of reasons. There are amazing plants such as Aronia melanocarpa, Diervilla, buttonbush, spicebush and many of the small shrub willows that are as beautiful as any hybrids, but are never found in nurseries. In areas that are prone to erosion, or wet, or dry, wild or tame, there are wonderful native plants that have great beauty and strength. I

Keeps columns for reference As an avid reader of both industry and general magazines, I have learned the old trick of reading the first and last paragraph of most articles to save time when determining my interest in the subject matter. But every one of Tom Intven’s President’s Message articles in the Horticulture Review have been so well written, informative (I have copied and saved the articles that I know I’m going to use as a reference in the future) and entertaining (I’m big on humour!) that I look forward to reading all of each his monthly writing. His most recent article on “Native

Plants” should be a mandatory study at all horticulture schools and by all of those quasi-government bodies considering the native plant issue. There is so much misinformation floating around on this subject. Tom Intven clarified the whole issue concisely with its historical religious background. Keep up the good work Tom, and if you ever decide to write a blog, put me on your mailing list. Phil Goodfellow, Valleybrook Gardens (Ont.) Ltd.

think nurseries are really missing some fantastic opportunities when they concentrate on the same old, same old, or they look for the newest, biggest, brightest hybrid from some other country. To go back to the idea of religion, if you are trying to link the choice to go to native varieties over hybrids, I would not have picked an element of Christianity as the driving force. Rather, I would suggest the choice is much closer to the current interest in aboriginal spirituality — but that is another topic again. In closing, I would urge you to seriously give thought to native species because to study their needs and place in our country’s land is to begin to understand how soil-up horticulture really works. Landscaping downtown residences is one thing, but transposing those same ideals to the country, where millions of us also live, is perhaps being a little selfish. It fulfills the wants and needs of humans, but perhaps excludes the needs of the rest of the enormous and vital pyramid of life. All the best from the other side of the coin, Barbara Karthein, Landscape Designer, Port Perry, Ont.

OHA appreciates support Thank you (Landscape Ontario) so much for the generous support of the Ontario Horticultural Association (OHA) through the gift of a tree to the 104th annual convention in Barrie this year. The tree will have a direct impact on the OHA’s goal to keep Ontario beautiful. I appreciate the support of our work. Carol Dunk, OHA vice-president

Horticulture Review welcomes letters to the editor. Send them to adennis@landscapeontario.com, or Allan Dennis, Landscape Ontario, 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, Ont. L9T 2X8.

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 23

Awards recognize inspirational industry leaders

Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds was honoured with the Trillium Award. On hand during the special presentation at Congress 2010 are from left, Paul Ronan, Ontario Parks Association executive director, Bienenstock representatives, Jeff Cowan, vice president of operations, and John El-Raheb, manager of online data, with Tony DiGiovanni, LO executive director.

An important component of the Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence program is the individual awards, which recognize contributions from members who go above and beyond the call of duty in service to their industry. The individual awards only given in exceptional circumstances are presented at the LO Awards Gala, held at Congress each year. Members are encouraged to nominate those they feel are deserving of special recognition. The special award categories can be found at www.horttrades.com/awards-of-excellence--special-awards. Nominations should be sent to awards@landscapeontario.com by Dec. 1. Please include reasons for nomination, along with any exceptional or outstanding circumstances. Three of last year’s special award winners are profiled here including, Michael LaPorte who received the Frank Ewald Jr. Award, Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, which received the Trillium Award, and Karl Stensson, who received the CNLA president’s ring. Honouring young volunteers As a long-time volunteer in the Georgian Lakelands chapter, Michael LaPorte was recognized for his service and commitment. The Frank Ewald Jr. Award is presented to a member of LO who has not yet reached his 36th birthday, but has made an outstanding effort in the promotion and betterment of the association. LaPorte says he always enjoys attending the Awards Gala, but “was totally shocked when Nathan Helder began the introduction. It finally made sense why friends, family and co-workers

were joining me for the evening. Winning the award is a shot of energy. This association has many great volunteers, and it’s nice to be recognized and re-energized. It is great to be part of such a grand evening.” Trillium Award for special circumstances Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds was honoured with the Trillium Award, given only in exceptional circumstances by those companies that achieve an outstanding contribution in the field of horticulture, such as the development of a new plant or technique, or for design of an outstanding project.

During the award presentation, Tony DiGiovanni, executive director of LO, stated, “It is a rare accomplishment for any company to change the way a product or service is perceived. In an increasingly urbanized world where many children are experiencing ‘nature deficit,’ Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds has accomplished this remarkable and important feat. Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds reconnects children with nature, while stimulating a sense of wonder and promoting health and fitness in a safe and fun environment.” Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds also won the Ontario Parks Association award for outstanding design of parks.

Nathan Helder, left, and LO past president Bob Adams congratulate Michael LaPorte on receiving the Frank Ewald Jr. Award.

24 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

Trailblazing volunteer As a recipient of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s president’s award, Karl Stensson, president of Sheridan Nurseries, joined an elite group of three individuals who have provided the association with unparalleled service. “This the highest honour CNLA can endow on anyone,” says executive director Victor Santacruz, “Karl has been involved in many areas of the association. He is an influential leader and has had a strong influence on the financial stability of the CNLA through his involvement on the insurance committee. Karl has devoted countless hours helping us put a financial strategy in place to ensure the continued prosperity of the association. “Even though he isn’t currently on the CNLA board of directors, when he travels internationally, Karl is proud to represent the association, as well as his own company,” Santacruz observes. “He doesn’t need to do this, but he is still giving. Karl cares intimately for the association, and we are happy to recognize him for his passion.” CNLA president, Cary van Zanten presented Stensson with the award at LO’s Awards of Excellence gala saying, “He is a trailblazer, a leader among peers and industry, and a very passionate volunteer who always has industry’s best intentions at heart. Anyone who knows this man will agree with me when I say that his volunteer contributions have been more profoundly influential and selfless than anyone

has previously been honoured by Landscape Ontario three times. He was presented with the Frank Ewald Jr. Award in 1981, the Trillium Award in 1993 and was awarded honorary life membership, the highest LO honour, in 1998. DiGiovanni noted that Stensson was president of LO in 1979, “but continues to be one of the most influential people behind the scenes. As a past president, Karl receives all the board minutes, and once the minutes have been sent, I often receive a call from Karl letting me know his thoughts and opinions on one matter or another. He truly cares about the direction of the association and its members. I use him as a sounding board for difficult problems. He is totally selfless and quite a remarkable person.”

Don’t miss 2011 Awards

Karl Stensson, left, accepts the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s president’s award from CNLA president, Cary van Zanten.

could imagine.” This award represents the pinnacle of a career of industry service. Karl Stensson

This year’s Awards of Excellence Gala takes place on Tues., Jan. 11, 2011 in the upstairs ballroom at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel. This year LO embraces its new demographic with a nightclub themed gala, to reflect the growing number of entries from younger companies. Companies receive one free ticket for every entry. Tickets are available through the Congress registration page on www.locongress.com for $35.

Getting ready for Congress By Kristen McIntyre CHTR

I have been away for almost a year on maternity leave. I am amazed at how much things have changed. A few days after I came back to work, I went to Expo, and it was great to reconnect with so many familiar faces. At the same time I quickly noticed that our membership demographic has changed. There are many more youthful faces at the forefront eager to soak up all we have to offer. These new leaders are looking to shape our great industry. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the 2011 Congress Conference, in conjunction with our trade show. We are offering sessions from Jan. 11 to 13. On the schedule for Jan. 11, is our ever-popular Awards of Excellence. Keeping our new demographic in mind, this year’s event will have a nightclub theme, and

promises to entertain everyone. Get your tickets sooner rather than later, so you don’t miss out. I look forward to re-connecting with every-

one and welcome comments anytime. I can be reached at kristen@landscapeontario.com.

In memoriam

Dashiell James Service joined the LO team at 8:18 a.m., on Sept. 30. The first son of LO’s information technology manager Ian Service and his wife Brianne, Dashiell weighed in at 9lbs., 14 ozs.

Sandra Hasselman, co-owner of Dutchman’s Landscaping in Burlington, passed away on Mon., Oct. 18. The funeral took place on Oct. 23 at Smith’s Funeral Home in Burlington. LO lost a good friend in Uli Dubach from Harmony Printing. Uli had been printing Horticulture Review and other materials for the green industry for over 12 years. His funeral was held on Oct. 27 at the Egan Funeral Home in Bolton.

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 25

PROSPERITY PARTNERS

Proud of LO’s prosperity By Jacki Hart CLP Prosperity Partners program manager

s many probably know, attending the Build Your Prosperity seminar is a mandatory requirement for new members. LO is pleased to see our new members receive an early return on their investment in LO, as they gain a stronger foothold in their business journey. Great Lakes Conference Last month, I travelled with Tony DiGiovanni Jacki Hart and Tom Intven to the Great Lakes Conference in Michigan. This conference is held annually, and hosts the horticultural associations of eight states, plus Ontario – all bordering the Great Lakes. It is a great venue to exchange ideas and current reality sharing, as we all surf methods on how to maintain economic restraint and keep up with rapid change. Relative to our counterparts to the south, I am proud to report that Landscape Ontario is enormously prosperous, vibrant and engaged. Having an association the size of LO is exceptional — we are the largest by far — which is of huge benefit to our members. The expression concerning strength in numbers rings true with LO. We have an outstanding executive director and staff, with successful and profit generating trade shows, and a professional development program second to none. We are the envy of all. To quote the executive director of Illinois, Dave Becker, “You guys aren’t an association, you are a government!” Our peers south of the border were awestruck at all of the touch points we have, and the scope of our professional development programs. Here’s the summary of what we reported at the conference – a list of accomplishments of which you should be very proud.

Canada. There are only 75 Red Seal trades. Landscape Horticulture is now one of them. The designation raises the stature of our trade. It also comes with a number of employer and employee benefits.

and timely training for all safety issues facing employers of our industry. Landscape Safety.com is owned by LO member Jay Murray, TLC Landscaping.

Future changes Although we offer access to a number of webinars, which are becoming a popular delivery method, traditional classroom training is still our most successful. We experienced moderate growth this year, with 4,025 attendees in our educational programs. The following numbers show attendance at each of the programs: winter workshops (225), 1,900; irrigation conference, 80; landscaper designers conference, 185; IPM Symposium, 400; OPA conference, 75; Congress seminars (32); 800, Garden Centre Symposium, 110; Interiorscape Breakfast, 50; Landscape Designers Breakfast, 60; Snow Symposium, 100; Contractors Lecture Series, 90; Growers Short Course, 160; Lighting Symposium, 90; Growers’ Tour, 120; three Growers Dinner Meetings, 150; Chapter education programs, 1,350; Total attendance: 4,025.

ClarityfortheBoss.com. This online initiative is launching its first course on Nov. 15, 2010. This owner training program targets the Prosperity Partners pillars of Leadership, Sales Success, Financial Health and Developing Customer Loyalty. The introductory course for Clarity for the Boss is an Internet accessible 26 module program designed to target the perennial people problems many owners experience. Several e-books are also available. It is designed to support learning through engagement, ready-to-use solutions, peer to peer learning partner support, live webinar participation, face to face seminars and email support. ClarityfortheBoss.com is owned by LO member Jacki Hart, Water’s Edge Landscaping.

New education models Another education model at our fingertips quickly gaining popularity is online delivery of relevant programs. Three of these are presently experiencing great interest and may become the future preferred training methods. Created by members, these programs are all endorsed by the Prosperity Partners for our members and beyond:

Professional development Our professional development committee streamlined our programming, eliminated duplication and created a sense of laddering and continuity in our winter workshops.

LandscapeManagementNetwork.com. This is an online offering targeting the Prosperity Partners pillars of Sales Success, Professional Operations and Financial Health. Owners and employees purchase subscriptions to an online operating system that includes budgeting, estimating, operations, employee training and just about any process or content required to operate a landscape business. The employee modules on safety and equipment operations provide the business owner with the documentation required to prove that their employees comply with government requirements. Landscape Management Network.com is owned by LO member Mark Bradley, The Beach Gardener.

Long-term education We have made great strides, especially in the area of Red Seal apprenticeships. Red Seal is a term used for occupations that align standards across

LandscapeSafety.com. This online offering targets the Professional Operations pillar. It simplifies due diligence on the part of the business owner, and ensures compliance, convenient

26 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

New winter workshop offerings This year’s program for workshops is better than ever. Starting with the Professional Development Guide, LO staff refreshed the look, and navigation through the publication provided easier selection and coordination of courses. All courses are aligned with the Prosperity Pillars. Watch for your copy! The Professional Development Guide was polybagged with last month’s Horticulture Review. A pdf version is available online at http:// bit.ly/DevGuide. You will notice in the guide that the Prosperity Partners program is offering only the Build Your Prosperity seminars in Milton. In order for us to offer this seminar to members in other chapters, please contact one of your Chapter Board members, and ask to poll your chapter members to rally participation. Chapters who recruit a minimum of 10 registrants can enjoy having this dynamic, effective seminar delivered in your own Chapter. The next Prosperity Partners seminars are: Milton, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, at the home office in Milton. Make the time to come in from the frantic pace of your business, and get a handle on your journey to prosperity. Go to www. horttrades.com/prosperity to learn more. Jacki Hart may be reached at prosperity@landscapeontario.com.

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 27

CLASSIFIED ADS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES For lease Garden centre (florist) established 25 years with store and greenhouses. Owner retiring. Growing area. Maple, Ontario. Great exposure. (416) 708-8805

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ONTARIO LANDSCAPING LIMITED Experienced landscape labourers required to perform manual work. To assist in cultivating, digging and planting of trees. Labourer hourly rate $15.00. Also required driver – class A licence, Z certificate and mobile crane operator 0-8. Driver hourly rate $17.50. Seasonal employment starting April 1/10 to Nov 30/10. Job Site Keswick, Ont. Fax resume to (905) 898-0360 or call (905) 898-6856 Landscape Maintenance Landscape Construction Snow Removal Required: Estimator Experienced in complete tendering process. Quantity takeoff through to final tender completion. Required by Exel Contracting Inc., serving Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. Established in 1989. Pay dependant on experience. Year round work and benefits. Fax or email resume to: Exel Contracting Inc. Ian Rowbotham Phone: (613) 831-3935 Fax: (613) 831-2794 E-mail: ian@exelcontracting.ca

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING INFORMATION All classified ads must be pre-paid by VISA or Mastercard. Rates: $42.00 (HST included) per column inch Min. order $45.20. 15% discount on ads run for entire calendar year. Box Numbers: Additional $10. Confidentiality ensured. Deadlines: 20th day of the month prior to issue date. (eg: June issue deadline is May 20th). January deadline is Dec. 1. Space is limited to a first come, first served basis. To advertise: E-mail your name, phone number and ad to Robert at classifieds@landscapeontario. com or fax to (905) 875-0183. Online advertising: Website only ads are available for $45.20 (HST included). Website ads are posted for 30 days and are limited to 325 words. View these ads and more online at:

www.horttrades.com/classifieds

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

EQUIPMENT

Career Opportunity Technical Sales Representative – Greenhouse, Nursery and Mushroom Location: Ontario with 20% travel out of province. Engage Agro Corporation is a leader in the supply of crop protection products for specialty crop markets in Canada. Our business model focuses on the development, registration, and marketing of crop protection products for niche markets. We are now growing our business into the Greenhouse (ornamental and vegetable), Nursery and Mushroom markets and are in need of a Technical Sales Representative to create demand at the end-user level and with our retail partners. In the role of Technical Sales Representative, you will be the credible source of information to your customers. You will develop and execute sales plans working with the Business Unit Manager to convey technical information and create demand for the company’s product line. Our ideal candidate will have a strong background in sales to the greenhouse, nursery and mushroom markets in Canada. Additional experience in crop protection would be an asset, as you will be representing a number of miticides, insecticides and fungicides into these markets. This is a highly technical role yet also requires excellent interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with your clients. We offer a competitive salary, bonus potential, benefits package and car allowance. This is a unique opportunity to work with a terrific company and advance your career in the agriculture industry. For more information, please contact us directly. Apply today by sending your resume to: Attention: Joanne Miltenburg Engage Agro Corporation 1030 Gordon Street, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4X5 Or email to: joannemiltenburg@engageagro.com Please note that only candidates eligible to work in Canada will be considered for this position.

FINN Hydroseeders & Bark Blowers New and Used • Flex Guard FRM • Soil Guard BFM • Erosion Control Blanket Seed & Fertilizer Toll free: (888) 298-9911 Fax: (905) 761-7959 www.fibramulch.com

Landscape Maintenance Landscape Construction Snow Removal Require: Forepersons Required by Exel Contracting Inc., serving Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. Established in 1989. Pay dependant on experience. Year round work and benefits. Fax or email resume to: Exel Contracting Inc. Ian Rowbotham Phone: (613) 831-3935 Fax: (613) 831-2794 E-mail: ian@exelcontracting.ca

28 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

BOWIE HYDROMULCHERS (New and Used) FLEXTERRA FGM HYDROBLANKETS BFM F4 NETTLESS ECB MULCH IT P.O. Box 100, Putnam, ON N0L 2B0 Tel: (519) 425-0342 • Fax: (519) 425-4195 www.mulchit.on.ca

NURSERY STOCK Hofland Gardens Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Groundcovers Tel: 905-355-3392 E-mail: hoflandgardens@phc.igs.net GROUND COVERS UNLIMITED Your Ontario source for ornamental and native ground covers. Call, fax, or write for the 2010 Catalogue and planting guide. GROUND COVERS UNLIMITED 1045 Porter Road, P.O. Box 190 Bethany, ON L0A 1A0 Tel: (705) 277-3005 Fax: (705) 277-9213

SERVICES AND SUPPLIES TREE TRANSPLANTING Transplanting trees up to 9” truck diameter with 10,000 lb. rootball. 44”, 80” & 90” spades to move trees with and can basket up to 90” 100 acres of trees to choose from. BOTANIX OXFORD INSTA-SHADE RR # 2, Burgessville ON N0J 1C0 Tel: (519) 424-2180 • Fax: (519) 424-2420 Toll Free: 1-800-387-0246 Contact Jan Veldhuizen E-mail: jan@oxfordinstashade.com www.oxfordinstashade.com

Get INSPIRED Get CONNECTED

AD INDEX COMPANY

PAGE

PHONE

WEBSITE

Canadale Nurseries Ltd......................................31.......... 519-631-1008............................. www.canadale.com Draglam Salt (G&L Group)................................15.......... 416-798-7050......................... www.draglamsalt.com Dutchmaster........................................................32.......... 905-683-8211......... www.dutchmasternurseries.com Hillen Nursery Inc.............................................16-17.......519-264-9057 Hort Protect (CNLA) ...........................................19.......... 888-446-3499............................www.hortprotect.com Landscape Safety ..............................................12.......... 877-482-2323...................www.landscapesafety.com Legends Landscape Supply Inc.........................22.......... 905-336-3369....................... www.landscapestore.ca Limestone Trail Company Ltd..............................6........... 905-563-8133........................www.limestonetrail.com Mankar Distributing Inc........................................8........... 647-309-7826.................................... www.mankar.ca Newroads National Leasing................................29.......... 416-587-1021................. www.newroadsleasing.com Nisco National Leasing.......................................18.......... 888-634-9559...............lcatalano@niscocanada.com Riverbend Farms (Ontario) Ltd...........................13.......... 519-765-2130......... riverbendfarms@amtelecom.net R.M. Adams Trucking Ltd (Adams Landscape Supply)...........................21.......... 519-774-0151 .........www.adamslandscapesupply.ca Sipkens Nurseries Ltd.........................................12.......... 866-843-0438................. www.sipkensnurseries.com Sinclair Cockburn Financial Group......................2...... 416-790-2149 x361................darren.rodrigues@scfg.ca Stam Nurseries....................................................20.......... 519-424-3350.................... www.stamsnurseries.com Uxbridge Nurseries Ltd........................................7........... 905-655-3379................www.uxbridgenurseries.com Winkelmolen Nursery Ltd....................................14.......... 519-647-3912.........................www.winkelmolen.com Zander Sod Co Ltd..............................................20.......... 877-727-2100............................www.zandersod.com

,Q 6SLWH RI WKH 7RXJK (FRQRPLF 7LPHVÂ«

RI 2XU ([KLELWRUV 5HQHZ (DFK <HDU

0DNLQJ *UHHQ7UDGH D Â¶'RQÂ·W 0LVVÂ· 6KRZÂ« WK $QQXDO

February 16th â&#x20AC;¢ 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 pm Civic Centre, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa

%OHVVHG E\ RXU VWDEOH )HGHUDO *RYHUQPHQW (DVWHUQ 2QWDULR KDV ZHDWKHUHG WKH JOREDO HFRQRPLF VWUXJJOHV EHWWHU WKDQ DOPRVW DQ\ZKHUH LQ 1RUWK $PHULFDÂ« DQG KHUH DUH RWKHU JUHDW UHDVRQV WR H[KLELW DW *UHHQ7UDGH ([SR Â« RPSDUHG WR RWKHU UHJLRQV (DVWHUQ 2QWDULR FRQWUDFWRUV LQ WKLV VWDEOH UHJLRQ 9 &DUH LQ D EHWWHU SRVLWLRQ WR EX\ \RXU SURGXFWV VHUYLFHV 2YHU (DVWHUQ 2QWDULR :HVWHUQ 4XHEHF JUHHQ LQGXVWU\ 9 SURIHVVLRQDOV ZLOO DWWHQG DOI WKH DWWHQGHHV DUH RZQHUV GHFLVLRQ PDNHUV ZKR FRPH WR PDNH 9 +EX\LQJ GHFLVLRQV H KROG RXU VKRZ DW WKH ULJKW WLPH RI \HDU LQ D WLPH FRVW HIIHFWLYH 9 : GD\ IRUPDW DQG GHOLYHU SURYHQ UHVXOWV $ JUHDW VDOHV DQG PDUNHWLQJ HQYLURQPHQW ZLWK SURJUHVVLYH HDJHU ODQGVFDSH LQGXVWU\ SURIHVVLRQDOVÂ« 3UHVHQWHG E\ WKH 2WWDZD &KDSWHU RI /DQGVFDSH 2QWDULR

D O O 12: )RU ( [KLELW 6SDF H

%RRN \RXU H[KLELW VSDFH 72'$<

*HW GHWDLOV UHJLVWUDWLRQ LQIRUPDWLRQ RQ OLQH DWÂ«

ZZZ *UHHQ7UDGH FD

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010â&#x20AC;&#x192; 29

LEGAL ISSUES

Standards needed in winter maintenance contracts By Robert Kennaley McLauchlin & Associates

ast year we revisited risk management under the winter maintenance contract. In doing so, we cautioned that an insurance crisis would soon be upon us. A year later, and while the word crisis might not overstate what is happening, there is no question that insurance issues have again become a very significant topic of conversation among winter maintenance contractors. Rob Kennaley First, you will recall that more than 10 years ago Landscape Ontario and CNLA took a lead role in creating and marketing Hort Protect, an insurance product that offers members discounted insurance premiums based on the sheer volume of members that need the insurance. The Hort Protect program was then placed with Lombard Canada Insurance. Loss of Coverage Recently, Lombard imposed significant restrictions, effective July 1, 2010, resulting in the loss of liability coverage for snow removal operators, along with announced rate increases. This was a concern to anyone engaged in winter snow and ice maintenance. Increased insurance costs can have a significant effect on a business’s bottom line. More importantly, however, an inability to obtain insurance might be the end of a winter maintenance business. LO and CNLA continue to do what they can to address these issues. First, LO and CNLA have taken steps to revise and update the LO Standard Form Winter Maintenance Contract, which has been widely used since 2002. Also, and importantly, CNLA announced that Marsh Canada had been named as the new insurance broker of record for the Hort Protect program. LO and CNLA need your help, however, to better manage the insurance crisis with respect to winter maintenance work in the long run. This is because, in the past, owners and property managers have often off-loaded the discretion to decide if, when and how ice melting products should be applied to the winter maintenance contractor. In the event of a slip and fall, the claimant would invariably argue that that

discretion was improperly exercised. In other words, the person who fell would argue that the contractor had not properly decided when, how and in what quantities of ice melting products were applied. Whether or not the contractor had properly exercised the discretion would be a matter of dispute, because there have been no standards for determining a distribution rate for ice melting products in particular circumstances. Standards in contract On the other hand, if standards for ice melter distribution can be established, these can be incorporated into the winter maintenance contract. In other words, if the standards exist, the contract can state that the contractor will meet that standard. In the event of a slip and fall, whether or not the contractor met the standard can be easily established. In turn, if the contractor can show he met the distribution rate required by the standard through various ways available to track that information. The contractor should then be able to successfully argue that he or she met his or her contractual requirements. A set of standards is a tool that contractors can use to eliminate debate and disputes over whether or not a proper quantity of ice melting product was applied at appropriate times. Standards allow contractors to simply state, “I will meet the standard.” So long as they can show they did, they can avoid liability for breach of contract or negligence.

A standards, however, does not arise on its own. LO and CNLA need the widespread assistance of winter maintenance contractors to participate in an ongoing research study into application rates. The results of this study will be used in the preparation of the standards that can, in turn, be used to reduce liability, and increase insurability, for all winter maintenance contractors. In short, participation in this study is critical for anyone who provides winter maintenance services to parking lots. The Snow and Ice Management Sector Group of Landscape Ontario has commissioned the research study. It is aimed at developing an optimum and defensible standard for salt application rates for parking lots. Registration for the program is through Tony DiGiovanni, who may be contacted at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 2304, or at tonydigiovanni@landscapeontario.com. For more information on the study go to http://bit.ly/saltstudy. Robert Kennaley practices construction law in Toronto and Simcoe. He speaks and writes on construction law issues and can be reached for comment at 416-368-2522, or kennaley@ mclauchlin.ca. This material is for information purposes and is not intended to provide legal advice in relation to any particular fact situation. Readers who have concerns about any particular circumstance are encouraged to seek independent legal advice in that regard.

Hort Protect insurance carrier announces program underwriter Marsh Canada, the exclusive insurance and risk management broker for the HortProtect Property and Casualty Insurance Program, announced the appointment on Oct. 15 of RSA as the underwriter program. RSA is a member company of Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group, one of Canada’s largest property and casualty insurance companies. The Canadian head office is located in Toronto. The announcement of switching insurance carriers took place on Sept. 15. “Sinclair Cockburn and Lombard imposed a significant coverage restriction, effective July 1, 2010, therefore removing any liability coverage for snow removal operations along with double-digit rate increases to all mem-

30 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010

bers,” said CNLA executive director Victor Santacruz, CAE, CLP. “This restriction was unacceptable and CNLA and its insurance committee sought alternative solutions.” “We encourage members to support this new initiative and we will provide you with tools to help you minimize your overall costs,” says CNLA’s insurance committee chair Gerald Boot, who is also past president of Landscape Ontario. To contact Marsh Canada, use the toll free telephone number at 1-888-949-4360, or email cnla.hortprotect@marsh.com. For more information, contact Joel Beatson CLP, CAE at CNLA, 1-888-446-3499, ext. 8620, or go to www.canadanursery.com.

NEW MEMBERS Durham Feddema Landscaping Ltd Sid Feddema 6626 Leskard Rd Orono, ON L0B 1M0 Tel: 905-213-8999 Membership Type: Active Georgian Lakelands D. Carr Excavating Dan Carr 8709 8th Line, Essa Utopia, ON L0M 1T0 Tel: 705-726-3253 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Planet Pals Inc Dan Galea B2060 Concession 6 (Thorah), RR 2 Beaverton, ON L0K 1A0 Tel: 705-426-7045 Membership Type: Active Richview Lawn Equipment Ltd Douglas Selders 290 Yonge St Barrie, ON L4N 4C7 Tel: 705-722-8400 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Golden Horseshoe J. Holmes Enterprises Julian Holmes 5 Coleman Court Dundas, ON L9H 6Y8 Tel: 905-628-8075 Membership Type: Active

SGI Lighting Inc Sapna Santdasani 226 - 6 Queen St E Brampton, ON L6W 4S6 Tel: 905-487-8192 Membership Type: Associate Robin Lynn Buchanan Campbellville, ON Membership Type: Horticultural Sandy Henderson Wakefield, QC Membership Type: Horticultural

Christie MacFadyen Toronto, ON Membership Type: Horticultural Michelle Robinson Brampton, ON Membership Type: Horticultural Peter Summers Richmond Hill, ON Membership Type: Horticultural

Attention Independent Garden Centres:

CANADALE NURSERIES

wants to help you thrive in the new economy, here’s how: In 2011, your customers will be looking for deals more than ever, Let us help you plan your sale schedule in the winter. Use our Great Sale Plants to plan your weekly sale schedule. You need a Plan to be successful this coming year more than ever! Don’t count on unknown last minute sales.

Toronto Corix Water Products Warren Eyolfson 1128 Burdette St Richomond, BC V6V 2Z3 Tel: 604-273-4987 Membership Type: Associate Drivetec Rheal Duprey 16 Estate Dr Toronto, ON M1H 2Z1 Tel: 416-439-4994 Membership Type: Associate Ecocut Services Inc Greg Kasparian 608 Davenport Rd Toronto, ON M5R 1K9 Tel: 416-792-3438 Membership Type: Active Maple Creek Lawn & Home Services Mark Cooper 1 Walmsley Blvd Toronto, ON M4V 1X5 Tel: 416-434-6250 Membership Type: Interim Resolve Software Solutions Inc Geoff McBeath 200 - 3991 Henning Dr Burnaby, BC V5C 6N5 Tel: 604-731-6847 Membership Type: Associate Servcon Inc. & Grank Oak Joe Bunker 13 - 25 West Beaver Creek Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1K2 Tel: 905-881-4300 x222 Membership Type: Active

Differentiate Yourself by Offering Unique Plants! In 2011, set yourself apart with unique plant material. Your customers will still want new and unique plants to make their yards their own. Canadale can help with its Specialty, Unique and New plant lists.

Let us Help You! With years of experience, let us help you to plan your success for next year. We’d love to sit down with you to discuss your plant needs for the entire gardening season of 2011. Call and set up an appointment.

269 Sunset Drive St. Thomas, Ontario N5R 3C4 Phone: (519) 631-1008 Fax: (519) 631-0818 E-mail: tji@canadale.com

HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 31

32 HORTICULTURE REVIEW - NOVEMBER 15, 2010