October 2015 www.horttrades.com
FRESH IDEAS
PM 40013519
NEW
ENERGY LO’s reimagined Thrive event provides cross-sector value Page 4
We’re excited about our
2016 Catalogue!
ead of th Stay ah NTS e curve from Ca NEW PLA nada h t i w le
Set yourself apart with our UNIQUE PLANTS 269 Sunset Drive, St.Thomas, ON N5R 3C4 P: 519-631-1008 • F: 519-631-0818 tji@canadale.com • cjs@canadale.com 2 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015 www.canadale.com
We offer great sale plants to help you compete
S’ LOGO
SUMERS’ RS’ LOGO , Website edia, etc.)
ON LOGO
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Have you asked for a referral lately? By Dave Braun LO president
A
fter 25 years of great service, my deck now officially needs replacing, making this my first experience in deck building. I inherited this deck when I moved into my home. Unlike many of our multi-talented LO members, my wife will attest that I fall firmly into the “not handy” category and need outside help when tackling household projects. Knowing that I couldn’t go this alone, I immediately thought about how I took care of other past fixes that were needed at our home. Last summer, our driveway was in desperate need of re-paving. My wife and I bumped our way up and into our garage for several months because the asphalt right in front of the garage had settled. I was unsure of who to call for this job (I didn’t want the entire drive replaced, just mended to make for a smooth entry into the garage). I mentioned our driveway situation to
October, 2015 • Volume 33, No. 9 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. ISSN 1928-9553 Publications Mail Agreement No. PM40013519
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department Landscape Ontario 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 Canada Phone: 905-875-1805
one of our employees. He instantly recommended that I contact one of his friends, who had done similar work for him. I met with the recommended driveway paver shortly thereafter. Despite a slight language barrier, I felt very comfortable hiring this man to do the job, because I knew that I could trust my employee to recommend someone who was capable and honest. Just as promised, our driveway was finished exactly as we had requested and even more quickly than we had expected. Around the same time last year, we needed some electrical work done at the house. I was having dinner with a friend, who had recently moved and had a great deal of electrical work done. During our conversation, he happened to mention how happy he was with the efficiency of the workman he had chosen. I couldn’t believe my luck and asked if he would mind passing along the electrician’s contact information. After meeting with the referred electrician, I booked him for the job. I can honestly say that I didn’t choose him because he had better prices than the other electricians we spoke with, but simply because I “felt better” about the fact that my friend had approved. So, as you might have guessed, instead
Publisher Lee Ann Knudsen CLM lak@landscapeontario.com, 416-848-7557 Editorial director Sarah Willis sarahw@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5424 Editor Allan Dennis adennis@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5345 Graphic designer Mike Wasilewski mikew@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5343 Sales manager Steve Moyer stevemoyer@landscapeontario.com, 416-848-0708 Integrated solutions representative Greg Sumsion gsumsion@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-6977 Communications coordinator Angela Lindsay alindsay@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5305 Accountant Joe Sabatino jsabatino@landscapeontario.com, 647-724-8585 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO STAFF Darryl Bond, Kim Burton, Myscha Burton, Rachel Cerelli, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Rob Ellidge, Denis Flanagan CLD, Sally Harvey CLT CLM CAE, Jane Leworthy, Heather MacRae, Kristen McIntyre CHT CEM, Kathy McLean, Linda Nodello, Kathleen Pugliese, Ian Service, Tom Somerville, Martha Walsh, Cassandra Wiesner
Views expressed are those of the writer concerned. Landscape Ontario assumes no responsibility for the validity or correctness of any opinions or references made by the author. Copyright 2015, reproduction or the use of whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Published 11x 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
of searching for an unknown builder for our deck, I consulted friends and family for possible referrals. As soon as I mentioned that we were replacing our deck, my dad said, “Oh yes, you have to use my guy!” He even offered to call him for me. My dad was actually excited to pass along the name of a workman, who he believes will do as great a job for us as he did for him. It seems that every business recognizes the value of referrals, but do we think that they are worth asking for them? As someone who likes to consult the facts, I wanted to see whether or not there was any data to back up the notion that all businesses shouldn’t wait around for referrals to come to you, but to actively seek them out. A study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania on referral programs, followed the customer referral program at a bank. The study found that referred customers were both more loyal and more profitable than other customers. It seems that not only do referrals save advertising costs, even if you had an unlimited advertising budget, referred customers are more loyal and more profitable. A LinkedIn resource on referrals recommends these five simple steps to maximize referral potential: 1. Encourage your most satisfied customers to refer your business; 2. Offer an incentive; 3. Track results; 4. Thank referring customers; 5.. Make it easy to refer your business. Just like Mom and Dad always said, “It doesn’t hurt to ask!” Dave Braun may be reached at dbraun@landscapeontario.com.
GARDEN EXPO GARDEN CENTRE AWARDS SNOWPOSIUM INDUSTRY AUCTION
10 11 12 20 21 22 25 30 30
4 6 7 8
FEATURES JOHN WRIGHT TRIBUTE EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION NEWS NEW MEMBERS EVENTS INDUSTRY NEWS COLUMNS AD INDEX CLASSIFIEDS WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 3
The aisles at Garden Expo’s new home at the Ancaster Fairgrounds at Thrive saw good traffic on Wednesday and Thursday. The new location received positive reviews from both vendors and attendees.
Garden Expo enjoys new home under Thrive banner The 16th annual Garden Expo was very different this year. Previously held at the Toronto Congress Centre in October, this year Expo was staged at the Ancaster Fairgrounds as part of the newly created Thrive on Sept. 16-17. “Ancaster Fairgrounds proved an excellent location, handling all of the moving parts to this mega event,” said LO Trade Show Manager Heather MacRae. “With just over 1,000 attendees, the property was alive with Landscape Ontario pride, whether you attended the Garden Centre breakfast event featuring Judy Sharpton, the snow sessions, or Industry Auction.” Thrive ’15 brought together Garden Expo with formerly independent events Snowposium, Industry Auction and the Golden Horseshoe Chapter Chicken Roast. When the trade show committee began to plan a new concept for Expo, members agreed at the time that,
4 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
“Thrive’s primary purpose is to connect delegates and provide face-to-face opportunities in a casual environment with new products and concepts, industry leaders and ideas that will inspire you to meet the challenges of today’s new business atmosphere.” The name Thrive was chosen based on the thriving environment, of not only LO, but the entire green industry. Ancaster Fairgrounds provided a whole different environment for Garden Expo, compared to the Toronto Congress, which was home to Expo for many years. Through informal discussion with both attendees and exhibitors at Thrive ’15, it appears that the goal was achieved. Vendors noted there were some very serious buyers in attendance. More than 100 industry leaders and innovators showcased their newest and most trending products at Garden Expo. Many attendees commented on the attractiveness of the booths, comparing
some to Canada Blooms. MacRae commented on the high quality of booths at Thrive. “As in the past, Garden Expo exhibitors continue to raise the benchmark with their exhibits. The quality of the exhibits was second to none, and that is what continues to make the show look so spectacular.” The garden centre awards ceremony began Wednesday’s schedule, which also featured keynote speaker Judy Sharpton, well-known garden centre design and renovation specialist. She spoke about a wide range of renovation and new construction design services, under the title Retail Evolution: The Black Plastic Trash Can and You. Perry Grobe from Grobe Nursery in Breslau performed an exceptional job as MC at the Retailers Breakfast keynote and welcoming guests in the Buds n’ Suds Tent opening morning. Denis Flanagan, public relations manager of Landscape Ontario, again wowed guests with his celebrity-hosting abilities at the Garden Centre Awards of Excellence program. The Buds n’ Suds Tent was sponsored by Fafard, celebrating its 75th anniver-
sary. “It was great that Fafard could be with us to celebrate the anniversary by bringing the Buds n’ Suds tent to life for our delegates,” said Kristin McIntyre, Conference and Event Manager. We give the Fafard team a big thank you and congratulations on their 75th!” “Connon NVK was an amazing partner at Thrive ’15,” said McIntyre. “They provided everything from lunch to plant material for show decor with their amazing staff — all with a smile.” McIntyre also noted that Braun Nursery came to the rescue with a fantastic take-down crew. Right now all the numbers are being crunched and reviewed. MacRae says, “We plan to meet with all the different sector groups to obtain feedback on this first-time venture. For all who were involved, thank you for ensuring yet another Landscape Ontario event was a successful one.” Sponsors of this year’s Garden Expo were Connon Nurseries/CBV Holdings, Connon Nurseries/NVK Holdings, Fafard et Freres, Flowers Canada (Ontario),
Garden Expo had lots of plant material and garden accessories to grab the attention of attendees.
G&L Group, Global Arch, StoneArch, Nash Lobo Company, Outdoor Lifestyle magazine, Permacon, Pick Ontario, Plant Products and Somerville Nurseries. The next big event for Landscape
Ontario is Congress from Jan. 12 to 14 at the Toronto Congress Centre. For more information on this event, go to locongress.com.
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 5
Opening morning of Thrive began with Awards of Excellence presentations. In photo, from left, LO second vice present Paul Brydges hands out award plaques for outstanding display of plant material, to Brian Sipkens of Sipkens Nurseries, Lesley Livingston of Canadale Nurseries, and Dorus Polman of Bradford Greenhouses Garden Gallery.
Garden Centre Awards of Excellence winners announced at Thrive This year’s top garden centres and growers were recognized during Thrive ’15. The Sept. 16 event saw garden centre owners from across the province, from as far north as Alzilda (near Sudbury), receive recognition for excellence. Categories cover all operations of garden centres, including interior and exterior displays in merchandising, websites and plant displays. “It is a difficult task when selecting the best from a crop of companies and people who excel in their field,” says Denis Flanagan. “The Awards of Excellence program is looking for those who go above and beyond to add something extra to their displays and marketing, as well as endeavour to ensure their customers are truly satisfied. This year’s winners are certainly deserving of the honour in recognition of
6 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
the dedication they have shown to their retail and growing operations.” The following are the 2015 Awards of Excellence garden centre winners. Azilda Greenhouses, Azilda Display of Plant Material. Bradford Greenhouses Garden Gallery, Barrie Display of Plant Material — annuals and/or perennials; Display of Goods — seasonal. Canadale Nurseries, St. Thomas Merchandising Techniques — promotional event; Display of Plant Material — annuals and/or perennials. Maidstone Tree Farm, London Merchandising Techniques — website development.
Parkway Gardens, London Display of Plant Material — your specialty; Display of Goods — hardgoods. Peter Knippel Garden Centre, Gloucester Permanent Display Gardens — under 500 square feet Sandhill Nursery, Huntsville Merchandising Techniques — promotional event; Merchandising Techniques — outstanding print advertising; Display of Goods — giftware; Display of Goods — seasonal. Sipkens Nurseries (Palace Perennials), Wyoming Merchandising Techniques —website development; Display of Plant Material — annuals and/or perennials; Display of Goods — hardgoods; Display of Plant Material — evergreens and/or broadleaf evergreens; Display of Goods — seasonal; Merchandising Techniques — promotional event. Windermere Garden Centre, Utterson Merchandising Techniques — website development.
Fantastic weather blessed the outdoor trade show at Thrive’s Snowposium.
Snowposium enjoys great weather and well-attended sessions Gorgeous sunny skies blessed the two days of this year’s Snow and Ice Conference as part of Thrive ’15. Hosted by the Snow and Ice Sector Group, the event featured over 20 outdoor displays at the Ancaster Fairgrounds. Attendees had the opportunity the view the newest and best products to handle winter maintenance jobs. It wasn’t just outdoor displays at the Conference. The morning schedules featured information sessions with Gerald Boot from Boot’s Landscaping, Thornhill, performing the MC duties. “He did a fabulous job of warming up the crowd which gathered for the snow seminars,” said
Kristen McIntyre, Conference and Event Manager. The Sept. 16 conference featured Mark Bradley, CEO of TBG Landscape and LMN. His topic was entitled Get More Jobs Done On Time + On Budget with Better Job Costing! This popular session saw Bradley reveal how to have employees work faster, and help teams work more effectively. He also talked about how to use equipment to reduce job time and overhead costs and knowing when to invest in equipment. The following seminar featured Phill Sexton of Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA). He spoke about best
practice guidelines for benchmarking a snow and ice management plan. He also covered a variety of issues, including safety and return on investment for employees. The Ministry of Transportation session drew a great deal of attention, as ministry officers outlined what to avoid during the upcoming season. Exhibitors taking part in the outdoor show included D & D Property Maintenance, Dozr, Drive Products, Draglam Salt, Eloquip, Equipe VTC Mfg., Fairway Building Supply, G.C. Duke Equipment, Outdoor Supply and Equipment, Leggat Auto Group, Premier Equipment, Premier Equipment Rentals, Rittenhouse, SIMA, The Kissner Group, Toro Dingo, Twin Equipment, Tillson Brands and Windmill Power Equipment. Feedback from the exhibitors was positive. Many suggested the show become a one-day event.
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 7
This year’s Industry Auction, held as part of Thrive, offered great plant material at low prices.
Auction continues success at Thrive The 2015 edition of Landscape Ontario’s Industry Auction became part of Thrive this year. For the past 36 years, the Growers’ Sector Group has hosted the annual event. The auction raises money for horticultural research and scholarships. Items up for auction are donated by growers and suppliers. The Growers’ Awards of Excellence entries were judged in the morning and the winners announced at the end of the auction. An Awards of Excellence certificate went to each of the 12 winning lots, which were then auctioned. The winners are listed at end of this article. Special appreciation goes to the dedicated members of the Grower Awards of Excellence judging panel, who offered their time and expertise: Jen Llewellyn, OMAF; Sean Fox, Arboretum, University of Guelph; Perry Grobe, Grobe’s Nursery; Len Mancini, Holland Park; and Jim Lounsbery, Mohawk College. On hand to welcome visitors to the event was Landscape Ontario president Dave Braun. He thanked all those who helped to make the Auction such a great success. First time attendee to the auction,
8 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
Lindsay Drake Nightingale of Yorkshire Garden Services in Concord, said, “I was so impressed with the high quality plant material and astounded at low prices that were winning bids.” She went on to say she would have purchased more plants, but she brought her half-ton and had no more space to carry anything more than the couple of skids she purchased. “I will
definitely be encouraging our members to attend next year’s auction, not just for quality and price, but the money goes to such a good cause.” Industry volunteers who worked to run the auction included operations manager John Moons, Harry DeVries, Beth Edney CLD, Brandon Lovegrove, Gerwin Bouman, John Mantel, Dave Braun, Mary Jane Clark, Jeff Gregg, Serge Leclair, Jen Llewellyn, Glen Lumis, Jamie Picket, Fred Somerville, Christine Stein, Joel Schraven, Dave Tillaart, Casey Vanderkruk and Jeanine West.
Golden Horseshoe Chapter’s Chicken Roast had volunteers bring their unique cookery to Thrive.
Back for another year was auctioneer Jim McCartney. As always, he added his sense of humour and fun to the event. A special bidders’ prize this year was a TV, donated by Plant Products. It was won by Mike Thomas of Hort Protect. Generous donors to the 2015 auction include Plant Products, Phyto Serv, Mill-
grove Perennials, Langendoen Nurseries, Somerville Nurseries, JM Peeters Nurseries, Timm Enterprises, Fox Hollow Farms, J.C. Bakker and Sons, Canadale Nurseries, M. Putzer Hornby Nursery, Evergro, Willowbrook Nurseries, Dutchmaster Nursery, Gro-Bark/Connect Equipment, Hillen Nursery, Sheridan Nurseries –
Georgetown, Winkelmolen Nurseries, Connon NVK and Trivic Trees. Refreshments were courtesy of Evergro, and lunch was provided by Somerville Nurseries. Equipment and operators were courtesy of Connon AVK Nursery Holdings and Connon NVK.
2015 GROWERS’ AWARD WINNERS CATEGORY
PLANTS
COMPANY
JUDGES’ COMMENTS
Evergreens - Field Grown, Upright and Spreading
Picea pungens ‘Neon Blue’
Sheridan Nurseries Georgetown
Good form and colour, fairly consistent culture.
Evergreens - Container Grown, Upright and Spreading
Assorted Juniperus
Connon Nurseries NVK
Quality, well grown labeled plants were presented for maximum appeal, this group won in a very close category.
Broadleaf Evergreens
Yucca filamentosa ‘Golden Sweet’
Langendoen Nurseries
Flawless product that stood out in a very close category. Perfect for seasonal sale.
Deciduous Shrubs
Assorted: Cornus, Rhus, Weigela, Berberis, Rosa, Physocarpus
Willowbrook Nurseries
Well designed skid, beautiful contrasting colours and textures.
Deciduous Ornamental Trees, 300 Cm Or Less
Cornus kousa ‘Samzam’
Connon Nurseries NVK
For time of year and type of plant, nice display. Three season plant.
Deciduous Ornamental Trees, Top Grafted/Worked
Assorted: Euonymus, Juniperus, Picea, Chamaecyparis
Willowbrook Nurseries
These top grafted evergreens are so sweet! Wonderful assembly of textures and shades of green sure to delight any small landscape.
Caliper Trees
Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’
Braun Nursery
Nicely shaped, very good colour.
Vines and Groundcovers
Assorted
Willowbrook Nurseries
Outstanding use of colour and leaf shape incorporated into a unique arrangement that will delight a wide range of urban and rural gardeners!
Perennials
Assorted
Willowbrook Nurseries
Unique selection of plants and the best use of contrast amongst the entries.
Unusual and Rare Plants
Assorted: Colocasia, Albuca, Miscanthus
Blue Sky Nursery
This unique assortment of unusual and rare species would complement any garden. Albuca is definitely a highlight that would provide a novel conversation piece sure to impress any horticulturist.
Design on a Skid
Assorted
Willowbrook Nurseries
This gorgeous collection of ornamentals is just bursting with delightful colours and textures. The unusual specimens like the ‘Golden Tuffet,’ Thuja and Athyrium will sell right off the shelves!
Willowbrook Nurseries
All judges agreed that the unique arrangement and choice of textures make this the entry to beat. Great colour and form gave this visual appeal from all angles and provides the customer with design ideas to apply to their own garden.
Judges’ Choice
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 9
Tributes pour in for industry champion John Wright — 1939-2015 The following was written by Landscape Ontario executive director Tony DiGiovanni. When I was a horticulture student in 1975 (40 years ago), we used to attend the Pesticide Symposium and other Landscape Ontario events. Even though there were hundreds of people in attendance, there was one man who stood out because of his height, silver hair, warm caring smile and his gift for conversation. Even back then, it was very easy to be inspired by his contribution ethic. John Wright John Wright would be totally engaged, introducing speakers, handing out nametags, greeting people and generally helping out with anything that needed doing. He was never shy. He always made everyone feel welcome and part of the family. Even as students, everyone knew who John Wright was. Years later, when I started working for Landscape Ontario, John Wright was one of the first members I met. At the time, he was Chair of the Lawn Care Group. His hair was a little more silver; you still had to look up when talking to him. He was still totally involved contributing his time, energy and resources in helping to build our industry and association. Without a doubt, John Wright’s contribution ethic, welcoming smile and positive energy has helped to inspire hundreds (including me) and helped to build Landscape Ontario into the vibrant community it has become. John was very comfortable talking to anyone about the industry he loved...and just about everything else. His interests were very broad. His wife Ruth once told me that he was a voracious reader. “He is passionate about everything. That same passion applies to his interest in his family, including his ancestors.” In recognition of his lifetime contribution in 2007, Landscape Ontario bestowed on John its highest honour: Honorary Life Member. The award is reserved only for those members who have consistently contributed their time, passion, enthusiasm and energy over a period of many years (a lifetime) to further the mission of Landscape Ontario. I want to share with you a
10 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
few lines of the script that was read out at the ceremony. “John Wright started with the association even before it became Landscape Ontario. In the 1960s, at the invitation of Don Salivan, John became involved with the Ontario Garden Maintenance and Landscape Association (OGMLA), one of the three founding organizations that in 1973 eventually became Landscape Ontario. It was the beginning of a lifetime of volunteer contributions. John and Paul Grobe served as co-chairs for expansion. When OGMLA was absorbed by Landscape Ontario, Paul and John continued in their expansion role and proposed the founding of the Waterloo Chapter. Glenn Peister, president at the time, suggested that instead they put their efforts into renewing the Hamilton Chapter. “Once Hamilton was up and running they turned their sights toward Waterloo. In 1980, the Waterloo Chapter was born. John served as the first president. Both chapters are thriving to this day. “John was also instrumental in starting the Lawn Care Commodity Group in the early 1980s. He was the first chair and held the position for over eight years. “John has held many leadership positions and received many awards. He was on the provincial board of directors from 1977 to 1979. He received the DuningtonGrubb Award in 1988. He was honoured with a Past President Award in 1980 and again in 1999. He once said that if he spent as much energy at his own business, as he did on Landscape Ontario work, he would be a multi-millionaire.” His son Dave was asked to present the Award to John. The image of father and son embracing trying to hold back their tears will always be a warm memory etched in my mind. That magic moment was preserved in a video. I think it is on our website. Approximately 10 years ago, John became the President of the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation — the research and scholarship arm of the association. His goal was to raise a million dollars. That goal was surpassed soon after he took the reins. John led by example. He started the Ruth and John Wright Scholarship Fund and urged others to start their own funds. Here is how he worded the appeal at the time. “I donated $23,000 to the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation. Here is why.
“I am thankful for the financial, environmental and aesthetic benefits this industry has bestowed on me, my family, friends and customers, and I believe it is important to contribute a small amount back to support the future members of the industry I love. “Not only will you be leaving a legacy of benefit, you will be recognized in perpetuity as a responsible leader who cares about the future.” This year the Foundation was able to distribute almost $60,000 in scholarships. Unfortunately John was too ill to attend that scholarship meeting. He would have been very proud. John was a contributor to the end of his life. Even with laboured breathing, carrying an oxygen tank, he made it to meetings. When he became too ill, he even considered hosting a meeting at the nursing home. A couple of weeks ago we held a lawn care meeting without John. It felt empty. The first item on the agenda was to call John to wish him well. He was very appreciative. John will be missed, but his legacy will live on forever in those he has mentored, touched and inspired. When we sent out the notice for this memorial, I received a number of responses. Here are a few. Beth Edney wrote, “So sad to hear about John’s death. He had so much passion for our organization and our future. There will be a huge void at our events without him.” Tim Kearney wrote, “What a kick in the teeth.” Paul Brydges wrote, “I had always called John, Dad whenever we met and chatted.” Lindsey Drake Nightingale said, “Such sad news. A good man. One that will be sorely missed.” I want to give the last word to Rohan Harrison, who wrote, “The end of a chapter...the beginning of a legacy.He will forever be remembered every time a young person is awarded a scholarship, every time we gather to discuss our industry, every time we meet. Landscape Ontario and the industry have lost a true pioneer. A visionary and an exemplary professional that today and deep in the future we will always say, THANK YOU. Thank you, John. He will be sadly missed, but we should mourn but not slumber, cry but always remember, he has run a good race and was victorious. Let’s celebrate him for who he was and always will be — A true champion to the landscape industry. John Wright passed away on Aug. 24, 2015. The funeral service was held Aug. 27 at Koinonia Christian Fellowship in Bloomingdale.
During Cultivate and Connect at Congress 2015, students on a panel presented insightful comments to the industry.
It’s time to bring industry and educators together By Michael Pascoe Fanshawe College
Over 20 years ago, I remember walking through Congress, a newly hired Fanshawe College faculty and seeing a few other colleges with displays showcasing their programs. While walking through the aisles, I said to a long-term faculty member, why aren’t we here? His response to this day still mystifies me: “why would we be here?” Take any company at Congress: Willowbrook and NVK (Connon) that produce nursery stock, or Oaks and Unilock, that manufacture concrete materials. If their products don’t meet your requirements, are you going to buy them? They are all long-term companies; Willowbrook has been in business for 36 years, while NVK has served the industry for 109. Why are they so successful? We might think they are innovative, progressive, unique, forward thinking. We could apply a host of other related business adjectives to describe them. I am sure all of those apply, but the simple answer comes down to what they produce. They grow or manufacture products you want, plain and simple. I am the first to admit that a disconnect exists between education and industry. However, education is no different than Willowbrook, NVK, Oaks or Unilock, or any other landscape supplier or service company. Educational institutions produce a product, a graduate, and it must meet the needs of the market; it must meet your needs! Industry has a powerful voice influencing and directing what happens in our schools, colleges and universities through advisory and review panels. It also happens through events, such as our chapter meetings, Thrive, Landscape
Congress and Canada Blooms. High schools are doing a great job of connecting with industry. They garner local support through their green industry and Specialist High Skills Major programs. Apprenticeship, driven by industry advisory panels and the production of industry-driven curriculum, does this, although uptake by employers is always in question. Colleges and universities through program reviews, new program starts and events, such as Congress and Canada Blooms, also offer an opportunity to connect with industry. So why is there an educational and industry ‘drift’? Educators can and often do lead a monastic existence, burrowed deep in the halls of academia, tucked away from industry. As long as the programs are full, the institutions are happy and we can go home knowing that we are doing our job. How then do we break through these walls and tap into a resource and develop the product of our educational institutions, which is the ideal employee for the future. It is going to take leadership to connect the two. Both need to rediscover each other, to understand that students today are different, and that employers’ expectations have changed dramatically from 20 and even 10 years ago. There are more jobs available than there are graduates. Companies should cultivate relationships with potential employees, while educational institutions need to connect with industry so that both partners in the relationship are working towards a common goal. The Cultivate and Connect Conference in January was the first step in that connection. If you missed the student panel members talking to industry, you missed what I believe to be one of the
most insightful events this year. A quote by one of the student panelists has been making the rounds. It was first published in Jason Bouwman’s blog, Two Cents Worth, and later republished in Tony DiGiovanni’s column in Landscape Ontario magazine. It referenced Jeremy Kamp, a recent graduate of horticulture apprenticeship, who said, “Realize that life is work and work is hard. Once you get that, you can move forward, get busy and make things happen.” That philosophy was echoed by the other panelists like Morwyn Griffith, a recent horticulture diploma graduate who talked about her passion for the green industry. This poised and confident individual is going to be an industry leader one day. She will be a Sally Harvey of the new industry. Charlie Briggs, a horticulture degree graduate, presented that solid, reliable confidence that companies find in employees twice his age. He is an individual who quietly works behind the lines to build the industry — a Rene Thiebaud of the future. Cultivate and Connect will be there building those bridges and knocking down those walls. Will you be the Alan White, Jay Murray and Paul Doornbos of the world, or any of the other 100 attendees who left Cultivate and Connect with a promise of what youth in our industry has to offer? Or will we all continue down the same path and face the critical labour shortage with a degree of trepidation and bewilderment? Cultivate and Connect, now a national program under the CNLA banner, will soon launch the Green Careers Canada at Congress 2016. This one-stop website for students, industry, educators and parents, who want to discover the green industry, will be national in scope and engaging to all. We will continue to knock down those walls of academia and provide opportunities for the industry to Cultivate and Connect with the youth; the product of our educational institutions who could be your next employee.
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 11
ASSOCIATION NEWS
The highlight of this year’s Trial Garden Open House was a tour of the beautiful setting led by garden manager Rodger Tschanz.
Attendance is best ever at ninth annual trial garden open house The 2015 Trial Gardens Open House had one of the best attendance records ever in the nine-year history of the event. Held Aug. 20 at Landscape Ontario home office, over 85 industry professionals and municipal parks officials attended the event, which included a lecture series and tour. Rodger Tschanz, garden manager from the University of Guelph, began the morning sessions, which featured speakers and a presentation of the Ontario Parks Association Municipal Floral Display Competition awards. The first presentation of the morning was Alternative Mulches: For Landscape Plants. It was presented by Patrick Huber-Kidby. He was assisted with the study by Mahendra Thimmanagari, Jen Llewellyn and Rodger Tschanz. Three alternative mulches, switchgrass pellets, chopped miscanthus and liquid cellulose-based mulch were tested against wood mulch and composted sawdust. After explaining the process, HuberKidby presented the results from the
12 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
tests, including effectiveness and cost. He noted, “The Landscape Ontario site presents an intense weed pressure.” Huber-Kidby said that the most consistent and favourable results belonged to the switchgrass pellets and chopped miscanthus. “As a per dollar unit of efficacy for weed suppression, switchgrass pellets were the most effective,” he said. He concluded his talk by recommending that further study should take place on mulches. The next presentation was by Dan Erlich of Avian Technologies who spoke on his unique methods to control Canada geese in public parks and golf courses. The popular presentation was of great interest to many of the municipal parks people in attendance. Paul Ronan, executive director of Ontario Parks Association (OPA), gave a background on Communities in Bloom (CIB). Ronan serves as a judge for CIB. Following his presentation, Ronan announced the winners in the OPA Municipal Floral Display Competition. The
winners are City of Oshawa, Container Plantings and Hanging Baskets Category and Floral Art Category; City of Hamilton, Median/Boulevard Plantings; Medium to Large Gardens Category Winner; City of Toronto, Small Gardens Category. The contest received over 50 entries, making it a tough chore for judges. Ronan told those municipal officials present, “Your efforts don’t go unnoticed.” He said not only were the entriy numbers impressive, but the quality of work was of a very high level. Rodger Tschanz led the group outside to the trial beds, where he provided information on some highlights of the annual, vegetable, perennial and rose trials. Visitors were invited to cast a vote on their favourite plant, using a colour flag as a ballot. The top ten plants voted on by attendees at the open house are Verbena Meteor Shower, Celosia Intenz Classic, Melampodium Million Gold, Impatiens (hybrid) Sunpatiens Spreading Tropical Orange, Celosia Dragon’s Breath, Zinnia Double Zahara Yellow, Zinnia Profusion Hot Cherry, Celosia Intenz Deep Purple, Osteospermum Blue-Eyed Beauty, Solenostemon (Coleus) Flame Thrower Chipotle. The garden features plants from major growers that haven’t hit the market, providing an opportunity to view up close how the the annuals and perennials perform. Landscape Ontario and the University of Guelph offer thanks to the suppliers of the plant material for the trials: American Takii, Ball FloraPlant, Ball Ingenuity, Bejo Seeds, Benary, Blooms of Bressingham, Dummen Orange, Florist Holland, Floranova, Genesis Seeds, Goldsmith Seeds, Jelitto Seeds, Johnny’s Selected Seed, PanAmerican Seed, Pro-Veg Seeds, Proven Winners, Oro, Red Fox, Sakata Seeds, Seeds by Design and Burpee, Selecta North America, Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Syngenta Flowers, Terra Organics, and Vanhof and Blokker. Growers and suppliers providing material are ICL Specialty Fertilizers (Everris), Linwell Gardens, George Sant Greenhouses, Ed Sobkowich Greenhouses, MCP Manufacturing, and SunGro Horticulture. Other organizations helping with the trial garden were Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. Thanks also go to the crews from Boots Landscaping and Maintenance and Putzer Hornby Nursery, who weeded the gardens to prepare for the open house.
LO HELPS HAMILTON VICTORY GARDENS WITH $3,000 DONATION
There were smiles all-around when Landscape Ontario and the Golden Horseshoe Chapter handed Hamilton Victory Gardens (HVG) $3,000 on Sept. 1. Jeff Smith, President of the Golden Horseshoe Chapter, Tony DiGiovanni, LO Executive Director, and Dave Braun, LO President, gathered in Hamilton to present a giant cheque to HVG founder Bill Wilcox and his wife Judy, and Amy Angelo, Operations Manager of HVG. “We are very honored to receive this donation,” said Bill Wilcox. “It affirms the hard work that our volunteers continue to do throughout the season at our garden sites. Without contributions like the one from Landscape Ontario and the Golden Horseshoe Chapter, we would not be able to continue providing fresh produce to local food banks within the Hamilton area.” The Chapter contributed $1,500 from its coffers, and $1,500 came from LO Home Office. Chapter coordinator Lee Rozon said many Golden Horseshoe Chapter members volunteer their time and resources to HGV. “It’s a great project,” said Rozon. “The generous donation from the Golden Horseshoe Chapter is going to help us purchase a selection of tools and equipment that are needed at various HVG garden sites throughout the city,” said Angelo. “These tools will supply volunteers with the equipment they need to properly assist in planting, maintaining, and harvesting the fresh produce grown in HVG garden sites.” LO Board president Dave Braun told those gathered, “The Victory Garden provides such a great service to Hamilton. It fits with LO’s mission to promote and foster a favourable climate for the advancement of the horticulture industry in Ontario.” Other LO members in attendance at the presentation were Millgrove Perennials and Gelderman Landscape Services. Both donate services and material to HVG. HVG estimated, as of Sept. 1, it had harvested over 10,020 kilograms of produce from all garden sites. The charitable organization was established in 2011. Local volunteers take part in the ‘work bees’ and help to plant, maintain, and harvest the produce. The harvested produce is then distributed to local food banks and meal programs like Living Rock, St. Matthew’s House and Dream Centre. The garden sites also provide educational opportunities for youth.
Excellent Fall Availability
Ready To Quote Your Jobs!
Ad Size 4.625 x 9.875
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 13
SAUGEEN DRY STONE FESTIVAL ATTRACTS PEOPLE FROM U.S. AND ENGLAND
YOUR PREMIER
FLEET DEALER FRAN MACKENZIE
Fran will put her 25 years experience to work for you. Great products, great selection. Delivered to you, on your schedule, guaranteed. Enjoy professional service delivered with a smile. Fran will do whatever it takes to provide you with a seamless, hassle free buying experience.
FRAN MACKENZIE FLEET MANAGER
PHONE: 905•845•6653 CELL: 416•420•6455 fmackenzie@southoakvillechrysler.com
PROUD MEMBER OF LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
Maximize Efficiency & Performance
Bulk white & Treated Salt • Bulk Liquid De-Icers
geoSalt $7.99/ 22.7kg bag
ECOMELT $10.49/ 22.7kg bag
JET BLUE $10.99/ 20kg bag
Iceshield $11.99/ 20kg bag
CONTRACTOR’S CHOICE $12.89/ 22.7kg bag
24 Hour Salt HotLine 905-638-5999 1150 Heritage Road, Burlington, ON
905-336-3369
14 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
LandscapeStore.ca
Stay protected & pre-book your bulk salt
Nearly 2,000 people took part in the Saugeen Dry Stone Festival, from Aug. 15 to 17, from as far away as England and parts of the U.S. Many came to take part in the courses offered by some of the best in the dry stone craft, while others came to lend a hand on the dry stone roundhouse. “We had a tremendous turnout, including First Nation students who took dry stone walling courses at the festival,” said Dean McLellan, one of the main organizers of the event. The Iron Age Roundhouse was constructed to about three feet in height all around, with a diameter of 40 ft. “This is a pretty fair accomplishment, considering its scale,” said McLellan. Everyone had the opportunity to view the intricate stonework being undertaken at the Saugeen Amphitheatre. This major project is being taken on by McLellan and his crew from Saugeen. The work at the amphitheatre site is expected to continue over the next five years. See September 2015 issue of Landscape Ontario magazine for the full story. The carving course, hosted by Nicholas Fairplay, was sold out. Masons from all across Ontario took part and learned from one of the best carvers in the world. The lecture night, with Andrew Loudon and Fairplay, was well attended. Along with lectures, the pair highlighted some of their past projects. Another highlight was the attendance of Bobby Watts, whose company is restoring the West Block of Parliament Hill. Saugeen First Nation Chief Vernon Roote opened the festival. He gave a moving talk to the community and guests. Another highlight for visitors was some excellent First Nation songs and drumming by Kaylyn Kewageshig and Lorne Pawis, and also by Conrad Ritchie. “We were fortunate to have many folks from Landscape Ontario, such as Paul Brydges and Sally Harvey, come out to see the event. Thanks go out to all our sponsors for making the project possible and in particular to Landscape Ontario for its continued support with our program,” said McLellan. “Upper Canada Stone was again a very generous sponsor donating over 200 tons of stone to the event, as well as Ledgerock Quarries in Owen Sound that donated all the stone for the carving courses,” continued McLellan.
ARBORDALE WINS TORONTO BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
The annual baseball tournament has grown into one of the most popular summer events organized by the Toronto Chapter. This year more teams than ever competed in the day-long event, held on Aug. 17 at Richmond Greens. Ten teams took part in the tournament, with Arbordale Landscaping defeating Sheri-
M. PUTZER HORNBY NURSERY LTD
The Arbordale team members are shown in photo after winning the championship. Front row, from left, Martin Zettel, Lucas Kennedy, Mike Brandolino and Blake Tubby; second row, from left, Chris Fazzari, Adam Young, Tiffany Williams and Samantha Tubby; back row, from left, Mark Hoey and Ryan Kent. Missing from photo are Bob Tubby, Andrew Arseneau and Ani Arseneau.
dan Nurseries 13-12, to win the championship. Sheridan was the championship team in 2014. Kingscape Hooligans from Kingscape Landscape Construction Group beat Best Way Stone 9-6 for third place. The Toronto Chapter staged another great baseball tournament that featured great weather, lots of laughter, cheering and fun in the sun. Teams taking part in the 2015 Toronto Chapter Baseball Tournament were Best Way Stone, Lawrence Park Complete Garden Care, Sheridan Nurseries, Legendary Landscape, Keep Off the Grass (Bradford Greenhouses Garden Gallery), Arbordale Landscaping, Kingscape Landscape Construction, Golden Mean Landscapes, TBG Landscape and Oriole Landscaping.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE
The 2015/2016 Professional Development Seminar Guide can be found with this edition of Landscape Ontario magazine. The annual Guide contains 44 pages of seminars that cover the five pillars of Prosperity Partners: Customers for Life, Financial Health, Leadership, Operational Excellence and Sales Success. With over 130 seminars listed, there is something for everyone. “Our sessions help countless people in Ontar-
Professional Development
Seminar Guide 2015-2016
Professional Development cover 2015-16 draftD.indd 1
YARD@PUTZERNURSERY.COM FAX 905-878-8737 CALL 905-878-7226
“Growing Today For A Greener Tomorrow”
9/3/2015 11:08:45 AM
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 15
ASSOCIATION NEWS io’s green industry improve their skill and professionalism,” says seminar coordinator Kathy McLean. The Guide also contains information about online learning, apprenticeship, certification, conferences and safety groups. Seminars listed include both traditional and new topics. McLean says there will be a number of new instructors brought in this year. The Guide will also be available online at horttrades.com/seminars. Those who sign up by Dec. 31, 2015, will receive early booking savings. Employers may use the CanadaOntario Job Grant to help offset the costs of the seminars. A company could apply for the grant to retrain a current employee to take on a new job or use the money to train a group of new hires. For more information on the grant, go to tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/eopg/cojg/index.html
GRANITE COMPANIES MERGE
Muskoka Rock Company and Boulder Brothers have announced the merger of the two companies. Boulder Brothers consists of Van Dyk Natural Stone Supplies, Huntsville Aggregates (formerly HLD Materials), and the Milford Bay Stone. Both Boulder Brothers and the Muskoka Rock Company access granite from a number of quarries throughout the region.
NISCO:
Members of Windsor Chapter lent their creative talents to improve the Safety Village of Windsor. In photo, from left, are some of those members, Dan Garlatti, Joe Santarossa Jr.,Chris Power, Darren O’Grady and Sal Costante.
WINDSOR MEMBERS EXPAND PROJECT AT CHILDREN’S SAFETY VILLAGE
Windsor Chapter members are pleased and proud to have completed another community-based project for the Windsor/ Essex County Region. This year, The Safety Village of Windsor was chosen as its main project for 2015, after Chapter members committed time and a small budget toward the entrance of the complex in 2014. On Aug. 20, approximately a dozen members from Windsor Chapter converged on the Children’s Safety Village site to put their creative talents to work. A
THE LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY LEASE SPECIALISTS
new garden space, including paver patio, was installed along the back wall of the main building. This area provides an aesthetically pleasing and functional space. In addition, a new community garden space for growing vegetables was carved out of an under-utilized turf area along the western boundary of the property. Finishing touches included pruning of trees and shrubs, weeding of beds and tree wells, application of mulch and string trimming and weed control along roadways, sidewalks and between the miniature building pads. The Safety Village is a not-for-profit community organization that is the rec-
Proud to serve the leasing industry for
over 25 years
NISCO
13-3245 Harvester Rd., Burlington, ON L7N 3T7
Laura Catalano 16 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
1-888-634-9559
www.niscocanada.com
ognized leader in providing safety and injury-prevention education programs to residents of Windsor-Essex. The facility features a miniature neighbourhood made up of 30 replica buildings, at 1/16th scale, such as an electrical substation, a home and industrial site under construction and a commercial site. With a functional traffic light, real railway wigwags, including flashing lights and bells that operate, vehicle lanes, bike lanes, and familiar street signage, children have an opportunity to ride miniature jeeps and bicycles as they learn about general safety issues, bicycle helmet safety, rules of the road, and railroad crossing safety, all in a safe, supervised and fun environment. Once again, the bubbling rock feature is flowing courtesy of the many volunteers and donors. Special thanks go to the following companies and individuals that provided labour and equipment to complete the project: Garlatti Landscape, Cedar Springs Fence and Decks, Top Grade Landscape and Garden Solutions, EcoGro Lawncare, Chris Power, Jay Rivait, Garry Moore, and Joe Santarrosa Jr. The Chapter also recognizes the following companies for their generous donation of materials: Lakeshore Landscaping, Williams Nurseries, Santerra Stonecraft and Maidstone Tree Farm.
MUSEUM OF NATURE IN OTTAWA FEATURES NEW LANDSCAPES
This summer the grounds at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa underwent a landscape transformation with the installation of Landscapes of Canada Gardens. The site has been developed into three
ecosystems found in Canada: Arctic tundra, boreal forest and prairie grasslands. This outdoor exhibit area will extend the museum’s program onto the landscape around the museum building. CSW Landscape Architects was the prime consultant for the project, with Landscape Ontario Ottawa Chapter member Exel Contracting completing the plant and landscape installation. Nutrilawn Ottawa was the irrigation contractor. Work began in June 2015 with construction and landscaping. It continued through the summer and fall. The project involved soil excavation and preparation and grading of the new gardens, seeding planting of new trees, grasses and plants in the ecozones. The work is expected to continue until November 2015. It will include a new Arctic-themed sculpture. All species are native to Canada; the project will include a log trail, boulders in the tundra terrain, a path through the grasslands zone and an open air classroom in the prairie zone. The most challenging part of the transformation was moving the life-size sculptures of a woolly mammoth family from the original site to the newly landscaped area at the museum.
SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR OTTAWA HOME AND GARDEN SHOW
Ottawa Chapter, along with Expo Media and Marketplace, has announced that submissions are currently being accepted for ten gardens at the 2016 Ottawa Home and Garden Show. The process for application and build will follow guidelines of Canada Blooms.
The show runs from March 25 – 28, at the EY Centre Hall. The show will encompass 30,000 sq. ft. Currently the gardens available range between 200 and 1,800 sq. ft. Team builds are encouraged. Move-in will take place Mar. 21-24. Garden builders will receive a subsidy of $5 per sq. ft. of garden space, one electrical outlet of 110 usage service, along with a link on the Ottawa Home and Garden Show website as a feature garden builder, and much more. In order to qualify, applicants must be Active members in good standing of Landscape Ontario, with general liability insurance and experience in garden builds. The deadline for final submissions is Nov. 2. For more information visit gfl.me/h2EZ, or email Ottawa chapter coordinator Martha Walsh at mwalsh@landscapeontario.com.
IN MEMORIAM: JOHN NORTHWOOD
John Northwood passed away peacefully on June 16, 2015, in his 86th year, surrounded by his loving family at Stevenson Memorial Hospital, Alliston. He was the beloved husband of Barbara, loving father of Sandra (Bob) Culham, David (Doreen), Kim (Richard) Allerton and Heidi (Martin) Beckmann. He is sadly missed by his 10 grandchildren, their spouses and his 11 great-grandchildren. Survived by his sister Barbara (Bill) Hoogerwerf. He was a wonderful mentor to many pioneers of the landscape industry. His passion for quality landscapes, especially for trees, inspired many. John Northwood
WE HAVE OVER 30,000 TON IN STOCK AUTHORIZED DEALER
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 17
ASSOCIATION NEWS always had an enthusiastic gleam in \his eye. His life-time support of the arboricultural/horticultural industry, Landscape Ontario as an organization, and especially the many people in our industry will always be remembered. The family received friends at the Rod Abrams Funeral Home, 1666 Tottenham Road, Tottenham, on June 18 and 19. Interment followed in Trinity Cemetery, Beeton.
OTTAWA HOSTS FIRST MEMBER APPRECIATION DAY
Geosynthetic Systems, an Ottawa business that has specialized in soil management solutions for over 35 years, hosted the Ottawa Chapter’s first member appreciation day on Sept. 2. Weather was agreeable with sunny skies and warm temperatures as Geosynthetic president Kelly Mulrooney-Coté sparked-up the company barbecue for attendees. Information about memberships, Chapter events and meetings was available for all attendees, who appreciated and enjoyed hamburgers and hotdogs with all the fixings. The Chapter thanks LO’s Membership Department for the support of the barbecue, and all the staff at Geosynthetics for hosting.
Michael LaPorte CLT, event chair of the Georgian Lakelands Putting Challenge, was pleased with the turnout at the second annual event.
GEORGIAN LAKELANDS HOSTS POPULAR PUTTING CONTEST
The Second Annual Georgian Lakelands Putting Challenge was a resounding success. This unique event took place on Sept. 24 at the Cascade Course, Blue Mountain Resort. The 45-plus people who took part had a great time testing their skill and fun-level at this undulating hillside course. The weather was perfect with sun shone on a wonderful autumn day. After playing 18 holes, everyone returned to Rusty’s for dinner, awards, and prizes. Chapter president Lexi Dearborn gave a big thank you to the sponsors who generously gave to help make this event
a success. They include Brampton Brick Oaks Pavers, dinner sponsor; Clearview Nursery, event sponsor; LA Gardens, hole sponsor; Blue Mountain Resort, event host; Carquest of Stayner, prize sponsor; and Vandenbussche Property Services. prize sponsor. Winners of the day are Team Ego’s Nurseries and Lee’s Landscaping, highest scoring; Team Garden Holistics, lowest scoring; and Laury Ego was the lowest scoring player. “A huge thank you to Michael LaPorte, event chair, and Myscha Burton, event coordinator, for all their hard work,” said Dearborn. “Remember to keep your eye on the ball and check out the Chapter Facebook page for great pictures from year’s event.”
Serving the landscape industry for nearly 50 years
4765 Old Scugog Road Bowmanville, Ontario T: 905-263-8814 F: 905-263-4431 E: sales@kobesnurseries.com
www.kobesnurseries.com 18 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
Canada’s Premier Green Industry Trade Show and Conference JANUARY 12-14, 2016 Featuring Fencecraft
TORONTO CONGRESS CENTRE, TORONTO, ONTARIO
Kick off 2016 with us; leading-edge suppliers, your peers and your competition will all be there!
Produced by
#LOcongress
LOCONGRESS.COM
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 19
NEW MEMBERS DURHAM Fraser Ford Sales Limited
Dave Legge 815 King St W, Oshawa, ON L1J 2L4 Tel: 905-576-1800 x288 Membership Type: Associate
Rolla Landscape Construction Ltd. Dinarte Sousa 3020 Seventh Concession Rd Pickering, ON L1Y 1C4 Tel: 905-421-0025 Membership Type: Active
Scenic View Landscaping Inc.
Warren Underhill 111 Courvier Cres, Bowmanville, ON L1C 0E8 Tel: 905-259-8909 Membership Type: Active
WD Harris Excavating Limited
Jeff Harris 5229 Lew Harris Rd, Gores Landing, ON K0K 2E0 Tel: 905-373-3574 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
GEORGIAN LAKELANDS Bridge Tite Group
Jeary Labelle 5516 County Road 27 Cookstown, ON L0L 1L0 Tel: 705-458-0744 Membership Type: Associate
OTTAWA Henry Benoit Equipment Rentals Ltd
Carl Mansfield Minesing, ON Membership Type: Horticultural
GOLDEN HORSESHOE Country Basket Garden Centre Paul Bongers 10008 Lundys Lane Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6S4 Tel: 905-358-5811 Membership Type: Active
Envision Landscapes
Matt VanAndel Homestead Dr, PO Box 351 Mt. Hope, ON L0R 1W0 Tel: 905-648-4040 Membership Type: Active
Leggat Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC
Shari Baeker 2207 Fairview St, Burlington, ON L7R 3Y3 Tel: 905-333-3700 Membership Type: Associate
Mojoh Excavating Ltd.
Jamie Malda 850 Centre Road, RR 2, Hamilton, ON L8N 2Z7 Tel: 905-689-4946 Membership Type: Associate
Ram Construction
Ryan Horlings 3560 7th Line, Innisfil, ON L9S 3M5 Tel: 705-458-0870 Membership Type: Associate
Dan Fraser
LONDON
Dan Fraser 194522 Grey Road 13, RR 4 Flesherton, ON N0C 1E0 Tel: 519-924-1618 Membership Type: Active
Weir Gradall
Sean Weir 3118 Highway 118 E, RR 3 Bracebridge, ON P1L 1X1 Tel: 705-644-1745 Membership Type: Associate
Proudly growing fine perennials
Envir-O-Site Inc
Udo Seltner 5492 Huron View Ave Lambton Shores, ON N0N 1J7 Tel: 519-786-5115 Membership Type: Associate
25
for over
McDonald Liquid & Bulk Inc
Adam McDonald 303 rue de la Cordillere Gatineau, QC J9J 2N5 Tel: 613-795-3531 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
Phytoclone Inc
Randall Arsenault 238 Hellems Ave, Welland, ON L3B 3B7 Tel: 905-658-3201 Membership Type: Associate Carrie Zimmerman Stevensville, ON Membership Type: Horticultural
Church’s Equipment Ltd
Andre Benoit 5841 Leitrim Road, Carlsbad Springs Ottawa, ON K0A 1K0 Tel: 613-822-0138 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
Sylvie Deslauriers 1943 Principale, St-Etienne-des-Gres, QC G0X 2P0 Tel: 819-535-6019 Membership Type: Associate Cory Shane Ottawa, ON Membership Type: Horticultural
TORONTO Augusta Green Sprinklers Inc. Ryan Murphy 1601 Bayview Ave, PO Box 43507 Toronto, ON M4G 4G8 Tel: 416-227-1666 Membership Type: Active
Keogh Construction
Paul Keogh 994182 Mono Adjala Town Line Mono, ON L9W 2Z2 Tel: 519-942-4573 Membership Type: Associate
Kreative Woodworking
Giuseppe Prizzi 58 - 3560 Rutherford Rd Woodbridge, ON L4H 3T8 Tel: 416-281-9663 Membership Type: Active
Leslie Emergency Vehicles
Malcolm Leslie 8 - 32 Steeles Ave E, Milton, ON L9T 5A1 Tel: 905-878-8457 Membership Type: Associate
RELN (FTR Products)
Julian Plante B - 5640 McAdam Rd Mississagua, ON L4Z 1T2 Tel: 905-282-9321 Membership Type: Associate Adam Angeloni Toronto, ON Membership Type: Horticultural Rita Nugent Mississauga, ON Membership Type: Horticultural
Bennett Equipment Services Inc
UPPER CANADA
Flow Water Solutions
Derek Zomer 1500 Birchwood, Kingston, ON K7P 3H5 Tel: 613-384-3337 Membership Type: Interim
Ryan McCutcheon 4 Paisley Lane, Stouffville, ON L4A 7X4 Tel: 866-552-2787 Membership Type: Associate Hugh Scholz 18724 Shaws Creek Rd Caledon, ON L7K 1M4 Tel: 416-605-7378 Membership Type: Associate
Hindsite Software LLC
David Crary 55 East Fifth Street, Suite 550 St. Paul, MN 55101 Tel: 651-245-5920 Membership Type: Associate
J.W. Landscaping
Joshua Weinstein 33 Acton Ave, Toronto, ON M3H 4G6 Tel: 416-729-6735 Membership Type: Active
Zomer Corporation
WATERLOO Nature’s View Landscaping & Maintenance Tyler Kamphuis 170 Union St W, Fergus, ON N1M 1V3 Tel: 519-843-7196 Membership Type: Active
Second Nature Landscapes Tes Hynes 174386 Lower Valley Rd, Markdale, ON N0C 1H0 Tel: 705-351-0393 Membership Type: Active Jim Moore Cambridge, ON Membership Type: Horticultural
years
Palace Perennials
• Over 1200+ varieties of perennials • Many unique and hard to find varieties • Great fern, hosta and ornamental grass selection, premium tropical selection, hardy vines, Ontario Natives, clematis, herbs, and water plants
P: 866-843-0438 (sales) • 519-542-8353 • F: 519-542-1079 • mail@sipkensnurseries.com • Catalogue at www.sipkensnurseries.com
20 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
EVENTS
November 4
Waterloo Chapter meeting
Bookmark horttrades.com/comingevents for up-to-date event information. October 20
London Chapter meeting
Best Western Lamplighter Inn, 519 Wellington Road South, London Mark your calendars for the first 2015/2016 London Chapter meeting with guest speaker Adam Carter covering the topic of business valuation. Elections will be held at this meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. with a social hour and networking, featuring beverages and hors d’oeuvres. To RSVP contact Wendy Harry at wharry@landscapeontario.com. October 22 - 24
Green Roof Professional training
Centre for Social Innovation, Toronto This three-day course provides the latest information on green roof benefits, technical standards, product innovations, and design and installation best practices. Landscape Ontario members can receive an additional $75 discount by using the discount code. To receive the code email Kathy at kathym@landscapeontario. com. For more information, and to register, see cvent.com/d/0rq1k9.
October 30
Day of Tribute in Ottawa
Waterloo Knights of Columbus, 145 Dearborn Place, Waterloo Don’t miss out on the annual Snow and Ice meeting. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the meeting starting at 7 p.m. sharp. For more information and to RSVP, contact Rachel Cerelli at rachelc@landscapeontario.com, or call 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354.
National Military Cemetery, 280 Beechwood Ave., Ottawa Join Ottawa Chapter members at the 10th annual volunteer day to maintain the National Military Cemetery in preparation for the Remembrance Day ceremonies. Contact Chapter Coordinator Martha Walsh at 613-796-5156, or martha@landscapeontario.com, if you wish to volunteer or for more information.
November 5
November 3
November 10
Durham Chapter meeting
Quality Hotel, Oshawa What more can you say? It’s Beer and Wings Night at the Durham Chapter meeting, starting at 7 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, contact Rachel Cerelli at rachelc@ landscapeontario.com, or call 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354.
Toronto Chapter meeting
Humber College, North Campus Save the date for this meeting, which will feature Nathan Helder of Gelderman Landscape Services, speaking on Building a Successful Team. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, contact Rachel Cerelli at rachelc@landscapeontario.com, or call 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354.
London Chapter meeting
Best Western Lamplighter Inn, 591 Wellington Road South, London A hot topic for young and old companies alike: How to Grow your Business, with guest speaker Nathan Helder of Gelderman Landscape Services. Social hour begins at 6 p.m., with the meeting at 7. To RSVP, contact Wendy Harry at wharry@landscapeontario.com.
Water Management Technology For Wood Fiber Mulch
Our Great Lakes Premium Coloured Mulches bring an exciting new aesthetic dimension to any garden or landscape project. Our Premium mulches are made from recycled clean wood mixture, which is hand sorted, double ground and screened to ensure product consistency and superior water absorption. Recycled Premium Mulches
Pine Premium Mulches
Premium™ Black Premium™ Brown
Premium™ Pine Premium™ Pine Black TimeFlow H2O Mulch Premium™ Pine Merlot
Premium™ Red Premium™ Gold
Great Lakes Premium
Utility hardwood and other varieties also available
Our Great Lakes Premium Mulch is the ONLY one with the Advantage TimeFlow H2O takes the natural water retention quality of wood mulch to and even higher level. TimeFlow H2O is made from plant-derived ingredients and is ideal for any wood fiber mulch.
Non-Treated Mulch
Manufactured locally in St. Thomas and Campbellville 144798 Potters Road, Tillsonburg, ON N4G 4G7
P: 519-688-0437 • F: 519-688-6359 info@pottersroadnursery.com
Pottersroadnursery.com
To locate a distributor in your area, or become a distributor of Great Lakes Premium Barks and Mulches, call us at 1-877-266-0636.
For full products details, visit us at www.glwp.ca WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 21
INDUSTRY NEWS
Dutchmaster Nuseries was named Canada’s Grower of the Year at the Awards of Excellence ceremonies in Winnipeg. In photo, Dave Tillaart, left, and Matt Tillaart proudly hold their trophy.
BRAUN CONTINUOUS WIRE BASKETS
BETTER DESIGN BETTER WIRE BETTER FIT
WWW.BRAUNGROUP.COM 1-800-246-6984 22 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
Landscape Ontario members bring home awards from national competition A number of Landscape Ontario members took home awards from the National Awards of Landscape Excellence ceremony in Winnipeg, Man., on Aug. 19. Dutchmaster Nurseries, of Brougham, won the prestigious Grower of the Year Award. The entry qualifies for the International Grower of the Year Award competition next year, hosted by the International Association of Horticulture Producers in Essen, Germany. Sheridan Nurseries, in Etobicoke, won the Garden Centre of the Year Award “for its commitment to growing teams, gardens, sales, environment, gardeners, technology and connections within the retail sector.” Other Landscape Ontario winners at the National Awards were Welwyn Wong Landscape Design, of Manotick, receiving the Dynascape Award for Landscape Design; Clintar Landscape Management
– Mississauga, which won the HortProtect Award for Commercial Maintenance; and Landmark Group of Thornbury, winning the HortProtect Award for Residential Maintenance. Seven awards were given out to members across the country that showcased excellence in the landscape, garden centre and nursery sectors of the industry. As well, three Green for Life Awards were given to outstanding businesses and individuals who demonstrate the green for life values in their communities. Competition was fierce in the landscape category, with 34 entries coming in from across Canada. CNLA, which administers the competition, noted that all of the companies that submitted projects displayed a high level of expertise. For a complete list of the National Awards of Landscape Excellence winners, see the October issue of Landscape Trades.
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ONTARIO COALITION WINS OALA SERVICE AWARD
A Growing Tradition
The Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA) presented the 2015 award for service to the environment to
Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition. The award is given to a non-landscape architectural individual, group, organization, or agency in the Province of Ontario to recognize and encourage a special or unusual contribution to the sensitive, sustainable design for human use of the environment. The contribution must emulate the fundamental principles of OALA and the OALA Mission Statement and go beyond the normal levels of community action in preserving, protecting or improving the environment. Accepting the award was Paul Ronan, member of the Steering Committee, and Executive Director of Ontario Parks Association. Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition was founded in 2009 by Steven Peck of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), Janet McKay of Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), and Tony DiGiovanni of Landscape Ontario to promote the use of green technology as a way to work with the effects of climate change and improve the connection with the natural environment and ultimately better our physical and mental health. By 2010, the Steering Committee had grown to seven members: Debo-
TREES & SHRUBS • Ornamental • Fruiting • Native
rah Martin-Downs of The Toronto Region Conservation Authority, Paul Ronan of the Ontario Parks Association, David Stonehouse of Evergreen, Doris Chee of OALA, Charley Worte of Conservation Ontario, Faisal Moola of David Suzuki Foundation, Rob Keen of Forests Ontario, and Clifford Maynes of Green Communities Canada. In presenting the award, OALA stated, “Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition is affecting policies and decision makers in both the public and private sectors for a more economical, sustainable and healthier benefits for our need of built infrastructure. Policy wins attributed to the work of GIO are seen in the recent acknowledgment of green infrastructure by the Province of Ontario Municipal Affairs and Housing in its revised Provincial Policy Statement. This policy win, and a shift of momentum in favour of green infrastructure as a legitimate alternative to grey infrastructure can largely be attributed to GIO and its 2012 report: Health, Prosperity and Sustainability: The Case for Green Infrastructure in Ontario.”
®
CPM
composted pine mulch
Naturally Black
Ontario hardy stock available in bare root, wire basket & container p h: 9 0 5 6 89 4 02 2 • fa x : 9 0 5 6 89 8 0 8 0 e -mail: sales@krausnurseries.com
®
www.gro-bark.com
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 23
INDUSTRY NEWS GTI DIRECTOR RETIRES
The Guelph Turfgrass Institute (GTI) announced that its director Rob Witherspoon retired in September, after a 28-year career with the University of Guelph. The past 20 years he was the director of the GTI. Witherspoon joined the university in 1987 as manager of the Independent Study Ontario Diploma in Horticulture correspondence program after working as a turf management instructor and grounds superintendent at Fairview College in northern Alberta. In 1994, Witherspoon was appointed as the first full-time director of the Guelph Turfgrass Institute. In addition to managing GTI programs, he led the development of the new Associate Diploma in Turfgrass Management program and has been the diploma program director and an instructor since the program began in 2003. More recently he was engaged in the planning process for the relocation of the GTI to a new location closer to the main Guelph campus. “With the GTI relocation planning process in place, it seemed like the right time to step aside and allow those who will be supporting and working at the new facility for the next twenty years to take the lead in designing and building the new GTI to meet their needs,” said Witherspoon. In announcing Witherspoon’s retirement, Department of Plant Agriculture chair Peter Pauls wrote, “Rob’s dedication to the turfgrass students and the industry has been outstanding and his guidance of the Turf Managers’ Short Course and Superintendent in Residence activities have put the
Guelph turfgrass program on national and international stages.” Witherspoon says he plans to work on some special projects in the turfgrass industry on a part-time basis, but also hopes to have more time for family, friends, golf, music, travel and other interests. His replacement will be announced shortly.
RESEARCH LOOKS TO FIGHT EAB
Scientists are scrambling to find ways to stop the emerald ash borer from destroying more North American trees. In East Asia, ash trees have evolved defenses against local insects like the emerald ash borer. To study their adaptations, scientists have grown East Asian species, such as the Manchurian ash, in greenhouses and experimental fields. They allow emerald ash borers to attack the trees, and then observe how the trees fight back. Researchers at Ohio State University have learned that when an emerald ash borer searches for a tree in which to lay her eggs, she avoids healthy Manchurian ash trees, much preferring a North American ash or a Manchurian ash weakened by drought. As it turns out, a healthy Manchurian ash is a hostile place for beetle progeny. When an emerald ash borer’s eggs hatch in the trees, the larvae struggle to survive. This may be why the beetle never caused much alarm: In East Asia, it left healthy ashes alone. “It’s going to kill already dying trees,” said Caterina Villari, a researcher at Ohio State and an author
of the new study. Dr. Villari and her colleagues don’t know precisely how drought makes Manchurian ash trees vulnerable to the insects. Drought-stricken trees appear to produce constitutive compounds in the same amounts as healthy trees, but not some of the inducible compounds. To understand that failure, researchers have been comparing the defenses of Manchurian ashes with those of North American species like white ash and blue ash. The researchers have identified an assortment of chemicals that Manchurian ash trees make in higher amounts. North American ashes may be dying not because they lack a magic antidote against emerald ash borers, but because they may not be producing defensive chemicals in the right balance — or perhaps they just aren’t making them fast enough. In one particularly intriguing experiment, Justin G.A. Whitehill of the University of British Columbia and his colleagues were able to get North American ashes to fight off the beetles. To do so, the researchers sprayed the trees with a plant hormone called methyl jasmonate. That hormone is released by plant cells that are damaged by chewing insects. It acts as an alarm, prompting the entire plant to make inducible compounds. Dr. Whitehill and his colleagues reported last year that when they primed North American ash trees with the hormone, the plants killed off many emerald ash borers. The effect was about as strong as a lethal dose of insecticide. Now researchers are hoping that one day they may be able to identify ash trees making high levels of key chemicals and to develop them into resistant stocks. Scientists may be able to pick out trees that respond with unusual speed to an emerald ash borer attack.
HIGHLAND NATIONAL LEASING
905-727-9444 fleet@highlandgm.com www.highlandgm.com www.hnllease.com
24 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
EXECUTIVE DESK Inspiring members Tony DiGiovanni CHT LO executive director
T
his association is blessed with amazing, passionate, awe-inspiring, contribution-oriented and caring members. It is the reason we are one of the most active and largest horticultural trade associations in the world. If we were to add up the value of volunteer hours and resources, I am sure it would be worth many millions of dollars. However, the legacy value of the collective mentorship and goodwill generated by thousands of small acts of caring is priceless. Actions and attitudes have the power to benefit future generations. It is the same whenever we plant a tree or build a garden.
Hard work and vision
I was reminded of this at a recent past presidents’ meeting. We have all benefited from the hard work and vision of those who assumed responsibility for leading and serving the profession in the past. In most cases, the individuals who paved the way for our prosperity are not even known to us. This year a number of our association pioneers have passed away. At the past presidents’ meeting, the idea of creating a memorial garden was discussed. Immediately Paul Brydges and Dave Wright volunteered to develop the master plan. Past president Frans Peters offered to plant trees in honour of all past presidents living or deceased. I was not surprised by the instant generosity. I see it every day in the actions of members across the province.
is to plant 118,000 trees along the Highway of Heroes from Trenton to Toronto. One tree will be planted for each person who gave his or her life in defence of our country. Please visit hohtribute.ca for more information on this wonderful project. Last year, I received a hand written note from Mark. He and his wife Mary pledged a considerable amount of money for horticultural scholarships. He challenged the industry to do the same. I am happy to report we were able to distribute over $60,000 in scholarships this year.
A role model
the planting using a large tree spade. Bill Putzer from Putzer Nurseries is donating the trees. Even though we offered to pay, Bill said there is no way he will accept payment for memorial trees.
Personal funds
Another inspiring member who spends a great deal of time giving back to the profession and LO is Mark Cullen. Mark has been contributing his time and resources to LO and Canada Blooms for a lifetime. He founded and is personally funding (with a few others) an organization called Trees for Life (TFL). The goal of the organization is to bring together like-minded individuals and organizations in a common effort to achieve 40 per cent urban tree cover. One exciting project of Trees for Life
Another person who is always “giving back” is Hank Gelderman. Hank is a role model for many of us. Since retiring from Gelderman Landscape Services, Hank has spent many hours freely giving of his time to encourage many of our members to improve their businesses. He equally spends many hours on helping LO achieve its mandate. Gelderman’s recently celebrated it’s 60th Anniversary under the capable leadership of Hank’s son-in-law, Nathan Helder. The company brochure says “Celebrating 60 years of caring.” I would have added one more line…“and inspiring others to care, too!” One day I would like to write a book about the many inspiring and passionate members I have the pleasure to meet and work with. Tony DiGiovanni may be reached at tony@landscapeontario.com.
Trees in memory
Here is another example. Last week, I received a call from Thomas Blatter of the Waterloo Chapter. The chapter would like to plant two trees on the LO property in celebration and memory of the lives of Life Member John Wright and Past President Peter Olsen. Both John and Peter were Waterloo Chapter members. Phil Dickie from Fast Forest will do
Employees, suppliers, officials and industry associates came together on a lovely Sept. 17 to celebrate Gelderman Landscape Services’ 60th anniversary, at the company’s Waterdown headquarters. Pictured, from left, are Nathan and Michelle Helder, and Ali, Hank, Jacoba and Harry Gelderman. During his remarks, president Nathan Helder gave credit for the success GLS and its families have enjoyed where credit belongs: to the Almighty.
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 25
MEMBERSHIP What can we do for you? By Rachel Cerelli Membership and Chapter Coordinator
T
his summer, the membership team took a few road trips across the province to connect with members at their suppliers. If you read Denis Flanagan’s article in the September issue, you will know about member appreciation days. We spoke with a number of members about what LO can do to help them get ready for winter. One of the first things to do is get in touch with our endorsed supplier, Marsh Canada, to discuss snow and ice insurance. LO members may take advantage of insurance that has been reviewed and
negotiated by many members with extensive industry experience. Visit hortprotect. com for more information. You should all be aware of the member benefit that provides access to a 24/7 member hotline for legal advice (advice only). Contact membership@landscapeontario. com for more information, or refer to your member renewal package. Many we spoke to asked how their membership sets them apart from their competitors. One way is make sure your member profile is up to date, so you can be found by consumers who Google ‘Landscaping in Ontario,’ which you all know they do. Go to horttrades.com/memberprofile. The LO website allows homeowners to make an educated decision when hiring a landscape contractor. Go to landscapeontario.com/selecting-a-landscapecontractor for the online form (there is a
In Business to make Money?
USE THE RIGHT TOOLS
26 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
downloadable PDF at the bottom), or you can order the pamphlets to hand out with the forms available at horttrades.com/ lo-promotional-materials. Don’t forget to use the Landscape Ontario logo on your website, drawings, contracts, vehicles, etc. Promote your involvement in LO and provide leverage above the competitor that is not a member. Tell the world you are a professional member of LO. Go to horttrades.com/green-for-life. All employees of member companies are automatically members of LO. This entitles each of them to access savings on seminars, certification, and conferences, not to mention access to Chapter meetings and events. Have your staff stay in the know and submit their email address to angela@landscapeontario.com. For more information on membership and the associated benefits, contact one of the staff from our membership team: Rachel Cerelli, Membership and Chapter Coordinator, rachel@landscapeontario.com; Cassandra Weisner, Administrative Assistant and Project Coordinator, cassandra@landscapeontario. com; Myscha Burton, Event Coordinator, myscha@landscapeontario.com; or Denis Flanagan, Director of Public Relations, denis@ landscapeontario.com.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
A giant colouring board and wood carvings attracted a great deal of attention to the Landscape Ontario Durham Chapter display at the Brooklin/Whitby Harvest Festival.
Giving thanks By Denis Flanagan CLD Director of Public Relations and Membership Services
A
s we celebrate the season of Thanksgiving, it seems fitting to recognize the amazing efforts that our members contribute to the wellbeing of our industry. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of events at Chapters (boy it’s tough to keep up with your enthusiasm!). The industry owes you an enormous thank you for the volunteer efforts across the province.
August rounded out with another successful Toronto Chapter baseball tournament and the Upper Canada Chapter golf tournament. Both these events really focus on involving and engaging the employees of member companies. These events are great ways to motivate your staff. It was just wonderful to see families out at these events, meeting each other in informal settings sharing challenges and lots of laughs. The Ottawa Chapter held another successful golf event. Martha Walsh and the golf committee organized a fantastic event, complete with Senator bobbleheads offered up as prizes. The Eastern Ontario enthusiasm continued with a member appreciation day, hosted by the Mulroney family at their business, Geosynthetics. This included a meet-
ing to discuss plans for the exciting Home and Garden Show that will showcase our industry next March. As we moved into September, the successful events continued. One highlight was the Durham Chapter involvement with the Brooklin/Whitby Harvest Festival, in which Permacon and the Chapter members combined to showcase our industry with a dynamite display beautified by colourful plant material from Kobes Nursery. The booth included a giant colouring board for kids. A big thank you goes to Kim Burton, LO’s art director, for creating the colouring sheet. It was a really a big hit. This was a great event that literally connected the dots. It also provided great exposure to the public. The display was recognized by several local politicians and many members of the Chapter had an opportunity to network. Speaking of networking, Golden Horsehoe Chapter partnered with our trade show department at the brand new Thrive show. Again the focus was on involving and entertaining the hard working families that make this industry successful. I’m writing this article just before I join the Waterloo and Toronto Chapters at the grand openings of another two spectacular outdoor classrooms and green spaces. We are now making plans to help all chapters with their goals for this fall and beyond. It is amazing the impact that our chapters continue to have on local communities across this province. We will be formulating a new public relations strategy for 2016 to garner the recognition that you deserve. Hope you find time to give thanks and enjoy your families this October. Contact Denis Flanagan at dflanagan@landscapeontario.com.
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 27
UNDERGROUND WORLD These tips may save you a fine By Terry Murphy CLM
T
here are several violations under the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), or the Ministry of Labour (MOL), which will result in your firm receiving a fine or penalty. Here are some items that some members have mentioned during the last couple of months that could save you from such a fine. As you should know, the tolerance zone is one metre on either side of the locate line of a utility. Best practice says, that within the tolerance zone, one cannot use any machinery, but only hand tools. The question was asked if a mattock (a pick) can be used to loosen the soil for hand digging. Is it considered a hand tool? The answer is no.
Blunt edge
Ontario One Call has explained this to one of our members. “You may only use a hand tool that has a blunt edge (shovel) and nothing sharp or pointed. This may save you from puncturing a gas line if digging within the tolerance zone.” By the way, there is nothing in the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) Best Practices manual that defines hand tools. Can an excavating contractor use a copy of another contractor’s locate paperwork and proceed to excavate on the same job? TSSA has advised me that they will accept a copy of the locate paperwork, as long as it has not expired and the excavator has the copy on site and in the possession of the excavating operator.
Opposing opinions
Some of our contractors have been challenged by the MOL that each contractor digging at a location must call Ontario One Call for separate locates and have the locate paperwork on site. Now we seem to have two provincial safety organizations with opposing opinions. The Act
28 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
does not mention anything about locate paperwork and only indicates that markings are necessary on the ground to show the excavator where the utility lines
are located, so they can avoid damage. In my opinion, the safe thing to do is to call for your own locates and have your own paperwork. Remember, TSSA is responsible for fuels and the underground damage prevention, so its practices should be accepted. Calling for locates is a free service, so it makes good sense to call ahead. The other important point on locate paperwork is to be conscious of the expiry date and make sure the locate paperwork is valid, current and in the excavator’s possession and not filed at the office.
Get dialogue going
Landscape Ontario has Chapters in many of the same areas as the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance has councils. I would suggest that each Chapter has a representative go to each other’s meetings and get some dialogue going on common opportunities in each area. We have an open invitation from the ORCGA to attend sessions. The contact person at the ORCGA is Jennifer Parent at Jennifer@orcga.com, or telephone 1-905 328-7063. At these meetings, you can learn about new laws, existing problems, and obtain suggestions on improving damage prevention in your market area. Also, please note that if you are experiencing
any problems on the locate process, or obtaining timely locates, you may contact Steve Waugh at Ontario One Call. His job is to support the legislation for having timely locates completed in five business days and he wants to hear about any delays.
Backyards not marked
The locate markings that are provided by Ontario One Call will only be from the street or boulevard to where the utility enters the building and nothing beyond. Any services beyond this point, particularly those extending into residential backyards, are not marked by the locate company. These side lot or backyard utility underground services may have been installed after the building was finished and often neglected by contractors doing new renovations or upgrades. This could include electrical utilities to a pool or garage, natural gas to a backyard barbecue, or services to a pool change house, etc. These utilities fall in the private locate area and the home owner or excavator has the responsibility to note the location of these before digging takes place. The services of a private locate company would be required and it is not covered by Ontario One Call. These backyard services are often neglected during construction. We have seen some critical injuries in recent years because of this neglect.
Call early
If you have an important project, or have a number of jobs that you can schedule far ahead, let your local locate company know so they can provide timely service to meet your schedule. I have found that the companies that provide locate services are very happy to work with you and are very accommodating, if they know your requirements in advance. This is particularly important in the spring start up period. If you experience any project or item where there is an example of some practice, law or learning experience that we can pass on to your fellow contractors, please let me know and I will be happy to share it with the industry in this column. Contact me with any comments, questions or suggestions on this article or any other damage prevention issue at tvmurphy@ca.inter.net.
PROSPERITY PARTNERS Standing in the presence of greatness
E
very now and then, all of us who run our businesses with a combination of passion and professionalism have very special and memorable moments. Some of those moments may include landing a great contract, hiring a right-fit dynamo, or creating your best ever masterpiece. And, some of those moments come along when you come across a mentor, coach, peer or chapter in a book that really connects to your core, and feels right. When these great moments happen in our careers, they are magical. They affirm for each of us that we are doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing. It often happens when you’ve really got your game on, and everything smoothly comes together. Many a time over the years, I have turned to a planting crew in the middle of laying out hundreds of plants, and informed them that they are standing in the presence of greatness. In other words, they are witness to one of my more brilliant creations. Some of them laugh. Some of them roll their eyes. Others ask, why? It’s the ones who ask why, who show me they have the greatest potential to find their own moments of greatness in our industry. Through the years of teaching the Build Your Prosperity Workshop, I’ve shared, and learned about, many moments of greatness. It’s encouraging to hear our peers share their greatest moments. And, it’s also inspiring to coach them through the not-so-great ones — peer to peer. I’ve had the privilege to witness the growth and professional development in many of our industry Prosperity Partners businesses in the last 10 years. The ones who engage with the program like the example below, who really come to the table looking for answers, coaching, ideas, and to create their moments of greatness. Last month, I heard from one of our Prosperity Partners peers, who
created a moment of greatness for me — he shared that the workshop changed the way he thought about and ran his business, launching it into a new direction and solid success. By taking the Build Your Prosperity Workshop, he learned an effective way to work on his business, which helped him to map out which resources he needed and when, while his business grew on many levels. Derek Lippert is president of Quiet Nature. I’m proud to share with you Derek’s Prosperity Partners story. “I’ve been in business, officially, since 1999. I started out of the back of my ‘88 VW Jetta, full-time in 2002. By 2007-2008, it was looking to actually be a viable means of forging a career; at least that’s when I decided that I had to start taking things seriously. I Derek Lippert believe it was the winter of 2008-2009 that I signed up for early Prosperity Partners series of workshops, and was sent down the path of really figuring out what my business stood for. I established our vision, mission, and core values (Respectful, Efficient, Creative, Adaptable, Professional, Positive), which has really laid the foundation for everything since that time. Last winter we tested to make sure the vision and core values still held true in a staff brainstorming session, we called a co-creation meeting. “In 2011, I started working with an industry peer group to get a handle on my financials, to learn from other
business owners, and really build on the foundations the Prosperity Partners model created for me. “Since taking the Build Your Prosperity workshops, we’ve grown from four staff to 14 (most of whom have been around for many years now), moved to and developed a 10 acre farm to demonstrate the work we do, changed the business name and completely re-branded the business. We’ve been generating leads that are predominantly from right-fit clients and, have more than quadrupled sales volume (with healthy, benchmarked bottom lines). There is still a lot of work to do before we are truly ‘there,’ but what I feel I can now start to call success is in no small part due to Prosperity Partners, working closely with my peers, and the numerous conferences and training opportunities put on by Landscape Ontario.” — Derek Lippert CLM, owner, Quiet Nature, Ayr I appreciate Derek sharing his testimonial to the Prosperity Partners program, and invite you to consider what your plan is for the upcoming winter professional development season. If you’re looking for a roadmap for prioritizing your focus and direction, email our team at prosperity@ landscapeontario.com for a spot on the next seminar waiting list. Moments of greatness…. Here YOU come!
HR Toolkit available for you Landscape Ontario provides a great human resources prosperity tool for green industry employers. It’s available free of charge at horttrades.com/HRToolkit. The online resource includes over 100 pages of information, including a policy and procedures manual, along with recruitment and retention tools, to help employers hire staff effectively and keep them engaged.
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 29
CLASSIFIEDS
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES EQUIPMENT FOR SALE / TAYLOR TREE FARM Solo Mist Sprayer – Will fog 40’ per pass. Good for orchards, Christmas trees, nursery trees, and grape vines. Heavy Duty Old Forester Tree Planter – c/w scalper. One row, two person/approx. 800 trees per hour. Can plant deciduous or conifer seedlings. 100, 42 Gal Grower Containers c/w handlesbrand new. Can be used for container trees or irrigation. Hand Plug Planter-c/w two saddle bags. Sajie Tree trimmers – Gas/ for shearing conifer trees. One operator can shear approx. 3,000 trees per day. Wood Furnace for shop- Used only one season/plenum included. 48” Seaforth Finishing Mower- Can be used for lawn or grass in rows. Portable Propane Infrared Heater 1 Horse Cutter (Sleigh) Jet Spray Hot Chocolate Machines- In good working condition ( 2 ) 90 Cup Coffee Makers ( 4 ) SS - 60 cup thermos Pizza Pal – Electric oven E-mail johnrklecker@gmail.com Cell 416-458-9289
All classified ads must be pre-paid by credit card. Rates: $50.85 (HST included) per column inch Min. order $50.85. 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. 10. 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 $67.80 (HST included) for Associaton members and $90.40 HST included for non-members. Website ads are posted for 31 days. View ads online at www.horttrades.com/classifieds
NURSERY STOCK
EQUIPMENT 30’ ALUMINUM IRRIGATION PIPE (Used) - Wade rain 3” & 4” pipe - $50.00 each Call Frank 905-727-3666
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES GENERAL FARM LABOURER Field labour in the nursery, minimum wage. Duties: Weeding, hoeing, planting, digging, watering and pruning of trees and shrubs in fields and yard. Seasonal – April to November Skills Required: Grade 12 diploma, work experience an asset. UXBRIDGE NURSERIES LIMITED 8080 Baldwin St., Brooklin, ON, L1M 1Y6 Contact: Wilma Muhic wilma@uxbridgenurseries.com
FOR SALE 2,500 white pine trees 6’ to 14’ - All sheared and full from top to bottom. Can be used for landscape or Christmas trees. 300 Meyer spruce trees 3’ to 6’ - Slow growing, sheared and full to the bottom. Makes a great landscape tree. 2,000 white spruce trees 6’ to 16’ - All sheared. Can be used for landscape trees or Christmas trees. E-mail johnrklecker@gmail.com Cell 416-458-9289 We are located in Stouffville
View more ads online at www.horttrades.com/classifieds Keep in touch with
LANDSCAPE
ONTARIO
ADVERTISERS Allstone Quarry Products Inc.
www.allstonequarry.com
905-939-8491
Page 17
www.braungroup.com
800-246-6984
Page 22
www.canadale.com
519-631-1008
Page 2
Connon Nurseries/CBV Holdings Inc.
www.connon.ca
888-775-2687
Page 13
Connon Nurseries/NVK Holdings Inc.
www.connonnurseries.com
905-628-0112
Page 32
www.expresswaytrucks.com
800-558-7364
Page 26
www.glwp.ca
877-266-0636
Page 21
www.gro-bark.com
888-476-2275
Page 23
www.highlandgm.com
905-727-9444
Page 24
Braun Nursery Limited Canadale Nurseries
Join our discussion forum
http://linked.in/LOLinkedIn
Expressway Hino Waterloo Great Lakes Wood Products Inc. Gro-Bark (Ontario) Ltd.
Highland Chevrolet/Highland National Leasing
@LOassocMag @LOMembership @TonyDiGiovanni1 @denisflanagan @green_for_life @LOevents @LOgnome
John Deere Dealers Kobes Nurseries Inc.
905-263-8814
Page 18
Legends Landscape Supply Inc.
www.landscapestore.ca
905-336-3369
Page 14
M. Putzer Nursery
www.putzernursery.com
905-878-7226
Page 15
www.newroadsleasing.com
416-587-1021
Page 22
www.niscocanada.com
888-634-9559
Page 16
www.pottersroadnursery.com
519-688-0437
Page 21
www.sipkensnurseries.com
866-843-0438
Page 20
www.southoakvillechrysler.com
905-845-6653
Page 14
Stam Nurseries
www.stamnurseries.com
519-424-3350
Page 26
V. Kraus Nurseries Ltd.
www.krausnurseries.com
905-689-4022
Page 23
Newroads National Leasing Nisco National Leasing
Sipkens Nurseries Ltd.
30 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015
Page 31
www.kobesnurseries.com
Potters Road Nursery Inc.
www.facebook.com/ landscapeontario
www.johndeere.ca
South Oakville Chrysler Fiat
3 FAMILY COMPACT UTILITY TRACTORS From the workhorse 3E Series to the all-new, all-premium 3R Series, take a close look and you’ll find powerful diesel engines, ready to work when you are. You’ll find standard four-wheel drive for tough chores in tougher ground, high capacity hydraulics that make loader work a pleasure, transmissions with intuitive, easy-to-use controls and hundreds of compatible implements and attachments, including snowblowers, blades and pushers.
0
% FOR 60 MONTHS with implement bonuses
OR
BIG RETAIL BONUSES 4 FAMILY COMPACT UTILITY TRACTORS
OR
Available from 44 to 66 engine horsepower† and the John Deere e-Hydro transmission, you’ll have the ability to quickly change ground speeds without clutching or shifting, making snow removal and just about every other task a breeze.
Hutchinson Farm Supply HutchinsonFarmSupply.com
Huron Tractor HuronTractor.com
Green Tractors GreenTractors.ca
Premier Equipment PremierEquipment.ca
Offer valid from August 5, 2015 until October 30, 2015. 0% APR purchase financing for 60 months on new John Deere 3 Family and 4 Family Compact Utility Tractors. Eligibility for $0 down payment offer is limited to highly qualified customers and scheduled monthly payments will be required. Representative Amount Financed: $30,000; $40,000, at 0% APR, monthly payment is $500; $666.67 for 60 months, total obligation is $30,000; $40,000, cost of borrowing is $0. Monthly payments/cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed/down payment. MSRP cash price based on highest priced product in series: $35,529; $46,496 (includes $50 documentation fee). Cost of borrowing based on Representative Amount Financed not MSRP cash price. Taxes, set-up, delivery, freight, preparation charges and a $50 documentation fee will apply. Minimum finance amount may be required; representative amount does not guarantee offer applies. The charge for amounts past due is 24% per annum. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Additional dealer fees may apply. Financing on approved John Deere Financial credit only. See dealer for details. Limited time offer which may not be combined with other offers. Discounts or other incentives may be available for cash purchases. By selecting the purchase financing offer, consumers may be foregoing such discounts and incentives which may result in a higher effective interest rate. †Manufacturer’s estimate of power (ISO) per 97/68/EC.
WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 31
32 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO OCTOBER 2015