Landscape Trades October 2018

October 2018 VOL. 40, NO. 8

landscapetrades.com

Saving salt: Two practical, effective tips IGC retail product picks Big-picture marketing for contractors

Bloomin’

NEW

Exclusive look at annual, perennial, woody plant, rose and edible introductions coming to Canada in 2019

PM40013519

GREYFIELD, SMOOTH

NATURAL, SMOOTH

TIMBERWOOD, SMOOTH

Tame any tough space.

GREYFIELD, SPLIT

NATURAL, SPLIT

TIMBERWOOD, SPLIT

Steep, sloping terrain can be difficult to tame without the right materials for the job; and sometimes you just need a little help selecting the right product.

That’s exactly why Oaks Landscape Products developed the Proterra™ wall system. This engineered retaining wall ensures a stable structure, even in a true vertical installation with its patent pending M-Lock technology, while providing stylish options in colour and texture. When your design calls for steps, Proterra™’s modular units are the ideal choice or Oaks Aria Step system is designed to complement Proterra™ wall perfectly.

OAKSpavers.com | 1.800.709.OAKS (6257) |

Contents

OCTOBER 2018 VOL. 40, NO. 8

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Lee Ann Knudsen CLM | lak@landscapeontario.com

ART DIRECTOR Kim Burton | kburton@landscapeontario.com

NEW

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAGAZINE EDITOR Robert Ellidge | rob@landscapeontario.com

PLANTS

MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER Mike Wasilewski | mikew@landscapeontario.com ACCOUNTANT Joe Sabatino | joesabatino@landscapeontario.com SALES MANAGER, PUBLICATIONS Steve Moyer | stevemoyer@landscapeontario.com ACCOUNT MANAGER Greg Sumsion | gsumsion@landscapeontario.com COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Angela Lindsay | alindsay@landscapeontario.com ADVISORY COMMITTEE Gerald Boot CLM, Laura Catalano, Jeremy Feenstra, Mark Fisher, Hank Gelderman CHT, Marty Lamers, Bob Tubby CLM, Nick Winkelmolen, Dave Wright Landscape Trades is published by Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 Phone: (905)875-1805 Email: comments@landscapetrades.com Fax: (905)875-0183 Web site: www.landscapetrades.com LANDSCAPE ONTARIO STAFF Darryl Bond, Amy Buchanan, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Denis Flanagan CLD, Cassandra Garrard, J. Alex Gibson, Meghan Greaves, Sally Harvey CLT CLM, Heather MacRae, Kathy McLean, Linda Nodello, Kathleen Pugliese, John Russell, Ian Service, David Turnbull, Lissa Schoot Uiterkamp, Tom Somerville, Myscha Stafford, Martha Walsh

Landscape Trades is published nine times a year: January, March, April, May, June, August, September, October and November.

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Subscribe at www.landscapetrades.com Copyright 2018. All rights are reserved. Material may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Landscape Trades assumes no responsibility for, and does not endorse the contents of, any advertisements herein. All representations or warranties made are those of the advertiser and not the publication. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the association or its members, but are those of the writer concerned.

FEATURES

6 New plants for 2019

Exclusive research on the annual, perennial, woody plant, rose and edible introductions coming to Canada next season.

30 Retailers shop at Chicago show

A Canadian perspective on new offerings at the Independent Garden Center show.

BY ANNE MARIE VAN NEST

COLUMNS

34 Management solutions

Two simple efficiency systems are powerful tools to fight the salt shortage.

BY MARK BRADLEY

36 Road to success

Seeing things from the customer perspective is a great way to build a powerful sales force.

BY ROD McDONALD

38 Legal matters

Know your obligations when salt supplies are tight.

BY ROBERT KENNALEY AND JOSH WINTER

46 Mentor moment

ISSN 0225-6398 PUBLICATIONS MAIL SALES AGREEMENT 40013519 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT LANDSCAPE TRADES MAGAZINE 7856 FIFTH LINE SOUTH, MILTON, ON L9T 2X8 CANADA

Gerry Aubin does his part to build a great future for the horticulture industry.

DEPARTMENTS GREEN PENCIL 4 INDUSTRY NEWS 40 NEW PRODUCTS 43 ADVERTISERS 45 COMING EVENTS 45

ON THE COVER: Phlox paniculata ‘Younique Bicolor’

OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

3

greenpencil Do you have a marketing and sales strategy for 2019?

Marketing myopia

M

ost design-build contractors struggle with marketing. A presentation I made was called Marketing Myopia — and I discovered it was the title of a 1960 marketing paper

by Theodore Levitt, published in the Harvard Business Review.

This is a refresher on marketing, a reminder to review and analyze sales goals. Understand that marketing and advertising are different concepts, although critically, both work together.

First step in a marketing plan is to decide what type of company you are, how you want the marketplace to perceive you. What are you best at? What can you constantly deliver well within a material, labour and pricing budget? Are you a fencing contractor that adds on landscaping as needed, or is design-build more your specialty?

Touting yourself beyond your abilities and accepting work that stretches your fiBy Arvils Lukss nancial and technical means leads to poor profits and dissatisfied clients. Positioning your company where you want it be, is far preferable to the marketplace dictating who you are. If your calls never seem to be the clients or type of work you’re looking for, your marketing plan must address this perception gap.

Think about your passion, and set up a marketing plan positioning your company in line with your ability to deliver a superior result. By doing so, your advertising reflects an image that resonates.

Great, quality work and client service will ultimately move your business forward.

The second consideration is to define your market. How often have we heard our colleagues say they work anywhere and everywhere?

AVOID this temptation. Travel time (billed or not), with road construction, slows down productive daily job-site hours. Based on your positioning from step one, prospective clients must be available within your chosen marketed area. Basic market research can determine client demographics by income, home values, etc.

Your marketing and advertising costs will decrease as you become visible and known in a contained geographical area. Spread yourself too thin, and you lose market strength. Greater market share is what we strive for, and is preferable over more revenue spread out over a large geographic area. The old adage of striving to become a larger fish in a smaller pond, holds so true in our business.

4 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Signage is the simplest, easiest way to begin marketing your company and its image. Go for clean, simple vehicle logos, lawn signs and company uniforms. These three components broadcast your image, showing the market you are ready to do business. All signage and logos must be consistent in colour scheme, font, and above all else, cleanliness. Avoid the temptation to over-clutter your signage. Simple and easy-to-read is much more effective than busy, unkempt slogans.

How many companies barely make the grade in signage? Over 75 per cent do themselves a disservice, based on my observations.

A major point of a marketing is to plan for revenue growth and profitability. As you hit sales goals and profit margins, your marketing and advertising plans must be reviewed at least yearly. Advertising efforts must be documented and measured against a projected yield. For example, if you invest $XXX for a home show such as Canada Blooms, what is the expected revenue? How many leads should we plan for? Are we tracking year-to-year leads? Are we trending up or down? Why? Regardless of your company’s age, size or how it generates revenue, ALL of us need marketing plans. A common industry refrain says, All our leads come from WOM, we never advertise, who needs a marketing plan? At some point, growth will stall based on one source of leads, combined with inflation and competition for the luxury dollar. We compete not only amongst ourselves, but for the dollars our clients spend on housing, car leases, vacations, private schools, etc.

In our business, it’s very risky and short-sighted (insert myopia here, what a segue!), to rely on chance, meaning a single source of leads.

Grow your business based on multiple marketing components; by doing so, you’re ensuring greater odds of long-term success. If one lead source is higher or lower than budgeted, track it, analyze results, adjust expected ratios, and strive for improvement the following year.

Start with at least three new marketing initiatives for your company, with the longer term goal of a solid, well-performing 10. Start smaller, and expand according to your time and abilities. As you track historical data, you have created precedent that helps guide your path to greater financial stability, with greater clarity and vision.

Yes, my company really does manage marketing to this level of detail. Marketing myopia was identified as a problem 58 years ago. I LT want your company to enjoy a clear vision of success.

Arvils Lukss, lucin@bellnet.ca, operates Toronto-Ont.-based Landscapes by Lucin.

STIHL BGA 100 BATTERY BLOWER & AR 1000 BACKPACK BATTERY When working in noise-sensitive environments such as hospitals, around schools, cemeteries and public parks, cordless tools offer huge advantages because of their low operating noise. But as a professional user, you need more...top performance, maximum energy efficiency and the greatest possible flexibility in use. The extensive STIHL Professional Series range of battery-powered products offers all of this.

POWER THAT CAN BE SEEN BUT NOT HEARD ¥ It is the first choice for professional users working in noise-sensitive areas. That’s because no other STIHL blower can offer a combination of so much power with such low noise levels. The BGA 100 will blow you away with its ergonomics and easy handling, plus three output levels and a boost function that allows you to adjust the output to the task at hand for maximum energy efficiency. Just 2.5 kg/5.5 lb and perfectly balanced, the BGA 100 is particularly lightweight and comfortable to hold. Perfect for relaxed use all day long. Thanks to the three adjustable lengths, the blower tube can be set to suit the user’s body size, making work easier and preventing performance loss.

MAKING LIGHT WORK OF IT – BATTERY POWER FROM THE BACKPACK The NEW backpack battery AR 1000 has even more staying power. This powerful lithium-ion battery from the STIHL PRO cordless system has an energy content of 626 Wh – and together with the comfortable carrying system weighs a mere 5.5 kg (12.1 lb). The connection to the power tool for all the batteries is simply via a connecting cord into a socket on the unit. It is also equipped with a USB port to charge a cell phone.

BGA 100

36 V 2.5 kg/5.5 lb 494 cfm Up to 95 min (with AR 1000)

Voltage Weight Air Volume Runtime

NEW

AR 1000 36 V 626 Wh 4.1 kg/9 lb Up to 120 min (with AL 500)

Voltage Battery Power Battery Weight Charging time

NOTE: This unit requires the purchase of an AP battery carrying system or an AR backpack battery.

¥

PRO-FLEET COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE PROGRAM STIHL’s Pro-Fleet Commercial Landscape Program is designed to provide commercial landscapers a volume discount on major purchases of 5 or more landscaping power tools. Visit your STIHL Dealer today to find out more and take advantage of the savings!

QUALITY AT WORK FOR OVER 90 YEARS. For over 90 years, STIHL has been a world market leader and innovator in outdoor power equipment. German engineered products featuring the latest pioneering technologies make STIHL the preferred choice for professionals, consistently providing uncompromising quality. STIHL products are only available at independent STIHL Dealers who provide personal advice and expert service. Thank you for the continuous support and for making STIHL the brand you trust.

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new plants,

new opportunities!

Annual, perennial, edible, rose and woody plant introductions for 2019

Bigger blooms, tidier habits, brighter colours and better disease resistance; plants breeders across the world are continuously improving and expanding their plant selections to meet consumer desires.

With the 2018 New Plant Introduction special section, Landscape Trades compiles a list of the most exciting plants hitting the Canadian market in 2019. From elegant roses, vibrant annuals, bold shrubs and hardy perennials, there is something for every garden bed, planter and basket in this extensive collection. We hope these plants inspire your designs and projects as you head into the 2019 season.

Calibrachoa hybrida MiniFamous Uno Double Pinktastic

Mini petunia

This Fleuroselect Gold Medal winner features heavily contrasted double flowers and a ball-shaped habit that is half trailing. The MiniFamous Uno series is filled with medium-compact calibrachoa with uniform flower timing across the series. Grows best in baskets or mixed containers.

Selecta One

Begonia semperflorens Senator iQ Wax begonia

This wax begonia has a uniform and compact plant habit and dark bronze foliage. Its tidy habit and large, bold blooms are well-suited for containers and mass landscape plantings. The Senator iQ series includes Deep Rose, Pink, Rose, Rose Bicolor, Scarlet and White.

Sakata

6 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

new

annuals Impatiens hawkeri Wild Romance Red New Guinea impatiens

Last year, DĂźmmen Orange introduced the novel Wild Romance series, featuring flowers that resemble a rose as the bud opens and a gardenia when fully open.

Now, Wild Romance Red joins the existing Blush Pink and White.

DĂźmmen Orange

Coleus scutellarioides PartyTime Pink Fizz Coleus

PartyTime Pink Fizz boasts a vibrant leaf colour and a naturally compact habit that performs well in both full sun and shade.

Pink Fizz is an accent plant or component for mixed containers.

The PartyTime series is now available in eight colours.

Sakata

Ipomoea batatas SolarPower Black Heart Sweet potato vine

New heart-shaped leaf types join the Solar Power series in 2019. Densely branched, it holds its shape and colour in the landscape and in mixed combos all summer long. Medium vigor and efficient during production, its tidy habit works great in hanging baskets or small pots.

Ball FloraPlant

Angelonia angustifolia Angelface Steel Blue Summer snapdragon

Growers and gardeners in even the hottest climates have a new colour option in Angelface Angelonia this year.

Proven Winners is expanding the palette to include a unique, silvery-lavender shade that pairs beautifully with pastel pinks and silvers.

Proven Winners OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

7

new

annuals Solenostemon scutellarioides Colorblaze Golden Dreams Coleus

This robust coleus grows vigorously to form a bushy mound of radiant gold foliage with red venation. Like all ColorBlaze selections, it performs well in both sun and shade. In lower light, Golden Dreams will have more extensive red colouring; in brighter light it will be more gold.

Proven Winners

Impatiens hawkeri SunPatiens Vigorous Red Impatiens

SunPatiens have delivered flourishing colour in both sun and shade, spring through fall, for over 11 years. The new Vigorous Red features even better branching, with strong plant vigor.

Sakata

Coreopsis hybrida Electric Sunshine Tickseed

Electric Sunshine flowers beautifully from spring until late-fall in a non-stop display of colour. Use as an annual in the North. Doesn’t require cleaning or cutback to flower.

Darwin Perennials

Begonia x hybrida Canary Wings Begonia

Canary Wings offers a unique take on a staple plant in gardens around the world. Canary Wings has bright chartreuse foliage with beautiful red blooms all season long. Grows best in 60 per cent shade and makes great shade baskets, pots and combinations.

Ball Ingenuity

Interspecific Pelargonium Big EEZE Foxy Flamingo Geranium

Foxy Flamingo features the rounded habit of a zonal but the heat tolerance of an ivy. With flamingo pink variegated flowers, Foxy Flamingo is a new addition to the Big EEZE series.

DĂźmmen Orange 8 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

THE 2018 SUPER DUTY®

TURN TOUGH JOBS INTO DONE JOBS WITH THE SMARTER TRUCK

Towing. Payload. Torque. Only Super Duty tops the list in its class. It’s not for bragging rights. It’s for dragging might – a truck that works as hard as you. And the might is backed by brilliant available innovations that allow Super Duty to be your trusted partner: sensors to watch blind spots, steering that reduces effort, cameras that give you a complete view of what’s going on around your truck – innovations to help you easily manoeuvre any trailer, avoid a collision and so much more‡. Smart. Tough.

Undisputed. Only Super Duty.

BEST-IN-CLASS MAX TOWING* 34,000 LBS

BEST-IN-CLASS MAX PAYLOAD^ 7,630 LBS

BEST-IN-CLASS DIESEL TORQUE** 935 LB-FT

BEST-IN-CLASS GAS TORQUE^^ 430 LB-FT

THE PERFECT PAIRING OF MILITARY-GRADE◊ ALUMINUM ALLOY AND HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL

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EXPLORE THE NEW SUPER DUTY. FORD.CA/SUPERDUTY Vehicle may be shown with optional features. ‡Driver-assist features are supplemental and do not replace the driver’s attention, judgment and need to control the vehicle. *When properly equipped.

Maximum towing capacity of 34,000 lbs on F-450 4x2 with 6.7L diesel engine conguration. Class is Full-Size Heavy Duty Pickups over 8,500 lbs. GVWR based on Ford segmentation. ^When properly equipped. Maximum payload of 7,630 lbs on F-350 DRW Regular Cab 4x2 with 6.2L gas engine. Class is Full-Size Pickups over 8,500 lbs. GVWR based on Ford segmentation. **Maximum diesel torque of 935 lb-ft with standard 6.7L V8 diesel engine 6-speed automatic transmission conguration. Class is Full-Size Pickups over 8,500 lbs. GVWR based on Ford segmentation. ^^Maximum gas torque of 430 lb-ft on with standard 6.2L V8 gas engine. Class is Full-Size Pickups over 8,500 lbs. GVWR based on Ford segmentation. ◊6000-series aluminum alloy. ‡‡F-Series is the best-selling line of pickup trucks in Canada for 52 years in a row, based on Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association statistical sales report up to year-end 2017. ©2018 Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved.

new

annuals Celosia plumosa First Flame Purple Woolflower

First Flame has brightly-coloured blooms that finish 10-14 days earlier than its competition, according to PanAmerican Seed. It is well-suited for borders and containers. Purple is a unique colour to this type of celosia.

PanAmerican Seed

Calendula hybrid Lady Godiva Yellow

English marigold

Expanding on the success of Lady Godiva Orange, which made its debut last year, Proven Winners is broadening its Calendula line with this bright yellow, double-flowered selection. These double varieties have greatly reduced seed set, which encourages them to continue blooming throughout the season.

Proven Winners

Verbena peruviana Cadet Upright Verbena

Cadet Upright flowers one week earlier than other upright verbenas, according to Ball FloraPlant. This verbena features the same heat performance as EnduraScape, but in a compact patio pot or window box habit. Available in seven colours.

Ball FloraPlant

Petunia cultivars Headliner Starry Sky Burgundy Petunia

The Headliner series of mounded petunia boasts early flowering and a fast finish with a dramatic colour range. The new, Starry Sky Burgundy features large flowers with a star and spots in attractive burgundy and yellow colours. The Star pattern is more pronounced in cool weather.

Selecta One

Gypsophila muralis Gypsy White Improved Low baby’s-breath

10 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Gypsy White Improved features larger, semi-double blossoms and produces more flowers than its predecessor. This plant also provides better branching and a better growth habit, and is well-suited for containers, small spaces and garden beds.

Sakata

Bobcat of Barrie Barrie 705-726-2228 www.bobcatbarrie.com

Bobcat of London, Ltd. London 519-455-4900 www.bobcatoflondon.com

Bobcat of Brantford, Inc. Brantford 519-752-7900 www.bobcatofbrantford.com

Bobcat of Ottawa Valley Casselman 613-764-2033 Cornwall 877-244-5593 Ottawa 613-831-5166 www.bobcatOV.com

Bobcat of Durham East, Ltd. Courtice 905-404-9990 www.bobcatofdurhameast.com Bobcat of Grey Bruce Owen Sound 519-372-9100 www.bobcatoftc.com Bobcat of Hamilton, Ltd. Stoney Creek 905-643-3177 www.bobcatofhamilton.com

Bobcat of Parry Sound Nobel 705-342-1717 www.bobcatofparrysound.com Bobcat of the Tri-Cities, Ltd. Kitchener 519-579-9100 www.bobcatoftc.com ww

Bobcat of Toronto Brampton 416-679-4172 Scarborough 416-679-4171 www.bobcattoronto.com

John’s Equipment Sales & Service, Ltd. Frankford 613-398-6522 bobcatjohnsequipmentsales.com

Can-AmTractor, Ltd. Chatham 519-351-4300 • 888-294-8818 www.kuceras.com

McGavin Farm Equipment Ltd Walton 877-887-6365 www.mcgavinequip.com

Carrier Centers Sarnia 877-336-4840 Windsor 888-956-8785 www.carriercenters.ca

Stratford Farm Equipment (1983), Ltd. Stratford 519-393-6162 www.sfe-sales.com

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new

annuals Petchoa hybrida SuperCal Premium Petunias Petunia

The SuperCal series of 13 trusted varieties is joined by five next-generation colours that feature larger flowers and a stronger mounding habit. New colours include: Bordeaux, Caramel Yellow, Cinnamon, French Vanilla and Sunray Pink.

Sakata

Dahlia hybrida City Lights Dahlia

This dark-leafed garden dahlia comes from Dalaya breeding. The dark leaf makes it pop with contrast and its bold, bicolour blooms last all season long. Available in four colours.

Selecta One

Lobularia maritima Easy Breezy Alyssum

Easy Breezy provides bright flowers that continuously bloom through early-spring conditions and features a non-split habit.

Ball FloraPlant

Osteospermum hybrid Bright Lights Pink African daisy

A breakthrough colour for Osteospermum, this pink selection is ideal for spring container recipes.

Though its flower is the classic Osteospermum form and it thrives in cool seasons, this plant has also been bred for increased heat tolerance, so it blooms all season in most climates.

Proven Winners 14 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Hypoestes phyllostachya Hippo Pink Polka dot plant

The Hippo series of super-sized, vegetative selections does what Snow Princess did to seed alyssum, according to Proven Winners. They’re big and bushy with an upright habit, making them suitable for use as a thriller or filler in containers and landscapes. Proven Winners

THE ENDLESS SUMMER® FAMILY IS GROWING.

Introducing

Summer Crush

™

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmacfive’ PPAF

• Profusion of rich raspberry red mophead flowers • Can be vibrant blue-purple in acidic conditions • Glossy, deep green, wilt resistant foliage • Naturally compact growth habit • Bred by Bailey Innovations™

Available for Spring 2019 Retail Sales E n d l e s s S um m e rB l o o m s .c o m

new

perennials Heuchera ‘Red Lightning’ Coral bells

Electrifying dark red veins spark over huge gold leaves. Colour holds well throughout the season.

This striking foliage works equally well in the garden or a mixed container. Best in part to full shade.

Grows to 30 cm. Hardiness zone 4.

Valleybrook

Geranium pratense ‘Boom Chocolatta’ Hardy geranium

‘Boom Chocolatta’ has rich, dark bronze leaves and an upright habit. Blue-purple flowers cover the top starting in early summer. It grows to a height of 70 cm and a spread of 75 cm. Exposure is full sun to part shade.

Hardiness zone 4.

Hillen Nursery

Hemerocallis ‘Cheese and Wine’ Reblooming daylily

With the hues of red wine and a variety of cheeses, this fragrant, reblooming daylily provides colour over a long period during the summer. Grows to 75 cm. Best in sun or part sun. Hardiness zone 3.

Valleybrook 16 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Coreopsis hybrida ‘Super Star’ Tickseed

‘Super Star’ boasts extra-large flowers that bring beauty to any perennial garden. Similar habit and garden performance to the popular UpTick series.

Great in landscapes or containers for long-lasting texture and colour. Hardiness zone 5a.

Darwin Perennials

100 LANDSCAPERS. THOUSANDS OF HOURS.

Respect isn’t given. It’s earned. That’s why we gave the new PRO Z Series to 100 landscapers and asked them to put it to the test for 16 weeks. After thousands of hours on the job, they provided honest feedback that informed our final design. The result is a line of commercial zero-turn mowers that provide more performance, comfort and durability than ever before.

cubcadet.ca/pro

new

perennials Ligularia dentata ‘King Kong’ Bigleaf ligularia

New leaves are glossy and black-purple, turning to burgundy purple with a semi-gloss finish as summer progresses. Golden orange, daisy-like flowers top the plant on purple stems in mid-summer. Suited for use in borders, as a specimen or in woodland shade. Grows to a height of 1.25 metres and a spread of 1 metre. Hardiness zone 4.

Hillen Nursery

Dianthus ‘Appleblossom Burst’ Pinks

The result of breeding work by Walters Gardens, ‘Appleblossom Burst’ features semi-double flowers ranging from white to an intense pink blush.

Best in sun and well-drained soil. Grows to 25 cm. Hardiness zone 4.

Valleybrook

Salvia hybrida ‘Blue by You’ Meadow sage

‘Blue by You’ has excellent winter hardiness and heat tolerance. Will repeat bloom several times during the growing season when spent flowers are removed. It’s a sterile hybrid for longer flower life. The plant is adorned with long, bright-blue flower spikes. Hardiness zone 4b.

Darwin Perennials

Dianthus chinensis Corona China pink

Corona produces large-size flowers on a compact, mounded plant. The biggest blooms of any dianthus of this type with exceptional flower form, according to PanAmerican Seed.

Hardiness zone 5a-5b.

PanAmerican Seed

Dicentra spectabilis ‘White Gold’ Golden bleeding heart

‘White Gold’ has brilliant-white, heart-shaped flowers and blooms in early spring. This bright green-yellow perennial attracts hummingbirds and can bring colour and light to any shade garden. Hardiness zone 4.

18 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES Terra Nova Nurseries

TM

Perovskia a. ‘Denim ‘n Lace’ PP28445 CPBR5568

RUSSIAN SAGE THAT’S

All the Rage

Russian Sage is back and bluer than ever. While compact in size for the genus, ‘Denim ‘n Lace’ makes no sacrifice when it comes to vigor, habit, or flower power.

See what’s new at WaltersGardens.com today.

P: 888.WALTERS (888.925.8377) | F: 800.752.1879 | E: sales@waltersgardens.com © 2018 Walters Gardens, Inc.

new

perennials Echinacea Kismet Intense Orange Coneflower

Kismet Intense Orange is a deer-resistant, low water usage perennial with an extensive bloom time. Due to years of persistent Echinacea breeding, Kismet Intense Orange keeps blooming from early summer until frost. Hardiness zone 4.

Terra Nova Nurseries

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Burgundy Bunny’ Miniature fountain grass

Everything about this grass is petite, including its short height, narrow green leaves and flower plumes. It has fiery red highlights in late spring, followed by buff coloured blooms in mid- to late summer. In fall, the foliage is a stunning red. Grows to a height and spread of 45 cm. Exposure is full sun.

Hardiness zone 5.

Hillen Nursery

Echinacea x hybrida Sombrero Tres Amigos Coneflower

The Sombrero series from Darwin Perennials is highly floriferous on naturally well-branched and compact plants.

They have excellent presentation and are covered in bright, rich blooms. New for 2019 is Tres Amigos, which shows three colours at once: flowers open to peachy-coral, age to rose and fade to burgundy. Hardiness zone 4b.

Darwin Perennials

Phlox paniculata ‘Younique Bicolor’ Garden phlox

These compact plants have loads of soft pink flowers with a white eye and bright pink specks.

Earlier blooming than tall summer phlox, this introduction will re-bloom if deadheaded.

Mildew resistant. Best in sun. Grows to 40 cm.

Hardiness zone 4.

Valleybrook 20 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Stokesia laevis ‘Mel’s Blue’ Stokes’ aster

An upright selection with four-inch wide periwinkle blue blooms held high and flat on strong stems. This Stokes’ aster stands apart because of the large number of upright facing flowers it produces. Hardiness zone 5.

Plants Nouveau

Come see the latest addition to our ZTrak Pro lineup, Booth 1110 at the Green Industry Expo, October 17–19, 2018.

Be among the first to know. Sign up at JohnDeere.ca/FirstToMow

74211

new

woody plants Prunus triloba var. Simplex Pink Frosting ‘ByBoughen’ Flowering almond

Hydrangea paniculata Moonrock Panicle hydrangea

Creamy blooms emerge with an intense lime-green centre that are both funky and elegant in this Bloomin’ Easy selection. Grows four to six feet tall and wide with sturdy red stems. Hardiness zone 3.

Van Belle Nursery

Hydrangea paniculata Berry White Panicle hydrangea

Berry White’s flowers emerge white fading to pink, then deepening in the fall to red. This hydrangea has upright growth, with full branching. Hardiness zone 3.

Sheridan Nurseries 22 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Pink Frosting produces an explosion of showy, single pink flowers that completely covers the plant in early spring.

The flower buds are ultra cold hardy and appear in full bloom to the tips of the branches during the coldest winters. Pink Frosting is an excellent choice for an informal hedge, mass planting and accent shrub due to its robust spring display. Mature height is three metres with a spread of two metres. Hardiness zone 2b.

Bylands Nurseries

Potentilla fruticosa Bella Bellissima Potentilla

An abundance of rich pink blooms from top to bottom of the tidy, compact form from the Bloomin’ Easy portfolio.

Two to three feet tall and wide. Hardiness zone 2.

Van Belle Nursery

new

woody plants

Magnolia x Genie Magnolia

Hydrangea macrophylla Summer Crush

Black-red buds open to small tulip-shaped blooms of deep rich, maroon-purple with tips that fade to a lighter magenta-rose. Genie grows to a height of three to four metres and a spread of two metres. Exposure is full sun to part shade. Hardiness zone 5.

Hillen Nursery

Bigleaf hydrangea

Summer Crush brings a profusion of rich raspberry red or neon purple blooms all summer long. The hydrangea has dark green, glossy leaves, resists wilting in summer heat, and fits smaller garden spaces or containers. Grows to 18-36 inches tall and wide.

Hardiness zone 4.

Bailey Nurseries, Sheridan Nurseries

Weigela x Electric Love Weigela

Loaded with electric red flowers against dark foliage, Bloomin’ Easy Electric Love is the first weigela of its kind. Grows two feet tall and three to four feet wide. Hardiness zone 4.

Van Belle Nursery

Hydrangea paniculata Magical Candle Panicle hydrangea

Immense, porcelain-white flower heads appear backlit as if to create a surreal glow of soft, yellow flowers above tall, erect stems. A robust grower, the dense, lacy panicles of this selection are among the most beautiful in its class. Growing four to five feet tall and wide, Magical Candle makes a great hedge or foundation plant. Hardiness zone 3.

Plants Nouveau 24 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Physocarpus opulifolius Little Joker Ninebark

Slow growing, compact shrub with green-purple foliage, and maroon stems supporting white pink flowers.

Hardiness zone 3b.

Sheridan Nurseries

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woody plants

Ulmus x Night Rider ‘Durby’ Japanese Elm

Potentilla fruticosa Happy Face Hearts Shrubby cinquefoil

A unique display of sweet pink flowers accentuated with a white star in the centre of each bloom.

A healthy, dense plant that holds its flower colour well.

Blooms from spring to fall. Hardiness zone 2.

Sheridan Nurseries

Night Rider is a hybrid between Japanese elm and Siberian elm that has rapid growth, upright, rounded crown form and is highly-resistant to Dutch elm disease. It exhibits good cold hardiness and foliage turns purple in the fall.

This tree is adaptable to a wide variety of soils. Night Rider is an excellent street tree since it is very tolerant to the urban environment. Mature height is 12 metres with a spread of 10 metres. Hardiness zone 3.

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26 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

new

woody plants

Physocarpus opulifolius Fireside Ninebark

Prunus laurocerasus Titan English laurel

The foliage is handsome with bronze new shoots that keep their colour for a long period. White flowers appear in spring. It has a broad, upright and bushy growth habit, and grows to a height of 1.25 metres and a spread of 1 metre. Exposure is full sun to part shade.

Hardiness zone 5.

Hillen Nursery

This new ninebark has stunning foliage. A First Edition’s selection, Fireside’s reddish new growth matures to deep red-purple foliage that holds its colour reliably all summer. Pinkish-white flowers bloom in spring and foliage turns deep purple in fall.

This plant has a rounded, upright shape. Hardiness zone 3.

Bailey Nurseries

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new

roses

Rosa 49th Parallel Collection Chinook Sunrise Shrub rose

Chinook Sunrise is the second addition to Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection of roses. This incredible rose blooms in a flush with a riot of exotic coral colours. It is a low-maintenance beauty, featuring a 1.2-metre spread, black spot tolerance and winter hardiness across Canada. Hardiness zone 3.

Sheridan Nurseries, J.C. Bakker and Sons

Rosa Cherry Frost ‘Overedclimb’ Climbing rose

Cherry Frost is a solid cane, hardy (zone 4) rose with beautiful clusters of smaller red blooms. It will repeat bloom throughout the season in abundance. It has superior disease-resistance and performs well on its own roots.

Star Roses and Plants

Rosa x Suñorita Shrub rose

Classic rose flowers start out orange and transform into rich hues of gold and yellow as they open and mature.

This shrub has shown good continuous blooming and healthy, glossy, dark green foliage.

Sheridan Nurseries 28 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Rosa rugosa Lotty’s Love Shrub rose

Lotty’s Love, a First Editions selection, is a cinnamon-scented rose with large, semi-double flowers that are a deep shade of mauve. The shrub is medium sized with deep, glossy green foliage.

Hardiness zone 3.

Bailey Nurseries

new

edibles Capsicum chinense Primero Red Habanero pepper

Primero Red is the earliest ripening habanero you can grow, with fruit ready to harvest and enjoy as early as bell peppers. Gardeners can appreciate their rich flavour in fresh salsa and cooking.

PanAmerican Seed

Capsicum annuum Snackabelle Red Sweet pepper

Cucurbita moschata Butterbaby Butternut squash

Produces an abundance of sweet, personal-size fruit with classic light tan skin colour. Fruit has excellent storage quality and will last many months after harvest. Restricted vines will not take over your garden and resistance to powdery mildew will improve your harvest of high-quality fruit.

PanAmerican Seed

Mini-bell pepper ripens from green to deep red.

Perfect eating at any stage of ripeness. Thick fruit walls and rich, sweet flavour make Snackabelle Red great for cooking or snacking. Great for in-ground or medium containers.

PanAmerican Seed

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29

Retailers shop at Windy City show

BY ANNE MARIE VAN NEST

Last August, the 12

Independent Garden Center (IGC) Show in Chicago saw its indie delegates storming the historic Navy Pier. Spread over three days, the IGC Show had a full schedule that still allowed ample time to talk to vendors, take in educational sessions, tour garden centres and be inspired by keynote speakers.

Founders and producers Jeff and Cheryl Morey worked hard to build this event exclusively for independent garden center owners, managers and buyers, combining a trade show with educational sesth

sions, tours, and networking events — the biggest such event in the world. Their “Only for IGCs” philosophy requires exhibitors to be reviewed for suitability; vendors can’t just buy their way onto the show floor, which contained around 550 booths this year.

The IGC Show was a great opportunity to recharge, reimagine, revitalize, and participate in the valuable retail-garden-centre shop talk that was happening everywhere. The following are a few products that caught my eye. All are available to Canadian retailers. continued on page 32

Privacy screen Precision laser cut, the geometric-design screens from Veradek are available in black with a powder-coated finish or with the durable, protective patina of corten steel. This new product line is attractive, durable, and great for use as privacy screens on condo balconies or as a wall accent panel. www.veradek.com

Indoor hydroponic system The Indoor Hydroponic Gardening System from NutriTower can extend growing seasons, teach children how to grow edibles, or let homeowners enjoy harvesting their own fresh food — year ‘round. The central column has four fluorescent lighting tubes and a simple drip irrigation system that feeds the 32 custom pots holding salad greens, herbs, fruits, or vegetables. The base contains a reservoir that holds 13 litres of nutrient solution and a submersible pump. www.nutritower.com 30 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

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Fish garden sculptures These lively fish sculptures by Maine artist Tyson M. Weiss represent a fluid beauty as they “swim” along garden beds. The luminous cobalt blue, fire orange, or dabbled white fish are caught in motion just as real fish would curve underwater. Bring the sensation of flowing water or wind into any landscape with Fish in the Garden sculptures.

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Macramé plant hangers Macramé offers timeless natural beauty in these all-natural jute hangers from Primitive Planters. Suspend plant treasures in these attractive and creative hangers. Owner Jennifer Marshall has created nostalgic hangers that are simple and sleek, without all the beads and tassels of the 1980s. www.primitiveplanters.com

32 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Recycled wall art Think Outside creates hand-crafted sculptures using recycled and natural, sustainable materials — metal, wood, rubber and stone. The product line includes “Falling Leaves,” a new maple-leaf cutout wall art. Founder Aaron Jackson is committed to creating a global community and supporting craftsmen in developing countries.

He designs the unique pieces, which are then crafted individually by artisans in developing countries such as Vietnam. He believes in placing a high priority on sustainability. www.thinkoutside.biz

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REGISTER TODAY! Self watering planter Crescent Garden has developed a self-watering planter that is functional, beautiful, and ideal for the growing market created by new gardeners interested in edibles. Designed for easy plant care, the TruDrop Self Watering Raised Planter has a level indicator for its water reservoir. Crescent Garden’s new planter uses less water, less fertilizer, is made from food-safe material, and is 100 per cent recyclable.

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Anne Marie Van Nest, based in Ontario, is a member of the Garden Writers Association, which held its annual conference in Chicago with the Independent Garden Center Show.

OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES | 33

OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

33

managementsolutions

Two big tips for snow and ice efficiency We just finished

BY MARK BRADLEY

some internal training for new staff at LMN. We presented ‘A Day (and Night) in the Life of a Snow Contractor,’ and covered everything. From contract types and selling, to planning and routing, right through to execution and liability — we covered what it takes to make our lots, walks and roads safe. Afterward, the feedback was unanimous. They all asked the same question: “Why would anyone choose to do this?”

You have to be a little crazy to be a snow contractor, so that’s all the more reason to make sure your snow is profitable. This article outlines two small, but critical, systems I have employed over the years to maximize the money we can bank from snow and ice.

utes) instead of pounds. Anyone who can drive a truck, can keep a loose eye on a clock.

Calculate how many minutes it will take (on average) to apply the correct quantity of salt. Divide the pounds of salt required for your site by the pounds-per-minute dispersed by your spinner/ auger. (Example: 750 lbs. divided by 115 lbs./min. = 6.5 minutes).

Share your anticipated salt use (per site) with your crews. If you are using paperwork, issue pages with average salting times per site. (But you really need to move to an app!). If you have gone paperless with an app, feed the app with that information, so crews are prompted with expected salt times as soon as they clock in.

Reduce salt usage and expense Early warnings are saying the winter of 2018/19 might be really challenging for snow contractors, when it comes to salt. Frequent late events last year, combined with work stoppages at mines, are prompting vendors to issue early warnings about potential salt shortages, especially in the Ontario area. Early salt pricing is higher than normal, and alternative arrangements are almost twice the price of ‘normal’ salt.

Unless you like skyrocketing expenses and angry customers, you may have no choice but to carefully manage your salt this year. So here are some good tips: Plan (and estimate) your salt usage for each site. Don’t just guess a price. Have a clear plan for how much salt (per average event) you will need to use for appropriate deicing coverage.

Then measure your site; use online measuring tools without even leaving your desk!

Multiply the size of your site by your salt application rate to get the pounds of salt you need. (For example: 1.5 acres times 500 lbs./ acre = 750 lbs. for a 1.5-acre site).

Measure your salters to establish pounds per minute. To measure your salt application rate, first buy a decent scale (it’s worth it!). Get your spinner/auger going, then use a bag to catch salt for 15 seconds. Weigh the bag. Now multiply the weight by four — that’s how many pounds of salt come off the salter in one minute.

This is a good start. Now you should have a good idea how many pounds or tons of salt you need. You can give this to your drivers to help them apply the right amount of salt in an average event. But do you know how hard it is — at 2:45 a.m. in the middle of a blizzard — to weigh how much salt has come off your truck?

A better way to measure your salting is by using time (in min-

Build site maps that train better plowers If you are not building site maps for all your sites, you are really missing out. Maps don’t take much time, and all you need is Internet access. We have always gone to Google Maps, taken an overhead shot of the property, then highlighted the following areas so anyone dispatched to a site can see exactly what needs to be done.

34 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

An overhead shot of the property with highlighted areas shows crews exactly what needs to be done.

As an example: Blue areas for plowing Red areas are approved areas for piling l Yellow areas are sidewalks we must clear l l

We spent about four minutes, start to finish, on the map above.

But now we have a system that: l Helps ensure work gets done right, the first time. l Makes it easy to send other drivers (without making mistakes). l Can be signed or authorized by our customer before the first event, to ensure the scope of work is clear and accurately understood by all parties.

That site map is a good start, but it can be even better. We found a further decrease in mistakes and callbacks when we: l Asked the customer about past issues or problems with snow and ice. l Added notes and instructions directly on the site map. l Added the estimated average plow and salt times to the site.

The most complete map will have directions to plow and numbers for sequence of clearing.

plowers are 20 to 50 per cent faster than your less-experienced plowers. They have the same equipment and tools, but they know how to attack the site more efficiently. They start in the right places, push to the right places, and minimize backing up and turn-arounds.

So now that you have your maps, sit with your best plowers, and in less than two minutes per site, you can discuss the best way to clear it. Add numbers (for order) and arrows (for direction), and print these maps. Even better, simply upload them to your snow and ice app, and you have a system that could teach your grandmother how to clear better than most contractors!

These two little systems have made a big impact on our winter profitability. Less salt, fewer mistakes, and fewer callbacks help take care of my biggest expenses in snow and ice. They will do the same for you.

LT Added notes and instructions on the site map make it even better.

Now the site map serves as a complete visual reference for the team, to make sure they don’t miss any non-obvious issues.

Now we have a map that prevents mistakes and helps ensure the job is done correctly without any callbacks or customer frustration. But we can still make it better.

If you are paying attention, you have likely noticed your best

Mark Bradley is CEO of LMN, based in Ontario.

OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

35

roadtosuccess

Manager of guest expectations

At the apartment-hotel where we stay in Vancouver, there is a manager. He does not call himself the property manager.

Nope. His self defined title is Manager of Guest Experiences. Great title. Great manager. Really hustles to make his guests feel at home. Finds a yoga class for those looking for one and knows all the wonderful, small eateries that a first-time visitor might walk by.

If you are warm, he gets a fan. If you are chilly, he gets a heater. I needed a twowheeled grocery cart, and 20 minutes later, I had one. It’s a small property, 27 apartments.

But he runs the place as if it were his empire and, in a way, it is.

He understands his business is built upon repeat customers, not an ever-changing cast of tourists. We in the green trades, have that in common. He knows that if people enjoy themselves, they will return. We have been staying there for 25 years.

He is quirky, in a good way. If he has to leave his office for a few minutes, the ‘Gone for cocktails-back in five minutes’ sign goes up. All the regulars understand, and we laugh; he cannot always find someone to cover for him when nature calls.

It was 4 p.m. and I was walking by his office. A ‘dragon lady’ was waiting. She was perturbed. He was to meet her at the appointed time, yet the ‘Gone for cocktails’ sign was up. She took the sign at face value. I chatted with her. Told her the vibe of the place was relaxed and that it was a great place to stay.

“He will be back in a minute. Probably helping another guest with their Wi-Fi.” She was not impressed with me or my explanation.

“Four o’clock is four o’clock!” She was right.

It was four o’clock.

Two minutes later, he appears. I do not envy him. She is on the war path. All of us have had someone, just like her, in our garden centres.

Later that evening, my wife and I are 36 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

BY ROD McDONALD

hanging out at English Bay. We are sitting on a bench, watching the tide do its thing and enjoying the night air. Our disgruntled woman is there as well, with her family. All is fine. She has settled down and is now enjoying a Vancouver sunset. The Manager of Guest Experiences has worked his magic once again.

Running an apartment-hotel is not all that much different from managing a landscape company, a greenhouse or a garden centre. What we share in common are customers who have expectations. We could even define ourselves as Managers of Customer Expectations instead of Experiences.

Every customer, no matter if she have been with us for years, or is a first-timer, has a set of expectations. Whether those expectations are realistic is not important. We must manage those expectations. Sometimes, a part of our job of managing expectations, is to explain what customers can get for a certain price. There are people who have no idea of what something costs.

Many years ago, I had a wonderful, firsttime customer. Nice as the day is long. After a few meetings, she prepared a five-page list of all the plants she wanted included in her landscaping. Then she added, “Please keep the price under $500.”

You and I can laugh. We have been in this trade for a few years and we both know what costs are and how this request cannot happen. I was gentle and explained the only way I could meet the budget was to provide her with seeds, not plants. I went through her list, showing the price of a few of her favourites. She had no idea. And why would she, if this was her first time landscaping a yard?

We should not be surprised by first-time customers when they experience ‘sticker shock.’ I, too, have experienced it as a customer. All of us have seen the ads from

Canadian Tire for $100 and $200 sinks or toilets. I checked out those sinks and toilets when building my retail store, and I was not impressed with their quality. I went to the speciality shop and stood there in silence as I read the prices of the toilets, sinks and fixtures I thought were excellent choices. I had absolutely no idea how much you can pay for

“ Managing experiences, and managing expectations, is what we do. The better we develop those skills, the better we stay on the road to success.” a top-quality toilet. After all, it is not as if we purchase toilets and sinks on a regular basis.

There is no shortage of cheap stuff in the marketplace. The box stores have shelves filled with weed cloth that lasts three years.

Our job is to explain the value of weed cloth that lasts 20 and 30 years to the customer.

Some will understand and some will think it is only a sales pitch. We can only wish them well as they head off to make their box store purchase. More often than not, we will see them again in a few years when they are ready for us. I have pitched customers on the value of good weed cloth and I have had my spiel interrupted with the customer saying, “You don’t have to convince me. I am redoing the work I did five years ago with the junk I bought down the street.”

Garfield Marshall, of Advance Orchard fame, worked in a high-end stereo shop before the

nursery. He would point out that first-time sound system buyers (usually young men) are attracted to price, but as they grow older, quality is the selling feature.

Backing Garfield up is my friend Don Rae. After 45 years in the sound system business, Don has learned to manage expectations with his listening room. As with similar stores, Don has a comfortable space where customers can listen to the different components. After hearing the sound of top quality equipment, a Walmart system pales in comparison. Most quality-oriented audio shops only get those younger customers after they have been burnt purchasing at the box store. The same applies to us.

“I used to buy my plants from the cheaper places, but my garden never looked good until I started coming here.” How many times have we heard this from a satisfied customer? All of us love hearing it, and it means we have done our job. We have managed that customer’s expectations by teaching him or her what grows in the shade and what grows in the sun. We cannot just be sellers of goods. We have to be the sellers of the joys of gardening. The more successful we make our customers, the more successful we will be ourselves. Again, that is managing expectations.

On the contracting end of things, the longer I was in this trade, the more my closing rate for estimates increased. I went from a 30 per cent close rate in my 20s, to 95 per cent in my 50s. It was not that I got better at selling, rather it was I got better at screening. Screening is a part of managing expectations. Someone looking for quick and low-end did not get an estimate. I could not manage their expectations, and thought it best to not even try.

I was working on a high-end garden project for a regular customer. A contractor noticed my truck. He was building a house a few doors down and asked me, “How much to slap down some sod?” I have written before, that phrase is a clear indicator you do not want the job. Before I answered his “how much” question, I took him around back. I showed him the brick work, the patio, the gazebo, the planting beds. He was impressed.

I told him, “This is what we do. If you have a OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

37

customer who is wanting this type of work, then call us.” The fellow understood. There is no shortage of cowboys who are willing to slap down some sod for a low price. Just not us.

Managing experiences, and managing expectations, is what we do. The better we develop those skills, and they are indeed skills, the better we stay on the road to success. LT

Rod McDonald owned and operated Lakeview Gardens, a successful garden centre/ landscape firm in Regina, Sask., for 28 years. He now works full time in the world of fine arts, writing, acting and producing in film, television and stage.

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www.zandersod.com OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

37

legalmatters

Obligation to supply salt during a shortage

BY ROBERT KENNALEY AND JOSH WINTER

Recent indicators

are that Canadian winter maintenance contractors may face a substantial shortage of salt supplies for the upcoming winter maintenance season. We understand that a strike at one of North America’s largest salt mines, coupled with flooding at another, has resulted in those primary suppliers advising that their supply will for the most part, be limited to their largest institutional clients. This has the potential to impose significant impacts on owners, contractors and the public at large.

For winter maintenance contractors, the first thing to remember in assessing the risk of a salt shortage is that the contractor is not the owner or occupier of the premises at first instance. It is the contractor’s client who has the responsibility to manage the risks associated with snow and ice on the premises. While the client can reasonably assign some or all of those obligations to a contractor under a contract for winter maintenance services, the impact of such a shortage is at first instance, and primarily, a risk to the clients.

The starting point is, accordingly, what the contractor has agreed to do under its con-

tract. If the contractor has not agreed, expressly or by implication, to apply salt under the contract, it will not be impacted by a salt shortage. However, if the contractor has assumed the obligation to supply salt (and unless the contract documents expressly or by implication provide otherwise) it will generally have assumed the risk of a salt shortage.

A contractor who cannot meet its obligation to supply salt under a contract should first have reference to the contract itself, to see what, if any, relief might be available.

The Landscape Ontario winter maintenance contract (gfl.me/l4af), for example, provides that “the Contractor will not be responsible to apply the Ice Melting Products if they are not commercially and reasonably available to the Contractor, at commercially reasonable rates.” Other contracts may have similar clauses. Many might take the form of a ‘force majeure’ clause, which generally relieves a party from obligations which cannot be met due to acts of God and any other extraordinary events beyond its control, such

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as hurricanes and tornadoes, as well as civil insurrection or revolution.

Whether or not a clause will relieve the contractor from the obligation to supply salt, or from the risk of a salt shortage, will depend on the circumstances and the wording of the particular clause. Care should be taken to review and interpret these, if they are to be relied on. If you are in the process of negotiating a new contract, or contract term, you should of course make it clear that salt will most likely not be available and that, accordingly, other suitable alternative products will have to be used. If suitable alternatives are not available, your best advice may be to decline any responsibility to apply ice melting products except as directed by the client, with the client assuming all liability which might arise from the failure to apply ice melting products in any particular circumstance.

If an existing contract is silent on the issue of salt availability or force majeure, whether Bakker & Sons Ltd .

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38 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

or not the contractor will be relieved of the obligation to provide salt will depend on an assessment of the individual circumstances.

Contractors may, for example, be able to rely on the legal concept of ‘frustration’ to avoid contractual liability. In the end, however, this determination cannot be made in advance of the actual shortage or by way of general application. The contractor’s obligations will depend on an assessment of who assumed the risk that salt might not be available in the context of whether or not the supply was truly unavailable, whether or not the lack of supply was foreseeable and what alternatives were available under the contract.

Regardless, and without question, if you believe you will not be in a position to provide salt under a contract for the coming season, you should advise your clients of this as soon as possible, in writing. You should follow any notice procedures under your contract in that regard, to ensure the proper individuals get notice of the issue. Given the associated safety concerns, you should follow up until the issue is addressed — again, in writing.

Your clients should be informed that your ability to help them meet their obligations to manage the risks of ice in the coming season has been severally impacted by circumstances beyond your control. You should elaborate on the reasons why and confirm (if possible) that the contract will have to be changed to allow for alternative products to be supplied.

The price of the alternative products should then be negotiated. You should be careful not to approve an alternative to salt which will not perform as well as salt, unless the client assumes full responsibility for the risks associated with such a change. Optimally, the client should be encouraged to consider the use of non-chloride options that will perform as well as, or better, than salt.

If non-chloride alternatives are not available, you may need to consider advising the client that your ability to perform the contract is frustrated and/or that you are entitled to rely on a contractual clause in order to be relieved of the obligation to provide salt. It may also be necessary to help the client develop strategies to close off areas to traffic and to post signs about the shortage as a means of managing the issue. It should be clear, to the extent possible, that these OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

39

steps are taken to assist clients to meet their obligations and without any representation or warranty that they will necessarily be successful in managing the risk of slip and fall.

Finally, if an appropriate change to the contract cannot be negotiated so as to manage the risk of ice responsibly without the use of salt, experienced counsel should be consulted. This is because every contract and circumstance will be different and as the risks of a slip and fall in the circumstances LT can be significant.

Robert Kennaley and Josh Winter practice construction law in Toronto and Simcoe, Ont. They speak and write on construction law issues and can be reached for comment at 416-700-4142 or at rjk@ kennaley.ca and jwinter@kennaley.ca. This material is for information purposes and is not intended to provide legal advice. Readers who have concerns about any particular circumstance are encouraged to seek independent legal advice in that regard.

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39

industrynews

Congress Conference lineup announced Congress Conference will again deliver Canada’s most comprehensive horticultural professional development offerings in 2019. More than 30 sessions, geared for both frontline

employees and business owners in every green industry sector, will take place Jan. 8-10.

The keynote address features George Kourounis, storm chaser and host of TV’s Angry Planet. Other speakers include: Thomas Rainer, Walter Kehm, Frank Ferragine, David Lammers,

Andy Paluch, Bobbie Schwartz, Christina Salwitz, Bill Hogg and Landscape Trades’s Rob Kennaley.

New this year are education partner sessions, offered by experts affiliated with green industry suppliers, including Techo-Bloc, LMN and Lawn Life.

Landscape Ontario’s IPM Symposium, Designers Conference and Peer to Peer Network events take place on Jan. 7, the day before the trade show. A special Garden Centre Symposium will also be presented during the show.

Free educational areas on the show floor include GreenLIVE for the grower and arborist industries, HardscapeLIVE for paving stone pros and DriveLIVE on Ministry of Transportation compliance.

Visit LOcongress.com for complete details or to register.

Maritimes look forward to HortEast Registration is now open for eastern Canada’s horticultural trade show and conference, HortEast. This year’s event takes place Nov. 2728 in Truro, N.S. Organizers have invited Robert Sandford to deliver the keynote. Sandford is coauthor of Flood Forecast, and will discuss how landscape restoration can reduce the risks of flooding and drought. Education sessions feature speakers from the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency, Fox Meadow Golf Course, Sandler Training, Boyne Clarke and Perennia. Visit horteast.com for more information.

40 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

40 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

The staff at Decker Canada donated both time and skills for their ninth build to help Habitat for Humanity.

Red River College cancels horticulture program Members of the Manitoba Nursery Landscape Association (MBNLA) Professional Development Committee, local business leaders, current students and graduates have joined forces to challenge the abrupt decision by Winnipeg’s Red River College to cancel its Greenspace Horticulture Program.

The Greenspace Horticulture Program, Manitoba’s sole horticulture certificate program, included hands-on training in integrated pest management, turf management, landscape design, as well as pruning, grafting and the application of pesticides and fertilizers.

MBNLA says the “program is crucial to the continued success of the landscape and horticulture industry in Manitoba. With the growing need for our services, professionally trained individuals are even more in demand.”

An online petition has been created to rein-

state the program at https://chn.ge/2LtNJQh. Typical of comments left by those signing the petition is this from Sandra Soon, “Sustaining and creating jobs is important. Giving students the opportunity and knowledge to use safe practices to keep our land healthy and create green spaces should be a priority.”

SBD supports Habitat for Humanity Stanley Black and Decker Canada employees donated their time and skills to Habitat for Humanity at the recent Toronto-GTA Adopt-a-Day Challenge event held Aug. 8 at the McLaughlin Road Build Project in Brampton, Ont.; the Edmonton, Alta., Carter Place build; and a sum-

WORK FASTER… LIFT HEAVIER…

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OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

41

industrynews Steel Green Manufacturing founders Scot Jones, Matt Smith, Michael Floyd, Craig Conyer and Brent Mills.

mer build in Montreal, Que. The company has supported 58 builds so far, and nine families have already moved into their new homes, the company says.

ASV adds Saskatchewan dealer ASV recently added GlenMor Equipment to its dealer network. The Prince Albert, Sask.-based dealer will offer all ASV Posi-Track compact track loaders, including the new RT-40 smallframe CTL, the VT-70, ASV’s first mid-frame vertical lift model, and the RT-120 Forestry CTL. The company will also carry ASV’s full line of skid-steer loaders.

AAS and PPA seek trial sites In 2015, All-America Selections (AAS) in conjunction with the Perennial Plant Association (PPA), launched a new herbaceous perennial trial with five entries and corresponding comparisons currently planted and undergoing its third summer

of evaluations. The first of those winners will be announced in July 2019. Subsequent trial years have resulted in additional perennial entries that the AAS judges are evaluating through the thick and thin that Mother Nature delivers. The organizations are now accepting entries for the 20192022 (three-winter) trial. For more details, visit all-americaselections.org.

Startup to build sprayer-spreaders Steel Green Manufacturing has announced plans to begin producing zero-turn sprayerspreader machines. The Lebanon, Ind.-based company is founded by Scot Jones, Matt Smith, Michael Floyd, Craig Conyer, and Brent Mills, all previous employees of the Z-Spray manufacturer, L.T. Rich Products.

Landscape Trades — worth reading!

2017 NovemberNO. 9

VOL. 39, es.com etrad landscap

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Editorial features, along with expert advice from industry columnists, make Landscape Trades a top business resource. www.landscapetrades.com 42 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

newproducts Utility vehicle Toro announces an expansion of the Workman GTX utility vehicle line with the introduction of new electronic fuel injection (EFI) models and additional attachment options, including new flatbed solid side kits, fold-down side kits and fold-down rear facing seats. The models feature a closed-loop EFI system, eliminating the choke for maximum performance and reliable starting. This system continually adjusts the engine calibration for changing weather conditions and altitude, as well as the quality, grade and type of fuel.

Toro www.toro.com

Dual power light tower

Compact cut-off tool Milwaukee Tool introduces the M12 Fuel threeinch compact cut-off tool. This new tool can cut materials ranging from metal and steel, to drywall, cement board, and tile. Its one-handed, in-line design provides control and visibility through cuts, and it is the only cordless tool of its kind with reversible blade rotation, according to Milwaukee.

The new M18 Rocket Dual Power Tower Light by Milwaukee provides 2,500 lumens of Trueview High Definition Output. The light head can be extended from four to seven feet to light overhead work or minimize shadows when casting light downward.

Milwaukee Tool www.milwaukeetool.ca

Milwaukee Tool www.milwaukeetool.ca

Stainless steel V-blade snowplow Boss introduces the Boss XT, now available in 8-ft., 2-in. and 9-ft., 2-in. stainless steel models.

The XT has the same features as the poly and steel versions, and also utilizes flared blade wings and an enhanced curl design that enables users to throw snow higher and farther over existing banks than conventional plows.

Boss Snowplow www.bossplow.com OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

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OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

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newproducts Skid steer and loader upgrades John Deere recently added the EH Boom Performance Package upgrade option for its large frame G-Series compact track loaders and skid steers. The upgrade package offers the electronic self-level option, updated joysticks with built-in detent positions to activate the operator programmable boom and bucket functions and the return to dig (RTD) feature, which allows the operator to easily reset the bucket.

John Deere www.deere.ca

Containment snow plow Pro-Tech recently launched the Fusion Edge Sno Pusher, a new containment snow plow that features a combination steel and rubber cutting edge. The Fusion Edge Sno Pusher features a brand-new, patent pending plow edge (Fusion Edge), coupler (Pro Float Coupler), and wear shoe (Fast Attack) design. It is available in 10- to 16-ft. models for loaders, compact wheel loaders backhoes and skid steers.

Pin nailer

Pro-Tech www.fusionsnowpusher.com

Dewalt www.dewalt.com

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Dewalt announces the new 23-Ga. Pin Nailer, which is capable of setting 5/8-inch to 2-inch nails recessed into oak. The Pin Nailer quickly and easily clears jammed nails and allows for quick adjustment of the nail depth for proper nail setting, Dewalt says.

events October 16-18, The Green Industry Show and Equipment Expo, Louisville, Ky. www.gie-expo.com November 14-16, Fihoq Expo, Drummondville, Que. www.expofihoq.com November 15-16, The Green Industry Show and Conference, Edmonton, Alta. www.greenindustryshow.com November 27-28, HortEast Trade Show and Conference, Truro, N.S. www.horteast.com November 28-30, The Buildings Show, Toronto, Ont. www.thebuildingsshow.com December 3-7, The Irrigation Show and Conference, Long Beach, Calif. www.irrigation.org

2019 Jan. 8-10, Landscape Ontario Congress, Toronto, Ont. www.LOcongress.com Jan. 9-11, Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, Baltimore, Md. www.mants.com Feb. 12-14, National Invasive Species Forum, Ottawa, Ont. www.canadainvasives.ca Jan. 16-18, The Tropical Plant International Expo, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., www.tpie.org Jan. 22-25, Sports Turf Managers Association Conference and Exhibition, Phoenix, Az. www.stma.org Jan. 28-30, Great Lakes Trade Expo, Lansing, Mich. www.glte.org Jan. 30-Feb. 1, iLandscape, Illinios and Wisconsin Landscape Show, Schaumburg, Ill. www.ilandscapeshow.com Feb. 13, GreenTrade Expo, Ottawa, Ont. www.greentrade.ca Feb. 18-20, Turfgrass Producers International Education Conference, Charlotte, N.C. www.turfgrassod.org LT

advertisers where to find it COMPANY

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classifieds BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES MAINTENANCE AND SNOW REMOVAL COMPANY FOR SALE Contracts are signed for 3 years, annual revenue $300,000, plus landscaping extras. Asking price $340,000 including equipment or $150,000 for contracts (located around edge of Mississauga and Etobicoke) with company name.

Please contact Marek at 647-830-5348

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: All ads must be pre-paid by credit card. Rates: $62.15 (HST included) per column inch (approx. 25 words). Min. charge $62.15. Deadline: 10th day of the month prior to issue date. Space is limited to a first-come, first-served basis. To advertise: E-mail your ad to Robert at classifieds@landscapeontario.com.

Website ads: $67.80 for association members and $90.40 HST for non-members.

Post a job. Find a job.

landscape.jobs

Canada’s FREE online jobs website for the landscape industry.

OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

45

mentormoment

The power of questions Gerry Aubin

of Aubin Nurseries in Carman, Man., is a fourth-generation nurseryman. His nursery’s niche is supplying wholesale trees, shrubs, fruit plants and perennials to retailers and landscapers in cold climates — right up to the Northwest Territories.

What changes have you seen during your career?

Changes have been dramatic; 30 years ago everything was bare root, and retailers ordered one big shipment for the year. Today, with online inventory, we ship every day, and customers demand nextGerry Aubin day service.

Branding has also changed the industry. New plants are now controlled by a few large corporations.

Propagation skills are much higher today, and we are propagating ourselves, rather than ordering from Holland. Because our propagation skills have improved so much, nursery growers face an oversupply problem.

And of course, there is the advance of the mass merchants, resulting in ever fewer independents.

What makes a great green industry entrepreneur?

Because of the ease of propagation, it is essential to target a market or product category. We all started out with a full product line; we did not know anything else. Today’s entrepreneurs must go after more segmentation. They must choose a market or a product category, and do it well.

Do you encourage young talent to start out in horticulture?

I believe there are good futures to be had in the green industry.

Even with a decline in production and retail, new homeowners need total, complete packages including design and installation.

There is also opportunity for growers — if they choose a niche.

What do you look for in employees?

We don’t hire based on horticultural skills. We look for integrity and good attitude. If you are a good person, you can move forward in any industry.

What makes a great nursery grower?

When I was young, my father Lawrence Aubin told me to go out every September and visit 25 nurseries. I have known lots of great growers. A great grower is someone who enjoys watching crops grow and change, and all the factors that make the changes happen.

Are new plant introductions effective marketing tools?

There are some great new plants, and some bad new plants. You have got to sift through them, to select what works locally. Often plants are featured in U.S. consumer magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, and get picked up in Canada, but they are not appropriate. Mistakes cost a lot.

Have you been a mentor?

I recall one young fellow who was into alternative landscaping.

He came here and never stopped asking questions. Today he is a successful high-end contractor. I believe it was because he asked the questions.

When young students tour our nursery, I can always tell which students will be the successful ones — they ask questions. LT

Do you have a question to suggest, or a mentor to recommend?

If so, please write to editor@landscapetrades.com.

46 | OCTOBER 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

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