The Landscape Ontario Podcast

In this episode, we dive into the story of a landscaper who saw a problem in his everyday work and took a bold step to solve it — not just for himself, but for an entire sector. Our guest today is Brandon Comstock, a self-taught entrepreneur in Calgary, Alberta, and co-founder of not just one, but two very different landscape-related businesses. What began as a passion for solving puzzles on the job-site led him to build a software company that now helps other landscaper business owner boost their profit margins. His journey from hands-on, physical labour to creating digital solutions might seem unexpected, but his experience will resonate with entrepreneurs, problem solvers and anyone navigating a career change. Listen and learn how one idea can take you down a whole new path. Resources Episode Transcription Brandon Comstock on LinkedIn LandscapersByNature.com IssueID.io Beer Garden Podcast Jonathan Pototschnik’s Podcast Mark Bradley’s LMN Podcast Contractor Revolution Podcast SIMA Landscape Alberta Green Industry Show & Conference

On today’s episode we are gearing up for the Congress Trade Show and Conference. Hosted by Landscape Ontario, this is Canada's largest and longest-running trade show for landscape and horticulture professionals, happening in Toronto, Ontario, from January 7th to 9th, 2025. If you're in the business of transforming outdoor spaces — whether through landscaping, horticulture, or outdoor design — this is the event you can’t afford to miss. Our guest is Heather MacRae, the trade show director for Congress. With over a decade of experience in bringing this iconic event to life year after year, Heather is here to share what’s new for 2025, some can't-miss features and what makes this trade show a key date on the calendar for industry pros. Stay tuned to the end for a promo code that gets you free tickets to the show. Resources Episode Transcription LOCongress.com Why people love to attend Congress

As students head back to school this month, many are probably wondering what they should be “when they grow up.” While plenty of adults are still trying to figure that out, high schoolers have a great opportunity to explore different topics before planning their post-secondary path. And maybe, just maybe, that’s a garden path. In this episode, we talk about how exposure to horticulture and landscaping at the high school level can inspire youth to explore the green trades as a career option. Guest Darren Schmahl has been engaging grade 11 and 12 students through the Green Industries program for the Niagara Catholic District School Board for the past 15 years. Teaching has allowed Schmahl to witness students of all kinds transform as they discover a passion for working in the landscape, so he wants youth and their parents to understand that a career in this field can be rewarding, lucrative and important as we face an ever-changing climate. Resources Episode Transcription Niagara Catholic District School Board SHSM Niagara Parks School of Horticulture John Brookes book, Room Outside Elliot Alkemade Young Scholarship Profile Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation Scholarships Landscape Ontario Congress Trade Show & Conference Landscape Ontario Youth Engagement Coordinator: 1-800-265-5656 x2335

If you own a small or medium-sized landscaping business, you’re probably juggling a long list of priorities. If marketing tasks are something you keep putting on the back burner, then this episode of the Landscape Ontario Podcast is for you. Vanessa McQuade and Rob Murray from Intrigue Media are here to talk about what it’s like to partner with a marketing agency. And in the same way you’re an expert in landscaping, Rob and Vanessa are experts in helping landscaping companies like yours grow revenue and gain market share. In fact, one of their happy clients stated that since working with Intrigue, their revenues had increased by 68 per cent in six months. So if costs or uncertainty has been holding you back, listen up and take off that marketing hat. Today we’re talking about budget expectations, setting marketing goals and the value of building relationships with external marketing agencies, so you don’t have to do it all by yourself. Resources Episode Transcription Downloadable Rate your marketing partner checklist by Intrigue Media WhatConverts

If you’re looking to explore a career in the green trades but aren’t sure where to start, then this episode is for you. Courtney McCann, the director of workforce development at Landscape Ontario, joins the podcast to outline all the various educational opportunities that are available to people in Ontario looking to gain skills and employment in landscaping, including the GROW program and pre-apprenticeship program at Loyalist College in Belleville. These programs have been designed to help people learn instantly applicable skills and prepare them for genuine, meaningful jobs with companies who share their passion for designing, building and maintaining beautiful landscapes. And did you know they’re all free? If that piques your interest, be sure to listen because Courtney has all the details about these amazing opportunities to grow your career. Resources Episode Transcription Hort Tech Hub grow@landscapeontario.com Pre-apprenticeship at Loyalist College preapprenticeship@landscapeontario.com Other training opportunities through Landscape Ontario

Have you ever wondered if what you’re doing as a landscaper is moving the dial against climate change? The global situation feels so complex, it’s natural to wonder ‘how can I, just one individual, make a difference?’ Bill Hardy joins the Landscape Ontario Podcast to encourage landscapers to think globally and act locally. As a co-owner of an independent retail garden centre in British Columbia, president of the CNLA, and board member for various agencies — such as the Green Cities Foundation and the International Association of Horticulture Producers (AIPH) — Hardy has a wide perspective of how climate change is being addressed by horticulture and landscaping innovations around the world, while also being tapped into what’s happening right here in Canada. In our conversation, we discuss which countries are leading the way by developing innovative green city solutions, and what an individual landscaper can do to contribute to the big picture. We share some awesome websites you’ll want to check out for inspiration, and even introduce you to a new tool you can use to measure the carbon impact of installing and maintaining a landscape. Resources Episode Transcription Grow and Gather AIPH.org Montreal Botanical Garden Phytotechnology Stations CNLA Green Cities Foundation Clean Air Calculator Plants Love You Marketing Campaign COP28 Climate Change Conference Greener Spaces, Better Places

One year ago on this podcast, we met Joe Steeves, a plant enthusiast from New Brunswick. When Joe was born with cerebral palsy, his family had lots of questions about what his future might look like, such as would he be able to hold a job or pursue a post-secondary education? The green trades turned out to be a perfect fit for Joe, and despite his challenges, he has been steadily building a career by working at greenhouses and nurseries. Not willing to stop there, Joe set his sights on gaining a formal education in horticulture and pursuing his dream job. A lot has happened in the past 12 months, so in this episode of the Landscape Ontario Podcast, we follow up with Joe to hear about what’s been happening with his growing career. Resources Joe’s first interview: Diversity and inclusion creates opportunities to bloom for those with physical challenges - Landscape Ontario Town of Riverview MacArthur’s Nurseries Mountain View Growers Diddley-Squash Farm University of Guelph OpenEd Horticulture Certificate

There's a profound beauty in planting a seed and watching its journey from a tiny speck to a flourishing plant. But what if that journey could also nurture the minds and hearts of children? That's exactly what our panel of guests are doing through their charity, Green Thumbs, which is dedicated to teaching schoolchildren the art and science of gardening. Sunday Harrison is the founder and current executive director of Green Thumbs Growing Kids, a Toronto community-based not-for-profit now celebrating its 25th anniversary. Their mission is to cultivate environmental stewardship through hands-on garden and food education for urban children and their communities. Joining Sunday are three Green Thumbs board members. Chanel Harris was an inaugural participant in the school garden program in the early 2000s. Also joining us is Sail Vettivelu, who worked as a summer intern at Green Thumbs in 2009, and has been volunteering with the group ever since. Rounding out the panel is environmentalist and artist, Iris “Ike” Karuna. Ike's relationship with Green Thumbs began as a Child and Youth Care placement student, and continued as a staff member. All of our guests today are passionate about introducing children to the wonders of gardening and all the related life lessons. From patience and responsibility to resilience and the interconnectedness of life, the act of tending to a garden offers invaluable teachings that extend far beyond the boundaries of the garden bed. Join us as Sunday, Chanel, Sail, Ike and I delve into the transformative power of planting an early seed and watching it grow, not just in the garden but in the hearts and minds of our future generations. Resources Episode Transcription Green Thumbs Social handle: @greenthumbsTO Come Alive Outside: Podcast Episode with Scott Wentworth Engaging Children with Landscape Design: Podcast Episode with Heather Jerrard and Dawn-Marie Deagle Wendell Barry: Solving for Pattern

Imagine a world where the very design of our neighbourhoods and public spaces serves as a shield against crime. This is the essence of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, or CPTED for short. CPTED is a concept that underscores the pivotal role landscape professionals, together with law enforcement, have in shaping secure and resilient environments. I’m honoured to be joined by Constable Matthew Hunt, the CPTED coordinator for the Ottawa Police Service, and in this conversation, we unravel the intricate relationship between landscape design and crime prevention, explore the principles of CPTED and uncover practical strategies for landscape and horticulture professionals, like you, to become true guardians of our communities Resources Episode Transcription Design safe surroundings - Crime Prevention Ottawa CPTED Canada The International CPTED Association (ICA) - North America Green Cities Foundation Communities in Bloom CPTED Books recommended by Cst. Matt Hunt 21st Century Security And Cpted: Designing For Critical Infrastructure Protection And Crime Prevention by Randall I. Atlas Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design by Timothy Crowe The Complete Guide To Physical Security by Paul R. Baker, Daniel J. Benny The Death And Life Of Great American Cities: 50th Anniversary Edition by Jane Jacobs

In this episode of Landscape Ontario Podcast, we're stepping into uncharted territory as we explore a groundbreaking concept that's been gaining momentum — the four-day workweek. What would you do with an extra day to yourself? Would you learn a new hobby? Work on a side hustle? Get extra sleep? Play with your kids? Travel? Imagine all the things you could accomplish with that extra day. To learn how a compressed work schedule can work for a landscaping company, we're talking with Jessie Taynton, the HR manager at Dicam Landscaping. Dicam dared to reimagine the workweek back in 2019, and they've launched this benefit for their maintenance crew and office staff. Tune in to hear how DICAM's company culture has been enriched by something Jessie considers "life-changing." Resources Episode Transcription DICAM Landscaping Bankrate Study: Younger workers want a 4-day workweek

If you've ever felt the calming influence of spending time surrounded by nature, then you might be familiar with the notion of horticultural therapy. It can be a pretty profound experience, and not just anecdotally. There are lots of studies that support the healing powers of nature. In this episode, we talk with Guinevere Kern, a horticultural therapy practitioner based in Guelph, Ontario. Guinevere is an active member of the American Horticultural Therapy Association, as well as the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association, where she also sits on the Education Committee. We explore horticultural therapy as a career and the transformative power plants can have on physical, emotional and mental wellness. Whether you're a seasoned landscaper looking for a new direction or someone fascinated by the idea of helping others through the therapeutic magic of plants, this episode is for you. Resources Episode Transcription Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association Homewood Health Care Centre American Horticultural Therapy Association Guelph Enabling Garden The Lancet Roger Ulrich, PhD 1984 Study Landscape Ontario GROW Program Ontario Parks Association full day course Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen Additional resources from LO: The therapeutic value of horticulture The healing power of horticulture

Are you ready to take your career to the next level, or do you know someone who shows management potential? In this episode of the Landscape Ontario Podcast, we talk to Charolette Cascioli, an experienced HR professional who helps landscape-related companies establish better cultures to attract and retain talent. Charolette is also the facilitator of the GROW Supervisory Foundations program offered by Landscape Ontario. In our conversation, she explains how the program helps people develop confidence and improve their communication skills to embrace leadership opportunities. By working through real-life case studies, with peer collaboration and self-reflection, attendees come away equipped to resolve workplace conflict and positively contribute to the overall culture of their companies. Resources Episode Transcription GROW Program New Entrant Supervisory Foundations Skills Employers of Choice StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath (now known as CliftonStrengths) Working Genius by Pat Lencioni Labour Market Impact Assessment Connect with Charolette Cascioli: SimplifiedHRConsulting@gmail.com

Get ready to write your garden centre shopping list because this episode is all about high-performing new plants coming to the market in 2024. Trial Garden manager Rodger Tschanz shares his observations and highlights from the 2023 Trial Garden located at the Landscape Ontario head office. We also talk about the value of skipping the fall clean-up to let perennials overwinter so they provide texture, dimension, and habitats all year long. Rodger also reveals an exciting interior plantscape coming soon to the University of Guelph. If you love plants (and who doesn’t?), you’ll want to listen to this interview. Resources Episode Transcription Proven Winners Ball Horticultural Dummen Orange PanAmerican Seed Danziger Benary Selecta One Guelph Turfgrass Institute Landscape Ontario Congress 2024 Video: Plants with Lingering Fall Colour

Life is better outside. Scott Wentworth, owner and president of Wentworth Landscapes in Picton, Ont., says this is what drives him and his team. Their mission is to craft outdoor spaces that set the scene for building memories, celebrating milestones, and spending more time in nature.This mission is integral to onboarding staff, understanding their clients’s needs, and especially building relationships within the community as green stewards. The pursuit to get people to love the outdoors has earned Wentworth Landscapes many awards, including Employer of Choice, the Dunington-Grubb, and the Don Salivan Grounds Management awards at the Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence. Scott Wentworth has fostered an enviable company culture, and he joins us on the podcast to talk about how they infuse their mission into everything their team does and, more importantly, why. Resources Episode Transcription Wentworth Landscapes Landscape Ontario Reconciliation Grove Project Come Alive Outside Program Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence Horticultural Technician Apprenticeship Program

In this episode, we talk with Grant Harrison, who is no stranger to the Landscape Ontario community. Grant originally joined Landscape Ontario as a landscaper in the early 2000s, has held several leadership roles within the association, and is now the principal consultant at his firm, Nextra Consulting, where he generously shares his wisdom with the landscaping community at every turn. That wisdom comes from owning a landscaping business, evolving it, learning from challenges and understanding how to navigate the many pitfalls and opportunities that come with being a business owner. Listen to our conversation as Grant shares the benefits of attending his upcoming workshop series for business owners (free for LO members), as well as how the “Great Resignation” and the current economy affect those working in the green trades. Resources Episode Transcription Unlock Your Business Potential Education Series Nextra Consulting Certified Landscape Horticulture Manager (CLHM) Program Book Recommendation: Leaving a Legacy: Navigating Family Businesses Succession by David C. Bentall

Where do you think you might be in your work journey if you'd understood from a young age that you can build a livelihood by being creative, spending time in nature and digging your fingers into the soil? Landscape designer Heather Jerrard and educator Dawn-Marie Deagle teamed up to develop and implement a classroom experience that aligns with the Ontario curriculum and demonstrates how landscaping and horticulture can have a meaningful career path. In this episode, we learn about the inspiration behind this project, how Landscape Ontario’s Peer to Peer Network gave Heather the confidence to pursue it, and how the program might evolve to encourage more students to consider a green career. Resources: Transcription Vesey's Seeds OSC Seeds Depave Paradise ReForest London Heather's company: My Landscape Artist Landscape Ontario's Peer to Peer Network Thames Valley District School Board Outdoor Environmental Leaders Program

One of the big pain points for a lot of landscaping companies over the years has been labour supply. We've heard time and time again how difficult it is to find qualified staff. Liana Desmarais, owner and GM of Plantscape, a full-service landscaping company in the Windsor area, has found success by incorporating apprenticeships as part of her employee recruitment and retention strategy. In this episode of the Landscape Ontario Podcast, she tells us how sponsoring employees through the Horticultural Technician Apprenticeship Program has brought fresh ideas, long-term commitment, and a deeper sense of job satisfaction to her company. Transcription PDF

Joe Steeves is a young man from Moncton, NB, who exemplifies how a passion for plants can overcome physical challenges and anxiety. In this episode of Landscape Ontario Podcast, we hear about the transformative effect of being accommodated in the workplace. A few simple gestures by his employers at greenhouses and nurseries have created opportunities for Joe to thrive. Transcription PDF

Landscape Ontario is Ontario’s premier horticultural trades association. For the past 50 years, they’ve been supporting their members through professional development, trade shows and conferences, consumer events and cost savings benefits. Their premier annual event is the Landscape Ontario Congress, Canada’s largest and longest-running trade show and conference for landscape professionals. While the pandemic might have provided a boon to many of their members, it put the long-running event in jeopardy for two consecutive years. Were they able to pull it off? Listen to find out.

Alan White is a champion for the power of plants to clean the air we breath, cool our cities, and capture carbon. As Alan says, plants are the lungs of our cities, and landscape horticulture professionals are critical to climate change mitigation and adaptation.