The Landscape Ontario Podcast

At the Landscape Ontario Congress, Canada’s largest and longest-running trade show and conference for the landscape profession, thousands of people come together to discover new products, make connections, learn from one another and get a sense of where the industry is headed.

For this episode, I took my microphone onto the 2026 Congress trade show floor and asked exhibitors from across the landscape and horticulture industry a few questions: Why do you keep coming back? What trends are you noticing? And how hopeful are you about the future of the green trades in Canada?

What follows is a collection of voices from the floor — what people were talking about at Congress and what they're seeing in their businesses and across the industry.

Guests

Gary Kielo, Greenville Planters

Ernest Williams, Aquascape

Firoz Khan, Banas Stones

Dan Harvey, Miska Trailer Factory

Mersed Derakovic, DIY Court Canada

Ian Armstrong, Snap-on Tools/Bahco

Ben Vandeburgt, Van Noort Bulb Co.

Erin Fraser, Northern Wildflowers

Matt Whittemore, Wolf Lake Timber Works

Raymond Josephian, Derco Horticulture

John Gibson, Treemendous Trees

Jeffrey Tan, J&S Performance and Distribution

Jennifer Mills, A.M.A. Horticulture

Sheyda Saadatnia, Cedar Infrastructure
Cish, Moasure

Cody DesRoches, Digital Terrain Solutions

Resources

Landscape Ontario Congress Trade Show & Conference

Video version of this episode

Spotted lanternfly is getting closer to home — and knowing what to look for could help stop its spread. In this updated replay, host Karina Sinclair talks with Jeanine West, PhD., about spotted lanternfly (SLF), including its lifecycle, preferred host plants, how it can hitchhike into Canada and the damage it can cause. They also debunk common myths and explain what landscapers, nursery professionals and the public can do to help detect and report this invasive pest. With increasing sightings and interceptions in Ontario, now is the time to learn how to spot SLF and help slow its spread.

Resources

Spotted Lanternfly: OMAFA Crop IPM

Spotted lanternfly facts and resources - Landscape Ontario

Spotted lanternfly observations in Canada

D-24-01: Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) – Domestic and import phytosanitary requirements - inspection.canada.ca

Spotted Lanternfly prevention practices for producers | ontario.ca

Video version of this episode

What does it take to manage some of Ontario's most sacred spaces? Join host Karina Sinclair and John Perrotta of Mount Pleasant Group as they discuss the unique, perpetual responsibility of cemetery stewardship. From balancing pristine groundskeeping with ecological innovation — like using goats for invasive control and integrating native pollinator gardens — to navigating the complexities of protecting historic monuments, discover how these remarkable landscapes serve both grieving families and the environment.

Resources

Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries

Goats at Natural Burial Sites

The Buzz on MPG Hives

Book: Trees & Shrubs of Mount Pleasant Cemetery by Janet Davis

Video version of this episode

Trust is at the core of every successful landscape project, and in this episode of the Landscape Ontario Podcast, host Karina Sinclair speaks with Chris Hopkins, owner of Three Seasons Landscapes in Hamilton, Ont., about how to earn it. Chris shares how his company grew from a high school summer business into a 35+ person, year-round operation serving residential, commercial and municipal clients, and explains why over-communication, transparency and client education matter as much as the finished product. The conversation covers setting expectations around budgets and timelines, navigating hidden constraints like drainage, grading, setbacks and swales, addressing misinformation from social media and AI-generated “designs,” and drawing firm lines on construction standards to avoid costly failures.

Resources

Three Seasons Landscapes

Video version of this episode

In this episode, Certified Landscape Designer John Bright reflects on his first year running BRIGHT Design Studio after leaving employment to start his own landscape design business, describing how the decision built up over time and how there’s never a perfect moment to leap. He shares the non-design realities of launching a business, early challenges like inconsistent income, how simplifying contracts and adding a clear value explanation improved sales, and how working for himself redefined his definition of success.

Resources

BRIGHT Design Studio

Video version of this episode