May | June 2026 Volume 44 - No. 03 LandscapeOntario.com
Landscape Ontario’s mandate is to be the leader in representing, promoting and fostering a favourable environment for the advancement of the horticultural profession in Ontario.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
What we heard W hen wrote my first column, I asked you to think with me. I meant it literally. Since then, I've been on the road. I've met with many of our Chapters and Sector Groups. I've sat down with small groups of members and had one-on-one conversations to talk honestly about where Landscape Ontario is and where it needs to go. These weren't presentations. They were real conversations, and I walked away from every one of them with something I didn't have before. Here's what I heard. First: Members understand the world LO was built for is not the world we're operating in today. The governance structures that served us brilliantly for decades have become outdated, leading to slower decisions and energy spent on process instead of impact. These structures made sense in 1973, but now create friction in 2026. I didn't have to make that case from scratch in a single room. The recognition was already there. Second: Members are curious about what comes next. We talked about what the future of our governance could look like. We discussed designing a governance structure that's both efficient and representative, which protects regional voices and builds an organization capable of moving quickly when advocacy demands it. Those conversations were genuinely energizing. I've also had members reach out. One email that stuck with me came from a longtime member and Master Gardener. He wrote to say he liked where we were going — and asked us not to lose the ground we've gained on environmental issues as we modernize. It was a good reminder that governance reform isn't abstract. It connects directly to whether we can deliver on concrete things our members care about, like advocacy, the environment and the next generation of professionals joining this industry. That connection is exactly the point. We’ve already made some solid progress. At the last Provincial Board meeting, we reached a broad consensus on the future of Chapter events — a framework that balances high-quality, regionally focused programming with local micro-events built around connection and community. Two different kinds of value, delivered two different ways. It's a good example of what responsive governance actually looks like in practice. And there's more changes coming. A bylaw committee is kicking off shortly, and the working groups forming around it will shape the specific proposals members will vote on at our next Annual General Meeting in January 2027. If you haven't weighed in yet, the door is still open. Reach out to me at the email below. And if you want to understand the impetus behind the direction we're heading, I will explain more in my next message. We're building this together.
FEATURES
14 Member Profile: Emily Keown
DEPARTMENTS
4 Association News 7 New Members 12 GROW Success Snapshot 18 Professional News 19 Columns
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President - Lindsey Ross Past President - Ed Hansen Vice President - Jeff Olsen Second Vice President - Pam Cook Treasurer - Jon Agg
COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT Communications Director - Penny Tantakis Editor - Robert Ellidge Creative Director - Mike Wasilewski Managing Editor, Multimedia - Karina Sinclair Graphic Design Associate - Aisha Shaikh Account Manager - Greg Sumsion Account Manager - Liz Lant Digital Marketing Specialist - Charlotte Guena Web & Digital Systems Specialist - Laura Fox Communications Coordinator - Angela Lindsay Accountant - Joe Sabatino STAFF CONTACT: landscapeontario.com/about/staff COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Mark Fisher, Hank Gelderman, Lindsay Drake Nightingale, Gerald Boot CLM, Vanessa McQuade Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department - Landscape Ontario 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 Canada Phone: 905-875-1805 ISSN 1928-9553 Publications Mail Agreement No. PM40013519 Views expressed are those of the writer concerned. Landscape Ontario assumes no responsibility for the validity or correctness of any opinions or references made by the author. Copyright 2026, reproduction or the use of whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Published 6x per year. Rates and deadlines are available on request. Subscription price: $43.51 per year (HST included). For subscription and address changes, please email subscriptions@landscapeontario.com
Lindsey Ross LO President president@lglinc.ca
MAY - JUNE 2026 | 3
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