January 20, 2025
52nd annual Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence winners
Recognizing the best of the best in Ontario
Top Awards
Horst Dickert Memorial Award 2025
Awarded to: Rugged Earth Landscaping
For: Aphotic Tranquility
Category: Residential Construction - $50,000-$100,000
This award recognizes the best use of native plant material well integrated into a designed or implemented sustainable landscape. The winner is selected from construction, maintenance or design project submissions. The judges will be focused on three areas of importance: native plants, sustainability and functionality, and aesthetics.
For: Aphotic Tranquility
Category: Residential Construction - $50,000-$100,000
This award recognizes the best use of native plant material well integrated into a designed or implemented sustainable landscape. The winner is selected from construction, maintenance or design project submissions. The judges will be focused on three areas of importance: native plants, sustainability and functionality, and aesthetics.
Neil Vanderkruk Award for Excellence in Design 2025
Awarded to: Kent Ford Design Group Inc.
For: OALA Headquarters Landscape Renewal
Commercial Design
This award goes to the most outstanding and highest overall scoring project in the design categories.
For: OALA Headquarters Landscape Renewal
Commercial Design
This award goes to the most outstanding and highest overall scoring project in the design categories.
Casey van Maris Award 2025
Awarded to: Three Seasons Landscapes
For: Guelph City Hall
Commercial Construction - Over $250,000
In 1997, Landscape Ontario lost one of its most influential and respected members: Mr. Casey van Maris, a founder of the association. To honour his legacy, Landscape Ontario developed an award which, to this day, upholds Casey’s values in the pursuit of excellence. The Casey van Maris award is given to the project awarded the highest marks for execution of unique and innovative design in landscaping.
For: Guelph City Hall
Commercial Construction - Over $250,000
In 1997, Landscape Ontario lost one of its most influential and respected members: Mr. Casey van Maris, a founder of the association. To honour his legacy, Landscape Ontario developed an award which, to this day, upholds Casey’s values in the pursuit of excellence. The Casey van Maris award is given to the project awarded the highest marks for execution of unique and innovative design in landscaping.
Special Awards
Trillium Award 2025Awarded to: Stanley Roszak
Awarded only in exceptional circumstances to an individual achieving an outstanding contribution in the field of horticulture, such as the development of a new plant or technique, or for design of an outstanding project.
Chapter Achievement Award 2025
Awarded to: Wendy Ladd
This award is nominated through a Landscape Ontario Chapter Board of Directors. The individual that is nominated must have demonstrated consistent volunteerism and significant contributions to their respective chapter over a period of many years.
Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2025
Awarded to: Charlie Kerrigan
This award recognizes a member for outstanding achievement in establishing and growing a successful horticultural business and is under the age of 35 years.
IPM Leadership Award 2025
Awarded to: Kyle Tobin
This award was created in 2012 to recognize leadership in providing hope, looking to the future and contributing to the healthy growth of the industries represented in the IPM Symposium. This individual is nominated by their peers; the recipient determined by the IPM Symposium Committee. This award recognizes a distinguished educator, representative of a company, municipality or supplier, who by his or her achievements in the turf and/or tree industry, has contributed uniquely to enhancing or promoting the future of our industry for mutual and beneficial gain.
The Awards of Excellence ceremony is made possible through the generosity of our partners.
2025 PRESENTING PARTNER
2025 SUPPORTING PARTNER
2025 SUPPORTING PARTNER
2025 SUPPORTING PARTNER
2025 CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR
