September 7, 2021
Here’s seven must-see seminars at Congress Conference
Registration is now open for Landscape Ontario’s virtual Congress Conference. The annual seminar series returns Jan. 18-20, 2022 via Zoom, and delivers 36 sessions featuring 47 leading experts from across the various sectors of horticulture and landscaping.
Here’s a few highlights of what to expect during Congress Conference:

Tuesday, Jan. 18

Successfully Recruiting and Retaining Labour
11 a.m. to noon

Attracting and retaining the right employees is an ongoing challenge for landscaping companies. During this seminar, Landscape Ontario members Lindsay Drake Nightingale, Yorkshire Garden Services; Christine Moffit, Christine’s Touch Landscaping; Kathy Thomas, Green Thumb Landscaping; and Scott Wentworth, Wentworth Landscapes will outline successful strategies for finding and retaining employees.

Trial Garden Results
1-2 p.m.

Rodger Tschanz, University of Guelph trial garden manager, will share highlights from the 2021 trial garden season. With sites at Landscape Ontario in Milton, the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington and the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, Tschanz will discuss the top annual, perennial and edible performers from the 2021 trials.

Wednesday, Jan. 19

Garden Spotlight: Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
9-10 a.m.

Kew Gardens in London, England, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collection in the world. During this session, host Michel Gauthier and Richard Barley, director of horticulture and learning at Kew, will deliver a virtual tour and insights into the work behind-the-scenes at the gardens.

The Internet of Nature
11 a.m. to noon

Dr. Nadina Galle, a postdoctoral researcher at University College Dublin and TEDx speaker, created the term Internet of Nature (IoN) to connect ecology and tech to help urban development strengthen green spaces. Learn how connections between ecology and technology can build better places to live.

Thursday, Jan. 20

Indigenous Agriculture Techniques
11 a.m. to noon

During this session, Isaac Crosby, lead hand for urban agriculture at Evergreen Brick Works, will explain how Indigenous agriculture techniques were used to reclaim two sites in Toronto. Crosby will also examine sisters gardening, clay pot irrigation and mound building techniques during the seminar.
 
Are you digitally relevant? Face the New World of Online Commerce and Communications Head on
1-2 p.m.

Digital relevancy is now a non-negotiable component of a successful marketing strategy. Certified Professional Horticulturist Leslie Halleck will explain the ins and outs of current online technology — including apps, social media and e-commerce — to help business owners capture market share in an online world.
 
Restoring Ecosystem Functionality and Biodiversity
3-4 p.m.

Heather Holm, a biologist and award-winning author, will explain how people benefit from green infrastructure and ecological landscape restoration. Holm will discuss models of restorative landscaping as well as thoughtful plant selection, ecosystem functionality and maximizing biodiversity.

For more information on sessions, or to register, visit HortTrades.com/congress-conference-2022.
 

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