The days of a landscaper with a rake and a shovel in the back of a pickup are over. People are finally coming around to the fact that just because there are sod and plants involved, this is a trade, and it is a skilled trade, that should be regulated. Landscape Ontario has done just that. Their certification process is not easy, the testing is well done, and their involvement in colleges for this trade is essential.

As a landscape design and build team, we are called upon to construct decks and retaining walls and often have to apply for the same permits that fall under the Ontario Building Code as any other trade. Why does this matter? Knowing and building to OBC specs is what we do, which is a safety measure. Therefore we face these inspections without concern, which should be comforting to the client.

If being certified doesn’t matter to you, you can always get the dishwasher from your local restaurant to change the brakes on your vehicle and question your decision when you come up to your first red light staring into the rearview mirror at your child in their car seat. Dramatic, I know, but accurate.

And as anyone knows, hiring the right contractor to do a job saves a lot of headaches and ensures a successful outcome. Green Apple Landscaping is a Certified Landscape Professional, a Certified Landscape Designer, and employs Certified Landscape Technicians.