Denis Flanagan CLD
LO Manager of Membership and Public Relations
Already this year, we have had many requests to be involved in public relations opportunities. By taking a team approach, we are managing to keep up with the demand.
Our membership and chapter coordinator Helen Hassard keeps me connected with the chapter requests for public speaking engagements, etc., and trade show coordinator Linda Nodello is a constant conduit on how we can create connections through our trade show exhibitors. Our communications department spins its magic weekly by making us look terrific. Lee Ann Knudsen, Sarah Willis and Allan Dennis edit my articles and often rein me in if it sounds like the article is more fitting for a U.K. soccer magazine rather than an industry article. And then, Robert Ellidge, Kim Burton and Mike Wasilewski all utilize their creative talents to jazz-up articles and presentations.
As a result of all this teamwork, I bring you a selection of some of the public promotions LO will be involved in during the next couple of months.
An exciting new promotion with ReMax is Curbalicious. Finally, a real estate company has decided to put some money behind a campaign to show the effectiveness of professional landscaping.
ReMax is sponsoring four small gardens at Canada Blooms, which will show the diversity of curb appeal and how it increases the value of property. The gardens will be designed and constructed by LO members, James Garfield Thompson, Ecoman, Invision Landscaping and Plantworld.
At Canada Blooms, visitors will be encouraged to enter a draw with a grand prize of $10,000 to be spent on goods and services with a Landscape Ontario member of their choice.
The draw will also be offered at eight different regional home shows across the province, along with a video we will create with Re-Max to promote the benefits of landscaping, featuring landscapes from our Awards of Excellence entries. The video will also be distributed to 8,000 real estate agents across Ontario, and of course featured on our website.
Our membership will be represented at the International Master Gardeners Conference at Deerhurst Resort, near Huntsville, from Apr. 4 to 7.
Along with the annual AGM, there will be an industry update and a presentation on green roof/wall technology.
There are many other large events where LO members have and will promote the benefits of landscaping and the association. One of these events was Success with Gardening Show at the International Centre in Mississauga from Feb. 22 to 24. Two other shows coming up are the Waterloo Home Show at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex from Mar. 22 to 24 and the London Home Show at the Western Fair Grounds in London from Apr. 19 to 21.
And, of course one of the best promotions geared toward consumers of our industry and LO members is the magazine, Garden Inspiration. This year will feature the top landscapes from LO’s Award of Excellence, the trial gardens at LO, Chapter community projects, how to find LO members on landscapeontario.com, and much more.
Denis Flanagan may be contacted at dflanagan@landscapeontario.com.
