Growing a Career in Horticulture with Art Vanden Enden

This week, Joanne Shaw welcomes Art Vanden Enden to the podcast to discuss exploring a career in horticulture.

About Art Vanden Enden

Art Vanden Enden is self-employed as a Horticultural Advisor and Horticultural Technical Instructor at Landscape Ontario and Loyalist College. He also serves on the board at Landscape Ontario, Communities in Bloom and Garden Centres Canada. He has a long history in the garden centre industry, starting with Weall & Cullen and then Sheridan Nurseries until his retirement in 2022.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

• The Pandemic's Positive Impact on the Younger Generation
  • The positive impact of the pandemic on the younger generation, particularly in terms of their appreciation for outdoor activities
  • Art shared his work with Landscape Ontario, focusing on training and working with various age groups, primarily those in their 20s and early 30s.
  • The importance of teaching basic gardening skills and practical training to help them enter the industry
  • The Grow Program, which provides introductory courses for those interested in the industry, and the role of job developers in matching students with employers
• The Landscaping Industry's Versatility and Benefits
  • The industry offers year-round work opportunities, from using lawn mowers in summer to snow blowers in winter
  • Adapting to various weather conditions and being able to pivot when necessary
  • Joanne’s experience entering the industry as a second career
  • Working at an independent garden centre provides an excellent learning environment for those interested in the industry
• Gardening Practices and Climate Change
  • How gardening practices have changed over the past 30 years
  • Sustainability and the need to adapt to climate change
  • The shift in plant hardiness zones and the impact of invasive plants
  • The need for progressive change in the industry and the role of influencers in promoting better gardening practices
  • How reducing demand for invasive plants would lead to their eventual decline
• Native Plant Promotion and Challenges
  • The challenges of promoting native plants and the importance of being patient and supportive when advising gardeners
  • The distinction between aggressive and invasive plants and the need for balance between native and non-native plants
  • Joanne expressed her struggle with finding the right native plants for her clients, while Art shared his journey towards having 70% native plants in his garden
  • The issue of invasive plants and the need for more research on creating sterile versions of these plants
• Supporting New Gardeners and Best Practices
  • The need for experienced gardeners to be good coaches, stay current with best practices, and be open to change
  • The importance o