LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS CONFERENCE
COLOURING OUTSIDE THE LINES
An initiative of Landscape Ontario’s Landscape Designer Sector Group.
Date
Monday, January 11, 2027
Location
Toronto Congress Centre, South Building, Cohen Ballroom | 650 Dixon Road, Etobicoke, ON.
Certification
Each conference session qualifies for one (1) Certified Landscape Designer (CLD) CEU.
Included
Lunch
Registration & Coffee - Meet our sponsors
8:30 A.M. - 9:50 A.M.
Opening remarks from Lexi Dearborn, Chair of the Designers Group.
9:00 A.M. - 9:10 A.M.
Selling to the Different Personalties
9:10 A.M. - 9:25 A.M.
Four 15 minute exercises | Exercise #1
Successful selling starts with understanding how different people make decisions. Adapt your approach to match the customer’s communication style, priorities, and pace.
The key is to sell the way the customer wants to buy, rather than using the same approach with everyone. During these short exercises we will discover the four distinctive personality types and having some fun selling to each of them.
Beth Edney CLD, CIFD
Beth is entering her fourth decade in the world of Horticulture. She began her career as a landscape designer at Weall and Cullen Garden Centre. She studied Landscape Architecture at Ryerson and opened her design firm, Designs By The Yard in 1994.
Beth discovered her love of teaching when she taught workshops at Landscape Ontario for the certification program. This led to her teaching part time at numerous colleges throughout Ontario.
Beth is currently teaching online courses for Dynascape CAD Software program. She is the Artistic Director of The Winter Village at The Toronto Distillery District and enjoys being selective about the Landscape Design Projects she now pursues.
She is currently serving on the Provincial Board as the Representative for the Landscape Designer Sector Group and is actively involved in the Certification of Landscape Designers in Ontario.
Landscape Design as a Fine Art Discipline: How to apply the fundamental principles of art to outdoor design
9:25 A.M. - 10:25 A.M.
Pearce Butcher
Pearce Butcher is the founder and principal designer of Pearce B Designs, a boutique landscape design firm based in Greenville, South Carolina. Her approach to landscape design sits at the intersection of science, creativity, and problem-solving—interests that began in childhood and ultimately led her to pursue a double major in Art and Environmental Science at Furman University.
After an internship with a landscape design-build firm in Washington, DC, Pearce discovered her passion for landscape design and joined the firm after graduation. She went on to earn a Master’s Certificate in Landscape Design from George Washington University.
After several years of balancing freelance design work with raising her family and relocating across the country, Pearce re-established Pearce B Designs in Greenville in 2015. Today, she specializes in thoughtful, personalized outdoor spaces that blend beauty with functionality.
Pearce takes a holistic approach to every project, considering how clients will use, move through, and experience their outdoor spaces—from the arrival to the property and views from inside the home to outdoor living areas, privacy, and focal points. She works closely with homeowners, landscape contractors, builders, and interior designers to create cohesive spaces that connect seamlessly with the home.
Her design philosophy is summed up in her tagline: “Creating beautiful spaces for functional outdoor living.”
Selling to the Different Personalties
10:25 A.M. - 10:40 A.M.
Four 15 minute exercises | Exercise #2
Successful selling starts with understanding how different people make decisions. Adapt your approach to match the customer’s communication style, priorities, and pace.
The key is to sell the way the customer wants to buy, rather than using the same approach with everyone. During these short exercises we will discover the four distinctive personality types and having some fun selling to each of them.
Beth Edney CLD, CIFD
Beth is entering her fourth decade in the world of Horticulture. She began her career as a landscape designer at Weall and Cullen Garden Centre. She studied Landscape Architecture at Ryerson and opened her design firm, Designs By The Yard in 1994.
Beth discovered her love of teaching when she taught workshops at Landscape Ontario for the certification program. This led to her teaching part time at numerous colleges throughout Ontario.
Beth is currently teaching online courses for Dynascape CAD Software program. She is the Artistic Director of The Winter Village at The Toronto Distillery District and enjoys being selective about the Landscape Design Projects she now pursues.
She is currently serving on the Provincial Board as the Representative for the Landscape Designer Sector Group and is actively involved in the Certification of Landscape Designers in Ontario.
Networking Break
10:40 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.
Selling to the Different Personalties
11:00 A.M. - 11:15 A.M.
Four 15 minute exercises | Exercise #3
Successful selling starts with understanding how different people make decisions. Adapt your approach to match the customer’s communication style, priorities, and pace.
The key is to sell the way the customer wants to buy, rather than using the same approach with everyone. During these short exercises we will discover the four distinctive personality types and having some fun selling to each of them.
Beth Edney CLD, CIFD
Beth is entering her fourth decade in the world of Horticulture. She began her career as a landscape designer at Weall and Cullen Garden Centre. She studied Landscape Architecture at Ryerson and opened her design firm, Designs By The Yard in 1994.
Beth discovered her love of teaching when she taught workshops at Landscape Ontario for the certification program. This led to her teaching part time at numerous colleges throughout Ontario.
Beth is currently teaching online courses for Dynascape CAD Software program. She is the Artistic Director of The Winter Village at The Toronto Distillery District and enjoys being selective about the Landscape Design Projects she now pursues.
She is currently serving on the Provincial Board as the Representative for the Landscape Designer Sector Group and is actively involved in the Certification of Landscape Designers in Ontario.
The Less is More Garden
11:15 A.M. - 12:15 P.M.
Landscape designer and author Susan Morrison takes the most valuable ideas she’s developed through years of client consultations and distills them down into actionable advice. She’ll share the important client step she never skips, design strategies that engage the senses and guidelines for creating effective focal points. With an emphasis on smaller spaces and illustrated with real-life garden makeovers and inspiring photographs, Susan’s advice will help you look at garden design with fresh eyes.
Susan Morrison
Author of several books, including the award-winning The Less is More Garden, Big Ideas for Your Small Yard, landscape designer Susan Morrison is passionate about gardens large and small. In addition to writing articles and presenting talks on design to garden enthusiasts all over the country, she has shared design strategies on the ground-breaking PBS series Growing a Greener World and appeared on such notable podcasts as A Way to Garden, The Joe Gardener Show and Let’s Argue About Plants.
Susan’s designs have been featured in various publications, including Cottages and Bungalows, The San Francisco Chronicle and Fine Gardening, where she also contributes articles on design and plant selection. Always on the hunt for exciting new plants, she enjoys trialing plants for the Sunset Western Garden Collection in her hot, dry garden and writing articles about her favorites for their website. Locally, Susan has
volunteered as a Contra Costa master gardener for over 20 years. In April, you’ll find her at the popular master gardener plant sale, helping visitors choose the perfect tomato for their gardens.
Selling to the Different Personalties
12:15 P.M. - 12:30 P.M.
Four 15 minute exercises | Exercise #4
Successful selling starts with understanding how different people make decisions. Adapt your approach to match the customer’s communication style, priorities, and pace.
The key is to sell the way the customer wants to buy, rather than using the same approach with everyone. During these short exercises we will discover the four distinctive personality types and having some fun selling to each of them.
Beth Edney CLD, CIFD
Beth is entering her fourth decade in the world of Horticulture. She began her career as a landscape designer at Weall and Cullen Garden Centre. She studied Landscape Architecture at Ryerson and opened her design firm, Designs By The Yard in 1994.
Beth discovered her love of teaching when she taught workshops at Landscape Ontario for the certification program. This led to her teaching part time at numerous colleges throughout Ontario.
Beth is currently teaching online courses for Dynascape CAD Software program. She is the Artistic Director of The Winter Village at The Toronto Distillery District and enjoys being selective about the Landscape Design Projects she now pursues.
She is currently serving on the Provincial Board as the Representative for the Landscape Designer Sector Group and is actively involved in the Certification of Landscape Designers in Ontario.
Lunch
12:30 P.M. - 1:30 P.M.
Three Speakers, Three Rooms
1:30 P.M. - 2:30 P.M.
Kevin Post
Kevin Post is a Landscape Architect, three-dimensional visualization specialist, and owner of Beyond The POST. With over 20 years of experience in landscape architecture, Kevin helps clients and project teams work through complex properties with greater clarity and confidence. His work combines accurate existing conditions, clear design communication, and approval-ready, buildable landscape documentation. Kevin integrates three-dimensional site scanning, digital modelling, and visualization workflows to reduce assumptions, improve coordination, and help projects move more smoothly from concept through approval and construction.
Technology with Intent: Digital Tools for Better Design, Communication, and Coordination
Technology is transforming how landscape professionals research, design, communicate, and manage their work. From 3D modelling and visualization to AI, site capture, digital collaboration, and automation, today’s tools can reduce repetitive work, improve communication, and support better decisions.
This practical session will explore how emerging and established technologies can fit into everyday landscape design, communication, production, and business workflows. Attendees will learn how to evaluate digital tools, where to start, and how to use technology purposefully without adding unnecessary complexity.
The session will also highlight where professional judgment remains essential, including design intent, technical accuracy, site constraints, client relationships, and construction outcomes.
While focused on landscape designers, the session will also benefit design-build professionals, contractors, and project teams looking to improve communication, coordination, and efficiency.
Cassie Zalewski
Cassie’s passion for horticulture began on her mother’s herb farm, where she developed a lifelong respect for nature and a strong work ethic. After graduating college in 2006, she joined Parklane full-time and built her career from the ground up—gaining hands-on experience in Garden Care and Construction before moving into operations and project management. With her D License and Crane Operator certification, she spent several years driving a 7-ton truck, sharpening a practical, quality-first approach rooted in logistics, efficiency, and craftsmanship.
A multi-generation leader, Cassie has helped grow Parklane through a culture-first approach centered on accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement. Under her leadership, the company has embraced open-book management, profit sharing, and a values-driven culture that empowers employees to think like owners and contribute beyond their job descriptions.
Known for her practical, no-nonsense leadership style, Cassie is passionate about helping business owners build engaged teams, create meaningful workplace cultures, and develop employees who are invested in both company success and personal growth. She believes exceptional client experiences begin with exceptional employee experiences—and that culture isn’t created by policies, but modeled daily by leadership.
When she’s not leading her team, Cassie can be found helping clients transform outdoor spaces, mentoring emerging leaders, and advocating for a stronger, more connected landscape industry.
& Joanne Mohan
Joanne joined Parklane in 2011 as a Landscape Designer. Raised in her family’s landscape construction and garden centre business in Ireland, she developed a strong appreciation for family-run companies. She holds a degree in Property Economics, a Master’s in Landscape Architecture, and a certificate in Ecology.
Joanne leads Parklane Living, offering therapeutic horticulture programs focused on plant therapy, climate-resilient gardening, and sustainable practices that help people reconnect with nature through plants. Joanne is a Fusion Landscape Professional and Trainer, DePave Co-Ordinator, and sits on the Ramara Climate Action Committee.
Climate Resilient Gardens
As designers and contractors, we have a unique opportunity to create climate-resilient gardens that meet the demands of changing environmental conditions while offering aesthetic appeal and functionality. This class will talk through practical ways to design and implement on-site applications to encourage and mitigate against climate change.
Ben O'Brien
Naturalistic Planting Design
Naturalistic planting is about creating gardens that feel rooted in place—layered, dynamic, and increasingly beautiful as they mature. In this two-part presentation, we’ll explore both the design process and the long-term stewardship of naturalistic gardens, drawing on several larger projects in Prince Edward County.
The first part takes a deep dive into the design of these landscapes: how plants are selected and composed, how structure and seasonality are considered, and how naturalistic planting can respond to the character of a site. Through project examples, we’ll look at the ideas, challenges, and decisions that shape a planting from its initial concept into a living landscape.
The second part turns to what happens after planting. Naturalistic gardens are never static—they change, shift, self-seed, compete, and mature over time. We’ll explore how to manage this evolution, including maintenance strategies, editing and thinning, managing plant communities, and knowing when to intervene and when to let a garden develop on its own.
Together, the talks offer a practical and inspiring look at naturalistic planting from design through maturity, with an emphasis on creating gardens that are resilient, ecologically rich, and designed to become better with time.
Networking Break
2:30 P.M. - 2:45 P.M.
Three Speakers, Three Rooms
2:45 P.M. - 3:45 P.M.
Kevin Post
Kevin Post is a Landscape Architect, three-dimensional visualization specialist, and owner of Beyond The POST. With over 20 years of experience in landscape architecture, Kevin helps clients and project teams work through complex properties with greater clarity and confidence. His work combines accurate existing conditions, clear design communication, and approval-ready, buildable landscape documentation. Kevin integrates three-dimensional site scanning, digital modelling, and visualization workflows to reduce assumptions, improve coordination, and help projects move more smoothly from concept through approval and construction.
Technology with Intent: Digital Tools for Better Design, Communication, and Coordination
Technology is transforming how landscape professionals research, design, communicate, and manage their work. From 3D modelling and visualization to AI, site capture, digital collaboration, and automation, today’s tools can reduce repetitive work, improve communication, and support better decisions.
This practical session will explore how emerging and established technologies can fit into everyday landscape design, communication, production, and business workflows. Attendees will learn how to evaluate digital tools, where to start, and how to use technology purposefully without adding unnecessary complexity.
The session will also highlight where professional judgment remains essential, including design intent, technical accuracy, site constraints, client relationships, and construction outcomes.
While focused on landscape designers, the session will also benefit design-build professionals, contractors, and project teams looking to improve communication, coordination, and efficiency.
Cassie Zalewski
Cassie’s passion for horticulture began on her mother’s herb farm, where she developed a lifelong respect for nature and a strong work ethic. After graduating college in 2006, she joined Parklane full-time and built her career from the ground up—gaining hands-on experience in Garden Care and Construction before moving into operations and project management. With her D License and Crane Operator certification, she spent several years driving a 7-ton truck, sharpening a practical, quality-first approach rooted in logistics, efficiency, and craftsmanship.
A multi-generation leader, Cassie has helped grow Parklane through a culture-first approach centered on accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement. Under her leadership, the company has embraced open-book management, profit sharing, and a values-driven culture that empowers employees to think like owners and contribute beyond their job descriptions.
Known for her practical, no-nonsense leadership style, Cassie is passionate about helping business owners build engaged teams, create meaningful workplace cultures, and develop employees who are invested in both company success and personal growth. She believes exceptional client experiences begin with exceptional employee experiences—and that culture isn’t created by policies, but modeled daily by leadership.
When she’s not leading her team, Cassie can be found helping clients transform outdoor spaces, mentoring emerging leaders, and advocating for a stronger, more connected landscape industry.
& Joanne Mohan
Joanne joined Parklane in 2011 as a Landscape Designer. Raised in her family’s landscape construction and garden centre business in Ireland, she developed a strong appreciation for family-run companies. She holds a degree in Property Economics, a Master’s in Landscape Architecture, and a certificate in Ecology.
Joanne leads Parklane Living, offering therapeutic horticulture programs focused on plant therapy, climate-resilient gardening, and sustainable practices that help people reconnect with nature through plants. Joanne is a Fusion Landscape Professional and Trainer, DePave Co-Ordinator, and sits on the Ramara Climate Action Committee.
Climate Resilient Gardens
As designers and contractors, we have a unique opportunity to create climate-resilient gardens that meet the demands of changing environmental conditions while offering aesthetic appeal and functionality. This class will talk through practical ways to design and implement on-site applications to encourage and mitigate against climate change.
Ben O'Brien
Naturalistic Planting Design
Naturalistic planting is about creating gardens that feel rooted in place—layered, dynamic, and increasingly beautiful as they mature. In this two-part presentation, we’ll explore both the design process and the long-term stewardship of naturalistic gardens, drawing on several larger projects in Prince Edward County.
The first part takes a deep dive into the design of these landscapes: how plants are selected and composed, how structure and seasonality are considered, and how naturalistic planting can respond to the character of a site. Through project examples, we’ll look at the ideas, challenges, and decisions that shape a planting from its initial concept into a living landscape.
The second part turns to what happens after planting. Naturalistic gardens are never static—they change, shift, self-seed, compete, and mature over time. We’ll explore how to manage this evolution, including maintenance strategies, editing and thinning, managing plant communities, and knowing when to intervene and when to let a garden develop on its own.
Together, the talks offer a practical and inspiring look at naturalistic planting from design through maturity, with an emphasis on creating gardens that are resilient, ecologically rich, and designed to become better with time.
