Lawns Gardens Landscapes in Vermilion is open for the season, and celebrated 30 years of business on May 1! According to Jim Williams, they were established in the spring of 1990 when they entered into business offering supplies, services and landscape design, installation and consulting along with their garden center. “At that time, with two young boys, Bonnie operated the shop down in the airport subdivision. The following year we moved to what is now the Boston Pizza area that at the time was property of Vermilion Manufacturing & Machine Ltd. At that point we also began to have a few lawn equipment rentals and moved into higher end Lawn specific fertilizers and expanding with a larger supply of trees and shrubs along with a small green house! We slowly grew as did our boys and they became larger and larger participants within our small local business. In 1996 we purchased the sight we are in now. Summer found us expanding and adding property maintenance; taking on government projects of both the Provincial Building; Weigh Scales, Fish and Wildlife yard; as well as the trails, grounds and campsites of Vermilion Provincial Park. We held that contract five years until it was handed over to large corporate companies. We held the remaining government contracts until approximately five years ago when Cumac Construction and Landscape purchased our equipment and took over most of the existing contracts,” said Williams. He went on to say that over the years they had built a strong group of helpers and developed a name for competent and professional products and installation, going on to design and install several playgrounds in the zone along with a number of nursing homes and hospitals including the complete landscape and design of the Vermilion Health Care Centre. He added that all this time, Bonnie had been building up their store and supplying some of the highest quality trees, shrubs and perennials for the area causing them to expand to a second greenhouse! “Our store now houses some of the most unique and unusual artworks and materials for home and commercial gardeners, along with all your gardening needs! Our growers are some of the highest regarded growers in Alberta, one of whom has continued to be noted as one of Alberta’s Elite growers and has held the title of Alberta Grower of the Year! She continues to produce incredible, high quality products at the commercial greenhouse sight. Our trees are all Canadian grown from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and eastern British Columbia. The long and hard searches for the best products we could and still do supply has taken Bonnie years to hone and sort out, to ensure our customers are provided with products suitable for family, friends and our great customers as well as the harsh growing conditions of our area. Bonnie’s job is never done! In 2017, I semi-retired but continue to help out Bonnie when I’m called, and as my side of the operation was sold off I thought I would begin to relax - well that’s partly true!” said Williams. From 1989 – 2000, Williams was also employed as the Grounds Property Manager for multiple campus locations of Lakeland College. During the winter months of 1996-1998 Williams returned to Olds College to update and upgrade his horticultural and arboricultural knowledge. He also spent 13 years as a provincial and national judge for Communities in Bloom. “One of the greatest rewards of all has been to see the staff we have had with us, working their fingers to the bone to help us with our dream! The names I will not mention - they all know who they are, and every last one of them brought a special addition to our group and each had their way to contribute to our success as a whole! Thanks to them all, to our community of Vermilion and surrounding districts for all of the support over the years, and of course to our family. We will continue to work hard to provide our valued customers with all their gardening needs, plants and services into our future,” said Williams. For more information you can call 780-853-2180.
- Vermilion Voice