AVESI Stormwater and Landscape Solutions
103 Castlefield Drive Hamilton, ON, Canada

This fall we’ve been working with @green_venture on their ‘Catch the Rain’ program where we help people incorporate rain water into their landscapes. __________________________ This particular front yard has been in the works since summer 2019 and it feels really good to finally see it come to life. I’m really happy with how it turned out - the teams hard work is now tangible! __________________________ This one definitely has a permaculture feel to it as this rain garden r...eplaced all the remaining grass in the front yard. Planting wise Carex buchanii (red fox sedge) carries the structural load of the design as it’s strong red blades remain a presence in the landscape all year. __________________________ We alternated the downspout arrangement to bring water over the steel trellis and into the dry rock swale that feeds the rain garden. Every garden is a new challenge. __________________________ Does your home need a custom drainage solution? I can help: avesistormwater.com __________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #catchtherain #greenventure #rainscape #rainscaping #permaculture #landscape #landscaping #greeninfrastructure #lid #homeowner #realestate #dundas #hamont #burlon #ecology #carex #wildflowers #custom #drainage #solutions #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi See more

Late season tune up for one of my Burlington projects. I gave the catch basin and the rain garden inlet a good cleaning to make sure everything is running smoothly and water is going where it’s supposed to go. _______________________ Nothing is maintenance free... two 30-minute maintenance sessions a year go a long way. Small investment in time for a huge return in functionality and lifespan. ________________________ The gardens are evolving nicely as well; really starting... to take shape as it matures. ________________________ Does your home need a custom drainage solution? I can help: avesistormwater.com ________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #gardenlife #gardenlifestyle #burlon #hamont #maintenance #landscape #landscaping #rainscape #rainscaping #nds #catchbasin #stormwatermanagement #custom #drainage #solutions #ecology #stormwater #avesi See more

It’s clear that this section of river is either being cleaned up regularly, or people in general are leaving less trash behind. Hopefully it’s a combination of both. __________________________ I used to be able to pull 4-5 bags out of this section easily while leaving a bunch behind. This time took me all the way to the falls and only got 3 bags. There are still some larger pieces of trash (tires, construction materials, etc.) which have caused a number of debris dams but i...n general I was encouraged by the state of this section today. __________________________ I just want to remind all my friends that regardless of who holds political office; at the end of the day we hold the power as individuals to be good stewards for our communities, our neighbours, and our natural areas. The world responds to what you DO, and not to what you SAY. To all of my friends that spend time giving back to their communities and making our world a better place: I am proud of you and I hope you are proud of yourself. __________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #river #cleanup #sunday #November #everydayisearthday #environmentaleducation #rivercleanup #volunteer #conservation #stormwater #avesi See more

A rain garden tucked neatly into this backyard. Anyone else have those days where they just enjoy the work? ______________________________It’s a nice reminder of why I do this... to give people the opportunity to use their landscapes for good... to incorporate water into the landscape in a creative and artful way so it fosters biodiversity and sustainability over the long term. ______________________________It’s more than landscaping, it’s rainscaping. ____________________...__________ Along with the rain garden we also built a ledge wall and added a front step to this shed with some angular limestone boulders and one piece of 2x4’ natural edge flagstone. ______________________________ Plants: Canada anemone, little bluestem, shield fern, spotted geranium, bigroot geranium, New England aster, and bebb’s sedge. ______________________________ Does your home need a custom drainage solution? I can help: avesistormwater.com ______________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #backyard #backyardgarden #backyardoasis #limestone #flagstone #landscape #landscaping #landcon #hamont #dundas #custom #drainge #solutions #stormwater #avesi See more

Aster season has arrived here at Castlefield. _________________________________ New England Aster I did not plant. It’s a very welcome volunteer that is competing well against the other big boys like goldenrod, joe pye week, and blue vervain. _________________________________ Heath Aster I did plant and I’ve been very happy with how it’s spreading through the garden. I have this same variety in both the front and back and they are a main biomass for me here at Castlefield. ... _________________________________ Great Blue Lobelia is not an aster but I have been impressed with how it’s moved around the landscape to find more hospitable spaces for itself. I planted 3 of them between some cedars and a goldenrod stand and rather than physically transplanting it I waited for it to spread on its own to find spaces it liked better. Plants are incredibly resilient but you have to let them earn their resiliency by letting them figure it out on their own. _________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #aster #newengland #newenglandaster #heathaster #home #backyard #backyardoasis #plants #botany #ecology #horticulture #nativeplants #hamont #burlon #rainscape #rainscaping #stormwater #avesi See more

The rain garden course is back for fall 2020. Extend your rain garden skills by learned from industry experts including myself and @seanjamesdesigns ______________________________________ Link in bio for $10 off registration using promo code AVESI2020 ______________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #masterclass #gardening #course #gardencourses #learning #diy #industryexperts #custom #drainage #solutions #rainscaping #rainscape #stormwater #avesi

A classic scrape and shape rain garden. The more we build the less soil amending we are doing. We are always trying to make the most out of the materials that are already on site; no sense replacing good soil with newer soil just for the sake of it. __________________________________ Trying to chase better drainage by bringing in better soil material is a recipe for puddles. I call this the underground bathtub and go into more detail on this in the rain garden book ...I am set to release shortly. ___________________________________ The grade was perfectly set up to house a rain garden here. All we had to do was some simple earthwork and stonework to create a designated low spot for water to collect and absorb into the ground. ___________________________________ Does your home need a custom drainage solution? I can help: avesistormwater.com ___________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #earthworks #stonework #infiltration #ecology #rainscape #rainscaping #landscape #gardening #gardensesign #landscapedesign #landacapearchitecture #custom #drainage #solutions #landscaping #oakville #burlon #hamont See more

This rain garden and rain chain combination is still one of my favourites. A little management to the swale portion we did was to clear the mulch away with a leaf blower and gently reshape the rocks into a channel versus a mound in the middle. ___________________________________ The plants are filling in nicely as time goes on. The homeowners did a great job of incorporating edibles like elderberry, strawberry, and sage into this planting to compliment the traditional pol...linator wildflowers like milkweed, aster, and geranium. ___________________________________ Does your home need a custom drainage solution? I can help: avesistormwater.com ___________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #chain #rainchain #planting #landscape #landscaping #gardening #rainscape #rainscaping #oakville #hamont #burlon #dundas #swale #lid #greeninfrastructure #backyard #custom #drainage #solutions #stormwater #avesi @ Oakville, Ontario See more

A custom drainage solution that is more below ground than above ground. We wanted to get water away from the house, give it a chance to soak into the ground, all while maintaining the size and function of the lawn. ___________________________________ From the downspouts we did catch basins, into 4 PVC, into 4 prefab weeping tile, then into a small dry well with an eventual surface emitter. ___________________________________ I had to get creative with how to connect the P...VC into Rolfe corrugated pipe because these are not two materials that really speak to each other but I found a way to customize a coupling that Ill go over in a separate video. I found this combination of materials to be a great way to get water into the ground and away from the house. I dont like buying downspouts directly so the catch basin is there to allow for visual inspection and maitenance access. ___________________________________ The ground was tough to get through but once they figured out the pick axe situation got through it much quicker all done by hand to make sure we remove as little soil as possible to limit disturbance. Also expanded the back garden to create more space for biodiversity ___________________________________ Does your home need a custom drainage solution? I can help: avesistormwater.com ___________________________________ #custom #drainage #solutions #nds #weepingtile #ezflo #backyard #garden #gardening #rain #rainscaping #landscape #landscaping #landscapeconstruction #hamont #waterdown #dundas #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi @ Waterdown See more

Lobelia cardinalis blooms at the base of one of my rain gardens. Rain gardens bring topography onto a site as their shallow bowl shape creates different grade changes as well as different moisture zones. ______________________________________ Creating space for water to concentrate and infiltrate allows for a wider array of planting possibilities. _______________________________________ Youll notice how the plants I use are not water loving plants... because rain gardens... are more like prairie meadows than they are like wetlands. Wetlands are wet all or most of the year, rain gardens are mostly dry but occasionally wet. So dont be mislead by the rhetoric of rain gardens needing water loving plants, because its simply not true. Wetlands house water loving plants; and rain gardens are not wetlands. _______________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #wetland #wetlands #gardenlife #lobelia #echinacea #frontyardgarden #backyard #rainscape #rainscaling #fusionlandscapedesign #gardendesign #landscapedesign #landscapearchitecture #custom #drainage #solutions #stormwater #avesi See more

This small space sun/shade garden going to be a mix of hosta and sedge. Over the years my favourite sedge has become Carex pensylvanica (known commonly as Pennsylvania sedge or Oak sedge) because of its relatively clumped and neat habit. The hostas were already here but they had grown into each other to create one giant mass rather than individual plants. I dont necessarily dislike when plants do that but I think spacing the hostas out and mixing in something with a differen...t texture will better compliment this small space. And of course this adds more native biodiversity into the space which I also like _______________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #sun #shade #planting #hosta #sedge #mosaic #landscape #landscaping #gardening #hamont #dundas #westdale #burlon #waterdown #houseandhome #homeandgardens #landscapedesign #stormwater #avesi See more

Weekend wisdom with a valuable sod cutter tip. A sod cutter is the simplest way to get strip sod and expose a workable soil. With the rain gardens we built these little machines have become incredibly useful. _______________________________________ When the land is sloping perpendicular to the direction you need to cut it can be really hard to keep the machine going straight because the slope will pull the sod cutter in that direction. To circumvent this have a second pers...on use a pick axe in front of the sod cutter and pull it in the opposite direction. This will counter against the pull from the slope and keep the sod cutter running straight clean lines. _______________________________________ It may not be pretty but at the end of the day you gotta find ways to make it work _______________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #sod #sodcutter #weekendwisdom #tip #tricksofthetrade #landscape #landscaping #rainscape #rainscaping #ecology #horticulture #hamont #binbrook #dundas #stormwater #avesi See more

A sea of wildflowers ________________________________________ #wildflowers #garden #rain #raingarden #gardendesign #landscape #landscapedesign #gardening #landscapearchitecture #ecology #horticulture #botany #hamont #dundas #burlon #westdale #echinacea #phlox #rudbeckia #veronica #grass #stormwater #avesi

A sea of wildflowers _______________________________________ #garden #gardening #gardeningyourfrontyard #rain #raingarden #hamont #dundas #westdale #home #houseandhome #homeandgarden #design #landscapedesign #ecology #pollinators #nativeplants #wildflowers #stormwater #avesi

Schizachyrium scoparium & Felis catus sharing space

People are making the switch from lawn to garden. ___________________________________ It usually starts with a garden expansion here and a garden expansion there. Couple years later the amount of space that is dedicated to lawn is no longer worth the pain of cutting it. So the grass gets replaced with garden space. Every space is a blank canvas and its up to your creativity to decide what to do with it ___________________________________ The space is now open to be ...filled with biodiversity, well see more bees and butterflies in here real soon! ___________________________________ Are you looking to replace lawn with garden? I can help: avesistormwater.com ___________________________________ #garden #gardenmakeover #lawn #sod #rain #raingarden #flagstone #rainscape #nature #naturescape #rainscaping #landscaping #landscape #gardening #dundas #hamont #burlon #custom #drainage #solutions #water #landscapedesign #landscapearchitecture #stormwater #avesi @ Dundas, Ontario See more

Earlier this season I went through the rain gardens at my place here on the East Hamilton Mountain. Last week I made a similar video to showcase how things looks these days. ___________________________________ What I have here is very similar to what I build for my customers. The way I manage the vegetation in my gardens will different from how my customers manage theirs, but the bones of how these rain gardens are built is the same. ___________________________________ #rain #garden #gardentour #monarch #nativeplants #biomass #biodiversity #landscape #landscaping #rainscape #rainscaping #custom #drainage #solutions #hamont #dundas #burlon #stormwater #avesi

Good Friday morning! Check out this gorgeous front yard I went to visit earlier this week. Century home set back a good ways from the street... this style is my favourite _______________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #landscape #gardening #gardenersofinstagram #ecology #ecological #nature #natural #nativeplants #ecologicaldesign #plantcommunity #stormwater #avesi

A gorgeous water feature transformation by @raymarlandscapes A customer of mine asked me for help with their circulating backyard stream and I knew exactly who to call. __________________________________ While all of my projects are focused around water I dont actually have experience with water features. So what is the difference? __________________________________ I build infiltration landscapes (mostly rain gardens and bioswales) where the soil is being used to absorb ...water into the ground. Water features (streams, ponds, waterfalls, fountains, etc.) dont absorb water... they recirculate it. Id like to explore this world of recirculating water features because you cant deny how gorgeous they look, how tranquil they sound, and how much value they add to the landscape. But for now... I will defer to the experts and lean on the experience of Dan and Thomas at @raymarlandscapes __________________________________ If youve got a young or stagnant landscaping business my advice would be to find a niche and work it. Dont try to be all things to all people until you have the knowledge and the team to deliver quality work in all those areas. In the meantime if you come across a project where you know a colleague is better suited to give your customer a better product... get them involved and everyone will win, especially the customer! __________________________________ #waterfeature #waterfeatures #rebuild #stream #pond #backyard #creek #aquascape #rain #garden #raingarden #dundas #hamont #burlon #landscape #landscapeconstruction #business #waterworld #custom #drainge #solutions #stormwater #avesi @ Dundas, Ontario See more

Canada Day Giveaway ___________________________________ Somebody is winning one of these rain barrel stands... They sit 12 tall, measure 17x17 and are made from pressure treated wood. They are available for sale at $35 each but I want to give one away for free ___________________________________ To enter: ... 1. Like this photo 2. Tag 2 friends in the comments ___________________________________ All entries must be in by Wednesday July 1 by 11:59pm EST. A winner will be randomly chosen. Good luck! ___________________________________ #rain #barrel #garden #rainbarrel #raingarden #hamont #dundas #burlon #canadaday #contest #giveaway #custom #drainage #solutions #stormwater #avesi @ Hamilton, Ontario See more

Another rain garden put in as part of @green_venture Catch the Rain program. ________________________________We were able to use the gentle grade of the landscape to direct the water from the backyard into a rain garden in the front. _________________________________ Love replacing monoculture lawn with a biodiverse garden. We can create a sponge and a habitat at the same time. ________________________________ We have taken up so much grass this season it makes sense to... explore buying our own sod cutter we use them so often. _________________________________ Does your home need a custom drainage solution? I can help: avesistormwater.com _________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #green #custom #drainage #solutions #ecologicalplanting #ecology #landscape #landscaping #home #houseandhome #finegardening #dundas #hamont #burlon #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi @ Dundas, Ontario See more

Now that summer is officially here it will bring in a whole new set of flowers and blooms. Here are some of the flowers I came across this spring season. I know most of them but there are at least a couple that are unfamiliar to me... my plant plant knowledge is expanding every season and I still get stumped regularly _________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #spring #summer #2020 #blooms #flowers #nativeplants #horticulture #green #sustainability #stormwater #avesi @ Hamilton, Ontario

An update to this sump outlet arrangement. The natural stone blocks were added to the base of the porch to help build the grade and to discourage critters from getting under the porch. ___________________________________ The original sump outlet was creating a mess so we turned this small front garden into a rain garden that could accept the water from the sump pump. Put a freeze guard with 3 pvc pipe as the new outlet. ___________________________________ As far as the rai...n garden portion goes this was textbook scrape, shape, and plant. I used the soil that was already on site and shaped it into a rain garden. ___________________________________ Does your home need a custom drainage solution? I can help: avesistormwater.com ___________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #sump #sumppump #custom #drainage #solutions #frontyardgarden #frontyard #frontyarddesign #sustainable #ecofriendly #soil #mulch #nativeplants #beforeandafter #hamont #dundas #stormwater #avesi @ Hamilton, Ontario See more

Sometimes a single rain garden is the answer, and sometimes its not. This backyard had water problems for years and the owners were looking to solve those issues with gardens. _____________________________This is an example of why it is important to understand how shaping the land and tending to the soil can take a landscape from water shedding to water absorbing. _____________________________We took this space and created a berm n basin rain garden and also built a more... traditional shallow bowl shaped rain garden in another area of the backyard. The water absorbing portions dont always have to be visually obvious, they can be neatly incorporated into the landscape. ______________________________ Last three photos are some before photos that I took in spring. The finished landscape also has some random cut flagstone along the existing stone patio that are not shown here. ______________________________ The team did an outstanding job on this one. Its awesome working in an environment where everyone is pulling the rope in the same direction, great job fellas! ______________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #landscape #landscaping #backyard #backyardoasis #hamont #dundas #gardening #gardenlife #mulch #soil #nativeplants #dogwood #custom #drainage #solutions #stormwater #avesi @ Hamilton, Ontario See more

These columbines transition from purple to pink to white... looks like a biology experiment on genetic mutation. The different coloured aquilegia have been at this site for years and no doubt have been exchanging genetic material amongst each other with the help of pollinating insects. This is one of the reasons I am sure a huge believer in letting the landscape evolve over time and lean into the spontaneity... the same flower grows in three distinctly different colours in a ...tiny space between a natural stone retaining wall and the driveway. No human is planning that, thats all nature ___________________________________ #columbine #aquilegia #rain #garden #raingarden #dundas #hamont #custom #drainage #solutions #nativeplants #landscapeontario #landscapedesign #landscapearchitecture #design #nature #natural #ecology #genetics #geneticmutation #stormwater #avesi See more

Behind the scenes look at how I approached this plan for a custom drainage project ___________________________________ #custom #drainage #solutions #rain #garden #raingarden #backyard #rainscape #rainscaping #landscapedesign #landscaping #hamont #dundas #grimsby #rundown #behindthescenes #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi

Landscape fabric: why I dont use it and how it limits a soils ability to thrive. _________________________________ Healthy soil is teeming with life. These microbes, funguses, insects, etc all contribute to a healthy, well balanced soil. Like humans, and like plants, soil needs air and water to thrive. Landscape fabric severely limits a soils ability to openly exchange air and water both with its surrounds and within the soil itself. How would you describe the soil pictured... here? I look to words like: anemic, dilapidated, lifeless. _________________________________ The second graphic is meant to show how earthworks such as grading and contouring our landscapes can serve as a change catalyst for restoring an anemic, lifeless soil. If you find yourself with such a soil do not look to REPLACE the soil... instead look to INFILTRATE water into the soil so plants can take hold and occupy different spatial and temporal niches within the landscape. This is where things will start to change! And if you want to suppress weeds consider mulch or cover crops or a combination of the two. _________________________________I know there may be times and places where landscape fabric may be necessary but it has no place in a garden. It will lead to anemic, dilapidated, lifeless soil and all the other plants and living creatures in the soil will suffer as a result. _________________________________ What do you guys think? Am I wrong? Am I overlooking an important consideration here? _________________________________ #soil #soilhealth #healthysoil #landscape #landscaping #garden #gardening #rain #rainscape #rainscaping #hamont #dundas #horticulture #horttrades #custom #drainage #solutions #stormwater #avesi @ Hamilton, Ontario See more

Some views from the rain garden during this mornings shower. This is a typical scene after a few hours of steady rain Rainwater is being incorporated into the landscape, nourishing both plants and soil ______________________________ The inlets are slowing down the water as it comes in so we dont see any scouring or erosion. Water is collecting in the base and making its way to the surface overflow as it continues to rain. ______________________________ I will typically... see the surface completely dry up in an hour or two after it stops raining Ill check on it throughout the day to see how long it takes to fully drain ______________________________ Does your home need a rain garden? I can help! avesistormwater.com ______________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #landscape #landscaping #plants #soil #regenerativehorticulture #horticulture #landscapeontario #flp #fusion #blue #green #rainwater #custom #drainage #solutions #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi @ Hamilton, Ontario See more

Sharing here the landscape that Ive been working on at my own place for some years now. It absolutely is a work in progress with changes coming! We had water getting into the basement via connected downspouts... once they were disconnected and we got new eavestrough we were able to move the downspouts so they could be directed into the rain gardens. ___________________________________ This is a classic example of how I incorporate water into the landscape. My clients houses... are much prettier than mine lol mine is for experimental purposes... ___________________________________ Is there anything through the landscape you want me to address? Any questions about why/how/when feel free to ask! Also open to videography advice ___________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #home #rainscape #rainscaping #landscape #landscaping #flp #lowimpactdevelopment #greeninfrastructure #planting #custom #drainage #solutions #hamont #dundas #stormwater #avesi See more

Parking pad using a permeable plastic grid. This street side space was being used for parking and the homeowners werent happy with the look and function of the limestone screening. We came up with the solution of expanding the space and reinforcing it with Ecoraster E50. ___________________________________ These permeable plastic grids are really easy to install and are made from recycled plastic bags... so there are a bunch of reasons why I like these grid systems. _____...______________________________ This photo set is in random order showing different phases of the process. The last photo is the space before we started. ___________________________________ Has anyone ever installed a permeable grid before? Got any questions about it? Let me know! ___________________________________ #rain #permeable #plastic #grid #ecoraster #ecogrid #hanpave #recycle #upcycle #landscape #landscaping #garden #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #custom #drainage #solutions #water #rainwater #stormwatermanagement #hamont #dundas #green #greeninfrastructure #stormwater #avesi @ Dundas, Ontario See more

One of our last projects before we shut down for a couple weeks. Not a decision we made lightly but we want to do our part to make sure everyone stays safe and healthy. ______________________________ This rain garden was designed at the end of last season and we were able to get it in early this year. It follows one of my favourite patterns: downspout drains to rain barrel, over flow from rain barrel drains into rain garden where it gets absorbed into the soil. ____________..._________________ As time goes by the plugs will grow into each other and create a mosaic of wildflowers and grasses to condition the soil and keep this rain garden thriving. ______________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #rainbarrel #rainscape #rainscaping #landscape #landscaping #gardening #landscapedesign #hamont #dundas #homeowner #backyard #backyardoasis #fusion #flp #water #landscapeontario #custom #drainage #solutions #stormwater #avesi @ Dundas, Ontario See more

This Sundays #weekendwisdom is a lesson is PERSPECTIVE. How we perceive things is a reflection of us as individuals. The fact that something disappoints you doesnt automatically make it disappointing... that just means YOU PERCEIVE IT AS DISAPPOINTING. ____________________________________ Last month I spoke at Ontarios largest Green Industry / Horticulture trade show Landscape Ontario Congress on the subject of stormwater management in the context of the landscaping / hort...iculture professions. I spoke for about an hour to a group of about 100 people. The presentation went really well and I received some good reviews afterwords, so for that I am very proud and thankful. ____________________________________ There were professional photographers on site taking pictures of all the presenters. Its the first time a professional photographer has taken photos during one of my presentation so I was really excited about what they would capture. Here is the best photo they had... me in the background adjusting my mic pack while the person introducing me mispronounces my name ____________________________________ In my younger days I probably would have been super disappointed but I couldnt help but laugh when I saw this. Soon after I realized that if I want people to know who I am and to take my presence or my words with any sort of authority, Ive got to do the work on the back end to earn that. That type of reputation is earned every day by putting in the work, by knowing your sh*t, and by bringing VALUE to those you interact with. This photo humbles me, it confirms that while I may be on the right track Ive still got a ton of work to do. ____________________________________ #weekendwisdom #locongress #flp #fusionlandscaping #landscapeontario #locongress2020 #publicspeaking #rain #garden #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #75hard #stormwatermanagement #landscaping #horticulture #stormwater #avesi See more

In the midst of finishing up one of the geo grid permeable driveway we put in last summer. I went by last week and it still looks great feels solid as a rock. I know these get mixed reviews from some people but I really do like them. This one finished with a combination 1/4 chip and 3/8 rounds. ________________________________________ #geo #grid #geogrid #permeable #driveway #permeabledriveway #permeablepaving #rain #garden #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #landscaping #hardscaping #frontyard #hamont #dundas #burlon #custom #drainage #solutions #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi

This Sundays #weekendwisdom is Analysis Paralysis. I had meetings this week with two separate people seeking broad advice on how to start a solo landscaping practice, and specific advise on how to build rain gardens. Ill tell you what I told them was this... ______________________________________ Too much information is a REAL thing... If youre waiting to have all the answers before getting started, youll never start. Do some research, ask some questions, go mess it up, ...and then go fix it. Thats the only way to LEARN anything. ______________________________________ Every rain garden, every project Ive done Ive learned something incredibly VALUABLE. Stop trying to know everything, admit that you dont have all the answers and try it anyway. You can only gain the CONFIDENCE needed to EXECUTE by actually doing things #getafterit _______________________________________ #weekendwisdom #rain #garden #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #lid #green #landscape #landscaping #contractorsofinsta #custom #drainage #solutions #business #life #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi See more

I just went through the Fusion Landscape Professional 2-day course. Really knowledgeable and personable instructors. I spoke on this subject at Congress this year and found the content lines up quite well with my methods. There may be some slight differences on the details but our approach and methods share the fundamentals. Everybody has their own unique approach but I can tell the methods that they have are backed up by in field projects and they are not simply regurgitatin...g what they read in a book - so I really respect that. __________________________ If youre in Ontario and youre thinking about integrating water into your landscapes I would look into this course. Ive been doing Fusion style landscaping before it was called Fusion... its all I do and its all I know! Can you deliver value to your customers beyond just landscaping? Something to think about... __________________________ #fusion #FLP #LO #landscapeontario #rain #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #rainbarrel #greenforlife #green #greeninfrastructure #lid #lowimpactdevelopment #hamont #burlon #dundas #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi @ Milton, Ontario See more

The inaugural Weekend Wisdom post. Im going to start posting every Sunday night about something practical that I took away from the weeks activities. _______________________________________ If you cant already tell from the picture this one is going to be embarrassing... _______________________________________This past spring I decided to leave some ornamental grasses at full height as winter interest. As I was clearing this parking lot the long tough grass got caught i...n the snow blower and clogged it up. Luckily I caught it early enough and it only cost me an extra 10-15 minutes but it could have been much worse! _______________________________________ If youre going to leave ornamental grass throughout the winter make sure they are not within reach of the snow blower. The worst part is they dont even look good, they scraggly and buried under slushy snow lol next year Ill just cut the grass down as Ive done in years past _______________________________________ #weekendwisdom #snow #snowstorm #figureitout #snowblower #landscape #landscapecontractor #hamont #lockestreet #yorkblvd #rain #raingarden #garden #stormwater #avesi See more

Those who dont read have no advantage over those who cant read. If that doesnt make you want to read more I dont know what will! _________________________________ I usually have 3 books on the go at all times. One about business / personal development, one about gardening / landscaping, and a fiction novel. _________________________________ Current books: The Dichotomy of Leadership, Planting the Natural Garden, The Goldfinch.... _________________________________ Previous books: Million Dollar Consulting, Garden Revolution, A Fine Balance. ________________________________ Im open to reading any books you guys find valuable, let me know whats good! _________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #rainscape #rainscaping #book #books #reading #bookclub #timberpress #jacko #pietoudolf #planting #natural #landscape #landscaping #business #entrepreneur #stormwater #avesi @ Hamilton, Ontario See more

Icy rain chain from a few weeks ago. I was expecting them to ice over and it looks awesome. Does that count as winter interest? Im counting it! ________________________________________ #winter #ice #icestorm #winterinterest #rain #raingarden #rainchain #garden #gardening #landscaping #landscape #rainscaping #rainscape #hamont #burlon #oakville #stormwater #avesi

My friends at Green Communities Canada are running a rain garden course again this year. I had a presenting to the group last year. Really engaging learning environment and really knowledgeable instructors! To register email Emily at [email protected] ________________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #slowitdown #soakitup #keepitclean #online #webinar #hamont #burlon #dundas #halton #landscape #landscaping #rainscape #rainscaping #gardening #stormwater #avesi

A fairly realistic rain garden graphic here to help conceptualizer the flow of water in a rain garden context. It shows water getting in through a planted rock swale and water getting out through an inconspicuous stone overflow. The main function of a rain garden is to absorb water into the landscape. Absorbing water will help build better soil and grow strong plants... not to mention the benefits to the watershed as a whole __________________________________ #rain #garden #raingarden #landscape #landscaping #custom #drainage #solutions #soil #nutrients #hydrology #backyard #frontyard #rainscape #rainscaping #lowimpactdevelopment #lid #greeninfrastructure #fusion #flp #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi

This fluctuation between mild / cold is good for at least one thing: revealing problem drainage spots around the landscape. Take a walk around your place and look for puddles. Another thing to look for is downspouts, where is the water being directed? Are there any structures or surfaces at risk of being damaged by ponding water? ___________________________________ Weather youre and landscape contractor looking to help your clients with a solution; or youre a homeowner loo...king to talk to someone about options... If youre place needs a custom drainage solution, I can help! avesistormwater.com ___________________________________#rain #garden #raingarden #custom #drainage #solutions #landscape #landscaping #rainscape #rainscaping #fusion #FLP #landscapeontario #hamont #burlon #dundas #backyard #lid #green #greeninfrastructure #ecology #soil #ponding #homeowner #stormwatermanagement #stormwater #avesi @ Dundas, Ontario See more

Confession: one thing I know I need to improve on moving forward is keeping my site more organized. Ive gotten better at it over the years but there is always room for improvement. The best contractors that Ive worked with are all very organized. ________________________________________ It all comes down to efficiency, the more organized you are the more efficient you can be. Nothing irritates me more than looking for something while Im on site. Be it a tool or piece of e...quipment or materials or whatever; it adds unnecessary stress and pulls your brain power away from the task at hand. Disorganization is a time and energy killer... Stay organized out there! ________________________________________ #organized #efficient #efficiency #organization #siteworks #onsite #contractorconfession #rain #garden #raingarden #landscape #landscaping #landcon #landscapecontractor #custom #drainge #solutions #soil #ndspro #nds #drywell #lid #lowimpactdevelopment #stormwater #avesi See more