Author: Outdoor Lifestyle Magazine

GREAT EXPECTATIONS – The top 5 reasons why Homeowners Underestimate the cost of their Landscape Projects

By Glenn Curtis – Montreal, QC   Professional design/build landscapers dream of presenting a project budget for the perfect design and hearing,“Wow! at’s much less than I expected, when can you start?” Inevitably, we wake to find the real world holds a much more common reaction: unrealistic expectations. Homeowners want it all in this day and age, and few understand that their dream of having a permanent, 5-star luxury resort experience in their own backyard, often can cost more than going on an actual vacation. In the landscaping industry we call this “sticker shock”, and fortunately, there is a...

Read More

THE POOL IS HALF FULL – Going back to the beginning

Inner reflection is never a bad thing. As I sit back and put my career into focus, I realize that a lot of things have happened since I first got into the pool game twenty-eight years ago. I’ve gone from labourer to foreman to subcontractor to owning my own business all within that span, and as I’ve grown and expanded my knowledge and experience, so too have the advancements in my industry continued to change and evolve. I started in humble beginnings in 1988, working for a local company installing vinyl-lined pools in three days or less. The must...

Read More

CHEF MICHAEL SMITH – Transforming cuisine on Canada’s east coast, one plate at a time.

By Cassidy Tonkin – Acton, ON   His passion for his craft only grew abroad, and after returning home, Smith spent time gaining experience and perfecting his art, working under David Bouley at the number one restaurant in the United States, Bouley. All this success in such a short period of time might make any up and coming chef stop to pinch themselves, but for Smith, there was something more he longed for. He knew from a young age that he wanted to focus his culinary career by incorporating simple, sustainable ingredients grown from his own garden, helping families...

Read More

THE NOT SO AVERAGE JOE

By Candice Klein – Waterdown, ON Michael Fifield is certainly not your Average Joe! With twelve years of landscaping and outdoor design experience under his belt, it wouldn’t be a mistake to call him an expert in the field. Fifield started his career with Bowering Gardens in 2004, and has called the award-winning company home ever since. Over the years, his position has changed from young apprentice to seasoned foreman, currently overseeing hardscape projects and working closely with new clientele to design stunning properties. Bowering Gardens took root in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 2002, and was founded by the hardworking and kind Mark Bowering. When listening to Fifield talk about his...

Read More

THE QUEBEC QUONNECTION IS BORN!

The diversity we, as Canadians, hold so close to our hearts, has never been more apparent to us here at OL Magazine than it is right now. We know how much Quebecer’s love their outdoor spaces and how much they cherish each and every day they are able to spend out of doors. OL Magazine is privileged to bring to you one of the most accomplished and talented landscape artisans in the province. With more than 30 years experience in the field, and a plethora of awards, Montreal based, Glenn Curtis of Plantenance Landscape Group is joining our panel...

Read More

OL Magazine Fall Winter 2019

OL Magazine Instagram

Carson’s Corner

OL Newsletter Subscribe Here

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required




Green Strike Mosquito Preventer

OL Magazine back issues