Ottawa Landscape Architect promotes Julie’s recent events in Canada

Julie recently returned from a long trip that started in Rwanda and ended in the lovely city of Ottawa, Ontario. In the middle of the three weeks was a 4-day visit to Dublin, Ireland for a lecture. More on all of this will be coming in future posts.

While in Ottawa, Julie gave a lecture and a 3-hour workshop, co-sponsored by the Ottawa Botanical Garden Society and Landscape Ontario. Local Ottawa landscape architect John Szczepaniak was pleased to help promote these events to the landscape community in the area, as he is a great fan of Julie’s work and he wanted her events to be well attended. Thank you, John!
(photo by Roy Grogan)

We first became familiar with John when we saw images of some of his projects that were sent to us after a Call for Submissions for a new landscape design book. Nearly two years later, the book is a reality and two of John’s projects made it into the book. For more info on the book, or to order a signed copy, click here.

John established his business in 1988. He knows that his future as a landscape architect began as a young boy, when he visited his grandmother’s “amazing garden” in northwestern Quebec. It was there that John smelled his first peony, and the power of that wonderful smell stayed with John into his adult life. His love of “Babcia’s” garden grew into his career.

John and his grandmother, Genowefa, just prior to John beginning a course of study at the University of Guelph in landscape architecture.

John’s firm has extensive experience working on a range of residential projects in urban and rural locations. He and his staff are proud of their innovative designs and are committed to excellence on all types of projects, from the initial concept to the smallest of details. They aim to establish a seamless relationship between a home’s architecture and it’s natural environment, creating a balanced landscape with a strong sense of place. John and his team have also worked on numerous institutional and government projects.

(photos by Roy Grogan, photo on left originally published by Taunton Press in Home Outside)

Because of John’s efforts, (as well as good press coverage and Julie’s interviews with CTV and CBC), many of John’s colleagues and friends attended Julie’s lecture and workshop. Both events were well attended (around 500 for the lecture!), and we have received nice feedback from participants and organizers. As one organizer commented: “We had an absolutely delightful time with her – she is warm and funny, smart and curious, and above all, a consummate professional. The people who attended the talk and those at the workshop today were absolutely blown away by her, as were we…we all want to know if she bottles that energy, and where we can buy it!”

Julie and John enjoy a quick photo opportunity between events. Photo by Roy Grogan.

Special thanks for the volunteer work of the committee at the Ottawa Botanical Garden Society that helped tirelessly to make these events happen, and to make Julie so welcome and comfortable while in Canada. We say a special thanks to Mary Pratte, Richard Rogers, Beth Stikeman, Tim Dyer, Tim Kearney, Jane Panet, and Freda Godby. Check out another of Mary’s activities: the Canadian Peony Society. — ML

Julie on the CBC

To listen to Julie’s recent CBC RadioOne interview
with host Rita Celli, click here. [ Runs 9:15 ]