A creative display

It’s that time of year again when you walk onto campus and notice that all of the lawns have been aerated and there are new flowers springing up in all the beds. And the team responsible for that annual makeover can now claim a major landscaping award to its credit.

The Facilities Management Grounds Team recently received a Landscape Nova Scotia Award for the raised planter bed in front of the Killam Library. The team won in the category of commercial-level landscape design under $25,000.

According to Michael Wilkinson, grounds manager for Dal’s Halifax campuses, this is the first time Dal has won an award like this.

“There are 11 people working year round to make the campus safe and beautiful,” says Wilkinson. “They take care of snow removal, garbage removal, and, of course, landscaping.”

Read also: Inside Dal's yearly makeover (May 2012)

Recycle and reuse

Two staff in particular were responsible for the prized display. After a brainstorming session about the space and what the team would ideally like to see there, James Leslie and Derek Pearson went about making it happen.

The design phase included a lot of thought about the materials that would be used to build the bed. As much as possible, the team restricted itself to materials that were already on-site, such as rocks and paving stones; only some final mulch and decorative stone was purchased in the process.

A deserving recognition

The purpose of Landscape Nova Scotia is to create standards and promote quality in landscaping and horticulture across the province. The awards themselves are an opportunity to give public recognition to entries that exemplify and define excellent workmanship and craftsmanship.

After entering the display in the competition, Wilkinson says they didn’t hear back until they were asked whether or not they would be attending the award ceremony — and originally, they weren’t able to make it. When it was suggested that someone from the team might want to be there, the team attended the event at the Ashburn Golf and Country Club to accept the award.

“I’m truly glad we’ve been recognized,” says Wilkinson. “It was a great effort by our team.”

Drop by the Killam to check out the planter bed, and watch for the Grounds Team’s craftsmanship all over the Halifax campuses as it prepares for spring — and for convocation ceremonies later this month.