EARTH - Key Persons
Caitlin was born in the country just north of Toronto where she developed a love of all things green, from a young age she was always outside inspecting insects and playing in the garden. Caitlin started working with plants officially at the ripe age of 18 in a perennial greenhouse and just couldn't get enough of that earth smell. She blossomed in her career as a gardener after making the move to the big smoke and obtained journey person as a horticultural technician. Since Caitlin just loves to grow, she went on to complete her landscape design certification at Ryerson University. If Caitlin is not looking at cat pictures, dreaming about trains or climbing rocks, you can find her where she thrives, in nature with dirt under her nails.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, Edmond became a wandering academic; starting at the University of Brussels and graduating with a History degree from Edinburgh University. A diploma in Journalism and Print form Oakville's Sheridan College added some much-needed practical skills. After a few years as a copy writer he ventured back across the pond for a Masters degree at University College London in Dutch colonial history. Following sojourns into academia and a brief stint trying to single-handedly reverse climate change in the solar industry it was perhaps inevitable that a man hailing from the land of tulips ended up at a landscape design company. He now spends his time at the Earth Inc base providing organizational support for all aspects of the companies systems.
Having grown up in Etobicoke and now living downtown, Elli has truly realized that the apple never falls far from the tree (and also that she was never good with expressions). After spending almost a decade as a freelance photographer, she eventually decided that the outdoors was calling her name. Some may find this funny because growing up she avoided the yard work as much as possible (her brother, however, never found this funny). Since discovering her true love of what was once but another chore, she has become a graduate of the Horticulture Technician Program at Humber College, and also a proud member of the Ontario College of Trades. She spends her free time cycling, volunteering with urban farms, and convincing her friends to go to water parks on rainy days (try it, you might like it!).
Once a budding enthusiast, Emilie has grown her passion for gardening and turned it into an epic journey to learn all things horticulture. Some of her earliest memories were of time spent playing in the garden. If she wasn't collecting caterpillars, she was trying to "help" her parents plant flowers. She carried this love and appreciation for the outdoors with her throughout her life. So much so, she even named her first born, Violet. Gaining knowledge and experience in the field, she strives to be a total know-it-all. Emilie attended Humber College's Horticultural Technician Program and continues learning and loving her profession.
Born amongst the Kentish gardens of England, James' fascination with the outdoor world blossomed at a very young age. James first graduated from Western University with a major in History, and then proceeded to specialize in Landscape Architecture at Ryerson University. For the past 25 years, James has continued to practice his passion of creating award-winning outdoor spaces that facilitate inspiration and human connection. When he is not brainstorming which perennials he might use amongst the façade of his next big project, James will be found tending to his tulips, or removing every last fallen leaf from his property while listening (or singing along) to The Smiths. As a history fanatic, James takes pride in his extreme knowledge of all things British. He continues to obsess over the traditions of the culture, including Kew Gardens, Spitfires and rowing. James has recently joined the 5am club in order to re-fuel his passion for the sport, and can now be spotted at Hanlan boat club or on the erg outside his restored historic home. When he is not in nature, James might be spotted indulging at Impact Kitchen with his family, or cuddling his therapy-bred Ganaraskan dog, Poppy. His claim to fame was his HGTV show, Dirty Business, but has since moved on to become an Instagram influencer of rustic flower pots and vintage Saabs.
Jessie is the newest Earthling to join the team and brings 10 years experience of landscape architecture and tree hugging good vibes to the office. She completed her degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph and lived abroad working in the tropical gardens of Hawaii and Australia. After obtaining her Permaculture Design Certificate and realizing that her skills lay in all things landscape and not surfing, she returned to her roots back in Canada to study organic landcare and design. When she is not drafting up a storm at work, you can find her daydreaming in the vegetable gardening, hiking with her spirited puppy, camping with friends and creating eco art installations.
Kennedy is one of Canada's leading redheads. He has a passion for design and an uncanny ability to create forward thinking and avante garde concepts. Always hungering for new ideas he takes inspiration from every situation and is the king of superlatives, his quest for ‘awesome' is contagious. A natural risk taker, Kennedy always knows how far to push the envelope and say ‘stop' before the design becomes quirky. He is a graduate of the Humber College Landscape Technician/Technologist program. Although his passion is design he really should have been a musician he loves all types of music, however, the rest of the team just wish he kept his singing to the shower not the office. As one of the co-hosts of Dirty Business on HGTV, Kennedy was never averse to getting down and dirty.
Michael is a graduate of the University of Guelph (Bachelor of Landscape Architecture) and has completed graduate studies in Interior and Product Design in Florence, Italy. Just for a laugh, he studied Sculpture and Landscape Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland. Michael is our sustainable design authority, having gained valuable experience at home and abroad whilst working and studying at the Institute Without Boundaries. However, he is not a perpetual student and now spends his time maintaining his significant beard, providing in-house chef services and creating phenomenal landscape designs, usually with a doodle somewhere on them.