If you ventured out to your local garden center after the nurseries got the green light to open in early May, you’ve likely been met with tall formations and limited plant material.
Nurseries were unsure of the amount of demand, but then encountered an incredible demand amid Corona Virus pandemic.
That same demand reached home improvement supplies and backyard renovation companies, and it lasted through June.
Jeremy Lerner, co-founder of landscape and design firm, Land-Con told Global News that his phone was ringing during Ontario’s shutdown with homeowners looking to add a pool or beautify their backyard space with a pergola—but these are generally big ticket items.
“A medium range for a fully landscaped backyard with an appropriately sized pool, and a wooden structure… you should have a budget of $120,000 to $150,000,” Lerner said.
With so few places to go, people looked to their backyards and balconies for some fresh air and peace of mind.
Christy Bartlett of Aurora, Ontario, sits in her award-winning backyard designed and built by Land-Con Ltd.
“We appreciate this backyard now more than ever because we can’t go anywhere. We’re able to get out here and stay at home but we feel like we’re on vacation,” Bartlett said.
On the borders of the Annex and Yorkville in Toronto, Ben Zlotnick, founder of Eden App, has created a 20-by-30-foot backyard oasis.
“We wanted to create many features that would allow them to go out into the backyard and enjoy their time while also hosting others,” Zlotnik said.
But since there isn’t a lot of other hosting at the moment, the homeowners here, Michael and Vanessa Hyatt, have been enjoying their backyard oasis with their baby daughter Sophia on a regular basis.
“My favorite feature is the pergola they built here because it gives you enough shade… It’s very quiet. You wouldn’t think you were in the heart of the city here,” Hayat said.
In the Beaches neighborhood, homeowner Patricia Russell enjoys a vast shade garden filled with ferns and hostess and two gushing ponds while giant oak trees stand as the protector of the space. This backyard took ten years to make – it was carefully planned by Kim Price Landscape Design.
“This is not a low maintenance park. One of my crew is here four days a week, 5 hours a day,” Price said.
She also told Russell Global News that she’ll also be spending hours in her backyard—after the sun, moving from one cozy spot to one throughout the day.
“I always feel really privileged but especially at this time when it’s really hard when you can’t touch and feel and hug other people…so the garden is really exhilarating,” said Russell.
Summer series “Backyard Oasis” showcases some of the most dreamy outdoor spaces in GTA.
world news
© 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.