Evergreen Horticulture Services Celebrates 15 Years in Business!
Evergreen Horticulture Services Ltd. (EHS) is celebrating an exciting milestone this spring: their 15th year in business! Co-owned by brothers Colin and Murray Horne, the Sherwood Park-based company is proud of the community connections and partnerships made and maintained since the business was established.
The brothers were born and raised in Sherwood Park and have a very strong bond with the community. They lost their mother to Breast Cancer while still very young in 1997 and are active in supporting Cancer charities. This loss brought the boys close together and generated a great friendship. They both have young families and continue to raise them here in Sherwood Park.
It was a humble beginning for the family-owned company, operating out of Colin’s garage during the early years. The first business season consisted of three employees, two trucks, and a minimal amount of equipment and work projects. The company has expanded and diversified considerably since its inaugural year and now employs over 30 staff members during the spring and summer months. After several years of exponential growth, EHS moved to a more permanent shop in Sherwood Park in 2011. In 2013, the company expanded to a second full commercial bay and expanded again in 2019 to a third full commercial bay to accommodate the increased number of vehicles and equipment (the fleet now consists of 19 trucks and 12 trailers).
A community is enriched by the contributions of its members, and EHS strives to create positive and long-lasting connections within the community. One area of focus is improved quality of life for Strathcona County seniors by helping aging residents stay in their homes for a longer period of time. Since EHS offers beneficial services such as lawn care, flower bed maintenance, weeding, and snow removal, the company is able to provide a viable alternative to the 55-plus demographic facing the need to move from their homes due to the demands of property maintenance. This focal point is in keeping with the Strathcona County Older Adults Plan, which encourages an age-friendly community by providing the right programs and services to meet the needs of older adults.
Community involvement has led to two noteworthy achievements. In 2009, the company was the proud recipient of the Don Neil Young Entrepreneurial Award at the annual Sherwood Park and District Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. In 2014, EHS was one of three top finalists for Business of the Year at the Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.
Another key component of the business is creating and maintaining a personal relationship with all of their clients. Although EHS now provides services for over 300 clients, Murray and Colin – who were born and raised in Sherwood Park – endeavour to get to know their clients on an individual level. The owners elaborate, “We enjoy communicating with our clients in our efforts to provide high-quality service – and understanding client expectations is paramount to achieving that goal. We try to go ‘above and beyond’ in terms of communicating honestly and effectively.” In addition to discussing yard needs, conversations often involve family updates as both owners are married with young children.
Murray has a diploma in Business Management from NAIT as well as several years of experience within the business sector. His area of expertise within the company is business management, payroll, and bookkeeping. Colin holds a diploma in Horticulture from Olds College and has significant experience in the horticulture and greenhouse industry. Within the company, Colin focuses on client relations, equipment management, and horticulture inquiries.
The company employs staff year-round, including a full-time Horticulturalist with over 30 years experience, a landscape foreman with over 10 years of experience and several additional foremen responsible for managing crews. The staff roster consists of a high number of high school, university and college students throughout the summer months, and some of the long-term staff members have been with the company since its early years.
In the years since EHS was established, the owners have put a significant amount of effort into complying with municipal, provincial, and federal regulations and requirements – despite the high monetary cost. In order to maintain a professional business status, EHS is a member in good standing with the Sherwood Park and District Chamber of Commerce, Landscape Alberta, Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The company is Landscape Certified and carries several legal registrations, including Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), Alberta Government Registration for Pre-Pay, Commercial Vehicle Registration Liability Coverage, and their Alberta Business License.
Of the compliance process, the owners explain, “All small businesses know the insurance, safety equipment/program and compliance-related costs make up an extremely high portion of the cost of running a business. However, if we did not comply with these regulations and requirements, it would leave us and our clients at great risk.”
Colin and Murray are proud of the company’s accomplishments since start-up and look forward to continued success and prosperity in the coming years. The owners realize the potential for further growth and expansion, but also acknowledge that the business can only survive and thrive if their clients receive the degree of quality and reliability they expect. The owners are also grateful to the individuals and businesses who have helped contribute to the company’s success since start-up.