As a new year begins, we thought we’d take a moment to look back. With a history dating back over 55 years, we’re proud of the strong roots that have allowed us to become Edmonton’s premiere landscaping company. As a third-generation family-owned business, we could not be where we are without our solid foundation, our dedicated team, and you—our customers.
Our Story
Our business dates back to 1965 when the Sproule family started selling bedding plants to local friends and neighbours. Helen Sproule first had the idea when her hobby of growing garden plants in her garage blossomed into a business.
Within three years, her husband Fred quit his job and joined her in opening Salisbury Greenhouse and Landscaping. All six of their children would go on to help out in the business, which was operating year-round by 1970. In 1975, the Sproule’s eldest son Bob joined the business full-time, and to this day, Bob’s three sons now co-own and operate the business.
Today, Robert, Dave, and Adam Sproule co-own and operate Salisbury Greenhouses & Landscaping, with Adam at the helm of the landscaping division of the business.
Our Team
Helen and Fred’s spirit and work ethic still drive the values of Salisbury to this day. Adam works hard to keep a welcoming and inclusive culture at the company, which has grown into a team of dedicated, experienced landscaping professionals that truly love what they do.
Salisbury has made it a focus to hire and develop the finest talent in the industry, including landscape designers who are as passionate about customer satisfaction as they are about their craft. Landscape Designer Andreas Lietz says that part of that is encouraging customers to take a long-term approach to their landscape design.
“It’s really, really important to plan out what your yard will be like in 10-15 years,” says Andreas. “The planning stage should reflect on how you can use it now and also in the years to come.”
In addition to their years of experience, our team of designers stands out by drawing inspiration from outside the industry to create cutting-edge, one-of-a-kind spaces for every customer.
“Get inspired first – look at furniture design, look at architecture. Look at art, lines, flow, and balance,” advises Landscape Designer Jason Stubbs.
“I’m always taking pictures of things that I see when I go on walks,” says Landscape Designer and Master Gardener Kevin Napora. “I’ll even look at a tiny, little 3-inch by 3-inch stream of water, and from that—you can just blow that up, if you wanted, into a full 60-foot stream! You can look at the microcosm or the macrocosm and you can change it however you want.”
While we pride ourselves on the beauty of our work, a solid management team has allowed us to provide the dependability and level of customer service upon which we’ve based our reputation. For example, Project and Warranty Coordinator Jessica Duncan, recalls a time when she surprised a customer when she remembered her last name from a project the team had completed six years prior.
“I could tell she wasn’t expecting me to know who she was, but it made her feel really valued and that makes me feel really good,” Jessica says. “It reminds me that we really take teamwork seriously. Customers like this one may only interact with their landscape designer through the phases of their project, but what they don’t always see is that we have so much of a team environment. From initial contact, to design and build, then back to warranty, you have a whole team working with you.”
That dedication also extends to the crews who work tirelessly to see projects completed on-time, on-budget, and to the highest standard of craftsmanship. Operations Manager Dean Intwert recalls a project that had three different crews working overtime in the rain and mud to get their customers’ sod laid down.
“We worked until 8:30 at night to get all the sod down, but we got it all done before the long weekend,” says Dean. “That’s the stuff that’s kinda cool—when everyone comes together to get things done.”
Our Future
Our team at Salisbury Greenhouses & Landscaping thanks you for your support, which has enabled us to continue to be Edmonton’s leading landscaping company. In 2021, we look forward to helping homeowners achieve even more amazing things with their outdoor spaces. It has been an honour to serve the greater Edmonton area for the past 55 years, and we look forward to 55 more!
