Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1274063
J U LY 2 0 2 0 | 37 Landscape Products D espite the devastation it caused, the COVID-19 pandemic provided one silver lining to the business world: it propelled scores of people to undertake backyard projects they previ- ously had little time for. As a result, anyone involved in the landscaping sector scrambled to keep up with demand. Dave LaCroix, VP of Keystone Retaining Wall Systems, notes that, "Our sales are strong across the board. As for trends, we're seeing some growth in pavers as well as the ongoing popularity of larger format, and we're also seeing a mixing of textures and contrasting colours." Kathy Granger, marketing director for Keystone Retaining Wall Systems, says the desire for ease of installation continues to inform her company's research and development team. "As such, contractor feedback led us to create a new product called Stonegate No-Cut Designs." The grill station and fireplace Stonegate No-Cut Designs strengthen Keystone's position as a prime resource for contractors involved in outdoor liv- ing spaces. The new fireplaces and grill stations combine the weathered beauty of the company's Stonegate retaining wall system and are designed to work with full pallets to make installation easy, fast, and efficient. The projects require no cutting and can be constructed by two novice installers using downloaded illustrated step-by-step instructions. Available in regionally relevant colours, the one- and two-sided hearth fireplaces come in three-pallet designs as does the L-shaped grill station. The more traditional straight grill station comes in a two-pallet design. Keystone plans to expand the Stonegate No-Cut Designs line with more outdoor kitchens, benches, and other items within the year. "No-Cut has been a big success due to so many homeowners staying close to home, plus it also Demand surges for landscaping products as a result of the pandemic by ROBIN BRUNET Breath Of Fresh Air addresses the issues of labour shortages and construction inexperience," says Granger. "For example, our fireplace design can be assembled by two people in about an hour." Making things simple for do-it-yourselfers and professionals alike is a key consideration at Barkman Concrete. Peegy Ontong, marketing supervisor at Barkman, reports that since the pandemic began "our fire pit kits have been flying off the shelves. This year we've introduced new outdoor kitchen kits, each of which comes with pre-cut pieces packaged on pallets, an instruction guide, safety gloves, and adhesive." Nine new outdoor kitchen kits are available, complementing the fire pit, fire- place, pizza ovens, pillars, and patio kits. Barkman is also enjoying brisk sales of its Broadway 100-millimetre and 65-millimetre pavers due to their versatility and various size and colour options. Cortez Series slabs from Abbotsford Concrete Products. Stonegate No-Cut Designs grill station from Keystone Retaining Wall Systems.