Horizon Landscapes began in 1978 as a small back yard nursery specializing in Miniature Roses. Our founder, Colin McCrea developed the nursery while working as a Parks Gardener in the municipal departments of Esquimalt and Victoria. During this time he developed skills in parks planning and maintenance and supervised the municipal nurseries in both departments. His responsibilities included designing and growing the plant material used in floral bedding across both municipalities. He supervised horticultural crews of up to 20 gardeners and developed Parks Maintenance management systems and budgets for horticultural production, development and maintenance. After 15 years in public parks, He began full time landscape operations of the Landscape division of Horizon Nurseries winning maintenance contracts with the Royal Provincial Museum, the Provincial Legislative Buildings, Government House and many other large public and private garden sites. Horizon Nurseries was incorporated in 1997, creating hundreds of private and public gardens and becoming the leading landscape maintenance company in Victoria
Our supervisors
Jason Choquette
Jason brings over 20 years experience in landscaping as well as a unique talent for equipment operation and mechanical repair.
He has a passion for hardscape design and installation with extensive experience in placing large stone elements as single focal points in a landscape, or in groupings. He can create beautiful pathways and patios with paver elements, flagstone, loose and compacted aggregates and patio stone. He is a specialist in creating water features including ponds, streams and waterfall elements. He also builds Allan Block and boulder walls with precision and expertise.
His experience also includes specialty landscape features such as pathway edging, cedar split rail fencing and many more. Jason is a level 2 IABC Irrigation technician responsible for maintaining, repairing and installing high volume commercial irrigation systems. He also installs low voltage landscape lighting systems in residential and commercial settings.
Jason has a keen eye for plant placement and in conjunction with our principal, Colin McCrea, has created hundreds of commercial and residential landscape gardens and features. He is our main supervisor and project manager and has the ability to execute your landscape project with efficiency, energy and enthusiasm.
Colin McCrea
With over 45 years of experience in professional landscaping and gardening there isn't much in horticulture Colin hasn't experienced. His training includes course work from the University of Guelph, as well as many other community and internet based facilities. He is a graduate of the Kwantlen College, Red Seal Horticultural program, with a 99% average over 4 years of course work. He is also a CNLA certified Landscape Professional and Landscape Manager. Colin is experienced in IPM pest management and has held a Pesticide Applicators Certificate continuously for the past 35 years. He is also a level 2 Irrigation technician and a specialist in landscape design with extensive experience in herbaceous and hardy plants, park bedding design, nursery growing systems, soil management/testing and parks maintenance.
Colin is an experienced and award winning stone sculptor, having been recognized at the world's most prestigious jade sculpting exhibition, Zi Gang Bei, in China. He is passionate about adding sculptural elements and monumental stone to commercial and residential landscapes.
In his extensive career, Colin has designed and created hundreds of landscapes and gardens in public and private settings, and has grown over a million nursery plants.
