Brandon Gibbons-Vanderwel

Even in high school, Brandon Gibbons-Vanderwel knew he wanted to work with stone.  "I hadn't even finished high school before I knew that's what I wanted to do," he says.

                Kyle

Matt

 Zehr-Holst twins, Matt and Kyle, work on stone cutting

In landscaping for almost 10 years, Vanderwel has seen many changes in trends when it comes to gardens and the environment.  "People are now looking at using stone in a wide variety of ways including, patios, garden walls, in ponds and low maintenance rock gardens."

Extensive Greenhouses

Shoreline Stone was started in Port Elgin on a relatively small lot located beside the local radio station and, from there, the operation has moved to Hwy 21, between Port Elgin and Southampton, where they now have an extensive greenhouse system.

On-Site Stone Cutting

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Everyone who wants stone in their garden knows that Wiarton stone is world-renowned.  Vanderwel acquires all his stone from Bruce Peninsula rock quarries and then cuts shapes it on-site at his Port Elgin location.  "We cut the blocks of rock, grade it and sort it according to colouring and thickness."  Shoreline Stone stone is shipped to garden centres throughout Ontario and Michigan.  

"We cut stone regardless of size," explains Vanderwel. "Whether it's a single small piece for a garden where someone brings us in the measurements to a major landscaping application, because we cut on-site, we can do it all."

A Rainbow of Blooms

Filled with thousands of plants, grown from seed on-site, the greenhouse offers one of the widest varieties of plants in the region.  "We have everything from perennial and annual bedding plants to full-blown planters and specialty plants for ponds," says Vanderwel.  "We also carry tropicals and, because we have partnered with one of the largest greenhouse outlets, Sheridan Nurseries, for our trees, we can access almost any tree within a matter of only days.  Whether it's a residential, cottage or commercial application, we work with the customer to come up with the result that they want."

Spring Begonias

Gibbons-Vanderwel also believes in working with the environment.  "All the rainwater off our greenhouses is channeled into tanks that we then use for watering our plants.  Not only is it economical but it's also better for the plants.  We also grow our vegetables, both in seed and produce form, without pesticides or herbicides."

Shoreline Stone also has a variety of garden ornaments and birdbaths in addition to soils, mulch and compost.

If you're planning an outing to Shoreline Stone, why not plan on an excursion that includes lunch at their on-site eatery, Roadrunner's?  "We want customrs to enjoy coming here," says Gibbons-Vanderwel.  "Planning a garden or landscape should be just as much fun as seeing the end result."
 

For much more information please see our Web Site

 Also see -- After a cold spring it's time to get into the garden

www.shorelinestone.ca