Canadale Nurseries marked its 70th anniversary over the Victoria Day weekend on May 24, welcoming hundreds of local gardeners despite chilly weather for the unofficial start of the 2025 gardening season.
Along with discounted prices and a wide selection of plants and gardening products, visitors enjoyed various giveaways, free cake, face painting for children, and food trucks to satisfy hungry guests.
The first 70 customers each day received Little Quick Fire Hydrangea plants, and shoppers were entertained by live music from Tony Morgan and Stephan Neale, members of the Port Stanley band Point Taken. Several master gardeners from London were also present to answer questions.
Canadale’s roots date back to 1950 when Bill and Joan Intven immigrated from Holland with only $300 and a year’s supply of food and clothing, determined to start a new life in Canada. Inspired by lessons from his mother’s Dutch garden, Bill Intven worked hard to establish the nursery. Today, their legacy continues through their children, Tom and Pauline Intven.
Now running a successful retail and wholesale business, the siblings serve customers in St. Thomas, London, Quebec, and the Maritimes. “We took over the reins from our parents and have poured our hearts into continuing what they started,” Tom and Pauline said in a Canadale brochure. “We’ve experienced early mornings, busy spring rushes, plant trials, new product lines, and the joy of helping customers find the perfect plant. This business is part of who we are.”
The nursery, located at 269 Sunset Drive on the south edge of St. Thomas, was purchased in 1955. The land was once the McManus tobacco farm, which the Intvens transformed from an overgrown, neglected property into Canadale, a name honoring their adopted country.
Their first retail sales consisted of bare root privet hedging sold from a wheelbarrow by the roadside. By 1957, they had added a small greenhouse, and in 1963, a new garden centre building was constructed in what is now the front section of the gift room. The family’s seven children often helped with the work.
Tom graduated from Queen’s University in 1977 with a degree in plant biology and led the growth of Canadale’s wholesale division. Pauline joined the business in 1984 after earning two degrees from Western University and took over management of the garden centre. Together, they have built a loyal, long-serving staff, which they credit for the continued growth of the business over the years.
