--- title: "Inspiring Green Spaces Rooted In Tomorrow: How No Winter Survived Spring At Jardin Dion" description: Jardin Dion blends seventy years of horticultural expertise with sustainable practices, nurturing Quebec’s community spirit and green spaces across generations author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) date: 2025-07-15T07:41:34.000Z updated: 2026-02-26T22:05:16.382Z canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/inspiring-green-spaces-rooted-in-tomorrow-how-no-winter-survived-spring-at-jardin-dion image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/wuu_ssxdes0.jpg categories: Home & Living content_type: Feature region: Quebec publication: Rich Woman Magazine --- On a crisp morning at the new Boisbriand bulk centre, the mix of familiar faces and newcomers tells the story of a family business in transition. There’s Mrs. Tremblay, who’s been coming to Jardin Dion since her children were small, now loading mulch for her grandson’s first vegetable patch. Beside her, a young couple from Laval examines soil samples, grateful to find [quality materials closer to home](https://richwoman.co/article/putting-heart-into-nail-care-how-ivy-garden-nails-became-saskatoon-s-favourite-salon). It’s exactly the kind of scene that Mathieu Poirier envisioned when his family decided to expand beyond their original Sainte-Thérèse location after 70 years of serving the community. ## Seeds Planted in 1954 The Poirier family’s journey began in 1954, when Mathieu’s grandparents first opened their doors in Sainte-Thérèse. Back then, [Quebec gardeners faced unique challenges](https://plantagreenhouses.com/blogs/planting-zones/quebec) – short growing seasons with only 80 to 140 frost-free days, harsh winters and temperature swings that could devastate unprepared gardens. The family understood these struggles intimately, building their reputation one conversation at a time, one carefully chosen plant variety at a time. ‘Our mission is to create and care for [inspiring green spaces](https://richwoman.co/article/michelle-lemoine-cultivating-joy-connection-and-belonging-one-garden-at-a-time), no matter the scale,’ explains Mathieu Poirier, who now serves as president of the company his family has nurtured for seven decades. It’s this personal touch that has kept customers coming back, generation after generation, even as the business has grown from a single location to multiple centres across the Laurentians. ## Listening to What Neighbours Need The decision to expand wasn’t driven by ambition alone; it came from listening. Customers were travelling further and further to reach the original Sainte-Thérèse location and requests for bulk materials were growing from both home gardeners tackling larger projects and professional contractors looking for reliable suppliers. The 2025 opening of the Boisbriand bulk materials center, along with the 2024 launch of Jardin Dion Express in Mirabel, represents the family’s response to these evolving needs. ‘We want to make it as easy as possible for our clients to get quality bulk materials for their projects,’ Poirier notes. The new Boisbriand facility stocks everything from soil and compost to mulch, sand and stone – [essentials for the climate-resilient gardening](https://richwoman.co/article/happy-table-5-old-fruits-and-vegetables-to-rediscover-for-your-garden) that Quebec gardeners are increasingly embracing. The expansion approach reflects a careful balance. The Express format in Mirabel offers quick service for gardening essentials without losing the personal consultation that defines the brand. Meanwhile, the full-service centres – including the flagship Sainte-Thérèse location and the Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs centre acquired in 2019 — maintain the unhurried atmosphere where customers can spend a morning discussing soil pH or debating rose varieties. Family-owned garden centres offer something beyond their plant selection – they serve as [community anchors](https://www.gardencentrescanada.ca/about-us/family-owned). In Quebec, where community gardens are thriving across 25 municipalities, local horticultural businesses serve as informal classrooms where knowledge passes from expert to newcomer, neighbour to neighbour. Jardin Dion’s Landscaping and Maintenance Division has designed green spaces for municipal parks, commercial developments and private residences throughout the region. Their in-house architects work on projects ranging from intimate backyard transformations to elaborate outdoor kitchens, but it’s the smaller moments that reveal the family’s philosophy – helping a nervous first-time gardener choose the right tomato varieties, or advising someone on [creating a pollinator-friendly border](https://richwoman.co/article/your-space-your-story-chelsea-flower-show-coming-home-to-beauty) that will thrive in Quebec’s challenging climate. These connections matter especially in regions like the Laurentians, where [community gardens foster social inclusion](https://www.cityfarmer.org/canadaCC.html) and environmental stewardship beyond urban centres. When families like the Poiriers invest in local knowledge and relationships, they’re supporting more than just individual gardens – they’re nurturing the social fabric that makes communities resilient. ## Growing Without Losing the Heart The challenge of expansion lies in maintaining intimacy while serving more people across a wider area. For Jardin Dion, staying local in spirit means preserving the elements that made them trusted in the first place – the willingness to spend time explaining why certain plants won’t survive a Quebec winter, the genuine excitement when a customer’s garden succeeds, the memory for personal preferences that turns transactions into relationships. ‘For over 70 years, our family has been dedicated to [helping Quebecers beautify their surroundings](https://richwoman.co/article/community-gardeners-fighting-brambles-sharing-the-harvest),’ Poirier reflects. The 70th anniversary in 2024 served as both celebration and reminder of what matters most. As the business spreads across new locations, maintaining that dedication requires intentional choices – training staff who share the family’s values, designing spaces that encourage browsing and conversation, choosing products that genuinely serve Quebec gardeners rather than chasing trends. The family’s approach resonates with patterns in Canadian horticulture, where [community gardens create inclusive environments](https://www.wrcf.ca/news/harvesting-connections-story) beyond gardening into cultural and educational activities. By positioning themselves as partners rather than just suppliers, family businesses like Jardin Dion help strengthen local food systems and environmental awareness. ## Rooted in Tomorrow As the Poirier family looks toward the future, they’re balancing old wisdom with new realities. Quebec gardeners increasingly focus on [sustainability and climate resilience](https://gardenseason.com/2025-gardening-trends-tips/), seeking native plants and no-dig gardening techniques that work with the region’s demanding conditions rather than against them. The expansion allows Jardin Dion to serve these evolving needs while maintaining the personal connections that have defined them for seven decades. Whether it’s the bulk centre in Boisbriand making materials accessible to ambitious DIY projects, or the express format in Mirabel fitting into busy lifestyles, each location reflects the family’s commitment to adaptation without [abandoning their core values](https://richwoman.co/article/rich-monday-paper-how-to-build-your-legacy). On a recent afternoon at the original Sainte-Thérèse location, a scene captured this continuity perfectly. Mathieu Poirier was deep in conversation with a regular customer about companion planting, their discussion ranging from pest control to soil improvement. The exchange lasted twenty minutes – the kind of generous consultation that built the business’s reputation decades ago, and that continues to define it today. Some things, it seems, are worth preserving no matter how much else changes.