Jennifer Davies didn’t realize a dinner conversation in 2003 would change the trajectory of her career.
As Davies sat at the table with her stepfather, Bruce Pratt, he voiced his growing need to sell his landscaping business. He was getting older and knew it was time for someone new to manage his business.
Davies had gone through a few career changes by that point. She originally thought she would become a horse farrier, and did that for a few years before making the pivot to a higher-paying career in finance. Despite the better pay, Davies knew the field was not making her happy and she needed a change. It was then that she took a leap of faith and asked: “What if I buy my stepfather’s business?”
From there, things moved fast. Davies and Pratt drafted a business proposal and a purchasing agreement, and within six months, it was official. Davies was the new owner of Pratt’s Lawn Care & Landscapes in Muskoka, Ont.
“I always had an overinflated confidence in what I could do with my life,” Davies said. “At the end of the day, I knew that with a lot of determination, I would figure it out.”
However, she also knew taking over a business would not be an easy task, especially since she had never worked for a landscaping company or even particularly liked the outdoors. Fortunately, Pratt’s was a well-established company that had been serving a strong client base in the Muskoka region for more than 30 years.
“That’s why I decided to keep the name,” Davies said. “A lot of people have asked me why I haven’t changed it, but with such a strong history I thought it was only right to keep it as is.”
She immersed herself in the field, attending a wide range of seminars and events organized by Landscape Ontario (LO) and the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA). Her hard work paid off when she earned her Certified Landscape Horticulture Manager (CLHM) designation, a proud milestone that showcases her dedication to the industry.
Davies learned early on that to best cater to Muskoka’s unique clientele, it was important for her business to offer customers as many services as possible.
“For a lot of people, these are their second homes and they aren’t going to be around to oversee the work, so being able to hire one crew for all of their needs is really important,” she said.
With that idea in mind, Davies began expanding from general property maintenance by adding gardening, snow removal and even firewood delivery. For other projects, like irrigation and lighting, she continues to maintain strong relationships with local contractors and encourages her own staff to upskill.
“As soon as I hire a new employee, I sign them up for apprenticeship with Landscape Ontario because a well-trained team member adds more value and they’re never out of work,” Davies said. “If our grass-cutting crews know how to do irrigation and planting, and there’s a drought in August, they aren’t laid off or short on hours.”
Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic
After learning the ropes, Davies was ready to expand and decided to open Pratt’s Garden Centre in 2020. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“I was pretty stressed, because it was our first year of operation and we bought all of these plants and no one was allowed to even go outside,” she said.
What started as a setback ended up being a blessing in disguise.
“When rules relaxed, garden centres were one of the few things that were open, so we literally sold everything,” she said.
Pratt’s Garden Centre is now in its sixth year of operation. Davies says those early days built strong bonds within the team and taught her the true value of investing in employees, especially as staff shortages are an ongoing challenge in Northern Ontario.
Involvement with Landscape Ontario
While Davies has been involved with LO for as long as she can remember, being based about 200 km from the association’s home office in Milton, Ont., has sometimes proved to be a significant barrier. This sentiment was frequently echoed throughout her professional network.
“We love Landscape Ontario, but we’re on the fringe,” Davies explained. “Nobody really knows about us up here in Muskoka.”
Davies teamed up with another LO member, Emily Keown, owner of Fivepoint Landscaping in Dwight, Ont., to draft a proposal to start a new regional Chapter of the association for Northern Ontario. In 2023, the request was approved by the association’s Provincial Board of Directors and the Muskoka North Chapter was born.
“Emily was the brains behind the operation. Her drive is what pushed the team forward,” Davies said. “She drafted the proposal and created a detailed presentation. I was definitely her cheerleader all the way through.”
Fast forward to the present day, Davies decided to get more involved in the association and volunteered to be the provincial board representative for the newly formed Muskoka North Chapter. This position does exactly what the Muskoka community set out to achieve: provide a voice for their area within the association. Davies’ main goal through her two-year term on the Chapter board is to continue to build momentum and focus on recruitment.
“We have hosted a number of events with great success,” she said. “These are a great opportunity to keep current members engaged but also attract new members. People don’t care until they have a reason to care. We need to show new companies the value of membership beyond just a truck discount. It’s about mentorship, partnership and networking.”
Women of Influence award
Davies is no stranger to being kept on her toes, but was still taken by surprise when her name was announced alongside Keown as the recipients of Landscape Ontario’s inaugural Women of Influence award at the association’s Awards of Excellence ceremony on Jan. 6, 2026.
“It felt good to be recognized,” Davies said. “Being in business can be lonely. You’re cheering everyone else on, setting standards, but at the end of the day, there aren’t always people pushing you up. It’s nice to have that camaraderie and access to groups of other women in leadership roles who are inspiring.”
Her advice to women interested in the industry is to just keep moving forward.
“If you stop, wallow or overthink, it doesn’t help the situation,” she said. “You become paralyzed and go down a rabbit hole of questioning yourself: ‘Am I good enough for this?’ Everyone deals with imposter syndrome. I’m living proof that you don’t need to know everything. Just keep moving, be humble and try to figure it out as you go.”
As a mother of four, she also highlights the importance of encouraging other women to take on bold opportunities for themselves.
“My philosophy is to use your kids as the excuse to do it, not the reason not to,” Davies said.
