May 12, 2022
In memoriam - Wade Hartwell
Wade Hartwell
Wade Hartwell passed away on March 25, 2022, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Hartwell was a past president of the Canadian Nursery Trades Association (CNTA), now the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA). “Wade was larger than life, with a big personality and an even bigger heart,” his obituary says. “He was eternally curious and young at heart.”
Wade spent 45 years in the garden nursery business and was the founder of Golden Acre Garden Centres in Calgary, Alta. During his years in business, Wade travelled extensively around the world sourcing plant material for the Calgary climate and cultivating friends at every stop.
Wade served as a Cattle Baron for the Calgary Exhibition & Stampede for 35 years, supplying beautiful greenery for the event. He was an active participant and board member of the Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association (and CNTA) for three decades. Wade also co-hosted Let’s Talk Gardening on Calgary’s QR770 radio.
In association with the City of Calgary Parks, Wade created the BP Birthplace Forest where 50,000 trees were planted. He generously fostered the McInnis & Holloway Memorial forest, which continues to grow. Wade received an honorary degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Olds College and generously provided scholarships to the college.
Celebrations of Wade’s life will be held in Vancouver and Calgary later this year. In lieu of flowers, the family asks people to plant a tree in Wade’s memory.