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Steve de Taeye
With over 20 years of experience in horticulture and landscape architecture, Steve brings extensive knowledge and practical expertise to his role as Nursery & Hardgoods Supervisor at Royal City Nursery. His specialties include trees and shrubs, pond and water garden design, pruning techniques, companion planting, and vegetable gardening. Steve graduated from Guelph/Humber College with a Horticultural degree. Known for his approachable nature and wealth of plant knowledge, Steve is always ready to share practical tips and advice to help customers succeed in their gardens.
Erika O'Krafka
Erika O’Krafka brings decades of horticultural expertise to Royal City Nursery, where she has been a valued team member since 1992. A graduate of the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Erika’s specialties include Integrated Pest Management (IPM), growing, hybridization, and classical pollination techniques. Before joining Royal City Nursery, she honed her skills at Canoral Research Station and Sheridan Nurseries, building a strong foundation in both research and practical plant production. Her deep knowledge and hands-on experience make her an integral part of the nursery’s growing operations and plant care excellence.
Nick
Nick holds a B.Sc. in Plant Science from the University of Guelph. With over seven years of hands-on horticultural experience, Nick has worked across diverse areas of the industry — including five years in retail garden centres, a year in herbicide research, and a year managing IPM programs across 30 acres of greenhouses, field production, and hoop houses. He also has experience in large-scale perennial production, overseeing the growth of over a quarter million plants. Nick’s specialties include plant pathology, integrated pest management (IPM), plant health, and both pest and plant identification.