Heart of Orléans BIA

Beautify our Business Improvement Area

The design of our urban spaces is important in so many ways. It’s where form and function come together. When a streetscape is beautiful, businesses thrive, communities may be safer, and neighborhoods operate more efficiently and effectively. 

Karen Hogan, a horticulturist who graduated from Algonquin’s program, knows this from firsthand experience. She has been bringing beauty – and greater functionality – to our city’s streetscapes for over 20 years. 

She is now working closely with the Heart of Orléans BIA Executive Director, Tannis Vine, and the Beautification Team, to fulfill a strategic goal: Beautify The Heart of Orléans  in order to enhance the district and encourage visits from both our faithful local residents and those living across Ottawa. 

Executive Director Tannis Vine states, “Karen’s work in other parts of the city demonstrates that her high impact and dramatic horticultural statements bring a sense of beauty and unifies the streetscape. We are pleased to be working with her in bringing this value to our community.” 

Hogan states, “It is a pleasure to work with the Heart of Orléans BIA to fulfill its goal of beautifying their district and encouraging more traffic to the businesses along the original main street of Orléans.” 

There is a great deal of science behind her artistic creations, too, including soil selection, picking plants that will span more than one season, and staying on top of the newest hybrids as they come out. 

Her creativity extends to her technical solutions as well. Because her beautiful floral arrangements require watering through the hottest times of the summer, she has jury-rigged a unique watering technique. We think she may want to patent it! 

With summer upon us, we hope you’ll take the opportunity to stroll through the Heart of Orléans BIA  and post photos of the beautiful flowers – and yourselves – on social media. Be sure to use our hashtag #heartoforleans so we can share your photos.