About Christopher Dardarian
Christopher Dardarian is a landscape designer, horticulture professional, and entrepreneur based in Etobicoke, Toronto. He is the founder and owner of Stema Gardens, a landscape design/build company based in Etobicoke that creates custom residential outdoor spaces throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
His work involves creating beautiful gardens and seamlessly integrating them with pools, patios, lighting, and cabanas, all of which are designed and built by Stema. Chris Dardarian’s approach begins by working with homeowners to envision how they want to use the property and then creating a plan to bring it to life. Design choices are shaped around the needs of the client, the character of the home, the physical nature of the site and the requirements of construction.
A Career Built Across Different Industries
Christopher Dardarian’s career has included stints in industries like construction finance, hospitality, and horticulture, giving him experience that now influences how he manages Stema Gardens. He is a two-time entrepreneur, having previously launched and run a busy downtown Toronto restaurant called The Bellevue.
After studying economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, Chris Dardarian spent more than a decade working as a surety bond broker in the construction sector. In that role, he worked closely with contractors and developers, supporting a host of public and private construction projects. This experience gave him a deep understanding of the demands associated with construction planning, budgets, risk and documentation, learning about the many moving parts required to bring a project from concept to completion.
As the owner and operator of The Bellevue, he gained a different kind of experience, managing staff, serving customers, and creating a welcoming environment where people wanted to spend their time with family and friends. His time in the hospitality sector also deepened his interest in design and the relationship between a well-planned space and the enjoyment of the people using it.
A Career Built Across Different Industries
Christopher Dardarian’s career has included stints in industries like construction finance, hospitality, and horticulture, giving him experience that now influences how he manages Stema Gardens. He is a two-time entrepreneur, having previously launched and run a busy downtown Toronto restaurant called The Bellevue.
After studying economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, Chris Dardarian spent more than a decade working as a surety bond broker in the construction sector. In that role, he worked closely with contractors and developers, supporting a host of public and private construction projects. This experience gave him a deep understanding of the demands associated with construction planning, budgets, risk and documentation, learning about the many moving parts required to bring a project from concept to completion.
As the owner and operator of The Bellevue, he gained a different kind of experience, managing staff, serving customers, and creating a welcoming environment where people wanted to spend their time with family and friends. His time in the hospitality sector also deepened his interest in design and the relationship between a well-planned space and the enjoyment of the people using it.
From Travel to Horticulture
Travel has also played an important role in Christopher Dardarian’s development as a landscape designer. He spent extended periods of time in Latin America, including Costa Rica and Guatemala, where he lived and worked on farms and immersed himself in agriculture and permaculture, learning all he could.
Working in these environments also increased his knowledge regarding plants, ecology, and the connection between people and the land around them. His experiences abroad eventually led him back to school, where he studied Horticulture at Niagara College.
During his time in Latin America, Chris Dardarian became fluent in Spanish. He also speaks French fluently.
Founding Stema Gardens
In 2021, Christopher Dardarian brought these different parts of his background together by founding Stema Gardens in Etobicoke.
Stema’s projects range from garden design and planting to large outdoor transformations incorporating elements like swimming pools, patios, cabanas and lighting among a range of other features.
Chris remains closely involved in all aspects of Stema’s projects from design to construction. His background in construction finance has proven especially useful when dealing with the administrative side of landscape projects and taught him to be organized. Detailed plans, realistic budgets, scheduling, site conditions and project sequencing may be less visible parts of the job, but they play a major role in determining how a project comes together.
Designing Outdoor Spaces for Everyday Life
Christopher Dardarian has described his design style as “garden-focused and contemporary.” He prefers landscapes with mass-planted gardens and natural elements like limestone using clean lines in his designs. He recognizes that an outdoor space needs to function well for the people who use it and incorporates this idea into every design.
The goal isn’t to include as many features as possible, but rather to design in such a way that people get maximum enjoyment from their property. For some it’s a space for entertainment and for others it’s a quiet garden retreat. Some folks want to extend the Toronto outdoor season by developing covered and heated areas while others are looking for sports courts and recreation spaces for children.
Durability is another big priority for successful landscape design. In addition to appearance, Chris considers practicalities such as drainage, quality materials, and maintenance requirements. He likes to create lush landscapes that require less maintenance through strategies like drought-tolerant varieties and mass planting of grasses and perennials.
For Chris Dardarian, the best residential landscapes ultimately feel like a natural extension of the home. They should provide homeowners with an outdoor space they genuinely want to use and not feel overdesigned.