Shopping for landscaping in Montreal means navigating two languages. Contractors, manufacturers, and borough offices use French and English interchangeably, and some terms don't translate directly. This glossary covers the 120 landscaping terms Quebec homeowners encounter most often, organized by category.
General landscaping terms
| Francais | English | Notes |
|---|
| Amenagement paysager | Landscaping / Landscape design | The broad term for any outdoor design work |
| Paysagement | Landscaping | Informal Quebec French term |
| Paysagiste | Landscaper | Person or company performing landscape work |
| Amenagement exterieur | Outdoor development | Covers both soft and hardscaping |
| Cour avant | Front yard | |
| Cour arriere | Backyard | |
| Terrain | Property / Lot | |
| Bordure | Curb / Border / Edging | Context-dependent |
| Haie | Hedge | |
| Cloture | Fence | |
| Pergola | Pergola | Same in both languages |
| Gazebo | Gazebo | Same in both languages |
| Eclairage exterieur | Outdoor lighting | |
| Arrosage | Irrigation / Watering | |
| Entretien | Maintenance | |
| Tonte de gazon | Lawn mowing | |
| Deblaiement de neige | Snow removal | |
| Nettoyage printanier | Spring cleanup | |
| Nettoyage automnal | Fall cleanup | |
Hardscaping terms
| Francais | English | Notes |
|---|
| Pave uni | Interlock pavers / Interlocking pavers | The most common term in Quebec for concrete pavers |
| Dalle | Slab / Paver / Flagstone | Can refer to any flat stone or concrete piece |
| Brique | Brick | |
| Pierre naturelle | Natural stone | |
| Pierre de taille | Cut stone / Dimensional stone | |
| Patio | Patio | Same in both languages |
| Terrasse | Terrace / Deck / Patio | Can mean a raised platform or a ground-level patio |
| Trottoir | Sidewalk | |
| Allee | Walkway / Path | |
| Sentier | Path / Trail | Usually less formal than allee |
| Entree de garage | Driveway | Literally "garage entrance" |
| Entree pieton | Pedestrian entry | Front walkway |
| Muret | Low wall / Seat wall | |
| Mur de soutenement | Retaining wall | |
| Marches | Steps / Stairs | |
| Escalier | Staircase | |
| Contremarche | Riser (step) | The vertical face of a step |
| Giron | Tread (step) | The horizontal surface you step on |
| Foyer exterieur | Outdoor fireplace | |
| Foyer au sol | Fire pit | Literally "ground-level fireplace" |
| Cuisine exterieure | Outdoor kitchen | |
| Sable polymere | Polymeric sand | Joint-filling material for pavers |
| Joint | Joint / Gap | The space between pavers |
| Poussiere de pierre | Stone dust | Fine crusite used as a leveling layer |
| Pierre concassee | Crushed stone / Crushed gravel | |
| Gravier | Gravel | |
| Geotextile | Geotextile membrane | Fabric layer under base material |
| Bordure de beton | Concrete edging / Edge restraint | |
Softscaping and planting terms
| Francais | English | Notes |
|---|
| Gazon | Lawn / Turf | |
| Tourbe | Sod | Rolls of pre-grown grass |
| Gazon synthetique | Synthetic turf / Artificial grass | |
| Semence | Seed / Grass seed | |
| Pelouse | Lawn | Often used interchangeably with gazon |
| Plate-bande | Garden bed / Flower bed | |
| Jardin | Garden | |
| Potager | Vegetable garden | |
| Arbre | Tree | |
| Arbuste | Shrub | |
| Vivace | Perennial | Plant that returns each year |
| Annuelle | Annual | Plant that lives one season |
| Plante indigine | Native plant | A species naturally occurring in the region |
| Couvre-sol | Ground cover | Low-growing plants that spread |
| Cedre | Cedar (Thuja) | In Quebec French, "cedre" refers to Thuja, not true cedar |
| Haie de cedre | Cedar hedge | |
| Paillis | Mulch | |
| Compost | Compost | Same in both languages |
| Terre vegetale | Topsoil | |
| Engrais | Fertilizer | |
| Taille | Pruning / Trimming | |
| Elagage | Tree pruning / Trimming | Usually refers to tree work specifically |
| Abattage | Tree removal / Felling | |
| Essouchement | Stump removal / Stump grinding | |
| Transplantation | Transplanting | Moving a plant from one location to another |
| Tuteurage | Staking | Supporting a young tree with stakes |
Drainage and grading terms
| Francais | English | Notes |
|---|
| Drainage | Drainage | Same in both languages |
| Drain francais | French drain | |
| Nivellement | Grading / Leveling | |
| Pente | Slope / Grade | |
| Ruissellement | Runoff | Water flowing across the surface |
| Bassin de captation | Catch basin | Underground box that collects surface water |
| Drain de fondation | Foundation drain | Drain installed around the building perimeter |
| Puisard | Dry well / Sump | Underground water collection chamber |
| Tranchee | Trench | |
| Eau souterraine | Groundwater | |
| Infiltration | Infiltration | Water seeping into the ground |
| Regard | Access point / Inspection chamber | Opening for accessing underground drain pipes |
| Gouttiere | Gutter / Downspout | |
| Descente pluviale | Downspout | The pipe directing roof water to ground level |
| Jardin de pluie | Rain garden | |
| Noue | Bioswale / Swale | Vegetated drainage channel |
| Surface permeable | Permeable surface | Allows water to pass through |
Permits and regulations terms
| Francais | English | Notes |
|---|
| Permis | Permit | |
| Certificat d'autorisation | Certificate of authorization | Required in some boroughs for landscaping |
| Arrondissement | Borough | Montreal's administrative districts |
| Reglement municipal | Municipal bylaw | |
| Certificat de localisation | Certificate of location | Survey document showing property boundaries |
| Servitude | Easement | Area where construction is restricted |
| Marge de recul | Setback | Required distance from property line |
| Emprise | Right-of-way | Municipal land at the front of the property |
| Zonage | Zoning | |
| Patrimoine | Heritage | Designation for protected historic areas |
| Inspection | Inspection | Same in both languages |
| Conformite | Compliance / Conformity | Meeting the bylaw requirements |
| Derogation | Variance / Exemption | Permission to deviate from a regulation |
Materials and products terms
| Francais | English | Notes |
|---|
| Beton | Concrete | |
| Beton prefabrique | Precast concrete | Factory-made concrete products |
| Asphalte | Asphalt | |
| Fer forge | Wrought iron | |
| Aluminium | Aluminum | |
| Bois traite | Pressure-treated wood | |
| Cedre rouge | Western red cedar | Used for fencing and decking |
| Composite | Composite | Wood-plastic composite material |
| Vinyle / PVC | Vinyl / PVC | |
| Granit | Granite | |
| Ardoise | Slate | |
| Calcaire | Limestone | |
| Sable | Sand | |
| Ciment | Cement | Not the same as concrete (beton) |
| Membrane | Membrane | Protective layer material |
| Fibre de verre | Fiberglass | |
Seasonal and climate terms
| Francais | English | Notes |
|---|
| Gel-degel | Freeze-thaw | The primary challenge for Montreal landscaping |
| Givre | Frost | |
| Fonte des neiges | Snowmelt | Spring thaw period |
| Soulevement par le gel | Frost heave | Ground lifting due to freezing water in soil |
| Zone de rusticite | Hardiness zone | Montreal is Zone 5 (some areas Zone 5b) |
| Saison de croissance | Growing season | Roughly May to October in Montreal |
| Dormance | Dormancy | Winter rest period for plants |
| Paillage d'hiver | Winter mulching | Protecting plant roots with mulch before winter |
| Sel de deneigement | Deicing salt / Road salt | |
| Calcium | Calcium chloride | Alternative deicer, less damaging to pavers |
| Abrasif | Abrasive (sand/grit) | Non-chemical traction aid for ice |
Measurement terms
| Francais | English | Notes |
|---|
| Pied carre | Square foot | Still commonly used in Quebec for residential projects |
| Metre carre | Square meter | Official metric measurement |
| Pied lineaire | Linear foot | |
| Metre lineaire | Linear meter | |
| Pouce | Inch | Widely used in construction even in French |
| Verge | Cubic yard | Used for ordering bulk materials (gravel, soil, mulch) |
Using this glossary
When you're getting quotes from landscapers, reading borough regulations, or shopping for materials at Quebec suppliers, knowing the bilingual term makes communication clearer. Most Quebec contractors mix French and English freely in conversation, and manufacturer product names are often in English even on French-language packaging.
If you have questions about any of these terms or need help understanding a quote or permit document, Montreal Paysagement Pro is here to help. Call 514-900-3867 for assistance.
