Frank Saltarelli Turning Outdoor Spaces Into Everyday Living
When people think about landscape design, they often picture gardens, patios, and attractive outdoor features. Frank Saltarelli sees something different.
He sees opportunities.
For more than a decade, the Montreal-based founder of Saltarelli Outdoor Design has focused on a simple idea: outdoor spaces should improve how people live. That belief has guided his career and helped him build a reputation for transforming ordinary backyards, rooftops, and urban spaces into places people actually use every day.
His journey started long before he launched his company. It began in his grandfather’s backyard.
How Frank Saltarelli Developed His Passion for Outdoor Design
Saltarelli grew up in Montreal in a close-knit Italian family. Some of his earliest memories involve helping his grandfather tend grapevines, tomatoes, and basil.
Those afternoons taught him more than gardening.
They taught patience.
They taught craftsmanship.
They taught him that creating something meaningful takes time.
“My grandfather would spend an hour adjusting a vine or fixing a trellis,” Saltarelli recalls. “As a kid, I thought it was excessive. Looking back, I realize he was teaching me that small details matter.”
His father worked as a masonry contractor. Through him, Saltarelli learned about stonework, construction, and the value of building things properly the first time.
By his early teens, he was already sketching outdoor layouts and architectural concepts. He was fascinated by how spaces influenced the way people felt and interacted.
That interest eventually led him to study horticulture and landscape management in Quebec.
Learning the Business From the Ground Up
After completing his education, Saltarelli entered the landscaping industry the traditional way.
He worked on job sites.
He installed patios.
He coordinated crews.
He managed projects.
He learned the practical side of landscape construction before ever running a business.
Over several years, he worked with established firms throughout Montreal. Those experiences exposed him to a wide range of projects, from backyard renovations to rooftop terraces and high-end residential properties.
The work also revealed a problem.
Many outdoor spaces looked impressive on paper but failed in everyday use.
“I remember one backyard with a huge dining setup,” he says. “The homeowner later admitted they rarely used it because what they really wanted was a quiet place to sit after work. The design didn’t match their life.”
That observation would later become a foundation of his business philosophy.
Why Frank Saltarelli Started His Own Company
In 2014, Saltarelli founded Saltarelli Outdoor Design.
He launched the company from a small shared office in Montreal’s Mile End neighborhood.
In the beginning, he handled everything himself.
He met clients.
He created design plans.
He coordinated contractors.
He supervised installations.
The goal was straightforward.
He wanted to create outdoor spaces that felt like natural extensions of the home.
Not showpieces.
Not trend-driven projects.
Spaces people would use daily.
“The best compliment isn’t when someone says a project looks beautiful,” Saltarelli says. “It’s when they tell me they use the space every day without even thinking about it.”
That approach quickly resonated with homeowners.
How Rooftop Design Helped Define His Career
One area where Saltarelli made a significant impact was rooftop design.
Urban properties often come with limited outdoor space. Many rooftops sit underused because homeowners are unsure how to make them functional.
Saltarelli saw potential where others saw challenges.
Wind exposure. Limited square footage. Seasonal weather.
These became design problems to solve rather than obstacles to avoid.
His rooftop projects incorporated thoughtful seating, climate-appropriate plantings, integrated lighting, and layouts designed around actual behavior.
“One client had a rooftop they never used because the wind made it uncomfortable,” he says. “We added large planters as natural barriers. Suddenly they were having coffee there every morning.”
Projects like these helped establish his reputation across neighborhoods including Westmount, Outremont, and Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.
Why Sustainability Became Central to His Work
As his business grew, sustainability became a larger focus.
Saltarelli began incorporating native Quebec plants, permeable surfaces, and environmentally responsible drainage systems into more projects.
For him, sustainability is not a marketing term.
It is a practical design decision.
Native plants often require less maintenance. Better drainage reduces future problems. Thoughtful planning creates landscapes that perform better over time.
“If a landscape requires constant fixing, it’s not doing its job,” he says. “The goal is to create something that works with the environment, not against it.”
That mindset reflects a broader shift occurring across the landscaping industry.
Cities are becoming denser. Green space is becoming more valuable. Homeowners are looking for ways to create functional outdoor environments within limited footprints.
What Drives Frank Saltarelli Today
Today, Saltarelli continues to lead projects throughout Montreal while staying closely involved in the creative process.
Outside of work, he finds inspiration through cycling, photography, and exploring Quebec’s parks and natural landscapes.
Those experiences continue to influence his design approach.
His career has been built on bringing practical ideas to life.
Not flashy ideas.
Useful ones.
The belief that outdoor spaces should serve people.
The belief that small details matter.
The belief that good design improves everyday life.
“At the end of the day, people remember how a space made them feel,” Saltarelli says. “That’s what I’ve always tried to focus on.”
That philosophy has shaped his career from a childhood garden in Montreal to one of the city’s respected landscape design firms.
And it continues to guide the work he does today.
