What is the landscape industry about?

If you've ever had your trees trimmed, your lawn sprayed, your flowerbeds maintained, or a walkway constructed, you've relied on the services of someone in the landscape industry. Markets for landscapers include commercial, residential, government/institutional, and nonprofit sectors. Think of a huge college campus—someone had to design those outdoor spaces and then maintain them, right?

Reports are released each year to help those in the industry determine expected growth, revenue, and demand. I study trends from two different components of the landscape industry: landscaping services (think basic lawn mowing, pest control, irrigation installation, and landscape design) and nursery and garden products (think businesses that sell trees, seeds, fertilizer, gardening tools, etc.).

Let's explore what the latest report means for current garden consultants and those interested in starting their own garden consulting businesses.

How big is the landscaping industry in the United States?

The outsourcing of landscape services by businesses and higher-income households has led to a major expansion in the industry over the last ten years. One of the biggest advantages of this industry is that professionals are first hired to install and design, and then their services are typically required to maintain and update.

Here are some numbers (Brace yourself!):

People in the United States spent around $115 billion on landscape services in the last year. That's right... billions!

That number doesn't even include garden products, which would add another $42 billion. So we're looking at $157 billion in total for services and products.

key landscaping trends from 2021

Here are a couple noteworthy trends:

• revenue for the garden industry is expected to continue to rise
• private spending on home improvements remains high
• our rebounding economy is driving demand for landscaping
• construction on new homes and nonresidential buildings is also driving demand
• most businesses within the industry are small
• towns and cities are spending more on outdoor spaces
• people of all ages and backgrounds are gardening
• competition between big box stores for products is increasing

I'll talk more about these trends and what they mean for garden consultants and those considering entering the industry below.

The landscape industry report is good news for garden consultants

The continued growth in the industry, plus some changes in mindset toward growing food and the importance of outdoor spaces during the pandemic, mean that the industry is far from being saturated with professionals. I really see nothing but good news for garden consultants in the industry report.

Let's look at six specific takeaways that are particularly promising.

Good news number one

The landscape industry report shows that the landscaping industry is growing

Revenue from landscaping services is expected to rise over the next five years. The gardening industry has already been flourishing and growing for the last five years, and that trend is fully expected to continue. According to the report, people with disposable income were spending more and more money on home improvement projects even before they were stuck in their homes for quarantine.

Good news number two

The landscape industry report shows that most business owners are solopreneurs

Most businesses in the landscaping industry are small and local. A solopreneur, in case you were wondering, is someone who has gone into business for themselves and isn't looking to sell their company for profit, but instead intends to do the work continuously themselves or with the help of a small team. I would consider most garden coaches who create their own businesses solopreneurs.

The report shows that there aren't really any major players in this industry; in fact, no one has a market share greater than five percent. That makes it really easy for all the little fish to come set up shop for themselves without fear of being pushed out by bigger fish.

Good news number three

The landscape industry report shows that your town loves investing in their outdoor spaces

I probably don't need to tell you that outdoor spaces, both public and private, have been incredibly important to our physical and mental health during the pandemic. Green spaces and parks were our places to exercise, find quiet solace, or social distance with friends. Behind the scenes, of course, our green spaces are also helping to clean the air and reduce noise pollution. Studies have even linked access to green space to the improved immune systems, mental health, and overall wellbeing of nearby residents.

Increased usage of public parks during the pandemic has shown cities and towns that they need to invest more money into inclusive outdoor spaces.

Good news number four

The landscape industry report shows that both young and older people are picking up gardening

According to the report, people under the age of 35 bought a lot of plants while working from home. In fact, demand for some plants like succulents has never been higher.

It wasn't just their indoor spaces that people wanted to brighten up. They turned their interest to the outdoors, specifically to gardening. People over the age of 65 have always represented a large percentage of garden product consumers, but now, younger households are taking up gardening. It was actually the age bracket between 35 and 44 that had the highest mean spending on garden products in 2019.

Whether it's due to rising health consciousness of millennial consumers or a desire for more self-sufficiency in food production, Americans are gardening more and growing their own vegetables.

Good news number five

The landscape industry report shows that there are millions of new gardeners since the COVID-19 pandemic

Sixteen million new gardeners, to be exact. Let that number sink in for a minute (and maybe give yourself a moment of satisfaction if you were gardening before it was cool). People haven't picked up trowels and pruners in this mass quantity since the Victory Gardens of WWII.

Many of those 16 million new gardeners are under the age of 35, meaning they have decades ahead of them to master the art of gardening.

I think one reason for the growth in gardeners was everyone's desire to turn their outdoor space into a haven, a retreat from the extreme collective stress of a national pandemic. In addition to garden products, sales of gazebos, outdoor chairs, hammocks, fire pits, porch swings, and outdoor decor skyrocketed, some by more than 109%, according to Houzz.

Gardening gave people an excuse to get out of the house every day, to focus on nurturing something, and to relax in the great outdoors, all while learning new things and getting to express some creativity.

Another reason for the rise in gardeners could stem from an increasing awareness of just how easy it is for our food supply chains to be disrupted. Few people who took up gardening expect to never have to go to the grocery store again, but there is a certain comfort in knowing more about where your food comes from and reducing potential disruptions.

I would venture to say that expanding our gardener community by 16 million people is one of the few great things to come from the pandemic.

Good news number six

The landscape industry report shows that America needs more garden consultants

When surveyed, over 70 percent of clients who recently contracted professionals in the landscaping industry said they would like to see "more consideration of long-term planning" and "more information about plant material options." Other respondents wanted "more information on budgeting for enhancements and replacements" and "more information on sustainability options."

Garden consultants can meet all of these needs because they coach their clients how to find success in the garden; they push knowledge and skills, not products. They design low-maintenance raised beds made of natural materials, they educate clients how to source locally when possible, they teach clients how to grow, and they help them plan for plants each season and for the continued success of their gardens.

The report does show that there will be heightened external competition from big-box stores that offer low prices for industry operators. Again, garden consultants provide knowledge, not products. They offer value within their local communities without having to worry about external competition.

The final number I want to leave you with is 67—that's the percentage of adults who are already growing or who plan to grow their own edible plants in the next year. People who've been growing herbs and flowers in pots on their windowsill are ready to commit to full vegetable gardens, and they'll need knowledgeable professionals to help them find success.

Is now a good time to enter the landscaping industry?

As more and more people grow their own food and install gardens, the demand for skilled garden consultants rises. Two trends within the garden industry are raised beds and pollinator/bee-friendly gardens. These are both specific ways of gardening that benefit from knowledge and expert advice.

The biggest sign that now is an excellent time to enter the landscaping industry if you have knowledge to offer others is the increased consumer spending on home improvements and industry goods. People are willing to spend money on gardening right now, and it's up to garden consultants to help them hone that spending on materials, soil, plants, and seeds that will bring them success in the garden.

Young people are taking up gardening.

Whole families are gardening together.

More and more people are growing a little bit of their own food, which decreases food miles and single-use plastic consumption.

Gardeners are planting for the pollinators.

Raised beds are becoming increasingly popular.

There's never been a better time to be in the landscape industry. As the popularity of gardening rises, so will the number of individuals who love the idea of being outside in the garden but who don't actually know how to garden. That means garden consultants have a real opportunity to educate, train, instruct, coach, and provide design services for clients who are highly motivated to learn to succeed.

I created the Gardenary Consultant Certification to train gardeners with experience who like sharing their knowledge with others so that we can close the huge gap in the market between products and know-how.

If you're someone with passion, enthusiasm, and the willingness to build a business that does real good in the world, the certification program could be right for you. GCC is your roadmap to success, your supportive community, your mentor. It's the only program of its kind that trains and mentors experienced gardeners to launch, market, and grow their own consulting business. As a fellow entrepreneur, I’ve taken all that I learned from building my own multi-six-figure company, Rooted Garden, and from helping others build their own businesses too.

More than 500 students have gone through this program, transformed their careers, and are currently making a positive impact in their communities—inspiring their clients to become gardeners too. 

Training others to be garden consultants is all part of my mission to make gardening ordinary again. And the Industry Report shows that our society is craving more gardens.

I'm so excited to see how this industry continues to grow and the benefits it can have on our clients, our own lives, and our planet.

Sources:

National Association of Landscape Professionals

Ibis World Market Research Reports

Houzz

NASA