Today’s landscape architects are licensed professionals who can take a patch of land or the grounds surrounding a skyscraper, hotel, office building or home and transform it into a Garden of Eden for all to enjoy.
Landscapers plan, design and install parks, recreational facilities, highways, airports and commercial as well as residential properties, integrating hardscapes – such as rocks, borders, terraces and pathways – with plants, grasses and trees. The state of Texas has a licensing program, and landscape architects must pass the Landscape Architect Registration exam.
Landscape architects and designers are finding plentiful work in greater Houston, thanks to the city’s mild climate and extended growing season.
Mark Garfield, owner and president of Ecosystem Management Co., a commercial and residential landscape designer and installer, said his area of expertise has been a lifelong passion as well as the focus of his education.
“I began as a commercial maintenance company, as many landscapers do, and then moved into installation and design, mainly in the greater Houston area,” he said.
He said Houston’s landscaping business, as well as others, have been fortunate in that the local housing market and the economy, in general, did not take a huge hit in recent years.
Anna McGarity, communications manager for Texas Nursery and Landscapers Association, an organization representing more than 1,200 companies, said members from growers and horticulturalists to landscapers and maintenance professionals are saying the economy is definitely better from a business standpoint.
“A recent annual conference and expo in Dallas attracted a registration of more than 6,000, and our organization is partnering with the state in a program called ‘WaterSmart,’ which is educating the industry and its customers about best practices and conservation of natural resources,” she said.
Garfield termed Houston’s job market for landscape architects, designers, installers and workers as healthy.
“We have large and small firms in Houston as well as freelancers and, so far, there’s enough work for everyone,” he said. “Homeowners have more discretionary income, so many are opting for landscape refreshers or at least making additions to existing designs.”
In Houston, for someone with a degree in horticulture or landscape architecture and design, the industry veteran estimated a median entry-level salary as around $40,000 to $60,000.
Hourly workers can expect $11 and up, depending on the employer.
“I would tell someone who wants to work in landscaping to get an education,” he said. “Learn the science behind landscaping, like pesticides, soil quality and irrigation. Then go to work for an expert your respect and learn the ropes.”
McGarity said landscapers are now in high demand for homeowners wanting to convert their traditional lawns and gardens to a more drought-resistant xeriscape.
“We are seeing more nurseries specializing in native and drought-tolerant plants as well as yuccas, cacti and other succulents,” Garfield said. “We’re also being requested to install drip irrigation and other water-conserving xeriscape elements, such as boulders, crushed granite and native plants into existing landscape designs.”
“Landscaping is no longer confined to knowledge of sodding, pesticides, irrigation, fertilizers and flowering plants,” McGarity said. “As more alternatives have become trends, a landscaper’s knowledge base has continued to grow, and I can tell you, like any engineer or designer, a landscaper’s biggest thrill is seeing a plan on paper not just come to life, but create an excitement among those who live in the home or work in the building with new landscaping.”
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