Landscapers adjusting to evolving industry - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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But amid the worst economic downturn since theGreayt Depression, homeowners are choosing stripped-down versions of their yards opting for typical grill areas insteafd of larger kitchens. at the same time, locak landscapers say the backyard has become increasingly important to their clients as a place to gather and hang out as vacatiojn plans get puton hold. A growing numbe r of families are planting gardensd together as a way to garnerr organic food and to savesome Nationwide, an estimated 43 million U.S. households plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, berries and herbs this according to the National Gardebn Association. Last year alone, households spent $2.
5 billio n on food gardening. Local nursery and gardening centerr ownerssay they’ve also seen an uptick in the number of peoplse interested in planting gardens. Many are interested in organi foods, but the growing awareness of leading environmentallyy conscious lives is spreading beyonsthe garden. More and Atlanta landscapers are educating their clientzs onorganic fertilizers, water more efficient LED lighting, and othefr backyard landscaping and design issues. Things as simple as usingb native plants can drastically reduce the amountg of water needed to keep upa yard.
Planting shad trees in the right areasd can also save ona home’sx energy bill by blocking sunlight or letting it in at differeny times of the year. And though water restrictionsdfrom Georgia’s recent drought have lightened, landscaperws say homeowners are remaining conscious of the importance of watere conservation when it comes to cultivating beautifulk backyards. In the pages of this Home Quarterly, you’ll find storie s of local landscapers and other business owners who are adapting to a changingAmerican mind-set and an evolviny industry.
There’s the story of a landscaperd who decided to capitalize onthe area’sa drought woes by developing a new water containment systejm to catch rain that can then be used for Or there’s the landscaper who was challengedc to create an eco-friendlg landscape for a unique Decatue home, which is one of the firs t houses to achieve Platinum levelk under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadershil in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, gree building system.
You’ll also find the latest opinioneof what’s happening in the landscaping busines and experiences from some of the industry’s top locao leaders, including Mary Kay Woodworth, executive directof of the Metro Atlanta Landscape & Turf — Misty Williams,