Lowes For Pros Special Report

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Landscaping Trends and Planning for Summer Projects E very year, the cold and desolate winter eventually gives way to a warm and vital summer. Luckily for landscap- ers, what’s true for the environment also holds true for the economy. And with spring finally here, summer can’t be far behind—for landscapes, or for those that build them. With an economic upswing, new home construction is expect- ed to increase this summer. The National Association of Home An expected housing industry upswing is good news for professional landscapers, who can position their business for a strong recovery by meeting consumer demand for landscaping that’s practical, affordable and sustainable. Builders (NAHB) forecasts a 25 percent growth in new-home construction this year over last. Most of that growth is in single-family homes—NAHB is forecast- ing 697,000 total housing starts in 2010, up from an estimated 555,000 last year. Any positive growth in the construction sector trickles down to every aspect of the industry—including land- scaping. A Closer Look:

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I was interviewed by "Lowes For Pros" for this article that focused on landscape trends of 2010.

Transcript of Lowes For Pros Special Report

Page 1: Lowes For Pros Special Report

Landscaping Trends and Planning for Summer Projects

E very year, the cold and desolate winter eventually gives

way to a warm and vital summer. Luckily for landscap-

ers, what’s true for the environment also holds true for

the economy. And with spring finally here, summer can’t be far

behind—for landscapes, or for those that build them.

With an economic upswing, new home construction is expect-

ed to increase this summer. The National Association of Home

An expected housing industry upswing is good news for professional landscapers, who can position their business for a strong recovery by meeting consumer demand

for landscaping that’s practical, affordable and sustainable.

Builders (NAHB) forecasts a 25 percent growth in new-home

construction this year over last.

Most of that growth is in single-family homes—NAHB is forecast-

ing 697,000 total housing starts in 2010, up from an estimated

555,000 last year. Any positive growth in the construction sector

trickles down to every aspect of the industry—including land-

scaping.

A Closer Look:

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“Obviously, the landscaping business is tied to construction,”

says landscape designer Danilo Maffei, a board spokesperson

for the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD)

in Harrisburg, Pa. “[If construction improves this year] it certainly

will be a good thing for landscapers—although we’re not certain

whether it will be a good thing this year or a good thing next year,

as the landscape industry typically trends behind construction by

a quarter or two.”

Whether outdoor investments take off this year or next, the best

time to prepare for an eventual surge in landscaping demand is

this summer, and the best way to prepare is by positioning your

business for growth with summer projects capitalizing on the top

five landscaping trends of 2010:

1. Modest luxury

In response to the economic downturn of 2009, consumers are

holding back in 2010, which means smaller—but not necessarily

fewer—landscaping projects. “People are getting very practical

and are tending toward more simple kinds of things,” says land-

scaping professor Douglas R. Fox, director of the Center for Sus-

tainability and Global Change at Unity College in Unity, Maine.

Adds landscape designer and APLD board membership chair

A Closer Look: Landscaping Trends and Planning for Summer Projects

“I think people have gone without for a while now, and they’re tired of it. People still want what they want. This year, luxury is therefore going to be bigger and better—but without the rampant excess that we saw in the early to mid-2000s.”

—Landscape designer Danilo Maffei, a board spokesperson for the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) in Harrisburg, Pa.

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Susan Cohan, “Projects in 2010 will be smaller. They’re looking

to do more with less.”

Despite their more frugal nature, clients are still looking for that

upscale feel. “The big thing this year—believe it or not—is going

to be luxury,” Maffei says. “I think people have gone without for

a while now, and they’re tired of it. People still want what they

want. This year, luxury is therefore going to be bigger and bet-

ter—but without the rampant excess that we saw in the early to

mid-2000s.”

What that means for landscapers is that the “staycation” trend

of the last few years will continue, but with the volume turned

down. Clients will still be asking for swimming pools, for instance,

but without upscale waterfalls and slides; they’ll still be asking

for outdoor dining, but they’ll be installing high-end grills rather

than custom outdoor kitchens; they’ll still be interested in water

features, but they’ll tend toward simple waterfalls over elabo-

rate streams and ponds; and they’ll still be looking for backyard

campfires, but they’ll be considering small fire bowls instead of

large, built-in fire pits.

2. Incredible edibles

Because they want to save money, eat healthier and learn a new

at-home hobby, scores of consumers have expressed an interest

in vegetable gardening, which is fueling an industry-wide trend

in edibles that’s extended all the way to the White House, where

First Lady Michelle Obama planted her own vegetable garden

last spring. “People are very interested in growing food,” Cohan

says. “It’s probably the single largest trend going on in gardening

and landscaping right now.”

A Closer Look: Landscaping Trends and Planning for Summer Projects

Food for ThoughtAlthough vegetable gardening is a popular do-it-your-

self trend, savvy landscapers know that do-it-yourself-

ers often can benefit from expert help.

“As more people understand the benefits of growing their

own fresh produce, we’re finding consumers are hun-

gry for information on how they can start and maintain a

successful food garden,” says Craig Humphries, direc-

tor of consumer research at Scotts Miracle-Gro. “In fact,

last year alone we saw about a 66 percent increase in

the number of vegetable gardening-related calls into our

Scotts Consumer Services line.”

To turn a do-it-yourself trend like vegetable garden-

ing into a business opportunity, establish yourself as

an expert and educator. Landscapers who serve as

a resource often benefit from more referrals—and an

increase in referrals typically translates into an increase

in revenue.

Together the National Gardening Association (NGA) and

Scotts Miracle-Gro studied the vegetable gardening

trend last year. The resulting report, The Impact of Home

and Community Gardening in America, found that:

• In 2009, 43 million U.S. households planned to grow

their own fruits, vegetables, herbs or berries, up 19

percent from 2008—nearly double the 10 percent

growth experienced between 2007 and 2008.

• 21 percent of U.S. households planned to start a

food garden in 2009.

• 11 percent of households already active in food

gardening planned to increase both the amount

and variety of vegetables they grow in 2009.

• Gardeners spent a total of $2.5 billion to purchase

seeds, plants, fertilizers, tools and other gardening

supplies to grow their own food in 2008.

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Although edibles are in, consumers are no longer interested in

the traditional fenced-in vegetable garden. Instead of backyard

vegetable patches, consumers this year will practice container

gardening and vertical gardening so they can grow herbs and

vegetables in even the smallest outdoor spaces—and without

bending over, which is a major benefit to aging baby boomers.

3. Vintage verdure

Although consumers are interested in more modern forms of

vegetable gardening, the traditional look of shrubbery is still pop-

ular. “There’s a renewed interest in shrubs for color,” Cohan says.

“Think Grandma’s plants—flowering shrubs—like hydrangeas, li-

lacs and roses.”

4. Green greenery

Classics like purple lilacs and red roses may be big, but the most

popular color this year is green. “People are looking to reduce

their carbon footprint outside,” Cohan says, and they’re doing

exactly that by replacing exotic plants with native ones.

“People are thinking about plants that are appropriate to their

region instead of something exotic that will have to be replaced

or will be only marginally hardy,” says Cohan. He adds that na-

tive plants tend to require less care and maintenance. They also

support a healthier food chain, according to Fox, as native plants

support native insects, which support native birds and so on.

5. Little lawns

Because clients want to be more eco-friendly, they’re likely to

want less grass. According to ecological landscape designer

Risa Edelstein, lawns are one of the most damaging landscape

practices because of the tremendous, necessary upkeep.

“Plus, lawns are very expensive between mowing and fertilizing,”

says Edelstein, board member for the Ecological Landscap-

ing Association in Framingham, Mass. “Since everybody’s in a

money-saving mode right now they’re combining saving money

with being green, and so they’re looking at reducing the amount

of lawn they have.”

Less lawn means more plants. While their clients still want a

lawn—enough for their kids to play on, for instance—landscap-

ers should be prepared to replace large portions of lawns with

edibles, perennial beds, trees and shrubs. “Also organic lawns,”

Cohan adds. “People want to reduce the size of their lawn, and

they want to make it less chemically dependent.”

A Closer Look: Landscaping Trends and Planning for Summer Projects

Classics like purple lilacs and red roses may be big, but the

most popular color this year is green. “People are looking to reduce their carbon footprint

outside,” Cohan says, and they’re doing exactly that by

replacing exotic plants with native ones.

84% of consumers are willing to pay more for “green” garden/landscaping supplies.

Source: Burst Media