Some lament the oil and gas industry has pulled away much of the young workforce the landscape industry needs.

But what about the food industry? Their projected sales according to the Colorado Restaurant Association, will hit $9.8 billion this year. That’s about $7 billion MORE than Colorado’s entire green industry combined. 

Food service work still represents a first job among many teens and young adults – the same group that the landscape industry has traditionally sought after for seasonal and entry-level positions. It’s also the demographic any industry needs to attract if it expects to be sustainable over time. 

“We used to take clients to nurseries and suppliers to select plants and hardscapes.  Now it’s mostly one stop,” says Troy Shimp, designer with Lifescape Colorado, Denver.  

He and the other designers bring most of their clients to view the demonstration gardens alongside the Lifescape office.  “It saves a lot of time and we get decisions made pretty quickly,” says Shimp. The Lifescape office located north of downtown Denver in an industrial area is not where you would expect to see a variety of plants and hardscape options showcased along a narrow strip between a high fence and the curb.  It’s an unexpected sight in a part of town almost devoid of any landscape whatsoever.