Who do you know who fits this profile?

Do you know someone who rolls up his or her sleeves to tackle project? Likes to make a difference? Won’t hedge when you ask for help and probably likes to have a good time?

This is the kind of person who believes in the good of a cause or a project enough to want to move it forward to make an impact.

That person you are thinking of (is it you?) is a volunteer.

In October, the ALCC office receives many calls from people who want help with leaf disposal.  They are told about cities, web sites and other recycling options.

One exceptional caller was the opposite of all the others.  He needed a lot leaves and hoped ALCC had the resources to help him find them.

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.

Landscape firms recently weighed in about their customers’ current buying trends. Specifically, we asked, “Are customers willing to spend more money now?”

Here is what we learned about landscape buying trends in Colorado’s post-recession economy.