A U.S. marketing firm, SBI (Specialists in Business Information), issued a report in December that states, “In residential and commercial markets, responsible landscaping is viewed as a financially and environmentally sound investment. The market is expected to grow 10 per cent in the next five years.”

Increased awareness in both the public and private sectors of environmental issues is a major driver of landscape installations, making landscaping a source of aesthetic, ecological, and financial benefits. Expected growth areas include green landscape designs and installations that can reduce costs of heating, cooling, electric and water costs by as much as 50 per cent. Green roofs are seeing increased residential demand.

The ‘nesting’ and ‘staycation’ trends that evolved in the aftermath of 9/11 have resurged following the housing downturn.

The growing trend of xeriscaping, a gardening approach that utilizes native vegetation, conserves water and is low-maintenance, is also mentioned in the report.

“Landscape services is a growing industry with a lot of buzz about it right now,” said Shelley Carr, associate publisher for SBI. “The need for professionals to meet the demand in the next five years and all the opportunities in this market makes this an exciting industry to grow with.”