Cindy Whitt

The landscaping industry is undergoing a significant transformation with the integration of technology, a new approach to work culture and a move towards environmentally friendly practices. These changes are making a positive impact on businesses and generating engagement among the next generation.

They say big things come in small packages, and small farms in North Carolina are making a big impact when it comes to providing fresh, local produce to their communities. The innovative growing methods at Piedmont Farmstead allow them to grow lettuce year-round in Gaston County. In the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, Darnell Farms holds events to celebrate the bounties of farm life.

A team of researchers from the University of Virginia (UVA) discovered a way to create soil structures with the help of 3D printing. The technology currently uses cement-based materials to build houses, but Ehsan Baharlou, assistant professor of architecture at UVA, created wall prototypes using soil.

Nothing is more frustrating than having a potential employee disappear before recruitment begins. If interest drops between the application submission and the in-person interview, you should fine-tune your recruitment funnel. Uncovering why your potential hires “ghost” you before they even meet your hiring manager can save you time and help you hire the right people for the job.

A project by SWA Group demonstrates how infrastructure can be designed to enhance the ecological value of a city and the lives of its inhabitants. The international landscape architecture firm led the transformation of a former brownfield site on flood-prone land into an urban park for a community in Conway, Arkansas.

When Rachel Herrick bought a 47-acre farm in Cameron, NC, she had her work cut out for her. The soil was stripped of nutrients, dry after decades of tobacco farming. But Herrick was undeterred. Farming was in her roots, and with some work and regenerative practices, she knew she could change the land for the better.

Nick Federoff likes to talk about landscaping and gardening, so he made it a career. After several years of working as a landscaper, he discovered a passion for public speaking when he filled in for a host on a gardening radio show in southern California. “I figured that was going to be my 15 minutes of fame, and I was going live on that forever,” he says. Nick’s 15 minutes of fame is still going strong after 36 years, and he is still as passionate about it as when he began.

The demand for electric landscaping equipment is continuing to grow. Several factors are driving growth in the market, according to Mark Linkletter, manager of business development, commercial products at AriensCo, the parent company of Gravely, an electric equipment manufacturer.

If anyone could be called a celebrity in the green industry, it would be Nick Cutsumpas. He has an Instagram following of 165,000 @FarmerNick and is one of the designers on the Netflix show “Instant Dream Home.” He is also the author of Plant Coach, a book that teaches people to care for their houseplants.

Channing Perdue wants people to experience the taste of locally grown produce and farm fresh meat, so she hosts Farm to Table dinners twice a year at her family homestead.

Budding plant enthusiasts and experienced green thumbs alike can discover something new at one of the locally-owned garden centers in the Carolinas. These shops were essential businesses during the pandemic and have safety guidelines in place so you and your family can have a worry-free shopping experience.