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Industry Insights
Landscapers Need to
Embrace Change
I've been in this industry for nearly 20
years. As both the CEO of a landscape
contracting business and the CEO of a
horticultural buying and selling platform,
I'm privy to various industry perspec-
tives, as well as industry data. Not only
do I speak to dozens of industry profes-
sionals a week, but I am also knee deep
in both the business side and the supply-
and-materials side. Unfortunately, what
I'm hearing and seeing is troublesome.
e short-term outlook is not pretty.
In fact, I've never been more concerned
about the amount of supply. While the
industry is poised for a year of growth
ahead, buyers and landscapers are still le
facing a big hurdle: a serious shortage in
supply. is issue has been escalating dur-
ing recent years with several state-of-the-
industry reports predicting and analyzing
the situation (see http://cherrylake.com/
tree_shortage.pdf).
As things progress and more items are
sold, we may see some materials go away
altogether. Common items (e.g. specific
cultivars of smaller container items includ-
ing 3 Gal. Flirt Nandina) that might be
short in supply now will of course come
back as their production cycle is much
shorter. However, harder-to-find tree items
like 2- to 4-inch caliper Live oaks will take
far longer to restock once depleted.
A big question looms over us: How do
buyers get their hands on material when
there's not enough material?
■ BY CAMERON CANTRELLE
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©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/KALI9
You have to think
about the future, and
not always operate
in the here-and-now.
44 May/June 2015 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com
