I’m sure you’ve heard of International Horticulture Week that took place a few weeks ago – but this week is the second-ever Women in Horticulture week. It’s mainly an American celebration, but I thought it would be good to talk about it on here too as I believe it is important to inspire the women within the industry but also to attract more women, as there is significant underrepresentation within the industry.
Forbes released an article entitled “5 Women Flourishing in The Male-Dominated Landscaping Industry”. They say that in the US, 83% of landscaping companies are owned by men. Overseas in the UK, the landscaping industry is worth just shy of £25 billion – diversifying the industry would also make economic sense. Not only this, but diversification brings different perspectives that enhance the industry, giving clients the ability to choose a designer with who they can connect. There was a scientific study that showed that women view gradients in colours differently from men. This is a prime example of the benefits of a diverse industry. This diversification is very welcomed within the industry, but we need to fill the gap between welcoming women to the industry and attracting them to it, which lies within the representation.
Check out the #womeninhort hashtag to see what’s going on, and the Forbes article:
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We were taught at school that while the men were off hunting mammoths it was women that figured out how to improve cultivate and domesticate wheat. And then figured out how to grind it!