by Pamela S Thibodeaux

Created on: October 20, 2006   Last Updated: April 17, 2007

For the uninformed and nave, landscaping employment is a fancy term for lawn mowing and hedge trimming. People who work in the local Wal-Mart garden center are landscapers.

These misconceptions are far from the truth. Landscaping is an art.

We've all seen beautiful lawns, pretty yards and magnificent courtyards, most of the time without realizing the work involved in creating them. As any artist knows, it takes dedication, skill, knowledge and talent to sculpt ordinary grass, trees and shrubbery into a work of art worthy of praise and honor.

People most likely to pursue employment in any aspect of Landscaping are nature lovers, those passionate about preserving and protecting nature from the damages of progress; those with a creative spirit and visions of modern Gardens of Eden.

Like any worthwhile career, Landscaping is more than employment. It is a complicated and serious career.

The term "Landscaping" encompasses a whole range of studies and employment opportunities. Degrees in Landscape Architecture and Landscape Design as well as Horticulture and Tree and Turf Grass Specialists are just a few examples of the wide range of degrees and employment opportunities in the field of landscaping.

In this article we'll look at a few of the landscaping employment opportunities and the degree it calls for.

*Landscape Architecture: A bachelor or master's degree in Landscape Architecture is usually required for even entry-level employment opportunities. The bachelor's degree takes up to five years to complete and the master's degree consists of a 3yr "first professional" and a 2yr "second professional." Most landscape architectures are self employed (1-out-of -4 or 23%) which is more than three times the proportion of other professions.

*Landscape Design: The main purpose of landscape design is to blend the human element (ie; house or office building) with its natural surroundings in a way that is pleasing to the eye as well as beneficial to both nature and man. Landscape designers have more of an eye for beauty and art including but not limited to color, line, texture, form and scale. Designers know that all of these elements are best displayed when combined. As with landscape architecture, bachelors and masters degrees in landscape design are available.

*Horticultural Science: This degree program is often broken down into as many as five bachelor degree subcategories including Farm and Ranch Management and Landscape Management. Its master degree is classified as a Master of Science. Employment opportunities from a degree in Horticultural Science range from nursery and greenhouse management to golf course management with several opportunities in-between.

*Tree and Turf Grass Specialists: Also falling under the list of Science degrees, there is a range of courses required in tree and turf grass studies. Employment opportunities range from owning and/or running tree farms (such as Christmas trees) to the care and preservation of our natural resources.

Granted, not every job available in some aspect of landscaping requires degrees or years of study, but if you're considering any type landscape employment, think about the diverse opportunities available!

Learn more about this author, Pamela S Thibodeaux.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.