Thanks for the feedback! That's encouraging to hear (I mean, read).

I think the problem is that people are not willing to pay more because there are many unskilled working for $15. But your idea with the green roofs is maybe good, provided there is not so much competition in the area. The advantage is that you could sell the soil mixture, the plants and the labour and you work for big companies and people who can afford something.
I would ponder around various ideas like that, like greywater systems, ponds, specialized plant nurseries, medicinal herbs, green facades, .....
I think it is possible to make a living as a landscaper, but then you would have to employ people and that is a very different thing to work in a botanic garden, with very specialized needs of plants.... do you really want that? You could as well resell and setting up something like aquaponic systems or some product to grow veggies in a very small space or mushroom spore, give gardening classes.... First get more ideas!!

Yes, it is possible to make a 'decent' living in the landscape industry but as previous posters have said, it may not happen immediately and a lot depends on your specific career path.

I am a graduate of the Edmonds CC program myself and it IS excellent ( or certainly was when I graduated going on 20 years ago). I chose to focus on design ( I had a previous design background) and I have had my own design business since before graduation. Since it is a slow process to develop a design business and can also be a little isolating if you work from home, I chose to work at a large retail nursery as well. I had pretty extensive gardening experience before Edmonds and with my horticultural degree from there, nailing down nursery employment was easy-peasy. I wound up being their Information Coordinator, writing handouts, supervising their info booth and coordinating and presenting classes and seminars. Nursery work was also a great source of design referrals as well.

Since that first nursery experience, I have branched out to work at a couple of other nurseries in various capacities, all of which paid me an adequate (if not luxurious) living wage. I also continued to teach and do landscape design, which generated a pretty good income as well. I now do design and consultation only, supplemented with classes and speaking engagements, and can live easily on that income.

And FWIW, the landscape contractor I most often refer to and work quite closely with generates (as far as I can tell) a very healthy income - enough to support a family of 5 in a lovely and beautifully landscaped home, maintain and support a year round work crew, purchase all the heavy equipment he needs, and winter annually in Mexico.

So yes, it IS possible :-) Good luck with your career change and keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks so much for your feedback gardengal! I really appreciate the response!

Go into business for yourself, be the boss, dont work for someone else, as you continue to work at your primary job, start developing a small business plan, the name of your company and then it starts to become real, if you have the passion for it wont be considered work when doing it, if you work for someone well you know the story. Maybe see if there is a horticulture program you can do online save money & time. There is big money to be made but you have to be the owner of the company! hope this helps.

Your not going to make a decent salary working for someone else. The horticulture industry is basically a blue collar level of worker or retail which of course does not pay like something requiring high level skills like computers. The problem with horticulture is that there is too much free information available out there for people to research and come up with their own solutions. If you have a passion for plants, fine, but how do you leverage your future knowledge of plants (i.e. a degree in Horticulture or Landscape Design). Plus, there are a lot of Master Gardeners out there who do not charge money for their knowledge.

My advice is take an entrepreneurial approach rather than focusing on employment. Think of something within the industry that is a niche that you could become an expert in. By coming up with a business idea, you dont have to worry about not having the experience to get a job, or have credible design experience if you have never designed a residential landscape. Believe me, just having a degree does not make you a decent designer. You may have book knowledge of plants, etc. but no field experience or learning what works in different spaces.

There is a big difference between horticulture and say landscape design. Yes, landscapes do contain plants, but there is much more to a landscape than the plant material. The hardcape areas including patios, walls, fencing, driveways, gazebos, outdoor kitchens, waterfeatures, etc. all must be designed in a cohesive manner. The softscape, primarily the plants and ground covers that surround the hardscape are basically secondary. You must have knowledge and design ability in all aspects of landscaping to be a landscape designer. So dont focus on horticulture alone.

If being your own boss turns you off because its too risky you're not going to be able to switch careers and make as much money as you do now. The "green industry" does not pay well unless you are something like a branch manager for a large landscape company. The only jobs that pay decent wages are ones that you will need years of experience. A CC degree alone is not enough.

While working at a botanical garden may seem romantic if you like being around plants, people volunteer to do that so dont expect to receive a decent wage. Instead, get certified or specialize in a type of niche and set yourself apart from everyone else who loves plants:
Certified Nurseryman
Certified Arborist
Certified Irrigation Auditor
Certified Lawncare Specialist
Water Conservation Specialist who uses primarily native plants, low water irrigation systems, rainwater catchment systems, i.e. Sustainable Landscaping -- which is the buzz word of the decade.

Thanks so much for your response! It's great to hear someone explain the unvarnished truth about the realities of the industry.

Another option is private estate gardening. I am 49 and have been earning my living as an estate gardener for over 20 years. My position has always been as the sole gardener for one estate where I was provided housing/utilities, health benefits and salary. However, I do know others who do estate gardening for many properties on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. These folks seem to do quite well, but it greatly depends on where you live. Being in the Hudson Valley, NY, just outside NYC, there are a lot of wealthy New Yorkers with weekend homes that need tending.