Women in Landscaping: Inspiring Growth

The landscaping industry has always been dominated by males, but times are changing. Women comprise more and more of the landscaping industry workforce every year. According to data compiled by Data USA, women made up 10.1 percent of the landscaping workforce in 2019, up from 8.23 percent in 2014. From landscape design to environmental construction to pest control, and a myriad of other specialty areas, women are establishing their place in the landscaping arena.

Groundwork spoke with three females from LCA member companies who work in various disciplines within the industry. We discussed how they got into the industry, challenges to being a woman working in a male-dominated industry, favorite projects, and other interesting aspects of their work.

Jennifer Connoley studied horticulture and landscape management at the University of Maryland Institute of Applied Agriculture and Landscape Design at George Washington University. She has worked in the landscape industry for over 40 years. For the past 15 years, Jennifer has been living in Easton, Maryland, designing, installing, and maintaining sustainable landscapes for her clients on the Eastern Shore. She has worked in environmental construction, designing and managing the installation of wetlands, ponds, bioretention facilities, and stream and shoreline restoration projects.

Lynette Hallgren Scaffidi is an experienced professional with compassion for the natural world and extensive education and experience in environmental construction. She graduated from the University of Maryland with an M.S. in animal science–wildlife habitat management and a B.S. in natural resource management, and she posesses numerous professional accreditations.

Lynette is retired from a career with Montgomery County Parks, where she worked as a park naturalist and natural resources manager involved with invasive species management and reforestation programs in local parks. After retiring, Lynette and her two business partners, Eric Goodrich and William “Bill” Dowling (all born in the “Empire State” of New York), joined together on a journey to establish and build Empire Landscape, LLC, focusing on installing and maintaining environmental restoration construction projects using sound natural resource management techniques.

During her free time, Lynette loves to spend time with her family and friends and enjoys hiking, playing soccer, woodworking, and gardening.

Heather Zindash is a Professional Integrated Pest Management Scout & Consultant, a Certified Professional Horticulturalist, and an ISA Certified Arborist. Her company, The Soulful Gardener, helps growers, landscape professionals, and commercial and residential property owners protect their plants by properly identifying pests and diseases and providing environmentally conscience management solutions.

Heather is a popular regional speaker who has lectured at numerous professional organizations, businesses, and special interest groups. She entertains and educates audiences with original photos, videos, and stories based on personal experience, formal education, and specialized training. She is also the president of the Maryland Bluebird Society and Ladies in the Landscape, which supports women working in horticulture and related professions.

Edamarie Mattei is the owner of Backyard Bounty, a landscape design/build/ maintain firm in Silver Spring, and is an acknowledged expert in native plants, stormwater management, and organic landscape design. She has created hundreds of gardens in the D.C. area that promote native species, provide wildlife habitat, and each year prevent over 5 million gallons of stormwater from running into our creeks and rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

Edamarie started gardening when her children were young as a way to introduce them to nature and find a source for organic food. Prior to Backyard Bounty, she was an English teacher in Montgomery County, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the South Bronx. A proud native of New Jersey, Edamarie has degrees from Georgetown and Penn. Her hobbies include drawing, crafts, and collapsing on the couch at the end of a long day building gardens.

1. Tell us about your company and what you do.

JC: I own and operate JCLD (Jennifer Connoley Landscape Design). We are a small Design/Build firm that specializes in full property landscape design on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, primarily in the Easton area. Most of the properties are waterfront with extensive environmental requirements and often include pools, water features, patios, decks, walkways, and garden structures.

LS: Empire Landscape was founded by me and my two partners, Eric Goodrich and Bill Dowling. The three of us officially started in 2005 around the time that I was retiring from my career as a park naturalist and natural resource manager for Montgomery County Parks. At the time, my partners were working with a local stream restoration contractor and collectively had a rich background in landscape and environmental restoration work. The three of us together wanted to provide a WBE/MBE/DBE company that is not only experienced, capable, and passionate about environmental restoration work, but also uniquely specialized in a wide range of environmental restoration services. Among our four divisions, we have expertise in reforestation, invasive species management, green infrastructure and stormwater management, erosion and sediment control construction, habitat restoration (including meadow establishment and maintenance, vernal pools, and microtopography), Chesapeake Bay restoration planting, hydroseeding, specialty ecosystem seeding, arborist services, clearing and grubbing, and native landscaping.

HZ: My company is called The Soulful Gardener. I am a Professional Integrated Pest Management Scout & Consultant, a Certified Professional Horticulturalist, and an ISA Certified Arborist. I help growers, landscape professionals, and commercial and residential property owners protect their plants by properly identifying pests and diseases and providing environmentally conscience management solutions.

EM: Backyard Bounty is a design/build/maintain landscape company focused on building beautiful, biodynamic landscapes and maintaining them organically.

2. How did you get into the landscaping industry?

JC: I started working for a landscape company in Baltimore in 1980 at age 18. I loved the hard work and satisfaction of creating outdoor spaces. I went on to further my education at UMCP through the Institute of Applied Agriculture Landscape Management program and worked at Garden Gate Landscape upon graduation. While working there, I attended the Landscape Design program at George Washington University and have been working in the industry ever since. I have owned and operated JCLD since 2006.

LS: I was always outside playing in the woods as a child, and I really think this led me to pursue an education in the environmental field. I received my B.S. in natural resource management and then my master’s degree in wildlife habitat management. Working in the world of environmental protection and restoration for the entirety of my professional career, it only seemed natural (pun intended) to establish this company with my partners. Together, we are so proud of the hard-working team we’ve built at Empire Landscape, and I look forward to seeing our company restore the environment for years to come.

HZ: I grew up on a small farm and have always been connected to plants and nature. Being outdoors is my favorite place to be, no matter the geographic location. Nature provides peace and grounding. It is vital to our health and longevity.

EM: I started gardening seriously when we moved from California back to the East Coast in the 1990s. In California, I was inspired by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, who spoke about choosing organic producers for her restaurant because they were the people who took care of the land. The more I gardened as a hobby, the more it inspired me until I eventually decided to resign from teaching and go back and study organic land care and design.

3. Are there any challenges to being a woman working in a male-dominated industry?

JC: On occasion, but I have always found that hard work and treating others with respect will get you through some pretty tough situations.

LS: Absolutely, but less so these days because of the number of talented, confident, and educated women that are entering our profession with strong horticultural or environmental science backgrounds. I love that it is no longer unusual to see a woman in a hard hat and hi-vis vest! It seems that women are more inclined to pursue a career in the landscape or construction industry because of the role models they are seeing in the industry, so I really love that I have the opportunity to be one of those role models for the younger generation!

HZ: There can be challenges being a woman in a maledominated industry. Women bring a unique set of skills, passion, and talent to the landscaping industry. These particular capabilities have the potential to change the corporate culture in the best and most positive way. They can improve teamwork efficacy, increase service options, and lead to higher customer satisfaction.

However, our skills are different than working with an all-male staff. So, in order to maximize the potential of a diverse staff, one has to recognize the unique and beautiful differences within their team.

Women have the ability to think about the corporation and the customer in ways that many men do not. I encourage leaders to embrace these valuable differences and give them the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas. Your company will be better for it.

EM: I’ve been in many meetings where I’m the only woman in the room. Sometimes that means people assume I only know about flowers. I’m a pretty strong person, so I don’t worry about speaking up, but it takes more time to establish your credibility in some situations where you are the only woman or one of a few women. I could certainly tell you some stories about mansplaining from other contractors…

4. How would you describe your leadership style?

JC: I like to communicate extensively with all of the contractors on my jobs, including the laborers. I like to explain why I want to do something a certain way and listen to alternative ways of doing things. I find that engaging people in the process makes them interested in what they are doing and ultimately more productive and skilled at their work.

LS: I believe in developing leaders through example and coaching. When thinking about leadership in the environmental restoration world, or any profession for that matter, I like to quote Abby Wambach: “Lead from where you are.” Don’t wait for permission to lead, but instead, challenge yourself by observing what needs to be done within a reasonable timeframe. For me, it’s incredibly important to focus on working

efficiently and effectively. Once you identify what needs to be done, you can effectively accomplish tasks to meet your short-term and long-term goals. Make it a priority to identify the good attributes within your team members and dictate responsibility based on an individual’s strengths. Share your successes collectively with the team and acknowledge when changes need to be made. From my experience, finding a good mentor for guidance nurtures individual self-confidence and a true passion for work, and helps to bring humanity into the workplace. Being a mentor who truly cares about the work we do and the people we employ has proven to instill these traits in our team, which ultimately makes Empire so successful. Lastly, and most importantly, you don’t have to wait for a job title to embody the leader within yourself. Keep learning and the rest will fall into place!

HZ: I partner with many people in my role—co-workers, colleagues, customers, client team members, and co-volunteers. Leadership can take on many forms. I work hard to be patient and meet people where they are. I try my best to listen for understanding, instead of listening to respond. That can be challenging because my passion for my job can sometimes get the best of me. I have found that if you give people the opportunity, they may have suggestions that are very valuable, and different from your own. This year, I have learned that leadership means being confident when you need to be, and humble when that is required. Being flexible in your leadership will bring out the best in others and in yourself.

EM: I used to be a teacher, and that influences the way I manage. Great teachers often act more like coaches, giving people the tools they need to do the excellent work they are capable of. Another piece of my teacher training was “high expectation–high support.” 5. What is your favorite aspect of the job?

JC: By far my favorite aspect is the project management and installation of the jobs I design—working with the client and experiencing their excitement as they see their landscape and outdoor living spaces come to life!

LS: My favorite aspect of my job is by far the opportunity to work collaboratively with all the amazing people who work in the field of environmental restoration. Additionally, the biggest payoff is seeing the

incredible results from the work we get to do, and I truly love the difference we get to make on a day-to-day basis!

HZ: I love every aspect of my job. I am a solo entrepreneur; therefore, I handle all aspects of running a business. I also combine my graphic design and horticulture education and experience to create beautiful and engaging presentations that educate audiences about IPM, plants, animals, insects, and connecting to nature.

I love knowing and continuing to learn about insect and plant interactions and how to use that information to properly control plant pests. It is also quite fascinating to learn how to use biological fungicides to combat plant diseases in plant production. Working with my clients is so rewarding. I have a background in sales and customer service, so partnering with my clients and helping them reach their goals is so gratifying.

EM: I love when I am working on a design with a client who starts out just wanting a “pretty” landscape and who, in the course of the design process, learns that she/he can have the lovely landscape they want and also create habitat that will support birds and pollinators and keep our streams clean.

6. Do you have any projects you are particularly proud of?

JC: It is hard for me to choose because each project has its own unique character, designed to enhance the natural surroundings of the Eastern Shore and the client’s vision. I have won three LCA awards since 2015 and plan on submitting two for consideration in 2022. I am truly proud of these projects and love how the clients enjoy the spaces.

LS: I find it hard to pick one particular job that I am proud of because my passion for environmental mitigation leads me to be proud of every restoration project Empire Landscape completes. However, I would say that probably most important to me is our non-native invasive work and bioretention/ stormwater management services with Montgomery Parks, Montgomery County Public Schools, the City of Rockville, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, and other jurisdictions. If I had to choose one particular project, it would be our work with the Audubon Naturalist Society (ANS). The project involved stream and ecosystem restoration work with accessible trails. The project at ANS blends an ecological restoration landscape with important community amenities for accessibility, inclusion, aesthetics, and group learning areas. Ultimately, it offers quiet, natural places for people to relax, enjoy, and reflect. The attention to detail with this project is inspirational. A sustainable project such as that will be enjoyed for many generations, and I am proud Empire Landscape was involved with this successful restoration work!

HZ: This year I have worked with multiple customers on a specific project I call “Blooms, Bugs, and Birds.” I combine Integrated Pest Management strategies on

their property with the design and installation of insectary gardens that attract beneficial insects with bluebird nesting trails to create a more balanced ecosystem that encourages naturally occurring insect pest predators and parasitoids. My clients and I have both found this work to be so rewarding.

Additionally, I am very proud to have founded “Ladies in the Landscape,” a professional organization whose members are employed in the landscape and/or horticultural industries. LIL also accepts student members who are taking courses related to those industries. Our Mission is to create a community of women working in the landscape and horticultural industries that provides support, collaboration, continuing education, mentoring, and networking to empower our members’ personal and professional lives. Join us at https://ladiesinthelandscape.com/.

EM: We love the Lee Dennison garden we designed and installed in the town of Chevy Chase. Lee Dennison left a bequest to the town that was used to create a native plant garden in Zimmerman Park. We get calls and emails regularly from folks who have walked the garden and learned to love native plants. Especially with COVID, the garden became a place lots of families brought young children.

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Part 1: Exterior Landscape Installation Part 2: Exterior Landscape Maintenance Part 3: Interior Landscape Installation and Maintenance Part 4: Irrigation Part 5: Non-Tidal Wetland Planting Part 6: Seeding and Sodding Part 7: Soils Part 8: Tree Preservation

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