Today, Tracy Wootten and Valann Budischak presented Delaware’s Green Industry, which includes producers, retailers, landscapers, and golf courses. This industry adds about $20 million a year to the state economy, through floriculture (bedding and garden plants) and nurseries. Because of Delaware’s small size, its horticulture industry is very close knit with many connections between occupations. The class learned about how plant experts are working to reduce the maintenance needed for public land, for example, planting something other than grass that needs to be mowed once a week compared to trimmed once a month. I was intrigued when Wooten and Budischak said that the hardscaping industry is going to grow in the coming years. In fact, of my friend’s dad is a landscape architect back home, and I had always had a vague interest in that profession. Overall, I never thought much of the horticultural industry before today, but now I see how big of an impact it has on the state.