Seed Your Future Partners with FNGLA for The Landscape Show ‘26

Orlando, FL – Even after their schools were dismissed from FNGLA’s Career Day program, dozens of students chose to stay behind, wandering the trade show floor to meet more industry professionals, ask questions, and discover career paths they hadn’t known existed. It was the clearest sign yet of the impact Seed Your Future and the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) hoped to make when they partnered to bring students into The Landscape Show in Orlando on Friday, August 21.

More than 250 students attended FNGLA’s Career Day overall, and 42 high school students and nine educators were selected for Seed Your Future’s guided exhibitor tours. Led by industry professionals, the tours gave students a closer, hands-on look at the businesses and career paths that power the green industry. A total of 48 exhibitors volunteered to host the students at their booths, a sign of just how eager the industry is to introduce the next generation to its opportunities.

“I am so excited for the Seed Your Future partnership with FNGLA. The idea of working together and focusing the efforts to help bring people to horticulture is much needed! I love how everyone can see every facet of the industry by attending The Landscape Show,” said Jennifer Parrish, president of FNGLA. “From seedlings to trees, to the tractors that dig the trees, to the financing someone may need! It is a wonderful way for people to see the full scope of our industry and how we all use our passion for plants in different ways.”

Students visited exhibitors representing growers, landscape suppliers, turf distributors, greenhouse designers, equipment manufacturers, tree care companies, and more, experiencing firsthand just how many career paths exist within horticulture.

Opening Students’ Eyes to New Possibilities
Students described the experience as insightful, eye-opening, and fun, and for some, it reshaped how they saw their own futures. One student, already set on a career in agriculture, said the tours opened his eyes to how many other paths, from equipment and technology to sales and design, connect directly to the field he was already planning to study.

Industry professionals volunteered their time to guide students through the show floor and help them make meaningful connections along the way. Andres Fortuno Ramirez, plant expert and social media ambassador at Costa Farms, was among the volunteers leading students through the experience.

“As a plant industry person, volunteering with Seed Your Future was a wonderful experience. ‘Kids are our future,’ as the song says – and never have those words felt more true. Helping them understand the importance of the green industry is both powerful and necessary,” explained Fortuno Ramirez. “I hope we sparked their curiosity, planted a few seeds of inspiration, and perhaps encouraged the next generation to discover the world of plants.”

For Lisa Grant-Fields, owner of Grant’s Farm Nursery, the initiative holds a special significance. Her son and daughter are both part of the team at the family’s Davie, Florida, nursery, giving her a personal perspective on what it means to welcome the next generation into the industry.

“A heartfelt thank you to all of the students who stopped by our booth at The Landscape Show! It was such a pleasure meeting you and sharing our love of plants and horticulture. I especially loved seeing so many young people who are genuinely interested in the agriculture and horticulture industry,” said Grant-Fields, as she reflected on the day. “You are the future of the industry, and your curiosity, enthusiasm, and eagerness to learn were wonderful to see. We hope you left inspired, and we wish each of you great success as you continue learning, growing, and exploring all the opportunities this incredible industry has to offer.”

Jared Dolbee, District Sales Manager of Irrigation and Lighting at The Toro Company, and his team also participated in the tours, helping students see how careers connected to horticulture span equipment, technology, sales, and other essential areas of the industry.

“The green industry offers so many more career opportunities than students may realize,” explained Dolbee. “From irrigation and lighting to equipment and underground utilities, we wanted to show students the diversity of companies and career paths within the Toro Family and help them see just how many ways they can build a future in this industry.”

Bring Green Career Week to Your Community
The momentum continues this fall with Green Career Week, October 5-9, 2026, a national Seed Your Future initiative that connects students with the people and businesses behind careers in the green industry.

During Green Career Week, industry businesses can host local high school students for field trips and behind-the-scenes experiences or visit classrooms to introduce students to career paths, internships, and other opportunities within the industry.

Companies and industry professionals interested in participating in Green Career Week can contact Courtney Dyal at Courtney@gardenmediagroup.com for more information.

Thank you to all of the following exhibitors at The Landscape Show for your participation in Seed Your Future’s Guided Tours: Agrilliance Insurance, Alta Equipment, Amplex, Arazoza Brothers, Arborjet, BioSafe Systems, Campofert, Carden and Associates Insurance, CherryLake Tree Farm, Chestnut Hill Tree Farm, Classic Caladiums, Diamond R Fertilizer, Earthbalance, EE Zero, Evergreen Growers, Farm Credit Central Florida, FC2 Sales, Firehawk Herbicide, Fish Branch Tree Farm, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Florida Hardware Co., Florida Water Star, GardenCore, Geoponics, Grant’s Farm Nursery, Jaderloon Greenhouses, Harrell’s Nursery, Heritage Landscape Supply, John Smith and Sons, Inc., Nelson Irrigation, Neptune’s Harvest, National Horticulture Foundation, Pet Protect Fencing, RootMaker Products Co., Sebastian River Farms, Standridge Baled Pine Straw, Star Turf Farms, Superior, The Farmer’s Daughter, The Magnolia Company, The Peed Company, The Toro Company, Toro Irrigation and Unique Lighting, UF Hort Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research & Education Center, Vermeer Southeast, Vina Planters, and Walters Gardens.

Seed Your Future is the movement to promote horticulture and inspire people to pursue careers working with plants. We envision a world where everyone understands the power of plants and is aware of the promising careers in the art, science, technology, and business of horticulture. To support Seed Your Future’s ongoing efforts, visit the Seed Your Future Donation Page.