From Construction to Cultivation: Shelley’s Journey to Landscape Horticulture
It’s never too late to change direction and pursue your passion.
At 62, South Seattle College student Shelley Hurst is doing just that. After 20 years as a successful business owner running her family’s construction company, Shelley is now pursuing an Associate Degree in Landscape Horticulture – and loving it!
This is her story.
Falling into Construction
Like many young people, Shelley wasn’t sure what she wanted to do when she grew up.
“I always had a lot of stuff that interested me—I’ve always been like that, going in too many different directions at once!”
Growing up in Seattle, she took a class in technical drawing during high school and discovered she had a knack for it. That sparked an interest in architecture. Her father, who co-owned a millwork manufacturing company, gave her two pieces of advice: 1) go into construction because that’s where the money is, and 2) never own her own business.
With that in mind, Shelley signed up for the Construction Management program at the University of Washington after learning about it on a field trip.
“I was one of two or three women in the whole department,” Shelley says. “Back then, you didn’t see many women in hardhats.”
She graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science and began working for a Seattle building contractor. Her first assignment? A downtown high-rise.
“They told me, ‘You’re in charge of the elevator subcontractor.’ All I knew about elevators was that you push a button and you go up and down! Most people don’t have a lot of real-world experience by the time they graduate.”
Shelley credits her curious mind and willingness to learn from others on the job for teaching her the ins and outs of construction. “I asked a LOT of questions!”
Joining the Family Business
After 10 years working for a contractor out in the field, in her mid-30s, Shelley’s father asked her to come work for his company, where her brother was already employed. Not long after, he asked her to take over the business.
Although it went against his earlier advice, Shelley agreed. Ownership of the company was passed to her and her brother.
“My brother ended up running the shop, and I ran the business side of things — the project management, the estimating, and all the things that were required to manage the projects and run the business.”
Suddenly, Shelley was responsible for the family’s 40,000 sq. ft. facility filled with high-end, specialized equipment. Around 30 employees relied on her to bring in enough contracts to keep the shop running — without overbooking the company.
“I didn’t take a proper vacation for 20-something years running that business!”
Still, she found the work rewarding. A people-person, she enjoyed working with contractors and employees alike. It was a true family business, with younger generations eventually joining the shop and many employees staying for the long term.
“We really focused on them, so they were like family to us.”
A Shifting Landscape
Over time, the construction market grew more difficult. Shelley’s company once handled entire millwork contracts for large hotels — doors, cabinetry, trim, paneling, and reception areas. But international competitors began offering prices she couldn’t match.
“They were paying their people per week what we were paying per hour.”
With rising costs and increasing pressure, things got harder. Then came an arson incident that damaged the business facility.
“I believe it was part of God saying to me — because I kept trying everything I could think of to solve that business — ‘What’s going to be enough, Shelley?’”
In 2018, she and her brother made the tough decision to close the business.
Gardening as Therapy
During the transition, Shelley moved into her parents’ house. Her father had passed away, and her mother had moved to a retirement community. The home had a large garden, including a big hydrangea bush that had been planted when her father built the house.
“I didn’t know what I was doing. I just wanted my hands in the dirt. To keep my mind off what was happening and to try to stay in a positive state of mind, I started propagating and creating little hydrangea plants, and they took.”
Focusing on the dirt, the plants, building rockeries, and putting in a vegetable garden brought Shelley peace.
“Suddenly it was me and the plants and God, and nothing else mattered.”
Earning a Living, Longing for More
At 56, Shelley wasn’t in a position to retire. A financial advisor encouraged her to return to construction. Though she would have preferred working in a flower shop, she accepted a marketing role at a friend and former business partner’s construction company.
She worked there for two years. While she performed well, her heart wasn’t in it. Her joy still came from gardening.
Then, in 2022, she met her now-husband. On their first date, he brought her a hydrangea (even though it was February), some flower seeds from his own garden, and a rock for her rockery — and she knew he was the one. With his support, she stepped away from the job to consider what was next.
Lifelong Learning in Bloom
Even during her business years, Shelley never lost her curiosity.
“Over the last 20 years, I had started thinking, ‘I wish I had time to go to school again,’ because I love learning.”
She had previously trained as a certified yoga instructor. Now she was wondering whether she could study something new. A friend had once mentioned South Seattle College’s Landscape Horticulture program, so Shelley decided to check it out.
“I remember coming here and just walking around for the very first time and seeing the greenhouse from the backside and the Garden Center, walking through the arboretum, and going, ‘This is a really cool place.’
It didn’t take long for her to enroll in the Associate of Applied Science degree program in Fall 2023.
Old Skills, New Soil
Even with a degree and decades of experience, Shelley says she’s learning so much.
This spring, she took a class on small business management.
“Even though I have lots of life experience, learning this stuff in the context of landscape horticulture is a whole new world. Yeah, I took business classes at UW 40 years ago and I have experience running a business, but I am so enjoying and seeing all kinds of stuff I never thought of because the program is so focused on the industry.”
In addition to her studies, Shelley also works part-time in South’s Garden Center.
“To be learning something that I’m passionate about is so much fun, and working in the greenhouse is so much fun! Propagating is really what got me passionate about this industry — and now I get to do it and get paid for it.”
Though she’s not the age of the average college student, Shelley feels right at home.
“It’s a mixture of students, some are young and then there’s those who it’s their second career. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the other people. I may be old enough to be some of my peers’ grandmother, but they don’t treat me like that.”
Grounded in Purpose
Reflecting on her return to school, Shelley shared something she learned in her yoga training: the concept of dharma, or one’s soul’s purpose.
One test of dharma, she explains, is to ask: What do you do with your free time?
For Shelley, the answer is always the same: gardening and taking care of plants. Whether it’s propagating, browsing seed catalogs, visiting nurseries, or growing and moving things around in the yard.
Through tears, she said, “With all my heart, I believe this is my life’s purpose.”
While Shelley is still figuring out exactly what comes next, she’s grateful that the Landscape Horticulture program is helping her explore all aspects of the field.
To anyone still figuring out what they want to do — at any age — Shelley offers this advice:
“If you pray for what you want, if you pursue what you want, if you follow your passion, you’re going to be ok, and there’s the satisfaction. I don’t have a lot of money in the bank, but I feel extremely rich because I get to do what I want to do.”