HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — According to a study by the National Association of Landscape Professionals, Latinos make up 61% of the landscape industry compared to other sectors.

But for women in landscaping, that number is much lower.

When Bernarda Martinez picks up her equipment, she’s focused on the task at hand.

"Before even starting, we have to check all of our equipment to ensure it has gas and the blades are good to go," she said.

Martinez is the owner of Martinez and C Inspiration Landscaping. She opened the business a year ago.

But as female in a male-dominated industry, she quickly faced some challenges.

“When you go or they call you for a job, and they find out the owner is a woman, they don’t want to give us the job, because they think because we are women, we don’t know how to do the job,” she said.

A recent report by the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Foundation found women make up about 8% of the landscape industry.

Despite the low number, Martinez says women shouldn’t be discouraged to start their own landscaping business.  

"We use heavy equipment. There are times we have to use bigger machines, and some may think because we are women, we can’t, but we can," she said.

Martinez has about six years of professional landscaping experience under her belt, but it all started when she was a child, watering plants in her backyard.

"Without even thinking about it, ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved plants," Martinez said. "When I was younger, I would help my mom garden."

Now she’s part of the 6% of Hispanic landscaping business owners.

“In all these years, I never thought I could do so much in such little time,” she says.

She’s been able to transform lawns in no time. Now, she hopes to transform opinions about women working in the landscaping industry.

Martinez says her business is doing well, with 5 to 6 jobs a day.