Tips for Success
Gardening is all about patience and preparation, and setting up a gardening business is much the same. It takes hard graft and perseverance. It can also be very rewarding. In many cases, that will be down to you, particularly if you've been called in to overhaul what was previously an overgrown jungle. As landscape gardener Warren Hall says "It's looking at the job when you've finished. People always say how great it looks, so it makes it worthwhile."
In many ways, it's the fact that you will be doing much more than planting a few nasturtiums that makes the industry more than just maintaining gardens. What you achieve can add to the value of a house, if the grounds have been well looked after. "You can't skimp. People have their ideal gardens," landscape gardener Mark Gregory explains, "you're selling a dream - and you're building it."
To get the most out of your gardening business, here are some basic rules:
- Taking a course at a horticultural college can be a real bonus
- Market yourself well so you won't be mistaken for a cowboy operation. Being accountable is very important
- Rent any costly equipment - like cement mixers - before you buy, to make sure purchasing one would be an investment
- Learn your trade - work for someone else first before branching out on your own
- Don't take bookings more than a month in advance - you never know if the weather will make it impossible, or if you will have other work to complete
- Last but not least - always make sure you dress for all weathers