When you decide to start a garden care service as a business idea, it is the perfect choice for those with green thumbs and who love the outdoors. It only requires basic skills and knowledge, and you can always learn as your business grows. Ready to flourish? Let’s start.
Garden services constitute multiple services. A business can focus on either of the individual sectors or any combination of them. The list is as follows:
- Landscape design,
- Lawncare,
- Plant sourcing,
- Water management,
- Specialist garden consultancy,
- General garden care (mowing, raking, trimming trees, watering etc).
So what do each of these entail? Here’s everything you need to know.
Landscape Design
From sourcing plants, pavers, and trees and creating an appealing layout, to planting and constructing centre pieces… designing a landscape requires artistic flair while understanding the needs of certain plants. This service can be offered to homeowners and office parks alike. You can even go the extra mile and make a client’s themed garden dreams come true.
Lawncare
Lawncare is a specialised garden care business idea that solely focuses on the maintenance of lawns. This includes cutting, watering, fertilising and mulching of grass. You will need to understand the nutritional requirements of different types of grass, as well as what types fare better in certain climates. As a part of your service, you can also include edge trimming, or increase your knowledge of lawns to not only include different types of grasses but also moss and clover, as these have become a popular new grass alternative.
Plant Sourcing
Do you love finding unique plants at bargain prices? Become a plant sourcing expert. It’s as if you are a personal shopper but for plants.
Clients can ask you to obtain rare plants or large numbers of specific plants. Clients may consist of private clients such as homeowners, or corporate parks and body corporates.
Water Management
Water management goes hand in hand with irrigation. Clients looking for a water management specialist aim to reduce their water consumption by planting drought-tolerant, water-wise plants, using garden decor such as statues in place of water features, and setting up an irrigation system that reduces water wastage.
Specialist Garden Consultancy
Working as a consultant requires some insight into specialist knowledge about garden issues that might arise such as pests, diseases or soil health. Knowledge can also be plant-specific such as trees.
General Garden Care
When you think garden care, it usually means trimming and pruning trees, watering the garden, mowing lawns, raking leaves and removing garden refuse,
You will need to determine what services you offer so you can create a price list and start marketing your business. Remember, all of the same information about registering your business also applies when you start a garden care service.
Next Steps to Start a Garden Care Service
Like any business, there are a few vital things you need to do when starting your business. These include:
- Create a business plan
- Determine your budget
- Consider bookkeeping and record-keeping
- Look at point-of-sales systems such as Yoco or iKhokha
Another vital part of starting your garden care business is to ensure you have the right equipment. The following list can be used as a guideline:
- Lawnmower,
- Wheelbarrow,
- Pick axe,
- Shovel,
- Watering can,
- Hedge clippers,
- Pruners,
- Rakes,
- Pitchfork,
- Gardening gloves,
- Brush cutter.
Marketing Your Garden Care Service
In order to gain business, you need to promote your services. Make sure that you are able to deliver the services in your local area and that you are targeting the right individuals – Advertising in the suburbs when you are trying to target business parks wouldn’t make sense.
You can turn to the following marketing strategies to generate business:
Direct Marketing
Direct marketing targets either e-mails or cellphone numbers of potential customers. You can get people to sign up for your list by promoting it on social media or placing a QR code on prominent community boards. Promotions and price lists can be sent directly to your potential clients.
Business Directories
Listing your business in a business directory is a great, affordable way to get noticed.
Website
Constructing your business website is the best way to establish your online presence. Armed with a website, it will also be much easier to use online advertising to reach a wider audience.
Don’t forget to ensure that it is SEO-friendly.
