How to start a gardening business

The UK has many treasured outdoor spaces that attract local and international visitors all year round, while many of us enjoy having a garden at home.

However, maintaining a quality outdoor space can be challenging, and not everyone has the time to devote to gardening – so professional gardeners can be in high demand.

If you have a passion for gardening or horticulture and you’re considering starting your own business, read on to learn how to start a gardening business of your own.

Don’t miss our guide on ten reasons to start your own business.

Why start a gardening business?

Starting your own gardening business can be hugely rewarding, but it's important to decide if it’s right for you.

Here are a few points to consider:

Pros of starting a gardening business

• strong demand – gardens require maintenance, and it is likely that you can find regular work with a core client base
• variety of work – with several clients and the opportunity to work outdoors, having a gardening business can mean there is a variety of work opportunities
• flexible hours – running your own gardening business allows you to control your schedule and working hours
• health benefits – gardening is an excellent form of outdoor exercise, and studies show that being in nature benefits mental health.

Cons of starting a gardening business

• labour intensive – gardening can be physically demanding, involving heavy lifting and bending, which can result in back and joint problems
• seasonal work – the best months for gardening are from March to September, so there may not be as much work through the winter months
• weather dependent – working outdoors means being heavily reliant on the weather, and you may need to cancel jobs due to bad weather
• expensive equipment – professional gardening tools and equipment can be costly to buy and maintain.

What kind of gardening business is right for you?

When you’re planning to start a gardening business, there are three main options – you can either start from scratch, buy a franchise, or buy an existing business.

How to start a gardening business from scratch

Setting up a new business takes hard work, dedication, and strong organisational skills.

However, thoroughly researching your market and competitors before launching can potentially boost your chances of success.

It can help to have a working plan outlining everything you need to do to launch your venture – read our guidance about starting a new business.

Launching a business can be daunting but help and support are available. 

Since 2012, Start Up Loans has delivered more than £1 billion of loans to more than 105,000 businesses across the UK.

Buying a franchise

Buying a franchise could be less risky than starting a business from scratch, as this option involves buying the rights to sell the branded goods or services of an existing company.

Read our guidance about how to buy a franchise.

Buying an existing business

Buying an existing business has many advantages, as it may already have loyal customers and a successful business plan and operation.

Consider thoroughly researching the business you are looking to buy.

Seek professional legal advice to help ensure everything is in order before you take over.

What type of gardening services to offer

There are many types of gardening businesses, but which is right for you?

This depends on your interest, skills, and the local customer demand.

In the UK, over 164,000 people are either self-employed as gardeners or as landscapers.

There are many services you can offer to create a unique gardening business.

Here are just a few to consider:

Garden maintenance services

These services encompass everything from lawn mowing to general garden maintenance.

They also involve planting, watering, weeding, pest control, pruning and trimming, and lawn care.

Garden landscape and design services 

Garden landscaping and design involves designing and creating attractive and functional outdoor spaces that are bespoke to your client.

This includes assessing the site, creating plans, selecting plants and materials, and integrating features such as patios and water features.

Tree surgery

Tree Surgery is a professional service designed to care for, maintain, and remove trees and is generally carried out by skilled and qualified arborists.

Tree surgery services might include pruning, felling, planting, tree risk assessments, stump removal, and emergency tree work.

Hardscaping 

Involves planning and working on the solid areas of a landscape.

For example, this can include structures and installations made of stone, concrete, brick, wood, or metal – services usually include installing fencing, paved areas, and driveways.

What customers need gardening services?

Another consideration when deciding how to start a gardening business is whether you want to offer domestic, local council, or commercial gardening services – or a mix of all three.

Different customers may require specific services, equipment, and skills.

You could think about attracting the following types of clients:

• domestic or residential customers – homeowners with private gardens as part of their property
• business or commercial customers – organisations such as companies with work involving landscaping and maintaining outdoor workplace environments
• public sector customers – organisations such as local councils that require maintenance via tender for parks, social spaces, and services for council-owned sites such as care homes.

What skills and qualifications do you need?

If you want your business to stand out from the competition, think about obtaining a horticulture certification, as this demonstrates your knowledge of plants, garden design, and various garden maintenance techniques.

You might also want to investigate training in specific services such as design and landscaping, maintenance techniques, and lawn care.

Skills that you may find useful for running a gardening business include:

• gardening and horticultural skills – along with a passion for plants and gardening, it’s important to know about landscaping along with the ability to operate gardening equipment
• being organised, with good attention to detail – general business skills will come in helpful in keeping track of tax and insurance requirements as well as customer information and marketing
• strong customer service and communication skills – these are useful when dealing with customers as well as employees
• physical strength and stamina – gardening is physically demanding work, and a certain level of fitness will be required
• basic marketing skills – you will need to advertise and promote your business to attract customers.
   

Business requirements

You will need to be on top of business administration, invoicing, and cash flow, and it can be a good idea to learn more about starting and running a small business.

Consider using the free Learn with Start Up Loans resources for support and guidance.

As your business involves the public, you’ll need to obtain public liability insurance to protect your business from potential claims if a customer or third party suffers from an accidental injury or any property damage due to your work.

If you plan on employing staff, you must obtain employers’ liability insurance.

If you plan to offer design services or professional advice as part of your business, you may also wish to get professional indemnity insurance to protect yourself against potential claims.

Start-up costs

Starting a gardening business can involve many different costs – from equipment and transport to staffing.

You may wish to allocate a budget for some of the following:

• gardening equipment and tools, which vary depending on the kind of services you intend to offer
• transport for you and your equipment
• safety equipment, such as safety goggles, face masks, ear protection, gardening gloves, belts and braces, and a helmet
• overheads such as secure overnight equipment storage
• expenses such as fuel for machinery and transportation
• business expenses, such as registering your company and obtaining insurance
• a tree felling licence for the removal of any trees
• licences that allow you to use plant pesticides or dispose of waste
• additional insurance policies to cover you in case of accidents or to cover tools and equipment
• trade association memberships – to help increase brand awareness across other public bodies and customers
• marketing expenses.

Once you have decided on your gardening business and factored in the cost of starting it, you could consider seeking financial support for your venture.

Start-Up-Loans offers a government-backed loan of up to £25,000 plus a year of free mentoring to help you launch your business.

How to start a gardening business

Before you start your business, here are a few steps you should consider to give yourself the best chance of success.

Research customer demand

Identifying potential customers is important before setting up a gardening business.

It’s best to research demand for your services locally and identify potential customers.

You could do this using online surveys, face-to-face interviews, and observations.

Also, look at your potential competitors – what services they offer, how they market themselves, and how you could do it better.

Learn more about market research.

Register your business

Once you have a clear understanding of your market, the next step is to register your business.

You must choose a clear legal structure for your business, registering as either a sole trader, partnership, or limited company.

Choosing a suitable name for your business is the first step to building a strong brand identity – jot down some gardening business names and check with Companies House to see if the business name is available.

Choose your pricing

Pricing can be a tricky part of setting up a business.

Consider carefully how much you will charge your clients, as you need to cover the costs of any equipment, transport, and your own time.

Researching what competitors charge can help to provide you with a benchmark.

Record keeping and bookkeeping

Timely invoicing, bill payment, and record keeping can help keep your business in a healthy financial position.

Hiring an accountant can help you meet your tax obligations, make the most of any deductions, and offer advice for the growth of your business.

Marketing your gardening business

Once you have set up your business, having a steady stream of clients could help you make it a success.

Public sector organisations may tender gardening service contracts through government procurement platforms like the government’s Contract Finder platform.

But marketing your business to potential new customers could make all the difference in attracting a steady stream of bookings.

Consider marketing your gardening business to potential new customers in the following ways:

Create a website

One of the most effective ways to attract customers is to create a user-friendly website showcasing your gardening services, including pictures of your recent work and customer testimonials.

Advertise your gardening business

You could consider advertising in local newspapers, community magazines, or on local radio stations, highlighting what makes your service unique.

Network with local businesses

If you’re looking to establish a larger-scale gardening business, then it is a good idea to attend local gardening or business events or join community organisations to network with people in relevant industries who can refer customers to your services.

Use social media

Social media is an effective way to reach a wider audience.

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are well-suited for showing potential clients your gardening projects.

Consider posting regularly, showing the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos of your project, offering seasonal tips, or talking about unique gardening finds.

Keeping your audience engaged can help you reach new followers and turn them into potential customers.

Ask for reviews

Positive reviews from satisfied customers can boost your reputation.

Consider encouraging your customers to leave reviews on your website, a review platform like Trustpilot, or Google reviews.

Scaling your gardening business

Once your business has a regular customer base, you may want to consider expanding your business.

Scaling your business requires the same planning and decision-making you took to decide how to start a gardening business.

Here are some ways to go about it:

• consider obtaining additional skills, such as landscaping or bespoke maintenance services, to appeal to the broader category of clients
• hiring additional gardeners or support staff may be needed – and you might wish to invest in their training and offer supervision.
• consider having online and in-person avenues of communication with clients and try to respond quickly and professionally to inquiries and concerns – this type of professional conduct may help win and retain customers
• think about encouraging customer loyalty by offering long-term client referral discounts or referral incentives
• consider expanding your business to other locations outside your usual vicinity, for example, driving to another region to work on projects or opening a branch of your business in a different area.

Read about the dos and don’ts of scaling your start-up and how to scale your business.