| ding garden services to private and business | | | | price you’re charging, you must turn up on |
| companies is a booming industry. From general garden | | | | time and work for the hours you’re |
| maintenance to full-blown landscaping services, the | | | | contracted to carry out, and you must have enough |
| demand for professional garden services is growing | | | | gardening knowledge to give advice when asked. |
| and it’s an attractive option for anyone | | | | If this all seems a bit daunting, don’t be put |
| thinking about starting their own business. | | | | off. There are mentors out there who have the |
| If the garden services sector attracts you, you | | | | landscaping and horticultural experience you need to |
| should make sure that you know as much as you | | | | get your business off to a flying start. Working with |
| can before you start. You may think it’s | | | | you from the first concepts of your business to |
| straightforward to cut the grass and trim the | | | | helping you get the right customers and growing your |
| hedges, but the more you know about the work you | | | | business in the right direction. They can help with |
| take on, the better placed you are to provide a wide | | | | practical issues such as choosing and looking after |
| range of useful services to your customers. What do | | | | your tools, getting the best deals on plants, and soft |
| you know about feeding lawns, or encouraging | | | | and hard landscaping, and they can be on call to help |
| growth in hedging, or keeping borders clear of | | | | you sort out problems or provide on-the-job training |
| weeds? | | | | so that you can promote your services with |
| Private and commercial customers are looking for | | | | confidence. |
| three key things in a gardening service: | | | | If you’re thinking of setting up a garden |
| • Value for money | | | | services business, make a point of finding a mentor |
| • Reliability | | | | who can set you off in the right direction. It’s |
| • Knowledge | | | | an initial investment that will pay off in the long-run. |
| You must provide a service that’s worth the | | | | |