Hogweed was right, there isn't much to do over the winter period so you need to factor that in if you have a house to run, family to care for and bills to pay - and equipment to maintain. Also the weather can play havoc with your gardening plans when you are up and running, it's not always sunny and you can't mow a waterlogged lawn. Go for it but have another string to your bow so that in the lean times you can earn a crust. So instead of doing 1 course, do another as well, painting and decorating, electrician, roofer, teaching etc, stuff you can do on an ad hoc basis. Then you can live and enjoy work. You must also try to speak to local gardeners to see what work is about - no point starting up if the area is already saturated. Good luck.
Check out the Landscape Juice Network, it is a website for professional gardeners and has a very active forum with lots of helpful insights for people just starting out in the business. I started my gardening business gradually about 15 years ago, having started the RHS Horticultural course because I loved gardening, fitting it in around my young family. Now they are all grown up, I garden full time, as well as providing a full garden design service. I love my work, but gardening for yourself is quite different from gardening for other people. I do work throughout the winter months, there is still plenty to be done, but probably only at half to two thirds capacity because of the darker evenings and, of course, the weather. You have to be prepared to work really hard during the finer months to compensate for any loss of earnings during the winter. Work on your plant knowledge, and figure out what your gardening strengths are and promote those. Be a people person, listen to your clients and understand what it is that they want from you. Be reliable, turn up at the appointed time, communicate regularly with them, and don't try and do something you are not sure about. Nobody minds if you don't know how to prune a particular bush. I would much rather someone say to me, 'I don't know, but I will look it up', than just do it and make a mess of the job! If I can be of any further help, just message me!
If any of you wannabe gardeners live near me, I would love to employ you.
I enquired for someone to cut the lawns, general help weeding etc. Young chap, about 26 fed up with his day job wanted £20.00 per hour, So I struggle on!
Seems there is plenty of money in gardening, but it is hard work when you do a full day of it, I can vouch for that.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Hi Lyn may I ask you where you live I'm from retford Lincolnshire near Newark Doncaster Gainsborough if that's any help I can do everything on your list with a smile and a sence of humour
Kevin, I was in professional horticulture for over 30 years. I started as a garden centre assistant ( great place to pick up plant knowledge) went on to GC management, left, became a self employed gardener, went back to college and qualified as a garden designer. You CAN make a living at it but it's tough. Anyone can call himself a gardener, unlike calling themselves a doctor or an architect. Where we lived in Hants ? Surrey, gardeners, even not very knowledgeable ones can charge £20 - £25 an hour. we've now moved to Devon ( best move I've ever made) and gardeners get paid about the national minimum wage of £7 an hour. I've retired to my 8 acres for my gardening kicks and deliver shopping for Waitrose now.
OK thank you all for your thoughts and input I'm working on my strategy what to present to you and the public I will work it out in my head while I'm at work wishing I was gardening I'm looking at the local gardening adverts and they all sound the same quick fix I'm the antithesis of the ground force brigade
i am a professional gardener of 25 years. When I started it was a lot easier to get in to a so called gardening school . I did my groundwork in a local gardening centre and then did home studies in gardening techniques and design.
As other have said, you will possibly never be rich doing this occupation but if gardening is in your blood then it will be a pleasure everyday
i would not give up your existing employment at present, but look to get on a home study course in gardening
Posts
Hogweed was right, there isn't much to do over the winter period so you need to factor that in if you have a house to run, family to care for and bills to pay - and equipment to maintain. Also the weather can play havoc with your gardening plans when you are up and running, it's not always sunny and you can't mow a waterlogged lawn. Go for it but have another string to your bow so that in the lean times you can earn a crust. So instead of doing 1 course, do another as well, painting and decorating, electrician, roofer, teaching etc, stuff you can do on an ad hoc basis. Then you can live and enjoy work. You must also try to speak to local gardeners to see what work is about - no point starting up if the area is already saturated. Good luck.
Check out the Landscape Juice Network, it is a website for professional gardeners and has a very active forum with lots of helpful insights for people just starting out in the business. I started my gardening business gradually about 15 years ago, having started the RHS Horticultural course because I loved gardening, fitting it in around my young family. Now they are all grown up, I garden full time, as well as providing a full garden design service. I love my work, but gardening for yourself is quite different from gardening for other people. I do work throughout the winter months, there is still plenty to be done, but probably only at half to two thirds capacity because of the darker evenings and, of course, the weather. You have to be prepared to work really hard during the finer months to compensate for any loss of earnings during the winter. Work on your plant knowledge, and figure out what your gardening strengths are and promote those. Be a people person, listen to your clients and understand what it is that they want from you. Be reliable, turn up at the appointed time, communicate regularly with them, and don't try and do something you are not sure about. Nobody minds if you don't know how to prune a particular bush. I would much rather someone say to me, 'I don't know, but I will look it up', than just do it and make a mess of the job! If I can be of any further help, just message me!
If any of you wannabe gardeners live near me, I would love to employ you.
I enquired for someone to cut the lawns, general help weeding etc. Young chap, about 26 fed up with his day job wanted £20.00 per hour, So I struggle on!
Seems there is plenty of money in gardening, but it is hard work when you do a full day of it, I can vouch for that.
Hi Lyn may I ask you where you live I'm from retford Lincolnshire near Newark Doncaster Gainsborough if that's any help I can do everything on your list with a smile and a sence of humour
Kevin, I would take you on tomorrow if you lived here and teach you the basics, unfortunately, I am right down in Devon.
OK well thank you anyway if you ever find yourself up here let me know
Kevin, I was in professional horticulture for over 30 years. I started as a garden centre assistant ( great place to pick up plant knowledge) went on to GC management, left, became a self employed gardener, went back to college and qualified as a garden designer. You CAN make a living at it but it's tough. Anyone can call himself a gardener, unlike calling themselves a doctor or an architect. Where we lived in Hants ? Surrey, gardeners, even not very knowledgeable ones can charge £20 - £25 an hour. we've now moved to Devon ( best move I've ever made) and gardeners get paid about the national minimum wage of £7 an hour. I've retired to my 8 acres for my gardening kicks and deliver shopping for Waitrose now.
OK thank you all for your thoughts and input I'm working on my strategy what to present to you and the public I will work it out in my head while I'm at work wishing I was gardening I'm looking at the local gardening adverts and they all sound the same quick fix I'm the antithesis of the ground force brigade
Hi Kev
i am a professional gardener of 25 years. When I started it was a lot easier to get in to a so called gardening school . I did my groundwork in a local gardening centre and then did home studies in gardening techniques and design.
As other have said, you will possibly never be rich doing this occupation but if gardening is in your blood then it will be a pleasure everyday
i would not give up your existing employment at present, but look to get on a home study course in gardening
best of luck