First and foremost, before you start to earn money, you need to establish the type of gardening you wish to do, and also noting that there is an order and some rules as well as laws we all require to follow in conjunction to the country that we’re in.

In the UK, the below four points are extremely important: -

• Understanding the benefits of becoming self-employed or starting a limited company
• How to register as self-employed or as a limited company. (5 minute process).
• Self assessment and Tax benefits of being self-employed or with a limited company.
• Insurance.

Now, let’s list tools and start-up costs for aGardening business in your neighbourhood, or wherever you may be.

• Wheelbarrow = £10 (Gumtree)
• Spade = £5 (Gumtree)
• Shovel = £5 (Gumtree)
• Secateurs = £10 (Gumtree)
• Rake = £5 (Gumtree)
• Public liability insurance = £43 and upwards

The total cost to start your gardening business todayis £78! There’s no excuse, because many people have done it!

Developing your Gardening business

• As with any business, if people don’t know about you, then it’s hard to get new business inquiries, so you need to start somewhere, and the most cost effective and direct method is by knocking on your neighbours doors. You’re highly likely to achieve at least a few customers, and should you do a good job, word of mouth will most certainly grant you more work.
• If you’re staying in your local area, then you won’t need transport, but if you’re going to visit different areas, then you will need a car or van. Not only can you reach customers further afield, which expands your customer base, but it’s also somewhere you can store your tools along the way.
• Purchase specialist tools to perform more specific or difficult tasks. ‘’A workman never blames their tools’’ stems from people doing a bad job, then offering an excuse, but sometimes you do need the right tools for the right job. When you start your gardening business, you’ll likely be offering basic services, but as time goes on, more customers will eventually require specialist work, and for that to happen, not only do you need the knowledge and practice, you also need the tools.

Helpful tips - Practise makes perfect when it comes to gardening, so if you don’t have previous experience, then start with the smallest of jobs, such as grass cutting, digging up weeds and planting flowers. As time goes on, you can learn new skills, as there are plenty of courses available should you wish to become a landscape gardener.

Note very customer is going to be online, especially the previous generation, so although an online presence is necessary, things like business cards are still useful. They are relatively inexpensive, and you get a lot for your money. You can also make them look attractive and visually appealing, which catches people's attention. At the end of the day, this is all about knowing your market and how to reach them!

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