How to Start a Garden Service Business in Malawi

Do you love gardening and being outdoors? If so, starting a gardening service may be ideal for you.

What Does a Garden Service Business Do?

A garden service can provide a variety of services – from grass cutting and weeding to full garden design and planning. The services you provide will be up to you. However, it’s a good idea to know ahead of time just what you’ll be providing.

Start by writing a list of the services you feel able to offer. Do you have experience with garden design and a great eye for detail? If so, you may want to help people plan and design their dream garden. Be aware that potential customers may ask about your qualifications and ask for samples of gardens you have previously designed.  So be sure to be taking photos of the gardens you have worked on am sure the owners would never mind this.

If design isn’t quite right for you, you may want to simply offer maintenance and planting services. You can have your own plants or buy from other people who sell these plants. In this case, you may advice clients about certain plants, and help them choose new plants and then plant them and care for them. Or you may simply want to offer light maintenance on existing gardens such as scheduled grass cutting and weeding. Again, the services you provide are entirely up to you.

How Do I Get Started?

If you’re going to get started as a one-person business then you simply need all the relevant equipment. Of course, you’ll have good knowledge about gardening and plants. If you’ve never taken a course that’s usually fine; you can always brush up on your skills as necessary with a home-study course or by studying gardening books, or browse the internet for more knowledge on this.

You need to consider buying equipment like  lawnmower it doesn’t have to be brand new you can buy second hand from a good dealer and you need a wheel barrow, hole, some slushier just in case, shovels etc.

Once you have all your equipment, you need to ensure you’re meeting all the legal business requirements. Get your business registered at and get more advice on all legal terms.

How Do I Find Clients?

 This is a business that will largely depend on word of mouth. If your customers are happy with your services, they will likely recommend you to their family and friends. Ensuring you do a great job is important!

To gain your first few clients, sending flyers out locally as well as placing a sign on your car (which has your logo and details) or ask taxi, minibus drivers if you can post your advert for a fee or if they can pass your flyers or posters to their customers, is an easy and inexpensive way to start.

You may also want to place an ad in Malawian news papers. Building a relationship with a local garden nursery or garden center is a good idea as well. You can commit to buying your plants and equipment from them if in exchange they tell their clients about your services. Most garden centers ask them if you can place a flyer on their premises.

If you love gardening and have a great knowledge of plants and their care, starting a garden service business may be ideal for you. This is a flexible business with a lot of potential.