Spring -Summer 2009- ?

Comments

James December 20, 2008 at 8:10am

Hi Robin,

Towards the end of this year I have found all my landscape construction jobs have dried up. I have had an increase in people wanting garden maintenance so I think 2009 I shall be concentrating on that mostly. I'll be looking to pick up a few regular contracts on the larger gardens. I'm currently keeping my overheads as low as possible and not looking to expand to quickly.

I have noticed an increase in people wanting to grow their own veggies, a number of clients have expressed interest in helping them set up a veggie garden. I'm keen to really expand on the green organic side of things next year as alot of people seem to be looking to go that way and I myself am very keen on 'organic' growing.
Susan December 20, 2008 at 12:34pm

We need to wake up and smell the coffee! I think there is a move away from luxury towards necessity among the general public and this is a good thing in general. However the landscaping of domestic gardens falls under the luxury side of things, and its inevitable that there is a reduction in demand as people hang onto their cash. Fewer people moving into new houses too mean fewer customers from that market. It remains to be seen if extra work will come from people making the best of what they have got, including their gardens, rather than moving. This situation will weed out (scuse the pun) the weakest companies...all those 100s of marginal quality landscapers with no or little design training or aptitude. Again this is a good thing for the quality established companies. It might be prudent for us all to start looking towards becoming part of the necessity rather than luxury side of things and diversify a bit more...what do people actually need to have done?
PRO

Phil Voice December 20, 2008 at 5:25pm

Something I have been encouraging for the last couple of years Susan.

Perhaps an elaborate design is now an indulgence but raised vegetable borders and maybe a greenhouse base is where bread and butter will come from for the next 12-18 moths.

One great example is the Christmas tree rental idea recently featured on Landscape Juice. Martin Cake latched onto a simple idea to rent out Christmas trees at £25.00 each and the great thing is, he gets to sell these trees over and over again.

It is really sustainable and an idea that our resident nursery owners might do well to consider.

Many years ago I approached a farmer who had a pheasant shoot on his land. He had planted a few thousand trees as cover for the birds and they need to be thinned.

I offered to thin them out free of charge so that I could sell the trees - I gave him 50% and he was not worried if the bent ones were left.
Ofer El-hashahar December 21, 2008 at 8:31pm

I get e-mails from horticulture week news - they all say that grow your own will be the thing that will be promoted by the garden centers and the BBc.

I hope so as on January I will market my recycled easy raised beds to garden centers.
A short clip of how to use it is ready and will be launched on the website in the next week.
sure any member can get these or other products from my products with massive discount.

God bless you too Robin,
best Christmas and best year
James Bond

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