Small trade nursery for landscapers and gardeners

Landscapers, garden designers, local authorities, garden centres, farm shops and keen gardeners who visit.

Wholesale sales in bulk at trade prices, plus higher-margin retail sales from the gate or a small sales area. Regular trade accounts help smooth income.

• Plant growing and crop planning
• Irrigation, potting and pest control
• Selling to trade customers
• Managing stock, costs and seasonal workload

• Land use and planning: check with your local council what is allowed on the site, including sales to the public and signage
• Plant health rules: check whether you need to register with the plant health authorities and issue plant passports for what you sell
• Public liability insurance, plus employer's liability insurance if you hire staff
• Use of pesticides and compost: check training and storage rules, and any peat restrictions
• Cash flow is slow because plants take months or years to grow before you can sell them

Startup costs are typically around £5,000 to £25,000, depending on the land, how many polytunnels you put up and how much stock you grow at the start. These are estimates, so price your own plot and equipment.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £1,500 to £7,500, depending on the range you grow, your trade customers and any retail sales. Plants take months or years to grow, so cash flow can be slow at first.

Check with your council what is allowed on the site, including public sales and signage. Check whether you need to register with the plant health authorities and issue plant passports. Check insurance, pesticide training and storage rules, and any peat restrictions.