New Business

[Botticelliwoman]

I'm in the process of setting up a wildlife gardening business, mostly growing plants that attract wildlife to kick off with. I got fed up with having to research what plants I needed when I first started wildlife gardening..then trying to find them in garden centres, so I started growing my own. I'd like to try and show ppl that wildlife gardening doesn't mean having weeds as far as the eye can see!
The problem is...where is best to sell my plants? I thought I might start with car-boot sales. Do any of you have any experience of selling plants at car-boots? Also I'll do a few one-off specialist plant sales and some of the local fetes and galas but I have no idea where else I could try....ideas PLEASE!!!

Aitch

[Kayleigh]

Hi and welcome to WAB,

As well as the car boot you could try mail order and set up a website with photos and description of the plants and a list to go with the plants of what benefit the plant is to wildlife.
Plant selling is seasonal so this time of year you could try a sideline to sell along side the plants maybe make jams or something.
Good luck with the venture..

[Tringa]

I agree with Kayleigh's suggestion. Websites are easy to set up and will, eventually, get a to a lot of people.

There will not too much buying of plants just now, I think, but will you be able to supply large numbers of plants if it really takes off?

Another place to sell is getting a stall at something like a country fair - again for next year.

Good luck and keep coming back here.

Dave

[Botticelliwoman]

Thanks for the suggestions! It's funny, we were at a fair the other day watching the woman on the next stall surrounded by folk buying her pickles and we thought hmmmmmm.
We will be getting a website soon but at the moment we're not in a position to handle sales from it because we have only have 2 gardens and an allotment to grow on and couldn't produce enough to meet orders if it took off. We will be show-casing what we do (creating wildlife gardens and areas for clients and advice on attracting wildlife etc) and where we will be selling for the year ahead.
I'll certainly keep visiting this site....can't believe I've only just found it!

[earthdragon64]

Try using an online auction site such as ebay to dip your toe in the online selling world. I know there are a couple of plant sellers on there already, having a look at them could give you some pointers.

Regards, Audrey.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Botticelliwoman

I'm in the process of setting up a wildlife gardening business, mostly growing plants that attract wildlife to kick off with. .....................
........The problem is...where is best to sell my plants? I thought I might start with car-boot sales. Do any of you have any experience of selling plants at car-boots? Also I'll do a few one-off specialist plant sales and some of the local fetes and galas but I have no idea where else I could try....ideas PLEASE!!!

I would actually urge caution re: mail order. Although it is certainly an effective way to reach a diverse customer base, the packaging and carriage requirements for safe delivery of live plants is an important consideration - you don't want the plants being delivered 'dead'. There are also cost implications as well as issues under consumer legislation that apply to mail order - you need to explore those thoroughly before setting up an online sales operation. A web site of course is pretty much an essential for any business.

What I would suggest at this stage is trying to establish a customer base within an area that you are happy to deliver in, or from which you can attract visitorship - whether to your regular stalls or to one of your gardens. If wildlife is to be your key selling point then perhaps look at payiing for ads or leaflet inserts in the mailouts for local Wildlife and Environmental groups. You will probably reach over half your potential core customers that way. As far as stall locations are concerned, Farmers Markets are a ikely location for a good customer base contact, particulalry if you are offering gardening services, not just plants sales.

CM

[Botticelliwoman]

Thanks CM. I have researched a little into the online selling lark and know that it aint as cheap to set up as you might think; also the plants need to be of a certain size to fit the packaging that's available. Great idea about delivering locally, which we'd be happy to do because we want contact with our customers, and farmers markets are firmly on the list. Years ago I helped set up the one at Doncaster, though it's since been swallowed up by the local council I know I'm very cottagy-industryish but I think being face-to-face with customers is the way to go....especially as many people still have misconceptions about wildlife gardening. I do also think we can't have the business without a website, and there's no reason we can't sell related products through it (we're knocking out bug houses over winter)
I think e-bay might work for some things, Audrey, especially if we have stuff left over at end of season but it'd have to be pick up only at the mo.
Thanks all for the good advice

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by Botticelliwoman

I'm in the process of setting up a wildlife gardening business, mostly growing plants that attract wildlife to kick off with. I got fed up with having to research what plants I needed when I first started wildlife gardening..then trying to find them in garden centres, so I started growing my own. I'd like to try and show ppl that wildlife gardening doesn't mean having weeds as far as the eye can see!

It's interesting that you're planning to do this. I've thought about it myself, in the past, but have always felt that the potential market was too limited to sustain a business. What market research have you done?

Are you planning on doing design and/or maintenance as well?

T2

[Botticelliwoman]

Hi T2
Yes we'll eventually be doing design and maintenance, building habitat walls, digging ponds and bog gardens etc.
Now seems to be the perfect time (economic downturn aside) as more people are becoming aware of the plight of our wildlife, especially bees. We've had a few meetings with the local biodiversity network and strained our eyes and boredom levels reading the government white paper 'The Natural Choice'...it always helps when you know what govt. targets are, even when they don't aim very close to them
Also, because we're doing a mix of native, near-native and non-native plants, we can just about cater to any space and taste. I know that the purists will be appalled but the evidence seems to show that wildlife just aint that fussy.

[Janec]

Hi,
Just wanted to wish you luck in your venture. I grow and sell plants and luckily I have a local indoor weekly market where I have a stall. I mainly sell herbs although I've had to diversify into more mainstream plants to make it pay (anything bright orange is popular).
I agree that you should definitely give e-bay a go. I tried it this summer (buyer collects only) and it was fairly successful. People seem to be prepared to travel to collect if you have a fairly good choice at a reasonable price especially for hard to find plants such as yours. (You haven't got any butterbur have you?). I also offered bulk buys (approx. 15 to 30 plants of anything that was looking past it's best and I didn't have the space to nurture until the next year). The good thing about e-bay is you only have to list when you have time. When you're up to your armpits in seedlings needing to be potted on you don't have to spend time on answering e-mails etc. as you would with a permanent web-site although that would be great if you have the time.
I also looked into buying cell packs to send via the post but the price was too prohibitive although I've seen a few for sale via e-bay but only for plug plants. I also looked at the feedback of people sending plants via the post on e-bay and there does seem to be occasional problems with plants sitting in the post office for days when people are out when the postman calls.
I've also found that people prefer to buy plants with the proper plastic labels. Although I hate to add more plastic to the world it definitely improved sales. It tends to reassure people if it's a plant they are not familiar with. I get mine from Floramedia although their wildflower range is probably not extensive enough for you.
Do you have any alternative/green festivals in your area. Old hippies (myself included) love stalls selling this kind of thing.
You've probably found the suppliers you need but if I can offer any advice on where to buy cheapish compost and pots etc. at almost trade prices but not by the lorry load then please let me know although I'm no expert and very small scale (one-woman band with help from husband at weekends).
Wishing you every success
Jane