Alan Sargent 
As a Gardens Consultant, working in the Private sector i.e. Non-Local Authority, my work takes me to many different types of garden, including large Estates in the hands of Private Families, and a range of Amenity estates and complexes that are managed by Agents or Commercial owners, including Hotels and similar properties. Whilst much of … Read more
‘I usually follow my instincts when dealing with potential customers. I have one enquiry from a property owner living at a very exclusive development concerning cutting an established beech hedge. The house is on an expensive gated estate, and I would like to get more work from the various owners. However, my concern is that … Read more
‘I run a two man maintenance business, mainly grass and hedge cutting. I feel I want to improve my efficiency by investing in new equipment, but find it difficult to reconcile the costs with increased productivity. I am sure we will be faster and more proficient – yet at the same time carrying out the … Read more
‘I am a Head Gardener with a staff of seven full time and three part time but regular gardeners. Although I have a generous amount of money allocated each year for training, I confess to having difficulty in either finding suitable courses, both in terms of suiting my workforce and the needs of the Estate. … Read more
‘I am a self – employed gardener, and have recently been commissioned to work at a large house in the country, where the previous sole gardener used to maintain the grounds. The only other outdoor worker is a handyman – cum – general labourer. I am expected to look after the whole garden in two … Read more
‘I feel I have reached saturation point in my local area, having landscaped many gardens over the past fifteen years. I am pretty well known locally, and now wish to look for new markets further afield. I work mainly in villages, and would like to try to attract more prestigious work in larger towns. How … Read more
‘I run a small firm, previously providing a garden maintenance business, but have gradually expanded my offer into design and build projects. Whilst I am comfortable in this transition, I am becoming frustrated by seeing my work being neglected by clients. Some seem unable to realise that plants need correct pruning and maintenance to achieve … Read more
‘I run a small to medium sized landscape company, and feel quite capable at coping with most situations. As my project size has grown, so too have the problems! Some appear to be beyond my control, and these are very frustrating. Particularly difficult are those schemes where we are employed by a Construction Company (acting … Read more
‘I have become increasingly aware of a worrying phenomenon within the realms of Senior and Head Gardeners, employed in a variety of different ‘Estates’ with other departments sharing the work of maintaining the grounds.’ During the past three years or so, what at first appeared to me to be a fairly unusual set of circumstances … Read more
With any article, I am only too aware of the constraints placed on any attempt to offer sound and practical advice in a short article. The question raised was that posed by clients who treat invoices as something to be queried and payment thus delayed. In that feature I concentrated on sole traders, and I … Read more
There are so many different types of gardening business, from ‘lawns and hedges only’ firms to landscape companies providing a full design and build package, with a large percentage of firms offering a mixture of maintenance and construction dependent on the seasons or wishes of their clients. It is this diverse nature of our industry … Read more
‘We are thinking of changing the name of our garden maintenance firm to reflect the fact that we are hoping to attract more landscape work. The present name indicates that we only carry out mowing and hedging contracts. Are there any names we should avoid?’ Changing the name of any firm can prove expensive in … Read more
‘I am frequently asked how I manage to convert such a high ratio of enquiries into contracts (I am essentially a landscaper with an ever increasing portfolio of consultancy work, which is a sign of growing older, yet after nearly fifty years in the trade, still feel at least thirty years younger than I am!)’ … Read more
‘I am a sole trader, running a garden nursery and maintenance business. I sometimes reduce the prices of my plants and advertise the discount to attract buyers. I am becoming increasingly reliant on my maintenance works, but have quiet periods, especially in the winter. Would it be sensible to offer a Winter Discount to try … Read more
‘ I have had a couple of instances where the client has accepted a quote, but several months after I submitted it. I now feel unhappy with my figures, but do not want to withdraw as I would like the work – but how do I go about submitting a new quote?’ This is another … Read more
‘The following format and questionnaire is designed for use by all employers involved in the world of horticulture. They are intended for use when interviewing for senior positions, and may be used for all kinds of business model.’ An increasing part of my consultancy work involves locating and appointing new Head Gardeners, usually for larger … Read more
‘I have been steadily building my garden maintenance business, branching out into some more ambitious landscaping projects and looking forward to a time when I can justify employing a Manager to help share the responsibility of running the firm. Is there a stage I should reach before taking this step?’ Not every firm – indeed, … Read more
I have been asked several times, and in several different ways, for a potential solution to the problem of finding suitable staff. I fully appreciate their dilemma. In a normal year the financially rewarding season for maintenance works is during the Spring and Autumn, when gardens are sprouting weeds and grass everywhere, or plants are … Read more
‘I have been running a small gardens maintenance business for four years, and have never yet been asked for a written contract by my customers. They are all ‘domestic’, but I am attracting some larger and more complicated jobs, involving full days instead of a couple of hours. I am nervous of asking people to … Read more
‘I carry out maintenance works as well as small landscaping projects and I enjoy garden design. I feel perfectly able to offer a ‘professional’ service at all three disciplines, but find it difficult to explain my different skills to existing and potential customers. They appear confused as to why I do mowing if I can … Read more
‘The old head gardener is leaving, and I have been asked to take on the job. My employer seems to think I could do it, but I am not too comfortable with knowing what questions to ask before signing a new contract. I am wary as I do not want to mess up this chance … Read more
“I want to expand my One Man Band gardening business, without taking on the risk of employing anyone. I do not feel confident enough to make that commitment. I am considering asking someone else who I know, who is thinking about starting up a similar business to see if they will come in with me … Read more
If you work in a large and very interesting garden, with a lot of history and unusual features, you have a lot to talk about! The art of being a fascinating and informative host is to really know your subject. Not only regarding the plants, trees and shrubs that form the backdrop to the garden … Read more
This must be the Number One question, asked in different ways, by so many people – even those who have been in business for a couple of years or more. Indeed, you asked a further question – ‘How can I be more competitive?’ – implying that you think you may be losing work to cheaper … Read more
I understand that you operate a wholesale business, and it would be difficult to reconcile the costs of ensuring your premises were suited to the general public. The provision of toilet facilities, extra safety factors and employing sales staff would not guarantee sufficient additional income. The ability to be able to close the gates for … Read more
It does seem that workers are less inclined to stay in one place for any length of time. Maybe it is just an illusion, but years ago, staff were taken on, and trained to the standards required by the firm, then stayed on to become chargehands, building their skills base from hands on artisans to … Read more
‘I have been working in the horticultural industry for nearly twenty years, and have recently heard about something called Personal Development Programme. Is this something I can take up, starting from today? Is it like a c.v?’ What you have in mind is something called CPD or Continual Personal Development. Unlike a c.v. it is … Read more
‘I think I can offer a better service than my competitors. How can I get that message across to the public? (I run a garden maintenance business)’ In March 2013, in this column, I wrote about Unique Selling Points (USP’s) in which I discussed setting yourself apart from the crowd by various methods involving marketing … Read more
‘I need to find a decent, all round gardener to assist in my maintenance business. I have tried the Job Centre, and had well over one hundred applications – only to find that very few even want to come along for an interview, and those that did had no experience or were willing to agree … Read more
Some years ago, I was commissioned to design & build a garden at Chelsea for one of the major ‘sheds’, with a further brief to set up a completed construction of a ‘complete pond kit’ (comprising liner, pump, hose and instruction video) at a show at Woburn Abbey by 09.00 the following day. Working with … Read more
A code of conduct or site etiquette is really a basic requirement for any firm whose staff members come into contact with the public. They should already be familiar with the concept of being polite, smart and helpful, and it should be a simple matter of formalising that fact by issuing an Internal Memo, to … Read more
Method statements are used when undertaking a particular task that is not part of normal practice, requiring thought and a degree of military style logic. What you are doing is writing down as a story, everything you can think of to complete that project, in a step by step manner. This document is of great … Read more
Even the most modest garden need to have records and inventories. If the garden is maintained by resident staff, there will be an amount of tools and equipment on site, all of which should be placed into a written schedule or inventory. This document should be upgraded every year. Certainly it should be one of … Read more
SHOW HOUSE GARDENS (The Science of Designing and Building Gardens for Show Homes) Over the years, I developed a system of working with Property Developers and major building companies that enabled me to create a business that was almost a ‘stand alone’ specialist firm – a Design and Build Landscape Company that became part of … Read more
In my professional capacity as a Consultant, I have been involved in many varying scenarios, when called upon to settle disputes, either ‘in house’ or at Court as an Expert Witness (usually employed by the defendant but more often by a Solicitor, the ‘expert witness’ has to be accepted by the Court as such, when … Read more
In all walks of life, we meet up with people who cause friction, and if you are unfortunate in finding that you have either inherited, or taken on, such employees, you will have to tackle the problems sooner or later. The secret is in awareness, and maintaining control of your workforce without causing friction yourself. … Read more
Many years ago, during the 1960s, I was a young and very green Policeman. Think Heartbeat rather than Life On Mars, Z Cars rather than The Bill. (Imagine Constable Sargent!). Working in rural Sussex was not very exciting – all cattle markets and sheep registers. It was only when I moved to The Met did … Read more
During my work as a Consultant, and my leisure time as a frequent visitor to a range of gardens open to the public, varying in size, nature and complexity throughout Britain, I am often struck by the opportunities that are lost to the property owners and managers. With the very difficult year of 2012 still … Read more
The remit of this article is to supply a template to be applied when formulating a job description for attracting a Senior, Deputy Head or Head Gardener in the Private sector (Private Gardens and Estates, including Historic Houses, Hotels, Clubs and the like). Properties owned and regulated by Local Authorities and Government Agencies operate their … Read more
Part of my job as a Gardens Consultant is the recruitment of suitable applicants for senior positions, usually, but not exclusively for Private gardens. On occasions, I am called upon to find people for the more ‘commercial’ type of properties, with a corporate owner other than a private individual, and I carry out a wide … Read more
Finance Matters Really Matter At the risk of becoming seen as fixated on the word ‘Survival’ – having written both The Head Gardeners Survival Manual and The Landscapers Survival Manual, I still find that I cannot find a more suitable word to convey the very essence of Self Employment! The thrill of starting out working … Read more
Selling Yourself – Part One There are so many books and articles on the subject of personal projection and preparing for job interviews, with millions of words all mixed and muddled up into new ways of saying the same thing – Creating a Good Impression at Job Interviews. Yet to me, they all sound so sanitised, … Read more
Producing a curriculum vitae In this, the second part of a short series aimed at demystifying the inner workings of the world of job interviews, especially regarding the specialist nature of our industry, I will attempt to explain matters as seen through the eyes of an interviewing board. Although these articles are written as stand … Read more
Marketing Yourself – Philosophy & Strategy In this, the third and final part of a short series aimed at demystifying the inner workings of the world of seeking work in the Gardening Industry, I will attempt to guide you through the essentials of Marketing Your Skills Although these articles are written as standalone features, it … Read more
Part One explored the business of producing a portfolio, Part Two covered the subject of producing your c.v. and Part Three was entitled Marketing Yourself – Philosophy and Strategy. The final part was dedicated to marketing your skills as an individual and also as a business. However, I have been asked to go beyond this foundation … Read more
It is widely held that any business which operates an internal hierarchal system that permits staff to ascend a career ladder within the company structure is likely to be a well – run organisation, ready to train and improve the capabilities of the staff. Incentivising workers may be a major plank in the company policy, … Read more
Over a career spanning more than fifty years, I have met and been enthralled by a small number of incredible people, all of whom I consider to be ‘Heroes’ of our industry. They were probably completely unaware of how much of an impression they made on me, but they were instrumental in enthusing me with … Read more
I have had the privilege of acting as Consultant to several large gardens over the past few years, helping to develop the sites into becoming more ‘commercial’ or profitable/less expensive to run through a host of different, yet related, methods. Not simply by improving efficiency, but by providing a raft of proposals and solutions to … Read more
In order to achieve the required result of a campaign, you need to write down all ASSETS that are available to YOU. include the following as a minimum: Vehicle – Type and drive (4 x 4?) Snow chains? Snow tyres? Fuel supply adequate? Tools and Equipment – Especially items useful in emergency work e.g. Chain saw, winch, … Read more
I use the term ‘Million Dollar Gardens’ as I feel it evokes the Golden days when a million dollars was worth something really special. When a Hollywood actress could insure her legs or teeth for this massive sum. It always sounds more romantic than a million shekels, or roubles – even Pounds. By Million Dollar … Read more