How to Make a Career Out of Your Garden
Gardening is a beloved hobby for many in the UK. We have many spectacular works that incredible botanists have made. If you wish to learn how to make money from your gardening skills, you can find some vacancies on sites like Jooble. They include information on finding the right job in hundreds of locations. You can find gardener and groundsman jobs in Suffolk or Kent, and many other places in the country. More information can be found on how to apply your skills. Here is an in-depth guide on how to make a career out of your garden.
Learn to Work Your Garden
The best way to get your green thumb going is to get hands-on experience. If you find yourself taking care of your garden as a hobby, this is the best way to improve these skills. Sometimes, it takes simple knowledge and the means to do so. Practice makes perfect, after all. You could be creating some lovely designs yourself. Some of which may even be edible if you are growing things like fruits and vegetables. However, it can be daunting if you are completely lacking the experience. It may not be something that you can just throw yourself into.
An alternative can be taking an actual course to learn natural gardening. There are plenty of resources in the UK that can offer helpful tips on what to do. This can be from learning the step-by-step guide, knowing how much soil is needed, and more. There are even some university studies that can teach you gardening skills. Some of them that relate to agricultural knowledge may be an excellent place to start. If you want the direct approach, try volunteering at places so that you can try learning from your peers.
Building a Portfolio
Learning about gardening is only the first step. The next step is to try and build up these experiences to make a CV. The volunteer work mentioned earlier is still a good place to get started. There you can learn something new from specialists and get some valuable contacts.
As for actual paid work, there are places you can get a part-time job that offer a similar experience. For instance, you can get in gardening shops specializing in selling products that help in this field. Learn all about how to maintain a garden and interact with gardening customers. There are dozens of vacancies in the modern job market. You may find yourself on a career path that will involve talking to people. If you can grab experience there, this is a great way to train you in that aspect.
More Than Gardening
A career in gardening doesn’t necessarily have to do with the garden. Sometimes it can involve the process but not run you through it physically. A good example of this type of work is a garden designer. Knowing how something will look doesn’t mean you have to put your hands through the ropes. You can plan out the design of a garden using your knowledge of flowers and colours. See how to make a garden shine bright by mixing in the right bit of foliage. Many people pay good money to let someone else make their choices.
If you enjoy hard work and labour, then the main job you can look for is garden management. A lot of professional parks and recreational centres will have gardens as part of the scenery. It takes someone with a real knack for horticulture to keep these gardens well-maintained. It isn’t just about designing the look of the gardens. The job requires you to fix any issues, change the scenery when needed, and keep all flora in top condition. Anything less will mean fewer satisfied visitors. Gardens are a way to help people relax, so it is your job to make it as relaxing as possible.
Start a business
Another great option if you’re keen to turn your green fingers into a career is to start your own business. There are various ways you can do this, from setting up a stall at your local farmer’s market to starting an online shop.
If you’re selling produce, it’s important to make sure that your products are of the highest quality. This means growing them organically and using sustainable methods. Customers are increasingly interested in where their food comes from and how it has been grown, so it’s important to be able to reassure them that your products are ethically sourced. If you don’t currently have a small holding or garden big enough to create enough produce to sell, you could look to either get some additional space at your local allotment or purchase or rent locally. Start up business loans could well help you with getting finance for land if don’t have the capital available to do it yourself.
Running your own business can be a lot of work, but it’s also very rewarding. Not only will you be doing something you’re passionate about, but you’ll also have the freedom to set your own hours and be your own boss.
Changing to Greenery
Some experienced workers may have switched to gardening as an alternative. Even younger folks are getting more into it. There are reports of those who have retired from other professions like nursing and law. Instead, they have chosen a life of making money from the green. Specialized resources like the WRAGS (Work and Retrain as a Gardner Scheme) will help you engage in a wide range of horticultural occupations. Other professionals in the business can offer their unique systems to help many older folks get back into their hobby and even younger folks are getting more into it.
If you feel like being a gardener is your calling, be sure to research as much as possible and try things out. This can help fine-tune your CV to help match you up with a position suited to your skills, whether it be a full-time gardener or something more indoor based such as a florist.