Thanks to the water challenges in Zimbabwe’s major towns and cities, gardening can be a very difficult and oftentimes disappointing hobby in the country. Few people or even organisations have the resources to keep their premises decorated by lush green vegetation amid the all too frequent droughts and the situation is not helped by the dilapidated water supply infrastructure of most Zimbabwean municipalities.

Since more people can appreciate a great looking garden than there are those who can afford to drill a borehole in their backyards, decorative drought resistant plants not only fare better in our soil and climate but have also become more lucrative as horticultural products on the market. A plant nursery which focuses largely or even exclusively on drought resistant plants is likely to appeal greatly to gardeners in the country, both hobbyists and professionals alike.

Potential customers

Buyers for drought-resistant plants can be anyone. For starters, anyone who owns a space or piece of land regardless of its size is a potential customer.  You can sell small, potted low maintenance plants for people to put in their homes, business premises or office desks. Alternatively, you can sell larger plant specimens to professional gardeners or landscaping firms. Institutions like schools, hospitals, colleges or any other ones which already have a flower bed are also potential customers. In your marketing, try to drive home the point of how much water and gardening expenses your plants could save them. Particularly tenacious plants like cacti are so low maintenance that you can probably convince smaller businesses such as hardware, horticultural and home improvement retailers to carry them in their stores. You can also just open your shop in a busy location to sell directly to customers.

Plan your business

As the adage goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. A business that is just starting needs a solid plan to steer it into the future. It is therefore very much advisable to draft a business plan before you embark on your venture. Among other things, a business plan encourages you to take a closer look at the company which you are trying to establish. For instance, key parts of a normal business plan dwell at length on the amounts of resources required to get started and those required to continue operating. Market research should also be part of your business plan; hearing only good things about a certain line of business does not automatically make it viable or suited to your ambitions. You should assess the lucrativeness of any business idea for yourself and put your conclusions in the business plan, at the very least these should remind you of what you are trying to achieve whenever the going gets a little bit tough and your motivation levels take a dip.

Choose a target market

I mentioned earlier that this is a kind of business where almost everyone is a potential customer but don’t take me at my word and end up spreading yourself too thin. Yes, you can serve a wide variety of customers as long as they are willing to pay but it is more advisable that you choose a narrower market segment to pursue. This will allow you to set up and plan your business with more focus. For instance, if you decide that ordinary people who want potted plants for the indoors are your ideal customers then deciding exactly where and how much operating space you require becomes easier. Choosing a market segment and sticking to it also makes your marketing message more coherent in addition to discouraging bad business habits such as pursuing any tender notice which even vaguely references your line of business.

Do your research

Drought tolerant plants are very resilient and low maintenance but that doesn’t mean that they will grow themselves. They are, in fact, particularly vulnerable when they are just taking root. All this is to say that a little horticultural knowledge about the plants which you want to make money from won’t hurt. When you are in Zimbabwe, educational resources from within the country or its neighbours should serve you well because you stand better chances of obtaining the same kinds of plants which are referenced in the material.

Space

If you are running a nursery, you would need a space to grow and keep all your various plant varieties. Depending on the size of your business, this might be your home garden, rented space or piece of land. Whether or not you are planning to open a second location from which to sell your plants will influence your choice of space for your nursery. For instance, locating the nursery in your home’s backyard is a great idea if you are planning to also invest in a small retail shop in the CBD while targeting a larger number of customers will require that you acquire a more sizeable plot of land to meet demand.

Formalize your operations

While operating an unregistered business (i.e. operating as a sole proprietor) in Zimbabwe is perfectly legal, it tends to have its disadvantages and limitations. For starters, registering your business will make it easier for you to have companies, organisations and other institutions as clients.  Unregistered businesses often face an uphill task trying to engage such kinds of clients for business.

Market your venture

Build a website

Nowadays websites are increasingly becoming one of the most basic requirements when starting a business. Since the internet is the first port of call for many people who are looking for something, build a website if not for anything else other than to be easily discoverable online. Decorative plants are prized for their visual appeal so you can also use the company’s website to showcase your plant varieties. Nowadays many websites are far more than just online notices of what a company does, so you can also allow customers to make orders and pay for them via your website.

Market on social media

You can showcase your plants on social media. Image centric platforms like Instagram are likely to serve you well when showing off the more captivating of your plant specimens.

Donate and sponsor

Landscapers sometimes market their services by doing work for free in a public space and then putting their calling card (in the form of a sign) right beside it. You can also do something similar. For instance, you can donate your potted plants for placement in public areas and then add a small sign with your contact details. Alternatively, you can partner up with a landscaper or just contract one to do the work exclusively with your plants.