Growing Small Ideas Into Blooming Businesses

The concept of generating a steady income from gardening and its related activities is lost on many Ghanaians. However, the situation is changing thanks to the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement and its flagship activity, the Ghana Garden and Flower Show.

Hitherto, most people in Ghana associated flowers with bridal bouquets and funeral wreaths which suggest in no small measure, the limited appreciation of the potentials of the horticultural industry. Well, for the past five years, the Ghana Garden and Flower Show has been touting the enormous benefits of this industry including income generation and employment creation.

Here are some ideas on how anyone thinking about a viable gardening-related business could get started.

Think growing media
The materials that plants grow in are collectively known as growing media. The most common growing medium in Ghana is black soil, which is a great investment venture because of the huge demand for it. There are other various ingredients that are equally viable for plant growth and can therefore be used to generate revenue which include charcoal, coconut fibre, corn husks and saw dust. The business of producing alternative growth media is a good way to start making some money while you contribute to Ghana’s development.

Think growing containers
If you’re not the kind who is interested in tending the soil for a living, focusing on selling or distributing growing containers could be a viable venture. They range from ceramic and cement pots to vases which come in different shapes. Going a notch higher, you could learn how to make these growing containers yourself and then gradually introduce others to the art to help grow your nascent start up.

Garden ornaments
Like paintings in a building, garden ornaments add spirit to the life of a garden - you don’t miss them when they are not there, but they surely do add a dis­tinctive pop of colour and soul when they are present. From bird feeders , nest box (bird houses), fountains , garden furniture , landscape lighting to outdoor sculpture , garden orna­ments come in various shapes and forms.

Consult, or better still blog about it
This may require a bit of specialist skill; therefore you may need some professional training. The Internet, through social media platforms, has significantly changed the nature of businesses such that you can also now share your interests, tips and technical knowledge with the world on an easy-to-create hor­ticultural-focused blog.

You can even commercialise your blog and start earning money from hosting advertisements and reviewing products such as gar­dening accessories. There are very few blogs on the horticultural industry in Ghana, so chances are that you will soon build a steady following of horticultural enthusiasts.

There you have it! Four brilliant ways to get started in the gardening business. While starting “big” may seem like a great idea, you shouldn’t hastily invest all your resources in one venture and hope for instant and grand suc­cess. Start right and wise by getting all your background information and strategies for suc­cess double-checked. When all this background research is done, then by all means go ahead, and live green.

“This article is authored by a staff of Stratcomm Africa, initiators of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement and organizers of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show”