Franchise Spotlight: Garden
Garden, lawn care and landscaping franchises have blossomed in a flourishing sector.
Australia’s $3 billion garden services market encompasses various lawn care, garden maintenance and landscaping services. The sector is thriving through stable demand from middle and high income earners, the growing elderly population, people with disabilities and commercial clients.
Despite being susceptible – in theory – to falling discretionary incomes, the industry’s growth rate was projected to be only slightly negative during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Franchise industry trends
Franchisees obviously work outdoors, work fairly flexible hours and rarely need to invest in premises.
Franchisors tend to favor hard-working, physically fit applicants with a passion for (but not necessarily career experience in) horticulture.
Head offices generally provide a van, tools and materials; training in the science and application of gardening and entrepreneurship; a supply of leads; and advice a phone call away.
Jim’s Group is the Australian market’s largest operator, says analysis from market research specialist IBISWorld, with more than 1,500 Jim’s Mowing & Garden Care franchisees – the most successful generating upwards of $1 million in annual sales – across the country.
Kwik Kerb , meanwhile, claims to be the world leader in continuous concrete edging, a flourishing global industry, and says franchisees can earn more than $1,200 per day.
Fantastic Services promises its gardening and lawn care franchisees a full weekly schedule of jobs, a dedicated app and a back-end system that relieves them of “repetitive and boring work”.
Similarly, Hire a Hubby, which also provides handyman and other property improvement services, provides an income guarantee.
Flower Power Garden Care franchisees get plants and materials at competitive prices from the brand’s 10 Sydney garden centres and wholesale nursery, leads from 500,000 ‘Garden Lovers Club’ members, and support from landscapers, garden designers and horticulturalists.
Finally, Fox Mowing claims to be Australia’s fastest-growing gardening group and offers same-day gardening, lawn care and landscaping services.