Preface
Introduction

1. Coming up with Your Initial Idea
What Do You Want to Do?
Further Research
Finance
CASE STUDY: Angus White, Architectural Plants
CASE STUDY: Sarah Mead, Yeo Valley's Organic Garden

2. Thinking Outside the Box
Ethical Businesses
CASE STUDY: Guy Watts and James Gubb, Streetscape
CASE STUDY: Jimi Blake, Hunting Brook Gardens
Specialist Businesses
CASE STUDY: Lisa Rawley, Fleur de Lys
The Career Changer
CASE STUDY: Sam Ellson, The Traditional Flower Company

3. Getting Qualified
CASE STUDY: Caroline Knight, The Quiet Gardener (garden maintenance)
CASE STUDY: Juliet Sergeant, Garden designer and lecturer

4. Forming a Company (Technicalities)
Company Set-up
Funding
Planning
Advice
CASE STUDY: Mark Yabsley, Pod Garden Design
CASE STUDY: Sue Gray, Damhead Nursery

5. Forming a Company (Practicalities)
In the Beginning
Day to Day
CASE STUDY: Louise Cummins and Caroline De Lane Lea, Gardenmakers
CASE STUDY: Alan Shipp, National Collection of Hyacinths

6. Establishing a Client Base
CASE STUDY: Hugo Bugg, Garden designer
CASE STUDY: Graham Gough, Marchants Hardy Plants

7. Building a Network
Your Network
CASE STUDY: Gill Chamberlain, Garden Rescue
CASE STUDY: Gilly Pollock, Plant nursery promoter

8. PR and Promotion
Online
Local Presence
Writing
National Presence
CASE STUDY: James Alexander-Sinclair, Landscape designer
CASE STUDY: Georgia Miles, The Sussex Flower School

9. Dealing with Customers
CASE STUDY: Louise Dowding, Designer and gardener
CASE STUDY: Alison Marsden, Gardening by Design

10. Developing Your Business
CASE STUDY: Sean Walter and Keith Pounder, The Plant Specialist
CASE STUDY: Mike Kitchen, Rocket Gardens

Conclusion: Words from the Wise
On Starting Out
On Organisation
On Customer Care
On Staff
On Attitude
On Managing Projects
On Finances
And Finally

Resources