For a Briary Garden Services franchise owner the dreadful weather the UK has experienced this year has helped his business to become a success.

Ray Oliver took on his Briary Garden Services franchise in November 2011 and now provides a garden maintenance service to customers in his area. Oliver believes the constant rain has discouraged people from tending to their gardens and instead they have called in professional help.

He said: “It may seem strange but this really has been a very busy and productive year. If this is the benchmark for a challenging time in horticulture, then I’m very positive about the future. It has taken a lot of hard work and I have had to put in the hours but that is no different to anyone who is starting a new business.”

Oliver has over 20 years of experience in gardening and qualifications including national certificates in horticulture, arboriculture and urban woodland management. But it was the opportunity to secure a franchise with Briary Garden Services that prompted him to launch his own business venture.

He firmly believes having this respected name behind him has been a great help. Oliver added: “They have supported me all the way with everything from computer skills to managing my accounts and using mobile technology to support new business development while I’m out working. This has helped me grow my customer base and hit monthly targets. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to set up and run their own gardening business.”

With a full schedule for the months ahead, Oliver is considering taking on a part-time employee to help him with the workload.

Commenting on the progress Oliver has made Peter Brewis, founder of Briary Garden Services, said: “He has been achieving and exceeding his targets over the past year, even though conditions, both economic and climatic, have been very challenging. Through a combination of hard work and the effective support he gets from the franchise model, his first year has been a great success. It has been a steep learning curve but the skills he now has mean he is able to plan ahead with more confidence to grow the business.”

Published: 7 December 2012

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