Some nurseries also accept retail orders from non-trade customers if the order is for a minimum quantity of plants.

Plant nurseries are subject to considerable seasonal variation in demand. The majority of sales are made in the spring and summer when trade customers such as garden centres and garden designers demand stock, while in the autumn and winter considerable time and money is spent propagating and growing plants. Most nurseries hire equipment and machinery when required, rather than purchasing it outright, and rely on temporary workers during busy seasons.

This profile provides information about starting up and running a plant nursery. It describes the skills required, the training available, the current market trends and the key trading issues. It also explains the legislation that must be complied with and provides sources of further information and support.

Many plant nursery owners also run on-site retail garden centres. However, this type of business is covered separately in our guide, Garden Centre.