ShareORNAMENTAL plants are plants that are grown basically for decorative and aesthetic purposes.

The business of setting up ornamental gardens has become quite relevant in today’s business environment, because in the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of personal houses built by people (many of which are quite magnificent), there has also been a rise in the number of offices of corporate organisations like banks, industries, schools and shopping complexes as well as religious buildings like churches and mosques. All such  buildings and many more, are, most times, not just made physically beautiful and attractive, as a result of the kinds of materials used in building them, but their beauty is also enhanced as a result of some ornamental plants such as flowers of different varieties, grasses, shrubs and even trees planted within their surroundings. This has, therefore, made the demand for ornamental plants to be on the increase.

Apart from beautifying houses and other buildings, other areas where ornamental plants are useful include their ability to enhance the entire ambience of a place by giving out good scent. They also have the unique ability of improving the topography of any place through their landscaping qualities, and ornamental plants, especially trees, serve as a good means of relaxation as a result of their ability to produce shades.

The following are some common flowers that can be easily grown and sold as ornamental plants: Petunia, lily, rose, morning glory, pink oak, alpinia, dahlia and ivy. Others are Christmas plants of different varieties, drought-tolerant plants, shrubs, carpet grass and ornamental trees.

How to start
Like any other business, horticulture, which is the general term given to the art of cultivating ornamental plants, requires a great deal of determination, dedication and patience.
According to an expert horticulturist, who identified herself simply as Mrs. Ebere, and who has been in the business of growing ornamental plants since 1993, the greatest requirement of this business is patience. “Since horticulture depends on various seasons, and coupled with the fact that seeds that are planted take some time to grow to maturity, patience is of extreme importance,” she declared. She added that it is a business that can be started with as low as N10,000  or N15,000, depending on the availability of some important factors of production such as land, good top soil and water.

When corroborating what Mrs. Ebere said, another veteran in the business of growing ornamentals, and who has been in the business for about 20 years, Mr. Samuel Akinwande Lamidi, said that whoever intends to come into that business must be a lover of four things: soil, seeds, sunlight and water. “With the right combination of these four items alongside a good measure of dedication and patience, you will not only be a grower of beautiful plants, but you will also make good money,” Mr. Akinwande said.

Therefore, according to these experts and others, the basic requirements and essential factors that determine the success of this business can be classified into two: 

Intrinsic factors – this describes all factors and personal attributes and characteristics an individual possesses, and which, at the end of the day, will transform him into a successful grower of ornamental plants.

Some of the intrinsic qualities, and some of them, for emphasis, will be mentioned again, include: having natural flair for farming, possessing a high sense of dedication and patience, as well as the ability to have the willingness to be taught (this is worth mentioning because, all the experts Saturday Tribune spoke with agreed that there is a need for a short period of training, (an average of three months) for whoever wishes to go into this business. Mrs. Ebere, for example, claimed to have learnt how to be a horticulturist during her days as a nursery attendant in one of the schools of forestry in Nigeria.

Extrinsic factors: This includes all external factors that must be put in place before the business can succeed. Examples of extrinsic factors are availability of land, top soil, water, etc.
At this juncture, it is noteworthy to state that the land to be used for this kind of a business must be very close to a constant and reliable source of water like streams, rivers or wells.
A good top soil is also very essential, because not just any type of soil can be used. A lorry-load of a good top soil costs about N6,500. However, if you can lay your hands on other sources of good top soil, without necessarily having to buy, then this is even better, as it will reduce the cost of production.

Profitability of the business
According to Mrs. Ebere, the business of cultivating ornamental plants is a profitable one. “At the beginning, the gains might not be much, but one thing is certain; you cannot run at a loss,” she said.

Depending on the type of flowers, the time it takes for a flower to reach maturity, and the amount of resources put to achieve this, a bag of mature flowers can go for N20, N50, N100 or N150.

“At times, especially during the rainy season, when business is at its peak, I could sell up to 100 bags of N100 worth of flowers in a week. Often, it becomes so difficult to meet up with demands, and I often resort to buying from my fellow horticulturists,” Mr. Joseph Ayoola, another horticulturist, said.

It is important to state that patronage is very low during dry seasons, and many expert horticulturists use this period to cultivate ornamental plants that will be sold during the rainy season.

Challenges of the business
Like any other business, cultivation of ornamental plants has its own challenges which can be summarised thus:

It is a business that demands one’s full attention and care, as a single moment of neglect of the plants could have adverse effect on the final outcome.

During intense dry season, water might be very difficult to come by, because, at times, even streams run dry.

It is not uncommon to have insect or parasitic attacks on the plants. Insects like aphids and mealy bugs are common enemies of ornamental plants. They are often controlled by the use of some chemicals, which invariably means additional cost of production.

Other tips for running a successful ornamental business
For somebody just starting, do not be discouraged if, for the first few months or even years after starting, no appreciable financial gain is made, as the business is a type of business that derives its strength with time.

It is to your advantage to know a little about landscaping, as this will give you a great advantage when it comes to planting of ornamental plants at various sites and lands with sloppy topography.

It will also add to your self-worth and value if you do not just stop at being a grower of ornamental plants, but a dresser of plants, who, with his shears, can bring out beauty out of bushes.

To enhance your customer base, you will need to find a way of making architects, site engineers, builders, estate agents, town planners and land surveyors your friends, as those are the people you will, from time to time, be relating with in the course of beautifying the environment. Share