A botanical garden typically refers to an outdoor space where different species of plant life are grown and cultivated. The land may be used for research, conservation, public beautification, or some combination thereof. Botanical gardens may also build a greenhouse space where growing conditions can be controlled all-year round.
Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.
Northwest ($29 + State Fees)
DIY: How to Start an LLC
Start a botanical garden business by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Botanical Garden Business
- Form your Botanical Garden Business into a Legal Entity
- Register your Botanical Garden Business for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Botanical Garden Business
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Botanical Garden Business
- Get Botanical Garden Business Insurance
- Define your Botanical Garden Business Brand
- Create your Botanical Garden Business Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your botanical garden business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Botanical Garden Business Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening a botanical garden business?
Owners have to take into account the cost of the land, salaries of the staff, property taxes, and commercial insurance.
What are the ongoing expenses for a botanical garden business?
Botanical gardens need to account for maintenance costs, staff salaries, third-party services, and commercial insurance.
Who is the target market?
The ideal demographic will depend on the purpose of the botanical garden. You may be looking for cosmetic companies who want to test new scents from different plant species or hybrids. Or you may want to market your business to the general community, so they can enjoy the blooms and learn more about conservation.
How does a botanical garden business make money?
Botanical gardens make money based on their purpose. For example, a botanical garden may have a contract with a university or company to produce research on new plant species. If the space is being used largely for the public, patrons will pay an admission fee to tour the garden. Botanical gardens may also offer guests the chance to become members or rent out the garden for special events (e.g., weddings, etc.).
How much can you charge customers?
If you choose to contract with public or private organizations, the price will be determined by the scope of work and general demand for your services. A typical ticket for an individual adult may cost between $12 to $30, depending on the area and amenities of your garden. Membership fees may be about $75 for a year.
How much profit can a botanical garden business make?
A single garden may welcome as many as 150,000 guests a year (or more). If the average cost of a ticket, the gross revenue would be $1.8 million. After the land is paid off, the profit margin for a botanical garden may be substantial.
How can you make your business more profitable?
Many organizations may need to rent out space for their events, so make the garden as versatile as possible. From weddings to company retreats, there are a variety of ways to utilize your space to make it as profitable as possible.
Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your botanical garden business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.
This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.
In practice, this means that if your botanical garden business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.
Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Find out what types of insurance your Botanical Garden Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Botanical Garden Business.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market a botanical garden business
An owner should be building relationships whenever and wherever possible, regardless of why they want to open their gardens. Even if it’s strictly for public enjoyment, there’s a conservation element to any botanical garden that should spark the interest of community leaders. So while an owner may want to invest in a website and online advertising, they’ll likely have the best chance of success if they can leverage community and institutional support to build their customer base.
How to keep customers coming back
Attracting customers starts with having an organized and efficient layout. The higher the quality of cultivation of your garden, the more likely it is that clients and customers will continue using the gardens. If the plants are intended for public use, make sure that all customers are treated with respect and all events are professionally organized and executed.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.
Is this Business Right For You?
The ideal owner will have a passion for botany. Whether they’re growing plants for scientific research or to share with the community, they should understand how new species and hybrids can fulfill the overall mission of their organization.
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
What happens during a typical day at a botanical garden business?
The majority of an owner’s days will be spent maintaining the land and managing the staff. They’ll make final decisions regarding which species to plant and where to plant them. They’ll do research on new hybrids, seeds, and conservation efforts and evaluate the merits of each new development in their industry. Owners will also need to schedule daily activities, test growing conditions, and manage third-party vendors.
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful botanical garden business?
Owners should have an advanced degree in botany and some history with a professional gardening organization. Owners need to understand the exact conditions each plant needs to flourish and what it takes to cultivate them to their fullest potential.
What is the growth potential for a botanical garden business?
The growth potential for a botanical garden depends on the existing options in the area. Many large cities already have a botanical garden space, so owners will need to find a new angle if they’re hoping to stand out. For example, they may want to grow exotic plants from a single region, or offer exclusive services to a private or public organization.
Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
- Funding
- Events
- Guides
- Support
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a botanical garden business?
There is no official designation for botanical gardens. Any garden can be called this without challenge. However, it may help for owners to legitimize their business from the very beginning. One way to do this is to be granted an American Public Gardens Association Institutional Membership. This association will evaluate your garden against the following criteria:
- Is the garden open to the public?
- Does it function as an educational display or for site research?
- Will the staff maintain official records for its plants?
- Does the garden employ at least one staff member?
- Will the garden have official labels or educational materials for the public?
Starting a traditional botanical garden will be a huge undertaking, both in terms of expenses and labor. From the cost of the land to the design of the plants and shrubs, owners will likely run into more incidental costs than they realize. Grants or investors may be able to offset some of your costs, depending on the mission statement of your garden. However, owners need to have a solid business plan before they start taking action.
One way to determine the interest level for a botanical garden is to talk to other professionals in the field. They can let you know more about how their garden was financed and what it takes to turn a profit. Or you can talk to a university or corporate leader to learn more about the specific commercial advantages of the growing conditions in your area. They may be open to doing a work-study program that coaches a new generation on how to take full advantage of their limited resources.
You can also consider opening up a smaller version of a botanical garden as a green space for the community. If you live in harsh environmental conditions, you can consider opening a greenhouse to give people access to flowers and color all year round. A smaller, public-facing organization not only exposes people to more varieties of plants and animals, but it may also provide a beautiful backdrop for special functions or private events. For example, couples can use the gardens for their weddings and reception.
How and when to build a team
You’ll likely need to hire a team immediately to tend to the land. Choose people who are curious about the natural world around them. Botanical gardens need people who can test the limits of what we know to discover what we don’t. You’ll also need team members who are comfortable interacting with guests if you choose to open your doors to the public.