Khaled McGonnell: Zippy new service gets pro gardeners in a flash

Business is growing at garden centres all around the country, as the weather gradually improves and people want to coax their gardens back into shape. But as many would-be gardeners know all too well, it’s not always the easiest of tasks.

Quite simply, many people just don’t know what they’re doing in the garden. With an array of plants, trees, shrubs and everything else of differing species, it’s understandable that the casual gardener lacks the detailed knowledge required to properly care for them. And to have them looking their very best ? even in the age of Google when they can look it all up.

For many others, the demands of work and home life can often mean there is little time left over for gardening duties, however much they would love to spend a couple of hours outdoors with their green fingers. It’s frustrating, as there’s nothing as unsightly as an overgrown garden that spoils a family’s enjoyment of it and ruins the overall look of a property.

Putting Down (Cyber) Roots

Now a new service has been launched that connects frazzled homeowners and others (such as property management companies with gardens to maintain) with professional gardeners, in a flash. It’s fastgardener and it?s the creation of a group of people with backgrounds in technology, finance and, yes, gardening. They found the traditional way of getting a local gardener took way too much time and effort, so they set about making it much easier.

In effect, fastgardener operates as a platform, connecting people seeking a gardener with professionals available in their area ? much the same way Uber has done, making it practically effortless to get a taxi. And just like Uber, fastgardener is available on iPhone and Android apps, as well as its website. A few taps or clicks and you?re all set for someone else to go do the gardening.

It’s not any old gardener who might turn up either. All gardeners who sign up with fastgardener are experienced pros. They have been fully vetted by the service and are also insured, have all the equipment they need for gardeners jobs and are trained in how the service works and what they need to do. For those gardeners looking for some extra work, they stand to earn up to ?800 a week ? and there’s nothing to pay to subscribe to the service.

No Growing Pains

If all this sounds like it might cost an arm and a leg, it doesn’t. There’s a simple and competitive hourly rate, so there’s no need to wait around to get the right quote. There?s no need to find some spare cash, either, as payments are handled online and securely.

The hourly rate covers all the gardening basics that people need, including lawn mowing, weeding, hedge trimming, leaf cleaning and more. And as fastgardener has a no-fee guarantee, those using the service benefit from having 24 hours to inspect their gardener’s work before they pay. Additional gardening services include planting, pruning and edging, and because all fastgardener gardeners come with petrol-powered lawnmowers, there’s no need to provide any electrical outlets for them.

As garden centres frequently deal with customers who buy plants and don’t know how to plant or pot them, now they can recommend fastgardener to give them a dig out. Now it?s never been so easy to find local gardeners and to have a garden in full bloom.

Khaled McGonnell is a former tech consultant and project manager specialising in business intelligence and analytics, and founder of the professional gardener-booking platform fastgardener.