Duns · Scottish Borders
Starting a Gardening Business in Duns
A straight answer on licensing, waste rules and your first clients around Duns and Scottish Borders.
Open the Gardening Business Launch Kit to see everything included — £22A gardening business is one of the more open trades to start in the UK -- no general licence required -- though Duns, like everywhere else, has a handful of activity-specific rules worth knowing before you pick up the first client.
What the rules say
No general licence is required for general garden maintenance work. Specific activities carry their own requirements though: removing a client's garden waste yourself will likely require waste carrier registration with the Environment Agency (or SEPA in Scotland, Natural Resources Wales in Wales), and chainsaw/tree work or pesticide application have their own certification requirements. Public liability insurance isn't a legal requirement for a sole trader, but it's widely expected in practice.
Quick answers
Can I use pesticides as a gardener in Duns?
Applying certain pesticides commercially requires specific certification, regardless of whether you're working in Duns or elsewhere in the UK. Many gardeners choose to avoid this route entirely and focus on cultural/mechanical methods instead.
Do I need equipment of my own to start in Duns?
Most new gardeners in Duns start with core equipment -- mower, strimmer, hedge trimmer and hand tools -- building up as the client round grows rather than buying everything up front.
Can I offer one-off tidy-ups as well as regular rounds in Duns?
Yes -- many gardeners in Duns mix one-off clearance jobs with regular maintenance rounds, which helps smooth out seasonal demand across the year.
Do I need a licence to be a self-employed gardener in Duns?
No general licence is required for general garden maintenance in Duns. Specific activities -- waste removal, chainsaw/tree work, pesticide application -- have their own registration or certification requirements.