How Abuja gardener makes fortunes from floristry

From a very small portion by the roadside at Arab Junction, Utako Abuja, Mr. Victor Onosile established his garden in 2014. Despite the challenges he encountered, his unwavering vision and passion brought him fortunes as a gardener/florist. He is the CEO of Cool Breeze Garden Abuja, and has expanded his business to the whole wing by the same roadside where he started.

Mr. Onosile, who was busy from one part of his garden to another when Daily Trust Saturday approached him, said that was how he transacts his business every day. He explained that if he was not attending to his customers on the garden, he was on his way to supply flowers, flowerpots, trees, or carry out landscaping services in the homes or offices of his clients.

Mr. Onosile said that starting up his gardening business was a very daunting task. He started alone without assistance from anyone and decided not to take a loan from the bank. From the little money he saved, he fed himself and started up his business with few flowers.

“Gardening is farm work; you use bare hands in tilling the soil. Some people had asked, ‘how can I bring myself so low, that tilling the soil every day becomes my official daily routine?’ But I remind them that people with bare hands cultivated the food they eat in their houses. My mind was made up not to give up, I decided that I can be a gardener and become one of the best.”

In transitioning from struggle to success, he encountered challenges beyond his control. “I faced challenges from scavengers known in our local parlance as ‘Baban bola’. When I keep my things, the following morning I’d discover that these scavengers have ransacked and carted away some of my valuables in the garden. There was absolutely nothing I could do because I could not afford to pay security men.”

The chants of hard times are no longer rhythmical for Mr. Onosile, who life has taught to sustain his vision even in hard times. He described the story of his fortune in this light; “Once upon a time, six years ago, it was a one-man’s business. Today, I can boast of 13 workers in my payroll. I have a number of daily workers I pay; I have security men who take care of the gardens, security dogs are positioned at strategic locations on the garden and we now have another extension of this garden.

“I diversified my gardening business and moved into selling flower pots; first, I sold flower pots made from plastic. Overtime, I realized that plastic pots depreciates fast in value, because it breaks or fades away. Next, we moved into making and selling flower pots made of cement, this type does not break, and even when the paint fades away, it could still be repainted. Subsequently, we imported flower pots from China, Holland, United Kingdom, or United State of America. These flower pots are made of either fiber, ceramics, or plastics; we went all the way to meet the needs of our customers whose demands were for foreign products.

Mr. Onosile said that in cases where a person cannot afford the cost of tax placed on importation, there are merchant importers based in Lagos and Kano states where gardeners can purchase flower pots. He added that flower pots are also sourced from Onitsha.

While talking about flowers, Onosile said beyond beautification, there are flowers that purify the air. Some can be used for culinary or medicinal purposes, while other flower types can control pests or repel snakes. He added that flowers are more than pets to those that cherish nature; it is cheaper and fulfilling to nurture because they need, majorly, only water to survive.

In demystifying the myths about flowers attracting snakes, he said flowers do not attract snakes, bushy environment does. Snakes generally loves hidden places like blocks, pipes, or unkempt bushy flowers. He added that snakes can come to cool off in flowers if only they live around an untidy environment.

While talking about the effect of coronavirus pandemic on his business, Onosile said that business transactions was normal for him and coronavirus did not affect his business in any way.

“During the lockdown, some of my customers did not patronize us due to fears of contracting the virus. On the other hand, people who were hitherto busy, ceased the lockdown opportunity to buy different kinds of flowers for their homes because they had enough time to nurture them.

The florist implored everyone to have plants around their homes because of the great benefits attached. “Some people may say they don’t live in their own houses, please, seek the consent of your landlord, and plant a tree. Even when you know you might not enjoy the shades someday, leave a legacy!

“Ensure you buy flowers from an experienced gardener who will not just sell flowers to you for quick gains, but will also coach you about the nitty-gritty of making a right choice and growing a blossoming plant. Some plants require low light and are meant for indoor purposes while others are for outdoors and can survive harsh sunlight. Some plants need so much water to survive, while so much water can kill others.

“Do you know that just like you have your bath every day, or clean your television, you ought to clean some kinds of plants? I find fulfilment when I offer free horticultural knowledge to my customers, intending entrepreneurs, or just any one. My passion is to achieve a green earth.”