Dream of Running Your Own Business Outdoors? You Might be Interested in Greensleeves’ Low Cost, High Margin Franchise.
Build Something Real with the UK's #1 Lawn Care Brand
Picture this: you're your own boss, working outside, and building a business that has the comfort of a recurring income. But you also have the opportunity to expand and grow into a multi-van, management operation. Within five years, Greensleeves franchisees can enjoy an annual turnover of more than a quarter-of-a-million pounds and, with net profit margins of 25–35%, the rewards are as real as the results.
Greensleeves is the UK's leading lawn care provider, with 28 years of unbroken growth, 80,000 clients served annually, and a Trustpilot score of 5 stars from more than 20,000 reviews. This isn't a business being built, it's one that's already proven, and we're looking for the right people to grow it even further.
“It feels like a family of business owners”
"The Franchise route is ideal primarily because of the support around you. It feels like a family of business owners; we are all facing similar challenges and we help each other out. Knowing you have people around to ask questions, brainstorm, share ideas etc just makes owning the business so much easier." Natalie Reid, Greensleeves Aberdeen
The Model: Subscription-Based Success
Unlike seasonal gardening, Greensleeves operates on a sophisticated subscription model. This ensures year-round recurring revenue and outstanding customer retention. You aren't a "gardener"; you are a specialist providing bespoke treatments and fertilisers unavailable to the general public.
- Market Potential: 12 million UK households could be Greensleeves customers
- Density-Mapped Territories: Your territory is exclusively yours, and scientifically mapped using postcodes to give you all the customers you’ll need
- Profitability: Our established franchisees consistently achieve 25–35% net profit margins
Industry-Leading Technology
We have invested heavily in R&D to ensure our franchisees stay ahead of the competition. Our bespoke software includes a self-measuring website tool that allows customers to get quotes and sign up instantly. Once on board, the My Lawn Care portal handles 24/7 bookings and detailed reporting, drastically reducing your administrative burden and allowing you to focus on growth.Investment and Fast-Track Support
Starting a Greensleeves business is more accessible than you might think. With a franchise fee of £14,995 and a total turnkey investment of approximately £30,000, we offer a low-cost entry point into a high-earning industry.
- Funding: Up to 70% unsecured bank financing is available through our established partners
- Marketing Power: We kickstart your launch with 100,000 leaflets and a targeted local online presence
- Expert Training: A comprehensive 10-day induction programme, including 5 days at our purpose-built training centre
- Ongoing Mentorship: From Day 1, you are supported by a dedicated Business Development Manager and a Head Office team that handles marketing, bulk product ordering and credit control
Training, Support and Technology That Set You Apart
You really don’t need any prior experience to build a profitable business with Greensleeves. Your 10-day training programme covers all you need to get started, including your PA1/PA6a qualifications. From there, you'll have a dedicated Business Development Manager to support you in the field. Not just at the start, but throughout your journey as a Greensleeves franchisee.
Our in-house marketing team play a huge part in your success too, building your local on and offline presence. Promotional materials are ready for you to use, and your location page on Greensleeves’ website presents a local, premium service.
On the technology side, Greensleeves is simply in a different league. Our bespoke software, self-measuring website tool, and exclusive fertiliser formulations – unavailable to competitors or the public – give you a genuine edge in the market. Our customer-facing ‘My Lawn Care portal offers’ 24/7 booking, visit reports, and direct communication tools that no competitor can match. What’s more, bespoke admin tools, including our CRM and the Greensleeves Live App, take many of the administrative burdens away from franchisees. This frees you up to work on the most profitable elements of your business – namely building relations with new and existing customers.
“I wanted my own business, but also the support”
"It takes a lot of pressure off knowing that you have a group of support staff at head office, from marketing through to HR as well as the head office support team who are wizards with the direct debit and admin system side of things." Scott McSherry, Greensleeves Tyne & Wear
Backed by a World-Class Network
Greensleeves is part of Neighbourly, a global franchise leader with 30 brands and 5,500 franchise owners worldwide. You’re not just joining a franchise, you're plugging into a proven worldwide system with the knowledge, infrastructure, and support to help you scale.
Closer to home, our 100+ franchisee network means you'll always have peers to learn from, lean on, and grow alongside. The Greensleeves network is a community that genuinely invests in each other's success.
Is This You?
Our most successful franchisees are motivated individuals who enjoy working outdoors, take pride in delivering brilliant customer service, and are serious about building a business – not just buying a job. You might be escaping the corporate world, looking for more freedom or driven by something personal; building security for your family, being your own boss, or simply doing work that matters.
And remember, experience in lawn care isn't necessary. Drive, attitude, and a commitment to following a 5* model absolutely are.
The grass truly is greener - and the numbers prove it.
If you're ready to take control of your future with a low-cost, high-return franchise backed by the best in the industry, book a discovery call with Alex today.
Greensleeves - Grow With Us.
The future is now - embracing innovation for franchise success
Establishing customer loyalty as the foundation of franchise success
Greensleeves Franchisee Case Study | Scott Garrod
Scott, Greensleeves Lawn Care Franchisee for East Anglia, is not even 12 month's into his time as a business owner, and he's already flying. We were able to discuss with Scott his first year in business, and how he's found the whole process.
Name: Scott Garrod
Territory: East Anglia
Year you commenced/How long in the business: March 2023/ 11 months.
Number of staff: Myself and one to be recruited in March 2024
The UK's most trusted lawn experts.
👔 Professional Background Overview: I spent 40 years as a Tesco store manager running 17 different stores across this time from Metro to superstore format. Turnover up to £1m per week with a management team of 24 and 300 colleagues per branch.
💡What motivated your decision to venture into running your own business? I retired in 2022 and took a year off travelling, playing golf, enjoying fishing and football refereeing. I always had an interest in grass and having worked in the corporate world for 40 years mainly indoors, I fancied the chance to manage my own business and work outdoors. At 56 I felt I still had a lot to give but not the 24/7 operation I had been involved in previously.
🚀 What factors influenced your selection of Greensleeves as your franchising avenue? Although fundamentally it is your own business, the franchise model helps support with marketing, HR, structure, brand awareness, process and routine, purchasing power for materials, IT support, business development support, fantastic trust pilot score, consumer confidence. It is a fully packaged business. And although this comes with a fee, it would take time and money to build these things. With the package you receive for your initial fee, your business can go live from day one.
📈 From a managerial perspective, what aspect of operating a Greensleeves franchise yields the most satisfaction? Customer service has always been my driving force and seeing the difference you can make to people’s outdoor space and wellbeing has been the most rewarding.
🌐 Reflecting on your tenure as a Greensleeves franchisee, what achievement stands out as particularly noteworthy? I would say achieving £41,000 sales off just 80 customers in my first 12 months with the highest average customer spend in the network and positioning myself to employ my son at the 12-month point was something I look back on with pride
💼 In what ways has your ownership of a Greensleeves franchise facilitated opportunities wise, that you wouldn’t of been able to do previously? I now have more flexibility of hours, control of my own diary, and a better work life balance. Working outdoors has helped with weight loss, fitness and wellbeing, as well as maintaining a positive mindset.
🏢 What advice would you impart to individuals contemplating franchise ownership? Definitely to in with your eyes wide open. Be clear on your first 5-year plan, don’t just buy yourself a job.
Year 1 experience the job, understand the machines and products but then have a clear plan to grow the business so you can step back more and manage / lead progression and change.
You are part of a network with a contract and process and routines so be flexible in your thinking and appreciate the freedom it brings but with some clear deliverables and non-negotiables.
Work within the guidelines as they are proven. Have a bit of capital in year 1 & 2. It is not a get rich quick scheme. If you will rely on this for an income in the early years then have a clear financial plan understanding year 2 marketing costs etc.
Greensleeves are committed to delivering beautifully healthy lawns that can be enjoyed all year round.
🤝 Reflecting on your franchise journey, what insights have you gained about yourself? I have many transferable skills, process, routine and good customer service skills have served me well in both retail and lawns. I am resilient, driven and self-motivated and I am able to work on my own as well as in a group.
🎣Outside of work commitments, how do you typically spend your leisure time? I really travelling, playing golf, and fishing. I am also a senior county football referee, whilst also being a referee mentor/coach for the FA progression pathway.
📅 What are your aspirations for personal and professional development within the upcoming five-year horizon? I want to develop the business to a minimum 2-van operation with my son, in a lawn manager position with at least one other operative. Personally, to remain current and in tune whilst maintain a healthy work life balance for me and my wife.
👨👩👧👦 Describe your approach to commemorating the attainment of your initial business milestone. We approached our first year as a family, my daughter works for an accountancy outsourcing firm so she completes Sage/Tax returns etc. My wife assists with the admin and my son joins shortly so we will be having a celebratory meal looking back over the last 12 months and agreeing targets for the following 2 years. This is a business that eventually we hope to hand over to our two children, so we wanted to involve them in the journey from the start.
🔑 What strategic objectives have you outlined for the advancement of your franchise over the subsequent 5 years? I believe building a strong local brand is key. Royal mail and personal leaflet drops and local magazine marketing will be key, also driving our recommend a friend scheme. Getting the balance right between great customer service and going the extra mile versus good time management and productivity.
🎓How valuable did you find not only the initial training, but the ongoing support from your franchisor? The 1st weeks training is invaluable but does leave you a bit flooded and with many questions and a few insecurities.
I would have preferred this to of been 2 weeks with time spent going through the end to end process of customers in a training app mode.
That said over time things do drop in place, but I would have appreciated more time practising with the various software platforms, prior to going out in the field.
The support from the business development manager is good and working side by side with the machinery I found useful and this drops in place easier than all the system work. Setting up a Whatsapp group has been really good and allows you to get instant support.
🏪Lastly, for prospective franchisees considering taking the plunge, what message would you give them? I would say do lots of research, understand all aspects of running your own business and what is expected of you within the franchise agreement.
Try and have a trial with an existing franchise. Understand your finances so you don’t apply pressure to yourself as you build your business, how will you fund your family in those early years etc.
It will require discipline and hard work. Make sure everyone around you understands this, so your support network is in place and you can then put in what is required as you build your business. You are your own boss to a point, timescales, processes, deadlines etc must be met, so be open minded and don’t let closed thinking hold you back.
It was fantastic chatting with Scott, it really provided us with a great insight into how franchising has enabled him to have a much better work life balance, compared to the corporate world he previously worked in, which the Greensleeves franchise model has allowed.
For those considering joining the ranks of over 100 thriving Greensleeves franchises, Scott's story gives us a great flavour of the possibilities that await within our network. Whether you're seeking to escape the constraints of traditional employment, embark on a new venture, or simply want to take control of your future, franchising with Greensleeves could be the answer you've been looking for.
After 38 years in the corporate world, I was looking for an opportunity to run my own business. I wanted a professional company that would leave me alone to get on with it but always be there to offer advice and support when it was required. With the passion, enthusiasm and honesty of David Truby I knew that Greensleeves was a firm I could work with. I have subsequently discovered that Cheryl Harper and the support team are even more incredible and nothing is too much trouble.”
Once I had decided to buy a franchise I was unsure which direction to take, all became clear when I met Greensleeves. The business model is solid and combined with the experience and personalities of the head office team I knew that a Greensleeves lawn treatment franchise was for me. I love being my own boss and the satisfaction I get from transforming a customer’s lawn is fantastic. The support that I have received has been second to none, it is reassuring to know that I have a team of business experts at my fingertips. ”
The initial support and training were excellent and the ongoing support is there for you, but not invasive. In particular David Truby and Cheryl Harper, have been great and are, just as they appear to be, passionate and professional, with a desire to help you build the business and brand. It is key to have a plan and work with it, striving in both short, medium and long term goals. This business works well, but planning, marketing, work ethic and people skills are all required to drive it to maximise its opportunity.”
“We found Greensleeves to be very approachable and flexible throughout the joining process. Their staff were always available to answer and deal with the many questions we had and they were and still are extremely accommodating and accessible at all times. The friendly and helpful relationship was invaluable during the early stages and has continued unchanged through our early months of operation”
Why Ian and Tracy Chose the Greensleeves Franchise
