“No-one is taught about the methods of looking after a child, it is something that one practices when a child is born. This has been my treatment of flowers. I nurse them like my own children and if a plant dies or withers l get hurt. Properly balancing moisture, soil, nutrition, temperature, and light will prompt and sustain good flowers,” she said.
“I used to spend my time out of the country buying and selling clothes but l failed to make meaningful profits. My customers always made late payments and money was never sufficient. Being away from home was very depressing as l failed to spend time with my four children. So eventually I made a decision to nurse flowers so that l could operate locally,” Mhango said.
She started off with a backyard nursery in early 2000, planting Jacaranda trees and elephant ears.
“It was not easy starting the nursery as I did not have the necessary resources. I used to wake up early in the morning and go to dumping areas where I fetched manure to use in my garden. I bought some flower seeds and got others from neighbours and relatives,” she said.
As the business grew, Mhango’s space at her Kamfinsa home became too small and she had to look elsewhere for a bigger plot. “I approached the city council requesting for space to operate from and they gave me a license at Kamfinsa shopping Centre. It was a bushy area and l had to clear it on my own. It took me two months to dig out the logs and decorate the place,” she said.
The flower nursery has enabled Mhango to send her four children to school following the death of her husband 1990.
“I pay my rentals on time without any constraints. In the long run l would love to have a farm so that l can fully explore this business,” she said.
She sells more than 24 different types of flowers, including the Flame Lily, Lavender Star Flower, English Rose, Continental Bananas and other herbal flowers which are favoured by her tourist customers.
Post published in: News