When Wakisha Wazome started her gardening journey seven years ago, never in her wildest imagination did she think that she would one day earn an income from her hobby.
She was in her ‘try and see how it goes’ era and gardening was just one of those things that she was curious about.
“I decided to put an end to my curiosity and went plant shopping. I didn’t grow up gardening or seeing my parents do it. I was just curious to see how things would go. At first, I was just trying things out to see if I could ace it. With time, I became very passionate about plants and it became something that I enjoyed doing,” she tells the Business Daily.
Then in 2023, she decided to monetise her hobby. Now Ms Wazome is a plant consultant running her company, Kejani Kibichi.
“As I went on with my gardening journey, I noted that whenever I posted my plants on social media or spoke about my gardening journey, I got many likes and comments. People would ask me, ‘How can I start? How can I save my plant? What did you do to yours?’ So I began toying around with the idea of being a plant consultant,” the 33-year-old says.
Toward the of 2023, she lost her writing job and saw that as the right opportunity to start her consultancy. Her decision to be a plant consultant was also partly inspired by her experience when she started her gardening journey.
“The first day I went plant shopping, I bought 10 plants. I didn’t know what to buy and what to leave out. I bought a mix of flowing and non-flowering plants and herbs. I was mainly relying on the sellers to tell me what to buy and as they are in business they will want you to buy many plants. I wanted to rescue other plant parents from going through the same thing,” Ms Wazome explains.
What does a plant consultant do? Ms Wazome says a plant consultant comes in to help you understand your gardening journey.
“Many people do not know what plants to get. They will buy just any plant. Therefore, a plant consultant helps you figure out what suits you. The plant has to sit well with your lifestyle. Do you travel a lot? Are you a person who will be around checking in on the plants? Will you be a person who will give them attention or will you just water and leave them there? Some plants require a lot of attention. These are some of the questions you answer with your consultant. As a plant consultant, I come in to help you figure out what plant suits you. We are checking your lifestyle, your budget, the amount of space and the lighting in your home,” Ms Wazome says.
How does she better her skills?
“The more you plant, the more you grow in knowledge and experience. Joining the Kenya Horticultural Society has also been a big boost to my career. We visit gardens and I pick up so many tips. I see different plants doing well in a garden then implement those tips in my garden. Research also helps me a lot,” she says.
A Swiss Cheese Plant pictured at Wakisha Wazome's home in Ngong, Kajiado County on February 11, 2025.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Each job, she points out, is tailored to meet the needs of her clients.
“It all starts with a consultation where I visit your space. I have to come see the amount of space you have, and your lighting and interview you on the kind of lifestyle you have. Are you dedicated to watering once a week or twice a week? Are you the one taking care of the plants or are you hiring a gardener? The consultation helps me establish the plants that would suit you.”
After the consultation, Ms Wazome then proceeds to create a mood board (visual representation) for her client detailing her suggestions on the best plants and the design of the garden.
“Not many people know where to start so with the mood board, the client can make a decision. Sometimes the clients suggest the changes they’d want and we implement them. Once the client has chosen the plants and the design, the real job begins. Sometimes I am requested to help in not just giving advice but also repotting, creating a garden and plant and pot shopping,” she explains.
Normally, Ms Wazome charges Sh4,500 for consultation. Any extra amount to be added is dependent on the workload that the client has.
In a week, Ms Wazome finds herself working with atleast two clients.
The majority of Ms Wazome’s clients are young people looking for low-maintenance plants.
“My youngest client is 25 years old. Majority of my clients have been women but there have also been some few male clients.”
For this plant consultant, a typical day starts with consultation sessions scheduled in the morning.
“Consultations can take a while depending on the client. Sometimes it takes at least one hour or two hours. If I am doing repotting, it can take a full day depending on the number of plants. Where we are creating a new garden, I buy the plants, plant, label them and prepare guide cards for the client on how to care for them,” she says adding that plant consulting cannot be a one-time job.
“I keep checking up on my clients consistently over the first 10 days, especially where we have done some repotting or created a new garden. Then over the next few months, I also have to check in because plants are unpredictable. After all, they are living things. I need to keep reminding my clients of some of the things that they need to do,” she continues.
Over the years, Ms Wazome says that she has noted an increase in the number of clients reaching out for her services.
“The older the business gets the more clients I have been getting. My lowest moment was mid-last year during the Finance Bill 2024 triggered protests. At the time, I had no clients and the few who reached out with enquiries didn’t follow up with a consultation. During this period, there was so much uncertainty and people were trying to hold onto their money. They did not want to spend. Some people also consider gardening as a luxury or aesthetic so they do not prioritise it as much,” she says.
Ms Wazome has also been partnering with influencers who she says have helped her reach a wider audience and get more clients.
Her most fulfilling project was an opportunity she got to create a backyard garden.
Golden Pothos plant pictured at Wakisha Wazome's home in Ngong, Kajiado County on February 11, 2025.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
“When I started I thought Kejani Kibichi would just help people with indoor plants hence the name. As the name suggests it was getting a green space inside the house. So I only had in mind indoor spaces in the house and a balcony. So when I got this client, I was initially scared but I made it work. She wanted low maintenance and a colourful garden.”
Gardening trends
Ms Wazomo says that she has noted an increase in people wanting their indoor gardens designed in a particular way adhering to the rule of three - the practice of grouping plants in sets of three to create a balanced garden.
“Back then there was not a huge adherence to how the gardens are styled in the house but now I see many of my clients asking for a specific design for their gardens. I have also noted an increase in the desire for green office spaces where many clients want me to help them create a garden in their offices,” she explains.
Ms Wazome is not all talk without action. At her apartment in Ngong Town, she has curated her beautiful garden going for the approach of an indoor forest. Her balcony hosts her collection of succulents, particularly her tiny cacti, Fred Ives and snake plants.
In her living room, near her window where she receives an abundance of light, she puts her large plants particularly, monsteras, philodendrons, money plants, anthuriums and ficus. She admits that her weakness is the flowering plants. She is still trying to get the hang of it.
