Life is blooming great for green-fingered Morecambe mum

Mum-of-three Kathryn Metcalfe launched Miss Ups-A-Daisy earlier this year, which she believes could be the only woman-run business of its kind in the district.

And in just a few short months, largely through word of mouth, work is already blooming for the keen gardener who claims to ‘love weeding’.

Kathryn, 44, left the security of a full-time job to set up her own business in March, and it’s a decision she doesn’t regret at all.

“My dad was always a keen gardener,” she said. “About seven years ago I wanted to get into gardening so I got an allotment in Heysham and learned all about hands-on gardening.

“My dad was ill at the time and I would take a lot of photos of the allotment to show him and we would have discussions about it.

“Recently I decided to give up my job because I thought ‘why can’t a woman have a garden and home maintenance business?’

“I had seen for a few years that there was a space in the market for something like this. I had never seen anything like it before in Morecambe.”

Miss Ups-A-Daisy offers garden maintenance – including landscaping, turfing, weeding, grass cutting, flagging, decking and fencing – as well as house maintenance – such as decorating, cooker cleaning and full house cleaning. And despite only setting the business four months ago, it has gone from strength to strength.

“It’s really just grown through word of mouth,” Kathryn said. “I’ve had to take on a full-time handyman, Phil, and I need to take someone else on now as well. People seem to like what we do.”

Kathryn, who is married to Damian, has three children – Daniel, 24, Natasha, 20, and eight-year-old Nathan, said the business has helped with her family life too.

She said: “It’s great because I can be flexible and work around my children, and it’s showing my children that women can do this kind of job and do it successfully, while juggling children and everything else in your life.

“I have gone into a male environment, and I have noticed that quite of lot of men will talk to my handyman rather than to me, and then they are surprised when they realise I am in charge.

“It’s changed my lifestyle. I know I took a big risk leaving a good job but I am so happy.

“It’s the best thing I have ever done. Every day is different and I just love it.”

Kathryn offers free quotes, and will travel across the districtfor work.

“A lot of people will just send me a photo of their garden and ask me to help,” she said. “I love a challenge and I just love weeding! No job is too small. A lot of elderly people just want some little odd jobs doing and some people won’t do a job if it’s less than £100.

“I like to tell people everything about myself and my family. I will talk to them while I am in the garden and for some people that’s really important, to have someone they trust and can talk to.”

Kathryn can be contacted on Facebook at MissUps A Daisy or on 07984 800472.