Planting Joy: How Heather Markway Grew Life Garden Style into a Thriving Business

When you meet Heather Markway, owner of Life Garden Style in Kansas City, you can tell right away she’s someone who was born to create beauty. With a background in horticulture and landscape design, Heather has always been drawn to flowers, both for their visual appeal and their ability to brighten someone’s day.

But Life Garden Style didn’t begin as a business—it started as a blog in 2017. At the time, Heather was working in customer service and marketing for a lawn and tree company, juggling a full-time job and young children. She craved a creative outlet, so she began sharing her love for gardening, plants, fashion, and style online.

Following the Nudge

By late 2018, Heather felt a shift—what she describes as God speaking to her—that it was time for something new. Though she had always valued the security of a paycheck, she couldn’t ignore the pull toward working for herself. In May 2020, just as the world was adjusting to the pandemic, she officially left her job and stepped into entrepreneurship.

Her first big move? Hosting a planter sale on Instagram. With just six planters ready, she posted them for sale and offered doorstep delivery. They sold quickly—giving her the confidence to do it again. That fall, momentum began to build.

Growing a Business Rooted in Relationships

Today, Life Garden Style offers seasonal container plantings for homes and businesses, landscape design, and a locally grown bouquet subscription. Heather credits much of her growth to building strong relationships—not only with clients, but also with other small business owners.

For example, she partners with boutique owners who serve as bouquet pickup locations, bringing new customers into their shops while expanding her reach. “I don’t think I would have the business I have today if I didn’t have those relationships,” she says.

Balancing Seasons and Family

Life Garden Style is inherently seasonal, with busy stretches in spring, fall, and around Christmas. Heather plans her schedule carefully, knowing which months require extra help from her husband and kids. She also embraces the flexibility to be present for her children, ages 10 and almost 14, even if that means working in the car during sports practices.

Lessons Learned

When asked what she wishes she’d known at the start, Heather doesn’t hesitate: “It’s okay to fail.” As a self-described perfectionist, she had to learn that failure often points you toward what will work. She’s also learning to ask for help and let go of doing everything herself.

Her favorite part of the job remains the creativity—combining plants like ingredients in a recipe to create something beautiful. And the most rewarding moments come when clients tell her their flowers made a hard day better.

Looking Ahead

Heather’s goals for the coming year include deciding whether to expand her team or restructure to maintain her current size, as well as growing the educational side of her business through online courses and digital guides for DIY gardeners.

Through it all, she stays grounded in her faith, guided by 1 Peter 4:10: “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

Life Garden Style is more than a business—it’s a testament to the joy that blooms when you follow your calling and use your gifts to serve others.

 

Learn more about Life Garden Style:

Website: https://www.lifegardenstyle.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifegardenstyle