Wholesale plant nurseries are now open for online shopping

Reports that millions of British-grown seasonal plants and flowers are in danger of being binned because of the lockdown have caused mass panic amongst green-fingered households. In light of the news, plants are available direct from some of Britain's biggest wholesale growers after the spread of Covid-19 forced garden centres to close their doors. 

Double H Nurseries normally supplies around 30,000 orchids a week to four supermarket chains. After seeing order numbers 'go through the floor', causing the furloughing of a third of its 170 staff, the grower has redesigned its website to take orders for dispatching by courier nationwide. 

The resulting retail website Love Orchids is now available to all. And there's plenty of deals, too, including the offer of four orchids for Ł20 with free delivery. "We are very pleased that our new online shop is now open - buy a box of orchids to brighten up your WFH desk, or send some to family and friends," said a spokesperson for Double H. "Our products are amazing value, top quality and delivered direct from our nursery to your door!"

Plants2People, a flowering plant specialist that grows plants for B&Q, Homebase, B&M, Dobbies and independent garden centres, is now supplying consumers direct. Customers can find generous bundle sets: Ł20-Ł100 bundles of bedding, plus compost available with plant orders.

Throughout the lockdown, the company is not only selling a fantastic range of flowers and bulbs from Farplants, among others, but are supporting the NHS today by building a fantastic flower wall at the Nightingale Hospital in London.

All Newey plants, including wholesale perennial plugs and liners, annual basket and patio plants, are supplied direct (at great nursery prices) and in addition - for every pound spent they'll donate 10 per cent to NHS charities. 

"We want to help to keep communities gardening and for the first time ever will be supplying the public with the very finest garden ready British plants - direct from the nursery.

"We will bring gardening to you safely... just follow the easy steps and wait for your great British plants to arrive to your door step, no contact needed."

The company will be delivering to Canterbury, Faversham and Tunbridge Wells, within a five mile radius of the city or town centre, as well as Stratford-upon-Avon, Chipping Campden and Evesham, Chichester and Bognor Regis. The business donates 10 per cent of income to NHS charities.

Love Gardening Direct specialises in high quality ornamental plants from nurseries in Lancashire, this fourth generation family-run business will be selling alpines, beddings and bulbs from Lovania Nurseries, as well as plants from Seiont Nurseries, a family run wholesale liner and plug producer in Caernarfon, North Wales. 

Lovania said: "The recent coronavirus outbreak has hit our retail business hard at our busiest time of the year with thousands of beautiful plants ready for dispatch but without a home. We hope that you will try our online service, experience our lovely plants and bring some colour and pleasure back into your garden during these uncertain times."

Woodlark Nurseries has now opened up its doors to the public, selling a huge range of plants, flowers and bulbs in its brand new webshop; while grower Hills Plants sells houseplants through The Little Botanical.

Meanwhile, GrowNation is a new marketplace platform built to support the industry "and make online sales a reality for all". Secure payment through the Square payment processing system, order management and customer messaging are built-in. Garden centre operators can add or import any products they wish, including photos, descriptions and their own prices.

The HTA said the industry could lose Ł687m of plants sales by the end of June because of the lockdown.  Some growers have up to Ł8m of bedding in their glasshouses that was to have gone to DIYs and garden centres.

Small growers such as Pepperpot Plants did a year's business by mail order in the first 10 days of the lockdown, but many big growers cannot shift the volume they have by post.

Source: Telegraph

Photo Credit: Horticultural Trades Association

Source: Telegraph