Brexit forces garden centre to give away £100k of plants for free

Just taken some fuschia cuttings - I bet I'll kill them

I thought that nurseries grew a lot of annuals from seed then sold them on to garden centres.

I had a summer job in a plant nursery many years ago, doing cuttings. The nursery only produced perennials, from seed or cuttings. I expect different nurseries specialise in different plant production.

P.S. Taking cuttings was dead easy, if a bit repetitive. Even a Brit could do it ...

Lucca

Lincslass

Lucca

Wasn’t it the garden centre claiming this was due to Brexit ? Not Maizie ??

That’s all I can say as I know b….all about garden centres or plants.

Yes, just replying to a comment Maisie said. Garden centres where people who love gardens can buy plants etc.

Sorry my post was to Lemongrove!

I thought that nurseries grew a lot of annuals from seed then sold them on to garden centres.

Garden centres buy some perennials, shrubs etc from the EU, especially the Netherlands.

Some garden centres do propagate their own annuals.

Clear as wet compost?

Lincslass

MaizieD

I get the impression from the Byline Times story that perennials are part of the give away too. The claim being that they haven't the staff to maintain them and take cuttings.

Ironically, the plant nursery manager says they will have to import plants from the EU next year because they'll have no stock grown on for the spring.
A Brexit Benefit for EU plant suppliers, then?

Looking for sage, tons of it, and plenty of other herbs, many homegrown plants, and plants from the Netherlands. Funny how some garden centres are managing very well, other are using excuses for poor management. By the look of the plants here in this centre all well looked after, and more than enough to choose from. Like a child in a sweet shop.

Do you understand what a plant nursery is, Lincslass, as opposed to a garden centre?

Yes, we do import lots of plants from the EU, have done for years, but the nursery manager was pointing out that they would have to import more from the EU because he had no staff to propagate more plants for next year.

Though if some posters are to be believed that this was a publicity stunt then the stuff about shortages of locally grown plants may be not quite what it seems.

It should be noted that it's currently easy to import plants from the EU because there are no border checks yet. This could change once the SPS checks are being operated.

Kalu

I would be more than willing to take any free plants for whatever reason. I have always bought, at a much reduced price, many plants which I am sure some may just chuck out. I am sure they present a beautiful display out of gratitude. ?

Annuals don't, they just die when the weather gets cold. And we were told early on in this thread that the only plants being given away were annuals.

Has anyone been to the garden centre to check? (Apologies if someone has and I've missed it, I haven't read all the thread)

project fear is laughable
its project nothing just a lot of hot air
the owner goes off on anything that costs him money
staff waste covid brexit and if he can get local katie hopkins to twitter away with him all well and good

the people of plymouth and surrounds have far greater things to worry about at the moment with the shootings and also many of their troops who were in afghanistan

Project fear ?? ?

I would be more than willing to take any free plants for whatever reason. I have always bought, at a much reduced price, many plants which I am sure some may just chuck out. I am sure they present a beautiful display out of gratitude. ?

Jenh66

Once again what evidence is there that this "shortage" is Bexit related? More inclined to think it's publicity for the nursery. Project fear ?

If they wish to give away plants as a publicity stunt, good luck to them?
Why are people moaning- nobody is forcing you to accept a free gift?
I don't think "fear" comes into it anywhere

I’ve bought my plants on line and still have a large collection of free flower pots

Lincslass

Lucca

Wasn’t it the garden centre claiming this was due to Brexit ? Not Maizie ??

That’s all I can say as I know b….all about garden centres or plants.

Yes, just replying to a comment Maisie said. Garden centres where people who love gardens can buy plants etc.

Sorry my post was to Lemongrove!

Lucca

Wasn’t it the garden centre claiming this was due to Brexit ? Not Maizie ??

That’s all I can say as I know b….all about garden centres or plants.

Yes, just replying to a comment Maisie said. Garden centres where people who love gardens can buy plants etc.

Wasn’t it the garden centre claiming this was due to Brexit ? Not Maizie ??

That’s all I can say as I know b….all about garden centres or plants.

MaizieD

I get the impression from the Byline Times story that perennials are part of the give away too. The claim being that they haven't the staff to maintain them and take cuttings.

Ironically, the plant nursery manager says they will have to import plants from the EU next year because they'll have no stock grown on for the spring.
A Brexit Benefit for EU plant suppliers, then?

Looking for sage, tons of it, and plenty of other herbs, many homegrown plants, and plants from the Netherlands. Funny how some garden centres are managing very well, other are using excuses for poor management. By the look of the plants here in this centre all well looked after, and more than enough to choose from. Like a child in a sweet shop.

Once again what evidence is there that this "shortage" is Bexit related? More inclined to think it's publicity for the nursery. Project fear ?

I'd like to know more about how exactly his staff shortages are Brexit related ?

I think you will find all sorts of places are short of staff for a variety of reasons including Brexit.
The Oldenberg ferry from Ilfracombe and Bideford to Lundy can still not operate at full capacity even after relaxation of Covid rules because they cannot get sufficient staff , but this is because they cannot afford local rent. A friend who runs a hotel/pub in Lynmouth struggled because of Brexit as his usual staff came across from Europe but he managed to offer them accommodation in which to self isolate before starting work providing they would stay the whole season. Some people in North Devon tourist businesses (hotels,cafes etc ) have had to cut opening hours or tables due to staff shortages either Brexit related or staff unable to find accommodation.
Both are very real problems in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

How good to learn that at least something good is happening in Plymouth.

Brexit is not the sole cause of staff shortages. Brexit didn’t cause coronavirus, but so many people were out of work due to the virus - many in the hospitality sector, who then got jobs driving for supermarkets who pay them good money, when those in sales and hospitality are paid the minimum wage. These drivers don’t now want to lose good-paying work to be treated so poorly by pubs, restaurants, garden centres, etc.

Callistemon

Despite the reasons and the rhetoric, I'm glad that plants are being saved.

I've saved many a plant going cheap in the unloved corner of garden centres.

Me too Callistemon. I have a beautiful aromatic shrub on my patio that was being chucked out as a mere twig.

lemongrove

If you read all the posts you will see that it’s common for some garden centres to do this MaizieD so the dodgy owner of the one in question is no doubt blaming Brexit when it’s good business to get rid of plants at this time.You even question
A poster about their bona fides on this matter.
Blaming Brexit for everything bar the weather ( or Covid)
Is what unscrupulous people do, especially if it opens up a good marketing concept for them.
Your sainthood will have to wait.?

If you read the thread title and the OP, lemon (as I suggested in my last post) you will see that 'It wasn't me, Guv'.

Despite the reasons and the rhetoric, I'm glad that plants are being saved.

I've saved many a plant going cheap in the unloved corner of garden centres.

No feedback from my friend yet but reports on Facebook were of hour long queues to get in and out of the nursery, people turning up with vans/lorries to grab as much as they could. No info on the types of plants being given away.

If you read all the posts you will see that it’s common for some garden centres to do this MaizieD so the dodgy owner of the one in question is no doubt blaming Brexit when it’s good business to get rid of plants at this time.You even question
A poster about their bona fides on this matter.
Blaming Brexit for everything bar the weather ( or Covid)
Is what unscrupulous people do, especially if it opens up a good marketing concept for them.
Your sainthood will have to wait.?

lemongrove

I haven’t been for ages Callistemon the Trago we went to is in Cornwall. Brian Fords is in Devon and sells low cost food and household items and plants, it may not be still going ( and was likely started by Brian Ford)?

However did I miss Brian Ford's?