We posted this article last March at the start of the first lockdown to try and get people to support small businesses in the horticultural industry. Sadly, thanks to the severity of the current crisis, many still need your support to survive. Today would be a very good day to buy a plant!

From March 2020:

Plant growers up and down the country are in serious danger. The current health and economic crisis means that flower shows are cancelled, spending has plummeted and countless people are off work. We are in serious danger of losing a lot of specialist growers over the next few months, who may be forced to close forever through no fault of their own. Gardeners will see a massive fall in choice and quality if only a few large producers survive. All in all, it's pretty scary!

So, here's what we all need to do:

• Buy yourself a plant online - it'll cheer you up. Go on treat yourself - you're helping the economy.
  
• Buy someone over 70 a plant online - it'll cheer them up while they are stuck at home 'self isolating'. Actually, maybe buy them another one in a week or two when they are starting to go a bit stir crazy.
  
• If you go out - buy plants or sundries from an independent seller. A big, faceless DIY retailer (no names) can ride this out, a little guy doesn't have such deep pockets. Besides, the DIY stores will soon be making a fortune in plungers with the amount of loo roll everyone is apparently using.
  

The GREAT news is that the quality if plants you will be buying is better than ever before. Not a sales pitch, a fact, because all the plants that would have won Gold at Chelsea in a few months are now FOR SALE. You will literally have a piece of the 2020 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Beat that, next door!

If everybody who reads this spends as little as £5, then we can keep an important industry afloat during this difficult period. So, for gardening, growers and the all round greater good, please buy a plant!

Check out our list of awesome suppliers HERE