Garden centres enjoy healthy sales

Mums around the UK celebrated Mothers Day last weekend (March 22nd) by receiving plants and flowers, if garden centre sales figures are anything to go by.

Some suppliers reported that business is as good as it has been for four years, according to Horticulture Week.

With this weekends clock-change marking the beginning of British Summer Time, outlets such as Shoots Garden Centre are enjoying a roaring trade.

Director Piers Mummery explained to the news provider that his company had enjoyed a "stonker" of a week, with grow-your-own sales up 300 per cent.

"What a superb start to the season," he said, adding that footfall was up by 50 per cent. "Our sales were more than double last years."

Horticulturalists will be busy in their greenhouses preparing for the warmer weather and with retailers enjoying a good start to the season, it seems gardening is set to be a popular hobby this summer.

Celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver have been promoting growing your own fruit and vegetables to help provide healthy and cost-effective food for the family – something that may have played a part in the apparent trend.