HTA notes strong sales over Easter weekend

The Easter Weekend has provided garden centres across the UK with a boost, according to the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA).

It noted a trend for increased sales in grow-your-own, plants and core gardening products as well as National Garden Gift Vouchers (NGGV).

The news follows a record breaking March for NGGVs and sales of the vouchers to the associations members in the first two weeks of April were 24 per cent ahead of year-on-year figures.

HTA retail management group chairperson Caroline Owen explained her garden centre, Scotsdales, had its best ever Easter Monday.

"This is just what the industry needed and sets us in good stead for the rest of the season," she said, adding it shows that people are keen to spend on their gardens and try growing their own produce.

Growing your own fruit and vegetables has been in the news recently with new US first lady Michelle Obama breaking ground on her own kitchen garden on the White Houses South Lawn.