Wyevale Nurseries in Herefordshire has achieved record plant sales since June last year, following the easing of the first national lockdown restrictions.
Sales of nursery stock have continued to gather pace, with the third-generation family wholesale business having just completed its best month’s trading ever in its 91-year history, it says.
While ‘phenomenal orders’ have stretched them to capacity, the strong demand from commercial customers, such as landscape contractors and garden centres, has led to some ‘outstanding’ results.
Its retail lines, for example, have often been selling out as soon as they become available.
Andy Johnson, MD of Wyevale Nurseries, said: “We’ve seen strong demand in all sectors with outstanding sales since last June. They have been strong since then, all the way through, with regular record-breaking weeks until now and we’ve had an outstanding March.
“Demand has been buoyant because landscapers, developers, landowners, foresters and all those planting commercially have been able to continue throughout the lockdowns and restrictions, as they work outside where the risks are deemed to be minimal from Covid-19.
“We’ve also seen more demand from online retailers and garden centres requiring stock to help the nation’s army of gardeners, who have been using their time at home to revamp and replenish their outdoor spaces.”
In its most recent accounts, for the year to 31 July 2020, Wyevale Nurseries posted £10.5 million turnover. This was down slightly from the £11.8 million of the previous year, due to the ‘temporary disruption’ caused by the pandemic, it says.
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