What’s Hot?

While we don’t doubt the veracity of the Red C research reviewed in the previous article, we decided to ask two of Ireland’s leading plant sellers for their thoughts on current trends. Niamh Tully is head of marketing at Tully Nurseries and John Miland is owner and operator of Miland’s Garden Centre, Galway

The Instant Irish Impulse, Niamh Tully

More and more retail customers are engaging the services of landscape professionals. Consumers are still looking for instant colour, so sales of perennials continue to thrive. For Tully Nurseries, communicating the message that it’s not just about the plants, it’s also
about the benefits of the plants that will be paramount. This theme was very apparent at the recent HTA futures conference in the UK. The link between health and horticulture is becoming stronger with more people engaging in mindfulness in the garden. At the Institute of Horticulture’s annual conference in October, Bord Bia reported that future trends show plants for balconies, patio gardening, compact gardening and vertical gardens will increase in popularity as more people are preferring to live in cities. While there has been a move to supply more ‘impulse type’ patio/bedding plants over the last few years, this is risky business if it rains for two months. We still need to focus on our core categories: shrubs and perennials. Landscape contractors are demanding more shrubs, particularly bigger sizes for instant solutions. Our customers are telling us their consumers want bigger screening plants, and espalier forms are very popular. We are also being asked ‘Are these plants grown in Ireland?’ so having the origin Ireland Bord Bia quality mark on our point of sale is important in getting this message across. In summary, the future is bright and we are confident that despite the challenges that Brexit will bring, the gardening market will continue to grow where there is an appetite to garden. The end consumer wants to get out into the garden more and more and enjoy the many benefits that gardening will bring. ✽

Fairies and containers, John Miland

The big trend that is a continuation of what has been happening in the last number of years is container gardening. So many of our customers just want to walk in and pick up a container which is already planted in full colour and ready to go. Gardening needs to be easy. When it comes to shrubs and trees the same is true. No longer do we face the lady with the Hillier’s manual in one hand and the RHS book of unusual shrubs in the other, marching towards us looking for the obscure and unusual. The plants need to be compact and low maintenance with very clear and colourful care instructions. Plants have started to become disposable. When I first started here, plants came in black polythene sacks. You were advised to buy the ones with a layer of moss and algae on the top as this ensured they were well rooted in. The packaging and presentation continue to improve year on year. The coloured pots, colour labels, and POS material all help to sell plants. A healthy well-presented plant will sell itself.
One of the more unusual trends this year has been the sale of fairy related goods. Kids have gone stone mad about fairy doors, fairy gardens and all things fairy related. ✽