Blossoming beginnings: innovative plant nurseries bringing renewed optimism to British gardens
Amidst a boom in gardening and a growing interest in specialist plants, UK nurseries are facing a challenging landscape due to a combination of economic pressures, policy changes, health crises, and an unpredictable climate.
Escalating costs, such as rising energy, food, insurance, and National Insurance contributions, are putting significant strain on nurseries. These increases outpace income growth, particularly when nurseries are often forced to charge high rates to cross-subsidize underfunded government-subsidized hours for older children.
Policy and regulatory changes, including the withdrawal of peat as a growing medium and the complexities introduced by Brexit, are also causing difficulties. Transitioning away from peat requires investment in new infrastructure and training, which some nurseries may struggle to afford. Brexit has disrupted access to imported plants, increased regulatory burdens, and introduced delays at borders, all of which raise costs and reduce business predictability.
Health crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, have added to the challenges. Temporary closures, lost income, and increased overheads for safety measures have strained nurseries, despite government support during lockdowns. An unpredictable climate, with extreme weather events like droughts, floods, and unseasonal frosts, is making plant production less reliable and increasing insurance costs.
Sector-specific challenges, such as inadequate funding and subsidies, are also taking their toll. Nurseries report that the hourly rates paid for government-funded childcare and early years provision do not cover the true cost of delivery, leading to financial instability. Inconsistencies in how local authorities pass on government subsidies exacerbate these problems.
Despite high demand for specialist plants and a growing interest in gardening post-pandemic, nurseries are unable to capitalize fully due to the cumulative effect of these challenges. The financial and operational burdens are so significant that even robust demand cannot offset the costs and risks associated with running a nursery business at present.
Despite the challenges, new nurseries are emerging. No Name Nursery in Kent, established in 2019, is using a derelict site for lower initial costs. Henrietta Huntley's Freckles and Flora, Toby Shuall's Zophian Plants, and Cliff Bank Nursery are focusing first on plant fairs as a key sales strategy.
In response to these challenges, some nurseries are adopting new approaches. The Blooming Wild Nursery in Somerset, bought by Steven and Lindsay Lister in 2022, has a focus on growing perennials and wildflowers. Jonny Bruce hopes to open The Field Nursery by autumn this year, focusing on organic growing methods. Lynne Moore's plants are all grown peat-free, and she won a Gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year.
Despite these efforts, some nursery owners face the challenge of doing most of the work themselves due to budget constraints. Lynne Moore fears that some nursery people may retire rather than attempt a transition to peat-free growing methods.
Here's a summary of the challenges and their impacts on nurseries:
| Challenge | Impact on Nurseries | |-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------| | Brexit | Higher costs, regulatory complexity, import delays | | Covid-19 | Lost income, increased overheads | | Peat withdrawal | Adaptation costs, retraining, new infrastructure | | Escalating costs | Squeezed margins, reduced profitability | | Unpredictable climate | Crop losses, higher insurance costs | | Inadequate funding/subsidies | Financial instability, cross-subsidization needed |
These interrelated issues have made the nursery sector particularly vulnerable, resulting in closures despite strong demand for specialist plants.
- In the face of escalating costs, nurseries are being pushed to their limits with rising expenses in energy, food, insurance, and National Insurance contributions, which exceed their income growth.
- As a result of government policy changes and regulatory requirements, such as the withdrawal of peat as a growing medium and the complications presented by Brexit, nurseries are facing additional difficulties, including investment in new infrastructure, training, and disrupted access to imported plants.
- Health crises, like the Covid-19 pandemic, have compounded the challenges for nurseries, causing temporary closures, lost income, increased overheads for safety measures, and reduced business predictability.
- The unpredictable climate, characterized by extreme weather events, is making plant production less reliable and driving up insurance costs for nurseries.
- Without adequate funding and subsidies, the hourly rates paid for government-funded childcare and early years provision do not cover the true costs of delivery, leading to financial instability and even closures within the nursery sector.
