What if the sun weretoshine?

It’sdifficult butweall need to be patient about the gardening season really getting going this year.We’ve all been praying for warmweather andsunshinebut so far we’vehad colder than normal temperatures and morerain, it’snot very conduciveto spending time outside in the garden.

But we should not despair because although things areslowatthe moment theyare no wherenearasbad as March April and the start of May in 2018.Then “The Beast from the East” really put afull stop to gardening sales for weeks and weeks.

Back in 2018atthe end of week 16,the third week of April, the GTNBestsellers All Products Index was13% down on the same period for 2017 but after some great weatherinlateMay,

June and July the year endeduponly 1% down.

So far this year our All Products Index sits at 4% down on 2022, and thereare signs of summer actually coming in the met office forecasts, so we have plenty of opportunity to still haveagreat year

This years volume sales to dateare 32% ahead of wherewewerein2018and 18% ahead of 2019,soit’sstill evident that the post covid growth is still with us, the newgardeners just likethe older ones just aren’tactiveright nowdue to the weather

If we follow2018sales patternsthen plant sales will roll on longer intothe summer as will leisuresales, especially if the economic uncertainties starttofadeaway

Throughrose tinted glasses, as ever!

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Garden Trade News

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