New research from the HTA highlights the way in which the appeal of locally sourced goods and services has come to the fore as British consumers have responded to the recession of 2008/09 and remains a powerful force as we enter the ‘tens’. This appeal is closely linked to the ‘Authentiseeking’ and ‘Cult of the home’ trends which are tracked by the Future Foundation, one of the HTA’s research partners.

We have grown a range of 2 litre shrubs in a coloured pot of their choice for one of our multiple customers and a start has been made on despatching some of them.

This is a particularly demanding logistical exercise since the plants have been grown at several of our production sites, then returned to our Newlands despatch facility for "prepping": labelling and trolleying-up in mixed trolleys, each with the same mix of varieties on it. The plants will be displayed on these trolleys in-store.

We have  almost unlimited supplies of bare root stock — much of it of native seed origin - and we grow vast quantities of containerised stock too.

Over the years we've supplied just about every kind of landscape project so we've a proven track record in finding ways to make budgets fit.

Matt Reid has moved back north after a spell in cash and carry and garden centre sales based at our Chobham centre of operations.