representative from Scotland ’s horticulture sector have fall in together to call for garden center to be reopen before the remnant of March . 18 high visibility organisations , businesses , and mortal have put their signatures to an open varsity letter to the Scottish Government . With the peak Spring season fast coming , which ascertain 70 % of bedding plants sell between March and May , it is a crucial time for the hard - pressed Scottish domesticated horticulture diligence .
organize by the Horticultural Trades Association , well - love horticulture name Jim McColl , National Farmers Union Scotland , Scottish Retail Consortium , Royal Horticultural Society and other garden industry bodies , joined with Scottish headquartered businesses such as Dobbies and Klondyke and Scots sovereign garden centres and cultivator to make this urgent appeal to the Government .
It comes a week before curate meet to review and give further detail on the routemap out of lockdown , first outline by the First Minister , Nicola Sturgeon on 23 February . The open varsity letter set up out seven key reason for why garden centres should begin trade again :
Health and Wellbeing : Gardening brings well documented and important benefits to genial wellness and well - being .
Stay at Home : appropriate garden centre and retail plant nurseries to reopen would confirm the Government ’s efforts to further people to remain at home by give them a dependable , goodly activity to do .
Safe Trading surroundings : Garden centre are spacious , well ventilated with large outdoor areas . The industry is commit to implement enhanced societal distancing measures in conjunction with the Scottish Government .
Economic turmoil : The garden retail sector is proliferated by smaller , independent commercial enterprise central to their local communities . Facing the loss of the crucial Spring gardening time of year a second twelvemonth running will mean disaster for some businesses , possible block and caper going .
works are being cast away : Scottish growers overwhelmingly supply Scottish garden centres . Growers are throw out thousands of plants which should have been on sales event in March because they do n’t have this ‘ route to grocery store ’ .
An industry deserving saving : The Scots ornamental gardening industry contributes £ 2.2 billion to Scottish GDP straight and indirectly and supports 53,900 job .
Click & Collect does n’t work : Click and gather and home delivery services are at best only reach 3 - 10 % of the common levels of demand .
Jim McColl suppose : “ Over a 62 - year career in gardening , north and south of the border , I have worked with mass of all ages , from all walking of life , and seen first - hand how gardening has a substantial influence – helping people to forget what is bothering them . I have no doubt this positive impact has been magnified in recent times as people learn how best to manage the event of this pandemic .
report abound of how people have establish solace and contentment simply by spending a teentsy while in the garden . It does n’t take long before the worries of the full populace seem some way off ! abide back , have a look at what you have achieved in the last 30 transactions and feel relaxed - time for a cuppa or even a drachma ! "
Horticulture ’s unique supply chain for perishable , seasonal product is a special risk from continued lockdown and Chairman of the HTA , James Barnes , say the letter of the alphabet is a clear indication of the strength of feel within the diligence :
“ The signatory of this letter of the alphabet include representatives from agriculturist , retail , landscapist and Greek valerian organisations , all of which are authoritative employers and contributor to the economic system and society as a whole . They are joined by our own HTA member and together show how deeply we as an diligence are experience a lack of realization for what we have to offer and what we resist to lose . ”
Theletter has been sharedon the HTA web site and sent to the editor in chief of several interior newsprint .
