I make no bones about it. One of the things I like doing best is sourcing plants. Selling plants. Delivering plants. Planting plants.
Plants for gardens that I'm working on or plants that are looking good and that are in season that I think you might like.
I'm registered with DEFRA as a professional plant supplier. I've even got a registration number that means you can check!
Anyone who sells plants to make a profit needs to be registered with DEFRA. Some are. Some aren't. The reason that registration is important is to enable the origin of plants to be traced - and that's vital to protect plant health and to enable traceability in the event that there's a plant health outbreak.
There's a higher level of registration if you import plants or if you sell and send your plants through the post. I don't import and I only sell on a face to face basis - so I don't need, or have, that level of registration.
I source the vast majority of my plants from a wholesale nursery here in Somerset. They've been able to supply me with fantastic plants - both in terms of size, quality and value for money.
This year I've had a multitude of herbaceous perennials (salvias are my favourite and have sold really well at our fortnightly plant sales in Frome), shrubs, trees and grasses. The acers have been another firm favourite - so much so I now have three of them in my own garden. And another combination that has worked really well has been eucalyptus France Bleu planted next to pittosporum Tom Thumb - we've used that in three gardens this year.
This photo doesn't quite do it justice but hopefully you'll get the idea! The owners were delighted.........
Anyway, so what's this all about?
Well, I've decided to explore ways in which I can develop the idea of sourcing and selling plants. How I might be able to expand the fortnightly and seasonal plant sales in Frome so that others might benefit from that too. I need to operate within my DEFRA registration - so online sales and postal deliveries are out - at least for now - but I've been thinking and planning how I can offer a selection of great seasonal plants to more people.
And after loads of research - have you ever searched on the internet for "plant a border" and noticed the similarity of a number of websites - and what they charge - and a rather odd planning day on the beach at Studland - look at the Facebook and Instagram pages for the photos - I've come up with an idea.
More details will follow in the New Year but for now if you want to "plant a border" then why not get in touch?
These autumn perennials are looking great at the moment, come in three litre pots and represent excellent value. Have a look here for details https://www.trugandlettuce.co.uk/blog/categories/our-plants
And if there's anything specific that you'd like then why not get in touch?
Get in touch through our facebook page or email us at hello@thetrugandlettuce.co.uk
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