As a Landscaping company and independent retail nursery that has helped build an award winning garden in 2006, we have been approached to assist with a couple of show gardens this year \(Gardeners World Live and Malvern) but it is difficult to assess whether we get involved or to concentrate on the local work and our existing clients.
The cost of taking time out and the extra labour involved can be crippling, and all in the hope that 'new work' is brought in from exhibiting. The Garden designer that has approached us is assuring us that sponsorship is available, but at this time as more companies pull out of sponsorship, we're not sure that is guaranteed, and without sponsorship, small companies such as ours can't even contemplate going ahead.
A difficult start to the year with the weather and the uncertainty of the economic climate is making for an interesting year coming up, and possibly a few sleepless nights to go along with it. As a small company we're hoping that our lower overheads will ride out the storm, but is taking time out for show gardens the right thing to do and will the number of celebrities pulling out affect numbers of people through the gate, most of whom will expect their 'favourites' to be exhibiting?
