Recently I have asked the following people how their businesses were going this year, here in the south of England.
The owner of a large garden machinery supplier said that the usual rush to purchase, which usually happens in April / May just never happened this year.
The owner of a garden nursery that supplies bedding plants to the trade said that sales were down and below what was expected, and is trying to sell everything at a discounted price just to get rid of their stock.
The owner of a landscape maintenance business said that getting new leads to do estimates was very hard, but even when he was able to do an estimate the rate of conversions was well down.
The manager of a garden machinery repair department said that business is very slack this year.
This year we had (in the South) a rather cruel east wind blowing over the country for the first six months, which carried very little rain and left the soil dry and the water table level low. As soon as the east wind stopped we got a little rain, followed by this scorching hot weather and causing the grass to dry up.
How have you found business this year?
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It's certainly been the worst year on conversions but I'm really thinking it must be price that's doing it.
Then to top it off loads of rain after the heatwave and grass is behaving like it's spring again! Good job I'm down on conversions really
Only my second year so don't have much history to base my experience on......have been booked 4 days a week for months, and 5 days a week at the moment, end of August and in to September looking a little slower.
Stacks of border work, increased frequency of mowing, and shrub work mostly.
I feel Brexit has something to do with it. People are hanging on to their money. DIY websites are quite popular and people also use youtube to educate themselves.
Everyone wants cheap cheap cheap. I get ranted at over my cost or other peoples cost or quotes and I say its fair because of xyz and they look at me like I am crazy.
So yes the phone calls have dropped off somewhat compared to the last few years. But then the weather here in the south is so dry. If I were not to water my garden every day the plants would be dying. Some of my customers only see me once every 3 weeks because nothing much is growing if it does not get watered. The last 3 weeks have been crazily dry. The lawns are turning yellow and we are just into July.
As to the plants, I note that Homebase is now undercutting everyone. Their plants are actually very good compared to professional nurseries where I get 50% discount. B&Q on the other hand is expensive and let a lot of their stock go to waste. I bought old tattered plants for a £1 and some survived. But it was the terracotta pots they were in I really wanted which were selling on another shelf for £5 to £10 each.
Your homebase comments are interesting. At the Truro branch the plant quality has gone right down since the change of company ownership.
They used to be very bad. I only have 3 stores and they are all quite a bit away but was amazed at the quality and the prices. For example I bought a nice big Buxus at a Nursery for £35 trade price. I got the same one at Homebase for £20.
Business is booming for us. West Midlands, just about getting enough rain. The warm and bright spring may have led to more people taking a greater interest in their gardens. Our reputation, name and visibility has only gone from strength to strength and we're just picking up more of the share. The population is aging and there's new homes going up all of the time.
How do you fair on conversion rate this year?
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