Plant Specifications

This article is to share my frustration with certain people in the trade who do not take plant specification seriously. For council approved planting schemes this is very risky; replacing a sub-standard plant can be very costly. My core business in sourcing and supplying hardy stock to landscape designers, landscape gardeners and property developers, where plant specification is important. However many of my customers (who I love dearly, I must add) are not always familiar with plant specs. For example, the girth of trees, the percentage mix of hedging plants and most commonly the Latin names of plants. My role is to help supply the right spec, the true variety and above all a good quality plant. The real frustration comes when you lose a quotation, to find out that a lesser quality plant was accepted and not being able to re-quote on the new spec. My frustration is not just with customers (who I love dearly) but with suppliers. A classic example is the overall size of a plant. A Bay growing in Belgium includes the pot in all his heights...why, it’s the plant I’m interested in, the bit above the ground, you know the bit the customer sees! Also that little bit missing from the height, the 125-150cm plant that is actually just over a metre, but the supplier "thought it would do?". As a ‘middle-man’ this is very costly to me. My customer doesn’t want ‘hard-luck’ story; they want the plants I quoted for, at the heights I quoted for.So my message is:Be clear what you are asking for.Check closely what you are quoted for.Request images on expensive items.Don’t take chances. I’ve seen it happen and it’s not pleasant.This rant was brought to you by Charlie Pinder of Pinder Plants Ltd(ps Charlie can't spell for toffee, please forgive any mistakes...it's my LJ debut!)

"NFU are very exensive but are very good when it comes to making a claim apparently... but hopefully never have to. I was looking for a combined policy to cover all insurances but according to my broker there isnt one so I end up paying a broker fee…"

"Agree with you Graham, we have a client with a long run of Laurel which we only cut once a year mid june and have done for over 20 years, the client is fussy with a capital F ! It's a superb evergreen hedge which is bomb proof.
As to this so called…"

"Disagree there! I maintain a site with a couple of of large laurel hedges and one cut in July suffices and keeps it looking nice. Agree.... looks nasty immediately after cutting but quickly perks up so you don't notice the cut leaves. Pretty much…"

LJN Blog Posts

Plant Specifications

Comments

Highlighted blog posts

The Landscape Juice Network's Aims and Objectives

What to charge for garden services and maintenance uk

A Quick Reminder to Talk

Britmow 2020

Diversity in the Horticulture Industry

Sherriff the root to success at Milford GC

Note: this page contains paid content.

Open forum activity

Instant hedging

MAKITA ADDS TWO XGT HEDGE TRIMMERS TO ITS GROWING RANGE

Weibang 53 SSD or Weibang 53 ASD BBC or Honda HRX 537?

Moss and algae on hard surfaces

Note: this page contains paid content.

More on LJN

Featured business articles

About LJN