The UK's worst winter in 30 years has hit trading hard and knocked many plants for six. But the cash and carry sector is now responding to demand for replacement planting. One of the worst affected outlets was Craigmarloch in Lanarkshire, predominantly a supplier to plant retailers, which lost "a six-figure sum" due to lost stock and lack of sales, according to director Grant McFar-lane. "It was down to -18°C and stayed cold for sustained periods," he says. "But now it's boom time for us because there are so many holes in people's gardens - we're definitely catching up." Homeowners have lost many Clematis, Lavatera, and even hollies, he notes. "The native holly, Ilex aquafolium, is pretty hardy in the ground but plants in pots get frost from all sides and the variegated forms are less hardy."
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