Staying power

摘要

Growers believe the rising demand for herbaceous perennials is more than a passing fad. Herbaceous perennials seem to be the buzz-words for the horticulture trade. Cottagestyle gardens full of herbaceous plants have caught the eye of judges at boththe Chelsea and Tatton Park flower shows this year, where it seemed that you couldn't move without walking into a Verbascum. But this is more than just a fad. Businesses across the board are reporting increases in demand and some, like Lansen Nursery, inLincolnshire, are doubling their production areas as a result of this surge in popularity. Lansen's expansion plans add a further 3.2 ha to the site with the aim of doubling output over the next two years. "We are very optimistic about the future," explains owner Jan Lansen, "and feel that it is a good market." "Our herbaceous plants sales are going through the roof," says Coblands Nurseries sales and marketing manager Nick Coslett. "Ground-cover plants such as hardy geraniums are doing well. These have the added benefit of suppressing weed growth, which saves time on maintenance work."