GARDEN CENTRES have helped support horticultural industry charity Perennial this year by ordering two special fundraising salvias from Wyevale Nurseries (November 2023).

The new plants – launched at the 2022 Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) National Plant Show and available for retailers to sell in the summer – have helped raise £1,600 for the charity.

Retail Sales Manager at Wyevale Nurseries, Colin Stanley says: “This year we’ve sold 4,000 of our two new salvias – Salvia gregii Cuello Pink and Salvia gregii Cuello White – to garden centres, who, in turn, sold them to gardeners. It’s a wonderful achievement and we’re delighted to have been involved with this fundraising initiative.

“Everyone who purchased a plant has helped to raise essential funds and awareness for Perennial, which supports all those who work with plants, trees, flowers or grass, whether working or retired, and their families. As part of this special Plant for Perennial promotion, our salvias were branded with a Perennial linked picture label and came in taupe kerbside recyclable pots too.”

Perennial is the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone in our horticultural community, including garden centre employees. They are on hand to offer free advice, information or support for concerns such as the impact of health issues, bereavement, redundancy, family breakdowns and money management.

Both salvias were new to the market this year. They flower early summer to late autumn and are bush forming, wildlife friendly, hardy to -5°c, and reach a height and spread of 70-80cm.

They’re available now to order for 2024 delivery and sales through garden centres will continue to support the charity next year too. Wyevale Nurseries will donate 40 pence from each plant sold to Perennial.

Colin adds: “Plant for Perennial is a collaborative scheme between the charity and four major wholesale nurseries in Hereford and Worcester, including us. The initiative is designed to raise awareness and funds to help build better lives for all those in this industry.

“We’re very keen to promote Perennial’s work, especially since it’s closely linked with Young People in Horticulture Association (YPHA) and we’ve colleagues who are members of this organisation.”

Wyevale Nurseries and the other three commercial growers involved in the scheme sold a range of plants to fundraise for the charity this year. They worked together to help support the organisation and to highlight the services it provides to the commercial horticultural sector and across the industry.

The 2023 plant selection included the two salvias from Wyevale Nurseries, Dianthus ‘Pink Celebration’ from Allensmore Nurseries, Nemesia ‘Peaches and Cream’ from The Bransford Webbs Plant Company and Clematis ‘Prince George’ from New Leaf Plants.

Phil Swainston, Corporate Partnership Manager at Perennial, explains: “Plants for Perennial is an exciting collaboration between four renowned nurseries to highlight the services we provide to the commercial horticultural sector and to spread the word that we are here to help in a wonderful, eye-catching way. It was also a great fundraiser for us too.”

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk. For more information about Perennial and the services the charity provides visit www.perennial.org.uk.