Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

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Hugo Fillery

Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by Hugo Fillery »

Hello everyone,

I am starting out a serious Nursery Business Plan next year and would like to get some ideas and tips from anyone who is interested in giving me ideas?

Basically, I would like to be specialising in plants that are rarely available around and throughout Great Britain. So.. I'll cut straight to it:

What sort of plants are likely to be viable and won't require a very long waiting period for harvest or distribution?

Also, what sort of plants would you all like to see on the market? Could it be a certain variety of bananas, tropical fruit, cashew nut trees, Ginseng, Saffron etc?

Would really appreciate your ideas and suggestions.

Many thanks

Hugo
Conifers
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Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by Conifers »

Some of the more unusual and attractive Mexican pines, like Pinus culminicola, Pinus johannis, Pinus lumholtzii, Pinus nelsonii, Pinus pinceana.
CW01

Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by CW01 »

Different varietys of Ensete would be great Hugo icon_thumleft
allangreenbean

Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by allangreenbean »

That's a tough one.

Everyone has different plants they look for so whilst one person may specify something particular they could well be the only one of a few that buy it.

I find that as the less widely available plants are not easily available or are too expensive I settle for a cheaper more common alternative It's only rare that I make a big purchase such as the recent Trachycarpus wagnerianus as these purchases are very considered.

Postage is also a consideration as it can cost as much or even more than the plant itself which would put some people off.

I look for large leaved, tropical looking hardy evergreens. I'd consider anything in that category.

I find that the larger/mainstream garden centres will not have:

Large leaved bamboos
Schefflera
Loquat
Waggies
Daphne - even though they are relatively popular
Yucca - for some reason plain old gloriosa has vanished
Non plain Fatsia

Of course you can hunt them out online which is true of most things.

There are about 80,000 plants available in the UK it's just a case of finding them.
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Dave Brown
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Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by Dave Brown »

Most plants we would ask for are a niche market so demand wouldn't be high, and normally the reason they are not available is because of difficulty propagating. For instance Bananas may produce pups, but to get sufficient stock would take at least a couple of years, and they take up space and need heat.

If you have access to TC and have stock to set that up, that would be a different matter.

Very often the demand is created by lack of supply ie plants like Ensete Hiniba can only be propped by sacrificing a growing plant, and they are so scarce no-one is prepared to do it. Musa zaifui pups, but as said would take a while to build up stock.
Best regards
Dave
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otorongo
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Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by otorongo »

Lapagerias are some of the ones that are very attractive (evergreen shade-loving vines with beautiful autumn/winter flowers!) and hardy in London, but hard to come across. I've only managed to get one, from an obscure online nursery, via a phone order. Later one I wanted another one, a white one, and only found one online vendor... which said "out of stock, please check back in <December or whatever>".
I'd like to see them in the local garden centres, I'm sure they would be popular.
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Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Farfugiums, Scheffleras, bamboos, palms, colocasia, gingers.
harryc
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Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by harryc »

Schefflera, rare palms, gingers and Aroids.

H
call

Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by call »

MASSONIA, caudiciform succulents, bromeliads, unusual bananas, rare aroids........ (the list goes on :roll: )
I really do hope you go for it and get some amazing rare plants as I will love ordering from you :DD
(ps. X manfreda! :wink: )
flounder

Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by flounder »

Quite a loaded question really. You want to grow plants that reach a saleable size in as short a time as possible that are hard to find? If it was that simple to find these plants I'm sure they would be more readily available!
You haven't said if you have the facilities for overwintering tender species or you're just concentrating on uk winter hardy stuff.
So a few ideas from me would be canna species, salvias or solanums.
Other stuff has been mentioned on here, as would plants from any other garden forums you've used for your market research.
I must admit, I prepare diversity rather than speciality as it helps with casual sales rather than specific clientèle
Tom2006
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Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by Tom2006 »

Personally tree ferns and palms but im desperate to get some Ensete Hiniba so put me down for some of those please.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
Hugo Fillery

Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by Hugo Fillery »

Hello everyone,

Thank you very much for your feedback and comments.

I haven't got any land in situation but am arranging it early next Spring. With regards to some of your questions whether I will be growing mainly hardy or tender plants. I aim to try and specialise in both but obviously the more hardy, the better really! I will take your suggestions into consideration and will keep you all updated. I will be growing in Polytunnels and outside beds/coldframes to begin with and gradually as I will hopefully obtain permission; I will build some large glasshouses if by that stage it will be viable.

If you have any more suggestions or further comments then please feel free to ask. I am looking for us much information as possible so I can get this right.

Many thanks

:) Hugo
Half Hardy

Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by Half Hardy »

Hi Hugo,best of luck with your venture.We are spoilt for choice,in this part of the country for exotic plants(as an example,this spring I picked up a shefflera rhododendrifolia,a fatsia polycarpa and a begonia luxurians in one shopping trip).I hear people complaining that they have to travel down here to buy plants,because they can't get them at home or some nurseries won't post plants.So it could be worth looking at what the nurseries in Devon and Cornwall offer and copying them.The species that springs to my mind,is brugmansia they are quick growing,easy to propagate and have a huge choice of hybrids and yet nobody seems to stock them.Even on ebay they attract high bids for a cutting.The other plants,I can think of,that I rarely find a decent choice of,are hostas and agaves.
Blairs

Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by Blairs »

Kalopanax are difficult to buy online or find in the UK but easy to propagate, so one to sell. I suspect the margin for growing succulents could be good.
Hugo Fillery

Re: Plants That You Would Like To See On The Market:

Post by Hugo Fillery »

Thank you Half Hardy and Blair, do you have any particular species of agaves or succulents that you would like to see? Also, what about plant sizes, is there any particular sizes that you can't seem to find of any specific species that you would like to buy? What about novelty plants, does that tick anyone's boxes?
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