How to Survive a Busy Season in a Wholesale Plant Nursery in 2026
Selling bedding plants to the trade is a joy year-round, but by May, life on our wholesale plant nursery is at its busiest.
From the heat building in the glasshouses to the uncertainty of the British weather, this is the time of year when garden centres, landscapers, local authorities and wholesale growers are all working flat out.
Every decision matters, from when to start stocking summer bedding plants to ensuring customers receive the quality plants they need at exactly the right time.
Despite the challenges, the industry pulls together.
Wholesalers, garden centres and trade customers navigate the season side by side, and before long we’re already planning ahead for autumn and spring bedding production.
If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a busy wholesale plant nursery during the main season, read on for an insight into what a typical main season looks like.
May
From full benches to empty glasshouses in just a few weeks. Take a look behind the scenes at our wholesale plant nursery during the busiest time of the year.
Early June
From brand new genetics to standout colour combinations, FlowerTrials® offers a first look at the plants that could be filling garden centres in years to come.
Mid June
The biggest event of the year!! We set up shop at the Horticultural Trades Association Show.
End of June
After a successful spring and summer season, we took a moment to celebrate the people who make it all possible.
Months of planning, sowing, growing and transplanting all lead up to this crucial period
In April, every available space on our wholesale plant nursery is filled in preparation for the summer bedding season.
By May, the pace increases dramatically. Orders are leaving the nursery every day as garden centres, landscapers and local authorities stock up for the busiest retail season of the year.
Timing is everything. Plants need to be at their peak quality when they arrive with customers, while changing weather forecasts can quickly affect demand. (That’s been a fun one this year!!)
The images show just how quickly stock moves through the nursery. What begins as glasshouses packed with colour and foliage can become empty growing space within a matter of weeks.
Our team is constantly transplanting, watering, feeding, spacing and preparing plants for dispatch. Every trolley leaving the nursery represents months of work, and during peak season there is little room for error.
Autumn products such as Cyclamen are already waiting in the wings, ready to take their place on a garden centre bench. In horticulture, one season rarely ends before the next one begins.
Stuart and Holly head to Holland
With peak season behind us, Stuart and Holly travelled to the Netherlands for FlowerTrials® to gather ideas and inspiration for our 2027 programme.
Trends We Noticed
One trend stood out: larger containers already in flower and ready for customers to take home for instant colour. We saw great examples across many crops, highlighting the growing demand for ready-to-go displays.
Holly’s Favourite
Holly’s all-round winner was the Portulaca. Her vision is a 3L stone-coloured pot planted with three complementary colours from the range to create a vibrant summer display. Can you see it working in your garden centre?
New Genetics
Another exciting introduction was Danziger’s Amazonas range, with its striking colours, drought tolerance and excellent weather performance. No more collapsing petunias!
Looking Ahead to 2027
From larger flowering containers and pollinator-friendly plants to low-maintenance varieties and mixed combinations, we found plenty of inspiration for our 2027 programme.
We set up shop to meet new and existing customers
Jess & Holly are ready to go!!
With the help of our driver Phil (hiding in the yellow hi-vis), we filled our stand with summer bedding, an England flag of Geraniums, and a small batch of what we grow in Autumn.
Autumn Ready
Alongside our summer displays, we also showcased a glimpse of what’s to come this autumn with a selection of pansies and violas. These are now our next crop in production, and we’re looking forward to supplying customers with pretty colours and reliable performance for the cooler months ahead.
Celebrating another busy season and thanking the team for all their hard work.
From sowing and growing to dispatch and delivery, it’s been a busy few months, and we’re grateful to every member of the team for their efforts throughout the season.
We enjoyed a wonderful few hours together at the pub, making the most of the sunshine and reflecting on another successful season.
However, the occasion was also bittersweet as it marked the end of our Nursery Supervisor Steph’s time with us.
Steph has been part of the Les Halman family for almost five years and will be truly missed by everyone. Her knowledge of nursery production, dedication to her role, and kindness towards her colleagues have made a lasting impact on the business.
Wherever Steph’s future endeavours take her, we wish her every success. Her new employers will be lucky to have her.
