How does your visitor garden grow?

When you work with gardeners, you can't fail to see growth and the promise of a blossoming future. You learn to understand that the rain clouds will pass and the sun will emerge and that ripples from a stone thrown on a pond will ultimately dissipate....

However, even the most positive gardeners (and I know a few) are feeling the weight of lockdown.

The pandemic hit the UK at a time when gardens would traditionally start to see their footfall increase. This year though, the daffodils smiled in empty gardens, the magnolias bloomed behind closed doors, the tulips followed suit and the wisteria climbed silently for no-one to see.

As their gardens gave solace and hope to those who tended them, gardens-to-visit nervously nibbled their fingernails and waited, like the rest of British business.

Smaller gardens like Great Comp Garden (a client of mine) were brave and kept as many of their staff as possible - they knew that when the time came to re-open the gates, the garden would need to look at its peak. They also knew that communication was key throughout lockdown and I'll be forever grateful that they saw my value and continued to pay me. The BBC and The English Garden supported and featured Great Comp's videos and 20,000 visitors took a virtual visit through the gardens, enjoying some vicarious horticultural benefits.

Some gardens have re-opened. Some remain closed. Most are uncertain of the future. All are worried.

Planning is everything in gardening.

I've been asked to provide contingency planning for the future and I think this is sensible and will enable the smaller Trusts, charities and larger gardens to format their blueprints and see alternate futures.

Here are some of the points we've talked about during our communication contingency meetings. Please do get in touch if you want to hear more.

• Review your income and expenditure over the last 5 years with a view to understanding what's absolutely essential
• Understand that financial future planning is a necessity if you are to recover and flourish - create a 6 month plan, a 1 year plan and a 5 year plan with a view to a 10 year plan
• Review your expansion plans - what can be put on hold and what needs finishing
• Review your overall communications strategy - What worked in lockdown? (emails/marketing circulars/social media/trad media) -Do you have enough content to deal with another area lockdown?
• Are there alternate events you could host this year instead of the big plant fair?
• Nurture the relationships you formed in lockdown - you may have been in touch with departments at the local council that you haven't previously had contact with, community groups, other visitor attractions, the media. Make a plan to stay in touch fortnightly (where appropriate) or monthly with those who supported you.
• Nurture the new skills you developed. If you found that Zoom opened up a world of garden talk possibilities with groups in the outer hebrides who wouldn't usually be able to visit, then keep going with this! If you discovered a budding Stephen Spielberg among the team, find out what equipment they need to continue filming for you.
• Be creative - brainstorm the different scenarios and format 1 page responses to all. I did this with clients prior to lockdown and at the time a 'countrywide lockdown' seemed like the stuff of fantasy - we are glad we brainstormed it now though!
• Be positive - don't lose what you spent years nurturing. As an industry you are inherently positive and that's why visitors return year on year. Nothing is lost or broken, everything is working or growing to the best of it's ability.