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In the latest Horticulture Week podcast, HW editor Matthew Appleby speaks to Guernsey Clematis specialist Raymond Evison and Fairweather's Nursery director, Patrick Fairweather, about prospects for plant exports post-Brexit.
They discuss hurdles posed by Brexit red-tape, international client relationships, the added impact of the coronavirus pandemic and new launches and plans for the coming year.
A 'tsunami'
Despite the extraordinary challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Brexit transition and now Brexit 'reality', Patrick Fairweather tells Matthew is telling his staff to "expect a tsunami" of demand and that "we [growers] have "one of the greatest opportunities on our hands".
Being based in Guernsey means Raymond Evison's Brexit transition has been somewhat smoother than for UK-based growers and his "biggest problem is to make sure that our first delivery of plants get through". He illustrates the potential of markets outside Europe outlining his strong relationships and sales to China and North America in particular: "we are in fact sold out for our world markets until about August of this year, so we're increasing production by 20%".
Clematis The Duchess of Cornwall Evipo118 from Evison and Poulsen, bred and developed in Evison's Guernsey Clematis Nursery, set to launch in garden centres early summer 2021
Another Evison launch is Clematis Tsukiko Evipo110 from Evison and Poulsen and bred and developed in Raymond Evison’s Guernsey Clematis Nursery.
Meanwhile, Fairweather's is to launch Agapanthus 'Dark Star' and 'Poppin Star' (above), a striped version of 'Poppin Purple'.
Podcast presenter: HW editor Matthew Appleby
Producer: HW digital content manager, Christina Taylor
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