Martin Stewart's tale of Good Friday trading at his garden centres in Dorset goes as follows: 

"Apart from 2008 (which was the earliest Easter for 30 years) I think we are heading for the worst Easter since 1994.

Although Sales on Good Friday were down 24% in our centres (on last years poor Easter!!) the front door numbers were actually up 15%!! Our catering transactions were up 16% (surprise, surprise) and Gift and House Plants sales were up which shows that people want to spend. This is NOT the economy.

It's just gardening that suffered, down 45%. The trouble is that's what we really do need at this time of the year.

Just in our little way with just 2 centres it is heading to be about £90,000 down on a decent Easter in just 3 days. There will be a great deal of cash flow missing from our trade by the end of March.

I put it down to Guy Topping frightening the customers away on BBC Breakfast yesterday morning.

Lucky we are optimists!"

Jonathan Read from Podington Garden Centre in Northamptonshire reports:   

"Good Friday was better than expected, but that’s not to say it was good, just our expectations were very low!

Had it not been for catering it would have been a ghost town.  Giftware, books, clothing and planted arrangements were the busiest departments.

Saturday looking much better so far, again catering winning – however, more adventurous gardeners out today with gardening goods and lots of questions.

Sunday we are closed to the public.

We expect not just Monday, but the rest of next week to build on today – so long as it starts to warm up."

James Ducker of Langlands Garden Centres in Yourkshire tells us: 

"Much better than expected Leeds was up on last year and catering was very busy in both centres."

Neil Gow reported from Fresh @ Burcot Garden Centre in the West MIdlands

"We have had at best an average Friday today, certainly not a Good one. However with still 6" on snow on the planteria, 4ft high tumps in the car park and 8 ft drifts on the road little wonder.

We had to get the Council out with the snowplough yesterday as the road was down to single track because of the snowdrifts as it was still blowing off the fields!"

In the South East, Brian Archibald at Coolings told us:

"Yes, another disappointing start to Easter.

Arthur’s held up well yesterday, followed by the shop and worst of all the plant area.

We currently have got light snow, so not expecting much for the rest of today.

If I was as incompetent as the weather forecasters I would be out of a job!"

And Boyd Douglas-Davies simply suggested we should take a case to trading standards over the naming of Good Friday.

"It's anything but Good!"

We get the picture Boyd.  Good luck with that one...