“If any of our customers want to buy a plant at whatever time of year then they can use our click-and-collect service and we can get it for them.

“We’re in the business of selling people success so I’d much rather stock top quality and fresh plants in February and March, rather than try to sell a shrub that’s been on the outdoor benches for the best part of nine months.

“Independent garden centres have to ask themselves: do we want cash tied up in stock through the winter and risk financial loss if we get the freezing conditions of two and three years ago? If we do have a mild winter like last year it’s quite easy to respond quickly.”

Will Armitage, of Armitage’s Home & Garden, said: “We actively reduce our plant stock for winter with discount voucher offers to our more regular customers.  

“The purpose of this is not to make space for Christmas but to mitigate against stock losses from the cold weather. We do not de-stock – the idea is to hold as much stock as we can protect from the cold winter weather without losing the garden centre look or feel.”