With the coldest March in 50 years serioiusly depressing garden centre sales, the HTA stepped into the breach with an optimistic message for gardeners.

Garden centres have been feeling the brunt of the cold temperatures with trade predicted to be down by up to 20% in the important spring months.

As the weather starts to get warmer, gardeners still have time to plant to achieve the perfect garden, said a press statement – a theme garden centres will be able to make good use of in the coming weeks.

“Plants have a remarkable ability to ‘catch up’ on growth so late spring planting, coinciding with early summer planting, will bring an explosion of colour to the nation’s gardens,” they said.

“Plants that have been grown on nurseries under protection or in glass houses were distributed to retailers in February and are available for customers to buy now,” the statement added.

The HTA’s ‘Spring into Summer in the Garden’ campaign is encouraging gardeners to plan and visualise their gardens through colour, scent, wildlife and grow your own throughout the spring and into the summer season.

Plant growth has slowed down in line with the weather so gardeners should not be put off. “Once the sun shines garden centres will become a hive of activity and plants will still look great. You can still buy pots, containers, compost, seeds and plants for your garden and avoid the big rush once the weather turns warmer. Summer plants and seeds can be started, both ornamental and edible and grown on window sills and in propagators.

Potatoes can be chitting now inside, whatever the temperature is outside, ready to be planted when the weather turns.