SAP Nurseries, one of Ireland's oldest and largest nurseries, has extended its production facilities by 5,600 sq.m. of polytunnels and greenhouse production.
Historically well-known in the Irish and UK markets for its large trees, The company has in recent years focused production on plants for the garden retail market, enabling SAP to become a premier supplier of garden centre plants to multiple retailers throughout Ireland.
With increased production capacity, the nursery is now looking to supply garden centres in the UK and in conjunction with UK sales agent Bob Haward has developed a range of small pot grown trees for garden centre sales.
MD John Flanagan, who has been running SAP Nurseries for 15 years said: “Typically ornamental trees for sale on a garden centre are difficult for customers to transport home and this can be a barrier to purchasing a tree. Our new and exciting range of trees grown in a 5-litre pot are easy to carry home, simple to manage and the retail price point makes them affordable for a wider range of consumers.”
The SAP concept of Easy Fit, Carry Home and Plant Today trees was tested and trialled by Haward in the UK market in 2018. Haward says: “Many of my retail customers have been asking me where they could buy a small, carry-home type tree that would easily fit into a normal car and be retailed at a sensible price point and so I am delighted now to be able to work with SAP to help fill this demand.”
As a result of early interest from selected customers, the range of Easy Fit trees, which currently includes 25 top-selling varieties, will be broadened significantly for 2020. The three-year old trees will range in height from 1.20m to 1.75m and will include full colour labels and bar codes. Recognising that there is still demand amongst the public for a mid-sized tree, Flanagan has also pre-selected a range of best-selling ornamental trees in a 10-litre pot including ornamental half standards and fruit trees for the UK market.
Flanagan who has been a long time exporter of garden plants to the UK market, said: “We are very confident that both our 5-litre Easy Fit trees and our 10-litre trees are just what the market needs as I have seen this gap in the market for many years. As a result of our confidence in the UK market we will also be introducing a range of HOT Spot displays of promotional shrubs and herbaceous in 2020.”
Commenting on the nurdsery’s recent success at the HTA National Plant Show, Haward said: “We had fantastic interest at the show from garden retailers with orders being placed… and so I amm confident this this range really will fill a gap on plant areas.”
