Lyndale NewsBrief - May 2013

Sage Advice

Trina is an avid reader of horticultural magazines, but is (unlike myself) quite capable of throwing them out when they have outgrown their use.

Part of the discarding process involves sitting down and looking through back copies before you push delete and consign them to the recycling bin.

Hence Trina noted an article penned by Plant Hunter, Dan Hinkley which was featured in the October/November 2007 Garden Design magazine.

The gist of the article is that Big Box multiples have made life for independent garden centres next to impossible and have changed the face of retailing. This is what all of us who are still in business in 2013, have already, or are indeed rapidly coming to terms with.

Dan notes in his 2007 article that "Wherein the sheer quantity of plants and seeds ordered (by Box stores), undercuts the price to such an extent that the independent Garden Centre or specialist nursery can't compete, even after cutting their prices to near break-even levels. The long term ramifications for good plants and good service at a fair price are enormous."

A Point of Difference

After further noting that "with a few exceptions the small nursery in England is on life support", Mr Hinkley goes on to cross the Atlantic Ocean, back to the USA to extol the virtues of Western Hills Nursery, a Nursery "like no other, is responsible for exposing the gardening community to plants it had never heard of before".

Western Hill Nurseries was a mail order business, a retail outlet and a significant North American garden that followed the collective wisdom of the time in specializing in something and not trying to compete with the "Big Guys". (I believe that philosophy is right but it will take time for the market to mature to that level).

Reality check

Well, a quick Google search will show you that Western Hill Nurseries of Occidental in Northern California, was saved from forclosure (receivership) by a couple who have closed the nursery business and rebuilt the gardens as a lifestyle adjunct to their existing business. Pretty quickly the virtues of Western Hill Nursery in 2007 with its point of difference lost to a changing market.

The moral of the story is that for nurseries to survive today they have to have a product range, which largely includes those plants that suit the Big Box selling methods.

A sad fact for the true plantsfolk of the world, but a universal truth which I hope we can all learn from before it's too late. Yes, even in the 'Land of the Hobbits down under'.

Hosta

Gobsmacked of Taranaki

Mrs Jury (Google Malcolm Woolmore, Tikorangi/Jury Garden), continues to lack understanding of Plant Variety Rights in general, and why specifically, genetic testing is not currently used in determining distinction in assessing Plant Variety Right applications.

She forgot to mention that the DNA (The Dart analysis) covers only a small percentage of the genomic DNA, and as such, the tool cannot provide any certainty that two varieties are indistinguishable, as the differences may result from elsewhere in the genome. In contrast the morphological differences identified in the side by side comparative trial, support the conclusion that 'ROMA 06' is clearly distinguishable from 'Red Fountain' and is consistent with the UPOV approach to variety testing.

IP Australia reviewed Mrs Jury's "new evidence" of a DNA test, comparing Cordyline ROMA 06 ('Burgundy') with 'Red Fountain' and declared it not relevant, so ROMA 06 could now be considered for a grant of PBR in Australia.

I guess Mrs Jury will remain "Gobsmacked" and in denial that anyone else could do breeding and selection work outside of Taranaki.

LOL

Lyndale Nurseries