Rentes Plants Spring Fair success

Rentes Plants' 2018 Spring Fair opened with a strong turnout by garden centre buyers and landscapists on the first day of the two day event.

Horticulture

Read More: Rentes Plants Spring Fair

14 February 2018

Speaking to Growtrade on the first day of the Spring Fair, Roy Rentes, administration and marketing director at Rentes Plants said: “The first day of the fair we’re very happy with, there has been a great turnout, but we put a lot more effort this year into getting the word out, ensuring there is stock that people want to travel out for, and what with the snow it is good to see people willing to travel out here, so that is very promising.”

The first Rentes Spring took place over ten years ago and has since grown from one shed to two, and while the ground space may have remained the same, Rentes have managed to do more with their space and fit more plants in.

Over 200 mixed trolleys, with over 800 individual plant varieties, were available during the fair; providing trade purchasers with the opportunity to completely restock their garden centre for spring with a wide range of colour impact and seasonal favourites from a single source. All plants that were showcased at the fair are now available on Rentes Plants’ webshop.

“70% of our trade would be from mid-February through to May, so the Spring Fair really makes it for us. Garden centres make up 90% of our sales and landscapers 10% with local and county councils included with landscapers.” said Roy Rentes.

Not all has always been as promising as the 2018 Spring Fair at the Kildare based plant wholesaler however; heavy losses due to the financial crash in 2008 and the snow and frost of 2010 impacted heavily upon the business. “After the 2008 crash we lost 40-50% of our stock in one season and that was catastrophic for everyone involved. Then two years later we lost 30% of our stock due to frost damage.” said Roy Rentes.

Rentes continued: “Of course there was also reputational loss as well because some of our stock goes to garden centres and it looks normal dormant. Frost damaged dormant plants don’t look any different from regular dormant plants – there is no way to check for that. Then three months down the line the plant doesn’t bud and then it is obvious that is dead. The following year was still cold and 2011 say another 10% of the stock was lost – so it’s been quite a tricky number of years.”

Besides the hundreds of plants to choose from, attendees were treated to rustic homemade food and even a suckling pig.