Gardening makes good business sense

GARDENING Scotland 2009 will return to the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh for a tenth time in May.

The show, which started off in a modest way, has flourished over the course of a decade until it has become the biggest plant sale in Scotland and the highlight of the horticultural calendar.

It draws an audience, not just of keen gardeners, but increasingly of young families too, eager to grow at least some of their own food.

In response to this upsurge in interest, this year’s Show, which will take place from Friday 29 May until Sunday, 31 May, will feature allotments, vegetable plots and other edible crops as well as lots of expert advice on how to get started if you’ve never raised a carrot or a cauliflower before.

Growing your own food might seem like a sensible way to save money at the supermarket, but it could be that there’s more to this ‘underground’ trend than sound economics.

Study after study has shown that gardening is good for the body and the mind too.  Something happens, it seems, when we connect with nature at a practical level. Stress levels fall, spirits rise and the positive effects spill over into all other areas of our lives.

There are clearly benefits for business in having a workforce that gets its hands dirty at the weekends and then turns up, revitalised, on a Monday morning.

For that reason alone the half-day ticket to Gardening Scotland 2009, exclusively for Chamber of Commerce members, is well worth the money, however there are many good reasons for visiting Gardening Scotland 2009.

There’s inspiration, for a start, provided by the Show Gardens, each one an example of how even a tiny space can be transformed by plants.

The Big Back Garden is devoted to family fun, with garden games and BBQ demonstrations while the Dobbies Floral Hall will be filled with thousands of blooms nurtured by specialist growers from across the UK and on sale to visitors in perfect condition.

As well as flowers, Gardening Scotland 2009 will also be hosting cookery demos, a Food Fayre, an extensive Craft Fair and over 400 exhibitors selling everything from hoes to hot tubs.

A visit to Gardening Scotland makes for a perfect afternoon’s escape from the office at the end of the week and a chance to connect with a different pace of life.  And there’s always the incentive that a bit of what’s good for the body and soul, and for the planet, may also benefit the bottom line.

Gardening Scotland 2009 takes place from Friday, 29 May until Sunday, 31 May at The Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh.

A half-day ticket for Friday, 29 is available exclusively to Chamber of Commerce members. It costs £6 and is valid from 3pm until 6pm, purchased at the gate.

Gardening Scotland are also pleased to offer Corporate Hospitality Packages for the 2009 Show.  Packages can be tailored to suit your needs and budget. 

Gardening Scotland Photos