GARDEN centres across Worcestershire are counting the cost of a freezing March which has seen sales dip by as much as 50 per cent.

Many outdoor businesses say the usually strong Easter period was disappointing, with indoor coffee shops and delis providing the few highlights.

Your Worcester News spoke to a number of garden centres who welcomed the predicted upturn in temperatures over the coming days.

Laylocks boss Martin Warr said he is glued to the forecast “morning, noon and night”.

“It has been very difficult recently,” said Mr Warr, who runs the Bromyard Road business.

“The last 12 months, with last year’s wet weather, has been difficult.

“We have not been able to bring out most plants because it’s just too cold for them.”

But he said some items have been selling, with seed potatoes going well.

“We are also selling a lot of bird products; that’s been a growth area,” Mr Warr said.

“The coffee shop has also been busy. We are confident things will pick up.”

The problem was this week discussed on popular BBC programme The One Show.

Gardening expert Christine Walkden said this is the time of year when garden centres make the vast majority of their money.

Meanwhile, in Worcestershire, St Peter’s in Norton has reported a sales dip of about 50 per cent.

“We’re very much the same as the national situation,” said manager Chris Schofield.

“It’s just the way our business is, it always follows the weather.”

He said Easter was usually a good sales period although when it falls early, as it did this year, customers numbers can dip.

Andy Morton, manager at Blooms Worcester Garden Centre, on Droitwich Road, said bedding product sales were dramatically down.

“We would usually have sold bucket loads of them by now but that’s not the case,” he said.

“It’s the worst I have come across in the five years I have been here.

“But as soon as the weather turns we expect a massive uplift.”

Webbs, of Wychbold, chairman Ed Webb said he was looking forward to the promised spring weather.

“I think the Brits are great about just getting on with life whatever the weather,” he said.