Department: Plant Centre
A very basic workshop was given on Hellebores today. Primarily to know that Helleborus niger (white early flowering) is what is known as the Christmas Rose, that H. hybridus (syn. Orientalis) is known as the lenten rose (a green flowered one). These two are crossed a lot to produce new cultivars. The fashion of contemporary breeding is to create Hellebores with upright flowers, so they can see them, as commonly they are bowed. Double petalled used to be the rage but now they are very common.
There was also introduction to a few smaller species that are good for pots e.g. Helleborus argutifolius (the Corsican Helleborus), one of the cultivars - 'Silver Dollar' & H. lividus.
HGC (Helleborus Gold Collection) is a trade register of breeders from Germany.
Helleborus 'Harvington's Rebekah' (Photo 1) is one of the most expensive one in the Plant Centre - £30 and is exclusive to Wisley. Available since 2014.
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| Photo 1: Helleborus 'Harvington's Rebekah' |
General cultivation - on the edge of shady or semi-shady sites. Likes moist and has to be watered well in summer or they can die off. Should be fed then too.
Hellebores P & D - Black spot - Conoiothyrium hellebore. Black death - a virus that causes distorted growth & discoloured flowers - black markings that expand. Can be affected by phytophera & downy mildew. Best to have good house keeping, remove infected material and dispose of (not in compost).
Induction to the Plant Centre with Barbara Close
- PC is one of the enterprise parts of the RHS.
- Plant Centre alone makes £5 million (9 in total with the shop as well).
- There are budgets for almost everything - stationery, maintenance etc. Payroll budget is £1 million. A person is designated the use and looking after of a budget but Barbara overlooks them all, to make they are in check.
- There are 55 permanent staff, this is because working with the RHS is holiday rich but pay is not high, so need as many staff to cover holidays. Long standing staff can have up to 38 days hols (inclu. bank hols).
- 35 seasonal temps. are employed (from mid March - June; 15weeks). Interviews are from Feb.
- Conducting interviews advice - always interview with someone else. Both should make notes. They do there's based on a scoring system. Fairness is important - same room, same chairs to the tee, same questions, same order for each candidate. Legally not allowed to ask personal questions e.g. age, & status. You can't say are you strong enough for this job? But you can say can lift a bag of compost. Water should always be supplied, make people feel at home.
- Peak income is £60,000 per day!
- In terms of comparisons to other garden centres (though they set themselves apart from these too), they are 3/4 way up in terms of success & turnover. Huge ones like Bourne Valley & Haskins have cafeterias (cafes are separate here to PC).
- The PC rises and falls with the garden.
- Deliveries - 8 deliveries a day 3 - 4 times in peak time (1st Mar - end June). No money made - poss. loss. Charges are up to £60. They do deliver to London but this side of the congestion charge e.g. Wimbledon. Maybe middle of London on weekends and if its worthwhile when there is no C charge.
- HTA - Horti Trades Association (most garden centres & retailers connected with this).
- Change in customers over the years, less nurturing, expect pots to be planted up instead of doing it themselves. Less patience.
- 5 yr plant guarantee has no financial gain, just something the RHS does but can be abused.
- Code 7 is when staff congregate to observe suspected shoplifter(s)
- Garden & PC relationship - Nigel donates lots of things from PC in hope that gardeners in turn may promote plants that can be bought from PC.
- PC is separate from RHS in that PC is a limited co., a business that pays taxes etc. So they pay rent to RHS (1 million per year). They then essentially 'donate' their profits to the charity RHS.
- Average customers are middle aged women (35+).