It came unexpectedly about a week or two after the Chinese New Year 08, the phone call that is, from one of our new friends at Qingxiushan New Market Jin Hui Ru Yi Fang.
Apparently, the resident occupier of the plot we had looked at a few months past had defaulted on his rental payments and had decided to quit, walk away.
Interesting, I thought about it again, not many customers as the place was still new, my wife, with no horticultural experience, me, with no Chinese language capabilities and the Chinese way of doing things completely alien to me.
Once again, it was an easy decision - No way José.
Well, that is what my head was saying, needless to say, a few weeks later and with my passion for plants playing a more prominent role and against all my better judgement - My wife was the new proprietor.
Her, still as keen as mustard and me, well me, I enjoy a challenge.
She took over her Garden Center in China in April 08, about 9 months ago.
We immediately went too work.
Re-levelled the whole site, cleaned the rather, although newly built, ramshackle building, built shade areas, new paths, re-jigged the ponds, new perimeter fence, new layout and set too, trying to make a successful business.
Now, in the west, more especially Europe and in particular the UK, buying plants in any quantity is a relatively easy exercise.
For the gardeners, just pop along to your local Garden Centre, Nursery or Car boot as your will takes you.
For the proprietors, in most instances, a phone call or quick visit to a plant supplier, normally a Nursery, will result in a delivery within the week and depending how much clout you have, could be following day.
Further orders with the same supplier would in most cases be dealt with by either Fax, Email or Phone.
Plants arrive, you check them over, if all is well, you accept delivery and either pay on delivery or as in most cases, pay 30 days (or more) later.
Their a trusting lot, us westerner Nurserymen.
Right, there you have it, a simplified buyers guide to buying plants…IN THE UK…BUT!
This is China...
To be continued…
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