Taxis ride to the rescue of garden centres’ plants disaster

GARDEN centres could be thrown a lifeline by an army of taxi drivers offering to take otherwise doomed plants to customers’ doors.

The amazing pledge came after the Daily Express revealed £200million-worth of greenery may be chucked because Britain’s 2,000 garden centres and nurseries have had to shut their doors.

Yesterday we contacted the Garden Centre Association and two national taxi organisations who said they would be happy to help each other out.

Wayne Casey, of the National Taxi Association, said: “A lot of our members’ work has dried up and we are basically taking people shopping. Helping the garden centres sounds like a great idea.”

Wayne, from Carlisle, confessed he had green fingers himself.

The National Private Hire & Taxi Association also backed the plan.

Spokesperson Karen Barlow said: “A lot of business for our members has closed down and they are collecting food from shops or delivering items from places like B&Q. We are definitely interested in this. It is so heartbreaking for the garden centres, with all those beautiful plants going to waste.

“If we could help get them out to gardeners, it would be wonderful.”

Both associations were last night linking their drivers with the

Garden Centre Association (GCA), which has 200 members. It is thought the plants could be dropped off at homes without breaking social distancing rules.

GCA chief Iain Wylie said: “They belong in Britain’s gardens, not on compost heaps. If we can get them to the nation’s gardeners it should be win-win for everyone.”

Daily Express columnist Alan Titchmarsh said the scheme could help lift the national mood. He added: “This is a great initiative. I hope it works.We need gardens and gardening more than ever.”