H&S: Economy

Question 1

Briefly describe what is meant by ‘garden tourism’, and
outline some of the ways in which this may benefit local
economies.

Answer 1

Garden tourism refers to tourism carried out for the primary purpose of
visiting gardens open to the public, and to some extent specialist plant
nurseries.

> Since many open gardens are in places where there is often a low level of economic activity, there are clear benefits to employment and
increasing local income, most of which will not be directly from the gardens
but from local hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, souvenir shops, garages etc.

Question 2

Garden design is a profession that has a variety of
aspects, and can involve several different areas of skill and
knowledge. Name and briefly describe THREE of these.

Answer 2

> Landscape forming – working with gradients, moving soil to create new
planting areas, making ponds etc.

> Planting design – selecting and arranging locations for new plants

> Hardscaping – designing, selecting materials and overseeing construction of
paved surfaces and other features which use stone and concrete

Question 3

1. Name and briefly describe THREE types of business
   involved in commercial plant production, and explain how
   they are linked.

Answer 3

1. Seed suppliers, may grow or may simply distribute, seed. Specialist
   wholesale distributors usually have contracts with growers all over the
   world.
2. Wholesale nurseries will obtain starter plants or propagating material
   from a variety of sources. For seed-grown plants they would usually buy
   their seed from a wholesale seed distributor. They grow plants in large
   quantities for sale to businesses that need lots of plants.
3. Garden centres sell plants to retail customers. They buy nearly all of
   their plants from wholesale nurseries. Garden centre chains may be
   linked to a wholesale nursery company, but they will inevitably buy
   plants in from various sources.

Question 4

1. Biodiversity and economic value are two things which
   do not necessarily go together! However in many cases,
   intelligent planning and effective communication can
   create savings, create economic opportunity and benefit
   biodiversity at the same time. Imagine that you work for a
   privately-owned garden that is open to the public as a
   business, and so is constantly aiming to cut costs and
   increase income. What might you suggest as ways to
   achieve either of these business goals but also create
   biodiversity benefits? Briefly describe a number of
   suggestions as bullet points.

Answer 4

• Look at ways of cutting the maintenance costs of areas of planting which do
  not sacrifice their visual appearance but boost biodiversity opportunity,
  e.g.
• reduced grass cutting,
• turning some lawn areas into meadow,
• not cutting back perennial borders in autumn with secateurs and
  composting, but leaving until later in the winter and then cutting down with
  strimmers and hedgecutters, and using a mower on a mulch setting. The
  resulting debris will be composted on the ground and be much invertebrate
  habitat than bare ground.
• Look at ways in which wildlife and biodiversity can be made part of the
  ‘visitor attraction’ aspect of the business, bringing in visitors who might not
  otherwise be garden-focussed – all will want to go to the tearoom afterwards!
  e.g.- liaise with local bird watchers, nature trusts, to have dawn chorus walks,
  badger watching etc.
• organise garden wildlife forays with local naturalists, some aimed adults,
  some at children.