Garden plants account for more of the disposable income of the average Briton than chocolate. That's a remarkable finding when you consider that the per capita rate of consumption exceeds 17 pounds.

To put that into perspective, consider this. A Mars bar weighs 51g, or 1.8 ounces - having been reduced recently in size in order to meet its Responsibility Deal obligations.

There are approximately 43 of these chocolate bars in a kilo (8.9 bars in a pound). To eat your quota, you'd have to get through 151 bars every 12 months, or almost three each week!

Since your customers are spending more on your garden plants, it can only mean that they love them a lot.

Failure to market

Despite the demand for more garden plants, only about 30% of growers, nurseries and garden centres in the United Kingdom have websites. 

This means that if you make your living by growing fruit or vegetables, or other garden plants, then there is a seven out of ten chance that you're ignoring the most important advertising channel since the printing press.

It's not the behaviour you'd expect from an industry that claims it's struggling to survive.

But it doesn't end there. Even fewer of these businesses use prominent social media channels such as Facebook or Twitter. Of those who do, hardly any of them do so consistently. The vast majority post infrequently, if at all.

Internet

More people in the world are offline than on. This means that the scope for its growth is vast. It's one reason why the number of websites on the Internet more than doubles every year.

How do you expect your prospects to find you? The truth is that if you don't have an Internet presence, then as far as the "connected" generation is concerned, you don't exist.

You've experienced this yourself. Maybe you've looked on your phone for a restaurant. The only ones you've considered had websites. That's because they are likely to be the only ones mentioned by Google.

Or maybe you've gone online to book a holiday. How many bed and breakfast establishments did you phone that didn't have websites? Probably not many. Without a website, you can't see the setting or pictures of the rooms or anything.

Exactly the same thing is true of your business. People expect to be able to see it.

One of the most surprising things is that some people take their sites offline while they're being redone. 

This is insane.

You want people to be able to find you whether your website is perfect or not, don't you? Will you really turn down business because of an imperfect website?

And what does perfect look like anyway?

What does all of this have to do with garden plants?

Everything.

People buy from you because they want to make their gardens attractive. A lovely garden is a joy to relax in when it's pleasant and raises the spirits even when it's gloomy.

When you help your buyers to find you, you afford them the opportunity to enjoy their gardens whatever the weather.

Do you have an online presence? 

Why or why not?

Do tell. We're always interested in what you think.