The Autumn Show

The Malvern Autumn Show was blessed with some of the best weather this year. It was worrying that it was the wrong weather for selling Drylines, which was, of course, why Fran and I were there. However, a small electric pump, some troughs and a length of pipe gave a good simulation of what happens when it rains. Last year, at the same show, people didn't understand so readily the reasons for owning one. This year most of our 1000 leaflets were taken away, and we sold nearly £1000 pounds of dryline covers. Dressed in our corporate fleeces we talked until we forgot what day it was, but we were praised for our low key sales technique. In other words, we didn't press folk to buy: just gave them the facts.
It seems that the credit crunch (as it is affectionately known) energy price rises and a growing ecological awareness have influenced the public to be receptive to new ideas. If that is so, long may it last. The awful weather this summer may have influenced them as well.
A day later more orders than ever are going out of the door, and there is good reason to be optimistic. It is not easy to introduce a new idea without national media support, and I hope that winter does not blind potential buyers to its benefits. In this country gardens are strictly for summer, and garden furniture does not sell through winter. It has a much closer relationship to the home and kitchen (or utility room) than to the outside world.