Clippings

Government cracks down on illegal plant imports

Ordinary gardens are the new front line in the battle against non-native pests and diseases, and the Government wants to enlist gardeners in the fight to keep them out.

“The public really get it – and they want to help,” Chief Plant Health Officer Nicola Spence told GW. She’s making it her job to ensure everyone in the UK knows the risks involved in buying plants that might be carrying potentially devastating diseases. “Let’s get everybody understanding the issues and living them, so we can protect our plants and trees,” she says.

The governments of England, Scotland and Wales are joining charities and organisations across