Merike Lepik, manager of the Neeva aianduskeskus gardening center, near Pärnu, told AK that following the Covid pandemic, people have wished to cultivate more plants in their gardens which bear edible fruit. The most popular items this spring have been exotic fruit trees.

Lepik said: "The first thing people come in looking for are peach and apricot [trees], as these are only available in limited quantities. Next up are other fruit trees and berry-bearing shrubs. /.../ Plus of course, now people have caught on to this trend, grapevines and also edible honeysuckle [are in demand], and blueberries are naturally very much in fashion too."

One shopper, Kadri, told AK: "I bought some soft Alchemilla, some rhododendron and some juniper."

"The snow didn't stop anything," she added, referring to last week's cold snap.

Raili Kersi, the owner of Võiste puukool tree nursery, said the public are currently looking for anything colorful.

She said: "The most popular items are those that bloom right away in spring, such as Japanese cherry trees."

Customer Tiiu told AK: "I want to buy a magnolia and then I want to get a beautiful conifer, some special type; I have a project along these lines, next to my cellar."

Kaivo, accompanying Tiiu, joked: "I'm actually just here to transport it; I'm somewhat like a Sherpa, responding to my taskmaster."

Meanwhile Kristjan Sohlu, manager of Tori Lilleaia, which specializes in the cultivation and sale of summer flowers, told AK that their hit products at the moment are rocktrumpet, and also hydrangea hanging baskets, though added they are also seeing completely new trends taking shape.

Sohlu said: "It seems to me that people are increasingly looking at plants which bear fewer flowers, such as hanging bamboo, and various different grasses; it seems that these are easier to maintain.

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