GARDEN centres across Gwent saw their usual Easter takings hit by poor weather over the Bank Holiday.

Raglan Garden Centre's owner said the best day of the weekend’s weather was Easter Sunday - when centres had to close for the holiday.

Owner Martin Davies said the weather on Good Friday and Saturday was poor compared to previous years.

He said: “We’re weather relevant. It’s pretty important.”

Mr Davies said people tend to work in their gardens when the weather is good and so will go out to garden centres for help with their projects or planting.

Mr Davies said that despite the winter being very hard the garden centre was only about half-a-week behind in takings from January to March compared to the same period last year.

But he said: “I suspect the figures will be quite well down for the Easter weekend because we have had two wet days.”

A similar picture could be seen at the Victoria Garden Centre in Festival Park, Ebbw Vale.

Manager Wendy Miller said people were not working in their gardens and so figures for the Easter weekend were “way down” compared to last year.

She said: “If the sun is shining people come in. The recession hasn’t really affected us.”

Millbrook Garden Centre in Mitchel Troy near Monmouth also said the dip in trade from last year was more down to the weather rather than the economic downturn.

Staff said it too would have been better had it been open for the good weather on Sunday.

Accounts manager Ian Glen said takings between January and March were four per cent down on last year.

In Newport, nurseries are also waiting for the garden season to get started.

Shirley Thomas from Greenmoor Nurseries in St Brides said tomato plants and vegetables are selling well but that the cold weather and an early Easter means other plants are not yet doing as well.

DIY stores in Gwent however were hoping for bad weather so people would want to stay in and work on their house.

Handyman House in Monmouth had good days on Friday and Saturday with figures five percent up on those days last year.

Better weather on Sunday did help boost figures for some attractions like Big Pit in Blaenavon.

The museum had about 1,700 visitors on Saturday and Sunday.

Manager Peter Walker said: “We have the biggest umbrella in South Wales. People tend to think of us as an indoor attraction but there’s a lot on the surface as well.”