Wal’s Plant Land owner Clive Wallis said business over the weekend was probably above previous years and his staff were kept busy all weekend.
"My father used to say ... that’s the weekend to do your garden and get your veges in, get your main planting done.
"The soil temperatures are right, everything is right, gardening is Labour Weekend."
There had been a trend towards more people growing their own produce at home, and particularly children and families getting in the garden together.
Keen gardener Tania McIlroy proved the truth of that, stocking up on fertiliser and plants with son Charlie Hughes yesterday morning.
She said the family had spent the whole weekend in the garden.
"As you do for Labour Weekend, you decide that your gardens need a spruce up. Charlie gets really into that."
Watering plants with the promise of a bit of mud kept him interested, and he also had a section of garden of his own in which he was growing potatoes.
Nichol’s Garden Centre Dunedin day manager Davie Dijker said there had been a steady stream of people through their doors over all three days of the long weekend.
"I’ve done well over 40 of them ... and traditionally Labour Weekend is the biggest weekend of the year."
People had brought their children and their dogs to visit the cafe and make a day of it.
