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The price of plants in Garden Centres

BenDoverBenDover Posts: 488
in The potting shed
Went to a garden centre today and was somewhat shocked at the price of herbaceous plants currently for sale.  The all looked very healthy but they were £6.99 for one small Bowles Mauve which wasn't any more that 10cm tall - I could have bought 3 for £18.00 (woohoo!).  Other herbaceous were similar prices.  Maybe I am old fashioned but I wouldn't pay that much for one little plant.  It was a very nice garden centre but, seriously!  Think they were taking the biscuit.
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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Land rents, services, staff pay and taxes, materials, insurance for all the above, profit margin.

    Soon adds up.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    Am glad that we are moving to a smaller space, they have priced themselves out of my wallet. Have to wonder which is better, sell one plant at hyper-inflated price or sell half a dozen at a reasonable cost.
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I prefer to go to a small nursery for plants. If you are lucky enough to have one locally you will usually find they are cheaper and often staff are very knowledgeable 
  • StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102
    Surprising as most GC at this time of the year will sell herbaceous plants at 3 for £10. My local GC always does these details in spring 
    So I would shop around 
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    The garden centre I went to last week had  small perennials in square 4in. pots for £2.85 and larger ones were mostly £6.95 though some were more. This seemed to reflect either rarity or difficulty of propagating, as far as I could judge. There was a good wide choice of plants and all were well cared for and in good condition and laid out in alphabetical order. There were several staff members at work.
    I've been doing a lot of online 'windowshopping' lately so have a good idea of the price of plants on the net. I thought these were good value and I got to choose my specimens :)
  • Mr. Vine EyeMr. Vine Eye Posts: 2,394
    Our local garden centres are expensive for those sort of plants - it's why I've  been trying to grow as many as I can from seed this year, a lot of empty borders to fill.
    Wilko has some good bulbs/bare roots for £2. I got some astrantia and aquilegia.

    Theres also a really good historic hall and gardens near us that sells a good range of plants that they grow themselves and sell for £2.50 or so. Really good large specimens too. Places like that are usually expensive, so it's a welcome surprise.

    they do a gardener fair in summer where local nurseries pitch up in the grounds and you can get some real bargains.

    This year I'm going prepared with crates
    East Yorkshire
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I like plant fairs. They don't start till later in the spring, but you get a good day out, usually with free entry to a lovely garden and lots of smaller nurseries selling plants.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Plants are expensive, I’ve got several Bowles mauve from cuttings, so easy to do, I can undersant some plants being high priced, I’ve got some that take a couple of years to get big enough to plant out, so need care year round, but some are so simple from seed and cuttings and they shouldn’t  be so expensive. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Prices do seem to have shot up in the past couple of years.  Last weekend I saw some lovely hellebores but I'm not paying £16 for them!  There were small ones of a different variety for £7.99 as well, but most herbaceous were close to £10 each.
  • tessagardenbarmytessagardenbarmy Posts: 346
    Shop around I use big chain garden  centre for offers or if I have a voucher . Local nurseries for variety and slightly cheaper prices. Occasionally  supermarket or bargain shop and sometimes  the Internet. 
    I prefer to get small perennials  and bring them on myself so these are often  considerably  cheaper than fully mature instant garden versions. 
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