Update on my Leaderplant order. The plants have all survived and are growing, but most were quite small on arrival, especially the lavenders, which were tiny.
I have since found a really good plant nursery about 12 minutes drive away so I don't think I'll buy anything else online. Their perennials are a good size and only 3 - 5€ each. Loads of roses, shrubs and trees. I bought a lovely, tall, only just squeezed into my estate car, silver birch Jacquemontii for 34€.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
I ordered around 30 9cm perennials from leaderplant, potted them on and and all but one have thrived and are ready to plant out. The one Salvia Amistad that didn’t make it could have been down to frost as I was hardening them off outside during the day and forgot to put them back into the poly one chilly night.
Glad you have found a good local nursery @Busy-Lizzie, the choice in my local ones is very limited indeed. Fine for trees, shrubs and bedding plants but only a few random perennials in summer and the same tired selection of HT roses.
PdeF were atrocious this year, I’m still fighting to get my refund for the 11 out of 16 plants they failed to send. Two of the remaining 5 that did arrive didn’t make it.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@Molamola If you go and see my clematis brothers their nursery is just by the north side of the N258 exit form the E314 heading west from Leuven. If you then wend your way home along the N10 between Rillar and Aarschot that road is heaving with large garden centres, mostly on the right hand side heading back east? Intratuin, which is nearer Aarschot, has a particularly wide selection of garden sundries and a fair range of plants but, more imprtantly, an excellent café/restaurant.
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)."
Thanks @Obelixx . Making a note of Intratuin for a day trip. I've also not been to Aarschot and it looks like a pretty town. I did recently visit Arboretum Wespelaar which is sort of in that area and so enjoyed my visit that I signed up for a year's membership. They have a big collection of Japanese maples, magnolia and rhododendron.
I'd be interested in any recommendations for nurseries to view shrubs and trees, just to see what they actually look like fully grown. I'm planning a visit to Hortus Conclusus which apparently specialises in small trees. I found a Philadelphus specialist which is (alas) in France (Pepiniere Brochet Lanvin), though I could happily plan a holiday around visiting nurseries, if they are as well laid out as botanic gardens.
I've already checked out your link to Les Roses de Daniel Schimtz, and will try to visit next time I go to the Hautes Fagnes.
Kalmthout Arboretum up near Antwerp. They have a history of developing many hamamelis, including Jelena, but also hydrangeas. You can visit the arboretum to see them all growing in the park and, in normal times, they organise a spring and and an autumn plant fair with specialist growers and have special open days in Jan/Feb to admire the hamamelis in bloom.
Annevoie is a restored garden from the Age of Reason and has gravity fed wtaer features and fountains and some impressive hedging to divide up the garden yet keep it light and airy. Lots of formal planting too and a good café. http://www.annevoie.be/en/
Other good gardens I've visited have usually been pre-arranged group visits to private gardens but why not join the Belgian Yellow Book scheme?
Nowhere near as big as Keukenhof but still worth a visit to see which varieties you like or just enjoy all the blooms. They had a fine selection of different fritillaria last time I went.
You probably need to book in advance this year so check before turning 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)."
Posts
I have since found a really good plant nursery about 12 minutes drive away so I don't think I'll buy anything else online. Their perennials are a good size and only 3 - 5€ each. Loads of roses, shrubs and trees. I bought a lovely, tall, only just squeezed into my estate car, silver birch Jacquemontii for 34€.
Glad you have found a good local nursery @Busy-Lizzie, the choice in my local ones is very limited indeed. Fine for trees, shrubs and bedding plants but only a few random perennials in summer and the same tired selection of HT roses.
PdeF were atrocious this year, I’m still fighting to get my refund for the 11 out of 16 plants they failed to send. Two of the remaining 5 that did arrive didn’t make it.
I'd be interested in any recommendations for nurseries to view shrubs and trees, just to see what they actually look like fully grown. I'm planning a visit to Hortus Conclusus which apparently specialises in small trees. I found a Philadelphus specialist which is (alas) in France (Pepiniere Brochet Lanvin), though I could happily plan a holiday around visiting nurseries, if they are as well laid out as botanic gardens.
I've already checked out your link to Les Roses de Daniel Schimtz, and will try to visit next time I go to the Hautes Fagnes.
https://www.arboretumkalmthout.be/en.html
Annevoie is a restored garden from the Age of Reason and has gravity fed wtaer features and fountains and some impressive hedging to divide up the garden yet keep it light and airy. Lots of formal planting too and a good café.
http://www.annevoie.be/en/
Other good gardens I've visited have usually been pre-arranged group visits to private gardens but why not join the Belgian Yellow Book scheme?
https://www.jardinsouverts.be/ loads of private gardens to visit including my good friends here https://www.jardinsouverts.be/fr/nos-jardins/brabant-wallon/le-jardin-de-ginny-et-jon Featured in loads of magazines and on Belgian gardening TV too.
They sent them in autumn and were really healthy. They are yet to flower but it is early.
https://www.floralia-brussels.be/en/floralia-brussels/
Nowhere near as big as Keukenhof but still worth a visit to see which varieties you like or just enjoy all the blooms. They had a fine selection of different fritillaria last time I went.
You probably need to book in advance this year so check before turning up.