In the last year or so I guess I have bought plants from; my favourite local garden centre, an un-favourite g.c., a pound shop, on-line, flower shows, plant auctions, car boots, yard sales, local fetes (a v. good source). If the plant is right and the price is good then I'm not fussy where it comes from. I usually go on line to find out more about it before planting.
I've bought many plants online, but I still enjoy looking round a garden centre or better still a large nursery to see what the plants look like at that time of year
We were very lucky when we began here, a Nursery in our old town was very very cheap (like 10 shrubs for £8.90). Last time we went back there the cheapest shrub was £12.99 for one.
We still look in the bargain corner where ever we go. Amazing what you can pick up, only need ing a little care and attention.
I must admit that I like to see what I am buying which is a bit hard on-line.
Ooh yes, I'm a sucker for bargain corner, there was very good advice on Gardeners Question Time recently about 'rescue plants'; take them out of the pot to see what their root system looks like. I have never actually done this in a nursery, does anyone do this often and not get shouted at by the shop assistants?
At the GC you can see what is on offer and yes you can tip them out of their pot to see if the roots are healthy,if not you do not have to buy!
Not so buying on line, you get what they send to you and what a load of rubbish I have received last season and this, some of the plants were only fit for the compost bin,both from specialist nurseries and large seed men selling plants!
Then when you inform about the rubbish that they have sent, they reply with, our plants are hand picked they must have slipped through the net, I had some replaced and they were exactly the same as the originals, some selection!
I am a sucker for new varieties and the GCs do not have the latest varieties such as Anemone Wild Swan or Alstroemeria Rock and Roll which took almost a year to get delivered and when they did arrive they had been knocked around in the post AND they were poor specimens as well. They were in plugs not pots kept for far too long in them, moss was growing on the tops!
But with a lot of TLC they have now shown some signs of life, so roll on next year!
If you were to order any of the above now, deliverly dates are May June next year, so another long wait!
I paid more for the plant plugs which admittingly were new varieties than I would pay for ordinary Alstroemerias or anemones in three litre pots in the GC which I would be happy to do so to get what I want.
And it takes a longer time to produce a plant in a three litre pot than in a plant plug!
I also buy plugs From Jersey and they are always very good, never had any complaints with them!
It's not always so good from garden centres We wanted to look at shrubs in the summer (not really to buy, just getting ideas), so we drove about 30 miles to a GC that had been recomended to us (nearest largish garden centre to us). When we got there, they had quite a small selection of plants and the quality of them was terrible They looked as though they hadn't been watered for a week or more. They were terrible specimens. We spent about 10 minutes there and drove home. One reason why I have liked buying online, I have (so far) only received plants in good condition and have been able to buy what I want without driving a considerable distance
I like to see what I'm buying so tend to lean towards GC's and nursey's. There's quite a few near here, all within 30 mile radius and most of the large GC's sell so much more than plants.
I like the GC Christmas displays so they get a visit now and return visit in the sales if I've seen anything I like.
Always check out the nearly dead section too now, sometimes you can pick up nice pots cheaper with nearly dead plants in than if the pots were empty and if the plants survive with a little TLC it's a bonus.
Also like the free offers with GW where you just pay P & P.
hi all, only started gardening this march and that was because I bought a cheap green house (plastic covered shelving unit) and seeds from groupon. i then discovered T&M - probably by email. i ordered a 36 plug offer in may and didn't know what a plug was. this piqued my interest in gardening so ivisted the 2 nearest GC which were ok for compost. I didn't really have much budget so also looked at supermarkets and diy places. got some compost from there and was very disappointed, and that was before i started reading this forum to know what to look for.
I hunted around for cheap pots (have a small new build clay pit for a garden) but disovered growing seeds was SO addictive. bought more seeds from both online and GC. plus a couple of recommended plants, from GC. I also found the nearly dead section in a diy store and bought a few on my wish list i wouldn't have been able to afford oherwise.
99% of the plugs survived this so called summer and most flurished. most of my seeds florished and my little hand built raised bed and grow bags provided me and the office wih tomatoes, spinach and rocket for months. very satisfying for first year.
i ordered more from T&M but only their offers. as some one elsesaid on here i shared with a friend as 72 plugs sounds a lot.
the autumn collection was very disappointing and the special offer of 72 actually was 50, mainly primrose () and a £5 voucher and an apology.
the nearly dead have turned out fab too.
so online is cheaper but you do get to grow more yourself. and if i can grow stuff in this terrible weather, any one can. i can't believe i didn't get to sit and enjoy my garden this year, much.
joined the GC club and get points and offers. bought heated propagator, which i woulndt if not half price, so fingers crossed for next year x
Posts
Thats good Jean, I wouldnt advise seeds either, they take forever to make a flowering sized tuber.
I overwinter a lot of stuff in the conservatory, I always leave a de humidifier on then water the plants with what it collects.
In the last year or so I guess I have bought plants from; my favourite local garden centre, an un-favourite g.c., a pound shop, on-line, flower shows, plant auctions, car boots, yard sales, local fetes (a v. good source). If the plant is right and the price is good then I'm not fussy where it comes from. I usually go on line to find out more about it before planting.
I've bought many plants online, but I still enjoy looking round a garden centre or better still a large nursery to see what the plants look like at that time of year
We were very lucky when we began here, a Nursery in our old town was very very cheap (like 10 shrubs for £8.90). Last time we went back there the cheapest shrub was £12.99 for one.
We still look in the bargain corner where ever we go. Amazing what you can pick up, only need ing a little care and attention.
I must admit that I like to see what I am buying which is a bit hard on-line.
Ooh yes, I'm a sucker for bargain corner, there was very good advice on Gardeners Question Time recently about 'rescue plants'; take them out of the pot to see what their root system looks like. I have never actually done this in a nursery, does anyone do this often and not get shouted at by the shop assistants?
Garden centres versus buying on line!
At the GC you can see what is on offer and yes you can tip them out of their pot to see if the roots are healthy,if not you do not have to buy!
Not so buying on line, you get what they send to you and what a load of rubbish I have received last season and this, some of the plants were only fit for the compost bin,both from specialist nurseries and large seed men selling plants!
Then when you inform about the rubbish that they have sent, they reply with, our plants are hand picked they must have slipped through the net, I had some replaced and they were exactly the same as the originals, some selection!
I am a sucker for new varieties and the GCs do not have the latest varieties such as Anemone Wild Swan or Alstroemeria Rock and Roll which took almost a year to get delivered and when they did arrive they had been knocked around in the post AND they were poor specimens as well. They were in plugs not pots kept for far too long in them, moss was growing on the tops!
But with a lot of TLC they have now shown some signs of life, so roll on next year!
If you were to order any of the above now, deliverly dates are May June next year, so another long wait!
I paid more for the plant plugs which admittingly were new varieties than I would pay for ordinary Alstroemerias or anemones in three litre pots in the GC which I would be happy to do so to get what I want.
And it takes a longer time to produce a plant in a three litre pot than in a plant plug!
I also buy plugs From Jersey and they are always very good, never had any complaints with them!
Cheers
It's not always so good from garden centres
We wanted to look at shrubs in the summer (not really to buy, just getting ideas), so we drove about 30 miles to a GC that had been recomended to us (nearest largish garden centre to us). When we got there, they had quite a small selection of plants and the quality of them was terrible 
They looked as though they hadn't been watered for a week or more. They were terrible specimens. We spent about 10 minutes there and drove home. One reason why I have liked buying online, I have (so far) only received plants in good condition and have been able to buy what I want without driving a considerable distance 
I like to see what I'm buying so tend to lean towards GC's and nursey's. There's quite a few near here, all within 30 mile radius and most of the large GC's sell so much more than plants.
I like the GC Christmas displays so they get a visit now and return visit in the sales if I've seen anything I like.
Always check out the nearly dead section too now, sometimes you can pick up nice pots cheaper with nearly dead plants in than if the pots were empty and if the plants survive with a little TLC it's a bonus.
Also like the free offers with GW where you just pay P & P.
hi all, only started gardening this march and that was because I bought a cheap green house (plastic covered shelving unit) and seeds from groupon. i then discovered T&M - probably by email. i ordered a 36 plug offer in may and didn't know what a plug was. this piqued my interest in gardening so ivisted the 2 nearest GC which were ok for compost. I didn't really have much budget so also looked at supermarkets and diy places. got some compost from there and was very disappointed, and that was before i started reading this forum to know what to look for.
I hunted around for cheap pots (have a small new build clay pit for a garden) but disovered growing seeds was SO addictive. bought more seeds from both online and GC. plus a couple of recommended plants, from GC. I also found the nearly dead section in a diy store and bought a few on my wish list i wouldn't have been able to afford oherwise.
99% of the plugs survived this so called summer and most flurished. most of my seeds florished and my little hand built raised bed and grow bags provided me and the office wih tomatoes, spinach and rocket for months. very satisfying for first year.
i ordered more from T&M but only their offers. as some one elsesaid on here i shared with a friend as 72 plugs sounds a lot.
the autumn collection was very disappointing and the special offer of 72 actually was 50, mainly primrose (
) and a £5 voucher and an apology.
the nearly dead have turned out fab too.
so online is cheaper but you do get to grow more yourself. and if i can grow stuff in this terrible weather, any one can. i can't believe i didn't get to sit and enjoy my garden this year, much.
joined the GC club and get points and offers. bought heated propagator, which i woulndt if not half price, so fingers crossed for next year x