I wouldnt buy annual plugs, far, far to early. The perennials will be ok if you can pot them up and keep in a cool greenhouse or coldframe for a month or two.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I noticed they had seed collections in B&M for 89p! They had all sorts of things, i was very tempted by the sunflowers, there were 4 types in that pack
word of warning - one friend of mine decided to plant an apple orchard in her back garden from trees bought from supermarkets, she bought 10 different labelled varieties of apples. they fruited last year, 8 are gala, the other two are pears!
just be aware that they are supermarkets not garden centres and plant knowledge is sparce on the ground - sadly seeing poinsettias outside just before xmas to seeing orchids outside last week at my local Aldi proves the point!!
I bought three Orchids in LIDL. They came in this contraption:
A long Glass tube. Useful for putting lilac in, perhaps. So I kept them. They were fine, a little too dry, but this is not the ideal way to keep them. It's a gift-thing. So I rescued three orchids by buying them and they displayed them inside the store.
I buy houseplants in these shops. Not because they're much cheaper, but I often feel sorry for them. What really get me is Wilko...most of their indoor plants are described as 'Foliage' and to be on the safe side, they usually come with one care instruction: "Water moderately, half shade" . Today I bought a Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera) for the rock-bottom price of £4. It came with the same care instructions. But because I know what to do with it, I know I will get it to blossom
I very rarely buy outdoor plants in these stores. Well..I did in the past, but most of them didn't fair well at all.
@treehugger - me too. I bought 2 cherry and 1 apple and ended up with 2 apple trees ('oh my cherry tree has apples'!) and one Quince from Asda trees. I wanted height at the time and the trees seemed good value but not what I wanted.
I bought 2 'Prunus Cerasifera Princess' trees from Aldi last year for £5 and I absolutely love them and think that they are a bargain, so you can win, sometimes.
I'll say nothing on how badly supermarkets look after their plants.
while looking for bargains take a look in the pound shop,had some great bulbs and plants from them last year and for bargain packets of seed look in Wilkinsons, they do a selection in plain packets for 49 pence containing as many seeds as you will pay at least twice as much for when buying the big brands.Look for them at ground level though!
I have had some decent bargains from Lidl and Wilko. Bought pots of dwarf daffs a couple of weeks ago and some lovely dwarf Iris both planted into my rockery and by my mini pond and looking good at present.
Posts
I wouldnt buy annual plugs, far, far to early. The perennials will be ok if you can pot them up and keep in a cool greenhouse or coldframe for a month or two.
I noticed they had seed collections in B&M for 89p! They had all sorts of things, i was very tempted by the sunflowers, there were 4 types in that pack
I got some bargain bareroot Kniphofia from Aldi last year...but they grew into Lupins. Must have been in the wrong bangs and packaging
word of warning - one friend of mine decided to plant an apple orchard in her back garden from trees bought from supermarkets, she bought 10 different labelled varieties of apples. they fruited last year, 8 are gala, the other two are pears!
just be aware that they are supermarkets not garden centres and plant knowledge is sparce on the ground - sadly seeing poinsettias outside just before xmas to seeing orchids outside last week at my local Aldi proves the point!!
Spot on, treehugger, the traditional British garden centre is under threat, these guys should stick to selling their cheap tins of Spam.
I bought three Orchids in LIDL. They came in this contraption:
A long Glass tube. Useful for putting lilac in, perhaps. So I kept them. They were fine, a little too dry, but this is not the ideal way to keep them. It's a gift-thing. So I rescued three orchids by buying them and they displayed them inside the store.
I buy houseplants in these shops. Not because they're much cheaper, but I often feel sorry for them. What really get me is Wilko...most of their indoor plants are described as 'Foliage' and to be on the safe side, they usually come with one care instruction: "Water moderately, half shade"
. Today I bought a Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera) for the rock-bottom price of £4. It came with the same care instructions. But because I know what to do with it, I know I will get it to blossom 
I very rarely buy outdoor plants in these stores. Well..I did in the past, but most of them didn't fair well at all.
bought aster & geranium plug plants year performed very well of to aldi
agian at £1.99 a bargain compared to prices in garden centres
@treehugger - me too. I bought 2 cherry and 1 apple and ended up with 2 apple trees ('oh my cherry tree has apples'!) and one Quince from Asda trees. I wanted height at the time and the trees seemed good value but not what I wanted.
I bought 2 'Prunus Cerasifera Princess' trees from Aldi last year for £5 and I absolutely love them and think that they are a bargain, so you can win, sometimes.
I'll say nothing on how badly supermarkets look after their plants.
while looking for bargains take a look in the pound shop,had some great bulbs and plants from them last year and for bargain packets of seed look in Wilkinsons, they do a selection in plain packets for 49 pence containing as many seeds as you will pay at least twice as much for when buying the big brands.Look for them at ground level though!
I have had some decent bargains from Lidl and Wilko. Bought pots of dwarf daffs a couple of weeks ago and some lovely dwarf Iris both planted into my rockery and by my mini pond and looking good at present.