What I've learnt this year

madjackslam

I just wanted to share what I've found useful this year. Last year we moved into a house with a large garden that was all lawn. Great! A blank canvas. But we needed to fill it up on a budget.

First of all, I must stress that any help you can get from family and friends (cuttings, bulbs, extra plants, etc) is clearly the best value of all. But they do sometimes give you the things they want to be rid of, rather than the things you might like.

Second, if you can find good local shops and markets, these are often good value (eg, buying small pots of seedling veg or onion sets by weight).

I have also had a good experience with these three mail order companies:

1. Thompson & Morgan
I think their catalogue is very expensive, but sign up for their email and you get some good bargains. I got 42 primroses for £2 and a load of busy lizzies for the same price. They come as plugs, so you have to nurture them, but I've found them to be good quality, and they filled a lot of space with colour. We don't have a greenhouse, so the busy lizzies were a bit touch and go. When you order, there's usually another free offer to consider as well. There's also a page on their website that summarises the offers they have in Gardeners' World magazine - sorry, as a new poster I'm not allowed to put links, but it's on their site under gardeners' world offers. Usually there's one good offer, then they try to sell you other stuff on the back of it. For example, 10 free packets of seed. OK, there was £2.49 postage, but it was a great mix of veg and flower seeds. The cosmos is filling a massive space out front.

2. Parkers
I know they have their critics, but I think they're good for bulbs, and if you look after the plants as soon as they arrive, and give them some tlc, they do well. I bought some lavender plants and, together with some that I got free from T&M, they've bulked up really well this summer and edge a long border really nicely. I thought it would take two years, but they're already looking good. I try to stick only to their offers, which seem to change every three months or so. Stick to the offers, and stick to the offers you want - that's my rule. Stuff at regular prices I think is expensive. There's usually also one free thing per order so you get to try some new things. They sent me some free begonias, which I wouldn't normally have tried, but I'm hooked!

3. Plantworld - again, not allowed to give link, but they're a nursery in Devon - postcode is TQ12 4SE.
Seeds only, so it's going to be slower to make an impact, but I love this catalogue. Full of interesting and unusual stuff. I love geraniums, and their mixed pack has provided me with all sorts of interesting ones, some of which have already flowered, some of which need to bulk up for next year. Also a quick way of getting Verbena bonariensis going, which is one of my favourite plants.

Finally, I just want to give a cheer for raised beds. I've never had the space to grow veg before, and was keen to try them in rbs. I might post a bit more on my experience another time, but after a few teething troubles I can't believe how well the veg has done.

Anyway, I hope this helpful, and I'm delighted to have found this great forum.

Jon