Pricey Plants!!

lau28

My partner and I have just moved in to a house with a garden, which is a novelty to us as we both lived in flats before.

We are very lucky to have a lovely big corner plot of garden, and neither of us are green fingered so we want low maintenance ever greens really in the border all around the garden.

The cost of these plants from garden centres are crazy prices and could end up costing us a small fortune to do all of the surrounding flower beds.

Can anyone recommend where might be cheaper than the regular garden centres.

If it helps we are near Aylesbury in Bucks.:j

harrys_nan

try you local carboot sale, ads in the local paper, find an old type plant nursery and keep away from a garden centre, get friendly with your neighbours, gardeners love to share plants. Have fun

cutestkids

Try your local market a lot of them have plant stalls, also try things like church fairs, school fetes, often there will be plants for sale, also car boot sales.

christineperseus

look on freecycle - people only too pleased to give plants/shrubs

Fay

And if you aren't bothered about having an instant garden buy smaller plants that will grow and fill your beds in time. They're always much cheaper than their grown-up versions! As well as ever greens think about a bit of colour with some easy perennials-acqueligia, poppies, astrantia, hot lips salvia, bleeding heart. Some will self seed too and take no maintenance.

Leif

Small herbs are cheap, take cuttings from people who allow you to do so, and buy small plants, and take cuttings to multiply them. Many perennials such as Lupins can be grown from seed.

madjackslam

Big DIY stores are also expensive, but they have a quick turnaround of stock, which means that there is usually a clearance section. There is often nothing much wrong with these plants (other than that they are no longer flowering) yet they can be a lot cheaper. Know what you're buying, though (ie, perennials/shrubs that will come back as opposed to annuals that won't).

I_have_spoken

I have just moved in to a house with a garden

Usual advice is wait a season and see what comes up, there may be bulbs etc. already planted.

You have a few options -

1) Seek out nurseries with '4 for 3' type deals, e.g Dobbies
2) Buy smaller plants and wait a bit (they often catch up, anyway)
3) Buy bare-root plants mail-order next Feb/Mar (only available when plants are dormant)
4) But fewer shrubs and fill the spaces with cheaper plants/bulbs. Autumn planting bulbs will be in the shops by Oct.

Cally_Smart

Shame you don't live near me<I like to share things that have done well for me in my garden. Things often do better when they are divided giving them more space to grow .Perennials can go a bit bare in the middle & need replanting.I often send friends home with bits & pieces,cuttings & suchlike -It can be a kind of insurance policy. If the original plant dies out in my garden I can go & ask for a bit back !I think most gardeners appreciate people showing an interest & are only too happy to share generously !

olly300

If you have one in your area and you will have to search for this - become a member of your local horticultural society. Membership should cost about a £5 a year max.

Mine has plant sales twice a year.

The Spring one herbs tend to be sold much cheaper than at the garden centres etc. They are very small but depending where you plant them you can have massive plants within a few years.

In the Autumn one people use it to get rid of the excess when they divide their plants. You then have the advantage that because it comes from a local garden it should grow in your soil.


Edited to add:
As well as:
1. Growing a few plants from seed
2. Getting them from down the road at the local greengrocer
3. Using the horticultural society
4. Using mail order catalogues

I also brought some plants from Lidl. (Aldi also sell plants as well.)

While the mail order companies were cheaper the plants from Lidl were slightly bigger and I didn't have to wait for the postman.

Floozie

Do you have a Morrisons supermarket near you? I don't buy much from garden centres as they are so expensive. My local Morrisons has supplied me with Japanese Maple trees, hebe and pieris shrubs and numerous other shrubs, trees and perennials at sensible prices.