Show us your gardening purchases 2025

I went into Morrisons last night and was marvelling at the very shrivelled looking Camellia shrubs, still being offered full price. But next to them were some prettily packaged shrubs, probably gussied up for Valentine's gifts, and they were in better condition (might not be by Friday!). I bought a ribes sanguina which had a few leaves emerging, it was £6.

Might not pay too much attention to the growing instructions though. "Can grow in suny or shadow place". Seriously, does no-one proof read these things?

 

Today I bought this beautiful hellobore "Glenda's Gloss" from B&Q for £12

 

This is really a 2024 purchase, but I've been waiting for the flower buds to open before posting. It's another B&Q Hellebore, this one is called Angel Glow. The flowers are small but numerous.

 

I was expecting to have goodies to show you all, but no sign yet. I placed an order with Farmyard Nurseries on the 10th … and have heard nothing since. They do say to allow 7-10 days. Is that weekdays? Until dispatch or receipt? They do charge a lot for postage (most I’ve ever paid, I think), though I do accept that enables them to keep plant prices down rather than guaranteeing speedy action

Anyway, watch this space and hopefully next week …

 

Grr, that’s disappointing @ViewAhead. Not a Chelsea award winning service, but I hope the plants excel in quality when they do arrive .

 

@ViewAhead they were running a big event last week, so it's plausible that they were short staffed. Phone them up - I've found them helpful.

 

Ah, thanks, @CarolineL, that might be it. I am telling myself the longer they care for them, the better. Just impatient to get the growing season underway.

I’m sure they will be lovely, @Plantminded.

 

Today I had to pick up a couple of provisions in Morrisons and noticed a Dutch trolley full of climbers newly in (still with plastic round it). As the staff seem capable of killing plants fairly quickly, I decided to rescue some. So clematis Wisley Cream, Freckles and macropetala were saved... (£6 for 3 decent plants - I picked the best)
The growth is very soft so I'll harden them off for a good while in the cold greenhouse.

 

Thanks for that, I'll be going there early tomorrow so I'll check them out. I bought several little clematis last year but I think only one of them has managed to survive my subsequent weedings and plantings in that area.

 

Found them today - very nearly made the same selection as you, except that Freckles wants full sun and I can't provide that. So I went for Montana Marjorie just because it looked pleasingly weird in the picture.

£3 each, buy 2 get one free. The other climbers offered include passion flower, a white ceanothus (tempted but trying to think of a spot for it), honeysuckle (I don't need any more of that!), a jasmine and others I can't remember now.

 

Bought half price from B and Q.

 

That does look healthily green and raring to go, @luciusmaximus.

 

I actually bought it about 10 days ago and it looked Decidedly worse for wear with dead leaves and yellow tinge to other leaves. It was very dry in pot, too. It's been pampered a bit and is feeling much better . Not sure where it's going yet.

 

It's going onwards and upwards, @luciusmaximus! You are doing a grand job with it. When I saw your photo, my first thought was "I wonder why it was half price?" Clearly, 10 days ago it was looking a whole lot less promising.

 

Oh dear. When I got my Morrisons clematis, I got confused selecting the best specimens, and accidentally bought another macropetala instead of Wisley cream. So I got Wisley cream today (with passiflora constance Elliott and jasmine stephanense!)
Then a gardening friend asked if I wanted to go to Farmyard Nurseries as it was a nice day and he was itching to see plants...
So I gave him the spare clematis, and we spent some hours wandering round the polytunnels. I was very self controlled and didn't buy too much. Pictures will follow.