expensive is not always best

i built a raised bed, at the bottom of my garden,last year.i purchased some expensive shrubs to fill in the bed .they flowered fine and seemed to be quite happy.they gave me a good show last year,i thought i had it sorted!.
this year nothing ,they have all gone
the bed is empty ,no show of greenery.i had a dig down in the soil and all i could see was rotting roots!!. i cleared the whole bed in disgust.
i was shopping with the wife and i took a wander into that (high class shop! poundstretcher). i spotted
roses for sale at the exorbitant price of £1.50 a plant. i purchased six of these roses.i planted them,fed them (miracle grow) and i now have a fantastic display of roses (all for the price of £9.00)!
and they are very fragrant. so spending a lot of money does not always bring the best rewards...

 

Totally agree with you there! Some of my best displays in the garden comes from those bargain buys!

I look in some of the most unlikely places, just to see what bargain I can bag for the garden next!

Happy Days!

 

I also agree - buying perennials as small plants at the beginning of the year is a lot cheaper than "established" plants in summer.

 

My entire annual bedding has so far cost the grand total of, give or take, £3. For about - I don't know - a hundred or so plants, perhaps.

39p seed packs from Wilkos or B&Q "value" range and the like.

If you don't do seed though, an excellent alternative to garden centres is local plant sales, from hoticultural societies in your area, community or village fairs, markets etc.

 

Don't forget to add labour costs:lollol:

 

wow Andrew ..... I think I have spent over £100 already

Music ..... Do you remember what plants you brought last year ? The only reason I ask is that I know from buying new shrubs/perennials etc that usually the first year you dont get a great display off them as such. Certain other plants like Dahlia's for example also arent frost hardy so are quite often lost unless you lift the tubers for winter. Could be possible ?

As for expensive isnt always best ....... totally agree. That often goes for not just garden stuff too

 

Well, the £3 is my annuals. I've spent more than that in total on new plants.

But, being completely skint, I've learned a bit of patience and waiting until a bargain turns up. My favourite plant at the moment is a Saponaria "Tumbling Ted". I got it for a quid, on a country walk where someone had put a load of plants outside their front garden with an "honesty box" next to it.

 

Its great when you find a good bargain huh ??

Patience is something that I unfortunately was never gifted with :o

 

From what I can remember that's a very nice tumbling plant:hehe: for hanging baskets isn't it?

 

Best bargain..... A tomato plant we picked up from this lady who was giving them away for nowt during the scarecrow walk... It is the best tomato plant I have in the garden at the moment and I have no idea what it is..
robert

 

yay another local :yho::gnthb:

yes i agree that expensive is not always the best but i don't skimp on good tools,however its the same in most hobbies

 

I used to spend a fortune on plants and then buy the "value" tools and compost-needless to say it's t'other way round now.

The supermarkets like Lidl and Aldi are probably where I get the cheapest stuff from-although I got 10 boxes (5 sachets inside each) of sequestrine for a fivger the other week from the £1 shop-that has saved me about £40 on the stuff-an absolute bargain, and each time I have a spare few quid and I am passing by I go in and buy even more. That and jute twine for 10p a roll, you can't go wrong.

 

I'm a great believer in sharing plants I always sow far too many just so I can give plenty of them away, I wouldn't dream of asking for any money the joy is after all in giving and plants don't come any cheaper than free!
Spread the love that's what I say.:wink: Hel.xxx.

 

I agree Music! I try to get my plants as cheaply as possible but I think Hel hit the nail on the head. There is a lot of pleasure in giving and receiving plants for the garden.
Lots of my plants have "emotional" connections

Most garden centres charge a terrific markup on their plants.

 

I agree and the Aldi, Lidl, Pound Shop, Wilkinson, Morrison's etc tend to have the tried, trusted, reliable and easiest to grow varieties which is an added bonus for inexperienced gardeners