How much will you spend?

I totally agree peters

 

I'm afraid I just love a bargain and seem to get most of my plants from car boots where you get load of advice (given so willingly) by the actual grower of the plant and at really good prices too.

I hate to pay more than a tenner for a plant although I have gone over that threshold quite a few times much to the horror of Bob.

I did start a Tree Fern fund but when it reached to £80 or so but broke into it to buy a load of plants...maybe next year I'll get a tree fern! :DHel.xxx.

 

Not sure how to answer the question slinky, as I could put I the most I have ever spent, though that is a one-off, whereas I would normally not go over 1/4 of that price! I spent no more than £20. on my hamamellis, and amalanchier, but that is the absolute tops, and both were birthday presents to myself (a bit of a tradition, meaning that my garden is at it's loveliest in May! )

I too grudge paying more than about £5. for any plant, though appreciate all the time and effort gone into nurturing something to that stage. If offered a small specimen, or one in a larger pot, I'd go for the wee one every time. Have been fooled before, and purchased the more pricey, larger version only to find it has just yesterday been potted on, so the roots haven't even nearly ventured into the compost of the bigger pot!!!

Car boots are my favorite places for plant hunting also, and I do like to try seeds, but would like to add 'space' to your list of requrments Peter!

Agree wholeheartedly with the above where the joy is in GROWING the plant, rather than buying one fully grown.

 

JarBax - totally agree with you about space. I would be prepared to pay more for that than a plant! I think in an idealised garden I would like as much hidden working space (or even twice as much) as viewable space.

Looking back through my records - I once paid £6.99 for a plant - but I won't be doing that again in a hurry! I preferred things like my Primulae vialli for a £1 in a nursery sale, a couple of years ago. When I got home I divided it into three seperate plants. But as you say the joy is in growing things. However you do sometimes have to buy cultivars that you can't grow from seed. But I am not one for impulse buys. I have a general list of requirements, ie colour, height, flowering period, hardiness etc; and it must fit that criteria.

 

the sedum blanket on my green roof cost a fortune, does that count??? otherwise, the single most expensive plant I have bought was £20 for a cherry tree for th fruit/veg side of the garden. The 'garden' side of the garden is filled with freebies from my mum, cheapies from the car boots,the 'search and rescue' section of my local nursery and ebay and a few £2 - £5 from garden centres/plant sales etc.

 

Im going to Peter Barratts today for a Banana £25, My Tree Fern was £25, But I refused to pay £20 for a Clematis Armandii 2 weeks ago, but i found one in there half dead plant sale for a £1. 00. and it has new shoots on already, like you all I love a bargain, and i get pleny of those out of season...Dee..

 

I prefer to buy young plants at a lower price and get the pleasure of seeing rather than spend a fortune and get an instant effect.

 

So much depends on what plant you are talking about, where you live, what is your budget and in what state the garden is. It's easier to be patient when the garden already looks good!

I spent 45 euros years ago for a Gordonia chrysandra, not a very big plant, say one meter tall pot included. But itwas the only bloody gordonia I could find, and I even travelled 400 km to pick it up, grrrrr. There is nothing to do, if you are set on a rare plant (or at least rare in your place) you will find yourself shelling out more money that is reasonable.

Apart from such cases I love growing things from seed wherever it is reasonale. If the garden were mine instead of rented, and I was set to spend my life here I wd grow many more things from seed. But luckily I already have plenty of trees and large shrubs here. Occasionally if I want something 'ready' I will buy plants. Like now, I have a big hole exactly in the middle of my front border where an hydrangea let me down (could not stand the sun there, while two other hydrangeas in the same place are thriving, a mystery... anyway I had to transplant into full shadow, where it is very happy now). I had a look into the local garden centres nad apart from the usual blobby bedding plants (those one should definitely raise from seed) the only suitable things I found were: a small decorative dhalia 8 euros (nope), a beautiful large clump of arum lilies 26 euros (you are kidding), nice plump delphiniums 2,70 euros (I got three!!).

Years ago, when I was young and innocent I paid 150€ for a four meters tall birch tree for the old garden (which was completely empty). The tall birch looked like it would make an immediate grown tree effect. Come spring not a leaf showed up. Stone dead, the root ball was too small. It did shoot up from the base, so, cutting away the dead stems I finally still got a decent tree... in some years... the same I could have had with a 20 € container plant 60 cm tall. I am an old wary fox now All you owners of new gardens save your wallet and learn patience. It's much better.

 

Hello all, confession to make here first - I was waiting for Helofadigger to post before me cos I'm like her when it comes to spending money:thumb::D.

I'm very new to all this though. At the moment i like growing from seed and apart from a couple of young plants given this year everything is from seed. Mind you I'm nowhere as good as most of you so I'm still learning - and patience is not one of my strong points:D

Only have a small garden so hate to think what it costs to fill/keep/maintain some of yours. But really I don't think it matters as to cost, you do it cos you love it.

ydd, went to PB's last week. Was very disappointed. Usually it's like a day out:rolleyes:. Never mind. Hope you get what you want.

cheers

 

I spent £28 on a Pauls Scarlet hawthorn but it was our anniversary. If I see something I like in the garden centre which is too much ie £15 then I will look for a smaller one for half the price, after all it will grow. If I see somethiing I really, really like and it's too much I pop over to my local nursery and buy it for much less!

 

Its all comes down to how much money you have and how interested you are.

I've seen the usual crowd at garden centres in spring spending massive amounts of money on all kinds of plants, at the time they are interested.
A couple of months later most are dead and they are looking for more to plant.

I'm not so sure the true gardener does spend large amounts of money on plants.
True, if there is something special that they have hankered after for a long time the will make an exeception and get it as a present for a birthday or whatever. But if you like growing plants you dont need to spend a lot of money.

 

I've spent £30 on my bamboo, but most of the others were cheaper.... My camelia was over £20 as well though. I like to (try to) grow things from tiny plants (have tried seeds but tend to be rubbish at them!) but also if I see something gorgeous, I'll just buy it! I do wish I'd brought a more mature blueberry rather than try to save money and buy a baby....

 

The most i've spent is £30 on a large Acer and £20 on another acer.
As pete says it all depends on how much money you have. This year most of my plants have been grown from seed. Went out this morning for some teak oil for the patio furniture and came back with
6 packets of seeds Lupins, hollyhock, delphiniums, nasturtiums, wall flowers and sweet peas all for
£2.14 Wilkinsons have half price seeds on at the moment. Guess what forgot the oil (lol)
I get much more enjoyment growing them from seed

 

Well, I concur with what the majoirity have already said. Buying a large well exstablished plant kind of defaets the object fo me.

- I call it the 'plant hospital' :D all they need is a bit of TLC, my favourite part of the garden centre/nursery, I like the challenge of thrying to bring things back from the brink of death!

I think the most we've spent is on turf, other than that, yeh, about a tenner max.