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Buying plants on line
Another thread has prompted me to ask whether buying plants on line is now preferable to buying from the garden centres. Increasingly, I buy this way now. I can get the varieties I want and often cheaper than in the g.c. even allowing for postal costs. I've had 3 litre size plants down to 9cm and all have arrived in perfect condition from nurseries I have come to trust. My local g.c., although fairly large, often doesnt stock what I want and the prices there are high. It used to get plants for me but now that service has been discontinued? So, g.c. or mail order?
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The variety of plants in garden centres has got very limited and dictated by fashion. I visit plant fairs where the prices are better and the plants more interesting. Also they're sold by people who grew them and can answer questions about them.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I like both some times good to buy online but some plant can be smaller than garden centres which can make them cheaper.
But I do like to have a look at some plants that I am buying to see how well growing and get some advise, I like to look for plant in the sale and in markets to get the odd bargain.
So both are good for me a I like to visit garden centres and like to have plants delivered to my door.
Do you like to see your plants before you buy or just get them delivered?
Have to say that when we went round a large Garden Centre last week, looking at the prices of their ordinary stuff, never mind anything unusual, we were horrified. They have priced themselves out of our pockets now. Sadly our favourite Nursery (mainly trees and shrubs) has also put its prices way beyond our pockets too. Like others we go to Plant Fairs and do a little buying online, mostly for rare bulbs which can only be bought that way.
Other sources of interesting plants have been open gardens and road side stalls.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Talking of interesting plants - this is one I'm going to try next year but think I'll have to source on line.
It's a Tacca or bat flower. I've just been looking at some G.C. s that stock them .
Definitely on my wish list. Does anyone have one ?
The Tacca originates fron warm countrys, Africa, Australia etc. will they do well in our climate?
I think it was Monty who said we should stick with what we grow here and not try for the exotics, I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has had success with this plant.
Back to the original OP, I buy from mail order sites (one in particular) but I do use a local garden centre at the end of the season and have picked up some good hardy perennials for a song.
We've been renovating an old house for the last 4 years or so and trying to get the garden (an acre and a quarter) sorted at the the same time - with a limited budget. Buying offers - for plants online, - free plus P&P, has been brilliant and has helped fill new, empty beds etc. When I have more time and money, I can be more selective and gradually replace the 'cheap' plants I decide I don't want any more It's been quite a challenge for me - a relatively inexperienced gardener - to cope with loads of small plug plants, but it's also been quite satisfying and also made me buy plants I'd never have considered before
Lyn, just going off subject - meant to say that I would be treating the Tacca as a conservatory plant. I have a taste for the more exotic plants and love a challenge
Think I'll be looking for a plant though rather than growing from seed - they can take up to 1 year to germinate Have found a few suppliers now.