“I’ll show you how to bag a summer bargain” says Kris
Kris Collins sets out some savvy ideas to save £££s in your garden spend this summer
Each year British gardeners spend £1.5billion on plants to colour and green their outdoor spaces. While we love to treat ourselves when it comes to the garden, there’s no doubting that the greenfingered among us can’t resist a bargain either, and savvy shoppers know where and when to find them.
Bargain bedding
First stops on any plant bargain hunt are discount supermarket and high street stores (Poundland, aldi, Lidl), and out-of-town DIY stores (B&Q). Their entrances are usually chockablock with colourful seasonal bedding plants through early summer. In general they receive minimal care, leading to a short shelf life. Visit them in the next week or so and there’s a high chance you’ll see plants well past their best and being sold off for pennies.
Garden centres and nurseries tend to their bedding plants more closely, but there are still bargains to be had as summer moves on. here the reductions are more likely due to plants outgrowing their pots rather than neglect. Bedding plants in these conditions will take a week or two to get back on track, but should give you an excellent late summer display.
Perennial prices
Bedding plants aren’t the only bargain to be had, get past the entrance plants and you are likely to find lingering spring and early-summer flowering perennials, shrubs and climbers that are now past their peak. They may look a little sad sat on the staging, but their prices should make you happy – I’ve always got my eye out for the 50 per cent off stickers as I walk the plant areas through summer! These hardy plants may not add much to your garden this year, but pot them on and tuck them somewhere sheltered and shaded through summer and they can be set out in autumn ready for next year.
“I’ve always got my eye on the 50 per cent off stickers!”
You don’t need to be a trained horticulturist to know when a plant isn’t looking good. If you find a shabby looking plant with no discount, don’t be afraid to ask for one!
Give them some TLC
Some of your bargains may fail to ever perform, but for the majority, a bit of TLC should soon lead to success. Products such as liquid seaweed plant fertiliser and SB Plant invigorator (available from Harrod Horticultural &0333 400 1500) can be applied as a foliage spray for rapid intake of nutrients and faster recovery.
Other summer bargains
Online plant sellers also slash their prices through late summer. It is well worth getting on the mailing lists of the likes of Thompson & Morgan, Mr Fothergill’s and Hayloft Plants for regular email offers through summer. Check out summer bootsales, too. Many nurseries now attend the larger sales looking to move on stock quickly and cheaply. Back at the garden centre you’ll see seed prices slashed towards the end of July as they look to clear racking and refresh their offering for the new seed retailing year, which generally runs September to September.