The share the delights of your local garden centre thread...

[cordyman]

Whenever i'm having a mooch round a new garden centre, I usually see some stuff I think " the guys on HTUK would like this" So if you've seen something interesting, a large specimen, something you want etc, put it up here for all to enjoy.

I went to http://www.gordonrigg-gardencentres.co.uk/ in Rochdale today, apparently Which magazine voted it best in the North and 2nd best in the UK. It was rather large with some decent prices. (on the smaller stuff!)


I'd love this, but don't have the cash, and certainly the means to move it




I've always though about planting two trachys close together, its quite a nice effect I think i'll try in the future, i'm guessing they would need planting close at a young age?



I think Arlon was talking about these




Flowers on the chammys, first chammy flower i've seen in the flesh



Jelly palms £40, didnt look in great condition though



A peacock which won't disturb the neighbours for Kris's garden

[Rob S]

I would immediately ask for a third off the price on that £350 Chamaerops as a third of it is obviously dead!

[Trudytropics]

That looks like a great garden centre, plenty of tropical stuff to salivate over

Yes I seem to remember Arlon mentioning the astelia before, you should buy some Cordy, I have 2 in pots they are stunning plants, snails seem to like them a bit though.

[Jo A P]

I'll have to see if I can sneak a few pics of my locals. Have you rolling on the floor. Nice cheap cacti & succulents from 1,00 euro upwards lots of roses mostly labelled 'red', 'pink', 'yellow'. Mind you I did get a palm last time I was there. I got it for 5,00 euro because it would save her having to pot it on!

[kata]

I like the black wall art.

[Andy P]

That 350 quid Chammy is an absolute rip off. One of the trunks looks dead and i bought a 3 trunked one from seagraves which is larger than that for over 100 quid less - and that included delivery.

[multim]

Yes, that Chamearops should be about £250. Astelias are for sale just about everywhere this year. I used to grow them but found that they deteriorate in time. All of the imported Chamearops, Humilis and Cerifera should all have flowers as they have enjoyed most of their life in Italy or Spain before coming to these Isles of watery sunshine and miserable Winters.

[call]

I have some real beauties around here

meadow grange (Blean)- a huge range of bedding plants AND a great selection of exotics at reasonable prices
plants that I have seen here are: catalpa, bamboo, palms, strelizia, ensete

preston nursery (Preston)- massive specimen plants quite expensive (but understandably)
plants that I have seen here are cycads, musa, agave, dasylirion, cordyline, big palms

madrona nursery (in the middle of nowhere)- rare plants and at a good quality
plants that I have seen here are: alocasia, equiseum, amicia, paulownia, justicia

Canterbury garden centre (between Canterbury and Herne bay)- a few good stuff here and there
plants that I have seen here are: musa, dicksonia, rheum, cordyline

The secret garden (Quex,Birchington)- good plants, good prices
plants that I have seen here are: dicksonia, palms, cordyline, cacti and succulents

plantbase (in the middle of nowhere)- really rare plants AMAZING nursery really exotic
plants that I have seen there are: greenovia, delonix, aeonium, setaria, phillodendron, colocasia, musa, Amorphophalus, and many more rare and exotic plants


plnatbase and madrona are not that local but are quite close.

[miketropic]

i dont take many pics at my local greenhouse since there isnt much tropical but the more I think of it there is alot I should take pics of. there was a chammy about the size in that pic at the hardware store the other day for £45 sold as a patio annual here. I didnt manage to take a pic of this though



a dwarf cav. in the rear of the greenhouse. there is a mat of about 20 that have busted there pots and grown in the ground. no one takes care of them and there behind about 100 ferns. I eat nanas off them every time I stop in as no one goes back there and knows there fruiting. these should be ripe soon and I will have a mega desert! I will remember to bring my phone next time I go looking around.

[JoelR]

That Chammy's been there for years Cordy

They don't focus on exotics much but I'd recommend a walk round their houseplant section. They do a lot of the more tender bromeliads at a fraction of the prices I've seen at the flower shows and their Washingtonias are very reasonable. They even had a few Butias a couple of years ago. Dread to think how much I've spent at Gordon Riggs over the years.

[flounder]

My daughter has just started a temporary job on the tills of a local GC. After 3 months she'll get 30% discount. That'll bring their prices down to roughly the national average
I'll wait until they have their end of season clearout, then give said daughter a list

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Yes I seem to remember Arlon mentioning the astelia before, you should buy some Cordy,

Yep, i got 3no "silver spears" but the latest one doing the rounds is "silver sword" and is a much, much more intense silver colour, fabulous looking plant. B&Q have them at a tenner each or 3 for 2 on all plants until tomorrow.

[DaveP]

Don't you mean 'Silver Shadow' Arlon? It's the new variety introduced by Pat Fitzgerald and allegedly better than 'Silver Spear' by a considerable degree. Pat said it was going out to Coletta & Tyson, which means it should be in most of the 'sheds' this year. And of course it hasn't made its way to my local

[Tom2006]

Coletta and Tyson is my best GC....BUT got new management a couple of years back and prices have soared and the quality and selection and care of the exotics has fallen. A great shame and that is why I get all my palms and ferns from Amulree, Nigel or the likes online.

[Mr List]

rothwell

treefern



nice big acer for £75