Cheap plants a false economy?

[Pannnn]

Mrs Pan and I are giving the gardens a make over with new planting and a bit of landscaping.
Mrs Pan loves a bargain which is great but I am becoming sure the bargains she picks up from Asda B&M Aldi street traders are not good.
Does anyone know if the plants from garden centres are a better quality than from discount stores and street traders? Or is it just a matter of garden centres having overheads to pay and so it's more pricey?
Some of her bargains survive and a lot don't. I admire her frugality but question it being worthwhile. E.g. we have a row of lavender which should now be all big and spreading but it 'remains spindly and smallish.

Tia

I saw an article in Which? Gardening mag a few months ago about plants bought from Aldi and Lidl vs garden centres. The conclusion was that sometimes they were good value - I think the climbers were good and the smaller potted perennials - but some weren't as the pot sizes were too small so the plants didn't establish so well.

I had some begonias from aldi last year that didn't look much when I bought them but were absolutely great when they got going.

Bottom line is if you really want a particular plant, pay for a strong, robust big plant from the garden centre. Otherwise why not chance your arm, you never know.

My experience is a bit mixed. I've had done bargains from the market including agapanthus for 4.50 each which is cheap where I am, and they were gorgeous. And lots of other great perennials and annuals. But the deutzia that I thought was a bargain at 7.99 was very pot bound and I shouldn't have bought it. My local garden centre has very good quality plants always, but is at the pricey end of garden centres. I haven't had any duds from there though.

I have bought loads of plants this year as I moved house In february. They are for my roof terrace so all must stay in pots. I have bought hydrangeas, lupins,clematis, sunflowers, geraniums, lavenders, chrysanthemums, snapdragons......and all of them have been from aldi/lidl/home bargains. The best of the best was the 99p chrysanthemums from home bargains. They were all really good sizes in 1.5litre pots and were 99p each. I bought all the colours and varieties I could and cut the flowers off as soon as they were past their best and now they are flowering for a second time. The worst was the root bound sunflowers, despite repotting them immediately they died a death within a week. They were 99p each from Aldi. My clematis are lovely and they were 5.99 from Aldi. The lillies were 99p a pack in bulbs from home bargains and were planted in april.

thanks all!

I think you're right - IF you want a 'star' plant or one in a prominent position hten play safe at garden centre - otherwise it's probably wise to go with Mrs Pan;s bargain instinct.

I think you have to be fussy wherever you buy a plant.

Personally I love rooting through the "fades" and plants that need a bit more TLC that some garden centres have tucked away in a bargain corner, but will often leave stuff behind that I think isn't going to thrive.

Check whether the plant is healthy and has signs of new growth, take it out of the pot and look at its roots (if at all possible), make sure you have the right conditions for it to thrive. The most expensive, bushy plant will go thin and spindly if you plant it in the wrong place / soil

I can recommend b & m plants - they have been excellent!

Morrisons have been good too but some have died when they have been put in!