Stocking a new garden

[PrettyCandles]

What's the best way for a relative novice to go abouyt stocking a garden? Are catalogues like Thompson & M? (can't remember the full name) a good idea, or should I buy from garden centres?

It's Thompson and Morgan.

Our garden had nothing in it but 1 Christmas tree when we arrived so although not a gardening expert, I've a bit of experience of starting from scratch.

I do catalogues when I can't find what I want at the nursery/garden centre. Although I'm in France so can't say whether this is the most economical way where you are.

Ask everyone you know with a garden for bits of plants in the right season. Most people with established gardens have plants which propogate themselves beyond the space they are supposed to fill and which have to be pulled up.

Don't plant shrubs too close. It takes a couple of years for them to get going but then most grow really quickly.

Thompson and morgan

I'm restocking an old neglected garden. We tried to save lots of the shrubs, but some have died.

If it has some plants wait a while, make a plan and identify the plants and note when they come out/what colour etc - this will help you plan around them.

I'm a cheapskate and take cuttings/split plants from friends gardens. Recently I visited a diy store on it's 10% day and bought loads of plants from the 1/2 price bit - 5 lavenders, 3 white fox gloves, 3 white hydrangers, 3 blue lupins, hostas etc as I already know what I want where (been here 2 yrs)

Another good way is to underplant everything with bulbs - Tulips and daffs, grape hyacinth etc for spring and alliums, lillies etc for the summer.

Happy planting.

It's not so much from economical POV I meant (I know that a garden's a lomg-term investment and worth judicious spending), and I'm sure I'll be getting loads of cuttongs etc from friends, but whether quality is good, value for money etc. Are plants more/less mature when bought from different sources, and does it matter?

I planted some gladioli and acidanthera bulbs 10 days or so ago, and there are already green shoots coming up - so exciting!

I can highly recommend Crocus.
I've used them alot and they are fab. Any problems or queries, just call them. They are so friendly and the stock is magnificent.

I have to say last year I bought some really cheap half dead plants from B&Q for pence and given a couple of days in a new pot, they were looking great. However this year none of them have returned. All my other plants have but those have disappeared!

DO A PLAN! don't waste £ on plants you don't want or like or need

garden centres are the most expensive. cheapest is to ask friends for chunks of plants - and strangers too. and stop at wayside stalls where avid gardeners try to sell off their leftovers.

if you have to buy from garden centres get big plants you can cut up into more little plants. alan t did a thing on tv once when he split a potbound monarda into 11 tiny bits and they all grew to the original size by the end of the season. some garden centres have 'search and rescue' areas for plants nobody wants, often excellent bargains (but a bit of a risk)

at b&q, homebase etc they have sell-offs of plants that have gone over, brilliant for perennials but obviously not for annuals!

and seeds - dirt cheap and soooo satisfying when they come up

oooh Crocus are v expensive, don't go there if you are pauper like me. Bought a beautiful fragrant plant and it died despite their excellent credentials (just I repotted it and it couldn't cope). Go to your garden centre and buy some old favourites, to fill in the main shrub gaps. A magnolia, euonimous, however it' spelled. Evergreen piney shrubs. Poss a Nandina Domestica if you love the japanesey look and have a water feature. Take your time and wander round looking at the ones you like the look of, really. You'll have to look at these plants for many many years yet! A good tip is to buy plants each season and they come into flower, you then know you're going to have a garden that looks good ALL year round, not just for one month of the year..... Once you have your main ones go to the catalogues for specialist or seed ones. It's better to see them in the flesh i reckon. i am so jealous i'd love a proper garden....