Shop Watch 2026

[AntiqueVases]

Hello

I hope you all don't mind but I thought I'd take the liberty of starting a thread designed to give each other the heads up when stuff arrives in shops!

This year I'm on the look out for: potted bluebells, peonies, hardy geraniums and, later in the year, more skimmias.

I've already bought potted snowdrops - those arrived in B&Q end of Dec.

I will be monitoring: Tesco, Lidl, B&Q and possibly The Range.

Oooo might head to bnq for the snowdrops this week then...

I'll watch the thread- I mainly visit garden centres so probably wont have much to add. My local had a decent selection of Dahlia tubers today but assume they're for those with greenhouses.

Welcome @dairydebris my potted snowdrops have green shoots emerging now. FYI there was nothing to see when I originally bought them.

I forgot to say that I noticed ready-potted daffodils in one of the Tescos near me in late Dec.

Here's what I noted in store today, 17 Jan 2026:

B&Q: ready potted: daffs, tulips, iris, hyacinths. No crocuses or bluebells. (Maybe too early?)

Sainsburys: no potted bulbs. "Kits" to plant chillis, strawberries, tomatoes, wildflowers. Bit of a rip off - it's just a pot, compost and seeds!

Tesco: one branch still had potted daffs, the other nothing like that. The same "kits" as Sainsburys.

Lidl: ready potted tulips and hyacinths

The Range: absolutely nowt "fresh". Just bulbs and seeds. They're obviously clearing everything out and restocking for the new season.

M&S: ready potted: daffs, hyacinths. Plus expensive looking "kits" to plant dahlias and the like.

Today Morrisons had dahlias, lilies, liatris, bleeding hearts and some potted bulbs (daffodils). Also Fatsia spider’s web and Camelia

What a good idea for a thread. I don’t have anything to contribute yet but will keep an eye out.

Thanks guys!

Yes, Morrisons can be decent for plants, that's a good shout.

For choice and value for money though, it's B&Q for me. Dobbies is obviously expensive but I also sometimes find that there's too much choice and it gets overwhelming!

https://www.suttons.co.uk/SUTSO806?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=2026+%5BCOLD%2FWARM%5D+NEW+BUSINESS&utm_content=WARM+Mix+%26+Match+Peonies%2C+Perennials+%26+Bulbs+26&adset_id=120239024058440109&campaign_id=120237401425060109&utm_term=WARM+Mix+%26+Match+%5Bcd%3ASUTSO805%5D+–+Copy&utm_id=120237401425060109&fbclid=IwY2xjawPauCRleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQBqyzBx0qFHWJyaWQRMXNlN3FzMWYxUWtMaDZHVkZzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeVs3MaedjHdtQlHch1kAe07WN1G0qiLG4ZFYtvFBCuXxkr1WddWWaV0hao60_aem_meRaBg6WOALQDSYl_Yciqg

Excuse length of link. Hopefully links to Sutton’s mix and match section, some good value things there .

I bought little pots of tete a tete daffs last week in Morrisons and I think they wee £1.20 a pot. I'm going back this morning to see if I can get some more of them.

The local garden centre when I was there last week had lots of little pots of daffs, tulips and various other spring flowers including larger pots of snowdrops. I was tempted to get the snowdrops but as I'm back there this Wednesday if there's any left I might get a pot then.

I decided I cba going back to the Range to see if they have restocked their garden section yet. I gave them a phone and they have in "some bedding plants and bulbs with more stock on the way" so i'll give it another couple of weeks before going back.

Planning a trip to Dobbies tomorrow. EXCITED!

Had to go to the Range to get some cleaning products. They still have naff all in the garden section.

Dobbies have a full range of ready-potted bulbs. Was also pleased to pick up a Skimmia Reevesiana (has red berries like holly). £20 mind you! Would have been half that if B&Q had them in!

Good choice of Hebes in Dobbies and B&Q.

Still haven't seen bluebells yet anywhere.

Dobbies are expensive @AntiqueVases . Do you have an independent garden centre nearby? They can often be better value.

It's probably a bit early for bluebells. Did you know that there are English bluebells and Spanish ones? The Spanish ones will probably be cheaper but they spread like buggery and are putting the English ones out of business so if you can stretch to the English ones they are a much better bet.

@TheSerpentQuine thanks, oh yes, I know, Dobbies is expensive! I mostly go for a day out really as I like to look at the food hall too. Or to look for something I can't find anywhere else.

There is a Pentland Plants which I believe to be reasonable value for money but it's about 40mins away. B&Q is super-handy for me and I think their prices are fine so that's my go-to round here. Plus the supermarkets.

And yes indeed, I shall be careful on the bluebell front - they will be getting kept in pots anyway.

Ah, you might not be too far from me. Yes, Dobbies is good for a mooch round.

My top tip for buying from supermarkets, and why this thread is so handy - thank you 😊 - is to get the plants when they first come in, before they are left to die. They might need hardening off when you get them home but they are often good value. B&Q make a bit more effort with their plants, IME, and are also fairly good value.

@TheSerpentQuine there does seem to be a disproportionate number of us from the Edinburgh area if that helps...! Dobbies Dalkeith and Dobbies Dunfermline are equi-distant from me.

Yes absolutely - the supermarkets aren't very fastidious about watering the plants they have outside, it would appear, so buy them as soon as they appear! And you are welcome, glad the thread is helpful!

Yes, I love a trip to Dobbies. But it eats the whole day! And then I buy too much as it's not a frequent location and have to lug it all home on the bus.

The Range is an absolute wasteland. Oh well, stops me spending money. They still have bulbs at full price. Mostly dried out.

Sainsbury's has the pink picoté ranunculus that are pretty, but nothing like the picture on the packet. A few dahlias including a café au lait, and a few peonies. And various other summer bulbs.

Bought cut tulips in Aldi and they've wilted without opening fully. Disappointing, but they were cheap.

In Sainsbury's in Beeston, Nottingham yesterday, I saw fruit trees at £8! Please check rootball if you're buying trees so that they're a decent size and healthy-looking.

@StrawberrySquash haha you seem a woman with standards, love it!

Tesco had dahlia tubers 2 for £5 on Friday. I bought a couple and will start them off indoors next month

Tesco also had fruit trees (Conference Pear and Victoria Plum that I noticed, there may have been more), I think they were two for £12, bare root by the looks of things.

Rhododendrhon, azelias, camellias at Tesco now

Nothing new in B&Q. Rafts of ready-planted daffs and tulips.

Still no sign of bluebells.

In the Range today, they had a vast array of various plants simply labelled "alpine". I suspect they were all types of Sempervivum. (Of which I already have plenty).

I do agree actually with pp who said the Range is overall not the best.

Bought a hydrangea from Tesco

I got a really good Hosta from Tesco last year!

B&M have some summer bulbs etc, 3 packs for a fiver. I got 2 packs with 3 lily bulbs in each, and 1 pack of something else... A dahlia I think. It's out in the shed and it's too cold, dark and wet to go and look.