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.

@AntiqueVases Yes, Sainsbury's have the big bags of daffs in, but no other bulbs. Always a bit suspicious of the mixed bags; they tend to be very heavy on the plain yellow, although others do appear in the end.

The Range has some bulbs in, but a much smaller selection than last year. And all stuff the had last year, no new varieties.

Was at B&Q today. Still no more bulbs, just those "megapacks" and no heather/skimmia etc yet.

Also waiting for Tesco & M&S to get their cashmere jumpers in.

<drums fingers impatiently>

B&Q now has various heathers in stock, yippee. No change on the bulb situation, only 1 variety available in a megapack.

But Tesco now has bags of (35) daffodil bulbs in.

Dobbies had about half of their bulb selection out today.

Thank you @Rhosie you reassured me it was safe to take the slightly lengthy trip today to Dobbies, Dalkeith, Midlothian. The man putting stock out said he has 80% of the bulb stock out in that store.

I was pleased to get grape hyacinth bulbs as they only had a few in stock.

Interestingly the heather selection at B&Q was much better than Dobbies!

Ah glad to hear @AntiqueVases. I left without bulbs - I want smaller daffodils as the bigger ones just snapped under the rain last year but they only had tête-à-tête. No hyacinths yesterday either.

I didn’t leave empty handed though, got a lovely echinacea and a few other things.

@AntiqueVases Cashmere jumpers available online with M&S (there’s a lovely blue one I have my eye on). They rarely have them in store in this part of the world. I haven’t seen any in Tesco for a few years though.

@Rhosie hahah I wondered if you had read my mind but I scrolled up and realised that yes I did start talking about cashmere jumpers on a gardening thread!

I got a pink cashmere jumper in store at M&S today (Gyle, Edinburgh)! Very small selection of colours and sizes (so far at least) so just as well I was straight in there! I have learned it's too risky to wait for the sale.

Interesting that you haven't seen any in Tesco. I shall be watching mine closely.

@AntiqueVases let me know if you see any in Tesco!

Much bigger range of bulbs now in the Range. Including some they didn't have last year. And some £5 triple tulip/daff/hyacinth etc combinations. Annoyingly there's now a 2 for £5 and a 3 for £5. So a bit more fiddly to shop. But some nice varieties.

This is a good thread thanks OP

B&Q bulbs now in store. Although it felt like they had slightly fewer than last year. Still lots on the 3 for £9 offer, which is great value; you tend to get 10 in a bag.

Been to B&Q today and bought THREE varieties of dwarf daffodil to compare to the "bog standard" Tesco ones.

Also there was plenty of grape hyacinth bulbs in B&Q, despite ChatGPT telling me I'd have to go to Dobbies for those!

Lidl had a DARK purple grape hyacinth bulb but they were all sold out.

No cashmere jumpers in Tesco so far but plenty of polyester ones! <clutches pearls>

(Reminds self that I have PLENTY of cashmere and lambswool jumpers!)

Ohh I love this thread!! I'm going to start planning and buying

I am off to Dobbies later so will report back. I am after dwarf daffodils that aren’t tête à tête and blue hyacinths.

@Rhosie do you not like tete a tete?

@AntiqueVases I love them! But already have lots and have already bought more!

Last year I spent a lot on bigger varieties but it was so wet and windy that they were all flopping over. I’d like some different dwarf varieties that come into bloom at different times.

Success! I came back with four varieties of small daffodil, some Pheasant’s Eye and some Delft Blue hyacinths. They didn’t have any white hyacinths though. And managed not to buy anything else.

I'm glad you mentioned Pheasant's eye @Rhosie , I wanted some of those last year but was too late, so thank you

Anyone seen what Tesco/Asda/Morrisons have in, bulb-wise?