The show-stoppers that would have been at this year's event are now being offloaded online by expert growers, often at big discounts. Fancy a bargain?
There’s never been a better time to buy plants online or by mail order. The cancellation of this year’s flower shows has left nurseries with hundreds of thousands of plants to sell – many of them truly special, raised by experts especially for Cardiff, Malvern, Harrogate and Chelsea flower shows. And now they’re available online at a time when we’re all stuck at home on indefinite gardening leave with all the time in the world to perfect borders and planting schemes.
It’s an unmissable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so act now to get your hands on some real show-stoppers.
Show-standard hostas
It’s not often you can get your hands on fully grown hostas, let alone those raised to the exacting standards of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. But that’s just what this National Collection holder and multiple gold medal-winner is offering.
bowdenhostas.com; 01837 849367
Four Chelsea roses for £50
Harkness has been bringing on roses under cover for its sumptuous Chelsea displays all spring – but now they’re no longer needed for the show, they’re hardening them off and selling them to the public.
roses.co.uk; 01462 420402
Four pelargoniums for £20
Mail-order pelargoniums are a new departure for Potash, known for its superb show displays of banked fuchsias and pelargoniums. But faced with surplus stock after all its spring shows were cancelled, it is now offering a box of four pellies for £20.
potashnursery.co.uk; 01449 781671
Agapanthus, amarine and nerine, plus feed, £50
Family-run agapanthus specialist Hoylands is sticking to the offers it would have had on stand at Chelsea. So you can pick up superb agapanthus such as two-tone ‘Tornado’ and deep-blue ‘Stephanie’s Beauty’, supplied in 9cm pots and selling at six for £30; or go for a bundle offer at hugely reduced prices.
somethingforthegarden.co.uk; 01226 744466
Large bearded iris – 25 per cent off
Mark Macdonald, owner of much-admired specialist nursery Todds Botanics, has been working since last August raising about 1,500 bearded irises for his Chelsea display: they’ve now reached maturity and are handsome garden-ready plants in two- and three-litre pots. Among them are beauties such as handsome near-black ‘Sable’ and ‘Apricot Silk’ in the most delicate of pinks.
toddsbotanics.co.uk; 01376 561212
Foxgloves – large garden-ready plants for £8.50
Terry Baker says the foxgloves he was bringing to Chelsea would have been the best he had ever displayed – and now he’s offering them as large, garden-ready plants just on the point of flowering.
thebotanicnursery.co.uk; 07850 328756
Happy shopping!