Bag a Bargain!

I love the flower in the last pic Jane! ...blogs not too bad either! ;o) x

I do love a bargain and you have a very nice selection there Janey, that dark lily is a beauty, as is your little helper.....

Great buy there Janey, all we need now is some dry weather for a change, my garden looks a complete mess but it is just too wet to venture out yet! I love your jug there, I have lots similar all from my Nans garden, i hope they have survived this hard winter, I usually put them in the greenhouse but forgot!

Lol Blue...now then Lottie stop batting your eyelashes....:o)

Thanks Lincslass....hopefully it won't be too late for them...she's still batting her eyelashes.....:o))

I know what you mean Grandmage....we didn't get chance did we? Luckily I've only lost one pot...the jug there was found in an old empty Spanish garden, it's a bit of strong stuff!

WELL YOU HAVE BIN BUSY ......... BIN AVOIDIG GARDEN CENT 4 A WHILE .............. BUT THE PULL IS GETTING STONGER HAHA. LOVE ALL PLANTS . HOPE THEY GET GOING , A VERY NICE PIC OF YOU AND LOTTIE !!! YOU LOOK HAPPY TO B OUT THERE ;0)))

Thanks Cristina....yep my fave place, the garden....:o)

nice one Janey - I bought loads of bulbs - corms and things too - our garden is a bit of a write off so to speak but weather is supposed to become drier but a little colder next week - great bargain on the bulbs you bought :):)

Hi Marguerite! I've been wondering how things are at yours...for some reason I'd got you in Queensland, thank goodness I was wrong.....such awful news about the flooding. Our hearts over here are going out to everyone.

I did buy some seeds, but these bags are bulbs, which should have been planted in the autumn, so I've some busy days ahead....:o) Aw...hope she likes her....they are such characters aren't they...never a dull moment, we're looking forward to the better weather coming, she's 6months now and raring to go!

I know what you mean Paul....another few weeks though and I'm sure what we think is dead will start popping through again. Good luck with your planting, imagine how it will look come spring........:o))

Funny you should mention Spain, Janey, thats where all my pots come from, my Nan used to holiday there and bring a different pot home each time she came, I have them now, but sadly one or two have broken due to frost, but my fave. one is still going, some 38 years old.

I agree, Janey - it is lovely to get out in the garden again, although, like you, I'm sighing over casualties. That lily is supposed to be the darkest there is! I'll be interested to see it's tru colour in the summer. I planted 'Nerone' a couple of years ago - it tired out to be maroon, nowhere near black.

Lovely set of bargain bulbs there. Good luck with them. :-)

did you go to B and Q janey ~ i got some similar bargains to yours ~ one pack of iris was only 10p! Sadly i didnt find any spider lilies ~ they look fantastic ~ i will have to have another look for those
ive added this blog to my favourites so i dont forget!
i love that pot too!! reminds you of summer somehow

Wonderful selection you have there Janey and the spider lily I was very tempted to buy too at B&Q hope they flower well for you.

Good blog, Janey.
Lottie is looking perky :o)

Brill blog Janey, love a bargain i went to tidy up abit in garden yesterday afternoon, but although the sun was shining it was quite cold so just did abit of sweeping round shed & greenhouse then came in, thinking of taking my lillies out of my pots as lillies are harmful to cats, was alright with Smokey, but these two are litteraly in to everything pots and all.

Lovely to see you and Lottie enjoying the garden, Janey. Like Grandmage. my garden seems to be a slimy wet mess still but I live in hope! You certainly snapped up some super bargains, well done.

They really are bargains Janey. Purple sensation is my favourite allium and it multplies so quickly too. The hellebore is beautiful and that ismene, who could resist. How Lottie has grown, she looks so cute. I'm going to look to see if there's another 'Lottie' blog:-)

You`ve done really well with your bargains Janey. I really like the shape of your garden and I can just imagine what it looks like in Spring when all those bulbs come up. Your Hellebore is lovely, I have a white one too but it just doesn`t grow well and I think I`ll have to condemn it to the compost heap. I must clear away some of my own slimy mess soon, its really starting to annoy me!

You did a good job there to get all those bulbs for so little! I wish there were a place like that around here but there isn't. At most in Wilko's they may knock bulbs down 50% but they are not worth it even then. They are just too dry or mouldy.

Does make a difference though Carol having a good sweep up in the garden, I always feel pleased with whats been done, it gets me motivated to carry on...:o) Well, fancy your pusscats playing with the pots, it's a shame if you can't grow them though...couldn't you plant them in the garden later? Would they bother with them there?

Thanks Gee....I pulled all the slime off the Arum Lily....maybe I should have left it on as there were all new shoots protected underneath. It's been warmer here today 10 degs and windy, has dried things a bit...but more rain on the way.

That's good about the Alliums Ba, do you think they'll flower this year, planting them now? Maybe I could put them in pots for now. Lottie has put a spurt of growth on this last few weeks....still small though, but long, think she may be half sausage dog....Lol!

Thanks Lab....these are my last try at Hellebores, last years purchase is just leaves for now. It's only mid Jan, but don't you get fed up with the grey/brown mess.....we passed a cottage selling manure today...so that's another plan for next week....:o)

Yes they don't take good care of their plants do they Balc.....you could say we're lucky here for all the out of town shopping complexes....but apart from the plant areas....I personally hate them! Our local Tesco which is super large is sighted on a huge field that when I was a girl grew daffodils and tulips.....it was a stunning sight in Spring and seemed to be really in the country....stripes of yellows and reds. A friend and I spent a few days picking daffs for the grand sum of £1 per day....Lol! How times change, not always for the better though.

Don't know whats happened here....think I've got my glasses on back to front...Lol!

Yes they make good strong ones out there Grandmage and to lose only one isn't bad......38 years...will be a family heirloom....;o)

Thanks Barbara.....it is sad to lose so many and expensive! This year I think I'll take cuttings just in case. I'm quite excited about the Lily...there are 3, so hopefully will be a good show...will post a pic when we get to summer....:o)

Yes Sticki....the Spider Lily is one of the new seasons....I wanted to get it before they sold them all. Good luck with the Irises...think I may plant mine in pots.

Will post a pic if they do well Sixpence....theyre so unusual, you've more strength than me, I couldn't resist....:o))

Thanks Tt....I'm going to have to ask you how to train her not to bring me back the things I've planted....:o((

I think, if I remember rightly, that my alliums flowered the first season, but I suppose it may depend on the size. Nothing ventured, nothing gained:-)

great bargains janey, i got the spider lilies last year and never saw them again lol, hope your do well, lovely pics and lovely one of you and lottie to, happy planting :o) x

Oh good Ba....well can only bury them in the ground and see what happens....:o)
I wonder why that was San....they just didn't shoot? Thanks though for the lovely comment....:o))

yes they did shoot in pots then i planted them out but didnt grow anymore, wonder if they will shoot again this year, time will tell lol

I'm a tad worried that Lottie is watching you with such interest with the view of digging them up and returning them to you Janey ....LOL.... I had the Ismene last year it is very pretty , I'm trying hard to remember what I did with it !!
My cousin lives in Brisbane Marquerite , I've had messages from them and thankfully they are out of the flood range ....

good news about your cousin amy :o)

Fingers crossed San...think I'll keep mine in pots, when I get them planted, never really sure what to do with them till then???
You're right there Amy...there are tiny footprints all over now, so far she has resisted fetching them...Lol!

Thank goodness Amy....I can't think of anything worse than losing all to water !

I've never seen the Spider Lily before and I'll be keeping an eye out for it...so unusual and delicate. Janey, you sure got a lot of bulbs there and odds are that you will get at good proportion of them flowering, despite them being late.

It's nice you could get out in the garden too. Since having the topsoil put down in our garden (in readiness for turf in the early spring) it is just too muddy to even attempt to do anything in what will eventually be borders. It is frustrating because the weather has turned a lot milder and it would be so nice to get out there to make a start.

Lottie is really keeping an eye on you....I bet you don't have many dull moments with a 6-month old doggie in tow...lol

Janey , in our last garden we had a very big fish pond and had bought some new fish to add to it , you know when you buy fish they give them to you in a plastic bag and tell you to rest the bag on the water for a few hours so that the water temp. reaches the same , well we did that watched by our old dog Barney , luckily I saw him from the window some time later with a strange object on the lawn I went out to investigate , yes you've guessed it was the fish , he had been in and rescued them ....LOL... thank goodness it wasn't to late for them ! ;o)

Was he a retriever Amy?;-)

There seems to be quite a lot of bargain bulbs about at the moment doesn't there! Great selection, I got some of the Ismene too recently - have not grown them before so am looking forward to seeing how they do! :-)

Hi Whist.....Poor you, you must be wishing the weeks away till you can get out there and start with your new lawn.....just imagine how instant and different it'll look when laid. I've some training to do with Lotts, at the moment she trundles all over everything, she'd be very good at flattening the ground before you lay your turf....:o))

Lol Ba......aw, he was looking after them Amy! They are funny aren't they, he maybe thought they were drowning...Lol

Yes Red.....nearly all planted now. I love the Ismene, it is so unusual, won't be planting them till Spring though, I'm always unsure how to store Lilys till then.....cold and dry I suppose???

Great bargain and you should have an explosion of colour in the summer if they grow like my bargains did last year. I was so pleased with them that i did a blog on them.

Hope so Scotsgran.....going to check your blog out now...I can't wait till the Alliums are in flower!

Hi great blog. Just a quick question about the Asiatic Lilly is this a plant you've bought or bulbs? Where would this plant be best suited?

Thanks in advance and thanks for sharing

you found the gardener's holy grail J, bargains, we had one here just before xmas, seeds at 50p a pkt. Three mountains of viable veg & flower seeds at our garden centre, talk about bees round the honey pot & the friendly banter from all of us hunter gatherers was so funny. It was like a giant lucky dip & folk were saying to complete strangers what they were after so we started looking for other folks requests also. Magic moments eh?

Oh you lucky thing ! lots of color you will have when that lot comes. Its funny but I have been out in the garden this last week doing just what you have been doing cutting all that flatterned foilage Ive managed to fill my garden wheeley bin and my compot bin so I cant do anymore for now.
I love your little dog my eldest Son has a male very similar his is a cross Parsons/Jack Russel he has a lovely nature! but is keeping his distance from my new 7 month female Chihuahua she is too much for him (Miss Pushy) LOL

Hi Skip...welcome to GoY...the Asiatic Lily is a pack of 3 bulbs that I'll plant in one of my pots in early March. It doesn't need any special treatment, only grit for drainage and some SUN like we all do...Lol! I like to plant them in pots then you can place them where you like in the garden when they flower.

Yes Bampy, us gardeners are a friendly lot aren't we, hope you managed to get some bargains too...great story...:o)

I hope it hasn't been too late planting them Maggie, but at those prices, it doesn't matter too much does it? It's good to have a tidy up, mines come to a standstill as the ground is rock hard now...another few weeks and we'll be on our way again...:o)
Pleased you like Lottie, yes your son's does sound very similar....Lotties Dad was rough haired and Mum smooth.....aren't they fun and as you say a lovely nature and temperement. I like the sound of your Miss Pushy...shes starting as she means to go on...keeping him in place....Lol!

maneged to get bargin bulbs from b/q myself so dead chuffed ;0)))) need a warm day to plant them now lol

There goes my New Years resolution and it is not even the end of January. We went through to Stirling to visit a big GC because I had a compensation voucher for £20.00 to spend. I am mad about Heuchera and got two, Paris and Miracle. They were only £4.00 each which was half the original price. I also bought 3 Sedums. Spectabile Brilliant, Chocolate and Strawberries & Cream. Each one cost me £1.00. I also needed Brush Killer which was £10.99. With my10pc discount for having a gardening membership card I only had to hand over 89p. We then went to Wickes where we wanted to buy Gravel board so that OH could teir the area where i plan to plant my heuchera collection, now 19 different named plants. I have doubles of some and I also have tiarella. we spotted that if we bought 20 2.4m decking boards we could have them for a lot less than we would have spent on the gravel board. We bought 40 and will need to take out the trailer to go and fetch them tomorrow. Delivery was offered for a very steep £30.00. They had no Patras boxes, an electrical item required by OH, so we crossed the road to B&Q. I fell under the spell of bulbs for sale. No not electrical ones. Hyacinchs 5 x pink "Fondant", 5 x White "Carnegie" and 5 x deep blue "Blue Jacket". I also got 15 x white anemone "The Bride" 9 x Allium "bulgaricum" 12 narcissi "Dick Wilden" and 2 x 20 Iris "danfordiae" all for 50p a packet. I hope we do not get snow this week or I am in deep trouble. I blamed all you incredibly infectious enthusiasts for infecting me when my husband said he thought I'd decided not to buy any more plants. As if he believes a thing I say anyway LOL.

Scotsgran, you did very well, too! :-))

;0)))0

Blimey Scotsgran.....your £20 has taken you on a long fruitful journey! Lol. Love the sound of the Heucheras, looking forward to seeing your new area, tiered especially for them. Now the Sedums are plants I love, I only have the Spectabile, which is a real late summer favourite especially for the butterflies....I'm going to look out for those you have mentioned too. Lol, 89p!! plus the £20. voucher.....that's a great 10% discount !!
Aaha....any excuse to get to B&Q! You know as soon as you enter the doors, you are lost. What a fantastic selection of bulbs you've got...isn't it exciting, just like Xmas again...shall you plant the Hyacinths as normal or in pots...are they already sprouting? Just imagine the scent when these beauties are in flower! Like the sound of the Anemones and Alliums etc...you are going to be one very busy Scotsgran, fingers crossed for the weather for you, enjoy all your plantings !.....:o))

The reason I had the £20 voucher was down to the shop staff being unable to see why after three goes at them they still got the amount i owed them wrong. I spent an hour in the shop buying quite a lot of plants etc. I paid what I was asked for without a murmur but when I got back to the car I thought I had better double check. It was wrong so I loaded everything back in to the trolley and went into the shop again. The manageress was summoned and she "sorted it out". I still thought i had been overcharged and went back in again. I asked them to put the stuff through the till and they insisted that could not be done. I left defeated. By this time I had been at the shop for four hours. I photocopied my receipt and sent it with a complaint to their Customer services manager. I had tried to contact her by phone but she was never available. She did contact me and was full of apologies. She said she would investigate thoroughly and get back to me. i never heard from her again but I did receive said voucher. It more than covered the overcharge but I reckon if I had been doing a mystery shop on the GC they would have been seriously undercharged at only £20. I have some hostas and hellebores to plant in the same area to add colour at different times of the year and give contrasts in leaf shape and height. I'll probably also put in something to tumble over the edges at the front to hide the frame. I can't wait to get started.

You'll be busy Cristina.....it's something to look forward to, after the decimation of the plants. I can't believe how grim my garden looks, I've learnt my lesson now, good old fashioned British stuff is whats going in from now on, and not too much....even the grass looks dead!....:o(

What a song and dance you had Scotsgran....all they had to do was put the transaction through, then void it off...everyone would have agreed on the total and the till would have been correct. A similar occurrence happened at M&S when I worked there training with the dept. head when she put a customer's cheque through wrong...it was for over £1000 and to pay off her account. She couldn't work it out and asked the customer to go back to the bank and cancel it and start again...I couldn't believe it, the mistake was still in the till...Xmas queues were waiting it was awful! Phew, planting beds and borders is far less stressful...:o))

I so agree that gardening is less stressful. I don't know how you teach people to be basically honest and put themselves in the position they put customers in. It is never their fault. I spent today planting up the bulbs i bought yesterday and helping OH to empty the garage so we could bring the trailer out. Went for the deck boards and then took a load of junk to the tip before we could decide that it was still in good enough condition to keep in case we need it. Our tip men are very good and are allowed to offer anything which is deemed recycleable or still useful, to anyone prepared to carry it away. The 8 white plastic Keter garden chairs were set aside and hopefully will find a new owner soon. The offcuts of kitchen work surface will hopefully end up as something else. Maybe we have more deck boards than we need but I am going round the garden deciding how to use them and explaining to OH why a tiered bed is a good idea. I can't wait for him to get on with it.