[Maeve Drogheda]

Hi All,

I was in homebase on saturday getting some early bedding to put in my greenhouse to bring them on before I put them outdoors. I asked the horticulturalist if there were any busy lizzies coming in and she informed me that there would be NO busy lizzies this summer as a disease wiped them all out all accross the UK.

Has anyone else heard anything like this?

[Fiántas]

Yes impatiens downy mildew has severely effected busy lizzies for the past 3 or 4 years in the UK. To be honest the bedding busy lizzies are overbred and so are no good for bees and other pollinating insects. Maybe it's time we stopped buying busy lizzies and used something else. I suggest replacing busy lizzies with marigolds (the ones with a round centre not the really frilly ones), alyssum, lobelia, petunia, viola/pansies or senetti which are all tougher than busy lizzies and in my view much prettier. Plus they're bee and butterfly friendly.

You may get some in an Irish nursery or garden centre - that's my biggest gripe about UK DIY chains like B&Q and Homebase, all their stock is shipped in from the UK so Irish nurseries do not get any money if you buy from there. If you have to buy in a DIY store then it's better to try Woodies or Atlantic Homecare or a Co-Op near you because to my knowledge they stock Irish-grown plants. Better still visit your local garden centre or nursery for your bedding plants.

[Maeve Drogheda]

Hi Fiantas,

I have plants for the bees all over the garden, including senetti's, marigolds,, violas, allysum, lobellia and a low growing heather that spreads about 7 foot long, that is full of bees. I wanted to plant the bizzy lizzies that will add a little extra colour for the humans to look at. I have been to the Irish Garden Centres and Irish DIY stores and they are very overpriced in comparison to Homebase. Although woodies has dropped its prices a good bit this year.

Homebase usually have large plug trays of 30 plants for about €3/€4, which I put in the greenhouse and bring on, because later 6 plants cost €3/€4, and this is why I like home base, the staff are helpful and knowledgeable and even ring me when something special come in that they think I may like, service like that is worth rewarding with my business.

I am nearer to woodies than homebase but the service in Woodies is not good. There is an excellent garden centre called Blacks and they are very good and helpful but they are very expensive. I give them business because of their service especially if I am looking for something unusual, they are the best for that.

The horticulturalist in homebase told me to try the monks in collon later in May as they grow their own. So that is my next stop

[michael brenock]

i agree the service in woodies is terrible and the plants look so neglected but they try hard by sponsoring the roadside garden competition and they give advice.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)