the new breed of gardener: the aldi/lidl gardener

beolight · Hazel Tree Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 13

hands up everybody, have a peek at your garden how many plants and flowers have come from our german retailers.

i was in a neighbours garden yesterday and noticed some very similiar plants which got me thinking jeez how many other gardens throughout tthe country are being dictated almost totally by the weekly aldi/lidl special offer?

i was initially some what suspicious of them but having bought some 4.99 apple tres a few years ago which have been excellent. I now find myself regularly stopping in just to see what they have on offer.

I got a couple triple pack of soft fruit last year, its a bugger they dont put the variety info on these things.last week bought their kiwi plants 3 weeks and this week a grapevine???

I would totally recommend them.and i havent bought anything in woodies/atlantic/b+q gardening sections in quite a while. i still use ebay and gardening centres

Dr. Sunny Thomson

iandromiskin · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:50 am Post subject:

Yeah, totally agree. I bought some cherry trees about three years ago and they are doing fine. I keep forgetting to go in and have a look to see what they have on offer, but they do have some good stuff. Nothing really wrong with it providing you know what it is and how to treat it.

medieval knievel · Rowan Tree Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112

a couple of climbers, a rhododendron, a couple of rose (but they could have been from dunnes) two apple trees - one of which has never really thrived or produced any fruit (but we seem to have beaten the mildew which was affecting it), and some bedding plants.

it's the cottage garden centre in ratoath which has done best out of us - 90% of our spend is there.

Dr. Sunny Thomson · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:33 pm Post subject:

Sive · Rowan Tree Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 127

If the limited stuff on offer in the likes of Lidl introduces new people to gardening, I'm all for it, otherwise I would suggest you support your specialist nurseries and garden centres if you can. Don't forget the Tescos of this world will only sell what THEY want you to buy; they have no long-term interest or commitment to you and your garden.
If you value diversity, support the specialists!
And just for the record, neither I nor any of my family have any connection to any garden business, though sometimes I think I should buy shares in my local garden centre.....my favourite place to spend a few euros!