Sowing & Growing

And in gardens large and small

- window boxes too -

we sowed and tended colour.

I wrote that haiku and then chose a black-and-white image. Bit odd, you might say. To which I'll say: Yes well, the world is an odd place right now! All I'm doing is providing a bit of consistency. You're welcome.

But you didn't come here to read loads of mad ramblings about the colour spectrum. The purpose of this post is to help out all of us gardeners, old and new, who may find ourselves staring down the barrel of a depleted grow bag or empty seed packet and wondering where the duce these goodies can be procured from, now that most all garden centres have had to shut their doors.

Despair not and settle down with your gardening mug for these top tips:

Grow Wilder, formerly known as Feed Bristol 

Please support this absolutely fantastic Bristol site if you possibly can! They have an online plant shop and stock a large variety of wild flowers and vegetable plug plants, all grown on site. 

https://www.growwilder.co.uk/s/order

Propagation Place
This fabulous St Werburghs City Farm plant nursery has started selling plug plants again! 
Orders will be sent out throughout May-July.
https://propagationplace.co.uk/

Jekka's Herbs 

An inspiring family business offering a vast array of herb and vegetable seeds. 

https://www.jekkas.com/

 Tamar Organics 
Organic seed and garden supplies from Cornwall. Due to high demand their site will only be open between 9.00am – 10.00am every weekday until further notice.
 https://tamarorganics.co.uk/

Seed Co-Operative 
Organic, open-pollinated seed from Lincolnshire. Their checkout hours are currently limited (7-9pm on weekday evenings) and there is a slight order backlog, but they are up and running - and worth the wait!
https://seedcooperative.org.uk/

Almondsbury Garden Centre 

I ordered some compost there the other day because they stock peat-free. They will deliver to all Bristol postcodes within ten days. 

https://www.almondsbury.co.uk/

UK-wide garden centres 

Gardeners' World have put together a catalogue of garden centres who are still up and running. 

https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/coronavirus-online-plant-retailers

Plants near me
Find your local plant stockist!
https://plantsnearme.hta.org.uk/

***
And one to remember for after lockdown - they are a very small business and currently dealing with a huge order backlog, so according to their own facebook post, it's unlikely that they can process any new orders in the near future. I'm not surprised, as they are definitely top of my list, too!
 
Real Seeds
A Welsh family business selling high-quality open-pollinated seeds, often of unusual (but easy to grow) herbs and vegetables.
https://www.realseeds.co.uk/

...And as always, don't forget to just ring round your favourite local garden centre or nursery to see if they can supply. Talk to your gardening friends and neighbours for tips. Swap seeds and trade skills. You don't need me to tell you this. HAPPY GROWING!