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Garden centres are go! The 3 things you should buy first, according to the experts

Woman looks for pots for her garden - Julieanne Birch/E+
Woman looks for pots for her garden - Julieanne Birch/E+

Pippa Greenwood, BBC Gardeners’ Question Time panellist

1. African Daisies

While looking around for new summer bedding plants the other day, I fell in love…with an osteospermum called Purple Sun. It’s particularly stunning, and looks like a photoshopped version of a tequila sunrise. I imagine they will glow in the dusk, so I’ll treat myself to a few of those.

African Daisy Osteospermum  - www.gapphotos.com
African Daisy Osteospermum - www.gapphotos.com

2. Climbing French beans

Because the weather had been unusually good – until recently! – most of my veg was planted out several weeks ago. But thanks to the slump in temperature, I’m anticipating that I’ll need a few replacements thanks to weather damage. I’ve got the odd courgette still under a cloche, but I’ve had my beans out for a while. So I want more climbing French beans for a second sowing.

3. Clematis

We seem to have got a lot of things done during lockdown, including installing an outdoor tap by the greenhouse, which has only taken 20 years. So to hide the less scenic side of things that have been going on here, I’ll be investing in some fragrant climbers – as well as some anti-deer fencing, as I’m determined to have raspberries this year.

Clematis - Andrea Jones/Garden Exposures Photo Library
Clematis - Andrea Jones/Garden Exposures Photo Library

 

Shane Connolly, florist to the royal family

1. Melon seeds

I’m excited to get my hands on melon seed, perhaps Sweet Granite or Sugar Cube (F1) – or even a few melon plants like watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) or cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. Cantalupensis). Any type available will do me, because I’m desperate to grow melons in my greenhouse, despite how tricky it is.

2. Water lilies

I’m looking out for Nymphaea virginalis and Nymphaea Snowflake for the pond. I love the virginalis as it has a strong scent and is free-flowering, making it a beautiful addition to my garden with minimal effort. The Snowflake, on the other hand, is irresistibly pretty. I hope both aren’t too rampant as we still want to see the water and had a bad experience with some pink ones, which would have easily filled a two-acre lake!

Nymphaea 'Virginalis' - www.gapphotos.com
Nymphaea 'Virginalis' - www.gapphotos.com

3. Organic fertiliser

When I get to the garden centre, I’ll make a beeline for some organic seaweed feed made from cold-pressed kelp, as it’s packed full of nutrients and can be a real powerhouse for the whole garden. If I can’t get hold of some, I’ll pick up some peat-free, wool-based seed compost from Dalefoot, as I’m running on empty.

 

Alice Vincent, gardening author

1. Foxgloves

Every year, these bring a touch of the cottage garden to my shady urban balcony. They’re biennuals, so for maximum container impact I tend to replace with small plants.

Foxgloves - itsabreeze photography / Moment RF
Foxgloves - itsabreeze photography / Moment RF

2. Lamium

A perennial that never quite survives being mauled by adventurous slugs each winter. I love the tumbling flowers come summer.

3. Peat-free compost

I’m glad I stocked up before lockdown, but I’m not risking running out again. If it’s back on the shelves, I’ll go for RHS SylvaGrow Multipurpose (50l, £16.99), which adds coir (coconut matting) and wood fibre into the mix.

 

Have you been gardening more during lockdown? Tell us about yours in the comments below and send us your garden transformation pictures to yourstory@telegraph.co.uk. You can also enter our competition for Britain's Best Garden

For a guide to Britain's best garden centres, click here