gardening

bernard bluff

does anyone know where i can buy bedding plants in small plugs or the best place for reasonably priced shrubs

looksee

In about March you will see bedding plants for sale, this is still way too early to plant them. By early May there will be bedding plants in all the garden centres, supermarkets, etc.
If you mean the very tiny plugs that you get about 25 to a small tray and the plants are about a half inch high, I have only seen them in the UK, they may be available in Dublin, but I have never seen any round here (S.E.). Even if you intend to grow them on it is still too early. If you want to put them in a heated greenhouse they will be too big by the time you want to plant them out.
For shrubs I think you get what you pay for. Supermarket shrubs are usually not very well cared for, and fairly average quality. With a few exceptions the cheaper ones are often a very common variety of the plant, probably hardy but not going to make a particularly interesting plant. Even from some nurseries you can get poorish stock that has not been well reared. Ask locally for names of good local suppliers and be prepared to pay a little bit more for good stock.

bmaxi

Aldi/Lidl normally have a selection of these plug plants around the end of Feb. beginning of March. Usually varieties of Pelargonium, Petunia, Lobelia etc. These need to be potted up and grown on in a warm place before planting out in May.
Shrubs also, the more common varieties, Forsythia, Weigela, Deutzia etc. can be bought cheaply in most of the major supermarkets around March time. The quality is quite reasonable if you are not fussy but they don't tend to water them so buy as soon as you see.

bernard bluff

did someone say mellifont abbey sold flowers and stuff