Cheap Nurseries

My experience has been that, on the whole, you get what you pay for. Even if two plants come from the same supplier the difference can be the amount of care they receive while in the garden centre.

My inherited garden was planted up to 20 years ago and while there are some good things, mostly they were cheapo plants that just don't have the flower quality you would get from a rather better bred plant. At the same time they are massive and well established trees and shrubs that would be a nightmare to get out - though some have been.

A few of the non-chain nurseries have exotic notions of what their plants are worth, but generally the more expensive stuff is just better quality and/or more specialised.

You can plant your garden with a good range of easy to grow plants that may not be rare and exotic but will give you a reliable display. You will get these from such as Homebase, Woodies and other chain nurseries.

What are you looking for? Shrubs? Herbaceous? For a border or pots or what?

Some roses will grow happily in partial shade. Shrubs and plants such as buddleia, hydrangea, honeysuckle, Sarcoccoca, Heuchera, lamiums, foxgloves (depending a bit what altitude you are at), violets and pansies, anything that might grow in woodland. Ferns, berginia, euonymus, hosta (if you want to feed the slugs). Loads of possibilities.