A specialist plants centre in Shrewsbury is preparing for a busy autumn planting season as gardeners plan to add a dash of winter and spring colour to her gardens.

Tim Robinson, manager of Love Plants at Emstrey, Shrewsbury, says the autumn is an ideal time to plant trees, shrubs, hedging, perennials, soft fruit trees and spring bulbs.

Great time for planting

“The autumn is a great time for planting as the ground is still warm and that gives the plants time to establish before winter,” he said. “Winter flowering shrubs, such as Witch hazels, Chimonanthus praecox (Winter Sweet), Callicarpa bodineri ‘Profusion’ with its purple berries and dogwoods, which have colourful stems, all add colour to the winter garden.

“Many gardeners think only about summer gardens but you can also have an attractive winter garden with hellibores and silver birch trees. An important tip for the garden is to add Rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi at planting time to extend the root system of plants and give much stronger healthier growth.”

Plant before the ground becomes  frozen

Love Plants is awaiting a fresh supply of bare root soft fruit trees and cost-effective hedging whips for October, which can be planted before the ground becomes frozen.

Having enjoyed a successful summer, with sales 50 per cent up on the same period last year, Mr Robinson says roses have been one of the best sellers, together with a herbaceous plants.

Now that summer flowering baskets and containers are beginning to fade, he says gardeners are turning their attention to autumn patio displays with cyclamen, ivy, conifers and heathers offering a wealth of textures and colour.

Love Plant also has a good stock of bulbs to provide a burst of spring colour to gardens after the dark winter months.

Expert advice

Located alongside award-winning caravan dealership Salop Leisure, Love Plants prides itself on spending time with customers and providing expert advice about the huge range of plants on offer

The team of nine staff has different areas of expertise as well as a strong interest in horticulture and gardening as a whole.

The centre, which opened in April 2013, already has more than 3,500 Friends of Love Plants. It’s free to join and customers receive 10% off their first purchase and a loyalty card, which they can use to obtain points towards future purchases each time they shop.

Love Plants was developed by Salop Leisure in association with the renowned Dingle Nurseries and Derwen Garden Centre, Guilsfield, near Welshpool, which supply all the top quality plants on offer.