Wonderful article Neil. I like Garden shoppes like that but where I am having to go is a big chain garden center and their outdoor staff know diddly squat at what they are doing and saying. Wish there was one here like yours.

Dear Cherie, yes we are very lucky indeed. It is an Irish family business and they know their plants and are not scared of hard work, unlike the junk in the chain Garden Centres! There is a Chain garden Centre near us and they employ non trained youngsters, who prefer to listen to their i Pods than do any work or talk to a customer! They are useless and the plants show it as well, they are terrible. Shannon's plants are always of a high quality and it shows just in my pictures. Yesterday I had to walk up there to get some information for Jon about Dianthus and was taking some more pictures, one of the family bosses came up and had a word with me whilst armed with a hose as he was watering the plants and making sure everything was alright. In the Chain Garden Centres you never see a boss, let alone one watering and checking the plants!
Shannon's has a good reputation and it shows!
Regards.
Neil.

Yes I could see in your pictures how healthy and happy each plant seems to be. Those are the types of plants that I don't mind spending an extra buck or three for. They are usually the ones with the healthiest root systems and the healthiest immune systems to insects and diseases.

Thank you for the article Neil.

Dear Cherie, Shannon's has to keep their prices down as there is a lot of competition around here! So my point is why can a Family Businesses do it and the chain ones cant!
Regards.
Neil.
p.s. Lavatera olbia. or Mallow as it is commonly called. It comes in white, pinks, purples and reds. Unfortunately people put it too close to corners which spoils the flowers, it spreads like mad here!

Yeah spreads like mad here too,