QuoteTrouble is i cannot seem to grow them for more than a year in my garden (the behave effectively like annuals).
Sounds like you might be trying to grow 'pot mums' as opposed to the perennial chrysanthemums.
Quote
in the soil they get eaten and then rot, and in pots they simply fail to thrive.
Sorry but I think I will have to say this is down to the grower not the plant/s.
(no other way of putting that I'm afraid) sorry!!
QuoteCan anyone offer any advice or suggest any robust/reliable varieties to try growing please?
You can have a look at these for ideas;
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Chrys%20Sprays/Chrys%20-%20Sprays%20(ss)/chrys%20-%20sprays.html (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Chrys%20Sprays/Chrys%20-%20Sprays%20(ss)/chrys%20-%20sprays.html)
or these but these are more difficult to grow;
http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Chrysanthemums/?action=view¤t=edbf6320.pbw (http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Chrysanthemums/?action=view¤t=edbf6320.pbw)
These cultural instructions should help; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Chrys%20Sprays/Chrys-Sprays.htm (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Chrys%20Sprays/Chrys-Sprays.htm)