Allotments 4 All

Is it me or is there anybody out there who does not find "the new look " Marshalls catalogue as good as the old style one,it just does not seem as inviting, i just seem to flick through it where as the organic gardening catalogue i spend more time looking through it. who do you think as got the best catalogue apart from the two I've just mentioned. :-\

:-[ that should read not as good.

:D I was reading through it today and I thought it was well presented but never seen the old one so nothing for me to compare with, but I did think it was expensive compared to my local garden shop but then they don't advertise or have catalogues just two blokes with a wealth of plant and animal knowledge.  e.g  foremost pots page 13  £6.45 2kg in marshalls.
foremost pots £3.00  3kg  local shop.

I think they have gone downhill and I`m not impressed with `Plants of Distinction` this year either. My cheque book stub says I ordered in the first week of November and still nothing.

And included in the poor service awards-Parkers-great bulbs but their live plants are awful,waterlogged and 30% dead on arrival.

Corny - including carriage?

No axe to grind, but now that they have  been taken over by Unwins (?) - things are bound to change/?Have to say I've had nothing but excellent goods & service from them over many years.

I was thinking that maybe they were taken over by Unwins.
I noticed Marshalls catalogue looks very similar to Unwins catalogue. They seem to have same varieties too.

I'm with you on the Organic Gardening catalogue and my other favourite is Suffolk Herbs.

G x

Marshalls was part of Unwins at least 16 years ago when I had a short spell breeding sweet peas for Unwins. They concentrated on the veg whilst Unwins was known for sweet peas and other flowers.
The two companies tended to be run independently. There were other companies under the Unwins umberella which also kept a high degree of independence.
However the same seed source was used for all companies (in fact most seed companies in the UK get their seed from one source and just give it a different name).
The changes really started when Unwins was taken over by I believe an Irish seed company a few years ago. The headquarters was moved near to Peterborough and the catalogues started to take on a similar appearance. 

Not had many problems with seed from either Unwins or Marshall over the years I have used them compared with seed from T&M.

It's not that I've had a problem it's just i miss that something a bit different,a bit special, not seen before, and now you tell me they get there seed from the same place they all do, makes me think i would be better off going to my local Wilko and save myself a few quid

Always preferred Tuckers catalogue, not many pictures just decent prices. On the other hand if you like photos, Moles is the one to go for

With MT on that one - not much call for pictures and I think Tuckers beats the others into a cocked hat.  Jam packed with a good selection of seeds - not padded out by  pictures.

Just looked on line at Tuckers and i can see wot you mean,so have ordered a catalogue.

We no longer produce a catalogue but all of our stock can be viewed with some great pictures and information from our website.
www.blackmoor.co.uk
Regards
Jon
Blackmoor Nurseries

I've bought fruit trees from Marshalls and they've been top quality, although I was a bit reluctant to spend the money, in the long term it's been worth it. Also Keepers and Buckingham.

Bought some fruit from Wilkos too, but really feel you have to buy about twice as much as you actually want.  Hlalf of it doesn't survive,  (because it's not looked after inside the supermarket) which may be viable financially, but if you're trying to plan out things, it's a pain in the neck,, and you lose time in the long run.

That's been my experience of Wilko's as well; I don't think I'll be buying plants there again.

Would not buy plants but i have no problem with there seeds, why pay top prices for your run of the mill seeds such as Boltardy, Autumn king,Onward and so on.50p at Wilko's as Toadspawn informed us earlier most seed in the UK is from the same source.  :)

The business at Blackmoor must be down :D

Quote from: Jon Munday on December 12, 2006, 08:04:18
We no longer produce a catalogue but all of our stock can be viewed with some great pictures and information from our website.
www.blackmoor.co.uk
Regards
Jon
Blackmoor Nurseries

Quote from: Si on December 13, 2006, 06:31:35
The business at Blackmoor must be down :D

Realise that Si's comment was intended humorously, but Blackmoor are a top supplier.  This is a direct quote from an email from a friend to whom we recommended Blackmoor:

PS We bought 2 apple trees from the Blackmoor Estate you told us about
and 3 plum trees to grow on the espalier.  V nice man told us more than
we ever needed to know about fruit growing

;D