Bringing Home a New Outdoor Plant? Our Step-by-Step Care Guide

There's nothing quite like welcoming a new outdoor plant into your garden. Whether you've chosen a hardy palm, lush fern or architectural perennial, giving it the best start will help it establish quickly and thrive for years to come.

Here's everything you need to know when your new outdoor plant arrives.

Unboxing & First Steps

Your plant has travelled from our nursery in Yorkshire, so it's best to unpack it as soon as it arrives.

Carefully remove all packaging and inspect your plant. It's completely normal to see a few bent leaves, minor marks or slightly droopy foliage after its journey. Outdoor plants can experience a little stress during transport, but they'll usually perk up after a few days outdoors.

If you're not planting immediately, keep your plant in a sheltered spot outside with access to natural light. Water it if the compost feels dry, but avoid leaving it sitting in water.

Give your new arrival a week to settle into its new environment before making any major changes, such as heavy pruning or feeding.

Choosing the Right Spot

One of the biggest factors in long-term success is planting your outdoor plant in the right location.

Before planting, check whether your chosen variety prefers:

• Full sun
• Partial shade
• Full shade
• Sheltered or exposed positions

You'll find these on each plant listing on our website. Matching your plant to the right conditions will help it establish faster and reduce stress.

Also consider how large your plant will become over time, giving it enough space to grow without competing with neighbouring plants.

Planting

When you're ready to plant, dig a hole around twice the width of the root ball and roughly the same depth as the nursery pot.

Loosen the surrounding soil, position the plant so the top of the root ball sits level with the surrounding ground, then backfill with soil and gently firm everything into place.

Water thoroughly after planting to help settle the soil around the roots and remove any air pockets.

If you're planting into containers, always choose a pot with drainage holes and use a high-quality peat-free compost suitable for outdoor plants.

Watering

Even hardy outdoor plants need regular watering while they establish.

For the first few weeks after planting:

• Check the soil every few days.
• Water deeply whenever the top few centimetres feel dry.
• Avoid little and often watering, as deeper watering encourages stronger root growth.

Once established, many hardy plants become much more drought tolerant, although they'll still appreciate extra watering during prolonged hot or dry weather.

Mulching & Feeding

Applying a layer of mulch around your plant helps lock in moisture, suppress weeds and regulate soil temperature.

Keep mulch a few centimetres away from the main stem to prevent excess moisture building up around the base.

Most outdoor plants also benefit from a balanced feed during spring and early summer to encourage healthy growth throughout the growing season.

What About Frost?

Many of our outdoor plants are hardy enough to cope with UK winters, but newly planted specimens are often more vulnerable during their first season.

If severe frost is forecast shortly after planting, consider protecting young plants with horticultural fleece or moving container-grown plants to a more sheltered position until temperatures improve.

Giving plants time to establish before winter will significantly improve their resilience.

Be Patient

Like all plants, outdoor varieties need time to settle into their new home.

Some may appear to pause their growth while they establish their root systems. This is perfectly normal. With the right conditions, consistent watering and a little patience, you'll soon start to see healthy new growth.

Remember, the first year is all about establishing strong roots. Once settled, your plant will reward you season after season.

Need More Help?

If you have any questions about your new outdoor plant, we're always happy to help.

Our team is available Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, whether you need advice on planting, watering, choosing the right location or preparing your garden for the changing seasons.

Drop us an email or send us a message on social media, and we'll be happy to help your outdoor jungle thrive.