Help!!

“Flower, plant soil mix”……… what even is that? I just use basic compost from the garden centre. Do I need to get some of this stuff?…?‍♀️??‍♀️??‍♀️

Some commercial garden compost these days is absolute rubbish. I have 4 different heaps in my garden. Two receive weeds, grass clippings, vegetable and fruit discards, newspaper, tissues, cardboard etc. One is for autumn leaves for leafmould and another for soil such as turf which rots down to loam. I prefer to use a combination of these for pots and flower beds. So much better quality than some commercial brands.

Esspee

Some commercial garden compost these days is absolute rubbish. I have 4 different heaps in my garden. Two receive weeds, grass clippings, vegetable and fruit discards, newspaper, tissues, cardboard etc. One is for autumn leaves for leafmould and another for soil such as turf which rots down to loam. I prefer to use a combination of these for pots and flower beds. So much better quality than some commercial brands.

Is there anything I can add to the compost I have bought to make it more nutritious for the plants? ???

If this was summer Shinamae I would suggest any pelleted slow release fertiliser or regular watering with something like miracle-grow. However the last thing you want now that winter is approaching is to encourage growth as this will be susceptible to frost damage.
You could start making your own compost with grass clippings, leaves etc to be used next year once it has rotted down. If you are in the country manure might be available or mushroom compost but don’t fertilise until next year after all possibility of frost has gone.

Esspee

If this was summer Shinamae I would suggest any pelleted slow release fertiliser or regular watering with something like miracle-grow. However the last thing you want now that winter is approaching is to encourage growth as this will be susceptible to frost damage.
You could start making your own compost with grass clippings, leaves etc to be used next year once it has rotted down. If you are in the country manure might be available or mushroom compost but don’t fertilise until next year after all possibility of frost has gone.

Thank you…?

The way my flowering plants have turned out I have decided not to bother with them and I’m going to go with shrubs. I will post a picture and would be grateful if somebody could identify the shrubs in it please…

Those are not shrubs Shinmae the foreground is full of perennials such as hosta and heuchera. You can’t decide what you should grow based on what looks good in photographs. They might not suit your soil type, climate etc.
I don’t grow hostas because slugs love them and I live in a clay area with huge numbers of the pesky creatures.
I suggest you go for a walk and take notes of what grows well in neighbouring gardens. Find out what type of soil you have and work out the shady and sunny areas then plan what to get. Buying the wrong plants or putting plants in the wrong areas can be soul destroying when they don’t survive.
Are you up to heavy digging? Will you be able to keep the soil moist during the summer months? Watering cans are heavy. Do you have an outside tap?
I know you are keen to get started but unless you can afford to have lots of failures do take things slowly.
Why not plan on planting bulbs. Daffodils can be planted now, tulips a little later in the year. Always buy the largest bulbs that are firm and healthy looking and follow the instructions about depth of planting. Make sure the soil below them is well broken up to ensure good drainage. The Gardener’s World website has a wealth of information so dip into it every day. That’s how I learned.

I have reread your OP and see that you want winter colour. I suggest Polyanthus, primroses, winter pansies, and wallflower Sugar Rush in that order of preference.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I want to grow shrubs in pots. if you see the photo of my garden you will see I have an area of lawn only a small area and I know my soil is very clay... so with those considerations I just want to grow in containers or pots

Yes I do have an outside tap

Skimmia are great in pots but need ericaceous soil. They have either white or reddish flowers in winter. They’re one of my favourite plants and wonderfully idiot proof.

Shinamae

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I want to grow shrubs in pots. if you see the photo of my garden you will see I have an area of lawn only a small area and I know my soil is very clay... so with those considerations I just want to grow in containers or pots

Winter jasmine (pictured) has lovely yellow flowers, a bright splash of colour in January but it is best grown up against a trellis.

Forsythia flowers early, often in February.

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. I was going to order some plants online but was quite disappointed with the ones I’ve got from Amazon so might toddle over to the garden centre later.(I toddle because I don’t drive ?)

Our garden centre delivers, hope yours does too.

I definitely wouldn’t order plants from Amazon! The online places I mentioned upthread are all good.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202210/medium-794459-23bb58c8-abe8-4080-b29a-37fa0cd4dde8.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202210/medium-494488-88a70b9a-52f4-4f19-9789-5caca0291780.jpeg

Is this the natural progression of these plants? ??‍♀️

What are they? The taller one doesn’t look good.

Is it a clematis? It looks as if it's got wilt, overwatering or under watering? It might be happier in the ground although it will lose its leaves naturally in the autumn.

The other looks like a Bellis Daisy? half dead on one side so it needs repotting and the dead part thrown away.

One in the big pot is a chrysanthemum…(I really don’t understand why just half of it is dead!) i’m seriously thinking of getting rid of all of it and starting again I have ordered some new plants from a nursery online..?‍♀️

This is the nursery it’s got quite good reviews

I buy stuff online from YouGarden.

You might be able to save the chrysanthemum by cutting away the dead parts and repotting or putting it in the garden. I see there are still some green leaves. Plants in pots need plenty of water but don’t overdo it.

If that’s Farmyard Nurseries in Wales, they are good. I’ve had some nice healthy plants from them.

Germanshepherdsmum

You might be able to save the chrysanthemum by cutting away the dead parts and repotting or putting it in the garden. I see there are still some green leaves. Plants in pots need plenty of water but don’t overdo it.

If that’s Farmyard Nurseries in Wales, they are good. I’ve had some nice healthy plants from them.

Yes they are in Wales and I think you recommended them up thread GSM…?

MayBee70

I buy stuff online from YouGarden.

I have looked at their website and think I will be buying some stuff from them as well so thank you ?

Would it be okay to keep garden centre compost in a black dustbin and maybe mix some bonemeal in with it? ?