Garden in a box

I ordered two borders from J. Parkers which seemed like the shortest cut possible on my budget to getting two twenty-five feet by four feet borders planted this spring.  

duly arrived in big box

The plants on top, not in a bag, were some Verbena bonariensis which I also ordered and the bag tucked in down the side was free begonias and some free hardy fuschia that came with the order so you can regard the £3.95 postage well covered.

border in a bag

released from their sack

stacked in trays outside until I can get to them

This was the absolute moment I realised I might have made a mistake doing it this way!  Planting that many plants and having to do it as quickly as possible really is going to be way too much for me.  There are 144 plants in this collection and additionally I have other plants I have bought so there are something like 200 plants to get in the ground.

desperate to get out

nice size one year old plugs

I am a tad concerned about light exposed roots - does this matter?  How long will they wait for me? etc etc.  Tried to get advice from Parkers but got a prepared speech about keeping perennials outside until you can plant them - nothing about these particular type plugs.