@Dave7 I don't know this company and obviously haven't seen the advert. I've looked at their website but can't see trailing pansy. They are offering bedding Pansy but note they offer "plug" plants and suggest potting in to 9cm pots for 3-4 weeks before planting out in the garden. So this isn't my opinion it's what I know!!
1. As plug plants these will be small and quite possibly the same or very similar in size to the stock we used to buy as professional growers.
2. Professional growers would struggle to turn a plug plant potted in a 9cm pot in to something ready to put in the garden in 3-4 weeks
3. Buying pansy at this time of year risks them putting on a lot of quite soft growth. In this state they will become straggly and may not make it through the winter. As professionals we always had a struggle to maintain quality - short and compact - in July (which is VERY early for "autumn" Pansy) and August. There are ways to do it involving chemical growth regulators, something we always tried to avoid.
The time to buy autumn Pansy or Viola is mid-September onwards. Try to wait till we get cooler nights as this will slow growth and give stronger harder plants.
Buy good sized plants. If you buy trailing pansy these will most likely be in 9/10cm pots. It's an expensive item and is usually offered in a pot to increase the perceived value to the consumer. They will most likely all be in flower - perceived value, impulse purchase.
If you want bedding plant pansy buy those offered in packs of 6. Don't be seduced in to buying plants smothered in flower. Look for those packs with 2-3 plants in flower, just enough to see you like the colour. The best quality will have quite dark green, flattish foliage.
I know the grower who used to supply Bents, he was good - I don't know if he still supplies them. You can do far worse than B&Q, their suppliers are amongst the best in the country. Same applies to Aldi. With both these it's important to try and buy within 24 hours of the stock arriving in store. It will be very good on arrival but every day in store will see the quality deteriorate. Aldi will probably get delivery on Tuesday/Thursday.
Last two points, flowering will be minimal December through to mid-January/early February depending on weather conditions. Personally I would use Viola for autumn/early spring. They stand bad weather better and begin flowering earlier in spring.
Question why do you specifically want trailing pansy? Where are you planning to use them?
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I know you won't misunderstand me when I say the vast majority of the public know very little about plants and gardens. It's an established fact 80% of garden centre visitors don't know what plant they are looking for on arrival. People buy what looks good the day they visit.
