Buying plants online

I have never bought online plants because me and Dad always visited various shops and nurseries, and would always manage to cure my "urge".
However since my Dad is no longer with us, I don't get out and about as much, I'm not a confident driver without my dad (yes it's silly I know) but the panic attack's kick in.
So I was wondering if anyone had experience of online plant buying, best sites (if It's allowed on here)

I am trying seeds at the moment, but some times I just get fed up of waiting and just need something bigger, or different, a quicker fix if ya like.

Thanks in advance all

 

I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to advise Sparra:WINK1: and linking to a website is okay as long as its not another forum or your own site (unless you have permission)

 

Hi Sparra

It all depends what you are after , if bedding plants lots to choose from Thompson & Morgan , Suttons Seeds (they do plants as well ) J Parker bulbs plants all sorts and good prices .Van Meuwen garden plants , all the above I have used and are 90% ok most of the time but if you are not happy with the plants will sort out 100%

Have a google they have lots of offers on easily get carried away

or do what Simbad and I do go on ebay you will be suprised whats on offer, just put the plant name you are looking for I have had bargains galore or if you are just after one shrub or tree much cheeper plus delierd to your door

The worse one Gardening Express very poor plants and very poor servive I had a plant arrive in cling film !!!! no joke !!!.

June is late to order plugs but should still be available but the choice will be less just so you know

Tell us what you are after sure we will all have a look as well see what we can come up with

Should be a thread on here GC about diffrent places to buy from I will have a nose


Spruce

 

Aesculus, I did not want to risk getting anyone in trouble, eg advertising or promoting that kind off thing, I'm as new to comps and forums as I am to gardening, but thank you for the Information, as it all helps and boy do I need it :WINK1:

 

Sparra

Have a look at retailers feed back on here lots of info

Spruce

 

The main thing to be aware of with On-Line suppliers is that they do not expect to supply when you want ther plants. They want to supply to you at their convenience.
Often, due to limits in supply, or problems with development, they can be weeks, or even months before they actually arrive.
The best thing you can do is, before actually placing an order, check out a search on GC for members comments. They tend to tell it as it is and Supplier performance can vary from year to year. (sorry Spruce - was in mid type and didn't mean to copy your advice)
Don't believe all you read on the Suppliers website.

 

Oh bless ya Spruce,

I have been looking at old posts to see if there was any info regarding my query, may not have looked hard enough though.
As for ebay again a site I know of, but unsure about using, yes I'm a scardy cat of trying anything new, or possibly I'm just set in my ways.

I have been looking at Seaholly, sorry I can not remember it's posh name and also the globe thistle, they both have a tinge of blue to them.

I will go back to older threads but thanks again for you help

 

ooo nice one Spruce thank you

 

gcc3663, I was just thinking if someone else (more expert) could get me passed the seed stage I could widen my selection, sound advise about doing a search on here before hand.

by the looks of things, my typing speed needs to improve also

 

I buy a lot of plants via mail order, because my partner isn't interested in gardens and finds nursery visits a trial. I've had a few failures but generally I've been very happy with my purchases and there is nothing like getting a beautifully packaged collection of plants through the post!

Hayloft Plants is great for perennials. http://www.hayloft-plants.co.uk/ It operates solely by mail order, and has the process totally sussed. It supplies young plants for you to grow on at home. They arrive in their own little mini-greenhouse which can survive even the most cack-handed of postmen.

Opinion seems divided on GC about Thompson and Morgan http://www.thompson-morgan.com/. However, I have always found them to be good and they supply quite a range of tempting plants. As with Hayloft, the plants they sell tend to be small. It is obviously a lot cheaper and less hassle to send out young plants than large, heavy specimens in hefty pots.

Jackson's Nursery, however, (http://www.jacksonsnurseries.co.uk/) supplies sizeable specimens and has a very good range of shrubs and perennials. Postage (they use a courier) isn't cheap but I've found the service great and the plants themselves very good value. Jackson's also stocks a range of gardening tools and products.

Vernons Geraniums is a great family firm which specialises in geraniums (more correctly, pelargoniums) but has branched out recently to include a few other things as well. http://www.geraniumsuk.com/ Again, it sends out young plants for you to grow on, so expect rooted cuttings rather than large specimens. Lovely firm to deal with. Recommended.

Hope this gives you some idea of what's out there.

 

ClaraLou, yes my OH is the same, keeps pulling my leg by calling my seedlings weeds , but this is a great help thank you, I have quite a few names and sites to look at now, but I do feel better knowing people on here have experience of them.

 

I buy the majority of my plants online. My favourite is the Duchy of Cornwall nursery website which is reasonably priced (although if you're just buying one item then postage can be pricey), excellent quality, excellent service, good choice of plants and very quick delivery in my experience.

I'd also recommend Millais Nurseries (for Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Magnolias, etc), Other Fellow Fuchsias, the Eden Project shop, Shrubsdirect and a host of other websites including eBay.

The only time there has ever been any delay on what I wanted was for some Daphnes which I had to wait for. Everything else usually arrives when they say it will (usually it tells you on the website if it's in stock or not).

 

Great lesson I have learned today also, scroll to the bottom of the home page, ah a huge amount of information

 

I've used Van Meuwen and J Parker bulbs in the past with no problems. I've also used EBay and again no problems.

Rusty

 

e bay have loads I also found the correct name which is Eryngium, just want to thank everyone again for all your help, I am now off to bug my sister who just happens to have an account.