crocus.co.uk

hi anyone brought any plants from this website? I'm tempted by a few... but thought I'd check up on them first as am a little worried about buying online!

 

Never personally bought from them, but I know people who have, and they were quite happy. I just think that they are an expensive option, so I would exhaust all other options first.

 

Its a good brand name. But I too think they are expensive.

If you are paying by credit card the card company will refund you if you get "done", so I wouldn't worry about shopping online too much, obviously use common sense though - if the price is too good to be true then it probably is! I have successfully pursued online fraudsters through the small claims court - did that all online too, never had to leave my desk, including sending the bailiffs round! Hopefully won't come to that, and I only mention it for reassurance.

Couple of suggestions:

If you have an Email address that lets you do things like [email protected] - where XXXX is the name of the ISP - then put the domain name in the "YourName" bit - so [email protected] - then if you get spam etc., or they sell your name, you can just block that address in your email reader. If you have your own domain name you may be able to use [email protected]

Be careful what password you choose. In particular be careful on sites where there is a "I've forgotten my password" button and they send you an Email with your ORIGINAL password (the alternative is that they send you a one time "Use this temporary password"). Sites that send your original password are storing it somewhere - and if all their data is stolen the thieves will have your password. If its the same password that you use for your online bank that's not good!

I have a "weak" password that I use for online shopping. Very few sites allow me to re-use my credit card (I have to enter it each time) so if someone steals my account at XYZ Seed Company it won't get them very far ...

Watch out for the shipping charges.

 

I love the Crocus website - an excellent way to do a bit of research when deciding what plants to get. They give a good guide as to how tall/wide a plant will grow by showing it next to a human sillouette and they give a couple of ideas as to what it would look good growing next to (a good sales ploy as well!). Their delivery policy is reliable and accurate, and they give you the option to say where plants should be left if you are not at home when they arrive. I've never had any spam issues with them or worries about credit/debit card security either.

However...they are expensive and I found the plants they supplied were a bit puny, especially the perennials I ordered. A couple of them never made a reappearance the next year and others were very small and insignificant-basically you'd get a better specimen if you were to go to a garden centre and choose for yourself.

I did get a couple of blueberry bushes from them though and they have thrived and flourished, as did the ferns I ordered, so perhaps its just the perennials. I expect bulbs would be fine too (hard to mess them up!).

 

"Their delivery policy is reliable and accurate"

That is rare, in my experience, for online plants. It would be so easy to send an Email when plants were ready for despatch, and have an online order summary showing expected shipping dates ... but there are few, if any, that do that. Mostly plants just turn up out of the blue ... they must spend a fortune answering "When are my plants coming?" support calls.

" I expect bulbs would be fine too (hard to mess them up!)"

Although they can be dissappoingly small. When I buy on eBay I assume decent flowering size 2nd year, not 1st year and judge the price accordingly.

 

hum, can anyone recommend some better sites then? Am looking for fruit climbers, jasmine, redcurrant, bluebell creeper....

 

Now I've never mail-ordered from these people, but I have purchased from the nursery direct, and they have always been very helpful and they put up with my silly questions!

http://www.priorswoodclematis.co.uk/

Hope this Helps!

 

I did say the fruit bushes I got from them were good. And I forgot to mention their packaging is excellent.

 

I am lucky enought o live not far from these so have never had them mail order, but cannot enthuse enough about the quality of their bulbs and plants. They have offers on all the time and even in the shop they slip a few freebies in.

http://www.jparkers.co.uk/

 

If you know what you want, use someone like http://www.crug-farm.co.uk/

Absolutely love them.:gnthb:

 

some great sites (and great feedback on crocus.co.uk) - thanks chaps! I'm scouting now :-)

 

ordered a redcurrant, thornless blackberry and bluebell creeper from crocus. Am going to get the other bits from wilkinsons I think, cheaper, smaller, and I can buy the ones that need rescuing! :-)

 

I have used Crocus several times. They are an excellent company and compared to plants I get from T & M, Dobies, Suttons, etc, their plants are, without exception, the best I have bought via mail order and internet.
Yes, they have a standard £5.99 delivery charge, but if you have a large order, that is nothing.
The plants come in pots, not bare root. I had 2 Astrantias delivered about 1 month ago. I got them in their sale, and with the postage, they still worked out cheaper if I bought something that size from my local nursey. They are huge. They will be plated out in a week or so, and will flower this year.
When they arrived, they were 2 pots of soil - but as soon as the growing season got started, up popped the shoots.
I will recommend this site to anyone. They are above board and professional. They are most certainly not a "dodgy" company.

 

I have also used crocus in the past and was pleased with the items and delivery,Keep an eye out for the plants for sale section I bought Black Bamboo in a 5 litre pot the bamboo was about 5' high for £17 which is very cheap. And as Aaron mentioned the website is the best I have come across great for researching plans.

 

I like these too. And I've ordered from Crocus and been happy with my order