Buying plants online

[mrs.lotte]

Can anyone recommend a good company to purchase plants from online? Not inspired by the local garden centres and have used Crocus but the plants were all v.small and then they sent me daily spam emails

Thanks

[KateW]

There was a really good feature in the Guardian magazine last weekend about good online plant companies (the premise for the article being just your experience - lack of inspiration at garden centres). I can't remember off the top of my head the names of the companies but I'm sure someone in ED must have a copy of the magazine they can gve you. (I would give you mine but alas, I'm an ED Forum lurker and now live in Surrey!)

[supergolden88]

I think Crocus is actually one of the better ones. Thompson and Morgan etc. tend to sell small (plug) plants you have to repot and then plant once they are big enough.

B&Q has lots of plants at the moment and they are good sized. Not a vast selection but some nice stuff.

Depends a little on what you are after. Some online companies are very specialised (tropical plants etc) and they have lovely plants but are very pricey. Ebay and Amazon have plants too.

[Annie456]

I've tried various, T&M, crocus, telegraph garden centre etc and never had the best results. Avoid homebase, B&Q etc.

I recently spent a small fortune in Shannon's garden centre in forest hill and it's all looking lovely-I was really impressed. I know you're wanting online suggestions but perhaps give Shannon's a try if you've not already?

[tomo]

It really depends what you're after, if you're looking for investment shrubs or trees then go online. Crocus is good to get inspiration from but expensive I find. If it's bedding plants then I've had some great bargains from your B&Q & Homebase type places.

For roses you can't beat David Austin http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/Advanced.asp

For clematis try http://www.thorncroftclematis.co.uk/ or http://www.taylorsclematis.co.uk/

I bought a fantastic Acer from here: http://www.rhododendrons.co.uk/ very good value I thought.

If you're after something specific, have at look at the specialist nurseries that show at places like Chelsea RHS and order directly from them.

Locally, the Secret Garden Centre in Crystal Palace behind Sainsburys has quite a good selection of plants.

[womanofdulwich]

its good to go to local gardens open garden scheme gardens where they have plant sales.

[Grotty]

best online plants i've received are from :

www.duchyofcornwallnursery.co.uk

www.thegardencentregroup.co.uk

www.crocus.co.uk

Guardian weekender article "Your plant's in the post" suggests:

Otter Farm Shop - former River Cottage gardener

Toby Buckland Nurseries - aka Gardeners World

Higgledy Garden

Shipton Bulbs - Welsh nursery

[urchin]

Hi,

Sorry to slightly hijack this thread, but I wondered if anyone on their garden centre travels happened to have come across a largeish Marguerite tree? I've looked in B&Q, Homebase and Dulwich Garden Centre to no avail. Need to replace one I managed to destroy last year, as part of a matching pair in pots. I was falling over them last year, but there seems a mysterious absence so far this year and therefore a rather gaping hole on our roof terrace.

Thank you

[Grotty]

have you tried the garden centre at Alexandra Palace - always seems to have what I want/need when I go. Worth a try...