Buying plants online

[mmmmmchocolate]

Who do you all recommend when buying plants online? I’m looking for personal recommendations as apart from the main companies like RHS and Thompson and Morgan there are a lot of companies that I’m unfamiliar with. I’ve never brought any plants online but I’m looking for raspberries and loganberries and I’m looking to not pay garden centre prices. Thanks 😊

I've had good success with Hayloft plants, mixed success with Thomson & Morgan, and everything I bought from Sarah Raven died.

Hayloft looks lovely but doesn’t seem to have any raspberries or loganberries. I’ve got what I want in my basket at Thomson and Morgan- but the Loganberry seems a bit steep. I’ll avoid Sarah raven though, thank you 😊

Thomson and Morgan were terrible for us.

Sarah Raven generally ok with what we've bought from them.

Best success was online ordering from our local independent nursery. And they delivered too.

Crocus are the best, imo.

Avoid Thompson and Morgan.

I've had great, if expensive, stuff from Sarah raven. Great from hayloft too ( and good customer service)

Look around for local nurseries or specialist suppliers online perhaps

Parkers sent me a variety of seed potato that I didn't order because they'd run out of stock, rather than emailing me first and asking! Marie feckin' Piper! I already had some sprouty Marie feckin' Piper!......and breathe......!

Oh I've had nothing decent from parkers either. Lots rotting etc

Ken Muir or Chris Bowyer for fruit. Crocus for others.

Ashridge Trees are excellent.

(They don’t just do trees)

Pomona Fruits are good, I don't know how their prices compare though.

Crocus have been good for me.

Id definitely go for a specialist fruit nursery. Keepers, Ken Muir, RV Rogers.

Crocus is good. I’ve found Sarah Raven good too, but I haven’t tried her seedlings, only plants that have grown on a bit.

I had seedlings last year, they were pretty good and the most cost effective way to get some lovely plants without paying her full prices

I like the plant varieties that Sarah Raven offers. They are usually a bit more interesting than elsewhere. I have also found the quality is very good in general. Parker's are more mixed, IME.

Farmer Gracy are my favourites, lovely plants and recyclable packaging, and on the odd occasion that something has gone wrong, their customer service is brilliant.

I've had the odd blip with Thompson and Morgan, but mostly they've been great too - their packs of annuals sold as plug plants are fantastic value when they're on offer. If you subscribe to their mailing list they often have great offers.

Hayloft have been a bit hit and miss, but their customer service is good.

Sarah Raven is very expensive, I only buy when they have end of season sales on, especially for bulbs.

I had a good experience buying fruit trees online from Blackmoor Nurseries and I like Bloms for bulbs. Used to use Crocus a lot, but put off after rubbish dry bulbs we got last time!

T&M have been fairly reliable for me, ordered a lot - we live somewhere out of the way - and it's been 95% absolutely fine - and the stuff that hasn't they've refunded or replaced without a quibble.

Suttons, Ponoma fruit and Hayloft have been good (though hayloft specialises in very small plants so check you know what you are getting)...

We bought some lovely plants from Crocus when we were doing our last garden.

We've also ordered from the local garden centre and they've delivered. They were great plants and fabulous service.

If you're after fruit plants don't rule out Wilkos though, if you can get to one.

Most of my plants (new garden last year) are from farmer gracy ( loose roots), crocus or j parkers. Crocus probably most expensive but if you can grow on plugs or grow from loose roots I'd do the others.

Thanks everyone, lots of suggestions to work through! If I find what I’m looking for I’ll update the thread with what I thought.

I’ve been to 3 wilkos @PritiPatelsMaker and they have no plants yet. I was hoping to use wilko as I’ve had good results before (they can take a year or so to get going) and they’re only for my allotment.

Farmer Gracy, Sarah Raven for the big seedlings with are usually excellent, Blackmoors for fruit trees and shrubs.

Blackmoors are particularly good at unusual or heritage varieties. I've bought a lot from them over the years.

If you have a local allotment group it's worth asking anyone if they have any raspberry canes for sale or swap. I got quite a lot that way as raspberries do tend to spread a bit.

I've used:
Ken Muir - good results
Thompson and Morgan - mixed results
Parkers - mixed results
Local garden centres/greengrocer - good results
Local gardening club - good results
Ebay sellers (who tend to be smaller nurseries) - good results if they seller puts on the outside of the packaging plants. They will however resend out an order.
Lidl - good results. They have strange varieties.

Ashridge Trees - can't tell you yet
Pomona Fruits - can't tell you yet

Should add some of the plants weren't for my own garden.

Most garden centres buy from the same few wholesale companies though.....