buying plants online

[Lisamari99]

hi,

wanting to buy plants online and looking for recommendations. please. especially perennial flowers. thank you

Avoid Sarah Raven. Plants arrived very late, damaged, and looked very weedy compared to the photos and the customer service is awful. Annoyingly I’d read other customers comments saying exactly the same but was tempted by the appealing website.

Avoid Thompson & Morgen. Half of the plants I ordered didn't arrive, when I emailed asking where they were, they claimed they had sent them but couldn't send replacements as they had sold out. The plants that did arrive were in very poor condition.

Claire Austin for herbaceous perennials!

My father has used Gardening Express and thinks they are good

https://www.gardeningdirect.co.uk/ I found them to be really good. Thompson and Morgan not so good. Twice had problems with plants being broken and one lot had just rotted off at the base. Gardening direct ones are well,packed

I've used Gardening Express very often and always found them to supply top quality plants at fair prices. Also their packaging is second to none, especially the latest iteration which I experienced only last week.

EBAY: I've had overall good experiences. Last year I ordered tomato plants, a bit last minute because usual supplier forgot me! But the eBay toms (Big Daddy) were great and turned out to be the best croppers for me.

I was also impressed at Gardening Express. I bought some plants at the end of the season and as PP they were a good size/quality for the price.

I've bought a lot from Thompson & Morgan. Couple of reasons: 1. I had a code that let me repeatedly get free P&P 2. Their customer service is excellent.

I have had a few problems with them, but one email to let them know and I've been immediately refunded or had replacements sent out.

I received the wrong bare variety of hardy geranium. As they were bare root I didn't realise for months. T&M sent out replacements as soon as I contacted them. Only downside was this was much further through the season so I lost some 'growth'.

I had one plant mislabelled. Turned out it was the right plant but I couldn't be sure at the time. Contacted them, again they sent a replacement immediately.

I had 3 of a 9 jumbo plug collection die within a week. Those 3 were all the same variety so I didn't think it was a me problem. They couldn't replace as out of stock so they refunded the entire collection.

And I think in the early days I had a hydrangea that looked like it wouldn't survive. I got in touch, they sent a replacement. I planted the sad looking thing anyway and it pulled it's socks up and is still going.

So yes, problems but excellent customer service.

I have also had plants from Farmer Gracy (and am expecting more soon). I was lured by sales on bare roots + free delivery. The plants are only a year old and all grew reasonably well. But that was just last year so I'm hoping they push on a bit this year.

I was decidedly unimpressed by Sarah Ravens packaging and was survived the plants survived the journey. But to be fair they did all do well after planting.

I have quite a basketful waiting to click go on at J Parkers. Seem to be good value and they have a Jacobs ladder that I can't find anywhere else. Can't speak to quality or customer service yet.

I use a company called Crocus. Everything has been good quality.

Crocus are great - I’ve had some lovely things from them - but expensive, so it’s worth comparing prices. Years ago, I felt very smug because I got some David Austin roses in the Crocus sale. I only later realised that Crocus’s sale price was what David Austin charged all year round.

Claire Austin is the daughter of David

J Parkers plants arrive well packed, but are small so need some tlc. They have lots of good offers. They’re a good source if you’re confident about growing on the plants before planting out.

Burncoose are good, and a nursery rather than a buyer-in.

Worth checking customer review sites. There have been a lot of comments on this board about Gardening Express.

Following. I’m a newbie but used one click plants for some topiary and they were great. Not sure how much choice they have tho.

I’ve had some lovely bulbs from Parker this year, but the quality of their plants (in my experience) is very variable. There was a mention upthread of Bluebell Cottage. Their plants are excellent and come in plastic-free packaging.

Another vote for Sarah Raven, I have also ordered from the ‘secret gardening club’ and can recommend them. Had a bad experience with Thompson and Morgan (dead plants).

I like Farmer Gracy- mostly seduced by the offers and gorgeous postcards and plant care guides that come with the bulbs.

I am a terrible gardener and screwed up most of the bulbs supplied but the Dahlias grew and flowered beautifully.

Hopefully some grow back this year!

Parker as far as I know buys in plants for selling on, so is in effect an on-line garden centre, good at what it does. Bluebell Cottage is a nursery growing its own plants, though it may buy some in.

I’m aware of that. In my experience, Parker is not always good at what it does - some of its plants are small, sickly and beyond nursing back to health.

Over the years there's probably not a site l haven't bought off.
EBay are very good, l have ordered seeds, tubers, plugs, small potting plants and shrubs, never been disappointed or had any problems ,they sell at a good price and received in good condition.
Crocus, J Parkers, Anglian Bulbs, Hayloft, Halls of Heddon, Claire Austin, Sarah Raven all very good.

Also professional and agree with all this, as well as your other thread about eBay and Etsy. David Austin for roses. Beth Chatto, Kelways, Edrom, Larch Cottage, Tinnisburn - so many places actually. Buy from proper nurseries rather than random people on eBay. Farmer Gracy is excellent in my experience. Parkers for bulbs have been ok for me (800 tulips every year anyway)

Ah, I didn't have any luck with Parker Tulips but the ones I've had from Peter Nyssen (several hundred at home when I have time (!)) have been fab.

I’ve never bought from them, but the Peter Nyssen catalogue is pure bulb porn heaven.

Maybe you’re right. I’ve tended to assume the fault is with me. When I’ve bought a collection of 6plants, or had 15 mixed perennials thrown in free, I’ve not minded losing a plant or two.

I know for a fact, as they are local to me, that they grow by division or buy in bare roots. They are small, they will check each and every plant with care, and dispatch plastic free if requested etc.

Secret gardening club messed me about awfully with a pre order that they then decided they didn't have most of. Then were awful about sorting the refund.