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mail order plants

(17 Posts)
Hattie64 Sun 15-Apr-12 19:44:27

Any recommendations for buying plants via mail order. I have tried Crocus in the past, good plants, but very expensive. I love penstemons and was looking at a specialist garden centre, but they were charging £11 for delivery!! I know I could go to a garden centre, but I don't drive, and my husband gets fed up driving me to buy more plants for an overcrowded garden. So mail order is ideal as he doesn't know what I am buying.

Carol Sun 15-Apr-12 20:02:03

I buy lots from Thompson and Morgan as they always have good offers on. Last year the three bargain fruit trees I had bought the year before all had loads on them - conference pear, victoria plum and bramley apple. If you buy their plug plants, they are always well packed and will race away as soon as you pot them up or put them in the beds outside. One large strawberry plant I bought two years ago sent masses of runners out, and this Easter I have just transplanted 15 strawberry plants from that one, and given a few pots away to friends and relatives - all for £5.99, and last year I had a bowl of strawberries most days for nearly four months.

jeni Sun 15-Apr-12 20:12:15

I've just sent of for£80ounds worth from them in their sale! Hope I'm not going to be disappointed. I have a s facing patio at the front of my house that I am trying to make look like an Italian courtyard .
I have citrus and just bought a mini olive! There is a grapevine growing above it.

johanna Sun 15-Apr-12 20:51:45

Also used Crocus up to last Autumn.
Had some disappointments from them as well.
Like an 8 inch pot containing a plug which had been potted up! Bit naughty.
Tesco is setting up an Amazon-like thinghy and Crocus has signed up for that.

Hattie, keep Googling, there are lots and lots, but it is always a risk.

My daughter in law placed an order with Anglian Bulbs ( good selection ).
However they sent her someone else's order.
She offered to send it back or even deliver it to the recipient if nearby.
They said no problem, you can keep it and we will send you your original order.
Friendly service I thought.

Maniac Mon 16-Apr-12 09:54:03

Always found T & M good over the years.They are also excellent for pot plants ordered to be delivered as presents.
I tried offers from Spalding last year and was disappointed.
Happy gardening!

Maniac Mon 16-Apr-12 10:14:57

Always found T & M good over the years.They are also excellent for pot plants ordered to be delivered as presents.
I tried offers from Spalding last year and was disappointed.
Happy gardening!

shysal Mon 16-Apr-12 10:58:42

I find Thompson and Morgan excellent, never had a failure yet from their plants.
flowers

MrsJamJam Mon 16-Apr-12 18:00:53

Have found that Hayloft is good for more unusual plants. Agree that Crocus can be expensive, although I have always found their stuff of very good quality.

glammanana Mon 16-Apr-12 18:42:44

Do these plants arrive ready to plant out or do they have to be nurtured for a while prior to replanting ? Sorry but I am a bit slow with plants I have only done bussie lizzies in the past.confused

shysal Mon 16-Apr-12 20:06:23

The plants often come in a choice of sizes. They usually need potting on to grow a bit before planting out. The different sizes are explained on the website or in the catalogue, and clear instructions sent with plants.

merlotgran Mon 16-Apr-12 20:16:40

I bought some grasses on ebay last year. They arrived promptly, in good packaging and were ready to plant out. They were also much cheaper than garden centres and other mail order companies.

glammanana Tue 17-Apr-12 14:40:28

Thanks so much for the information,I will order some as there are some really good offers available.

sixtynotout Tue 17-Apr-12 19:27:46

Over the last 10 years I have had numerous trees,shrubs and plants from Morrisons supermarket. They have all been excellent quality and great value for money. QVC sell lots of T&M plants alot cheaper than going direct to T&M. They also give you lots advice too on suitabilty of soil and position. Hope this helps.

Hattie64 Tue 17-Apr-12 20:27:57

I agree about Crocus, a tiny plant in a big pot!!! I also don't like plug plants, too tasty for the slugs and snails. I mainly buy perennials, the few annuals I do buy I get from the market. Anyway thanks for all the info.

susiecb Wed 18-Apr-12 15:45:24

DH bought the T & M fruits trees last year I would have liked something further on but he was going for cheap as usual. this year he bought perrenials which looked like lumps of dried up mud, planted them and they have disappeared without trace. Off to the garden centre next time.

Carol Wed 18-Apr-12 16:06:46

You should see my three T and M fruit trees now susie. They're glorious - beautiful blossom, especially the pear tree. They're going to be laden with fruit this year smile

dahlia Thu 26-Apr-12 20:35:48

I have had very successful plants from Hayloft in the past, many still in my garden today after years of successful flowering. Can also recommend Chiltern Seeds and Broadleigh Bulbs - small family-run firms who seem to provide me with success in the garden.