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Gardening

Plants on the Internet

(23 Posts)
Anniebach Tue 11-Mar-14 09:17:20

Does/has anyone bought shrubs and plants from an internet site, my local garden centre has closed. Would be so grateful for advice please

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 11-Mar-14 09:25:33

these people sell reliable plants

It was owned by Alan Titchmarsh when it first started. Don't know if it still is. Not cheap, but well brought on plants.

Aka Tue 11-Mar-14 09:36:01

Royal Horticultural Society Website

Aka Tue 11-Mar-14 09:38:10

Type in the plant you wan, follow the links. All seem to do online sales these days.

annodomini Tue 11-Mar-14 09:40:09

I've bought some winter aconites 'in the green' from an Ebay site. They look strong and I hope they will survive, unlike ones I planted as corms which never saw the light of day.

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 11-Mar-14 09:40:57

Oh Anniebach! I had no intention buying any plants until I looked at the web page I linked to.

Guess what?!!! shock

(Warning!)

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 11-Mar-14 09:42:21

I have tried and tried with aconites anno. Corms, green in pots, the lot. No luck. Such a bummer!

Better luck with yours. [fingers crossed]

granjura Tue 11-Mar-14 10:27:30

If conditions for the plants are wrong, it won't work- too rich, too limey, too acid, too much shade or not enough... no matter where you buy, conditions are paramount to success.

I spent good money buying Martagon lilly bulbs in the UK (£15 each)- and never managed to grow one. Here, I was given a few- and they grow and spread like wildfire- as their are native to the area and very happy here.

Must go and see if the aconites I bought in the UK some years back are coming up- they have done very well last few years.

Anniebach Tue 11-Mar-14 12:21:51

So sorry Jingle smile

Thanks everyone

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 11-Mar-14 12:29:14

Don't be sorry Anniebach. It's great! Specially as DH already knows he is going to clear the bit of garden they are intended for. smile And dig the holes. I will add a shovelful or two of soil. (Pity I haven't got a little silver shovel)

shysal Tue 11-Mar-14 13:12:34

I always go for the cheapest price of the plant I want on ebay, and have never had a failure. I even bought a healthy 6ft Jelly Palm for only £30 a couple of years ago. They are at least £199 at my local tree nursery.

NfkDumpling Tue 11-Mar-14 13:21:01

I was going to suggest Crocus too - and once you're on their mailing list they send helpful newsletters too - regularly.

dustyangel Tue 11-Mar-14 19:43:13

When I was having a look at Jingle's link earlier, I somehow found a link to a free gardening app (right plant for the right place) and now I can't find it again. Pleease does anyone know where it's gone? smile

janerowena Tue 11-Mar-14 22:35:55

I've been buying plants online for years, GCs (garden centres in gardenerspeak) only stock what many gardeners consider to be a very basic stock. Apart from someone sending me red lilies when I wanted white, I have never had any problems. I ordered a pretty pink hellebore today.

Crocus is very good, but my goodness the prices! But as a present you can't beat them because they are always in excellent condition.

rosesarered Wed 12-Mar-14 20:23:48

I haven't had plants from Crocus but have bought other garden things[willow fence stuff and pots etc] their service is very good.

Galen Wed 12-Mar-14 21:01:07

I've bought a rambling rector. The last one died and our rector resigned! Not sure if there's a link

Galen Wed 12-Mar-14 21:02:48

I still haven't had the raspberries I ordered from T & M . Last I heard, they were waiting for cold weather for them to go dormant?

Elegran Wed 12-Mar-14 21:17:58

Watch out for that Rambling Rector. Ours climbed all over the pergola and looked and smelt wonderful - until his weight brought it down and he had to be amputated at the ankle, not surviving the operation.

But before then, a little seedling had appeared nearby. It was carefully nurtured and grew into a lovely Son of Rector (Son of the Manse?) who is currently growing vigorously up a frame attached to the garage. I hope the garage is safe.

Lilygran Thu 13-Mar-14 08:39:34

Wiggly Wigglers is good for native plants and wild flowers.

granjura Thu 13-Mar-14 16:46:41

One of my ex neighbours in Leics has the most amazing and ginormous rambling rector- when in flower, it almost causes accidents on the A47 as people slow down to admire it. As we live in a very old Vicarage, I was thinking of getting one when we visit the UK in a couple of weeks- to plant on the wall of the WC and Central heating shed at the back of the Church, which is quite ugly. I wonder how hardy it is, as we get lots of snow in winter- but it would be on west side, so protected from the cold east wind.

granjura Thu 13-Mar-14 16:50:05

I'll pop in to Barnsdale Gardens near Rutland Water (Geof Hamilton's garden centre, now run by his son and dil- a lovely place if ever you get a chance- and nearby Oakham is a delight- and you could have lunch at the Michelin * Pub, the Olive Branche, just a few minutes away in Clipsham- or at the garden centre- or the gorgeous stone Hôtel and restaurant, Barsndale Lodge just a couple of minutes south.

Elegran Thu 13-Mar-14 19:28:08

granjura I think Rambling Rector is pretty hardy. It is an old variety grown on its own rootstock, not grafted.

Aka Thu 13-Mar-14 19:45:00

I have a Rambling Rector. It has survived the last few awful winters we've had in the UK since 2008, in fact it's almost impossible to control, so must be über hardy. The smell is amazing.