Buying plants online!

I buy from Thompson and Morgan, and I've recently found Hayloft, which have good reviews. I find the online outlets offer more variety, but I also like to buy from local garden centres when I can, to support local businesses.

We have loads of garden centres in our area. I buy things from them.

Have recently discovered Waitrose Online Garden Centres.
Everything including plants, extremely well packaged.
Only thing is, one item of garden furniture is either faulty, or we possibly could be doing something wrong, and I haven’t found their customer services to be very helpful.

Are you sure it isn’t now bakkar.com which is still trading?

I’ve ordered many plants online some better than others. I now steer clear of plug plants which need potting on and often take an age to reach a decent size. You can be taken in by beautiful pictures of what the plant should look like when it grows.

Crocus is the best! I use them often.

Anyone know a specialist bulb website please?
I'm wanting to find some decent fat bulbs for the Autumn.
Thanks.

I used to buy from T&M but didn't like the teeny weeny plug plants they sent a few years ago. Since then I have ordered from jparkers.co.uk who supply garden-ready plugs of my favourite Tidal Wave Petunias.
Another place I use is idealworld.tv, whose plants of all types are healthy and good value for money.

I've ordered several plants online this year and they've all arrived in excellent condition. I've dug over a bed and got rid of some things I no longer liked and ordered several new plants from Gardeners dream at quite reasonable prices. My local garden centre does not have the same variety and they are usually twice the price.

NotSpaghetti

Anyone know a specialist bulb website please?
I'm wanting to find some decent fat bulbs for the Autumn.
Thanks.

Avon Bulbs. High quality. Reliable firm.

NotSpaghetti Farmer Gracy, both myself, other GNetters and friends have been very happy with them.

I used to like Sarah Raven but for some time things have taken ages to arrive. I prefer Crocus (same as Waitrose) - their plants are always good and for an extra charge you can stipulate the delivery date which is handy.

I use JParker’s, they have a good selection, the garden ready size pots are a good size, and they are good value.

I had problems with T&M's plug plants - the packing was so bad that the plants were mangled by the time they arrived. My most recent purchase has been from Sarah Raven. Some of the plants arrived after a few weeks but mainly, I think, because that was the right time for planting them. At least they were packed better and arrived safely.

I use J Parkers too and have always been pleased with their maxi plug plants.
I do enjoy the business of potting up and growing on and am lucky to have enough space (just about!) to do it for a couple of varieties.

If the frosts would stop I could get some of them out into the garden!

I ordered some snowdrops in the green from Sarah Raven this year. They seem to have taken OK but we'll see if they pop up next year.

I have used J D Parkers in the past. Their plug plants are well packed and healthy when they arrive. Their prices are good.

I used Dobies last year. I ordered some Flamingo geraniums and some verbena bodnarensis (sp?) - both in maxi plugs. The flamingo geraniums arrived well packed and healthy but the verbena never even arrived. I emailed them a few times but got no response. I finally had a response saying that they were no longer available. It was too late for me to order anything else by then.

Sarah Raven produces a lovely catalogue but I think she is expensive. I use her catalogue to browse and then look for the same thing online at a cheaper price.

I have recently bought some dahlia tubers from Farmer Gracy. They were very well packed in individual paper bags. The marketing material was lovely and included free postcards.

I have found that our local B&Q and B&M Bargains are just as good value for bedding plants, plus you don't have the postage or the worry of them arriving half dead. They only seem to do basic stuff, petunias, lobelia etc.

A few weeks ago B&Q had a 20% off offer on all of their bedding plants. You just need to keep your eyes open for when they have them in stock. I also buy plants from their clearance section. They usually just need a good water!

I have had a few disappointments buying online plants but this year have bought excellent sweet peas and now geums from Precious Plants. They arrived in perfect condition and exactly as advertised. I'm definitely going to check out the Myrtle as described by the OP.

The chap who does my garden says avoid Hayloft.

I have had good experiences with Best4hedging with some beautiful sturdy laurels which were well packed and protected.

I have had some gorgeous geraniums from B&Q.

Crocus, Claire Austin and Beth Chatto are all good

NotSpaghetti

Anyone know a specialist bulb website please?
I'm wanting to find some decent fat bulbs for the Autumn.
Thanks.

Blomsbulbs.com are another long established firm who have won gold medals at Chelsea.

Peter Nyssen for bulbs.
Excellent quality.
Really good prices.
Fantastic range.
I wouldnt buy from anywhere else!!
No affiliation... just great admiration!!

Hayloft seem to sell very small plants. I bought from them once, never again.

Thanks everyone for bulb ideas. I had some last year that came quite small so thought I'd ask what companies others have used successfully.
Thanks again.

We've used J Parkers for years for bulbs and plants, and always been pleased with them.

Very interesting thread.
Agree about Hayloft. Have often ordered from jparkers and seem good value for money.
Adore the Sarah raven catalogues but a bit pricey.