Online plant shop?

Is there an Amazon-esque (preferably properly taxed up...) site that you buy plants/shrubs/ferns from? I.e. a sort of one site for all, rather than a site that specialises in ferns (Which I've I've just found much to my wonder) and a site for roses and so on and so forth... not sure if that's even a thing, perhaps not being able to see the condition of plants/roots is more of a necessity than the convenience of buying on-line?

I ask as I'll be browsing Homebase/independent garden centre and get overwhelmed and give up with nothing while at home I can thumb through whatever I've pulled out of the paper/mother-in-laws gardening mags...

 

www.crocus.co.uk ?

 

I buy from more specialist providers as I am usually after something a bit out of the ordinary - so even if I want a well known species its bound to be some fancy cultivar that I hanker after!

www.plantify.co.uk seems to be up-and-coming in terms of wide range.

I look at crocus.co.uk for details about plants, but usually find their prices dear, relative to other places. They do do the supply for Telegraph Offers and (I think) RHS too, so quality can be expected to be good.

Downside of buying in multiple places is that the carriage tends to outweigh the goods .. an alternative would be to find a nice local nursery and give them your plant list and have them source them for you. They will know which plants are in good nick etc.

I find places like T&M, van Meuwen, J Parkers and the like tend to provide tiny plants. They advertise them as such, but just be on the look out. They represent a bargain, but typically require that you have skills, and equipment, to be able to grow them on before planting out

 

Ben - the simple answer is no - there are just so many different plants out there.

Its always difficult at the start. It gets better as you learn a bit more, but its a problem that you never really solve - I am still searching - but that's part of the fun.

The easiest way is to Google plant names and you soon find some suppliers come up more often than others, and you can find one that you like. However if I want to buy plants I would prefer to do it at a garden centre where you can see the plants and ask questions. Like Kristen, I tend to use internet suppliers for the more unusual things, where you often know what you want, but nobody local stocks it. I also like it for window shopping but I tend to drool a lot.

 

Thanks gang. All new to me so thanks for the advice!

 

@Benzombie - I see that you're in North Oxon. Head south down to the Good Value Plant Nursery. The name says it all, and not a million miles from you. If you can't find what you want there, then try t'interweb. They have a good shade plant section, and there are a good few ferns hid around the place!