buying plants?

I never had any problems with the plants I bought from ebay...only with ebay and paypal themselves.

Although I am now buying more from my local garden centres and peoples gardens who sell them, I like to try and keep it local, keep the moeny where it belongs

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I buy quite a few plants on ebay Womble, sometimes the garden centres here dont always have what i want, i dont have any bother have just bought 4 shrubs and was very pleased .but it`s up to each individual i suppose :~)))0

I'd have real concerns but that is probably because we have specialist interests. I prefer to see any shrub I am about to buy actually growing to be sure it is healthy and adapted to the climate we live in. As for bulbs and the like we go to the growers/importers rather than someone who has possibly got bulbs which have been sitting for a while. As we don't buy perennials, bedding plants or veg plugs I can't comment on these.

Here in New England we have had an absolute wipeout tomato blight. Usually a summer staple (and fierce tomato people are loyal to particular farms in the area), they're almost impossible to find.

All because of some tomato plants that were imported from Georgia (~1,355 kilometers) in the Southern US. The few that survived the blight and the rain were rare heirloom varieties.

So be careful importing plants!

I've bought a few plants from Ebay and thankfully I haven't had any problems.

The only problems, I have found when buying plants from ebay, is that they do not always give the size of the plant they are selling, when delivered they were very tiny, quite a lot did not survive. I have not ordered anymore for that reason.

I like to choose my plants individually so have never bought mail order until this year (but not ebay). I was very disappointed in the size of my first delivery and am awaiting the second one now with some apprehension!
This is only my own limited experience and I'm sure there are lots of bargains to be had on ebay.

i find ebay to be overpriced on so many things now , it's hard to find a 'bargain' anymore.
our local garden centers have plant sales occasionally and at least you can see what you are actually buying.

It is quite good if you want rare plants, you can occasionally pick up a real gem. If you get used to one supplier they can be pretty good. I actually find them quite cheap and although the specimens are small, if you are forward planning, you can grow them on before planting them out. If you want large specimens then by all means go to your local nursery, but compared to mail order, a local nursery may not have the variety. I have had some bad experiences, but I avoid them and stick to the ones I know. At the end of the day it depends on what your after, your budget, your location and whether you want instant effect. I live on the Isle of Wight and the nurseries here are very limited, I have no choice but to get mail order and even then a lot of companies will not go that extra customer service mile and organise a different delivery method than their usual. Crocus is one of the repeat offenders.

I sell plants on ebay for charity. I really try to make sure the person opening the parcel will be pleased with the purchase. Someitmes it drives me crazy. You weigh a plant and find the postal cost and put up the ad. Then it rains and the wieght doubles. Or the carrier turns the box upside down, even thought I've marked it clearly.
Garden centres often sell plants that have never been out of a polytunnel. These plants have never felt a breath of wind, far less a good going gale. I sell loads of Lily of the Valley, freshly dug and still moist. Far better than the dried up stuff in B and Q.

Romneya, I don'y know if you would be allowed to or even if you would want to put your Ebay username up here but would you send it to me in a PM so that I can look at your plants before others in future. We have bought quite a few from Ebay in the past. I will send you mine if that will make any difference?

thanks everyone for the advice, i think i will have a browse on ebay but be careful who i buy from. the issue i have is the nearest garden centre to me is awful and the good ones all need a car to get to, something i dont have and there's only so many times i can ask my boyfriend to take me there.
Romneya could you pm me your ebay username so i could have a look. out of interest what charity do you donate to?