Unusual plants delivered to your door. (crocus.co.uk)

Member Name: depurple2

Product:	crocus.co.uk
Date:	13/09/08 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Large selection, good quality plants, reasonable prices, nice website

Disadvantages: Flat fee delivery

I am a bit of a gardening fanatic, and I love unusual plants, rather than the plants that you see in every chain garden centre going. I therefore order a lot of plants off the internet, as I can find a better variety.

I have ordered several times from Crocus, and have been impressed each time with the quality of the plants.

The Crocus website is easy to use, with plants laid out in categories with other similar plants, for example, Mediterranean plants, Ferns and Trees. There is also an A-Z plant finder if you already know which plant you are looking for. The selection of plants is good, with plenty of unusual varieties. There is plenty of information on each plant, such as what soil it likes, which position to plant it in and how big it is likely to get when fully grown.

It is easy to purchase items, with them being added to a "wheelbarrow" as you shop. If you register with Crocus, you can also create a "wish list", where items will stay until you delete them.

Delivery costs a £5.95 flat fee, except for seed orders, which cost £1 for delivery. Crocus doesn't deliver to parts of Scotland, or anywhere offshore, or abroad. You can track your order using your account on the website. I have found that delivery isn't particularly fast, taking around a week. Plant prices are reasonable, I have found slightly cheaper than garden centres, but if you are only ordering one or two plants, the flat rate delivery fee can make it expensive.

The plants that I have received have been packed really well, in boxes designed specifically for shipping plants, with lots of tape and bubble wrap to keep the plants safe. The biggest problem has been getting into the box to get them out!

Plants that I have bought from Crocus include lemon and lime trees, banana plants, honey bush and myrtle. They have all arrived in good condition, and been good quality plants of the size stated, with good root growth. Some are now a few years old and still happily growing away in the garden.

Crocus also sells tools, accessories and furniture for the garden. This includes everything from spades to sheds to barbecues. I have not bought anything from these ranges, so I am not sure of the quality or delivery service regarding these.

The Crocus website also has other features besides just selling plants and accessories. There are lots of articles on how to choose and care for your plants, and a guide on what you should be doing in the garden at each time of year. There is also information on how to cope with problems in the garden, such as pests and weeds.

If you are a customer of Crocus, they also send you a small catalogue a few times a year. This is laid out by colour, and can give you some really good ideas on which plants go together. You can also purchase a "ready made border" if you are planting up an area from scratch.

Summary: A good place to buy unusual plants.