'Willpower & sheer idiocy combine in harmony'
Gardenweb.com
The internet's largest gardening community.
Gardenersworld.com
Based on the Gardeners' World TV programme and magazine.
Allotment and Gardens
John and Val Harrison's - no nonsense advice, good books.
My Garden
The Royal Horticultural Society's online community.
Gardeners Corner
Vast forum with enthusiastic and interesting debates.
GARDEN FORUMS
IT's often hard to know where to get advice or buy plants/seeds from in an ever-saturated market. Here's my pick of the best companies - big and small.
Gardeners' useful links: seeds & plants
SPECIALIST NURSERIES
ROSES: David Austin Roses
Combining the forms and fragrances of old roses with the repeat flowering of modern varieties.
Peter Beales Roses
Gorgeous fragrance, robust growth and disease resistance are the key to these modern classics from expert growers.
SHRUBS: Welsh Holly
One of the few Ilex (holly) specialists in the UK, with ornamentals and some rare varieties.
PERENNIALS: Beth Chatto
Rare and reasonably-priced perennials - search by conditions, from one of our most inspirational gardeners.
Bide-A-Wee Cottage
Mail-order service from Sept-March, when gardens and nursery are shut. Grown on site in Northumberland.
Birkheads Secret Garden
Garden nearly 700ft high in rural Gateshead. No mail order, visit from March-Sept, good coffee shop.
www.birkheadssecretgardens.co.uk
Vernon Geranium Nursery
Zonal geranium and Pelargonium specialists started more than 50 years ago. A real labour of love, and it shows.
Harperley Hall Farm Nurseries
Multi-Chelsea gold medal winners from Co. Durham. Specialists in alpines, shade and woodland perennials.
www.harperleyhallfarmnurseries.co.uk
Downderry Nursery
Kent-based lavender nursery, with Lavandula x intermedia Heavenly varieties, bred to make feeding easier for bees.
Thorncroft Clematis
They do stock an amazing range of Clematis, but there's lots of other climbers for sale on the website too.
Hooksgreen Herbs
Chelsea gold medal winners, stocks a wide range of culinary, medicinal and scented pot-grown herbs and seeds.
The Botanic Nursery
Family-run nursery with great selection and the national collection of foxgloves. Seed available by end of June.
Heucheraholics
Billed as 'for the hopelessly addicted...', gold-medal-winning Heucheras, Heucherellas, Tiarellas and Pulmonarias.
WILDFLOWERS: Wildflower Turf Ltd.
Created the displays in Queen Elizabeth Park for the 2012 Olympics. Suitable for green roofs.
GENERAL: CROCUS
'Designer' plants often presented in colour-themed packages; interesting and unusual sundries.
VEG: GARDENERS KITCHEN
Pesticide and organic young vegetable and herb plants in 9cm pots and a plug vegetable range.
Simply Seed
Free delivery on seed orders over £10 - good selection and prices.
Plant World Seeds
Rare and unusual seeds from all over the world - fantastic varieties of tomatoes.
The Real Seed Catalogue
Kitchen garden specialities, heirloom varieties for the home gardener.
Sea Spring Seeds
Chilli specialist run 'by gardeners, for gardeners' - sells the Dorset Naga Chilli.
W. Robinson & Son
Suppliers of mammoth vegetable seeds for exhibition and plants.
Plants of Distinction
Specialist veg and flower varieties, heirloom and rare seeds.
The National Vegetable Society
Society's recommended seed and seed potato suppliers, including exhibition varieties.
Kings Seeds
Vegetable (including organic), herb and flower seeds, strong selection of sweet peas.
Franchi Seeds of Italy 1783
The oldest seed company in the world, naturally supplying the best of Italian produce.
Seed Parade
Heirloom and rare varieties - minimum packaging, low postage.
Jungle Seeds
Rare, unusual and the downright bizarre - including Passiflora erotica, one of the world's rudest fruits!
Higgledy Garden
Lovely, stylish seeds and cut flowers, plus great blogs from owner Ben.
SEEDS: SPECIALISTS
SEEDS: THE BIG BOYS
Thompson & Morgan: www.thompson-morgan.com
Suttons:
Dobies:
Marshalls:
Mr Fothergills:
Unwins:
DT Brown: www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk
Chiltern Seeds: www.chilternseeds.co.uk
Dwarf sunflower Solar Flash, now widely available.
The phoenix-like flower stalk of Canna indica. Well, that's what I think it looks like.
