Please see images of established garden plants in flower (images 1-2) and of some of the actual plants offered (images 3-6), photographed in growth in their pots in mid-April 2026 and again in late May 2026 (having got way too tall to post!) and in late June 2026 after the most recent clipping post-flowering which keeps the plants bushy and within posting limits. The last image shows plants de-potted with their roots retaining compost.
Please see my other eBay auctions for more classic & unusual perennial plants.
PREPARATION & PACKAGING:
Plant parcels are all packed personally by me, with great care and attention, as close to Royal Mail collection time as possible to minimise time spent wrapped up.
The rootballs of plants are allowed to soak up as much water as they require, the roots/rootballs are then wrapped in biodegradable cellophane to keep them moist in transit.
I have developed a system of forming individual corrugated or double-wall card cylinders around the entire length of each plant - including top growth - for optimum protection in transit.
At certain (cooler) times of year, plants with rhizomes, corms or tubers may be sent loose, their roots moistened and wrapped and again protected in a strong box.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR PLANTS ARRIVE
The plants will need your attention on arrival or as soon as possible after arrival. If you think you might not be around to attend to plants, I am happy to time posting to hopefully coincide with your planting opportunities.
They will only require being stood outside in daylight (not in a greenhouse or indoors on a window sill as these are hardy plants which have spent their entire lives outdoors and they will suffer from being mollycoddled!) and kept watered if you are not ready to plant them into the garden or into containers.
POSTAGE & INSURANCE:
Up to 3 (sometimes 4) plants of this size/weight across my listings can be sent together in one ‘up to 2kg small parcel’ by Royal Mail, which is by far the most economical way to send plants. Parcels over 2kg are classed as 'Medium Parcels' regardless of size and that weight tier covers anything up to 10kg, so enormous postage savings are possible on multiple orders, although the eBay system does not cope with discounting postage across more than one listing, so if you are buying more than 3 plants, please don't pay immediately (as the eBay system will charge you multiple lots of postage and will have taken fees from that overcharged postage that I can't get back for you). Just delay paying so that I have the opportunity to send you a manually-adjusted invoice with the greatest combined posting savings. I will always find the best possible fully insured and economical combined posting options for you, regardless of your order size.
I can ONLY professionally recommend the fastest Royal Mail postal services (Tracked 24 or 48 or Guaranteed Next Day Delivery, which are all tracked services offering fast 1-2 days delivery) to minimize the time spent in transit. As RM Tracked 24 & 48 are of of similar cost - or even slightly cheaper than - 1st & 2nd Class Signed For, but much faster, with much higher levels of insurance (up to £150 compared to £50) and full tracking including notifications at each stage, I am now using these services as standard.
I don't use couriers such as Evri (Hermes) as plants or any other pershables are on their restricted/prohibited list, so in the event of any loss or damage they would not pay out - there is no insurance cover. They are also much slower, no cheaper, and do not treat parcels with respect.
We no longer have a local post office, but thankfully Royal Mail are collecting from domestic addresses, currently at no extra cost.
IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF DAMAGE OR LOSS IN TRANSIT
I do everything humanly possible to prepare and package plants to give them the best chance of remaining in tip-top condition for up to several days in transit. Whilst in transit, the conditions and treatment that they receive at the hands of the Royal Mail are obviously beyond my control, but they are generally very good. In the very unlikely event that it is necessary to submit a claim for damage or loss by the Royal Mail, I will happily do this for you. I always obtain a proof of posting and keep all paperwork that would be necessary if such circumstances were ever to occur. You will need to provide images of the damaged plant(s) AND all packaging, which will need to be retained as evidence until the claim has been settled by Royal Mail. Claims for loss can be submitted from 15 working days after the last date that the parcel should have been delivered according to the service used. Claims for damage may be quicker (I have never had to submit one as I have never had any outgoing damage in over 35 years of mail order, so I'm not 100% sure!).
Due to licensing restrictions on sending plant material overseas, I am afraid I am only able to offer plants for sale within the UK.
HEALTHY, HARDY PLANTS GROWN ORGANICALLY WITH CARE
The plants offered have been lovingly grown by me personally in my garden at Avalon Cottage in Lincolnshire from seed, division, root or stem cuttings taken from my own collection of herbaceous plants. This ensures all plants are exactly the named variety they should be and it reduces the risk of any imported pests or diseases. The parent plants grow in my garden on normal clay-based soil - neither overly alkaline nor acidic - which is a little on the heavy side. I improve it with home-made organic garden compost when planting but never feed anything. In the open garden, I water artificially only when planting and establishing young plants or in periods of severe drought and I use stored rainwater in preference to tap water whenever possible. I don't use any chemical or parasitic pest controls in my garden (I have just discovered an organic form of slug pellet which I am trialling to prevent the usual decimation!). Instead I prefer to encourage pollinating insects and native wildlife and strive to achieve a natural balance. This ensures exceptionally hardy plants that will continue to flourish year after year with little attention and with a natural ability to cope with the extremes of Britsh weather.
The young plants that I produce from them for sale are all grown 'hard'. Potted nursery stock plants stand outside all year in all weathers, making them truly hardy and able to withstand a wide range of conditions in their future homes. Even seeds are sown in pots and trays outdoors. I don't use a polytunnel and my greenhouse is used only for truly tender and half-hardy perennials.I don't use any artificial feeds to force the kind of unnaturally soft and unsustainable bushy top growth that plants sold in garden centres have.
Stock plants are grown in re-usable 9cm pots of organic compost which has had no artificial feed or chemicals applied. Plants are only offered for sale when they have developed a good root system in the pot and have sufficient top growth. I only sell plants when in leaf and not in a dormant state.
I grow a wide range of plants from damp woodland shade-lovers to drought-tolerant Sun-worshippers. I tend to favour cottage garden plants, native British wildflowers and the plants of English country gardens. Like the bees and butterflies, I prefer simple, single and semi-double flowers and plants with interesting buds and seedpods. I colour-theme my borders and have a particular passion for plants with true blue flowers and unusual flower colours such as plum, black, green and brown.
ABOUT THE GROWER:
I've been growing classic and unusual perennial plants to compliment the Old English & French roses and heritage fruit varieties in my gardens since the 1980's. During this time, I've designed, built and stocked a series of Edwardian Arts & Crafts style gardens to accompany the period houses whose exteriors, interiors and specially-sourced contents I've been renovating. The latest, my 'forever home', is still a work in progress!
I've run my own mail order businesses since 1988, gaining experience in the best ways to safely package everything from gemstone-set sterling silver jewellery to large, unframed antique stained glass windows sent internationally, to living plants. I am also a photographer specializing in botanical, geological and landscape subjects and I particularly love colour and abstract patterns in nature. I have a selection of mounted and unmounted prints and greetings cards in dedicated eBay account 'photography-by-ruth-bradford-harris'. My interests in vernacular architecture, decorative arts and industrial heritage mean that additional subjects creep in to my online Photo Archive and Portfolios!