Crocus Review 2026: The Chelsea-Linked UK Plant Nursery That Delivers to Your Door
It's a damp October Saturday. The borders have gone a little ragged, the tulip bulbs you meant to buy in September are still a "someday" job, and there's a bare corner by the patio that has bothered you all summer. Then a box lands on the doorstep: a lime-green hydrangea in a 2-litre pot, a tray of lavender plugs, each plant labelled with its name. By lunchtime the corner is planted. By June it smells of lavender.
That's the promise of Crocus, the UK online plant nursery that ships from its own nursery in Windlesham, Surrey. One thing to say up front for our American readers: Crocus delivers within the UK only. Its delivery page states plainly, "We're unable to deliver internationally." So this review is for UK gardeners, and for anyone sending Crocus eVouchers to friends and family there. We went through the plants, pots, prices and policies in October 2026.
The Story: From a 2000 Launch to Chelsea Show Gardens
According to its About page, Crocus launched in April 2000 and describes itself today as the biggest gardening website in the UK. The headline claim is range: Crocus says it offers over 5,000 plants, compared with around 400 varieties at a typical good garden centre.
The brand's other calling card is the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Crocus says it has grown plants for Chelsea show gardens every year since it started, and that in the last 21 years it has won 30 gold medals for gardens it built and grew plants for. It also names designers it has supplied, including Luciano Giubbilei, Tom Stuart Smith, Jinny Blom and Kim Wilkie. If you like the idea of growing the same kinds of plants you see on the showground, that's the connection.
There's a physical side too. Crocus at Dorney Court, in the grounds of the Dorney Court Estate near Eton (Court Lane, Dorney, Windsor), is a garden destination with a plant shop, a walled garden, a café and pot recycling. The Windlesham nursery itself isn't open to the public, which is why returns go by post.
What Makes Crocus Different
- Real nursery stock, clearly sized. Plants are sold by pot size (9cm, 2 litre, 5 litre, 12 litre), and many listings give the expected height and spread, so you can plan a border before you order instead of guessing on arrival.
- Multipacks that bring the unit price down. Lavender 'Hidcote' drops from £6.39 for a single 9cm pot to £3.11 each in a pack of nine, which means you can plant a proper low hedge rather than a lonely clump.
- Plant labels and passports. Crocus's FAQ says every plant arrives labelled with its name and plant passport on the pot, so you always know what went where.
- A 5-year plant promise. Most fully hardy plants that carry the 5-year stamp on their listing are covered for five years from purchase, as long as they're grown in suitable conditions and given reasonable care. We cover the fine print below.
- Everything for the outdoor room. Beyond plants and bulbs, Crocus sells pots, garden tools, lighting, fire pits and outdoor furniture, so you can finish the patio in the same order.
- Free advice on tap. Its Iris app (iOS and Android) offers nursery tips on 4,000+ plants, a plant identification tool in beta and a gardening community.
Shop the Crocus Highlights
Four standouts from the Crocus range in October 2026, with the prices we saw on the brand's site (in pounds sterling, UK delivery only).
Prices change often; the brand's site always shows the current price.
Fill That Bare Border This Weekend →
The Lineup: Plants, Bulbs and the Outdoor Room
Here's a cross-section of what Crocus was selling in October 2026, many of them marked down in its end-of-season sale.
| Product | Price | Buy this if… |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' (PBR) | £20.12 for 2 litre (was £28.75); £45.49 for 3 × 2 litre; £89.99 for a 12 litre plant at 1–1.25m | You want big summer flower heads that shift from lime to cream to deep pink |
| Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote' | £6.39 for 9cm (was £7.99); £27.99 for 9 × 9cm | You're edging a path or sunny patio and want scent and bees |
| Geranium Rozanne ('Gerwat') (PBR) | £10.39 for 9cm (was £12.99) | You need ground cover to knit a border together |
| Trachelospermum jasminoides | £27.99 for 2 litre on a 90cm cane (was £34.99) | You want an evergreen climber for a fence or pergola |
| Best for pots tulip collection | £11.21 for 14 bulbs (was £14.95) | You plant in containers and want spring colour by the back door |
| Glazed ceramic planter, deep blue | £39.99 small; £99.99 large (was £124.99) | Your patio needs a statement pot with drainage holes |
| Mkaa bench with armrests, three seater | £175.00 (was £349.99) | You want a spot to sit and actually enjoy the garden |
| Cast iron fire pit with grill | £100.00 (was £199.99) | You'd like to stretch evenings outdoors into autumn |
| Solar fluted marker lights, set of 10 | £17.59 (was £21.99) | You want to light a path without running cables |
For a border that looks finished: Limelight + Hidcote
Crocus lists 'Limelight' as fully hardy, happy in full sun or light shade, in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Its flowers open lime green in mid-summer, fade to cream and turn shades of deep pink in autumn, so one shrub gives you three looks. Plant a row of 'Hidcote' in front. Crocus describes it as an English lavender with intensely fragrant deep violet-blue flowers from mid to late summer, silvery-grey foliage and nectar-rich blooms that attract bees and butterflies, growing to about 60cm × 75cm in full sun. Buy this pair if you want a border that fills out fast and smells good on the walk to the door.
For spring colour you plant now: tulip collections
October is bulb month, and Crocus had 25% off tulips when we checked, with the discount already applied on the site. Ready-made collections such as "Best for pots" (14 bulbs) and "Chocolate orange" (14 bulbs, £10.09) take the guesswork out of colour matching. Buy these if you want a container display next April for the price of a takeaway.
For the patio: bench, fire pit, pot
The Mkaa bench measures L145cm × W50cm × H85cm with a 45cm seat height. It's made from responsibly sourced eucalyptus with a charcoal stain and wood preservation oil, arrives part-assembled with fixings, and carries a 2-year manufacturer's warranty. Crocus advises re-oiling every 3–6 months and covering it with a breathable cover, not plastic, in winter. The cast iron fire pit has a Ø56cm bowl, is 32cm high and comes with a supporting grill for pots, pans or a skottel. Crocus notes that it may show some rust if left outside. Buy the set if your garden has everything except a reason to sit in it after 6pm.
See Crocus's Half-Price Sale Picks →
Delivery, Returns and the 5-Year Plant Promise
| Policy | What Crocus says |
|---|---|
| Where it delivers | UK only: "We're unable to deliver internationally." Enter your full postcode to check your area |
| Standard delivery | £5.99 for plants & products (per order, regardless of how many items, per the FAQ); £4.99 bulbs only; £2.99 seed packets only |
| Oversized items | £12.99 oversized plants; £15.99 oversized products |
| Named Day | £10.99 for plants & products; £29.99 oversized products |
| Timing | Allow 3 working days after despatch for most items (up to 5 for seeds); Next Day on selected items ordered before 12pm, Monday–Thursday |
| Surcharge | £10 on some postcodes, including the Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Wight |
| Change of mind | Tell Crocus within 14 days of delivery, then a further 14 days to send it back; refund within 7 working days of receipt, minus original delivery and return postage |
| Plants in poor condition | Report within 14 days of delivery with photos |
| 5-year plant promise | Fully hardy plants showing the 5-year stamp; replacement or gift voucher only, no cash refund; excludes bulbs, annuals, biennials and short-lived perennials |
Two things worth knowing before you panic over a parcel. First, Crocus points out that deciduous shrubs often look bare in autumn and winter, and many perennials vanish below the soil until spring. That's normal, not dead. Second, the five-year cover depends on reasonable care: suitable growing conditions and regular watering while roots establish. Claims go through a form with a photo and your order number, and the plant experts may ask about where and how it was grown.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Huge plant choice (over 5,000, per Crocus) | No delivery outside the UK |
| Flat £5.99 standard delivery per order | No free delivery threshold listed |
| Multipacks bring per-plant prices way down | Return postage and original delivery come off change-of-mind refunds |
| 5-year promise on stamped hardy plants | Promise pays out as replacement or voucher, not cash |
| Plants, bulbs, pots, lighting and furniture in one order | Some items ship separately, so you may get several parcels |
| Deep end-of-season discounts in October | Only one discount code per order |
Who Will Love Crocus?
- UK gardeners planning a border who want specific named varieties, not whatever the garden centre has in.
- Container and patio growers after tulip collections and glazed pots in one go.
- New-build owners filling a blank plot, where multipacks and a flat delivery fee make a big order sensible.
- Outdoor-living fans who want the bench, fire pit and solar lights to arrive with the plants.
- Gift givers anywhere who want to send a UK gardener a Crocus eVoucher.
How to Save at Crocus
- Shop the end-of-season sale. In October 2026 Crocus showed up to 50% off selected plants and furniture, up to 40% off lighting and indoor pots, and up to 30% off tools, outdoor living and outdoor pots.
- Grab the tulip offer. 25% off tulips was already applied to prices on the site.
- Use the 2+1 free bulb deal on alliums, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, snowdrops, muscari and more. Select the multi-buy option rather than adding the same item several times.
- Join Crocus Club. First-time sign-ups save 10% on their next order (full-priced items only).
- Buy multipacks and order once. Standard delivery is a flat £5.99 per order, so one bigger order beats three small ones.
- Check our deals page before you check out.
Crocus FAQ
Does Crocus ship to the United States?
No. Crocus's delivery page says it's unable to deliver internationally, and one FAQ states it doesn't deliver outside Great Britain, so Northern Ireland customers should check before ordering. From abroad, an emailed Crocus gift voucher for a UK gardener is the practical option.
What size will my plants be?
Each listing gives the pot size (for example 9cm, 2 litre or 12 litre), and some larger plants list a height, such as 'Limelight' at 1–1.25m in a 12 litre pot. Crocus also publishes a pot size guide to help you picture it.
My plant looks dead on arrival. What now?
Check whether it's simply dormant: Crocus notes that deciduous shrubs often look bare in autumn and winter. If you think it's in poor condition, report it within 14 days of delivery with photos via the Contact Us form.
Can I use more than one discount code?
No. Crocus says only one discount code can be applied per order. Gift vouchers are separate, and you can use several of those on one order.
Our Verdict
For UK gardeners, Crocus is a serious plant shop: a deep range sold by clear pot sizes, Chelsea show-garden pedigree, a flat delivery fee and a 5-year promise on stamped hardy plants. October is a smart time to buy, with tulips 25% off, 2+1 free bulbs and up to half off plants and furniture. Just remember it's UK delivery only. Check our Crocus deals page before you order so you catch the current offer.
Plant Next Spring's Colour Today →
How we wrote this: YardtrialsLab researched Crocus using its official website, product listings, prices and policies in October 2026. We haven't personally tested these products and we don't invent ratings or discount codes. Prices are in pounds sterling and Crocus delivers within the UK only. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.