Buying plants online has become a normal part of gardening in Australia. From backyard growers to serious plant collectors, more gardeners are choosing online and mail-order nurseries for their range, quality and convenience.
This guide explains how buying plants online works in Australia, what to look for in a reputable nursery, when to buy, and which types of plants are best suited to mail order.
Why Buy Plants Online?
Online nurseries offer clear advantages over traditional retail garden centres — especially if you are looking for choice, specialist knowledge or plants that are not widely available locally.
The main benefits include:
- Far greater plant variety
Online nurseries stock a much wider range than most local garden centres, including rare, heritage, unusual and specialist plants that are often impossible to find in big-box stores. - Access to specialist growers
Many Australian online nurseries focus on specific plant groups such as roses, fruit trees, bulbs or native plants. These growers usually have deep, hands-on knowledge and produce high-quality plant material. - Plants sold at the right time
Mail-order plants are commonly shipped during dormancy, which makes them easier to transport and gives them the best chance of establishing quickly once planted. - Healthier plants on arrival
Plants sent directly from the nursery have not spent months sitting on sales benches. They are typically lifted, packed and dispatched with care. - Good value for money
When quality and plant size are taken into account — particularly when buying multiple plants — online purchases are often very competitively priced. - Reliable growing information
Most reputable nurseries include planting and care notes or provide detailed growing guides on their websites, often more accurate than general advice found elsewhere online.
You can also browse plants by name using our A–Z Plant Finder, which links directly to Australian suppliers.
GO TO OUR A- Z PLANT FINDER FOR A FULL LIST OF PLANTS WITH LINKS TO SUPPLIERS
How to buy plants online.
- Look for secure payment methods and reputable nurseries with good customer service and clear return policies. We are fortunate in Australia that the vast majority of Online Nurseries are efficient and reliable.
- Look for plants sold during the dormant season for the best results. Most Online Nurseries work by selling plants during their dormant periods.
- Ensure that you closely examine plants or bulbs as soon as they arrive. Inform the vendor immediately of any problems with quality, quantity or damage due to poor packaging.
- Plant any bulbs, perennials or roses that you buy online immediately. Nurseries can not be responsible for plants that you have neglected.
- Look for growing notes to be supplied with the purchase or available on the website.
- Seeds are also available to purchase online throughout the year. This includes vegetable seeds, flower seeds and others.
- WHERE TO FIND PLANTS ONLINE
Online plant nurseries open up a world of possibilities, allowing you to find a huge range of plants, even in rural areas of New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), Victoria (VIC), South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA), Tasmania (TAS), and the Northern Territory (NT).
Popular Plant Catagories
Rose plants are available to purchase by mail order (online) during the winter when they are posted as bare-rooted roses. Visit our Rose Pages for a full list of nurseries.
Bulbs are readily available online and are posted during the dormant period. Spring flowering bulbs are best purchased during late summer-autumn, while autumn flowering bulbs are best purchased in spring. Our general Garden Bulbs Section lists major retailers.
Perennial plants are also available through catalogues online during the dormant season, usually winter. Full list of Perennial Plant Nurseries
Fruit can be purchased online during the dormant season, usually winter. Full list of Fruit Tree Types and Nurseries
Vegetable plants and seedlings can be purchased online at various times of the year. Full list of Vegetable Plants
For a FULL LIST OF PLANTS FOR SALE visit our specialist directory alphabetical listing.
TOP TIP – What to Look for When Buying Plants Online
- Look for specialist growers who actually know about the plants they are selling. Many online nurseries have incredible knowledge about the plants that they grow.
- Look for websites with good descriptions of plants and products. A description is a must.
- Free mailing lists from online nurseries are a great way to get the latest catalogue, or subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest catalogue and new plant information delivered for free by email.
- Remember that nurseries of all sizes sell plants online, from small specialist nurseries to one-stop shops. You can compare them all right here at Nurseries Online Australia.
- Look for Quarantine Regulations. Some online nurseries can send Australia-wide, while others have limitations on what they can send, especially to Western Australia and Tasmania, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
- Cheap plants and discounts – A discount for a large order is great. Many nurseries offer cheap plants, which can be a bargain; however, you generally get what you pay for. Low cost doesn’t always guarantee quality.
- Wholesale Nurseries, in general, DO NOT sell to the public. They are set up to supply the landscape industry, retail nurseries and garden centres.
- Most Online Nurseries do not have minimum orders. However, postage is often cheaper per plant with a larger order.
- Care Notes or Growing Guide for Plants are always useful and probably contain better information than you will find in a garden forum.
- Often, nurseries will offer a collection at lower prices, special offers, or maybe lower prices for bulk plants. They save on postage and packaging and can pass on savings.
- Look for a Guarantee – you are spending your money and do not want an inferior product or damaged plants.
- Most Online Plant Nurseries accept PayPal, Direct Deposit and Credit Cards. They will often sell gift vouchers, which are great for overseas presents.
See also
Rose Plants Online
Trees Online
Herb Plants Online
Vegetable Seeds and Plants Online
OVERSEAS RESOURCES