Where can I buy plants online during lockdown? These stores are selling everything from peonies to cucumber plants

You might not be able to take a trip to the garden centre this sunny weekend. However, why not take a virtual trip via your computer and buy plants online?

Related: Transform a small garden for less than £40 with this clever Homebase planter

The lockdown has not only put our gardens in danger of looking lacklustre but left many local nurseries struggling to survive. Because plants are perishable, many growers are facing a huge stock write off and income losses.

However, over the last few weeks, we've seen many businesses, small and large adapting to offer home deliveries during the lockdown. Alongside other online retailers who have continued to deliver plants to our gardens during this challenging time.

This will be music to you ears if you are looking to give your garden a little TLC this weekend. Unsurprisingly, there has been a huge boost in demand for plants at this time, so deliveries might take a little longer. However, they are worth waiting for.

When looking for plants to revive your borders or window boxes perennials, hyacinths and daffodils are all well-suited to planting outside in April. If you fancy trying your hand at creating a vegetable or fruit patch, now is also the perfect time for planting up strawberry beds and asparagus.

Here is our round-up of just a few of the places you can still buy plants online.

Where to buy plants online

1. Best for supporting local business online – Your local garden centre or nursery

If you have a local nursery nearby, contact them and see if they are doing home deliveries. We should all be doing our bit to help out our local businesses as best we can.

The Horticultural Trades Association has launched a 'Plants Near Me' webpage to help people to find local growers and garden centres that are offering home delivery. 450 horticultural businesses have signed up to scheme. So it is definitely worth checking if there is a local business that you can help.

2. Best place to buy peonies online - Primrose Hall

Primrose Hall has the widest selection of rare and unusual peony varieties for sale in the UK. You can still order some of their award winning peonies to your home.

3. Best place to buy perennial plants online - Primrose

If you are planning to fill your borders with a mix of lavender, delphiniums and fox glove head to Primrose. The website is currently offering a mix and match deal on all perennials, buy five and get one free.

4. Best place to buy hedging plants online - Hope Grove Nurseries

The hedging plant specialists, Hope Grove Nurseries, are continuing to deliver hedging plants to customers at the moment. You can choose from a range of different hedges, but if you can't make up your mind you can order the bare root bargain. These packs are made up from the Nurseries surplus stock, and are perfect who are looking to create fuss free mixed garden hedging on a budget.

5. Best place to buy lavender online – Lavender World

Set in the North Yorkshire countryside, Lavender World is a family business specialising in all things lavender. They have a huge range of different varieties of lavender, including the popular Hidcote Lavender Plant. You can also pick up a few bottle of Yorkshire lavender oil or hand wash alongside your plant order.

6. Best place to buy indoor plants online – Patch Plants

If you are looking to introduce a little greenery into your home in a city try Patch Plants. The website specialises in indoor plants, perfect for creating your own urban jungle. They provide tips and tricks to help out even the most clueless gardener.

7.Best place to buy fruit plants online – Crocus

If you are looking to start growing your own fruit Crocus has a wide range of plants available to buy online. From kiwi plants to a 'white dream' strawberry, they have everything to indulge every fruit fancy. However, you will need to log on first think in the morning to swipe them up. The nursery closes orders each day when they hit a daily quota.

8. Best place to buy trees online – Jackson Nurseries

The family-run business in Stoke-on-Trent has a large range of plants, including trees to buy online. If you missed the cherry blossom this year during, make sure you never miss it again by picking up one of Jackson Nurseries Cherry trees.

9. Best place to buy hellebores online – Ashwood Nurseries

Ashwood Nurseries' hellebores are not only gorgeous but award-winning. The nursery has cultivated strains of the plant to critical acclaim. The best part is they are available to buy online.

10. Best place to buy fruit and vegetable plants online – Perfect Plants

Most online garden stores sell seed packets for different fruit and veg online. However, if you are nervous about starting from scratch, you can order vegetable plants or fruit plants from Perfect Plants.

11. Best place to buy roses online – Garden Roses

Garden Roses is an online haven dedicated all things roses. Grown in their Cornwall and Hampshire nurseries, the website provides plenty of guidance on which rose to choose for your home, you can even narrow it down by fragrance strength.

12. Best place to buy chrysanthemums online – Chrysanthemums Direct

Chrysanthemums Direct are your one stop shop for this gorgeous flower. If you're not certain what to plant in your garden, now is the perfect time to order young chrysanthemums for flower.

'The young plants should be potted as soon as received and protected from any frost for the next few weeks, only planting out when the danger of frost has passed,' advises Martyn Flint of Chrysanthemums Direct. 'Initially they do not need too much water, allowing the compost to dry out between watering.'

13. Best all rounder – Dobbies

One of our favourite garden centres, Dobbies, is continuing to deliver plants during the lockdown. They have a large range of bedding plants, trees, climbers, edibles and more. Also any orders over £29 will receive free delivery.

Related: 5 simple ways to improve gardens during lockdown – without spending a penny!

Will you be placing an order this weekend?