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The Plants By Mail FAQ
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: Plants By Mail FAQ
Followup-To: rec.gardens
Reply-To: p-leppi@uiuc.edu
Summary: This FAQ contains information about buying plants and garden
supplies through the mail. It includes suggestions, information
about what to expect, and a lengthy list of mail-order companies.
Opionions about some companies (derived from experiences with those
companies) are included.
Message-ID: <mail-plants-ver0004@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>
From: p-leppi@uiuc.edu (Peter Leppik)
Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDU
Archive-name: plants-by-mail
Posting-Frequency: bimonthly (sporadic)
Plants By Mail FAQ
by Peter Leppik
p-leppi@uiuc.edu
This document is intended to introduce readers to the world of buying
plants by mail order; and also to serve as a central clearinghouse for
information about contacting various mail order plant houses. I make
no claims about being more informed on this topic than your average
Joe, but I saw the need, and I'm willing to put forth the effort to
compile and maintain this.
History:
Updated: 7/12/94
General updates.
Updated: 4/30/94
Originally Created: 3/17/94 (late at night)
Contents:
I. Introduction
II. But First, A Word From Our Lawyers
III. How To Tell a Good Company from a Bad One
(or: Things To Look For Before Taking the Plunge)
IV. What To Do When Your Order Arrives
(or: OhMyGawd! There's No DIRT With These Plants!)
V. Which Catalog To Order From
VI. Mail Order Houses, How to Contact Them, and My Opinions Thereof
VII. But Before We Go....
I. Introduction
It seems that one of the most common article titles in rec.gardens is,
"How can I reach XYZZY?" or, "The Plugh company sent me a catalog. Are
they any good?" I hope to be able to answer some of these questions in
a reasonably definitive manner (the first is easy, the second harder),
and provide the neophyte with some introduction to buying plants by mail.
My experience in this area has been short, but intense. After finally
moving from a small condo into a real house (with a YARD and a GARDEN
even!), one of my first projects was to begin widespread replanting of
the yard (which is mostly boring grass, or very ugly hybrid poplars).
To do that, last Fall, I began ordering large numbers of bulbs and plants
from a number of mail-order houses. Some were good, some were bad, and I
learned a lot about what to look for and what to avoid.
I welcome any and all comments. Send them to my E-mail address above.
If there is some catalog not covered here which you think should be, by
all means let me know. If you do send me comments, PLEASE please respect
my poor, overworked mailer. I've had people resend me the entire FAQ just
for a few lines of comments, and I even had one person send me a bunch of
UUencoded binary pictures! Needless to say, this doesn't help me much, and
it wastes my disk space. That said....do send comments, because they do help!
At the end of this document, there is a URL address where you can find an
HTTP version of this FAQ. If you don't know what HTTP is, don't sweat it.
If you do, then you can get this FAQ there. There is also a nifty "point and
shoot" form set up there, so you can mail me comments without having to know
my E-mail address or anything.
I assume that, if you send me comments, you don't mind if they find their way
into a future edition. I'll try to verify this, but sometimes I forget. Thus,
if you DON'T want you name in a future edition of the FAQ, be sure to say so.
II. But First, A Word From Our Lawyers
All opinions in this document are the opinions of the author, unless
otherwise noted. The author is well-known for his arbitrary and
capricious judgments, and cannot be held liable for anything he says
herein. Besides, the author is a poor grad student, and suing him is
like trying to squeeze blood from a rock.
III. How To Tell a Good Company from a Bad One
(or: Things To Look For Before Taking the Plunge)
If you are like me, you probably have a dozen or two catalogs from various
places, some fancy, others plain, and you're wondering who to order from
and how to tell the difference between a place that really cares, and a place
that is just trying to unload some poor, pathetic bits of green stuff on
The Gullible Majority. In this section, I will outline what I think a
reputable mail order company should do, and what you should consider before
buying a plant sight-unseen.
What a Reputable Mail-Order Company Will Do
1) Every perennial in the catalog should have a clearly indicated hardiness
range. That is, for every perennial (anything you expect to last more than
one year) should have indicated which USDA hardiness zones it will survive in.
Simple adjectives like "hardy," or "tender," are NOT sufficient. Perhaps I am
biased, being a Minnesota native currently living in Illinois, but I have seen
too many catalogs which do not include this crucial information. Without
knowing this, it is too easy to buy plants that won't survive in your climate.
This also includes those of you who live in places like Southern California,
where it never gets cold, since some plants require a period of cold
temperatures every year in order to survive/bloom/etc.
2) Every plant should have its botanical (scientific) name listed. Of course,
this doesn't count for things like roses or tomatoes, which everybody knows
what that are. This may sound picky, but think about it: if you ever want
to get information on this plant from some other source, and they use their
own name, you might have a devil of a time figuring out how to get information.
A plant's botanical name is unique. I have seen places that will take a
standard variety of some plant, come up with a flashy (trademarked) name,
and sell it as something special. Needless to say, this is dishonest.
3) Information on the habitat requirements should be easy to find. By this,
I mean answers to questions like, how much sun does it need, how much water,
and so forth. Nearly every catalog has this, but if you see one that
doesn't, stay away.
4) A good company will have a horticulturist on staff you can call, and
provide the phone number in a prominent place in their catalog. This can
be priceless if you need to know a specific answer about some plant or
another. Some catalogs have a horticulturist, but only one phone number
(i.e. they don't have a separate order line), so don't take the lack of a
"Horticultural Information" phone number to mean a lack of horticultural
information.
Finally, something that you should probably ignore:
5) Every mail order catalog that I've seen offers some sort of guarantee.
This should NOT be a factor in deciding where to buy from. After all, what
good does it do if they replace a plant that died because you can't grow
oranges in Alaska? The replacement will just die, too, and you'll spend
twice as much time on a plant that was Never Meant To Be. Besides, these
places know that 95% of all gardeners will never take advantage of their
guarantee even if the plants do die. Some people have even noted an inverse
relation between the quality of the guarantee and the quality of the plants:
the louder the company proclaims its "FOOLPROOF 100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE,"
the worse the plants are when they arrive.
What To Consider Before Taking the Plunge
Okay, so you've got your heart set on the beautiful Creeping Green Stuff.
Before plunking your money and time on it (usually more time than money),
you should stop and ask yourself a few questions:
1) Will it grow in my area? If they don't make it CLEAR (i.e. by telling
you the hardiness zone), then avoid that plant, or buy it from somebody who
will tell you.
2) Do I have a place to put it? It is very easy to get spring fever when
all the catalogs start arriving midwinter, and wind up buying enough
plants to cover every square inch of your yard two or three times over.
Make sure you have a specific place for each and every plant you order, and
make sure you will have the time to plant it when it arrives. Keep in
mind that you will probably have to plant them soon after they arrive,
and you might not be able to control the exact day they arrive. Thus,
ordering 150 bushes for a new hedge from one place, all of which will
arrive via UPS on the same day and need to be planted immediately, is
probably not a good idea. Believe me.
3) Will it really look the way I want it to? Keep in mind that the
pictures in the catalogs are designed to sell plants, and the plants in
your garden will generally not look quite as nice. I have seen a lot of
comments from people in rec.gardens about the rose Blue Girl as a particular
offender in this respect. Also keep in mind that illustrations (as opposed
to photographs) can be very deceptive, too.
IV. What To Do When Your Order Arrives
(or: OhMyGawd! There's No DIRT With These Plants!)
The most important thing to do when your order arrives is DON'T PANIC!
Good. Take a few deep breaths.
The reason your roses/trees/whatever arrived without any dirt is not because
the company sent you dead plants. Shipping woody plants without dirt
("bare-root") is standard. First, it does not harm the plants
much, as long as the company has taken steps to ensure that the roots don't
dry out. Usually, this involves dipping the roots in some sort of stuff
that helps retain moisture. Second, shipping plants bare-root helps keep
shipping costs down. Shipping with dirt could easily double or triple the
weight of the plant when shipped, and make it that much more expensive to
buy. Finally, shipping plants bare-root helps prevent the spread of pests
that live in the soil (like the Japanese beetle). Needless to say,
unless you're buying small seedlings, it would be expensive for a company to
grow all their stock in greenhouses.
There are a few places which ship plants in pots. Shipping a plant with the
dirt will be less traumatic to the plants, and, as a rule, you can expect these
plants to be healthier, but, because of shipping expenses, they will often also
be much smaller than bare-root plants. Given the option, I will usually buy
the plant shipped in a pot, eve though it will usually be more expensive. In
addition, there are some plants which have to be shipped in pots, simply
because they're too fragile otherwise.
Generally, you will get a little booklet with your order explaining how
to plant your new plants. Usually, the first thing to do (with bare root
plants) is to stick them in a bucket of water for some time. You should do
this as soon as they arrive. Then, dig a hole according to the booklet
instructions, and plant those buggers.
It may take some time for your new plants to leaf out, especially if they're
dormant when shipped. Again, don't panic. If you planted in the spring,
don't call the company to complain that the plants are dead until midsummer.
They'll just tell you to wait, because sometimes the plants take a while to
adjust to their new surroundings.
V. Which Catalog To Order From
If you are buying roses, you should certainly order from a catalog which
specializes in roses. There are quite a few of these catalogs, and you will
generally get better selection, quality, and price than you would from buying
from a catalog which doesn't specialize in roses.
For some reason, this rule of thumb seems to be the other way around when
buying bulbs. I have had the best experiences buying bulbs from White Flower
Farms, which is generally an outstanding catalog, but they aren't even
remotely limited to bulbs. My worst experiences, on the other hand, were
with places that sell only, or mainly bulbs. Go figure.
Not everybody will agree with my judgments. After much consideration (and
several long discussions on the order of "Company X isn't really THAT bad!"),
I've decided that the main consideration has to be consistency. That means
that I can count on large plants, of a uniformly high quality, every time I
order. Note, too, that I haven't yet had anyone take issue with my list of
"Good" companies, just the "Bad" ones. Having said that, here is my list of
best and worst companies, based solely on my personal experiences:
Really Good Companies:
White Flower Farms
Nor'East Miniature Roses
Heirloom Old Garden Roses
Gardener's Supply Company
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
Companies To Avoid:
Spring Hill
Michigan Bulb Co.
Breck's Bulbs
Gurney's
VI. Mail Order Houses, How to Contact Them, and My Opinions Thereof
This section is really the meat of this FAQ. Here, I will list as many mail
order houses as I can get catalogs for, how to contact them, and my
impressions of them. If you're interested in a place that isn't listed
here, by all means, ask them to put me on their list, and I'll include them
in a future edition.
For each company, I will list their name, mailing address, phone number,
a general description of what they sell, and my opinions. Opinions are strictly mine, unless otherwise noted. I will not indicate an opinion unless I have
actually ordered something from a company, unless the opinion is someone
else's.
------
Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden
608 NW 119 St.
Vancouver, WA 98685
(206) 573-4472
A wide variety of irises, and some orchids.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
Antique Rose Emporium
Route 5
Box 143
Brenham, TX 77833
Old garden roses.
------
The Aril Patch catalog $.75
3843 Concord Blvd. (We have less experience
Concord, CA 94519 with these since we grow
Aril Irises. Catalog $.75
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
The Banana Tree, Inc.
715 Northampton St.
Easton , PA 18042
Phone: (215) 253 9589
Fax: (215) 253 4864
Jarkko Lapinlampi <Jarkko.Lapinlampi@cs.Helsinki.FI> reports:
The catalog costs $3.00, and lists rare seeds, mostly tropicals, gingers,
bananas.
36 pages of Interesting Reading!
------
Breck's Bulbs
U.S. Reservation Center
6523 North Galena Rd.
Peoria, IL 61632
Orders: (309) 689-3870
Breck's sells bulbs imported from Holland: tulips, crocuses, daffodils, etc.
OPINION: Overall, I am not terribly impressed with Breck's. Their merchandise
(contrary to the catalog hype) is not particularly premium, but their prices
are higher than most places, even some places which have superior stock.
They do not list hardiness for anything, though most of what they sell should
do fine most places in the U.S. (they don't sell any of the really tender
bulbs, like glads). You can do better elsewhere.
Note that Breck's Bulbs appears to be the same company, or closely associated
with, Spring Hill, another company on my "Avoid" list.
------
Bridges Roses
2734 Toney Rd.
Lawndale, NC 28090
Phone: (704) 538-9412
Fax: (704) 538-1521
Mostly miniature roses, and a few hybrid teas.
------
George C. Bush
Clean Shaven Iris
1739 Memory Lane Extended
York, PA 17402
Phone: (717) 755-0557
Siberian Irises.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
C.W.S. Roses
2232 Gale Ave.
Coquitlam, BC V3K 2Y8
CANADA
Miniature Roses.
------
Caprice Farm Nursery
15425 SW Pleasant Hill Rd.
Sherwood, OR 97140
Phone: (503)625-7241
They specialize in peonies, daylillies, and irises.
Thanks to lindap@scic.intel.com (Linda Peake) for this listing.
------
Carlton Rose Nurseries
P.O. Box 366
Carlton, OR 97111
Phone: (503) 852-7135
Roses.
------
Chamblee's Rose Nursery
10926 US Hwy. 69 N
Tyler, TX 75706-8742
Phone: 1-800-256-7673
Fax: (903) 882-3597
Miniature roses, and old garden roses.
------
Cooley's
11553 Silverton Rd. NE
Silverton, Oregon 97381
Tall Bearded Irises. Color catalog $3 (deductible from order)
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
------
Draycott Gardens
Carol Warner
16815 Falls Road
Upperco, MD 21155
Phone: (410) 374-4788
Siberian Irises. Catalog $1
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
-----
Dutch Gardens, Inc.
P.O. Box 200
Adelphia, NJ 07710
Phone: (908) 780-2713
Fax: 908 708-7720
Thanks to kimf@amaryllis.EBay.Sun.COM (Kim Foster) for this address.
nguyenpd@ntmtv.com reports:
*** Good selection of basic Holland bulbs; good prices, esp. in
quantity (group order program esp.). Excellent color
catalog with pictures of all cultivars.
*** Highly recommend
------
Ensata Gardens
9823 E. Michigan Ave.
Galesburg, Michigan 49053
(616) 665-7500
Japanese Irises. Catalog $2
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
The Flowery Branch
P.O. Box 1330
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
Phone: (404) 536-8380 Mon.-Fri. 10 AM-4 PM
Fax: (404) 532-7825
Jarkko Lapinlampi <Jarkko.Lapinlampi@cs.Helsinki.FI> reports:
The catalog costs $2.00, the 1994 edition 'A Garden of Delights' is 100
pages, and lists a LOT of seeds as well (between 1000 and 2000 different
kinds) (ornamentals, herbs, everlastings).
------
Flowers Tn Friends Miniature Roses
9590 100th St SE
Alto, MI 49302
Phone: (616) 891-1226
Miniature roses.
------
Four Seasons Nursery
Dept. 9
1706 Morrissey Dr.
Bloomington, IL 61704
Orders: (309) 663-9551
Four Seasons sells a wide variety of nursery stock, like bushes, trees, and
bulbs. They also have a limited selection of garden supplies.
------
Fungi Perfecti
PO Box 7634
Olympia, WA 98507
Phone: (206) 426-9292
Fax: (206) 426-9377
Fungi Perfecti sells fungus. Thanks to Kris Carroll (kcarrol@u.washington.edu)
for bringing this to my attention.
------
Gardener's Eden
P.O. Box 7307
San Francisco, CA 94120-7307
Orders: 1-800-822-9600
Customer Service: 1-800-822-1214
Fax: (415) 421-5153
Mostly upscale garden-stuff, like furniture, birdhouses, and so forth. No
plants to speak of.
------
Gardener's Supply Co.
128 Intervale Rd.
Burlington, VT 05401
Orders/Customer Service: (802) 863-1700
TDD: (802) 660-3530
Fax: (802) 660-4600
All kinds of gardening supplies, and a few plants.
OPINION: I have had good experiences with this company. Their products
appear to be of a uniformly high quality, and a lot of people in rec.gardens
swear by them. At least one of their employees reads this newsgroup, so
you may be able to get answers "from the horse's mouth," if you know who
to ask. If anybody can supply me with his E-mail address, I would appreciate
it (for future editions).
------
Gardens Alive
5100 Schenley Place
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
Orders: (812) 537-8650
Fax: (812) 537-5108
Organic gardening supplies.
------
Giles Ramblin' Roses
2968 SR 710
Okeechobee, FL 34974
Phone: (813) 763-6611
Roses.
------
Gurney's
110 Capital St.
Yankton, SD 57079
Orders: (605) 665-1930
Customer Assistance: (605) 665-1671
Gurney's sells nearly everything under the sun: seeds, shrubs, trees, bulbs,
garden supplies, you name it, and they probably sell it.
OPINION: I ordered seeds, bushes, and trees from Gurney's this year. The
quality was generally proportional to the price paid: some things are really
good, but the el-cheapo specials sometimes left something to be desired.
Their horticultural staff appears knowledgeable, and certainly friendly.
Susan Profit (tinne@isumataq.eskimo.com) reports that she had some bad
experiences with Gurney's a number of years ago, relating to shipping and
billing screw-ups. She hasn't ordered from them since, so I don't know if
this is an isolated incident, or the result of generally bad management.
Any comments on this would be greatly appreciated.
------
Hardy Roses for the North
Box 2048
Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0
CANADA
Box 273
Danville, WA 99121-0273
Fax: (604) 442-2766
Own-Root (not grafted) roses.
------
Heirloom Old Garden Roses
24062 NE Riverside Dr.
St. Paul, OR 91737
Orders: (503) 538-1576
This is a catalog of "old" roses: not a hybrid tea to be found. If you're
looking for english or unusual roses, this is the place to go.
OPINION: If you are a rose grower, and you are still growing hybrid teas,
this catalog will convert you. Many of the old roses offered here are just
as good, if not better than, the more common modern roses. The catalog offers
a lot of information about a zillion different roses, including hardiness,
and (my favorite) lists of roses well-suited for particular uses (i.e.
roses for growing over trellises, roses for scent, etc.). Their stock is
first-rate, and all grown on its own roots, so there are no bud unions to
worry about. There is no separate phone number for questions, but I found
the people answering the phone to be knowledgeable and helpful. Two thumbs
up. Note that they charge $5 for the catalog, but once you're on their
mailing list (i.e. after you buy something), they'll send it free.
------
Henry Field's
415 North Burnett
Shenandoah, IA 51602
Orders: (605) 665-9391
Fax: (605) 665-2601
Customer Service: (605) 665-4491
A general seeds-and-stuff catalog. They sell seeds, plants, and bulbs.
------
Hidden Garden Nursery
13515 SE Briggs
Milwaukie, OR 97222-6117
Miniature roses.
------
Holland Bulb Farms
423 Borad St.
P.O. Box 220
Tatamy PA 18085-0220
Orders: 1-800-283-5082
Another bulb catalog.
------
Hortico
723 Robson Rd.
Waterton, Ontario L0R 2H1
CANADA
Phone: (905) 689-6984 or (905) 689-3002
Fax: (905) 689-6566
Roses. Catalog costs $3.
------
J.L. Hudson, Seedsman
P.O. Box 1058
Redwood City, California, 94064
Jarkko Lapinlampi <Jarkko.Lapinlampi@cs.Helsinki.FI> reports:
The catalog costs $1.00, and is worth every cent. The 1994 edition of
the Ethnobotanical Catalog of Seeds is 95 pages and lists a LOT of seeds
(herbs, trees, vegetables, some ornamentals), as well as some
books and other literature.
More info is printed on every seed package, and there are plenty of
seeds per package. (The motto is: 'If seed production was bountiful
you'll get more seeds).
------
Jackson & Perkins
P.O. Box 1028
Medford, OR 97501
Orders: 1-800-292-4769
J&P actually publishes more different catalogs than you can shake a stick at.
They are highly respected, though I've never ordered anything from them.
------
J. W. Jung Seed & Nursery
335 S. High St.
Randolph, WI 53957-0001
Orders: 1-800-247-JUNG
Customer Service: 1-800-297-3123
Jung's sells seeds, nursery stock, a few bulbs, and supplies
------
Justice Miniature Roses
5947 SW Kahle Rd.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
Phone: (503) 682-2370
Miniature Roses.
------
Lee Valley Tools Ltd.
P.O. Box 6295, Stn. J
Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1T4
Canada
Phone Order: 1-800-267-8767
FAX: 1-800-668-1807
Customer Service: 1-800-267-8761
They carry mostly really neat woodworking tools but have a garden supply
section that has some interesting things. Hope this helps.
Thanks to Janet Lupson (jlupson@uoguelph.ca) for this entry.
------
Lenington Gardens
7007 Manchester Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64133
Tim Fehr (FEHRTJ@CNSVAX.UWEC.EDU) Provided this address and reports:
We just returned from Kansas City and had the pleasure of visiting
Lenington gardens - over 1,000 varieties of daylillies. Robert
Lenington and his wife opened the garden 2 hours early to accommodate
our travel schedule. We were treated to tour of the gardens and it
was really impressive. They introduced many of the Marsh cultivars
including the Prairie and Chicago series. Seeing 30 feet of Prairie
Blue Eyes or Chicago Knobby in bloom makes quite an impression. The
Leningtons host garden clubs during the summer they said and run a
mail order business.
I was especially delighted to see some of the Lenington families own
introductions. Two were really eye catching FUZZ BUNNIES is a lemon
yellow double with really consistent double form and WINE DELIGHT is
a small wine-red flower with a real red eye zone - this had up to 40
buds on many of the scapes and there were lots of scapes so it should
bloom for quite a long time. A landscaper or gardeners delight indeed!
Send for a catalog - prices were very reasonable - I would guess 90% are
under $20.00 - 50% at or under $10.00.
Donna Sullivan (sully@mathworks.com) reports:
I ordered from their catalog last fall and the daylilly varieties were
outstanding! They arrived in good shape (I'm in Massachusetts) and are
coming up strong this summer. Looking forward to the blooms. If anyone is
looking for variety in daylillies, their catalog is wonderful and
inexpensive. I ordered with a friend and if you ordered more than a certain
amount, everything was 50% off!
------
Lilypons Water Gardens
Box 10
Lilypons, MD 21717-0010
Phone: (301) 428-0686
Pond stuff. Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this
address.
------
Louisiana Nursery
Rt. 7, Box 43
Opelousas, LA 70570
Louisiana Irises. Also daylillies and some other bulbs and plants.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
McDaniel's Miniature Roses
7523 Zemco St.
Lemon Grove, CA 91945
Miniature roses.
------
Michigan Bulb Co.
1950 Waldorf NW
Grad Rapids, MI 49550-0500
Michigan Bulb Company sells bulbs, perennials, and other assorted plants.
OPINION: This catalog is filled with the kind of BREATHLESS PROSE and
AMAZING BARGAINS designed to stampede the gardener into making impulse
purchases. Their prices are cheap, but selection is limited, and quality
was very mediocre. In addition, I was unable to find a phone number anywhere
in the catalog--this could be a real problem, if you have problems with your
order. To their credit, they generally include hardiness information.
On the other hand, they also sell the "Blue Girl" rose, which is an automatic
two demerits in my book. Go elsewhere.
jsr@geneab.b23a.ingr.com (Jeff Reifsteck) reports:
I've had nothing but bad news from Michigan Bulb. The plants were poor and
didn't survive. They did replace them without question but my 40 creeping
myrtle (6" evergreen ground cover) became 40 crape myrtle (a big bush and
a lot more expensive). I needed ground cover not bushes. Except for the
replacement of a "Blue Girl" rose all the other replacements were not plantable.
apilote@wtcd.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Angela Pilote) reports:
Last year I ordered some things from them -- NEVER AGAIN!
I even told my husband to remind me of the poor quality
of there plants and bulbs if he even SEES me *looking* at one
of their catalogs.
None of the plants survived and only about half (maybe less)
of the bulbs came up. The bulbs also seemed very small
and I think I read somewhere that this is a sign that the
bulbs have not matured enough to bloom.
The prices seem to be good, but if you factor in the survival
rate and time invested -- it's not a deal. I'm better off paying
premium prices at my nursery for good quality plants and bulbs.
[Whew! I guess the verdict is in on this one!]
------
Michigan Miniature Roses
45951 Hull Rd.
Belleville, MI 48111
Phone: (313) 699-6698
Miniature Roses.
------
Miller's Manor Gardens
3167 E. US 224
Ossian, IN 46777
A wide variety of irises, daylilies, and hosta.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
Mini Rose Garden
1043 Mini-Rose Bldg.
Cross Hill, SC 29332
Miniature Roses.
------
National Arbor Day Foundation
100 Arbor Ave.
Nebraska City, NE 68410
All kinds of trees
OPINION: The National Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit organization
which promotes the planting of trees. They run frequent membership blitzes
where they offer to send you 10 free trees for joining. I did. You do get
10 free trees. They're all seedlings (no real surprise), but it can be
hard to tell them apart, since they are labeled with a spot of colored
paint which is hard to see. Their main method of raising funds appears to
be selling trees, of which they have a good selection and reasonable prices.
Might be worth joining if you plan to plant a lot of trees, or believe in
their cause.
------
Netherland Bulb Co.
13 McFadden Rd.
Easton, PA 18042-9078
Orders: 1-800-788-8547
Customer Assistance: (610) 253-8879
Netherland Bulb Co. sells bulbs and other plants grown from their roots.
OPINION: Mostly big pictures and not much else, this catalog will entice
the winter-weary gardener into buying lots and lots of colorful plants.
Their prices are cheap, but their stock is mediocre, and selection is very
limited. Hardiness information is nonexistent, though most of what they
sell should do OK most places in the U.S. Unless you're really pressed
for money, you can do better elsewhere--just keep in mind that you get
what you pay for.
Cate Williams (williams@ssnet.com) reports: I'd like to really say that
Netherlands Bulbs is HORRIBLE! I got suckered by the prices, and ended
up with a bunch of seriously diseased tulips -- so sick, that I can't
plant any more in that bed for two years. N.B. is simply dangerous.
My .02$.
------
New Holland Bulb Co.
P.O. Box 335
Rockport, IL 62370-0335
Bulbs, and assorted perennials. Note the lack of a phone number, which
could cause problems if you have difficulty with an order.
------
Nor'East Miniature Roses, Inc.
P.O. Box 307
Rowley, MA 01969
Phone: (508) 948-7964
Orders: 1-800-426-6485
On the West Coast:
Nor'East Miniature Roses, Inc.
P.O. Box 473
Ontario, CA 91762
Phone: (909) 984-2223
Orders: 1-800-662-9669
A large selection of miniature roses, and some supplies for those who like
to grow them (like miniature vases)
OPINION: This company is also on my "Good-Guys" list. Their prices are
quite reasonable, and their stock is high quality. Their catalog has a photo
of many of the offerings. If you are into miniature roses (or would like to
be), this is the catalog to get.
------
Ohio Gardens
102 Laramie Road
Marietta, OH 45750
Miniature Tall Bearded Iris. Catalog $1
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
------
Oregon Miniature Roses
8285 SW 185th Ave.
Beaverton, OR 97007
Miniature roses.
------
Paradise Water Gardens
62 May Street
Whitman, MA 02382
Water garden supplies
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Park Seed Co.
Cokesbury Rd.
Greenwood, SC 29647-0001
Orders: (803) 223-7333
Customer Service: (803) 941-4480
Park Seed sells seeds, a few smaller plants, some bulbs, and garden supplies
Susan Profit (tinne@isumataq.eskimo.com) reports:
The Washington State Attorney General's office considers them to be one
of the top ten mail order companies in the country. They will refund
money for just about any reason, they have always been unfailingly
courteous when I have called, they are knowledgeable, and will get more
information for you if they do not have it on hand. The one person I
know that had a customer dispute with them, was very satisfied with how
they handled it, it turned out to be a quarantined plans she had
ordered. They found her a local nursery that carried the plant, and had
them reserve one for her, refunded her money, and apologized
for the inexperienced phone trainee that had taken her order. They are
always very friendly, and making comments like, oh that's a nice
variety. I have never heard them say anything bad about any other
company, and they are a marvel of customer appreciation. When my
stepfather retired as head of the State Capitol grounds after twenty
years, the company sent him a letter of appreciation for his support
over the years. And he of course, had nothing but great things to say of
them, based on over thirty five years of professional contact.
------
Quality Dutch Bulbs
P.O. Box 225
50 Lake Dr.
Hillsdale, NJ 07642-0225
Phone: (215) 253-9570
Orders: 1-800-755-2852
Bulbs (need I say more?).
------
Raintree Nursery
391 Butts Road
Morton, WA 98356
(206) 496-6400
Fruit Trees
Thanks to Eric Reed (ericr@corgi.sps.mot.com) for this entry.
------
Rialto Gardens
1146 W. Rialto
Fresno, CA 93705
Reblooming Irises.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
Roses Unlimited
Rt. 1 Box 587
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: (803) 682-9112
Roses.
------
Santa Barbara Water Gardens
Box 4353
Santa Barbara, CA 93140
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Schreiner's
3629 Quinaby Road
Salem, Oregon 97303
1-800-525-2367 for orders
1-503-393-3232 for questions
Tall Bearded Irises, color catalog $4 (deductible from order)
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
------
Seed Savers Exchange
Kent Whealy-Director
Rural Route 3, Box 239
Decorah, Iowa 52101
jacobson@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu provided this entry, and says:
These are great folks and it's a very worthwhile program.
------
Seeds of Change
P.O. Box 15700
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506-5700
julianet@freenet3.scri.fsu.edu (Juliane Thomas) provided this address and reports:
My husband found this address because he wants to do some organic
gardening, and these are supposed to be seeds which come from plants
uncontaminated by pesticides or chemical fertilizers. He hasn't
ordered any yet, but he probably will very soon.
------
Sequoia Nursery/Moore Miniature Roses
2519 E. Noble
Visalia, CA 93292
Phone: (209) 732-0190
Miniature Roses.
------
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
30 Irene St.
Torrington, CT 06790
Orders: East (203) 482-3638
West (408) 335-6910
Customer Service: (203) 482-3638
Horticultural Help: (408) 335-6910
Shepherd's sells mostly seeds, but also a few plants, and some kitchen and
garden supplies.
OPINION: The stylish illustrations in this catalog give it a distinctly
yuppie feel, but this is a good catalog nevertheless. They have a number
of varieties that are hard to find elsewhere (a whole PAGE of ornamental
sunflowers!), and a wealth of useful horticultural information. My order
arrived promptly, in good order, and appears to be high quality (it is still
a little soon for things to be sprouting around here, though). Prices are
a little above average, but seeds are cheap no matter how you slice it.
------
Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery,
2825 Cummings Road
Medford, OR 97501-1538
Phone: (503) 772-6846
Catalog $2
Thanks to Sean A. O'Hara (saouc@uccmvsa.bitnet) for this entry.
------
Slocum Water Gardens
1101 Cypress Gardens Boulevard
Winter Haven, FL 33880-6099
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Smith & Hawken
Two Arbor Lane
P.O. Box 6900
Florence, KY 41022-6900
Smith & Hawken sells mostly supplies and yard stuff, but also some seeds
and live plants.
------
Spring Hill
Mail Order Reservation Center
6523 North Galena Rd.
P.O. Box 1758
Peoria, IL 61656-1758
Orders: (309) 689-3800
Customer Service: (309) 689-3849
Spring Hill sells just about any kind of plant that catches their fancy.
OPINION: Spring Hill is one of these places that is in the business of
dumping cheap, inappropriate merchandise on unsuspecting customers. The
quality of their merchandise is mediocre, even though the prices are about
average. The provide little or no hardiness information, which is especially
troublesome considering that they sell some plants (like carnations) for
outdoor planting, even though they will not survive the winter in large
portions of the U.S. Furthermore, if you ever buy anything from Spring Hill,
you will be on their mailing list but good. I have received no less than
four different catalogs from them in the last two months (not even counting
the large number of "special offers" which seem to arrive about once a week,
and at least one telemarketing call). Avoid this company like the plague.
Note that Spring Hill appears to be the same company, or closely associated
with, Breck's Bulbs, another company on my "Avoid" list.
Al Harrington [alh@hprnd.rose.hp.com] says:
I think you are being way to hard on Spring Hill. I realize that
they do not supply hardiness information, and that some of their
plants are not in the best shape - their customer service is very
good. I purchased the carnation collection (15 plants) and 2 of
them died. I got credited for all 15 as it was a collection.
I ordered a lot of stuff from them (over 100 plants) and just about
all are doing just fine - what isn't I get credit for.
If nothing else seeing color pictures of *everything* they sell is
nice. :-)
------
Stark Brothers
P.O. Box 10
Louisiana, MO 63353-0010
Orders: 1-800-325-4180
Customer Service: 1-800-478-2759
Stark Brothers sells almost exclusively fruit trees, and a few ornamentals.
Eric Reed (ericr@corgi.sps.mot.com) reports: Stark Brothers have been around
for a long time. Many of their fruit trees are their own hybrids. I have
order from them twice, both times the orders were very well packed and the
trees were healthy and in general good shape. I planted a local nursery apple
tree and a Stark tree the same weekend. The Stark tree has done much better.
It has grown faster and produce fruit earlier than the local nursery tree.
The catalog is well written and gives a lot of information on each tree.
------
Taylor's Roses
P.O. Box 11272
Chicksaw, AL 36671-0272
Phone: (205) 456-7753
Miniature roses.
------
Tetra Pond
Box 4858
Toms River, NJ 08754-9946
Water garden and pond supplies
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Texas Mini Roses
P.O. Box 267
Denton, TX 76202
Phone: (817) 566-3034
Miniature roses.
------
Tiny Petals Miniature Rose Nursery
483 Minot Ave.
Chula Vista CA 91910
Phone: (619) 422-0385
Miniature roses.
------
Trophy Roses, LTD
1308 N. Kennicott Ave.
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Orders/Catalogs: (708) 253-0998
Fax: (708) 253-0738
Roses.
------
Van Dyek's Flower Farm
PO Box 430
Brightwaters, NY 11718-0430
Bulbs.
Thanks to Howard Fujimoto (hmf00@eng.amdahl.com) for this listing.
------
Van Ness Water Gardens
2460 North Euclid
Upland, CA 91786-1199
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Waterford Gardens
74 East Allendale Road
Saddle River, NJ 07458
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Wayside Gardens
1 Garden Lane
Hodges, SC 29695-0001
Phone: 1-800-845-1124
Thanks to jacobson@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu for this listing.
------
White Flower Farm
Litchfield, CT 06759-0050
Orders: (203) 496-9600
White Flower Farm sells just about every kind of ornamental plant that one
might reasonably want to grow in North America.
OPINION: I will state my bias right up front: White Flower Farm is far and
away my favorite catalog. They have a reputation for being "upscale,"
but their prices are only slightly above average. Their catalog offers
a wealth of useful horticultural information, along with interesting
commentary about each and every plant. All the information you need to know
(hardiness, planting requirements, light requirements, etc.) is compiled
in a single useful index, as well as being stated with the description of
each plant. The catalog is organized alphabetically by genus name, so
in addition to being fun to read (and look at the pictures), it makes a
very useful reference. Of course, the catalog is only secondary to the
merchandise. Fortunately, their produce more than lives up to the high
standards set by the catalog: it is absolutely first rate. When I was buying
daylillies, crocuses, and daffodils from White Flower Farm and other
catalogs, the bulbs or roots from White Flower were often more than twice
the size of the ones from other vendors, and at a comparable price.
Even if you never buy anything from White Flower Farm, you should get their
catalog as a reference, since it is almost as good as buying a book on
ornamental plants, but a whole lot cheaper.
Sean A. O'Hara (saouc@uccmvsa.bitnet) disagrees with some of my tone:
Not really a flame, but please! I have a few of White Flower Farm's
catalogues, and I do value them for their reference quality and nice
photographs. But their plants and garden information is distinctively East
Coast in character. I would very much enjoy growing a number of plants they
list, but no longer attempt such folly as they are definitely inappropriate
for my arid western climate (as would many of the plants I cherish in my
garden be inappropriate for yours).
Please, let us not forget those 'less fortunate' souls who garden elsewhere!
North America is a big place, and I do not expect my garden to look like
your any more that I expect your to look like mine.
This reminds me of the search for a "North American gardening style". I can
think of nothing more ridiculous to search for - as if it could ever be
defined for a continent like ours - or that you'd want to try! This has
always been a way to 'one up' the 'English style'. Well, England is a
relatively small place, and even then it contains diversity more than we
imagine.
[I must plead guilty here. Perhaps I should have said that they sell "just
about any ornamental plant one might reasonably want to grow East of the
Rockies...."]
------
Gilbert H Wild and Son, Inc.
P.O. Box 338
Sarcoxie, Mo. 64862-0338
Phone: (417) 548-3514
Thanks to Joanne Kube-Harderwijk (joannek@empros.com) for this address.
Harry Boswell (u4imcehb@apollo.wes.army.mil) reports:
....an excellent mail-order nursery
specializing in daylilies and peonies (I've ordered from them
several times, with very good results)....
Great catalog, with lots of color photos, good discount section in the
back.
------
Wildseed Farms, Inc.
1101 Campo Rosa Rd, PO Box 308
Eagle Lake, TX 77434
Phone: 1-800-848-0078
Fax: (409) 234-7407
Wildflower seeds, including some hard-to-find ones.
Thanks to Chad Segura (segura@owlnet.rice.edu) for this entry.
-----
Woodlanders, Inc.
1128 Colleton Ave.
Aiken, SC 29801
Fax/Phone: (803) 648-7522
Plants, with an emphasis on native plants, and a few books.
Thanks to Anne Wolf (WOLFFMAD@ACM.ORG), who reports that this is an excellent
catalog.
-----
VII. But Before We Go....
I hope this FAQ has been useful. I also hope it has been accurate. If you
find any mistakes, or have any comments, please send me E-mail at the
address listed at the top of the file. Any suggestions for improving
future editions will be happily accepted, and possibly even acted upon.
This FAQ is also available via the World Wide Web. The URL is:
http://jean-luc.ncsa.uiuc.edu/People/PeterL/PBM-FAQ.html
I will try to get the new edition up as soon as I can. If it isn't
updated within a few days, send me mail and I'll get to it.
There is also a WWW page which allows you to send me comments without having
to know my E-Mail address or anything. You can reach this page at the same
URL as the FAQ itself.
-=*=-
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 1994 12:15:21 -0500
From: leppik peter <leppik@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>
Subject: This is the new FAQ
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: Plants By Mail FAQ
Reply-To: p-leppi@uiuc.edu
Summary: This FAQ contains information about buying plants and garden
supplies through the mail. It includes suggestions, information
about what to expect, and a lengthy list of mail-order companies.
Opionions about some companies (derived from experiences with those
companies) are included.
Message-ID: <mail-plants-ver0003@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>
From: p-leppi@uiuc.edu (Peter Leppik)
Archive-name: plants-by-mail
Posting-Frequency: bimonthly (sporadic)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plants By Mail FAQ
by Peter Leppik
p-leppi@uiuc.edu
This document is intended to introduce readers to the world of buying
plants by mail order; and also to serve as a central clearinghouse for
information about contacting various mail order plant houses. I make
no claims about being more informed on this topic than your average
Joe, but I saw the need, and I'm willing to put forth the effort to
compile and maintain this.
History:
Updated: 7/12/94
General updates.
Updated: 4/30/94
Originally Created: 3/17/94 (late at night)
Contents:
I. Introduction
II. But First, A Word From Our Lawyers
III. How To Tell a Good Company from a Bad One
(or: Things To Look For Before Taking the Plunge)
IV. What To Do When Your Order Arrives
(or: OhMyGawd! There's No DIRT With These Plants!)
V. Which Catalog To Order From
VI. Mail Order Houses, How to Contact Them, and My Opinions Thereof
VII. But Before We Go....
I. Introduction
It seems that one of the most common article titles in rec.gardens is,
"How can I reach XYZZY?" or, "The Plugh company sent me a catalog. Are
they any good?" I hope to be able to answer some of these questions in
a reasonably definitive manner (the first is easy, the second harder),
and provide the neophyte with some introduction to buying plants by mail.
My experience in this area has been short, but intense. After finally
moving from a small condo into a real house (with a YARD and a GARDEN
even!), one of my first projects was to begin widespread replanting of
the yard (which is mostly boring grass, or very ugly hybrid poplars).
To do that, last Fall, I began ordering large numbers of bulbs and plants
from a number of mail-order houses. Some were good, some were bad, and I
learned a lot about what to look for and what to avoid.
I welcome any and all comments. Send them to my E-mail address above.
If there is some catalog not covered here which you think should be, by
all means let me know. If you do send me comments, PLEASE please respect
my poor, overworked mailer. I've had people resend me the entire FAQ just
for a few lines of comments, and I even had one person send me a bunch of
UUencoded binary pictures! Needless to say, this doesn't help me much, and
it wastes my disk space. That said....do send comments, because they do help!
At the end of this document, there is a URL address where you can find an
HTTP version of this FAQ. If you don't know what HTTP is, don't sweat it.
If you do, then you can get this FAQ there. There is also a nifty "point and
shoot" form set up there, so you can mail me comments without having to know
my E-mail address or anything.
I assume that, if you send me comments, you don't mind if they find their way
into a future edition. I'll try to verify this, but sometimes I forget. Thus,
if you DON'T want you name in a future edition of the FAQ, be sure to say so.
II. But First, A Word From Our Lawyers
All opinions in this document are the opinions of the author, unless
otherwise noted. The author is well-known for his arbitrary and
capricious judgments, and cannot be held liable for anything he says
herein. Besides, the author is a poor grad student, and suing him is
like trying to squeeze blood from a rock.
III. How To Tell a Good Company from a Bad One
(or: Things To Look For Before Taking the Plunge)
If you are like me, you probably have a dozen or two catalogs from various
places, some fancy, others plain, and you're wondering who to order from
and how to tell the difference between a place that really cares, and a place
that is just trying to unload some poor, pathetic bits of green stuff on
The Gullible Majority. In this section, I will outline what I think a
reputable mail order company should do, and what you should consider before
buying a plant sight-unseen.
What a Reputable Mail-Order Company Will Do
1) Every perennial in the catalog should have a clearly indicated hardiness
range. That is, for every perennial (anything you expect to last more than
one year) should have indicated which USDA hardiness zones it will survive in.
Simple adjectives like "hardy," or "tender," are NOT sufficient. Perhaps I am
biased, being a Minnesota native currently living in Illinois, but I have seen
too many catalogs which do not include this crucial information. Without
knowing this, it is too easy to buy plants that won't survive in your climate.
This also includes those of you who live in places like Southern California,
where it never gets cold, since some plants require a period of cold
temperatures every year in order to survive/bloom/etc.
2) Every plant should have its botanical (scientific) name listed. Of course,
this doesn't count for things like roses or tomatoes, which everybody knows
what that are. This may sound picky, but think about it: if you ever want
to get information on this plant from some other source, and they use their
own name, you might have a devil of a time figuring out how to get information.
A plant's botanical name is unique. I have seen places that will take a
standard variety of some plant, come up with a flashy (trademarked) name,
and sell it as something special. Needless to say, this is dishonest.
3) Information on the habitat requirements should be easy to find. By this,
I mean answers to questions like, how much sun does it need, how much water,
and so forth. Nearly every catalog has this, but if you see one that
doesn't, stay away.
4) A good company will have a horticulturist on staff you can call, and
provide the phone number in a prominent place in their catalog. This can
be priceless if you need to know a specific answer about some plant or
another. Some catalogs have a horticulturist, but only one phone number
(i.e. they don't have a separate order line), so don't take the lack of a
"Horticultural Information" phone number to mean a lack of horticultural
information.
Finally, something that you should probably ignore:
5) Every mail order catalog that I've seen offers some sort of guarantee.
This should NOT be a factor in deciding where to buy from. After all, what
good does it do if they replace a plant that died because you can't grow
oranges in Alaska? The replacement will just die, too, and you'll spend
twice as much time on a plant that was Never Meant To Be. Besides, these
places know that 95% of all gardeners will never take advantage of their
guarantee even if the plants do die. Some people have even noted an inverse
relation between the quality of the guarantee and the quality of the plants:
the louder the company proclaims its "FOOLPROOF 100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE,"
the worse the plants are when they arrive.
What To Consider Before Taking the Plunge
Okay, so you've got your heart set on the beautiful Creeping Green Stuff.
Before plunking your money and time on it (usually more time than money),
you should stop and ask yourself a few questions:
1) Will it grow in my area? If they don't make it CLEAR (i.e. by telling
you the hardiness zone), then avoid that plant, or buy it from somebody who
will tell you.
2) Do I have a place to put it? It is very easy to get spring fever when
all the catalogs start arriving midwinter, and wind up buying enough
plants to cover every square inch of your yard two or three times over.
Make sure you have a specific place for each and every plant you order, and
make sure you will have the time to plant it when it arrives. Keep in
mind that you will probably have to plant them soon after they arrive,
and you might not be able to control the exact day they arrive. Thus,
ordering 150 bushes for a new hedge from one place, all of which will
arrive via UPS on the same day and need to be planted immediately, is
probably not a good idea. Believe me.
3) Will it really look the way I want it to? Keep in mind that the
pictures in the catalogs are designed to sell plants, and the plants in
your garden will generally not look quite as nice. I have seen a lot of
comments from people in rec.gardens about the rose Blue Girl as a particular
offender in this respect. Also keep in mind that illustrations (as opposed
to photographs) can be very deceptive, too.
IV. What To Do When Your Order Arrives
(or: OhMyGawd! There's No DIRT With These Plants!)
The most important thing to do when your order arrives is DON'T PANIC!
Good. Take a few deep breaths.
The reason your roses/trees/whatever arrived without any dirt is not because
the company sent you dead plants. Shipping woody plants without dirt
("bare-root") is standard. First, it does not harm the plants
much, as long as the company has taken steps to ensure that the roots don't
dry out. Usually, this involves dipping the roots in some sort of stuff
that helps retain moisture. Second, shipping plants bare-root helps keep
shipping costs down. Shipping with dirt could easily double or triple the
weight of the plant when shipped, and make it that much more expensive to
buy. Finally, shipping plants bare-root helps prevent the spread of pests
that live in the soil (like the Japanese beetle). Needless to say,
unless you're buying small seedlings, it would be expensive for a company to
grow all their stock in greenhouses.
There are a few places which ship plants in pots. Shipping a plant with the
dirt will be less traumatic to the plants, and, as a rule, you can expect these
plants to be healthier, but, because of shipping expenses, they will often also
be much smaller than bare-root plants. Given the option, I will usually buy
the plant shipped in a pot, eve though it will usually be more expensive. In
addition, there are some plants which have to be shipped in pots, simply
because they're too fragile otherwise.
Generally, you will get a little booklet with your order explaining how
to plant your new plants. Usually, the first thing to do (with bare root
plants) is to stick them in a bucket of water for some time. You should do
this as soon as they arrive. Then, dig a hole according to the booklet
instructions, and plant those buggers.
It may take some time for your new plants to leaf out, especially if they're
dormant when shipped. Again, don't panic. If you planted in the spring,
don't call the company to complain that the plants are dead until midsummer.
They'll just tell you to wait, because sometimes the plants take a while to
adjust to their new surroundings.
V. Which Catalog To Order From
If you are buying roses, you should certainly order from a catalog which
specializes in roses. There are quite a few of these catalogs, and you will
generally get better selection, quality, and price than you would from buying
from a catalog which doesn't specialize in roses.
For some reason, this rule of thumb seems to be the other way around when
buying bulbs. I have had the best experiences buying bulbs from White Flower
Farms, which is generally an outstanding catalog, but they aren't even
remotely limited to bulbs. My worst experiences, on the other hand, were
with places that sell only, or mainly bulbs. Go figure.
Not everybody will agree with my judgments. After much consideration (and
several long discussions on the order of "Company X isn't really THAT bad!"),
I've decided that the main consideration has to be consistency. That means
that I can count on large plants, of a uniformly high quality, every time I
order. Note, too, that I haven't yet had anyone take issue with my list of
"Good" companies, just the "Bad" ones. Having said that, here is my list of
best and worst companies, based solely on my personal experiences:
Really Good Companies:
White Flower Farms
Nor'East Miniature Roses
Heirloom Old Garden Roses
Gardener's Supply Company
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
Companies To Avoid:
Spring Hill
Michigan Bulb Co.
Breck's Bulbs
Gurney's
VI. Mail Order Houses, How to Contact Them, and My Opinions Thereof
This section is really the meat of this FAQ. Here, I will list as many mail
order houses as I can get catalogs for, how to contact them, and my
impressions of them. If you're interested in a place that isn't listed
here, by all means, ask them to put me on their list, and I'll include them
in a future edition.
For each company, I will list their name, mailing address, phone number,
a general description of what they sell, and my opinions. Opinions are strictly mine, unless otherwise noted. I will not indicate an opinion unless I have
actually ordered something from a company, unless the opinion is someone
else's.
------
Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden
608 NW 119 St.
Vancouver, WA 98685
(206) 573-4472
A wide variety of irises, and some orchids.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
Antique Rose Emporium
Route 5
Box 143
Brenham, TX 77833
Old garden roses.
------
The Aril Patch catalog $.75
3843 Concord Blvd. (We have less experience
Concord, CA 94519 with these since we grow
Aril Irises. Catalog $.75
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
The Banana Tree, Inc.
715 Northampton St.
Easton , PA 18042
Phone: (215) 253 9589
Fax: (215) 253 4864
Jarkko Lapinlampi <Jarkko.Lapinlampi@cs.Helsinki.FI> reports:
The catalog costs $3.00, and lists rare seeds, mostly tropicals, gingers,
bananas.
36 pages of Interesting Reading!
------
Breck's Bulbs
U.S. Reservation Center
6523 North Galena Rd.
Peoria, IL 61632
Orders: (309) 689-3870
Breck's sells bulbs imported from Holland: tulips, crocuses, daffodils, etc.
OPINION: Overall, I am not terribly impressed with Breck's. Their merchandise
(contrary to the catalog hype) is not particularly premium, but their prices
are higher than most places, even some places which have superior stock.
They do not list hardiness for anything, though most of what they sell should
do fine most places in the U.S. (they don't sell any of the really tender
bulbs, like glads). You can do better elsewhere.
Note that Breck's Bulbs appears to be the same company, or closely associated
with, Spring Hill, another company on my "Avoid" list.
------
Bridges Roses
2734 Toney Rd.
Lawndale, NC 28090
Phone: (704) 538-9412
Fax: (704) 538-1521
Mostly miniature roses, and a few hybrid teas.
------
George C. Bush
Clean Shaven Iris
1739 Memory Lane Extended
York, PA 17402
Phone: (717) 755-0557
Siberian Irises.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
C.W.S. Roses
2232 Gale Ave.
Coquitlam, BC V3K 2Y8
CANADA
Miniature Roses.
------
Caprice Farm Nursery
15425 SW Pleasant Hill Rd.
Sherwood, OR 97140
Phone: (503)625-7241
They specialize in peonies, daylillies, and irises.
Thanks to lindap@scic.intel.com (Linda Peake) for this listing.
------
Carlton Rose Nurseries
P.O. Box 366
Carlton, OR 97111
Phone: (503) 852-7135
Roses.
------
Chamblee's Rose Nursery
10926 US Hwy. 69 N
Tyler, TX 75706-8742
Phone: 1-800-256-7673
Fax: (903) 882-3597
Miniature roses, and old garden roses.
------
Cooley's
11553 Silverton Rd. NE
Silverton, Oregon 97381
Tall Bearded Irises. Color catalog $3 (deductible from order)
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
------
Draycott Gardens
Carol Warner
16815 Falls Road
Upperco, MD 21155
Phone: (410) 374-4788
Siberian Irises. Catalog $1
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
-----
Dutch Gardens, Inc.
P.O. Box 200
Adelphia, NJ 07710
Phone: (908) 780-2713
Fax: 908 708-7720
Thanks to kimf@amaryllis.EBay.Sun.COM (Kim Foster) for this address.
nguyenpd@ntmtv.com reports:
*** Good selection of basic Holland bulbs; good prices, esp. in
quantity (group order program esp.). Excellent color
catalog with pictures of all cultivars.
*** Highly recommend
------
Ensata Gardens
9823 E. Michigan Ave.
Galesburg, Michigan 49053
(616) 665-7500
Japanese Irises. Catalog $2
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
The Flowery Branch
P.O. Box 1330
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
Phone: (404) 536-8380 Mon.-Fri. 10 AM-4 PM
Fax: (404) 532-7825
Jarkko Lapinlampi <Jarkko.Lapinlampi@cs.Helsinki.FI> reports:
The catalog costs $2.00, the 1994 edition 'A Garden of Delights' is 100
pages, and lists a LOT of seeds as well (between 1000 and 2000 different
kinds) (ornamentals, herbs, everlastings).
------
Flowers Tn Friends Miniature Roses
9590 100th St SE
Alto, MI 49302
Phone: (616) 891-1226
Miniature roses.
------
Four Seasons Nursery
Dept. 9
1706 Morrissey Dr.
Bloomington, IL 61704
Orders: (309) 663-9551
Four Seasons sells a wide variety of nursery stock, like bushes, trees, and
bulbs. They also have a limited selection of garden supplies.
------
Fungi Perfecti
PO Box 7634
Olympia, WA 98507
Phone: (206) 426-9292
Fax: (206) 426-9377
Fungi Perfecti sells fungus. Thanks to Kris Carroll (kcarrol@u.washington.edu)
for bringing this to my attention.
------
Gardener's Eden
P.O. Box 7307
San Francisco, CA 94120-7307
Orders: 1-800-822-9600
Customer Service: 1-800-822-1214
Fax: (415) 421-5153
Mostly upscale garden-stuff, like furniture, birdhouses, and so forth. No
plants to speak of.
------
Gardener's Supply Co.
128 Intervale Rd.
Burlington, VT 05401
Orders/Customer Service: (802) 863-1700
TDD: (802) 660-3530
Fax: (802) 660-4600
All kinds of gardening supplies, and a few plants.
OPINION: I have had good experiences with this company. Their products
appear to be of a uniformly high quality, and a lot of people in rec.gardens
swear by them. At least one of their employees reads this newsgroup, so
you may be able to get answers "from the horse's mouth," if you know who
to ask. If anybody can supply me with his E-mail address, I would appreciate
it (for future editions).
------
Gardens Alive
5100 Schenley Place
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
Orders: (812) 537-8650
Fax: (812) 537-5108
Organic gardening supplies.
------
Giles Ramblin' Roses
2968 SR 710
Okeechobee, FL 34974
Phone: (813) 763-6611
Roses.
------
Gurney's
110 Capital St.
Yankton, SD 57079
Orders: (605) 665-1930
Customer Assistance: (605) 665-1671
Gurney's sells nearly everything under the sun: seeds, shrubs, trees, bulbs,
garden supplies, you name it, and they probably sell it.
OPINION: I ordered seeds, bushes, and trees from Gurney's this year. The
quality was generally proportional to the price paid: some things are really
good, but the el-cheapo specials sometimes left something to be desired.
Their horticultural staff appears knowledgeable, and certainly friendly.
Susan Profit (tinne@isumataq.eskimo.com) reports that she had some bad
experiences with Gurney's a number of years ago, relating to shipping and
billing screw-ups. She hasn't ordered from them since, so I don't know if
this is an isolated incident, or the result of generally bad management.
Any comments on this would be greatly appreciated.
------
Hardy Roses for the North
Box 2048
Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0
CANADA
Box 273
Danville, WA 99121-0273
Fax: (604) 442-2766
Own-Root (not grafted) roses.
------
Heirloom Old Garden Roses
24062 NE Riverside Dr.
St. Paul, OR 91737
Orders: (503) 538-1576
This is a catalog of "old" roses: not a hybrid tea to be found. If you're
looking for english or unusual roses, this is the place to go.
OPINION: If you are a rose grower, and you are still growing hybrid teas,
this catalog will convert you. Many of the old roses offered here are just
as good, if not better than, the more common modern roses. The catalog offers
a lot of information about a zillion different roses, including hardiness,
and (my favorite) lists of roses well-suited for particular uses (i.e.
roses for growing over trellises, roses for scent, etc.). Their stock is
first-rate, and all grown on its own roots, so there are no bud unions to
worry about. There is no separate phone number for questions, but I found
the people answering the phone to be knowledgeable and helpful. Two thumbs
up. Note that they charge $5 for the catalog, but once you're on their
mailing list (i.e. after you buy something), they'll send it free.
------
Henry Field's
415 North Burnett
Shenandoah, IA 51602
Orders: (605) 665-9391
Fax: (605) 665-2601
Customer Service: (605) 665-4491
A general seeds-and-stuff catalog. They sell seeds, plants, and bulbs.
------
Hidden Garden Nursery
13515 SE Briggs
Milwaukie, OR 97222-6117
Miniature roses.
------
Holland Bulb Farms
423 Borad St.
P.O. Box 220
Tatamy PA 18085-0220
Orders: 1-800-283-5082
Another bulb catalog.
------
Hortico
723 Robson Rd.
Waterton, Ontario L0R 2H1
CANADA
Phone: (905) 689-6984 or (905) 689-3002
Fax: (905) 689-6566
Roses. Catalog costs $3.
------
J.L. Hudson, Seedsman
P.O. Box 1058
Redwood City, California, 94064
Jarkko Lapinlampi <Jarkko.Lapinlampi@cs.Helsinki.FI> reports:
The catalog costs $1.00, and is worth every cent. The 1994 edition of
the Ethnobotanical Catalog of Seeds is 95 pages and lists a LOT of seeds
(herbs, trees, vegetables, some ornamentals), as well as some
books and other literature.
More info is printed on every seed package, and there are plenty of
seeds per package. (The motto is: 'If seed production was bountiful
you'll get more seeds).
------
Jackson & Perkins
P.O. Box 1028
Medford, OR 97501
Orders: 1-800-292-4769
J&P actually publishes more different catalogs than you can shake a stick at.
They are highly respected, though I've never ordered anything from them.
------
J. W. Jung Seed & Nursery
335 S. High St.
Randolph, WI 53957-0001
Orders: 1-800-247-JUNG
Customer Service: 1-800-297-3123
Jung's sells seeds, nursery stock, a few bulbs, and supplies
------
Justice Miniature Roses
5947 SW Kahle Rd.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
Phone: (503) 682-2370
Miniature Roses.
------
Lee Valley Tools Ltd.
P.O. Box 6295, Stn. J
Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1T4
Canada
Phone Order: 1-800-267-8767
FAX: 1-800-668-1807
Customer Service: 1-800-267-8761
They carry mostly really neat woodworking tools but have a garden supply
section that has some interesting things. Hope this helps.
Thanks to Janet Lupson (jlupson@uoguelph.ca) for this entry.
------
Lenington Gardens
7007 Manchester Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64133
Tim Fehr (FEHRTJ@CNSVAX.UWEC.EDU) Provided this address and reports:
We just returned from Kansas City and had the pleasure of visiting
Lenington gardens - over 1,000 varieties of daylillies. Robert
Lenington and his wife opened the garden 2 hours early to accommodate
our travel schedule. We were treated to tour of the gardens and it
was really impressive. They introduced many of the Marsh cultivars
including the Prairie and Chicago series. Seeing 30 feet of Prairie
Blue Eyes or Chicago Knobby in bloom makes quite an impression. The
Leningtons host garden clubs during the summer they said and run a
mail order business.
I was especially delighted to see some of the Lenington families own
introductions. Two were really eye catching FUZZ BUNNIES is a lemon
yellow double with really consistent double form and WINE DELIGHT is
a small wine-red flower with a real red eye zone - this had up to 40
buds on many of the scapes and there were lots of scapes so it should
bloom for quite a long time. A landscaper or gardeners delight indeed!
Send for a catalog - prices were very reasonable - I would guess 90% are
under $20.00 - 50% at or under $10.00.
Donna Sullivan (sully@mathworks.com) reports:
I ordered from their catalog last fall and the daylilly varieties were
outstanding! They arrived in good shape (I'm in Massachusetts) and are
coming up strong this summer. Looking forward to the blooms. If anyone is
looking for variety in daylillies, their catalog is wonderful and
inexpensive. I ordered with a friend and if you ordered more than a certain
amount, everything was 50% off!
------
Lilypons Water Gardens
Box 10
Lilypons, MD 21717-0010
Phone: (301) 428-0686
Pond stuff. Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this
address.
------
Louisiana Nursery
Rt. 7, Box 43
Opelousas, LA 70570
Louisiana Irises. Also daylillies and some other bulbs and plants.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
McDaniel's Miniature Roses
7523 Zemco St.
Lemon Grove, CA 91945
Miniature roses.
------
Michigan Bulb Co.
1950 Waldorf NW
Grad Rapids, MI 49550-0500
Michigan Bulb Company sells bulbs, perennials, and other assorted plants.
OPINION: This catalog is filled with the kind of BREATHLESS PROSE and
AMAZING BARGAINS designed to stampede the gardener into making impulse
purchases. Their prices are cheap, but selection is limited, and quality
was very mediocre. In addition, I was unable to find a phone number anywhere
in the catalog--this could be a real problem, if you have problems with your
order. To their credit, they generally include hardiness information.
On the other hand, they also sell the "Blue Girl" rose, which is an automatic
two demerits in my book. Go elsewhere.
jsr@geneab.b23a.ingr.com (Jeff Reifsteck) reports:
I've had nothing but bad news from Michigan Bulb. The plants were poor and
didn't survive. They did replace them without question but my 40 creeping
myrtle (6" evergreen ground cover) became 40 crape myrtle (a big bush and
a lot more expensive). I needed ground cover not bushes. Except for the
replacement of a "Blue Girl" rose all the other replacements were not plantable.
apilote@wtcd.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Angela Pilote) reports:
Last year I ordered some things from them -- NEVER AGAIN!
I even told my husband to remind me of the poor quality
of there plants and bulbs if he even SEES me *looking* at one
of their catalogs.
None of the plants survived and only about half (maybe less)
of the bulbs came up. The bulbs also seemed very small
and I think I read somewhere that this is a sign that the
bulbs have not matured enough to bloom.
The prices seem to be good, but if you factor in the survival
rate and time invested -- it's not a deal. I'm better off paying
premium prices at my nursery for good quality plants and bulbs.
[Whew! I guess the verdict is in on this one!]
------
Michigan Miniature Roses
45951 Hull Rd.
Belleville, MI 48111
Phone: (313) 699-6698
Miniature Roses.
------
Miller's Manor Gardens
3167 E. US 224
Ossian, IN 46777
A wide variety of irises, daylilies, and hosta.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
Mini Rose Garden
1043 Mini-Rose Bldg.
Cross Hill, SC 29332
Miniature Roses.
------
National Arbor Day Foundation
100 Arbor Ave.
Nebraska City, NE 68410
All kinds of trees
OPINION: The National Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit organization
which promotes the planting of trees. They run frequent membership blitzes
where they offer to send you 10 free trees for joining. I did. You do get
10 free trees. They're all seedlings (no real surprise), but it can be
hard to tell them apart, since they are labeled with a spot of colored
paint which is hard to see. Their main method of raising funds appears to
be selling trees, of which they have a good selection and reasonable prices.
Might be worth joining if you plan to plant a lot of trees, or believe in
their cause.
------
Netherland Bulb Co.
13 McFadden Rd.
Easton, PA 18042-9078
Orders: 1-800-788-8547
Customer Assistance: (610) 253-8879
Netherland Bulb Co. sells bulbs and other plants grown from their roots.
OPINION: Mostly big pictures and not much else, this catalog will entice
the winter-weary gardener into buying lots and lots of colorful plants.
Their prices are cheap, but their stock is mediocre, and selection is very
limited. Hardiness information is nonexistent, though most of what they
sell should do OK most places in the U.S. Unless you're really pressed
for money, you can do better elsewhere--just keep in mind that you get
what you pay for.
Cate Williams (williams@ssnet.com) reports: I'd like to really say that
Netherlands Bulbs is HORRIBLE! I got suckered by the prices, and ended
up with a bunch of seriously diseased tulips -- so sick, that I can't
plant any more in that bed for two years. N.B. is simply dangerous.
My .02$.
------
New Holland Bulb Co.
P.O. Box 335
Rockport, IL 62370-0335
Bulbs, and assorted perennials. Note the lack of a phone number, which
could cause problems if you have difficulty with an order.
------
Nor'East Miniature Roses, Inc.
P.O. Box 307
Rowley, MA 01969
Phone: (508) 948-7964
Orders: 1-800-426-6485
On the West Coast:
Nor'East Miniature Roses, Inc.
P.O. Box 473
Ontario, CA 91762
Phone: (909) 984-2223
Orders: 1-800-662-9669
A large selection of miniature roses, and some supplies for those who like
to grow them (like miniature vases)
OPINION: This company is also on my "Good-Guys" list. Their prices are
quite reasonable, and their stock is high quality. Their catalog has a photo
of many of the offerings. If you are into miniature roses (or would like to
be), this is the catalog to get.
------
Ohio Gardens
102 Laramie Road
Marietta, OH 45750
Miniature Tall Bearded Iris. Catalog $1
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
------
Oregon Miniature Roses
8285 SW 185th Ave.
Beaverton, OR 97007
Miniature roses.
------
Paradise Water Gardens
62 May Street
Whitman, MA 02382
Water garden supplies
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Park Seed Co.
Cokesbury Rd.
Greenwood, SC 29647-0001
Orders: (803) 223-7333
Customer Service: (803) 941-4480
Park Seed sells seeds, a few smaller plants, some bulbs, and garden supplies
Susan Profit (tinne@isumataq.eskimo.com) reports:
The Washington State Attorney General's office considers them to be one
of the top ten mail order companies in the country. They will refund
money for just about any reason, they have always been unfailingly
courteous when I have called, they are knowledgeable, and will get more
information for you if they do not have it on hand. The one person I
know that had a customer dispute with them, was very satisfied with how
they handled it, it turned out to be a quarantined plans she had
ordered. They found her a local nursery that carried the plant, and had
them reserve one for her, refunded her money, and apologized
for the inexperienced phone trainee that had taken her order. They are
always very friendly, and making comments like, oh that's a nice
variety. I have never heard them say anything bad about any other
company, and they are a marvel of customer appreciation. When my
stepfather retired as head of the State Capitol grounds after twenty
years, the company sent him a letter of appreciation for his support
over the years. And he of course, had nothing but great things to say of
them, based on over thirty five years of professional contact.
------
Quality Dutch Bulbs
P.O. Box 225
50 Lake Dr.
Hillsdale, NJ 07642-0225
Phone: (215) 253-9570
Orders: 1-800-755-2852
Bulbs (need I say more?).
------
Raintree Nursery
391 Butts Road
Morton, WA 98356
(206) 496-6400
Fruit Trees
Thanks to Eric Reed (ericr@corgi.sps.mot.com) for this entry.
------
Rialto Gardens
1146 W. Rialto
Fresno, CA 93705
Reblooming Irises.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
Roses Unlimited
Rt. 1 Box 587
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: (803) 682-9112
Roses.
------
Santa Barbara Water Gardens
Box 4353
Santa Barbara, CA 93140
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Schreiner's
3629 Quinaby Road
Salem, Oregon 97303
1-800-525-2367 for orders
1-503-393-3232 for questions
Tall Bearded Irises, color catalog $4 (deductible from order)
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
------
Seed Savers Exchange
Kent Whealy-Director
Rural Route 3, Box 239
Decorah, Iowa 52101
jacobson@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu provided this entry, and says:
These are great folks and it's a very worthwhile program.
------
Seeds of Change
P.O. Box 15700
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506-5700
julianet@freenet3.scri.fsu.edu (Juliane Thomas) provided this address and reports:
My husband found this address because he wants to do some organic
gardening, and these are supposed to be seeds which come from plants
uncontaminated by pesticides or chemical fertilizers. He hasn't
ordered any yet, but he probably will very soon.
------
Sequoia Nursery/Moore Miniature Roses
2519 E. Noble
Visalia, CA 93292
Phone: (209) 732-0190
Miniature Roses.
------
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
30 Irene St.
Torrington, CT 06790
Orders: East (203) 482-3638
West (408) 335-6910
Customer Service: (203) 482-3638
Horticultural Help: (408) 335-6910
Shepherd's sells mostly seeds, but also a few plants, and some kitchen and
garden supplies.
OPINION: The stylish illustrations in this catalog give it a distinctly
yuppie feel, but this is a good catalog nevertheless. They have a number
of varieties that are hard to find elsewhere (a whole PAGE of ornamental
sunflowers!), and a wealth of useful horticultural information. My order
arrived promptly, in good order, and appears to be high quality (it is still
a little soon for things to be sprouting around here, though). Prices are
a little above average, but seeds are cheap no matter how you slice it.
------
Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery,
2825 Cummings Road
Medford, OR 97501-1538
Phone: (503) 772-6846
Catalog $2
Thanks to Sean A. O'Hara (saouc@uccmvsa.bitnet) for this entry.
------
Slocum Water Gardens
1101 Cypress Gardens Boulevard
Winter Haven, FL 33880-6099
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Smith & Hawken
Two Arbor Lane
P.O. Box 6900
Florence, KY 41022-6900
Smith & Hawken sells mostly supplies and yard stuff, but also some seeds
and live plants.
------
Spring Hill
Mail Order Reservation Center
6523 North Galena Rd.
P.O. Box 1758
Peoria, IL 61656-1758
Orders: (309) 689-3800
Customer Service: (309) 689-3849
Spring Hill sells just about any kind of plant that catches their fancy.
OPINION: Spring Hill is one of these places that is in the business of
dumping cheap, inappropriate merchandise on unsuspecting customers. The
quality of their merchandise is mediocre, even though the prices are about
average. The provide little or no hardiness information, which is especially
troublesome considering that they sell some plants (like carnations) for
outdoor planting, even though they will not survive the winter in large
portions of the U.S. Furthermore, if you ever buy anything from Spring Hill,
you will be on their mailing list but good. I have received no less than
four different catalogs from them in the last two months (not even counting
the large number of "special offers" which seem to arrive about once a week,
and at least one telemarketing call). Avoid this company like the plague.
Note that Spring Hill appears to be the same company, or closely associated
with, Breck's Bulbs, another company on my "Avoid" list.
Al Harrington [alh@hprnd.rose.hp.com] says:
I think you are being way to hard on Spring Hill. I realize that
they do not supply hardiness information, and that some of their
plants are not in the best shape - their customer service is very
good. I purchased the carnation collection (15 plants) and 2 of
them died. I got credited for all 15 as it was a collection.
I ordered a lot of stuff from them (over 100 plants) and just about
all are doing just fine - what isn't I get credit for.
If nothing else seeing color pictures of *everything* they sell is
nice. :-)
------
Stark Brothers
P.O. Box 10
Louisiana, MO 63353-0010
Orders: 1-800-325-4180
Customer Service: 1-800-478-2759
Stark Brothers sells almost exclusively fruit trees, and a few ornamentals.
Eric Reed (ericr@corgi.sps.mot.com) reports: Stark Brothers have been around
for a long time. Many of their fruit trees are their own hybrids. I have
order from them twice, both times the orders were very well packed and the
trees were healthy and in general good shape. I planted a local nursery apple
tree and a Stark tree the same weekend. The Stark tree has done much better.
It has grown faster and produce fruit earlier than the local nursery tree.
The catalog is well written and gives a lot of information on each tree.
------
Taylor's Roses
P.O. Box 11272
Chicksaw, AL 36671-0272
Phone: (205) 456-7753
Miniature roses.
------
Tetra Pond
Box 4858
Toms River, NJ 08754-9946
Water garden and pond supplies
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Texas Mini Roses
P.O. Box 267
Denton, TX 76202
Phone: (817) 566-3034
Miniature roses.
------
Tiny Petals Miniature Rose Nursery
483 Minot Ave.
Chula Vista CA 91910
Phone: (619) 422-0385
Miniature roses.
------
Trophy Roses, LTD
1308 N. Kennicott Ave.
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Orders/Catalogs: (708) 253-0998
Fax: (708) 253-0738
Roses.
------
Van Dyek's Flower Farm
PO Box 430
Brightwaters, NY 11718-0430
Bulbs.
Thanks to Howard Fujimoto (hmf00@eng.amdahl.com) for this listing.
------
Van Ness Water Gardens
2460 North Euclid
Upland, CA 91786-1199
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Waterford Gardens
74 East Allendale Road
Saddle River, NJ 07458
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Wayside Gardens
1 Garden Lane
Hodges, SC 29695-0001
Phone: 1-800-845-1124
Thanks to jacobson@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu for this listing.
------
White Flower Farm
Litchfield, CT 06759-0050
Orders: (203) 496-9600
White Flower Farm sells just about every kind of ornamental plant that one
might reasonably want to grow in North America.
OPINION: I will state my bias right up front: White Flower Farm is far and
away my favorite catalog. They have a reputation for being "upscale,"
but their prices are only slightly above average. Their catalog offers
a wealth of useful horticultural information, along with interesting
commentary about each and every plant. All the information you need to know
(hardiness, planting requirements, light requirements, etc.) is compiled
in a single useful index, as well as being stated with the description of
each plant. The catalog is organized alphabetically by genus name, so
in addition to being fun to read (and look at the pictures), it makes a
very useful reference. Of course, the catalog is only secondary to the
merchandise. Fortunately, their produce more than lives up to the high
standards set by the catalog: it is absolutely first rate. When I was buying
daylillies, crocuses, and daffodils from White Flower Farm and other
catalogs, the bulbs or roots from White Flower were often more than twice
the size of the ones from other vendors, and at a comparable price.
Even if you never buy anything from White Flower Farm, you should get their
catalog as a reference, since it is almost as good as buying a book on
ornamental plants, but a whole lot cheaper.
Sean A. O'Hara (saouc@uccmvsa.bitnet) disagrees with some of my tone:
Not really a flame, but please! I have a few of White Flower Farm's
catalogues, and I do value them for their reference quality and nice
photographs. But their plants and garden information is distinctively East
Coast in character. I would very much enjoy growing a number of plants they
list, but no longer attempt such folly as they are definitely inappropriate
for my arid western climate (as would many of the plants I cherish in my
garden be inappropriate for yours).
Please, let us not forget those 'less fortunate' souls who garden elsewhere!
North America is a big place, and I do not expect my garden to look like
your any more that I expect your to look like mine.
This reminds me of the search for a "North American gardening style". I can
think of nothing more ridiculous to search for - as if it could ever be
defined for a continent like ours - or that you'd want to try! This has
always been a way to 'one up' the 'English style'. Well, England is a
relatively small place, and even then it contains diversity more than we
imagine.
[I must plead guilty here. Perhaps I should have said that they sell "just
about any ornamental plant one might reasonably want to grow East of the
Rockies...."]
------
Gilbert H Wild and Son, Inc.
P.O. Box 338
Sarcoxie, Mo. 64862-0338
Phone: (417) 548-3514
Thanks to Joanne Kube-Harderwijk (joannek@empros.com) for this address.
Harry Boswell (u4imcehb@apollo.wes.army.mil) reports:
....an excellent mail-order nursery
specializing in daylilies and peonies (I've ordered from them
several times, with very good results)....
Great catalog, with lots of color photos, good discount section in the
back.
------
Wildseed Farms, Inc.
1101 Campo Rosa Rd, PO Box 308
Eagle Lake, TX 77434
Phone: 1-800-848-0078
Fax: (409) 234-7407
Wildflower seeds, including some hard-to-find ones.
Thanks to Chad Segura (segura@owlnet.rice.edu) for this entry.
-----
Woodlanders, Inc.
1128 Colleton Ave.
Aiken, SC 29801
Fax/Phone: (803) 648-7522
Plants, with an emphasis on native plants, and a few books.
Thanks to Anne Wolf (WOLFFMAD@ACM.ORG), who reports that this is an excellent
catalog.
-----
VII. But Before We Go....
I hope this FAQ has been useful. I also hope it has been accurate. If you
find any mistakes, or have any comments, please send me E-mail at the
address listed at the top of the file. Any suggestions for improving
future editions will be happily accepted, and possibly even acted upon.
This FAQ is also available via the World Wide Web. The URL is:
http://jean-luc.ncsa.uiuc.edu/People/PeterL/PBM-FAQ.html
I will try to get the new edition up as soon as I can. If it isn't
updated within a few days, send me mail and I'll get to it.
There is also a WWW page which allows you to send me comments without having
to know my E-Mail address or anything. You can reach this page at the same
URL as the FAQ itself.
-=*=-
end-July, 1994-plants-by-mail.faq update
Article 38933 of rec.gardens:
Path: bigblue.oit.unc.edu!concert!inxs.concert.net!taco.cc.ncsu.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!leppik
From: p-leppi@uiuc.edu (Peter Leppik)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: Plants By Mail FAQ
Followup-To: rec.gardens
Date: 20 Jul 1994 14:16:51 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
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Reply-To: p-leppi@uiuc.edu
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Summary: This FAQ contains information about buying plants and garden
supplies through the mail. It includes suggestions, information
about what to expect, and a lengthy list of mail-order companies.
Opionions about some companies (derived from experiences with those
companies) are included.
Originator: leppik@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
Xref: bigblue.oit.unc.edu rec.gardens:38933 rec.answers:6152 news.answers:24392
Archive-name: plants-by-mail
Posting-Frequency: bimonthly (sporadic)
Plants By Mail FAQ
by Peter Leppik
p-leppi@uiuc.edu
This document is intended to introduce readers to the world of buying
plants by mail order; and also to serve as a central clearinghouse for
information about contacting various mail order plant houses. I make
no claims about being more informed on this topic than your average
Joe, but I saw the need, and I'm willing to put forth the effort to
compile and maintain this.
History:
Updated: 7/12/94
General updates.
Updated: 4/30/94
Originally Created: 3/17/94 (late at night)
Contents:
I. Introduction
II. But First, A Word From Our Lawyers
III. How To Tell a Good Company from a Bad One
(or: Things To Look For Before Taking the Plunge)
IV. What To Do When Your Order Arrives
(or: OhMyGawd! There's No DIRT With These Plants!)
V. Which Catalog To Order From
VI. Mail Order Houses, How to Contact Them, and My Opinions Thereof
VII. But Before We Go....
I. Introduction
It seems that one of the most common article titles in rec.gardens is,
"How can I reach XYZZY?" or, "The Plugh company sent me a catalog. Are
they any good?" I hope to be able to answer some of these questions in
a reasonably definitive manner (the first is easy, the second harder),
and provide the neophyte with some introduction to buying plants by mail.
My experience in this area has been short, but intense. After finally
moving from a small condo into a real house (with a YARD and a GARDEN
even!), one of my first projects was to begin widespread replanting of
the yard (which is mostly boring grass, or very ugly hybrid poplars).
To do that, last Fall, I began ordering large numbers of bulbs and plants
from a number of mail-order houses. Some were good, some were bad, and I
learned a lot about what to look for and what to avoid.
I welcome any and all comments. Send them to my E-mail address above.
If there is some catalog not covered here which you think should be, by
all means let me know. If you do send me comments, PLEASE please respect
my poor, overworked mailer. I've had people resend me the entire FAQ just
for a few lines of comments, and I even had one person send me a bunch of
UUencoded binary pictures! Needless to say, this doesn't help me much, and
it wastes my disk space. That said....do send comments, because they do help!
At the end of this document, there is a URL address where you can find an
HTTP version of this FAQ. If you don't know what HTTP is, don't sweat it.
If you do, then you can get this FAQ there. There is also a nifty "point and
shoot" form set up there, so you can mail me comments without having to know
my E-mail address or anything.
I assume that, if you send me comments, you don't mind if they find their way
into a future edition. I'll try to verify this, but sometimes I forget. Thus,
if you DON'T want you name in a future edition of the FAQ, be sure to say so.
II. But First, A Word From Our Lawyers
All opinions in this document are the opinions of the author, unless
otherwise noted. The author is well-known for his arbitrary and
capricious judgments, and cannot be held liable for anything he says
herein. Besides, the author is a poor grad student, and suing him is
like trying to squeeze blood from a rock.
III. How To Tell a Good Company from a Bad One
(or: Things To Look For Before Taking the Plunge)
If you are like me, you probably have a dozen or two catalogs from various
places, some fancy, others plain, and you're wondering who to order from
and how to tell the difference between a place that really cares, and a place
that is just trying to unload some poor, pathetic bits of green stuff on
The Gullible Majority. In this section, I will outline what I think a
reputable mail order company should do, and what you should consider before
buying a plant sight-unseen.
What a Reputable Mail-Order Company Will Do
1) Every perennial in the catalog should have a clearly indicated hardiness
range. That is, for every perennial (anything you expect to last more than
one year) should have indicated which USDA hardiness zones it will survive in.
Simple adjectives like "hardy," or "tender," are NOT sufficient. Perhaps I am
biased, being a Minnesota native currently living in Illinois, but I have seen
too many catalogs which do not include this crucial information. Without
knowing this, it is too easy to buy plants that won't survive in your climate.
This also includes those of you who live in places like Southern California,
where it never gets cold, since some plants require a period of cold
temperatures every year in order to survive/bloom/etc.
2) Every plant should have its botanical (scientific) name listed. Of course,
this doesn't count for things like roses or tomatoes, which everybody knows
what that are. This may sound picky, but think about it: if you ever want
to get information on this plant from some other source, and they use their
own name, you might have a devil of a time figuring out how to get information.
A plant's botanical name is unique. I have seen places that will take a
standard variety of some plant, come up with a flashy (trademarked) name,
and sell it as something special. Needless to say, this is dishonest.
3) Information on the habitat requirements should be easy to find. By this,
I mean answers to questions like, how much sun does it need, how much water,
and so forth. Nearly every catalog has this, but if you see one that
doesn't, stay away.
4) A good company will have a horticulturist on staff you can call, and
provide the phone number in a prominent place in their catalog. This can
be priceless if you need to know a specific answer about some plant or
another. Some catalogs have a horticulturist, but only one phone number
(i.e. they don't have a separate order line), so don't take the lack of a
"Horticultural Information" phone number to mean a lack of horticultural
information.
Finally, something that you should probably ignore:
5) Every mail order catalog that I've seen offers some sort of guarantee.
This should NOT be a factor in deciding where to buy from. After all, what
good does it do if they replace a plant that died because you can't grow
oranges in Alaska? The replacement will just die, too, and you'll spend
twice as much time on a plant that was Never Meant To Be. Besides, these
places know that 95% of all gardeners will never take advantage of their
guarantee even if the plants do die. Some people have even noted an inverse
relation between the quality of the guarantee and the quality of the plants:
the louder the company proclaims its "FOOLPROOF 100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE,"
the worse the plants are when they arrive.
What To Consider Before Taking the Plunge
Okay, so you've got your heart set on the beautiful Creeping Green Stuff.
Before plunking your money and time on it (usually more time than money),
you should stop and ask yourself a few questions:
1) Will it grow in my area? If they don't make it CLEAR (i.e. by telling
you the hardiness zone), then avoid that plant, or buy it from somebody who
will tell you.
2) Do I have a place to put it? It is very easy to get spring fever when
all the catalogs start arriving midwinter, and wind up buying enough
plants to cover every square inch of your yard two or three times over.
Make sure you have a specific place for each and every plant you order, and
make sure you will have the time to plant it when it arrives. Keep in
mind that you will probably have to plant them soon after they arrive,
and you might not be able to control the exact day they arrive. Thus,
ordering 150 bushes for a new hedge from one place, all of which will
arrive via UPS on the same day and need to be planted immediately, is
probably not a good idea. Believe me.
3) Will it really look the way I want it to? Keep in mind that the
pictures in the catalogs are designed to sell plants, and the plants in
your garden will generally not look quite as nice. I have seen a lot of
comments from people in rec.gardens about the rose Blue Girl as a particular
offender in this respect. Also keep in mind that illustrations (as opposed
to photographs) can be very deceptive, too.
IV. What To Do When Your Order Arrives
(or: OhMyGawd! There's No DIRT With These Plants!)
The most important thing to do when your order arrives is DON'T PANIC!
Good. Take a few deep breaths.
The reason your roses/trees/whatever arrived without any dirt is not because
the company sent you dead plants. Shipping woody plants without dirt
("bare-root") is standard. First, it does not harm the plants
much, as long as the company has taken steps to ensure that the roots don't
dry out. Usually, this involves dipping the roots in some sort of stuff
that helps retain moisture. Second, shipping plants bare-root helps keep
shipping costs down. Shipping with dirt could easily double or triple the
weight of the plant when shipped, and make it that much more expensive to
buy. Finally, shipping plants bare-root helps prevent the spread of pests
that live in the soil (like the Japanese beetle). Needless to say,
unless you're buying small seedlings, it would be expensive for a company to
grow all their stock in greenhouses.
There are a few places which ship plants in pots. Shipping a plant with the
dirt will be less traumatic to the plants, and, as a rule, you can expect these
plants to be healthier, but, because of shipping expenses, they will often also
be much smaller than bare-root plants. Given the option, I will usually buy
the plant shipped in a pot, eve though it will usually be more expensive. In
addition, there are some plants which have to be shipped in pots, simply
because they're too fragile otherwise.
Generally, you will get a little booklet with your order explaining how
to plant your new plants. Usually, the first thing to do (with bare root
plants) is to stick them in a bucket of water for some time. You should do
this as soon as they arrive. Then, dig a hole according to the booklet
instructions, and plant those buggers.
It may take some time for your new plants to leaf out, especially if they're
dormant when shipped. Again, don't panic. If you planted in the spring,
don't call the company to complain that the plants are dead until midsummer.
They'll just tell you to wait, because sometimes the plants take a while to
adjust to their new surroundings.
V. Which Catalog To Order From
If you are buying roses, you should certainly order from a catalog which
specializes in roses. There are quite a few of these catalogs, and you will
generally get better selection, quality, and price than you would from buying
from a catalog which doesn't specialize in roses.
For some reason, this rule of thumb seems to be the other way around when
buying bulbs. I have had the best experiences buying bulbs from White Flower
Farms, which is generally an outstanding catalog, but they aren't even
remotely limited to bulbs. My worst experiences, on the other hand, were
with places that sell only, or mainly bulbs. Go figure.
Not everybody will agree with my judgments. After much consideration (and
several long discussions on the order of "Company X isn't really THAT bad!"),
I've decided that the main consideration has to be consistency. That means
that I can count on large plants, of a uniformly high quality, every time I
order. Note, too, that I haven't yet had anyone take issue with my list of
"Good" companies, just the "Bad" ones. Having said that, here is my list of
best and worst companies, based solely on my personal experiences:
Really Good Companies:
White Flower Farms
Nor'East Miniature Roses
Heirloom Old Garden Roses
Gardener's Supply Company
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
Companies To Avoid:
Spring Hill
Michigan Bulb Co.
Breck's Bulbs
Gurney's
VI. Mail Order Houses, How to Contact Them, and My Opinions Thereof
This section is really the meat of this FAQ. Here, I will list as many mail
order houses as I can get catalogs for, how to contact them, and my
impressions of them. If you're interested in a place that isn't listed
here, by all means, ask them to put me on their list, and I'll include them
in a future edition.
For each company, I will list their name, mailing address, phone number,
a general description of what they sell, and my opinions. Opinions are strictly mine, unless otherwise noted. I will not indicate an opinion unless I have
actually ordered something from a company, unless the opinion is someone
else's.
------
Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden
608 NW 119 St.
Vancouver, WA 98685
(206) 573-4472
A wide variety of irises, and some orchids.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
Antique Rose Emporium
Route 5
Box 143
Brenham, TX 77833
Old garden roses.
------
The Aril Patch catalog $.75
3843 Concord Blvd. (We have less experience
Concord, CA 94519 with these since we grow
Aril Irises. Catalog $.75
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
The Banana Tree, Inc.
715 Northampton St.
Easton , PA 18042
Phone: (215) 253 9589
Fax: (215) 253 4864
Jarkko Lapinlampi <Jarkko.Lapinlampi@cs.Helsinki.FI> reports:
The catalog costs $3.00, and lists rare seeds, mostly tropicals, gingers,
bananas.
36 pages of Interesting Reading!
------
Breck's Bulbs
U.S. Reservation Center
6523 North Galena Rd.
Peoria, IL 61632
Orders: (309) 689-3870
Breck's sells bulbs imported from Holland: tulips, crocuses, daffodils, etc.
OPINION: Overall, I am not terribly impressed with Breck's. Their merchandise
(contrary to the catalog hype) is not particularly premium, but their prices
are higher than most places, even some places which have superior stock.
They do not list hardiness for anything, though most of what they sell should
do fine most places in the U.S. (they don't sell any of the really tender
bulbs, like glads). You can do better elsewhere.
Note that Breck's Bulbs appears to be the same company, or closely associated
with, Spring Hill, another company on my "Avoid" list.
------
Bridges Roses
2734 Toney Rd.
Lawndale, NC 28090
Phone: (704) 538-9412
Fax: (704) 538-1521
Mostly miniature roses, and a few hybrid teas.
------
George C. Bush
Clean Shaven Iris
1739 Memory Lane Extended
York, PA 17402
Phone: (717) 755-0557
Siberian Irises.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
C.W.S. Roses
2232 Gale Ave.
Coquitlam, BC V3K 2Y8
CANADA
Miniature Roses.
------
Caprice Farm Nursery
15425 SW Pleasant Hill Rd.
Sherwood, OR 97140
Phone: (503)625-7241
They specialize in peonies, daylillies, and irises.
Thanks to lindap@scic.intel.com (Linda Peake) for this listing.
------
Carlton Rose Nurseries
P.O. Box 366
Carlton, OR 97111
Phone: (503) 852-7135
Roses.
------
Chamblee's Rose Nursery
10926 US Hwy. 69 N
Tyler, TX 75706-8742
Phone: 1-800-256-7673
Fax: (903) 882-3597
Miniature roses, and old garden roses.
------
Cooley's
11553 Silverton Rd. NE
Silverton, Oregon 97381
Tall Bearded Irises. Color catalog $3 (deductible from order)
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
------
Draycott Gardens
Carol Warner
16815 Falls Road
Upperco, MD 21155
Phone: (410) 374-4788
Siberian Irises. Catalog $1
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
-----
Dutch Gardens, Inc.
P.O. Box 200
Adelphia, NJ 07710
Phone: (908) 780-2713
Fax: 908 708-7720
Thanks to kimf@amaryllis.EBay.Sun.COM (Kim Foster) for this address.
nguyenpd@ntmtv.com reports:
*** Good selection of basic Holland bulbs; good prices, esp. in
quantity (group order program esp.). Excellent color
catalog with pictures of all cultivars.
*** Highly recommend
------
Ensata Gardens
9823 E. Michigan Ave.
Galesburg, Michigan 49053
(616) 665-7500
Japanese Irises. Catalog $2
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
The Flowery Branch
P.O. Box 1330
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
Phone: (404) 536-8380 Mon.-Fri. 10 AM-4 PM
Fax: (404) 532-7825
Jarkko Lapinlampi <Jarkko.Lapinlampi@cs.Helsinki.FI> reports:
The catalog costs $2.00, the 1994 edition 'A Garden of Delights' is 100
pages, and lists a LOT of seeds as well (between 1000 and 2000 different
kinds) (ornamentals, herbs, everlastings).
------
Flowers Tn Friends Miniature Roses
9590 100th St SE
Alto, MI 49302
Phone: (616) 891-1226
Miniature roses.
------
Four Seasons Nursery
Dept. 9
1706 Morrissey Dr.
Bloomington, IL 61704
Orders: (309) 663-9551
Four Seasons sells a wide variety of nursery stock, like bushes, trees, and
bulbs. They also have a limited selection of garden supplies.
------
Fungi Perfecti
PO Box 7634
Olympia, WA 98507
Phone: (206) 426-9292
Fax: (206) 426-9377
Fungi Perfecti sells fungus. Thanks to Kris Carroll (kcarrol@u.washington.edu)
for bringing this to my attention.
------
Gardener's Eden
P.O. Box 7307
San Francisco, CA 94120-7307
Orders: 1-800-822-9600
Customer Service: 1-800-822-1214
Fax: (415) 421-5153
Mostly upscale garden-stuff, like furniture, birdhouses, and so forth. No
plants to speak of.
------
Gardener's Supply Co.
128 Intervale Rd.
Burlington, VT 05401
Orders/Customer Service: (802) 863-1700
TDD: (802) 660-3530
Fax: (802) 660-4600
All kinds of gardening supplies, and a few plants.
OPINION: I have had good experiences with this company. Their products
appear to be of a uniformly high quality, and a lot of people in rec.gardens
swear by them. At least one of their employees reads this newsgroup, so
you may be able to get answers "from the horse's mouth," if you know who
to ask. If anybody can supply me with his E-mail address, I would appreciate
it (for future editions).
------
Gardens Alive
5100 Schenley Place
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
Orders: (812) 537-8650
Fax: (812) 537-5108
Organic gardening supplies.
------
Giles Ramblin' Roses
2968 SR 710
Okeechobee, FL 34974
Phone: (813) 763-6611
Roses.
------
Gurney's
110 Capital St.
Yankton, SD 57079
Orders: (605) 665-1930
Customer Assistance: (605) 665-1671
Gurney's sells nearly everything under the sun: seeds, shrubs, trees, bulbs,
garden supplies, you name it, and they probably sell it.
OPINION: I ordered seeds, bushes, and trees from Gurney's this year. The
quality was generally proportional to the price paid: some things are really
good, but the el-cheapo specials sometimes left something to be desired.
Their horticultural staff appears knowledgeable, and certainly friendly.
Susan Profit (tinne@isumataq.eskimo.com) reports that she had some bad
experiences with Gurney's a number of years ago, relating to shipping and
billing screw-ups. She hasn't ordered from them since, so I don't know if
this is an isolated incident, or the result of generally bad management.
Any comments on this would be greatly appreciated.
------
Hardy Roses for the North
Box 2048
Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0
CANADA
Box 273
Danville, WA 99121-0273
Fax: (604) 442-2766
Own-Root (not grafted) roses.
------
Heirloom Old Garden Roses
24062 NE Riverside Dr.
St. Paul, OR 91737
Orders: (503) 538-1576
This is a catalog of "old" roses: not a hybrid tea to be found. If you're
looking for english or unusual roses, this is the place to go.
OPINION: If you are a rose grower, and you are still growing hybrid teas,
this catalog will convert you. Many of the old roses offered here are just
as good, if not better than, the more common modern roses. The catalog offers
a lot of information about a zillion different roses, including hardiness,
and (my favorite) lists of roses well-suited for particular uses (i.e.
roses for growing over trellises, roses for scent, etc.). Their stock is
first-rate, and all grown on its own roots, so there are no bud unions to
worry about. There is no separate phone number for questions, but I found
the people answering the phone to be knowledgeable and helpful. Two thumbs
up. Note that they charge $5 for the catalog, but once you're on their
mailing list (i.e. after you buy something), they'll send it free.
------
Henry Field's
415 North Burnett
Shenandoah, IA 51602
Orders: (605) 665-9391
Fax: (605) 665-2601
Customer Service: (605) 665-4491
A general seeds-and-stuff catalog. They sell seeds, plants, and bulbs.
------
Hidden Garden Nursery
13515 SE Briggs
Milwaukie, OR 97222-6117
Miniature roses.
------
Holland Bulb Farms
423 Borad St.
P.O. Box 220
Tatamy PA 18085-0220
Orders: 1-800-283-5082
Another bulb catalog.
------
Hortico
723 Robson Rd.
Waterton, Ontario L0R 2H1
CANADA
Phone: (905) 689-6984 or (905) 689-3002
Fax: (905) 689-6566
Roses. Catalog costs $3.
------
J.L. Hudson, Seedsman
P.O. Box 1058
Redwood City, California, 94064
Jarkko Lapinlampi <Jarkko.Lapinlampi@cs.Helsinki.FI> reports:
The catalog costs $1.00, and is worth every cent. The 1994 edition of
the Ethnobotanical Catalog of Seeds is 95 pages and lists a LOT of seeds
(herbs, trees, vegetables, some ornamentals), as well as some
books and other literature.
More info is printed on every seed package, and there are plenty of
seeds per package. (The motto is: 'If seed production was bountiful
you'll get more seeds).
------
Jackson & Perkins
P.O. Box 1028
Medford, OR 97501
Orders: 1-800-292-4769
J&P actually publishes more different catalogs than you can shake a stick at.
They are highly respected, though I've never ordered anything from them.
------
J. W. Jung Seed & Nursery
335 S. High St.
Randolph, WI 53957-0001
Orders: 1-800-247-JUNG
Customer Service: 1-800-297-3123
Jung's sells seeds, nursery stock, a few bulbs, and supplies
------
Justice Miniature Roses
5947 SW Kahle Rd.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
Phone: (503) 682-2370
Miniature Roses.
------
Lee Valley Tools Ltd.
P.O. Box 6295, Stn. J
Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1T4
Canada
Phone Order: 1-800-267-8767
FAX: 1-800-668-1807
Customer Service: 1-800-267-8761
They carry mostly really neat woodworking tools but have a garden supply
section that has some interesting things. Hope this helps.
Thanks to Janet Lupson (jlupson@uoguelph.ca) for this entry.
------
Lenington Gardens
7007 Manchester Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64133
Tim Fehr (FEHRTJ@CNSVAX.UWEC.EDU) Provided this address and reports:
We just returned from Kansas City and had the pleasure of visiting
Lenington gardens - over 1,000 varieties of daylillies. Robert
Lenington and his wife opened the garden 2 hours early to accommodate
our travel schedule. We were treated to tour of the gardens and it
was really impressive. They introduced many of the Marsh cultivars
including the Prairie and Chicago series. Seeing 30 feet of Prairie
Blue Eyes or Chicago Knobby in bloom makes quite an impression. The
Leningtons host garden clubs during the summer they said and run a
mail order business.
I was especially delighted to see some of the Lenington families own
introductions. Two were really eye catching FUZZ BUNNIES is a lemon
yellow double with really consistent double form and WINE DELIGHT is
a small wine-red flower with a real red eye zone - this had up to 40
buds on many of the scapes and there were lots of scapes so it should
bloom for quite a long time. A landscaper or gardeners delight indeed!
Send for a catalog - prices were very reasonable - I would guess 90% are
under $20.00 - 50% at or under $10.00.
Donna Sullivan (sully@mathworks.com) reports:
I ordered from their catalog last fall and the daylilly varieties were
outstanding! They arrived in good shape (I'm in Massachusetts) and are
coming up strong this summer. Looking forward to the blooms. If anyone is
looking for variety in daylillies, their catalog is wonderful and
inexpensive. I ordered with a friend and if you ordered more than a certain
amount, everything was 50% off!
------
Lilypons Water Gardens
Box 10
Lilypons, MD 21717-0010
Phone: (301) 428-0686
Pond stuff. Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this
address.
------
Louisiana Nursery
Rt. 7, Box 43
Opelousas, LA 70570
Louisiana Irises. Also daylillies and some other bulbs and plants.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
McDaniel's Miniature Roses
7523 Zemco St.
Lemon Grove, CA 91945
Miniature roses.
------
Michigan Bulb Co.
1950 Waldorf NW
Grad Rapids, MI 49550-0500
Michigan Bulb Company sells bulbs, perennials, and other assorted plants.
OPINION: This catalog is filled with the kind of BREATHLESS PROSE and
AMAZING BARGAINS designed to stampede the gardener into making impulse
purchases. Their prices are cheap, but selection is limited, and quality
was very mediocre. In addition, I was unable to find a phone number anywhere
in the catalog--this could be a real problem, if you have problems with your
order. To their credit, they generally include hardiness information.
On the other hand, they also sell the "Blue Girl" rose, which is an automatic
two demerits in my book. Go elsewhere.
jsr@geneab.b23a.ingr.com (Jeff Reifsteck) reports:
I've had nothing but bad news from Michigan Bulb. The plants were poor and
didn't survive. They did replace them without question but my 40 creeping
myrtle (6" evergreen ground cover) became 40 crape myrtle (a big bush and
a lot more expensive). I needed ground cover not bushes. Except for the
replacement of a "Blue Girl" rose all the other replacements were not plantable.
apilote@wtcd.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Angela Pilote) reports:
Last year I ordered some things from them -- NEVER AGAIN!
I even told my husband to remind me of the poor quality
of there plants and bulbs if he even SEES me *looking* at one
of their catalogs.
None of the plants survived and only about half (maybe less)
of the bulbs came up. The bulbs also seemed very small
and I think I read somewhere that this is a sign that the
bulbs have not matured enough to bloom.
The prices seem to be good, but if you factor in the survival
rate and time invested -- it's not a deal. I'm better off paying
premium prices at my nursery for good quality plants and bulbs.
[Whew! I guess the verdict is in on this one!]
------
Michigan Miniature Roses
45951 Hull Rd.
Belleville, MI 48111
Phone: (313) 699-6698
Miniature Roses.
------
Miller's Manor Gardens
3167 E. US 224
Ossian, IN 46777
A wide variety of irises, daylilies, and hosta.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
Mini Rose Garden
1043 Mini-Rose Bldg.
Cross Hill, SC 29332
Miniature Roses.
------
National Arbor Day Foundation
100 Arbor Ave.
Nebraska City, NE 68410
All kinds of trees
OPINION: The National Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit organization
which promotes the planting of trees. They run frequent membership blitzes
where they offer to send you 10 free trees for joining. I did. You do get
10 free trees. They're all seedlings (no real surprise), but it can be
hard to tell them apart, since they are labeled with a spot of colored
paint which is hard to see. Their main method of raising funds appears to
be selling trees, of which they have a good selection and reasonable prices.
Might be worth joining if you plan to plant a lot of trees, or believe in
their cause.
------
Netherland Bulb Co.
13 McFadden Rd.
Easton, PA 18042-9078
Orders: 1-800-788-8547
Customer Assistance: (610) 253-8879
Netherland Bulb Co. sells bulbs and other plants grown from their roots.
OPINION: Mostly big pictures and not much else, this catalog will entice
the winter-weary gardener into buying lots and lots of colorful plants.
Their prices are cheap, but their stock is mediocre, and selection is very
limited. Hardiness information is nonexistent, though most of what they
sell should do OK most places in the U.S. Unless you're really pressed
for money, you can do better elsewhere--just keep in mind that you get
what you pay for.
Cate Williams (williams@ssnet.com) reports: I'd like to really say that
Netherlands Bulbs is HORRIBLE! I got suckered by the prices, and ended
up with a bunch of seriously diseased tulips -- so sick, that I can't
plant any more in that bed for two years. N.B. is simply dangerous.
My .02$.
------
New Holland Bulb Co.
P.O. Box 335
Rockport, IL 62370-0335
Bulbs, and assorted perennials. Note the lack of a phone number, which
could cause problems if you have difficulty with an order.
------
Nor'East Miniature Roses, Inc.
P.O. Box 307
Rowley, MA 01969
Phone: (508) 948-7964
Orders: 1-800-426-6485
On the West Coast:
Nor'East Miniature Roses, Inc.
P.O. Box 473
Ontario, CA 91762
Phone: (909) 984-2223
Orders: 1-800-662-9669
A large selection of miniature roses, and some supplies for those who like
to grow them (like miniature vases)
OPINION: This company is also on my "Good-Guys" list. Their prices are
quite reasonable, and their stock is high quality. Their catalog has a photo
of many of the offerings. If you are into miniature roses (or would like to
be), this is the catalog to get.
------
Ohio Gardens
102 Laramie Road
Marietta, OH 45750
Miniature Tall Bearded Iris. Catalog $1
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
------
Oregon Miniature Roses
8285 SW 185th Ave.
Beaverton, OR 97007
Miniature roses.
------
Paradise Water Gardens
62 May Street
Whitman, MA 02382
Water garden supplies
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Park Seed Co.
Cokesbury Rd.
Greenwood, SC 29647-0001
Orders: (803) 223-7333
Customer Service: (803) 941-4480
Park Seed sells seeds, a few smaller plants, some bulbs, and garden supplies
Susan Profit (tinne@isumataq.eskimo.com) reports:
The Washington State Attorney General's office considers them to be one
of the top ten mail order companies in the country. They will refund
money for just about any reason, they have always been unfailingly
courteous when I have called, they are knowledgeable, and will get more
information for you if they do not have it on hand. The one person I
know that had a customer dispute with them, was very satisfied with how
they handled it, it turned out to be a quarantined plans she had
ordered. They found her a local nursery that carried the plant, and had
them reserve one for her, refunded her money, and apologized
for the inexperienced phone trainee that had taken her order. They are
always very friendly, and making comments like, oh that's a nice
variety. I have never heard them say anything bad about any other
company, and they are a marvel of customer appreciation. When my
stepfather retired as head of the State Capitol grounds after twenty
years, the company sent him a letter of appreciation for his support
over the years. And he of course, had nothing but great things to say of
them, based on over thirty five years of professional contact.
------
Quality Dutch Bulbs
P.O. Box 225
50 Lake Dr.
Hillsdale, NJ 07642-0225
Phone: (215) 253-9570
Orders: 1-800-755-2852
Bulbs (need I say more?).
------
Raintree Nursery
391 Butts Road
Morton, WA 98356
(206) 496-6400
Fruit Trees
Thanks to Eric Reed (ericr@corgi.sps.mot.com) for this entry.
------
Rialto Gardens
1146 W. Rialto
Fresno, CA 93705
Reblooming Irises.
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry.
------
Roses Unlimited
Rt. 1 Box 587
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: (803) 682-9112
Roses.
------
Santa Barbara Water Gardens
Box 4353
Santa Barbara, CA 93140
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Schreiner's
3629 Quinaby Road
Salem, Oregon 97303
1-800-525-2367 for orders
1-503-393-3232 for questions
Tall Bearded Irises, color catalog $4 (deductible from order)
Thanks to Jim Wilson <jwilson@bach.udel.edu> for this entry
------
Seed Savers Exchange
Kent Whealy-Director
Rural Route 3, Box 239
Decorah, Iowa 52101
jacobson@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu provided this entry, and says:
These are great folks and it's a very worthwhile program.
------
Seeds of Change
P.O. Box 15700
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506-5700
julianet@freenet3.scri.fsu.edu (Juliane Thomas) provided this address and reports:
My husband found this address because he wants to do some organic
gardening, and these are supposed to be seeds which come from plants
uncontaminated by pesticides or chemical fertilizers. He hasn't
ordered any yet, but he probably will very soon.
------
Sequoia Nursery/Moore Miniature Roses
2519 E. Noble
Visalia, CA 93292
Phone: (209) 732-0190
Miniature Roses.
------
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
30 Irene St.
Torrington, CT 06790
Orders: East (203) 482-3638
West (408) 335-6910
Customer Service: (203) 482-3638
Horticultural Help: (408) 335-6910
Shepherd's sells mostly seeds, but also a few plants, and some kitchen and
garden supplies.
OPINION: The stylish illustrations in this catalog give it a distinctly
yuppie feel, but this is a good catalog nevertheless. They have a number
of varieties that are hard to find elsewhere (a whole PAGE of ornamental
sunflowers!), and a wealth of useful horticultural information. My order
arrived promptly, in good order, and appears to be high quality (it is still
a little soon for things to be sprouting around here, though). Prices are
a little above average, but seeds are cheap no matter how you slice it.
------
Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery,
2825 Cummings Road
Medford, OR 97501-1538
Phone: (503) 772-6846
Catalog $2
Thanks to Sean A. O'Hara (saouc@uccmvsa.bitnet) for this entry.
------
Slocum Water Gardens
1101 Cypress Gardens Boulevard
Winter Haven, FL 33880-6099
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Smith & Hawken
Two Arbor Lane
P.O. Box 6900
Florence, KY 41022-6900
Smith & Hawken sells mostly supplies and yard stuff, but also some seeds
and live plants.
------
Spring Hill
Mail Order Reservation Center
6523 North Galena Rd.
P.O. Box 1758
Peoria, IL 61656-1758
Orders: (309) 689-3800
Customer Service: (309) 689-3849
Spring Hill sells just about any kind of plant that catches their fancy.
OPINION: Spring Hill is one of these places that is in the business of
dumping cheap, inappropriate merchandise on unsuspecting customers. The
quality of their merchandise is mediocre, even though the prices are about
average. The provide little or no hardiness information, which is especially
troublesome considering that they sell some plants (like carnations) for
outdoor planting, even though they will not survive the winter in large
portions of the U.S. Furthermore, if you ever buy anything from Spring Hill,
you will be on their mailing list but good. I have received no less than
four different catalogs from them in the last two months (not even counting
the large number of "special offers" which seem to arrive about once a week,
and at least one telemarketing call). Avoid this company like the plague.
Note that Spring Hill appears to be the same company, or closely associated
with, Breck's Bulbs, another company on my "Avoid" list.
Al Harrington [alh@hprnd.rose.hp.com] says:
I think you are being way to hard on Spring Hill. I realize that
they do not supply hardiness information, and that some of their
plants are not in the best shape - their customer service is very
good. I purchased the carnation collection (15 plants) and 2 of
them died. I got credited for all 15 as it was a collection.
I ordered a lot of stuff from them (over 100 plants) and just about
all are doing just fine - what isn't I get credit for.
If nothing else seeing color pictures of *everything* they sell is
nice. :-)
------
Stark Brothers
P.O. Box 10
Louisiana, MO 63353-0010
Orders: 1-800-325-4180
Customer Service: 1-800-478-2759
Stark Brothers sells almost exclusively fruit trees, and a few ornamentals.
Eric Reed (ericr@corgi.sps.mot.com) reports: Stark Brothers have been around
for a long time. Many of their fruit trees are their own hybrids. I have
order from them twice, both times the orders were very well packed and the
trees were healthy and in general good shape. I planted a local nursery apple
tree and a Stark tree the same weekend. The Stark tree has done much better.
It has grown faster and produce fruit earlier than the local nursery tree.
The catalog is well written and gives a lot of information on each tree.
------
Taylor's Roses
P.O. Box 11272
Chicksaw, AL 36671-0272
Phone: (205) 456-7753
Miniature roses.
------
Tetra Pond
Box 4858
Toms River, NJ 08754-9946
Water garden and pond supplies
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Texas Mini Roses
P.O. Box 267
Denton, TX 76202
Phone: (817) 566-3034
Miniature roses.
------
Tiny Petals Miniature Rose Nursery
483 Minot Ave.
Chula Vista CA 91910
Phone: (619) 422-0385
Miniature roses.
------
Trophy Roses, LTD
1308 N. Kennicott Ave.
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Orders/Catalogs: (708) 253-0998
Fax: (708) 253-0738
Roses.
------
Van Dyek's Flower Farm
PO Box 430
Brightwaters, NY 11718-0430
Bulbs.
Thanks to Howard Fujimoto (hmf00@eng.amdahl.com) for this listing.
------
Van Ness Water Gardens
2460 North Euclid
Upland, CA 91786-1199
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Waterford Gardens
74 East Allendale Road
Saddle River, NJ 07458
Water garden supplies and plants.
Thanks to Bill Stoffel (stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil) for this entry.
------
Wayside Gardens
1 Garden Lane
Hodges, SC 29695-0001
Phone: 1-800-845-1124
Thanks to jacobson@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu for this listing.
------
White Flower Farm
Litchfield, CT 06759-0050
Orders: (203) 496-9600
White Flower Farm sells just about every kind of ornamental plant that one
might reasonably want to grow in North America.
OPINION: I will state my bias right up front: White Flower Farm is far and
away my favorite catalog. They have a reputation for being "upscale,"
but their prices are only slightly above average. Their catalog offers
a wealth of useful horticultural information, along with interesting
commentary about each and every plant. All the information you need to know
(hardiness, planting requirements, light requirements, etc.) is compiled
in a single useful index, as well as being stated with the description of
each plant. The catalog is organized alphabetically by genus name, so
in addition to being fun to read (and look at the pictures), it makes a
very useful reference. Of course, the catalog is only secondary to the
merchandise. Fortunately, their produce more than lives up to the high
standards set by the catalog: it is absolutely first rate. When I was buying
daylillies, crocuses, and daffodils from White Flower Farm and other
catalogs, the bulbs or roots from White Flower were often more than twice
the size of the ones from other vendors, and at a comparable price.
Even if you never buy anything from White Flower Farm, you should get their
catalog as a reference, since it is almost as good as buying a book on
ornamental plants, but a whole lot cheaper.
Sean A. O'Hara (saouc@uccmvsa.bitnet) disagrees with some of my tone:
Not really a flame, but please! I have a few of White Flower Farm's
catalogues, and I do value them for their reference quality and nice
photographs. But their plants and garden information is distinctively East
Coast in character. I would very much enjoy growing a number of plants they
list, but no longer attempt such folly as they are definitely inappropriate
for my arid western climate (as would many of the plants I cherish in my
garden be inappropriate for yours).
Please, let us not forget those 'less fortunate' souls who garden elsewhere!
North America is a big place, and I do not expect my garden to look like
your any more that I expect your to look like mine.
This reminds me of the search for a "North American gardening style". I can
think of nothing more ridiculous to search for - as if it could ever be
defined for a continent like ours - or that you'd want to try! This has
always been a way to 'one up' the 'English style'. Well, England is a
relatively small place, and even then it contains diversity more than we
imagine.
[I must plead guilty here. Perhaps I should have said that they sell "just
about any ornamental plant one might reasonably want to grow East of the
Rockies...."]
------
Gilbert H Wild and Son, Inc.
P.O. Box 338
Sarcoxie, Mo. 64862-0338
Phone: (417) 548-3514
Thanks to Joanne Kube-Harderwijk (joannek@empros.com) for this address.
Harry Boswell (u4imcehb@apollo.wes.army.mil) reports:
....an excellent mail-order nursery
specializing in daylilies and peonies (I've ordered from them
several times, with very good results)....
Great catalog, with lots of color photos, good discount section in the
back.
------
Wildseed Farms, Inc.
1101 Campo Rosa Rd, PO Box 308
Eagle Lake, TX 77434
Phone: 1-800-848-0078
Fax: (409) 234-7407
Wildflower seeds, including some hard-to-find ones.
Thanks to Chad Segura (segura@owlnet.rice.edu) for this entry.
-----
Woodlanders, Inc.
1128 Colleton Ave.
Aiken, SC 29801
Fax/Phone: (803) 648-7522
Plants, with an emphasis on native plants, and a few books.
Thanks to Anne Wolf (WOLFFMAD@ACM.ORG), who reports that this is an excellent
catalog.
-----
VII. But Before We Go....
I hope this FAQ has been useful. I also hope it has been accurate. If you
find any mistakes, or have any comments, please send me E-mail at the
address listed at the top of the file. Any suggestions for improving
future editions will be happily accepted, and possibly even acted upon.
This FAQ is also available via the World Wide Web. The URL is:
http://jean-luc.ncsa.uiuc.edu/People/PeterL/PBM-FAQ.html
I will try to get the new edition up as soon as I can. If it isn't
updated within a few days, send me mail and I'll get to it.
There is also a WWW page which allows you to send me comments without having
to know my E-Mail address or anything. You can reach this page at the same
URL as the FAQ itself.
--
Peter Leppik-- p-leppi@uiuc.edu
I'm Not A Physicist, But I Play One On The Net
http://jean-luc.ncsa.uiuc.edu/People/PeterL/HOME.html