help finding plants

I've been all over the internet and through many of the companies listed on DavesGarden looking for a reliable supplier that carries some specific items (not a House of Wesley company, Michigan Bulb or Spring Hill as I don't trust these companies to send me the quality plants I need).

I'm looking for:
Yellow forsythia (shrub/short tree) plants (at least 1 foot)
Heritage raspberries (2 year old stock)
Royal Paulownia (Empress) tree, at least 1-3 feet
Rosa Rugosa (wild-type) hedge roses (2 year old stock)

I'd rather get these plants from the same 1 or 2 companie if I can but I have been nable to find a trustworthy company (one that checks out on Dave's Garden with at least 75% positive feedback).

~Jean~

The ones at Forestfarm are too small for you?

I went to the Forestfarm site and could view the forsythia, but after several attempts, couldn't view the heritage raspberries, so have no idea if the price (I think it was about $16) is for one plant or more, since Nourse Farms has 5 Heritage raspberry plants for about the same cost (but again, no forsythia or any of the other plants lised here) , as for the other plants, I didn't see them listed with Forest Farm.

It's going to be tough getting all you want from one vendor. Most suppliers specialize in certain plants/trees, etc... So if you're looking for a tree or shrub most likely they won't carry fruit and visa versa.
The vendors that try to be all for all are the ones with bad ratings.

You also might want to check..... Royal Paulownia (Empress) tree is on the invasive list in many states

I have always had good luck/service from this nursery

http://www.plantdelights.com/

edited for link








This message was edited Mar 25, 2011 8:20 AM

Being on the invasive plant list may be why the Royal Paulownia (Empress) tree is proving so difficult to find from a respectable, highly rated vendor. I sought it because my home is a very tall house with a front yard that was completely void of trees. I planted 7 fruit trees there last year, but these are dwarf trees and even at full height are likely to only be half the height of the house. I will look for some other, somewhat fast growing tree to add height, the last thing I want is a tree that may prove invasive in my area. Thanks for the heads up!

The Drake Elm is a rather fast growing large shade tree (30 to 40 feet)

http://www.willisorchards.com/product/Drake+Elm+Tree

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqoTXV1C8YI

I don't know that Empress tree would meet your needs--I think where you are in NY is cold enough that it won't be invasive, but that's because it'll die back every winter and resprout from the roots in the spring. So it never gets around to blooming & making seeds and therefore won't be invasive, but it also won't really be a tree. It does grow quite a lot in one year so it can still get pretty tall over the course of the year, but since it'll likely die back most winters it won't be a nice shade tree either. Or if I'm mistaken about how cold it is where you are and it doesn't die back and does grow into a tree, then you've got the invasive part. So I'd look for something else regardless.

I got my yellow forsythia from my local plant nursery. They always have healthy plants, and good advice. They don't grow all their own, though. They buy a lot of their stock - but must have decent sellers. You might check to see if your local nursery can get the plants you want for you.

I agree with going to your local nursery. I have a great nursery by me and they guarantee their stuff for at least one year and its alot easier than trying to return anything that may not make it.

There are several nurseries near me, though last year I onlly found forsythia at at Lowe's, they were quite large and very beautiful. At the time I had not yet decided that I wanted forsythia and rosa rugosa to add color and block the sight of a very wet drainage ditch that flows along one side of my yard. I tried to keep the weeds down but mowing it is impossible, far too wet for push mower or riding mower along the edge and using the weed wacker resulted in a brush with wild parsnip, which causes a terrible rash. I might have considered a herbacide, but I don't know exactly wehre the water runoff from this ditch ends up, it could flow right to the creek across the road. It just seems a bad idea to use a herbacide near moving water, and this ditch almost always has at least a skinny stream.

Anyway, Lowe's should be getting their tree stock soon, it's usually in at least a couple weeks before arbor day. I've had good luck with several blueberry bushes, rhododendrons and hydrangeas I purchased from Lowe's, all are healthy and thriving. So, if they stock forsythias as they did last year, I'll buy them there, if not, whenever we get a nice day for browsing outdoor stock, I'm make the drive to the other nursery).

I think I have settled on Nourse Farms for my Heritage raspberries as well.

So, I am still looking for a supplier of nice Rosa Rugosas. As for the fast growing tree, perhaps a hybrid poplar or as suggested the Drake Elm. I don't require it to flower (as does the Paulownia). So, perhaps a hybrid poplar would do. I don't need shade in this space, I have a 10'X20' covered porch. It's more to soften the appearnace of the house, currently it is a huge white house with only small shrubs and three trees, two ornamental with mature height of 10-12 feet and one larger purple leafed maple-type tree that is only about 15 feet currently (it can't be seen from the front yard though).


About how quickly do

Maples grow FAST at least my weedy ones do.