Lauray of Salisbury

I placed and order Wednesday this week " June 21 st " and just got my box with my Begonia Bethlehem Star !
I also got Begonia Edge of Sunset and B. Strawberry Cream ! They were packaged with tender care PERFECT !
I'm so excited . Their good size plants in 2.50 inch pots. They will live on my kitchen windowsill. Begonias
seem to really love it there !
I placed my order threw Lauray's and could have not asked for better customer servcie, great packaging fast shipping. Very nice talking on the phone with her also !
She sent me her Catalog too.
Highly recommended !

Hi Allison!
So you did go ahead and order from her.

I ordered nematanthus....no begonias.

Mine were nicely rooted *multiple* cuttings, rather than just one.

She was highly recommended from a Gesneriad Guru on another forum.

Glad to hear you got your begonia!

I've always been pleased with her.

Glad you're happy with your order.

Susan

Link? Thanks

http://www.lauray.com/

It can be slow going at times (I've ordered last year and this year and both times are over six weeks), plants are small, and no pictures so be sure you know what you want.

Those were the negatives. The positives are a large selection, reasonable prices, and most are delivered in good shape.

You can usually count on correct ID's, too.

My order was a bit slow to arrive, too, but she does let you know approximately how long it will take when you initially email her with your 'wants'.

Thanks Nan ! You know I never put two and two together being the same person that you were going to order the Chirita from ! Your baby I have for you is growing good.
Well I had been looking for a Begonia Nanna named in plantfiles and came across Bethlehem Star. I fell in love with it ! The vendor plantfiles said had it was sold out and I think it was Stephanie said Lauray's had it !
I called her to see if she had it. Yeah she said yes !
I asked how many plants my order had to be and she said cost the same to ship three.
So I asked her to give me two more Begonia's with pink or red , some kind of color in the foliage. I like the surprises she sent me !.
I called on Wednesday 21st. got my wonderful box today ! Could not be any faster.
The three plants were all packaged perfect, in 2.50 pots all filling their pots and over filling. They could probaly be separated into two plants each but I like full and I want them to get use to my home.
I am extremly fussy when I order plants, and getting good size and condition ~
With Lauray my first order I could not ask for more.
When I called to place the order I told her a couple times no rush. She said they she always tries to ship them our right away if weather permits.
If she is away at shows I can see why some orders are slow ~
Maybe the best way to order is to call her ?
She was very nice and helpful on the phone !
I am not a big Begonia collecter nor do I have room but I will order again just beacasue these plants are so adorable , pretty , love the foliage on the three I got and sense I had great experience with Lauray I will be ordering again from this company !
What I did about pictures was go to plantfiles to look up as many as I could.
She is also a one person shop no one helps her. I read she might be retiring so I hope to get a couple more of these plants before she does.
Nan she told me she did not have anything really along the Gesneraid line, Epsicas, Chirita...it had been a cold winter .
I am just thrilled and will take pictures when I get a chance !

Thanks, Susan

Good to know, Allison! (Thanks again for offering the Chirita...I'm excited about it!)

Now you've got me wishing I'd have ordered a begonia or two from her!

I know that her 'specialty' is gesneriads, but even her paper catalog didn't have much in the line of gesneriads other than nematanthus and aeschynanthus.....those two are her 'true' specialty, from what I'm told (and according to her catalog selection.)

My order did take a while, but she had let me know from the beginning that it would....her communication was excellent.

With as nice as her Begonias are ! And to me not a collector of thought her Begonia collection is Subperb !
Nan call her up and order a few :))

Yep, Nan, go for it!

I would have thought begonias were her specialty with the length of her lists. I emailed her last week but have not heard from her. I think she does better with telephone calls.

Susan

Now you two stop encouraging me!
I don't do well with most begonias....they just don't like me!

Besides, I'll have to kick the family out this winter if I acquire much more, lol! (we can't have that, now, can we?!)

But begonias are easy, especially the canes. (I'm a good one to talk, I lost all except 1-but I didn't take care of them :-() They don't even have to have the window sill.

Why are they so hard to care for ? Seems Begonias grow much easier to me than African violets and I can grow them in my sleep.

Violet,

Oh you people in semi-tropical areas have the life of Riley. Just plant them in the ground and forget them. Well maybe it's not that easy but the point is for the temperate gardener the difficulty isn't growing them in the summer because they flourish outdoors like they do in your zone but rather getting them through the winter months with less than ideal light, poor air circulation, and dry air. They were growing along the roads like weeds in Belize without any human intervention so that just shows you how tough they really are except when it comes to frigid weather.

Butch

I am not a big collecter of them like you and Lali..and so on. I've just always had a few growing inside for a few years and they did well. Just this past Spring other than two Begonias I had them in the house year round. And Lali gave me so many cuttings and leaves in FEb . 2006 and they roots and grew fast ! Exciting ! Lali said plant them outside. Irene Nuss I think her name is and inside she grew like a weed and outside .
I guess it's all luck !
I am thinking the ones I grow inside year round with my Gesneriads that need warmth, humidity , light , good air circulation ..well I grow them all together and though I have not had many the Begonias I have are happy and growing well.
By no means am I an expert like just you just a person that loves to grow plants ! and have FUN .

You're in a perfect place to grow these treasures (well except for the occasional hurricane). I wish I was in a semi-tropical/tropical zone but then I might have problems coming in at night or leaving home for vacation.

I am trying not to start buying too many Begonia plants ~ as I grow African violet babies in my sleep and giving them away for shipping to new homes by the hundreds..no room and can't take care of them.
Begonias to me seem a lot easier than African violets and most Gesneraids.
They do have a lot of the same likes in enviromant.
But I bought three Begonias last week and just fount myself ordering a few more yesterday. I have several Lali gave me lots of cuttings, and a few I've been growing for the past few years . The ones outside my husband takes care of and everything he plants does well.
I do know any more Begonia's I buy are going to be different, eye catching , pretty foliage , colorful variegated. I am going to do my very best not to go too crazy. And yes here in Florida they are easy to grow inside and out. I am lucky !

Hi Violet, I know this is the begonia forum but can you just share some of your secrets regarding African Violets? I really like the variegated ones.

Susan

Hi Susan
I could here but why not jump over the the friendly African violet and Gesneriad forum ! We have two great stickies full of links and Info. And a Bingo where you can win supplies and plants, leaves ! Lost of sharing and trades always going on.
I grow babies and share them ! But slowing down my health does not allow me to care for as many.
But I still have hundreds of leaves down and will be sharing there babies with DG friends !