Your favorite place to buy streps

Hello everyone - I am new to streps, but becoming a fanatic already! =) My mom has come over to visit recently, seen my plants, and caught the 'bug' as well. Now she wants some! I am going to go visit her Wednesday, and we are going to order some plants for her. So far, I have gotten mine off of ebay. Brennan's Orchids sometimes has plants on ebay, and I did buy some from them. They are beautiful plants. I have also read the reviews on Gary's Out of Africa - they sound like great plants, but some mention he is pretty slow in getting them out - true? The streps from Rob's Violet Barn seem like they may be a little small for the money.

Anyone have a favorite they can recommend?

(Strep: Shenandoah Summer)

I have gotten mine from a verrrrry nice lady on this site. Try asking and I am pretty sure someone will share one with you. If they don't have any they can tell you where to find the best.

Hi,Welcome to the AV/Gessie forum.You have come to the right place.Most of us are strep addicts.LOL. Have you tried looking on Dave's marketplace? Sometimes there's some for sale there.Brennan's Orchids is the best in size.I received 2 as a gift and they where large plants.You can order right from there website.Maybe they have a larger selection of plants there.Jan

I personally like Lyndon Lyons, Brennan's Orchids, Gary'sOutofAfrica for streps.......my three favorite places..............

I have that Summer from Brennan's.........it is true that Brennan's are great big healthy plants but I don't care what size they are as long as I can find what I am looking for. I have nothing against Rob's Violet Barn as they are good growers even though they usually send small plants.

I saw some wonderful strep leaves from a Kathy'sStreps on ebay but I don't shop on ebay.........am waiting for her to give me a price for some leaves.

***I just refuse to play the bidding game on streps when there are so many vendors with good plants....the same plants which usually run from 6.50 to 9.00 each.........

This message was edited Jul 14, 2008 5:07 PM

I just thought of Belisle's Violet House. I haven't ordered from them but they do carry a lot of Fernwood and some other unusual streps.

I decided I don't like selling streps anymore (LOL) as it is more fun to trade..........

Hi,

I got some from Bluebird sometime ago. I have bought from them in the past and their plants always look good and healthy.

I have never heard about the orchid place before. Going to check that.

Reporting back:

Ooooooh... that orchid place has some lovely streps...and orchids. :o)

Spider, I bought two orchids from them. One is that dark dark red called Jim's ?.........they are planted in only spaghnum moss. I need to plant it in bark and orchid mix.....before it gets too old and knows the difference.

Their streps are completely grown when you get them so it is nice to just be able to put them under the lights and they continue blooming..........

I didn't even know Bluebird sold streps. Going to check it out!

Gail, they do and they have lovely ones. And you always get a gift!

I am just putting some strep leaves down. Do you use a heating mat?

I don't use a heating mat but I do use heat.........for about 5 days. My kitchen gro lights are mounted below each shelf causing a lot of heat on top of the next shelf. You are not talking about a heating mat for aches and pains are you? I think they are way too hot ?????

I went to Bluebird to look at the streps and I have all of them except for Daniel and a real pretty one ....can't remember the name.....one of the first ones listed.......dark purple one

LOL!!! no silly ;o)! It is a plant heating mat!

I had Daniel when I lived in England. It was one of my favourites!

Well, I don't know you and some people think you can use a regular heat pad (LOL)

Lucky you for getting to live in England! You can get Dibley's, Fleischle, etc..........so jealous.

Gail, not anymore. I live in Georgia now but i miss my british plants a lot!

i have gotten streps from gary's out of africa, i like them the best, also have gotten some from belisles, they are nice also,i have won a few off ebay from kathy's streps,but still like gary's best.
mrsbonnie

I only wish that US citizens would value flowers as people do in Europe. Of course, we have so much geography here in the states, but I just love all the little townhouses with the walls and windows amass with flowers cascading.

Bonnie, I love Gary so much that I have his strep list (both Bristol's and the others) printed out on my desk. I look at them everyday trying to decide if I want to buy in mass and just get what I get or pay the regular price and get exactly what I want.........oh my.........these big decisions in life.

Gail, yes, the europeans love their gardens and flowers and their flower shows are magnificient.

I was shocked when i rcame to Atlanta and didn't see any gardens. Just the same usual plants/trees and loads of pine needles covering the soil.

The europeans are more adventurous and like more unusual plants. i used to go to lots of rare, unusual flower shows. You also find that many growers of little treasures are back garden growers, with a little greenhouse and they sell plants from their gardens or driveways.

The street lights always have hanging baskets with flowers cascading from them, during the summer.

I am going to try and plant a cottage garden here but i don't know if i will be successful with all the drought going round.

There are some good nurseries with unusual plants here, but they are not popular.

One place that I love is the www.geraniacea.com.

Just check the list of her hardy geraniums.

But their lies the kink for me. It is entirely too hot here to grow anything but tropicals. I always think of hardy geraniums when I think of European window planters.

I am sorry you have too much heat,Gail. But even in the heat you can create a wonderful tropical garden, with no need for trucks full or pine needle!

I love tropical gardens. They are full of mistery and big showy flowers, and scents....

I have seen great photos of texan gardens, wonderfully crazy!


This message was edited Jul 14, 2008 10:29 PM

Wow, everyone - I just got home from work - what great information! I will have to check out all your suggestions. I am anxious to see if I can successfully put some leaves down and propagate streps. I have some leaves and am getting some perlite Wednesday. It takes a while to see a plantlet form, doesn't it? If I can propagate some, then I'll probably have to buy another house for my streps. ;-)

All I need is a cot in my house (LOL)