Sorry if we did this already but I can't find the thread if we did.
What is your favorite mail order company, what do they specialize in and where are they located??
Favorite mail order companies
I'm new to mail order so I havnt had much of a track record BUT
RosyDawn Coleus are great thay send plants the shoot up right away and their packing system is genius.
They also include generous amounts of bonus plants.
That was last years experience.
This years Co-op was the best at a time when money is short.
I know the ratings on Watchdog but I have never had a problem with Breck's I've only ordered bulbs and they arrive in great condition and at perfect planting time and if for some reason you have a problem they replace it or your $ back no questions asked..no time limit...of course I've never had a problem soooo...
Here's some of their Tulips
nice
I'm pretty sure we have done this, but my faves are:
Deer Resistant Lanscape -
Fairweather Gardens - trees, shrubs, vines, perennials
Wildwood Maples - JM's, dogwoods and other maples
Silverstar Vinery - clematis
Garden Crossings - perennials and shrubs
Mischel's Greenhouse - annuals
Rosy Dawn - coleus
Rarefind - trees and shrubs
Glasshouse Works - coleus and other tropicals
Forgot Caladiums4Less
In spite of negative remarks I have had no trouble with WFF or Van Bourgandines. We ordered daffodils from the latter (their bushel). Wayside sent a lousy daylily one time, but otherwise no problem.We mainly buy irises from mailorder. The west coast sources have bigger rhizomes as they are watered differently out there. Good iris sources: east, Winterberry (VA) & Rocky Top (TN). For siberians: Joe Pye Weed's Garden. West coast: Schreiners, Cooleys, Mid-America & Aitken's Salmon Creek (which have medians as well as TBs.) ASC also has Louisianas. Superstition has TBs, some medians, historic & aril-breds. Back to bulbs, Sheepers has good ones, only had difficulty with peonies, which they worked on,
Here are my favorites - there is a lot of price comparison (plants and shipping) going one for me with these places
Rarefind - trees and shrubs
Deer Resistant Landscape - plants
Wildwood Maples - JM's
Silverstar Vinery - clematis
Lazy S&S - shrubs & plants
Sooner Plant Farm
Greer's - Dogwoods & JM's
Davidsans - JM new although i expect excellent trees
Mendocino Maples - jm's
jForest Farm
Select Seed
Jung Seed
Superseed
Territorial Seed
Burpee
I used to order from Burpee, but not since they killed Heronswood.
just some t-plant seeds - big momma hybrid - and a hybrid brandywine - too expensive other wise
Flowerjen, Nice idea, These are my go to guys. I have some that I have ordered from this year and expect that they will be great too for what I have read in the Watchdog. I copied the list off my journal and just deleted the ones that I hated or don't use enough to have an opinion. I didn't list trees or veggies or annuals as I don't do much mail order for those. I just sent an order to Pollyk's new Siberian Iris gardens.I expect she will become a favorite. Patti http://www.siberianirisgardens.com/
# BULBS (Misc)
* BRENT AND BECKY BULBS (62)
* BUGGY CRAZY (11)
* EFLOWERGARDEN (22)
* JOHN SCHEEPERS (2)
* MCCLURE AND ZIM (4)
* OLD HOUSE GARDENS (7)
* VAN ENGELEN (60)
# CALADIUM (0)
* CALADIUMS FOR LESS (5)
* EFLOWER (3)
# CALLA LILY (0)
* PACIFIC CALLA COOP (15)
# CANNA (0)
* HORN CANNA FARM(15)
# DAFFODILS (0)
* BRENT & BECKY (49)
* BUGGY CRAZY (35)
* EFLOWERGARDEN (55)
* JOHN SCHEEPERS (17)
* MCCLURE AND ZIM (7)
* OLD HOUSE GARDENS (14)
* VAN ENGELEN (31)
# DAYLILY (0)
* EFLOWERGARDENS (5)
* HANSEN LADYBUG DL (28)
* HILL GARDEN OF ME (22)
* MARYOTT GARDENS (18)
# FERNS (0)
* AVANT GARDENS (1)
* RICK'S (5)
# GLADIOLUS (0)
* CATES FAMILY (13)
* EFLOWER (18)
* HONKER FLATS (9)
* OLD HOUSE GARDENS (4)
* PLEASANT VALLEY GLADS (18)
# GREENHOUSE PLANTS (0)
* BRENT AND BECKY BULBS (4)
* EFLOWERGARDEN (6)
* LOGEE'S GH (8)
* MARK PIETTE EPI (10)
* MOUNTAIN CREST GARDENS (11)
# HERBS (0)
* MT VALLEY GROWERS (16)
* LOGEE'S GH (3)
# HIPPEASTRUM (0)
* BRENT AND BECKY BULBS (5)
* EFLOWERGARDEN (2)
* JOHN SCHEEPERS (8)
* ROYAL COLORS (4)
* VAN BOURGONDIEN (16)
* VAN ENGELEN (9)
# HOSTA (0)
* EFLOWERGARDENS (24)
* FOXFIRE (29)
* SHADY OAKS (52)
# IRIS (0)
* AITKENS SALMON CREEK (17)
* BRENT AND BECKY BULBS (14)
* EFLOWERGARDEN (18)
* ENSATA GARDENS (11)
* HANKS IRIS GARDEN (18)
* IRIS CITY (18)
* LAURIA FRAZER (10)
* SCHREINER'S IRIS (19)
* SNOWPEAK IRIS (101)
* STONEY CREEK (20)
# LILY (0)
* B & D LILIES (16)
* BUGGY CRAZY (73)
* EFLOWER (45)
* FARAWAY LILY (23)
* VAN ENGELEN INC (22)
* WOODEN SHOE BULB FARM (39)
# PERENNIALS (0)
* AVANT GARDENS (30)
* BLUESTONE (70)
* BRENT AND BECKY BULBS (15)
* RICK'S (6)
# ROSE (0)
* CHAMBLEE ROSE (11)
* S & W GREENHOUSES (10)
# SHRUBS (0)
* AVANT GARDENS (18)
* BLUESTONE (27)
* FAIRWEATHER (14)
* FORESTFARM (15)
# TULIP (0)
* BRENT AND BECKY (47)
* EFLOWERGARDEN (20)
* GROWINGTULIPS (15)
* K.VAN BOURGONDIEM (20)
* JOHN SCHEEPERS (14)
* TULIP WORLD (22)
* VAN ENGELEN (12)
Could you be more specific, Patti?^_^
YUP..what Patti said.
Patti - wow
That's a lot of go-to guys. I'd like to have that many go-to girls. Or go-go girls. Or Goo-Goo Dolls. What do the numbers mean? How many times you've gone to them?
Holey Moley-Patti!!!!!
I thought we did this too but I can not find it in the search.
I just got a Miller nursery catalog today and they have more positives in Watchdog but I'm a little leary of them since they sell Bradford pear trees.
How much worse would the economy be without Patti?!!
wow Patti... you are good
here are some shipment photos in my diary Jen
http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/m/onewish1/
This list shows my journal entries by vendor. All this neurotic foolishness goes back to all my years in the book business. I had to track all the books in my stores, so since retiring from that, I now track my plants.
Does anyone else use the DG journel feature? It has some major issues that make it awkward and less user friendly than it could be, but I am hoping they will fix those soon. I still like it better than any other programs I have seen, but maybe I have missed a good one.
But I see I should be taking pictures of the arrivals like Onewish1. That is slick and very revealing. Patti
Never used it myself. Too lazy. Dewey decimal system for plants, Patti?
So victor, how do you know what you have planted and where? It isn't like you have a single tree and a couple of shrubs.
I just like being able to see what is suppose to where I planted it and what it suppose to look like and where I got it and what I paid for it and when. Not quite so crazy as the book records where I listed every book by isbn, author, title, pub, price, binding, section, order source, order date, quantity on hand, quantity on order, comment field , special order information, quantity sold in a given month and total sold per year and returns made. TMI, but essential.
I still file our books at home by section, and for many, in alpha order. Too silly, but that's an old habit is hard to break. I am not really organized or neat in other things most things. Just a mad list-er. Patti
I rely on photos primarily.
jen i have ordered frm millers's and they are very good - did not put them in my list - just an oversight
patti you are amazing
What are you looking to get, Jen?
Amanda's Garden is my #1 source for NE native wildflowers & ferns:
http://www.amandagarden.com/
For native trees & shrubs I usually buy from the county soil district, but there's also White Oak Nursery:
http://www.whiteoaknursery.biz/
For seeds I usually buy from Prairie Moon (occasionally plants too):
http://www.prairiemoon.com/
Jen,
My 2 cents if looking for veggies. I think the plants and shrubs suggestions are golden.
There are many good companies. You can never order from just one because every year something else interests you and no one has them all. These are my favorites:
Fedco
Pine Tree Seeds
Victory Seeds
Sandhill Preservation
Seed Savers exchange
John Scheepers Kitchen Garden
Johnny's
Baker Creek
May I interrupt this thread for a public service announcement?
Please (please, please, please) take a few minutes to share your reviews in the Garden Watchdog.
Lists like this can be fun, but they have two major drawbacks:
1) If there are conflicting opinions on a company, it can lead to a disagreement between friends. However, you can each post your opinions in the Garden Watchdog without feeling compelled to press the point with your garden buddy who had a bad experience with that company, or vice-versa.
2) Threads are a bit like spring tulips. They will captivate our attention for a few days or weeks, and then they're gone, replaced by something else. Your reviews in the Garden Watchdog remain easy to find by gardeners long after this thread has vanished.
Need a few more reasons to leave feedback in the Watchdog?
For starters, what you know helps others. Not only do your comments help the "next generation" of gardeners who come along, but the positive comments help companies, small and large, build a solid reputation (testimonials trump paid advertising every time.) And the few negative comments--if constructive--can help a company know where they are falling short.
From an efficiency standpoint, it's a whole lot easier to link to your list of reviews from your member page (as an example, I'll pick on Patti since she invited me to come get up on my soapbox ;o)
http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/vcbm/bbrookrd/
That's a lot easier than typing out a list and/or copying links to your faves ;o)
And out of 6,695 companies, only 3,476 have been reviewed. That means your reviews may very well help the world beat a path to some little-known vendors, ensuring they'll remain in business for the foreseeable future.
Mail order season is gearing up...I hope you'll all take a few minutes to share your rants and raves for the benefit of others. If you need help finding anyone you've ordered from, just let us know. With almost 6,700 companies listed, it's highly likely they're already listed, but if they aren't yet listed, we'd be happy to help get them "on the map."
I for one, look in briefly on my saved threads and forget to contribute to the entire DG community on a regular basis.
Thanks for the reminder, Terry.
sorry Terry....::::::dragging my toe though the sand:::::
No need to drag your toe (unless I'm misunderstanding...) From the looks of things, you've done your "fair share" of rating companies here:
http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/vcbm/onewish1/
Of course, if there are new ratings to add, well...quit dragging ;o)
In response to Terry, I try to write reviews for the Watchdog, I read reviews always in the Watchdog, I love the Watch Dog, but, as so many of the people writing the reviews are unknown to me, it doesn't mean the same thing as what is posted in this thread.
Normally I have to glean from random regular posts made by all my regular DG pals, who they actually love to order from. This new thread just gave me a quick list of some of the favorite vendors of my pals all in one spot at this moment in time. Yes, it is a random snapshot, rather than a compilation over time. However, I love seeing this list as it is immediate and related to people who I know. More like chatting over the fence with a neighbor about a choice of new car than reading Consumer Report. Both valuable.
So lets do both, and as for disagreements, well, we in the NE already had ours this year, so we are all on our best behavior.
I am guilty of not slamming a couple of bad vendors in the Watchdog, as it makes me feel mean to be negative. But now I realize it is my duty to the future gardeners of the world to rip off a couple of critical reviews for some vendors whose poor service was inexcusable. I wish we had the ability to post a photo in the Watch Dog Review. I got a great order of bare root roses from S &W this week that I would love to show, and then last summer I got a nice box of dead plants from someone who I had once liked.
No more toe dragging through the sand, we have lots of that here, for me. Promise. Patti
I'm new to mailorder on the scale I have done last(first) year and this spring is even more pumped up.
I guess I havnt worked out a system (of the many I have now tought myself) for ordering from any garden store.
I wish it was possible to have a running order that is final after a few months.
I made enitial orders from GC and Bluestone, for example. Each time I put in an extra plant or two they charge me immediatly and add the shipping which goes on my charge,I cant believe it costs the accumulated shipping charges of these small orders when they send 30 plants. The charge is the same for one as two around 7 dollars.
Those smaller charges add up.
I like the companies that charge when they ship,that way there is some sort of break on shipping.
Maybe older members have a system or some advise.
Changing the subject. Victor you buy all your plants? You dont germinate your seeds. What do you do with all your seeds? Why dont you take on a project germinating with some seeds and show us what you can do! Possibly go through some aggrevation to boot :-)
Your robbing us of and experience of a lifetime!
I did the seed thing big-time a few years ago. Just too much work in my opinion. I start a few things from seed, but not much. I let many plants go to seed in the landscape. Feeds the birds and creates new plants. If I like them, I'll let them grow and transplant them. If I don't like them and they're invasive, I will deadhead and/or eliminate them. After mid-June I become a lazy gardener. Just want to watch it and water when I have to. Too many other things to do and it's too hot.
back to favorites - for hosta i like Mason Hollow Nursery - one caveat is that they are close enough for me to visit - bad for visa/good to see what you are getting - they have a huge inventory of different varieties (700) and the owners are a wife/hubby team that are very helpful. They aslo have a nice dog that is pictured on their web site.
the nursery is in their backyard and they have lots of beautiful hosta on their property - if you are ever in the area it is worth the stop - and if you bring your visa card or cash with you do not blame me!
then that would be my - strike that - the warning has been issued - i've never left with less than 10 hosta.
If you visit a nursery in person, as opposed to ordering from them, remember we also have Go Gardening; in fact, here's the entry for Mason Hollow: http://davesgarden.com/products/go/view/2686/
I am sure I am going to love my Wha inspired order from Mason Hollow. They sent a nice note acknowledging my order. I keep my garden money in my checking account. I don't dare pay via a credit card. This years stash is truly about gone and I have no new work insight that would fill it back up. Trouble, the economy will tank again for sure without my extravagances. Victor can pick up the slack. I went to a hairdresser for the first time in 25 years and decided that by not doing that I had saved between 1000 to 2000 a year. That is a whole lot of plants. I looked a whole lot better, but I would rather have the plants. Bad hair day, Patti