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Dumped by Parks. Any suggestions?

Laura
15 years ago

So back in March I ordered the terra cotta million bells collection from Parks, ordered some blue calibrachoa to go with them in the hanging pots I had planned out in my head, and also a couple of other vines. Paid for the stuff, everythings cool.

Didn't hear from them for a few weeks, called a couple of times to find out when they would ship, and was told a couple of dates averaging the first of April. Two separate shipments though, the calibrachoa in one, and the other vines in the other, no problem.

Got the blue calibrachoa last week, all by themselves, no use to me really since I was mixing the two colors, and it was a little inconvenient to go ahead and plant them, but I did, in their own pots. Just repot them later.

Today, I get an email saying they were out of the terra cotta collection of calibrachoa. Said they were out when I ordered. Why I wasn't told the two times I called to check on my order, I'll never know.

So long story longer, I'm looking for somewhere new from which to order. I like to save money, and want good customer service.

Any suggestions?

Comments (11)

  • Ralph Whisnant
    15 years ago

    If you go to davesgarden.com and click on Guides&Information at the top of their home page, then click on PlantFinder, then click on "Search for plants", it will give you a data file to fill in. If you put calibrachoa in the box for Genus and click on "Search" at the bottom of the form, it will give you a list of all of the Calibrachoas in their files. Note that 'Million Bells Terra Cotta' is one of the Calibrachoas listed. Click on it and it will tell you which companies have it for sale. Click on the '
    "Buy from this Vendor" option and it will take you to the web site for that vendor and the page showing the plant you are looking for. They listed two options. I chose Avant Gardens and the link took me to a page showing the plant and its price. You should be able to navigate from there to find shipping costs, phone numbers, etc.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Calibrachoa Terra Cotta from Avant Gardens

  • hsummer
    15 years ago

    Minuet - Where are you in NC? King's nursery here in Matthews (right outside of Charlotte) has every color imaginable of those million bells. I bought the terra cotta ones this week. I think they call them some kind of "punch" but they are gorgeous. If you are in the Charlotte area, you should stop by and check them out.

    Good luck.
    Hope

  • Dibbit
    15 years ago

    Most nurseries will be carrying the callibrachoa soon, if they don't already have it in. I saw the terra-cotta colored ones last year at both the better nurseries and the seasonal/big box ones, so the plants are out there.

  • trianglejohn
    15 years ago

    I have also seen the terra cotta sold under different names but the identical color scheme - so look around, no need to order them.

    I imagine the reason Parks doesn't have them is because they needed to satisfy their larger commercial orders first and so the local garden centers won out.

  • hsummer
    15 years ago

    Minuet - I stopped by Kings Nursery today and they have the Apricot Punch callibrachoa. It's not the terra cotta. I asked one of the gardeners there and she said that the apricot punch and terra cotta are very similar but there is a slight difference. I think she said that terra cotta's center is a little more reddish and that the center of the apricot punch is more of a deep apricot, but it looks reddish orange to me.

  • Laura
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks everyone, I've been hunting with your leads and have some great places.

    hsummer, arrgghh, I wish I was closer. I am near Raleigh. Dave's sounds like a great place.

    I guess I was a little ticked off with Parks as well. Thanks for listening.

  • Laura
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Edited to add:

    Hsummer, I meant King's nursery, not Dave's garden,lol. I was surfing on davesgarden website at the time. Too early for me and I need more coffee.

    One good thing to come out of all this is.. I can spell callibrachoa now without cheating.

  • bluesgarden
    15 years ago

    I refuse to use Parks myself as I ordered Alliums which I had to wait for the correct time of season to have them shipped and I also was told 4 months after I ordered them they were out. I was so ticked I stopped using them entirely.
    I now do not have any where I order from.Any suggestions for coastal gardening. I depend now on local nurseries .Thanks

  • dottie_in_charlotte
    15 years ago

    hsummer, you must live closer to Kings and I live closer to Youngs (on 521). Youngs had a wonderful selection. I got Apricot Punch and a compact form "MiniFamous Compact Watermelon". They had a huge selection of colors in great quantities.

    Minuet..it's one L in calibrachoa. Mine were greening up when the landscapers spreading mulch decided to pull them out.
    Oh well. This would have been their 4th year. Huge mounds that looked more like shrubbery when they weren't blooming.
    Time for fresh stock and a good feed to the soil.

  • trianglejohn
    15 years ago

    Dottie - thanks for the tip about leaving calibrachoa out for the winter in a previous post! Mine came through with flying colors and is full bloom right now. My problem is that my yard is pretty shady - I save the most sun for tomato/pepper/basil plants so most flowers have to put up with bright shade and part sun. All the petunias do better for me early in the year before the dense shade canopy fills in. Now I know to leave them out over the winter and expect big things earlier in the year.

  • Laura
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Rofl, so I was right the first time! Ah well, if you google one l or two, it comes up a lot...

    Thanks for all the suggestions. Ya'll are the best.

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