I've ordered from just about most of them from one time or other and had very few problems. I've ordered from Parks,Wayside Gardens,Whiteflower,several different rose companies,Burpee,Heronswood,and other's that don't come to mind immediately.

I've used Parks a lot and have really come to trust them. Mostly I've daydreamed over Wayside, Whiteflower and Burbee. They sure make good winter reading, don't they?

I love Bluestone. Even visited them for their sales in June.

There are several catalogs (or used to be) from the Bloomingdale (?), IN area (does anyone remember or know for sure). It seems these outfits from that general area (under various names), send half-dead, very-small plants that don't do well at all. Their prices were cheap (you only got what you paid for in this case). I remember one forum, either here or on the NHGC site a year or so ago, had a fairly extensive list of mail-order catalogs to avoid. I don't think you can go wrong with those mentioned so far in this forum.

I've ordered from Michigan Bulb before and had good luck with them. I recently ordered from them again this season, along with Gurney's & Henry Fields. I think the latter two may actually be the same company. There phone numbers are only one digit off, both use the same voice messaging system, and their order status website is the same. All three of the companies' catalogs come with coupons, $20 - $25 off.

Michigan Bulb is one of the ones I've heard complaints about. I actually ordered from them years ago and had very poor results with poor quality, albeit cheap plant material sent. I will do a search on them and see what I come up with. Perhaps, they have cleaned up their act some over the years.

I did a quick search using www.google.com for Michigan Bulb and found a lawsuit registered, bankrupcy filed for and a Dave's Garden website where negative options ran roughly 3:1. I don't know if they are still in business as Michigan Bulb, but I assure you there are clones out there. I remember seeing a survey/consumer's report that listed/rated mail order plant sources. I'm off to look for that. I suppose buying from one of these less reputable mail order catalogs is like playing the lottery. Sometimes you win a little, but the odds are you will lose money.

Hmm, That's interesting. I had good luck with them last year. Only problem I had was a rose they sent to me really early that was just about budding. But I called them about it and they sent me a new one at the date I requested. I'll let you know how my order is with them this spring when I get my order.

It might depend on the type of plant you're ordering. A tough plant from Michigan Bulb might do fine, a delicate plant from White Flower Farm might die.

Personally, I don't order many perennial plants through the mail anymore... only seeds, bulbs, and the occasional whip-sized tree, bare-root shrub rose or bamboo. It's more fun to go to a nursery, and the plants are so much bigger and stronger.

I order mostly seeds and supplies from catalogs and online sites but I always check Garden Watchdog before I order from someone I haven't dealt with before. I do sometimes order trees or shrubs if I'm looking for something very specific. Forest Farm is great for that and I'm always ordering perennials from Bluestone -- they're A1 in my book.

Rich

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Watchdog

If you're looking for shrubs, Mussers right here in our state in Indiana, County, PA, put out a nice catalog and a nice product. We buy wholesale from them for the green house where I work and the plants we've gotten from there are excellent.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Mussers Forests