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Another source for plants
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Posted by greenelbows z9--so LA (My Page) on Thu, Jun 17, 04 at 0:08
| I've just been reading about unsatisfactory nurseries, from the big boxes to mail-order and online, and I suddenly remembered another source I've taken for granted for so long I'd forgotten to recommend it, namely plant societies. If you're interested in a plant family an excellent way to find a special variety or a good nursery source is from the society dedicated to that plant family. For instance, daylilies are usually sold, even in some non-specialist but very reputable nurseries and catalogs, as growing in z3-9. Well, it's true that some daylilies will grow in z3 and some will grow in z9, but they are seldom the same varieties. I bet lots of people have been turned off by daylilies after they got some suitable for the wrong zone. Also some generalist catalogs sell once-blooming daylilies for very high prices that were superceded years ago by ones that re-bloom, sometimes for the whole summer, and that are fragrant and open evenings. Also, the specialist growers in the society will often sell better plants for much less, as the real daylily addicts have to have new ones every year, but if you wait three or four years the prices come down dramatically for many of them. The same is true for iris, and I'm sure most plants with their own societies, tho' not some of the ones I'm most interested in, naturally! But at least they'll have a much wider range of plants you might never hear of without their advocacy. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Another source for plants
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| Wal-Mart had some good sized Cleome in the perennial section here in zone 5. While they DO reseed like anything, they are NOT perennials. The inexperienced gardener won't know the difference. Those aren't the only "tender annuals" I've seen marketed as perennial there. When I brought it to the attention of the clerk in the garden center, she basically just stared at me with a "So what?" look on her face. Of course, that's the same Wal-Mart where a clerk in the Music department and I had the following exchange: Q: "I'm looking for the new Sinatra "Duets" album, what catagory would I find him?" A: What kinda music do he sing?" |
RE: Another source for plants
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| Now I thought Sinatra was 'one for the ages.' 'What kinda music do he sing' indeed! Ah well--maybe he's one for the aged (me, that is--implying nothing!) |
RE: Another source for plants
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| Here's another source for plants: Plant swaps. I just moved to the Fort Worth area, and read on the Texas forum about a swap in the spring. I had nothing to swap except gardening books, but the gardeners there were so generous that we left with a pickup truck full of plants. And I had a great time visiting with everyone. I'm looking forward to the next one and hope to have some actual plants to take. |
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