A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Ordering thru Catalogs/Online????

Looking online and receiving a couple gardening catalogs now and was wondering which companies are reputable. This is all new to me so I am very leary about ordering what I cannot visually inspect.

*Which catalog companies have you found to be the best?
*Which catalog co. would you NOT recommend?
*Any horror stories?
*Do they deliver what you ordered and are they in good shape when they arrive?
*What are the survival rates for bulbs etc.?
*Would you do business with them again?
*Online problems?
*Co. recommended online?
*Co. not to even bother with online?
*Are there guarantees they will make it?

There may be companies out there doing research on this topic so now is a good chance to state your opinions.

Thanx in advance
Catlover

I found Michigan Bulb Co. to be reliable and reasonable on their offers, everything I've recieved has been in the condition they promised and I haven't lost anything I've bought from them. Van Bourgondien is a little spendy, but again, I've recieved quality product. Both guarantee their product and will replace or refund your order if you contact them within 30 days. I wish I'd saved the link to a site with all kinds of free gardening catalogs ( free is always good) but most growers that do mail order have a catalog either free of for a very small price.

This isn't the same site I used to order my catalogs from but has pretty much the same selection of free catalogs.
It's backyardgardeners.com and once you're there just click on the catalog link on your left. Good Luck!

interstate nurseys is reasonable and they will replace product if not happy
house of weasley is good too(probably spelled wrong)
I grow from seed too and order from parks seeds& stokes.is a rareseedcatalog that I'm fixing to order from seem reasonable and do have a garentee
I mainly trade online with other gardners for what i want.have good luck that way too.

bulbs.there life depends on what they are what type&climate& care they are given
like you would not get long life out of a tulip in TX but would a lilly

You definitely want to order from the companies that have a guarantee, like Michigan Bulb, Van Bourgondien, Van Dyck's, to name a few. I personally don't care for Michigan Bulb's selection, however. I order most of my perennials from Bluestone Perennials...they have great prices and I have never had a plant not live. The only drawback to ordering plants is the small size...I am rather impatient, so if there's something I really want I usually look everywhere within a 50 mile radius of my home because I'd rather drive a little ways to get larger plants than order tiny ones that won't do much the first year or so.

there is a site called garden watchdog, the companies are rated by people just like you and me.i have found it very helpful.

Thank you for all your input. Sounds like nobody has had a problem at all. This helps relieve my mind and take a chance. I will look those co. up. Haven't got catalogs from those co. Maybe it is because they don't ship their products to Calif.
Thanks for the heads up on guarantees....will definitely watch for that.
Will look up the garden watchdog....good to have an alert system out there....from customers.
Thanks again everyone.
Have a great day.
Catlover

Karen,
I really don't order through the catalogs'.
Some day I will, but I do order through QVC and theirs are not only the 30 day guarntee but up to 1 year.
If they didn't preform like you thought, you planted them wrong, your cat ate them. You can call up and say hey!!, I wasn't happy! Now, I would imagine, you can't do that on everyorder, but they'll either refund your money, send order all over again, or replacement order. I've had some awesome plants from their. And not all the time, but if you look and hunt through catalogs like I do, some of the offers are real bargains...
FYI and my 2 cents worth......
Weezie

Thanks Weezie will have to chime into QVC and give a look at garden things. Only seen all the jewelry.
Have a catalog somewhere around here ....oh here it is(actually found it in this pile of clutter) about lily Bulbs. The name of the co. is Gilbert H. Wild and Son. Has anyone ordered from them? They have a trillion and one lilies for hardly nothing. Was thinking about making a walking path through the grass and planting a zillion lilies as a border. Another thought...watch out. I keep digging myself deeper and deeper into trouble. You guys give me so many ideas my mind has trouble shutting down at night. And they have hostas coming out the ying yang for cheap. I've never grown any flowers per say so this should be an experience. I'm sooo scared!!!!!!! Guess if it is a flop can just let that darn Burmuda back in again. I have ?'s about making paths so I will start a new post later. Have to finish up these other projects. I get bored doing the same project so I have several going at one time. Thanx again Weezie.

Karen,
The next time the Cottage Farms is on
is 8/13/03........
Not sure of the time.
Phillip Watson is the seller.
Very knowledgable.........
Call in and ask him some questions..
Not everyone gets to talk but hey ya never know!!
Go to QVC.com and look up program guide, type in Cottage Farms or even gardening...
Weezie

I have a horror story to report about... MICHIGAN BULB!!!!

I used to order from them when I was getting started. Their prices are very reasonable. But once I ordered something called a "Flowering Fence", which was a variety of flowering bushes. Well, they left out one variety and sent me twice as many as another. But I overlooked that, since it was such a bargain.

HOWEVER, I later ordered an evergreen hedge, I can't rremember what they called it, I think it was "Great Wall of China". I waited three months and it never came. So I contacted them and asked where it could be. No answer. I waited another month and decided to write for my money back. They informed me that I could only get my money back if I returned the product. I told them that i couldn't do that since it had never come in the first place. They again informed me that I had to return the product, first. Finally, I was able to get through to them that it had never arrived, and they returned my money. I would rather have had the plants. I never ordered from them again.

I love Musser Forests!!! Their trees and shrubs arrive so caringly packaged, like the treasures they are. Thompson and Morgan is also wonderful, prompt and courteous.

Catlover,
I too, live in California and love to catalog shop. One catalog designed for our area is High Country Gardens--bulbs and plants for the Western garden(highcountrygardens.com). They have a lot of drought tolerant plants. I also like Wayside Gardens(www.waysidegardens.com), and White flower FArm(www.whiteflowerfarm.com). They are a little expensive but have quality stuff. Someone mentioned Van Dycks, Dutch Bulbs and van Bourgondien and you said you didn't receive their catalogs. They do ship to California and I receive their catalogs. Let me know if you want their numbers and I'll pass it along. I recently received Gilbert H. Wild's catalogue and you're right, they have nice stuff. I haven't ordered from them but someone on another site reccommended them. Hope this helps!!!

Karen,
I just got the Breck's catalog in the mail, it has a coupon for $20.00 free, no matter what you order (or don't).

Free is Good!!!

Weezie

I've never ordered from there but, gotta try it maybe once??????
Don't forget the 13th for QVC!!!

Don't forget about the Cottage Farms, Wed. 8/13/03, I looked it up for time, it's 3-4:00pm my time....(So would that make it 12-1:00pm, your time?????)
Even if you are work, go online, QVC.com and click program guide. Click Wed. 8/13 and then scroll down to
Gardening Made Easy by Cottage Farms, click on that, it'll give you the products that were sold that day.......... Some may hit your fancy, some may not, not sure. I got stargazer lilies and a load of some hardy orchids, etc. I'm very happy with them......
Check it out, can't hurt...
Weezie

Hi Weezie -
Just got my Breck's catalog,too! Like you, I've never ordered from them, but I'm gonna order my free $20.00's worth just to try them out! We'll have to remember to post our experiences with them later on.

Nikkal

Most definately!!!
Whatchya gettin"?
I can't decide???
There is a few I'd like......
I have my eye on a Frittillaria,
but 1 bulb is $12.99
(YIKES!!! )
so, I'll have to wrinkle and drool
on the pages a few more times.

Weezie