Share your mail-order plant sources

Douglas Hunt
by Douglas Hunt
Almost everyone who's gardened has some mail-order horror story: tiny plants that cost a fortune and arrive shriveled versions of their former selves. But this week I had just the opposite experience. Hometalk member Michelle W (from New Zealand!) had posted some photos of her lovely garden and in it were a plant I'd never heard of, the Renga lily (Arthropodium cirratum).
When I did a little research they sounded like a great plant for Florida: take shade, are drought-tolerant, and can handle sea air. But there was no chance I would have found this plant anywhere within a day's drive, and here's one of the great reasons for mail-order nurseries: Because they draw from such a large pool, they can stock all these wonderfully obscure plants that most local nurseries, especially these days, just can't afford to carry.
It took one click on Google to find out that Annie's Annuals (www.anniesannuals.com), a retail and mail-order nursery near San Francisco, carries Renga lilies. Since I have friends who've shopped there in person and raved about it, I was very comfortable ordering from Annie's, but I had no idea how gorgeous the plants would be when they arrived. As these photos show, they were very well-packed, with a little protective sleeve around each plant. And look at how big and lush they were! Mail-order perennials often come in 2 1/2-inch pots, but these were nearly twice that size. The root balls were wrapped in moist paper, then in plastic, to ensure they didn't dry out.
I would order again from Annie's in a heartbeat. What mail-order nurseries have you had good luck with?
Each pot was nestled snuggly in its slot, and paper sleeves protected the plants.
In the FedEx box.
Look at these beauties! (Note the plastic and paper wrapped around the rootballs.)
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  • Barbara S Barbara S on Aug 01, 2013
    Kathy, you can access the site here: SCENTEDGERANIUMSOFNE.COM.
  • Jennifer C Jennifer C on Aug 02, 2013
    A friend of mine just mentioned she also orders from Blue Stone -- so I placed an order with them too!
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