www.oakhillgardens.com
www.mauiorchids.com

My favorite on-line source is Santa Barbara Orchid Estates.

Here is a link that might be useful: Santa Barbara Orchid Estates

Also try:

www.kawamotoorchids.com
www.carterandholmes.com

not to forget www.andysorchids.com

Carmela's Orchids in Hawaii - verizonsupersite.com/ carmelaorchidsnet/
Oak Hill Gardens - http://www.oakhillgardens.com/

Don't worry about buying on line. I've bought entirely online for over two years, and had no problems. They know their business and packing and service at most places is great. They ship only Monday or Tuesday so you get the plants the same week. You'll be astonished at the quality you get from some vendors.

My favorites are Odom's, Carmela's and Hausermann's. Both Odom's and Hausermann's offer nice big healthy plants that are usually in spike or in bud in season. Carmela's are also big and cheaper. Carmela's offers huge oncidiums for $10--really a great bargain.

I also like H & R and Haleahi. Their plants are smaller but they have a lot of harder to find hybrids.

Love when people ask this question, because I love to recommend Cal Orchid!

http://www.calorchid.com/

My very favorite is Andy's Orchids. He has some of the best species collections I have ever seen, and many mounted type orchids.

Here is a link that might be useful: Andy's

another vote for santa barbara orchid estate. i just received an order from them. they worked closely with me on selection - actually helping me eliminate plants from my order that were inappropriate - and timing of my shipment. website shows pics of flower and entire plant. the order arrived in great shape, with two out of three plants in bud or sheath. quite a nice selection of mature, flowering size plants

hth,

john

Paramount orchids in Calgary. Also Oriental orchids in Burnaby BC (although I've always just visited the greenhouse there and never actually ordered on-line).

My favorite source is GOOGLE and Ebay. The reason is that I usually have in mind what I want and comparison shop. First I want Catts., Oncidiums or Epiphyallums. Then fragrance, then photos. I need warm weather plants, and generally blooming size, or, for Epis big cuttings. Both GOOGLE (FROOGLE) and Ebay have search preferences that sort for these things. So this method lets me select plants from a wide store and narrows the list to items I want. I do want a Caularthron Bicornutum and Onci Ornithorynchum 'Lilac Soap' and without the search engines will never find them. ;-))))

I have visited the following orchid vendors in person and I think the plants and the owners and staff are exceptional:

Haiku Maui Orchids (Maui, Hawaii)
Cal Orchids (Santa Barbara, CA)

Haiku Maui shipped my orchids to me after I arrived back home from vacation. Superb packing job. Plants arrived in great condition.

I have ordered online (not actually visited) from Oak Hill Gardens in Dundee, IL. You will not be disappointed.

Lori

Ecuagenera is a good place for orchid species, low import permit charge and cheap plants.
http://www.ecuagenera.com/epages/whitelabel4.sf/?ObjectPath=/Shops/ecuagenera

While I love my Oak Hill Orchids, and H&R Nurseries (and soon to buy from Andy's) I've gotten alot of sinlges from ebay. I'd say my fav sellers are shermantp and wilkorchids Both usually robust and just nice plants. Happy purchasing! -Ryan

My favorite online vendors are:

Orchids by Hausermann

Carmela Orchids

Oak Hill Gardens

I hawk their websites DAILY for the new and exciting offerings. :)

Hello.
You should really try Kawamoto Orchid Nursery from Honolulu Hawaii. Most orders are shipped to you in 3 days, via Fed Ex.. They also send a freebie with most orders. They have always sent me great plants at a reasonable price. Check out the web site www.kawamotoorchids.com ... You will be surprised at the service...

Hmmmm, first registered 30/7/2007

I have been buying online for the past decade or more because I don't have any major orchid dealers close to me.

I would recommend you start with Oak Hill Gardens because of the variety, general health, and low prices of their orchids. Be careful to note the plant size; they put an asterisk next to the price if it is blooming size rather than a wee seedling. My last order from them a couple weeks ago, two out of the three species I ordered came in bud.

As for Googling specific plants, that works ... somewhat. But many big orchid companies, like Oak Hill, don't show up on Google because of the way their catalog is set up on their webpage. So, at the very least, you are not comparing to one of the best priced dealers out there in cyberspace, as well as dozens of others who don't show up either for the same reason -- like Andy's and Hoosier, etc. Google definitely has its limitations.

Enjoy your new hobby, David.

Agreed with 90% of the vendors recommended above, most carry from good to great plants. I've ordered from 21 vendors within the last 2 1/2 years, and IMHO, despite how reputable these vendors are, you'll find out there are times you won't be happy with what was sent, either it's a wrong plant or plants with bugs, broken pbs due to poor packing, etc...

In short, what sets these vendors apart is their Customer Service/Relations. You pay a good price for your plants, you should be treated fairly, you shouldn't have to feel intimidated when you need to present a complaint. It's not a bad idea to search for input/feedback in this forum, and others, before ordering your plants.

In MY experience, here are *some vendors* not only provide good quality plants but also provide excellent to good customer service (not in any order):
Kawamoto Orchids - very understanding, prompt replies - not only send you free plant with each purchase, they even send me a free plant with resent plants.
New World Orchids - fantastic service and prompt replies.
EOoM - good service/prompt replies.
Tropical Orchid Farms - good service/prompt replies
Hoosiers - good service/prompt replies.
Orchidaceae - good service/prompt replies
Carmela's - good service.
CalOrchids - good service/prompt replies.
Santa Barbara Orchid Estates - good service/prompt replies.
Olympic Orchids - good service/prompt replies

Has anyone ordered from Main Street Orchids? I've emailed them, but haven't gotten a reply.

Everyone has to advertise a little Arthur :)
~Jem

Orchids Limited in MN has a great informative website in addition to great plants and help. Great for us novices

Here is a link that might be useful: Orchids Limited

IME, Andy's has excellant customer service.

Oakhill, as other have mentioned, generally has very good prices for the size of the plants.

David, if you have the strength to be patient, attend some of the orchid shows scattered about the state during the winter/Spring

January -- Meijer Gardens -- GR
Feb -- MSU -- E Lansing
March (Palm Sunday) - at a mall in Livonia
Somewhere in there Saginaw has one

You'll see a number of venders there. Quite a few advantages to going to the shows:
1) you can look over the actual plants you intend to buy
2) discover/see ones you weren't sure how they would look based on written description alone
3) no shipping fee

A number of the venders, will let you order in advance and bring the plants with them to the show. Again you avoid "wasting" perfectly good money on shipping that could otherwise be spent on orchids.

hi
I would have to agree with Paul. I usually check out the web sites and have them bring the plants to a local show.
My last purchases were a BS Vanda for 8 bucks and a B Paph for ten. What I like about this method is I get to see it and if I don't like it no hassles.
These are also great places to get smaller offsets at much reduced prices . Fantastic if your not looking for specifics.
One problem I have had is the tag on a plant was incorrect. If the plant is a hybrid it will remain a noid. lol Educate yourself gary

My experience is you go through levels
1. any nice plant -- Orchids.com -- though Norman has top Phals
2. better to excellent - Santa Barbara Orchid Estate
3. Really addicted and don't want to admit that you are willing to pay $100 for an unbloomed seedling -- opps Orchid Web

Having killed a few plants my suggestion is start with nice healthy blooming size plants from people who have time and are willing to share knowledge with you -- I found Santa Barbara was - but they may ask you to call back-- go to a few shows - join the local society - they usually all have plant raffles and you may be lucky -- that's how they raise money - and if you aren't shy volunteer to clerk at a show -- Orchid judges are supposed to educate their clerks -- there will be more than one person per clerk -- and you should be asked to voice your opinion. If you are close to a judging center call and ask if you may attend -- they are supposed to let you --- and with luck you will be assigned to some nice judges who will share knowlege-- have fun -- too much - any place the plants are healthy and clean -- local garden centers etc