I splurged on a 5 gallon 'Blagon'. A 1 gallon plant from Song Sparrow was $75 + ship and Sooner had 5 gallon for $60 but shipping is $60 to get you to $120. Its tough to find decent sized columnar plants. I really want to try a Stewartia from them with the shipping deal but its way too late to plant that this time of year. I don't have a problem planting a zone 4 plant this time of year in a protected spot though like the Ginkgo.

This is my general purpose potting mix - 2/5 John Innes 3, 1/5 Jack's Magic compost mix from Westland, This lightens up the JI and provides a bit of a peat hit) 1/5 leafmould or sieved compost (water holding and structural and 1/5 flint chicken grit or, if weight is an issue, perlite. I mix the proportions around accordingly but have failed to go completely peat-free for long term potting. Also, depending on time of year, leafmould might be in short supply but a nicely rotted down compost will do. If no compost or leafmould available, then John Innes 3, Jack's Magic (or Levingtons or New Horizon) and grit or perlite - 1/2 JI, 1/4 compost, 1/4 grit. Drainage, yet moisture holding is the necessary balance. John Innes alone will become compacted and have aeration issues.

One thing to keep in mind about 'Edgar Degas' not being available until 2018 is that if its patent began when it was introduced in 1997 -- and it lasts 20 years -- that may be why Linda won't be making it available until then, since she can't begin to propagate it without paying royalties until 2017. I don't have much to add, since all the nurseries I've used have been mentioned. I will say that I do have them ranked in terms of whom I ask first when seeking particular roses: Long Ago Roses and Burlington Roses get asked first, because of high quality and very reasonable prices. If they don't have what I want, then I check Rose Petals Nursery or Angel Gardens. These two are also top-notch, but cost including shipping is a bit higher, though not much. These two also tend to specialize in what grows well for them in Florida, so don't expect much in the way of once-blooming old Europeans, though there are a few tucked in. For those cold-hardy oldies, I check High Country Roses. They also have a few hard-to-find species. If there's still something I can't find, I check Rogue Valley Roses or Roses Unlimited. RVR has an amazing selection, but their bands are at the higher end of the spectrum. Also expect about 10% or so to come mislabeled, but my experience is that 1) it's usually nearby alphabetically, so you sometimes end up with something you didn't know you wanted, and 2) if you do need a replacement, emailing some pics and calling the office will get the mistake corrected. RU also has a great selection, but they lean more toward the moderns than does RVR. But they also send hefty 1gal plants. This also means shipping is a bit more if you're not on the east coast, but it's not that bad since I'm in NJ. If I need something with faster impact, I go with RU. If I don't mind nursing something along, I go with RVR. I haven't mentioned Heirloom because I haven't ordered from them since the company changed hands. I will say that they're going more in the direction of modern roses, and the few remaining oldies I can easily find elsewhere. So it's not that I ever had a problem with their roses -- it's just that there isn't as much that they have which catches my eye. But I wouldn't hesitate to order from them should that change. :-) ~Christopher

I will second cearbhaill as I do not have anything remotely local or regional with JM selection. Through mail order I have been able to successfullly plant and grow more than 130 cultivars and 175 total JMs in the hot and humid SE (zone 8b). I have used many online sources and have had a variety of experiences. Since similar threads of this many years ago helped me get started and find sources, I thought doing the same could possibly be beneficial for others. As noted, these are my personal experiences and maybe be different than what others have experienced. Maplestone Ornamentals - excellent website, primarily smaller 1-2 or 2-3 year old grafts. Very good quality and good prices on plants and shipping. Maples N More - small family business, plants on the small size but unique varieties, good prices, responsive to fixing issues Mr Maple - I will no longer use them due to dissapointing issues. They sell lots of liners potted up to 1 gallon that have not come close to filling in the pot with roots. Essentially liners with extra dirt for 50 bucks. Quality has been inconsistent. Have not been impressed with bigger sizes and the shipping costs either. Iconic Gardens - they sell through ebay or their website. Great value, huge plants with the ability to get up to 5 year grafts for a great price in smaller pots that can ship for reasonable amount of money. Quality and selection are good. Maple Ridge Nursery - great website for descriptions of how each cultivar responds to my hot humid SE conditions. I have recieved healthy but undersized plants. Can be expensive both for plants and shipping. Davidson's - one of the most extensive collections both as reference material online and to purchase. Good quality, knowledgeable, responsive. Only downside is very expensive. Whitman Gardens - best value IMHO. Very big plants, healthy, extensive selection, straight forward knowledge and advice, Can get huge plants in smaller pots for great price on plants and shipping. Conifer Kingdom - nice website with pictures of actual plants. Can get larger sizes. Good quality, more limited selection. Pricing varies with some good deals and some quite oddly expensive that does not always match rarity of plant. Good customer care. Oriental Garden Supply - difficult website to navigate. Can get big sizes. Limited availability of many listings with many out of stock. Good quality plants at good prices. Topiary Gardens - excellent customer care with extensive selection of high quality 1,2,3 gallon plants that sell out quickly. Fair reasonable prices and shipping. Japanese Maples and Evergreens - they are on Amazon and other places. There are so many complaints about everything from horrible plants to horrible service I have stayed away myself. Acer1987 (Ebay). If you have the time to grow liners to big trees, this site has massive number of cultivars for good prices. Good customer care. I will otherwise second the opinions above of East Fork (expensive), Essence of Tree, Mendicino. Others have come and gone that I liked (Quality Maples for instance) that still have website up but are closed. Wish I had the opportunities that gardengal has with the range of great NW nurseries to shop from, but in the mean time I will keep Fed Ex busy! Thanks to all who have posted on this site over the years. I have been mainly lurking for more than a decade learning much and putting that knowledge to work.