I ordered from Bluestone this year (in a weak moment). I haven't ordered from them in years. Usually I buy locally. I like to see what I'm getting. Usually the stuff locally is much, much bigger, blooms the first season, and transplants easier. I don't mind paying a little more to get those larger plants. You don't get a huge selection locally, but if I want something really badly, I can take a trip into the Chicago market and find it.

I ordered from Bluestone. Some of the plants were a little small but the violets are wonderful and are blooming. I also discovered a nursery near me that has a huge selection and I bought a lot from there too. I'll probably buy a few things from both places next year but I'm running out of room. I like the certainty and selection from Bluestone but it's nice to see what you are getting and pick out the best plant yourself.

songsparrow.com and plantdelights.com - both great selections, plantdelights has a bit more unusual stuff. Smaller plants than SS but big enough. Songsparrow's plants were as big as I would buy locally.

I don't usually order online but was tempted beyond my ability to resist by Bluestone's recent 50% off sale. I just got the plants today and they all look really nice. I also like their "hook" to get you to order again. The plants came packed partly with foam peanuts. If you send them back to Bluestone, they will send you a coupon for free shipping and handling on your next order. I thought that was a nice gesture and a good way to recycle those somewhat dirty peanuts.

Bluestone, Garden Crossings, and another Clematis place whose name slipped my mind right now.

Bought several Clematis last year. Most are blooming very profusely already this spring. The best clematis I ever bought.

I have several good nurseries in my area, including Well Sweep Herb Farm.

However, when I need to buy a lot of plants because I'm starting a new bed, I buy from Bluestone. Great selection, healthy plants and you can't beat the price. By the end of the growing season plants have tripled or quadrupled in size.

I've also bought from Joy Creek and Lazy S for some very specific cultivars. Very nice plants but not that cheap.

for clematis, try chalkhill. i bought several plants from bluestone, they were small but have grown quickly and are beautiful plants now -- i expect most will bloom. But then I prefer smaller plants -- they aclimate better to my garden.

My other favorites are joycreek and digging dog . . .

Yup, Chalkhill .....and Brushwood for Clematis.
Thanks. Forgot about that.
They sent the best Clematis in the market.

Bluestone and Garden Crossings are two that I use a lot. I do buy locally if I can find what I want, if not it's off to the internet. Songsparrow has beautiful plants. The shipping to my area is a bit pricey. For lily bulbs I like The Lily Garden and B & D Lilies. I've heard very good things about Buggycrazy but haven't tried them yet. Hosta- Northern Grown Perennials, Naylor Creek, White Oak. Also have got nice plants from Ensata Gardens.

I bought Hosta from Naylor Creek, and the plants were healthy, and there were more crowns than I ordered on some of the plants. Great selection, too. I couldn't find the cultivars I wanted locally.

Bluestone's prices and guarantee are great. The plants are small, but I bought Weigela and some other shrubs three years ago in 4 inch pots that are 4 feet tall now.

One place I will never order from again, despite their great sounding coupons, is Brecks. I bit again this spring, knowing better, with their $25 off $50 order. Got mostly bulbs, which were ok for their price. A couple of plants I got were small, but are living. I probably got my money's worth. But they did send me a bearded iris that was the size of a quarter, I didn't know anyone would even think of that as a plant! I don't think it is alive, & I am getting ready to complain to them. I also ordered from Brent & Becky's when they had a sale on. They don't have a lot of plants, but I ordered a white bleeding heart, yellow baptisia & another plant I can't remember right now, and a few bulbs. Their plants were really great, are up now & really nice size plants already. Very inexpensive too, probably $2 or $3 a plant during their sale & right now larger than anything I could get at that price locally.