You might try Bluebird Greenhouse. They're in Apex, NC. I don't know if that's anywhere near you, but they have a website and they also mail order. I think they're quite reasonable and they are very nice to deal with. Here is a link to their site.

Also ebay is chock full of interesting av's, but they can be quite expensive, but it sure is fun looking. Grace

Here is a link that might be useful: bluebird green house

Thank you Grace. I'm in Wilmington. I'll check online.
sheila

Try "The Violet Barn", www.robsviolet.com

I ordered more than I needed or should have, but they all arrived in very good condition. Who can stop after just one violet, or as my Son would say "It's in my blood", my Grandmother was a Violet.

Thank you I will check them out. Sheila

I'd like to give a shout-out to Lyndon Lyon and Violet Gallery. I've bought from them before, and was very pleased with the plants and leaves.

http://www.lyndonlyon.com/
http://www.violetgallery.com/

Another outstanding vendor is Rainbow Violets.
You can find her plants on ebay.

cheers,
shireen

Hi! Also, on ebay Linda Head Bloominjungle.com has some amazing african violets. Her ebay username is saddlesore52. I have bought over 20 plants from her, and not one has ever arrived damaged. I have not had even 1 broken leaf. All plants are very healthy.

HTH, judy

Thanks you again for all your help.

Hi all -- I know I'm coming into the conversation a bit late, but I want to second the suggestion to try Bluebird Greenhouse. I just bought my first online violets there and those folks were really great. I had a little trouble placing my order -- I think it might have been my browser -- so I placed it twice by accident, and after e-mailed them about it, they sent a nice note back saying they'd take care of it -- and sent me a free minature violet along with my order!
b

Hello all,

I have also gotten in on this thread a little late. I guess since we are all announcing our favorite growers, I would like to put in a good word for mine. I have bought plants from the Violet Showcase for over 20 years. I have never gotten a bad violet. Doug and Barbara are two of the nicest people I have had the good fortune to deal with professionally. Their starter plants are always nice and healthy and their packaging is superb. They also sell violet supplies. If you live in the Denver metro area they have a shop where one can pick up his or her order. I have both visited their shop and received orders by mail. I will put their link on the bottom.

Larry

Here is a link that might be useful: The Violet Showcase

Larry, I've requested a plant catalog from Violet Showcase twice. I've not received it yet. Have you?

I'd agree, Bluebird is great. Right now, they're the only vendor that I know of who is selling Russian cultivars (just leaves). They also have reasonably-priced supplies. I use their capillary matting and get my plastic pots from them.

Rob's Violets is great, but know in advance that their plants are small -- I guess that makes sense from a shipping perspective, and that younger plants adapt better to new conditions. The quality of their plants is always excellent. Recently, I got one plant in bad shape and I'm trying to nurse it back to health. I wrote Rob Robinson about it; he said that they always ship only healthy plants ... but if my plant does not make it, he'd replace it for free during my next order. Since it was a chimera (which tend to be expensive), I really appreciated that. Now, that's good customer service! :-)

My plants from Lyndon Lyon Greenhouse have been much larger and already in bloom. They're also more expensive. However, the variety, especially for chimeras, are outstanding. I absolutely love them!

Violet Gallery is pretty cool too. I recently visited them and got some outstanding plants. Their variety is also excellent and the plants are nice and healthy -- very very recommended.

cheers,
shireen

Hi Shireen,

I believe the Violet Showcase just started mailing them out last week. I received my catalog yesterday.

Larry

This was great information. I just received my first order from saddlesore52 on ebay. I received my 3 plants yesterday and will give them a try. You are right, she has some great ones. I can't seem to find anything unique in the Syracuse area so I'm looking forward to these. I appreciate the information.

Deb

I've got some beautiful AV's at Rob's Violets..they arrive a bit small, (4-7 leaves) but grow fast and before you know it, you'll have a full-leaved w/vibrant flowers..Toni

I am so glad you have much better luck with Rob's than I do hopefulauthor. I love the varieties that Rob has hybridized. But honestly, I don't think the conditions they provide in their greenhouses merit shipping anywhere in the world. I posted in a different thread, that in the last avm, Rob said that they have very alkaline water where they are, and that they use a fertilizer that works well with their water. He also says on his site that they leave the lights on 24 X 7.

I order from Rob's because I like the plants, but let me tell you, they ship stressed, small violets. Violetbarn, is not what I would consider a good vendor for beginners at all. I last received 10 plants from them. 4 failed right away. The other 6 went into shock, which looks like overfertilizing, but I think that it's due to getting 6 hours of darkness each day after lights on 24 X 7 since their birth...(and perhaps because I have 6.5-6.9 water here in NJ.) They say they ship healthy plants, but are not responsible after they leave the green house. I personally think there are steps they could take, to help there violets survive once they leave the greenhouse.

I love their violets, so perhaps you can understand that I am disappointed with the plants they ship. I always put down leaves when I get plants from them, because I can grow the ones I start myself with no problem. IMO the plants from lyndonlyon.com are much more adaptable, and they are bigger (and a tad more expensive.) I'm not sure I'll order from violetbarn again, it's starting to feel silly paying for plants, when I should be paying for leaves.