Google mail order boxwood and you'll get enough catalog companies to keep you busy through the winter. Some would no doubt have bulk purchase prices not restricted to the trade.

Truth be told, the cheapest route might be Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-mart when they open their seasonal garden centers in the spring. I picked up a couple of one gallon Buxus "Green Mountain" at Home Depot for $4.95 each early this season. They carried several different varieties, but the literature had these as best suited to my climate. If they survive this winter - sustained temps near 0 with little snow cover and now sustained temps below 0 with windchills in the -30's with a good snow cover, I'll invest in a few more next season.

Depending on whether you have more time or more money, box is very very easy to start from cuttings. They will make one gallon size plants in just two years or so.

Yes, I was just going to say what donnabaskets said!

I used to help my friend in her garden before she moved away. She had very short boxwood hedges, kept formally trimmed. Every time we trimmed them, we would take the cuttings, wet them and dip them in rooting hormone, and then just stick them in the ground to either continue one hedge or start another. The cuttings were a good 6 to 8 inches tall, so it didn't take a long time to reach the foot or so she desired in her hedges.

:)
Dee

Wow Donnabaskets and Diggerdee, I didn't know that they are easy to start this way. I'm terrible at starting cuttings that need to be babied but love to do those that can take care of themselves. I usually start things this way in fall/winter. What time of year would you recommend? I'm in Oregon so winter is mild.

Thanks!
Lex

Buxus can be propagated by taking semi-ripe cuttings in late summer/early fall. Take cuttings from a stem of the current seasonÂs growth. Remove leaves from the bottom third of the cutting, dip the cutting in rooting hormone and place into prepared medium or in the ground where you want to start the hedge. Water as necessary.

I'll go back to my original thought - buy a cheap one from one of the big boxes. Cut it apart after a summer of letting it put out new growth.

My local Home Depot has been willing to order a flat of rooted cuttings. About 50 plants per flat. Boxwood tranplants well and I did not lose a plant. This will save a years time and provide more uniform plants than if you start your own cuttings. Al

calistoga, that's an interesting tip. I'll try the same here.

Thanks!
Lex

Wow, Al. That is good to know! I am filing that bit of info away in my head! And yes, it would save a year.

One more tip: do some research on boxwood before you choose a plant. There are many, many kinds. Some are very large, some very small. Some grow rapidly. Others slowly. I have about 18 Korean Boxwoods in my garden, and I love them. They were SLLLOWWW to reach their size, but when they did, I can get by with only one or two shearing sessions a year, which is wonderful. There are also alot of different leaf types and colors. In your neck of the woods you probably have even more choices than I do.

Thanks Donnabaskets. I got in touch with my local Home Depot today and will speak with their plant manager tomorrow -- glad to have the tip to think of what kind, the sort of thing I know in the back of my mind but would have ignored.
Thanks,
Lex

Musser Forests has Green Gem, Green Mountain, and Winter Beauty Boxwood. They are 10 for $27.50, plus shipping and fumigation costs.

Here's the link:

Here is a link that might be useful: Musser Forests

Thanks Sharons2,

That site is great...has other shrubs useful in large quantities too.

Thanks,
Lex