I thought I might add my experience this year with Bluestone. I ordered from them twice and shopped their 50% off sale. I expect that purchasing such small plants requires a little more effort on my part and patience, but I am trading that for the reduced price. I would probably give the same amount of attention to any new plant small or otherwise, so that was no big deal. I didn't find their sale plants were in bad shape at all. As a matter of fact, I will try to take a photo and post that this weekend. This spring, I received a replacement for a Philadelphus 'Innocence' that I bought last year. It was supposed to be variegated but it had very little and I took a photo and emailed it to them and they happily sent me a new one. They paid for shipping and allowed me to add an order to that shipment so that I got free shipping on that order too. This year I ordered a Hydrangea Lemon Wave and again, there is barely any variegation which is the whole point of the plant, and what there is, is ugly, so I will take another photo and email it. I bought another Green Mountain Buxus. The first one I bought did great. They are small, but I placed it in it's permanent placement last time and just made sure I didn't let it dry out and it wintered over great and put on quite a bit of new growth this year. For $3.48 where can you buy a healthy shrub? I also like the small sizes because I think that they establish in my garden better and really just take right off at the smaller sizes. If something fails, I don't feel so bad, because it didn't cost me much. It looks like I am losing a three pack of Ajuga. I have held it too long and overwatered it and it is rotting on my back steps. I haven't been having luck with Ajugas, so that was not a good choice and my mistake, not theirs. I didn't have places ready for the shrubs I bought, I potted them up in larger pots and put them in conditions they want right away and now I am very happy with the way they are responding. I have been happy with my experiences with Bluestone. They are not perfect, but who is? They try to get it right, which counts for a whole lot with me. With careful choices and reasonable expectations, it works out great for me and I know I am saving money and I've never received an unhealthy plant, which is very important to me. Oh, and did all of you know that they recycle their peanuts? If you mail them back their packaging at your cost, the next order you make, no matter what size, has free shipping. I love that!

My Lime Frost daylilies came last week and they were perfect. There was an insert that held the potting media back. The new pots where pretty cool. I pulled that off and it teased the roots for me! I didn't take a pic since there weren't any issues. The only issue I have is that they where a bit dry. But the last day of shipping in transit it was in the low 90s so I'm sure that didn't help. Eitherway not a huge issue for a daylily. They are money with service. I had a replacement order that needed to ship this past spring but I moved in the fall prior and forgot to notify them of my move. They sent another order with no questions.

Wherever you decide to order from, as far as from a catalog, I'd check with the garden watchdog first and check their seller rating. You don't want to get burned. My neighbor ordered one of the butterfly bushes that had 3 different colors on them and was VERY disappointed...Besides it took 3 years to even bloom...I'd be leary. Just my two cents worth...There are LOTS of honest reputable companies out there you can purchase from...Here's who I've ordered from: Garden Crossings Annies Annuals Bluestone Perennials High Country Gardens Just to name a few...This doesn't include buying plants/seeds off ebay. I look at the catalogs, get ideas, then throw them away...Some I don't even look at, just cuz...lol knotz

I would like to say something and I ask.... please do not feel like I want to insult anyone or say their advice it bad. I just would like to add another choice. This is from experience of trying to pot clematis and plant in the Fall. I was not experienced and either under watered or over watered. I ended up with dead no show plants the following year. These days now that I am an experience gardener. If I have a young mail order plant. I mix up some compost with Miracle gro garden soil add some slow release fert in a big bucket... dig out the native soil...fill with my good stuff and plant in the garden. I water the gardens the young plant is not stressed with to much water or to little water in a pot. If they have good roots you can plant in good soil in the garden now there is no disturbance of good roots if we have a early winter and it does not have time to adjust and settle in for a long winter if you plant them in Sept.