You'll love Silent Sentry! :) I'm going to be ordering from Patrick's Studio pretty soon - have to use that gift certificate before the end of the month!

That Silent Sentry is pretty. I think my lily bed will have to wait until next year, whilst I see what goes where this year. However, these are great prices at T & T.

Having not ordered "live" before, of course I have a couple of questions. Does it all come bareroot and healthy. I've seen posts from people talking about the quality being so much better on bulbs. Does this also apply to plants?

Also, maybe I'm just tired and I couldn't see it. but is there a minimum order? Great price!

Thanks
Shauna

This is what the website says:
Early order 10% bonus.
If your order is post marked (snail mail) or entered at this web site by February 15, 2003, then a 10% discount is applicable on all items not including the taxes and shipping charges if the order subtotal is $45.00 or more.
Then on the front page it says February 18, deadline?

However, the person who answered my email said in order to get the 10% off you have to order over $50.....does anyone have the catalogue to verify this, I have not received mine yet, I ordered off the website.

Their plants are sent bareroot. Good prices, cheap shipping. I did have a few problems with rotted lily bulbs last year but they did quickly send healthy replacements with no questions asked.

Sharon

Obviously their website was not updated. The bonus applies for $50 or more, deadline February 18th.

Sharon, I used to have the Fiesta purple mum - an excellent plant and within a couple years you'll have the option of dividing - even a small plant will be a very nice sized clump quite quickly. Beautiful colour on this mum - out of all the ones I tried (all Mordens) , this was the hardiest and showiest.

You used to have? What happened? LOL

Last spring I planted Delight, Canary and Garnet, will see how hardy come this spring ;)

Do you find that the Fiesta was more like a purple-purple or a blue purple? Any photos ;) I'm excited now!

I've had bad luck with Monarda's here in this garden. In Saskatoon, no problem! Last year I planted ÂMarshallÂs didyma Delight and at fall time I made sure I didn't cut it down and mulched it good with loose straw, so I'm crossing my fingers come this spring on this one too. I'm hoping this 'Coral Reef' will be hardy too. Anyone have this in their garden?

Sharon

Oh, after I hit that submit button I just knew you were gonna come back and ask me what happened and now I have to fess up. I dug them up one year to divide and move. I set them behind the greenhouse (shady at noon but hot as blazes in the late afternoon) and then one thing led to another and they never got planted that day. The 40+ year old mind then proceeded to forget about them for a few days and by the time I found them again, well, not much worth salvaging.

I looked thru all my photos but seems they were never photographed. Then, going thru the photos I became amazed at the plants I used to have but are no longer in my garden for one reason or another.

I'd desribe them as pinkish purple. I also had Canary and Garnet. Canary died, I think the first winter. Garnet held on for a while but was wimpy and eventually either died or I tossed it. Hopefully you'll have more luck than I did.

Now, Sharon, WHY did you have to post that website and mention the discount?????? That is not nice at all!

Here's what i ordered:
Gaillardia Fanfare (yes, i had to do it!)
Ligularia The Rocket (been looking at this plant for awhile and figured i needed it)
Morden Mum Fiesta Purple (call me a copycat!)
Daylily Moonlight Masquerade
Lily Centrefold
Lily Mabel violet
Lily Regale
Glads Match Point
Glads Jubilee

The Jubilee Glads are yellow and orange, and i'm going to plant them in a container for the little autistic boy who loves my "f'ower pictures". He's really attracted to the bright colours - the Shirley poppy, the heuchera, and the glads i had last year that were similarly coloured. I told his mom she was going to have to become a gardener! :)

Well what can I say copycat Marcia. (hee hee hee) ... I was thinking of ordering the Daylily Moonlight Masquerade too, maybe next year!

Ok Pudge, I totally understand your reason ;)

Allright, allright. You talked me into it. I wasn't going to, honest. But they have the very best price on Gaillardia Fanfare and I REALLY want it. So if I can get 2 for less than 1 retail . . .

Here's my list
Gaillardia Fanfare (2)
Tiarella Black Snowflake (2)
Helenium Wyndley
Dahlia - Wildcat
- Poppers
- Playboy
- Bodacious
- Lavender Ruffles

I'm trying so hard to be good. I just know that I will still be haunting the garden centres come April-May. But I still need . . .

DH always tells me I'm NEEDY! LOL!

Shauna

Ahhh-ahhhh, it looks like we have another plant junkie! LOL

One thing to keep in mind Shauna, when you receive your plants they are not going to be big and lush like the ones you buy in your local Holes nursery. They will be dormant bareroots. But don't despair, what I do is as soon as I receive my order, I pot them all up in containers and set them outdoors on those warm sunny days, but this year I get to set them out in the greenhouse ;) After growing in pots for 2-3 weeks, you'll see the leaves emerge. Then around early June I then will transplant them into the garden.

I do the same method with my Botanus bareroots too.

Sharon

Thanks, so much Sharon. That was going to be my next question and you answered it already.

Now, I have to fit those dahlias in there somewhere. I'm so excited. I LOVE dinnerplate dahlias.

I almost ordered lilies and glads, but decided to use a bit of restraint. LOL! I really have to figure out my locations, if I grow everything I want to with the seeds I've got. But that's a whole different addiction.

Shauna

Talk about feeding my addiction. I got my Dominion Seed Catalogue today. I do not need anymore, I do not need anymore . . . I d o n o t n e e d a n y m o r e ! ! !

I'll let you know if I get anything. : )))

Shauna

Has anybody got their order yet or know when to expect it? I just checked my order confirmation and there is no mention of approximate shipping dates. Just curious.

Shauna

Shauna, it will be awhile yet....mail order live plants are shipped around planting time. So check your mailbox every day in May ;)

Thanks, Sharon. Just anxious, I guess.

Shauna

My Dahlia tubers arrived today. They look really nice. The bareroot stock will be shipped "at planting time". Anybody else get anything now?

Shauna

Hi,

With T&T I usually get my live plants and onions and potatoes the end of April to mid May.

I haven't recieved the Dahlia that I ordered yet, but then wasn't expecting to for a while yet. I am surprised you got yours so early. I also ordered another bearded iris and another siberian iris.

One year I ordered begonias and they came the end of May.....kind of late for here...:(

Happy Gardening!!!
Sierra

Well, I got my order today.

Gaillardia 'Fanfare' (2)
Tiarella 'Black Snowflake (2)
Helenium 'Wyndley' (1)

It looks like nice stock. I can see healthy green under all of the cedar mulch. I'll get them potted up tomorrow. Anyone else get theirs?

Shauna

Well Shauna, I was thoroughly sickened with my plant order that I received last Thursday. When I opened the box right away I knew it looked bad.

Chrysanthemum Fiesta Purple Morden Mum  completely dead plant in a small little 2" container.
Gaillardia ÂFanfare - pitiful size too, mushy leaves and the dirt was all dumped on how it was packed.
Hemerocallis ÂSilent Sentry roots look rotten, leaves mushy and dead!

The rest look like they might make it.
Iris germanica Lorilee
Iris germanica Darkside
Iris sibirica Dance Ballerina Dance
Iris sibirica Moonsilk
Monarda Coral Reef

Anyways I phone this morning and told them what happened, no questions asked, they will replace them asap.

Nevertheless, I donÂt think IÂll be ordering from them again. Last year I had the same thing happen, 3 of the lily bulbs arrived rotten... they did replace them, but I really donÂt care for this rigmarole of phoning them and then waiting for the other plants to arrive. I also bought a Northern Fountains Weeping Willow last year; well the upper part of the stick is dead, growth is coming from the base but they said this would be hardy and last years plants are not guaranteed. And another reason I will probably not order from them again, after seeing the size of plants that Parkland Perennials ship out is no comparison!

Hopefully my replacement plants will be in better shape ;)
I'll let you know.

Sharon

I received my order today too, but only quickly unpacked it at lunch. Things look okay so far. The mum (same one, Sharon) had two flowers on it! But it was really dry, had been popped out of a tiny container and put into a plastic bag. I stuck the back in a glass of water and then had to head back to work. I'll check out the rest this evening.

Well I have to say that the bearded iris I got from them was unacceptable as well. It looked chopped at both ends. I tried potting it up and thought it started to grow...but on a closer inspection it was grass growing .....not sure how that came about from soilless mix...promix but anyway the iris looks dead!

I was going to see if I could email them today....If I can find an address.

Sierra

Sierra, there is no email, you'll have to write to them or phone long distance.

OK. I guess I need an education on what "looks like nice stock". LOL! As you may remember, this is my first experience with mail order of live plants. So, I have nothing to compare it to. I planted mine all up into milk jugs and put them under the deck frame (no "decking", yet). They looked OK when I planted them, but I don't see any new growth yet and the tiarella don't even look like they are there. Patience. I'm sure they are OK. I was a bit disappointed in the size, but I thought this was normal. My dahlias are doing really well. Better than any tubers I have ever got from WM, HD or a garden centre. You know the type I'm talking about.

What size of root balls did you get from Parkland, Sharon?

Shauna

Ahh, things didn't look that good on the second inspection. One lily bulb was all yellow, kind of weird looking, but the other one was okay. The ligularia had only one shoot, and the daylily was not that great either. I guess i'm comparing to Patrick Studio or Botanus. T&T can't hold a candle to them.

Anyway, everything is potted up and in the cold frame. Time will tell! :)

I have only order daylilies and lilies from Parklands so far and I was so overwhelmed with the size. The bulbs were the size of baseballs, daylilies the size of my two hands, fingers spread out. Seriously you'd be shocked!
I plan on ordering some peonies and more lily bulbs this fall from PP ;)

Sorry to hear about your orders too folks.

Sharon

Sorry to hear about the sad state of your orders.

Believe me, I can relate to ordering a perennial by mail order and getting a dried out root. What took the cake was a few years ago I ordered astilbe and the root was so dry it crumbled and I couldn't tell the peat moss from the root. I know most places give you a credit, but I'd rather have a healthy plant.

What always surprises me: does the person packing the plants not care? If they see a dried out pot do they not water it? If they see a dried out root why bother sending it? Maybe they are told they are too busy, don't look, just pack and send.

On a positive note, I was shocked to receive my Dominion seed house order. Three shrubs: Josee lilac, Harlequin honeysuckle, and Sutherland elder in four inch pots and healthy. One was pretty dry, but not drooping yet. Not a big complaint but my razzmatazz echinacea wasn't included. They said "item to follow". Last year they had that notation beside some items and eventually sent me a credit note because it wasn't available.

Glen

Well, the verdict is in on my live rootstock. The tiarella and the helenium are fine and look pretty good, the tiarella, especially. (Almost like Hole's, Sharon ; )) BUUUTTT, the Gaillardia 'Fanfare' are both dead as doornails. Fortunately, I did find two lovely plants at one of the garden centres for the same price as I paid to T & T and I picked those up about 2 weeks ago. They are blooming like crazy and are so pretty. But, needless to say, I am upset about the ones I received from T & T. A phone call (collect) is coming thier way.

How did everyone else fare?

Shauna

Well I did receive my echinacea 'razzmatazz' but was disappointed. The plant was around $13 and It's only a 2-1/2 pot and the plant looks like a small seedling. Not much of a root system. The plant looked dehydrated and the four small leaves it had were flopping but I quickly planted it. Now I can't really see any leaves but it could be that they are just splattered with mud due to the heavy rains on the weekend. I'll have to have a closer look but I am anxiously awaiting to see if it grows some new leaves.

I have yet to plant the other plants out, but the elder is growing by leaps and bounds even though it's still in the pot.

Glen

LOL, what a joke, I will never order plants from them again....perhaps I'll order tomato seeds, but thats about it. My replacement plants were worst then the first ones they originally sent out, very disappointing especially when you have your heart on something special that you wanted to plant in the garden!

Sharon

I sent them an e-mail today asking for a refund. I was pleasant but firm. We will see what the response is. I'm very diligent about letting a business know that they have disappointed me. I think that every company deserves the chance to make it right with a customer. How I go about telling them, tho, depends on if I have taken my pills or not : ). But seriously, I am disappointed in them. My dahlias seem to be doing fine, although they seem a bit stalled right now at about 21" or so. But I think they just needed to settle in yet. If I don't get the right response, I will be letting them know that they can read this forum topic.

If anyone needs the e-mail address, this is the one I found.

garden@ttseeds.com

Shauna

I think everything i ordered from them is okay, though the quality of what i received was nothing compared to my Patrick's Studio order. Most of the Botanus order was okay too, but the two sedums i got from them have not shown any sign of coming up at all. Is that normal for sedums, do you think?

Marcia, I'd say if there is no growth emerging by now, then yes it's probably dead, rotted away.....email Botanus and they will credit your account for hmmmm spring bulbs ;) LOL

Sharon

Okay, thanks! (I did want them, though - Frosty Morn and Strawberries and Cream. Sigh...)

Looks like my Tiarella 'Black Snowflake' is NOT 'Black Snowflake', but another cultivar. There is nothing black about these, more like chartreuse, and the leaf shape is not even close. And now, I can't sdeem to access their online catalogue to see what tiarella it might be.

Actually, I don't mind these tiarella too badly, but I just wish they would have held up to their end of the deal - by sending LIVE plants and the RIGHT plants!

Shauna

I am so surprised to read about your T&T orders. I did not order this year as had too many plants to place from last year, but have ordered from them for years and had orders arrive in excellent condition. I wonder if they have a new supplier or a major change in staff? Postal problems? I now go to the city every week as well as have a local greenhouse, usually able to find what I am looking for so have only ordered lilies and Irises for the past number of years. The lilies have always been healthy and have some lovely T&T plantings. I did need to have Iris germanica Darkside and Prudence replaced, they were soft and smelly but the replacements bloomed last year ... they are spectacular, absolute beauties so don't be missing out on Darkside! Occasionally one cannot find some of varieties one is looking for so would love to have a few catalogs, I would appreciate the Parkland Perennial catalog address as well as any others you are finding exceptionally good as to varieties and healthy plants. Thanks,
Gerry

This is what I ordered:

This is what I received:

Can anyone identify which cultivar of Tiarella I received?

Shauna

Shauna, it looks like Tiarella cordifolia to me, I'd be contacting them about this goof too!

Gerry, here is the Parkland website. I'm sure you'll be very please ;)

Here is a link that might be useful: Parkland Perennials

Away for a week, on return found growth in the garden unreal ... it's a jungle out ... may never 'catch up' so you can guess why the thank you for the link to Parkland Perennials is so late! I have it book marked and do so appreciate ... thank you!
Gerry

Shauna, your plant isn't Tiarella cordifolia, but it is almost undoubtedly a hybrid involving that species...though it may not be the actual selection you ordered. T. cordifolia has somewhat heart-shaped, toothed leaves (though not as strongly as its name suggests; "cordifolia" = heart-shaped), rather than the deeply lobed leaves shown by these hybrids. Another difference, though you may have had your plant long enough to see it yet, is that T. cordifolia is a spreading groundcover - which I find makes it lovely as a base for other taller shade plants such as bugbanes and ligularias, whereas the tiarella hybrids, in general, don't have this spreading habit...at least I haven't acquired one yet that does...though it wouldn't be a bad thing, as the tiarella hybrids have great foliage, are very free-blooming, and seem to do very well in the conditions here.

I'm not seeing much of a spreading habit to it yet, Lori, so you are probably correct. In the picture I posted, you can just see the newer leaves on the left side that are starting the center contrast. I'm wondering if it is this cultivar that I have - Tiarella 'Neon Lights'?
Would this be a T. wherryi?

The picture is about halfway down this page.

Shauna

Here is a link that might be useful: Tiarella 'Neon Lights'

Thanks Shauna, now I need a Tiarella or two or ten!! Are they fairly winter reliable to zone 3? I remember hearing somewhere that their hardiness was questionable.
Laurie

Yes, they are reliable here.
Shauna, I don't know what breeding went into 'Neon Lights' - I imagine it could be found somewhere on the internet, perhaps.