Is their website working? I was not able to get into it.

Hi magnolialover,
Thanks for sharing this info with us.
I did not find Valentine's Day Sale. Where is it?
I bought Double Oriental Lily Mixture using a $25 off $50 purchase coupon they sent me via e-mail. This mixture consists of 4 types of double Orientals (6 bulbs total) and costs $29.95 without coupon. So for me $12 per bulb + $9 shipping + insurance ... kind of expensive.
They do have some unique lilies though. So where is the sale?

I got into their website.

How do you get that $25 coupon?

Thanks,
Cowboy

Okay. It's NOT Dutch Gardens! Dutch Gardens has a mix of doubles, who knows exactly what you'll get? Faraway Flowers, which is the link I put up, has named varieties. There site appears to be functioning fine, so copy and paste the link and it will get you there. The page will show you the Valentine's Specials. There is no coupon code, you just need to place your order between Fe.1 and Feb. 14 to get the deal.
This site has some real treasures. I hope you all can find the correct site for FARAWAY FLOWERS. You'll have fun there .
http://farawayflowers.vstore.ca/

Just subscribed for their newsletter.
You can use this link or this one, whatever will work better for your order.
Enjoy.

P.S.
Of course, mixtures cost less than named varieties. But in this case you are not getting named varieties from Faraway Flowers either. Read carefully their disclaimer. Dutch Gardens includes four of those unnamed yet varieties in their mixture.
Personally, I would not pay that much for them now. The reason - Riz mentioned here on this forum that Miss Lucy does not open well for him. The pictures are gorgeous, of course, but these Doubles might be somewhat dissapointing in person. That's why I decided to buy a mixture for now. Just my opinion.

Alina, I agree with you somewhat. However, with Dutch Gardens you could get any mix of what they show and you may not get some of what they show either. The other thing in question is the bulb sizes. I chose to place a decent size order from Faraway Flowers and go with two of the doubles that I really liked most. You'll have to post pix later of your blooms.
Interesting about "MIss Lucy's" performance for Riz. I bought "Miss Lucy" last year and the flower opened up beautifully, double too. It sounds like, going from B & D Lilies site example on "Miss Lucy" that the double may be less the first year, but years after makes vast improvements. Hope it makes improvements for you. It is such a nice lily.
Faraway Flowers has some of the newer OTs as well, and check out there bulb sizes on many of their items! Some look to be Buggy Crazy sized, which to me, is exciting, as you can expect more blossoms on these the first year.
Hopefully you can direct link to Faraway Flowers, if you wish to this time. I'm just figuring this out, as it is different than what I am used to.

Here is a link that might be useful: Faraway Flowers

Magnolialover,
I agree 100% - everyone has to have a freedom of choice. It is nice to have a forum like this one to share information and opinions. Dutch Garden's Doubles are supposed to be top-size bulbs. Faraway, on the other hand, warns that their bulbs might be sprouted. We'll see.

I did not find anything to buy at Faraway Flowers now - either I have'em or I do not like'em or toooo expensive (Japanese hybrids). I would by 'Angelique' and 'Cecil', but shipping would be too hefty for two of them. I bookmarked this site anyway - they introduce some European varieties, it's great!
Now here is the deal. Let's post pictures of our blooming Double Oriental babies next summer. Double Oriental is a step up in Lily breeding; and I am as excited about them as you are. And let's post a feedback on the quality of bulbs from both sources. Since Doubles are so new, it would be interesting and useful for everyone on this forum. So far I saw only Riz's 'real', not 'doctored' by sellers pictures of them.

I will post pictures of the doubles I obtain and we can compare. Faraway Flowers at least admits to the chance of sprouting lilies. I have received many, many, many sprouted bulbs in my spring shipment from places like B & D Lilies, the Lily Garden and Brent & Becky's. I think spring is the time where lilies just want to grow no matter where they are. They sense the timing, the season and do what they do best, grow! I guess when I order spring lilies, I half expect that now. So I am just extra careful when planting them.
I wish companies would be more specific, like Buggy Crazy, B & D Lilies and Faraway Flowers, when describing the size of their bulbs. Top size to me, really means nothing. And actually I have purchased from Dutch Gardens only to find a newer variety "top-size" at a whoppin' 12cm. I have listed feedback at Garden Watchdog for my past orders from Dutch Gardens as have others. Some have good experience, many not so good. I hope your bulbs are all you hope them to be;0) It will be exciting, 2007 lily season. Can't wait to see you pictures.
I am always happy to have more options in lilies, especially when it comes to supporting a small business, like B & D Lilies, the Lily Garden, Buggy Crazy & Faraway Flowers now. If I can obtain my cultivars from them, I usually do. But you are right, freedom of choice is left to each of us.

AS my mother used to say, you get what you pay for. Quality costs money. The bulbs I got from Dutch Gardens last year were by far the worst bulbs I have ever bought. They were all dried out and rotting. I complained and got a refund, but they won't get anymore of my money. And I grow hundreds of lilies...

Gosh, how exciting to see new varieties and colors of double-flowered orientals!

I'm a little skeptical about the actual size, quality and "true to name"ness of this company. I doesn't sound like they even grow their own bulbs with most of them coming from "Faraway" places.

Often what you get from a Dutch supplier is what you get and it can be very variable depending on the grower and the varieties they send.

While I don't have the funds to invest in evaluating these "Exotic" lilies, it would be great to hear from those who do buy them. Like I said, I've struggled with 'Miss Lucy' and I've tried growing it in different locations and the flowers just don't match the photos in terms of the fully double form.

This company doesn't seem to have a clear guarantee or return policy.

Carry on,

Riz

I believe when companies buy from Dutch Growers, they pay a certain price for the size bulb they will receive. If you have ever gone to a wholesale Dutch site, you will see the different size bulbs and their prices. vendors have choices here.
I guess I will be one of the first to sink money into this small company and I am proud to do so. Think of what a different market it would be if customers never gave the Lily Garden, Buggy Crazy & B & D Lilies a chance? Think of all of the wonderful cultivars we would miss out on!
I applaud the honestly they have on the site. Just starting out, they have to do the best they can with guarantees and such. These things will likely change for the better as the business gains success.
Oh yes, and you must know that unless they are the above mentioned companies, you are likely not getting bulbs that were grown here in the United States.
Riz, I hope Miss Lucy surprises you this year.

I was just looking at the B & D site. I don't see anything that says that they are growing their Ot's themselves. Do you?

B&D do grow their bulbs themselves. Take a look at this page. As you can see:
At the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, B&D Lilies is the only company that offers lilies grown exclusively here in the Northwest. Unlike others that advertise "grower direct" and then offer you bulbs from Dutch brokers specializing in greenhouse forcing varieties, B&D Lilies brings garden tested Northwest Grown bulbs, chosen specifically for their superior performance in our Northwest gardens.

As for Faraway Flowers, it seems that they buy their bulbs from H.W.Hyde & Son, UK. This company is recommended by RHS, so their bulbs should be good.
Talking about business...I guess I have slightly different point of view on the companies like Faraway Flowers. For me it looks this way:

• They probably will get their niche on the market because they offer some unique and hard to find bulbs.

• They charge customers at the time of ordering and even have a deadline for placing orders. Obviously, they use customers' money to place a bulk order at their vendor company.

• They do not allow returns.

• They do not have warranty.

• They require postal insurance to be paid by customers.

• Bottom line - they protect themselves, not their customers in every possible way.

Personally, I would not care to support such business.

Quietly exiting discussion.

I sent an email question to FarawayFlowers yesterday and still have not received a response. Not sure how long to wait for a response.

Cowboy

I've given up on 'Miss Lucy', actually. After this year, they just declined. I hope these new cultivars perform better.

R

Cowboy, did you get an answer? I emailed B&D and they told me that they grow some, import some and buy form other wholesalers.

Sorry, I thought I posted a message yesterday, but apparently I didn't. I received a very nice email yesterday from them. I was just checking on some Peonies.

Cowboy

Cowboy,
I guess you sent your email to Dutch Gardens, not Faraway Flowers :-)
FF does not sell Peonies.

It was FarawayFlowers, they don't have peonies and they referred me to another nursery.

MY mistake! The response I got was from the Lily Pad.

Hi all,

Not to throw a monkey wrench in the works but Big Dutch Grower does not have to equal "bad" and more expensive doesn't have to equal "rip off". (Just my humble opinion.) Each place has their advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes I prefer cheaper smaller bulbs - especially when I want a number of them. Also some varieties just are not grown on this "side of the pond" - especially the Longiflorum - Orientals. But since I'm more an "immediate gratification" person by nature - othertimes I prefer larger more expensive bulbs that will perform great right away, especially unique hybrids that you can't get anywhere else (like many at The Lily Garden). And further, to confess a guilty pleasure, I still break down and buy potted lilies in bloom from Lowe's. There's nothing like "instant lilies" for a quick pick-me-up, and they're dirt cheap.

It's tough having champagne tastes, a beer budget, and no patience! It make for a lot of internal conflicts! :)

-Helen

Lilies have been a favorite of mine for a long time. i'm excited to find this forum and learn about all the new varities and interesting web site.
Thanks guys!

I thought I should do a follow up on Faraway Flowers. Just got my order yesterday and I was particularly pleased not only with the quality of bulbs, but also the size. The shipping was delayed because of inclement weather, and as a customer I was notified promptly.
I ordered each of the Japanese (OT) Hybrids from them and they were enormous bulbs. 24 cm as advertised. I also received a couple of the double orientals and was particularly pleased at the quality (compared to the gift I was given for Christmas from Dutch Gardens of the double oriental mix, which two of them came soft and compost-worthy :(). The roots from Dutch Gardens, came, as per usual, shriveled up. The ones from Faraway Flowers had active root systems, as if they were just dug and sent the day before. I was pleasantly surprised (and I love that).
For those of you familiar with Buggy Crazy, that was the size of bulbs these Japanese Hybrids were. I was very impressed with this company and hope to shower you all with fabulous photos this summer of my great finds from my favorite lily growers and vendors. It's almost time for the show to begin...