Capitol Wholesale doesn't carry annuals, but they do have a good selection of perennials. Payless has a fairly good selection of annuals, a good selection of perennials and also carries Annie's Annuals. I've never been to Central, so I can't speak for them. You also might want to look at Alden Lane in Livermore. They have a really great selection of annuals and perennials. Summer Winds on Almaden Expwy. has a decent annual and 4" perennial area. Almaden Valley Nursery is about 2-3 miles up the street from Summer Winds and they are small, a bit more expensive, but good quality. The best selection in 4" perennials that I've seen is Half Moon Bay Nursery in Half Moon Bay, but that may be a bit of a drive for you also, but it's well worth the trip. The is also Yamagami's and Summer Winds on DeAnza Blvd. in Cupertino. Good selections, but a bit expensive. Also.......the San Francisco Flower Show will be coming up in mid March and will have lots of goodies! I'm saving my pennies! Course, this time of year, most nurseries in this area aren't that well stocked, so the selection may be a little thin until late Feb/March and you may have to hit more than one nursery to find what you want. If you're looking for specific items, you might want to call ahead and make sure they're in stock. wanda

You won't be able to overwinter most of those on your original list in Vancouver, as you are not on salt water - unlike around Puget Sound - and the first two are much too tender even for the milder Seattle sites. (Another factor to keep in mind is that when people post about growing certain borderline plants outdoors in the area the last killer winter here was in 1990; post-1990 plantings have not been through a true test). A banana shrub has been grown for many years in a south-facing Seattle garden (see the web site of Arthur Lee Jacobson) but I don't know about this lasting through the colder winters down there. Independent garden centers here stock fragrant shrubs such as those that have been mentioned in this thread, including alternative evergreen magnolias in Sec. Michelia trucked up from California. Closest to you the main outlets for this kind of thing are probably Portland Nursery and Cistus Nursery - but the Willamette Valley is a major horticultural production center and I have not checked out every independent garden center and other retail nursery down there, by any means. Two major sources for magnolias specifically (as well as many other kinds of plants) that are at the other end of the valley that should not go unmentioned are Gossler Farms in Springfield and Greer Gardens in Eugene. See their web sites. You should also look at the huge offering of forestfarm, which is now being operated to support the new Pacific Botanic Garden being made down in the Rogue Valley area. For the Magnolia part of the Cistus site (note that they are using the same re-classification of Michelia etc. into Magnolia that I am; another point I want to make is that I would add one zone to those they often give - when they say a plant is hardy to Zone 7 I'm inclined to think really it will be Zone 8, and so on)... Here is a link that might be useful: Cistus Catalog - M This post was edited by bboy on Fri, Dec 27, 13 at 15:03

Good question. They are a lot cheaper. I grabbed one example, not the best, but I like Cora Vinca. I just searched a big site on the web. Their price is $3.95 for 20 seeds. Big Wholesaler: $4.60 for 100 seeds. With a four person split you get 25 seeds for $1.15. Well, one more example: Salvia, Lady In Red Big Site on the web:$4.95 for 75 seeds Big Wholesaler $5.25 for 500seeds There are many, many better examples that blew me away. You would just have to check the items you like to see what I mean. Incidentally you can buy from them and use the extra seeds, no splitting. Also, the company I use carries 8000 types. Any way we have our four people and are doing the splitting right now. I am mailing mine to all tomorrow. I got an email from a 5th person and told her I would keep the post open incase 3 other people want to join her. But our specific swap in closed. Thanks for the question, Bob

Hey!! I live Waaay.. out here.. I know they have a place in Aledo..I wish I could give you the name...DH will be home soon I know he will know..LOL I googled mulch and compost in FM and found a couple...Asplund(however it is spelled...LOL) has to pay to dump loades of chipped wood.. We get a couple of loades each years..If you are anywhere near where they are working they will gladly give it to you for free.(chips..) I keep my eye out for those boys..LOL Chena