I haven’t bought much recently, but when I started my old garden years ago I bought a lot of perennials and shrubs online. The plants were small, but I was willing to wait for them to grow to have a better selection and more unusual cultivars. I just ordered a few things online because local nurseries tend to stock whatever is blooming at the time, and I’m starting over in a new garden. I will probably buy Hosta plantaginea online because I haven’t seen it locally, and I loved it in my last garden. Also Hemerocallis flava, even though the deer will probably eat both.

you will probably have to limit yourself to canadian sources.. unless you are willing to pay big money for photosanitary certs ...

kenj

Hands down Geranium phaeum ‘Samobor’. Apparently it was trendy years ago but the only sources are the more expensive online ones. Would love love love to have it in shade.

I wanted one so bad but it was nowhere to be found. I ended up ordering seeds from Australia and grew it myself!

I have since found some online lol.

If you can find seeds for your FBI/Baptisia, I have grown it from seeds successfully, and growing from seed isn’t something I have done a lot of. You have to nick them (a nail clipper works well), soak, and then plant.

Are you looking for Baptista australis? If it’s the standard native version, I second NHBabs. Seeds are readily available in the US now with the pollinator/native trend. I wintersowed mine and they did well. Lost some seedlings when I had to travel in May, but I have about 6-8 seedlings outside now that are thriving. I’ve heard they are slow to establish, though. NHBabs, how many years did it take for yours fill out?

Yeonassky, I’m also in BC and had trouble finding baptisia/FBI. I purchased two in February at the Seattle/ PNW Garden Show. They are used to Canadian gardeners shopping there, so all plants are marked as to whether or not you can bring them back across the border. They also have a booth set up to do the necessary paperwork for Canada Customs. My baptisia are already 2’ mounds but they grow with a central taproot so don’t transplant well. Otherwise I would offer you some.
Btw, the show very often has a hotel package for a Canadians that includes room, breakfast and tickets. Look online in December/January if you are interested.

I've also found in my limited experience that distance from your house can be a factor. I have ordered from CT, and it came in one or two days. I have ordered twice from a company in the midwest, a looooong drive to get plants here. The first time they shipped on Monday and plants arrived Thursday. The second time they shipped on Tuesday and it took a full week. There was a significant difference in plant health, but all survived. Spending a full weekend sitting in a shipping container was not ideal. For that reason I won't order from the west coast. I'm very very happy with the midwestern company, GH Wild, but I will in the future make sure they are able to ship on Monday before I place my order!

Deanna, I don’t exactly remember how long, but Inhinkmit was 3 or 4 years to reach its full robust size from seed. I didn’t winter sow, just sowed outside when it got warm.

Adiantum aleuticum 'Subpumilum' aka dwarf western maidenhair fern. I know of one online source, but they are sold out. I need this one.

Here’s a list of Canadian online garden/plant suppliers. Didn’t go through the whole list but Canning has Baptisia.

https://www.gardenlist.com/Canadian.html

I don’t know whether they’re considered shrubs or perennials, but I can’t find Itoh peonies at my local nurseries. I’ll probably order online next year.

I have wanted Splendide WHITE for several years but still cannot obtain it in my area.

Thank you for al the great ideas everyone. I'm having entirely too much fun looking up everybody else's wants. Now I want those too. :)

Saypoint I like some more unusual plants as well which has meant that I've had to be disappointed lots. I will definitely check out canning and others.

Yes Ken I thought of that as well and that's part of the reason why I haven't been doing online that much. I don't like surprise fees.

Deannatoby yes I am looking for Baptisia Australis. It grew beautifully in my previous garden but I had to leave it behind :( I will definitely attempt to purchase it as local as possible when I do order plants. Thanks for the heads up on that.

Gardenho and Babs I'm
getting seeds if I can't find the plants. In the back of my mind I
thought I'd get both seeds and plants. I just thought I'd find them
this year and then didn't.

Cearbhaill glad that online has worked for you. I will definitely make use of your website for
checking out online stores.

Edenchild I have never traveled out of the country to buy
plants. Other things yes but plants no. now there will be a trip in
my future I wonder what my sister is doing next February :-). Perhaps going to
Seattle? :-)

DeannaToby thanks. Yes I am looking for baptisia
Australis. It grew beautifully in my previous card in but I had to leave
it behind:-(. I will definitely attempt to purchase it as local as
possible when I do order plants thanks for the heads up on that!

Interesting
that you can't find peony itoh mazerolm where you are. Could it be
they don't grow well in your zone? Or maybe it's more rare in general.

I found a website about the difference between the 3 types of
peonies. Now I want all three I do have the herbaceous peony. Now I
want a tree peony and Itoh peony too.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/can-peonies-stand-alone-like-bush-68154.html

rouge Splendide WHITE looks wonderful. I've never grown meadow rue though so don't know it's needs.Thanks again all.

I never see Chrysanthemum pacificum/ Ajania pacifica any more, and I really want it. Not quite hardy here, but worth it as an ‘annual’, or I can keep it in the garage.