Do You Buy from Catalogs?

The only thing that sustains a gardener in the deep winter is the flight of seed and plant catalogs that float through the mail slot, riotous with colors, and rich with promises of a lush, full, tasty, prolific spring and summer. 

I love these catalogs.  I mark their corners, pore over them, and dream of reproducing their landscapes in my backyard.

But I've almost never ordered from them.

I always think, isn't it better to get your plants locally?  Not just the environmental impact of transporting plants over long distances--which might be reason enough--but for the reason that plants that start close to home are more likely to thrive in your home.  Not to mention the pleasure of wheeling a full cart around the garden center, picking out the best specimens to take home and get into your little piece of Earth.

My mom has told me story after story of things she's ordered from catalogs that have gone bust in her garden.  And yet I'm always drawn in--this year, especially by these luscious Vanilla-Strawberry Hydrangeas that my friend Lisa pointed out to me in the Jung catalog.  I can just see a vase-full of these on my kitchen table....

So I put the question to you--have you had luck with plants you've ordered from catalogs--especially companies that are located outside your living/growing region?  If so, which ones (companies and plants)?

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Comments

[Sue]

I'm afraid I'm not nearly organised enough to buy from catalogues. I'm an impulse buyer - not always the best strategy either.

Found you through Blotanical incidentally and look forward to following you.

[Flowers]

I am impressed by the picture of flowers on your blog. Enjoyed going through it. Keep up the good work.

[Curbstone Valley Farm]

Those vanilla-strawberry hydrangeas could almost sway me, such a beautiful color. I've purchased plants from catalogues in the past, but these days mostly try to avoid it. Our last garden was less, natural, and I had some roaring successes with catalogue ordering for that garden (rugosa roses, stunning viburnums etc.), and some dismal failures (too numerous to count) with catalogue ordering. However, here we've shifted more toward using native plants whenever possible, and the best selections for natives seem to come from local sources. Regardless, I found that catalogue ordering demanded a level of patience that I don't always have, as most plants are much smaller than a local nursery might have, and of course, not always optimally suited for your location. However, sometimes, a particular plant may demand that you take the risk...what's the worst that could happen?

[Line]

Holly,
Last year I ordered a collection called "shade garden" from Michigan Bulb, as well as 2 multicolored butterfly bushes. The butterfly bushes were miserable little sticks when I got them, but both grew well and flowered the same summer. Select your region on the site so the plants will be right for your climate. I agree that the plants look wonderful in the catalog, but as long as you know that you'll just get that sad looking stick or bulb you don't have to be disappointed (like I was, because I did't know.) In the end everything I got flowered well so I saved some money from buying the same perennials at the garden center and there's a point in buying things from home where you can plan as opposed to going to the garden center and impulse buy flowers you have no idea where to make space for it like I tend to do ;)
Line

[Jim Groble]

I tried catalogues a couple of times and was disappointed. I now travel all over Ohio in search of the next "got to have" plant.

jim

[leavesnbloom Scotland]

I used to buy all the time from catalogues when there were no nurseries or garden centres near me - but now I am thinking of going back to the catalogues again to try to grow some more unusual plants. :)