IMHO Yes they are, and they want $9.00 for a run of the mill perennials. The one good thing about it is in my area two farmers have started growing perennials with a starting price of $1.50 - $2.50 . Yes they are
4 inch pot but it is amazing how fast they grow. It is also amazing how fast the farmers business grew too . To me who likes to grow in drifts of 7 to 15 plants this has been a god sent.-----
$30 before my discount. Not exactly a bargain, but much less than Wayside. And they are trying to get folks to think it is their "exclusive" when it is obviously not. Black bamboo IS expensive but not that expensive - for the equivalent price here you will get a mature and full 5 gallon container.
Because about 30 or more years ago, they were WAY out in the country near Mentor Ohio, by the SIDE of the road. They were a very good nursery, that then went out of business, and Park's bought the Name. They had a good reputation back then.
I have planted many display gardens at different times when I worked in the garden center trade. At the end of any given growing season, there was absolutely no difference between a 4" pot or a gallon pot. Actually, in many cases the 4" pot did better.
I always opt to buy the 4", not only because it's cheaper by a long shot, but it's usually a healthier plant and hasn't made its way up through several transplants by nursery owners.
Well, 30 is certainly a much more feasible price for something which is relatively rare. However, I think I may buy a bucket of black bamboo, grow it, divide it and start selling IT. Holy cow.
Thing with it here is that rarely, if ever, are there any clumpers which clump. Most of the bamboo's run. Black is somewhat more behaved, but if unchecked for a few years, you'd be inundated. I may have to grow it now. Geesh. I'd make it much more affordable to the garden center so they don't have to charge so much.
I have family in that area and there are nurseries everywhere, including Bluestone Perennials. I have been told that Wayside now gets some of their stock from Springhill Nursery.
I think that Springhill was bought by a group of employees after the parent company went bankrupt a few years ago. I live about an hour from Springhill's facility in Tipp City, Ohio. After the bankruptcy and reopening, it seems like it is a better company. The plants they sell in their store are as nice as I see anywhere. They have an incredible catalog clearance sale each June where you can get some incredible bargains -- same with Bluestone Perennials.
Oh, I'm glad that there are still nurseries out there and it's not all become houses. I think I recall that the Wayside property did become a housing subdivision(?) Bluestone was just getting started and was mail order only, so I never got to buy any of their plants back then; I buy many of them now that I'm in Calif.! LOL There was a wonderful perennial nursery out on Plains Road in Mentor, called Lohrey Floral Gardens. It was run by an elderly husband and wife team. They had so many varieties planted in their large fields and would go out and dig up the plants you wanted and wrap them up. You took them home and planted them; everything grew so well.
yeah... they sent a gloss catalog that I dumped in the garbage right away. prices are nuts. Ingrid
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
formatting link
the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the endorsements or recommendations I make.
Prices such as those you quoted from Wayside can only be charged if enough suckers pay the asking price. Many consumers of garden products demand instant gratification and are willing to pay any price if they want a plant badly enough. I often shake my head as I watch people walk out of garden centers in the spring with hanging basket plants at the peak of their growth and color, knowing that within a couple weeks these same plants will turn into ratty skeletons. These same people throw them in the trash pile and return to buy another.
The same is also true of people who build house and demand instant landscapes. Often these same landscape turn into jungles within a four or five years because inappropriate plants were purchased, and the landscape designer is called back to remove and replace the jungle. It's usually not the landscape designer's fault, but the consumer who has little or not knowledge about plants. I'm sure any reputable designer has to walk a fine line between coping with stupidity and making a sale.
I'll admit that I am not an ideal plant consumer. If I can grow it from a cutting or plant division or start it from a seed, I'll do so. When I do purchase a "must have" plant at what I consider ridiculous price, my mind immediately goes to work about reproducing this plant so that individual cost is greatly reduced. Many of my friends are the recipients of these plants.
I bought one thing from them because I had a 20 dollar coupon. Other than that, I have no idea how they make money. Between those expensive catalogs and prices of plants, which I have no idea why buys...?
Well, I have become the favorite person at our bi-annual plant swap at the garden club. Fortunately, many people in Texas are heartfelt about keeping Texas wild and use native plants more than not. It's a great place to live, in that regard. That it was 75 degrees yesterday was at the top of reasons!
I got their catalog and thought their prices were kind of wacky. Some stuff seemed competetive with garden centers some stuff a lot more expensive. I have never ordered from them before but I was thinking about getting a clematis from them that seemed reasonably priced. Garden centers here seem to offer about 5 kinds each season and never the ones I am interested in.
I bought a clematis from them last year. Very small. Didn't do well. I am wondering if it was just busy developing roots. Will keep you posted come springtime! Love caryn
"Come into my garden, my flowers want to meet you!"
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.