is bluestone closed for the season?

i placed an order and wrote them and haven't heard anything. what do you know?

How long ago did you place your order and write to them? I think the email order confirmations are automated and I usually get one pretty quickly after I place an order so if you didn't get one of those then there may have been a computer glitch and it didn't go through. For writing to them, they're probably super busy trying to get fall orders out so I wouldn't be surprised if it takes a couple days for them to respond to emails (their customer service page on the website says that it may take a couple days especially during busy times). If it's been longer than that, I'd try resending your message--depending on what domain your email address is in, it may have a tendency to get filtered into spam folders (I know that happens to mine on occasion). Or if you think that's what happened, you might try calling them instead.

The first page on their website says that for zones 2-5 they are no longer shipping so orders are automatically being scheduled for spring instead, but since you're in zone 8 I imagine they'll still send you your order as long as you ordered things that said they were available in the fall (some things like shrubs they only ship in spring--they have them in the catalog and you can order them in the fall, but if you look closely at the listing you'll see that it says spring availability).

thanks ecrane. i saw all that but i would have thought they would at least answer my email. says they don't charge your card until they ship so can't check that. all the plants i wanted were for fall shipping. is there a way to check to see if your order made it through on your own?

I'm sure they will answer your email (if it made it through to them) but it might take a few days. You didn't mention how long ago you sent the email--I'm sure this is one of their busy times so I would expect it'll take them a couple days to get back to you. If it's been much longer than that, then most likely your email wound up filtered out as spam so I would send it again or try calling them instead.

I don't think there is a way to check on current orders--if you've registered for an account on their site then you can view past (completed) orders, but I don't think you can check the status of current orders. I would say if it's been a day or two and you didn't get an email confirmation (make sure you check your spam folder in case it accidentally got sent there) then it probably didn't go through, but if you want to be sure to avoid a duplicate order I'd probably wait until you talk with them or get an email response before you try to order again.

thanks if i remember to do it i will try to call them mon. that might be the best way.

You can check your order if you set up an account, I believe.

thanks pagan. i went there and signed in but it said you wouldn't be able to see your order that way. that you needed to call or email. it was a different email than i had been using so i tried that one. i will call on mon. if i don't hear from them. i have to replace my red valerian this year. have yall ever seen that stuff bloom? it is the most beautiful color to me.

Nope, I just got a plant earlier this summer, but haven't planted it out yet. Thought I'd go ahead and try to overwinter it in the basement, hope it makes it!

what is it? hehee

>blush< No kidding, huh? A valerian, lol.

Actually, now that I'm Googling pictures of it, I wonder if that's what it really is.... hmmm... leaves look different.

you got the red valerian, too? i just found some on ebay from a seller that i like for a buck a plant. no need to get those from bluestone now but i do want those spicy carnations.

Well, the tag says white or pink blooms.... dunno, we'll see! Like I said, these leaves don't look like the pics I'm seeing. If I take a pic of it, can you I.D. it for me?

not really. i have never had the white. the pink is out of this world stunning to me though. for me to grow it here i am going to have to give it good drainage and a little water in the summer.

somebody out here in perennial world will know for sure i bet though. you could open a thread and show your picture. or ecrane knows a little bit about everything on the earth and she may come back on and tell you on this thread. feel free to post it.

Maybe what's causing the confusion is there are different things that get called valerian...when I hear red valerian I think of Centranthus ruber which comes in white and also pink (although the pink can be pretty dark, that's probably where it got the name red valerian). http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=centranthus&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=ruber&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&searcher%5Bgrex%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search Then there's valerian (genus Valeriana) which comes in white and there may be some species that are light pink too http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=valeriana&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&searcher%5Bgrex%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search I see Centranthus much more often at nurseries (local & online) so that's most likely the plant everyone here has. But if you've been googling for pictures of valerian, maybe you were seeing pictures of the true valerian Valeriana instead.

Bluestone sent my order a week ago so theyre still shipping

Thanks, ecrane - maybe that's what's going on. Our temps dipped into the low 30's last night, so I'm not sure I have anything left to photograph!

dadgum freezing temps. dadgum it. here we'll have one day of that. i lose my whole garden for one day.

talked to bluestone today. and you know what they did? i had already ordered the valerian from my ark. connection as i didn't want to miss getting it this year. bluestone said their server was down last week but they had my order ready to ship. i told them i wanted to swap the valerian and they said my box was packed and they wouldn't remove the valerian but would add one of those new gaillardias for free. screeeeeeeeeeam!

I cant imagine what a pain it is to repack an order with those darned peanuts.

now i see why. i couldn't imagine why not just take the valerian out. but i bet you're right.

They are a really good company, aren't they?

well pagan i like this that they have done......a free new plant to me. but i haven't ever gotten plants before. are they beautiful? i am excited to see.

Yeah, not huge, but they usually in quite good shape. My only beef with them is that they still use peanuts for packing and it's a mess every time. They give you this whole she-bang about sending them back for recycling, but I wish they'd just stop using them.

But other than that, they've been great and had good plants.

I have had pretty good luck with Bluestone.
Plants are small the first year then the 2nd they take off, there are some losses but BS will replace them

I had the same problem with Bluestone. They do not communicate very well, but their plants look pretty good when they arrive. I think I lost only one out of maybe twenty that I planted in the spring. Plants are small, so they are easy to plant ( I hate to dig those big holes and disturb my bulbs) and they grow pretty quick. They should fill in by next spring.

well i got my order minus the free plant i was supposed to get. it may come mon. but it didn't come with this first box. wow! they charge a lot of money for what would be 3.00 plants here.....if that. seriously guys i am surprised at the cost for the size.

I've found in general with mail order you tend to pay more (or get a smaller plant for the same price) compared to what you'd get at a local nursery. Bluestone's price/size ratio isn't out of line with other mail order places I've bought from...some may be a little cheaper and some may be a little more expensive but they're mostly in the same ballpark. That's why I use mail order only for things I can't find locally, or sometimes if there's a tree or shrub I want but don't want to spend a fortune on the 15 gallon pot at the nursery, you can get small ones for much less mail order and then be patient for them to get big.

Ditto on everything ecrane said - of course, I'm in an area where you struggle to find anything more exciting than a wave petunia, so much of my stuff is bought on the net, too.

i keep braggin on my man on ebay from arkansas. his plants for 2-3 bucks beat bluestone hands down. some of his plants are 5.00. the roots of his plants are bustin' out of the pot on most. they are in 2-3 in. pots as well. shipping is decent. i haven't gotten his red valerian yet. can't wait to compare his with bluestone's. if bluestone had something wonderful that i couldn't find elsewhere i'd buy from them again. the plants are alive and healthy but somewhat shell shocked. understandable. didn't we do a co-op with them in the not so distant past? i wasn't in it. that would be worth it. what a wonderful idea i am thinking.

You are a madwoman, after this whole Summerhill thing! Sheesh!

So, who's this guy in Arkie?

no the summerhill thing just keeps us sharp. ol stormy is my kinda girl.

i would be happy to tell you. he is ronald rottman. and ebay is edogwoodritter or eritterdogwood.

something like that. his plants are extraordinary for the price. and has different things every year. and fairly rare things. bicolor butterfly bush. honeycomb buddleia. aristolochia baetica. who has that? i could only find the seeds in spain for a long time. then i found another lady on ebay out of georgia i think that i got seeds from. but now ron has the plant. red valerian was a buck a piece. bluestones.........over 5 each. also ron had many hardy hib. varieties that almost no one grows or at least they wouldn't trade with me. lol.

and if you can't find him on ebay type in aristolochia baetica and he'll come up. lmk if all that fails.i have bought from him every year for 3 years. that's how long i've known him.

Fabulous, thanks - I will try to leave some for you, promise! >grin<

Okay, I have grown the Aristolochia fimbriata, but I've never seen an A. baetica ... time to google.

Edited to add: I wonder if maybe he's just not selling anything at the moment, I'm not finding him.

This message was edited Oct 25, 2009 8:41 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/BUDDLEIA-BICOLOR-BUTTERFLY-BUSH_W0QQitemZ390103840291QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5ad4003623

here he is. i like everything about this guy. i'd ask him to do a co-op for us but his prices are already at co-op prices.

http://www.floracyberia.net/spermatophyta/angiospermae/dicotyledoneae/aristolochiaceae/aristolochia_baetica.html

he is out of the baetica i guess. but ain't it pretty?

I liked what I saw too. Too bad it is a little late in the season. I am afraid my shipment could freeze en route...
I will definitively give him a try in the spring. Thanks for the website!

you gotta watch him throughout the growing season as i have found he'll slip new things in. can't see how anybody wouldn't be happy with ron's stuff.

Mmm - very handsome plant. You've grown it, right? Do the flowers tend to blend into the leaves or can you see them fairly clearly?

which plant is handsome pagan? the baetica? no i have never had it until now. i had a few seeds that i screwed up last year. then i did find some more to try for a new plant. then i saw ron had a plant. maybe my seeds will germinate. check back in may or so next year.
on the fimbriata.....you have to look for those flowers. but so cute.

Yup, the baetica.

Yeah, I grow the fimbriata more for the leaves - also not huge, but very pretty.

Well, I hope you'll show off your seeds or your plant, whichever! Thanks for the lead on Ron, looks like he does have some really nice stuff - outstanding prices.

he's a keeper for sure. any problem he has always made right. quickly. he doesn't talk so much but he does get back.