Attention Bargain Hunters!

A nursery where I have purchased many of my peonies has announced the owner is retiring and selling all stock at HALF PRICE!

They have many wonderful varieties and excellent quality. As much as I hate to see Bannister Garden Center close, I'd like as many of my fellow DG gardeners to take advantage of the opportunity to add something new at a bargain price. Last spring I bought everything I thought I could place in my garden (at regular prices - LOL), but with the sale, I managed to find three additional varieties I want. This photo is 'Lucky', which I added in 2010.

Here's a link to their website: http://www.peonies.net/index.php

Will be sad to see them retire. Have been major supporters of HPS and personal friends.

They have great roots so take advantage of their sale to help increase their retirement funds.

Alana

I hate to see them go too, Alana. I'm surprised they have not chosen to sell the whole operation (farm, retail store and greenhouses) to someone who wants a 'growing' business. If I was 20 years younger, I'd jump at the opportunity!

Neva posted a message on Facebook that they are not retiring but only having as sale. Apparently so that they can sell the farm, peony field, when they are ready to retire. I was glad to see that. They do have several sales on summer stock. I went there today to see what if anything other than peonies was on sale and to find out final days. I purchased a great looking fig plant, with baby figs on it, for $25. Many of the shrubs and trees are for sale 25% off.

Interesting. Here's what it says on their website:

We will soon be retiring. As part of our going-out-of business we are offering all peonies for half-off. Take advantage of this sale while we still have stock left.

I'm glad to hear they plan to sell the farm and business. I think it's an excellent opportunity.

My information is they are only selling farm which contains peonies etc. One of their children probably is taking over the business. Hopefully they will update their website with additional information. They have updated their Facebook page.

Still a great sale and a great place to purchase peonies.

Are the prices listed on the website their regular prices, or the half off price?

The prices shown are the regular price. When you check out they take 50% off the regular price.

Thanks! I may end up buying some after all.

I ordered some yesterday. When you checkout online it will still show full price. I called them and they explained they are having trouble with their web page and their web master hasn't fixed it yet. She is going through the invoices and correcting them by hand before processing payment and shipping.

I looked at this posting every day and resisted.

OK, OK I give in! I have almost no sun left but Burma Joy did beautifully in shade and they have Burma Midnight! So I'm getting 2.

I thought I could stop myself, but no!

Thank you Leawood, you glorious enabler.

I had the same problem, Redrock. I think their web guy was a little behind. Margie took care of it for me via e-mail.

Yes, my web order indicated regular prices, but with the assurance of your emails, I went ahead and placed the orders.

I'm terrible this year. I started out intending to buy one rose. A one gallon Glamis Castle from Chamblees (my first experience with them - really fantastic) for which I paid full price. Then Terri_emory told me that Heirloom had a half price deal ($7.95 each). I got two lovely contanerized roses, one of them recommended to me as a must have, but one of them is an error and I got three because the correct rose was then shipped. Then I ordered three roses from my old yard from Roses Unlimited, that will arrive in the spring. I found trade gallon Endless Summer hydrangeas on sale for $8 each and bought two. And I got a Mrs. FDR from Old House Gardens because the price was great (way under market) and it was in my old yard.

And now Leawood tells us all of this irresistable offer. I'm so bad! Gorgeousness and half price. I can't resist!

My mantra for the year is that I will not buy any more plants. Oh well, I have in my cart 5 peonies. With Donna's influence, I added Burma midnight to my cart. Any other must haves that you all would recommend before I press the checkout? LoL

I think I have led you sufficiently astray. I myself am trying to to go back and add a third, because, after all, shipping for three is the same price as shipping for two!

My rationale is going to be: They are not shipping until fall. I will not probably get them into the ground until December. I will count these peonies as 2013 purchases so that I will only be going over my budget for 2012 by not that much.

Oh, good thinking! Three of my roses won't be delivered unti spring of 2013! So they don't count. LOL!

But, I just remembered, I purchased four ornamental grasses. But they WERE on sale!

Any more ideas? I like the way you think!

I always buy myself plants as gifts for mother's day, and for my birthday. Gifts don't count as landscape purchase costs. :D.

I LIKE that one - and my birthday is later this month! Yes. The peonies are birthday presents.

I just purchased Garden Treasure, Prairie Charm, Fantastic. Top Brass, Paula Fay, and a Festiva Maxima (only $7.50) from Bannister . I plan to put the two ITOHs in my front yard where there is slightly less sun and they will be able to spread out until they reach near the magnolia trees. The others are just ones I love and want to have more of.

They said they are not actually retiring but their webmaster got a bit too enthusiastic. They just had a very abundant supply and are reducing their prices to half off for this year only.

Thanks Leawood and to all who posted this bargain. This is a new peony place to try and the prices were certainly right.

Bless you, Leawood. My two Burma Midnights have NINE eyes! I've never seen more than seven.

Soils, I think you are going to be thrilled. The roots are huge!!!

Donna

My purchases arrived yesterday - the 'Garden Treasure' is huge!

Talking with them at the nursery, they say they aren't going out of business, they just wanted to move some inventory - whatever is the case, I feel like it was a bargain.

Gary

Got mine, can't believe the size of them.

Thanks so much for the tip Leawood.

Kirk

Donna, your message regarding the eyes on your 'Burma Nights' piqued my curiosity. I haven't planted my purchases yet (Saturday is set aside for garden work this week), so I looked at the 'Garden Treasure' - it has nine eyes too! My other two buys, 'Felix Crousse' and 'Fernleaf Double' each have 3-4 eyes. All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase.

Gary,

They are the most rambunctious peonies I have ever purchased, and I have gotten them from several highly regarded companies. You were very discerning to point us to them. I reviewed them on GW, and the reviews are quite old. If you are happy, please give them a leg up. I have no relationship to them - I just love supporting the small, high quality sellers.

As I was putting my roots into the ground, I noticed that one of them had 14 eyes, and the other had 9. I should mention the shape of them. I don't know to what extent a grower can control this, but some roots have eyes that are difficult to settle into the ground. These were really easy.

Ok, I've been lurking and finally fell. Ater several days of dithering over the website, I ordered 2 Red Charm, 2 Heidi and a Topeka Garnet. Margie was a great help in narrowing down my choices. They'll be here next week.

Pam

Excellent.

Margi is very knowledgeable and a great help when you visit their nursery. It's a fairly small operation, so she and the elderly couple who own the nursery are about the only people you'll see/talk with.

BTW - you can drive through their fields during the bloom season and see the plants growing to get a better idea of how they will look in your garden (if, like me, you're unfamiliar with each plant's conformation).

Donna, I took your advice and gave them my own review on GW. I'd encourage anyone else who bought and was satisfied to also add their comments.

Gary, I think I owe you a huge thank you for letting us know that they exist. These small and superior purveyors are just the cream of the crop. Bluntly, I have received gift peonies from major, well known providers at much higher prices and they simply don't compare. Bravo to them, and to you!

Yes, I thank you too. Not only did she help me choose, but asked for pictures when I started to describe my garden, then ID'd a couple of old peonies that have been on the property since before 1970. Btw, I told her I heard about them from DG. She was very pleased.

I was just on their site and when I put in what I wanted and went to check out, it did not show half off. Are they still having the sale?

Look further up in this thread. They will adjust the price. Order with confidence.

The website still has the sale info, so I'd order and see what happens. If you want to confirm it, you may call (816) 763-4664.

Spring is here and I'm anxious to see how my new peonies perform. The have sprouted and, depending upon variety (I guess) are progressing at their own rates. The 'Coral Charm' (pic #1) I have had for several years is the most advanced. It is an early bloomer, so I guess that's to be expected. Others, as you can see, are not as far along. Pic #2 is 'Garden Treasure' and pic #3 is 'Paul M Wild' (both new last fall). Pic #4 is 'Lucky', which was planted in the fall of 2011.

Are we really in the same zone?! Last week we still had snow and ice. This week it's gone, but the peonies are still in hiding. The snowdrops haven't bloomed yet, and daffs are only up about 3." Things should start popping now, though, it won't be much longer before things start happening.

When my roots came, they were enormous. I can't wait to see how they do!

After several cold days and a day of icy rain, we had a freeze warning on Tuesday. I scoured my basement and garage for buckets, pots and even trash cans to cover the tender peony and trumpet lily plants that had emerged. It is pretty unsightly, but (hopefully) everything was protected. I figure the tulips, daffodils, daylilies and iris can handle the cold.

Beautiful garden, Leawood. i hope you keep the blossoms that are already out.

Bravo, Leawood, you covered the lilies. That was exactly what you needed to do, because emerging lilies can be turned into mush by freezing. My neighbors used to chuckle as I ran around the yard covering the emerging stems with anything I could find, but it works, and it is necessary.

The others you mentioned are quite tough.

We've used everything from trash cans to jars to protect those tender kids, and indeed it does look silly. But haha, it works!

We ARE having silly weather: Freezing one day and hot the next, encouraging everything to quickly grow. I think the lilies can get pretty cool, like down to 38, but colder than that with winds can be destructive.

Here's to the end of scary weather. Leawood, you cover a great amount of real estate, and that's a lot of lilies to cover. I hope they're all going to be healthy.

This message was edited Apr 25, 2013 9:56 AM