saw them in 1 qt pots at my local Lowe's for $9.99. very nice plants. Hopefully they'll be offering this at your stores soon
echinacea Orange Meadowbrite, revisited
They're still a big ? to me. I am getting a freebie in with a replacement plant from Wayside, but both of mine did not overwinter last year - the only coneflowers to not do so for me.
A lot of these plant prices drop fast because there is such a demand initailly for them they end up putting out more than they can sell later.
Yep Al--that's what I'm waiting for...I know they will be out next spring for $1.25 in 4" pots just like I got rubinstern and primadonna rose and white this year.
Debbie
Here's my guilty confession and it's horrible, so you better sit down. The most expensive quart container I ever bought was Meadowbrite for 18.99 this year. I had to have it but I cringed all the while they rang it up. Bad me. Now if I can just find a fabulous bargain on something else to make up for it I can sleep at night and call it a wash!! :)
Megan
Megan, nobody told you about the SSS*? you buy something ridiculously expensive, then you buy something ridiculously cheap, and once again you are a sensible shopper.
Just this morning I was going thru some old catalogs and found one from Wayside that had them listed for $29.99! See? you were half-way sensible right there.
* Sensible Shopper System
LOL, I thought you were going to SYNDROME. Thanks for the clarification.
Megan
I feel smart because they had Pixie Meadowbrite here for 12.99 and rang it up as 7.99.
Well how exciting **groan** I got my replacement Fancy Frills and free Orange Meadowbrite. After 6 days in a 90 degree box they are struggling to say the least.
One thing I learned about gardening this year, local nurseries are a heck of a lot less expensive and often healthier and larger plants, then buying mail order and you can see what you are buying. I will only use mail order again if I can not find the plants locally.
Al those look so sad :*(
intercessor
I was lucky enough to find Orange Meadowbrite last spring at a local nursery for $6.99 in a gallon pot. (Nery, it was Garrison Garden's in Plano - don't know if you've been there)
It stayed in the pot over the winter because of an upcoming move and did not make it through. :-( $6.99 is more than I spend on perennials so it was hard, but $18.99 would have killed me.
Staci, no I haven't been to Garrison's. will have to ck it out next time
Bigcityal, I saw your pics before and simply didn't know of something nice to say. They are pitiful. I hope you send the vendor this pic so they can recify. But I will say I had an echinacea bounce back from a similar stage, and daylilies, well, those things are tough as nails, so they might bounce back w/ some TLC.
I buy 70% locally and the balance online, mostly from Daves Garden coops or when searching for something unique. I will, however, buy something less special if I determine that, even w/ shipping, it is cheaper than local (and there are those instances, surprisingly enough). Finally, checking the Garden Watchdog before any and all mailorder purchases has been a lifesaver. Excellent consumer tool.
This message was edited Jun 2, 2006 11:58 AM
Al, you should post that picture in Watchdog if you can... but maybe by now there's been some improvement? I know I don't want to shop at that place.
I have left feedback for them once already, they do replace the plants - but for the shipping you have to repay - $9 for a 2" plant - I think you eventually just cut your losses. I think Fancy Frills will make it, the Meadowbrite is so so. BTW Fancy Frills is not available locally - I looked everywhere this spring before I had it replaced by them.
This is Wayside of course.
Oh brother, Staci, now I have to go to Garrison's. lol
I have bought my share of Wayside perennials and although they are always very small and look pitiful when I got them, they always bounced back. Some of the best perennials I have in my gardens now are from Wayside orders 3 or 4 years ago. Don't misunderstand, I am not recommending them, only telling you to put your babies in the ground and give them a change to rebound. I never order from Wayside anymore because although my good sense tells me the plants will be okay, they aren't what I want to see when I open a box I've been waiting for.
Well, the last time I was there was in early May and their plants looked amazing Terry. I bought a rosemary and Heuchera on that trip, but was very impressed. Mrs. Garrison (forget her name at the moment) was actually friendly too!
I don't think my Meadowbrite echinacea overwintered either :(
Have you guys tried Garden Crossings or Ecolage? Both send plants out in quart or better sized containers. I'm hesitant to mail order anything this time of year but have bought from both of those companies in spring and fall in the past--plants arrived and thrived.
Debbie
dmj1218, I was not too pleased with the 3 perennial plants I received from garden crossings in mid may ( the 5 clematis I ordered all seemed fine). The Lavender has taken its last gasp, I think. The other two are now planted out and look marginally better after a lot of TLC, but I think they will survive. The pots were large and they had taken great care in packing them, but the perennials plants where not very good. Patti
Did you report it to garden watchdog? Because they had a 100% rating...I never mail order any live plants this time of year--but I'm aftraid they will sit in a Texas 'postal warehouse' in the heat. I've gotten really good plants in the past from them; but have to admit Ive ordered nothing this year.
Debbie