...with some varieties he doesn't have on the site.
Also, he's now offering (at least on ebay) to ship bare root, cutting shipping costs way down.
http://stores.ebay.com/A-Touch-Of-The-Tropics
Fyi-A Touch of the Tropics now on eBay
I will need to check out what he has that is different. Too bad shipping can be so high.
Tess, you are an enabler :-)))))
ummm...yeah, but one who's trying to save you a couple of bucks, anyway.
Call me a thoughtful enabler...rofl...
Wish he sold seed. :(
Thanks a bunch Tess I just had to buy a black dragon, I don't know who the person was that was twisting my arm but once I paid for it they quit.
He has 8 left if anyone is interested in a black dragon.
Stop it, stop it, stop it!
I only have so much self discipline and it is rapidly vacating my pitiful brain. Any minute now I just know it will disappear completely.
So sad to see a grown woman break down and buy.
So THAT'S where that guy went! He was twisting my arm and pinching like crazy until I broke down and got the Renaissance Blue and then :::poof!::: magically, he was gone. Guess he headed in your direction...lol...
Dang those prices are high!!!
Yep, but his plants are huge. I could not have gotten a plant that large for that price locally.
alice
Tomorrow some other person will have the same plants at a much lower price or they will be at Lowe's, KMart or Home Depot. Why pay such a high price today???
Judy
wellll...I can think of lots of reasons. The varieties he offers are not the plants that you'd normally find in the chain stores, and I know I love to get that one that's that little bit different.
Also, when it comes from somebody like David or Bobby Dupont, I have a lot of confidence in what I'm getting. True, if you get a plant that dies or doesn't preform for less money, you can't complain because at least you got x-amount of enjoyment out of it, and got your moneys worth. But I figure that I put enough time, work and care into each plant that if the inital cost is a little higher it's worth the investment.
As for David/A Touch of the Tropics in particular, he's an amazing professional who really cares about what he does and takes the time to answer any question on the phone, by email, even after hours. I appreciate his dedication and he just makes you want to support him.
I don't know about anybody else, but thems my reasons for opting to pay a little more sometimes... which is not to say I don't have plenty of Lowes specials all over the place, but ya gotta splurge sometimes! :)
Well said Tess!! I have purchased a few plants from David and they have been the biggest and also the healthiest. They don't compare to Lowes or any other chain store. That old saying "You get what you pay for " certainly applies here!!
He is also one of the nicest people I have ever done business with :)
Lisa
I didn't feel like I paid to much at all. It is something I wanted and by golly I got it. Yes I have gotten a lot of nice hibiscus from Lowe's, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot, and if they had the one that I had been looking for I would have gotten it there. But this is a fairly new release and I don't imagine either of these places will have one for a long wild. I may have to eat my words, but for now I am so happy I have a Black Dragon coming soon. I can't hardy wait.
I have never gotten anything from "A Touch of the Tropics", but everything I have read about them says they are #1. I have looked at there web site and drooled all over my key board.
Did I tell anyone that I have a BLACK DRAGON HIBISCUS coming.
Linda
Ummmm...hey Linda, did you say you ordered something? I could swear you mentioned...uh...I dunno...some plant or other...lol...
Oh, and one other reason to order from David was already mentioned- instant gratification! His plants are huge, full, and ready to go with no signs of stress indicating that they were pushed hard to get that way. And as somebody who lost many many babies in the hurricane last year (but was still very lucky compared to so many), I'm a HUGE fan of instant gratification!
Tess, I remember you saying you were going to give me a blank check for my birthday. Your only 4 days
late but It is ok. So I will pick them out and you just pay...k??LOL You are so generous.
I promise I won't get less than 6 or more than 12. And think of the savings on postage on the 2nd thru the
12 th one :o)
I know I can find someone to pay...oops...... I mean that remembers you saying this.
This is NOT a ROTFLOL..........................
I better get started picking them out before they are all sold.
ROTFLOL ;o)
Blessings,
Sandy ^8^
This is just too funny!!! Good Luck Ladies, may you have many blooms!!
Judy
Well, you did it! I fell off the wheelbarrow this morning and ordered a Black Dragon and a Persimmon. Ya'll are no help at all! I am telling DH it is all your fault. :-))))))
HeHe, this time next week I'll be doing the happy dance as I repot those lovelies into 3 gallon containers. Anticcccccccccciiiiiiiiiiiipation.................
Sandy...I missed your birthday??!! What a bad girl am I! :( We'll have to see what I can do to make up for it...if you see a male stripper show up today, get the hubby into another room, quick! lol...
Happy Belated- hope you had a wonderful time- you really deserve it!
And Ard, I'll be happy to take allllll the blame! You can come hide out here until the heat blows over. Of course, then we'll have to take a ride up to Dupont, which'll only get you in more trouble when you get home, but you expected that, right? lol...
Ardesia isn't it wonderful knowing we got something headed our way. He sure has some very beautiful flowers. Sent pictures when you receive and I will do the same. That goes for you too Tess. I am just dancing around the house.
Thanks for being such a great enabler Tess!! As soon as I figure out how I can sneak this one home I will be ordering.
Please tell me how I keep this alive in a pot? I have tried before and mine seem to not do very well.
Alive in a pot indoors or out? It's kind of the opposite, depending on where it is.
Outside (here in NOLA, and I assume it's much the same by you), they dry out pretty fast, and regular mid-level water (not as deep as potted roses, say) is needed.
Indoors or overwintering, too much water'll kill 'em faster than anything. Watch out for yellowing/dropping leaves and examine the water situation. They'll do that if the water levels are off, either too much or too little.
I get blooms year round that way. This time of year I sometimes forget why I live in this hothouse, but then I remember fall/winter/early spring and figure I can hang in there for another month and a half until it's bearable again:)
I was thinking outdoors but knowing I will have to over winter it inside somewhere. Maybe I should just wait and see if the unknown tropical hibiscus I already planted in the ground will actuall survive this winter. Great now I am talking my self out of buying a plant jeez what is wrong with me???
I would think in zone 9a you could plant it in the ground and leave outside all year long. Then in the winter if you are going to get temperatures below 40* then you could cover it up with a blanet or some plastic.
No No don't talk yourself out of buying a beautiful new plant. That's what we do best is buy plants and then worry later what we are going to do with them. I say GO FOR IT. Of course thats my OHO.
Linda
That's what I was thinking. All of my mature hibs stay out (even those in pots) with no problem, and I'm in 8b- and David's plants certainly qualify as mature.
I do mulch the &(*@# out of them in late fall, but I've not had a problem, even when it snowed on Christmas in 2004.
Plus, you've gotta get them now. We're all in trouble now, and if you want cuttings, you've gotta get in the pot with us...c'mon in, the water's fine...lol
Tess you need to do a hibiscus co-op.I think they got them from dupont for around 2.50 a liner last year. Not sure the min. Come on Tess you can do it.
I know my son lives in Sugar Land Tx. and they have hibiscus every where down there. He says if the weatherman says there is a chance of frost then he goes out and covers them up. He has never lost one due to the weather. Come on Marie join in the fun.
I am so good at spending other peoples money for them.
Linda
That is something to think about Tess. But maybe to wait until about Feb. What do you say.
In 2005 we had a Tropical Hibiscus Liner coop and it was either started in Jan. or Feb. cause I know I received mine in March. This is where I got my start.
This message was edited Aug 17, 2006 11:48 AM
Boy, this is some karma for me...enable other people and get encouraged to go pro at it! lol...
Well, Feb is rough- my business is very very Mardi Gras intensive, which is the 20th. Then there's a week or two of recovery-coma time. But if somebody'll tell me the steps of what needs to be done I'll accept my fate...lol...
Marie, if you plant it out exposed and unprotected, you may experience some frost damage, but if you plant them next to structures you shouldn't even have that.
A coop would be good but even better would be a trip to NOLA for Mardi Gras. We could help Tess throw beads then take some side trips to DuPont. Thinking big today.
I'm all for that- we've got an open door policy for Mardi Gras...lol...we've had as many as 22 people at once- granted most of those were under 25 and had no problem with sleeping on the floor as long as it was free! But parading Uptown is a great, family oriented time and not what the press tells you it is! :)
Plus, if you came, I wouldn't have to ship...see? It's a win-win situation!
If you'd like to see what last year's trip was, you can look here: http://noteworthyinnola.typepad.com/photos/mardi_gras_riding_2006/
Tess,
Can you give me directions to DuPont??? Sounds like a road trip!!!
Janet
Tess it sounds like you are going to be hosting quite a few DGers!!
when is Mardigras in 2007?
Janet, it's not really open to the public, but if you call ahead of time and plead, he might let you visit. Technically he's only licenced for online direct sales to the public, and visits only by distributers.
Okay, here's the inside poop: Mardi Gras Day is Feb. 20th...but that's not when you wanna be here.
Don't get me wrong, Fat Tuesday is fine and all, but honestly, the week before is much better. Wed the 14th- Sat the 17th is when the real fun is.
At that point, there are few tourists (cause they don't realize), and the most fun Krewes roll- including mine, the Muses. We rock..:) It's a club of over 1,000 women and our emblem is a shoe- we also have the best throws...not that I'm biased or anything...lol...
But there are parades every night for 2 weeks straight before Mardi Gras itself, so visitors could space themselves out...;) And look, you could come stay in this rather messy but quite New Orleans-y house with dozens of blooming hibiscus, convieniently located only 5 blocks from the parade route and all you'd have to do to earn your keep is pull the bajillion weeds out...ROFL...
Tess,
I just loved your Mardi Gras Pics!! I was down in Nawlins a long time ago but it wasn't Mardi Gras time so we really enjoyed the city. Also got smashed nightly but that is another story all together LOL
Thanks for sharing ;)
Lisa
Great pics Tess, I haven't been there in probably 10 or more years. Oh, I am ready to go back!