Garden

[tototwo]

Anyone here ever order plants from Santa Rosa Gardens? 

It's been a couple years since I've ordered perennials from an online catalog.  I prefer to shop locally -- however, to shop locally I have to drive about 60 miles and there are always perennials I want but I can't find.   Santa Rosa is highly rated by Garden Watchdog and they have lots of 5-star reviews on their website.   Still, I'm afraid to place an order and get burned.

Who has ordered from SRG?  Any opinions?  Good or bad?

Thanks!

[JustJazzmom]

Have not ordered from them, but if the reviews are excellent I would say go for it and order from them. Let us know what you think once they arrive.

[ValuSkr]

If Garden Watchdog reviews are highly favorable, especially recent ones, I'd be comfortable ordering.  But I feel for you - with no garden stores within sixty miles!  I suppose you have stores that sell annuals but not perennials, trees, and shrubs?

[horses1]

Not sure where you are located in the US but I have excellent results with Forest Farms in Oregon.

[tototwo]

Thanks for your responses, ladies.  I'll probably pass.  @horses1, I'm in the Midwest and prefer to buy from growers in the center of the USA.  A problem I have with Santa Rosa is that they're in Pensacola, Florida, even tho they grow plants for all zones.  I've had lousy luck ordering from catalogs in the past, so will probably just get in my car and drive down the road.  I appreciate your help.

Woke up to snow this morning so not even thinking about gardening today.  Everything that was budding yesterday is probably dead today.  Who knows?

[dharts]

I just received my first order from Santa Rosa and the plants are very good. Keep in mind nearly all mail order plants are going to be smaller than what you find at local stores. But if they have been given a good start and have good roots, they'll soon catch up.

I used to order every year from Bluestone Perennials. They're in Ohio so are closer to you. But I have also ordered from companies on the West Coast (Gossler Farms is a good one) and the plants were wonderful. BTW, I always got good plants from Bluestone but they used to sell three packs and now sell single plants that cost about three times more than the three pack used to cost.

[JustJazzmom]

---

@dharts wrote:

I just received my first order from Santa Rosa and the plants are very good. Keep in mind nearly all mail order plants are going to be smaller than what you find at local stores. But if they have been given a good start and have good roots, they'll soon catch up.

I used to order every year from Bluestone Perennials. They're in Ohio so are closer to you. But I have also ordered from companies on the West Coast (Gossler Farms is a good one) and the plants were wonderful. BTW, I always got good plants from Bluestone but they used to sell three packs and now sell single plants that cost about three times more than the three pack used to cost.

---

 I want to ask, do they still use the coir around those plants and just mention to plant in the ground and then the coir will disintegrate? I found that the plants didn't expand through the coir and died. I had to remove the coir and plant the small plants directly into my soil for them to survive.

[tototwo]

@dharts and @JustJazzmom ~

I ordered from Bluestone for at least 4 years and had good luck with them until last year.  And yes, that order was still in the coir pots.  (sometimes I removed it and sometimes I didn't)   Last year, 99% of my Bluestone order died over the summer and they have sent me a refund.  And I'm done with them.

I appreciate hearing that your first order from Santa Rosa looked healthy when received..  I'll be anxious to hear how they do over the summer.   Keep us informed - thanks.

I made up an order list for Santa Rosa .... then could never hit that "submit" button.  I'm buying locally this year.