Shopping Spree
I love catalogs. I save them to "reread" again and again. When I'm feeling particularly naughty, I dog-ear the pages with my selections, go online, and embark on a shopping spree. It used to be that these sprees took place at the Gap, Old Navy, Delia's, and Victoria's Secret websites. I've since lost much of my obsession with personal appearances. Instead, I send my money to the online gardening catalogs.
Ordering merchandise has its drawbacks. You can't touch it, feel it, or smell it before you buy it. Shipping costs are sometimes outrageous. However, there is no match for the convenience. Just now, I browsed the paper catalog on the bus and then ordered my plants while dinner was in the oven. I was also able to find a few hard-to-find plants that have been on my wish list.
As you may have deduced, I am fresh from a shopping spree and still feeling a little high. Mr VanDyck will be sending me:
English Bluebells
Hyacinths
Hardy Cyclamen
Checkered Lily
Iris pallida 'variegata'
Oriental Poppy 'brilliant'
Foxtail Lilies
Finally, the best part of shopping online is the thrill when your packages arrive. When they contain clothes, I put on an impromptu fashion show. In this case, you'll see me excitedly pacing the yard, making final planting decisions and imagining my new purchases in full bloom.
Ordering merchandise has its drawbacks. You can't touch it, feel it, or smell it before you buy it. Shipping costs are sometimes outrageous. However, there is no match for the convenience. Just now, I browsed the paper catalog on the bus and then ordered my plants while dinner was in the oven. I was also able to find a few hard-to-find plants that have been on my wish list.
As you may have deduced, I am fresh from a shopping spree and still feeling a little high. Mr VanDyck will be sending me:
English Bluebells
Hyacinths
Hardy Cyclamen
Checkered Lily
Iris pallida 'variegata'
Oriental Poppy 'brilliant'
Foxtail Lilies
Finally, the best part of shopping online is the thrill when your packages arrive. When they contain clothes, I put on an impromptu fashion show. In this case, you'll see me excitedly pacing the yard, making final planting decisions and imagining my new purchases in full bloom.
posted by Kasmira at 11.8.05
5 Comments:
More online shopping?
You've been at the gin and tonics, haven't you?
I do the same thing. My orders keep getting bigger and bigger.
Hey Kasmira,
When you order plants online, how do they arrive? How big are they? How long do you have to plant them after they come? I've been thinking about ordering some perennials lately, but I'm not sure how it will work (or even where to order from). Any suggestions for North Jersey??
Thanks! Leah
P.S.
Oh No. I just followed your link to Mr VanDyck...this is going to be VEEEERY dangerous.
The plants arrive via regular old USPS, in a box. Sometimes they are cushioned with styrofoam peanuts and sometimes they are braced in cardboard cylinders or other cardboard forms.
The quality varies greatly, even from one supplier. For instance, Parks doesn't grow their own stuff, so the quality of the plant depends on the grower, who is never named. So far Parks has had its hits (heliotrope) and misses(delphiniums) but they have a large selection. I ordered Elfin Thyme from Mulberry Creek Herb Farm and was VERY IMPRESSED with the quality. This is my first order from VanDyck. I've heard good things about Bluestone Perennials (based in Ohio).
For best results, you should water the plants after they arrive and set them in a shaded location for a day or so before planting. I also like to let all my new plants (store bought or mail ordered) sit in their new home, but in the pot, for an additional few days, to get used to the new conditions before the big stress of transplanting. Yes, this all takes patience.
The plants are usually very small. I think gallon sizes are sometimes available, but I haven't bought anything that large.
I'll compose a post on what I've mail ordered so far (and received) and how good it was.
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