Get diverse catalogue while ordering plants online

Here’s the danger of ordering plants from a catalogue: You can’t see what you’re ordering! Does this mean you shouldn’t consider it? Some say you should only buy plants and garden from your local nursery or garden centre. But what if you haven’t? Or what if you can’t find the plants you want? You can successfully order plants online or from catalogues.

Check plants online for a great list of mail order gardening companies and their ratings (based on customer input). Not only do they each post a customer review, but they also have a total number of positive, neutral, and negative ratings. Even though the positives and negatives are roughly equal, you might think twice about ordering from the company. They also have a list of the top 30 (in terms of positive input) gardening mail order companies.

Consider taking orders from companies based on their expertise. For example, if you live in a state with a high elevation, a high-country garden may be the place for you. Or if you want to order a specific type of rose, you might consider a rose specialty mail order center. One of the best forums to consult for advice on purchasing from specific mail order companies, a gardening forum. Type the name of the mail order company or your question in the search box (i.e., “Where is a good place to order xyz roses,” or “What is a good mail order company for roses?”). You will find that most of your questions have already been answered.

There are a few things to keep in mind while ordering plants online. Plant order companies are bad at replacing the plant you ordered when it’s gone. If you do not want a choice, indicate this on your order form or when speaking to them on the phone.

Do some research on the plant or plants before ordering. The catalogue always makes the plants look like they came out of the online nursery! Check a few other sources online to make sure you’re getting what you think you’re getting. Check the mature size of the plant, research whether it will survive in your garden area, and make sure it’s really the colour you think.

And speaking of great catalogs, just because an either/or catalog costs a lot and has pretty pictures doesn’t mean it’s the best source. Some of the best mail order catalogs or online gardening resources don’t even have pictures. If they’re good, look elsewhere for plants and then order from the best source possible, regardless of pictures.

You can safely order plants from mail order catalogs or online if you do your homework first. It’s worth the extra time and effort, because gardening is more than just the dollars you spend – it’s the hours and emotion you spend, too. Getting your bang out of this kind of money is equally important.