Mike Z
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 10, 2017 8:47 am

Mail Order Advice Please

Hello,

Newbie here.

I have been out of touch when it comes to mail order and now find myself needing a few hundred plants for a 3/4 bare lot just purchased.

I am a bit disappointed with negative reviews for almost all companies. This seems to be the norm rather than exception.

Can anyone please advise about a reputable company?? Going to a nursery or other store is going to strain the budget.

Thanks,

Mike

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Well, why don't you start by telling us where you are located, what kind of plants you are looking for and for what purpose? Do they need to be "instant landscape" size or can they be small to grow into their location.

Mike Z
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 10, 2017 8:47 am

Point well made. I mentioned that I have been out of touch. Plus I am a bit overwhelmed by what needs to be done to the place inside and out.

I will be in Rehoboth Beach Delaware (zone 7b).

I am looking for fast growing shrubs and trees. I have done a fair amount of research. Leyland Cypress and Forsythia keep popping up and I'm always open to new ideas.

Given that I have such a huge border area of the property to deal with, they make sense.

Aside from that issue, I have a vinyl white fence that resembles a play pen and surrounds a beautiful in ground pool. Fortunately it's slated (better for shrubs to grow through and hide the thing). It's about 4 ft. high. The fence is a massive rectangular shape. Given the size of the thing, I have decided I don't really want to have it taken away to fill up a land fill. My basic gardening philosophy is to re purpose if at all possible, but this presents a whole new challenge. Again given the fast growth rate of Forsythia, this would go a long way to hide the mess.

I have a very basic plan that will give structure to the property barrier using staggered Leyland Cypress as a back drop. Other shrubs, trees and perennials will eventually be added. The same goes for the fence around the pool, using fast growing shrubs initially, then other trees and perennials.

I would like to find a reputable plant provider on line to hopefully cut the cost of the project. I know very well that the area will take time getting established (no problem with that).

This is the first post anywhere that I have done this. Thanks again for your help.

Mike

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

The more information you give, the better we can help! It would help to have some idea of the scale of this project. How many hundreds of feet of fence line are we talking about roughly?

A picture or two would help also. So we are talking about TWO fences, an outside one on the property line and an inside one around the swimming pool? And you want shrubbery along both of them?

People do it all the time, but personally I think planting a big long fence line all with one thing is not only boring, but dangerous. It is a linear monoculture. Like other mono-cultures, it is vulnerable. If any pest or disease comes along that likes cypress, it will attack all of them, spread rapidly, and be more attracted to your property in the first place. California had hundreds of miles of oleander planted down the middle strip of interstates. Now it is all being destroyed by an oleander disease and it is costing them a fortune. If you have mixed plantings there's not as much of one thing to attract the things that like it and there is more space between the individuals, which slows down the spread. And if worse comes to worst, you don't have to replace everything.

If you really are talking about hundreds of feet of fence line, you are better off working with a wholesaler. Find a good wholesale plant nursery, preferably near you or otherwise on-line. If you can't find one, go to the nearest nursery to you that specializes n shrubbery and ask them where they get their plants. Work with someone personally who seems knowledgeable. If for that amount of business, they don't have someone who will spend time with you and discuss your situation and make suggestions, then you don't want to do business with them .

If you can, using native shrubs is more environmentally friendly and they will (once established) be lower maintenance and hardier.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Just some idle thoughts maybe not what you are looking for since you asked about mail order. But plants by mail is always a risk because even if reputable company that grows great plants, they may or may not package well for shipping depending on how experienced they are, and if the location is geographically far, they will spend too long in the dark through unknown weather conditions ...especially if shipped freight. Have you considered local sources?

This time of year, there are often craigslist offers for various landscaping plants. Some are by professionals and others are hobbyists. I guess this might be one example-- I have no idea if the price is right or whether the quality is up to par. You would of course look for ads in your own area.
An example I saw -- just for reference -- https://southjersey.craigslist.org/grd/6129765850.html

This is also the time of year for plant sales. Pinelands Alliance just had theirs at the end of April, and I know Bowman's Hill Wildflower Reserve near New Hope, PA. always has their spring native plant sale on the weekends and weeks before and after Mother's Day. Saturday before is my usual day to go but I'd already decided not to go this year -- I wouldn't have been able to even if I'd wanted to since it is raining buckets here. Various master gardener groups have plant sales, too, some offer perennials, shrubs, trees, and houseplants, not just vegetables. There must be similar plant sales in your area.



Return to “Landscaping”