I have gotten a lot of plants from them. You will be happy with your purchase, but do not expect immediate gratification on the majority of them. Some bloom the first year, if they are fall bloomers and you get them in the spring, say. They are very good, too, about replacing any dead plants, so keep your receipts. These are small, but the roots are healthy. They are an economical way to fill a large garden patiently.

and, you can recycle the shipping peanuts with them. Send the box with the foam peanuts back, paying for that shipping. They send you a coupon for free shipping of your next plant order. It may cost you $4-6 to return it, but my shipping charges are often 13 or 14. In any case, no matter how many plants you order the next time, shipping is free. Of course, hold on to that coupon. It's good for about a year

Besides this, they fully stand by their guantee. At these prices, try some stuff.

That's a good return on the investment!

Great to know that about the peanuts. I bought 6 columbines, a campanula "Cherry Bells", and a Duchess of Albany clematis. There was so much more but I was good and didn't go crazy. Even though I wish I got another set of columbines that are white and red and a Huldine clematis or two.

I have only heard good things about Bluestone. I understand people wait for this sale. Well, now I am joining them.

suebot in Ct

I started making a wishlist last night. Fell asleep after H. I just don't know what to do with three of most things! I don't have space to plant in 3's.

I thought of planting them together to "make" one big perennial! Does anyone do that, or is it a crazy notion?

I haven't planted them all together to "make" one big perennial--too lazy to go back and split them up later. However, I do often use the bluestone babies in container plantings. For example, the small sizes of the heucheras look great like this. 'Caradonna' salvia didn't mind this treatment at all last year, nor did any of the grasses I used.

You can plant them in triangles, which I guess is the same as making one big perennial, it just gives you a little less of a polka dot look. Some of mine will be planted 3 abreast, some in a triangle, and some interspersed with other plants to give a little sense of rhythm to a particular part of the garden.

I think you could plant them in small clumps of three, then when they get larger you could easily thin them out and if you don't have room when they're larger, you can give them away or take them to a swap!

Just don't buy or plant anything that turns into a monster. (i.e. HUGE), like some ornamental grasses or Helianthus, for example.

And I agree with Digging, planting the same plant in more than one place gives a sense of cohesion and rhythm to the garden.

I did my first Bluestone order last week based on what I had read on several garden web forums about their quality. I was very pleased with my order - nice sized plants, well packaged, and very healthy looking. I am not sure if it was because I was first time ordering but I got a little coupon book to use for up to a year for $$'s off, free plants, ect. I highly recommend them......

Lynne

I ordered two Hostas from Bluestone - 'June' and 'Regal Splendor' - based on the size of the pots, I'm assuming there are 1-2 eyes per plant? I would have ordered more, but I'm running out of shade!

I also purchased Geranium 'Rozanne' - it sounds like a great addition to the garden based on comments from this forum!

My order arrived yesterday. I took pictures of the box, the way everything was packed, and how the plants looked. I wish I had taken pictures of the roots on some of the plants before I put them in the ground! Wow! I was expecting to pot up the clematis for a while, but they were big enough to go right into the ground. The hostas were big enough that each had at least one leaf cut back. The shrubs were small, but the roots filled the pots, and they didn't even wilt in transit. I didn't get a coupon book, which I was really hoping for because I want to order a few more shrubs that weren't on the site during the sale. Also, they were out of the heucheras I ordered and one of the clematis, and I had such a long wish list that I would have loved to substitute if they had just let me know! I guess I could have called and asked if everything was in stock, but I kind of wish their online order form had a place to list subs. All in all, I'm super happy with the order, and I'll leave very specific positive feedback at gardenwatchdog.

Did anyone else get the coupon book this time?
Cindi

I haven't had bad plants from Bluestone so go ahead and give them a try. I go up there in person - sort of an annual pilgrimage. If you go in person, last weekend they had their big June sale, and starting next Thurs the real fire sale begins. But you have to go in person. Last weekend it was 36 plants for $25 - are you ill yet? Sort of the scratch and dent sale. Not everything was in the sale but I did get a full flat plus a few. I've gotten to the point that i'm happy getting one of each of a whole bunch of stuff and I'll try it and if it thrives I'll divide it or get more.
Except I did go buy more Carex Evergold, what a spectacular plant. You can't have enough of it

I've been ordering from them for 4 years, and have no complaints. If a plant doesn't make it, they replace it, no questions asked. The plants are small, but they catch up quickly. I've usually received the coupons with every order, but haven't looked in envelope yet for my most recent delivery.

Their customer service is among the best I've ever experienced.

After being alerted to Bluestone's 50% off sale by this forum, I ordered about $80 worth of perennials and grasses the 2nd day of the sale. The order arrived one week later. I got everything I ordered and was pleasantly surprised at the size of the plants. People here were talking about how small they were, so I was expecting teeny tiny, but they weren't.

The lady at Bluestone explained that they are 12 month old perennials and some may flower, some may not. But that's okay, I am a very patient gardener and love to watch the babies grow up.

Everything is planted and doing well. I am willing to return the packaging, as long as I can use the shipping credit towards next year's order at the 50% off sale, because I plan to take advantage of this sale next year! Maybe some shrubs next year?? :)

Suebot - A warning about Cherry Bells on the link below.

I have mine growing in pots sunk in the ground, and you can see them fighting to get out. I watch them very carefully, because from what I've read, they can overrun a garden very quickly if they escape. I'm thinking of shovel pruning them anyway, they're not amazingly pretty or anything, IMO :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Cherry bells is evil.

Almost of the plants in the garden below came from Bluestone. I started the garden in 2005, this photo was taken in July 2006. As you can see, in one year, the growth was amazing.

{{gwi:215134}}

I just got my first order from them. About half look ok, but some are really sad. Those are definitely the leftovers. The Deutchland Astilbe I ordered are one or two tiny stems apiece. The Cerastium tomentosum are 2/3 rotted (and I ordered 6 of those!). I passed up better looking plants on the 50 cent sale table at the grocery store this morning. I just can't imagine those astilbe increasing very fast. It probably depends on what demand they have for certain varieties. The dianthus look great; columbines and hosta good. I guess I'll just consider I got a good deal on some and that will offset the duds.

I ordered from them for the first time. Got my order today and one thing (a triple pack?) that I really wanted wasn't included. The packing slip simply said it wasn't sent and I wasn't charged for it, but all of the price info had been torn away. I contacted them to ask if it would be sent separately.

I'm in complete agreement with cindi_in_ks: I would have chosen something else had I been told a plant wasn't available. Mail-order companies frequently don't send my full order, and almost without exception, I would have loved to substitute something else for the plants they didn't have!

To answer your question, I didn't get any coupon book with my order. And I also wonder if that 'free shipping' for returning packaging *is* good on sale orders (like for next year). Does anyone know? :)

Hm..I did get a coupon book with my order. If there's a section on an online order for comments, or special shipping instructions, I mention that if something is not available, substitute...whatever. And, yes, you can hang on to your recycling voucher and use it for next year's sale. I couldn't find mine from last year when I placed my order this year...then of course, found it after I ordered. I sent them an email and gave them the voucher number and they credited my credit card for the shipping.

Like party_music50, one of the main things I wanted wasn't there, some heucherella. I had assumed (this was my first order with them) that they would e-mail me if something was out. They were updating their catalog for sold-out items pretty quickly. I too would have listed substitutes if I'd known. I got the coupons but they were so small I wouldn't bother: like 50 cents off, $1.50 off?! It would take me more than 50 cents effert to find the coupon when I wanted it.

This was my first Bluestone order too, in fact the first time I've ordered perennials online, and it has been a good experience. Will definitely plan to return the packaging so I can get free shipping for next year's sale (worth $10.00 or so).

A2zmom, those perennials have put on impressive growth and look very pretty. I will be thrilled if mine grow that much by next summer.

It looks like you have Buddleia, Phlox paniculata and Monarda in the back - what cultivars are those?

The Buddleia is "Summer Beauty", which is a very hot pink. That plant I got from Carroll Gardens. I normally won't order from there as it's rather hit and miss imo, but the shrub was in excellent shape.

The Phlox is "Robert Poore" which is a hot pink.

The monarda is "Raspberry Wine" which is just a gorgeous deep red. Sadly, my monarda has been decimated this year by bunnies, I hope it makes a comeback.

Both the phlox and the bee balm was gotten through Bluestone.

Other plants in that bed: Stokesia "Blustone", Sedum "Purple Emperor" (I really love this plant), Coreopsis "Zagreb", Scabiosa "Butterfly Blue" (this never overwinters for me), Lavender "Blue Cushion", Veronica "Blue Candles", Achillea "Summerwine", Asclepias "Hello Yellow", Echinecea "Magnus" and a low growing sunflower which I gave up on this year.

The vast majority came from Bluestone.