folks, I gotta figure this out and need some serious feedback,

don't be shy If I am in the wrong I want it called on, just please be constructive about it...

I am currently shopping around for a number of winterblooming cactuses/hoyas, It is very difficult to find nurseries selling more than 2" pots-

I have been a customer of gethsemanes nursery center for several years by now and alwyays get good healthy plants from them.

On several occasions I have gotten something that wasn't what I wanted,

It was never a big deal since what I got instead was all all garden perennials & nice looking, performing well,

- hey if nothing else you learn something new, right?

My indoor plants is a diffrent issue altogheter.

My windows sills are at a premium and I try to populate it wisely, meaning plants that have the most activity during winter. Yes I have been posting like crazy- anything to get trough the deep freeze and now, stay OUT of the beds.

I am sure you all are experincing varying levels yourself..

The first time I got real annoyed was when I got in to the store to pick up a reserved epi oxypetalum. I was new to the species but have had other kinds before, besides I did my research well here at gweb. To make long story short, the plant was unlabeled and my hesistance was swept away by the salespersons confident insistence that this was the very plant.

2 months later the thing blooms and is without a shadow of doubt a Rhipsalis.

I call back and talk with the buyer who seems to consider a exchange for a instant before declining me the service.

Oh well, nothing much to do, I was very disapointed but tried take it in good stride, the rhip is gorgeuos albeit unscented, and tiny flowers instead of the large I wanted.

Now I am looking for the original one , call up again and speak with a rep in tropicals.

Yes indeed they do custom orders, I give her the names and am told that somebody shall get back to me, all good and fine but what entails is that they have no certain way to prove what they are selling, and that all the plants arrive unlabeled!

what about the customers that come in here asking for a specific plant?

her answer is: 'they are few and far between'.

Now, english IS my 2nd language and I still struggle with metaphoric meanings.

She confirmed that people seldom know or care what it is exactly they are buying,and that the store subsitutes with whats in stock , a lot of interior designers do not care about that either, they're just going for the look....

all plants are bought in bulk and they have no control over what that bulk consists of, with the lack of labels, it is up to the nursery's expertise to ascertain what it is.

Says she who didin't make the connection with what a epiphyllum is until I said x-mascactus!!!

Now I know there is no innocent mistake, this IS how they conduct buisness.

In my opinion I got conned!

This must be bordering on fraudulent behavior, no?

When they claim to sell a certain item that upon closer inspection turns out to be something else??

I am actually relly mad now, I will not follow trough with the hoyas but have good mind calling up the manager and give him a chance to explain the mission statement.

I see every plant as a investment but have to sacrifie somewhere else whenever I make a 'larger'purchase, this is really unfair and I can see that they are not exactly breaking the law but wouldn't this be a clear ethic's violation?

I mean I DID ASK for crazy shasta daisy but got alaska daisy.

same thing with the epi..

and the damn montana I got instead of a alpina!!

( that hurt too, I have to admit but I am ready to shouldering responsibility , I didn't know clem's well enough back then)

-and I'd love to have a montana if theyr'e to stay alive up here, however , they don't and the nursery are so greedy for my money that they fail to mention that to me.

arrgh!

Oh come on, I am a reasonable person, mistakes happen but that also entails taking responesbility for it.

I never got to exchange the plant, I never complained before and should be honored as a good customer.

And by the way, this rep I talked to today, was not forthcoming with any of the info, that was me poking and prodding= knowing what to ask for.

I started a habit several years ago where I memorize the names of people I talk to, and I have the name of every person at gethsemane that pushed the wrong plant on me.

However, this is not a personal thing, I have a issue with the POLICY, jutting down their names seems to make them understand that I am serious and mean buisness.

I now feel very strongly about nurseries and how they choose to conduct buisness and will from now on make sure that my 2 cents will be posted and spread.

Ok bring it on...

what am I missing here?

kk