Sounds like you should be looking at web sites of clematis specialists.

I did, but you get a lot of hits and I didn't recognize any of them. And while I'm looking for a clematis today I'm sure to be looking for other things in the future.

I just tried Little Prince Plants for the first time, https://littleprinceplants.com/ and was very very pleased with my order and blown away by the professional way it was packaged! I bought two Athyrium filix femina Victoriae aka Victoria Lady Fern . The price was more than fair, the size was much larger than I expected and I will buy from them again! For hydrangeas I try to buy locally - or sort of and anything I buy from Joy Creek Nursery (they do list clematis on their home page - might start there) or HydrangeasPlus are always great values, quickly sent, and received in great condition. I also buy from Far Reaches but usually at an on site sale. They are active in the Seattle area. For serattas I have found Gardens Oy Vey a great place for hard to find hydrangeas.

For years I have purchased interesting plants from Plant Delights and the selection is almost overwhelming. Plants Delights is also a Botanical Garden and has lots of choices of rare and unusual plants. If Far Reaches or Plants Delights don't have it - then you will have to go exploring and find it yourself! lol These are my favorite and reliable on line nurseries. I have also found that the people at these are easy to contact via email or phone and are always ready to answer any questions you many have. I think my first purchase from Plants Delights was more than 30 years ago!

Thanks ophoenix, those are good options to know about. I didn't find what I was looking for there, but did find some clematis here https://www.hummingbirdfarm.net/kermesina.htm Hopefully they're decent. I also ordered some Geum's from forest Farms Nursery in Oregon. Forgot about them and have ordered from them before with good results.

Good Catch! I will also check Forest Farms Nursery. Thanks for the lead.

Normally I would just go to a local nursery, but am being careful these days. The Geum's are common, but I've found trouble finding them in the past, and getting clematis of a particular color (maroon in this case) is always hit or miss.

Thanks.

Yes, too many different clematis cultivars available to get precisely what you want without some sort of special order. To be honest, I have used mail order in the past but only for clematis. And only twice. But there is a cultivar of Japanese maple that I have been hunting for that is proving to be elusive locally that I might have to resort to mail order for. Except it too seems to be sold out everywhere.

Clematis at local independent garden centers have often come from T & L nursery in Woodinville in the past. Their web site can be searched for "clematis" to get a full listing of kinds offered. As well as kinds in stock at this point in the season.

Most of T&L's clems are sold as "assorted" so no way to know what is available specifically until it arrives at your retailer. And the assorteds often come without a specific cultivar tag.

I have purchased Clematis mail order from Brushwood and Silver Star Vinery and would do so again. I just drive to Joy Creek and I have driven to Silver Star Vinery when she has her annual open house. She has spectacular display gardens. BTW The Rogerson Clematis Collection in Lake Oswego propagates and sells Clematis and they are doing curbside pick up right now. Proceeds benefit their awesome display garden. I highly recommend visiting it for anyone interested in Clematis.

(I have purchased Clematis from other online sources but do not recommend)

For non Clematis I have purchased mail order from and would recommend Plant Delights, Santa Rosa Gardens, Old House Gardens, Brent & Becky's Bulbs, Heaths and Heathers.com, Fancy Fronds, B & D Lilies, Schreiner's Iris. I have purchased from some big name mail order nurseries as well but found their plants small and prices high....* Wayside, Bluestone, White Flower....

Most of T&L's clems are sold as "assorted" so no way to know what is available specifically until it arrives at your retailer

Have you looked at their online listings? They show what kinds they grow and what kinds are available at the time a body is looking. And having shopped their operation in person I know that they do have them all organized by cultivar in the growing area. So it should be possible to ask a garden center about them ordering a particular kind on a special basis, to be brought along with whatever that retailer has already ordered.

For instance Molbak's - located minutes away from T & L - used to offer special ordering of outdoor plants on a routine basis. However I don't know about getting that from them now, they seem to have pared their operations back in later years.

We have an excellent nursery here on Whidbey which is now open with required mask and social distancing practices. They are well stocked. However, online nurseries are still important to me when I want multiples or something I can’t find there.

i was surprised nobody mentioned Annies Annuals. With only one exception( for which I received compensation) their plants are large, healthy and packed for surviving mail order. Forest Farm is another favorite although wile I understand the tribulations of any small nursery, I am disappointed that their selection of plants has shrunk over the years. Joy Creek always delivers great plants and has a wide selection. Brent and Becky, B&D Lilies and Hummingbird Farm and Heirloom Roses always deliver nice , good sized plants.

Far Reaches is close to us so don’t mailorder but their plants are lovely.

i appreciate hearing about other nurseries I haven’t tried. Will take a look. Thanks.

i, too, found that the businesses were out of stock for many of the plants I would have ordered this season. Great for those hardworking businesses but disappointing for us shelter in place gardeners who are spending every waking moment in our gardens!

I worked at T&L as a sales rep for a period of time so I am pretty familiar with their operations. What they list in their catalog is vastly different from their availability. Right now at the beginning of June is a primary clematis sales period as the pruning group 1's are just finishing their bloom cycle and the pruning group 2's in the middle of theirs. For retail sales, flowering plants are far more appealing and salable so that is what's made available and shipped out. And with just a handful of exceptions, the clematis availability is limited to "assorted". So I have no idea how effective or efficient a special order of a particular cultivar would be.

T&L is an interesting place, too bad they only sell to the trade. They do show a clematis named Crimson as available, but I am a lazy gardener and wouldn't likely go to a retailer and ask them to special order a plant I then have to come back to pick up. I have often driven by those greenhouse along 202 and wondered what it was. Thought it was an extension of the Molbaks operation.

Some great recommendations in this thread, thanks to all that posted.

jb

Just a pretty pic

I don't know of Annie's Annuals. I have ordered from Heirloom Roses too. Thumbs up but it was under the original ownership. Not sure if things have changed.

Looking for a good nursery, local or online, where I can get a willow gentiana asclepiadea. I have purchased them in the past from Forest Farm, but they don't have any in stock.

Thanks.

Far Reachescarries it. So does Edelweiss Perennials, although they are currently out of stock.

And so does Keeping it Green Nursery

Ordered from Keeping it Green! Thank you very much.

Keep It Green gentiana asclepiadea arrived. They are the smallest I've ever received. A single stem 3 inches tall. Not ready for garden planting. I potted them up in 2 gal pots, will let them grow in and plant next year. I will say they had decent root systems for such small guys. Glad to have them but would have appreciated larger plants for $15 each.

Thank you so much for this thread. In addition to learning about a few mail-order nurseries that were new to me, I can't stop laughing at some of the plant descriptions listed on Far Reaches Farm's website. I know I'm late to the party, but for a good chuckle, look up "Mertensia maritima". Whoever wrote these is a legend.

I pot up almost all mail order plants before planting out in the garden. I've found survival better that way.

Can you describe how and when you pot up your mail order plants? Annie's Annuals if a fabulous nursery in Richmond CA and might still be run by Annie. Shopped there for many years and always happy with my purchases. After moving back to the PNW I ordered a couple of times and was very happy. Here is the address for the nursery: 740 Market Ave. Richmond, CA 94801.