Successfully placed a sizeable order with Leaderplant this morning 😊 Nothing exotic, mostly plants to accompany roses and to fill lots of gaps in my ever-expanding borders:
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I used to love the range and plant quality of Le Clos d’ Armoise, now sadly deceased. I have used Promesse de Fleurs, but tbh, the quality I received was not great, root-bound, mildewed specimens that struggled to recover. Has anyone tried Leaderplant? Any other recommendations for perennials in particular, that can ship to Spain?
Doesn’t have to be France of course, could be Belgian, Dutch or anywhere..
Hello Nollie. Just this morning I was looking at Matelma.be but there is also a Matelma.fr and they deliver all over Europe. I too had a dreadful experience with Promesse dF last year so I am not going back to them. Because I am in Luxembourg ideally I would like to order from northern nurseries as plants are more acclimatised. I will give this Matelma a go in the next few weeks so if anyone knows what they are like ....
@coccinella, you’re right, it makes sense to order closer to home re your growing conditions. I have to buy a lot from France as the range of perennials in Spain is so poor. I will check out Matelma, thanks. My hardening off process is kind of in reverse - gradually introducing plants to the sun.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
That's a good haul @Nollie and I think I may well order from them as well. Have you grown Achillee before? I have found that they seem to lose their colour quickly in the hot sun so would probably need to be in a more shady spot. @coccinella I have used Matelma before but it was ages ago, I think I may have bought my Malus Red Sentinal from them, there certainly weren't any problems with delivery, and it is growing very well.
@coccinella - have a look for plant nurseries in and around Malmédy in Belgium. Close to you and excellent quality plants tho I've only ever ordered from them for collection at plant fairs such as Aywiers so don't know about P&P.
@coccinella - have a look for plant nurseries in and around Malmédy in Belgium. Close to you and excellent quality plants tho I've only ever ordered from them for collection at plant fairs such as Aywiers so don't know about P&P.
Thank you very much Obelixx. I will certainly pay a visit when it will be safe to do so. At the moment only essential travel is allowed between the two countries. Best wishes for all.
It's a lovely area to visit and both Stavelot and Malmédy have interesting history and good eateries but maybe worth investigating mail order till it is safe to visit.
If you like clematis, I can recommend these people - http://www.clematis.be/startfr.html Loads of good clematis, excellent advice and they give a hardiness rating so you can just go for the -25C ones like I did in the end after losing some more wussy ones to central Belgian winters.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
@floralies yes, Achillea Safran is a really good, strong orange, keeps it’s colour well in full sun and is compact, hence getting more. ‘Terracotta’ faded horribly to a dirty cream. I have a raspberry one in morning sun that is also good, but no cultivar name as it was bought locally. Although allegedly drought-tolerant, I do find they need a surprising amount of regular watering to keep green and flowering well.
Will report back on what all the plants are like.
Edited to add photo of A. Safran:
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
My Leaderplant order arrived. Nothing dead, well packed but most plants are rather small. However, it is winter, I've never ordered plants before spring before. They are in plastic pots so I'm leaving them in a sheltered place for the moment.
Lavender "Hidcote" and "Munstead" and a Dutch one; Salvias "Mainacht", "Schneehügel" and "Blue Bouquetta"; Verbena Lollipop x3; Agastache "Beelicious Purple"; Gaura Gauriella Bicolor x3; "Caryopteris Kew Blue"; Eryngium "Pen Blue"; Nepeta "Walker's Low"; Perovskia 'Silveri Blue'; and dwarf aster "Herbstgruss v. Bresserhof". I'm hoping they will all be plants that like hot dry summers.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Posts
Luxembourg
@coccinella I have used Matelma before but it was ages ago, I think I may have bought my Malus Red Sentinal from them, there certainly weren't any problems with delivery, and it is growing very well.
I have roses bought from this chap - http://lesrosesdedanielschmitz.eklablog.com/ - which I've brought with me from my old garden in Belgium and they're doing well. This nursery's plants were always good quality - https://fredericgabriel.be/catalogue-pdf/
Luxembourg
If you like clematis, I can recommend these people - http://www.clematis.be/startfr.html Loads of good clematis, excellent advice and they give a hardiness rating so you can just go for the -25C ones like I did in the end after losing some more wussy ones to central Belgian winters.
Will report back on what all the plants are like.
Edited to add photo of A. Safran:
Lavender "Hidcote" and "Munstead" and a Dutch one; Salvias "Mainacht", "Schneehügel" and "Blue Bouquetta"; Verbena Lollipop x3; Agastache "Beelicious Purple"; Gaura Gauriella Bicolor x3; "Caryopteris Kew Blue"; Eryngium "Pen Blue"; Nepeta "Walker's Low"; Perovskia 'Silveri Blue'; and dwarf aster "Herbstgruss v. Bresserhof". I'm hoping they will all be plants that like hot dry summers.