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Buying Plants online - Not getting what you paid for

grahamseargrahamsear Posts: 7
in Plants
I am an Iris fan and have purchased from a reputable online firm.  i bought three of an Iris variety i wanted and a year later,  three more of a different iris variety. The first ones didn't flower last year but did this year so i have had them for 18 months, the second lot flowered this year so i've had them for 9 months. None of them are what i ordered so i feel very disappointed that i have purchased plants, planted and looked after them, waited for them to flower, only to find out they are something i didn't want or that i already have in my garden. First world problems i know but i suppose as i have had them for a considerable time,  i just have to accept it ?, any ideas?, i cant be the only one, but twice in a row has me feeling unlucky.

Posts

  • WAMSWAMS Posts: 1,960
    Which firm was it? I have had some mixed experiences with the universally-praised Farmer Gracy (some dahlia tubers arriving damaged, and some daffs turning out to be the wrong variety). Had 100% success with cheap bulbs from Wilko and also bulbs from J Parkers, though.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    They will  [ or should ] replace them, or refund you, but there is no compensation for the time you have spent.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • grahamseargrahamsear Posts: 7
    It was J Parker's, I've bought from them many times, it's just disappointing when you plan a particular border colour scheme and wait for a long time and the flowers are the wrong colour. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    For Iris I would buy from 

    https://www.woottensplants.com/specialities/iris/ 


    No one else. 




    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I’m afraid Parker’s have a reputation for sending the wrong plants, I gave up using them years ago, because of that.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's very annoying @grahamsear, and it's the difficulty with buying online when you aren't seeing the results for a long time. Most reliable suppliers will acknowledge it and refund you, but Parker's doesn't seem to have the best of reputations. All you can do is take photos, and contact them, along with a copy of your original order. It may not be easy. 
    I can buy Iris from my local nursery, so I can see what I'm getting. Not easy if you don't have that option. Another good nursery of Ballyrobert in Ireland. No problem if something's incorrect. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • KayJKayJ Posts: 82
    I've just had similar happen, bought three bare-root geranium Salome, nurtured them, grew them on lovingly, planted them out, waited for them to flower.....and they're not Salome! Might be Rozanne...which is very pretty...but if I'd wanted another blue geranium I'd have ordered one....
    From J Parkers, bought lots from them over the years. Never had this happen before.
  • Kathy46Kathy46 Posts: 36
    Lovingly tended several tubs of lilies, mixed colours the order said, and all came up white except one, out of 20.
  • WAMSWAMS Posts: 1,960
    White lilies are strongly associated with funerals for me, Kathy46, and I never grow them, so I'd find that a bit alarming! :D
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