Okay Charley .... Just be careful with ordering plants from Parkers
I know there is a section elsewhere about about good plants received last year but I ordered lots of perennial plants also last year from the following crews, and I would get jailed if I said on here what I really thought of their plants!
When I go to order plants my father and granddad always say get me some as well and a male and female work colleges, so I order quite a lot which also mean I get free carriage! .
Parkers (dreadful and some completely dead)
T&M crap, should never have been sent out
Van Meuwen dead, should never have been sent out
Hayloft completely dead and sodden plugs
I did in the end after a lot of hassle get either replacements or refunds, but I only want decent plants in the first place and it is difficult explaining to others why they have not got their plants!
AND I definitely will not be ordering from any of them in the future, I can do without the hassle and disappointment!
But Simply Seeds and Plants, Bali and Jersey Plants were excellent, it was a pleasure to receive theirs!
Ok, I think I'm getting sorted. First of all, I do take on board the comments that various people here have made re Parkers and their sometimes confusing descriptions drive me absolutely nuts but I have to say, apart from 2 or 3 dianthus plants and one evergreen shrub, all my bulbs and plants (and I got hundreds of pounds worth last year) have been absolutely fine from Parkers so far and I love the prices! The shrubs are very small when they arrive, but they do grow well and they are all showing great signs for this year.
That said, their choice of hostas is very limited so I'm grateful for other recommended contacts here. Bowdens have a great website - easy to use and get around and also I like the Bali one.
I think I'm settling on the following:-
Touch of Class; Fire & Ice; First Frost; Canadian Blue x 2; White Feather x 2; Blue Circle. I'll put Astibles and yes, I think some ornamental grasses too in between them.
If anyone has a minute, I wouldn't mind confirmation that all of these are approx. medium hostas. I've remembered too, that I can't afford to have other plants "bumping into" the hostas because they'll provide a bridge for slugs/snails so the copper rings won't work.
Now all I need, is the rain to go away so I can get out and get the soil prepared and the plants ordered Then, I think I'll be so excited about the hostas growing that I'll be spending most of my gardening time looking at them. Can't wait, can't wait.
Oh wow Brumbull, thank you SO much. You're much better than any website Oooh, Bowdens sound very posh - I shall have to look after their plants well. I'm off to put the measurements on my speadsheet now.
Thanks again, and to everyone else that has contributed.
I'm sorry I was called into work to-day as this thread has been one of the best I've read so far on the site. ( maybe it's the subject matter ? )
I'm very lucky to have space and I tend to gravitate more towards the bigger growers. In my last garden I had a specimen Sum and Substance which was 0.9m tall and 1.8m wide.
Last year I bought Jurassic Park and Empress Wu and I hear great things about the size these can achieve. Fingers crossed.
Sounds good Charlie. Im glad you are adding ornamental grasses. Mind you, they can be addictive ....as can hellebores, salvias, fuschias, hostas, Heucheras, etc. ...but grasses next to hostas and the like do look good......even classy
I can add that Fire and Ice is a beauty ....learned the hard way not to keep it in sun though. I found it quick growing and it regrows fast from division. Imagine a red grass like Imperata Red Baron next to it and they enjoy similar conditions...who needs flowers?
Ha ha, yes I find gardening in general very addictive. Just found Astrantias and Rose of Sharon for shade/part shade too ... basically, I'm like a child in a sweet shop but the Hostas have really captured my imagination. Thanks for your help with what to mix them with.
CharleyD you may be interested in going to the following -:
Malvern Spring Festival Three Counties Showground Great Malvern Worcestershire Thursday May 8 - Sunday May 11 Hostas and ferns for sale
Bowdens will be there selling their hostas and ferns
Brumbull, is this Malvern, as in Elgar country? It sounds blissful. Only problem is, I live on the Isle of Man ... I'd have to hire a massive van to bring all the hostas that I wouldn't be able to resist, home!!! Something to keep in mind though - thanks for the heads up on that. If I have any money over after buying all my plants, I shall certainly head that way.
Posts
I know there is a section elsewhere about about good plants received last year but I ordered lots of perennial plants also last year from the following crews, and I would get jailed if I said on here what I really thought of their plants!
When I go to order plants my father and granddad always say get me some as well and a male and female work colleges, so I order quite a lot which also mean I get free carriage! .
Parkers (dreadful and some completely dead)
T&M crap, should never have been sent out
Van Meuwen dead, should never have been sent out
Hayloft completely dead and sodden plugs
I did in the end after a lot of hassle get either replacements or refunds, but I only want decent plants in the first place and it is difficult explaining to others why they have not got their plants!
AND I definitely will not be ordering from any of them in the future, I can do without the hassle and disappointment!
But Simply Seeds and Plants, Bali and Jersey Plants were excellent, it was a pleasure to receive theirs!
Ok, I think I'm getting sorted. First of all, I do take on board the comments that various people here have made re Parkers and their sometimes confusing descriptions drive me absolutely nuts but I have to say, apart from 2 or 3 dianthus plants and one evergreen shrub, all my bulbs and plants (and I got hundreds of pounds worth last year) have been absolutely fine from Parkers so far and I love the prices! The shrubs are very small when they arrive, but they do grow well and they are all showing great signs for this year.
That said, their choice of hostas is very limited so I'm grateful for other recommended contacts here. Bowdens have a great website - easy to use and get around and also I like the Bali one.
I think I'm settling on the following:-
Touch of Class; Fire & Ice; First Frost; Canadian Blue x 2; White Feather x 2; Blue Circle. I'll put Astibles and yes, I think some ornamental grasses too in between them.
If anyone has a minute, I wouldn't mind confirmation that all of these are approx. medium hostas. I've remembered too, that I can't afford to have other plants "bumping into" the hostas because they'll provide a bridge for slugs/snails so the copper rings won't work.
Now all I need, is the rain to go away so I can get out and get the soil prepared and the plants ordered
Then, I think I'll be so excited about the hostas growing that I'll be spending most of my gardening time looking at them. Can't wait, can't wait. 
Oh wow Brumbull, thank you SO much. You're much better than any website
Oooh, Bowdens sound very posh - I shall have to look after their plants well. I'm off to put the measurements on my speadsheet now.
Thanks again, and to everyone else that has contributed.
I'm sorry I was called into work to-day as this thread has been one of the best I've read so far on the site. ( maybe it's the subject matter ? )
I'm very lucky to have space and I tend to gravitate more towards the bigger growers. In my last garden I had a specimen Sum and Substance which was 0.9m tall and 1.8m wide.
Last year I bought Jurassic Park and Empress Wu and I hear great things about the size these can achieve. Fingers crossed.
Thank you Charley for setting off such a live and positive discussion.
.
Hosta So Sweet , large white flowers and sweetly scented, grows well as well, what more could you ask?
Ha ha, yes I find gardening in general very addictive. Just found Astrantias and Rose of Sharon for shade/part shade too ... basically, I'm like a child in a sweet shop
but the Hostas have really captured my imagination. Thanks for your help with what to mix them with.
Brumbull, is this Malvern, as in Elgar country? It sounds blissful. Only problem is, I live on the Isle of Man ... I'd have to hire a massive van to bring all the hostas that I wouldn't be able to resist, home!!! Something to keep in mind though - thanks for the heads up on that. If I have any money over after buying all my plants, I shall certainly head that way.