Just had a vernon catalogue land on the doormat too. Its a shame that when these small companies get taken over they get the advantage of the marketing might of the big boys, but that quality goes by the by. Wonder if anyone has thought of trying to combine the mega marketing with continued quality - could be a winner
I used to be a bit of a geranium geek - they are one of the few plants that grow very happily in a south facing conservatory! I have bought from Vernons going back probably 15 years, and they used to be a reliable supplier. I didn't know that T&M had taken them over and it does explain a lot. They went downhill very suddenly one year (maybe about 3 years back), presumably they were going through the bad time referred to by owner Liz Simms in the link above. They became late with orders, and I had to request a replacement for some very sick plants once.
Saying that they do still have a very good geranium collection and I suppose it's expensive for specialist nurseries these days.
Vernons have sent the Allwoods brochure with their own for quite a few years and it makes me wonder whether in fact they are all part of the T&M group now, and therefore subject to the same problems??
I gave up ordering from Vernons after getting some appallingly bad plants from them a few years back. One particular variety seemed to have a virus and they all keeled over after a short time....and I got a free whitefly but I guess that was a bonus.
T&M have always had a bit of a reputation for slow germination but I guess that was down to their selling some unusual varieties. I only go to them now if I can't get things elsewhere.
I have ordered a lot of plants from Vernon's this year, and they are the worst plants I have ever received. Badly grown, shrivelled, dried out in transit, and a month late. And some of the plants are still missing! AVOID! I have asked for a refund, have emailed photos without getting a reply - so much for their 100% quibble-free refund they promise on the website and their glossy brochures! They used to be a good company, but I would avoid them at all cost now!
Just to confirm Allwoods has nothing to do with Vernon Geranium Nursery, in 1994 Allwoods was taken over by a member of the family that owned Vernons but it was always a separate nursery. In 2010 Thompson and Morgan bought Vernons customer lists and plants but not the nursery. Allwoods took over the glasshouses a couple of years ago as they were not being used. If you get a catalogue from Vernons it will have a Cheam admail (post office) box address so you think you are dealing with a nursery in Cheam and not Thompson and Morgan in Ipswich.
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Hi Verdun, would you recommend Allwoods?
Just had a vernon catalogue land on the doormat too. Its a shame that when these small companies get taken over they get the advantage of the marketing might of the big boys, but that quality goes by the by. Wonder if anyone has thought of trying to combine the mega marketing with continued quality - could be a winner
I used to be a bit of a geranium geek - they are one of the few plants that grow very happily in a south facing conservatory! I have bought from Vernons going back probably 15 years, and they used to be a reliable supplier. I didn't know that T&M had taken them over and it does explain a lot. They went downhill very suddenly one year (maybe about 3 years back), presumably they were going through the bad time referred to by owner Liz Simms in the link above. They became late with orders, and I had to request a replacement for some very sick plants once.
Saying that they do still have a very good geranium collection and I suppose it's expensive for specialist nurseries these days.
Vernons have sent the Allwoods brochure with their own for quite a few years and it makes me wonder whether in fact they are all part of the T&M group now, and therefore subject to the same problems??
T&M have always had a bit of a reputation for slow germination but I guess that was down to their selling some unusual varieties. I only go to them now if I can't get things elsewhere.
Do we still have any independent seed merchants?
I have ordered a lot of plants from Vernon's this year, and they are the worst plants I have ever received. Badly grown, shrivelled, dried out in transit, and a month late. And some of the plants are still missing! AVOID! I have asked for a refund, have emailed photos without getting a reply - so much for their 100% quibble-free refund they promise on the website and their glossy brochures! They used to be a good company, but I would avoid them at all cost now!
Just to confirm Allwoods has nothing to do with Vernon Geranium Nursery, in 1994 Allwoods was taken over by a member of the family that owned Vernons but it was always a separate nursery. In 2010 Thompson and Morgan bought Vernons customer lists and plants but not the nursery. Allwoods took over the glasshouses a couple of years ago as they were not being used. If you get a catalogue from Vernons it will have a Cheam admail (post office) box address so you think you are dealing with a nursery in Cheam and not Thompson and Morgan in Ipswich.