ah, yes

To copy Janet's terrible story about postal service. There are three things that will always happen to overseas plant material mailed to the US. The postal office sometimes will ring the USDA and say there is a package that needs examining. But the PO does not deliver it and the USDA does not pick it up. This can go on until enough yelling takes place and the package gets examined and picked up and back into the mail system. (Peter Beales no longer exports to the US because of this - I had one order of roses sit in the LA USDA for six weeks before they stirred themselves to send it to the PO. Have you ever seen 20 dead roses - enough to make you cry.)
Or it will be deposited at the USDA, put next to a heater that is working, next to a sunny window and by the time you get the order the plants are fried.
However, if you have a plant broker who sees your orders through both places, the plants will arrive safely and soon. I watched a broker take the plants from the mail room at the airport, walk across the hall, walk back, and send on the plants - cost $100. But that is better than dead plants you have to pay for.
Some airports are better than others. If you can have a working relationship (by phone usually) with the staff at the USDA at the airport, ringing them every day to see if your package has arrived, and then picking them up yourself - that is the best way.And they are usually quite friendly when they get to know you.
However, find out what airline the nursery is using to send your order as that sometimes helps a lot.
Nowadays, I no longer order from overseas because almost everything I want is available somewhere in US or Canada. bill grant, central coast California 
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index