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Heronswood
To: m*@ucdavis.edu
Subject: Heronswood
From: "* D* B* <o*@dsp.net>
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 1998 20:13:51 -0800
Dear Friends, January 6, 1998
How could I miss such a tempest in a teapot. Heronswood is no better or
worse than most mailorder nurseries. I don't own any mailorder nursery but deal with dozens and can say the following supported truths:
ABOUT HERONSWOOD
1) Year one -1972 went to H with JT. I spend $1,200., J.T. $680.00
and was like a kid in a candy store.
a) survival rate- 60% - poor
b) id accuracy rate-75% fair
c) poorly rooted - 80% of woodies (it was Oct. and we were warned!).
d) Neither Dan nor Robert who'd invited us was the least
hospitable. Too many distractions, lectures & more important
people.
e) Big fuss over Watakaka
2) Year two -no replacements or apologies and DH no longer wished communication
with me. I was to deal with Robert. (They'd both been to my garden with SG)
Bewteen SG, MB, & JT survival of orders was 65%. I did worst.
3) Plants began appearing in the calalog under obsolete names-RODGERSIA
henrici (syn. pinnata); LEPTOSPERMUM cunninghamiana (syn. lanigera), etc.
4) Marshall Olbrich was planning an article on this very issue when he died.
5) Each year smaller orders from me with 65-75% survival while my continued
orders to Forest Farm brought 95% survival and cost 25-40% less!!
6) The catalog is a work of art and love and DH is a plant "maven" but
everything has gone far too fast.
7) DH gives excellent lecture for CH. Now no longer affordable-honorarium\
now $1,500!
8) DH now demi-god. Writing big book. Plants have realistic names but aren't
what you ordered. I have a huge Stachyurus praecox (chartreuse flowers)
so ordered newly offered species with Red-Pink blooms. Plant blooms first
year. Flowers were washed out yellow!!!
9) Went Hellebore crazy in 1997. Disappointed by all received from DH.
Did much better through friends in PCNW & especially Collectors' Nurs.
10)I still plan to order from H., BUT the majority of my Wash & OR orders
will go to FF, and GF and Collectors' where I have received better
plants, treatment, followup, etc.
I do not wish to discourage anyone from studying DH's catalog or buying from the extraordinary nursery. A visit is a must.But NB Rosa 'Moyesii Geranium' & "Moyesii' aff. Caveat emptor!