Home - mom & pop nurseries
Reminds me of an experience (I'm sure its not typical). Back when I din't
know that I didn't know nothin,
I met a super gardener and now friend who did a lot of design work for me.
Janet used 57 perennial species, many native, in two large beds. One was
Veronicastrum virginicum or Culver's Root, and I couldn't find it anywhere.
Janets office manager suggested I try a Pop nursery, reputed to carry a lot
of unusual perenials, so I called. The old fellow who answered allowed he
was the owner, and that "there isn't any such thing!" So I read him the
section out of Still's Herbaceous Ornamental Plants. "Huh", he said,
and asked me for my phone number. Then he hung up on me, and I just sat and
laughed till I cried!
Well, 6 or 7 weeks go by, and I get this call; "This is Hugh. Them
Culver's Roots you ordered are in, better pick them up quick." I hadn't
gotten near so far as an order, but I still didn't have them either, so I
quickly made and appointment for an hour later. I was a little taken back
when I arrived because it was at a house, and I hadn't had that experience
yet, but the house was surrounded for 100' in all directions by countless
plants, so... Well, Hugh wasn't to be found, and no one answered the door
bell (no surprise, I could hear the TV from the street 150 feet away). So I
went to the nearest corner and called again. "Just a minute, while I turn
the TV down", his wife said, "I can't hear you." "I think he got in some
man's pickup and left, don't know when he will be back, do you want to
wait?"
So I went to lunch, and after waiting only another hour at the house, Hugh
returns. "I forgot" he says (Hugh looks like 80 was quite some time ago).
Hugh commenced to look for the Culver's Root, and I sure couldn't help,
because I didn't have the vaguest idea. Took about an hour and a half!
Hugh had bought 8 plants, and I would have ordered 2, but by them I felt
sorry for him, so I bought 6, for $2.00 each (his price, I sure wasn't going
to argue by then). Maybe he felt sorry for me too, by then.
So that's how I got Culver's Root.
Hal Lanktree
Rochester, Michigan (Zone 5b)
hlanktree@mindspring.com
> I sure don't understand that mentality (leaving when realizing it's a home
> based nursery). I would love the opportunity to swap experiences/stories
> with someone who has actual experience rather than just a clerk... go
> figure.
>
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