Mail Order FAIL

Well after taking the plunge a month or so ago I ordered 13 Special Deep Purple Phlox (which Ive decided is my new fave plant) from a company called Ediplants on Ebay. This is what has come into flower. My eyesight might not be all that great but...…….. B****Y H**L!!!..... I also ordered 3x Linum from them which are all dead. To be fair they did refund those but it was still somehow my fault! Im fuming!!

 

This is what I supposedly ordered

 

Cindy, log a complaint through eBay.

Why, with respect, would you want 13 identical phlox?

I will post a picture of 2 phloxes here later, when I get back home, but you will see they are vigorous and make largish plants in a couple of years. You can divide them too to make more plants ! These plants were divisions of plants I originally obtained.

My advice, consistently expressed, is to buy named varieties of sizeable plants that will make garden worthy plants to flower next year. For as little as £4.99 you can get half litre potted plants that will double in size by the autumn if potted on now. Ignore the collections offered and any freebies....they are usually more expensive in the long run, include plants you dont need, include a few failures and entail a whole lot more work in my opinion. Quality not quantity will eventually enhance your garden

Back to your main issue, yes, EBay will sort things if necessary but the trader will likely not want to damage his satisfaction rating and will reimburse you directly

Good luck Cindy

 

I bought that many the same because I wanted to put the same colour along the back of my borders with other blue and some white additional plants towards the front. I was hoping for uniformity. Looks like I will need to go through eBay as the company has got back to me saying they don't even grow pink. Basically calling me a liar I suppose. It'll be my word against theirs. I'm feeling a bit crappy actually.

 

Pain isn’t it Cindy?

My point is if you buy fewer but bigger plants you can space them 60 to 90 cm apart ...even further. Small plants will take a couple of years, maybe more, to provide you with any impact ??
These plants were divided 18 months ago and have made 90 cm plus (White David) and bit less for the red (Miss Mary) so they make sizeable plants pretty quickly. Besides, you can take cuttings or divide them to make as many plants as you like. Check out Ballyrobert Gardens

You may well tire of the “uniformity” of the same phlox anyway preferring to add something different a bit later???

 

@Verdun they look beautiful. I will try and get some 'david' next season. I feel like Im needing uniformity as have had such a hotch potch its just looked messy and made me constantly edgy. Part of me being unwell is I suffer a bit (ok a lot) from OCD regularly and need order. Its also why I don't cope well when things go wrong and I cant face any form of confrontation as have PTSD too. Blimey I sound scary even to me.

@shiney Unfortunately its difficult to tell as only one has come into bud. I sent them a pic of the bud last week and they fobbed me off by saying buds are different colour to blooms. Ok to some extent but there is a massive difference between shocking pink and deep purple me thinks. I think I will have to try and claim via ebay but as its my word against theirs its tricky as Im sure many people try to get refunds by fibbing.
Still feel like

 

Hi @cindy , i think you would do well in future to contact one of the specialist mail order firms. I have never and will never buy plants off ebay. I only use respected companies with their own website - why if they're an established company are they selling through ebay ? I was looking through the web the other day for a particular Digitalis ( foxglove ), found three suppliers on ebay..... 1 had a picture of a standard D. Purpurea, 1 had a picture of a white foxglove and the other had a picture of a yellow one. All were listed as Digitalis Ferruginea which a coppery/orange colour - the one I wanted. I didn't even go their individual pages, why if they're selling one thing would they illustrate another ?. I went to Hayloft Plants and managed to get it along with another 11 all different species for £12.

If you want a large quantity of 1 individual plant then your best bet is JW Parkers ( Wholesale ) Ltd. They do quantities of 5 or 10 upwards . They do sell to the public so don't be put off by " wholesale " the difference is you can't buy 1 of this and 1 of that.
This is the same company as JW Parkers, just their wholesale department.

 

Hi Cindy , I have a white Phlox called White Admiral very similar to David, I am always taking bits off it and giving it away if you would like some at the end of the season or spring next year your more than welcome to some.

 

@Perki
oooo yes pleeeeease! Just private message me when you have some (and it'll be least likely that I'll kill em) and we can arrange money and post costs and addresses and stuff. That is amazingly kind of you.

 

The very best way to get new plants Cindy

 

Hi KEF, I wouldn't be so dismissive of ebay sellers. For sure you have got to do research on the sellers and I've absolutely no doubt there are rogues among them. However.......I have bought bare rooted trees and shrubs from an ebay seller whose nursery is in Northern Ireland (that narrows it down a bit) and have received excellent plants on more than one occasion. He/she also has a well established online nursery. Some of the plants I bought were bare rooted hedging bought in late February. In answer to your question, why if they're an established company are they selling through ebay ? perhaps the answer is simply that they planned for too many bare rooted plants selling before the bare rooted window ran out and got their numbers wrong. Anyway I got a very good deal on some excellent plants. So much so that I've ordered from them two more times and have not been disappointed.

Generally speaking I am a fan of ebay, feedback is important to the sellers and they don't like their rates dropping. But you do have to do your research and I would NEVER order plant material from outside the EU.

 

As @Redwing , I have never had a problem with Ebay plant sellers. You do need to check their history as best you can. You are being a little dismissive there KFF.

 

eBay has been excellent for me.

At first I was wary but have been buying plants on eBay for a few years now and have acquired some beautiful plants. Some expert growers there. On the rare occasion I was disappointed the seller came good with refund or replacement according to my choice.
Besides buyers are well protected on eBay.

I always look for quality and am discerning....eBay is great

 

Dont like buying plants mail order full stop, you only get what they want to give you, often pictures are OTT, regarding certain plants.
Ebay is in my opinion a minefield of dodgy dealers, but having said that I'm sure there are a few that dont maybe have their own websites and want to sell on Ebay, but are genuine.

I've bought the odd plant on Ebay, but treat it with caution.

Personally I like to see something before I buy, I'm pretty old fashioned in that way.