Orchid nursery in Seattle?

[MrHappyRotter]

Originally Posted by JScott

I've bought a few things from Seattle Orchids, and my satisfaction with them has been up and down. I don't feel like I can trust them to give me good value for my money when I buy plants without seeing them first, so I don't think I'll order from them again, however if you visit in person, and you can see the plants before you buy them, then I'm sure they have some very nice things.

That's a very diplomatic way of putting it. I'd also add that if you're looking for something specific and you're planning to buy it from Seattle Orchids, then make sure you purchase it in bloom or bud so that you know fairly quickly whether it is properly labeled or not. I've gotten several (expensive for me) Paphs and Phrags from them that after a couple of years of growing would finally bloom, and then I'd find out they weren't what I had purchased. And after that amount of time, Seattle's not going to work with you on a resolution.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by MrHappyRotter

That's a very diplomatic way of putting it. I'd also add that if you're looking for something specific and you're planning to buy it from Seattle Orchids, then make sure you purchase it in bloom or bud so that you know fairly quickly whether it is properly labeled or not. I've gotten several (expensive for me) Paphs and Phrags from them that after a couple of years of growing would finally bloom, and then I'd find out they weren't what I had purchased. And after that amount of time, Seattle's not going to work with you on a resolution.

Nor will they work with you on a resolution after even a short amount of time

[s3attlite]

Originally Posted by JScott

Nor will they work with you on a resolution after even a short amount of time

Let me preface this by saying I am in no way a supporter of any one retailer. I think capitalism is beneficial, but it is practiced wrongly (not incorrectly) in most industries.

I've only had great experiences with Seattle Orchid. Maybe it's because I keep them updated about my plants and am able to go in in-person. I think cyber communication brings out the worst in everyone.

If I were running an orchid retailer, particularly one involved in online sales, I wouldn't bother with fussy buyers and focus on those who recognize the fragility of this hobby. Grocery stores rely on the "ooo-shiny" factor to get people to buy orchids and hope they die so those "ooo-shiny" buyers will buy more as gifts. Serious orchid retailers' incentive to move product is because they take on a substantially higher cost buying each plant due ot their scale and the types of orchids they usually buy. Since no retailer can provide ideal conditions for all their plants, they try to move things out before they fail. So, they rely on experienced growers to do a better job than their generalized, intermediate conditioned greenhouses can offer.

I wish buyers could be more understanding of each retailer and what they are trying to accomplish. BOOO to the grocery store style sellers. But for small businesses selling species and collector's items, don't be disappointed when you get a sub-par plant. Especially if it isn't a common plant. But, if you order something like a Sharry Baby and it has shriveled bulbs or a crappy root system, complain away!

I understand people get upset about spending a lot of money for a plant that isn't in very good shape, but think about the cost these small companies face. And compare them to the GIANT global grocery store mega-companies they are competing against and cut them some slack.

Don't order fancy orchids that you expect to be collected responsibly from the wild if you aren't ready to accept a dip in quality.