Beaver Creek Alpines

David wrote:

Hoping that Roger Barlow is still active, I checked his web site last night and his plant list has been updated with a wide range of species. The last update was a year ago.

http://www.rockgardenplants.com/plantcatmain.htm

Just had a look through, a superb offering of both plants and seed.  It would be good to know whether it is truly still in operation.

Mark:

I placed an order online yesterday, got an immediate automatic response and a few hours later an email from Roger. He will be away the week of Sep 5 but will ship my order on Sep 12.

My experience over the past 10 years has been that his plants are always of exceptional quality and the packing for shipment is excellent.

Well that's good news, thanks for letting us know.  The seed list is extensive with many goodies on it, and very reasonable prices. 

David, thanks so much for posting the news of Beaver Creek.  It's the first time I haven't ordered in the spring because I didn't hear anything.  I'll be placing a fall order.

McDonough wrote:

Well that's good news, thanks for letting us know.  The seed list is extensive with many goodies on it, and very reasonable prices. 

Hi Mark,
some of the allium seed listed is "garden collected 2005"; are they still viable after 6 years storage? I've not had good germination with old allium seed but it may've been the way it was stored.
cheers
fermi

Fermi wrote:

McDonough wrote:

Well that's good news, thanks for letting us know.  The seed list is extensive with many goodies on it, and very reasonable prices. 

Hi Mark,
some of the allium seed listed is "garden collected 2005"; are they still viable after 6 years storage? I've not had good germination with old allium seed but it may've been the way it was stored.
cheers
fermi

Hi Fermi, I would be wary of Allium seed that is 6 years old.  In my experience, Allium seed retains good viability for at least a couple years; some possibly retain viability even longer.  My guess is that there would be reduced viability of Allium seed that goes back to 2005.

McDonough wrote:

Well that's good news, thanks for letting us know.  The seed list is extensive with many goodies on it, and very reasonable prices. 

While I've heard nothing but good thing about his plants, I gave up on the seed list, with great disappointment a couple of seasons back--there were interesting things, some with B.C. and Alberta provenance I would have liked to try, but apparently Roger is away from the business over winter until late spring, during the time I was trying to order, especially things which needed winter stratification. by the time he was presumably back, it was too late, and I never heard back from him anyway.... I might have tried again the next fall before he left, but didn't see any sign of fresh collections, anyway... I see last seed update still says Apr 2010...

David wrote:

My experience over the past 10 years has been that his plants are always of exceptional quality and the packing for shipment is excellent.

That has been my experience as well.  I have only ordered once so far, but would recommend it to anyone.  Beaver Creek visits the Calgary Rock and Alpine Garden Society plant sales annually (a spring and, usually/sometimes?*, a fall sale)... (which is the reason why I have only actually mail-ordered once to date).  The quality of plants is always excellent and the selection is astounding.

*Perhaps a local rock gardener could add to or correct this?  I am generally gardened-out by fall, and have not attended a fall sale yet... although this year's event on Sept. 8th looms large on my calendar!

I've had the same experience.  Since I can't visit the Calgary plant show I have to order from Roger's catalog.  The plants have always been of the highest quality and the packing is absolutely incredible.  It takes a long time to unpack an order but not a twig is bruised.  I really missed not ordering this spring - Roger always has such an interesting collection of plants. 

Darn it! Ann placed an order which means there won't be anything left for the rest of us...

Beaver Creek rocks!

(btw: I placed a BIG order last spring, Ann, and got no end of treasures...nanny nanny poo poo)

Kelaidis wrote:

Beaver Creek rocks!

(btw: I placed a BIG order last spring, Ann, and got no end of treasures...nanny nanny poo poo)

/
Nanny, nanny poo poo to you, Panayoti.  I put dibs on certain plants for the spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!