Wth is witht he mail order comapnies

[goodwin]

The problem with Amazon for a vendor is that it is all about offering the lowest price regardless of quantity or quality. Amazon will place ads for, and direct buyers to, similar items or identical items right in the middle of your store. And if you don't pay a monthly fee, large shipping and handling charges are tacked on each order. Among on-line sellers, it is the least-liked of the four or five major sites.
Tatiana's Tomatobase really is a wonderful resource and the first place I go.

[JamesL]

That's a gorgeous view!

[remy]

Epsilon,
The problem with a lot of big vendors is the person who once started the place is long gone. The people running it are business people, not gardeners (though there's a few smaller companies who don't grow anything either,) so it is not the same. And many do not grow a single seed themselves.
Some large businesses though do get things out fast and have good customer service. And sometimes small business can be slower. Right now I'm in a major rush of orders and am so behind!! Most small businesses like mine though really do care about the customers, and want them to be successful in their growing. I know when I see pics from customers of their plants and gardens, it truly makes me happy
The Garden Watchdog is great. When reading reviews it is east to get a feel for a company before ordering. Some companies may pad their reviews, though measures are in place to keep that low, as you can tell when the responses are all sort of similar, but most companies are genuine reviews. I remember patiently waiting for my first review.
Anyway, here on TV, I am known for tomatoes, but I do carry many flower seeds, quite a few which are unusual if you are interested in checking it out.
Remy