On 28 Jul 2004 22:25:37 -0700, (Pen) wrote:

I liked Revy and Lansing, too. I feel worse about White Rose.

Note: I was being flip in my original post.

I don't. Their stock was pretty middle-of-the-road, they were all over
the map as to retail direction, and their prices were high for what
they were selling. I've seen better from the independents at their
price point.

HD
isn't Can Tire's problem though, I've worked for Can Tire and boy, do
they have inventory problems!

Really? Pray tell.... (one of the co-workers is moving over to their
flyer production department)

We've got our own evil imperialists, too. Remember Cruikshanks -- the
wonderful folks who sold rare and premium bulbs on Mt. Pleasant?

Yeah, I do. Got some nice stock from them. They were pricey - had
things that no one else had.

Besides, I only buy plants from Walmart and HD when they're marked for
clearance. It's the thriftyness of customers that actually kills
retail stores in Canada. Why am I so cheap? Because I am ...

Well, (eyes dancing) if you're _really_ cheap, you start your own
plants from seed, and do most of your gardening with pass-alongs, and
bits tossed over the fence from your neighbours. Oh, and pick nice
hardy spreaders.

I have a weakness for Richter's. Plant World up on Eglington is
_extremely_ dangerous to my wallet as they have luscious lovely,
relatively rare stock (not to mention gorgeous pots, benches, and
other garden frippery) For any canucks reading, www.icangarden.com has
links to all those fine independent Canadian bulb and regionally
specialized plant stock providers. Gardens North in Ottawa was
seriously tempting too for many years.

Shirley Hicks
Toronto, Ontario