On 26 Oct, 09:31, Sacha wrote:
On 25/10/07 20:33, in article
m, "Dave Hill"



wrote:
On 25 Oct, 18:06, Anne Jackson wrote:
The message from Sacha contains these
words:

Apart from Latin name and colour (if no photo) what sort of info do people
think most important in a plant catalogue. I know it needs to be
informative but not too wordy, IMO!

Height and spread, and whether or not it's hardy would do for me.

--
AnneJ

You may search my time-worn face,
You'll find a merry eye that twinkles.
I am NOT an old lady
Just a little girl with wrinkles!
- Edythe E. Bregnard

I'd be inclined to publish a descriptive plant list with a much more
descriptive catalogue with pics etc on your web site, the lists you
can then print yourself as required rather than have a bill for
several hundred pounds from the printer.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

Another good idea. That sounds a workable compromise. Thanks, David. Do
you (all) think that because these are going to be the more unusual plants
we have, people wanting to buy them will already know them, be enthusiasts?
Or would you say we will pick up newcomers to the more exotic plant world?

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

I often brows new seed catalogue in conjunction with either a good
reference book or the web to check on plants I do not know.
I know a catalogue with a picture of every plant is nice (Though often
inaccurate), to produce a few hundred is totally unrealistic price
wise.
I know if I tried to produce my dahlia catalogue with pictures of all
300 varieties I would be looking at several pounds per book and most
would go to "Catalogue collectors" who don't buy.
I have cut back my mailing list to those who have bought from me
together with those who have requested a catalogue in the last 3
seasons.
I found I was sending out almost 1500 a year and the printing and
postage was just to much.
I now print my own and am saving nearly £500 a year.

The problem for next season will be what Carrier for larger orders.
I was using City link, but they have changed their terms of buisness
as they dont want small firms.
Min. weekly charge will be £50 if you don't send enough consignments
to pass that figure.
Also they accept NO liability for any items that are perishable.
I was on the point of taking them to court as they refused liability
for the loss of an order that they put on the back of an unused van in
Swansea and didn't find for 3 weeks, it never left the depot, and as I
took it to their depot it had never been in transit, they said not
their fault.
They finally paid up, but now have new terms and conditions.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

On 26/10/07 13:07, in article , "Janet
Tweedy" wrote:

In article , Sacha
writes


Oh good! We do sometimes get asked for plant lists though. Do you send
those out? We don't as up until now we haven't done mail order.



Isn't it possible to get a plant list from the RHS plant finder site
Sacha?

The most irritating omission I've found is when plants are not priced.

We have a list of plants that we show in the Plant Finder and it won't be
hard to extract from that. And I agree about not showing prices - it is
annoying to have to go off to see what's what on another page. We're still
working on that aspect of it and how best to present it.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

"Sacha" wrote ...
after "Bob Hobden" wrote in reply to
"Sacha" wrote
Apart from Latin name and colour (if no photo) what sort of info do
people
think most important in a plant catalogue. I know it needs to be
informative but not too wordy, IMO!

Knowing that Ray produces ,lets say, more unusual plants and interesting
plants, some cultural instructions would be helpful and even perhaps a
"difficulty" index so people don't waste money buying something they have
no
hope of ever growing. On top of that a note of where they come from in
the
wild and the type of terrain helps growers understand the plant.
Put me on the mailing list. :-)

Thanks, Bob - more good input that I'll pass along. I can see we've a
long
way to go before we're ready for the off! Of course you'll be on the
mailing list - founder member! ;-) How's the Furcraea doing, or rather
how are its babies doing, if they survived?

Thanks.
Furcraea beddinghouseii...One has been outside in a large pot since the year
after Ray gave the two tiny offshoots to me, the other I've kept in the
greenhouse just in case. Neither has flowered yet.
Might plant the larger one (the one that's been outside) in the garden next
spring and just see what happens. I think I can find a sheltered spot, mind
you our M.lasiocarpa (Musa/Musella??) has grown so much this year it's
filling up that corner quickly.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK