Packaging
Most of our plants are grown in 7cm x 9cm pots to better handle shipping and transplanting. To prevent the soil from spilling in some pots, we lay slightly moistened sphagnum moss on top. Packing peanuts are used to hold everything in place - we wish we didn't have to but it's the only product that works (biodegradable ones will turn gooey, and you don't want that on your Artemisa assonana v pedemontana).
Shipping
In general the shipping season goes something like this (weather and circumstance permitting):
- Late March to Early April - First shipment to areas that will already be experiencing spring (ex. West Coast orders and Southern States)
- Mid to Late April - Majority of orders to both Canada and the USA will be shipped.
- Early May - Orders to cold climates shipped
- May to early July - We can still ship orders as long as it isn't too hot.
- July and August - No shipping, it's just too hot and the plants will suffer in transit.
- September and October - Fall shipping resumes
- November to March - No Shipping, too cold.
We usually ship on Mondays, sometimes Tuesdays, so that your order arrives during the week (usually from 1 to 3 days in transit in normal times).
If you prefer your order to arrive during a specific month, let us know in the "Comments" section when completing the order. We will do our best to have it shipped when needed. Or if you will be away during a period of time and unable to pick the order up, let us know and we will avoid shipping your order during this time if possible.
It takes time to pick, process, pack and ship plants. Expect a 2 week wait at the bare minimum during the shipping season. Orders placed during the winter will not be shipped until spring.
We connect to the USPS, Canada Post and UPS shipping rate servers on-line to use live, current shipping rates.
Our software automatically sends you an email with the tracking number as soon as the shipping label is printed.
Minimum plant order is $80 plus shipping and taxes. There is a $10 handling charge per order to cover the direct costs (boxes, packing material, tray, and labour, delivery to shipper).
United States Customers:
We live 20 minutes from Calais, Maine so we transport the plants to our US/Canada broker. These shipments happen on either a Monday or Tuesday to help ensure delivery by Friday.
All orders shipped to the United States are inspected by the federal Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to make sure they are free of noxious pests and diseases and do not contain endangered species. This involves submitting lists of the plants and their destinations to the CFIA two weeks ahead of shipping, sometimes treating them (depending on the receiving State's regulations), as well as an onsite physical inspection by the CFIA. It's a bit of a chore and takes quite a bit of time so we usually ship to the USA orders in batches.
"A Phytosanitary Certificate is an official document issued by the plant protection organization of the exporting country to the plant protection organization of the importing country. It certifies that the plants or plant products covered by the certificate have been inspected according to appropriate procedures and are considered to be free from quarantine pests and that they are considered to conform with the current phytosanitary regulations of the importing country. The Phytosanitary Certificate facilitates trade but it is not a trade document." ~ CFIA
Paperwork is filed with the border ahead of crossing so they know what is coming (lots of varieties for them to crosscheck on endangered and invasive lists… it's not like it's a load of apple trees - there are over 800 different species they have to sift through! At the border the boxes may be physically inspected, and then they are transported to the UPS and USPS offices.
Canadian Customers:
Orders to NB, NS, PE, S.ON and QC can be shipped at any time (without delay) during shipping season.
Orders to BC, AB, SK, MB, N.ON, NT, YK, and NU now all require Movement Certificates from the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency due to both Japanese Beetle and Gypsy Moth prevention requirements. These orders now require 2-3 weeks to process.
Care of plants upon arrival
- Carefully open the box as soon as possible and remove packing material delicately so you don't injure the crowns. Remove pots from box and packing moss from around plants.
- Place pots in a cool, shaded, protected area. Give them all a good watering, picking each pot up to make sure it is absorbing. Let them sit for a day or so to adjust.
- Transplant to the garden as soon as possible, as weather permits, removing the potting soil that they are growing in, with minimal root disturbance.
- Water in well and provide some shading if the weather is warm or windy.
Alpines in general are difficult to grow in pot culture, but thrive once planted in the right conditions. In pots they tend to get neglected and will dry out and not revive, or get over watered and rot - it's tricky. Shake off the potting soil and transplant into your garden, they will thank you.
Estimated Shipping Costs
*For information purposes only - true shipping rates will be calculated using live, current shipping rates.
Canada
Prices for Canadian orders are in Canadian funds, payable by cheque, money order, VISA or MasterCard. The minimum SUB-TOTAL order is $80. Shipping charges are calculated by Canada Post and UPS. Refer to the following postal code table for estimated shipping rates. For delivery in with Canada Post we only use XPress Post (3 day) and Expedited Parcel (2 day, for customers close to us). For UPS we use Expedited and Standard.
Minimum SUB-TOTAL order = $80
| Postal Code | |
| B,C,E,G,H,J | 17% of SUB-TOTAL |
| K,L,M,N,P | 32% of SUB-TOTAL |
| A,R,S,T,V | 41% of SUB-TOTAL |
Orders to BC, AB, SK, MB, N.ON, NT, YK, and NU now all require Movement Certificates from the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency ($15). NB, NS, PE, S.ON and QC do not require any certification.
United States
Prices for U.S. orders are in U.S. funds, payable by cheque, money order, VISA or MasterCard. Minimum SUB-TOTAL order = $80.
Shipping charges are calculated by USPS and UPS using their automated rates, plus a $15 fee for the phytosanitary certificate.
Claims
First, take a couple photos and email us. Claims of damage to your plants must be submitted within 7 days of receipt for replacement or refund to be issued - limited to the value of the plants claimed. We do not offer warranty on plants when subsequent planting and care produces unsatisfactory results.
Orders by Other Methods
*Please Note: All orders must be submitted on the website. The website is also our inventory tracking platform. This streamlined process is best for both the customer and nursery, whereas other methods might involve unavailable plants, miscalculations, and missing payments and information. All of this would take time to retrieve and correct and your order would not be processed as promptly.
- Mail: Orders can be mailed in with payment, but keep in mind it can take several weeks to arrive here, especially if mailed from the US and some plants may be sold out by then.
We accept payment by cheque, money order, E-transfer, VISA, MasterCard or American Express.
Orders are not processed until payment is received, and cheques have cleared.
Print Catalogue
Download (399Kb PDF file)
