FAQ
The Most Frequent Questions
What is the different between a daylily and a garden lily?
Garden lilies grow from bulbs, whereas daylilies grow from crowns. Daylilies have many leaves that grow out from the crown, but garden lilies generally have one shoot with leaves on it that grows from the bulb. Click here for more information about daylilies.
What size plants do you ship?
Plants may be shipped in small containers, quarts or flats / trays of (10) to (72) plants, or bare root. The term bareroot means plants have no soil and little or no top growth. Most bare root shipped are 2 to 3 year old field grown plants. A number of the web site pictures are of plants in containers ready for shipment.
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How long will it take plants to reach full size?
It depends on the variety. Plants like daylilies are not shipped until they have bloomed at least once, however it may take some blue hostas several years to reach mature size, especially if the mature size is 4 feet. We feel that larger bare root plants make an instant impact in your garden! Our customers tell us that our perennial plants are bigger than other mail order nurseries. We trust you will think so too. You can see what customers have said about us and our plants at Daves Garden by clicking on the Rate Bloomin Designs Nursery at the Garden Watchdog
When will the plants flower?
Depends on the season you receive your plant and how or where it is planted. If ordered before their bloom season, they often bloom the first year. Most perennials will not be truly outstanding until their second or third year, they will be busy settling-in their first year to flower at their fullest.
What is a bare root perennial? A bare root perennial is a plant which has been dug up from the field and had its top growth trimmed down to approximately one inch above the crown. The only items not trimmed are evergreen perennials such as Dianthus, Iberis, Lavandula, Phlox subulata and Yucca. Bare root perennials grow vigorously after they have been replanted, often with a growth rate faster than their potted counterparts.
Why are plants shipped bare root?
The added weight to ship a large pot, plus various state quarantine restrictions make shipping potted plants expensive. The first thing to do with new bare root plants is to stick the roots in a bucket of water for up to an hour. If you do not plant them soon, repeat this everyday or so. Try not to soak above the crowns. Click here for more planting information.
What are the terms used to describe the different types of root systems?
FIBROUS ROOT--Composed of profusely branched roots with many lateral rootlets, often with no main or taproot development. Many perennials with fibrous root systems are dividable. Example: Achillea.
TAPROOT--The main descending root of a plant. Generally, perennials with tap roots prefer cool temperatures and dry soil conditions once they are planted in containers. If temperatures are too warm, they put their energy into top growth without establishing a satisfactory root system. Lupines, in particular, benefit from being grown in temperatures around 40 degrees F for about six weeks.
RHIZOME--A specialized slender or swollen stem with branching close to the soil surface. It produces roots, stems, leaves and flowers along its length and at its apex. Examples of plants with rhizome-type roots include Acorus and Bearded Iris.
CORM--An underground, bulb-like portion of the stem of a plant consisting of fleshy tissues. Example: Crocosmia.
Our bare root perennials are field grown, then harvested with the soil removed from the roots. These transplants are grown from either vegetative stock or from seed. They would typically fill a 1 to 2 gallon trade container. They are generally referred to as No. 1 Grade.
What is your guarantee?
Within 48 hours of plant delivery, if there is any dissatisfaction, we will replace the plants. If that item(s) is currently out of stock, you may select a substitute, or wait until the next crop is available. Please report upon receipt, any shipping damages, missing items, or if they arrive in poor condition. If damaged, package(s) may need to be retained for 7 days, as the parcel company may need to inspect the damaged product. We are not responsible for shipping delays or damage in shipment. We can not honor claims that are made more than 24 hours after receipt of the damaged product. We are glad to provide any help we can beyond the first 48 hours. However, if you are unhappy with the plants at any time, please let us know, because we want you to 1) order us from us again, and 2) to tell your friends to order from us. Click here for more information.
How can I correct my email address on your subscription service?
Just subscribe again. Undeliverable addresses are automatically deleted.
What is your privacy policy?
We use your information to complete your order and email address (if you subscribe) to send occasional new plant update and special offers. If you request that your email address be removed from our list, we do so immediately. We never sell or share email addresses or any other personal information. If you use PayPal, any information you provide is subject to their privacy policy. Click here for more details.
How do I contact you with additional questions?
If you have any other questions, the best way to contact us is by email to mike at bloomindesigns.com. Please make sure your subject line is specific so that it is not rejected as spam. You can also try to contact us by phone at (678)376-7987, if we are busy in the nursery leave a message and we will return your call ASAP.
Click here for more information.
Please note if you are contacting us about a past or present order - include your name and order number (or city, state). If asking plant questions, we need to know your state and zone so we can tailor our advice accordingly.
Are all the plants offered on the web site?
No, but a majority are listed. You are welcome to contact us if you don't see a variety you are looking for - we may have a limited supply available.
What is a Perennial?
A perennial is a plant that will live multiple growing seasons, unlike an annual which grows, sets seed, and dies all in one season. Their flowering time is not typically as long as an annual because the plant must gather enough strength survive the winter.
Every perennial on our site should have a recommended hardiness range indicated. Please keep your zone in mind if you want your perennial to last more than one year. Due to so many climate planting zones you can not expect your garden to look like the picture in the magazine if the conditions are not similar.
What are hardiness zones?
These relate to the temperature ranges that a particular plant can survive in. In the USA, a map has been drawn showing which regions fall into each temperature range, to make it easy to see if a particular plant is suitable to grow in your area. Click here for zone map.
What plants will do well in my zone?
Product information includes recommended zones on plants web pages. Please treat hardiness zone ratings on perennials as a best guess, but only a guess. Many factors influence plant survivability: reliable snow cover, wind swept location, proximity of structures, and depth of soil, just to name a few.
Questions About Ordering
Is there a minimum amount for an order?
No dollar minimum, any minimum number for individual plants noted per variety.
Can I order at prices listed?
Yes, discounts are available based on quantity ordered, as noted, per variety. Click here for larger orders, or contact us.
If you live in Georgia and do not provide a sales tax exemption number, sales tax will apply.
How do I make payment?
Payment can be made by PayPal or credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Our service providers are dedicated to ensuring that all online transactions are secure by incorporating strong cryptography, secure socket layers (SSL) and best of breed information handling to safeguard your information, which means - information you enter is transmitted across the internet in an encrypted (scrambled) form, then decoded when it gets to us.
What happens after I order?
If you provided an email address, you will receive a confirmation email when the order is entered and a shipping confirmation email, including tracking number, when the order is shipped.
What if the plants I ordered are out of stock?
We do not substitute without permission, and attempt to maintain a conservative inventory count in the online store to prevent accepting payment if we do not have plants in stock. If we are out of stock, with your permission, we will send a substitute, place your request on back order, issue a refund or credit.
Can I change an existing order?
Yes, you can always change an existing order. In order to ensure accuracy, we prefer to receive any changes in writing via email, but we will accept changes by telephone. If you are contacting us about an order change, please include your order number. We do request up to 3 week prior notice on order changes. You will receive a confirmation reflecting the changes, if an email address has been provided.
If I cancel an order, do I have to pay any fees?
If an order has been prepared for shipment, or has been shipped and returned, a restocking fee of up to 15% may apply, plus any actual shipping charges and the cost of any plants that cannot be restocked.
Do you have a catalog?
No, we do not offer a printed catalog. All our information is online, and this helps us keep our prices low.
Why are some items not available on the web site?
Some items may be grown as a special order for a nursery customer, grown in limited quantities, or not easily shipped bare root. Also, if we do not anticipate a plant to be available for most of the shipping season, we normally do not list the plant on the web site.
Can a gift be sent to a friend?
We offer gift certificates for giving anytime.
If you would like to select the gift perennial(s), complete the Ship To information during checkout process accordingly. All shipments include a shipping packing slip listing the enclosed items (without prices), and general planting instructions. Email or telephone us if you have any questions.
Questions About Shipping
How will plants be shipped?
Most are shipped UPS-Ground or FedEx Ground, which takes 2 to 3 days to arrive to most continental US destinations. Shipments to the west coast may take an additional day or two.
If an email address is provided, the shipment tracking number will be included in the email confirmation sent at shipment.
How much is shipping?
Shipping is generally free.
How soon will my plants be shipped?
Paid orders placed by 12:00 pm on Tuesday, as a general rule of thumb, will be shipped the following Monday or Tuesday, subject to weather and backlog. Orders received in March, April and May can anticipate a one to two week delay due to volume. Special shipping information should be referenced in the Notes section provided during the Checkout process. Subject to hardiness zone, orders are shipped in the sequence received.
When is your shipping season?
Many plants can be shipped year round upon request. We start shipping most plants in March, depending on the destination zone and weather. Contact us for any special shipping requests or times.
Weather conditions or plant type may affect the anticipated shipping schedule. Some plants may not be available until mid April, depending on the weather. Plant orders shipped at different times or to multiple addresses will be subject to additional shipping charges.
Due to hot weather conditions, we may limit shipment of any plant items mid June through mid August.
How early in the spring / late in the fall can I plant?
Perennials are able to handle frost to a light freeze and recover. However, it is best to do spring planting after the worst threats of bad weather are past. The fall plants should be in the ground 4 to 6 weeks before your first frost.
Can I request a specific shipping time?
Yes, you may select the week of arrival.
Do you ship outside the continental US or internationally?
No.
My plants just arrived. What should I do now?
You should unpack the plants, and remove any packing material. Place the plants in a shady spot, and water thoroughly. Place bare root plants in a bucket of water for up to an hour. If you do not plant them soon, repeat this everyday or so. Try not to soak above the crowns. If wilted when they arrive they should perk up after soaking. For more information check https://www.bloomindesigns.com/planting-instructions/
Questions About the Nursery and the web site
When is the nursery open?
Our locations are not open to the public. We are not set-up for retail, and plants are grown and shipped from a couple of locations.
How do we get so many new varieties each year?
We have an excellent long-standing relationship with breeders, hybridizers and growers in the US and Holland. We are constantly in touch with them and are often asked to test plants for our areas.
Why are you called Bloomin Designs Nursery?
Bloomin Designs was initially a flower garden design and installation company. The nursery was started by taking plants from our gardens for our own designs, and eventually growing them in containers for local wholesale and retail nurseries. As our daylily and hosta fields increased, we decided to open our gardens to the public via the internet. Several of our wholesale nursery friends have since joined us, selling to the public via our site.
How long have you been in business?
In the mid 1990s, we started installing flower gardens. The nursery started selling plants 1997. Our internet business started in 2003.
Can I have permission to reprint photos or information from your website?
Webmasters have permission to reprint information from our website to their website or in their newsletter - provided a live link is included back to this site. Please let us know if you have any questions on how to link to your site.
What is a Plant Patent?
The Plant Patent Act of 1930 was actually enacted to develop an incentive and reward for plant breeders and the horticulture industry. In laymen’s terms, a plant patent legally protects the actual plant itself. This means no one can asexually propagate (such as cuttings, grafting, budding, divisions or tissue culture) without permission; i.e. they need a license contract from the patent owner to propagate the patented plant. The patent also affords protection on plant parts including cut flowers, fruit and berries.
So, what can be patented? A plant must be new and discovered in a cultivated area. It should not have been sold or offered for sale for more than one year prior to a formal patent application being submitted.
Protected plants are identified in several ways including the following; PAF or PPAF (patent or plant patent applied for) or PP (plant patent) followed by the patent number. A plant patent has a life span of 20 years. It is not renewable, and once expired, a patented plant is available to anyone. Patenting can be a long, expensive process, especially when there are no guarantees that a new introduction will be received positively by the gardening public. It can take 10, 20 or 30 years or more to select, evaluate, test and multiply a plant until suitable numbers of it are ready for marketing and sale.