Carroll Gardens

Their wonderful newsletter announced that they had found a new source for double bloodroot, after their previous provider had died. Very excited, I placed my order despite the incredible price ($40 is not too much if you really love the plant, right?).

I ended up visiting Carroll Gardens on the way home from Bethlehem yesterday and was somewhat surprised by what I found. It's a bit down at the heels, to say the least, very small, with ancient greenhouses and a Mount Trashmore pile of old plastic plant pots. Nevertheless, they did have a beautiful Rhododendron 'Caroline' which had been on my list since a newsletter feature a year or so ago. I also picked up some unusual dark purple nicotiana, which they grew from seed. And I saw lots of double bloodroot, just crowded in with all the other plants as though they were nothing special. I considered telling them I had ordered one and would be happy to pick it up today if they hadn't yet shipped it, but decided not to (error).

Alan himself was runnning the store, a small, round, irritable man. I guess the voice that's so certain and compelling in print might be just a tad hard to take in person... No matter, but when I got home the bloodroot still hadn't arrived, despite my fear that it would arrive and die before I got to it. And then I searched the web and found this .
Have I made a big mistake? Stay tuned...