Viv Marsh Postal Plants

Viv Marsh

Welcome to our family run nursery website, based here in Shropshire. We have been operating as a nursery for over 24 years growing alstroemeria and herbaceous plants. For the last 12 years we have specialised in growing alstroemeria, selling direct to the public. I am delighted to introduce 12 new varieties for 2012. If you would like any advice or if you would prefer to give me an order over the telephone please do give me a ring on 01939 291 475.

To view our full range of Alstroemeria, please click on this link Alstroemeria or use the View Catalogue link above for our range of plants. If you need some help with your selection just give us a ring on the number at the top of the page.

WEALTH WARNING
BARE ROOT PLANTS OR POTS?
The old adage 'You don’t get something for nothing' has never been so true! We only sell large, 1.7 litre plants, which is the equivalent of a standard 2 litre plant you would find in a garden centre. Our plants are well established which means they will flower this season. When comparing our prices, please bear this in mind. We do not send out plugs or small, 7cm or 9cm pots as we feel these are too small to plant directly into the ground.

We would never send alstroemeria plants bare root, as we feel there is a strong possibility that they will not survive. To buy bare root Alstroemeria is very risky, with high mortality rates from bacterial and fungal root rots. To plant bare root in the autumn is simply utter folly. Please don’t be tempted when you see adverts like the one below for bare root plants.

Advert for bare root alstroemeria

To illustrate my point, I sent for some different varieties as bare roots in the spring and grew them alongside my micropropagated varieties. You can see for yourself the results in the picture below.

Bare root tubers planted last spring

Just compare this with a micropropagated plant that was potted up at the same time growing in the same tunnel!

Alstroemeria ‘Princess Fabiana’ (micropropagated from tissue culture)

Put two of these plants in a pot and you will end up with a display like the one below in a year’s time, which will give you flowers from late spring until the first frosts.

AND FINALLY ….
Do please bear in mind that it costs substantially more to grow a plant from micropropagation in a laboratory. Accordingly, I have to charge more for the final article to cover my costs. I wish I could say that this could make me a millionaire, however, this is not the case as there is a simple rule that no-one gets rich growing plants!

AVAILABILITY
All plants are produced from tissue culture in a micropropagation laboratory. We are currently setting up a laboratory here at the nursery but until this is established we rely on the supply from other laboratories and this is not always available as they run a strictly seasonal production cycle. If you are interested in plants that are marked ‘Currently out of stock’ please telephone or e-mail us and we may be able to give you an idea of when we expect them to be back in production.

SECURE CARD PAYMENTS ON-LINE
We take your card security very seriously. When you order on our website you will be taken directly to the Worldpay secure website to make your payment. You will see the address change to https (which means it is secure) and the Worldpay padlock to ensure that your details are safe. Our website complies with the most up to date industry regulations (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). For more details about how to ensure your card details are secure please click on this link Worldpay.

ALSTROEMERIA CATALOGUE
Our 2012 catalogue is now available, featuring even more new varieties. If you would like us to send you a fully illustrated catalogue please give us a ring on the number at the top of the page or request one using the Contact us link at the top of the page. Our on-line catalogue will be regularly updated with all the current availability. If you wish to reserve plants that are not yet available please give me a ring. There is a minimum order of £33 plant value.

DELIVERY
In normal circumstances, plants will usually be despatched within 2 to 3 weeks from receipt of your order according to plant availability, but in extremes of hot (or cold) temperatures, plants will be held here in the nursery until the weather improves. Orders will be acknowledged personally by e-mail within a few days, giving an estimated delivery date. P&P is £9.95 for orders up to £99.99 and £4.95 for orders of £100 or over for mainland UK (please see Terms & Conditions link for other areas).

Despite an increase in costs and VAT we have decided to hold our carriage and packing charges for the last 3 years. If you would like to order plants from abroad please contact us for an approximate quote first.

RHS AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT (AGM) TRIALS
2009 saw the planting of our long-awaited Award of Garden Merit trials at RHS Wisley. The last ones were held back in 1995 and since then we have launched nearly 50 new different varieties into the UK.

The Royal Horticultural Society will give an independently judged assessment for the garden worthiness of these plants and if so decided, will award them an AGM (Award of Garden Merit). This is a world wide recognised acknowledgement that these plants are good. We are eagerly awaiting the results of these trials and will publish them on our website just as soon as they are released.

Alstroemeria ready to be planted out at RHS Wisley

NURSERY OPEN WEEKENDS FOR 2012
Dates for our 2012 open weekends are 30th June & 1st July and 8th & 9th September from 11am to 4pm. However, you don't have to wait for our next open weekend - if you would like to visit us please telephone or e-mail us to arrange an appointment. Look for the link at the bottom of this page to find us on Streetmap - note that we are approx. 300 yards from the crossroads - NOT the closed-down garden centre at the crossroads!

NATIONAL COLLECTION OF ALSTROEMERIA
On 14th February, 2011 we were granted the National Collection status of garden hardy Alstroemeria by Plant Heritage NCCPG National Collections . In the collection there are well over 100 garden varieties, along with an ever increasing selection of wild species from Chile. Do come and have a look at them if you are passing but please telephone me first to make an appointment – alternatively you can see them at the nursery open weekends (see above).

DAILY TELEGRAPH
We were delighted to be featured in two Daily Telegraph articles. You can read Val Bourne’s article Keep Persevering with Alstroemerias where she has been following the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) trials at Wisley.

Sarah Raven also wrote about alstroemerias in her Daily Telegraph article From Garage to Gorgeous where she encouraged readers to grow alstroemeria for cutting. She also explains that the new varieties are not invasive (as the old ‘Ligtu Hybrids’ were) and they have a much longer flowering period. Please remember that the dwarf alstroemeria are wonderful for the front of the border so don't dismiss them just because you can't use them for cutting!

For our nursery opening a few years ago we planted up the demonstration garden below, showing how plants can be displayed in the border to best effect. If you would like help to create a similar display in your garden please give us a call.

Looking for spring colour? Our Spring Peas, ranging from blue, purple and pink to yellow, are just about to burst into colour, including our stunning exclusive introduction Lathyrus 'Lamorna's Love' (below) was the result of many years' breeding. It is unique, and only available from Viv Marsh Postal Plants. For more varieties of our 'Spring Peas', please click on View Catalogue or search for Lathyrus from the link on the right.

Aerial View of Nursery

'Beagle', the Labrador, will be happy to greet you!