A long shot (and a long story, abridged here)?

I am desperately seeking a hortensia from Sainsburys (the grocery part, 
not ex-Sainsburys Homebase/garden centre).  I'm told it's in a blue pot 
for about GBP13. Has anyone seen anything of that ilk?

I am told it's been seen in Sainsburys Reading (Calcot). I gather they 
have had some in (under their seasonal/pot plants section), but can't 
tell when the next lot will be coming in.  Every time I go into a 
Sainsburys, I'm told a hortensia "doesn't exist on their system", so 
it's quite hard to track it down, and find out which store might have 
it.  It transpires it's probably seasonal, and each store just receives 
whatever the distribution centre sends (which they can't predict, and 
no-one is apparently allowed to talk to the distribution centre to find 
out what's going where).  I happen to be in Yorkshire (nearest 
Sainsburys is Keighley, who don't appear to have them either), so 
nipping down to Reading on the off-chance isn't really practical either.

I don't suppose any umrat has any bright ideas?  Frankly, this is so far 
off-topic that it deserves to come back like a boomerang, but more 
surprising things have happened!

Allan

> I am desperately seeking a hortensia from Sainsburys (the 
> grocery part,
> not ex-Sainsburys Homebase/garden centre).  I'm told it's in a 
> blue pot for about GBP13. Has anyone seen anything of that 
> ilk?

Er ... I hesitate to ask .... but .... are you aware that 
hortensia is the botanical name for a hydrangea?

Anne B

Anne Burgess wrote:
>> I am desperately seeking a hortensia from Sainsburys (the 
>> grocery part,
>> not ex-Sainsburys Homebase/garden centre).  I'm told it's in a 
>> blue pot for about GBP13. Has anyone seen anything of that 
>> ilk?
> 
> Er ... I hesitate to ask .... but .... are you aware that 
> hortensia is the botanical name for a hydrangea?

Hi Ann,
Yes, my surfing/searching had got me that far.  The lady concerned was 
most adamant that it was a hortensia. Thanks for the thought, though!
Allan

>> Er ... I hesitate to ask .... but .... are you aware that
>> hortensia is the botanical name for a hydrangea?
>
> Hi Ann,
> Yes, my surfing/searching had got me that far.  The lady 
> concerned was most adamant that it was a hortensia. Thanks for 
> the thought, though!
> Allan

She's right, it is a hortensia, but the point is that in 
Sainsbury's catalogues etc it will be listed as hydrangea, not 
hortensia, so that is what you need to ask for.

Anne

In message , Allan Gould 
<invalid@invalid.invalid> writes
>I am desperately seeking a hortensia from Sainsburys
>
>I don't suppose any umrat has any bright ideas?

Why does it have to be bought from Sainsburys?  Why not try the RHS 
Plantfinder for your nearest stockist or a mail order supplier?
-- 
Jenny
"I always like to have the morning well-aired before I get up."
(Beau Brummel, 1778-1840)

In message , Allan Gould 
<invalid@invalid.invalid> writes
>A long shot (and a long story, abridged here)?
>
>I am desperately seeking a hortensia from Sainsburys (the grocery part, 
>not ex-Sainsburys Homebase/garden centre).  I'm told it's in a blue pot 
>for about GBP13. Has anyone seen anything of that ilk?
>
>I am told it's been seen in Sainsburys Reading (Calcot). I gather they 
>have had some in (under their seasonal/pot plants section), but can't 
>tell when the next lot will be coming in.
 >
Sorry: can't go out to Calcot until next week (visiting Brissle this 
Sat) but if you would like me to, email me and I'll give you our phone 
number.  Won't cost me anything as I have a free bus pass.
 >
> Every time I go into a Sainsburys, I'm told a hortensia "doesn't exist 
>on their system", so it's quite hard to track it down, and find out 
>which store might have it.
 >
The two in town Sainsbugs don't do garden stuff : they're too small and 
I don't think even the bigger of the two outlets does *flowers*. But I'm 
going in there tomorrow morning so will look.
 >
>I don't suppose any umrat has any bright ideas?  Frankly, this is so 
>far off-topic that it deserves to come back like a boomerang, but more 
>surprising things have happened!
>
And you're just lucky, Allan, that there are any Reading-rats left: 
we've been deserted.

Then of course we have to work out how to get it to Yorkshire of course 
.....

It'll probably cost you as much in postage as it would to buy the thing 
in the first place.

Sincerely Chris
-- 
Chris McMillan
http://www.chinavision.org.uk/
http://www.oneplusone.org.cn

Allan Gould wrote...
>
>I am desperately seeking a hortensia from Sainsburys (the grocery part, 
>not ex-Sainsburys Homebase/garden centre).  I'm told it's in a blue pot 
>for about GBP13. Has anyone seen anything of that ilk?
>
>I don't suppose any umrat has any bright ideas?

Have you checked to see if it has been put in the salad cabinet?
-- 
Martin