4902 NE 147th Ave.
Vancouver, Washington 98682-6067 (United States)
(360) 253-6273
(360) 253-2512

Reviews:

positives
neutrals
negatives

Displaying the 50 most recent reviews

RatingContent
Positive
On Apr 3, 2023, Susan6Mile (2 reviews) from Centreville, AL

I just bought some lily bulbs and crocosmia corms. I live in the sticks in central Alabama and nothing gets here fast - especially via US mail. I think it took 3 days between the day I ordered them and when they were delivered. I wasn't ready for that. The bulbs are bigger than any lily bulbs I have received in the past and I didn't know crocosmia corms got that big. One of the lily bulbs was not available/ good enough to ship and I got a credit on my credit card a day or two after I ordered. So a very good experience so far. I will see when they grow and flower. The only bad thing was that they had some gorgeous crocosmia and lilies that were sold out that I would have loved to have ordered. If this purchase does well I will check on those bulbs earlier next spring before somebody else gets them.

Positive
On Oct 14, 2021, dodges7 (21 reviews) from Alna, ME (Zone 5b)

My first order but, assuming I'm still above ground in a year, won't be my last. Very impressive selection. Bulbs received ranged from large to huge, probably dependent on variety. All were very firm and showed signs of previous heavy rooting. Only minor criticism would be that their web sigh was a bit slow and not overly user friendly. Otherwise, I'm very satisfied.

Positive
On Oct 11, 2020, iceman49 (12 reviews) from Saint Paul, MN

Posted on May 13, 2020, updated October 11, 2020 I have purchased from The Lily Garden before and had a positive experience, its been awhile so I recently purchased some Goldsmith and Copper Crown lilys, I received the bulbs on Saturday, all were nice sized; I planted them on Monday. One of the Goldsmith bulbs was a little soft on a side, I notified the business on Tuesday and Niels responded the next morning and is shipping a new bulb! Great customer service, I will be back again! Thanks to The Lily Garden.


On October 11th, 2020, iceman49 added the following: Just received my order from The Lily Garden, 6 bulbs plus a very nice bonus bulb. Nicely packed and large bulbs, always great service, highly recommend!

Positive
On May 17, 2020, PAadams (2 reviews) from Port Angeles, WA

I had fantastic experiences ordering from The Lily Garden. The bulbs are all large, healthy, and well-labeled, and all are coming up nicely. There was a mix-up in one of the orders and they responded to my e-mail within 24 hours and had the replacement bulbs in the mail the same day. I am really impressed with how responsive they have been, and they have earned my long-term business.

Positive
On Apr 9, 2020, genghiskuhn (4 reviews) from Binghamton, NY

Very good experience. Ordered three lilies and a set of five crocosmia bulbs. All arrived large and expertly packed, with a free bonus lily included. I am new to lilies, and had written them ahead of time to ask if there were any they recommended--received a wonderful reply with a small number of suggestions tailored to what I needed. Putting them in the ground today, but so far am very pleased.

Positive
On Mar 25, 2020, DonnaMack (69 reviews) from Elgin, IL (Zone 5a)

Posted on October 19, 2003, updated March 25, 2020 I recently received my third order from this great company. I have ordered lilies from several fine companies, such as Old House Garden and White Flower Farm, but The Lily Garden is simply unique. The lilies are unusual, the bulbs large and firm, and they reproduce at an incredible rate. Although some of their lilies can be pricey, their vigor is incredible, with unsurpassed disease resistance, strong stems, and large size. Even under less than ideal planting conditions, these lilies thrive. They look, in their first year, the way most lilies look in their third. Another nice bonus: if you order by mail, e-mail or fax, you can request a free bonus bulb. The first time I ordered I overlooked this, and did not request one; it was sent anyway (the asiatic Jubileo). With my last order, I noted that I really like that lily, and could I have another of the same? Presto, request granted. As I installed my new freebie, I noted that the one from the year before has morphed from one to five stems. The only reason you do not see more comments for this company, which has been around for years sending plants by mail, is that it did not have a website. I have ordered from them for four years, and they are just exceptional. TLG's Judith Freeman, who started, I think, as a geneticist, is a leader in the breeding of orienpets (the oriental/trumpet hybrids that have revolutionized lily growing, producing strong, beautiful, disease free, easy to grow lilies). They have a beautiful, brand new website that features lilies from the familiar "Stargazer" to the revolutionary "Luminaries". High quality lily societies offer her bulbs on a regular basis; this is a compliment of the highest kind. The lilies that I have gotten from this great company have been uniformly wonderful. If I have a problem I can send an e-mail and receive a quick, courteous, helpful response. When I recently had a problem with a very finicky pink lily (I now realize the bed was too wet) suggestions for a tougher lily were followed by a request as to whether I would accept them as substitutes, something I had not even asked. I just received the excellent substitutes, and they are enormous. Another nice thing; if you order by snail mail, e-mail or fax, you are offered a free bonus lily. The first one I received was so wonderful that I requested it as my free bonus the following year and it was sent. In year three I was sent another lovely lily, asked for it in year four and received it. Shipping and packaging are excellent, and the bulbs are always large for their type, and fresh. I cannot recommend them highly enough for quality, courtesy, and for producing, in my clay bound garden, the most beautiful lilies I have ever seen. This is one of the great companies, like Munchkin Nursery and Old House Gardens, that are small and less well known but make converts out of those of us lucky enough to stumble across them.


On March 25th, 2020, DonnaMack added the following: I just received sensational bulbs from The Lily Garden. A long time favorite, Sorbonne, struggled in my garden last year. I dug it up and put it in a pot, but wanted more. The Lily Garden had it at an excellent price, but the wonderful surprise was getting a MASSIVE Scheherazade. This was unexpected, because I had forgotten about the policy of sending a freebie. I couldn't be happier.

Positive
On Dec 7, 2019, calebstroh (6 reviews) from Kaysville, UT

I placed an order for 9 hybrid lily builds and they arrived in short order. The bulbs were of fine quality and size (as big as my first!) and I’m sure they will grow out fine plants. Once they’re in the ground it’s my responsibility! I can’t wait to see what these come out as. The Lily Garden has a fairly nice website and pics, and ordering was easy. I did find that the bulbs were of high price, but they are of very top quality. I look forward to getting more cultivars or their fantastic lilies in the future. They have some very special and not oft seen colors and varieties.

Positive
On Oct 28, 2019, fern4 (14 reviews) from Portland, OR

I have been ordering lilies from The Lily Garden for many years and have always been happy with the bulbs, the packing, etc. This year I ordered some more and they were of excellent quality. Two were the wrong bulb (clearly labeled) and when I contacted the company, I got an immediate email reply and replacement bulbs appeared within days. I'm pleased that they have recently added martagon lilies to their offerings.

Neutral
On May 15, 2019, Tangerin (7 reviews) from Fremont, CA

Posted on May 12, 2019, updated May 15, 2019 I ordered lily bulbs once from they in fall 2017. It was a collection of 8 different varieties, one bulb for each. But when they flowered I only had 6 or 7 in total, three of which are exactly the same. In that collection there are the Black Beauty, the Leslie Woodriff, and the Scheherazade; these 3 look similar. And I seem to get 3 Leslie Woodriff (obviously they mislabeled some bulbs). As a result it looks like my lily patch is full of one single variety. lol. What's the point of spending so much on their 'collection'?! And not to mention that many bulbs came badly rotten. I know lilies are tough. Some bulbs may still survive with a little rot (while some didn't make it). But not for that price. I switched to BD lilies thereafter.


On May 15th, 2019, Tangerin changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: I was contacted by the owners of the company, explaining that they just took over the business from the previous owners who retired last year. Sounds like they are working really hard to make things better. They did offer replacement or refund but I don't need any at this moment. I'm changing my rating just to appreciate their good customer service.

Positive
On Jun 14, 2017, KTinIllinois (3 reviews) from Urbana, IL

Posted on February 28, 2017, updated June 14, 2017 Posted on November 19, 2014, updated February 28, 2017 I was so excited to find this mail order supplier of lily bulbs. The web site is great, the photos are beautiful. Comments on the Garden Watchdog were positive, so I ordered last March. I ordered 3 varieties. When my bulbs arrived, they didn't look healthy. Some were partially dried out, most were very small. They included extra bulbs for one variety to "make up for the small bulbs". I've ordered bulbs from several nurseries over the years and not ever had such a disappointing experience. I planted them, but many never grew more than a few inches. I will have to write these off as they will not be established enough to winter over. I ordered three bulbs of each type, and at most two came up. One variety was totally mis-labeled. I took photos of what did come up. I sent these off with a letter in August asking for a refund on my order. I never heard a word from them even though I provided several ways to contact me. Its sad that a company which has such good reviews would even think of mailing such an unacceptable order. There is now one more negative review posted over the summer with the same complaints. Would I order again? Planting lilies takes a lot of work. I have done all the preparation and got nothing. So, NO, I wouldn't order again.


On February 28th, 2017, KTinIllinois changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: I am changing my rating to neutral. There are still some problems, but I believe that with Lilium it often takes more than one season for bulbs to establish. That said, there was still the problem of the bulbs which did not come back. One which hasn't come back is 'Pizazz' (I see another person had this same experience) and the other is 'Yellow Whoppers'. What I didn't understand is that my order had extra bulbs which I assumed were these two varieties, and a note explaining that since some bulbs I had ordered were small, they were sending extras. These extra bulbs were not the cultivars which I had ordered, but they were not labeled and I planted them in with the ones I did order. Thus I had two planting which had two cultivars. It would have been nice if the extras had been labeled. One of these I have identified as 'Sheherazade', a lovely Orienpet. The other is another Orienpet which I believe is 'Limoncello'. After two years, these bulbs have maured and bloomed beautifully. I will order again and hope that the labeling is done a little better.
On June 14th, 2017, KTinIllinois changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following: I took a deep breath and ordered bulbs again this spring. This nursery has some wonderful selections of Lilies which are their own hybrids. They have a beautiful web page and helpful descriptions. The bulbs arrived and were in great shape - good big bulbs and where I ordered six, there were seven in the bag. They always send a few complimentary bulbs and these too were nice sized bulbs. All of the bulbs are up and most are going to bloom this year, although they won't reach anticipated height for another year. I am very pleased and would recommend this nursery to other Lily enthusiasts. Do order early so that you have a chance to reserve the ones you asked for. Granted communication is a bit skimpy, and you still order with a printed form and a check, but this year I was very pleased with my bulbs.

Positive
On Jul 7, 2016, smilingred (4 reviews) from Madison, WI (Zone 5a)

WOW!!! I ordered lily bulbs from "The Lily Garden" for the first time this spring. Great email responses from them about accepting my order and when my order was shipped. All of the bulbs made a great showing so far this year. All bulbs were very healthy on arrival. Everything has bloomed true to advertisement and was much larger than I expect from a spring planting. Some of the bulbs looked smaller than I was used to, but they exceeded my expectations for height and number of blooms in their first season. I know that next season will be even more spectacular in my lily bed.

Positive
On Apr 28, 2016, nhra_20 (5 reviews) from Janesville, WI (Zone 5a)

I made a rather good sized order with The Lily Garden. Communicating was a little difficult since she is only open to phone calls two days a week, which I'm at work during those hours. But i managed to get it done via email. I got the bulbs yesterday. They looked darn good to me. Most of then were quite good sized. There were a couple of bulbs on the small side, but she sent some extra ones on those varieties. Asking with other bonus bulbs. All are planted and I'm looking forward to watching them grow

Negative
On Aug 19, 2015, feliciap (1 reviews) from Prior Lake, MN

Posted on August 19, 2015, updated August 19, 2015 I really hate to write negative reviews, and will only do so after I've given a company opportunity to prove that one bad experience wasn't just a fluke. In this case, I can't evaluate the quality of bulbs from this company as I've never managed to receive any. This appears to be a cottage industry that still requires orders be place by snail mail, fax, or phone, although they indicate that email would be ok too. I understand that some people still find snail mail and fax preferable, and that's fine, but I'm not willing to fax my credit card info to a company that seems so disorganized, even if I did have a fax machine. Given how easy it is to set up an online store these days it seems strange that a company that doesn't answer its phone, return messages, or respond to email wouldn't automate the process for their own sake, if not the sake of their customers. In any case, a couple of years ago I sent multiple emails over a period of several weeks with my $300+ order painstakingly filled out, and never received a response. I tried various attachments of their printed form with no luck, and copied out the (long) order into the body of the email in case somehow attachments were causing the email to be junked (a possibility a good vendor would protect against, but never mind). Still no luck. The only email I ever got a response to was one inquiring why they weren't responding to the others, and it was terse and rude. This was a couple of years ago and the sting had faded so I tried again this year, but decided phone was the way to go. So, after once again painstakingly filling out their printed form (about 30 bulbs this time), I called to place my order. The company lists phone hours two days a week for four hours each (when you get the message machine, though, it says those hours only apply Sept-May. No indication about summer hours on the machine or anywhere else.) I called early in that window, no answer. I left a message requesting a return call at their convenience, it's now three days later and still no response. (I'd normally be willing to wait longer if I thought there was a point, but previous experience indicates otherwise.) I guess nothing has changed. I personally wouldn't even consider mailing anything to this company as I simply don't trust that customer service is anywhere on their list of priorities and I wouldn't want to find myself waiting for another order that was never going to come, while meanwhile I hadn't ordered elsewhere and missed the opportunity to plant some lily bulbs yet again. I admit I'm not a mail-a-check-and-hope kind of person. Maybe the kind of customer who still likes to mail printed forms accompanied by a check would be in step with how The Lily Garden does business, but if that's the case I wish they made that clear on their website. Of course I could have just had very bad luck that isn't typical of anybody else. But I suspect if you're the kind of person who hasn't peeled a stamp in years and wouldn't know where to find your checkbook, then you probably shouldn't waste your time.


On August 19th, 2015, feliciap added the following: update: I posted this before I read the other comments, because I didn't want to be influenced. Now that I've read them it's clear that communication is just not what this company does or has ever done well. Or at all. If you know that going in, and if you're at peace with uncertainty, you may be able to make it work for you.

Negative
On Jun 21, 2014, bryana (72 reviews) from Albany, NY

Posted on July 13, 2012, updated June 21, 2014 Posted on November 6, 2011, updated July 13, 2012 I placed two orders this fall. One for two types of asiatic lillies. For the price I was expecting much larger bulbs. I ordered some from John Scheepers and they were larger bulbs and less expensive. The second order was for a trumpet lily and 3 different orienpet lillies - these bulbs were very large. They have varieties unavailable elsewhere but the size of the bulbs is erratic. Would order trumpet, orienpet & oriental lillies again.


On July 13th, 2012, bryana changed the rating from positive to negative and added the following: Of the two orders I placed ($69 & $85) - the results: 6 razzle dazzle & 6 red velvet Asiatic lilies - none of the razzle dazzle grew, three red velvet did not grow and the three that did grow were very small and weak. 3 Copper crown - were suppose to be orange but grew yellow ? 1 ice follies ($15) bulb grew 2 small flowers, 3 pizzazz lilies - none grew and 3 Rococo which all grew and were the correct bulbs. The vast majority of these expensive bulbs did not grow and some were the wrong ones. they seem to have a lot of good reviews but my experience was a very expensive mistake. (I planted other bulbs including lilies from other companies - they all grew fine)
On June 21st, 2014, bryana added the following: I foolishly gave them a second chance and ordered in the spring instead of the fall. I placed an order for almost $130 for 3 sets of oriental hybrids, some asiatic lilies and some Crocosmias. The bulbs were all very small and only a few of the asiatic lilies grew - a disaster. I had the beds well prepared - there are other lily bulbs from B & D lilies, Jung and John Scheepers which are all growing tall and strong. never again.

Positive
On Oct 17, 2013, kenga2 (1 reviews) from Beloit, WI

we've ordered lilies from the Lily Garden for a number of years. All have been vigorous and spectacular. Our favorite is "Silk Road". Usually there is a "bonus" clump in the box. We just got another box of lilies in on Monday. We've stuck clumps of lilies in every corner of the garden. We've only lost 2 sets of lilies, both last year when we had an exceptional drought (we lost a lot of other stuff besides lilies that year). The Lily Garden has limited hours, typically my husband has to call them during the day. He's talked to Judith every time. I think she does everything around the lily garden, from hybridizing to taking orders, probably also digging, packing and shipping. Since one person can only do so many things simultaneously, that might explain the communication difficulties some people are referencing.

Positive
On Jul 5, 2013, LVerrico (8 reviews) from Collins, NY

Well how do you even rate this company. Judith is such a kind and giving person. I have placed four orders with this company last year being the first order ever by mail for lily bulbs great service fast email response order was sent when asked for. the bulbs were huge healty they all came up and bloomed. she even put a few extra in the order and did not charge for the extra postage who does that any more.If you want great lily bulbs and ones you wont find in a store then the lily garden is the place to go.

Positive
On Apr 21, 2013, momlady (7 reviews) from Camano Island, WA (Zone 8a)

I placed an order on the last day possible in the spring. I soon got all the bulbs I ordered, PLUS some extras thrown in "in case the bulbs are shipped so late that they don't all make it." I planted them, and almost all (if not all) did great. This will be my second year with these bulbs. I see them coming up (yay! my garden isn't ideal, ssshhhh, don't tell LG) and they are doing fine again this year. I really appreciated the generosity of LG and also appreciated being able to order from a lily breeder directly, without a middleman. You don't get to do that very often any more. I will order again from LG!

Positive
On Oct 26, 2012, roosterlorn (3 reviews) from Pleasant Prairie, WI

Posted on January 4, 2011, updated October 26, 2012 What an exciting place to buy from! Aways 'something new' to look foward to. Their ordering methods might seem a little ackward--but that doesn't matter to me--what counts here is what you're getting! I compliment Judith Freeman for her love and dedication to this very interesting work and the invaluable service she is providing to lily enthusaists. How rewarding!


On October 26th, 2012, roosterlorn added the following: 2012 update: Spring order of bulbs performed well; Fall order in status/process. Bulbs purchased in previous years continue to produce an abundance of beautifull flowers and are very hardy. I grow lilies as a hobby--several hundred different ones. And, I get many compliments from neighbors and visitors alike on all my lilies--but the ones they're pointing to are most often from The Lily Garden! Always a joy and a pleasure to buy from. Highly recommended!

Positive
On Nov 8, 2011, Ispahan (55 reviews) from Chicago, IL (Zone 6a)

Posted on October 31, 2011, updated November 8, 2011 A truly amazing company that will give you the opportunity to order lilies directly from one of the greatest lily experts and hybridizers of our time: Judith Freeman. My first order with this company was promptly filled (I received it three days after faxing in order!) and the bulbs were beautiful and exceptionally healthy. Considering the health of the bulbs and the true-to-name guarantee, the price is a bargain. Communication via e-mail has been excellent. When growing lilies it is important to start with the best and healthiest stock available, especially if you would like them to perennialize. Do yourself a favor and order your bulbs from The Lily Garden and avoid generic lilies from Big Box Stores like the plague.


On November 8th, 2011, Ispahan added the following: Received another order from The Lily Garden late last week and I cannot say enough good things about this wonderful company. All bulbs ordered were the picture of health, and Judith is incredibly generous with bonus bulbs, especially with repeat customers. Regarding the comment by Bryana about the size of TLG's asiatic lily bulbs, I have to say that Judith grows, harvests and grades all bulbs herself with only a minimal staff to help her. These are extremely rare hybrids that are available no where else and are often quite difficult to propagate. Furthermore, because of their genetic backgrounds these hybrids naturally have smaller bulbs. With asiatic lilies, size is not the only indicator of quality or ability to bloom. I absolutely agree that Scheepers/Van Engelen have wonderful lilies for the price, but with very few exceptions they are the same cultivars mass produced in Holland to be sold at Costco, Wal-Mart and Home Depot, etc. Come on folks, give the small, domestic growers and breeders a break!

Positive
On Jul 9, 2011, LilyLover_UT (20 reviews) from Ogden, UT (Zone 5b)

I am totally crazy about this company. Judith is one of the great hybridizers of our time, and I am so happy to be able to grow some of her lilies. The bulbs are always firm and healthy. The customer service is excellent. I am so thrilled when my new catalog arrives, and I spend weeks staring at the pictures and tyring to decide what to buy. The pictures in the catalog are accurate (no phony coloration), and the lilies are even more beautiful in real life. I've planted lily bulbs in both spring and fall. Both ways seem to work for my area, but since our winters have become harsher lately, I think I will stick with spring planting from now on. Amazingly, even a few of the spring-planted bulbs bloomed the first year. Thank you for providing these wonderful plants!

Positive
On May 20, 2011, kristinL356 (3 reviews) from Iowa City, IA

Had a great experience. Ordered 8 lily bulbs and a few crocosmias in March over email to be delivered mid-April. Always got prompt returns to all my emails. Come April, I received the crocosmias, 3 bonus bulbs, but only 6 of my lilies. I emailed them about the missing bulbs and got an immediate response and apology. She mailed them out the next day and sent me 4 instead of 2 (which was extremely generous considering these were among the pricier lilies and labeled as "limited availability"). It's May now and so far 3 of my lilies have just popped their heads out of the dirt. Very excited for the others to show. Love this company and will definitely use them again if I'm ever in need of more lilies.

Positive
On May 12, 2011, purplekayak (4 reviews) from Bemidji, MN

Posted on March 25, 2011, updated May 13, 2011 I found this company when I googled " lillie ". I was amazed by their web site. I e-mailed then with questions about "zone". I live in norther Minnesota. I recieved a responce within hours.I plan to order from this company. I like being able to order direct from the grower. A few negitive responces said this company was diffacult to comunicate with. I will let you know more after I recieve my order.


On May 12th, 2011, purplekayak added the following: I recieved & have planed my order. The bulbs I recieved were large & appeared to be very high quality. I can't wait to watch the grow. The customer service has been great. All my e-maied questions were answered very promptly. I will let you know how my lillies progress. So far I give The Lily Garden a 10 !

Positive
On May 3, 2011, ninjar (1 reviews) from Fraser, MI

Posted on February 22, 2011, updated May 3, 2011 Hi I just found out about the Lily Garden last week when doing a search for lillies. I called them and was able to speak with someone who was very helpful with answering all of my questions! she even sent me out a catalog and I received it within days. I ended up placing an order (and I did it through email) I received a response informing me that my order was good (meaning everything was in stock that I wanted) and they let me know that my order would be mailed out in early April. I mailed them out my check that same day with a copy of our email conversations. So far everything seems great with them! I will post an update in April when I receive my bulbs!!! I was even told that they put in something extra that goes with my order!!!! Good communication and very helpful!!!


On May 3rd, 2011, ninjar added the following: I just wanted to give an update to my last comments, I did receive my flowers on Friday, April 22nd, they were packaged perfectly, everything was labled and copies of our email conversations along with a catalog were included. I had sent an email back in the begining of April asking that my order not go out until the end of April due to this crazy Michigan weather, I received a fast response and they did exactly what I asked. I was stunned that I was sent three bonus bulbs!!! And I am not sure if this was a mistake but two lillies I had order just one of each but they gave me an additional two to each one!!!! I planted my Lillies on Easter and can't wait to see them!!! I was so excited about my order that I sent an order for fall, again the response was immediate and they put my order on file as one of the first orders to handle, she explained the process on when to order for fall and when the orders go out, they were very helpful and informative. I had offered to mail out a check and she said to hold it until September/October. I really am pleased with this company!!! They are awesome, if you love gardening or want to get into it, ordering from them would be the way to go!!!! My main communication with the Lily Garden has been email and I have always had a respone within 1-2 days! I Love this place, I am even thinking of ordering more as gifts for fam & friends!!!!!

Positive
On Apr 20, 2011, rosecrazytoo (1 reviews) from Malvern, PA

Eros Lily bulbs arrived in good shape, with an extra lily bulb "Ariadne" included. I thought it was really nice to look at what I had already ordered and then send along a bulb that was similar and therefore one I was probably going to like. They were right, I liked it and I will be ordering from them again.

Positive
On Nov 3, 2010, ycn4chin (39 reviews) from Dickson, TN

Placed an order via email, and got a response right back. They shipped my order quickly. The bulbs were very large and in perfect condition; the packaging was great, and all were clearly labeled. They also included a bonus bulb of one of their own hybrids that I was very pleased to receive. I love Orienpets, and they have an extensive offering. I would recommend them to any of my gardening friends.

Positive
On Oct 26, 2010, nymegen (20 reviews) from Windham, ME (Zone 5a)

After looking at their website,what by the way is wonderful,I decided I could find some more space for lilies in my garden.Filled out the order form,emailed it and within hours had a response; the lilies I wanted were available and they were on my way the next day and arrived within 3 days.Great communication,service awesome and 2 bonus lilies as a wonderful surprise.Will definitively recommend and order again.

Positive
On Oct 21, 2010, bookreader451 (11 reviews) from Troy, NY (Zone 5b)

I ordered over 20 bulbs in August this fall and I found that communication was not an issue. I contacted them by email right after placing my order and got a very timely response. I received my lilies and they were beautiful bulbs. About a week later I received a phone call and was shocked to find out that they had actually sent my order well before they charged the credit card. Unfortunately, in the meantime, my husband lost the card I gave them and we had to stop all charges and get new cards. I substituted another card and all was well. To sum all this up: Communication was excellent bulbs were excellent the actually sent the order BEFORE submitting the payment I will be ordering again

Positive
On Oct 7, 2010, mnorberry (10 reviews) from Arcata, CA (Zone 9b)

Posted on March 8, 2010, updated October 7, 2010 Received my order today, Very, very pleased. Outstanding large bulbs, fast shipment. good prices and good communication. Judith Freeman answered all my questions and has taken time to research answers to my questions. I will be a future customer.


On October 7th, 2010, mnorberry added the following: October 7, 2010. Just received another order from this company. Beautiful huge Tetra Bulbs. Judith Freeman does an outstanding job. Keep up the good work.

Negative
On Jun 29, 2010, trux2000 (1 reviews)

Posted on June 1, 2010, updated June 29, 2010 I have had repeated difficulties communicating with this company. They don't answer their phone; they don't respond to messages; they are slow to answer e-mail. I ordered one dozen "Silk Road" bulbs last fall and onyl two have grown this spring. When I called to report this and seek advice several weeks ago, no one answered or replied to a voice message I left. I will pay more to order bulbs from an outfit liek White Flower Farms because at least I can get answers.


On June 29th, 2010, trux2000 added the following: And now for a brief update to this wretched saga. When I called again, I found that their voice mailbox was full and no longer taking messages. What a classy operation -- no response to repeated messages via e-mail or phone. Their message says they are "out in the field." Out to lunch sounds more like it to me.

Positive
On May 14, 2010, WeeklyWeeder (16 reviews) from Polson, MT (Zone 5b)

In October of 2009, I ordered 15 lily bulbs of 5 different varieties. One set of 3 never came up. I checked and they had rotted. Sigh! I emailed Judith last Sunday and received an immediate reply with a promise to ship replacements right away. Four days later I was delighted to receive 4 not 3 monster bulbs all raring to go. I am so impressed with both the quality of the bulbs and with the superb customer service. The extra bulb was so nice to get and I am looking forward to many more orders with this company.

Positive
On Apr 29, 2010, pollyk (83 reviews) from Hannibal, NY (Zone 6a)

Wonderful bulbs, and Judith is such a sweetie to deal with. They were out of a few bulbs, but the subs were great and plentiful. the bulbs are large and fresh. And of course, their own lily introductions are to die for.

Neutral
On Nov 5, 2009, lmtsher (13 reviews) from Saint Paul, MN

Posted on November 05, 2009, updated November 05, 2009 Really nice bulbs and variety, but impossible to communicate with. I have tried repeatedly to place an order this fall and they have very limited telephone hours and when I do call during business hours, I get no answer. Email orders go unanswered. A shame that they are not easier to order from as I would recommend them otherwise.


On November 5th, 2009, lmtsher changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: Finally got in an order as I was about to give up. They do have better variety and bulbs than their competitors, if only customers could place an order at their website. . .

Positive
On Oct 31, 2009, dlefferts (27 reviews) from Agawam, MA (Zone 6a)

Posted on October 23, 2009, updated October 31, 2009 Posted on October 27, 2008, updated October 23, 2009 Great bulbs. Wonderful choices. Highly recommend A++++. Timely delivery. Every bulb ordered received.


On June 30th, 2009, dlefferts added the following: Some of the best lily blubs available any where. Great packaging, identification, and the blubs are great. Highly recommend!!! Hard for them to communicate to busy at the nursery. I never worry they have always come through with exactly what I wanted and even more. If they don't have what you exactly ordered they upgrade the blub. I give them a five star rating
On October 23rd, 2009, dlefferts added the following: Once again great lily bulbs. I will swear by their hybridized blubs. I have never been disappointed when the lilies have flowered. The communication might be a little lacking but, I never worry. The company sends a very high quality product. The company surprises you with bonus blubs and if the blubs are a little smaller then they like to see they increase the number of blubs. I strongly recommend this company if you want some of the best lily blubs you could find anywhere.
On October 31st, 2009, dlefferts added the following: Orders some more bulbs of Columbia-Platte through PNWL-once again great bulbs. Strongly recommend. Great company to do business with.

Positive
On Sep 29, 2009, Buckeyesnblooms (18 reviews) from Shelbyville, KY (Zone 6a)

I chose to order some asiatic lily bulbs based on the reviews on this site. I faxed in my order at the beginning of August, and then waited. My bulbs arrived yesterday with a 33% bonus! They're huge and healthy and I can't wait to get them in the ground! I didn't receive shipping notification or order confirmation when I placed my order, but I get the feeling that they're too small of a company and too busy to have the time to do those things. Overall, my purchase required a little patience and faith on my part, but it was worth the wait!

Negative
On Aug 18, 2009, chawkins004 (1 reviews) from Louisville,
United States

I'm afraid that I much echo the thoughts posted by oters regarding their ability to communicate with this supplier. I travel internationally and must use the Web, fax, and other means to communicate with mail order companies and have done so for years - usually with success. I faxed an order to The Lily Garden and forgot to provide my credit card data. After attempting to fax the order again (the fax is down), email them repeatedly (@least 4 times at every email address provided), and now trying to call them from Malaysia, I still am unable to get any information or speak with someone to confirm the order. I was very interested in this order and planned some significant work on my perennial bed this Fall. I'll start over again with a company that is able to provide service - not just a web site. If the company is "taking a vacation" due to the time of year, for goodness sake, please make your customers aware.

Positive
On Apr 29, 2009, SteveIndy (21 reviews) from Greenwood, IN (Zone 5b)

I ordered three types of OT's recently and was very pleased with the size and condition of the bulbs. I received five extra bulbs out of an order of 15 bulbs so there were 20 in the box, which really impressed me and was very generous. Even though one must mail or fax in the order form (I mailed mine), shipping was lightning fast. I have ordered from this company a few times before and will definiely do so again. Their OT lily selection is about the best out there and I love that they grow/cultivate their own lilies. Wonderful experience!!

Positive
On Mar 20, 2009, netgdl (1 reviews) from Oklahoma City, OK

First time buyer with The Lily Garden and must say they treated us like family. E mailed our order, followed the next phone day with a phone message to give other data and received the blubs with a matter of days. They even sent extra blubs when the ones ordered were on the small size and they also threw in a special blub that we did not order. Their packing was just great and smelled really good if you like good earth. What a great vendor and we plan to use them many more times.

Positive
On Jan 15, 2009, lhbuxton (1 reviews) from San Ramon, CA (Zone 9a)

I emailed an order on Friday afternoon. My order arrived the following Monday... can't get much faster than that! The bulbs look fresh and healthy, and were nicely packaged... good job!

Positive
On Nov 17, 2008, momojo_z5 (1 reviews) from Saint Peters, MO

I'd agree with the general feedback that THe Lily Garden is not your typical Internet/Mail order business. Since TLG does not have a secure online ordering site/cart, I opted for the fax method. I didn't want to include my Card # and such on the fax, I did receive a reply that it was OK to send a check after my order arrived. I faxed the order for a dozen bulbs on a Friday, received a voice message response on Saturday indicating my order had shipped, and it arrived that next Monday! The bulbs all looked sizable and healthy, with a bonus bulb thrown in! A few of my choices were substituted, which is OK, especially considering the lateness of my order. We'll see the outcome next summer! But I would order from TLG again. Todd St Charles, MO

Positive
On Nov 15, 2008, lceh (1 reviews) from Charlottesville, VA

Ordered by e-mail last Tuesday morning, and received a return e-mail that afternoon notifying my that my order had shipped that day! It arrived 2 days later. I ordered 3 bulbs of one variety, and Judith included an extra, as well as 2(!) bonus bulbs. An excellent experience.

Positive
On Nov 4, 2008, Scheherazade (5 reviews) from Toledo, OH

Fantastic and simply outstanding bulbs! We mailed an order for about 30 bulbs in August. We could never contact them in spite of our anxious communication efforts via email, telephone or even fax. Anyway, we knew that the bulbs were expected to be delivered in late September. This had been our first order with The Lily Garden. Although we could not get in touch with the company, we had great trust on Judith, and we knew that she will come through unless she was sick. This was because we read many good things about Judith that lead us to have great respect for her as a dedicated scientist who spent her life in hybridizing new varieties of Lilies, including the "Scheherazade". Well, the "long wait" and trust were worth! We received nicely packaged fresh large bulbs on time. The Scheherazade, Silk Road, Sinfonia, Midnight, Dunyazade, etc bulbs were spectacular. We ordered Scheherazade and Silk Road bulbs from two other companies. The Lily Garden's bulbs were almost double the size of those bulbs and were of better quality. We will order from The Lily Garden again, and we will learn to wait even if we do not receive any response from them soon enough. After all, isn't "waiting patiently" one of the virtues of a real "gardener"? Don't we have to wait for more than six months to see our Scheherazade coming through the ground in Spring? We recommend the Lily Garden very strongly!

Negative
On Oct 28, 2008, terryethel (1 reviews) from Kalamazoo, MI

I ordered lilies in August. The lilygarden has been almost impossible to communicate with. I have emailed for order confirmation three times, without response. I have left a phone message, without response. The order was supposed to be shipped mid October. I finally got a phone message last week that the order was shipping that week, still hasn't arrived. It is October 28, and snowing tonight in Michigan. After several attempts at calling during their extremely limited office hours, no answering machine, I spoke to someone, who does not know if the order was shipped. I requested a refund if it has not been. Will I ever get it? Who knows. Stay away from this site, unless you want endless frustration, and very possibly, no lilies.


On November 10th, 2008, terryethel added the following: After two more phone calls, no machine, no answer, and 3 more emails, one with inch high letters, I finally got my bulbs. It was the beginning of Nov. I am lucky that the weather held good, so I could plant them. They were supposed to be shipped mid-October. They shipped them AFTER I called, spoke to someone, and requested a refund if they had not yet been shipped. Most of the bulbs looked fine, one looked moldy. Nothing special, and not worth the hassle and uncertainty. After the fact, they sent me an apology by email, with excuses about late Orientals, etc. If they had communicated, I would have been happy to take a substitution. This company is NOT business like. The people who are impressed by them are the same people who think a restaurant is better if you have to wait a long time!! I disagree.

Positive
On Oct 24, 2008, LilyLass (1 reviews) from Lafayette, IN

I placed a first time order for bulbs from the Lily Garden on 9/3/08. I tried to confirm the order by calling several times and sending an email to which I got no reply. I was happy to find this site where I read of others having similar experiences. Today 10/23/08 I received all the bulbs I ordered plus a bonus bulb (Leslie Woodruff). So I wanted to post and encourage others that despite the lack of response to their customers they do send the beautiful lilies that they offer.

Neutral
On Oct 21, 2008, keelybird57 (11 reviews) from Aurora, IL

I can totally relate to the 2 negative comments previously posted. I sent an order as a pdf attachment to an email. After a week, I noticed that the email address on the website is different from the one on the order form. So I sent the pdf attachment to that address, asking for confirmation of receipt. Several days later, I faxed the order, commenting on the 2 emails that had gone unacknowledged. I soon received an email confirming that they had my order. This was in August and apparently I had ordered from the 2007 list of available lilies (which was still on the website). Three were not being listed in 2008 but she had two of them on hand and would be happy to send them. Regarding the one that was not available, she asked if I wanted to select another lily or receive a substitution selected by them. I immediately replied with a selection of another lily. I wasn't surprised that I didn't get a reply, assuming they were very busy. In mid-September, I emailed again and asked to have two collections added to my order -- 18 more bulbs. No reply, but I trusted that she would handle it. I didn't want to be a pesky customer. Well, the bulbs arrived on Friday, Oct. 17. The substitution that I requested was not made. She did substitute one -- which is perfectly fine with me -- and she also sent two bulbs of the 2 they aren't offering this year. I thought that was very nice! All bulbs all looked nice and healthy. But the 2 collections were not included. She missed a potential sale as I have found another source. So my conclusion is that they have an outstanding product and a successful business. Maybe now would be a good time to get a temporary office worker to process orders and return correspondence. Otherwise I fear their business will suffer as new customers like me become frustrated.

Positive
On Oct 7, 2008, wicbk (1 reviews) from Center Point, IA

Is this company still in business? I called them multiple times in August and left a voice-mail to call me back. I sent them an e-mail in August. I sent them an order form with my credit card number. I called again today and checked their website to see if they were out of business. I have not once heard from this company. As far as I can tell, they have not charged my credit card for my order, and I have not received any bulbs or shipment notices. If they are out of business, they should update their website and voice-mail. Given all the positive comments in the past, I do not understand this behavior unless they are out of business. If they are still in business, it's a lousy way to treat potential customers. I was really impressed by their website and beautiful bulbs, but how do I buy them????


On October 27th, 2008, wicbk changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following: On October 27th, I received the bulbs I ordered. They were packaged nicely and were very healthy and large. One group of three bulbs was not available (Black Out), and it was noted on the invoice. I also received a bonus bulb (Leslie Woodriff). If you want to order from this company, send a completed order form to the address listed on the order form and you will receive your beautiful bulbs. Do not expect phone calls or e-mails to be returned, and do not expect a shipment notice. I've changed my rating to positive because I now have my beautiful bulbs, which is all I wanted.

Negative
On Sep 23, 2008, sillybug5 (34 reviews) from Hyannis, MA (Zone 7a)

This has been the most frustrating and unpleasant experience EVER with a mail order garden company, and I have been gardening for many years. I sent in an order for bulbs by mail in July with a check for $67.00, which was promptly cashed. I have never heard from them again. I have emailed them 6 times, yes SIX!! with no response. When you call their telephone number, they do not even have an answering machine and they never answer, it just rings and rings. What kind of business is this? I am afraid I will be reporting them to their local Better Business Bureau as well as their Attorney General's Office. They are behaving in a disreputable fashion and I can only conclude that they are dishonest. I am sorry to have to write this, but I want others to be aware. Take your money and your business elsewhere.

Positive
On Jul 25, 2008, juanwillis (28 reviews) from Winchester, MA (Zone 6a)

I ordered 9 lilies from The Lily Garden last fall. The bulbs were large and healthy, and they grew true to name and flowered beautifully this year. They also added a bonus bulb of Scheherazade, which I thought was generous. Two thumbs up and I'll be ordering from them again!

Positive
On Oct 24, 2007, stlouiskris (1 reviews) from Saint Louis, MO (Zone 5b)

Wonderful company! They really do guarantee their bulbs! I ordered lilies last year from this company and planted them in pots. Only 2 of the 7 survived. The Lily Garden replaced the bulbs. This time I planted the bulbs in the ground instead of pots. Can't wait to see the blooms next year. Will definately order from The Lily Garden again!

Positive
On Oct 20, 2007, ben773 (14 reviews) from Waukegan, IL

Received my lilies last week. All were big and plump. I made a close inspection and found all of them to be nice and firm. I also got bonus bulbs like the other satisfied customers. Will definately order from them again.

Positive
On Oct 13, 2007, doublej88 (1 reviews) from Shelton, WA

I cannot rate this company high enough. I got my order exactly when they said I would and the size of the bulbs, well, the smallest of the 8 varieties was the size of my fist, about 4" across!!! I ordered 7 bulbs and received a bonus bulb for free!!! This is the only company I will EVER buy lilies from ever again!!!


On April 2nd, 2008, doublej88 added the following: I am more impressed now than ever. When my bulbs didn't come up in late March like they should have, I contacted Judith for help. I found out that I planted my bulbs too deep and they rotted. Judith, replaced all of my bulbs within a week of finding out the bulbs rotted. In short, I screwed up and The Lily Garden went out of their way to replace product that I ruined. They have a customer for life!!!

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