McClure & Zimmerman Quality Flowerbulb Brokers


P.O. Box 368
Friesland, Wisconsin 53935-0368 (United States)
1-800-883-6998
1-800-374-6120

Reviews:

positives
neutrals
negatives

Displaying the 50 most recent reviews

RatingContent
Negative
On Jul 30, 2023, DonnaMack (69 reviews) from Elgin, IL (Zone 5a)

Posted on July 11, 2023, updated July 30, 2023 I used to periodically order from McClure and Zimmerman many years ago, and while their bulbs were only moderately good I supported them after Old House Gardens ordered windflowers from them on my behalf. Never again. On April 24 of last year, I ordered Mrs Backhouse daffodils from them, They appeared to be the only source. They sent daffodils that were obviously not Mrs. Backhouse. I found that you cannot call them. You have to email them. They tried to blame it on their supplier and they asked for pictures of the incorrect flowers. Normally, when you inform a company that bulbs are incorrect they offer to ship you new ones or give you a refund, so this was a bad sign. I sent them pictures on June 26. They didn’t respond. I forwarded the email (complete with the pictures) on July 8 They didn’t respond. I forwarded it again two days ago. No response. OK, it’s simple. This company doesn’t give a damn what they send you. I wish that I had read the updated reviews. Happily, since I actually purchased the bulbs from Old House Gardens, I never wrote a positive review.


On July 30th, 2023, DonnaMack added the following: After numerous attempts, I got a credit code for my $23 order. The instructions that came with it were inadequate so I wrote again and again. And what do I find? I have to give them $27 in shipping and costs to claim a $23 credit that I got because of their error. A once good company gone to the dogs. I will never order again!

Negative
On Jul 14, 2023, bellesfleurs23 (7 reviews) from State College, PA

Posted on May 30, 2023, updated July 14, 2023 Posted on April 26, 2023, updated May 30, 2023 Posted on April 18, 2023, updated April 26, 2023 Posted on April 17, 2023, updated April 18, 2023 I ordered seven varieties of daffodils from McClure & Zimmerman this past year. I was very excited to see that they offered rarer varieties not available elsewhere. I have an enormous collection of daffodils and many varieties on my property, but I add more each fall. When I received the bulbs, the proportion of rotten/unviable bulbs was noticeably higher than in deliveries of bulbs I've purchased elsewhere (and I've purchased from many companies). I was disappointed but planted the viable bulbs and decided not to complain to the company. However, once the daffodils began blooming this spring I was incredibly frustrated to see that at least four of the seven varieties were incorrectly labeled (I'm still waiting on two more varieties to bloom - we'll see if these are correct)! The ones I received look nothing like the varieties they were supposed to be. I can understand the occasional bulb mislabeling but this is a bit ridiculous. I invested a considerable amount of money and time planning and planting, only to have to dig up all of the incorrect bulbs and then replace them this coming fall. It seems like they have a real labeling issue, as previous reviewers have noted. I'm going to reach out to them to see how they'll resolve this, but have already decided that I'm not going to do business with this company again. I don't recommend purchasing from them when there are so many alternative companies offering a higher-quality product!


On April 18th, 2023, bellesfleurs23 added the following: Edit 4/18/23 - One of the mislabeled daffodil varieties has been likely identified. Instead of 'Katie Heath', I received a very rare native miniature species (Narcissus calcicola) that is endemic to certain rocky areas of Portugal. I have no idea how this substitution happened (it looks nothing like 'Katie Heath' and is not usually a cultivated variety) but I will keep it in my garden, as it's unusual and not for sale anywhere.
On April 26th, 2023, bellesfleurs23 added the following: Edit 4/26/23 - I had sent a message to customer service a while ago regarding the mislabeled bulbs. No one replied. I tried calling today and managed to reach someone, but her tone was unfriendly and a bit accusatory right off the bat even though I was very polite. She didn't seem to know much about bulbs (she said "but your orders were from 2022" and I had to explain that you plant daffodil bulbs in the fall and then you don't see the blooms until the following spring). She also didn't seem to grasp what I was saying about the bulbs being mislabeled. Per her instructions, I sent an email with photos of the mislabeled daffodils I received. I hope that this issue is resolved with a refund. I will never buy from this company again and was surprised not only with the low quality of their product but also with their unresponsive and unfriendly customer service. Stay away!
On May 30th, 2023, bellesfleurs23 added the following: Edit 5/30/23 - Still no response from McClure and Zimmerman. Terrible, terrible customer service. This will be my last update regarding this as I assume they will never reply. Do NOT order from them!
On July 14th, 2023, bellesfleurs23 added the following: Final Edit 7/14/23 - I FINALLY heard back from McClure and Zimmerman yesterday. It took them three months (!) to get back to me. I had given up all hope of ever hearing from them again. In my email to them I had specifically requested a refund but instead I was sent merchandise credit. I appreciate them finally trying to resolve the issue but I would much rather have my money back than be forced to order more plants from them (a gamble on what I'll actually receive).

Negative
On May 7, 2023, mrsapricot (3 reviews) from Corvallis, OR

Wrong, mislabeled bulbs sent. I ordered little blue, daisy-like Anemone blanda and was sent bulbs labeled as Anemone blanda. When they bloomed this spring, they were big, boisterous Anemone coronaria. I ordered Tulipa praestans 'Shogun', an apricot-colored, 12" multi-flowering tulip and received bulbs labeled as such. When the bulbs bloomed today, they were Tulipa orphanidae 'Flava' a 6", red-edged green and yellow, single species tulip. Both of these looked ludicrous where they were planted, the stocky, dark blue A. coronaria dwarfing the miniature daffodils in the planting and the red, sulphur yellow and chartreuse tulips screaming against the pale pink flowers around it. Way to ruin my reputation as a colorist, McClure and Zimmerman! The expense of being sent the wrong plants is less important to me than wasting the time I spent planning and planting and that I will now spend digging up these bulbs and finding someone who wants them, as they won't work anywhere in our garden. Reading other reviews about mislabeled bulbs from McClure and Zimmerman, I wonder if this is not a case of mislabeling, but of substitutions - without the buyer's permission - for bulbs that are out of stock. Either way, disappointing. Mistakes happen, but I won't risk my time and money with this company again.

Negative
On Apr 28, 2022, pterostyrax (10 reviews) from Seattle, WA

I ordered seven bulb species from McC&Z last fall, and now that they have come up I see that fully three varieties are the wrong species. I emailed them more than 10 days ago and still have not had a response. Disappointed, since I have had good luck with them in the past.

Negative
On Feb 2, 2021, petunmarie (1 reviews) from Walpole, NH

Very frustrating. Searched for a hyacinth "mix" to have different colored hyacinths to force in the house. Got a "mix" which turned out to be 5 yellow and 1 purple, exactly what i didn't want. So I wrote and they sent a store credit so I was forced to buy something else from them. But of course the store credit didn't work in the credit line. So they emailed to wait another day. Again today the number isn't recognized. They gave me a phone number which has been busy for 3 hours....I guess their idea of customer service is just to wear you down until you just go away. By the way the flashing ad on this page is ridiculously annoying.

Negative
On Aug 22, 2020, Islandbo (1 reviews) from Lexington, KY

I had gotten an Internet add from McClure & Zimmerman which stated no shipping charges on orders over $75. I went to the site found a couple unique items for the garden and placed them in my cart and went to check out. It was showing my total with no shipping charges and no taxes. I assumed this was my total as not all out-of-state companies charge tax. I enter my credit card info and paid. Still it showed only the cost of the items I ordered, no other charges. A few minutes later I received a confirmation e-mail. In this communication they had added $10 for shipping and $6 for taxes. What concerns me is that these charges were added after I had paid. This info should have been on the invoice prior to me submitting my payment. Secondly, they were advertising free shipping on orders of over $75. Mine was $99.90. The tax charges I will not complain about, that's a requirement of law, but, they still should have been listed on my invoice to which I was required to pay. Also, it's very concerning that I sent them an e-mail immediately after this occurred notifying them of what had happened and asked why. It has now been 6 days and I have yet to receive any response from them. I noticed Dave's has them listed as being affiliated with Jung Seeds, I'm surprised with their lack of customer service as I have always received great products and customer service when ordering from Jung. I see M & Z are open on Saturday morning. I shall attempt to contact them this morning. Worse case, I cancel the order. Like many gardeners, I am having to get creative in finding places to make new additions to the garden, not always needing what I order or buy in a store. Thanks for Dave's being an outlet for gardener's to share experiences, good and bad.

Positive
On Oct 23, 2019, mariepav (1 reviews) from Junction, TX

I have always been intrigued by McClure and Zimmerman's catalogs - both the beautiful illustrations and the information provided, so I decided to give them a try and am so glad I did! They carry a number of bulbs that I haven't been able to find lately, plus everything I received was even better than expected. As one who has often been less than impressed with some of the "top" companies' products, it was refreshing to get what I wanted at good prices and reasonable shipping rates. M & Z is my new go-to!

Positive
On Oct 9, 2019, 1stripes1 (3 reviews) from portland,
United States

I ordered species tulips online last year. I called the next day to add two more items to my order. Then, later in the day, I'd changed my mind about the items I had added and emailed them to change it! :) It could all have gone south but customer service handled all of this with alacrity and most importantly, got it right. The bulbs were excellent and all of them grew and bloomed. All. However, one of the varieties was not true to name. I took photos and emailed customer service immediately. I didn't receive a response. On checking the order receipt again, I found that I was to report problems via snail mail. So I did. That was back in June or July. Today, I got my replacement bulb package, and again, they got it right. I couldn't be happier about the service and the bulbs. Thank you.

Positive
On May 14, 2019, Flower25 (3 reviews) from Pittsburgh, PA

Best place I found to Purchase Canna Stuttgart. Two good size bulbs and great price.

Negative
On Oct 18, 2018, sarahcincy (9 reviews) from Cincinnati, OH

In August I ordered a selection of fall-flowering bulbs. They did not send them till mid-October. This is too late for the bulbs to flower. I contacted M+Z, who said it was the growers fault. I would not have ordered hundreds of dollars worth of bulbs if I had known the company would behave like this.

Neutral
On Aug 25, 2018, Seattlejanie (2 reviews) from Seattle, WA

I ordered about 5 different bulbs last spring. A trillium root, that was extremely small (I believe they are supposed to be, but it was so small I was concerned) sanguinaria, a ginger plant, a black dragon lily and 2 apricot fudge day lilies. Everything came up, but the sanguinaria. It was planted in a good location and cared for, but the plant never emerged from the bulb. The ginger was a decent live plant, that burned badly even in mostly shade. I wonder if it is grown under shade cloth, I've never seen anything burn that badly in just a few hours filtered sun per day. I finally planted it in total shade, and though it completely died at the top it did resprout, and is small but growing. The black dragon lily grew to about 3 feet, about half what it is supposed to be for height, and looks like it will not bloom this year. It is in full sun, decent soil, and I'm not sure why it is doing so poorly. The apricot fudge lilies did fine, no complaints at all. I did email the company about the sanguinaria, which while much less expensive than other vendors - must have been a dead bulb as it did nothing. I had my doubts when I planted it as it was as small as the trillium. I never heard back. Some of the plants did ok, but I think I would be hesitant to order again given the lack of response / poor performance of 2 items.

Negative
On Jun 1, 2018, lillahimed (1 reviews) from Sacramento, CA

I purchased a large order from McClure and Zimmerman for the first time this fall. The bulbs seemed in okay condition, some had spots of mold, but for the most part were fine. But when they bloomed I discovered that I was sent the wrong cultivars in some instances! For example, I ordered Lilium speciosum var. album and received an asiatic lily. I also received jonquils which were stunted in growth. I really wanted to like this company as they have a wide selection, but I just can't trust them. I will be directing my business elsewhere this year...

Positive
On Apr 8, 2018, RussellSShawJr (2 reviews) from West Simsbury, CT

ordered 3 Itoh peonies -- 8 to 12 inch root clumps each with multiple eyes --$40 each. several Siberian iris with large root clusters . Daylilies -- 3 fans each and large tubers. Well timed shipment date of complete order. GREAT BUY!

Positive
On Dec 8, 2017, collectorpalms (15 reviews) from College Station, TX

Posted on December 21, 2015, updated December 8, 2017 First time ordering. Placed a fall bulb order of mostly tulips. Most of the bulbs looked good. Although the bulbs are listed at 12cm+, I did find that the size of bulbs were not uniform. I found many varieties of bulbs that were still available late in the season, sold out elsewhere. Shipping was also next day, and shipping cost was reasonable. I will update in spring if I have any issues.


On December 8th, 2017, collectorpalms added the following: Tulip bulbs looked better second time ordering. Prices are high, so only ordered what I couldn't find elsewhere. Shipping time and price reasonable. I think they are same bulbs and Jung Seed companies??

Positive
On Nov 11, 2017, cwalke (19 reviews) from Longview, WA (Zone 8b)

Posted on August 12, 2017, updated November 11, 2017 Posted on August 9, 2017, updated August 12, 2017 I have ordered bulbs from this company for years and have always been very happy with my orders. However there are only a couple of mail order nurseries that I order live plants from, so I'd not had them from McClure before. Ordered two hard to find clematis hybrids with fingers crossed. They arrived yesterday in the most remarkable packaging...a clear plastic clam shell that fastened up to 3 4" pots, had a flat bottom and several inches of head space for each plant. Wish I could post a picture but it's an awesome shipping solution. And, of course, the plants....very plump, well rooted and UNCRUSHED by shipping. A very good experience all around. By the way their customer service has always responded to me when I have contacted them. No problem there.


On August 12th, 2017, cwalke added the following: oops I goofed...the plants I ordered were hellebore hybrids, bot clematis!
On November 11th, 2017, cwalke added the following: received all my fall bulbs in a timely manner. Well packed, healthy bulbs. This is one of my favorite companies.

Negative
On Oct 24, 2017, Susieki (1 reviews) from Port Washington, WI

The beginning of September ordered some specialty tulip and daffodil bulbs for a birthday present for a friend. Never received a confirmation of my order but my ccard was charged the next day. The end of September I called to find out where my order was and was told it had not yet been filled. I was told early October. Last week, after October 15 I called again and was told they had not yet received the items for my order but had part of it but were waiting. I did ask why my card had been charged and reminded them it is unlawful for a retailer to charge a card without the intent of fufilling an order in a timely fashion. I was told it was common practice in the industry they were in. I asked to cancel my order then was told they would FedEx it to me the next day minus the few bulbs they still did not have. I did not receive the FedEx the next day as promised, three days later my almost filled order arrived. My packing slip stated I could mail the packing slip back for a $.33 credit. I called to find out what the heck that was about and was told it was a mistake and not to worry about it. I am a master gardener, a HUGE fan of Jung's but will never, ever order from this company again. WOW. Terrible.

Negative
On Apr 25, 2017, Rondo212 (7 reviews) from Brookfield, CT

I want to like M&Z. I have given them far more chances that I'd give other sources, but that's wearing thin. I like their catalog and their offerings usually have some gems. So I get roped in just to be disappointed. Most recently I placed an order for some lilies, knifophia, and a cyclamen. The lilies were fine, but the knifophia and cyclamen were dead. I called to alert them to find out that they're sold out of the knifophia but they'd resend the cyclamen. It arrived a few days later, in worse shape than the first. The first was rotten, the second was completely desiccated. In 2015 I ordered 3 different Louisiana Iris, all of which turned out to be 'Black Gamecock' which is a perfectly nice plant, but I already have it in my collection. Since they took a full year to bloom, they said they weren't sure they'd be able to do anything about it, but did end off issuing a credit. Sadly, I don't think I've received a single order without a disappointment.

Positive
On Apr 22, 2017, ellenfoster (10 reviews) from Hinesburg, VT

I have, with great satisfaction, ordered hundreds of bulbs from this company over the last 10 years. They have an enormous selection of unusual bulbs I have not found elsewhere. My shipments have been prompt and arrived in good condition. The prices and shipping are reasonable. I have very rarely gotten a bulb that was shriveled or mildewed . I do plant so many bulbs that I can't comment on just how many come up, but certainly the vast majority. I especially like their specie varieties of common bulbs, like tulips. The catalog colors are accurate. I will continue to buy bulbs from them. I do not have experience with their live plants. I buy live plants from my local nursery or Bluestone

Positive
On Oct 17, 2016, mylittletrees (21 reviews) from Corning, OH

Ordered some fall bulbs, and within a few days received my order. Very fast delivery, and the bulbs appeared to be top quality and ready to go. I appreciate the invoice within the box and instructions. I love mzbulb selection and variety. Their prices and shipping costs are reasonable too. I would definitely recommend!

Positive
On Nov 4, 2015, AS (46 reviews) from (Zone 7a)

Posted on October 26, 2010, updated November 4, 2015 Posted on June 15, 2003, updated October 26, 2010 I ordered a few bulbs from McClure and Zimmerman last year, since they had such a nice selection of fall blooming crocuses and some other things that are hard to find. Admit I was cautious and a bit skeptical, since I've had poor experiences with their sister company, Jung's, lately. But the bulbs were all VERY large (including some of the biggest daffodil bulbs I've seen in a long time) and healthy, and everything did quite nicely this spring. They even sent some nice little species tulips as an unexpected bonus. This company seems a little pricier than John Scheepers, which is my favorite bulb company, but a very good experience overall.


On May 13th, 2005, AS added the following: The spring planted bulbs I ordered this year were respectable but less impressive than the fall bulbs from a couple of years ago. The rain lilies, in particular, varied from fat, healthy-looking bulbs (white) to very small bulbs (pink). I would have thought this was just a difference in the variety, except that I later bought mixed rain lilies from Home Depot that were *all* much larger than the pink variety from McClure and Zimmerman.
On July 26th, 2007, AS added the following: My continuing impression is that their fall-planted bulbs are always wonderful, but the spring-planted bulbs can be hit or miss. My mother raved about the tulip bulbs I sent her last fall - huge bulbs and spectacular flowers. Of the summer-bloomers I planted last year, most were fine but the Spring Valley eremerus ranged from miniscule to acceptable (all much, much smaller than the eremerus I've planted from John Scheepers or White Flower Farm, and rather rubbery and dry.) The smallest, most shrivelled roots failed to come up at all, and none bloomed this year, though they probably will next year (again, Scheepers' eremerus have always bloomed first year for me). Their customer service was very responsive, and replaced the ones that didn't come up.
On March 26th, 2008, AS added the following: Last year was NOT a good year for them. Besides the sorry little eremerus, I also had two duds of begonias. One was a good-sized tuber that grew nicely and eventually bloomed - but it was some sort of upright begonia with horrible, coarse-looking, bright orange-red blooms, not the Champagne begonia I'd ordered. They sent me a refund after I contacted them. (That was probably the one and old begonia I've actually thrown out, it was so ugly.) The other begonia was a tiny little bulb, and still hadn't bloomed by the end of the summer, so I have no idea whether it was the right plant or not. On the other hand, the bulbs I bought from them last fall are coming up beautifully. The earliest bulbs are starting to bloom - so far, they're gorgeous and true to name.
On April 4th, 2009, AS changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following: Fall 2007 bulb order was, for the first time ever, a mixed bag. Most of the bulbs were nice and bloomed well, but I had some real duds of tulips - bulbs were small to start with, and too many came up with only a single leaf, instead of a flower and a couple of healthy leaves. Also one rather expensive lily was pretty pathetic. I can't continue to rate them positive. (btw, typo in last update - "...one and ONLY begonia I've thrown out." )
On October 26th, 2010, AS changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following: Maybe last fall was just bad luck. I ordered from them this year, mostly because I wanted a few things Scheepers doesn't carry, and the bulbs were excellent. Absolutely enormous daffodils, fall crocuses that came up reliably already, and tulips that were about the same size as John Scheepers and Colorblends. One nice thing about buying fall crocuses, colchicum, etc from McClure and Zimmerman is that there's only one shipping/ handling charge even though they send those bulbs early, and send a second shipment with your tulips and daffodils later in the season. I don't think I have the courage to try their spring-planted bulbs again (too hit or miss), but I'm adding them back to my list of reliable fall bulb suppliers.
On November 4th, 2015, AS added the following: I ordered several daffodils, fall crocus, colchicum, species tulips and a couple of regular tulips. All were very large, firm, in good condition (e.g., unsprouted) and arrived in good time for planting. I can often get heirloom bulbs from this company much cheaper than from some of the specialty companies like Old House Gardens. I've continued to avoid their spring-planted bulbs, after bad experiences earlier. And I am cautious about some things among the fall planted bulbs, especially if it might be touchy or delicate to store. (Though I have occasionally been pleasantly surprised)

Negative
On Oct 31, 2015, oswald (19 reviews) from Wausaukee, WI

A gift order (confirmation MZ1887518) was received on time, but when I went to help the recipient to plant, I was stunned by the substandard quality of the six Martagon bulbs. The were just shriveled starters and it may be years before they bloom, if at all. I will never order anything listed under McClure and Zimmerman.

Neutral
On Apr 27, 2015, ColoradoLeo (3 reviews) from Longmont, CO

When we moved to this home, we received all manner of garden catalogues. After viewing the pollinator-attraction of the local Botanic Garden's eremurus, I wanted some. Got a bag of 4 from a local hardware-store garden center, and they come up every year like billy-oh. I loved the possibilities in the McC&Z, so ordered many eremurus to attract pollinators to our little back yard 'wild' area. The goods arrived, and of the dozen or so in the plastic bag, some were very very moldy. (Since this company does not provide instructions for its eremurus, I planted them according to instructions that came with a hardware-store package of eremurus which I'd planted the season before.) I planted the lot, & waited 2 years for any of them to come up, thinking perhaps this group needed to acclimate or something... Then made an inquiry to their c/s that there was nothing in sight, do they need so much time? & was told 'oh, sorry too late -you should have told us a year ago. Nothing we can do.' I complained that if it was my company, I'd want to know what was going on at all, and hey I was giving the eremurus a chance to prove itself by being patient with them, sorry to bother you, but out of twelve there should have been at least one to thrive in our well-nourished yard. After this, someone got back to me with an apology, promised to send out replacement ones. Therefore, in fall, last year, I received a package of 6. Planted again according to the hardware-store instructions. Nothing this year. Not a sign. So - I would give them a zero/negative for failure-to-thrive product, and neutral for c/s making sure I got partial replacement but not making sure they were viable.

Negative
On Apr 13, 2015, reeve1 (59 reviews) from Plano, TX (Zone 8b)

Posted on February 24, 2011, updated April 13, 2015 I think when you see companies with reps like "Summerwynde" of McClure & Zimmerman purposely and deceptively falsifying postings on here in an attempt to boost their company's poor image rather than making an effort to be honest with people and honest with themselves, and improving public relations and perception through hard work and genuine customer care, well, it kind of speaks for itself. Who in their right mind would want to do business with someone who lies to your face on an open forum in order to deceive people about an experience they've had? It makes you wonder how many other positive ratings on here are legitimate for McClure and Zimmerman. Truthfully, this used to be one of my premier "go-to" companies for top quality bulbs and somewhat hard to find plants. But, after Jung took ownership a few years ago as the parent company of McClure & Zimmerman, Roots and Rhizomes, and several other online plant nurseries and seed companies, the past performance and methods for conducting business for all these companies changed drastically and went noticably down the tubes. They've had nothing but complaints since this time and for good reason. I hope you don't have to experience this for yourself. Let the other bad experiences shared here be a sign for you that, in the case of McClure & Zimmerman, the grass IS probably greener on the other side. Good luck and Happy Gardening! Sincerely, Paul R. Lewis


On April 13th, 2015, reeve1 added the following: It had been a while since I ordered from these people and thought I would give them a try. I should have known better. The pieces of plant material they sent me were not viable but were broken pieces of root and plant material disguised as Alstroemeria. These people should be reported for FRAUD! I have asked for a full refund and awaiting their response. I'll change my rating accordingly. I am getting so disgusted with companies like these trying to make a quick buck and not caring what you get for your hard earned money. They are no friend to the gardening community.

Neutral
On Apr 9, 2015, magnaastra (49 reviews) from Charleston, IL (Zone 6a)

I ordered 24 'jumbo Starburst caladium bulbs,' status (per MZ website): "In Stock." I got 24 'substituted' Sweetheart bulbs, definitely NOT jumbo-sized, more like a mix of #1 and #2 sizes. The company never inquired as to whether I was okay with the sub (I'm not, would never have gone ahead with the order had I known the Starburst weren't available); and MZ certainly does seem to have over-estimated the grade/size of their bulbs. I believe I have overpaid for the grade I received. Buyer beware, though these bulbs are healthy, I'm not going to be ordering from MZ in the future, since this all seems a little bit sneaky, to me.

Negative
On Jan 23, 2015, charlenenj (13 reviews) from Fanwood, NJ

Posted on December 4, 2014, updated January 23, 2015 Posted on December 4, 2014, updated December 4, 2014 Ordered General De Wet bulbs from MZ bulb on 11/11/14. Since I was already on their site, I threw in some Christmas Marvel and Riding Hood tulip bulbs. The package arrived 11/19 but did not contain the General de Wet bulbs. No explanation and no mention of them. I emailed and called the company. No response. I sent my email 11/12./14 It is now 12/4/14. Also, have a look at the condition of the Red Riding Hood tulip bulbs. See link below. Now....I am sure someone from the company will get on this site with some kind of explanation. But, there is no excuse for failing to even mention the bulbs I ordered from the company, and no excuse for failing to reply to an email (yes, it was sent to the right place, not to the "no reply" address). This company hoses customers and waits to clean things up only if the customer takes the time to post on websites or publicly complain. The average gardener that isn't tuned in to all these resources like Dave's Garden? They are just SOL. //i127.photobucket.com/albums/p147/spacemyphoto/mzredridinghoodtulipbulbsnovember2014.jpg


On December 4th, 2014, charlenenj added the following: "Note: The above should say "I sent my email 11/21/14....It is now 12/14/14..." Below is the email that was ignored. //i127.photobucket.com/albums/p147/spacemyphoto/MZbulb-1.png
On January 23rd, 2015, charlenenj added the following: Update for upstairsnun and others: It is now January 23, 2015 and the company still has not responded. As indicated in the very clear pictures I posted, the company failed to send the bulb order I placed with them and sent damaged bulbs in the other bulb order I placed with them. Then, they failed to return my call/emails.
Company representative comment on February 6, 2015:
On Feb 6, 2015 4:42 PM, McClure & Zimmerman Quality Flowerbulb Brokers responded with:

Hello Charlenenj,
I apologize for all the miscommunication. We do respond to our customers quickly through direct contact to our company and don't always monitor 3rd party sites such as Dave's garden here. In regard to your order, we did send an email on 11/13/14 stating unfortunately we were not able to supply the Tulip General De Wet bulbs and we would be issuing a refund for these items. We refunded on 11/13/14 for those bulbs along with part of the s&h that you were charged. I did check our email logs and do not show a response to your email on 11/21/14 and I will be addressing that here as this is unacceptable.
Please check for a refund it would have been applied directly to the card you used when you placed the order and should show anytime from 11/13/14 to 5 business days after. I do have transaction numbers and the exact amount of the refund if this would help, but don't want to post those on a open forum.
Please feel free to contact me directly and I will gladly resolve any issues with the refund as well as work to resolve any other issues or concerns you had with your order and the entire process.
My direct email is Aronh@jungseed.com and direct phone number is 920.463.1002

Sincerely,

Aron Hill
Contact Center Manager
(920) 326-3121 Ext. 4102

Positive
On Dec 7, 2014, upstairsnun (3 reviews) from Otego, NY

I have ordered bulbs from McClure and Zimmermann for years. Yes, I have had an occasional dessicated bulb in a batch, but never a whole batch dried up or moldy. On the contrary, I have found their bulbs to be large and healthy, true to type. There are 3 things I like about them: they do carry bulbs you won't find elsewhere, they sell only nursery cultivated bulbs, and often there is a surprise "extra" thrown in. This year I got a number of fall blooming bulbs -- they were amazing! Every one of them bloomed true to type and the neighbors were amazed at the display! I appreciate a small company willing to take risks with unusual offerings. Mistakes are all too human. And e-mails can get lost, so keep at it until you get an answer. We need to support them -- and make sure they give us their best!

Positive
On Sep 19, 2014, Alexander_R (6 reviews) from Santa Clarita, CA (Zone 9b)

I ordered early in March for this fall not knowing what to expect, and just received my order without any problems. I am very pleased with the 48 Iris latifolia I have. They are healthy, firm, large (about the size of tulip bulbs), and most are even double or triple "nosed". Sure, there is a little superficial mold here and there, but they are all viable. This once loved species is seldom seen even in Europe and almost impossible to find in North America. The bulbs have a distinctive appearance resembling shallots, so I am certain I have received true stock. It is also known as Iris xiphioides or as "English iris".

Negative
On May 17, 2014, bryana (72 reviews) from Albany, NY

Posted on November 29, 2013, updated May 17, 2014 I ordered four dozen tulip bulbs and some hyacinth bulbs. They all arrived quickly, packaged well and were good sized firm bulbs.


On May 17th, 2014, bryana changed the rating from positive to negative and added the following: The worst - the bulbs I planted last fall (National Velvet Triumph Tulip, Carnegie Hyacinth, Kronos Hyacinth, Red Power Triumph Tulip, Red Diamond Hyacinth) either did not grow or put on a very pathetic display. The order from this spring - Achimenes, several Kniphofia, Lilium Tenuifolium, Lilium Martagon, Star Jasmine, Kniphofia Alcazar, Corydalis Elata, Dodecatheon Collection- the bulbs were extremely small and some were covered with blue-green mold and very soft. The bare root plants were very small - the Dodecatheon were basically small bags with wood shavings and peat - if there were roots, they are invisible to the naked eye. Two items on back order were not shipped. I am taking my name off their list - complete waste of time, effort and money.

Positive
On May 10, 2014, Mitchella (5 reviews) from Pownal, ME (Zone 5b)

Posted on April 5, 2014, updated May 10, 2014 I have ordered bulbs and plants from M&Z for over 20 years without significant problems. A few bulbs are sometimes rotten, some plants are very small or dead, but the fact that they offer unusual native wildflower plants (especially recently) made up for that for me. But as they offered more of these native plants, I noticed that they sometimes noted "Cultivated stock" in a few of the descriptions; I was unable to find any statement about the source of their other plants in their catalog or on their web site. So I wondered about the sources of the rest of the species plants and bulbs; it is extremely important to me that species plants and bulbs I pay for be "nursery-propagated" (and not just "nursery grown" after having been collected.) I emailed them (through their own "Contact Us" page) and received no reply. A few weeks later I sent another email and still have received no reply. I am concerned that, given no information to the contrary, M&Z may offer plants and/or bulbs that have been collected from wild habitats. I hope this is not true but I cannot get them to respond to my concerns. After so many years, I hate to stop ordering from them, but I will have to do so if I cannot get a response from them. (Of course, my concerns do not apply to their many hybrid bulbs and plants, which are by definition almost always nursery-propagated.)


On May 10th, 2014, Mitchella changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following: I'm so pleased that M&Z sell only nursery-propagated plants and bulbs, and I will continue to order from them. I'm very disappointed that I never received any reply to repeated emails sent directly to them, yet they immediately responded to my posting here. Shows the influence of Dave's Garden Watchdog!
Company representative comment on April 7, 2014:
On Apr 7, 2014 12:15 PM, McClure & Zimmerman Quality Flowerbulb Brokers responded with:

Mitchella,
We are very sorry to hear about the email. All of our plants and bulbs are indeed nursery propagated and absolutely none of our products are collected from the wild. We only purchase through reputable suppliers that only have nursery propagated plants and bulbs.
As for your emails I would like to look into this further. I have personally checked any past emails and I am not finding any in regards to this, but I also don't have your email address directly to search by. I want to make sure all of our customers' emails are answered and in a timely manner.
Please feel free to email me directly Aronh@jungseed.com as I would appreciate the opportunity to check into your concerns further, but as for our plants and bulbs I want to assure you they are nursery propagated and not collected from the wild.

Sincerely,

Aron Hill
M&Z Contact Center Manager
1.800.883.6998

Positive
On Oct 29, 2013, jardinierla (3 reviews) from Pittsburgh, PA

I have ordered bulbs from many sources. I return to M&Z as they offer an excellent selection of varieties & competitive prices. I have placed 2 orders with M&Z this fall. Both orders were delivered promptly & bulbs sent are of an excellent quality. I did order Spring Snowflakes, which have been back ordered. No other vendor that I am aware of even lists them. They seem to be difficult to get.

Positive
On Oct 25, 2013, Patty57 (27 reviews) from Wake Forest, NC (Zone 7b)

Just rec'd my fall shipment of bulbs and was very satisfied with the bulbs all around. Customer Service was also very pleasant!! A++

Positive
On Apr 2, 2013, shelbycountyal (2 reviews) from Lake Purdy, AL

I was leery about ordering from this company after reading the negative comments posted here. However, my experience was fantastic! The bulbs were healthy and well labeled and they even sent large lily bulbs as a bonus. MZ carries difficult-to find bulbs, including new cultivars from Terra Nova, at a great price. I will definitely order from them again.

Positive
On Mar 31, 2013, cathy166 (6 reviews) from Stamford, CT (Zone 6b)

When i see the negative comments, I think it is only fair that I add my positive experience. I ordered some Thai caladiums last year and was disappointed that one was missing from my order. I called them, and within one week they sent the missing variety and actually sent 2 plants to replace the one missing plant.

Neutral
On Sep 12, 2012, JoefromDC (1 reviews) from Brookmont, MD

I had a mixed experience last Fall. 24 each of Cyclamen Cilicium, Cyclamen Coum, and Cyclamen Neapolitanum. I thought at the time, some of the nicest cyclamen corms that I'd ever seen. These are blooming now (or sending up leaves for the C. Coum) and are strong plants with good yield. I also ordered 50 or 60 each of Eranthis Cilicica, Erythronium Dens-Canis Mixture,and Corydalis Solida. These were very poor quality bulbs, mostly dried out, and no more than 10% came up.

Negative
On Jun 13, 2012, merrydancer (7 reviews) from Vancouver, WA

Never again! I ordered 9 Tropaeolum tuberosum bulbs. 6 Ken Aslet and 3 of another type. Only one of the 9 looked like it would live. 4 were soft or shriveled or both. Thought I should give all a chance as I had not grown these before. Only two came up. One died within two weeks. Called company. They were quick to send replacements. Reassured me that replacement would be looked at to make sure they were in good condition before sending. Replacement arrived last week... all were of type and size of the ones that didn't make it the first time. ..and two were worse than any of the first batch. Called company.. could not get refund. Will receive credit letter. Hoping they sell supplies so I can use credit...AND pay more shiping. Looking at "positives" here to see if there is anything they sell that is of good quality. considering not even using credit..not sure if it is smart to pay shipping for more things that will not live!

Negative
On May 20, 2012, j_moore (1 reviews) from Centreville, MD

Got an email from M&Z that things were on sale. Ordered 3 kniphofia Nancy's Red (saw them at Wisley and wanted some) for $4.25 each. Also ordered one Lemon Sherbert Gloriosa @ $6.25. I was so disappointed - the kniphofias came in little plastic bags with totally dry peatmoss/shavings mix. They are dried up scraggly little roots about 4 inches long with 1/4 inch shoots coming from a growing point. Will probably take 3 years to get to blooming size. The Gloriosa is also about 4 inches long and smaller around than my pinky finger. The Gloriosas I have grown are about 8 inches long and as fat as my middle finger. Frequently they are two roots joined to make a V!! Altogether a ripoff of a good customer. This is the kind of presentation you see at the dollar store!! And, if someone above was concerned about the $6.00 postage, my order totaled $19.00 and I was charged the same $6.00. :-( What was their buyer thinking when they okayed the size, price, condition and packaging of these items? Did they think the customer would be happy about it? NOT!

Negative
On May 4, 2012, esanita (17 reviews) from Tyaskin, MD (Zone 7a)

Posted on April 28, 2012, updated May 4, 2012 Posted on April 28, 2012, updated April 28, 2012 Posted on April 26, 2012, updated April 28, 2012 I ordered several agapanthus, an alocasia, a vigna caracalla, eucomis, and a canna. The packing was one of the worst I've ever seen. The plants were placed in a box, on their side, with nothing to prevent the soil from falling out. Some of the plants still had all their soil around them, but half were showing bare root because the soil had fallen off. Even though I ordered in January, one of the agapanthus was backordered and then not available. MZ sent me some free bulbs, a gladious, but when I contacted them, couldn't tell me anything about these bulbs. The "bulbs" I ordered were actually plants in small pots, extremely root-bound. So I couldn't plant them as deep as recommended for my zone, because I would had to have planted part of the plants under the soil level. I wouldn't order from them again. There has to be better bulb companies.


On April 28th, 2012, esanita added the following: MZ also mailed my plants on a Thursday, which meant the plants sat in a hot truck or warehouse or such over the weekend, since they arrived on Monday.
On April 28th, 2012, esanita added the following: MZ also mailed my plants on a Thursday, which meant the plants sat in a hot truck or warehouse or such over the weekend, since they arrived on Monday.
On May 4th, 2012, esanita added the following: Forgot to mention, 3 of the plants in containers came with slugs in them. The last of my order, 3 agapanthus, was packaged on a Thursday, snail mailed on Friday, and arrived Wednesday, in the usual condition -- the plants on their side with half of the soil fallen out, many leaves yellowed.

Positive
On Apr 27, 2012, jardindevie (1 reviews) from Eugene, OR

I have ordered from M&Z for years now, and never had a problem, so I'm really surprised to read some of these comments. I have not ordered live plants, and mostly I order more "common" bulbs. But I've always been pleased by bulb size and quality, price and service. I've been fascinated by their selection of exotic or uncommon items, and I'd be curious to know if those are the items people have had problems with.

Positive
On Mar 1, 2012, justtheflaxmaam (1 reviews) from Sacramento, CA (Zone 9a)

Have been ordering from them, mostly small orders of species and standard tulips and unusuals like camassia, for over 10 years. I don't think I have ever had to throw out a dried or moldy bulb, even after my refrigerating them too long. I gave up on some other firms because they mislabeled/represented their products. I've only had to call once because my shipment wasn't arriving as quickly as usual. An order from another company was also late; both arrived soon after. I think you do have to consider that the weather where you are is not the same as the states being shipped through. I avoid ordering when temps elsewhere are extreme.

Negative
On Nov 7, 2011, gsteinbe (20 reviews) from Trenton, NJ

Posted on May 16, 2011, updated November 7, 2011 Posted on April 14, 2011, updated May 16, 2011 Posted on March 15, 2011, updated April 14, 2011 Posted on June 21, 2010, updated March 15, 2011 Posted on June 20, 2010, updated June 21, 2010 This winter/spring, I ordered Tropaeolum tuberosum 'Ken Aslet' and Hyacinthoides non-scripta. The latter have been backordered, but the former arrived in rather moldy condition. I planted the three tubers that I received without much hope and waited and waited and waited. Finally, one of the tubers showed some feeble signs of life. Unfortunately, those signs of life quickly passed, and it died. Since neither of the other two tubers ever showed any life, I've complained to the company. For now, I'm giving them a "Negative" here, because the product they sent me really was in bad condition. But if they respond appropriately to my complaint (and I get my Hyacinthoides non-scripta in good condition), I'll change my rating. To McClure & Zimmerman's credit, they did add some free bulbs to my order, and those bulbs (Babiana stricta) seem to be doing fine, though they're very small (and will be at least a year to bloom). They also weren't anything that I would have ordered myself (since I'm in zone 6 and will have to dig them up every fall now).


On June 21st, 2010, gsteinbe changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: Got a quick reply to my complaint. Unfortunately, they are giving me a "letter of credit" rather than a refund. I've changed my rating to neutral, but we'll see how the Hyacinthoides look and what happens with the letter of credit before I settle on a final rating.
On March 15th, 2011, gsteinbe added the following: I have ordered the Tropaeolum tuberosum 'Ken Aslet' again. Haven't received my order yet. Because of the "letter of credit," I had to pay the outrageous postage charge out of pocket. If the bulbs don't arrive in good shape this time, I'm not sure what I'll do -- maybe demand a refund? The Hyacinthoides non-scripta bulbs looked okay, but I'll have to wait to see if they come up and how long before they bloom.
On April 14th, 2011, gsteinbe added the following: I've gotten the replacement Tropaeolum tuberosum bulbs, and while one of them looked iffy, the other two looked okay. I've planted them in pots and will update when (if) they prosper. Once again, McClure & Zimmerman included free bulbs with my order -- this time "London" Asiatic Lilies. These are a better choice than the free bulbs they sent last time. But I'd really just prefer strong, healthy Tropaeolum tuberosum bulbs.
On May 16th, 2011, gsteinbe added the following: Two of the Tropaeolum tuberosum came up okay so far, but the third shows no signs of life. I guess I'll cut my losses, but I won't order from McClure & Zimmerman again.
On November 7th, 2011, gsteinbe changed the rating from neutral to negative and added the following: The Tropaeolum tuberosum plants died again. Free bulbs are nice, but I'd rather have the bulbs I ordered.

Positive
On Oct 23, 2011, Emma75 (7 reviews) from DeLand, FL (Zone 9b)

I just received my first order of 5 amaryllis bulbs from M&Z, and am more than satisfied with the plants I received. All 5 bulbs are top-size with healthy roots and new growth starting after they appear to have been in storage. I also received a gift of 6 iris bulbs, though I've yet to research if they are a variety that will grow in FL. As a first-time customer, I am very pleased, and plan to use this company again (though much of their variety are items that will not grow in this sub-tropical climate).

Negative
On Oct 11, 2011, Chrissycf (6 reviews) from Columbia, MO

DO NOT ORDER FROM M & Z!! I ordered Narcissis bulbs from this company three weeks ago. The shipping charge of $6.00 was a little high for a $40.00 order, but I thought that since it was live material, it would be shipped by a fairly quick method. WRONG! My order was finally shipped after I called them to check on it. To my horror this company, which is in Wisconsin, less than 150 miles from me (I'm in Eastern Iowa,) proceeded to ship my package via FEDEX TO KANSAS CITY! There, my once living bulbs were shuttled to Lenexa, Kansas (even farther South and West.) They spent 4 days seeing the sights of Kansas at temperatures exceeding 85 degrees outdoors (the temps in trucks and warehouses would have been far higher, probably close to or over 100 degrees.) THEN they were shipped BACK more than 250 miles EAST and SOUTH of me to Chicago! It will soon be a week of very warm to hot weather since my poor bulbs were shipped. They have, so far, been hauled about 1,000 unnecessary miles in broiling semi trailers and they are still in another state 250 miles away! They are scheduled to be handed off to the postal service to be delivered, which will add another two days to their long and convoluted journey. I don't know why this is, because the FEDEX truck goes by my house everyday and delivers to my neighbors. By now my bulbs are thoroughly cooked, dead or dying, and while they may look fine when they get here, they will promptly rot if I plant them. My mailbox sits in a hot, sunny location and I cannot pick them until I get home from work-five hours after they will be delivered! I was not offered any shipping options when I ordered, I just assumed an apparently reputable company would use common sense when shipping live plant material! I dread trying to get my money back. Hope I can still get some bulbs this Fall so M & Z and their cheap shipping method don't set me back a whole year! M & Z obviously don't care if my bulbs are ruined-after all they got my money and I'm the one stuck with a box of fried plants.


Company representative comment on October 28, 2011:
On Oct 28, 2011 8:05 AM, McClure & Zimmerman Quality Flowerbulb Brokers responded with:

We are sorry to hear that you are unhappy with the method that your package was sent. To the best of our knowledge all delivery services have sorting centers that the packages go to and we agree--when tracking a package it sometimes looks like they are going the wrong direction but they normally get to our customers in good time. The delivery services that we use normally do a wonderful job getting packages to our customers in a timely manner but occasionally packages get missorted, which may have happened to your package since it went back to Chicago after being in Kansas. Normally packages sent from Wisconsin to Iowa are received very quickly and we are very sorry for any delay in receiving your package.
All of the packages sent from our facility are guaranteed to
arrive in good condition so if you do decide to keep your package but you have any issues--please call our toll-free number and our customer service reps will be happy to help you.

Mary, Customer Service Manager
McClure & Zimmerman

Positive
On Jun 14, 2011, morgen (8 reviews) from San Luis Obispo, CA

I have been searching for some very dark Agapanthus for a long time locally. I found some on sale for a very decent price with this company. I tested the waters with them and only ordered 2 Agapanthus, Mood Indigo and Back in Black and a bag of Ranunculus. One of the Agapanthus was potted and so much bigger than I expected-I am SUPER pleased with it. The other was bare root in a plastic bag and looked a little anemic, but that's OK because I know Agapanthus and they can grow from almost nothing-it was more of what I expected via mailorder. The ranunculus were pretty good sized I guess. I've never grown them from bulb, so I don't have anything to compare them to. I followed planting instructions from Sunset Western Garden book, so I'll see what happens. Definitely will give this company another try with a larger order. I am very pleased so far and am almost hyperventilating over the potted Agapanthus. I think it may bloom within a year and I'm soooo excited to have found it! Pretty fast shipping too.

Positive
On May 16, 2011, pirl (33 reviews) from (Arlene) Southold, NY (Zone 7a)

When I spotted the Japanese iris, 'Lady in Waiting', I quickly ordered it (April 30, 2011) along with another JI and a Melittis. They were shipped within just a few days and they sent bonus Asiatic lily bulbs. I put both JI's in water to start them off right and simply am very impressed and wish I could post a photo here to show how extremely well they are doing. 'Lady in Waiting' has turned into a clump of five fans and the other one has six fans - that's much more than I've received in the past from the big named JI companies! I planted the Melittis immediately and it's been green for over a week now. Great plants, excellent packaging and fast shipping - who could ask for more? Thank you, M & Z. I'm very pleased. pirl/Arlene Z. Ryan, Southold, NY

Negative
On May 15, 2011, colocasia (2 reviews) from Aurora, IL

I had ordered fall delivery bulbs from M-Z before and everything was satisfactory. This was my first experience with them on spring delivery. I placed two orders totaling over $200 of material from them in late January/early February. By late April, having recieved nothing nor heard from them, I checked their website. Expected delivery for my zone was late March to mid April. I then called to inquire about when I could expect my orders to be filled. I was told everything was there except one item from each order, (mixed Caladiums and 1 Dodecatheon of a collection of 4) and that they would ship when those arrived. I requested that they ship what they had and backorder the rest. I had planned to have all these plants in the ground or potted up weeks earlier. (A major reason I ordered so early) These finally arrived at the end of April. Several of the Lily bulbs looked to have been stored too long, judging by the slimey, rotten roots. The Caladiums finally arrived in early May. I then called to express my dissatisfaction with their shipping delays. I was told that the fault lie with their suppliers and they had no control over that. I explained that my business was with THEM, and from whom or how they obtained their plants was THEIR problem. I also pointed out that the planting instructions included by THEM with the Caladiums stated that they should be potted up 6 weeks before the last frost date. As they didn't arrive until a few days before that time, that was impossible to do. Again, the customer service rep insisted that the fault was their suppliers', and seemed completely unwilling to accept any responsibility on the part of M-Z. When I stated that this experience had left me doubting whether I would order from them again, the rep asked if I wanted to be removed from their mailing list. I said that that might be for the best. At that point, without another word, I was hung up on! I then sent an E-mail, through D.G., to them detailing my experiences both with the shipping problems and on the phone with their customer service rep. I recieved a reply from customer service requesting some information about the orders, which I promptly supplied. Since then I have heard nothing except a letter stating that the final item is unavailable and the cost of that item was being refunded. Had M-Z made any attempt to mitigate the problem, either by shipping the material on hand when it became apparent that the order was becoming significantly late, or, at the very least, accepting some responsibility for the problem and apologizing when I complained, perhaps I might have been somewhat appeased. This is a very competetive business as the list of suppliers on D.G. shows. But maybe M-Z feels that a satisfied and loyal customer is not a valued asset. After all, there are plenty of people out there willing to make the mistake I did of ordering from them! John Olechowski

Positive
On Apr 14, 2011, 7B_8A (12 reviews) from Fayetteville, GA

Ordered some lily bulbs (Silk Road and Triumphator) and Crocosmia (Limpopo). MZ was the only place I could find both of these lily types I wanted. Crocosmia were on the small side but MZ was absolutely the only place I could find this cultivar. All lilium were fat, moist and healthy with no mushy or moldy spots. Shipping was timely and rates were fair. Shipping doesn't seem to be a profit center for them like it is for others. I will never pay as much or more for shipping than I did for the plants themselves! Last but not least I got three fat, healthy asiatic lily bulbs (London) free! I can't remember ever getting anything free from any m.o. nursery! Will use them again.

Positive
On Mar 30, 2011, joylily514 (3 reviews) from Katy, TX (Zone 9a)

I have had nearly all good experiences with McClure and Zimmerman and have ordered bulbs and roots from them for at least 15 years. I only had one problem a couple of years ago with one item and they replaced it. I especially love the detail that they go to in the catalog. and there is a wide variety of offerings. Having lived in TX for years, I found many bulbs for the south that grow well without the extended cool dormant period. All in all, I love McClure and Zimmerman.

Positive
On Mar 10, 2011, boru (15 reviews) from Altoona, WI

Hello! I am torn as to how I should rate M & Z, for I have come to respect the opinions of my fellow gardeners. I have, however, read the negative ratings, and cannot relate my own experiences to them. For the several times that I have ordered Fall planted bulbs, each Spring I find myself as satisfied with M & Z as with two of the "Top 30" companies with which I also have done business. In fact, one of those two has managed to disappoint me more often than M & Z and I have still not reconciled in my mind how I should rate that particular company. To put things in perspective, my average Fall order with M & Z has run between $200 and $400. I will often spend the same with other companies for Fall planting and it is not unusual for me to spend more than $2,000 when all purchases are combined. I enjoy Spring blooming bulbs VERY much! You might, thus, infer that my dealings with M & Z are not my major primary experience in purchasing bulbs. Of course, as an home gardener, I do not claim any expertise resulting from my experience. All I can report are my experiences. I must say that I am very disappointed with the recent obvious attempt to bolster ratings. For whatever reason M & Z felt the need to do this, it has backfired and that singular "neutral" rating probably hurts more than any negative. That being the case, I do not feel it necessary to include that in how I rate a company (If one studies the ratings, it becomes obvious that many companies, even some in the "Top 30" have resorted to this [or other such] attempts to help themselves....They just have not been caught.). As for my experiences with M & Z, I have always received a good quality product for a better than fair price. Shipping has not been a rip off and items have been sent on time and without problem. I typically do not purchase items from with in my state's borders, for the taxes combined with the shipping costs negate any savings that the merchant might offer (plus my state already taxes way to high for even living here). So, it says a lot that I continue to order Fall planted bulbs from M & Z . One particular thing that draws me to do business with M & Z is the large variety of the harder to find bulbs. Each year, I will spend a great deal with two or three companies that sell hard to find species priced per bulb. This gets very expensive. M & Z, quite frequently, offers larger quantities of these same bulbs at much more affordable prices. I cannot comment on their Spring planted material, for I have not ordered any from M & Z. Neither can I comment on their customer service when dealing with a problem, for there have been no problems. In summary, despite the experiences reported by others, I find otherwise, and I will continue to order from McClure & Zimmerman. May the sun shine brightly as you walk your path. boru

Negative
On Mar 9, 2011, daffojill (9 reviews) from Ringoes, NJ

This company has serious labeling problems and doesn't learn from their mistakes. I ordered a cyclamineus daffodil named Marijke, planted it and up came a huge gold trumpet daffodil that I later identified as Marieke. Ordered Marijke the next year noting the mix up the year before, received my bulbs and low and behold up came giant trumpet Marieke again! The second order also included another wrongly labeled daffodil that was already in my collection. It annoys me to pieces to spend time and money planting bulbs that produce flowers that are not exhibition worthy flowers. I'd stick hot pins in my eyes before I'd order from them again.

Neutral
On Jan 28, 2011, summerwynde (7 reviews) from Dublin, NH

Impressive selection, good quality bulbs. Have been a customer since 2007 and have never been disappointed.


Note from the Garden Watchdog editors:

It is the stated policy of the Garden Watchdog that companies can NOT pose as customers in submitting customer feedback to inflate their own rating. The rating, originally positive, was changed from positive to neutral so

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