P.O. Box 65
Guilford, Indiana 47022-4180 (United States)
513-354-1512
513-354-1505

Reviews:

positives
neutrals
negatives

Displaying the 50 most recent reviews

RatingContent
Positive
On May 29, 2023, RebeccaLynn (25 reviews) from Winston Salem, NC (Zone 7a)

On a whim I ordered three BIG SMILE lily bulbs a couple of weeks ago because they were on sale, and I still had a little space in the flower garden for a few more plants. They arrived quickly and in good condition. They are in the ground now.

Neutral
On Nov 4, 2022, NanaLeslie (1 reviews) from Oakville, CT

I recently ordered spring-blooming bulbs from Breck’s with an order amount that qualified for free shipping. I got a notice from Breck’s that three items were shipped on Oct. 12th with an estimated arrival date of Oct.14th. (The other item was changed to an expected arrival window of 10/25-11/08.) Several days later Order Tracking revealed that my order had had a shipping label applied at Breck’s Indiana facility on Oct. 12th, but was not picked up by FedEx until the following day. The estimated arrival date was changed to “Pending.” It stayed “Pending” through several FedEx sites (sitting for several days at hubs in PA and NJ) until being delivered on October 20. I checked with FedEx on why my order was being held for days in PA and was told that my shipper had selected Economy Ground, which can arrive as late as 10 business days (2 weeks) after being picked up and has no guarantee for refund if product is damaged. FedEx Economy Ground is lower priority than FedEx Ground and can sit for a while at each FedEx transfer hub on its way to its destination. This was verified by the Breck’s customer service rep, who stated that they guaranteed arrival within five to 10 business days (a 2 week window) after shipment. How Breck’s could originally estimate an Oct 14th arrival date in the shipment notification they first sent me is puzzling. FedEx Economy Ground is not the “most efficient and fastest” way of shipment as stated in the Breck’s catalog. (Check consumer ratings of this service. I’ve had items shipped this way take three weeks to arrive and one was lost at a hub in NJ.) I personally do not think FedEx Economy Ground an appropriate way to ship plants or bulbs, both of which can suffer through long transit times or arrive too late in the season to be planted. Plants can dry out or can be damaged if boxes are exposed to heat or cold or if moved around too much. I order bulbs and perennial plants in fall from a variety of vendors. It is not unusual to see delays in the time bulbs are shipped, as there are often delays in getting bulbs to the seller’s US facility from Holland. But none of the other vendors I use ship bulbs or plants via FedEx Economy Ground. My orders from other vendors reliably arrive within 2 to 3 days after being picked up from the vendor. After the first part of my bulb order arrived, I checked Order Status for the remaining item in my bulb order. I found that it had been back ordered, and the new arrival estimate was between Nov. 25th and Dec. 8th…too late for digging where I live in New England. Anyway, FedEx Economy Ground would be overwhelmed by Christmas orders at that time and Lord knows when my package might actually show up. I notified Breck’s customer service that I wanted to cancel the remaining item in my order and they quickly agreed to do that. In short, I have not encountered any problems with the quality of Breck’s products or their customer service response. However, I’m not likely to order from them again given their choice of FedEx Economy Ground. It is possible that this service is used only when they do free shipping. In that case, it would be better to pay for postage that guarantees date definite arrival (like two-day ship) once the package is picked up from Breck’s.

Negative
On May 18, 2022, narcissa67 (1 reviews) from Chester, NY

In April, I tried to order plants, some summer bulbs as wells some Hosta and geraniums. All were supposedly in stock. When the order was confirmed only one was listed as "available for shipping" the others were "backordered"and wouldn't be shipped for a few weeks, in varying times. But this turned out to be a ruse, the time frame when I checked kept being pushed off. If I checked on the 8th it was the9th If checked on the 10th it was the 11th etc. I contacted customer service, it took days for a response which just cut and paste the same notice I'd received. But worse yet the time listed for some of them was June 28.In lower NY which means I'd be planting in July. We get high heat here. I explained that. I only got a we know your disappointed. I'm condensing this but it was galling in the extreme as if they were selling widgets not plants. And clearly they never picked up a phone to see what was going on and answer a question. I've known chatbots with more curiosity. Then when I pressed the last email: tell me what is going on and what you are going to do about it, they cancelled my order and said it was customer directed. They had no problem taking my money (not waiting until they shipped like some) and keeping the interest but actually delivering. Nope. So now I'm too late to get those plants elsewhere. So they've harmed me twice. Don't buy from them.

Negative
On Apr 16, 2022, thommyb678 (2 reviews) from Washington, DC

Breck's will take forever to ship, and in the year 2022 are unable to send a bill through email. Placed an order for hellebores based through a paper order form sent to me in a Breck's catalog. The order was received by Breck's on 1/14/21 with estimated ship date of 5/14/21. Received email on 5/20/21 informing me that shipping date was delayed until 10/21/21. Order finally shipped on 9/22/21. Received email correspondence regarding order status but it never indicated any outstanding balance on the account. Breck's claims they sent bill through mail, which I never received as I'd moved away from the address in question by the time they sent it, and they never many any attempt to send any statement electronically. Instead of ever trying to call or email, they passed the account balance on to a debt collector. Will not be spending another cent with Breck's. They're at best misleading - and at worst it's a total scam that will show up long after promised, with all sorts of nasty surprised attached.

Positive
On Feb 7, 2022, tpaulson (1 reviews) from Sioux Falls, SD

Decided late in the season to order Lilac Wonder species tulip bulbs. Breck's was the only online supplier to have inventory. After reading reviews for Breck's I was apprehensive but went ahead and ordered since the price was good and I was desperate. After ordering realized that bulbs were shipped via sea from Holland!! I assumed then that the odds of receiving my bulbs were slim given COVID, etc. I was pleasantly surprised when I received my bulbs on time. They appeared to be in beautiful condition and hopefully will grow this Spring. I'm very pleased with the product, service and value from Breck's and will definitely purchase from them again!

Positive
On Dec 11, 2021, Esbates09 (3 reviews) from Blacksburg, VA

I've had a generally positive experience with Breck's over the past year, by keeping a few things in mind: 1. We're in the middle of a global shipping disruption (the container/ship/truck infrastructure got really thrown out of whack by Covid-related shipping patterns) so EVERYTHING imported to the Americas is liable to be delayed. This will be a problem across the board with all international suppliers. Just do yourself a favor and order domestically for items that may die in transit or that need to be in the ground by a certain date. 2. This is a budget company, so you get what you pay for. I'm very happy to get deeply cut sale prices in exchange for being flexible about when they arrive (the ground doesn't freeze often here and I'm not tightly scheduled by work) and keeping track of what/where I planted in order to request refunds for the duds. That tradeoff isn't right for everyone, of course. 3. Bulbs are what Breck's does best - I don't order perennials from them anymore for the reasons other customers have articulated: often quite desiccated, sometimes don't grow. But they do provide refunds in that case, you just have to keep track and let them know (not ideal, but fair.) I've ordered a LOT of things from Breck's over two years and anytime I've had an issue (mislabeled bulbs, perennials that didn't grow) they've been responsive and fair in refunds. So guys, adjust your expectations according to what you care about: if you want low prices (especially the periodic flash sales) and can put in extra time/flexibility, this is a really good source.

Negative
On Dec 21, 2020, JulieM11 (4 reviews) from Muldrow, OK

I bought some fern crowns from the site as well as some from a different company. The other comany's ferns were fat and juicy, obviously freshly dug. The ones from Brecks were dessicated and falling apart. I stuck them in the ground, but I will be surprised if any of them come up in the spring. I hadn't spent a lot of money, so I didn't bother contacting Breck's though I did go back and read all of the other reviews of the dead ferns customers had received. I would never order from them again.

Negative
On Nov 7, 2020, ptphoto (1 reviews)

I recently placed an order for tree lilies, day lilies and tulips. I did not get any shipping notice. I checked my order status and saw that my order was shipped. Checked with Federal Express and saw that although a label was submitted, no package had been received after two weeks. Part of my order was received three weeks after ordering. The tree lilies part of my order arrived four weeks later, but one package was empty. They would only give me a store credit, but not replace the item. Now I will have to reorder and pay another shipping charge. I think that I know the problem with this company. They are owned by Gardens Alive, with whom I had horrible experiences a few years ago. Gardens Alive is the absolute worst on-line company that I have ever dealt with.

Negative
On Nov 4, 2020, Steveo5o6o (1 reviews) from Stony Plain,
Canada

Is Breck’s Bulbs a scam? Read on. You decide. I ordered 33 tulip bulbs, 4 different varieties, on 1st September 2020. The expected shipping date was 14th September. I contacted customer support on 1st October and was told they would not be shipped until 22nd October. I asked them if I was supposed to light a fire to thaw the ground. I live just west of Edmonton Alberta Canada. Latitude 53.5 On 16 October the temperature dropped below freezing, 0 deg C, and stayed there until 25 October. It went as cold as -15.7 C. I dug 4 gaping holes in my nice white gravel garden after it froze. It looks horrible. Then we got a small break in the weather. End of October and early November. Highs of 10, 12 and 17 C Nights above or slightly below freezing. There was still hope. It is now the 3rd of November and I just looked and they still have not been shipped yet. From Holland. On a cargo ship that will need to clear customs in Canada before my bulbs get mailed to me by Canada Post. I am quite tired of looking at the holes in the garden. They will soon be covered with snow. I am tired of looking at the bone meal and Miracle Grow soil in the garage. It will a miracle if my tulips grow. I am copying and pasting the following from their propaganda which I was dumb enough to believe. “Breck's times its shipments from Holland so that bulbs arrive at the proper planting time (depending on climatic conditions) for each area of Canada. We take advance reservations, and then just as soon as the crops are harvested, our staff of Dutch Bulb Experts makes an on-the-spot selection of the finest bulbs available to fill those reservations. Once your order has been packed, it will be loaded on a cargo ship bound for Canada directly from Holland. The shipment will need to clear Customs where it will then be transported to your home. We ship via Canada Post.” So. Is Breck’s Bulbs a scam? They are defiantly unethical and have misleading business practices. I have also been bombarded with sales e-mail ad’s from them. I am a one and done customer. I will submit this after I receive the bulbs and conclude with the date received. The ponds are frozen over.

Positive
On Nov 2, 2020, pgnoakville (1 reviews) from Oakville,
Canada

November 2, 2020 I ordered 20 Lavendar Mountain Lilly bulbs on September 19th, 2020 and they arrived today in very good condition and before the ground has frozen over for the winter. The bulbs arrived in a clearly labelled polybag wrapped in a plastic air pack with an outer cardboard box and planting instructions. I look forward to planting them this week in the garden.

Neutral
On Oct 26, 2020, xpid7 (2 reviews) from Saint Louis, MO

Placed order June 19, 2020 and credit card was charged June 20, 2020. Expected ship date was August 2020. Received partial shipment 9/22. Checked on remaining order 10/23 and noticed part of order had been cancelled but no cancellation of charges on credit card. The remaining order had ship date of 10/2 but had not been shipped. Contacted firm and was told they only deal with live plants. Funny, it took 4 months to figure out they were not going to have live plants for part of my order. Now we are getting into questionable planting time and have received word the remaining items had been shipped. They have held my money for 4 months. Wonder how much money they make on this scam of taking customers money only to cancel the order months later. Will definitely not be doing business with them ever again.

Negative
On Oct 22, 2020, turtle88 (1 reviews) from Newington, CT (Zone 5a)

About 15 years ago I ordered several items from Breck's and the service and products were great. That is not the case now. They are constantly moving their ship dates back and forth. On their website it says that the corona virus is not affecting their shipments. It also says that In all cases, we choose the fastest, most efficient way to delivery your orders via the USPS or FedEx. They didn't tell me that they were going to ship my orders Fedex Smartpost which is about the slowest possible way. With Smartpost,Fedex picks up the order,then turns it over to the USPS,which adds more delivery time. One of my orders departed the Fedex location in Nothborough Massachusetts on 10/17/20. I live in Connecticut which is one state over. It is now 10/22/20 and there is no more information for this shipment and I cannot track it. When I called customer service the representative didn't even know what Smartpost was. I asked to speak to a representative in the United States and she told me that is not possible. Another representative was arrogant and hung up on me in the middle of the conversation. At one time the information on this shipment said that it would be delivered on 10/19/2020 by the end of the day. Now the information says no scheduled delivery date at this time. On my other order the shipment date was 10/19/20 to 10/29/20. Now it's 11/02/20 to 11/12/20. The weather is going to get colder in Connecticut in the next week or so. I'm a senior citizen and cannot handle the cold like I used to. I really expected to have all the items I ordered planted by now. Very disappointed with Breck's. I should have heeded the reviews on Breck's and not have been so naive. I will not order from them again.

Negative
On Oct 20, 2020, Bertie007 (2 reviews) from Winnipeg ,
Canada

Ordered bulbs July 30th as a new customer from Breck’s Bulbs (Canada) and was very excited about it. I had requested if the bulbs could be sent out earlier than the shipping date and was told an ‘internal rush’ would be placed on my order. Next day, order was pushed back a further 13 days from the estimated shipping date of October 14th when I checked on theIr website. Customer service was inaccurate, antagonistic and complacent. The day after requesting to cancel my order, due to the overall frustration with attempts to resolve things through their customer service and an update that the irises I ordered on July 30th, were now ‘out of stock‘, even though I had received a ‘last chance’ offer for irises a month ago in my inbox, they shipped my order (minus the irises). It was extra frustrating because it was the irises that prompted the order in the first place. There is now snow on the ground and all my other bulbs were planted over a month ago (Zone 3). The Better Business Bureau reports multiple complaints, and I should have researched the company before placing my order.

Negative
On Oct 7, 2020, cherrybelle4 (3 reviews) from Minneapolis, MN

On June 30, over my better judgement, I ordered an astilbe that I could not find elsewhere from Breck's. In order to make the $10 shipping more palatable, I also ordered some bulbs. I received the bulbs a few weeks ago, but no astilbe. I'm in zone 4, I really need to get a perennial in the ground NOW! I checked the order, and the astilbe is backordered until Nov 17. Anyone living in MN knows that we could have a foot of snow on the ground, and the possibility of frozen ground at that time is very high. I cancelled the order, but still had to pay for the shipping (for the bulbs I didn't really want), and am now stuck with no astilbe. Believe me, in the spring, I will be checking the top 30's websites, this is the last time I try to deal with a company that only ships bareroot. Stay away!

Negative
On Oct 2, 2020, bob63 (1 reviews) from Elyria, OH

Order for Breck's fall bulb assortment placed on 9/15/20, PayPal paid on 9/16/20; no receipt of or conformation on order or payment received by 9/29/20/ so I sent email to customer service inquiring about status of order. Sent a second email on 10/01/20; still no response. On 10/02/20 I called customer service asked abut order, I was told that it would not ship from Holland until 10/19/20 and would arrive around Nov 1st. I explained that would be after a hard frost and I asker to cancel the order. I was told I could not cancel because it was "over the ocean" and cancelling was not an option. I spoke to customer service supervisor who agreed to refund purchase price but only after order arrived in the States. If this is the best that Brecks can do, it is not good enough to earn my business!

Negative
On Jul 14, 2020, jklhol (1 reviews) from Auburndale, MA

Ordered 3 plants. Got 3 bags of soil without plants. Asked for a refund. Said they would only give me a merchandise credit. Very bad customer service.

Negative
On Jun 8, 2020, Fox1 (1 reviews) from Rock Hill, SC

I placed a order with Brecks on May 4th . I ordered 4 plants and a tool sharpener I called them after 2weeks because I didn't receive my order. They said it would ship the end of May. I called again the beginning of June. Then they said it was on back order and only some of the items will ship. They still had it for sale after I bought it and had even lowered the price. So I call again and now they say it's all out of stock .It wasn't out of stock when I bought mine and they still had it listed for sale after. So now after waiting on them I can't even order it somewhere else because it's all sold out everywhere.I would not recommend anyone to buy from Brecks. Calling there customer service is a waste of time got a different excuse each time.

Negative
On Jun 8, 2020, Sdljohns (1 reviews) from Pasadena, TX

Breck’s mailed me a bill for $5.35 more for a $60 purchase I made online months ago. The bill was marked past due and had no explanation why the additional amount was being charged. I emailed an inquiry. Weeks later I received a response saying there was a technical glitch and they should have charged me $5.35 more. When I made the online purchase I paid what the website said the cost was. In my humble opinion, if a company makes this type of mistake, it is their loss. They shouldn’t send “past due” bills with no explanation to their customers. Then I got an email saying they would turn the amount due over to collections. Unbelievable!

Negative
On Jun 5, 2020, MissDebra (2 reviews) from Hollister,
United States

Brecks did not bother to properly wrap their plants so they wouldn't dry out in transit. They also sent me very small weak plants which did not survive the mailing. The postman handed my box to me on my porch, so there was no time that it sat out in the heat. However the box he handed me was quite warm from his truck, as it was a warm spring day in April of this year. When I opened the box the plants were very small, the dirt they put in the "baggies" was not around the roots at all. Big bags, small plants, about 1/4 cup of dirt which was on the other side of the bags because of shifting. What else did they expect, for the dirt to magically stay around the roots with nothing to contain it? I called immediately because of the poor quality of the plants and they told me to wait six to eight weeks before they would give me a refund. I carefully planted them in a nursery flat and now after over a month only two of the 18 plants I have planted in my little plant nursery have come up. They are still making me wait another two weeks before refunding me. Six weeks to wait for puny weak plants mailed with no dirt around their roots to suddenly start growing because I planted them? I will never order from Brecks again.

Negative
On Apr 19, 2020, BBouldin (1 reviews) from Casa Grande, AZ

1. It took forever to get my order. 2. No one would answer when I called to find out about when my order was going to get to me. 3. When I got the order it was not want I ordered but apparently Breck's doesn't really care about my returning to buy from them again.

Positive
On Feb 10, 2020, Kingjv200 (5 reviews) from Salinas, CA

I see a lot of people bashing this place but I must say my overall experience with them has been just fine. I started ordering bulbs from this company years ago in my Zone 9 area and everything except for a few Alstroemeria Aurea Lutea bulbs have made it. I order 8 Alstroemeria's and only 2 survived - although the company did not refund me they did issue me a credit rite away which I used to buy 2 phenomenal bare-root rose bushes recently. I must say I was very satisfied with their selection, customer service and mostly with the quality of their bare-root roses much better than most other companies I've ordered from online. I will continue to keep shopping with them in the future and be on the look-out for what's new

Negative
On Dec 8, 2019, mommabat (1 reviews) from Alamo, TX

I have been ordering from Breck's for decades, and was absolutely delighted with their product and their customer service. A few years ago, things changed. As of now, I will never order from them again. Last year, I ordered reblooming iris corms. When they arrived, they were shriveled and dead. Of the twelve I ordered, two grew. I called Breck's and they gave me credit. This year, I tried to place orders beginning in April. Finally, I was able to place an order in early June by talking with one of their agents. I asked when the items would ship, as my time frame is tight, and in Minnesota, I plant in early September. The agent told me that I would be getting my bulbs and roots in mid September. I checked on my order several times, and found they were not going to ship until October. This is too late in our agricultural zone. I called them and they told me that what I ordered would not arrive at their facility until October 1. They said the weather here (wherever that is) was not good enough to get their bulbs earlier than that. If the items had arrived when I was first told they would, there would have been no problem, but I had surgery late September, and could not walk for a few weeks. I had to have them shipped to my daughter. Again, the plants were shriveled and dried looking. I am not going to deal with Breck's again. What was once a great place to get my garden stocked is now a rip off company that pays no attention to the customer's wants or needs. I will not go into the numerous problems I've had with them, only that there were many and this year was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Negative
On Nov 27, 2019, SantaBarbaran (2 reviews)

Breck's clearly puts a lot of money into advertising. Don't be fooled. I ordered four Bearded Iris this fall. In the end I received none. Two were out of stock. The packing slip I eventually received claimed that the other two were enclosed. Instead--and with no word of explanation--I received two Asiatic Lilies. Company has offered me a certificate good for future orders, but I have requested a refund on the credit card. We'll see what happens.

Neutral
On Nov 3, 2019, flowers4birds (12 reviews) from Chilton, WI (Zone 5b)

Posted on October 30, 2019, updated November 3, 2019 I never buy from Brecks anymore. Though their bulbs are nice, their shipping policies are terrible. My spouse ordered two peonys from them in Late October in my name as a gift to me. Oooops! I'd have ordered from someone else. Now I'll be getting reams of junk mail from them for years about some sale or other almost every day. And now they have my e-mail address and are filling my SPAM file daily. Regarding the Peonies: They claimed they'd send them at the proper planting time. That would have been a month ago. So are they waiting until next year? No clue. No more communications. I'm hoping my spouse will contact customer service, but expect he will get no satisfactory answers. It's snowing here and way too late for Peonies to root themselves before winter. The ground will probably freeze in a week. My advice is to never order from Brecks. They pay no attention to shipping times for the zone you live in. You can find plenty of responsible dealers who offer the same plants at reasonable prices who will ship them at the proper time. You'll find them listed right here at Dave's Garden Watchdog.


On November 3rd, 2019, flowers4birds changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: November 3, 2019: I contacted Brecks Customer Service myself, describing the situation of their slow delivery and our early onset winter, and they quickly and politely refunded the money to our credit card. So I'm changing my rating to neutral. I really wanted those peonies too. They are beautiful, but will probably never re-order. I'm so old I'd never see them bloom.

Negative
On Jun 24, 2019, scott55tx (7 reviews) from Duncanville, TX (Zone 8a)

I ordered 3 plant collections from them. One collection each of Dahlia ,Phlox, and Monarda. The dahlia was the only one that lived. The phlox and monarda was DOA on arrival. The replacement that were sent the monarda was dead and only half of the phlox lived.I have not paid my bill yet to see how these plants would do.Considering how they did am going to pay my bill which is past due under protest so I won't ever have to do business with Breck's again

Negative
On Jun 8, 2019, jasarthur (7 reviews) from Brentwood, TN (Zone 6a)

I sent 3 emails this week to "service@brecks.com" and haven't even received the courtesy of an auto-reply! I also tried calling them by phone but couldn't get through their menu to a live human. P.S.-I have to agree with one of the recent reviewers that Breck's substitution practice is awful.

Negative
On Nov 22, 2018, blissfullyigneo (1 reviews) from Auburn, CA,
United States

I ordered the Batik Iris Collection July 15, 2018. Contacted Breck's multiple times after shipment delays. Now, mid November with winter starting to set in in California, they canceled this part of my order entirely -- after previously telling me things would ship soon. I'm beyond frustrated at their service and extremely frustrated as this was the part of that order I was most interested in adding to my garden. I will only order from more professional growers in the future and there are many who offer a far more superior product at similar rates to Breck's. I'm just disgusted at this experience. They never had the courtesy to even let me know the order was canceled. I just happened to be checking my email on Thanksgiving and saw I had a random refund from them. Not worth the time or frustration at all. And, in my experience, the bulbs they do send are crud.

Negative
On Nov 15, 2018, ldaigle (2 reviews) from Salem, NH

I placed an order for hundreds of dollars in Irises, peonies, dahlias, begonias, hardy gladioli and poppies. My credit card was immediately debited. The order was split into ship dates according to planting time. Shipping dates were postponed several times. One by one, all but 2 my orders eventually cancelled as out of Stock. One of the 5 irises was molded and 1 of the 10 poppy roots was dried, shriveled and clearly dead. 7 months after placing orders, I had no fall flowers, will have no spring flowers, and still no refunds.

Negative
On Sep 16, 2018, sojoyful (5 reviews) from Merrimack, NH

Posted on September 9, 2018, updated September 16, 2018 I am a first time customer. I was wary because I've seen other negative reviews about delayed deliveries, but I decided to give them a chance. I placed a small order on 8/21/18 for three on sale iris bulbs. On my order confirmation, in the "Ship Date Estimate" column for each bulb the item number was listed instead of a date. This was suspicious, so I logged in to the website to check my order status and it said the delivery estimate for all three bulbs was 8/24/18-9/5/18. On 8/28/18 I logged in again and the delivery estimate for all three had changed to 8/31/18-9/12/18. I began checking every day and noticed that delivery estimate always increased by one day. It always said my items had not shipped. On 9/3/18 the delivery estimate was 9/6/18-9/18/18. I called customer service. They said they had not started shipping of fall bulbs yet because of the prime planting times. When I pointed out that the website states that shipping for iris in my zone starts on 8/13/18, they said they have to fill orders as they are received, and they were working as fast as they can. When I expressed concern over the shifting date estimates and shrinking planting window, they suddenly mentioned that my items were due for delivery on 9/10 (that date is not anywhere in my order status), and that they could put a "rush" on them, but that they still could not guarantee a date. On 9/8 (a Saturday) the delivery estimate was 9/11/18-9/23/18. I called again, this time I asked to cancel my order, which still had not shipped, according to the website. I cited the shifty delivery estimates and the increasingly late date. They said they were unable to cancel because my order was "processing" but that they would pass my request to the shipping department. I asked if I would get an email confirmation when my order was cancelled, and they repeated that they could not cancel my order because it is "in processing". They said the shipping department would come in Monday, and if they cancelled my order I would know because I'd see a refund on my account. IF. At this point I don't know how it will play out, but I do know I won't be ordering from them again.


On September 16th, 2018, sojoyful added the following: The box appeared on my doorstep. I'm very disappointed. There's no packing material to protect the bulbs from rolling around in the box during shipping, and one of them was broken. One is very moldy and has an insect web or egg sack on it. A second has a small amount of mold, and the third is ok but very small. It's too late in the season for an exchange, so I planted them but with low expectations. I will never order from this company again.

Positive
On Aug 30, 2018, raylenek (3 reviews) from Boise, ID

I have always been able to count on Breck's. I have gardened for 50+ years and I am a Master Gardener. I rarely give feedback, but after this year of several plant companies treating me so badly I knew I had to say something positive about one company, BRECK'S, they help make up for all the bad experiences. They have always been good about return credit without question. I lived in Pennsylvania that had very poor soil and no matter what I amended it with I couldn't get things to grow, (poor drainage) they NEVER QUESTIONED WHY THEY DIDN'T GROW or made me send photos!. I hadn't replaced all of last years' failures that I purchased through Breck's, so they just sent me a check in place of my credits. Can't beat that! Except for my years in PA I have had great success and very few returns. They will definitely be the ONLY online purchase from now on. You can count on Brecks for quality products.

Positive
On Aug 24, 2018, Joe904 (1 reviews) from Kalamazoo, MI

I was quite surprised to see the negative comments about this company. I have been ordering bulbs from them for many years and have only had the best experience. The bulbs I get are consistently larger and better looking than any I can buy in the nursery and the selection is top notch. The prices are occasionally just slightly higher but i feel that I am getting a better quality product due to bulb size. I rarely have needed to call them. I do not buy plants from them because I think it is akin to going to a steak specialty restaurant and ordering shrimp - best to stick with their strong suit. I recall mentioning to them one time that I had planted some irises in a place that turned out to have too little light for them to bloom - and they sent me new iris corms anyway even though this was clearly my fault and I had no intention of asking them to be responsible for my poor decision. I could not ask for a better place to buy bulbs.

Negative
On Aug 24, 2018, w96ladypilot (1 reviews) from Panama City Beach, FL

I absolutely detest this company. Ordered 3 times. NEVER got what I ordered. Sometimes replacements were sent, for something I didn't really want ("we're sure you will love this since we are out of that"). Hey, how about an email asking me instead of willy nilly sending something? Sometimes given credit toward future orders, which I do not care to use. STEER CLEAR!

Negative
On Jun 23, 2018, cynthiadp (1 reviews) from Sherman Oaks, CA

I ordered fourteen dinnerplate dahlias. Three of the bulbs , or what there was of them were missing all the "fingers" and had no central stem. What I discovered I received once they began blooming were these little 4" blooms and this was true of all the dinnerplate dahlias I ordered!!! I called Brecks and was told I should just cut off all but one bloom to force it into dinnerplate size. I've grown dinnerplate dahlias before and knew ( unless I was entering a flower competition) this was not true. None of the plants that I ordered were anything other than regular dahlias that I could have picked up at my local nursery. I have had trouble in the past with Breck's and will NEVER order from them again. Don't waste your money or your gardening time with them!

Positive
On Jun 18, 2018, willworkfordirt (4 reviews)

Posted on June 4, 2016, updated June 18, 2018 This is my first time ordering from Breck's. The customer service is exemplary. The staff is friendly, helpful and well-formed. You have a repeat customer!


On June 18th, 2018, willworkfordirt added the following: I REALLY like this company and its affiliates (Spring Hill Nursery, Michigan Bulb Co, etc.). I have ordered from them several times since my last feedback and have been completely satisfied with my purchases and the way they promptly and efficiently resolve any issue. As a customer, I find their business model to be simple, straightforward, and hassle-free. THE WAY IT SHOULD BE in my opinion. I see myself ordering from them for many years down the road. Breck's and affiliates -- if you are reading this -- you guys are doing something right. Keep it up!

Positive
On Jun 14, 2018, FrostPrincess (8 reviews) from Shakopee, MN

This was the first time I ordered from Breck's Bulbs...I had read the reviews here and knew it was kind of a crapshoot but as there are very few independent nurseries where I live, and for the few near me plant selections are meager and the prices are high--so I thought I'd try them. I was actually pretty surprised, the plants were all healthy and well packaged, and for starter plants they were actually a very nice size. I was actually very pleased with my order and will definitely order from them again. I've planted everything from my order and all are doing well, taking off...no sign of any transplant shock in any of the plants I ordered/received. My only frustration is the 'out' of stock notices...I know I ordered very late in the season and was ordering from their end of season sale, but it was as if they knew the plants I had my heart most set on and those were the ones that, of course...were out of stock. I will definitely order again from them for 'filler' plants and plants to try that are on sale and will also try them for some fall planting bulbs.

Positive
On May 17, 2018, Suze1 (6 reviews) from Dodge Center, MN

I ordered a Creme de la Creme phlox which didn't come up, which may have been my fault, but Breck's replaced it. I planted the replacement plant in a pot instead of directly into the ground so I wouldn't mistake it for a weed and pull it. I also appreciate the "Buy now, pay later" policy.

Positive
On May 5, 2018, MonteDon (1 reviews) from Seattle, WA

I have shopped with Brecks for about a year now and Spent LOTS of money with them. I'm kind of shocked at some of the reviews. #1 - yeah, they dont ship right away. For good reason - it mentions ALL OVER THE SITE, that items will ship when it's right for your zone and when they get them in stock. They are plants.. I mean - if your getting Fall bulbs and your ordering in April - why do you think those will be ready? The whole thing is aimed at shipping you the freshest bulbs from Holland. They definitely give you fair warning on the shipping time, but I would think most gardeners would kind of already understand the logistics behind why it would take a certain amount of time to get the plants. If you are looking for plants *now*.. go to a nursery. Brecks is good for things like - rare plants and things you cant find everywhere. So.. I have gotten many, many, many shipments from them - as well as their sister company Spring Hill (which I did not know was their sister company until I was on the phone with Brecks, paying a bill). They mentioned they could handle my Spring Hill order as well. I have received Tulip, Hyacinth, Lily, Fall bulbs.. Loads of Spring bulbs for cottage garden plants you cant find in nurseries. The bulbs are big and fresh. Healthy, vibrant flowers bloomed from each batch. I have had 2 issues with Brecks - 1 was when I ordered black tulips that were more red than black when they bloomed - and another was when I ordered off a buy one get one free sale - the shipment contained plants instead of bulbs and i got 6 hummingbird mints (you cant find those anywhere in nurseries.. when I asked the guy at the nursery, he had never heard of it).. anyway - 2 out of the 6 hummingbird mints looked a little toasty dry when I received.. This is where I am confused about other reviews.. So i called the 1-800 number and said "hey I just got 6 hummingbird mints, but 2 are dry... what should i do?" and they instantly refunded because they were out of stock and couldnt replace the plant. Yes the dude was in India, but I live in a very big city - so I am not scared of immigrants and did not care if the dude I was on the phone with had an accent. I just wanted him to resolve the issue.. That was my first time ever calling them about an issue, and I had all kinds of stuff ready - photos.. proof.. etc etc.. ready to argue (just in case).. but the dude was super polite. It was all business. he said Sorry, we are out of stock on those so I can only issue a refund.. I said sure thats cool, he told me to hold on... 5 minutes later - it was off my bill? So either i have extremely good luck with Brecks, or other people have unreasonable expectations. I know in my experience - i always fully understand I am ordering things I wont see for many months.. so maybe that helps my expectations. It is May 5th and I just ordered Fall bulbs. Having dealt with receiving Fall bulbs from Brecks before - I know they wont be shipping to my Zone until the end of October.. so the large order I just placed will not be received until the end of 2018.. I know this because it says everywhere "we will ship at the prime time for your planting zone to make sure bulbs are at their best!"... So.. I've done maybe 15 orders with them? and 2 or 3 with their sister company Spring Hill.. and I continue to order from them for a reason. I'll update this review if i ever run into a customer service issue though.

Negative
On Apr 26, 2018, DMSOregon (2 reviews) from Roseburg, OR

Worst Customer Service EVER! I placed an order on 3/19. waited 1 month and checked the order status it showed a Fedex label had been generated but nothing was shipped. I checked their on-line catalog and it showed both items Out of Stock. I sent an email inquiring about my order and immediately received a canned response stating that a CS rep. would contact me. I waited until after the stated delivery date (the order still had not shipped) and sent another email inquiry and received the same canned response, waited a couple more days and called them to cancel that order and asked for a refund. If there are have 500 customers they have collected payments from of, let's say $50. each. that's $25,000 they have sitting in an account earning interest. I called them canceled my order and requested my money refunded. I will be boycotting this company.

Negative
On Apr 11, 2018, petart (1 reviews) from Linglestown, PA

I ordered 7 daylilies October, 2017. I received very small specimens, bare root. Planted them in a newly prepared bed last fall. None survived the winter, they all rotted out. Refund given, no hassle there. But I’m still out the shipping fee of $12.95 which is not refundable. I won’t order from them again. I noticed the colors in their catalog are very deceptive and are not true to what the blooms really are.

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

hellebore collection paid $54.99 for 7 plants - received tiny seedlings with less than 1 inch roots. Paid $79 for one Itoh Bartzella peony--advertised as 3 eyes-- received a root segment 4 inches long with one eye. o Paid $32 for a bare root Radiant Perfume rose-- one stick 5 inch rooted . Total order $450! NO MORE! Order received before frost out of the ground.

Positive
On Feb 8, 2018, bkrell (6 reviews) from Shreveport, LA

I started receiving Breck's catalogs about the same time as Michigan Bulb catalogs. Then I realized they were all under the Garden's Alive umbrella. Typically, their prices are much higher than M Bulb, if it's something M Bulb carries. Breck's has a MUCH better selection though. Like MB, Breck's offers sales and all sorts of discounts. I typically only buy during those sales. The sale on daylilies at the end of last season was not to be missed. Plants they were trying to offer for $15-25 were being let go for a tiny fraction of that. In short, I LOADED UP on daylilies. And, to be perfectly honest, their daylilies are the best I've ever received from an online source. I ordered a lot of big beautiful tetraploids and got them in the ground ASAP. They TOOK OFF! In no time (and I hate to say it), they were really embarassing the daylilies I'd bought from Gilbert Wild and Son much earlier in the year. So, buy full price from Breck's? No. Take advantage of their sales? Absolutely.

Negative
On Nov 16, 2017, ncbill (11 reviews) from West Jefferson, NC

Posted on October 19, 2017, updated November 16, 2017 Posted on October 13, 2017, updated October 19, 2017 Posted on May 14, 2017, updated October 13, 2017 Posted on June 13, 2015, updated May 14, 2017 I was apprehensive about ordering from a Gardens Alive! affiliate. But the combination of clearance price and additional discount was too much to resist. I ordered a lot of plants. They were shipped in a reasonable time, not quickly but respectably soon after I placed my order. The plants I received were a respectable size, healthy, well-packed, well-marked. A very good value, if the actual blooms are true to the cultivars described and pictured online. No complaints. Everything appears as it should be.


On May 14th, 2017, ncbill added the following: Another order from Breck's this season. 17 calendar days from order to delivery. Not too bad. A clematis was very nicely packed, a small plant/small root system, but very healthy. Lily-of-the-Vally pips were average size, but look healthy. Very inexpensive. Incarvillea tubers are fat and healthy looking. Phlox roots are average, look OK. I ordered a bundle of 2 Itoh peonies. Only one was sent. I called customer service to check on it. They were out of the plant, but it was no hassle to get a credit. They had offered both a single Itoh AND a bundle of 2, so it is easy to see how this mistake could happen. The root I did receive is huge and healthy. Customer service was very good. Terrific deal. Columbines look healthy, average size. Dutch iris bulbs are very nice size and healthy. Crocosmia bulbs smallish but healthy. Hosta roots were healthy but smallish. Everything was an excellent value and very nicely packed. Customer service handled a small mistake perfectly. A good experience. I have ordered again.
On October 13th, 2017, ncbill changed the rating from positive to negative and added the following: So hit and miss. Plant quality and condition are inconsistent. Prices can be very tempting, and sometimes the plants are a good value. Customer service is good. Usually not a hassle to get credit for plants that fail. I am veering to negative in my overall opinion because at the end of the spring season, I had ordered hundreds of plants that ultimately were not shipped. They kept moving the ship-date forward, over and over. I found out via live chat that they had already shipped all the spring orders--while my orders were showing pending with estimated ship dates. They had closed their shipping for the season, without even informing those of us who had outstanding orders. It took a long time to get the refunds worked out, and I never was convinced that I was properly refunded for all the things I had paid for that never shipped. In some cases, they had my money tied up for months, and they most definitely held my garden hostage for weeks on end. They kept me from taking advantage of other vendors' clearances while I was (patiently, I might add) waiting for nothing. Bad business policies. Iffy merchandise quality. Not recommended.
On October 19th, 2017, ncbill added the following: On July 4, I placed an order with Gardens Alive! dba Breck's. I paid for the order in full at the time of the order. In early October, I received a partial order. I know this is normal, so I didn't think much about it. When the remainder of the order hadn't arrived a week later, I investigated. The order was marked "completed" all shipped in one box, 1 tracking number, 8 pounds. The 8 pounds included the box, packing materials, 2 dozen ferns, 6 iris rhizomes, and 3 geraniums, all packed in plastic bags with dirt/peat. The missing 17 hostas in no way could have been packed in that 8 pound package. They were never packed or shipped to me. Breck's CSRs refused to re-ship the missing plants, even though they are still listed in stock and available for sale. I could actually purchase them again, at FIVE TIMES THE PRICE I PAID IN JULY!!!!!!!! I placed this order much earlier than I usually do, because I especially wanted these plants. Gardens Alive! dba Breck's has cheated me several ways: by holding my money for 3 months and not sending me what I bought, by trying to directly steal from me, claiming they shipped items that they did not ship, by refusing to correct this "mistake", and by trying to gouge me on the "replacement" price of something I already bought and paid for. A criminally dishonest company.
On November 16th, 2017, ncbill added the following: I got sucked in to another one of their "deals." I placed one order for 120 daylilies and a separate order for 120 irises. Almost immediately, I received a nearly hysterical email telling me I had placed duplicate orders. I responded to three times to tell them the orders were definitely not duplicates, that the orders were VERY different, and NOT to cancel either order. Then they cancelled one of the orders and sent me an email saying that had cancelled my order, "as requested." WTH? You can't make this stuff up. Stunning incompetence PLUS deeply dishonest business practices. Yes, sometimes their prices are tempting, but this is a slimy, sleazy company that outsources their customer service to people who have no idea what they are doing and who do not speak English.

Negative
On Nov 16, 2017, franya4birds (1 reviews) from Dundee, NY

Their products are very undependable in condition. I have received many great items but also dried up items and a root that was completely rotten. The last shipment irritated me. It was a rather large order of fall bulbs that I pre-ordered in May. They had a "sale" of fall planting bulbs and being May I was able to plan to fill spaces with specific colors in specific areas of my gardens. The shipment came at a good planting fall time but when I opened the boxes I was surprised that three of five of my orders were substituted because they were out of stock. Now how could that be when I ordered in May! Nowhere do they ask you ahead of time May They Substitute. I was furious!

Negative
On Oct 26, 2017, Aussiegirl1 (1 reviews) from Tully, NY

Beware of "free plants" as an enticement. I ordered three types of bulbs on Sept. 11, and 3 weeks later received a shriveled tiny iris as my 'free plant.' Six weeks later I received a box with 2 flashlights (which I didn't order) and no bulbs. When I called Customer Service in India, I was treated politely, but informed that they would refund my money and unfortunately there were no bulbs available for reshipment. Breck's, you have seriously slipped in the customer service area and I will be ordering from American-based companies in the future.

Negative
On Sep 24, 2017, Jmiles (1 reviews) from Rome, NY

Bought 3 Hibiscus, showed up after first snow fall, not 1 grew. Complained, had to beg for replacement order, was to be recv'd this month. There's 1 week left & still hasn't ship'd. Definate waste of time, energy & $$$, They advertise nice plants,, but haven't seen them yet, wouldn't waste my time again

Neutral
On Sep 19, 2017, inflorescence (2 reviews) from South Central, AL (Zone 8a)

For now I'm giving Breck a neutral rating, but I'm not happy. I placed an order and received an email telling me the order had shipped approximately a month ago. I have contacted them twice to find out what happened with my order and still have no idea really when to expect the bulbs. I told them I hoped the order wasn't held up in a hot warehouse rotting away somewhere and that I just wanted to know whether it has shipped or not. If not, I would like to know when I might expect it. Purchase at your own risk, but after two companies have not delivered what I paid for I've decided not to order from any company that is not within the top rated companies in the Garden Watchdog or unless I can see the bulbs, hold them in my hand, and physically leave with them from a store.

Negative
On Jul 29, 2017, Sterling1940 (5 reviews) from Talent, OR

We moved to Talent three years ago, and the neglected garden needs a LOT of work, and a lot of new plants. I was lured in by one of Breck's frequent "sales." I ordered columbines, daylilies, hardy geraniums, a bottle bush, a canna lily, and some phlox. I see that others have had the same experience: My order was correctly filled... with dried up, shriveled roots in bags of wood shavings. I soaked everything for 24 hours, and planted all in a newly prepared [critter-proofed!] bed. I want to emphasize that growing conditions are identical for all these plants: The phlox sent up a few tendrils and promptly expired. Three of the five columbines look like they'll make it. One never sprouted, and one other looks iffy. Four out of six geraniums sprouted, of which two died within a week. Of the two that are left, one looks healthy, the other not so much. The daylilies are scrawny, but living, and the bottle bush seems to be happy, as is the canna. It works out that 1/2 of my order died. I have not taken this up with so-called customer service because I got a huge run-around on another order [ironically not mine!] and won't deal with them again. This time I wrote snail mail, and asked them to remove my name from their mailing list because I do not wish to do business with them again. This is especially in regard to their pricing, which seems to me an extroadinarily moving target. I do lots of comparison shopping because we are vets on SS. Using iris as an example, I directly compared their last "as much as 75% off!!" sale with an Oregon-based company which sent me beautiful fans. In every single case, Oregon's REGULAR cost was LESS than the "sale" at Breck's. I prefer to deal with companies who are no so volatile in the $ale front. I would suggest to those whose bulb experience is positive-- shop around a little. You may be surprised at what you find...

Negative
On Jul 5, 2017, Xanxost (1 reviews) from Philadelphia, PA

Been ordering from Brecks for a while now, and lately have had nothing but problems. First, ordered a lily collection, planted the bulbs in a new garden, and when they sprouted, one of them was a gladiolus. Of the 5 colors in the collection, I only got two. Next, ordered a toad lily. Received a bag of dirt with a one inch long root not much thicker than a hair. It never grew. Finally (one last chance), ordered 5 Odessa Calla (supposed to be black). What I got was mid-range purple (think Prince purple) on all of them. I'm done ordering from Brecks. Quality control has all but vanished. I'll now only buy plants from my local nurseries.

Negative
On Jun 22, 2017, Midnightloki (1 reviews) from Sugar Land, TX

Worse customer service ever. Placed 2 orders with them in the last 2 months. First order they substituted items. Second order they just sent an e-mail stating item not available and they altered the order and refunded the $ amount for the item. Sent an e-mail back telling them to cancel the total order and refund my money and confirm receipt of the request. No response. Called and talked to someone not in the United States. They hung up on me. Called back and finally got someone who could do something. Cancelled the order - waiting on my refund. DO NOT ORDER FROM THIS COMPANY - you will be totally disappointed.

Negative
On Jun 19, 2017, aarnold05 (1 reviews) from Naples, TX

I ordered the warm Clematis Collection in early spring. After waiting 7 weeks, I called the cs department. I was told the collection was on backorder and would be shipped within 7-10 business days. 3 weeks later, I again contacted customer service, only to be told this time that the order had been sent to shipping and should arrive within 7-10 business days. I waited a full 14 days, contacted customer service yet again, this time by email, and received a response that the order was still backordered but they would refund my shipping charges. I waited another 14 days, and contacted cs again. This time I was told the order had been cancelled. No refund was issued. Don't order from them. Take your business to your local nursery.

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