PO Box 638
Bantam, Connecticut 06750-0638 (United States)
860-567-0838

Reviews:

positives
neutrals
negatives

Displaying the 50 most recent reviews

RatingContent
Positive
On Oct 26, 2023, cwalke (19 reviews) from Longview, WA (Zone 8b)

Received my bulbs when they were promised and they were all plump and firm bulbs. Very pleased with my order.

Negative
On Aug 6, 2022, dgoldenberg49 (1 reviews) from Hummelstown, PA (Zone 7a)

I am an experienced amateur gardener living in Central PA. I have a very large woodland garden. In Sept of 21 I bought a large number of fall planted spring bulbs from John Scheepers. These arrived in good order and were planted immediately. I contacted the company in June to tell them that many of these bulbs failed (e.g 4 of 30 allium azureum sprouted). On June 8th 22I received an email from Gail asking a multitude of questions which I answered. On June 22 22 had heard nothing back and contact them again. I received an email that day stating that my report was forwarded to the owner, and that they would get back to me once he/she responds. On July 15 2022 I emailed back stating that I was unhappy with the lack of responsiveness. As of today August 6th 22 Ive received no response. Needless to say I am disappointed in the lack that response and will not be purchasing from John Scheepers in the future.

Positive
On Jan 7, 2022, iceman49 (12 reviews) from Saint Paul, MN

Recently ordered 3 Magical Touch Amaryllis, arrived on time and the bulbs were huge. Bulbs are blooming at this time, 2 of the 3 have put up 2 stalks, the last one has 4! Very pleased with their product and service.

Negative
On Dec 27, 2021, Virginia_field (1 reviews) from Marblehead, MA

I’m very disappointed in the quality of the bulbs I received. I’ve worked in the fine garden maintenance and care profession for over 20 years, Throughout that time people spoke of John Scheepers as a reputable online source for bulbs. These opinions didn’t sway me to order from John Scheepers since I had a local independent business where I could go to for all my bulb needs. When the owner retired : ( and COVID directed where and when I could shop I decided to order online. I opened the bag with the A. ‘Schubertii’ immediately and left the two other bags unexamined until planting time. One of the ten ‘schubertii’ was withered to the center. The others looked grey, the root end was weak and not vital feeling and the bulb shed more papery skin than I think a good bulb should. Though I was disappointed I decided to give them a try. I emailed the company with an FYI about the dead bulb. At that point I said that I believed it to be an exception and not to worry about it. I thought of taking pictures but my house is undergoing a major renovation and I’m short on time and long on environmental chaos. When it came time to plant I took a closer look at the texture and weight of the ‘Schubertii’ bulbs and could see that the quality was below average. All the bulbs were light weight and dry feeling. I’ve planted plenty of alliums and already have these growing successfully in my garden so I know how the bulb should look. The other items in my order, galanthus ‘elwesii’ and allium ‘azureum,’ were also a poor quality. Some were withered, several were sprouting like stale garlic cloves and many were squishy. I decided not to plant the ‘azureum’ because the chances of a good bloom are very slim and I didn’t have time to waste. I’ll test my assessment and pot them for a spring/summer bloom and see what happens. I don’t know why Sheepers bulbs were such a poor quality but I know I won’t order from them again. There are too many other quality places to buy from where customer satisfaction matters.

Neutral
On Nov 21, 2021, junodee (3 reviews) from Washington, DC

I've been shopping with John Scheepers for maybe 10-12 years now and usually purchase anywhere from 400-600 spring bulbs from them. They deliver when requested and respond promptly to inquiries. During the last two fall planting periods, I noticed that 10-12 of the tulip or daffodil bulbs in several of my bulk orders were rotten; not a huge amount, but disappointing and also new -- this had not happened previously to me. This fall, upon receiving my order, I immediately checked the bulbs and found 10-12 were rotten. When I asked for replacements or a refund, Scheepers sent me a refund of $1.98. (I'd have preferred the bulbs). When I tried to order additional Camassia and Hispanica excelsior bulbs this November, Scheepers processed the order and sent the former but included a notice saying they would ship the latter only if they had enough product in stock. Since then I have heard nothing from them so I am assuming the answer is no, but it would have been nice if they had followed up via email to confirm one way or the other. For the most part, I'm usually satisfied with their bulbs as they are bigger and healthier than other companies. I am simply lodging this comment in order to caution others to check their bulbs upon receipt and to not expect to be able to obtain additional bulbs late in the season.

Neutral
On Nov 9, 2021, queeniehyacinth (4 reviews) from Harrisburg, PA

I have mixed feelings about this company, hence the neutral rating. I emailed their customer service twice in an attempt to change my order long before it shipped, but no one ever responded and I received the original order. The narcissus and muscari bulbs were fine but the hyacinth varieties I ordered had more bulbs with V cuts in the outer layers than any of the other 4 companies I ordered hyacinths from. I'm not sure if this will effect flowering, but I found myself searching for intact bulbs to put in my pots and then hiding the cut ones within larger plantings. I might try their daffodils again next year but will order hyacinths elsewhere.

Positive
On Oct 16, 2021, 829FlowerLady (4 reviews) from Kent, OH

This is our go-to bulb company! They have beautiful bulbs, accurate descriptions, and fantastic customer service. We've spent thousands of dollars with the company, and it's been worth every penny! Thank you John Scheepers!

Positive
On Mar 26, 2021, naomimjacobs (3 reviews) from Bangor, ME

Ordering from John Scheepers over several years I have always received timely delivery of big healthy bulbs. Once I thought my order had come up short. I later discovered the "missing" bulbs in my garden shed. My bad! My only disappointment was a planting of Pagoda Erythronium which didn't emerge in spring. Scheepers was quick to issue a credit toward future purchases. I am happy to recommend this company.

Positive
On Nov 17, 2020, lionrock85 (2 reviews) from Wayne, PA

I have been buying both spring and summer bulbs from John Scheepers and Van Englen for close on 20 years. After buying from others, I started comparing bulb size, and quality of bulbs, etc and found that they always seemd to be a bit healthier looking, a tad bigger and always packed properly. I do buy from others for some speciality bulbs that John S. do not carry and sometimes scale back my order with John S. But every time I stray, I come back and always when doing a bigger order of say 200-300 for a new planting I go straight to Van Englen. The only problem I ever encountered was when I had some e-mails get lost on my system and I did not print out my order so I forgot details. I called CT and despite being "ordering" season I got quick response.

Neutral
On Apr 17, 2020, proserpine (6 reviews) from Commack, NY (Zone 7a)

After ordering from another bulb company for many years, I decided to try Scheepers for a fall 2019 bulb order because their prices were more reasonable. Among the six different types of bulbs ordered was Narcissus 'Misty Glen' which is described by every seller as being all/pure white, and it was for a white-garden area. When they bloomed they turned out to have a very pale yellow cup. Do they look white from the street, 40-some feet away? Yes, but not from the white garden planting which is along the walkway to the front door. :-( So I suspect that what I got might not be Misty Glen. Another disappointment: Out of the 50 eranthis bulbs I received, only 10 of them came up. All planted promptly and not ravaged by any "critters" either. Three of the other bulb types did come up as expected, and I am awaiting the flowering of the sixth which I hope is the color that I ordered. But overall, I am disappointed.

Positive
On Feb 7, 2020, VeryVer (6 reviews) from Middlebury, VT

Couldn't be more pleased with John Scheepers. I've ordered bulbs from them multiple times and never had a problem. They always arrive boxed and labeled and in perfect shape. No shenanigans. The amaryllis and paper-whites have all been superb and bloom like champions. Huge healthy bulbs. Great catalog. I love the selection of unusual amaryllis such as the miniatures and cybisters. The daffodils were enormous and last year came up through the clay in spectacular fashion. I will update in a few months to see how this year's tulips and daffodils do.

Positive
On Feb 10, 2019, SanJoseFool (21 reviews) from Canton, GA (Zone 7b)

Ordered a combo box of giant alliums. They were costly bulbs because of the size. They were packed well and timely shipped. Bulbs were in excellent condition. Was an impulse buy I see now these types aren't a fan of GA climate. I see them coming up now but if they don't make it I won't be replacing them next year.

Positive
On Dec 26, 2018, jimfrankmartin (10 reviews) from Scott, LA

Since 2012 I have ordered daffodil, lily and other bulbs from Scheepers. My recent order, received today, December 26 2018, included a bag if 25 butterfly mixture narcissus 8741 (catalog #) and two other varieties in packs of 10 each. I opened the net sack with the 25 bulbs and separated them. Some include double nosed bulbs and some included a mother bulb with two, three and four baby bulbs from that parent attached. When I finished separating and counting, I discovered I had received 63 separate bulbs for the catalog price of 25. Boys and girls, can we discuss "satisfied customer"? Let me passionately, powerfully and vehemently recommend you study other vendors and then return to Scheepers to select and purchase daffodils, narcissus and any and every other offering in their extensive and breath-taking catalog. Thanks to the growers in Holland and all the folks at Scheepers who prove they respect and appreciate their customers by offering, healthy, vigorous, outsized and jaw dropping bulbs. Jim Martin Scott Louisiana December 26 2018

Negative
On Dec 19, 2016, bonitaf (1 reviews) from Bethlehem, PA

I ordered 265.20 of seeds after hours, so no conversation or chat options. But I DID send 2 emails, questioning the date of the seeds (last year's or upcoming season's?) and the cost of shipping - 10% of order. Not so bad for $10/20-worth. But a *small* box of seeds that I would spend about $5 to ship was ***$26.52*** Emails remained unanswered, so I was forced to call. "It says so on the website" was the ONLY company response - from line staff and from supervisor. If I had ordered $500, fit in the same box, they would charge $50 to mail! Furthermore, seeds arrived totally undated. Nothing on the package about "packaged for" or expiration date - it does say "good for 2 years" or "good for 1 year" but does not disclose any actual date. I was told I should write on the package so I would know. And only "what kind of company do you think we are" when I asked which season they were packed for and how to know. I will *never* order again from these folks. They made at least $20 to ship that package which are not cheap seeds! No "sorry," no "yeah that's high," NOTHING. There's an old adage, consistently true - a satisfied customer will tell a few people - but an angry customer will tell 10 times more!

Positive
On Dec 17, 2016, nitzi1944 (12 reviews) from Kings Park, NY (Zone 7a)

Posted on October 20, 2013, updated December 17, 2016 Posted on April 25, 2013, updated October 20, 2013 Posted on October 29, 2012, updated April 25, 2013 Posted on April 25, 2012, updated October 29, 2012 Posted on October 19, 2011, updated April 25, 2012 Posted on October 23, 2010, updated October 19, 2011 Posted on October 9, 2010, updated October 23, 2010 Posted on October 14, 2007, updated October 9, 2010 I just received my tulip bulbs. They are gigantic, much larger than anything i've ever bought in a local nursery. They were well packaged and arrived when they were supposed to. I can't wait to plant them. Thanks, John Scheepers!


On October 16th, 2008, nitzi1944 added the following: 10 /16/08. I just received my large order. Everything is in tip top shape. The size of the bulbs is enormous! Everything I ordered last year came up and I had a beautiful display. I would highly recommend this compny tom anyone.
On October 9th, 2010, nitzi1944 added the following: My bulb order arrived well packed with big, healthy bulbs. I just planted 50 Ice King daffodils. Most of them had 2 or 3 bulblets attached to the mother bulbs. Will start on the tulips this week. I can't wait for Spring. This is a great quality company and everything I ordered last year came up. The La Courtine, Pink Impression, and Daydream Tulips were gorgeous.
On October 23rd, 2010, nitzi1944 added the following: I just got my second order in 2 days! The Olympic Flame Burning Heart Tulip bulbs are humongous. Stratosphere daffodil bulbs had many doubles and some triples. Yikes! More to plant! The catalog bekons me! Highly rec. this company.
On October 19th, 2011, nitzi1944 added the following: I received my bulb order last week and am in the middle of planting them. The bulbs arrived well packed and in great condition. Only TWO 'Manly' daffodils weere duds. That's super for a $300 order! All the things I ordered last year came up and were gorgeous. I was having construction done on my house and a big payloader accidently went over a bed. I thought, That's it!" Much to my surprise all the daffodils and tulips I planted there came up and made such a great display. People knocked on my door to says how nice it all looked. Thanks John Scheepers for a great product! I look forward to Spring.
On April 25th, 2012, nitzi1944 added the following: Even though we had no winter and a crazy hot spurt in March, my John Scheepers daffodils and tulips came up. I was especially pleased with Gay Tabor daffodils and Menton Exotic tulips, which are blooming right now and the Weisser Berlin which were sent as a replacement for an inaccurate packaging label last year.They were a little smaller blooms due to heat but I still love them. Oh well, Mother Nature.This is a quality co. from which I will continue to order from.
On October 29th, 2012, nitzi1944 added the following: I received my bulb order of tulips and daffodils last Wed. Everything was in PERFECT shape. I have been busy planting ahead of this huge storm that we're expecting. Thanks again for great bulbs.
On April 25th, 2013, nitzi1944 added the following: All the bulbs came up and look terrific.I love Exotic Emperor and Sweetheart tulips as well as City of Harlem yellow hyacinths. The daffodils look wonderful. Bridal Crown, Petit Four and White Lion are just perfect. K´´p up the great catalog J.S.!
On October 20th, 2013, nitzi1944 added the following: Just got my 2013 order. Everything was perfect. The bridal crown daffodils are firm as are the amarylis. I have added to my collection of exotic emperor and sweetheart tulips b/c they were so fabulous last year. The hyacinths Jan Bos and Fondant are also huge and healthy. This is a quality company with quality stock..
On December 17th, 2016, nitzi1944 added the following: I love this company. They are so nice on the phone! 99% of their bulbs come up. A few tulips were most likely dessert for voles! Theír bulbs always make a great display!

Positive
On Oct 23, 2016, virginiarose (64 reviews) from Portsmouth, VA (Zone 8a)

Posted on October 14, 2014, updated October 23, 2016 I received my order from this company today and was very surprised at the nice big, healthy bulbs. These have got to be the biggest bulbs I have gotten anywhere, huge firm bulbs look freshly dug. They were packed in vented plastic bags with peat moss inside. Very nice and dry. Thank you!


On October 23rd, 2016, virginiarose added the following: Another wonderful order of stunning bulbs from Scheepers. I love the big healthy bulbs they send. Very nice and dry, no sign of mold or rot. I am so excited about this order, especially the bag of low growing mix for the front yard. These will be perfect for my corner garden which is right out in the open so tall ones would fall over with all the storms we get, plus drainage is better. I am also very happy to get 5 each of these gorgeous Oriental Lilies like Golden Band, Garden Party, Josephine and Muscadet, also ten Casa Blanca Oriental. No such thing as too many white lilies. Wow, thank you Scheepers!!

Negative
On Dec 31, 2015, collectorpalms (15 reviews) from College Station, TX

Last season I Received late season Tulip bulbs that were shipped in plastic bags and were molding upon arrival. I sent an email and there was no follow up. I did not order from them this season but ordered their site Van Engelen. Although slightly better there were some bad bulbs and they did not respond either.

Positive
On Nov 17, 2015, Jadwin59 (15 reviews) from Rochester, NY (Zone 6a)

About a decade ago I ordered about 500 bulbs from Scheepers - premium tulips, daffs, croci, chionodoxa, and some woodland bulbs. The bulbs they ship are large and fresh and did well; most of the bulbs, including the tulips, rebloomed perennially even though technically they weren't guaranteed to do so. But come spring, I discovered that several of the drifts of tulips I'd planted were not what I'd ordered. They were green-flowered instead of purple. I called Scheepers, and I was pretty ticked off. (All that work and anticipation, and then the wrong thing.) They volunteered to replace the bulbs the next fall, but I declined because I was frustrated (green-flowered tulips just didn't do it for me!) and I didn't feel very trusting about them at that point. In 2015 I placed an order again with Scheepers, having forgotten my negative experience a decade before. I received a telephone call when they received my order: did I know that I had a $75 credit because of their mistake many years earlier? The honesty of this experience, and the company's willingness to make good on an error, even many years after the fact, was impressive. The quality of what they ship, and the customer service they provide, are exemplary.

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

Posted on June 3, 2013, updated November 4, 2015 Posted on April 11, 2013, updated June 3, 2013 Posted on April 11, 2013, updated April 11, 2013 Posted on October 24, 2012, updated April 11, 2013 Posted on October 23, 2012, updated October 24, 2012 Posted on June 15, 2003, updated October 23, 2012 Scheepers is my absolutely favorite bulb company. Their prices are excellent (for the great quality you get), the selection of daffodils and tulips is huge, the bulbs are big, and they've never failed to bloom for me - usually for many years. I also like the color catalog - very nice with some of the more unfamiliar bulbs. I only wish they had a better selection of fall-blooming bulbs and some of the older varieties of daffodils (like 'Geranium', which they never seem to have) - if they did, I'd never buy fall bulbs from anyone else


On July 27th, 2004, AS added the following: After they confirmed my order for this fall, there was a crop failure on one amaryllis I'd ordered (hailstorms in S. Africa). They immediately called to let me know, and I was able to replace it with another variety. A very professional response, and much nicer than being surprised in a few months.
On July 26th, 2007, AS added the following: After several years of ordering, they continue to be excellent each year. I've only had problems one year, when they sent me "mixed" anemones that *all* came up purple and a package of Dutch iris that was obviously the wrong color. Customer service was great. The Dutch irises was replaced without question, and the replacements were the right color. They offered a replacement or a credit for the anemones - I took the credit and bought some anemones in a different color to mix with the purple.
On April 4th, 2009, AS added the following: Two more excellent years, and no need to contact customer service. I hope this company never goes out of business or gets bought by anyone.
On October 23rd, 2012, AS added the following: Still positive, but I've had a few disappointments and mild irritations, in the last year or two. Hope this isn't the sign of a decline in this wonderful company. The 50 Gold Medal Mix daffodils I ordered last year were far from a well-balanced mixture. Roughly half were a yellow and orange double (Tahiti, maybe?), and 30-40% of the rest consisted of 2 other varieties of doubles. (Just my luck - I can't stand most double daffodils). The other 5-10 bulbs were actually a variety of daffodils. OK, buying a mixture can be a game of chance, so I didn't complain. The pink and white Asiatic lily mixture included several that were certainly stretching the definition - one brick red, an orange and yellow, and a salmony red. Again, I didn't complain, though I expect I'll throw those out. On the other hand, I had a complete failure with one color of bulbs, but not with other colors I planted simultaneously in the same beds. I did say something about this to the company. Unfortunately, they seem to be trying a new method of customer service. Over the last 15 or 20 years I've dealt with this company (buying anywhere from 30 to hundreds of bulbs each year), I've only had to contact them only 3 times, each time for mislabeled bulbs. Each time, they promptly made a decision, and offered to send the right bulbs next year (and did), or gave me a credit. This time, they asked me to fill out a form, said they would relay it to their horticulturalist.... and then the whole affair vanished into the ether. That was definitely irritating. At least, have the courtesy to tell me whether you'll be replacing the bulbs or not!
On October 24th, 2012, AS added the following: Just to clarify, they did not replace the bulbs or provide a credit. Judging by a previous poster's comment, my form is not the only one that was eaten by a black hole.
On April 11th, 2013, AS added the following: I have no idea what's happening with their mixes lately, but it looks like someone put the "all white" daffodil mix together this year with the attitude that "if there's white in it anywhere, add it." I've bought this mix before from Scheepers, and it was fine. But last fall's mix is a disappointment. I planted it in a new bed, and so far, I've had Mt. Hood (I expected it, though it doesn't start pure white), Ice Follies (a bit of a stretch for "white"), a couple that started all yellow and matured to white with a yellow cup, a pink/ white that looks a lot like Salome, and a white double with an pinkish-orange cup that strongly resembles Delnashaugh. The only daffodil that have actually been white were Thalia (or something similar), and the overall effect has been whitish, with yellow and pink. So if you really want white, you might be better off spending a bit more and buying named varieties like Thalia, Polar Ice, Stainless, etc. Also, the bulb that failed last year? I bought the same thing from a big box store and it's coming up beautifully.
On April 11th, 2013, AS added the following: To sum it up, I've gotten good bulbs from them overall, but BE CAREFUL OF THEIR MIXES.
On June 3rd, 2013, AS added the following: Anyone who plants their bulbs in garden beds, among perennials, might want to take note of Scheepers' latest information about fertilizing bulbs - page 43 of the catalog. The 'good' fertilizer, according to them, is 4-10-6 bulb fertilizer 3 times a year - they claim you should "never fertilize with chicken droppings, horse manure, mushroom compost or household compost." and also come out against household compost because it "often fails to decompose completely" and "can be a breeding ground for damaging fungus and weeds." While I consider the "household compost is bad" advice to be nonsense, it's something to be aware of if you ever need to contact them for non-performing bulbs. One of the lines on their new "customer service" form asks about the fertilizer you use. Scheepers bulbs have been good enough that I'll continue to order, but based on this, I'm assuming they'll refuse to replace any bulbs if they fail to perform. (I'm not dumb enough to give up composting, which does wonders for my soil.)
On November 4th, 2015, AS changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following: I'm changing my rating to neutral, given that I've decided to change my rating for Van Engelen to neutral (didn't order from Scheepers this year, but they're the same company). My experiences with these companies have been disappointingly mixed, the last few years. I'll probably continue to order from them, but with lower expectations and in smaller amounts.

Positive
On Sep 20, 2015, ellenfoster (10 reviews) from Hinesburg, VT

My preferred sight for bulbs. They have an enormous selection, especially of the odd types that I didn't even know about, give lots of detail about each type of bulb, often have the best prices, and definitely send tthe best bulbs I've ordered, both large and healthy. The color on the web sight is reliable. The bulbs are well packed and arrive at the right time for planting. I usually have a large order with them every year and have never been disappointed.

Negative
On Mar 23, 2015, vivvar (7 reviews) from Centralia, WA

Last fall, I ordered 20 split corona daffodils, "Mondragon" as I am fond of split coronas. What came up was not a split corona, "Mondragon" but a large capped daffodil..I phoned to complain. and was told to send a photo which I did...as they would have to consult with a horticulturalist...I phoned back the next week and they gave me a choice of a refund or to order again the same daffodil in the fall. I chose the refund..But when I asked the name of the daffodil which came up, they could not tell me..I now have 20 daffodils whose name I do not know...Very disappointed...

Positive
On Feb 7, 2015, ssipes (5 reviews) from Murphysboro, IL (Zone 6b)

I ordered tulips, daffodils, and grape hyacinths from John Scheeper Inc. and was very pleased with the quality of the bulbs. They were delivered at the right time for planting.

Positive
On Nov 12, 2014, sjdhuntkiest (1 reviews) from Portland, OR

Good customer service. We ordered bulbs for a couple clients, and they were able to accommodate our planting schedules. Communication was prompt and clear. This was a blessed relief when compared to previous experience with other companies. The bulbs I ordered for my own garden last year performed beautifully, except for some of the tulips, which the squirrels reported as delicious. (Evidently yellow ones are tastier than red.)

Positive
On Oct 22, 2014, bryana (72 reviews) from Albany, NY

Posted on November 29, 2013, updated October 22, 2014 Posted on October 9, 2012, updated November 29, 2013 Posted on November 6, 2011, updated October 9, 2012 Posted on November 11, 2010, updated November 6, 2011 I ordered a large number of daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, amaryllis and smaller bulbs. The shipment arrived well packed with good sized bulbs.


On November 6th, 2011, bryana added the following: ordered hyacinths, asiatic lillies, narcissus - all were good sized bulbs well packaged.
On October 9th, 2012, bryana added the following: I ordered an assortment of small bulbs (snow drops, glory of the snow, rock garden iris, grape hyacinth, etc) All appeared normal size, firm bulbs in good condition, packed well. No crocus - planted those last year and all were eaten - hoping for a better spring display.
On November 29th, 2013, bryana added the following: I made a large order - 50 HYACINTHOIDES NON-SCRIPTA 10 LILY MONTE NEGRO /ASIATIC 10 LILY ORANGE COUNTY /ASIATIC 10 LILY PEARL JENNIFER /ASIATIC 20 NARCISSUS ARA 20 NARCISSUS ARKLE 20 NARCISSUS BELL SONG 20 NARCISSUS CHROMACOLOR 20 NARCISSUS DERRINGER 20 NARCISSUS HILLSTAR 20 NARCISSUS SWEET LOVE All the bulbs were firm, healthy, clearly and carefully packaged - they were all average sized but I expect them all to perform well .
On October 22nd, 2014, bryana added the following: I ordered 14 varieties of tulips, 7 kinds of jonquils and 3 amaryllis bulbs. All were clearly labeled and well packaged . The bulbs were good sized and firm. Some were for outside most for forcing in pots.

Positive
On May 16, 2014, CosmosandCleome (3 reviews) from Bethany, PA

I've ordered bulbs from this company twice, and have been pleased both times. The bulbs were huge, firm, and healthy when they arrived. They flowered beautifully. The amaryllises each sent up two or three flower stalks, each with four to six huge flowers on it, and nearly all of the daffodil bulbs sent up more than one bloom. I planted 30 King Alfred bulbs in one area and counted over 50 flowers. Will continue to use Scheepers as my bulb supplier!

Positive
On Feb 7, 2014, pataskala (2 reviews) from Beechwood Trails, OH

I ordered several amaryllis bulb gift kits. One of the bulbs was beginning to rot. Contacted customer service, was asked to send a photo. Received a replacement in plenty of time for gift-giving. Also ordered one of their amaryllis collections to keep for myself. Bulbs are huge and healthy, and growing robustly- can't wait to see the blooms. I will use this company again

Positive
On Jun 8, 2013, dervish2 (1 reviews) from White Plains, CT (Zone 6b)

I ordered Darwin Tulip bulbs in the Fall 2012. They were huge. They all came up. They were magnificent - beautiful colors, large flowers and sturdy stems. I hope they repeat.

Negative
On Jun 6, 2013, LGJ (1 reviews) from Brooklyn Park, MN

I ordered a bunch of Daffodil bulbs last year from John Scheepers and only a few came up this spring. None of them bloomed. I contacted customer service, and was told I needed to answer seven detailed questions first that, as others have mentioned, would be referred to their horticulturalist. I took the time to comply, thinking they must really want to know what went wrong. Their final response was, "It appears that you used compost and other amendments in the soil, as well as planted the bulbs in a mounded bed. The amendments added burned the bulbs and roots. If the bulbs did survive that damage, they rotted due to the mounded bed and irrigation system." The bulbs did not rot, and I told them so twice before getting their final answer, but I don't think it would have mattered what I said. I dug a number of the bulbs up, and they were not rotted or mushy. I had used well-decomposed homemade compost made from plant matter only (not the manure compost they recommend against). I added a bit of popular garden fertilizer to the soil (not the exact formulation they recommend and I didn't leave it on the surface but mixed it into the soil - apparently a bulb killer from their perspective). I have an irrigation system and some, but not all, of the bulbs were planted in a mounded bed, so I guess it was all my fault. Scheepers said my "improper planting environment" precluded me from any refund. They did offer a partial (less than half of what I paid) "house credit." Funny thing was, I was about to just write the whole thing off as weird weather this year, when a gardening friend suggested I contact the company and see what they would do for me. I was left more frustrated by Scheeper's response than I was by the non-blooming bulbs.

Positive
On Jun 1, 2013, Adriann (1 reviews) from Fenwick, CT

I ordered tulips and daffodils two years ago through the John Scheeper's website. I am still relatively new to gardening and was extremely happy when these gorgeous flowers popped up two springs in a row now. I just put them in the ground with, I don't even know what kind of soil, threw some mulch over them and that's it! I've received a ton of compliments on them as well, which I've taken 100% credit for, of course. I will be ordering more this fall (especially the Foxtrot tulips!)

Positive
On May 30, 2013, rebecca101 (25 reviews) from Madison, WI (Zone 5a)

I placed a large order with Scheepers in fall - lots of daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and some minor bulbs. Everything came up and we had a beautiful spring show! I was very pleased with the quality, selection, and pricing of their bulbs.

Negative
On Feb 18, 2013, MusicalDuet (1 reviews) from Highland, NY

I order A LOT of plants and bulbs and the like on-line, as I have MANY flower gardens throughout my yard/property. John Scheepers totally did me wrong when several of the Eremurus (desert candles/foxtail lillies) that I ordered - and paid a lot of money for - failed. Even though I made well-drained loamy soil by adding sand and a good humus mixture, covered them with only a few inches of soil and planted them in a very sunny area, I had TWO sets of the rootstock fail on me two years in a row. When I called to complain, I got the run-around. When I wrote e-mails about the problem, they got an poor attitude with me and actually accused me of trying to get over on them just to get some free replacements sent to me! What nerve. I will NEVER deal with this company or its affiliates again. VERY, VERY POOR CUSTOMER "SERVICE".

Neutral
On Jan 19, 2013, CO_Gardener (9 reviews) from Broomfield, CO

As a company in business for years, I would expect this company to ship seeds at the posted rate. I had to pay extra to the postal service to have my order delivered. Figure out how to lay the seeds flat - WHATEVER. I paid the extra postage due because I thought it was from a seed trade - desired seed trade...not a seed order for which I had already paid postage - quite a bit for the seed order total. If you decide to order from this company, be prepared to pay extra postage to receive your order. Ridiculous. And from the seed list that I ordered, not worth the extra postage.

Positive
On Jan 9, 2013, biggfurrydogz (4 reviews) from Auburn,
United States

GREAT AMARYLLIS BULBS!! At the recommendation of a gardening professional, I ordered three amaryllis bulbs from Scheepers. The bulbs were huge and extrememly healthy, I could not have been more pleased. They have a great selection of bulbs and the prices are very fair for the size and quality. Will order again!

Positive
On Nov 9, 2012, HeidiNH (11 reviews) from Brentwood, NH (Zone 6a)

This fall I ordered their Camassia web special, two shades of lavender and blue, and white. The bulbs were shipped promptly and were healthy and a fair size, although never having seen them before I'm not sure what they're supposed to look like. I'll follow up with a review when/if they all sprout next spring, I can't wait to see this flower in person. Looks like delphiniums on steroids!

Negative
On Oct 9, 2012, JuliaNY (12 reviews) from Dundee, NY

I ordered 4 peonies - bare root. Today I received my order. First, the box was damaged. Also it was not the correct size to begin with to ship any bare root plants in and provide packaging to protect the roots. The box was very small and the bare roots were jammed into the box. I inspected each of them and found that instead of 3 to 5 eyes, they had 1 or 2 eyes. Not acceptable and these should have been inspected before shipping to me. I've contacted Scheeper's customer service via email to ship these back to them and get a refund. Very disappointed.

Negative
On Jul 27, 2012, zone6bnewbie (1 reviews) from Boston, MA

Bought lily bulbs from Scheepers that were supposed to be fragrant. The website said they are "intoxicatingly fragrant." I planted every single one by my back porch so we could enjoy the fragrance. The lilies have absolutely no fragrance. Called Scheepers and they said that this particular lily has no fragrance. I informed them that their website said that this lily is fragrant. As the website was incorrect (acknowledged by them) I asked for replacement lily bulbs that are fragrant. Even after acknowledging that their website was inaccurate, they refused to give a refund or replacement.

Positive
On Jul 7, 2012, Gracye (7 reviews) from Warrenton, VA

High quality, performed beautifully. I bought tulips (Bambi thanks me), heirloom & double daffodils, anemone (long bloom time and much bang for the buck), species tulips (gorgeous), trumpet lilies (ditto), species crocus. Planted them with bulb food, and no problems. Will order more to plant this fall. Can never have enough bulbs, it seems.

Positive
On Jun 27, 2012, silkroad (8 reviews) from Lady's Island, SC (Zone 9a)

I've been ordering from this company for years, both for my former home in Illinois, and now here in South Carolina. Shipment has always been prompt, and I'm very satisfied with the quality of the bulbs. I am aware that most tulips and daffs, as well as many of the bulbs they offer, do not bloom or perennialize well in Coastal South Carolina, even though we are in Zone 8. It would be wonderful if all catalogs listed the Heat Zone as well as the Horticultural Zone, but until they do, a well informed consumer is the best hedge against disappointment. When in doubt, call your County Extension Agent.

Negative
On Jun 22, 2012, Norsk (5 reviews) from Barron, WI

Posted on May 25, 2012, updated June 22, 2012 Last fall we ordered 5 Fritillaria Imperialis bulbs from them, planted taking special care of drainage, black soil, etc. Got one nice plant this spring, no sign of 3 and 1 came up half hearted. Informed John Scheepers by e-mail, got a quick reply asking me to dig down to see what the bulbs looked like. I did, bulb was firm but no sign of roots or growth. Informed the company of that. Todate, no more response. As pricey as these bulbs were, I'd like something more than silence. So no more business from us. btw, Both the bulbs and the one plant really smell like skunk, which was idea, we have trouble with deer and our tulips.


On June 22nd, 2012, Norsk changed the rating from neutral to negative and added the following: After reading about how other nurseries treat their customers, if bulbs don't sprout, I decided to change my neutral to negative. zprehaps reading the Mass. gardner's comment it it helped?

Negative
On Jun 15, 2012, dallaes (1 reviews) from Concord, MA

Placed an order totaling $271.15 three years ago. You need to know that you will have a hard time getting a refund from them for bulbs that don't come up. I will never order expensive bulbs from them again. Part of the order was for peony bulbs. I planted them in the fall exactly according to their directions. They didn't come up the following summer. I called Scheepers and they said wait another year, sometimes it takes a while. The following year, the peonies still didn't come up, so I called again. They said I must have planted them wrong because otherwise, they would have come up. Would not give a refund or credit or new bulbs.

Neutral
On Nov 19, 2011, laurieeirual (12 reviews) from Boston, MA (Zone 5b)

I ordered a lot of bulbs from John Scheepers in 2010. Perhaps it was the weather, but they didn't do very well. I was especially disappointed that none of the 3 Eremurus bloomed; in fact only one sent leaves up.

Positive
On Nov 6, 2011, psychloman (50 reviews) from Brooklyn, NY (Zone 7a)

I placed my first order with John Scheepers and have already placed a second for some Fritillaria.I rerceived the following CALOCHORTUS VENUSTUS, CAMASSIA CUSICKII ,CAMASSIA LEICHTLINII COERULEA, HYACINTHS FORCING & EXHIBITION COLLECTION and am very satisfied with the quality and service.The bulbs were huge,firm and healthy,no signs of mold or drying out.Worth it!T

Positive
On May 21, 2011, linette2001 (22 reviews) from Gainesville, FL (Zone 8b)

I ordered from their winter sale and this spring all my lily bulbs are gorgeous with multiple blooms. Prices were fantastic. Would definitely order from again.

Positive
On May 12, 2011, survivorman (6 reviews) from Waban, MA

Posted on October 27, 2010, updated May 12, 2011 Just received my first order. In the past I had ordered from Breck's and had to wait for 2+ months to get my stuff which came dehydrated etc. What a refreshing experience this was. The order came in 2 days. All bulbs were plump and neatly packaged. And their prices are reasonable, cheaper than the large mail order companies even without the 50% discount which seems to be the hook that other companies are using. Will not hesitate to order from this company again.


On May 12th, 2011, survivorman added the following: What fantastic bulbs, my garden looks amazing this year. These guys are reasonably priced and their bulbs are exotic, unique, and high quality. I see no reason to buy bulbs anywhere else.

Positive
On Apr 21, 2011, caterino1 (7 reviews) from Newburgh, NY

I have ordered from scheepers/van engelen for a few years now, and must sing their praises. This year is my best spring ever!!! I ordered 1600 bulbs last fall and so far everyone has bloomed. This is my first year to grow scillia siberica, when I first received them I was sure that the bulbs were not in the best condition, I called them, to let them know and got the nicest rep on the phone, explaining that they looked like that and not to worry, I was skeptical, but agreed to plant them and wait, well they are up and they are beautiful, If you want great bulbs in good condition, look no further, I am a customer forever and would never buy bulbs at any other site....

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

Hello! For several years I have intended to sing the praises of this company. Yet, since they only really deal in Fall planted bulbs, I tend to forget the passed joys of Spring as I work toward the future. I will admit that I am an addict of the Spring Garden. Summer and Fall are nice, but nothing compares to the joy I receive as I watch the earth break with the first efforts of bulbs reaching for the sky. I dance with the knowledge that all the colors imagined in life will born with the flowers to come. I have ordered many, many times from both Van Engelen and John Scheepers. From Van Engelen, I get waves of color at a good price due to their policy of taking large orders at a discount. John Scheepers allows me to order fewer bulbs of a single type. Though the price is higher than the bulk prices from VE, they are still often less than what I can find elsewhere. From both, I have never received less than what I consider high quality bulbs. Everything has bloomed true to color and type. Their shipping costs are fair (for these days), and everything ships quickly and is well packed. There are three companies (none in the "Top 30") with which I do the bulk (number of bulbs....not total cost) of my Fall ordering. If I were forced to stop with only one company, my choice to keep would be VE/JS. I only have two minor complaints. ONE: I wish that I could somehow combine orders from VE and JS instead of having to make two separate orders....but that is not a big deal since websites are pretty much identical and easy to use. TWO: It seems that each year, there are fewer selections of species bulbs....again, only a minor complaint since I use other sources to fill the gap. All in all, I feel that both companies do an excellent job and have an excellent product for the price. I feel that I must make one comment, more for customers than for the company (but both JS/VE should take note). My personal policy as to using names of other companies in a review is that I don't. In this one case I must make an exception in order to make a point. As I read other comments about items not being true to zone, I wish everyone would take time to read High Country Gardens comments on "wetness" or xeric vs non-xeric plants. It is a well written and informative guide. Living in my climate, I can have a zone 4 bulb simply rot in the ground every year even though I place it in "well drained" sandy soil in a raised bed, etc. Until I started to truly understand bulbs and their cultural requirements, I lost many due to just going by zone and what I thought was needed to keep a bulb dry over winter. Another good place that describes cultural requirements very well, though in a little harder to assimilate fashion is Odyssy Bulbs. Old House Gardens also does a good, though limited, job. Since I have gained a little enlightenment , the survival rate of my bulbs has risen significantly. For fellow gardeners, you need to seek out the information in clear terms. As for VE/JS (and most other bulb companies), please post clear cultural information along with the product. Do it out of respect of your customers. Back to my review: In summary, I will say that my experience with VE/JS has been very good and I would readily recommend them to any of my fellow gardeners. Since they are two websites and I am too lazy to rewrite this review, I have copied and pasted it to the VE site. May the Moon light clearly your path even through the longest night. boru

Positive
On Mar 4, 2011, laurahteague (8 reviews) from Madisonville, KY

I ordered daffodils from this company last year. Many of the bulbs they sent had already produced a new "baby", and when they came up in spring, many of them had 2-3 blooms! Pretty good for the first year! They were ALL in good condition; I don't think I got a single blub that wasn't healthy, and I ordered over 100 bulbs, of about a dozen varieties. I noticed that one of the (few) negative comments said they were expensive. I compared their prices to other companies selling extensive selections of bulbs, and they were actually cheaper than the other companies. If you want cheap bulbs, you can go to Wal-Mart, but I guarantee you won't find the huge selection of unusual daffodils that John Scheeper's offers.

Positive
On Nov 10, 2010, moostveen (4 reviews) from Millstone, NJ

I ordered Casa Blanca lilies at short notice as I needed to plant them in a client's garden. Not only did they get them to me within the time frame specified, but they were (as usual) big healthy bulbs. Thanks, you did not disappoint me. I am sure my clients will be very pleasantly surprised when their lilies are blooming next year. Marty Oostveen - www.martysgarden.us

Positive
On Oct 25, 2010, ycn4chin (39 reviews) from Dickson, TN

Received my Fall Order of bulbs. I ordered 3 varieties of lilies, 3 daffodils varieties, 2 peonies, and 1 variety of tulip. All were firm, healthy and huge. I also sent an order to my Mother as a gift, and she raved about the size of the bulbs. I have found this company consistently sends high quality bulbs, and I always recommend them to my gardening friends.

Negative
On Oct 24, 2010, flora3 (2 reviews) from Falls Church, VA

Quality was not high enough in light of the price. Tulip and daffodil bulbs were OK, but alliums were dehydrated and already sprouting when they arrived. Also, the package of alliums was two short. Customer service said they were in stock and would be sent. Without any further communication, a credit for the missing bulbs appeared on my credit card a few days later. In late fall, credit is not a good substitute for bulbs!

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