Comments regarding Dutch Gardens

I ordered lily bulbs and a hydrangea plant on May 17, 2015. The website states that it takes 1 to 2 weeks to ship. As of July 7, 2015. I still have not received my order. I emailed them 3 times without any response. I finally called them about 3 weeks ago and was told that there was a delay because of the hydrangea plant. Why not let me know that? Most companies would send the rest of the order and just backorder the one not in stock. But, at the least, I should have been contacted and asked how I would like to proceed. The rep that I spoke to said they would see what they could do to get my order to be as soon as they reasonably could. I think we were way past reasonable. Lily bulbs are to be planted in the spring, it is too late to plant them in my area now (Southern VA/NC). I emailed them to cancel the order, who knows if they'll even read my email as they never have responded to any of the past ones.

"On Jul 9, 2015 9:06 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

Orders are typically processed within 1-2 weeks of receipt. Because we inspect, hand select and hand wrap every plant to ensure the highest quality product and the safest shipping, you can expect us to ship your order within 1-2 weeks of receipt. Also, please keep in mind that an order may ship out later depending on availability of plant material and weather conditions.

We have tried to contact the customer via Dmail but have not yet had a response. We do hope to hear from the customer as we would like to resolve this problem.



"

I have used Dutch Gardens twice this year and have had a positive experience. Both times the plants arrived when expected and packaged well. Now I can only wait and watch, to see how well the plants do.
Can anyone explain the truth regarding the relationship between Dutch Gardens and Royal Dutch Gardens? I was told by a representative of Royal Dutch that Dutch Gardens is a sister company, that is their "Budget" outlet! It is curious to me that both their catalogs and receipts look identical. Since I have had a very negitive experience with Royal Dutch and a very positive one with Dutch I only want to repeat the positive.

"On Jun 7, 2015 10:36 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are happy to hear that you have had a positive experience with us! Royal Dutch Gardens is a sister company however, a separate company. We are sorry to hear of your experience with them but please note they have a 1 year replacement guarantee as well! We hope you take advantage of the guarantee and look forward to serving you in the future."

I placed my order 3 and 1/2 months ago (Order number: 34460123)
I cannot get any date of when my plants will ship. At one point I was told they were shipping to my area, but no email with any shipping date.
Now I will be out of town for a week from 3/28/ to 4/4 and they need to either cancel my order or make sure it arrives before then. If it arrives after 4/4 it is already getting pretty hot in my area to plant what they might send. I emailed from their site and from my email. Hope I get some response. They take a long time to respond. I don't think I have ever seen any other company say it take 2 days or more to check an order?
There are so many other companies out there that can tell you when they are sending your order I doubt I would ever order from them again. Just poor customer service.. simple as that.

"On Jun 7, 2015 10:39 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information. We do hope to hear back from the customer as we would like to help resolve this problem."

Just received bulb order from Dutch Gardens and they shipped the wrong tulips. They took my order for one type of tulip and shipped me a completely different type of tulip. I ordered a soft yellow/salmon and they shipped me me a white tulip with red flames on sides. They also failed to send me the free tulips they advertised if over a certain order amount.

I called their call center and they told me they could send another type I also ordered so I could add to that but they would charge me the difference ANDI had to pay for shipping. I said why do I have to pay for shipping when you sent the wrong order? They said they weren't authorized to do anything about shipping. I asked to speak to a manager and they refused to connect me, even though they had just put me on hold to talk to someone. When I asked to speak to that same person 5 minutes later they were unavailable. I was then told the manager doesn't speak to customers over the phone and I could send a complaint if I wanted. When I looked for their corporate office number it directs customers back to call center. I was advised there is no number to contact anyone from mgt directly.

I asked for a refund on my messed up order and will never do business with them again. If you want to order from a company who takes your money and then refuses to talk with you when you have an issue so you can resolve it before it becomes a complaint AND decides to substitute whatever they want,even when the product is completely different ( picture ordering blue jeans and getting an orange pair instead and being advised its an adequate substitution.) then roll the dice with this company.

What makes me sad is they used to be a good company but they have gone downhill. They also offered to send me what I originally ordered if it came in later but at this point mid Nov New England its too late. These products are time sensitive and I've already lost 2 weeks ordering from them.

Order from Colorblends they are wonderful and I got exactly what I ordered from them in less than 5 days!!!

I ordered from Dutch Gardens last year and everything was fine. This year it's been a disaster. Wish I had read the reviews on this page first.

I ordered a variety of bulbs and a plant on 9/15/14. After almost 7 weeks, all I've received is the plant, the bulbs have not come. Like others, I've used the email form that seems to go nowhere -- twice filling it out and getting no response. I have called 4 times, spoken to customer service twice. Each time they said the bulbs would be shipping "any time now" but would give no specifics. During my last phone call, I asked if I could cancel the order as it is getting late in the season, and like others, I was told I have to do it in writing. I sent the email requesting that they cancel the order and they wrote back asking if I was sure I wanted them to try and cancel it? (Who does this? And why "try"?) I responded saying yes, cancel it and then I got an email about how my request has been "forwarded to the appropriate department" but it may not be canceled because it might ship. I wrote again asking them to cancel, and again they said they would try but their policy is "we can not guarantee cancellation unless it is requested the same day the order is placed." Unbelievable.
These appear to be delay tactics which make me wonder if something isn't seriously wrong at this company. According to their BBB profile, they have 15 employees, so I don't understand why communication between "departments" is so complex.

Whatever the reason, the bottom line is: they don't appear to be able to deliver their product or even predict when they will be able to do it. Customer service is terrible and their operations are not in the 21st century. They don't seem to utilize any of the standard business practices that exist in retail today, and for that reason, I will never do business with them again.

I have purchased bulbs from Dutch Gardens for years and have always been happy with them and referred many people to them. This year however, has been dramatically different.

It started with my first order that contained dahlia bulbs that were labeled with a different name than what I had ordered and 2 Thomas Edison Dahlias that were all shriveled up. I called after trying to get the TE bulbs to come back to life after several weeks, and they sent replacements. I asked if they could rush them because we were getting late in the season but they said they couldn't and it took a really long time to receive the new bulbs (something like 4-5 weeks) I again received 2 Thomas Edison bulbs (that did not look healthy) and other dahlia bulbs labeled with different names than what I had ordered. By the way, I currently have 17 very healthy dahlias in my yard (4 which I purchased from Dutch Garden's last year) so I have experience with Dahlias.

I called customer service and said that it was too late in the season (and they take too long to re-ship) for me to get replacements on this last shipment. I asked for a credit to be applied to Fall bulbs I was planning to order but I also asked to be credited for the shipping charges because I knew I would have to pay for the shipping charges on the new bulbs. The Customer Service Representative was very unpleasant and kept saying "you got product from us so you received the shipping". I told her I understood that and would have no problem covering shipping if I made a mistake in ordering but, that they shipped me defective product and the wrong product (on two occasions). She just kept repeating her same phrase over and over so I asked who else I could talk to. she told me I had to write a letter (could not call or email) the Office Manager.

I wrote a letter to the Office Manager detailing everything that happened and also explaining that I needed these particular bulbs because I had a garden design company and my yard was being showcased in a charity event and that now there were empty spaces. I included the list of the $75+ worth of fall bulbs I would be ordering if they would refund the shipping.

My response was a form letter with a credit for the defective and incorrect bulbs (no shipping charge credit). In the meantime, another dahlia bulb I have ordered has still not bloomed (one of the replacements for the wrong bulb they sent me) and it's the end of September. I would guess it is also the incorrect bulb.

I am so disappointed in not only the defective bulbs I received this year but by the rude and unresponsive customer service I received. I will no longer recommend Dutch Gardens to friends and clients because of this.

If anyone has suggestions for a better bulb company I would love to hear them

"On Sep 23, 2014 2:41 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of this customer’s experience as we do take pride in our customer care. We are happy to say that we still use the same wonderful growers that we always have. We always strive to select top size/top quality bulbs for our customers.

When issuing a credit voucher we do not include shipping and processing fees. As long as the amount of the voucher is not exceeded we do not ask that you pay shipping and processing when using the voucher.

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information. We do hope to hear back from the customer as we would like to help resolve this problem"

Posted on May 17, 2014, updated May 29, 2014
Posted on April 9, 2014, updated May 17, 2014
been ordering from this company on and off for 40 years, always excellent quality .This year ordered plants and DG can teach other companies how to ship. Each plant completely protected in a cardboard collar, no damage whatsoever. Not like other companies.

"On May 21, 2014 11:14 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of this customers experience. We are the same great company that you ordered from previously. We provide top-sized bulbs and healthy stock by the best growers in Holland and the U.S.

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information.

"

I've just had a terrible experience with Dutch Gardens and will never do business with them again. The main problem is a total lack of information and communication. My order was way late in arriving so I called to find out the problem. One item was back ordered, so I said to cancel it and ship the rest. The person on the phone couldn't tell me when my order would ship. "Well, I know they'll be doing some shipping this weekend....". In the meantime, local stores have had these plants for sale for over a month. Why don't they do partial shipments when something is back ordered like other companies? Several days passed and still no plants. Unlike other companies, this one doesn't alert you when they're shipping products. You just have to check mail delivery every day, day after day, waiting, wondering. So I called again. Still no one could tell me when/if I would ever get my plants. I said to cancel the entire order and refund my money so I could buy the plants locally. "You ordered online, so you can't cancel by telephone." You've got to be kidding. So I went to their website and sent a message via "Customer Service, Contact Us." Still nothing. So I called again. This time a wonderful woman actually helped me. She said messages from telephone calls must be hand-written and sent to another building. Not much effort is put into internal communications, let alone with customers. Evidently there's a lack of computerization at Dutch Gardens. She put me on hold and found out they had never received my Customer Service message. They think that function might not be working. Really? So I sent an email message, then waited and waited, wondering if I would have to file a small claims suit in court. I sent them an email message titled, Can Someone Please Help Me? explaining my situation, but no response. In the meantime, my order arrived yesterday. I've never had this much trouble dealing with what appears to be a large company. If they can't join the 21st century and provide decent customer service, I don't think they should be in business. Terrible experience. If you do business with them, expect lots of frustration, and good luck to you.

"On May 21, 2014 11:10 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of this customer’s experience as we do take pride in our customer care. As many know the weather this year has been very unpredictable which has started our shipping later than usual. While it may be warm in your location we have to take into consideration the transit. We want to make sure the plants reach our customers in the best condition possible.

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information. We do hope to hear back from the customer as we would like to help resolve this problem.
"

Posted on May 9, 2014, updated May 9, 2014
Posted on May 9, 2014, updated May 9, 2014
Posted on April 21, 2014, updated May 9, 2014
I am a 20 year customer of Dutch Gardens, and was always happy. But since 2013, it's been problem after problem. For my fall 2013 order, they sent 1) the wrong daffodils (so now I have a mismatch) and 2) "mixed color" crocuses that were all white except for 5 of 7 purples and no yellows. Today, the final indignity. I received a $100 gift card for my birthday, but when I called to use part (for two spring-planted perennials) but reserve the rest for my fall order, I was told the gift card was "use it all, or lose it." I have never heard of such a thing! They plan basically to steal some money already paid to them unless I use the card all at once. They were a nice company; now, just more greed and incompetence.

"On Apr 24, 2014 2:42 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We do apologize if this customer was given misinformation. We would of course let her carry the balance of the gift card. We have contacted this customer to be of further assistance regarding the certificate as well as the Crocus.

The orginal owners was Quite Good, Not these guys
This Company has been SOLD to someone who does not
care, I ordered some fernleaf peonies from the orginal company, But before I received them, the company was sold
I did not get what I ordered,
I won't order here anymore
SAVE YOUR MONEY AND ORDER SOMEWHERE ELSE!

"On Apr 22, 2014 10:21 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information. We do hope to hear back from the customer as we would like to help resolve this problem."

I will never use Dutch Gardens again. I specifically sent an email requesting my order be canceled and I be refunded my money and they went ahead three days later and shipped the order and charged my card.....NEVER AGAIN.

"On Mar 26, 2014 9:28 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of this customers experience. It does become very difficult to cancel an order once entered into processing. We do have a refund guarantee and we have contacted this customer via D-mail to see how we may be of assistance."

I spent a lot of money on bulbs in the Fall. While planting, I realized I needed another set of a certain iris to maintain the symmetry of the garden so I called to order it and they told me they were in stock. I had to pay twice as much for shipping than the bulbs but I accepted. The wrong bulbs arrived and when I questioned the company, I was told that my item was no longer available and they shipped what they had. I explained this was not acceptable and wanted a refund and my shipping costs. They stated that it is written somewhere in the catalogue that they have a right to replace one item when another was not available. I have yet to find that statement in the catalogue - although I'm sure they have hidden it somewhere. So, I had to change my plantings and I was out close to $20. I tried to reason with the salesperson but they were adamant. I order almost exclusively from online sources and have always been satisfied but I will never use this company again and I make sure all of my gardener friends know what they did. Very dishonest!!

"On Mar 5, 2014 11:43 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of the problem with this customers order. Our substitution policy is as follows:

SUBSTITUTION POLICY

Orders are filled by item number exactly as received. If a variety is sold out, we reserve the right to substitute one of equal or greater value.

If the customer is not happy with the substitution we will happily send the correct item once available, or refund the purchase price. In both instances the customer gets to keep the substitution.

We have contacted the customer to see if we may be of some assistance."

I am another very long time customer who was poorly served last year. My order was months late - didn't arrive until the heat of summer. The plants were pitiful and the "full size" bulbs were miniscule. I did not contact the company to give them a chance to set things right - the order fulfillment was so awful that I'd be crazy to depend on them again. What a disappointment after years of spectacular products and service.

"On Jan 11, 2014 1:33 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of the problem with the plant. We would be happy to issue replacement and do hope that the customer takes advantage of our guarantee. We have sent a Dmail to the customer requesting further information.

"

Dutch Gardens does not ship what they advertise and does not refund their mistakes. Avoid this company unless you want to deal with frauds. I ordered Oriental lily Bergamo and was sent a different lily. When I sent them my invoice and requested a refund they started asking a bunch of nonsense questions designed to give me the runaround. NEVER AGAIN!

"On Oct 29, 2013 10:03 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of this customer’s experience as we do have both a refund and a replacement guarantee which is clearly posted on our website and we stand behind them.

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information. We do hope to hear back from the customer as we would like to help resolve this problem


"

They have been great with bulb orders over the years. However I will never again order any perennials from Dutch Gardens.
Similar to a previous poster, I called them at least twice last fall with concern that I had not yet received the brunnera and euphorbia I ordered and was told each time that "they are shipped at proper planting time". I received and planted them finally. No sign of two of the three euphorbia this year.

Plants fail sometimes - I get that. Euphorbia have been tricky for me. I get that. However because I KNEW I received them late and had tried to get them earlier I was not happy and called.

So I called Dutch Gardens three times (which makes 5 phone calls in total after my on-line order):
Time One: was told they were sorry. I asked for a refund and the gentleman said they would be happy to replace the plants. Since I WANTED the plants I said Great.
Time Two: approximately a month later, was told the request was in the system and it was probably taking a little time to get through their system. I was concerned as I was leaving on vacation and did not want them to come while I was gone. Oh they will get there by THEN I was told.
Time Three: almost end of June and still no plants so I said forget it and send me a refund. This time I heard there are no refunds unless you report a problem within 30 days of planting. This was of course ridiculous as how would I know before spring at the earliest. Then he said the plants were for appropriate for fall planting so I wasn't going to get them in the summer. I gave up.

I have to say this was the most unsatisfactory exchange I have had with a vendor in a long time, and I recommend staying AWAY from Dutch Gardens for perennial purchases.

"On Jul 30, 2013 1:36 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information. We do hope to hear back from the customer as we would like to help resolve this problem.

"

Ordered 3 "Revolution" Hydrangeas in June. They came on July 16, It was a good price and the plants are lovely. They were well packaged. If I have any criticism, it concerns communication. There was no notice of shipment, and, it being summer, I could have been on vacation. I have read the comments about not getting what one ordered. I'll have to wait until these bloom to see if I got what I ordered, and I would have to do that no matter who I ordered them from. All in all, a positive experience.

Posted on May 14, 2012, updated July 10, 2013
Posted on April 26, 2012, updated May 14, 2012
I gave them a try with an order for a couple of orienpet and asiatic lilies. The bulbs that arrived were of a good size and healthy and well-packed in a sturdy box. I immediately placed an additional order for more lily bulbs and a couple of perennials so we'll see how they do with the second order.

I also received tulips that were incorrectly labeled and unwittingly planted them in a bed with many other tulips. They came up the wrong color, which clashed with the existing tulips. I contacted Dutch gardens. After sending them pictures, I received a refund in the form of merchandise credit. However, my experience is still negative. I now have to dig out the entire bed and give way the clashing bulb mixture, buy new bulbs for the entire bed and replant the entire bed to get back to where I thought was last fall.

Dutch Gardens sent me the wrong tulip bulbs twice in two years. The colors were completely wrong. When I called to explain that the wrong color tulips had just come up again this spring, the customer service rep told me I had to email my complaint with photos, which I did. She would not help me over the phone. Subsequently, I received in the mail a certificate to use to reorder from them. The certificate was not enough to cover the wrong two orders that I received. In my email, I had asked for a credit to my credit card or a reshipment of the right bulbs, but all I got was an insufficient certificate. Nonetheless, I called Dutch Gardens today to use the certificate to reorder only to be told I had to fill out the order form in the catalog and mail it to them with the certificate. I have done this today, paying shipping yet again. I have no assurance that the tulips that come up next spring will actually be the ones I ordered two seasons ago. I recommend that gardeners deal with a company that correctly fulfills orders the first time and that makes it easy for the gardener to get what was ordered if the company has made a mistake. Dutch Gardens made a mistake two years in a row and I still do not feel they have treated me fairly, but I have no other recourse with them at present.

"On May 28, 2013 1:07 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of the problem with the tulips. A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information. We do hope to hear back from the customer as we would like to help resolve this problem.

"

LIke may others, placed my order (and was CHARGED for the full order) back in February 2013. Living in the Mid-Atlantic area, didn't expect my order until at least April . . . when I heard nothing by mid-April, started contacting customer service, and got generic, form responses, "we will ship when weather is appropriate for your area, blah, blah, blah." I was about to cancel the order when at the very beggining of May I received a partial - less than half - order. So, OK. Expected the rest shortly, but no such luck. Here I am mid-May - most of my order outstanding yet paid for. No response to my email status request so I tried calling. First no answer, and then continually busy first day I tried. Finally got through today, and reached someone who said they were sorry but didn't know if or when my order would ever go out. So I have emailed again stating I want the order or a refund immediately. Since they already have my money and have been so unresponsive up to now, I have a feeling I'm in for a battle. Needless to say I will NEVER order from them again, and will shop local, where I get what I want and what I pay for. I would advise NOT placing a large order, should you decide to take a chance and place an order with this company.

"On May 28, 2013 1:04 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

Orders are typically processed within 1-2 weeks of receipt. Because we inspect, hand select and hand wrap every plant to ensure the highest quality product and the safest shipping, you can expect us to ship your order within 1-2 weeks of receipt. Also, please keep in mind that an order may ship out later depending on availability of plant material and weather conditions.

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information.

"

I placed an order on January 23, 2013 with Dutch Gardens.
The order was not a small order, my credit card was charged for $407.31 when the order was placed. It is now April 26,2013 and I have only received three of the eleven different kinds of plants I ordered I received the three plants after I called about my order in early March, they said they would send what they had available. March 15 - I received a small order. I called again two weeks later and was told that all but three kinds of my plants were ready to ship, but they would all be ready to ship in two weeks and they prefer to ship them all together. Since I still have not received them I called again yesterday, April 25 and was told they are still waiting for one plant I ordered to get big enough to ship. I told them I would like all of my other plants that were ready to ship to be shipped out. I was told how their shipping department works, when I persisted I was told they would send a note to the shipping department and see if the other items could be shipped without the single plant that was holding up the order. I was told that the plant could possibly be ready and the system may not have been updated and I could call back again in two weeks to check if I do not receive my order. It seems as if their phone personnel are trained to give the two week answer as I get it every time I call and am very unhappy with the service I have received from Dutch Gardens.

"On Apr 30, 2013 1:07 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear that this customer is unhappy with the service. We are still receiving many items from the field at this time and shipping as soon as they are prepared.

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information as we would be happy to give an updated status.

"

Three or four years ago I ordered a hardy fuschia from DG. The plant arrived in good condition and it grew and flowered well that spring and summer. The care instructions said to cut it back to the ground in late fall/early winter for my growing zone-which I did. The following spring nothing came up. I waited until the middle of May to call DG about the problem and the girl I spoke with told me to give it more time to start regrowing,which I did! When I called in June to report that the plant was dead, I was told once again to "wait and see". I was never offered a replacement or an apology! This year I inquired about the size of the Elodie lily, since other catalogs claim a height of 4 feet, but DG says 20 inches! I received an email which simply qouted the catalog description-what a waste of time!

"On Apr 11, 2013 12:53 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of this customer’s experience as we do take pride in our customer care. We do have both a refund and a replacement guarantee which is clearly posted on our website and we stand behind them.

A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information. We do hope to hear back from the customer as we would like to help resolve this problem
"

Posted on February 21, 2012, updated January 21, 2013
Is "Dutch Gardens" now REALLY affiliated with "Burgess Seed Co?" I have been a long time customer of "Dutch Gardens" and I have enjoyed their top sized bulbs that have grown every season guaranteed! Then, this season of 2012, I got a similar catalog called "Royal Dutch Gardens" and they had some of the same bulbs on a sale page that are in the "Dutch Gardens" catalog for less money. Now, I'm reading these reviews Burgess Seed Co bought out "Dutch Gardens" and that the quality has dramatically plummeted. Is this true? Because, I have two catalogs for season 2012 of summer. One says "Dutch Gardens" and one is thinner of less quality that says, "Royal Dutch Gardens" which leads me to believe that they are not one in the same. "Royal Dutch Gardens" says its affiliated with Burgess Seed Co. and "Dutch Gardens" doesn't state any such thing. Please let me know what has happened. I can't continue to share with my friends and family if this is no longer the "Dutch Gardens" I have come to trust; Or is this "Royal Dutch Gardens" a copy cat catalog to fool customers that its is "Dutch Gardens" and they never bought the original "Dutch Gardens" out? If anyone can provide info to end my confusion, I'd appreciate it.

"On Mar 23, 2012 8:30 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

Royal Dutch and Dutch Gardens are 2 separate companies. We are happy to say that we still use the same wonderful growers that we always have. We always strive to select top size/top quality bulbs for our customers."

Posted on September 7, 2012, updated November 5, 2012
In late spring I ordered a Sanguisorba obtusa, Japanese Burnet from this company. They charged my credit card
but never told me they would not ship until August When the plant arrived, it was a bare root plant and looked dead.I planted it immediately, and this morning I chucked the plant. Nowhere in their website or catalog does Dutch Garden mention (like most other nurseries do) that the plant is shipped bare root. Do not buy from this company.

"On Sep 7, 2012 2:20 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of the problem with the plant. It does state in the catalog that this plant is shipped as a bare root. We would be happy to issue replacement and do hope that the customer takes advantage of our guarantee. We have sent a Dmail to the customer requesting further information."

Posted on August 15, 2012, updated October 13, 2012
Let me start by saying that I have been a Dutch Gardens customer for about 25 years. I was always pleased with the quality of their merchandise until 3 years ago when I was shipped inferior quality bulbs packed in plastic bags, as opposed to the usual paper bag and organic matter delivery. In the heat of delivery, the bulbs sweated and had no holes in the bags for moisture control. I thought I would give them another try this year for some of the unusual lilies that I grow. I ordered about $145 worth of bulbs for fall delivery and much to my surprise, they were delivered in the heat of the summer on August 10 to PA. The box was banged up and upon opening the package; I found the bulbs to look shriveled up, small and spongy to the touch. Upon speaking to Customer Service the responder indicated that the Lily Mix was from last years catalogue and that he would send another shipment on October 1. He indicated that he had nothing to do with bulb selection and this was the warehouse.

After thinking all of this over, I decided that they had sent me last years stock, based on his comments. I called back and this time spoke to another worker, she indicated that these were not last year’s bulbs. I told her that this bulb mix was not listed in the catalogue but only appeared on the Internet. She stated that it was listed in another catalogue, which I did not have. I then asked her to request that the warehouse handpick my bulbs so that I could be assured of quality control. She said that was not possible. I then asked for the name of the CEO so that I could write a letter. She would only give me the name of Emily Watkins, the office manager. She further indicated that a refund would only take place 2 weeks after return of damaged goods and that I would have to pay shipping.

This woman asked me “what company are you ordering from” which suggests that customer service is not part of Dutch but a general calling center for a myriad of companies.

I will update you upon delivery of my October shipment.

"On Aug 21, 2012 10:26 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of the problem some of the bulbs. We still receive our plants and bulbs from the same wonderful growers as we always have. We always strive to select top size/top quality bulbs and plants for our customers. We have contacted this customer for further information.

"

I recently got my mail order and was very pleased with my peonies and iris.The peonies were huge size I am pretty sure with these bulbs they will establish fast and bloom soon. They were not cheap but that what you pay for .I ordered peonies 2 years ago from a different bulb company and they were tiny in comparison. It was my first experience and I was happy . The iris was good quality too with plenty of roots.
They also include unexpected gift of 8 Apricot Impression tulips
which were big and healthy bulbs. I appreciate it.
I will buy from them again.

This company is a mixed bag, but overall the experience was negative and I feel it was not a good value for the price. No shipping/ tracking info was provided and my email inquiry to the company advised me they had no record of my order. I called and they located the order I found the confusion unusual as my card was charged already. I spent almost $200 with them. Some plants were generous (Salome daffodils) other very disappointing. The grape hyacinths, blackberry, iris and blueberry plants were of lower quality than the ones i have seen at Home Depot. Today I went to HD and picked up grape hyacinth bulbs of much better quality and for cheaper than I received from DG. Do not buy from these guys. I just got a new house and have tried multiple vendors. These are not the absolute bottom of the barrel, but they are shooting low on the value scale. Save yourself the trouble.

"On Oct 8, 2012 12:46 PM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of this customers experience. We do provide top-sized bulbs and healthy stock by the best growers in Holland and the U.S. A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information."

I used Dutch Gardens for my wedding favors and I was very pleased with what I received. I ordered 200 bulbs with 3 varieties: Peacock Orchid, Freesia Mixture, Crocosmia Mixture. At first there was a delay in the order due to weather, but my order arrived in time for the wedding. Although it caused a little stress (those little wedding details) its because they want to make sure their flowers arrive healthy and ready to plant with satisfied customers. When my bulbs arrived, they were gorgeous. I was so excited to be giving them out at my wedding and the guests loved them. I was also pleased with the two lily bulbs I received as a free gift with my order. I will definitely use Dutch Gardens again. My only suggestion is they use different method of transporting their bulbs instead the plastic bag they used for mine.

I have never had such bad customer support in my life. I was a loyal buyer from Dutch Gardens for over twenty-five years and bought two rose bushes from their web site in June. Two months later I have now received one of them and have felt that no one, and I mean no one, is listening to me when I contact them. As I told the rep on the phone this morning, I tried eight times to call and the line was busy every time. I emailed at least six times and all I got was a form response. I felt the gentleman I talked to this morning was rude and condescending on the phone. I will never order from Dutch Gardens or anyone associated with this group again. I did not know that Dutch Gardens had been sold and it's a shame that a company can take the name of a reliable and well thought of vender and trash it like this.

"On Aug 21, 2012 10:24 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear of this problem. A customer care representative has contacted this customer for further information. "

Posted on May 14, 2012, updated May 14, 2012
Posted on April 4, 2012, updated May 14, 2012
Posted on January 28, 2012, updated April 4, 2012
Placed several large catalogue/check orders from Dutch Gardens, Bloomington, IL, from their colorful catalogues last year to include bearded irises (grown in OR), tulips, daffodils, lilies, from Holland -- all of which were planted and should appear here in Spokane (Zone 5-B) later in the season. (We have all four seasons and it is very hot in the summer and very cold and snowy in the winter. I do put fine bark down in the gardens to protect the plants.) I'll let you know how they bloomed later in the year, but I was pleased to see the good condition of the bulbs, etc. on arrival, all products accounted for, boxed and labeled nicely, and it seemed to me that their bulbs, rhizomes, etc. were even healthier and larger than ones I had purchased from other mail-order companies. Their products are, on the whole, rather expensive, but not out of line and with a nice and varied selection and offered some I hadn't seen in other catalogues. There are "65 sale items" and "money-saving collections" and "75 new items" advertised in their Spring 2012 catalogue. They've sent me two spring catalogues so far this year, one that had a nifty "table of contents" listing types of plants and page numbers for reference, which was very helpful and appreciated. Having said that, I WAS concerned because Dutch Gardens did NOT send me confirmation e-mails of orders received nor e-mails stating when they had shipped same or any sort of tracking information - again, which the other nurseries I use do routinely. When I e-mailed them a query - ("Just checking to see if you got my order."), I got a "stock" e-mail answer that the "order was being processed and would be sent at the appropriately time," no details. (I didn't try phoning them.) I did receive all the products in a timely fashion, despite my concerns, but I had to remember to tear off their shipping labels securely taped to the outside of the cartons in case of replacement within a year; this process was a struggle for this senior, to rip the labels off before recycling the cardboard. They don't have a mechanism on their website whereby you can see your prior orders listed as a reference, as many do, to refresh your memory of what you've ordered. They don't offer $25-off coupons in their catalogues, like some companies, nor do they have a guaranteed "lifetime replacement" if unsatisfied with no return of plant or paperwork needed, as Breck's does. I might add that the Breck's, Michigan Bulb and SpringHill, which I have done business with provide excellent service, and no-hassle replacements on request, and nothing needs to be shipped back to them, they take your word for it. I have no complaints with them whatsoever - rather but just wanted to try another company for fun. Now, Dutch Gardens do currently offer (for example) a pair of beautiful white lilies of their choice (worth $10) free with a $50 order. So, there you have it. Despite my apprehension, and feeling disconnected to what was going on with my orders, they did send me good-looking products that were well packed and all accounted for. Perhaps their seemingly larger and more robust-looking bulbs to my eye will produce beautiful flowers this spring and summer, I'll let you know one way or the other.

Posted on January 21, 2012, updated May 3, 2012
Last spring I ordered a "Vigna Caracalla" vine from Dutch Gardens. It is not hardy in my area so I dug it in the fall and brought it in. It has finally started to produce some flowers (Jan.2012), which are pretty, but are solid lavender in color (not a combination of cream, yellow, lavender), and have NO scent whatsoever. Upon researching, I determined that they are advertising Vigna Caracalla but shipping Vigna Phaseolus Caracalla, which has similar flowers of of solid lavender and no scent. I should think that a company like Dutch Gardens would know what they are selling and be sure they ship that variety.

I have ordered bulbs from Dutch Gardens for many years and have always been extremely satisfied with the quality of their fall bulbs. The Pink Impression flower bulbs were huge as well as the Miss Saigon Hyacinth bulbs I received this past year. They all bloomed beautifully in the garden. I also was thrilled with the gorgeous Intrigue Daffodils that I have ordered from them several years in a row. They are not cheap but they send great quality bulbs that are packed wonderfully.

Posted on May 2, 2005, updated February 1, 2012
Dutch Gardens is the catalog I'd choose if I could have only one to order from! I emailed them because ONE of the three poker primroses seems to have died. Just planted them about two weeks ago. They emailed me this morning that they were sending replacementS! I've only had the best experiences with this company.

"On Jul 3, 2012 9:15 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

We are sorry to hear this! We have contacted this customer to assure her that we still receive our plants and bulbs from the same wonderful growers as we always have. We always strive to select top size/top quality bulbs and plants for our customers.

"

Posted on December 6, 2011, updated December 23, 2011
Was a faithful customer NO MORE !! Burgess has killed this company . sad to say . However on the upside it has made me find a new source and I love it ! Easy to Grow Bulbs or Willow Creek

I ordered five different daffodils and some crocus.
They were all large sized bulbs that looked healthy
They are kind of pricy for the rare ones.

Dutch Garden's customer service department has been amazing! Not only did they replace the monarda I had ordered, but they accommodated my choice of ship-by dates. I've never known another company to do that. I will definitely order from them again.

BEWARE! I have been a long-time customer of Dutch Gardens, with overwhelmingly good products and reasonable customer service on the rare occasion of problems. Most recently, however, I received an order in which more than half of the plants had rotted or died en route. When I contacted customer service to request a refund, I got a nearly automated response that I had to return the plants within 14 days to get a refund. When I further explained that the plants were in no shape to be mailed (iris rhizomes reduced to slime, etc.), I got another automated message to send a refund request in writing (as though email is not writing...) I will now mail this request to the company and see what happens, but the quality of merchandise (including size of those items that weren't dead), packaging and customer service has deteriorated badly--it is as though they are a different company entirely.

"On Nov 1, 2011 7:25 AM, Dutch Gardens responded with:

An order was received from this customer totaling $84.88 on 07-28-11. As per our guarantee a refund may be issued if the items are returned within 14 days of receipt. We do show a refund for the dead items (totaling $15.98) was issued, as well as a credit voucher for $7.99.

All emails are personally answered by a customer care representative and are not automated. As for the product, use have used the same Holland and U.S. growers for years and always receive top-sized bulbs and iris!
"

I am the garden columnist for the Sunday editions of the Spokane (Wash.) daily newspaper, The Spokesman-Review. I am also a Master Gardener.

I have been a long-time customer of Dutch Gardens - I have been very pleased with both the quality of their products as well as their customer service.

For years, I have been looking for a Monarda cultivar, 'Beauty of Cobham,' that I saw in a garden a long time ago. It has a 2-toned flower (light pink and wine-colored). I finally found them at Dutch Gardens as plant starts and bought them a couple of years ago. The plants looked a bit sad and didn't make it through the winter.
I contacted Dutch Gardens and they replaced them for me the following spring when they had some available again.
That was last year and the plants are doing great.

I've ordered plants and bulbs from Dutch Gardens for many, many years and they always stand behind their products which is terrific.

I'm really tickled with these plants and they're looking particularly robust so they should do just fine from here on out. And here's the cool news: I just checked Dutch Gardens' online catalog and they do have 'Beauty of Cobham' available for shipping in the fall. If you would like to see a photo of the Monarda and more information on it and other garden topics, please visit my non-commercial garden blog at susansinthegarden.blogspot.com.

I ordered 3 plants and 10 bulbs. I was away when package delivered and by the time I was ready to plant, the plants were dead. I contacted Customer Service and they were replaced. The plants are healthy and I next contacted them online to report that 8 of the 10 bulbs did not come up. In a couple of weeks, a package with 10 more bulbs arrived. I'm impressed!