Comments regarding Whitman Farms

Ordered three hard-to-find trees in my area (a Magnolia lilliflora 'O'Neill' and two Gingko biloba 'Witches Broom') by phone. I was surprised to find that Lucile herself answered and kindly answered some questions I had. I was offered field-grown or container and chose container. Very good price for both the trees and for shipping costs.

Lucile shipped the trees within 2 days of my order, and they arrived well-packed and protected--in perfect shape. They're growing nicely in my yard, and I would 100% order from Whitman Farms again.

This is the third times I ordered from Lucile Japanese Maples trees and I will assure you that you won't be disappointed. her plants are much larger and healthier than any other nurseries. In short, this is the best nursery for Japanese Maples.

I can't say enough good things about Whitman Farms and Lucile Whitman. Her plants are top notch!

I ordered Japanese Maples from her last October. While these were sold as small graft sized plants, several where as big as one gallons!

Unfortunately (and no fault of Lucile's) one of the maple rootstocks died. I sent her an email asking if any chance she would consider a replacement. She replied that she'd send one out. She gave me no hassle at all. The replacement arrived today, and it looks absolutely amazing. As big or bigger than most others sell as one gallon plants.

Healthy and big plants, great prices, and unbeatable service! I'll always go to Whitman Farms for any of my future plant purchases!

I ordered two one gallon plants, and a number of grafts, all maples. Plants were beautifully packaged and arrived in excellent condition, even after having travelled across country in June! The owner is lovely to talk to and gave me great advice on purchases as well.

Posted on April 24, 2020, updated April 24, 2020
Posted on April 24, 2020, updated April 24, 2020
Posted on April 22, 2020, updated April 24, 2020
I ordered several trees from Lucille, after reading glowing reviews on FB and this site.

The trees I received were all damaged and near death. I contacted the seller immediately via e-mail with pictures. No response. I updated seller several more times with more pictures over the next week. No response. Meanwhile, one's scion completely died, and the rootstock is on the way out too.

Another looked to be mislabeled as well, with a printed tag that had been scribbled out with a marker and a handwritten name of the name of the tree I ordered. This particular tree does have one new leaf (even though it lost all its other leaves and all tributary stems). That leaf did not leaf out correctly for the tree I ordered. It was supposed to be peach or red, and it leafed out pale yellow, which is correct for the originally printed tree name that was scribbled out. I know, because I have had every tree that I ordered from other sellers in my yard for years.

These were to be gifts, which I cannot give now. I am very disappointed.

I just received my first shipment from Whitman Farms. I am overwhelmed at the large size and beautiful quality of the plants I received. I was a bit worried, as my plants were shipped FedEx ground and traveled through a snow storm and a heat wave. Everything arrived in perfect condition. I will not hesitate to purchase from them again! Beautiful healthy plants at great prices!

Posted on August 23, 2014, updated May 16, 2019
Posted on June 17, 2013, updated August 23, 2014
Had one mulberry tree that didn't take off and thrive from the order I received this spring. Just received an email from Lucille saying a replacement was shipped today!
I've ordered many plants from her, since finding her on the internet and will be placing more in the future.
Plants arrive healthy and well packaged.

Bought two mulberry trees after emailing and calling to place the order. She answered all of the questions I had and was very nice, truly excellent customer service and a good attitude. The trees arrived in great condition. I'm very happy with my order overall

Owner was very helpful and nice with questions--offering ideas and other options when asked for them. The magnolia tree that she sent me arrived in a few days and was huge and healthy.

This is my favorite Japanese Maple and other deciduous plants mail-order company to work with! She has the -best- selection, prices, AND quality of plants I've found for this category of plants, all put together in the same place. It is a great find!

I've made two large orders previously, and am planning at least two more in coming years, because the simply wonderful quality I can get for such a very reasonable price - even after including shipping - is fantastic. Being on a budget, and living across the country, this is a big deal to me.

I would say that sometimes communication has been a little awkward, by e-mail (where questions often get left unanswered; I don't think this is her forte) or phone (her accent is strange to me), but definitely not for lack of willingness on her part to satisfy me as her customer! Connecting by phone is usually what helps best in the end. She's been very helpful, and even had a number more offerings I was looking for than were listed on her site. Very much worth the awkwardness to find such a friendly and wonderful source for so many favorite plants!

Thank you very much!

I just received an order of eight trees from Lucile, and they look great (dormant, given the time of year, but all obviously healthy). The Stewartia that she sent, in particular, was larger than I expected for the price, and has a very fine form. Communication was good and shipping was prompt.

I just received a Mulbery tree in a one gallon pot. I've ordered trees from quite a few places and this by far was the happiest looking tree I've ever received through the mail upon opening the box. Lucile was also very helpful over the phone in getting the right species for my growing zone and space.

I have had very good results with buying from highly rated companies on Dave's Garden, but Whitman Farms raises the whole thing to another level. Lucile talked to me by phone about what I was looking for, and narrowed it down to the variety of Japanese Maple that would work. She is extremely experienced and knowledgeable, and freely shares all she knows, which means her customers must have WAY more success with the plants. She also gives you the impression, even if miles away, of being your neighbor down the street. I know that if I need, in the future, anything she sells, I am definitely buying it from her. Keep in mind that when you deal with Whitman Farms you are dealing with a small business, and just work with that.

I stumbled across this company while searching for a sugar maple I saw on a garden tour named 'Monumental' that I had to have.

I called to place the order (late summer 2016) and it shipped out right away. I received a very healthy tree that was about 5' tall. I planted it right away and this year it looks great with a lot of health growth on it.

I am looking through her website again to order more hard to find trees, she is a wonderful resource/asset to all of us gardeners!

Thanks!

I ordered a Genie magnolia and promptly received a very healthy two-foot tall plant. It was well-packaged and arrived in excellent condition. The whole experience was a pleasure, from reading the descriptions on the website, to speaking with Lucile to place the order, to being notified of shipment, and of course, the plant itself! Definitely exceeded expectations based on recent experiences with other nurseries.

Excellent strong plants - great shipping.

I bought a mulberry bush, a mulberry tree and a couple of currant bushes. Was easy and painless to call in order. Order shipped remarkably fast. Packaging was excellent as was the quality of the plants. My best plant ordering experience in 3 yrs of ordering dozens of shrubs/trees!

Whitmans farms is an outstanding company for fruiting bushes and shrubs. The owner Lucille is very knowledgable and helpful
I ordered 4 gooseberries 2 currants and a kiwi
Plants arrived well packaged and in excellent condition. The kens red kiwi never broke dormancy. I contacted Lucille and she graciously mailed out a replacement promptly. I've bought over a 100 fruit trees and bushes over the past couple of years from many different companies.
This in my experience was the BEST company I've dealt with so far
Will order again

Posted on November 1, 2006, updated June 7, 2016
Lucille is an absolute pleasure to do business with. She gave a very honest opinion of each plant I asked about on a phone call prior to my ordering and helped me narrow down the ones worthy of adding to my collection. The plants were carefully packed and in good condition upon arrival. If you are looking for unusual maples and dogwoods, this is a great nursery.

I emailed Lucille with a list of what I wanted, and did not receive a reply. So, a few days later I called. Lucille answered. She proceeded to discuss my list, told me what would work, what wouldn't. She emailed me some alternative selections. She knows everything about every plant, and she isn't shy about sharing her knowledge. She was quite delightful on the phone, and I really enjoyed talking to her. My impression (though I could be wrong) is that Lucille runs this place on her own. I think she's doing a great job! I ordered several japanese maples from her, they came well packaged, and are beautiful. I would order from Whitman Farms again.

Posted on May 7, 2014, updated June 1, 2016
Posted on May 8, 2013, updated May 7, 2014
Lucille has been wonderful with her help. The plants arrived at perfect timing and in top condition and she had plants others could not provide. We highly recommend her as the first place to look.

Warm thanks, again, Lucille.

Angela

"Positive" doesn't do Lucille and Whitman Farms justice. I called in March after searching for a particular mulberry cultivar. Lucille was helpful as far as explaining the varieties, and I ordered two to be shipped at a specific time (after a vacation).

The mulberries arrived right on time. They're gallon plants, but 4 ft tall, healthy and fruiting! Her prices are very reasonable, and the shipping for both was only $23 from Oregon to Michigan.

Would definitely, definitely recommend!!

I ordered 4 fruiting dogwoods in 1 gallon pots all were beautiful ! and fast shipping too . lucille was very helpful on the phone helping me decide which ones to buy . thanks lucille .

I placed my first order with Lucile at Whitman Farms this Spring (2016). I phoned Lucile for the order, and I found her to be very nice, like a lovable grandmother, and she was quite knowledgeable about her plants. She made several good recommendations based on our zone-climate. I placed a large order for both plants and trees. They arrived safely, well packed, and each was a lovely plant. Their condition indicated how well they were taken care of prior to a sale. I am already planning another order for more trees!

I've made three different orders over the last few years, and Lucile is always friendly and very helpful with any questions. The plants themselves are of nice size with good root structure, and they're always well packaged for delivery.

I'm a big fan of all ribes and I'm sure I've ordered 8-10 varieties of Gooseberries and a few Black currant varieties as well. Overall I'm very happy with Whitman Farms and I would definitely recommend doing business with them.

I had the most wonderfull time at Whitman Farms. Lucille spent hours with me exploring her nursery stock for just the right tree. I was so impressed with her plants that I ended up buying quite a few more. I actually wrote about my experience in depth here: //thefarmgardenblog.com/2015/11/07/mulching-leaves-reduces-dandelions-in-lawns/
I would definitely recommend a trip to Salem to see her.

Great experience, great stock...everything I got was nice and arrived carefully packed. No question about it, I would definitely order again from this place. The owner was really nice and a pleasure to nerd out about plants with. Thanks!

I ordered a Magnolia sieboldii from Lucile and it came yesterday in perfect condition. The packaging was fantastic. I really appreciated the communication with Lucile and the personal touch she gives. It amazes me that she is the one answering the phone, returning emails, and tending to all the many plants she grows. She must be buzzing around that place like a bee! With her breadth of product, I'm sure I'll order from her again.

I wanted to let the community know I ordered several trees from Whitman Farms. They were better than I could've imagined. They all arrived very quickly and healthy. I was amazing how well the trees were packed together- keeping the trees in good condition and also keeping shipping costs reasonable for such large one gallon tress. Just wanted to pass along my terrific experience!

Lucile is the best! Best value for great plants and a great variety to choose from. Shipping is very fast (mailed one day, en-route one day, and I picked them up at the post office the next day ... and that's to Colorado). The personal service and advice can't be beat; a rare novelty. In the spring I ordered 4 gooseberries and 2 currents that Lucile recommended. They are doing great! She definitely has my future business and recommendation. So glad I found her!

Posted on September 30, 2013, updated May 16, 2014
Posted on August 6, 2013, updated September 30, 2013
Posted on June 22, 2013, updated August 6, 2013
Posted on June 7, 2013, updated June 22, 2013
Posted on May 17, 2013, updated June 7, 2013
I discovered Whitman Farms just this past winter. Since then I've placed numerous orders with Lucile. The trees that I have received from her are sensational, most field grown, sturdy, full, and over six feet tall. I buy a lot of JMs online and believe Whitman Farms offers the very best value for the money. Over a dozen beautiful new trees and counting. Kudos to Lucile!

I have been an avid gardener for over 30 years and have a wealth of stories both good and bad about ordering plants through the mail and on-line. Whitman Farms is totally different and head and shoulders above any other company I've used. Lucille is amazingly refreshing in her honesty and her products are great. I recently ordered 4 relatively large Appalachian Redbuds and they were better than I could have purchased from a local nursery. They were priced appropriately, packaged very well and came when Lucille said they would.

I recently ordered a black mulberry tree from Lucile. Morus nigra is relatively hard to find on the east coast, but Whitman had good reviews so I gave her a call. Not only was she courteous and knowledgeable, but she was more than forward about discussing the difficulties I may face growing Morus nigra where I live - rather than just try and sell me whatever, she described growing conditions, experiences, demands, etc. When I made up my mind to order it after we'd spoken for a few minutes, she told me she'd pick the best looking specimen and get it to me in a few days. In less than a week, I had a beautiful King James II that was healthy as can be. I would definitely order again from Whitman farms. Thanks Lucile!

Lucile is just great. I called her up at her Whitman Farms to order several table grapevines and a cornus kousa ('Akatsuki') that I have been searching for a while. They were very reasonably priced, and the shipping charges were reasonable as well. Lucile even included a bonus grapevine in the package, which was quite a nice surprise. After the dormancy period, the grapevines are leafing out, and some even have flower buds already! However, one of the grapevines did not leaf out; in fact, the leaf buds never even swelled up. I discovered that there was no green cambium underneath the top layer. So, I contacted Lucile and she said it's no problem to ship me a replacement. I am waiting for the replacement grapevine at the time of writing. I would definitely order from Whitman Farms again.

All around great experience! I ordered 2 named varieties of mulberry tree by phone. I got an email notifying me when they were to be shipped (UPS) and they arrived 3 days later (to Pennsylvania) in perfect condition. I was surprised to see they were both 5 feet tall and had not been drastically cut back to fit in the shipping container. The packing method was innovative to say the least, maybe ingenious would be a better description, and obviously worked. The Illinois Everbearing even has green berries on it; didn't drop a berry or a leaf. Very good price for this quality of plant and the shipping from the west coast. I will be buying from Whitman Farms again.

Here to add to chorus of positive feedback. Ordered Friday, shipped on Monday. Everything arrived in excellent condition, with 3 out of 4 plants being much more than I had expected, with the 4th being as expected. Top it off, FAIR SHIPPING COST. Not inflated like some. So nice dealing with honest people trying to do things "RIGHT". Do yourself a favor, if Whitman has something you want, or if it's between Whitman Farms and some other place (even if some people think the other place is great), go with Whitman Farms.

There is not enough room on this computor to tell every one how happy we are with our purchase from Lucille at Whitman Farms. We had almost given up on our plan to plant strawberry tree's when we tried to purchase them, or one I should say, from a very expensive online company that claimed to be the only nursey in the united states to offer these trees. We wanted to purchase 2 but could only afford one, but when I tried to order the tree, we were turned down because we did not reach the minimum order. I googled, I binged, for hours with no luck and just as I was about to give up I found Whitman Farms!! I was a little confused by the website as there was no place to order, so I called and reached here voicemail, Lucille called us back promptly, and not only answered all my novice questions in a way I could understand, but sold me 2 strawberry trees for less than I could have purchased 1 from that other company and with a considerable lower shipping rate. We recieved our tree's literally within a few days, packaged perfectly, and more beautiful and healthy than we could of hoped for if we would have gone to the store and picked them out ourselves. Our Trees are in the ground and in less than a week already have new growth!!!!! After we recieved the trees I had a few more questions on their care, called Lucille, and with the same enthusiam as before the sale she spent her time explaining thoughly ever question I had. What more can I say? From now on ANYTHING we need for our landscape I will check with Whitman Farms FIRST!!!!!

The owner took her time discussing Mulberries on many occasions with my wife both by telephone and by e-mail responding in a friendly and helpful way each and every time. We ordered plants about a year ago and they arrived ingeniously packaged to protect everything in a Federal Express box. The plants all survived and bore fruit the first season which we shared with the birds. There was one plant that might have been an incorrect variety but since we were unable to determine if this were the case the owner offered, without us asking, to send us a replacement plant at no charge. We have been very satisfied with this farm. By coincidence we have something in common. She used to live in Maryland in the same town we now live in. It’s a small world. We recommend this farm highly.

Last week I placed an order for five trees that I couldn't obtain from my favorite local nurseries. The plants arrived today, perfectly bundled and secured in a large heavy box.

After removing them and standing them up, I'm extremely pleased with their condition - very fresh and healthy.

Even with shipping, the cost per tree was less than what I would have paid to buy them locally, and about the same size. My only regret is that I didn't include a few more things with my original order, but I am sure I'll be ordering again. Thanks, Lucile!