Comments regarding Forestfarm

What a great company! "Tube" plants were actually larger than I expected with great root system- have been growing very well! Prompt delivery- confirmation email and post card. Wonderful selection. The catalog is well worth $5

Great on-line business that cares about their customers. I ordered three trees and they arrived very quickly. I was a bit upset with one of the trees, called the company and talked with the owner and we worked out a suitable arrangement for the both of us. I would recommend Forestfarm to anyone looking for quality trees and plants.
Thanks Forestfarm!

This has got to be one of the best nurseries in the business. Their catalog is huge, their prices excellent, their shipping time short and their quality--man, I usually can't find as good at my local nurseries! If you haven't tried this nursery, do it! You'll love reading your catalog evenings just before you go to sleep. And don't worry about problem plants: they happily replace all reasonable requests. I have ordered from them for a couple years, and I love this place!

I find this is a very good company. They answered my email personally and when I asked if a particular plant was available in a smaller size (it was not on the site as that size) they said yes and sent it to me. Their shipping is not cheap but their packing is incredibly good; you need a good pair of scissors (at least!) to retrieve your plant from the pack. They have an intricate packing system of four tubes to a box (I only bought two); oddly enough the plants are not in tubes but were evidently grown in long square pots. They are so well rooted (but not potbound) the soil holds together easily when taken out of the packing. I would read the information carefully on the site before ordering; they are very explicit. They do charge a lot but in my opinion it is worth it (at least for the very good smaller plants.) Go in with a friend if you are uneasy about the shipping charges.

I love Forestfarm. Alsolutely love them. Their 500+ page catalog is the most comprehensive I've ever seen. Never thought I could find so many rare plants in one place. I carry the catalog around with me for reference. The stock is healthy and vigorous, the prices are very low, the Forestfarm staff do a great job of packing and shipping, and you can always e-mail Ray with a question or comment. These folks care about their business, their plants, and their customers. Where else could I buy a 2 ft. tall Magnolia v. 'Henry Hicks' for $10.95!? This is my favorite nursery. I've ordered 25 or so shrubs from them in the last two years, and only one died, --through my own fault. I hope to order from them for decades to come (it will take that long to finally buy all the plants on my list!). If you love gardening, especially if you're interested in trees and shrubs, request the Forestfarm print catalog. It's absolutely amazing!

FABULOUS! my new favourite company. I only ordered from them because they were the only place I could find that carried a particular plant I wanted. The prices were pretty low so I didn't really expect much. When my plants arrived, I was stunned to see how gently and thoughtfully they were packed, and the plants are gorgeous. These people really really care about plants, and customers. I will be ordering the majority of my plants from them in the future.

I have been pleased with their "tubes." These are roughly 2" x 2" X 8" (sometimes 4") contained in a disposable wrap of plastic or paper. You get lots of root at a low cost. You can pot them up in gallons or plant them directly. I've ordered a few gallons and these have been top-notch, too.

I have ordered from Forest Farm many times and have always received top quality plants. Their prices are reasonable and they ship all plants "in-pot" so there is no "shipping shock" to the plant's root system. Some say Forest Farm's shipping charges are high (I don't), but their packing and plant quality is top-notch. I would highly recommend them. I have two orders coming from Forest Farm this spring (2002). One ordered from last fall's catalog and another ordered from this spring's catalog. Order with complete confidence.

Its funny that by reading the above comments, it reflects many of the situations I've had over the years with Forestfarm. I have placed many orders and my overall opinion of the nursery is very good. They offer an incredible amount of material and I wonder how they do keep it straight. I have received a few plants that were incorrectly labeled. (Don't send a Magnolia grandiflora to a southerner, labeled as another species.) They have replaced the plants. I have recently discovered that a bamboo I ordered 4 years ago isn't what I ordered. Hmmmm, what to do on that one? The shipping is costly for east coast, but it's cheaper than going to WA myself. I just have to weight out the cost versus how much I want the particular plant. I guess I wouldn't buy something from them I could buy locally or regionally. Plant quality is generally good, but occasionally I have gotten a "runt". Sometimes the plants are almost too big - overgrown for the tube size. I have noticed that some of these have previously cut back and are rootbound. The staff has been very friendly on the phone. That's a big deal to me. If you're not nice to your customers, then it speaks for your service.And if you care about your business, you hire (and keep) employees that reflect your same attitude. Overall, Forestfarm is one of my favorite mail order nurseries. I have had a few problems, but most have been corrected. I consider myself a "picky" person when it comes to quality. I want to get what I pay for...or better LOL. The prices are fair and I have been satisfied more times than not.

Have been very happy with their selection, quality and prices. Highly recommend!

In 1998, after reading in the local newspaper garden section about more hardy Salix species than Denver area nurseries offered, I orderd 8 Golden Willows (Salix alba vitellina) from Forestfarm. I felt that our fax exchanges and phone calls on what was the best willow for me to plant as a shrub fence were great. As for pricing, yes, their shipping cost are very high, but are extreme in the way the plants are boxed. The packaging is incredible. Someone had tried to open one of the two tall boxes during its UPS move and couldn't manage it. Plus, only one nursery in Denver at that time even offered a Golden Willow, a 12 ft. specimen for $125. I paid $56 for eight one-gallon willows, plus $30 in shipping, for a total of $86 for 8, 3 foot willows from Forestfarm in June.The plants arrived tall and healthy (not bushy) with great instructions. Plus, I had been well informed as to the spacing in advance. I just had a heck of a time getting the boxes open because I didn't read all the instructions. Now in their third full year, the willows in full sun are a story and a half tall.It does [not] bother me to get a catalog without pictures when I need a plant I cannot get elsewhere. Forestfarm gets a A+ rating from me.

This is a must have catalog for any serious gardener. Their selection is not only extensive but includes many hard to find plants. Their packaging is outstanding; delivery is prompt. We've ordered from them quite a few times. It's always a special day when the new ForestFarm catalog arrives. I never think twice about ordering from them. I know that everything will arrive as ordered & in good shape. Everyone on their staff that I have talked to has been friendly & very helpful.

I ordered 3 Cryptomeria japonica specimen trees; these were shipped promptly and economically. However, all three were overgrown and potbound as well as quite irregular in trunk shape. Not knowing the usual habit of the tree I called and very politely asked if this appearance was normal. I truly did not complain; I just wanted information. The rather rude response is classic and I quote the gentleman (the owner, I believe), verbatim "…If you wanted straight trees you should have asked for them ahead of time." Everyone has bad days, but in reading the other comments I see others have had similar experiences. So, my advice is ASK FOR STRAIGHT TREES when you order from Forestfarm, or find a more consistently courteous source. [Update] After my unpleasant experience in the Spring of 2000 I complained and was given one-half credit for the cost of my Cryptomeria. Since I needed to use the credit I again ordered from them this spring and was most pleasantly surprised by the good service and nice plants which arrived promptly. So, maybe he was just having a bad day. Anyway, I received several very nice and rather rare conifers in great shape. They're probably worth trying as others seem to have good luck with them.

Fist time ordering from Forestfarm. Used their web site to order (3) honeysuckle shrubs and (1) honeysuckle vine which shipped April 6th and arrived via UPS on April 14th - which was exactly within the time frame they stated (8-12 days) on their confirmation of shipping postcard that I received on April 10th. Very satisfied and surprised with quality. Shrubs and Vines were bigger, greener and healthier than I expected (great for 8 days UPS trucking from Oregon to Missouri). I never needed to use their Customer Service, so I don't have anything to report about them. The S&H costs were so high to ship to Missouri - equaling my order cost - I do not know if my final order price was competitive or not with other mail order companies. The shrubs I ordered were hard to find and Forestfarm had them in stock and their Web ordering process was easy. I would, however, caution potential customers concerning their guarantees. Although they do express in writing that they will work the customer if there is a problem, I found nothing in writing about Forestfarm offering refunds or credits. I would definitely order from them again if the total costs after S&H is still competitive with other companies. My first-time customer experience with this customer based on plant quality and on time delivery is 4 out of 5 smiles :)

The Forest Farm catalog is truly extensive. I ordered 3 Nandinas ('Woods Dwarf') in Spring 1999. The plants were pathetically spindly and brown. I complained, since all 3 could have fit together into a business size envelope (I paid $30, including the shipping). They did send me a refund check after I threatened to post the experience on rec.gardens.

Forestfarm is one of the three nurseries that I order from every year.

I just received my first order from forest farm and was impressed. Not only were the plants (Lilacs) much larger, and healthier than I imagined they would be, the packaging of them was also top class. Upon opening the tall shipping box, a bud popped out of the opening .It was a nice surprise to receive such well grown and cared for plants. It was well worth the high shipping costs. I will definitely order from them again

I must say the people at Forest Farm must have a very large mail-order operation. If you read their catalog, they specify shipping charges East of the Rockies are not economical. They were expedient to reply to my inquiry, and did make some adjustment accommodation to my own order. As they told me read ALL THE ENCLOSED PLANTING INFORMATION REGARDING TO THE CARE AND HORTICULTURAL PRACTICES OF THE PLANTS THEY SHIP. You can learn a lot. I would order from them again because they personally responded to my inquiry, when I really did not expect to hear from them. They are reputable and reliable.

I have ordered from Forestfarm almost every season for over ten years now and have always been extremely pleased with their selection, price, quality and service. The gallon sized and 5 gallon sized plants are expensive to ship to the East, but the 'tube' plants are a real bargain. Most tube plants are $5 or $6 e each, and shipping for 12 plants from OR to PA is $30 for second day air. Tube plants are grown in 2" x2" degradable sleeves. The plants are usually 1' to 2' high. For a plant collector such as myself, Forestfarm is a treasure trove of rare and unique species.

Since 1993 I have ordered plants from Forestfarm at least once per year. The plants have been of excellent quality, and the catalog offerings are filled with plants that most gardeners would never see anywhere else. I have had a few plants that have not survived here in Virginia, but they were plants that were not suited to the climate here, or to the site they were place in. I recommend Forestfarm to any and all other gardeners looking for the unusual, or hard to find plants.

My experience with Forestfarm was excellent. I recently ordered and received 7 plants. I live in Montana and asked that the plants be sent by surface mail. They arrived two days after they were shipped - in beautiful condition. For the price - including shipping, I could not do better locally. I received 7 plants, three trees and four shrubs. Three of the plants were in 5 gallon containers. The cost, including shipping was $256. The three trees are each about 6 feet tall. I expected to get small whips, but these are as well-developed as I would have gotten locally in a 5 gallon container. All of the plants were well-rooted but not excessively so for their pot size - about perfect I thought. They were all equivalent in development to plants in similar sized pots that I would buy locally. The people I dealt with on the phone were extraordinarily patient, tolerating (an embarrassingly) large numbers of changes I made in the order over the course of the 10 days or so before it was sent out. They got the order out faster than the three other mail order companies I have dealt with. I had everything within two weeks. The other companies had ship dates of two or three weeks after order. There was one mistake in the shipment. Thy sent two Crataegus (Hawthorns) when I had ordered one, and did not send a Sorbus (Mountain Ash) I had ordered. I called them and they allowed me to keep the extra Hawthorn and within a week had sent me the correct plant at no charge. Based on my experience I would highly recommend Forestfarm.

I bought plants from Forestfarm several years ago. Some of the plants I received were not the plants that I ordered. I received no response from the letter I sent them. I wrote them again, this time received a very rude letter in return. To their credit, they did replace the plants at no charge.

I've ordered well over 100 items. We lost three Gaura and one phlox was not the one I ordered. They refunded for the Gaura but, at my insistence, refrained from refunding for the phlox--the one I received was so extraordinary and enthusiastic I felt it would be offended if I got my money back. These folks have been extremely accommodating, responding to questions, giving advice, checking availability. Shipping is quite expensive on the gallon containers and vicious on five-gallon containers. On the few gallon and one five-gallon containers I've ordered, even with the shipping the price was much less than other mail-order and local nurseries. I've ordered mostly the tube size, and after the first one, the subsequent ones are generally less than 10% West Coast and 15% East Coast--not much different from any mail-order nursery.

I was in search of Golden Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia") and heard that Forest Farm sold this product. When I opened the plant for inspection, I was not pleased with the pruning that was conducted on the Locust. I called and informed them of my dissatisfaction and the color of the Locust versus the species which I encountered in England. They listen, but would not support the customer. The pruning was very poor. I had one main stock, three runners and one branch and the color of the leaves were a green gold versus a yellow gold.

Huge list, no pictures; specialize in woody plants but also have vines, grasses and perennials; sell good quality plants, even their smallest sizes are often larger than other sources. Have always received good quality in good shape. Prices very reasonable, but shipping to east coast can get pricey if you wait until the last minute!

Their catalog is a big, thick book. No pictures. Hardiness zones are included. About two-thirds of the catalog is devoted to trees and shrubs, with the remaining third devoted to perennial plants. Plant descriptions are brief, but they do give the essential information necessary to make your choices. I would not recommend this catalog for the beginner. You should have some garden experience first. Prices are reasonable, but the shipping charges are high. They do not accept credit card orders. However, after the first purchase, they will trust you to pay them and will send a bill with the plant shipment. I found their customer service to be good. We ordered in March, specifying an April ship date. The plants arrived at the right time. The packaging consists of plants in plugs of dirt, wrapped by a biodegradable plastic, which is wrapped in either a plastic bag or in a specially designed cardboard tube. All of the plants that we received looked healthy. Another rush order that we placed was handled promptly and efficiently. They ran out of some of the plants, and issued a refund to us instead of placing it on backorder. The selection is large. Certain plants found almost nowhere else, such as a Calceolaria 'John Innes', are listed there. It is a treasure trove. However, you have to be ready to do some real digging through the catalog to find your treasures.

Very interesting selection of shrubs. They held for me a plant I was interested in for a couple of weeks, until their catalog arrived. Good shipping and nice people.