Comments regarding Cricket Hill Garden Peony Heaven

Four years ago I purchased a tree peony for a gift for my father-in-law. He is an excellent gardener and can recognize a problem. After a year a wrote to Cricket Hill that there was a problem and they advised to be patient. After another year, my father in law became disgusted and threw the plant away. Recently I wrote to Cricket Hill about the problem. They took two weeks to respond and only after I sent a second email. Here's the response, which I found rude and very customer 'unfriendly'.


We did not ignore your email, but frankly did not know how to reply. You do not pull up a tree peony that is trying to establish. I am sorry, I do not agree that the man was a good gardener. Maybe he specialized in annuals that bloom immediately, or bulbs that give you instant color. Peonies are not pansies. You have to have patience to grow peonies. We do advise people of that. They certainly are not for everyone. It takes a certain kind of person that is willing to have patience for the rewards of the magnificent tree blooms.

I am sorry your father in law was so impatient. When you say the plant never did anything, does that mean it died, or was it just slow to grow by his standards? In our climate, given a reasonable start, 99% of all the plants we send out will bloom in 1, 2 or 3 years, depending on the variety and age. The rest fail to grow and die from the beginning and these are the plants we gladly willing to replace.

Sincerely,

Kasha Furman

Cricket Hill Garden