Comments regarding John Scheepers, Inc.

I recieved HUGH, fat, clean amaryllis bulbs at a good price. They filled up my 6 inch pots. I will have to pot up next spring. I had compared the prices and size with bulbs sold at local nurseris. These were at least half the price and twice the size. Even figuring in the cost of shipping I came out way ahead.

Posted on October 26, 2009, updated October 26, 2009
I ordered from this company because of their ratings and excellent pricing but I was disappointed with my order. First, the order was placed on September 8th but didn't arrive until October 19th (which is still within the planting window but I placed orders with Holland Bulbs and Brent and Becky's on the same day and they shipped weeks ago). Second, the bulbs I received do not seem to be from the same stock as what others customers are getting.

For example, the checkered lillies did not look very healthy (I planted them and crossed my fingers). Of course these are the bulbs I was most excited about and I would estimate that only half looked healthy. Now these are a rather fragile bulb and I don't expect them to look like as firm and round as a scilla but some were shrunken and shriveled.

My order of 10 Cordyalis had only 8 bulbs.

The other bulbs I ordered looked fine (erythronium pagoda, fritillaria michailovski, and the gladiolus). Maybe I just got unlucky with this order as everyone else seems so delighted. In the future, I will stick with Brent and Becky's and Holland bulbs as the quality of bulbs I received from these companies were outstanding.

Received my order recently and have planted most of the bulbs; they are big, fat, healthy bulbs that I'm sure will grow quite well. Even though I added two peony roots onto my order in September, they sent the whole order of various bulbs and roots on time and at once. (In the past other vendors have sent my order in various shipments, weeks apart, which can make planting inconvenient.) I am very pleased with my order and plan to order more in the future!

I've tried so many places for my bulb orders over the years and have had a string of disappointments, small and large. Scheepers is the absolutely the best in every way. Their bulbs are as large or larger than anyone else's; the snug double-box packaging prevents damage; they are responsive to rush requests (I forgot to order the bulb booster and it was shipped the next day!); the selection of tulips, narcissi and allium is superb, and there are all sorts of other unusual bulbs to spice things up in June and July. And best of all, their prices are better than all of the other reputable companies so I can afford more bulbs.

As in past years, I recieved outstanding bulbs. I called and asked that my order be expedited as I wanted to over plant the daffs with other flowers. The order was here 4 days later. Cn't say enough about them. Will be ordering again.

The BEST!!! I just received & planted my latest batch of beautiful bulbs from Scheepers. Like my previous orders of the last 4 years, my bulbs arrived big, healthy, fresh & well-packed. They have a great selection of bulbs, along with reasonable prices & shipping.

Very efficient customer service notified me the next day when an item I ordered was out of stock. Large, well packaged bulbs arrived very fast. Great company.

I normally try to avoid ordering plants and other materials through the mail, but I make an exception with John Scheepers. Their prices are competitive, and the quality of their bulbs is superior to anything I've found. I've ordered from them multiple times, and I'm always impressed with the size and health of their bulbs. First-rate.

Along with its sister company, Van Engelen, this company has provided high quality bulbs and has promptly replaced the few bulbs that were problematic. Prices are also among the best.

I was quite pleased with the quality and shipping of the bulbs I received, and I will order from them again.

Bulbs are generally of excellent quality and properly labeled. Selection is very good. Customer service is polite and responsive. Shipping is at the proper time. Prices are among the lowest. Best of all is their catalog--far and away the best in the industry--well arranged, attractive, and totally worthy of being pored over voraciously all spring and summer till planting time. The only negative I'm aware of is their $35 minimum, which one might expect from their volume-oriented sister company Van Engelen but which must be unreasonably high for many people who only need a few bulbs.

I ordered numerous lily bulbs from them this Fall and they arrived promptly, well-packaged, plump and fresh. Their prices are very reasonable and ordering was easy. I am very satisfied with this company and plan on ordering from them again.

I have been using this company for years. It is the only place where I buy my bulbs. I have never had any problems. The price and quality of the bulbs can't be beat!!!

I was nervous about ordering from this company as there seem to have been several CS problems. Since I've had CS problems with a top 30 company, I thought a big company would be a problem. But so far no problems. The bulbs seem fine and I will see how they come up in spring before I reorder. There was a confusion about a gift certificate which I sent to a friend. He may have tossed it as junk mail because he never rec'd it. When I called to ask for a replacement to be sent to me directly, they incorrectly sent it to him again. Which was annoying. However, since he's near me it wasn't a big deal. And I will say that a woman actually called me about it later and was very helpful in attempting to get the problem resolved. So it may be that the first line of CSRs are not so on the ball (and who can blame them since they probably get paid $6/hr.... another issue).

This was my first order. I didn't receive an immediate email confirmation of my Saturday night order, although I received it Monday, and my order arrived on Thursday. The bulbs are big and healthy, and I'm looking forward to a weekend of planting. I will definitely order from John Scheepers and Van Engelen again.

fast shipping, good packing, and good size bulbs. great first order will be back.

Bulb quality: positive
Customer service: so-so
Overall: positive

I placed my first order with John Scheepers last fall after reading reviews on Dave's Garden. I ordered a number of tulip varieties, some hyacinths, allium, and narcissus. The bulbs arrived in good quality and aside from some tulip mixes leaning heavily towards particular colors, I have been really pleased (and even those mixes were lovely).

However, I did find that I ordered a Fringed Tulip Mixture and ended up with orange tulips - no mix, no fringe. I sent an email to customer support and received this reply:

...Since we sold thousands of this mix and have had no other complaints on it, we do not know how this could have happened. But, we have given you a house credit in the amount of $12.50 which you may use towards a future order. We apologize for any disappointing flowering results...

I am happy with the credit but wasn't thrilled with the first sentence of the reply as it sounds a little accusatory. I called and spoke with a different manager and offered to e-mail pictures and then did so. I wish there were a way to complain without someone being suspicious of my honesty.

That said, I will buy from them again and was happy with the quality. That is why my experience is being rated positive.

This past year was the first time i ordered bulbs from scheepers....i've had a great success rate and some stunning flowers....working on bulb order for this fall :-)

lynda

I've had wonderful experiences when ordering from both John Scheepers and Kitchen Garden Seeds. I tried KGS after a rather minor problem (bulb variety mix up where all in a mixed bag were same color, I think) with some amaryllis bulbs was made right with a credit. After they bloomed and I noticed the issue, it was naturally too late to replace them, hence the credit. They did not make me send the bulbs back, even though I offered.

I had absolutely NO problems with customer service. They said nothing about a minimum order, so that may be a new policy. Instead, I was given the choice of their companies to use my credit, and everything was handled with cheerfulness and attention to the customer. Their customer handling and their products have been top notch in my experience, and I am just about to go to their website to order again.

I noticed that most of the negative or neutral reviews seem to have happened close to the same time. Perhaps there was a reason on their end, say a reorg or move, that contributed. I know my experiences with them over the past 5 years have been just great.

I love this company. Their customer service is incredibly friendly and prompt, and their bulbs are nice and big and plump. So far, everything I've ordered from them that was supposed to bloom already has bloomed beautifully. My front yard was filled with daffs by late January, and the crocuses and hyacinths are just gorgeous. Can't wait to see the irises and tulips.

I only wish they sold spring bulbs, too. I will most certainly order from them again.

I have had excellent results ordering from this company yearly for the past 5 years. I have always ordered amaryllis bulbs and they are the largest bulbs I have ever seen for a very reasonable price. Their shipping methods are oustanding and the bulbs are labelled and in perfect condition.
The bulbs always produce huge blooms and 2 and 3 stalks per bloom. The blooms last a very long time.
This year I added 'paperwhites' to my order and again the biggest bulbs I have ever seen.
All of the bulbs have arrived at the proper time for planting.

Every order over the years that I've placed with Scheepers has been filled correctly and delivered at the proper planitng time. The bulbs always have arrived in good condition and have bloomed the following spring, increasing each year. I gave up on tulips, though, only for the fact that the deer keep eating them....The different varieties of daffodils are so beautiful in the spring. I plan on placing another order with them next growing season.

My order arrived perfectly packaged, at the proper planting time for my area. Bulbs were a very generous size & the prices are great.

I recieved my order from John Scheepers and the bulbs were wonderful condition and quality. This is the 2nd time I have ordered from John Scheepers and I assure you cannot go wrong by ordering from them. It is good to see that there are still trustworthy place to purchase garden supplies.

I have been buying bulbs (primarily lilies and amaryllis) from the John Scheepers Company every autumn for about 10 years now and have had only good experiences with this company. The bulbs are consistently larger, fresher and in better condition on arrival than any other mail-order I have purchased from, and I have never had any problem with their shipping or customer service. (And their selection of bulbs is outstanding!) Be aware that new introductions often sell out- get your order in early.

And it may be of interest to potential customers to know that this company has "friends in high places". A few years ago, the UPS truck pulled into my driveway to deliver my 2 boxes of bulbs and I noticed he had an emormous mountain of John Scheepers boxes on the truck for a local delivery. I said, "wow, somebody's getting a big bunch of bulbs" and he replied, "yeah, those are for Martha Stewart" (she has a summer house in the area). So I guess, when it comes to the John Scheepers Company, "It's a good thing"!

I ordered bulbs in the fall of 2006...good experience, nice bulbs. I just went online to order bulbs for fall 2007 (mid July) and I wanted to say that the Scheepers online catalog and shopping cart system are the best I have used in 5 years of internet shopping. Intuitive, thorough, quick, easy to navigate, just as quick as using a paper catalog. Thanks Scheepers...kudos to your web designer!

I order hundreds of bulbs each year and never have a problem. Their bulbs are top quality and the flowers absolutely beautiful. Their customer service staff is very friendly and helpful. Ordering online is a breeze. I rarely buy bulbs anywhere else.

My first order, consisting of 4 different Tulip varieties, with this company. All are blooming beautifully now in CT; all are as described; no underachievers nor comminglers. I'm delighted and plan to order from them again this year.

After dealing with close to a dozen others over the last 20 years John Scheepers is the only bulb company I do business with now. Best selection, prices & quality, if there is a problem they make good without giving you the run around. Last year about half of a bag of tulips were the wrong type and they replaced al of them at no charge.

I ordered 7 Amaryllis bulbs at 11 PM on Wed, Jan 10 and received them Fri afternoon, Jan 12. How's that for quick service? I know these bulbs were mostly for Christmas and the rush was over, but stiil...5 of the bulbs were great, huge and beautiful! 2 were not, 1 grew in bag and 1 had soft black area, again, probably because it is so late in the season. I emailed customer service Friday night and Monday they emailed me to tell me they had shipped 2 replacement bulbs. The prices are GREAT, half of what I paid for similar Amaryllis bulbs at Dutch Gardens and White Flower Farms (8.75 vs 18.00) and the shipping is very reasonable (6.00 for 7 large bulbs). I will be buying exclusively from them next Christmas, for myself and for gifts. They are one of the best companies I have ever dealt with. Wish I had more room in the yard, their spring bulbs look great too!

I was very impressed with the Exotica amaryllis I ordered from Scheepers this year. It produced 3 stalks and--since the first one had five buds--a total of 13 flowers! The other bulbs I received were very nice too.

Great bulbs and prices . AAA+++

I ordered crocus, snowdrops and muscari from John Scheepers at the end of the summer and I was satisfied with everything they sent me. The bulbs were all in good condition and I liked their customer service. Great pricing too. I'll definitely order from them again.

I ordered from this company for the first time this year, because I needed a fairly large number of bulbs, and I couldn't find the full selection of what I was looking for at my usual supplier (Brent and Becky's). Now B&B sets a pretty high standard for high quality bulbs and good service, and I was very pleased to receive equally good bulbs for a very good price from Scheepers'. I am a MG and needed to have my bulbs a bit earlier than the usual shipping time for Scheepers'.

I am going to be doing a hands-on bulb planting demonstration for a new gardening club, and I wanted to have enough bulbs to let apx. a dozen people plant their own bulbs and take them home after the meeting. When I explained this to the sales staff, they were very accomodating putting a rather large (over 1,200 bulbs) into the mail the next day as promised. It arrived 3 days (including Saturday) after I called to expedite the order. The bulbs were extremely well packed and appear to be in excellent condition. I am now including this company on my list of sources.

I must say, I received my order last week and was in disbelief at how large and healthy all the bulbs were. Comparing them to local stores, who sell bulbs, they were easily double to triple in size. I am so happy with my order that my neighbor and I are putting in another one tomorrow.. I will never again buy bulbs from stores, virtually the same price with just a small amount of shipping and twice the size, you cant go wrong with John Scheepers.

Excellent company. I received my bulbs exactly one week from the day that I placed my order. Good sized healthy bulbs. I'd gladly order from them again. In my opinion, John Scheepers belongs in the Top 30!

My bulb order from Scheepers arrived today, the first I've recieved this season despite a minor billing mix-up (not their fault; I got a new credit card between placing my order and getting billed). The packaging is very nice, the bulb bags being contained in boxes inside the outer box to minimize movement. The bulbs are fresh, lovely, and big, without a single dud. Overall I'm happy with Scheepers and will probably order from them again.

Well, got my bulbs from John Scheepers this morning! They were gorgeous, as expected :), but a bit of a surprise since they sent me this email last month:
"Thank you for contacting John Scheepers. I have checked in both of our companies, John Scheepers as well as Van Engelen, and I cannot find an order under your name.
How did you place your order (web, mail, fax or phone). We would have sent you a confirmation card detailing your item numbers, quantities, pricing etc. We do have you in our system, but there is no activity on your accounts, just that we have sent you catalogs in the past.
Sincerely,
Edith King
John Scheeper, Inc.
Customer Service
860 567-0838
customerservice@johnscheepers.com"
Made my spouse furious, and me just happy as a clam :D especially since I'd followed up and ordered from Van Engelen as soon as I'd heard that I wasn't going to get my order from Scheeper's. Not really their fault, I should have kept a receipt on my computer with an order number, and I really can't say I'm displeased at all. I will remember next fall to get and keep track of my order number though!
That said the bulbs are gorgeous, and I am looking forward to receiving my next order, and ordering with them again in 2007. Healthy fat bulbs!!

I ordered from John Scheepers for the first time this fall. The bulbs arrived this past week and they look spectacular. They are huge and in great condition.

I am especially impressed with the foxtail lilies. I have planted these before, but I have never seen such huge tubers for this plant. The numerous roots are almost a foot long and the crown is very good sized.

I can not wait to see everything I ordered bloom next spring!