Comments regarding Bluestone Perennials

I ordered about $800 worth of perennials, annuals, and bulbs from Bluestone this season. We were landscaping a half-acre garden and I decided to mail-order hard-to-find plants and cultivars. I am an experienced gardener who's mail-ordered plants many times before, sometimes with mixed or negative results.

My experience with all five orders from Bluestone was extremely positive. Plants were in good health, well-packaged and as ordered in all cases. I'm not crazy about the coco coir pots they ship in - I strip them off rather than plant them in directly - but I have found other uses for the coco matting, which works particularly well as a pot-liner for container perennials and for orchids.

All of the shipped plants arrived in good condition and transplanted well, with the exception of Nepeta "little trudy," which failed, probably because we had a very humid and wet summer here in Z6b. My three cats demanded a replacement since they were practically chewing the dead bits to pieces. I notified Bluestone and they shipped replacements promptly, no questions asked. Communication with them via email was prompt and reassuring.

I believe Bluestone shipped using USPS second-day mail, which meant that my plants arrived very quickly. That was very satisfying, as sometimes it's hard to wait around for weeks until your plants arrive. YMMV; I live in Rochester, NY.

They have a great selection of hard to find cultivars. They also have good sales where you can pick up desirable plants and bulbs pretty inexpensively. I will shop with them again, next time I need plants I can't source locally.

I placed an order for about 10 shade perennials and they were at my front door 3 days later. Most of the plants were on sale and the prices were competitive with what I saw on other online retailers. They were packaged very well and all the plants look very healthy. Would recommend Bluestone 100%

I ordered 3 pink agastache plants ("Raspberry Summer"). Plants arrived in great condition, except they were not what I ordered. They had the correct tags in the pots, but they were purple--not even close to pink! I called right away and Bluestone Customer Service took great care of me. I got replacements within 2 days and the plants are doing great! I would definitely order from them again.

I ordered several plants from Bluestone Perennials this spring. All arrived quickly and were in great shape except for one. It was in its last death throes. I contacted customer service and explained the situation. They offered me credit or a replacement plant. The plant I had ordered was out of stock so I chose a different type of plant. Bluestone sent it Priority Mail and I received it in two days! Very nice, healthy plant, at no charge! You can't ask for more than that. I think they try very hard to live up to expectations but mistakes are always going to happen. I am very pleased with their service.

My past orders from Bluestone have included many perennials and more recently shrubs - abelia, variegated boxwood and false cypress. The shrubs arrived small and I kept in pots for a while, burying the pots in the ground over the winter. All the plants are now in the ground and thriving. This is a good company that I enjoy doing business with. I also like the fact that they keep past orders online in your account info. Helps me every time I forget whether that hydrangea I ordered is a pink diamond or quick fire hydrangea or what.

FedEx lost my package and I contacted Bluestone Perennials for some info FedEx wanted for the claim. Bluestone, without being asked (since it was not their fault) reshipped the order, and the plants arrived healthy and lovely looking. I was surprised by how proactive they were with customer service. I will definitely be looking at Bluestone when making future gardening plans.

Huge pat on the back for this company; order was shipped when promised but I was unable to get the package open until 7 days later. One plant was a little wilted (it is resting in my shaded nursery area and already doing better), everything else is fine, root balls are still hydrated. Great job. I'm not crazy about their pots; I've found that the rim needs to be cut off, otherwise, the pots wick the water away from the plant after it is in the ground. Small price to pay for excellent plants and service.

I ordered two Clematis Rebecca, and Rosemoor. Plants arrived in excellent condition and delivery was on schedule. I will most likely order from Bluestone again.

Posted on February 1, 2014, updated June 5, 2015
I've ordered from Bluestone at least three times over the years. Communication was excellent, I received exactly what I ordered when I expected it, and the plants were well packed.
Customer service was excellent. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this nursery to anyone.

My only quibble with this nursery is their use of coir pots. I've long found that the only way to get a plant in a coir pot to survive in the ground is to rip it out of the pot before planting, not an easy task.

We used to order all the time when they sold the 3-pack of small plants for a very reasonable price. Then we stopped for a few years and meanwhile they changed to the coir and the higher prices, so we didn't use them although they do have nice stuff. This year we sent in 2 orders and both were great with nice plants arriving quickly and in good health. But we do cut away the coir, which seems like kind of a waste. The plants are too expensive, however, to take a chance with it.

I recently put in an order with Bluestone Perennials and was emailed written confirmation for "Spring" shipment of all plants. When received I was very disappointed to find two of the plants missing, "back-ordered" until fall. And yet more unhappy to find that my credit card had been charged for the entire order.

So I immediately contacted Bluestone Perennials, telling them of my dissatisfaction about how my order was handled. Pat in Customer Service was very responsive to my communication about this.

Bluestone graciously offered a generous replacement of plants to "make things right." These plants just arrived and look healthy. Because of this good customer service I look forward to future purchases from Bluestone Perennials.

Everything was in good condition except for two plants which they replaced immediately no questions asked. And one perked up eventually after a few weeks. I ordered again because I was pleased with them. When they put things on clearance they really sell cheap and the plants are perfect. I am a very satisfied customer. They also shipped fast, packaged well and returned emails quickly. Also had a plant online for free, which I added to my order and those free plants were also in excellent condition!

I took advantage of their sale prices and got some clematis and hellebores and asters at great prices, especially given how the plants are thriving. Will order more for sure.

I received another order from Bluestone this week and all the plants look great. Larger than expected and full. I got astilbe, echinops, calycanthus and agastache.
My only disappoinment is that I can never seem to get the specialty coneflowers. I order them in the winter and then when shipping time arrives, they are either back ordered or I get a refund. Other than that, I have been very happy with service and quality.

I have purchased several plants from this company over the years. Only a few plants have died, which this company immediately replaced with no expense to me. How many nurseries will do that? And they did not require me to mail my dead specimens back or pay for shipping costs. Any they did not demand photo evidence. I love this company. They are honorable people who respect their customers.

Posted on May 27, 2013, updated April 23, 2015
I had been reading some negative reviews on Bluestone last year which was surprising as I've been dealing with them for decades with no problems. I think the majority of complaints revolved around their new coir pot method of sending/growing plants. I was a little nervous to see what my order would look like using this "new" system, but in my case at least, they did a fine job. The quality of the plants was good, and after peeling off the coir wrapper, I plopped the well rooted plants in the ground once the weather warmed up. Thumbs Up from me.

Posted on April 11, 2004, updated April 21, 2015
This company has the best deal if you need several plants and don't have a lot of money to spend. They don't always have all the latest varieties but what they do carry is pretty amazing considering the price. I received a giant box of perennials from Bluestone a few days ago and was once again impressed with the quality of their plants. Everything was healthy, labeled and packed properly. Hats off to an outstanding mail order nursery!

Posted on November 10, 2004, updated October 26, 2014
Took advantage of the 50% off bulb special. First time customer. I received a prompt email letting me know one type bulb no longer available; on delivery received an order slip with a handwritten apology that a few others were out of stock (expected this at the tail end of the season)--impeccable communication! Delivery within a week. Orderly packaging, all labeled, large and healthy specimens. I coudn't be happier with such a caring attitude, and extra bulbs were thrown in to boot. I am already planning on what to order for spring with the great coupons I received. Thanks Bluestone!

Outstanding experience! Our best friends and business partners visited Bluestone with us last week. Tony was there and was extremely helpful and courteous. They were out of some fancy peonies for the fall and I happened to "wander" into an area and found some. Tony sold us four of the bags! On our way out, he gave us a nice tour of their operation! He even let us have some empty bulb boxes to store my bulbs in!

We will definitely be ordering from this company again, either in person or via catalog, or both! Thanks!

Oh, and he recommended a restaurant for us to visit and have lunch! We did and the food was good.

Posted on May 26, 2014, updated September 26, 2014
Posted on September 28, 2011, updated May 26, 2014
Posted on September 8, 2011, updated September 28, 2011
Posted on May 2, 2010, updated September 8, 2011
i already rated this company positive under just plantgnome, but I wanted to rate again-This years purchases came in much larger than the past couple of years orders-great plants, all are thriving and they even replaced a couple of plants that didn't make it thru our harsh winter. I highly recommend this company for both value, plant health and customer service. AAAAAA++++++

I have ordered from Bluestone for several years and have usually been pleased with the plants and certainly with the customer service. I agree with others that I preferred the 3 plant format, and I don't think the plants now offered are larger than before. I definitely do NOT like the coir pots! It's a pain to cut the rims down so they don't stick out of the ground (and, yes, I do mulch) and wick moisture. Yanking them out of those pots causes trauma to the plants. Since plastic pots are recyclable I see no reason not to use them. As did a previous reviewer, I have lost viola Etian two years in a row. Additionally, the Tomato Soup echinacea, which was replaced by BP once, didn't make it. All of this being said, I like the company, their plant choices and their customer service. A gift certificate from them is always on my birthday wish list.

I ordered 18 plants from this company this past spring. They arrived within 2 days from ordering. The plants were very well packaged. A couple of the plants looked a little sad on arrival. I watered everything well, then removed the pots they were sent in and planted. Everything is growing fine and several have already begun to flower, even the one I though for sure would die is up and doing well. I'll be a repeat customer.

I have ordered various perennials that are not available at big box stores from Bluestone over the years and never been disappointed. This year I was especially pleased with the packaging. The plants arrived very fresh looking encased in cardboard boxing, all recyclable. I removed the "coir" pots and used the coir for other purposes in my gardening. The plants are thriving in my garden. I found the prices very reasonable and will certainly order again from Bluestone.

I got my plants much sooner than i expected! They are all healthy and growing well. i will most likely order from them again in the future. From my experience with this company, they are vigilant to their customers and offer a wonderful array of plants that are sparingly seen else where for the prices they have.

Posted on May 27, 2014, updated June 2, 2014
Posted on April 13, 2013, updated May 27, 2014
Posted on April 1, 2003, updated April 13, 2013
This is another company I'd rate a solid "B", somewhere between positive and neutral. The plants are small, and I freely admit that I ordered plants that turned out to be growing wild in the woodlot behind my house in Kansas. I felt quite the idiot for paying money for stuff I could have dug up and planted for free, but Bluestone isn't to blame for my ignorance.

I prefer plants in the 3-6" pot size, because they seem to perform best for me, needing the least care and coddling to survive and reach maturity. Again, that's mere preference on my part, and my only complaint with Bluestone is that they aren't completely clear that the plants they ship are in smaller containers than I like. That could be remedied with a photograph in the catalog.

The plants I have received over the years have been healthy, and not excessively expensive. I just wish (and don't we all?) that they were larger.

Posted on May 3, 2008, updated June 2, 2014
I had ordered from Bluestone in the past and been very satisfied. This year I sent them a large order. My order arrived yesterday and I couldn't be happier with their plants and packing. Every plant is so healthy. The Geranium Biokovo even has buds! Although their plants are small, they really do take off. I have never lost one of their plants from previous years and am sure these will do just as nicely providing years of enjoyment and beauty. I have read the other comments but think they sent the best plants to me. I would definitely order from them again!

"On Jun 2, 2014 3:18 PM, Bluestone Perennials responded with:

I'm glad to hear to you are enjoying your plants, and thanks for the nice comments! I apologize for the missing notification of shipment - we had an email glitch for 2 nights when our shipping notifications looked like they went out but didn't. Unfortunately, by the time we noticed, there was no way to recreate the list and re-send them. Shipping notifications go out every night and are very helpful - especially when they work! Again, our apologies."

Posted on July 28, 2004, updated May 27, 2014
This was the first time I dealt with bluestone and I am satisfied. The plants I ordered arrived in good shape. Their plants are rather small and why they insist on selling lots of three, I don't know. I would order from them again. They are quick and have an incredible variety.

I have been buying from Bluestone Perennials for several years. They are, by far, the best mail order nursery I have ever done business with.

I've had a few occasions where plants have not come back the following year and B P has always followed through with replacements. No hassle. Ever.

Some mail order companies won't replace your plants the following year unless you send the dead thing back to them (if you can even find it in the dirt) - in the original packaging!! Why would anyone want to keep all that packaging around for a year?? Bluestone Perennials NEVER makes you do that!!!

I've had a couple plants that I just can't get to grow, for what ever reason - coreopsis and euphorbia. B P replaced them a couple times, but to no avail. I've come to the conclusion that I just need to give up on these two plants. Definitely not B P's fault. It could be a soil or drainage issue. Everything else flourishes.

I've purchased the butterfly garden - wonderful!! I've also purchased numerous shrubs and many, many other flowers as I expanded my landscaping. My first orders came UPS and arrived in very good condition. Then a couple orders came by USPS - damaged, no dirt left in pots, plants dried and dead. I contacted B P and my poor, abused plants were all promptly replaced. I requested they send all future orders UPS and have had continued success receiving undamaged, healthy plants!

I will continue to buy from Bluestone Perennials!!

Very pleased with the quality of plants and promptness of service at Bluestone. Their packing is exceptional as well as product information that is included. I would rank it tops in the mail order plant category. I have dealt with this company for several years and had several plants that didn't survive as you frequently do. No questions asked, they sent replacements. I prefer to buy locally but can't always find everything that I want so when mail order is the answer I would go first to Bluestone with the assuarance of getting quality product.

I have received 2 orders this year. this is my first buying experience. so far, very healthy plants and very fast shipping. I'll see how things grow but no complaints here.

Posted on May 20, 2008, updated May 4, 2014
I have bought quite a few plants from Bluestone at various times. Everything came promptly, all shipping and communication were good. The plants were healthy and are still all thriving. I would highly recommend using them and I will again.

This is my first experience with Bluestone and it was definitely a good experience! They have an amazing selection of plants. All but one of the plants I ordered came in great condition. I called them about that plant and they promptly replaced it for free. Excellent customer service! Also, they have the best packaging I've ever seen. The way they package the plants makes it nearly impossible for them to get damaged. What a great company to buy from!

I have ordered from Bluestone for six or seven years and I have never been disappointed. I just received this year's plants, and (as always) I gasped in joy when I opened the box. They were beautiful! All 10 perennials were tightly packaged. They were robust and healthy. Only once have I had a plant dislodge during shipping. That was a hen & chicks. Those are pretty tough little buggers with shallow root systems, and they're doing just fine now. Every gardener loses some plants along the way, but I have lost only one of the Bluestone plants over the years. That was probably my fault for siting it wrong. I would heartily recommend this company.

"On Apr 25, 2014 1:41 PM, Bluestone Perennials responded with:

Thanks, cactusdog29! "

Received an order of three Delphiniums and three Johnson Blue geraniums yesterday (April 11, 2014) in EXCELLENT condition. I was very impressed with not just the good condition of the plants, but with their size. The geraniums are nearly a foot tall and they were packaged with cardboard box inserts so that the foliage would not be bent or crushed. All six plants look as fresh and healthy as if they were just purchased from a local greenhouse. I'm also very happy with the company's environmental consciousness re: coir pots. I will most definitely be ordering from Bluestone Perennials again.

I had an ornamental oregano on backorder. Bluestone left a message that they were no longer stocking this plant and to choose a replacement. As the oregano was on sale, I chose a plant of equal value (also on sale). Customer service advised that I didn't have to worry about matching the cost but since I had they would send me two. Great customer service,

Posted on July 1, 2013, updated April 5, 2014
Posted on May 27, 2013, updated July 1, 2013
Posted on April 21, 2012, updated May 27, 2013
Posted on April 10, 2012, updated April 21, 2012
Posted on June 11, 2011, updated April 10, 2012
I had ordered 3 Salvia plumosa as part of an order in April. Only 1 of 3 survived (all other plants were fine). I called customer service and they replaced all 3 plants, received within 4 days of the call. These are actually nicer than the first group. A great company to deal with. The nicest and most efficient customer service staff, and true to their word regarding 100% customer satisfaction. This is my 3rd experince with them and I hope to have many more. Highly recommended.

"On Apr 21, 2012 10:50 AM, Bluestone Perennials responded with:

Thanks for the nice post and for your loyalty. We really appreciate it!"

I love this company. I have ALWAYS received fabulous, healthy, quality plants from them. I know that when I order from them, I will get a great product. I have recommended them to several of my friends and family who have asked where I bought a particular good-looking plant.

Even though I had numerous problems with my last orders ( damaged plants upon arrival, wilted, small, barely grown plants, top of the plants cut even though there was plenty of room in the box) I can't help to rate this company as positive. Every time I call customer service I am taken care of to my satisfaction. That said I really wish I had no reason to write or call.
I am their customer for many years. Almost all of the perennials and many shrubs in my gardens are Bluestones.
I welcomed coco pots idea- I am very environmentally conscious- until I planted them and many perennials did not survived. Now, year later I simply remove the pots before planting. Coco pots end up in compost pile. There are some plants that that are able to shoot roots thru Coco pots but plants with finer roots just suffer.
Prices are significantly higher -comparing to the prices when I started shopping with them- but so are prices of other suppliers with no comparable customer service. I somehow try to compensate by placing larger orders at the end of the May when Bluestone announce summer sale. For smaller orders I use offered coupons and also buy special collections that Bluestone puts together- Like Echinacea Red Hot Trio, Heucherella Trio...
I hope to see Bluestone Perennials again as TOP 5.
I believe that the heart of the company is in the right place.

I frequently buy with them and the plants are usually excellent. The few I got that did poorly were promptly replaced. They also have an excellent variety and good prices (not the cheapest, but for a great service and great plant quality it is well worth it).