Comments regarding Veseys

I have been ordering plants and seeds from Veseys for a significant number of years. While not all orders were trouble free, those that had problems due to dead plants on arrival or wrong bulbs, missing items, etc, I was always dealt with fairly and quickly by Veseys. Typically, they offered a credit toward my next order or a replacement when possible, all without hesitation. My latest dealings have been with Shirley at Veseys. A special thank you goes out to her for her professional prompt service and positive attitude toward her customers.

I've been ordering from Vesey's for a few years and have been pretty satisfied - I find their discounts and prices very good so if the odd thing winter kills or doesn't come up I don't worry about it. I really enjoy their catalogues. Last fall my order included 3 Brilliant double oriental poppies (rich red, black centre) - 2 came up - one of those died but the third plant did fantastic and even bloomed this spring (I've never had oriental poppies bloom the first year from a bare root purchase before). But - it was a pink poppy with a "ruffled edge". (Apologies to the poppy lovers that like a ruffled edge - but I don't care for them - they look ragged to me). Anyway I emailed Veseys and sent them a photo and I received a very friendly, helpful reply within a couple of days and a credit for all 3 poppies (they no longer stock the poppy originally ordered) - this was more than I asked for or expected. So I have no complaints about their customer service.

I have gotten the Vesey's catalogues the last couple of years, but I always ended up buying seeds, bulbs & plants locally because I liked seeing what I was buying. I always thought I should order one thing or another but always got sidetracked & never did.
However, this year, due to health reasons I no longer am able to drive, so I decided to order from Vesey's since there was a Free Shipping promotion on the items from the seed catalogue. I also wanted to buy a light garden, and having it delivered to my door just made sense, since I couldn't think of anywhere locally that would sell one anyway, and it is difficult to lug things like that around on a bus.
I was a bit nervous dropping almost $300 on items from the other end of the country, not sure if the items would be good or not, etc. I did pay a small shipping charge on the light garden, but that is perfectly understandable, and the extra charge was listed very clearly in the catalogue, so I was totally fine with it.
I got my order fairly quickly, especially considering how far it had to go! I noticed later that Vesey's had emailed me both when they charged my credit card AND when the order shipped (I am terrible at checking my email), which was nice.

I was SUPER excited when I got home to my order being here! I was like a kid at Christmas!
I have to say that everything I ordered was of really good quality -- I ordered the 4-foot Jump Start T5 light garden (grow-light that hangs from a frame/stand, with a pulley-type of thing to raise or lower it), which is really sturdy, it's not horribly heavy, quite light in fact AND it's not flimsy or tippy, which I was a bit worried that it would be.
I also ordered a dual-screen soil sieve, garden inoculant, a 3-in-1 soil meter, numerous packets of seeds, gardener's hand cleaner, some copper slug barrier, BTK ... you get the idea. A bit of everything. One type of seed I ordered was substituted for a different variety of the same flower, but otherwise everything was exactly as I ordered.

I am THRILLED with my order!
One particular packet of seeds -- Sweeter Yet Cucumber -- I sprouted some right away, and they are now utterly GORGEOUS baby plants! I have NEVER had such nice healthy baby cuke plants in all the years I have grown them. The order was packaged REALLY WELL, with things inside placed into separate plastic bags (ie, the BTK was in one bag, the 3 pks of garden inoculant in another bag, flower seeds in one bag, veggie seeds in another) with crumpled paper around the box so nothing would knock around too much. There was a lovely little "Thanks for your order" card inside that says my order was packed & shipped by Barb. She did a great job filling & packing my order!
I am now considering saving up for the Deluxe 3-Tier light garden for myself next Christmas -- I think it would be well worth the money. I will definitely order from Vesey's again!!

Posted on August 24, 2014, updated April 3, 2015
I was extremely dissatisfied in my experiences with Veseys. I placed an order for two honeyberries and one lionheart lily. The honeyberries they sent me were not the variety I ordered. After emailing customer service to find out how I can return it, they apologized and said a request for refund was put in. Never saw the refund. On top of that, when the lilies bloomed, they weren't the lionheart lilies I ordered. Take care when ordering from this seller as they will substitute without asking you and you may be disappointed.

I have now made 2 distinct orders from Veseys (a Fall and a Spring order) and I must say the Fall order was thoroughly successful, while the Spring order was "hit and miss." The Fall order was my first ever and the bulbs were large and firm and this Spring, everything sprouted and I have enjoyed a myriad of blooms from crocus, daffodil, and allium plants.

The Spring order saw several plants not grow. I contacted customer service via email and they have given me a credit for anything that failed to grow (replacements were not viable as the stock is sold out), so I'm pleased with the way the company handled the issue.

I will order from Veseys again this Fall hoping to try their peony and iris selections. Here's hoping it's a repeat of my very first order.

I ordered bulbs online and requested a catalog. I received the catalog and enjoyed the many varieties to choose from.

I didn't know when my bulbs would ship and sent of a simple email to ask. I received a quick response and was also advised that my credit card would not be charged until the order was filled.

Before the order was filled (I ordered very early) my credit card actually expired and I was contacted via email and was requested to call as there was an issue with the charge. The person I spoke to was friendly and helpful.

A few days later I received a very well packed packaged (with lots of padding and air holes to avoid any damage to the bulbs).

These bulbs have begun to sprout and look healthy thus far! I am happy to see that other reviews show that issues with quality were resolved in a satisfactory manner.

Posted on October 13, 2011, updated October 25, 2012
I have to agree with what Seedhead said- "Veseys is a shadow of its former self". I have never really had conversations with the family that owns the business, so I have no customer service issues, but the quality in plants they deliver has really gone downhill. I was wondering if it was just me, but it seems not.

This year I had only ordered a few Coneflowers which were very overpriced for the teeny tiny plants they give you. Plus, they were starting to yellow and the soil around them was starting to dry out despite their roots being wrapped up. I am curious to see if these little things will perform well or not.

I am giving them a neutral, but I'm not sure I will order from them anymore.

"On Oct 18, 2011 11:33 AM, Veseys responded with:

To Lady Assassin,
I wish to assure you that Vesey's takes plant quality and customer
satisfaction very seriously. For that reason we publish in our
catalogue that if you are not completely satisfied by the quality of
our product upon arrival we will replace or refund immediately. From
your post it doesn't appear that you had contacted our company to
inform us of the quality issues you experienced with your Coneflowers
when they arrived.
We make this product quality guarantee as there are many factors that
affect the quality of shipping live plants beyond our control. While
we make every effort to properly store and maintain plants at our
facility, there are occasions when product is affected by shipping
delays (Canada Post) and/or the packages can become subject to extreme
temperatures while enroute. For these reasons we wish to remove any
risk that these uncontrollable factors can cause the customer by
promising them that they will be satisfied with their product or we
will make it right.
I would ask that if you have a concern with your recent order that you
contact our customer service department immediately so we can rectify
your problem. Thank you for placing an order with Veseys and I am
confident that we can meet your expectations on plant quality both now
and in the future.
Sincerely, John Barrett, Director of Sales, Marketing & Development,
Veseys Seeds Ltd. john@veseys.com"

Posted on October 14, 2010, updated May 11, 2011
Posted on August 13, 2010, updated October 14, 2010
So far so good with my experiences with Veseys. My first order was for fall bulbs, so they have not been shipped yet, but they sent email confirmation quickly. The second order I put through with them were for seeds (for my parents as well as myself). The shipment was received promptly and everything looked in good condition. with so much to do this year around the house I have not had time to plant any of the seeds (although I did get some pots filled with soil). My parents have not had a chance to plant the creeping thyme they purchased to start covering the acre of yard that they have. They plan on starting in the corners of the yard as the riding mower can't get close enough to the fence.
My 3 order, was again for fall bulbs for my mother and myself. Email confirmation was sent promptly. Now it's just a matter of waiting for the right time for them to ship them on over.
I am so excited!
thanks!

1/24/11.....Ordered Plant propagator trays and domes, along with plant pots....these work awesome, as I ordered
these from them last year also.....prices for these are reasonable.....decided not to order anything else due to
the negatives and neutrals existing with this company.....
Ordered a pkg of sunflower seeds also; but hopefully,
these will germinate well.........took about a month for shipment, but thats okay, as winter is still here..........

I have been a regular customer for 4 years now and have filled my garden with plants and bulbs from this company. I have never been disappointed! All the bulbs have performed wonderfully, we have been enjoying strawberries all summer (ever bearing) and have made lots of jam and pies from the conventional ones. Also raspberries have done exceptionally well. Peonies are gorgeous, dahlias and Asiatic lilies are beautiful. Have never been disappointed!

I received a catalog from this company offering free shipping, so I couldn't pass it up. Prices for seed were comparable to seed companies I usually use so I ordered from them to lower shipping costs on orders from other companies. Seeds arrived 14 calendar days from my order, which is within the time promised when ordering. One item was backordered, but they shipped items in stock and will ship other item when it becomes available. Their normal shipping is high compared to other companies, so I don't know if I would order from them again, unless they offer free shipping :).

Ordered three times from this company. Although the roots I received were small they grew quickly into perfect healthy plants. Have also ordered seeds that germinated perfectly, and a large lot of gardening equipment that arrived packaged perfectly.

I ordered turnip seed from this company for the first time this year. The order shipped quickly and arrived within 5 days. Seed germinated without a problem. Thumbs up for this vendor.

ordered seeds and sphagnum moss -reasonable price and good quality. Professional packaging, but I didn't know when my order was shipped as they did not send me a notification email (I did receive a receipt/confirmation on my email though). Other than that, great customer service and shipping at a reasonable time (not price - they charge you different shipments for seeds AND bulbs...kinda pricey but not too pricey), got my package of stuff in less than 10 business days I believe. I would buy from them again even the shipping price is not cheap because they package well!

I have ordered several times from this company; each experience better than the last; the seeds I ordered grew very easily, and the seedlings have (so far) thrived in my garden...particularly the Foxy Foxglove, and the Helios Clematis (no small feat for a "let's just try this and see what happens" gardener).
But the best experience had to be with their roses; my best friend in Victoria gave birth to her first child in April, so to celebrate, I ordered three Morden roses from Veseys (a Blush, a Fireglow, and a Sunrise). I asked if they could include a little card with the order to congratulate the parents, and they happily obliged. I was very happy with the prompt and personal service, and my friend just informed me that the roses are blooming like there's no tomorrow.
Recently I ordered some Boyne raspberries to fill in a large gap in my yard, and though I wasn't expecting anything in their first year, the canes are bursting forth with healthy leaves. More happy! :)
I also really like their variety of...well, just about anything you can think of! I will order from this company again and again until I have a really bad experience with something, or my fingers fall off and I can't use email any more.

I always order from this company - I have never had better service, quality, or selection. I recommend Vesey's to all gardeners... they are also extremely knowledgeable in all areas of the garden, which is especially helpful for new gardeners. I have never had a seed, bulb, or live plant fail, and have always had my questions answered right away whether I use the telephone or email. :)

I ordered seeds from this company, so I cannot comment on their plants.

They have a fantastic glossy catalog and a very well designed website. Photos and descriptions are clear. These are not always necessities, but a definite bonus. I also like their all season vegetable seeds blends, which I've not seen from any other companies.

Everything I've planted this spring has come up nice and robust, especially the Picante salvia, broccoli & cabbage all season blends, and Touchon carrots. The two organic varieties I ordered, Tyee spinach and Bull's Blood beets, have done fairly well. I didn't have luck with the Magic Carpet thyme, but I'm pretty certain this was my own fault.

I will definitely be ordering from this company again. Absolutely no complaints.

A good reliable company for seeds. I would not order any more blubs or rhizomes from them since the prices are very high and on the one occasion that I did purchase rhizomes, they were rotted and the situation was not able to be resolved.

I have only ordered seeds from Vesey's, not bulbs or plants.

I have had consistently good service & the seeds always germinate well.

Caveats: Keep an eye on prices here - some are a bit high in comparison to other sources. A number of times a few items have been back ordered (in a largish order) & have shown up much too late for planting the season ordered.

Overall a reliable seed source. Lots of sunflower varieties & the vegetable selection for short season climates is quite good.

We ordered and received seeds and roses. Everything was delivered as agreed. The roses were high quality well packaged plants. We are very satisfied.

I have ordered seeds for many years, and always fast delivery of the order. Have also ordered plants from Veseys, and have always been happy with the products and the speed of delivery. For Northern Gardeners working with a shorter growing season, this is a great company to use .

Seeds were received within two weeks which was better than I expected (they're Canadian I'm in US). They had seeds I couldn't find anywhere else and very small seeds were shipped in nifty little plastic vials so they didn't get 'lost' in the packet. That's pretty cool when your paying a premium for those Wave petunia seeds:)

I received my perfect order from them in record time. I was very pleased.

I ordered two types of seeds, one plant, and a couple of books from Veseys this year. The seeds germinated and grew just fine. I'm not too thrilled with the silver lace vine that I received, though. It looked pretty nice when I received it, but it was rather small and didn't grow well at all. I later found out that it is an invasive plant, so I'm only half-disappointed that it isn't doing well. Shipping is slow since they are in Canada and I am in the US, but it didn't affect my planting schedule. Overall, I like Veseys because they have some things that I just can't find anywhere else and because they are in a worse gardening zone than I am in. If it grows there, it'll probably grow here.

I ordered some seeds online & printed out the conformation page. Later in the day, I looked at the page & I noticed that I had ordered the wrong variety of the specific seed that had precipitated the seed order! I emailed the customer service department of my error, and they promptly (within 2 hours) responded that they would fix my mistake. When the seeds arrived, they were indeed the order I intended to make in the first place.

I've ordered seeds and bulbs from Veseys many times, and have been happy with what I received. They gave me free shipping instead of "bonus bulbs" when I asked for it. The bulbs arrive in plenty of time for fall planting.

I was pleased with what I got from them, but judging by my experience last year (first time I'd ordered from them), be forewarned that if you order roses, they will arrive in the U.S. much later than roses you order from nurseries in the U.S. The seeds came promptly.

My family has a long history of dealing with Vesey's. My grandfather and mother always got seeds there. I, myself, have only been ordering from them for two years, but have found their products to be top-notch.

I ordered bulbs late last year (November) and received them within a few days. They were all half price because it was so late in the season. I didn't think they'd do very well because of how late it was when I planted them, but the pink daffodils and hyacinths all came up. I had some trouble with the checkered lilies, but that was my fault because I planted them in the wrong spot and some of them got trampled.

I have ordered seeds from them as well. The germination rates are fantastic--practically every seed I planted sprouted.

A note about customer service: when the daffodils came up, they were a pale yellow and I thought "Dang, they sent me the wrong bulbs!" so I called them up to complain and they graciously offered to replace them. A couple days later they changed to the peachy-pink colour they were supposed to be so I sheepishly told them that, no, they hadn't made a mistake--it was just me being impatient. The fact that they were willing to replace them, sight unseen, shows they really know how to provide good customer service. A real class act!

This is the first year I have ordered from Vesseys and I am very impressed indeed! I am a fairly new gardener and botched when I planted my hostas(which by the way arrived swiftly and in great shape)so I re-ordered them. The wonderful person I spoke with at Vesseys listened as I explained about trying hostas for the first time and showed empathy when I revealed they had died on me...she took my order and ten days later, a fresh shipment arrived...at no extra charge! There was a handwritten note stating that all gardeners experience problems at one time or another and they hoped I would enjoy my new plants....will definately buy from them again!!

In my experience Vesey's has been first rate. I have ordered spring and summer flowering bulbs, shrubs and other perennial roots over the last 8 years. I have had timely response to customer service inquiries and the staff I dealt with was very knowledgeable. I recently received a Hydrangea which arrived in less than pristine condition and it was cheerfully and speedily replaced without my having to return the old one.

OK....I would highly recommend looking for bulbs/plants elsewhere.
Theirs seem VERY small for a higher price.
I have complained about their clematis's that I paid a fortune for, but they were happy to give me a refund, while I still got to keep the plant.

BUT their seeds are great. I have had some varieties that didn't sprout & they'll always send a new package FREE of charge.
I always buy seeds from this company.

I ordered a wasp trap and tomato seed from their Canadian site. The order arrived promptly and the seeds germinated without problem. What more could one ask? Oh, one could ask for good price. Veseys have this too!

Also be sure to check out their sale section where you might find additional bargains.

I bought a book from Veseys this summer and it arrived within two weeks of my order, in good condition, and I was not charged until well after the book arrived. I really liked them and will order from them in the future.

Ordered about 6 different kinds of seeds from them and received them all promptly with instructions and nice resealable packets. I got a large quantity of seeds for the price and shipping was very cheap, I don't think they added any extra shipping charges since it was so low. I'll let everyone know in a few months how the plants turn out but so far so good.

I have run the Vesey's flower bulb fundraiser at our school (both spring and fall campaigns) for the last 4 years. The product is always fresh, the bonuses generous (extra bulbs to plant at the school, garden books), and have only had one customer tell me their plants did not come up in those 4 years (I suspect she didn't wait long enough for her caladiums to come up). Vesey's have requested feedback from their fundraising customers and they acutally listened and made improvements to their campaign last year. I also order from them for my own personal use.

I have been ordering seeds from Vessey's for about 4 years..Great selection and they grow well.

Last year I tried perennials in the spring (2001)..They didn't look very good so I notified them and they credited me immediately..I decide this year to give them another try with the perennials..A friend and I went in together on an order and everything arrived fresh and alive..Growing great now!!!!

A great company to deal with. Excellent catalogue with abundant varieties, excellent, fast service, no problem with money back in rare situations where plants don't thrive.
We've dealt with many over the years and always have stuck with Vesey.

excellent seeds and a good selection of vegeyables and flowers.

I deal with this company on a yearly basis and have always gotten top quality product. They also have fundraising offers where you make half on the bulbs that you sell, so if you are looking to raise money for a non profit organization check them out.