The scoop on 'Old House Gardens - Heirloom Bulbs'

Company Profile   Old House Gardens - Heirloom Bulbs Old House Gardens - Heirloom Bulbs has 286 products listed in PlantScout. Old House Gardens - Heirloom Bulbs is a Watchdog 30 company. Mailing Address: 536 Third St. Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103-4957 (United States) Phone: (734) 995-1486 Fax: (734) 995-1687 Catalog Order Page: Hyperlink Paper Catalog Cost: $2 » E-Mail them » Visit their website Recent reviews: Past month Past 6 Months Past 12 Months Positive 2 25 33 Neutral 0 0 0 Negative 0 0 0 This company offers a variety of bulbs. This company specializes in: Bulbs: Heirloom Flowers Other helpful information: Gift certificates or vouchers are available

Company Comment, posted on November 29, 2004:   Fellow Gardeners, We'd love to serve you! We're America's only mail-order source devoted entirely to antique and heirloom bulbs, many of them available nowhere else. Our easy, gorgeous, fragrant, wildflowery, and unusual bulbs grow at historic sites such as Williamsburg and in backyard gardens from Maine to Florida to California. Among our treasures you'll find medieval daffodils, Aztec tuberoses, colonial tulips, Victorian cannas, cottage-garden dahlias, rare hyacinths, wild lilies, and many other time-tested classics. We pride ourselves on the outstanding quality of our bulbs and our very friendly service. Please visit our website and subscribe to our free email newsletter to enrich your garden, touch the past, and help us Save the Bulbs! Scott Kunst, Owner and Head Gardener, Old House Gardens - Heirloom Bulbs

Feedback History and Summary   162 positives No neutrals No negatives

Comments:

Rating Author Content Positive phdler (9 reviews) On June 20, 2009, phdler Homer, NY wrote: One of the best on-line plant sources I've found. Healthy bulbs, great advice, and trustworthy. When I order an heirloom plant from them I am sure I am getting "the real thing" and not a modern version of a 19th century variety. Their tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are peerless. The best selection of plants that are virtually impossible to find today and at reasonable prices considering the quality of their bulbs. If you want a period garden, Old House Gardens is indispensable. Positive MavisFlowers (1 review) On June 03, 2009, MavisFlowers Lufkin, TX (Zone 8a) wrote: Wonderful company with a nice selection of big, fat healthy antique bulbs & plants. I have been ordering from them for the last couple of years and I must say their customer service is the best I have ever experienced. After asking an e-mail question for advice about glads I purchased which did not bloom, I was contacted by the company and told they would like to send me UNSOLICITED REPLACEMENTS!! I spoke at length with Kelly one of their staff who is a Master Gardener and she helped me out by recommending good replacement choices which they sent out free. Terrific people, buy from them NOW! Positive soldiersong (12 reviews) On June 02, 2009, soldiersong North Plains, OR (Zone 8a) wrote: I have to post about the friendly and helpful customer service of this company. I've ordered from them repeatedly and have never been disappointed. When one of the bulbs I ordered, a rather rare one, did not perform, I noted it in the comments of my next order. I didn't ask for any action on the part of Old House Gardens, but wanted them to know the bulb did not produce a plant. Not only did Charlie reply, but he sent a replacement bulb, even though I didn't ask for one. After my first order, I've not received a single shipment from Charlie without his writing a personal note on the paperwork. The staff at this company clearly cares about the product and the customers and actually recognizes returning customers personally. These days, with impersonal internet and catalog ordering, it is refreshing and heartening to do business with a company with good, old fashioned work ethics and customer service. All of the bulbs I've received from OHG have been large and healthy. Even when I forgot to plant my fall bulbs until spring one year, they performed - and continue to do so. Positive ErinNH (2 reviews) On May 22, 2009, ErinNH Concord, NH (Zone 5a) wrote: I placed my first order last fall and was thrilled with my flowers this spring. The catalog and website is pure eyecandy and they have fabulous stuff not available anywhere else. The staff are fabulous, and it is a treat to deal with people who love what they are doing. I have to admit that because of budget constraints (and a husband who doesn't really get spending a ton of money on the garden) that for more generic things like thalia narcissus I order from cheaper sources, but I plan to continue to budget a good chunk of my bulb money to OHG for the forseeable future. Positive Gardenartist9 (1 review) On May 17, 2009, Gardenartist9 Roanoke, VA wrote: Pure Magic, From receiving their gorgeous album of the precious bulbs and plants , to speaking with them personally ( a real charming experience) to actually holding the material sooner than I ever expected and in such awesome condition , flawless! Each year I've ordered has been even more scrumptious than the last , and I feel like they sort of know who I am and take pains to give an extra comment or compliment particular to me. ( They even requested permission to use one of my comments to them as an entry in their next catalogue, very fun and flattering). I have yet to encounter a problem , and even when I accidently destroyed an item which they were at that point out of , they miraculously discovered one and sent it ,(without my knowing about it until I was delightfully surprised to open the box and find the little treasure). I have always had a fondness for Dahlias, to include in the boquets I paint in watercolor from, and am really thrilled to anticipate the next catalogue and the exciting discovery of another rare or uncommon tuber to try in my garden and my arrangements. Thank you Old House Gardens for the little piece of home ( as I imagine it was once upon a time) and for the sweet care and top notch quality you would expect from an operation which is obviously created by and for people who love beautiful flowers. Positive Gardening_Jim (8 reviews) On May 12, 2009, Gardening_Jim Vancouver, WA wrote: I ordered from them in 2008 for the fall planting season. All the bulbs were packaged nicely and all had a flier describing the history of the bulb and the growing instructions. They have bulbs you will not find any place else. I will continue doing business with them. Positive marietta68 (1 review) On May 08, 2009, marietta68 Marietta, GA (Zone 7a) wrote: My first order exceeded expectations by a mile; I've never seen such healthy bulbs and rhizomes. My order was for assorted spring-planted bulbs for Zone 7a and the selections are perfect. The service was excellent and friendly, shipping was very prompt, I'll post again when they're up and in bloom to double-confirm the quality! This vendor is highly recommended. Positive carlsca (1 review) On May 07, 2009, carlsca Somerset, NJ wrote: Perfect customer service, perfect product. Very friendly and answer all questions. More like friends/family than a company. I love ordering from them, and I love the flowers even more! Positive plantslayer (17 reviews) On April 30, 2009, plantslayer Raymond, ME wrote: What a great company. I am currently watching the beauty of the rare bulbs they sell in my garden. If you want something different from the norm, check them out. Positive hummer_girl (8 reviews) On April 29, 2009, hummer_girl Saint Louis, MO (Zone 5b) wrote: I'm a repeat customer with Old House Gardens, and that's because their hummer-friendly cannas are excellent stock! I bought more this year and included Glads in my order, and Old House sent me an additional 3 Glads to share with a friend, which I think is an excellent idea to promote their product and keep our hummers happy. My friend lives next door and we share plants and hummers cheerfully! Positive NancyMcD (2 reviews) On April 29, 2009, NancyMcD Grand Marais, MI wrote: Old House Gardens is everything a mail-order retailer should be, with fast, friendly service, orders carefully filled, and lots of useful information about the products sold. It's wonderful! The bulbs and other products are always in excellent condition when I get them. And the plants themselves? Fabulous! It's such fun to be part of the effort to save endangered antique plants. I've been ordering from OHG for many years and have never once been disappointed. HIGHLY recommended. Positive Mextuberose (1 review) On April 27, 2009, Mextuberose Marshall, MO wrote: Great heirloom bulbs and great personal service have made me a loyal customer of Old House Gardens. I wanted to plant some single Mexican tuberose bulbs to honor the memory of my mother, as she introduced them to me, and we shared a love for them. The bulbs I received from Old House Gardens are large, healthy ones. Tucked into the package of bulbs was a handwritten note from Scott, the proprietor of OHG, offering sympathy to me in the loss of my mother, and telling me that he had honored his grandmother's memory by planting her favorite variety of chrysanthemum. Not that's personal service! Plus, Charlie, the Old House Garden cat, has his own e-mail address. The employees at OHG take turns answering Charlie's e-mail. (I can tell that the OHG staff loves to promote treasured bulbs AND have a good time!) I can't say enough good things about OHG. Positive A12 (3 reviews) On April 24, 2009, A12 Lexington, KY wrote: This is an excellent company. I received my order within about a week of placing it online and everything was hand-packed and healthy. I would recommend them to anyone. They even included a few extra bulbs to pass along to a gardening friend. Positive AngryRedHead (2 reviews) On April 24, 2009, AngryRedHead Austin, TX (Zone 8b) wrote: I ordered 10 Wyoming Cannas and 25 Abyssinian Gladiolus bulbs, and they look wonderful! The bag of cannas were heavy, and the roots were gorgeous. The gladiolus bulbs were fat and firm and equally gorgeous. The selection and prices are great, and the company is charming. The website is very easy to navigate, and I'll definitely be ordering from this company again. Positive happy_garden (1 review) On April 19, 2009, happy_garden Dallas, TX wrote: Many orders placed and received from this wonderful source. The bulbs are always finest quality unique and hard to find heirlooms. They also tolerate my panicked calls for advice from time to time (okay, every season). Old House Gardens manages to pull off consistently perfect and professional customer service but still relate to their customers in a warm "fellow-gardener" way. Such a rarity -- support them with your business! Positive maegreen (2 reviews) On April 16, 2009, maegreen Lebanon, TN wrote: The daffodil bulbs I ordered and planted last fall have been exquisite, with abundant blooms. The customer service was superb and friendly. I'll be reordering. Many thanks. Positive kathrynrosewyat (1 review) On April 15, 2009, kathrynrosewyat Salem, OR wrote: Old House Gardens It seems we've made a new friend for life! We have been ordering items from various companies for years and we have NEVER experienced the quality of customer service as we did from Old House Gardens. They are absolutely amazing!! We could tell that each and every bulb was packed with loving care and concern for our success! In this era of "Customer no-service", where many companies treat you as a number, Old House Gardens is vastly different. They do care and do treat you like one of the family. We wish them continued success for many years to come. We are so glad we heard them on the KXL radio show in Oregon called, "In the Garden with Mike Darcy"! Sincerely, George and Kathryn Wyatt, Salem, Oregon Positive welshcorgilover (1 review) On April 11, 2009, welshcorgilover Safety Harbor, FL wrote: I was so excitied to receive my Canna Lily bulbs from Old House Gardens. The bulbs are big and clean, exactly as described. Can't WAIT to watch them grow. Positive kdash (1 review) On April 09, 2009, kdash Parkersburg, WV wrote: This is the second or third year I've ordered bulbs from Old House Gardens. I've been extremely pleased with their service and the quality of their bulbs. Last week, I wanted to add some more bulbs to my order. I couldn't find my old order (which I wanted to add to) and so I called their number. NO voice mail, menu-driven, push button, "drive you crazy" phone system at Old House Gardens! I got an actual live person who spoke English I could readily understand...and who was charming and helpful to boot. I can NOT remember the last time I had such a positive phone experience with a retailer. The folks at Old House Garden believe in and love what they are doing--and it shows. I hope to be a customer of theirs for many years to come. Positive michelleyk (3 reviews) On April 09, 2009, michelleyk Whittier, CA wrote: Just recieved the bulbs and they're beautiful! I followed the great directions and planted some of them immediately! The rest can wait until next week, as I'm creating a brand new bed specifically for my beautiful bulbs! Excellent customer service, personalized attention above and beyond anything I've ever seen, and most of all, an excellent selection of rare bulbs! Positive LeeAnne151 (9 reviews) On April 08, 2009, LeeAnne151 Portland, OR wrote: Very happy with my order from Old House Gardens. Bulbs were nice sized and when they bloomed in spring, truly named. They have great customer service, reasonable prices and unique varieties. I'll buy again. Positive kgaddba (1 review) On April 07, 2009, kgaddba Missouri City, TX wrote: More than a catalog company: a new gardening friend! Always top quality, always concerned customer service, always a hand-written note! Old-fashioned plants that are so hard to find, most from local US of A growers! What more could you ask for? Thanks, Scott, for being such a dream to deal with! Positive dee_bee (1 review) On April 04, 2009, dee_bee Oak Park, IL wrote: Wonderful customer service at Old House Gardens! Today I got bulbs from them, and Scott, the owner, had hand-written a note with thanks and instructions for an especially sensitive plant. Before getting the shipment, they sent a couple of emails to let me know the status of my order. So far, so good ... make that great! Positive WhiteGoldWielder (2 reviews) On April 02, 2009, WhiteGoldWielder Doylestown, PA wrote: I've been a customer of Old House Gardens for years ... and every year, when I think their customer service just couldn't get any better, they surprise me! Their collection of heirloom bulbs has been getting more extensive and the website photos are gorgeous and true to color of the bulb pictured. Their prices for the superior quality and rarity of bulbs is very fair and they raise prices rarely and with great regret. They go out of their way to package and ship carefully [I have two orders every year (Fall, Spring)] ... this year, I had ordered Ehmaii canna and there were no less than 3 reminders of the special care this plant needs -- they REALLY cared about the bulb and about the customer. I really don't know how to say it any other way: this is the only company I'll buy bulbs from; this is where I send all my friends; and this is where I get treated like a person and friend, not just "the next one in line". They've become like family ... and isn't that what you'd like your bulb source to be? Positive nymegen (5 reviews) On April 02, 2009, nymegen Auburn, NH wrote: What a wonderful company,clear instructions and beautiful ,large canna rhizomes.On top of that their updated catolog with 3 extra free bulbs to share with a friend!! Definitively will recommend them,you can not go wrong. Positive Ronni92 (11 reviews) On November 17, 2008, Ronni92 East Stroudsburg, PA wrote: Their lily bulbs are beautiful! They are plump and perfect. As I planted them, I could not help but wonder how they will look after they have a few seasons to mature. And this past spring, I planted some of their awsome elephant ears. They grew so well, people were describing my front garden as a "jungle". That's my kind of elephant ear! You can find cheaper sources,or more expensive sources, but not better sources. With my last order I received a hand written note and detailed planting instructions. Old House Gardens people know their business. Positive evelyn_inthegarden (10 reviews) On November 07, 2008, evelyn_inthegarden Grizzly Flats, CA wrote: Thank you Old House Gardens! What an amazing experience! I ordered bulbs this year from several different firms, and I must say, that this company is FIVE STAR rated! The Foxtail lilies that were sent were 10 times the size of another bulb company, and the bulbs were fresh and alive as opposed to being shriveled and dry. All the rest of the order was top notch as well. Kudos to this wonderful company. I was unable to order all that I wanted, but maybe next year, I will only order from them, as I believe I have all I need, but there are some that I wanted from them but were a bit pricey, but, I feel, not out of line, but worth the money. I will order more from them next year. You MUST look at their online catalog, even if you don't need any bulbs! Keep those heirlooms going! Great job! Positive lpw0623 (2 reviews) On November 03, 2008, lpw0623 Tupelo, MS wrote: Bravo to Old House Gardens! You guys could teach a graduate level university course on customer service!! Add to this some of the best quality bulbs I have ever received, and you have a WORLD CLASS company. I can hardly wait to order more bulbs from you. Positive jane_stevens9 (9 reviews) On October 22, 2008, jane_stevens9 Wichita, KS wrote: OHG is my favorite source for ordering bulbs. Not only do they offer a variety of heirloom bulbs, Scott adds a personal touch with a handwritten note in green ink! I am wondering what I will do when I run out of places to plant new shipments of bulbs.... I have a box of tulip bulbs to plant this afternoon. They will bring such pleasure in the spring, not only to me but to the neighbors also! Thanks Scott, Charlie et al.... Positive Scheherazade (5 reviews) On October 21, 2008, Scheherazade Toledo, OH wrote: In the first week of August, we placed an order for about 24 Trumpet and Orientpet Lily bulbs. Subsequently, we ordered some more bulbs. Inadvertently, we placed certain duplicate items that were already ordered in the previous order. The OHG rep called us immediately, and was very friendly and helpful to resolve our mistakes. Finally we ordered 40 bulbs of eight varieties. We knew that the order wouldn't be delivered before 3rd week of October. Anyway, we waited anxiously for about two months and prepared the beds for our lilies from OHG. We received the bulbs from OHG today (October 21, 2008). We are fascinated at the qualities of the bulbs. Almost all of the bulbs are very large and fresh. We kept the best locations of our garden for the bulbs from OHG and "The Lily Garden". Well, we planted the OHG bulbs in the best spots. We have never heard back from The Lily Garden since our mailed-in order in last two months in spite of our many emails and failed phone calls and Fax. So, if they finally send the bulbs, their products will have to go to less desirable location, and we will be in great trouble to find adequate room because we already ordered, received and planted "Silk Road", and "Scheherazade" bulbs from other sources. Of course we could not find any other outlet for "Dunyazade", "Pizzaz", "Summer Place", or "Sinfonia". Finally, it has been our great experience with OHG; their products and services are simply outstanding! We wish they carried some of the varieties that are offered (or used to be offered, in case of out-of-business) by The Lily garden. Positive ElizabethAnneM (7 reviews) On October 18, 2008, ElizabethAnneM Birmingham, AL wrote: Customer service has been great- they called me to clarify my order since I had placed more than one and at different times. I really appreciated it. They wanted to make sure I hadn't made a mistake. The bulbs arrived very healthy. I am thrilled. I will update when they bloom! Positive crocus1 (7 reviews) On October 18, 2008, crocus1 Lawrence, KS wrote: Overspent my budget this year again. GREAT company and superb customer service. I had trouble with UPS dumping a pkg of dahlias in 33 degree weather last year: OHG offered to reimburse immediately. Even though UPS is apparently unwilling to provide service beyond dropping a pkg on time. Unless UPS thoroughly destroys a pkg and comes to inspect the damage for approval, forget trying to file a complaint. I'm still trying to find an address for someone in KS/MO area to complain to about lousy delivery people.... I've had several companies tell me too bad when I complain about UPS delivering plants poorly. Positive kage52 (1 review) On August 02, 2008, kage52 Pismo Beach, CA wrote: I originally found Old House Gardens when searching online for old-fashioned Roman hyacinths, which grew in my grandmother's garden but are virtually impossible to find nowadays. But not completely-- Old House Gardens has them. I ordered ten bulbs. They arrived at the proper time to plant, were healthy, and ARE THE REAL THING. The hyacinths have been a smashing success, naturalizing profusely and blooming with wonderful perfume you just don't get in Dutch hyacinths. I have since ordered every year from these people, because they carry all kinds of antique varieties of bulbs and corms. Their customer service is excellent-- immediate responses, personal phone calls when there is a problem filling an order. Once, when they felt the quality of the bulbs they were sending wasn't quite up to their standards due to a bad crop year, they threw in a couple of extras, things I hadn't ordered but they felt I might like. Definitely more like dealing with friends than with some big corporation. You do need to pay attention, because some of their bulbs sell out quickly each year, and their selection varies. I wait for the newsletter announcing when the new tulips arrive, and every year find new and interesting varieties to try. If you're landscaping a historic site and want a period-correct garden, or if, like me, you're just fond of heritage plants, you can't go wrong with Old House Gardens. Positive girlndocs (7 reviews) On May 08, 2008, girlndocs Tacoma, WA wrote: I will be rearranging my gardening budget to make more orders from this company. Not only do they have gorgeous bulbs I've never seen anywhere else, the customer service is fantastic. When I ordered online, I had trouble getting the quantity I wanted of some bulbs into my cart. I left a note about it in the comments section and had a PHONE CALL the NEXT DAY to alter my order to exactly what I wanted. The lady who called me apologized profusely for the trouble. When the order arrived there was a handwritten note with another apology and a bag of gladiolus bulbs added to make up for it. All of the bulbs were healthy -- I've never seen such huge glads in my life. I can't wait to get my fall order. (I particularly like that I can place the minimum order now for fall bulbs, and add to it between now and September -- so if I find myself with a bit of spare cash I can tack on extras I've been coveting.) Positive cynicalgirl79 (1 review) On May 06, 2008, cynicalgirl79 wrote: I've been purchasing bulbs from Old House Gardens for years now - always a pleasant and personalized experience when I order, and a beautiful experience when everything blooms. Bravo! I could cheerfully run amok in the catalog if the budget permitted. Positive theras_garden (7 reviews) On April 24, 2008, theras_garden Fairburn, GA (Zone 7b) wrote: What great customer service! One of the dahlias I ordered last year was incorrect when it bloomed. Old House said no problem and promised to send the correct one this year. They sent it without needing any reminders and the bulb was awesome. Can't wait to see my dahlia this year! Positive jenwright27 (5 reviews) On April 19, 2008, jenwright27 Augusta, GA wrote: Once again, I am blown away by the bulbs and service this company has to offer. The only time I've had bulbs falter is when I waited entirely too long to plant. When I placed my most recent order, I accidently processed it twice. Rather than just let that mistake stand, a very nice woman from Old House emailed and called me to make sure the two orders were correct or if I had made a mistake. That willingness to go the extra mile saved me a lot of money. My bulbs arrived in perfect condition, and (in true form) there was a handwritten note on my invoice thanking me for my order! Unless the unthinkable happens, I will be a life-long customer. Positive onewish1 (17 reviews) On April 03, 2008, onewish1 Denville, NJ (Zone 6a) wrote: holy cow... I can not speak more highly of this company... I am not sure if typed words can convey my feelings... but I am going to try.. last year I placed an order for some canna and glads... I had a problem growing the canna... two actually rotted in the ground... I was just writing to say I have never done these before and asked for advice for next time... I was holding them with no fault at all... the rhizomes were in great shape and pretty big at delivery time.. I explained how and where I planted them and watering... and I was just looking for advice... that's all... they told me they were sorry it happened and that they were going to replace the lost ones this year.... which I thought was totally out of the way nice.... my order arrived today with a hand written note.... HAND WRITTEN.... saying they were sorry and gave me step by step instructions and they had replaced the entire sampler that I bought last year... oh my goodness... talk about a blow me away customer service... was not even looking for a replacement of the lost ones.... they replaced the whole order and gave me "hold my hand" directions on how to grow them... AND WISHED ME LUCK to boot.... amazing amazing amazing.... I feel like I want to hug the employee Scott who wrote the note note posted here http://picasaweb.google.com/AllisonNJ71/Oldhousegardens Positive texasdaffs (1 review) On March 07, 2008, texasdaffs Brenham, TX wrote: I started buying from OHG when they were a new company( Scott was Owner and employee and chief bottle washer!). Some of the bulbs I purchased back then are still going today (Texas Star ). I got out of bulbs for a while and have just come back(have a little more money and retired now) . OHG is the same now as it was years ago, I wreckon thats why there still going strong! I never received any poor quality bulbs. You won't go wrong with OHG! Positive clarmeaodw (1 review) On January 11, 2008, clarmeaodw Watsontown, PA wrote: This is one of my all-time favorite sources: I grow cut flowers professionally, specializing in antique/heirloom types, and am so glad to have found these guys. OHG offers some of the best customer service support I have come across, bending over backwards to ensure the quality of both their product and the customer's experience. I've yet to receive an order that doesn't have a handwritten note, and the quality of their stock is fabulous. If the plants don't perform, OHG wants to know in order to make it right. Honestly, I feel as though I deal with old friends every year! You won't be disappointed! And be sure to allow them to substitute if necessary: they've turned me on to some incredible finds I never would have chosen on my own.

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