The scoop on 'Comstock, Ferre & Co.'

My experience with this company is positive. I ordered 5 packets of seeds (Basil-Sweet Genovese, Rue, Lovage, Garden Heliotrope and Cardoon.) Everything was in stock and arrived within 3 days. Four of the packets were professionally labeled with photographs of the plants with germination and planting instructions on the back. The basil came in a plain white envelope with the name of the plant hand written--no sowing instructions, which is fine with me as this information is readily available.

I'm not sure if they sent me the heliotrope advertised (Valeriana officinalis). The photograph on the packet looks like Heliotropium arborescens and no Latin name was printed on the packet, but it was labeled "Garden Heliotrope" which is what V. officinalis is also known by. This is the plant I was hoping to get seeds for:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/855/

Overall, this seems like an excellent company to buy from (great selection and value at $1.50/pack).

My first time ordering from this co. and my order was filled and sent in a week, they were out of one of 26 items ordered and they emailed me letting me know, my money was refunded the next day...there shipping costs are very reasonable.
If you don't mind no frills packing, plain white envelope.
I will be doing business with them again. I will see if the seeds are true to form....and how they grow and I will post it.

I placed an order in March. Several weeks went by and my order never came, so I called to ask about it. They said it would be "put in the mail" the following week. My order arrived on MONDAY of the week specified. Two things were missing from the shipment and were on backorder. I called again several weeks later in mid-May to find out about the items on backorder. I was told they would be sent out the following week. Two weeks went by and I still hadn't received the items, so I called again about the backordered items. They said one was in-stock and had been mailed on May 30. I received it on June 4. They are having difficulty getting the other item from the supplier.

No sowing or growing instructions were included with the seeds. The seed packets are plain white envelopes with handwritten item names, weights, and pricing.

Their website uses PayPal to process credit cards. PayPal billed me for my ENTIRE purchase LONG BEFORE I received the first part of my order.

I was not notified when either part of my order had been shipped.

On the bright side, they have a nice selection of heirloom seeds and their customer service has been polite and apologetic. However, I will not be ordering online from this company again. I might drive there and browse their seed racks, but their store is at least an hour away in another state. I might be inclined to order via phone so that I know what is in-stock when I place my order.

Placed an order on 4/27/07, still had not received my order by 5/23/07. Placed 4 calls and was told the 1st 3 times they were busy with customers and to call back, isn't that what I am? The 4th call she said she'd return my call, she did not. Called the next day and now was told 2 of the seeds I'd ordered would have to be substituted as they no longer had stock, she then said they would send my order out that day 5/24. It is now June 1st and still no order, called again and was told it went out 5/31. Found this very unprofessional, will not be ordering from them in future.

I've purchased several times from this company, originally on the recommendation of my mother in law, who lives in the area and knows them well. I've never had any problems with the company or the products. As the previous posted mentioned, however, I've also only purchased some of the more common seeds from them.

I have been buying seeds from this company for several years. They have reasonable prices for bulk seeds, especially for herbs and the more common garden flowers. I have not had any problems with their seeds not being the genus and species identified, as one reviewer mentioned.

Hmm. I have ordered a lot of seeds from this company and I have never had any complaints. They have a nice selection and they are very reasonably priced. When you are ordering a LOT of different kinds of seeds it makes a real difference that the packets are $1 or so each rather than several dollars.

Ordered in the past 15 years. A fading company that will
not survive long.

No real complaints but know this company will not be with us
long. Was one of the upper ones 50 years ago when I was a
lad.

I wish them well!

Seeds do not come true, poor quality.

Seed catalog is not 2002. Website previously had an up-to-date listing.