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| Company Comment, posted on February 5, 2003: |
We have the full rose catalogue online with excellent search and browse capabilities, online ordering and many photos. Our rose selection is extensive, over 700 varieties. Hortico ships plants worldwide and is a major wholesale supplier to the nursery industry in North America & World wide. Users ordering either online or with the normal order form can specify exactly which plants they will accept substitutions.
You might check our guest book for customer feedback. The guestbook is *honest*. It's really only from customers and we don't edit or modify it or solicit postings. People have been surprisingly willing to add to the guestbook.
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| Feedback History and Summary |
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Comments:Displaying the 50 most recent comments:
| Rating | Author | Content |
| Negative | joannabanana
(1 review) | On May 2, 2008, joannabanana Calgary, AB
(Zone 3a) wrote:I ordered 4 different roses. All arrived healthy, which was great. One rose, George Burns, was so small I thought there was an error in my shipment. The root was as small as my thumb, not kidding. So I called them since they charged me full price. Got the run-a-round, sent an e-mail with a picture of the roses which showed the small GB very well. So after 3 days of calling them, e-mails, etc they said they would send a substitute for free. Get this, free rose that costs me $26 for shipping.
I will not order from Hortico ever again. | | Positive | roseperfect
(1 review) | On April 24, 2008, roseperfect Rockford, IL wrote: I was skeptical ordering from this company because of the few negative feedbacks posted. However, I wanted a rose (Starry Night) that is very hard to find, and Hortico was the only company I could locate online that carried them. I had planted this particular rose bush about eight years ago (not from Hortico), but last year they just kind of pooped out from old age. I went ahead and ordered seven Starry Night plants from Hortico online on April 9 and received the plants today (April 24)!! Very fast shipping! When the roses were shipped, they sent me delivery confirmation via e-mail, along with a UPS tracking number. When I received the roses, they were in perfect condition, healthy and green. Packaging was very professionally done. I couldn't believe the size of the roots, very thick and sturdy. I can't wait until the plants start to leaf out. I will use this company again, and will recommend them to my friends. | | Positive | chicochi3
(16 reviews) | On March 31, 2008, chicochi3 Fayetteville, AR
(Zone 6b) wrote:Excellent as usual. Good healthy plant, great customer service. I have never had any problem with this company :=) | | Positive | Calif_Sue
(5 reviews) | On January 5, 2008, Calif_Sue San Jose, CA
(Zone 9b) wrote:I emailed Hortico to check on availability of plants before placing my order. I got a response within 2 days and adjusted my order accordingly. They let me know that one plant was delayed and asked if I wanted to get the remainder of the order right away or wait and ship when the other plant became available. I chose the later and my package did arrive right on time, with an email notification when it had been shipped. Very nice packaging, and roses were in excellent shape.
I have made it a habit now to always email in advance to check on what's available rather than be disappointed later on. | | Negative | Marlowe
(1 review) | On June 4, 2007, Marlowe Kunkletown, PA
(Zone 6a) wrote:First warning-Hortico kept my credit card info on record and accessable for over a year, and charged me to ship a back order that I had cancelled months earlier. In the States credit card info cannot legally be kept for longer than 180 days, other Canadian Nurseries ask you for your information every time they ship, not Hortico, beware, ask them to delete your credit info.
I'd gotten a nightmare everything-died order from Hortico years ago, decided to try them again after hearing that the sons had taken over. 2005 order was decent, although many were small and didn't survive winter. 2006 order was terrible, as usual with Hortico many weren't available and so went on 'backorder' and a really nasty surprize, many of the dried out most likely grade 2 plants were on Dr Huey, not Multiflora. When I called them about it I got the run around, no one would give me a straight answer about why the plants were Dr Huey grafted, just finally admitted that they did purchase roses from other vendors on Dr Huey, but would not tell me where they came from. So Hortico most likely is buying low grade roses from American growers and reselling back to the States. If I'd had any idea that the roses would be on Dr Huey I would have cancelled the order, alas nowhere on their website is Dr Huey rootstock even mentioned, they say all their plants are multiflora/canina grafted or ownroot. I buy from Canada for the multiflora rootstock, I don't trust American growers because of the RMV issue here in the States. I was horrified when I saw the Dr Huey, and very unhappy. All Hortico told me was that they offer a replacement on the roses if they died. They would not offer a refund because of the rootstock, even though they were deceptive about it. I planted and babied the poor pathetic things, only to lose them all to the creeping black death. Then to add insult to injury this spring they suddenly and without warning charged my credit card for backordered roses I had told them I didn't want. I had to call and confront them over keeping my credit info and they rectified the situation at breakneck speed. They did offer replacement plants for the roses that had died, I told them not to bother as it was a waste of my time and I wouldn't be ordering from them again.
Hortico has not changed, they may have rare roses that you can't get anywhere esle, but that doesn't mean that they will actually send them to you. You may not get plants on multiflora, you may get grade 2 American grown roses on Dr Huey, with no warning or refund for getting a rootstock you weren't expecting or wanted. I had really hoped after my 2005 order that Hortico was finally going to become a stable and reliable vendor, as I buy all of my roses from Canada, but sadly I was wrong. Order from them at your own risk, question them about the rootstock, and make sure they don't keep your credit card info longer than they should. Good Luck. | | Positive | flash317
(6 reviews) | On May 19, 2007, flash317 Monroe, NY
(Zone 6a) wrote:I had been very disappointed with two roses I received from Hortico in 2006; they never leafed out at all, and a third rose was backordered for a second year. However, when I emailed them with my concern, they immediately replaced the two roses, and suggested a different planting technique than the one I had used (brief rather than long soaking, as they use multiflora rootstock, and hilling up soil until leaves appear.) They also refunded the deposit for the third rose, and the two they sent are beautifully leafed out now and thriving. They were very gracious and helpful. They have roses that are not available elsewhere; I will definitely order from them again next year. | | Positive | violacea
(1 review) | On May 7, 2007, violacea London, ON
(Canada) wrote:I have had a great experience with Hortico.
The couple of roses I ordered last year all survived, and I therefore chose to order again this year. I ordered a little on the late side, and asked for someone to call me for payment information, which they did. They tried my home number first, and when they did not reach me there, they called my office number which I had supplied. I found this very convenient for myself, as I did not have to play phone-tag with them for days. I believe that this in itself was beyond the call of duty.
The young woman I dealt with, Stephanie, was very helpful, and when I called back to alter my order slightly, she confirmed that all the roses I had put on my order were available. I had not expected this, and to me it was beyond my expectations that she could, and would do that.
My roses have all started to leaf out, and look wonderful! I am so excited waiting for the 'rose garden', that no-one ever promised me, that I got for myself, to bloom! I am very impressed that some of the roses have so many branches on them, and really hope they will bloom in their first year! Even the ones that were the lower grade (which I requested), have leafed out very well, and look like they will come along just fine.
Anyways, I would recommend Hortico to friends and family, and will definitely order again. (I am putting in a fence on the other side of my yard, and need some wild-rose rugosa varieties to festoon that side now!)
I think some people expect perfection, and fact is, there can be blips in anything. My experience has been extremely satisfactory, and I feel that there is a part for the consumer to play in any transaction. If that includes trying a company that has tidied up their processes, and improved themselves, then that is the company I would try first. As well, a few pieces of bad press can be completely overblown, and wreck a company's entire business. In this case, I will order again from Hortico because they were able to withstand any bad press and had the strength to 'rise from the ashes' so to speak, due to a few unfortunate incidents.
Anyways, I love to preach, but I love Hortico!! All my roses look awesome, and green and healthy, and even my last years ones, which I planted too late, and which suffered because of it, and which I did not think would come back this year, have beaten the odds due to my lack of experience, and are sending up all kinds of new shoots and will survive!
Yay! (Don't mind me, I am just so excited!)
Have a fabulously lovely spring all!
I
| | Positive | Donnabeverin
(1 review) | On April 5, 2007, Donnabeverin Earleville, MD wrote: Easy ordering on line at Hortico
Fast response. Roses arrived safety packed.
I planted next day and they are doing fine so far.
Bare root.
They have a great selection and I found out about them at the Rose Show at Longwood Gardens in 2006.
I will update as they grow!
Donna | | Positive | donnacoleman
(1 review) | On December 6, 2006, donnacoleman Danville, KY wrote: I was very happy with my purchases from Hortico Nursery. They had alot of roses that I wasn't able to get anywhere else. The staff was very nice and helpful. I received my roses and was totally satisfied with the roses. They were healthy and well wrapped for shipping. Two thumbs up for this nursery! I will definitely be buying from them again. Actually I have some coming this spring! Donna | | Positive | DianaSanders
(1 review) | On November 30, 2006, DianaSanders Lilburn, GA wrote: I have placed several rose orders with Hortico over the years and have always been very satisfied with the quality of their plants and their customer service. I live in the Atlanta, GA area and despite the considerable climate differences between Canada and Georgia, found their plants to be very hardy and healthy. Hortico's customer service has always been prompt, professional, informative - and very friendly - a real pleasure to work with. I never hesitate to order roses from them and will continue to do so in the future. | | Positive | tphillip
(1 review) | On November 30, 2006, tphillip Lexington, KY wrote: I have ordered several hundred varieties of roses from Hortico over the past eight years, and have always been satisfied with the plants and with my dealings with the company. I have ordered over the phone, over the web, and via email, with excellent results. They always have a tremendous range of varieties, many of which are not available from anywhere else. I used to go to Canada to pick up my large orders, but post 9/11, this isn't as easy (coming back into the US is a pain - the Canadians aren't at fault...). Shipping charges are reasonable, and I don't mind plants on the smaller side. They generally have grown well, and my losses and experiences with misnamed varieties have been much less with Hortico than with other sources.
| | Positive | jojomood
(10 reviews) | On October 25, 2006, jojomood Saint Joseph, MO wrote: I have dealt with Hortico many times in the past several years with mixed results to begin with, but they are steadily improving. I placed my order last year with them and when they sent it, the order got mixed up with a back order I had placed previously. I contacted them and we straightened out the orders and I was credited correctly and missing plants were put on back order as requested for a specified shipping time. Also, I placed another large order and gave them a list of possible substitutes should my selections be already sold out. They gladly accepted the substitute list and will use it so that my orders are finished cleanly and with no negative surprises. John, Sue, and Diane have been excellent to work with. If you tried them in the past and were unhappy with the experience, try them again, keep the communications open, and see what happens. I think you will be pleased. After all, they do have the largest and most comprehensive stock of roses in the world at their disposal. | | Positive | wattley
(8 reviews) | On October 10, 2006, wattley Cleveland, OH wrote: I ordered a rose collection in July. All five roses came within a few weeks. I planted the then dormant roses and two did not survive. In August, I contacted Hortico and told them that two of the roses failed to ever come in to leaf and they agreed to replace them this fall.
Of the three that did survive, I am very, very happy with the health and growth of the plants. They are three of the healthiest plants out of the 50+ roses that I planted this past year. Good selection and good bargain. | | Positive | Donnaamaranth
(1 review) | On September 23, 2006, Donnaamaranth Grand Valley
(Canada) wrote:I have dealt with Hortico for the last 6 years and have found them so helpful. The roses, trees, perennials, and shrubs are fantastic! The people at Hortico treat me as if I were a very good friend and make sure I get the most healthy plants. They spend time to give me great information about the care of these plants. I specifically wanted plants this year to stop hunters from sneaking onto my property and the thorns are going to work better than any sign I put up! Some of the trees I planted 5 years ago are now 20 feet tall. They were part of a transport full of trees delivered for me. I therefore feel that my recommendation to buy from Hortico is worth a lot. I can hardly wait for sping to send for more even though I just received dozens of bushes and trees. John Vanderkruk called me to let me know the special care of some of them and to ask if I was happy with the order. | | Negative | WVMHP
(1 review) | On June 28, 2006, WVMHP Divide, CO wrote: I placed an order for 10 Therese Bugnet and 10 r. rubrifolia in late December. In May I phoned to check the status of my order and was informed that NONE of the roses I had ordered 5-months earlier were available. I was told I could backorder to fall or next spring if I wished. I did not. Several weeks later (and only after I had purchased other roses from a local nursery and planted the site I had planned for the Hortico roses) the 10 Therese Bugnet arrived on my doorstep without warning. I immediately phoned Hortico and informed the gentleman who answered what had happened and that I was leaving town the next morning. He promised to have someone contact me upon my return a few days later. I told him I would put the roses in my cool basement in the original packaging until I received the call-back and instructions how to return them. No one from Hortico ever returned my call. Three weeks later, with a box full of dead roses sitting in my basement, I finally resorted to dealing with them via email. At one point last week I was told I would be refunded for the 3 roses. I had to point out that they shipped and charged me for 10 roses--not 3. This week they refuse to refund my $118 but have offered a credit toward a future order--like anyone in their right mind would order from them again after this fiasco! Stay away! Their customer service is incompetent beyond belief! | | Negative | rsmallen
(7 reviews) | On May 18, 2006, rsmallen Northampton, PA wrote: In the end of March or April 1 I ordered several roses and two perennials with Hortico. I had done business with them a couple of years ago and was VERY happy. Unfortunately, my experience this time is not as happy.
On April 3 they acknowledged my order ($240ish) and charged my debit card a $40.64 deposit. They confirmed shipment of May 5 on the pdf confirmation.
I engaged a landscaping crew based on that ship date who readied my beds.
On May 1 I called to inquire about my shipment and whether or not it could be pulled in. The CS rep told me it had not shipped but my order was in the process of being checked in the barn for what was and was not available. I said "Not available?" I pre-ordered based on availability! She asked if they could substitute and I said NO since the plan was specifically designed for the roses I had ordered. She assured me I would have my roses the end of the following week. She also agreed to email me to advise which roses were not available.
When I received NO roses/perennials either the 5th or the 12th of May and no email either I called Hortico on Monday May 15 and spoke with Jackie in CS. She informed me that they were just beginning to pull the orders that had both perennials AND roses. I explained that was not satisfactory since I had a landscaping crew on DOWN time that I was paying for and since she could STILL not tell me what I would or would not get and when I would get it, I asked her to cancel the order and refund my deposit. She agreed. I asked that she confirm the cancellation by email and issue my credit that day.
To date (May 18) I have not received the credit to my Debit Card, nor have I received email communication....and when I email the company with read receipt attached to it, the emails go unread and unresponded to.
I think the way this company does business has certainly dropped off...and I would NEVER do business with them again. They are wholly unreliable based on this experience and I will be initiating a credit card chargeback process tomorrow if I do not hear from them today.
On June 6th, 2006, rsmallen added the following:
Late last week I received a call from John at Horitico (at 9:30 pm et) to see what had happened with my order and ask me the status. He said he was working through the files on his desk. I told him it had been cancelled and he asked why. I explained that there were landscapers waiting for the plant material and the promise date had been May 5. He observed that rose/perennial mixed orders seemed to be the problem and he would handle them differently last year. I made a not to come here and upgrade them to Neutral.
WELL. I am very glad I did not. Tonight I checked my checking account. There is a charge from Hortico for $113.78 against my Visa Debit card....the card that was on file for the cancelled order. Can\'t they do ANYTHING right??? Sheesh! | | Negative | LesMc
(1 review) | On May 17, 2006, LesMc Louisville, KY
(Zone 6a) wrote:I waited the entire month of April for my order, which had been placed in winter. When the month passed and no roses I called. They acted like they never heard of me or my order. Only two roses were now available out of the five I ordered. I asked for immediate mailing as I was having surgery. I recieved them the day of my surgery. I did get them planted but it was quick.I feel if I had not called them I would still be waiting. After having such great experiences with three other companys, I must rate my experience with Hortico as negative.I expect to be contacted if there is a delay or other problem with my order. | | Negative | Peganopt
(1 review) | On May 16, 2006, Peganopt New York, NY wrote: I placed an order online on April 24th. The roses I ordered were available. I noticed on the web page that they said they were running behind on their orders. I called them on April 27th to find out if they had received my order and was assured that the order was received and that my roses were available. I asked if they had any idea when they would be shipped out and they did not know at that time. On May 8th, I received a letter in the mail stating that my roses would be shipped out to me on May 10th via second day air, which I had paid extra for. I prepared my garden over the weekend for their arrival. Well, as of yesterday, May 15th, they still had not come. This morning, May 16th, I called them to find out if they had indeed been shipped via second day air because, if they had, they were lost somewhere. I was told that not only had they not been shipped, but they were now out of stock and I would have to wait until next year. No one even contacted me to let me know this. If I hadn't called them, I still would be waiting for my roses. I am so disappointed in Hortico. | | Positive | DaintyBess
(9 reviews) | On May 11, 2006, DaintyBess Utica, MI wrote: I must say that my order from Hortico was a good experience this year. The canes are nice and the plants arrived in good condition. The only complaint I have is it took along time and a few roses, I ordered and had called about, to verify they were in stock. were not available on my shipping date. I placed my order back in February-2006. Hortico did call at least and apologized for this and for it taking so long. I have to give them a good rating due to good customer service and the quality compared to previous orders. I will definately order from them next year. Great job Hortico keep up the good work. Also you can find many hidden treasures of roses that are hard to find through them. Daintybess | | Neutral | lilystorm
(1 review) | On April 6, 2006, lilystorm San Jose, CA wrote: The rose was delivered in good shape with adequate size, but was delivered six weeks after my requested ship date. The company did respond quickly to all of my e-mails and apologized for the late shipment. | | Positive | DanaDW
(7 reviews) | On January 26, 2006, DanaDW Pahrump, NV
(Zone 8a) wrote:Ordered for the first time from them this year and received my order in excellent condition and exactly when I had asked. Will definitely use them again. | | Positive | selkirk
(1 review) | On January 22, 2006, selkirk Cambridge, Ontario
(Canada) wrote:Personal visits. Love the fact that this is a centre that relies on natural growing methods. Huge selection with many hard to find plants and natives. anything I have bought has flourished and I recommend it to any and all gardeners. Plants may not be huge but that should not be the measure of hardiness or future beauty.
I will be buying again from them in 2006. | | Neutral | hortensia
(8 reviews) | On December 21, 2005, hortensia Langley, BC, BC
(Zone 8b) wrote:Having in the past had very bad experience with this company, I am now delighted to report some of the best experience I have had in many years of mailorder buying. I placed an order early this month which is now on its way to me, an astonishing fact in itself, since most eastern companies force you to wait for their shipping schedules convenience. In the course of processing my order, Hortico sent me several emails and two phone calls to clarify various issues involving out of stock material and shipping.
Every single person I dealt with was friendly and helpful and ALSO efficient. It actually was fun to deal with them --- I could almost feel the past bad experience washing away email by email.
The rose list is now one of the best anywhere, a lot of new "modern oldfashioned" that I haven't seen anywhere else, a good supply of Kordes, various Australian breeders and prairie hardy roses as well as some teas. Alas, I can imagine spending all too much time there! I will post again when the roses arrive to tell of their condition.
On January 25th, 2006, hortensia added the following:
Since posting the above, I have received my roses. They are nice and healthy and of very good size. I have posted a picture of some of them on the rose forum.
I have ordered more roses from Hortico, and my opinion of the company just continues to rise. Their plants are superb, the selection unparalleled and their service level is really exemplary.
Additionally, btw, they keep their website up to date; since December, when I ordered, many roses have gone from the site but others have been added.
On December 1st, 2006, hortensia added the following:
November 2006
My good experience with this company continues to sprout roots and branches. I have a large standing order and from time to time they send me a group of plants as they become available. The plants continue to be healthy, the service excellent -- frequent communication, prompt replies and speedy action. the website clearly states WHEN roses will be available -- I think people forget rare roses can't be picked up like cheerios. I'm delighted to have some of them available to me within a few years in Canada. Never forget if speed is the most important thing, you can always order roses in from Britain or europe at about 40 bucks a pop!!!
On December 7th, 2007, hortensia changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following:
December 2007
It appears that the wonderful Diana Baylis has left Hortico; and I am afraid that the improvement in service has gone with her. In November I received an answer to an October query about an order from a new person with a list of the roses that were available to be shipped in November. Later I received a phone call from the same person asking (as if the prior communication had never taken place) if I would like some of my roses shipped now when they were available or the whole order shipped in spring. ( I had stressed repeatedly that I DID NOT WANT orders shipped in spring) I phoned, talked to this lamentably scatter brained and wholly unconcerned \"new\" person who said she would check on my order and see what was currently available. She then sent me that list __ the same one she had sent in October. I emailed back that yes, I would like those roses ASAP, saying this hasn\'t changed in a month!!! So here it is December. Still no roses, still no more communication.....who knows what is up.
I am very afraid that this neutral revieiw is shortly to be changed back to Negative and Hortico will depart from my life again, but this time forever. | | Positive | george_mander
(2 reviews) | On November 24, 2005, george_mander Coquitlam, BC
(Canada) wrote:Since John Vanderkruk took over the management of Hortico, in early 2004 I believe, I have had excellent and very friendly service from the Management and the office staff.
A recent order of ( my own hybridized ) roses arrived 3 days ahead of schedule and in excellent condition. The plants were packed very well. I can highly recommend Hortico.
George Mander, B. C. Canada
On December 17th, 2006, george_mander added the following:
It’s been over a year since my last comment about Hortico Inc. and I would like to add that the service from the new management and office staff has improved considerably.
Mr. John Vanderkruk and Hortico’s office staff have always been very friendly, replying to e-mails and/or phone calls within a day. I can highly recommend Hortico.
George Mander, Coquitlam near Vancouver, BC
| | Positive | sharondupuis
(1 review) | On November 12, 2005, sharondupuis Sarnia
(Canada) wrote:I ate Tolman Sweet Apples as a child. Later in life I decided to find them again. I could not find them in my area, and was directed to this company. John Vanderkuk took care of us. With a few e-mails back and forth, he found us a supplier of these fruits. He had us shipped two apple trees and also a box of the delicious fruit. They arrived the time John quoted us and in excellent condition. I thank John very much for his kindness and expertise. He certainly is a professional and the company speaks for itself in the way we were treated. Keep up the good work and Kudos to you John.. Sincerely Terry and Sharon Dupuis Sarnia, Ontario. I would not for one minute hesitate to deal with this company or John himself. Thanks again to all of you. | | Positive | FrostFree
(1 review) | On November 10, 2005, FrostFree Alberton
(Canada) wrote:I have very rarely come across a Company with people who put so much Time and Effort into getting me the Trees and information that I wanted. Diana and John both , Checked & Researched different types, and kept me updated on what Trees they had in Stock. It is People like this that make it so easy to do Business. Where most people would have given up , they never, and now the Trees are Planted in My Orchard, instead of still on Their Stock List. I look forward to Ordering more in the Future. Laurie | | Positive | tony_n
(1 review) | On November 1, 2005, tony_n Dundas
(Canada) wrote:I ordered 15 tall Miscanthus grasses (floridulus and sinsensis Goliath) and a number of bamboos for pick-up (I live nearby). The bamboos I originally ordered were not available and substitutions were offered, with the option to decline. I decided to take the substitutions and also bought a Virgil peach tree when I picked up the rest.
All the plants have grown very well, despite delays in getting them into the ground. The Miscanthus have grown quite tall and produced plumes in late summer / early fall (they are looking great now). The peach tree even produced three large, delicious peaches in August.
I am very happy to have found Hortico, especially since it is so close to where I live. They have an amazing variety of plants, particularly interesting, rare and native ones, and appear to have a strong commitment to being environmentally responsible, which is important to me (and should be to anyone who really cares about life).
One downside is that they do seem to be somewhat disorganized, which appears to be the root cause of most of their negative feedback. Personally, I did have to call and email more than once to get my order put through. The impression I get is that they do not have the best system in the office and / or they tend to get overwhelmed during the busy season.
Nevertheless, in my experience, the price of persistence is definitely worth it with this unique company. | | Positive | marilynandbill
(1 review) | On October 11, 2005, marilynandbill toronto
(Canada) wrote:My interest is in native plants, trees and shrubs. I was directed to Hortico by an arboriculturist because I was looking for a difficult-to-find native shrub (hobblebush). They were attempting to grow their own, but it is a difficult plant to grow. I subsequently discovered Hortico's extensive native plant stocks. At extremely reasonable prices, I have since picked up a fringe tree, a serviceberry (leavis), 3 redbuds, a gray's dogwood, a witch hazel, several spice bushes and several rhus aromatica. Though not all bought at the same time, they were all fitted into a Toyota corolla for me - somtimes quite amazingly. I have also purchased many native grasses and ferns. With one exception all are flourishing in my garden - the exception being the fringe tree, which is flourishing in my girlfriend's garden. I'm still waiting for the hobblebush - but that is one difficult bush to get hold of. My experience has been totally positive. It is also my experience with native trees and bushes, that if Hortico doesn't have it, you're not likely to find it. The staff (I mainly dealt with Phillip) were without exception unbelieveably helpful and friendly. | | Positive | Parkdale
(1 review) | On October 7, 2005, Parkdale hamilton
(Canada) wrote:We as a school involved in a park beautification program where in the need for 60 shrubs. We called around and found that not only was Hortico willing to offer us an excellent price, delivery, and the installation of these bushes, the staff and the workers conducted them selves in a very professional manner, all went well with the installation, and I would NOT hesitate this company to anyone.
John Kovacs | | Negative | samgussy
(1 review) | On September 18, 2005, samgussy Mount Hope
(Canada) wrote:My experience was.... | | Positive | Vanderstelt
(1 review) | On July 8, 2005, Vanderstelt Orangeville
(Canada) wrote:I had wanted to establish a substantial rose garden to compliment the perrenial beds. I found Hortico through the City of Brampton, where they have the most beautiful and healthiest varieties. I called Hortico for travel directions as I wanted to see the business and the varieties they would offer. In late spring, I took the trip to take advantage of their spring sales and found the roses (although not all their varieties were available on sale) were strong and healthly. Both my husband & I bought 16 to start and after planting, the roses took right off. Not having a lot of experience with Roses, we fell on John's advise for planting & care and this significantly established the stock we just had purchased. I went on line and found to my amazement so many more which I knew would accent my gardens and I knew I could open up the beds for future plantings. I placed my order in mid-summer 2004 for bare root planting. I became concerned in Sept when we did not have arrival of the approx. 75 new roots. We do live in a colder climate and it was necessary to have the plants come when the ground was still workable. After a few repeated telephone calls expressing my frustration and real concern, the bare roots arrived mid-October with only one which they were unable to fill and as a good will gesture, Hortico sent Best Wishes which now has the lovliest blooms. I lost only 2 of the plantings from the entire order and it is felt because of the lateness of the year with the ground almost frozen hard and the needed watering which crystallized, these bare roots could not stand the severe adjustment. By following the planting guideline, in the spring of 2005, the roses came up strong and very well established, blooming pofusely to add a wonderful highlight to our gardens. In 2004, I mentioned Hortico's varieties and prices to friends and neighbours and do know that 4 have already bought substantial stock. I now have ordered 9 varieties more and it leaves me with a real concern that Hortico may not be able to fill my order and there is also the real possiblity that the order may be shipped again so very late in the year. I have successfully dealt with John and found his customer service skills outstanding. Perhaps this year I will get my order complete and in good time. | | Negative | dovey
(9 reviews) | On June 24, 2005, dovey Columbus, OH
(Zone 5b) wrote:Dealing with Hortico has gone from frustrating and disappointing to a total nightmare.
The order took weeks of emails to get half way correct.
At one point I was so frustrated I requested my order to be cancelled and my deposit refunded.
(A 20% deposit they deducted as soon as I placed the order although 1/3 of my requested roses were not available.)
Customer Service refused my cancellation request.
Besides refusing to cancel the order and refusing to refund my deposit.
The experience also involved dead and nearly dead roses upon delivery. A second refusal to refund my money and I was told I had to wait until fall for replacement roses, because their stock was depleted and in unsatisfactory condition.
John convinced me to plant the sickly twigs and I foolishly agreed to give it a go.
Every plant appeared to have some sort of blight coupled with fuzzy mold and brown cankered stems.
They have continued to worsen and one by one are dying.
I feel ripped off. (Heck, I have been ripped off!)
I paid for healthy roses, I should not have been asked to try to save blighted roses.
Any reputable company would have replaced the roses and if replacement was not possible, refunded the money.
OK, if that's not bad enough, it continues, oh yes it gets worse.
Remember John told me all their roses we in unsatisfactory condition and I would have to wait until fall for replacements.
I received an email notice today that the order I "placed yesterday" will be shipped Monday and my Credit Card (which they have on file) will be charged $83.00.
I never placed a second order.
4 out of 5 roses on this bogus order were in the original dead shipment.
The 5th rose was one of the many roses that were out of stock and therefore deleted from my original order.
I have read where people have had good experiences with Hortico, personally I think they got lucky.
This company isn't worth the risk.
Roses are small, poor quality, customer service is a joke and they are so disorganized that I am being fraudulently charged for an order I did not place.
Buyer Beware!
On September 12th, 2005, dovey added the following:
Hortico finally promised to refund my money...
3 months later I'm still waiting.
Dealing with the company is a nightmare!
On March 13th, 2006, dovey added the following:
As far as I\'m concerned Hortico Nurseries Inc is ashes in my mouth.
Even after numerous phone conversations and promises of a refund, Hortico still owes me $104.50 for a shipment of 10 very sick and then soon dead roses I received early last June.
In 2 1/2 months and it will be a year, I\'ve seen no refund and no replacement roses.
John may come across as very sincere - but his word means nothing. | | Negative | AGEuro
(2 reviews) | On June 15, 2005, AGEuro Durham, NC wrote: Although I knew about their less than stellar reputation (for additional info check out [HYPERLINK@www.gardenweb.com,] and go to Roses Forum and Antique Roses Forum), I ordered one rose, Deep Secret, from them which I couldn't get anywhere else. It arrived on time in late February 2005, in good condition, and looked ok, five or six canes, all a bit on the small side, but with a decent root system, comparable to Pickering's plants in appearance. However, the poor rose experienced continuous and severe dieback during the spring until only one cane remained, and that one put out barely any growth - half a foot and one little bloom (plus one new bud now) so far. Frankly, at some point I thought this plant would be my first rose casualty ever, although it looks like it might pull through, but what a tiny weakling! At least it's the correct variety. Over the past years, I have purchased and planted about 100 roses from other vendors, and I've never had never any problems like this with their plants. Thus, my experience with Hortico indicates that this company does probably not sell good quality, and I'll avoid ordering from them again. | | Negative | GeneSkCan
(1 review) | On June 3, 2005, GeneSkCan Regina
(Canada) wrote:I have to express my significant disappointment and surprise after receiving my late 2005 shipment of roses from Hortico.
I think that it is reasonable for a repeat customer like myself, who typically orders 30 to 50 roses per year (yes, I have a lot of roses), to expect that a full order would be sent on time when the order is placed 6 to 7 months before spring delivery. In my case, I placed my order on October 18th (2004) and requested delivery for May 1st - 2nd, 2005 (6+ months later). One would think that this is ample time and, I strongly suspect, well before the majority of other customer orders are placed. I finally received my order on May 31st, 5 weeks after my requested delivery date and this is after many emails, a fax sent directly to John, frantic phone calls and broken promises. Now, even worse news - the roses received are substantially short of my order. This is the second year in a row that some roses were ordered and were not delivered. Apart from the 50 species roses that I ordered for a hedgerow planting, I also ordered 32 roses which were a combination of hybrid teas, shrubs, floribunda and grandiflora. Of this total, I only received 16! That is, only 50%.
I think that this is appalling service, to say the least, and it seems to be repeating itself all too often. | | Positive | sugarlump
(10 reviews) | On May 26, 2005, sugarlump Louisville, KY wrote: I ordered Rhapsody in Blue, and am very pleased with it. The bareroot I received was slightly smaller than bareroots Ive ordered from American vendors, but I expected that. I planted it and its thriving, new leaves and little canes starting.
Size matters, and mine was adequate. More important is vigor, and this little rose is very vigorous! I will order again. | | Positive | celestialrose
(10 reviews) | On May 12, 2005, celestialrose Belmont, NH
(Zone 4b) wrote:I have had mixed experiences with this company which is why I give it the neutral rating. Last year I ordered 5 rose bushes from them; they were small but healthy, and all but one flourished. The one that died was not their fault, as it was an unusually wet spring and where they were planted the soil remained waterlogged far too long....it was a miracle that the others lived at all, and they grew to be quite large by summer's end. However, they have yet to bloom, so I don't know yet whether they are true to name. So I ordered again from them this year, hoping for the same experience, and even though I had read some negative reviews I wanted to give them another chance since my experience previously had been positive. Well this year was a vastly different experience....I am quite disappointed. For one thing, they did not ship on the requested date (even though I placed the order EARLY, back in January) and the order was 2 1/2 weeks late (and sent only because I kept e-mailing and calling!). But it was the size of the plants that was most upsetting....now, I was aware that their rosebushes are not very large compared to other companies and I expected them to be small, but one of them was no more than a TWIG! It must have been a seedling by the size of it...only 4 inches tall at best, with 2 matchstick-sized canes (the I.D. tag attached to the plant was taller than the plant!) They had bundled up all the roses, and this extra-pathetic rose was hidden in the center of the bundle; when I saw it I basically cried because it was the variety that I most wanted and now if it survives it will be YEARS before it puts out any flowers. I immediately sent an e-mail to demand either a refund or a replacement, then because they did not respond, a personal letter, but I am still waiting for a response.....I'm sure my letter ended up in the wastebasket, along with all the other letters of complaint! What is most infuriating to me is that I ordered these roses early so that I would be assured of getting top quality stock....but it appears that it makes no difference when you place your order because if you live in a cold zone like I do, we are the last customers to receive plants, and by the time they ship ours out all the GOOD STOCK has been exhausted......we are sent the LEFTOVERS! I would have given them a completely negative rating, but for the fact that the other tiny plants they sent me seem to be o.k. in terms of signs of life...they are beginning to leaf out so I think they'll be o.k.....although I don't expect any blossoms this year! I will post a review again at a later date, if and when my roses I bought from Hortico last year bloom for me....then I will be able to tell if I was sent the correct variety. This has been a concern for me, ever since I started reading the Garden Watchdog, so I've got my fingers crossed!
On May 15th, 2005, celestialrose changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:
Yesterday I received a personal phone call from John at Hortico (although I was out, he did leave a message for me) in response to the letter of compaint I sent. I appreciate that he acknowledged my letter and my disappointment. I was told that I would be credited for that particular rose, and he was very nice and appreciated that I had taken the time to write a letter explaining the problem. I am babying that one tiny little rose (she's in a pot) and she might just make it, but there's no doubt she shouldn't have been sent out as a Grade 1. But mistakes happen, and fortunately this company owned up to it and is going to make it right. I feel much better about Hortico now. I will say this.....don't expect huge rose bushes, as their plants are normally small, but the ones I have received last year and this year do GROW ! They are tougher than they look, although smaller than what you might get from other nurseries, but they important thing is they are usually healthy.
On June 26th, 2005, celestialrose changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following:
I would like to update on my experiences with Hortico, now that the roses I obtained from them last year are blooming, and also to post the latest on what's happening with roses planted this Spring.....First off, I am OVERJOYED that the roses I planted last Spring (all four of them, the alba, Celestial) are not only blooming, but they are indeed true to name, and they are huge, healthy, fragrant and literally covered in blossoms....gorgeous! But unfortunately, two of the 7 bareroots I planted this Spring have perished, and I am not a novice gardener....I gave them the best of care. All the roses I bought from other sources are doing wonderfully, so I think the quality was inferior; those 2 struggled and eventually gave up. Of the other 5, four of them are doing just O.K., with only 1 doing very well. I really do believe that those of you in colder zones who order from Hortico mail-order, BEWARE. I'ts possible you might get lucky and receive some good stock, but its more likely that you'll end up with whatever they have left in storage which unfortunately may be weak, small and diseased. IT'S A GAMBLE...I doubt I'll even use my credit they offered, because that just means I'd have to deal with them again, and I think I've learned there are better companies out there to give my hard-earned money to! I don't want to bash Hortico, or anyone, but I feel obligated to share my experiences.
On October 7th, 2005, celestialrose added the following:
Well, its October now and in all fairness, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how well the surviving 5 roses did! They caught up to all the others from other sources, and so far are very healthy and disease-free (and by the way, true to name). What prompted me to add to my previous posts is the one tiny, pathetic rose (remember the one with 2 canes the diameter of matchsticks, so itty-bitty it had to be put in a pot?) The name of the rose is "Mrs. John Laing", a hybrid perpetual, and I have to brag that she grew too large for her pot, and once in the ground just took off! She grew to be a 5 foot beauty, rewarding me with multitudes of perfect, cupped blooms that smell like heaven....and now that all my other roses are pretty much done for the year, she's still blooming!!! I just had to add this, because this rose started out looking like she would never make it, and now she's the belle of my garden! Whether its to Hortico's credit, to mine for giving her so much TLC, or a bit of both, I just want to say never give up on your roses, because you never know ....and maybe, in all fairness when it comes to bareroots.....size isn't everything.
On April 22nd, 2006, celestialrose changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:
Well, here it is another year later, and I took the plunge and ordered from Hortico, to give them another chance, so to speak. I was glad I did. I kept my order small (4 roses, one of which was a free replacement for a rose that died last year), specified that I only wanted grade #1 roses this time and listed alternate choices in the event my requested roses were sold out. I was pleased with the customer service and corresponded by email with Diane, who was always quick to respond to my inquiries. My roses arrived on time, in great shape, and were small, as I expected (but not TOO small) but I now know from experience that sometimes the little ones grow the fastest so I\'m o.k. with that! They all are planted out and appear to be doing well. This was a positive experience, and I will do business with them in the future. (BTW, I received all 4 roses that I requested.....no substitutes.) | | Negative | daintybess38
(4 reviews) | On May 10, 2005, daintybess38 Utica, MI wrote: Okay, we all live and learn from our mistakes, I had placed two orders with this company. What a pain in the rear, Their web-site is not accurate, For the stock that they carry. Also I received E-mails asking me what I have ordered. Then I call back, I was told my order was shipped out, Then I was told the next time I called, it was too be shipped in a week. I am very upset with the size of the roses I received to, They are grade 1- 1/2, and tiny. Never again will I do business with them. What a joke. I just pray these are the right roses. Next time I will order from their competition (pickering) A great company to deal with. | | Positive | Weaver
(1 review) | On April 28, 2005, Weaver Potsdam, NY wrote: I live in the north, zone 4, so buying plants grown in the north is essential for their success. Hortico actually grows their own plants, which has sadly become rare in the nursery trade. Most nurseries in the north actually grow their plants in the south to maximize size and then ship them out. So they are not acclimatized, and many do not do well. I have had half of an order die because of this. So Hortico's growing methods are a real asset. Yes, the plants may be smaller that the husky ones you get at big box stores, but they quickly make up for that. The husky ones live off the energy stores in those huge stems, and then decline, unable to replace their carbohydrates in cooler temperatures and with less sun.
Labeling can be a problem, and I noticed one complaint listed Duchess of Montebello being the wrong plant, which I had too, but they quickly refunded my money. (By the way, it was Alba semi-plena, also a very good plant for our area, can climb, is hardy and beautiful.)
It must be a phenominal chore to keep track of so many thousands of different (and many rare) plants, and I hope their new system helps them. Nevertheless, their selection is a treasure for those of us looking for plants that will be successful in the north.
The staff have always been very nice and helpful. Communication from them is sketchy, but ultimately I get what I need, and have learned to not worry about not knowing what is coming when. I will get something nice. | | Positive | nmcec4
(1 review) | On April 21, 2005, nmcec4 Hummelstown, PA wrote: I chair a native plant sale in the N.E. U.S. for a local land trust and have had problems finding woodland plants which have not been collected in the wild and which are affordable. I am happy to say that I have fround Hortico's woodland plants to be of high quality and of good value. It is clear that they are propagated by the nursery rather than collected which is absolutely essential for us. I would readily recommend this company for its woodland natives. I would also like to say that the company has worked hard to accommodate our needs and schedule. | | Positive | schrift
(1 review) | On February 9, 2005, schrift Birmingham, MI wrote: Maintaining a garden of 300 roses has forced me to order from a number of different sources. I have ordered roses from Hortico a number of times. Most recently there was a slight mis-communication about the delevery date. This has been corrected and I am currently anticipating the arrival of my order early this spring.
Hortico offers a large variety of roses some of which are not available in the States. They also bud their roses on multiflora understock. It survives well in my climate and I don't have to worry that the roses will arrive on fortuniana understock (very popular among exhibitors lately) thereby wasting my money by having purchased an "annual".
Once or twice I have been surprised that a plant arrived smaller in size than I would have liked. Within a couple of months the vigor of the plant more than make up for its initial size. All in all I've experienced very little inconvenience considering I've been ordering hard to find or new varieties of roses. I will continue to purchase roses from Hortico as long as they carry a product I need and continue to perform as well as they have. |
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