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On Apr 22, 2005, DonnaMack Grayslake, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:
I received an exquisite barerooted Madame Hardy from Sam Kedem last week. It had five beautiful canes and was in excellent condition. This was a last minute impulse (I normally place my orders in November) but the quality of this plant was anything but second best. And when I was having a little trouble with the website (really, because I did not read the instructions on it carefully enough), I called at 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning. The telephone was answered on the second ring by a very gracious gentleman. Their selections are wonderful - next year I will be back.
The first year I ordered from Sam my cuttings were covered with powdery mildew and I sent a "hot" E-Mail to Pickering out of error. Blind rage will do that! Pickering advised that this was not unusal in a greenhouse setting, just spray and they will be fine. I did and they were.
Other orders over the years came through fine and in one case where I had a problem the roses were replaced promptly with no fuss.
On Sep 11, 2004, sunsprite Downers Grove, IL wrote:
I am just a beginner in rose gardening and my order from Sam Kedem was my first on-line order at all. It was very easy to order. Prior to finalizing my order, I called Sam several times and he very patiently answered my questions. Later, I also asked him several questions via e-mail and he responded almost immediately with most courteous and detailed answers. My 9 roses, 2 climbing Dublin Bay bare root and 7 floribundas potted, came exactly on schedule, on Friday, so I was able to plant them over the week-end. They were all very healthy and looked quite large to me. Anyway, all 9 are doing great, about 3-4 foot tall already, and have bloomed non stop all summer. I hope they will survive this winter well. I can only say: Thank you, Sam!
I just returned from Sam Kedems Nursery with a jeep full of roses--I've purchased from him before and have found his roses to be incredibly vigorous and truly winter hardy. My only problem with this nursery is that I don't have enough money or space to buy ALL the roses I want/see--it's like being a kid in a candy store--I want them ALL!!!!
My visit there was made especially pleasant by the volunteer from the Minnesota Rose Society that offered advice and her own personal experiences with several different roses....
I haven't even planted my just purchased roses and I'm already mentally working on my selections for next years trip to Sam Kedems!
I ordered from Sam in 2000 and got great plants and service.I am a grad of Iowa State and have over 20 Buck roses from Sam. In the New Mexico climate who needs hardy roses, but you should see how they thrive here. If you people think you had problems with this nursery you should deal with Jackson and Perkins!!
Sam Kedem introduced me to the world of hardy roses. His are among the first roses that I planted at our house, almost seven years ago. Before the Internet was in use, I called him on the phone several times, usually finding him in the midst of tending to his crops. He was always willing to answer my novice's questions, offering detailed descriptions and comparisons of roses. ("What are some hardy roses that look like Tropicana?" "How do those roses differ from each other?" "How will that rose behave in Zone 4B?") I have continued to rely on him and his selection, and have visited his farm. Although I buy only one or two roses at a time, he is always willing to share his expertise. His Griffith Buck and David Austin roses are especially nice!
This was the first year I ordered roses via the Internet. I ordered over 15 roses from Kedem. Although I was annoyed with an inventory situation, the plants I received were in wonderful shape. I would highly recommend them.
Regarding the inventory issue, I had ordered roses in February for early May shipment. They charged my credit card for these roses, so I assumed I would receive them. However, when I received my shipment, two of my roses were missing. Someone had writtent N/A on the order form but there was no other explanation provided. When I called them, they told me that due to a mislabeling issue, they did not actually have these two roses. What dissapointed me was that they did not notify me in advance. Or if the inventory issue wasn't discovered until shipment time, a note explaining the situation, and an apology, would have been a nice touch. As it was I was lucky that I could still order the roses from another vendor.)
Good selection of hardy roses and good information available about varieties. Prices reasonable. Healthy roses, packed carefully and arrived on time. Supply a wide range of own root roses.
On Jul 6, 2002, smariec3 Carver, MN (Zone 4a) wrote:
I've been getting plants from Sam Kedem for over ten years. He gives good honest advice and I've had great success with the plants he's provided. This year, I had over 23 roses come by mail order. Some of the leaves had mildew and looked "toubled"--but that was because of the wet packing material. I planted them, and the plants did great. Unfortunately, 8 of the 23 roses died within a month of planting. I phoned Sam. In my books, they did the right thing. They said a new fertilizer they used had killed my roses. They immediately replaced the ones they could, and recommended substitutes or refunds for the ones they didn't have any more of. They immediately shipped the replacements, free of charge, and they are now doing great. Because of their honesty and good service, I bought 9 more roses last weekend.
When corresponding with Kedem, it is best to use their toll free number. THey seem to be open very early weekdays, starting at 6 am CST. The rose I ordered was healthy, with a very good root system.
I ordered seven roses (4 bare-root and 3 container) this spring from Sam Kedem Roses. I was very impressed with their selection and with the quality of the roses I received. I would definitely order from them again.
