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Southmeadow Fruit Gardens appears to be on the rise again. I first read of the company more than a year ago here on Dave's Garden. At that time I was deeply intrigued by all of the rare varieties, but was not sure if this was a reputable business. Besides, I was not ready to plant at that time...
So last June (2009) my wife and I made a trip through MI, stopping at five nurseries to personally meet people, see the businesses, and select some of the plants directly for our edible landscaping/permaculture project. Reaching Peter by phone, it was clear that he was busy, but I was able to make arrangements to visit his nursery at the end of the weekend, as we were returning home to Northern Indiana.
We bought three trees: two apple trees, and one peach. We appreciated seeing his operation, and since I have an aunt and uncle in the nursery business in Illinois, I know how much work that line of business can be. The main thing that I found different from all of the bad reviews I read was that Peter now seems to be handling his own business, and the previous manager of the business now seems to be out of the picture.
One last comment. The two apple trees were healthy from the start, but the peach was stressed. Honestly I thought it would not make it, and I wrote to Peter to let him know of the condition of the tree and my concern that it was a "dud." He wrote back, suggesting copious amounts of water, since it had been a bare root transplant and was clearly in shock. I followed this simple advice, and the tree is now in good health, three months after it was planted.
I think this is a business that is worth interacting with, but it helps if you also do your homework, ask questions, and do everything you can to ensure that the plant not only survives, but thrives. I plan to buy a meter to measure the pH, as well as the N-K-P of my soil in various locations. Purchasing rare trees, in my opinion, is important, because they are already rare enough, and we should be propagating them more, even as amateur gardeners across the country.
I run a small heirloom fruit orchard in central Mass., growing apples, peaches, pears, Asian pears, plums, apricots, cherries, and grapes. Most of my trees came from Southmeadow, and they were always healthy on arrival, were well packed, and were what they were said to be (always a problems with fruit trrees). They have thrived.
When Judy ran the office in recent years, my orders were not filled, and as numerous people have written here, checks were cashed, and communication was next to impossible. I must have spoken to Judy thirty times and could never get a straight answer. Like many others, I first felt I was losing my mind, and then realized I was being ripped off.
But now understanding what happened, I believe it is important that this historic heirloom fruit tree supplier be given the chance to recover its once hallowed reputation. They still have one of the best assortment of heirloom fruit trees in the country, and Peter, who runs the place, is a hard-working, honest guy who loves his trees and will be able to once again make Southmeadow the nursery of record without Judy.
This is the first time I have ever posted anything, anywhere, but I felt the experience deserved it.
I called Southmeadow Fruit Gardens with a question regarding my order and Peter, the owner, answered. Not only did he answer my questions, he was generous with his time and knowledge. We talked about growing fruit trees for almost an hour. In 35 years of ordering plants and trees this was the best experience I have had.
Having made many phone calls to mail order nurseries over the years I have always been left feeling less than satisfied until now.
In addition, the 7 antique apple trees I received were much nicer than trees I have ordered elsewhere.
While I had not ordered from this company before it is now number one on my list.
I ordered a medlar and some gooseberries from Southmeadow. It was the only nursery I could find this spring with these unusual varieties. I liked the webisite, and its praise of the medlar. An unexpected trip out of town had me anxious about the order arriving while I was gone. I sent an email asking if they could hold it till past the weekend, and left a phone message for the busy nursery. Sure enough the order arrived the day after I returned and the bare root plants looked great. They are doing well in the ground now, in spite of the dry weather we are getting in the northeast.
I would like to try some of their really nice apple selection next year.
I was very happy with their service.
On May 26, 2009, michtreefarm Scottville, MI wrote:
I purchased 9 heirloom variety apple trees last spring from Southmedow Fruit Gardens. They are all thriving. I purchased additional apple trees for spring planting. They arrived in very good shape. Southmeadow Fruit Gardens provides exceptionally fine apple trees and is the only source of fruit trees that I use.
I just returned from Southmeadow Fruit Gardens with two beautiful Belle de Boskoop heritage apple trees and several Forsythias.
Being a first time customer and having stumbled over Dave’s website with all the horrid letters about Southmeadow, I was pretty uncertain if I should at all try to order. But Mr. Grootendorst‘s website lists such an outstanding collection of hard to find Heritage Apple trees that I had to order. Between fall and spring I had gotten to know Peter pretty well from our phone calls.
Last week, my husband and I drove to Michigan (from MN) to pick up our trees. We arrived early morning and as Peter had told me on the phone, two nice 2”ers were waiting in front of his barn. He opened up early for us, since we had a long way home. It was a warm welcome and after loading the trees we also got to see his huge, beautiful nursery. Probably over a thousand of apple trees, gorgeous Arborvitae in all shapes and sizes and of course his conservation fruits. The Cornelian Cherries were already in bloom. Peter loves his trees and shrubs, and is proud to be able to continue what his father and his mother had started.
He is going through a lot of hardship and tries to recover from the damage that his former office manager (Judy) had done. We saw her former office where opened and unopened letters are piled up high in all directions. Peter was working all winter to sort through the mess. We very much hope he can pull through! He is a very knowledgeable, honest and hardworking man and his trees are beauties.
On Feb 18, 2009, aficionado1 South Bend, IN wrote:
I've made some smaller purchases from Grootendorst Nurseries over the years. What I really appreciated was the fact that it didn't matter that my purchases were small. I was treated like I was their best customer. Our relationship has grown from a business one to friendship. I understand Peter, the owner, is going through some tough times right now, after discovering his longtime companion has been mismanaging the front office operations. I'm not sure of the legal aspects, but I know Peter is devastated over the deception and the hurt this has brought to his good name. I wish you all the best, Peter, and hope people buy lots of your wonderful trees.
We had seen SMFruit's website this spring and were impressed with its variety and erudition. Fortunetly, the nursery was near to where we lived so we had the opportunity to visit and pick out the fruit trees that we wanted. Early in the Summer of 2008, my wife, my dog,our landscape designer and I all visited. We spent several hours with Peter G ( the owner and son of the nursery's founder)and his dog walking through the fields, learning about the different cultivars and making our choices. We put no money down but were assurred the trees would be there for us to pick up for planting come Fall; and they were. We picked them up two weeks ago and Peter was again there giving advise and helping with the loading.
A few days ago Peter called to ask how things had gone with our planting and mentioned the problem he had with his nursery's mail orders not being filled because of embezzlement by his previous companion. He was obviously disraught about the impact this has had on his reputation. Although I have not dealt with him by mail, I can testify that in our face to face dealings he has been completely forthright.
I wanted to place an order for a couple Holstein large caliper apple trees, but after reading the negative comments, thought otherwise. I found myself reconsidering afer reading some recent positive responses on here. So, I decided to call to speak to Peter Grootendorst, the owner, to see if I felt comfortable enough to place an order. During a pleasant conversation with Peter, he explained how he had placed his trust in Judy, his longitme girlfriend, to run the office while he tended to the nursery. Judy had apparently been deceiving him for quite some time and was shocked to find unpaid personal bills, business bills and unfilled orders, with deposit checks, simply stashed away. He has been going through the bills and orders and making good. He says he is pretty well caught up, but when he thinks he has it all, he stumbles upon something else.
He seems upset that his name has been tarnished and appears eager and willing to bring back his reputation and hopes people will not be afraid to place orders and assured me, as the owner, that my order would be filled.
I decided that I not only wanted the tree, but I also felt compelled to help Peter. I placed the order, just under $800, and sent a deposit check for half. The trees arrived 3 weeks later, via UPS, just as promised. The trees are good specimens and I am quite delighted. If I want to order more trees, I will not have any hesitation. Thank you, Peter, and good luck to you.
I have done business with Southmeadow since the late 70's and have always been impressed with their fine products and dedication in supplying the rarest of collectors items in rare fine fruits. I expect to keep doing business with them and create the best garden in town. They have an unmatched choice of rare varieties in plums and sweet cherries and old vintage apples among other things.
On Oct 20, 2008, appledave Grosse Pointe, MI wrote:
I have dealt with Southmeadow Fruit Gardens for over 10 years and up until 4 years ago was always pleased with their service and heirloom trees. I placed orders in 2004, 2005, and 2008 and did not receive them. Like many others, my checks were cashed and I called Judy for assistance but there was never any follow-up or resolution.
Out of the blue, on Thursday, October 16, 2008 I received a call from Peter Grootendorst, the owner, asking whether I still wanted my 2008 order. I relayed my dissatisfaction about not receiving my orders from past years. He then told me that Judy was fired on September 16, 2008 for, amonth other things, stealing from the company and cashing checks without filling orders. He said that he is uncovering boxes of unopened mail (bills, orders, etc.) that Judy did not process. He is making an attempt to call everyone who's order had not been processed verifying that they still want to place an order before he cashes the check. While it may take months, he will be contacting everyone.
In talking with him for a half hour, I came away with the impression that he is mad at Judy's deception and that he is intent on re-establishing his good name. Based on this conversation, I have no concerns in dealing with Southmeadow Fruit Gardens in the future and believe that Peter will straighten things up over the next year.
I ordered some "F.J. Grootendorst" roses from Grootendorst nurseries through the mail. The roses were bought for some friends and were shipped directly to them from Grootendorst nurseries. These roses arrived at my friends house and my firends were delighted with them! They are avid gardeners and never saw these roses. The roses are alive and doing well.
My experience has been great with this company. I am very satisfied as are my friends!
Clearly a lot has changed, and for the worse, since my earliest experiences with this company. The pioneering hard work of Theo C.J. Grootendorst, from the famous Grootendorst nurserymen family in the Netherlands, and Attorney Rob't Nitschke of Birmingham, has obviously fallen on hard times. There is no excuse whatsoever, for this recent terrible business record. I do not know know if either of the men is still alive...but they did indeed kindle in me a respect for, and deep knowledge of the old varieties of fruit. Almost single handedly, they instilled an appreciation for genetic diversity, and it's preservation, against an overwhelmingly powerful contemporary agricultural orcharding system.
Mr. Nitschke took me on a personal tour of his home and grounds..and treated me to tastes of the apples and other fruit available through Southmeadow. This is what the earliest customers were accustomed to, from the business, and which held the flagstaff for their next related business interests to follow.
Their personal touch and business integrity was correct..and it's a terrible shame to see this company reduced to commercial rubble. I am so sorry to see this..and encourge customers to find other companies to supply them...and fulfill their dreams. Ace
Due to several negative posts, I elected to take a two hour drive to visit Grootendorst Nurseries in person to pick up the Ashmead's Kernel antique apple that I first contacted them about by phone to make sure it was in stock. (I couldn't find any place else in the country that had any stock left this season for that apple.)This is not a mega garden center with operators on duty 24/7 but when you reach the owners, they are helpful and sincere.
Judy met me there and handed me my tree that looks in great shape and was pre-soaked with spagnum moss root wrap. She was about to leave for the post office with a VW Beetle jammed full of boxes of trees for waiting customers. She told me that the local Post Office forgot to weigh and put postage on a huge batch of trees earlier this week before forwarding on to Kalamazoo for central sorting and shipping. Now the post office can't find out where the batch went. Some dim-bulb temp didn't notice that the post office hadn't finished putting postage on them from Grootendorst's standing account before loading them up. So you make get a postage due or delayed shipment through no fault of this supplier.
There are only a few shipping weeks left this season. I feel it is safe for anyone to place an order if they call first to check on availablity. Lots of items are sold out for the season. NO stone fruits since a devastating winter two years ago. They are hoping for next year. I found that the best time to call Judy is just before noon E.S.T. or after the lunch break around 1PM. I'm happy. My tree is planted and ready to grow.
I've had a few great experiences with Southmeadow, and love how open they are to my questions, as I am a novice when it comes to fruit trees.
I first visited Southmeadow Fruit Gardens in Spring, 2004, having been recomended to it by a close landscaper friend. I just drove in the driveway on a trip from Chicago, looking for fruit trees for the urban community garden sites where I work as a professional urban farmer and teacher. It was Easter weekend and quite rightly, the place was closed, but I was attended to quite cheerfully by a very lively and knowledgable woman, one of the owners. She took time from her day-off to walk me through the site and help me out with planting instructions, etc.
This year, she has donated some extra treelings to our gardens, all located in inner city neighborhoods. I am pretty impressed by this gesture.
I have dealt with this company for over ten years. Service has always been polite and timely. Prices are competitive. And where else can you find over 250 varieties including old world dwarf stocks? Miss this company and you miss a great opportunity.
We've had a positive professional experience with Judy and Martha at Southmeadow the past three years. The only delay we've experienced is a delay in them getting the phytosanitary certificate from the Michigan agriculture department to ship to California (a very restrictive state). Some say a change of ownership has changed things at Southmeadow for the worst. I know nothing about that. I DO know that they have an active customer base of about 50,000--a problem most nurseries would love to have!!--so it's no surprise that they've got some service issues and a few unhappy folk at any one time (and usually only the dissatisfied take the time to write in!). THE BOTTOM LINE IS, AS ANY SERIOUS POMOLOGICAL AFFICIANADO KNOWS, SOUTHMEADOW TRUMPS EVERY NURSERY IN NORTH AMERICA WITH THEIR VARIETY. Doctor Cummins in Geneva, NY has an excellent selection and the best rootstocks. Raintree has some great berries and some fun unusuals like the Shipova Pear. Stark has a hallowed name, but a change of ownership has caused the quality of their stock to suffer, in our opinion (then again, where else would you dare buy your Hawkeye Red Delicious?) John Bunker in Maine is an American original with some wonderful heirlooms and a true tree-lovers catalog. Sonoma Antique (now Trees of Antiquity with Neil Collins) specializes in a great Walt Whitman collection of apples. Big Horse Creek Farm in NC has the best southern varieties this side of Lee Calhoun (and some great annotations on the web). BUT WHERE ELSE BUT SOUTHMEADOW ARE YOU GOING TO FIND THE REINE CLAUDE D'OULLINS AND THE GOLDEN TRANSPARENT GAGE PLUM AND THE CELESTIA, THE MELON, THE MOTHER, AND THE EDWARD VII APPLE AND THE NOTTINGHAM MEDLAR, AND 500 OTHER THINGS ALL IN THE SAME PLACE?! If there IS such a nursery, please let me know. California couldn't take Michigan-grown fruit in 2003, and maybe 2004 also, so we'd love to have a Southmeadow-like option until Southmeadow can ship to us again!
Absolute first rate. Six trees ordered some 8yrs ago were all delivered promptly. All survived and are doing well. Some of these are Swedish varieties I never imagined I could get in the US but were right there in the catalog, and are now beginning to bear true to their descriptions. (Turns out, Mr. Grootendorst once worked in the Frescati Gardens in Stockholm.) A very professional operation.
Lots and lots of varieties of apples, also pears and small fruits. The catalog starts with an essay extolling the quality of a few of the offerings, and then is just a list of available cultivars. Each year the essay is different, and it can be quite informative on the few cultivars it covers - it is also a good read. A booklet that includes descriptions of all (most?) of the cultivars costs $9, and is tedious reading with less than terrific illustrations. The trees are fine and the variety can't be beat. Most are available on dwarf and semi-dwarf stock. The one that I bought was eaten by rodents over the winter, but it did fine (and even blossomed) in its one year.
