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I have ordered calla lily, gladious, iris, double freesia and baby's breath this spring.
Because of back order, it took me so long to get my iris and double freesia. Breck's ships the orders from Holland, so the shipping time is usually longer than usual. Once the shipment arrives to USA, no further tracking for the shipment.
The baby's breath are rotted. 6 freesia are dead and 6 are turning yellow and dying. I have just requested for a refund.
The planting instruction is not detail enough for the baby's breath. I called the customer service when I received the shipment. I was asked to describe the look of the bare root. The representative said' " I THINK the bean sprout liked part is the top, the stick is the root. Put the whole thing a couple of inches below the ground." Seeing that she's not quiet familiar with planting, I requested to talk to someone more experience. She said:"That person is gone for the day (Friday). I will ask him to contact you next Monday." I then provided her my phone no and email address, but I've never heard any reply from them.
When I ordered the baby's breath, I called the company to find out the planting details. One representative couldn't find the information. I called again, another represenative was able to provide me the spacing, height, ...
Overall, the customer representatives' manner is not so friendly.
The iris, gladious and calla lily are growing well. I received the 3 irises on 4/8/09. One has already produced 2 flowers. The other two are still growing. Hopefully, the gladious and calla lilies will produce flowers. I have both good and bad experience with the products.
I have ordered numerous bulbs and perennials from Breck's, with mixed results. The larger bulbs (tulips, hydrid daffodils) have all done very well, though being expensive they should! The smaller bulbs, like crocus and some other plants, seem to be hit or miss. I've been most disappointed with their perennials - some lillies of the valley didn't even come up at all, and the hostas have been very slow to get going. I also think it helps to order well in advance of the season, so you are in line for shipping early. Everything I've ordered in season (in the spring) has taken weeks to arrive - too long when American Meadows ships so promptly and includes stakes with pictures of the plants so you can mark your garden!
On Mar 14, 2009, kittshouse Lynn, MA (Zone 6a) wrote:
I would give this company a neutral rating. I have had orders that have surpassed my expectations, as with their begoia collections. Alas, I have also have had orders that have simply been rotted/moldy upon delivery. I have also experienced bad online ordering. Placing merchandise in my cart, then applying a coupon code, only to be told that those items were out of stock. If they were out of stock, then they should have noted such on their web page before I placed the order. I feel that if you are trying to save money using a code you will be disappointed. I will try the begonia collection again. However, I will find my other blubs at local nurseries so that I can actually see and feel them.
Placed an order in August of 2008,changed my mind after seeing the reviews a week later and canceled the bulbs.order was confirmed canceled by e mail. They did offer me a discount and thought that was very nice of them but said no.I even canceled the credit card I used.For some reason I didn't trust them.So after two confirmed cancellation notices. I recieved bulbs yesterday Just left at my back door (9-10-08). I sent them an e mail. Then got a bill today. wow was I mad I hadn't even opened the box since I didn't order from them.I spoke with Keith on the phone yes it was a long distance call which pissed me off. So to make a long story short I was told to keep the bulbs and that my account would be cleared ( lets hope it is cos Im not paying for something I canceled a month ago). They really should keep better track of there customers especially the loyal ones I read about.Almost forgot I did cancel because the original date of delivery would have been at the end of Oct. Then they said they would rush the order,I still said no. I found cheaper bulbs at the store today 30 for $10. At Bjs and they looked great .Im going to stick with buying my plants and bulbs locally .. Karen P
On Sep 7, 2008, emandem Fergus, ON (Zone 4a) wrote:
I've been a loyal Breck's customer for years, but this year was not good. The begonias I ordered (10), only 1 has come up. Some of the bulbs were mushy when they arrived- not impressive as they usually are. And of the 8 lily trees, only 3 came up. I called and was told 6 weeks ago that new ones would be shipped, but I haven't received any replacements yet. Up until this year, I had never had a problem with bulbs from this Company, but now I question whether or not I should order from them again. Their sister Company is no better. I've been waiting 2 months for that order- although the cheques were cashed immediately!
I just (this morning) placed large orders with both Spring Hill and Brecks; then, suspecting they were the same company, located this forum...yikes. I'm a little nervous about my orders after reading through these comments. I ordered oriental lilies, daylilies, bittersweet, and irises...I called back because I've received no e-mail confirmation from Breck's and the operator insisted my first name was different than it is, finally recognizing she had it wrong. Has anyone had good/bad success with these specific bulbs/plants? I'm wondering if I should cancel my orders.
On May 11, 2008, gavinsmom Lakewood, OH (Zone 6a) wrote:
Just FYI, Breck's is currently offering $25 for free (no strings attached) if you rec'd the coupon in the mail. I used mine because what have I got to lose, BUT I ordered 2 "tree lily" bulbs 4 weeks ago and my ship date isn't until late May. A little late for lily bulbs, but maybe I can enjoy them next year. So far as I have seen, Breck's is the only place that has the tree lily bulbs.
Brecks is always hit or miss. That's why I only get what's free.
On May 27th, 2008, gavinsmom added the following:
It is May 26th and I am still waiting. A rep from Breck's contacted me through the forum and checked into my order. Apparently my bulbs are just now being "flown over from Holland." I'm supposed to get them in about 3 weeks. This is really aggrevating because I ordered in March and I will not get these plants/bulbs until June, far too late in the season to be much good for this year. While I appreciated the response from the rep, I am still not very happy. Maybe people who order the "freebies" get put on the backburner.On May 11, 2008, Breck's Bulbs responded with:
"
On Jun 25, 2008 1:30 PM, Breck's Bulbs added:
Orders are shipped in the order they are received, whether it is a "freebie" order (this Customer paid about $3.00) or a $200+ order. Bulbs can only be shipped after they are harvested (we don't keep bulbs around from year to year - each shipment is freshly harvested and either transported by freighter or flown over from Holland). The Customer's order was delivered on May 29."
On May 11, 2008, lemonwater Mountain View, CA wrote:
I didn't read any reviews of this company until after I had already placed my order, so I decided to wait to see what would happen before commenting. I found their site through Google while searching for English bluebells. I couldn't the English bluebells anywhere else, so I decided to order them through Breck's, I thought they seemed reputable at the time. Along with my "English" bluebells, I ordered two different varieties of crocus. My crocus all came up fine, they were what I ordered, and I didn't receive any moldy bulbs. But the English bluebells which were the reason for my entire order, were unfortunately Spanish bluebells.
I'm not usually very picky about these things, and I hate leaving negative reviews, but I'm very very disappointed. I gave away some of my bulbs as a gift, to someone who grew up with in Britain with English bluebells and loves them, so I'm not the only person that's disappointed. Furthermore, only one bulb out of the 15 has flowered despite all being given the same care. I certainly won't be ordering from Breck's again.
On July 4th, 2008, lemonwater changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following:
Debbie from customer service contacted me regarding my negative experience with Breck's. I found her to be very helpful in trying to correct my problem of the mislabeled English bluebells, which I was told will be shipping during the fall. I am changing my rating to a neutral for now, and I will update it later after I see how everything goes.
As part of a larger bulb order that I am satisfied with, the "Persian Blue" blue alliums arrived and were planted. The alliums that are blooming now are not Persian Blue, but the shorter, smaller, magenta, more common (and less expensive) "Drumstick" allium. I am a bit upset - with the color not corresponding with the rest of my gardening, and with getting a less expensive plant after paying for a more expensive one. Fortunately because of their short height, they are not easily seen where they are planted, as I was counting on the higher allium.
I have contacted the company and am waiting for a response. Seems like a substitution was made without any notice - but the shipping receipt states "Persian Blue." Stay tuned for the company's response. I will change this rating to NEUTRAL if the company corrects this somehow.
On May 3rd, 2008, swimray changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following:
Changed to neutral because Breck's contacted me to arrange a remedy - I will need to wait a year to see. . .On Apr 26, 2008, Breck's Bulbs responded with:
"
On May 1, 2008 8:02 AM, Breck's Bulbs added:
I have been in communication with the Customer; it appears he did receive the incorrect bulb. He will be receiving a reship (at no charge) in October."
On Apr 17, 2008, Jen_D Millerstown, PA (Zone 6b) wrote:
I ordered tulips from Brecks in the fall. They arrived in good time and looked great. They all appear to be up and growing very well. I had placed anouther order from them in January or Febuary from a buy 1 get 1 offer I had recieved from them. Here is the only problem I have with them: I sent an email the end of Febuary to cancel the order after changing my mind and never recieved any answer. The order was in my mailbox last weekend and the plants did look good. I am a bit upset that their costumer service ignored my email. Besides that my experience with them has been positive.
On Apr 17, 2008, Breck's Bulbs responded with:
"
On May 17, 2008 2:20 PM, Breck's Bulbs added:
Customer has been contacted and told that her purchase price has been refunded, and she can keep the bulbs with our compliments."
I ordered from Breck's using the $25.00 coupon, so the actual cost to me was very low. I figured "what the heck", if the plants don't grow then I'm only out a few dollars. Naturally I was hesitant to spend more after reading all the negative comments. I ordered a collection of "mixed large crocuses" and it did take forever and a day to receive them. I knew they were coming from Holland ,but would be shipped in time for Fall planting. They did come, although I would have preferred to get them a few weeks earlier. It can be a bit cold here in NE Ohio in Mid October. I waited to post anything until now (the spring) , so that I could see if the crocuses would grow and bloom. I do see them popping out of the ground and some of them have started to bloom, so I'm quite pleased about that. The reason my rating is not positive though, is for two reasons: 1. The very long wait for the arrival of the plants. 2. So far my crocuses don't appear to be "mixed". They are all the same color, so that is disappointing. I will probably order again, but only if I have another coupon to use. I won't bother trying to contact the company about my plants not being what I ordered, because quite frankly, I don't need to deal with the hassle that I see so many others have dealt with.
On April 19th, 2008, newtohosta added the following:
I just needed to add an update concerning my previous comments on my Breck order: I did receive a message (through Dave's Garden) from a woman named Debbie who works for Breck's. She apologized for my crocuses not being "mixed" and wanted my name and address so she could check my order. I replied to her that since the date of my last post other crocuses have bloomed and were a different color, however they were still overwhelmingly yellow. I assumed that they would be more evenly mixed. I am not upset about the order, just disappointed that they were mostly yellow. I thanked her for her efforts to follow up on my comments. I did receive another catalog in the mail with another coupon, so I have placed another order for a different mixed batch of crocuses. We'll see how those turn out next year. If I continue to receive products that bloom that I order from Breck's then I will probably order larger amounts of plants in the future.
My first experience with Breck's was last fall, I ordered a Dafodil collection from them. I received them promptly, and was impressed by the size of the bulbs. I made a special raised corner bed for them, and they came up this year and bloomed beautifully along with several anemone that were in the collection.
So, I didn't hesitate to order two more orders from them for delivery this Spring. Well, I am making this neutral for a reason. I received two emails on March 15 that said my orders had shipped direct from Holland along with a UPS tracking number. The UPS site reported the tracking number was invalid, so I sent an email to the company, just to double check. (They do not get back to you within 48 hours like the auto-response email says.)
I did finally receive a few emails responding that my order shipped directly from Holland... and to allow 3 - 4 weeks to receive my order. UPS does finally recognize the tracking number, however the only information is that they have received the package information as of 3/26/08.
The information on the website regarding my order number still says the orders should be here between 3/29 - 3/31. Today is April 3...but I am waiting the appropriate 3 - 4 weeks. Unfortunately if they don't get here soon, it will be warm here in NC, and I will have to baby the plants a little more than I would have if they had arrived when promised.
On Apr 4, 2008, Breck's Bulbs responded with:
"
On May 23, 2008 8:13 AM, Breck's Bulbs added:
On April 17, I emailed the Customer asking for her information so I could check on their order; no response."
On Mar 6, 2008, botanica37 Oakton, VA (Zone 7a) wrote:
I ordered 20 snowdrops in October 2007 and planted them as soon they arrived, I believe early November. Now is March, all my crocuses are blooming, the daffodils are halfway growing, but no sign of my snowdrops whatsoever, not even a single leaf is showing where I planted them. I had hesitations ordering from them based on the negative reviews and inflated prices, but decided to give them a try. Very disappointed.
On March 23rd, 2008, botanica37 changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following:
I am changing my rating from negative to neutral, because the company did contact me and offered to replace the plants. I declined - it is too late to grow snowdrops this year anyway and I would rather purchase bulbs that will grow next year from a different supplier.
On Jun 8, 2007, javajunkiewa Silverdale, WA (Zone 8b) wrote:
Ordered fall bulbs last year from Breck's and though everything arived in good condition, the bulbs were a smaller that I had anticipated (and I wasn't expecting all that much for the prices). I was also disappointed with the results this spring. Small flowers, some didn't bloom, and some were not what I ordered. Not sure if I would order from Breck's again, even with the coupon.
They do take a while to ship but they tell you when you order that your items will be sent to you at the right time for planting in your zone. Also, the bulbs come from Holland so that may explain why the order takes time to complete.
I ordered a huge quantity of bulbs (300+) from Breck's Canadian Order Centre in Port Burwell, Ontario in 2005 and planted them when I received them in the fall (Sept). There was a wide range of bulbs (their 120-day bloom collection, times 2)
Spring 2006 rolled around and not a bloom in sight. I was disappointed but hoped that maybe they just needed some "settling in" time and would bloom the following season. Yes, I'm a gardening rookie.
Spring 2007 arrived and still nothing was blooming. By this time I was just sick, thinking about all the money, not to mention the time and effort planning and planting, all gone down the tubes. I'd decided to chalk it up to experience when an envelope arrived from Breck's bearing a special offer. I was on my way to the bin with it when I noticed their guarantee:
"If, for any reason, you're not completely satisfied with any item upon receipt, after planting or once it grows and blooms, just contact Breck's anytime - no time limit - for as long as you garden. No need to return any item. We'll send a full refund or replacement, whichever you prefer."
...so I called their customer service dept. and described my experience. There was no hesitation whatsoever - a complete replacement is (apparently) going to be shipped to me at planting time again. I was even given advice and tips!
Rather than a -ve rating, my rating is neutral for now, as we'll have to wait and see if they follow through with their commitment to me. If I do receive a replacement order and they actually grow this time I'll gladly change my rating to +ve!
On Apr 26, 2007, zone5girl Painesville, OH (Zone 5b) wrote:
I, too, only ordered because I had the coupon. Like everyone else said, the shipping is SLOW. I will consider changing this to a positive rating once I see how the glads, dahlia, and sedum perform.
I received a note almost three weeks ago saying my dry root plants are on the way. I still haven't received them. I wrote to the company for help over 48 hours ago (this is the amount of time they say in which they will reply) and still am waiting for a reply. They don't have a 1-800 number listed on their website or I'd call. I guess I'm going to have to pay to call to find out what happened to my order. Or maybe the plants will arrive tomorrow and grow up to be beauties? If so, I'll let you know.
I ordered from them about two years ago. I too used one of those $25 coupons. I ordered just under $25 worth of products, so I only had to pay for shipping. I found the prices a bit high; I was only able to get two items, green tulips and some Vallerie Finnis muscari. I ordered the items in the summer and recieved them just in time for planting. The muscari were nice and large, the tulips were of average size. In the spring the muscari came up beautifully. Only three of my six tulips came up though. This could have been my fault, since the place where I planted half of them was a bit harsh on bulbs. The ones that did bloom were gorgeous though. Most times I can find what im looking for at a local garden nursery, for about the same price and quality. But I would probably order from them again - if I had another coupon.
On the negative side, I don't think our family has ever placed an order from Breck's where all the bulbs were exactly as expected. For example, we've received the wrong bulbs (that we could see automatically were wrong, due to the label). The company was very kind at letting us keep the mis-shipment. However, at other times it seems the bulbs, once they bloom, don't match the labels. We've ordered various types of allium (including blue allium), and basically everything comes up the same shade of purple allium. With this type of mistake, it takes months to realize you have the wrong bulbs. The company also solicits by phone. We have very limited garden space and thus these solicitations really are not of interest.
On a positive note, I have, in the past, received $25 coupons with no minimum order. This type of deal would possibly encourage me to order again, and there are few customers who wouldn't appreciate some free bulbs. It's just nice to know what they are before they bloom!
This isn't a comment about the company so much as a notice for those who like to be aware of related businesses: my Breck's order arrived (in good condition... for bareroots and bulbs, at least; the bareroots grew, if not spectacularly; still haven't planted the bulbs, as this was a springtime order, not a fall one) from Spring Hill Nursery's mailing address. I don't know what the formal relation between these two companies is, but those who wish to order from Breck's might want to check out the comments on Spring Hill.
On Jun 11, 2006, gianetta Mechanicsville, VA wrote:
The bulbs I bought from them last fall arrived far later than their initial estimates, which was annoying, but the plants are doing great so far. I'm not likely to order sensitive bulbs like lilies from Brecks in the future, but I've had good luck with their other bulbs - their perennial tulips were some of the largest tulips I've ever seen, the hyacinth were gorgeous, and their daffodil bulbs were huge and the flowers beautiful. Brecks would be a better company if they got their scheduling in order.
On Jun 8, 2006, mochaexpress Young America, MN wrote:
I had some positive and negative comments so the overall rating is neutral.
1) The bulbs were big and much better quality than I can purchase locally.
2) Unfortunately, they shipped the bulbs very late. I ordered (large order, hundreds of bulbs) in May-05. I received a couple items in late September, but did not receive the bulk of the large order (daffodils, giant crocus, perennial tulips and others) until mid to late October. That is a real problem in MN, especially for daffodils that need about 6 weeks to root before the ground freezes. Because they arrived so late and I had so little time to get them planted so that they could root well before winter, I ended up taking vacation time from work to plant them all.
3) All of the tulips, the grape hyacinth, snow glories, and the snow crocus planted last fall were stunning this spring. The red tulips in particular-- wow. About 3/4 of the the oriental and asiatic lilies came up, though it is too early still for blooms.
4) Other bulbs performed marginally if at all. The daffodils were disappointing. Fewer came up then expected (~65%), and only about a third that came up did not bloom. The yellow were true to type but the Salome were not pink. Considering the amount of work required to plant hundreds of bulbs, I was not happy. Only about 20% of the giant crocuses came up, and all of those were yellow (supposed to be a mix). None of the snow drops or wood hyacinths came up.
5) I do not know whether the poor performance was due to the late planting secondary to late shipping, but I do know that locally purchased bulbs planted at the appropriate time performed well.
6) I have not had a chance to contact customer service yet regarding the poor performers-- wanted to get through spring and confirm that they really weren't going to come up before complaining.
If their customer service is professional when I contact them, I'll give Breck's another try. However since late fall shipments are really a problem for my zone, if it happens again I'll stick with buying bulbs locally so that I can dig them in at the correct time, even if they are smaller.
I ordered toad lilies on special and some water lilies. At the same time, I ordered a lot of day lilies from Paradise Gardens and some water lilies from Pong Megastore. I was unhappy with what Breck's sent when I got it, I was angry when I got the OTHER vendor's plants.
Both Paradise and Megastore shipped me huge, healthy plants. Both communicated well as to status, and both were prompt.
The items from Breck's were tiny. The toad lilies were barely one rhizome each, compared to the hand-dug ones from Paradise (and more expensive). The water lily was a tiny shrivelled carrot with no roots. Compared to Megastore which had a huge root system and some leaves (same price).
Lesson learned... The specialists do better at there speciality. Buy water plants from water plant vendors, and flowers from the breeder.
I think Breck's expertise is bulbs. I won't be trying tho.
On May 1st, 2006, bellyup changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following:
A Breck's representative has offered to replace/refund my order. The sole source of the complain was this forum.
That means to me that they DO pay attention to customer feedback, and will be proactive to satisfy you. The fact that they contacted me, and not vice versa goes a long way.
I am sure it is a form reponse, but any response is better than nothing.
Rating changed to neutral. If this goes well, I will happily change my rating to positive. I prefer to compliment than complain.
I used a gift certificate that came on the catalog and ordered some tulip bulbs. I planted them last fall and they were a little small, but healthy. I can't remember the name of them, but they were supposed to be white with blue edges. Well....they are cream with fuschia edges. And the flowers are tiny. The rest of our tulips are bigger than ever and these seem to be stunted somehow. I probably will not order from them again.
When the brochures for their daffodil collections came in March, I read, re-read, and read again, everything in there. The glossy photos depicted beautiful plants, all growing and thriving, with gorgeous blooms. According to the letter they had included with the brochures, I had nothing to lose. I didn't have to pay until I received and inspected every bulb. If the bulbs weren't satisfactory, I could order a replacement and only pay for those which I liked. And in the case the bulbs looked fine, but didn't grow or bloom to my satisfaction, I was protected by their lifetime guarantee. I quickly filled out the order form, checking the box which stated I would not pay 'til I received the bulbs. I sent it in, and all was dandy.
Then, a few weeks later, I received a bill in the mail. It was only the last week of March.
Puzzled, I emailed them about it. I received a reply stating my bill was not due until the bulbs were shipped. Then when I asked why the bill was sent so early, she replied saying that it was because my bulbs had been shipped.
This REALLY puzzled me. Daffodils are supposed to be planted in the fall!
I emailed them back, asking if they had really shipped the bulbs in the completely wrong season. I have yet to receive a reply.
I rated this neutral, as seeing I didn't receive the bulbs yet. When I do get them, I will write a follow-up and possibly change my rating.
On April 10th, 2006, Starshine06 added the following:
I emailed them again, asking for a more detailed explanation. This time a more knowledgable person replied, and told me the payment is not due until I receive the shipment.
I will, as I said before, add more when I receive the bulbs and possibly change the rating.
On Jan 18, 2006, Gabrielle Washington, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:
I ordered from Breck's because of the coupon offer. I fell in love with a couple of their pink daffodils ('Replete' & 'Pink Charm'), Grecian Windflowers, and Blue Parrot Tulip.
They arrived in a timely manner, and I was excited to see them the following spring. However, the pink daffodils weren't pink, the windflowers were nearly all purple (not mixed as in the photo), and the Parrot Tulip was not feathery looking.
I emailed them about it, and was told the daffodils were supposed to be "apricot" not pink. None of the other items were mentioned, but I was told I could get a refund on anything I was not happy with. I asked for a refund on all items, and was promptly given a refund for the total amount minus the $25 coupon and S&H.
I doubt I will do business with them again. Their pictures are definitely touched up (and in my last catalog the daffodils were still listed as "pink"), and I don't like being lied to. I wouldn't tell anyone else not to shop there because they did make it right. But, if you do shop there, look at the items from other sources to see what they really look like!
On Oct 17, 2005, tmd272 Fulton, NY (Zone 5b) wrote:
I received my bulbs yesterday after 2 1/2 months of waiting. I order oriental lily collection ($29.99 + shipping). I was sadly disappointed by what was sent to me. The bulbs were in transit for over 10 days and were basically mush and the ones that were not look as though half the bulb had been broken in half with no roots attached.
I called customer service and they are going to replace the bulbs but I am greatly disappointed that they would send something like these to any customer let alone a new one like myself. The women I spoke with said it would be 6-8 weeks before I get my replacement bulbs. I just kind of chuckled and said by then we should have snow on the ground. Her reply was first date of availability. I will just have to hope that old man winter comes later this year.
I will not be purchasing from them again. Lesson learned!!!
Well , they are good they are bad which equals neutral. They have billing issues, you pay and later they say they can't authorize your CC, well they can, they just don't seem to have the brain power to get-R-done, that finally got it straightened out after 3 calls. They send the bulbs and packing slip shows money owed, heh well that took another 2 calls, finally worked it out. One of the Daffs died, 3 of the giant Hyacinth didn't come up and none of the blue lieutenants, ok so much for all the bad. FOr the good, one call and they are sending a check for the dead and ungrown items. Well this might be premature, as i haven't yet gotten the check, but at least they gave me no greif over a refund. Also the plants that bloomed and lived were very nice, no complaint there.
On Apr 19, 2005, Berg_in_VA Fredericksburg, VA wrote:
I first ordered from Breck's last fall. The order was placed in Aug. and I received my bulbs in October. So far everything seems to be fine (I had ordered some hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, iris and alliums) most are already up and blooming. The problems began when I placed an order this spring. My order was placed on March 2 for Pink Instant Blooms Tulips and some perennials. The Tulips arrived within two weeks, I planted them in a pot in the house. They sprouted and grew quickly. Too quickly I guess, within a week and a half they had formed the buds and bloomed. The tulip blooms were about the size of a nickle. Then the plants flopped and died within two days. I was very upset with the Instant Blooms performance. Several weeks later my perennials arrived, most were on the dry side without any growth showing. I have planted them and am crossing my fingers that they will come up. I had sent Breck's an email describing my problems with the Instant Blooms and the only response I got was a automatic email telling me I can check my order status online. Poor Customer Service. I will never order Instant Blooms again, and may not order any more perennials. I am willing to try Bracks again for spring bulbs.
On Dec 29, 2004, TexasTam Plano, TX (Zone 8a) wrote:
Like many of the companies they are affiliated with, Breck's seems to be one of those hit-or-miss ordering experiences.
The assorted bulbs I received from them in the fall were all huge and in great condition - no mushiness or mold.
I then placed another smaller order in November (using the $25 off coupon) which included some additional bulbs, an amaryllis among them that I intended to force indoors before Christmas. Well, after two weeks and no correspondence except the token "thanks for your order", I followed up, only to find out the amaryllis wouldn't ship until Spring, something that wasn't apparent when ordering.
To their credit, I notified Breck's via email to go ahead and cancel the amaryllis, which they promptly did. I would consider ordering from them again; however, I avoid their affiliate, Spring Hill Nursery, like the plague.
On Oct 26, 2004, SugarMaple Southbridge, MA (Zone 5b) wrote:
I have done a lot of business with Breck's over the last 2 years. I have done a lot of business with other bulb suppliers, too. Breck's definitely has higher prices, but some of their bulbs seem to be better quality. On the other hand, some of their bulbs never grow and others grow very small. Sometimes I get a shipment with a moldy bulb or two, but I've read elsewhere that it shouldn't matter as it will go away after the bulbs are planted. I've had "mixed" bulbs that turned out to not be much of a mix at all. I even ordered something marked for my zone which I have since discovered isn't hardy in this zone after all. I think I received some free lily bulbs in a shipment one time, I guess for being a good customer. I don't think Breck's is either good or bad. I just shop around and see who has the majority of the bulbs that I want to buy and buy just those bulbs from just one place to save on shipping. Sometimes that place is Breck's. Sometimes it's not.
On Oct 20, 2004, kelkubi Lincoln, NE (Zone 5b) wrote:
Brecks is the first mail order company I have used for ordering bulbs. I was excited about the $25 dollar coupon. I placed my order mid-September and received my order mid-October. I was dissapointed when I opened the box and could immediately smell mold. Many of the bulbs in the order were moldy. I called the company (they need a toll-free number) and the customer service representative was very kind, and stated they would rush another order out. She said to either dispose of the bulbs I currently have or I could plant them to see if they would grow. Now I'll just wait and see how long it takes to get the replacement order and also hope they are in good condition.
Like many others, I took advantage of Breck's coupon offer to give me the "most for my buck". At the same time, I placed orders with several other companies with similar offers. Then my orders started to arrive. I was pretty exicted, but my Brecks order hadn't arrived yet. I was going over my credit card statement and noticed that along with the other companies, Brecks had already billed my CC. This would have been ok if it had just happened, but their billing was at the same time as the other companies, the ones whos stuff I had already gotten. I called thier customer service line (at my own expense, come on guys, where is your 800 number?) to find out what the deal was and where my order was! After some major confusion about my account number, they tried to track my order from my credit card. Even that had some major confusion. The CSR eventually located my order (to my relief) and then told me that of the 8 items I ordered, 4 had been substituted. I was pretty upset, especially since I had ordered about 2 months prior, not exactly end of season pickings... When trying to figure out what I was getting, we relized that the online product numbers were different than the catalog product numbers and I was still getting everything I had originally ordered. This made me feel better, but not over the top customer service here. Then it was back to my original question, "Where's my stuff?" The CSR checked some tracking number and told me it had just been unloaded from the cargo ship from Holland and that was as far as she could track it, but it should be on its way and to give it at least another week. I told myself if it hadn't arrived by the next weekend, I was calling my CC to hold payment until the order arrived (this is why I ALWAYS use a credit card to order online!). Just 2 days after talking to Breck's, my order arrived. Everything looked ok, even though the USPS decided to try and shove the box into my mailbox. I opened the box to go through everything and the bulbs looked fine. Being a newbie to gardening, I can't vouch for size, but they all seemed comparable to everything else I ordered. Actually, many of the tulips bulbs have a second large bulb slightly attached to them, hopefully giving me two flowers instead of one! Would I order from this company again, I am undecided. I will continue to get their cataglog, for the displays are great and it give me some ideas, but I might search other companies to buy from instead. I will update about quality of the plants in the spring, when we see if everything grows and blooms.
I just received 100 bulbs (mainly Allium) and they all looked good. Some of them were very tiny, despite their claims that they send BIG bulbs ?!? But I liked the ventilated packaging because it was well labeled. Of course we'll see how they bloom next year. I'll let you know.
On April 1st, 2005, Frostette added the following:
So far, so good, all the earliest bloomers are sprouting. Alliums bloom in late spring, early summer....so it'll be awhile before I see how they all look. I don't understand all the NEGATIVE responses on this site since Brecks seems to be well spopen of in most circles and their guarantees / bragging about themselves sounds great! I plan on placing a big order for PINK daffodils this year since they are rare and I've never seen any in real life around here. On May 14th, 2005, Frostette changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following:
I'm beginning to see why there are a lot of comments about customer service. I can't get them to credit my account for a mistake they made. They claim they are busy - they weren't too busy to debit my account! I ordered an Astilbe collection, using a $20 off coupon (paying for s&h only). Instead they gave me s&h free and charged me 19.99 for them. Plus, I'm not happy with Alliums either! Should've asked around before ordering - what scraggly looking foilage and the flowers are coming up here and there. NOT a nice looking flower bed. I can only hope it'll look better in a few weeks.On June 1st, 2005, Frostette changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:
Ok, lets give them the benefit of the doubt. I'll keep them at a POSITIVE because it's my own fault for not checking on Alliums - but I still don't like the way they picture them all blooming together - wonderful color - cause that is NOT the way they grow. And they finally sent me a refund check. I would've rathered they had credited my card but they did give me a choice of the exact amount to cash OR return the check for a larger credit towards another order. Also, the Astilbe I ordered from them this year and doing very well. But I've pretty much made up my mind to take them up on one of their guarantees to replace the Alliums because I am not happy with them at all. We'll see how they do on that request.On July 6th, 2005, Frostette added the following:
Brecks sent me a credit for the amount I paid for the Alliums, which I plan to use to order Lilies. It is a pretty good deal when you get to keep something you don't like and still get something else. Pretty amazing quarantee!On October 27th, 2005, Frostette added the following:
I ordered the big collection of Pink Daffodils and some more yellow ones and Dutch Iris. Everything is coming in the mail separately - week or two apart so I can't get around to planting them since I want to make sure they are put in at the same time so I can place them properly. Since they come from Holland, the notice that your plants have shipped is misleading, because, yes, it may take a month before you actually receive them. I don't think I'll be ordering from them anymore - even with all the $25 off coupons I keep receiving. Too frustrating on delivery dates.On May 3rd, 2006, Frostette changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following:
Ok, this is not right. The long anticipated PINK daffodils - did not appear ! Very upsetting since these were going to be my 'prized possessions' . When I questioned them about them they now claim they are really not pink, just the usual shades of white and yellow with some light apricot, salmon, etc. That is NOT what the pictures show and to add insult, I received the brochure in the mail last week advertising the collection again. BRIGHT PINK and white flowers - the most amazing things. Even so, if that is the case, only one small daffodil came up that looked white with an apricot colored interior. All my others bulbs bloomed but them. As usual, they DO honour their guarantees and are sending me a ceritificate for something different. But I wanted the PINK daffodils !
I PURCHASED BULBS FROM BRECK'S BEFORE GARDENS ALIVE BOUGHT THE COMPANY. MY BULBS WERE LARGE, FRESH, AND BLOOMED BEYOND MY EXPECTATIONS. SO, I DECIDED TO ORDER FROM THEM AGAIN. I DIDN'T REALIZE THE COMPANY HAD BEEN SOLD AND I MUST ADMIT, MY SECOND ORDER WAS "OKAY"--CERTAINLY NOT UP TO PARR WITH MY FIRST ORDER. I DECIDED TO GIVE THEM ONE MORE TRY. I ORDERED IN FEB. OF 2004. MY ORDER WAS SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE ON OR AROUND 4/16 FOR EARLY SPRING PLANTING. MAY ARRIVED, WITH NO SIGN OF THE BULBS. I WROTE AN E-MAIL ASKING THE COMPANY NOT TO SEND THE BULBS AND TOLD THEM THEY DID NOT HAVE MY PERMISSION TO CHARGE MY CREDIT CARD. IT IS WAY TOO LATE TO PLANT SPRING BULBS IN MY ZONE. 2 DAYS LATER, THE BULBS ARRIVED--IN HORRID CONDITION. AT LEAST HALF OF THE BULBS WERE DISEASED OR MOLDY. NOT TO MENTION MOST OF THEM ARE EARLY SPRING AND SUMMER FLOWERING, SO I'M NOT EXPECTING MUCH OF A SHOW. THE COMPANY E-MAILED ME (AFTER I HAD RECIEVED MY PACKAGE) ASSURING ME MY ORDER SHIPPED 4/16, FROM THE NETHERLANDS AND HAD TO GO THROUGH US CUSTOMS AND THAT THE ORDER COULD TAKE UP TO FIVE TO SIX WEEKS TO SHIP. SO MUCH FOR THE "GARUNTEED TO ARRIVE JUST AT THE RIGHT PLANTING TIME". IT IS MUCH TOO LATE. THE ONLY REASON MY REVIEW WAS NOT NEGATIVE WAS BECAUSE I DID HAVE A POSITIVE 1ST ORDER, AND THE COMPANY E-MAILED ME BACK. BUT, I WARN THAT THIS COMPANY HAS DOWN-WARD SPIRALED SINCE GARDENS ALIVE TOOK OVER AND I WILL NEVER ORDER FROM THEM AGAIN, NOR RECCOMEND THEM TO ANYONE.
On May 5, 2004, JRush Guilford, CT (Zone 6b) wrote:
I ordered 5 items from this company. The Columbines were large & healthy, & they gave me 3 of each variety. The Hardy Dutch Astilbe was also big & healthy. The catalog shows 4 Astilbe colors in the ad, but I received 2 plants. So I don't know what colors the Astilbe are! The Achimenes (three) & Lilafee Epimedium (one) were small & disappointing. I guess it just depends on the specific plant that you order from this company.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. I used the $20 off coupon last fall and ordered an Amaryllis and Snow Crocus Bulbs. The $16 Amaryllis bloomed for Easter and will bloom again soon- it took much longer than my $4 Chain Store Amaryllis (that bloomed for Christmas). My snow crocus bulbs never bloomed or had leaves- I believe they were rotten. As a novice gardener, I could have been dissapointed by my unrealistic expectations, which is why I leave a neutral rating.
Took advantage of the $20 off coupon, and ordered several gladiolas bulbs, and 9 columbine. The columbine were all healthy root stock & appear to be growing well. I did not have a chance to plant the gladiolas bulbs until about a week after they arrived (they were stored in my garage in the meantime), and most had mold on the bulbs at that point. As I'm not sure that's how they arrived, I'm leaving neutral feedback instead of negative, but even with the $20 off coupon, I still feel the quality of merchandise was lacking & for most items, local retail supply chains offer better merchandise for cheaper prices. Some of the bulbs were very large, but there were also medium & small sized bulbs, and if they have mold on them, they probably won't come up anyway, so the size doesn't really matter anyway. I've ordered from this company on previous occasions, and afterwards I always feel there are much better places to order from. With the coupon, you can get a decent deal on some of the items, but its something of a gamble too.
