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After reading some of the reviews about this great company I feel compelled to write about 10+ years of very good gardening experiences with them.
I ordered from them again this year and (again) things were perfect with my order. Rasperberries, Blueberries and Strawberries - eleven bare-root plants in all were received when expected and in great condition - for a dormant plant. (I suspect many people look at dormant plants and compare them to ones they buy at a nursery....I do too. I, however, have removed nursery plants from their containers, washed off the roots and replanted them and have lately and found a tiny root system hidden in a gallon sized pot!?! Is that a bargain from anywhere? Much less Home Depot?) Sometimes quality, selection and plant advice is worth more than a trip to a garden center where nobody even knows anything about plants in the first place! Pay the higher price and get advice from their horticulturalists - you'll save much time and effort by doing so!
The items were planted and have already sprung into life - in an area where they don't naturally grow easily (our pH is not very good for the blueberries and had to be strongly corrected at planting time.) This is the same experience I have had for years with stock from this company and I expect will continue to receive from them.
They do an exceptional job of finding hardy and more rare selections of all types of plants and their horticultural advice is exceptional. (I have NEVER had to call and request a credit as I have never received poor quality merchandise from them - ever.) I wholeheartedly tell friends to use them but I also advise people to stay away from bare-root plants if they are not expert gardeners - they are more difficult and you will have more luck with potted plants.
On Jun 2, 2009, sthinton Astoria, NY (Zone 6b) wrote:
I have been a satisfied customer of White Flower Farm for a number of years. Many of the most established plants in my garden were purchased from the company and these have thrived and been divided many times. I live in New York City (zone 6/7 and feel their focus is perfect for my area).
I am usually very pleased with the plants I have received, and when I have not been the nursery is very liberal in sending replacement plants or providing a refund, their customer service is the best I've experienced. You can even call with questions about your plants and will received excellent advice.
This spring I ordered a fragrant lily mixture and received large, moist and very healthy bulbs. Within three weeks of planting all had appeared and are now very robust plants with thick stems. This particular mixture is now on sale and I HIGHLY recommend ordering it.
I also recommend the Dicentra Spectabilis, which is also currently on sale. I received a very large bare-root that I planted, watered well and then left alone. In three weeks the plant burst above ground and flowered profusely. This was the best-spent $8.45 of the year. I have since ordered two more.
The Dahlia selection is not as large as from nurseries that specialize, but the offerings are very smart and the tubers are very large and healthy. Other species I've ordered that have thrived include Hellebores (Royal Heritage), which have never failed to bloom in their first spring; Campanula (Sarastro and Summertime Blues) grew very large their first summer and bloomed generously; as well as Tiarella, Astilbe, Echinacea and Peonies (all of which have been exceptional performers).
I have even ordered annuals and been equally impressed. I live in New York City where there are no nurseries (without traveling to the distant suburbs) and my success with annuals purchased at big box retailers has always been dismal.
Some commenters have posted that the plant size is average and not worth the prices charged. I agree that the sizes shipped are typical, but I have always been impressed by the performance of this nursery's plants and have no complaints.
The other common complaint is with shipping costs, but I argue that this is one area where White Flower Farm excels. The materials are all cardboard and completely recyclable. Shipping notices are sent by email, with direct links to tracking info at UPS. My orders have always been received in about one week from when my orders are placed. When I have requested a particular shipping date it has always been met.
The great benefit of White Flower Farm is the extensive materials available: their Web site is one of the best and their catalogue is unmatched. The nursery has a long history and continues to be an intelligent source for garden culture information. Their Web site has numerous articles and videos that can help you become a better and more knowledgeable gardener.
If you are looking for bargains, look elsewhere (most notably Bluestone), but if you want to be a part of a nearly unmatched shopping experience you won't be disappointed with this nursery.
Just ordered a few tomato plants.....all arrived as healthy as can be.....I placed them under my grow lights as I wasnt ready to plant them yet. Within a day or two, I noticed my Moskovich was declining....looked like an Verticulim Wilt...odd. I know I couldnt save it as it got worse each day. Wilt from the top down. I took pictures and sent an email in to customer service.
Today, I received my Moskovich replacement...Customer service was very painless to deal with.
Very satisfied about the no hassle. Thank you.
On May 15, 2009, docgipe NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA, PA (Zone 5a) wrote:
My Coleus came in special wrap around pot cardboard protection with cardboard medium plugs to hold the medium in the pot. This gave the protection of box in box packing. The packing was so good I saved the packing boxes for a second use.
I was informed when the product would ship. The shipping was concluded right on schedule with another notice to alert me to my order when they shipped.
The condition of the plants was excellent. I have never had anything but excellent service from White Flower Farm.
TOMATO PLANTS FROM WHITE FLOWER FARM, SPRING 2009. I purchased a number of tomato seedlings from White Flower Farm this spring of 2009. I had not used them before, and my initial thought was that prices were a tad high. But, now the plants are here, and I must say, the tomato plants are the healthiest ones I have ever received; they arrived in excellent condition and at the right time of the spring season for my zone. Also, the packaging was exceptionally clever--it provided great protection for the plants, and it was just cardboard, all recycleable, so I don't have any guilt over the packaging. Finally, they have great selection in terms of many different tomato plants to choose from. So, all in all, I think their plants are worth every penny--you get great selection, plants shipped at the right time, plants that are healthy and arrive in excellent condition, all wrapped in environmentally-friendly packaging. I will be a repeat customer here, and I will be telling my tomato-growing friends to spend a little more money and get better plants here rather looking for "cheapies" elsewhere.
On May 10, 2009, leeceeka Thompsonville, MI wrote:
i planted their "the works" 100 daffodil bulbs. they were not cheap,and the shipping is outrageous but every bulb flowered and the variety was great. i was so happy with them that i just ordered another 100 for fall.
First experience with this company. I bought 6 perennial snapdragons from them this spring. All 6 arrived on time. 5 were very fresh, one was wilted, I put it in the ground anyway but called WFF the next am. They immediately replaced the plant with a new one, no questions asked. The lady on the phone was very pleasant and professional, she even reminded me not to overwater snapdragons so the others would be ok. The new plant came a week later and was in excellent shape. As I figured the wilted plant died a few days later. I was very happy with the other 6 plants and the service from WFF. All 6 plants are going strong so far despite a wet cool spring here in MD. Cant wait until July when they are in bloom I would definitely order from them again.
On Apr 26, 2009, kentstar Ravenna, OH (Zone 5b) wrote:
I have been a White Flower Farm customer for a few years now. I have never had any problems with them. I purchased many, many plants from them in the past. Last autumn I bought lots of "Corps de Ballet" tulips, Apricot Impressions tulips, daffodils Double Campernelle and Lemon Glow. All are doing wonderful. They are huge and very healthy! Thankyou!
Yes, the prices are a little high, but the plants I have gotten are worth it! I also bought 3 Brunnera Macrophylla "Jack Frost" from them last year and all are growing fine, too.
On Jan 30, 2009, bsharf Palm Coast, FL (Zone 9a) wrote:
I've ordered Amaryllis bulbs for several years. Have been happy with the overall quality and correct labelling. I've had minimal problems with rotten bulbs, which were immediately replaced with a call to their customer service department.
I enjoy the products there and I've purchased many plants from them over the last few years. My only complaint would be very high shipping costs, considering I live in NH one would think it would be much more reasonable. I have several ' Gardening addicted ' friends and we would all love to order more frequently but find shipping costs prohibitive. I like the catalog, it's more of a fantasy for us though with many plants a little out of line ( cost wise) compared to our local nurseries. I find they are resposive to customers and do carry a wide variety for us ' collectors' and enthusiasts.
At WFF prices the plants should be exceptionally large and healthy. But they're usually not exceptionally anything, and I agree with other reviewers that the quality of plants seems to have gone downhill over the years. I also once had a problem getting them to reply by email after they sent me a rotten iris bulb. I emailed about 5 times over a couple weeks and they never did respond. It's apparently better to call (they have refunded things for me when I've called), but I just didn't feel like calling that time, and I thought that since they have a customer service email on their site they might respond to it. They do have a great website & catalog, and also a great selection, and the plants usually arrive in a reasonable amount of time. It's not high-risk to buy from them, just high cost for what you get.
On October 29th, 2008, spursley changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:
I have changed my rating from neutral to positive. I ordered 4 poppies on Saturday night, got a message on Monday that they had shipped, and received them on Tuesday in good condition. I still think they're overpriced for what they usually send, but as long as you know that going in they're perfectly reliable.
Upon reading the negative comments about White Flower Farm (WWF), I feel compelled to write about my positive experiences. The only negative thing I can say is that the pricing is expensive when compared to east central Illinois and to Tennessee, where we lived when I placed my orders. I have ordered shrubs, perennials, and bulbs (daylilies). While in TN, a shrub that I ordered from WWF died and I received a refund immediately with no questions asked, which impressed me. Of course, I purchase locally whenever I can and have ordered from a number of Internet suppliers (mainly seeking less expensive pricing than WWF). But I’ve learned to order from WWF when I seek quality plants that I cannot obtain locally. They’re definitely the best supplier I’ve encountered. I recently ordered 8 shrubs (Eleutherococcus sieboldiana variegata) that were not available in my area. I’ll never understand why they’re not available—this is a shade-tolerant shrub, easy-to-grow, disease/pest-free, and relatively low-cost. These shrubs have adapted well and are growing beautifully. The daylilies I ordered while in Tennessee were HUGE, numerous, got better and more prolific with each year, and the bloom season afforded by these plants lasted very long. I would order more in a heartbeat were it not for my yard conditions (dry-shade, which isn’t great for daylilies). Of special note: their catalog is one of the best resources I’ve found. Plant specs., required growing conditions (detailed), possible problems, even phonetic pronunciations for plant names (which I love!) are included. If you never order from WWF, I suggest you request a catalog to keep as a reference.
On May 22, 2008, milesf1 Woodstock Valley, CT (Zone 5b) wrote:
I ordered a LOT of bulbs from while flower last year. I got about 50 lilies (don't ever order 50 lilies it is way too many ;-)) and some crocuses, narcissus, tulips, anemones. Everything came up and is quite gorgeous. I would not be surprised if my bulb bloom rate is 100%. I also bought three clematis, some cranes bill and some gaillardia. Two clematis and the cranes bill are doing great. One clematis and the gaillardia did not survive my fall planting. I emailed them and they are sending replacements. I'd use them again.
On May 9, 2008, WaterCan2 Suffolk County, NY (Zone 7a) wrote:
I've been satisfied with the company, at some times receiving small plants and others receiving outstanding plants. If anything I have found them to be inconsistent but acceptably so in comparison to other mail order companies.
I have ordered several times from WFF and I have always been happy with the quality of the plants I received. Shipping is timely and the packaging is good. As others have noted, they're pricey. Many of their plants can be obtained at better prices elsewhere. However, I ordered bulbs from them last fall and the grape hyacinth and Ipheion collections were priced (on a per bulb basis) less than Brecks, and all of the bulbs I ordered were priced reasonably. They all did really well too, in spite of the drought conditions when I planted them last fall - they're blooming as I type.
On Feb 11, 2008, Bookerc1 Mackinaw, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:
I have ordered several times from WWF, and overall have been pleased. Most of the plants have thrived, and they promptly replaced those that did not (ie the achillea, which disappointed me because it was promoted as being so easy to grow, and then promptly died the first winter.)
Now my brother and sister give me WWF gift certificates for my birthday, and have to suffer through my e-mails with all my plans and results!
I ordered two amarylis bulbs which arrived on 1/22/08. They looked puffy and wet and by the next morning one was definitely spoiled. I emailed WFF and received a response from Jay Potter the same day. He wrote: "We are sorry to say that it sounds like that bulb got too cold in transit. Please throw it away. We will ship a replacement." By the next morning the other bulb had also spoiled so I sent another email and the response was the same. From many years of buying from this company, I know I will receive two great replacement bulbs. And by the way, nobody has better amarylis!
On Jan 10, 2008, noellebristol Londonderry, NH wrote:
I purchased close to 300 bulbs from WFF this past fall, including 50 fall blooming crocus. Despite many people telling me I was crazy to expect bulbs to bloom 3 weeks after planting, they came up as promised. At one point I counted 46 flowers-- thats a pretty darn good percentage! Strangely though, even though I ordered a mix, all but one of my flowers were lilac colored. I e-mailed WFF to find out if this was a mistake or a mis-order. I think the response came that same day! They offered me a credit, refund or replacement, even though I really wasn't looking for it, after all almost all the bulbs came up and looked beautiful. I called later that week and the rep I spoke with was extremely helpful. Since the mix had sold out for the season, they will be sending me 50 more bulbs in September 2008. More than I could have asked for-- hopefully the rest of my bulbs come up as quickly and healthy as my crocus.
They will continue to get my business!!
On Dec 11, 2007, EugeniaBostwick Pinckney, MI wrote:
I have been an on...and mainly off...shopper of this company for many years. Their prices have always been extremely high and their quality nothing special and sometimes below par. However, their customer service is outstanding. I have received an amaryllis for Xmas for several years. This year the delivery company left the bulb outside at below freezing temperatures. The bulb is being replaced at no cost. The amaryllis bulbs I have received are large and beautiful. I put them in my vegetable garden in summer, and they have flowered for many years! I have a collection of 15...and as a bonus....DEER DO NOT EAT THEM :-)
Last year I ordered some of the amaryllis bulbs in baskets. They were so lovely when they bloomed and they are still alive. I have also ordered some of the forced bulb baskets with tulips and they all have bloomed wonderfully and were very pretty.
A couple weeks ago I ordered the orchid trio. They came in full bloom. More buds were on them with more flowers quickly following. They are actually much prettier than they look on the website. I LOVE them! I am happily surprised with how many flowers they have and they are still in bloom. I especially am enjoying the semi-alba.
I ordered from White Flower Farm for the first time this August (2007). I ordered two 'Red Hot Returns' Hemerocallis Daylilies that I had been unable to find locally and found few online retailers that carried this particular cultivar. I was quite happy to find that White Flower Farm had them for fall shipping. My invoice indicated that the flowers would not be available until September 10th, which was fine and only a few weeks away. On September 10th, I received an e-mail notice that my flowers shipped, right on time. The next day, I received my daylilies.
The daylilies were bare root, as expected, but in very healthy looking shape and even larger than I expected. The flowers had been very carefully and well packed, were moist, and also included very detailed planting and care instructions. My experience with White Flower Farm was completely positive and I would definitely order from them again.
I have purchased everything from tomato plants to birch trees to bulbs, and lillies from WFF for a long time. I also purchase from a local nursey in Massachusetts. And yes, there are times when WFF plants or bulbs don't thrive. Yet, that seems to be a function of weather and soil and pests - not a function of WFF's quality. Overall, my experience with WFF is very positive from the variety of plants to their beauty.
On Jun 4, 2007, alicemv Aquebogue, NY (Zone 6a) wrote:
This was the first year that I had experience with the company. I did not see any problems. The plants I ordered were a bit expensive, but then again, they were shipped to me, all I did was look online. No traveling expense, etc.
The root content in the containers were acceptable and they have taken well, for their first year.
I would recommend them.
On May 25, 2007, Biker1 McLean, VA (Zone 7a) wrote:
I recently received a large order from White Flower Farm. One of the plants, a Platycodon, was marginal upon arrival. It died almost immediately when planted. I wrote to the company about this problem. The next day they apologized and sent me a replacement. They really stand behind their products. It's a great company.
On May 17, 2007, nanny_56 Putnam County, IN (Zone 5b) wrote:
I recently ordered 3 plants from White Flower Farm. I placed the order on 5-3-07 and received 5-9-07. They get high marks for the speed of delivery.
I loved their packing. No mess! The plants were dry by the time they got to Indiana, but it was extremely warm too. They were also smaller than I had expected.
WFF will not be my first choice simply because of their prices. The plants I got were Agastache "Acapulco Orange". They cost me $28.95 plus $9.95 for shipping for a total of $38.90. To expensive for what I got.
On May 13, 2007, SteveFtWorth Fort Worth, TX (Zone 7b) wrote:
I have ordered from WFF many times over the past few years. I agree with some of the other reviewers that I don't understand all of the negative reviews, since my experience with their plants at least has always been positive. I have found their bulbs to always be top-notch and well packaged and they've always performed well. Ordered some perennials this year and they are growing very well and were of good size...was a color and type I could not find anywhere else. I have ordered some rose bushes from them in the past which performed better than any others I have purchased. Their products at least are high caliber. I wish they had more stuff for southern gardeners though - most of their plants are geared towards nothern climates.
I have been ordering from White Flower Farm for for over 20 years. I agree they tend to be a bit more expensive on some items, but the quality of the stock and customer service is outstanding. I have agapanthus that I bought from them at least 10 years ago, and still going strong, beautiful blooms every summer, hardy plants that I have divided and given out to many of my gardening friends. I have purchased at least 2000 daffodils for naturalizing from them (I have a large piece of property) and they are beautiful, reliable, large healthy bulbs. Can I get bulbs cheaper elsewhere? yes and the results have never been as good as from WFF. I have had the occassional problem with a plant, but customer service has fallen all over themselves to make it right. I haven't found that to be true with other mail order or even local nurseries. They are a great company with good products. And if you are ever in the vicinty of this garden center, it is worth a visit!!
I'm happy to say I seem to be bucking the trend in dissatisfaction with WWF. I placed my order this spring without trepidation, as I've ordered from them before with no problem. The plants I received, although expensive, were an acceptable size compared to other mailorder nurseries'--smaller than some, but bigger than others--and in excellent condition. Their ingenious packing is the best I've seen--no peanuts, shredded paper, or other filler flying all over the place! In my experience, their customer service is also excellent.
I have been ordering from WFF for a long time, close to 25 years. Through 1999, they were the best, always sending me beautiful, healthy plants. They went downhill starting in 2000, sending me the wrong plants, poorly packed plants, dried out plants, etc. But last year and this year they have really improved. I ordered 6 milkweed, and 12 verbena from them for this year and received really large bareroot milkweeds that have all come up, and large healthy verbenas very securely packed. So, based on my experience, I would recommend them.
On Apr 27, 2007, mdgrower Fort George G Meade, MD wrote:
I've been ordering from WFF for 5 years and I've had consistently good results. So far I've planted several hundred daffodils, tulips, ornamental grasses, beautiful zinnias, and numerous shade-loving plants...everything has flourished! Plants/bulbs are top quality compared to those available at the outdoor departments of the local retail "big box" stores or from the local nurseries. Great company!
On Apr 2, 2007, CapeCodGardener Mid-Cape, MA (Zone 7a) wrote:
I ordered several double-flowered amaryllis bulbs in wicker baskets to be delivered as gifts for this past Christmas. My friends reported that they produced big plants with beautiful, large blooms that kept on flowering until late-March. I thought they were worth the price.
I should add that I have also had only good experiences with the bulbs and plants I have ordered over the past two years, in terms of their packing, as well as their performance in my garden.
First I should write that I've lived close-by to WFF for some 30+ years and love to just visit the grounds in order to get ideas and/or to choose something with my own little hands.
Truthfully, but rarely, I have gotten a mislabeled variety. This is probably an unavoidable consequence of the public reading labels and shoving plants around.
Any complaints have always been dealt with in a fair, respectful manner and I look forward once again to scouting out the display gardens.
The staff is unfailingly courteous and knowledgeable.
Their web site has more varieties than the catolog and is quite beautiful and easy to use.
In fact, I have WFF to thank for the development and elevation of my gardening ability and enjoyment.
White Flower is probably one of the priciest plant companies but they have some great plants and unusual plants. Their catalog is easily one of the most beautiful and informative ones out there. I order every spring and fall from them and have nothing but great things to say about them.
On Dec 14, 2006, JenniferLuther Grove City, PA (Zone 5b) wrote:
I have ordered from this company a few times this year. The mos recent was in the past week. They are a little pricey, but I have received excellent plants. The past week, I ordered Jasmine on Monday night, 8:00PM. I recieved e-mail that it shipped on Tuesday and I got it today, Thursday. I don't know what else you could ask for. Good healthy plant, excellent packaging. Thank You, White Flower.
On February 20th, 2007, JenniferLuther added the following:
In regards to this company being pricey. I have found items being $10.00 more than Wayside, but the same plant from Whiteflower is always twice the size.
On Nov 16, 2006, Sootfoot5 Mobile, AL (Zone 8b) wrote:
I have been ordering from this company for several years, and I have had nothing but good experiences. They have recently been running a daylily special that is out of this world. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who is into daylilies but doesn't care if they have the named ones or not. I have, thus far, bought EIGHT of these $65 daylily specials- there are supposed to be 18 daylilies in each group, but there is often 19 or 20, and some of the roots are as big as my hand with the fingers spread completly apart! I bought the first one early last spring and the flowers popped up almost immediately - WOW. Ruffles, bi- colors, you name it. I have bought mixes from other companies that take 3 years to do this well. They claim this mix is the rejects from some hybridizer who wants to remain nameless - well, I'm thrilled with his rejects! As for the other plants, I've always had good luck with their clemetis, their pulonaira is the only one that didn't die on me (I live in 8b) and in fact, they are one of the few companies that are consistent in listing their plants in the a/b zones- a blessing for us here in the Gulf Coast. They further carry very large bulbs, and also carry the smaller, landscape type bulbs at a reasonable price. I'm sure that like every company they make mistakes, but they've never made one with me. I give them an A+. PS- my husband says the daylily roots are more like the size of HIS hands with the fingers spread apart!
On Jul 30, 2006, hathaway Virginia Beach, VA wrote:
I have ordered from WFF for years and have been pleased with the quality and size of the plants and also with their making good on anything that was amiss. One year there was a problem with a plant from WFF and also one from Wayside Gardens, and the matter was rectified immediately by WFF, whereas Wayside fought me for a long time before crediting my Visa account.
I have spent a ton of money at WFF and have been extremely pleased with their quality and customer service. Their plants (particularly their bulbs--outstanding and huge!) are always top notch and in great shape when I receive them. In the random event that something doesn't survive (as with my poppies a year ago) they glady replaced the plants that had died and I even had one of their customer service employees call me back numerous times to keep me posted on the status of my order. I sometimes get discouraged that their supply runs out so fast and I wish they had a larger supply of certain items, but I just keep telling myself that it's something that I'll order next year! Overall they're a quality establishment and I'll keep ordering from them every year!
