eeks! I think I'm in trouble

I think if you have a bad experience you should share it. I had a very bad experience with one of the top WD companies and even though I was the only one with a bad experience I still chose to report. I say report it and then let the people reading the feedback decide what they want to do. There are some companies that have had some bad feedback that I have had nothing but good experiences with.

I would be furious with them stating that you had no idea what you were doing and I can see a pattern here.

When it comes to buying/selling, I depend greatly on word of mouth, so when I give my .02, I feel obligated to be as truthful and accurate as possible. I am as careful as I can about what I say, especially if it's gonna be a less than glowing comment, which happens rarely. Most people want to do what's right. But this little lady thoroughly pixxed me off, lol. I gave this matter from April til today 2009 to "simmer" and to make sure I wasn't emotional and overreactive. She consistently proved to be completely unconcerned with my issues.

I remember when Ralph Nader started blasting the Ford Falcon (is that the one?) and the Ford Pinto for being unsafe. I think it was courageous that he stood against all the big boys who bullied him and threatened him w/ defamation lawsuits when he disclosed his findings. Imagined if he had backed down--we'd all be dying (or dead) driving our little Pintos, lol. Luckily for all of us, the truth prevailed.

I appreciate your comments. Now back to painting.

Voss, so sorry your VE purchase was such a fiasco. What a disappointment and so aggravating, too, to have them be such ( ) about it.

Yes, if they sent you bum bulbs and were so 'unhelpful' then of course you need to let people know. They should know better than to do business like that. t.

Clap! Clap! Applause! Whistle! Stomp! Brava! Brava! to you dear Vossner. So many new gardeners rely on GWD and some (although DEFINITELY not all) suppliers may have taken advantage of the past boom economy and let their customer service drop a tad. I agree that we should take caution in posting negative reviews until we've cooled down but really what was this supplier saying? Basically "Sorry, if our customers are not Master Gardeners at Versailles too bad"? HOW TOTALLY RUDE! Thanks Vossner for posting to GWD. It's a good warning 'Buyer Beware'.

I have a feeling those bulbs will eventually mature and bloom, then it would be a good idea to send them a pic and let them know "here's what the bulbs you sent me are doing their 2nd spring,..in spite of my ignorance...", along with the nasty responses you received.

Glad you shared an honest account of your experience on the Watchdog.

Vossner, I have always been a big fan of VE, but her response to your non blooming bulbs was rude, ill advised and just plain dumb. Her behavior certainly doesn't constitutes good business or civility. If she was just an employee she should be fired, but as a family member of the business, she is an embarrassment that will cause them long term harm.

Obviously by looking at your posts and pictures, your site was beyond well prepared. You gave those narcissus the royal treatment while Jo Anne Ohms, daughter of Jan Ohms, the CEO of John Scheeper as well as to both Van Engelen companies, gave you the royal shaft!

I know nothing about planting in your zone, but I think your notion that they were just too young is a good one. I have orders coming from them again this fall and I will be very critical if they fail me even a tad bit. Strength in numbers. I love the Watch Dog feature. But I have failed to write a few poor reviews in the past that I should have. Not again, I will blast away. Patti

good morning, everybody. thanks for your comments. Neal, I am hoping, crosssing fingers and toes that the darn bulbs do return and bloom so it will validate my suspicion. Ultimate what matters is that my yard becomes the vision I dream about. Creepy people dont count for anything, not even manure (see? I can be polite, heh heh heh)

Patti, thanks for the info, now what is her address??? lol

I bought a few hundred bulbs from B&B and from OHG (not hundred here, can't afford them, lol). I am studying the S. Ogden book carefully to teach myself about the best bulbs for the south and my step up my daff project in fall 2010. It will just take me a little longer to have a bulb paradise like y'alls.

hello Dahlia, you make an excellent cheering crowd, lol.

I'm still painting. good day.

You can chat with her on Facebook ( Jo-Anne van den Berg-Ohms)

Hopefully she was just having a bad moment.
But sadly perhaps she has a habit of not being helpful. Patti

http://www.nj.com/homegarden/garden/index.ssf/2008/04/garden_diary_6.html

Sadly, I think it's a habit. As I communicated with Voss privately, the person who was unpleasant to me identified herself as Joann.

Patti, that is almost funny. That is one of the many snotty things that woman told me. She was 99.9% sure blah, blah blah. Sounds like she had a "talking to the wall" conversation, just as I did.

Makes me think of the parents who are unaware of their bully children and when somebody confronts them they say: "not my little angels". Except in this case is: "not my perfectly umblemished bulbs", lol.

It kinda reminds me of an experience I had with Brent&Becky's. I'd ordered both Lorikeet and Billy Graham Daffodils, both yellow petals with pink cups. Billy Graham was gorgeous, and looked as it should, but Lorikeet was a solid, deep golden yellow large cupped daff. It matured and faded with no change in color. I'd purchased the bulbs at the end of season sale, so I knew replacement wouldn't necessarily be an option, but even at half price, those are a couple of more expensive varieties, and certainly more than I would have paid for a Daffodil that looks for all the world like 'Carlton' (one of the most common and inexpensive on the market). I sent a picture of the blooms, and did get a reply directly from Becky. Her tone was nice, but she said the ones they had planted had bloomed correctly and asked if I could have mislabeled them, to which I replied I was quite sure I hadn't, and besides, had ordered no large yellow Daffodils, and had seen no other yellow/pink bicolors (besides Billy Graham) bloom. I didn't hear anything back after that, so I just dropped it. If I'd payed full price, I certainly would not have dropped it, but since it was a half price order, I sloughed it off.

Incidentally, I ended up getting Lorikeet from Van Engelen (the 40% off sale, of course, LOL) and they were gorgeous. Even the best rated companies mess up from time to time, but how they handle it sure does make a difference- a well handled mistake makes me an even more loyal customer.

I'm delighted to announce the much maligned VE bed of daffodils has started blooming. Why did it take 2 years? Did I get immature bulbs (I paid for blooming grade), was the weather a factor, my soil improperly prepared? Don't know but It doesn't matter

I have the beginnings of a beautiful bed. It has Hillstar, Geranium and Thalia. it's raining today and I don't know if it will affect blooming, I hope not. In the future, don't know how much credence I will give to data re: bloom time. Besides, what is early in the south, might be late for northern gardens. These were specifically planted b/c their bloom season was supposed to be the same, but not quite. No big deal, in fact, it's probably better if they're staggered a bit.

I hope to post a pic full of blooms in a few days.


This message was edited Mar 20, 2010 11:25 AM

Yippee!!!! I was just thinking about your bed of daff's the other day, wondering
if they would ever bloom for you. Congratulations!
Tam

How pretty!

I had not read this thread before, and I just want you to know I had the same sort of problem with VE, and yes, it was Joann. I had purchased lilies from them, and they were to be a pink, Stones, and bloomed bright orange. I sent her pictures, she told me I planted them in the wrong place, and got the identities mixed up. She did finally agree to send me some more Stones. They bloomed orange. I sent her another picture, and she told me they had received the improper Stones from the supplier. And refunded. But boy did she give me attitude to begin with.

i have purchased from VE for many years, and when everything was fine, which it mostly was, there was no problem, but when customer assistance was needed, I felt the company was lacking.

Congratulations, Nery!!! I bet you're feeling quite jubilant now as I KNOW that was really bugging you - and would have me, as well. I bet you are thrilled.

I agree 100% with Neal (Gemini)- I have had mixed feelings about B&B. In fact, I called Becky about a missed order several years ago and thought she was quite terse and unapologetic which I didn't appreciate. I stopped ordering from them for several years because of that experience (not the missed bulbs; her attitude) and only a couple years ago began to buy from them again. They have great - AWESOME bulbs - and in fact in my opinion are THE best source for daffodils out there - but service and attitude towards customers means everything to me. And I am not a difficult, picky or high-maintenance customer; just wanted to know why I didn't get my order.

I spoke with Brent once and he was quite nice. Not sure what her deal was but I found her rather abrupt.

Vossner, Glad you got blooms. Tad tardy, but terrific. They will bloom forever. Sounds like they were immature bulbs, as soil is not likely a factor as they are such reliable bulbs in most soils. But they do need a cool period, so maybe your cold winter this year was perfect to get them to bloom.

As for B & B. I have had wonderful chats and emails with Becky, but not about a problem, so maybe she is better in that situation, because she was most helpful and friendly. I never talked or emailed Brent. I imagine all the mail order vendors get a huge number of customers who are pills. They must have a hard time figuring out the serious gardeners from the those who have not a clue about what they are doing. Or they are just not good at customer service. Sad as both companies do sell great stuff.

Last spring I heard a lady actually yelling in a garden shop about the fact that her crocus were blooming, but that none of her tulips, muscarii and daffodils were blooming with them as she had planned. She said she wanted a refund because they (the garden shop) had ruined her planned beds with their "tardy" bulbs.

She would not believe the lady who tried in vain to explain that they bloomed at different times. She said it was not what she wanted and thought it was dumb for them to sell her bulbs that didn't bloom together. She then said that she had planned the colors and types around a big pot of blooming bulbs that she had seen at a spring flower show. So if those in the pot could bloom at the same time then that was proof the garden shop lady was "dead" wrong. The garden shop lady tried to explain to her about forcing bulbs for flower shows, but the lady was too livid to hear and kept yelling for her money back.... It was horrible. I had to leave, as it was too embarrassing. I did go back later and they said she finally left in a huff after talking to several employees, but without a refund.

My crocus are blooming as are Iris reticulata, but not narcissus or tulips yet. I guess I won't ask for a refund. Patti

Patti, I agree with you....your story is pretty funny and the lady at the nursery near my house told me she gets frustrated because there are so many "customers" who don't know what they're doing and are high maintenance and who want refunds, come and gripe, etc for failed plantings. Then there's the guy across the street who was whining about how he wanted color in his yard like mine and asked for my help, which I offered - but he didn't want to get on his hands and knees and do the dirty work we all know as gardeners has to be done to get that display we want - nor did he understand when I told him he had to have patience (wanted instant gratification) and also couldn't understand why the daffodils he bought in pots blooming from the nursery would only bloom that "once" that season. I planted some stuff for him and he didn't maintain it, let it get overrun with grass, etc. And he wonders why his yard doesn't look so nice.

hee hee. Your comments remind me of the difference between people who like plants and gardeners. I remember when I thought that keeping hostas alive in my area was all about wishing really hard in my heart that they would grow as pretty as the ones in magazines, just b/c I wanted them to. About $100 later, I learned my lesson.

yep, I guess i won't take those blooming times too literally, else I'll be like Patti's screaming lady at the garden shop.

Awesome Nery! Can't wait to see the pics of the blooms all fully open!

I had to laugh when I saw the comments on blooming times. I decided that I wanted three multiflowering tulips to bloom simultaneously. I didn't realize that "multiflowering" is a marketing term - Scheepers puts them all together in a single category. So two of the three, which were multiflowering triumps, bloomed simultaneously, and the third two weeks later. Goofy looking - but not Scheepers fault! Brent and Becky keep them in their botanical categories, noting that this particular tulip is multiflowering.

Just like my concept of using chionodoxa as "shoes and socks" for tulips. Except that they don't bloom at the same time. The pink ones around my Mount Hood daffs are going to bloom any day, but Mount Hoods don't bloom for a month. Very educational!

This message was edited Mar 26, 2010 6:23 PM

Vossner... I can relate.. I planted a number of daffodils 5yrs ago & only have had 1.2 of them bloom..however this year, one of those non bloomers did bloom & it is a tiny daffodil ( I thought Jonquil, but it isn't) & I am thrilled. However I plan on digging them up & moving them elsewhere in the garden in case they didn't like the area to begin with.
I am glad to hear yours are going to bloom.. mine have just about finished now! Mine were in bloom in late Feb. probably due to the warm winter we had.

Cindy - warm winter?!? LOL Not where I am! In fact all of my stuff is late by a few weeks.

WOW.. Steve... my daffodils are finished, my hyacinth was bloomed & gone before the first snow we got. My seedlings that I started are tall & lanky & are overdue to be planted in the ground but with that last snow I couldn't. So..I now have to "harden" them off so the night temps won't kill them!

WHOOO HOOOO so happy to see your daffs finally put on a show vossner ^_^ My snowdrops are past. Crocii are passing. Squill and bluebells are blooming. Daffs and early tulips just opening. Spring allium are forming buds. Chionadoxa are late this year. I have 6 plump Dutch hyacinth shoots so far which I'm VERY excited about as they don't like it here. Hopefully they will flower ^_^