Comments regarding Cottage Farms

I just recieved the baker's dozen hardy hibiscus in the mail. The price was a great deal. The plants are bareroot and fully dormant. I can see lots of growth nodes at the crowns just waiting to burst into leaf. The roots are in good shape. Packing was nothing fancy, just a bag and a box. The plants are small but hibiscus grow fast and I feel I got a good value for what I paid, and there were 14 plants in the bundle to make up my dozen.

I too odered from cottage farms. My black elephant ears were my only disappointment. They arrived almost dead and they have only grown about 6 inches. My day lilies did well and my cape fushia. Be careful of 4 o'clocks they are very invasive and you cannot kill them. There seeds from the flowers spread and grow in cracks and corners. I only buy bulbs from catalogs I trust and buy plants at our local nursery.

Karl Almryde
San Diego

Bottom line with this company: they send dead or dying plants and they don't honor their replacement guarantee. I've ordered several items from them through QVC. Plants are almost always smaller that those shown. Dead or half dead plants has been the norm. I've had some replaced with no problem (usually with the same dead or half-dead plants.) But now they won't replace them saying they have already been replaced (I know what I've received.) I think they are a small company that got in over their heads trying to keep up with the large sales generated through QVC. I woudn't be suprised if QVC dropped them because they are clearly not living up to the replacement guarantee that QVC requires them to have.

I ordered a set of 4 Cottage Farms roses from QVC in the spring of 2003. One died shortly after planting. I called and was told a replacement would be sent at the proper planting time for my area this spring, 2004. Never received anything further from them. At this time I only have one surviving bush from that order. I called today, June 30, 2004. I was told a repacement order for all 4 would be sent in 2005 at the proper planting time. Althought this sounds like they're really trying to accomodate me I would rather have the refund because I have my doubts that I'll ever see the roses since they didn't honor their word from last year.

In September of 2003 I purchased a large order from Cottage Farms through QVC. In that order was a special for blue/black berries. Three each of 2 different kinds.

Three of one kind survived beautifully. The other three did not survive at all. I called Cottage Farms in April to let them know soon enough to send three more plants with an order of climbing roses I had coming. I knew it would be towards the end of May before this happened. Aside from being rather rude, the lady I talked to finally decided to replace the plants.

The plants arrived a week after the roses and inside were a type of ground cover blue berry not known for its fruit. I don't know why they would send a non-fruit bearing plant to a person who wanted berries. They say they will replace with equal or better plants. They should at least be fruit bearing if that is what you ordered.

I have tried to call but find the line busy at all business hours of the day. I will still try and perhaps change this posting if I get any statisfaction.

I will have to say most of the orders arrived in good shape and size.

I ordered from this company in April, 2004. It was two orders that were sent in one envelope with one check. Half the order came and the plants were near dead and since planting, have died. Since April 30, 2004, I have tried to contact the company, first by telephone, which all I got was a busy signal. I then tried to e-mail them and received an auto response which stated that they would be back to me within 48 hours. That never happened. I continued to try and contact by both phone and e-mail and got no response. On May 14, 2004, I finally got through to the Customer Service Dept. and was holding for 10 minutes before a rude Customer Service person answered. She took my information and then told me that she couldn't help me with my order. My choice was either to wait for someone to call back or to call back the following week to speak with the supervisor. She kept putting me on hold and on the final time, when I said that I made such a mistake ordering from them, she hung up on me. I then called back and it took another 1/2 hour to get through. This next person then put me through to the Web Department. I spoke with a woman by the name of Tracy, who tried to help, but that also went no where. She also took the information and said she would call back within 15 minutes. That did not happen. She called back about 5 hours later when I wasn't home and never left any information as to what happened with the second part of my order and what to do about the replacement or refund of the first part since the plants died. I called back and was told that she stepped out and that she would be back in 10 minutes. I called back 15 minutes later and was told that she would be back at any minute to call back. I called back 5 minutes later and the girl said that she left and when I asked if anyone else could help, she put me on hold and then, it turned 4 p.m. there and the message said that they were closed for the day. I will never order from these people again. They have absolutely the worst Customer Service Department and their plants were horrible.

Ordered some mini roses from them last year. Plants arrived in good condition and on time. Grew nicely the first year, lost a couple over the winter, called them and they said they would send out replacements for the ones I lost. The others are doing well and getting ready to bloom this year. Would probably order from them again.

I have ordered items from Cottage Farms ( thru QVC) in the past and recently. I ordered a set of 3 canna liles last year and two emerald hybrid roses last year. Both arrived in good condition, but very much on the early side while we in NJ had a very long, cold and snowy winter! My cannas were small potted plants and all very healthy upon arrival. Unfortunatley with my best efforts to keep them alive inside until danger of frost passed, 2 of them did not make it. The roses I just planted outside anyway, and they made it through just fine :) They are re-blooming this year.

I wrote in to Cottage Farms and they offered to replace my cannas, but couldn't do so until the next season... I followed up with them this March to make sure and they had it scheduled. I have now recieved the two cannas, and I have ordered more from them, I have yet to see how the new items fare- but they shipped to me in perfect condition. all seems fine so far!

I have to say- not only has the quality of the plants been wonderful, but the customer service at Cottage Farms is really excellent. The woman I spoke with even chatted with me via email giving me advice on storing bulbs, etc. She took a lot of time with me, and I feel she went above and beyond. They are very repsonsive and I will certainly order more frm them. I am glad I found them on QVC!

I have ordered from Cottage Farms directly and through QVC.
Everything arrived on time and the plants were very healthy and in good condition. I would certainly order from them again.

I have purchased a number of plants for my mother, parents-in-law and my home. Among the items I purchased were strawberries, lilies, crape myrtles, roses and mini-roses (I purchase a few others, but these were the largest orders).

Everything I purchased was off their web site. Everything I've gotten has been in good health. I have lost a few roses and mini-roses within a few months of planting, but most did well and the customer service people are always friendly and work with me for those that don't make it.

The first plants I got from them were about three years ago and the last plants I got from them was last year. I plan to do more business with them this year.

Must also say that I haven't used their plant fertilizer, but I bought a jar for my mother and she loves it.

I can't say anything bad about the company.

I ordered tree 2 tree roses, mini roses, and peonies from Cottage Farms. The tree roses and mini roses were dead and never survived. They did replace the mini roses but only 4 of the 2nd batch of 12 survived. The company was very responsive to both my emails and telephone calls.

I'm going to give the peonies a chance to come up next year. But my experience with their plants has not been good. My money was refunded thru QVC on one of the tree roses and they promptly credited my credit card on the one I purchased direct from them.

I ordered a set of 12 mini roses last year. The order arrived with one dead and several duplicates. I called QVC back. They sent another full order of 12 roses. All were alive but again many duplicates were recieved.

Brycen

I ordered four peonies from Cottage Fams (April 2003) through QVC. Two came healthy and the other two came rotten (black and wet instead of pink and dry). I planted them anyway and two sprouted and the other two didn't. I contacted Cottage Farms on 4/30 to advise of the problem and also to inform them that the same peonies I ordered for approx. $25.00 plus shipping they were selling on their website for (4) @$9.99!! Huge price difference. They replied that there weren't responsible for what QVC charges and these were what they had leftover in stock. They said if I wasn't happy with what I received they would replace them. I emailed them again on 5/14 to tell them two still haven't come yet and no reply as of yet.

Through QVC, I purchased the following from Cottage Farms this year:

Pk of 6 mini roses
Pk of 12 mini roses
Pk of 2 columnar apple trees
Dwarf peach tree
Pk of 6 Japanese Irises

All of these items arrived quickly and in excellent health. All were packed well. The irises and some of the mini roses are already blooming despite having been planted within the last month. I have been happy with this company and would not hesitate to order from them again.

I just received a Weeping Cherry Tree from Cottage Farms via QVC and was thrilled with the quality! It is over 4 feet tall with nice root ball (small and large roots). The upper weeping portion also looks nice - well shaped and fuller than I expected!

I have purchased miniroses, daylilies, rose trees and strawberries from Cottage Farms. Not only did everything grow well the first season, but they've lasted through the winter. I plan on shopping with them in the future.

I bought the mini roses last year, 2 sets. Both sets looked rough when they arrived, but after being planted, 11 out of 12 plants thrived. I was very pleasantly surprised. Each plant had tons of blooms. I contacted the company about the one that died and their response was immediate. They said they would replace it, but not to expect it until this season. So I will be following up with them in the next month to see when I can expect to receive it.

I purchased twice from this company this past spring via QVC. The first order was for Top Hat Blueberries which are thriving and growing well. I have not had any fruit this year even though they stated that I would.

I also purchased a mini rose collection of 12 which arrived in poor shape, but I understand that roses do stress during shipment. With much tender care, all 12 lived, but I was quite surprised to see that at least 4 of them were the wrong rose. They were duplicates of the others.

I did email Cottage Farms and got a quick response. They offered to replace the duplicate roses.

Two months later, I have never received them.