Comments regarding Klehm's Song Sparrow Perennial Farm

I have ordered peonies in the past from Klehm’s and have been very satisfied by the quality of the plant stock I have received. In particular the herbaceous peony divisions I’ve received have been very generous. However, I am far less satisfied by my purchase of a tree peony that I ordered last spring for fall delivery. The cost of this tree peony was $125; however the plant I received in the mail had the two tiniest branches a couple inches each. Upon contacting the company, they stated that there were few leaves due to the cold wet spring and that this is the average size for a shipped tree peony. I had ordered tree peonies from them in the past which were much larger. Their response is that they would stand behind the plant if it failed to come up next spring. But my issue is the very small size; their growing constraints should not be my problem. They should have waited until this plant reached an acceptable size.

This was my first year ordering from these guys, and I must say their plants are well worth the price. Everything arrived well packaged and established without being root bound at the perfect time for planting. Highly recommended!

After years of providing not only wonderful plants and service, I'm sorry to report that 'Song Sparrow' will be closing its doors, due to retirement, ~ November 2018. This nursery has been the mainstay of providing new deciduous magnolia varieties for many, many years. What a loss, but also a big thank you for providing the very best of plant material examples over the years.

"On Apr 3, 2019 2:25 PM, Klehm's Song Sparrow Perennial Farm responded with:

Greetings from Song Sparrow Farm & Nursery-

As many of you may be aware, the Klehm Family has retired from the horticulture industry after 3 generations of nurserymen. Over the years, Roy Klehm has introduced many new plant varieties including woody introductions as well as herbaceous plants, many of which are Daylilies, Tree Peonies, Herbaceous Peonies and Hosta. He has worked with several breeders to introduce some of the best shade trees, Crabapples, Magnolias and Lilacs in the industry.

As of spring 2019, Song Sparrow is now under new ownership. A neighboring farmer has purchased Song Sparrow and is fully committed to the 2019 shipping season. We will continue to work hard to get as many plants as possible into the hands of our garden fanatic customers this year. We have the same awesome staff and quality plants, as always. In addition to our 60 greenhouses of perennials, trees and shrubs, acres of peonies and daylilies, we have also been propagating and growing many liners for our sister company, Beaver Creek, which is now going thru its own change in ownership. Basically we have 3 generations of stock on hand ranging from large garden ready, bare root plants to trays of plugs. We are encouraging our customers to send us their ‘wish list’ items and we would be happy to review our inventories for you.
We would be amiss if we didn't take a moment to thank you, our valued customers, for the trust you place in us and the friendships we have made along the way. So, thank you. Our customers are the best!

Wishing you a great year in the garden!

The staff at Song Sparrow "

I ordered 7 shrubs (on sale) and 5 perennials. I was blown away by the size and quality of everything I received especially the shrubs. These were not 4 inch pots! I am in the process of placing another order as the quality was outstanding.

I purchased three trees from Klehm's Song Sparrow this spring - my first order with the company. All three plants arrived potted, in active growth, and very well packaged. I was surprised by the size of the plants for the price/cost - very reasonable compared to other companies I have ordered from before. I plan on ordering from them again in the future - their tree peony selection is tempting!

I ordered a tree peony from Klehm’s Song Sparrow. They got my respect for charging my credit card only right before the plant shipped, rather than immediately. Contrast this with Michigan Bulbs, who charged me immediately, and I am still waiting for my shipment 6 weeks later. Unfortunately the plant was damaged during shipping. The dormant tree peony was a little stem about the width of a finger and 12 inches long, and when it got to me more than half of the length of the stem was broken inside the UPS box. The remainder of the plant did not look viable. From the packaging it was obvious the plant was not secured inside the UPS box and the delicate stem was allowed to ram into the end of the box, causing breakage.
The good news is Klehm’s very quickly responded to my concerns. Within 1 week I received a replacement of a very healthy appearing dormant tree peony. I can tell this plant has been given the all the care it needed for a good start. From this point on if it dies or fails to bloom I won’t have anyone but myself to blame.
If I get more space for peonies, I will order again from Klehm’s, but maybe only the herbaceous peony roots. The shock of seeing a precious peony tree broken in half was too traumatic. However, their customer service was impeccable and the plant was healthy.

Posted on August 9, 2012, updated November 23, 2016
Posted on October 26, 2011, updated August 9, 2012
Ordered three conifers from them. Two looked great but one wasn't trained properly as a lateral branch was used for the leader position so the plant developed a crook. They replaced the plant no problem after submitting a picture. One other plant was quite pot bound so I had to work the roots quite a bit. The pine began losing needles from the current year's growth. Again sent pic and they sent replacement no problem. I plan to order another conifer order in spring.

This past week I received my order from Klehm's, including three clematis and several epimediums. All arrived healthy and thriving, and so carefully packed that nary a leaf was bruised. The offerings were not inexpensive, but I feel I received good value for my money; these are large, well-established plants. (Klehm's also has one of the loveliest catalogues I've ever enjoyed browsing through on a winter's eve.) Very detailed instructions accompanied my order. I will order from this company again.

I ordered 2 viburnum dentatum Cardinal in August, and didn't expect them to arrive until spring... so I was delighted when Klehm's Song Sparrow wrote to confirm shipment in September! The plants arrived within a few days, and, as other reviewers have mentioned, they were beautifully and securely packed; very healthy and much larger than I expected (I've been ordering viburnum online from other vendors this year, and these are easily the largest I've received); and neither plant was root bound. Both plants have been in the ground for a week now, and they seem to be thriving. I'm happy to recommend Klehm's Song Sparrow and am looking forward to buying from them again

This is the best online company I've found! over 100 varieties of peonies, with great detail about each plants, including where they grow within the peony season. Two of the 3 peonies I've ordered from them bloomed the first season. The 3rd is a variety known to take a bit of time to establish itself. They send large, healthy dried roots extremely well packed. I've also ordered perennials from them and each time, I'm surprised how great they are. Their packaging is ingenious. The plants are well protected but easy to get out. They are much larger than expected for a 4" pot, but neither pot bound nor recently potted up.
Costumer service is superb. I bought a Coral Charm peony from another company specializing in peonies, and I found it smells like dog poop when cut. I wanted to know if this was a trait of the coral peonies in general, or if there was a similar variety that smelled better. I called the company I bought it from, another large online retailer, and Kleim Song Sparrow. The first two companies had no idea, but when I called Kleim Song Sparrow, the person who answered the phone immediately knew about the issue and could suggest Coral Supreme instead.
They know their stuff, sell great plants, have an easy sight to negotiate. I've bought 3 more peonies this fall. Can't say enough good things about them.

I ordered a pair of Clematis 'Tie Dye' and a Stachys 'Pink Cotton Candy' and was astonished at the size of the plants and how well they were packaged. I always thought to shipping charge for Song Sparrow was up there, but I can now see that it is completely justified in the result.

I have never seen such wonderful packaging of plants! Forest Farm comes second, except it takes forever to get to the actual plant. Klehm's packages each plant in an easy to open box- so much better!
The plants themselves were in excellent condition, and very good size for the cost. Not pot-bound, but not recently potted up either.
There was a mix-up with my order, which went through twice for some reason. Not only did they email me to go over the issue, but they called as well to make sure of the situation. Great customer service.
I will definitely order from Klehm's Song Sparrow again.

Posted on May 25, 2006, updated May 27, 2014
I've ordered from them before and have always been pleased with quality and packing. This time, I ordered 3 Mock Orange and 3 Blue Muffin viburnums.

Beautiful healthy plants arrived, impeccably packed and larger than I had expected. Their "sleeved" packing system keeps the plants intact and safe, and makes them easy to unpack.

I've never recieved a complimentary plant from them, but the quality of the plants comprising my orders has been consistently excellent.

Posted on May 3, 2012, updated May 25, 2014
Well, once again, the folks @ Song Sparrow have not disappointed me. I received my order yesterday [severaI varieties of Japanese Maples, hydrangea, bamboo & confiers] & each plant was perfectly packed and healthy!

I have been a loyal on-line customer of theirs since 2004, so they are obviously doing something right to win me over year after year.

If you haven't ordered from them yet, you definitely need to give them a try. I know you won't be sorry.

"Hats off" to all of you at Song Sparrow & thanks once again for my beautiful plants!!!

I ordered a tree peony and Convularia "Fortin's Giant" from Klehm's Song Sparrow Perennial Farm. Both plants look good, arrived growing in pots and the Convularia is blooming (delicious scent)/big flower bud on the tree peony.

Very positive experience buying from this company online. I ordered 5 Bridal Bouquet Leucanthemum, and a couple of them looked very sickly. I took photos and emailed them, asking for replacements, and they shipped them out the next day. Great customer service!!! I will use them again for sure.

My last order (placed in early March, delivered about two weeks later) with Klehm's Song Sparrow was also my first, but I'd be happy to do business with them again.

Apart from the tree peonies and clematis, for which they are known, they offer an interesting, diverse but fairly region-specific selection of ornamental grasses, perennials, and woody plants, the inventory easy to navigate on-line and, at this time of year, with few backorders.

Of the seven plants in my order, all arrived dormant or just breaking dormancy, but in delightfully HUGE plastic, ranging from 2 to 2.5 quarts. The prices are a bit gobsmacking ($24.95 for an Androgopon gerardii cultivar, for example), but everything was fully rooted (not, thankfully, root-bound) and the root systems were alive and kicking (not rotting, not sulphuric, not bone-dry), the rooting medium loose, aerated, and not terribly infertile.

Seven plants were divided between two large-ish boxes, with simple but quite sturdy packaging, heavy on cardboard, packing tape, and rubberbands. I'd feel quite safe receiving shipments from Klehm's later in the season, because I think even fairly delicate top growth would survive the trek intact.

Had no dealings with their shipping or orders department, but I did receive a confirmation e-mail noting receipt of my order, and, just prior to shipment, a reiteration of the order along with tracking information. Very obliging of them.

I have ordered from Song Sparrow for quite a few years now. I have always been pleased with my purchases. This year the 3 clematis & 1 perennial I ordered were among the best I have ever received. The packaging was excellent, the plants were strong & healthy with blooms on all the clems, & all are vigorously growing in my garden. I highly recommend this company.

I have bought many plants from this company including peonies and day-lilies and have always been extremely happy with the quality of the plants. This time I bought several varieties of lily of the valley plants. When deciding to place the order, I thought the prices were high. However, when I received the plants, the prices were fully justified. Incredibly large, strong, healthy plants. All doing well in the garden. I highly recommend this company.

I ordered some more shrubs from Klehm's Song Sparrow in 2013 and they arrived in great condition just when I expected them too. No complaints at all!

A very happy repeat customer. I have purchased several clematis (Violet Elizabeth, Crystal Fountain, Perle d'Azur) from this company and can report that they have a done very well and arrived in excellent condition.
Yes, the shipping may be somewhat high, but the plants are in great shape when they get to you and they are a vigorous size. I would rather pay more and get a good, healthy plant so I don't have to dig another danged hole in a year.

Posted on November 15, 2010, updated May 13, 2011
I received lovely peony divisions with many eyes. I am glad they are still shipping because I have had problems in the past with peonies planted in early fall breaking dormancy and coming up, which weakens them for a couple of years. Fast shipping and superb packing, as always. I recommend this company!

I found this nursery through a Google search for the variety of Cornus mas called "Flava," which has yellow fruits. I wanted to try Cornus mas as an edible. I ordered it and later the red fruited one as well. I saw that the shipping was high, and for that matter the cost of the plants was high, but I didn't care. I wanted these plants. Well, they came the day before yesterday. They are beautiful, healthy plants and larger than I expected. I've ordered from various online nurseries, and these shrubs are a good size for babies. They were packed like Fort Knox. I think a truck could have run over the box without damaging the plants. You get what you pay for with these guys.

Posted on October 11, 2004, updated April 23, 2011
I ordered two peonies this fall. The roots were large, heavy, healthy and moist (but not rotted or wet) on arrival. One of the two had at least 10 eyes, the other slightly fewer. They were well-packed in damp shavings and a sturdy box. The prices and shipping charges are high, but the quality is excellent and the selection of peonies is outstanding.

I ordered some Allium Summer Beauty plants from here back in early june 2010, they have a special on these that you can get three full grown plants well rooted in individual pots with full uncut plants,not bulb fans, ready for planting, for 48 dollars, although the cost of shipping made it come to like 70 bucks, but still this is the only company i know of that ships full grown allium plants and not just individual rhizomes. I was a little bit dissappointed after i first placed the order because they sent me an invoice with letter attached stating they would not be able to ship these to my zone from theres until the weather cooled off in the early fall, but when i called them they were quite polite and stated that if i wanted them right away they could ship them, but it would just be on me if the got cooked, which i thought was very fair, reasonable, and flexable. i waited till late august when it cooled of in their planting zone and was very happy with how healthy all these allium plants were and ready for planting when i recieved them, dont expect any extras though, but do excpect only the healthiest, high quality, plants and even a large catalog, if ordering from here. i would do buisness with them again..peace..mike

I was very disappointed with the plants I received from this vendor because they were the wrong variety. After waiting excitedly since last fall to see 'White Cap' blooming in my landscape this spring, all I got was some plain jane ivory peony that in no way resembled the raspberry outer petals and pale pink & ivory center tufts of 'White Cap'. I'm giving them a neutral rating instead of negative only because they were very prompt in responding to my email and picture showing what had happened. I do understand mistakes do occur, but it doesn't take away from the disappointment and having to start over again, and wait another year. They are re-shipping my original order again this fall with the correct peony, at no cost. So I am thankful for that.

Posted on March 23, 2009, updated May 17, 2010
I try to order from Klehm's every year, mostly ornamental trees, because I know I will have no regrets. I am a relatively new customer, currently awaiting the third order I've placed with them over the last five years. This consists of two magnolias ('Elizabeth' and 'White Rose'), Picea pungens 'Gebelle's Golden Spring' and a 'Purple Fountain' weeping beech. Plants ordered from them in the past have been exceptional in vigor and size, including several magnolias, and a tree peony. I feel they earn their shipping charges with the quality of their packing. As with everything, an occasional issue can arise. One year, one of the magnolias had snapped in two (in the middle of its 4-foot-or-so tall stem). I telephoned to let them know (the plant was fine other than that, but I felt bad that I had lost about a season's growth). The customer service representative told me to go ahead and plant it, and that they'd refund the cost of that magnolia, even though I hadn't requested that. I actually felt that was too much on their part -- after all, I had a healthy tree -- but they were "happy to do that." That same magnolia is currently alive and well. One of the prettiest daylilies I have was a gift from them for one of my orders.
Receipt of their catalogue in spring is the highlight of all the catalogues I recieve.

I recommend them without hesitation, and hope they will be in business for many years to come!

Just received two trees: Amelanchier "Forest Prince" and Cornus alternifolia "Golden Shadow". Both packed beautifully and obviously with care - makes the high shipping charge worth it, considering what can happen to plants in transit. Put both in yesterday and they both weathered a wind storm with 50 MPH gusts. They look fine! Obviously grown with care and very healthy. I like Klehms!

Way back in 2002 I ordered a Magnolia virginiana 'Moonglow' and an Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Princess Diana' and was impressed with the way they were packed and how well they took to the yard once planted. I met the owner of this nursery at trade meeting in January 2010 and he is a very passionate man about his business and plants. He is the "go to" wholesaler in the region to go to find different material not everyone carries for contractors and nurseries. The prices may be hefty for retail vs the size but definitely worth the price to get what they sell in variety and often uniqueness.

Have ordered mailorder for 33 years, at least20 with its predecessor, Klehm and now with KSP.One time my tree peony did not seem to survive the winter and I was disappointed to hear their representative state their non-quarantee policy. She tried to reassure me it was OK. The next spring it came up from the root, the foliage proclaimed its tree peony ancestry and now 3 years later the plant is 2and a half feet tall with at least 8 blooms, true to cultivar. Last year I removed the support too soon and a deer broke another tree peony down. Bottom line, it's well on the way to recovery and next year you won't be able to tell. Klehm sells good strong plants and they don't need a return policy .Considering the quality and investment I am delighted to pay for their shipping, it's worth the cost. For the very few unhappy customers I urge you to not rob yourself of access to their broad and unique selection of offerings.

After holding off several years due to the prices, I finally took the plunge this year since they had a few newer perennials I had a hard time finding elsewhere (e.g. Baptisia 'Midnight Prarieblues' and Hakonechloa 'Stripe it Rich').
All the plants, including a tree peony, arrived incredibly well packed - perhaps the best of any mail order nursery I have experienced. The high cost per plant is justified when you compare the large 2+ qt size of the plants to the 3" or 3.5" size you get when ordering elsewhere (this was true for everything with the exception of the baptisia, which had only 3 stems; less growth then a 3.5" pot I bought at a local nursery, which is unfortunate since baptisia is a slow grower the first few years). I now find myself looking through their catalog looking for other things I "need" just to be able to order from them again.
Highly recommended and worth the extra $.

This is an outstanding nursery for peonies..tree, hebaceous, and now intersectional peonies...I have bought peonies from Klehm's for two years now and am very happy with them...They come well packed and healthy and generally bloom the first year...Those I bought two years ago are thriving..."Ipigenia" is unbelievably beautiful this year and a joy to watch it produce more and more blooms...and large ones at that... I recommend this nursery highly.

Incredible mail order company.

I planted my first Klehm peony when I was 9 years old in 1977. The quality of the 20 or so peonies I ordered a few years ago and now grace my yard were at least as good as those 30 years ago and some were simply incredible. This is my favorite nursery to order from. The shipping cost is high but it is well worth it.

Never buy peonies from anyone else - you will not go wrong with their stock. I have also ordered shrubs, daylilies, perennials and all of them were great quality plants as well.

The daylilies I ordered this spring arrived looking healthy with great root systems. They immediately starting pushing out new, vigorous growth.
I ordered three peonies from them last fall, and they are looking good. Two of the three are going to bloom their first spring in my garden.
Years ago, when I placed my first order with them, I was so impressed when they sent me a nice bonus peony. That peony is blooming right now, and it always makes me happy when I see it.

I received my plants from my first Klehm's Song Sparrow order yesterday. First, I was notified that it had been shipped on a Friday, leaving it in the box for the weekend at least. Unfortunately, they were left in the box a little longer, 5 days. I was rather surprised to see the condition of my plants. My four plants were barely green, probably having just pushed thru the surface. The roots of the plants looked as if they had been divided with a hatchet, no skill, precision or care involved at all. Lastly, since they had been in the box so long, or perhaps because they were packed in soaked particles and wrapped in plastic, some of the roots were absolutely mush. I leave neutral feedback primarily because the size of the plants meets my satisfaction and I am sure they will survive. I’m just shocked.

"On Apr 21, 2009 11:51 AM, Klehm's Song Sparrow Perennial Farm responded with:

We are sorry to hear about your disappointment with the quality of our plants and service. Please be assured that we only send plant material that meets our highest standards for delivery. We want you to be successful with our products and pleased with their performance. Please contact our customer service department at info@songsparrow.com or call us at 800-553-3715 so that we can resolve this to your satisfaction. "

I received my first order from Klehm's yesterday and was quite pleased with the transaction. Email communciation was efficient and the product, daylily 'Country Cool' was a healthy and large double fan. Huge, plump, dense root system on the plant packed in cedar shavings; fans were cut back to an inch or two (perhaps to fit in the box). I have not received such severely pruned fans before- will update on progress but am confident it will grow out well. Received $10 voucher along with order for next purchase. Will order again!

This was my first order from this company. I ordered 2 tree peonies and a hosta. Customer service was excellent. Plants arrived exactly when I had requested, perfectly packed. All were large, strong, healthy and beautiful. The tree peonies both have buds on them and this is the first year, something I have never seen from any other company. They also inlcuded a bonus day lily that is growing quickly and is sure to be a beauty. I am a very satisfied customer. Wish I had known of this nursery years ago! I will definitely order from them again.

I ordered several perennials from Klehm's Song Sparrow last spring, including: Baptisia 'starlite prairieblues', lobelia 'monet moment', rudbeckia subtomentosa 'henry eilers', and a few others. The plants arrived on time, and packaged beautifully; additionally, all were large, healthy plants that performed well and grew considerably throughout the season. I have placed an order for woody plants this spring, and am very excited to order from Klehm's again.

My first dealing with Klehm's (October 2008) was FLAWLESS from placing the order to the plants being in the ground. The packaging was the most effective I have ever seen---and the best part= no peanuts !!!! The plants are wonderful especially the dogwood 'Golden Shadows'. What a lovely tree, I may have to get another. Everyone who has seen it can't help but comment. I am definitely "in love" with this farm.