Comments regarding Swallowtail Garden Seeds

I have ordered seeds from Swallowtail Gardens many times. The quality of the seeds has always been excellent and the seed count received in the packet usually exceed the stated quantity. They offer a lot of great varieties and I feel their prices are very fair. They keep you informed about shipping and the shipping has always been on time.

I absolutely LOVE Swallowtail Garden Seeds. I've probably ordered more than 100 seed packets from them and they have always arrived promptly (less than one week from ordering) and I've had a 100% germination rate. I now give their seeds as presents for birthdays and Christmas!

Reasonable prices for the seeds I wanted. The shipping was timely, the seeds packaged reasonably and the germination rates were acceptable. I will order from this company again.

Very happy with this company; very well curated selection of seeds, prompt shipping, good seed quality and good customer service.

Ordered quite a few different seeds from them in 2022 and had wonderful success with everything. I also messed up my order and they helped me fix it quickly on a phone call. I would recommend.

Love the selection of interesting seeds and good germination! I found them for their coleus seeds but have tried other plants since then with success.

I have been ordering from Swallowtail for over fifteen years. They have an unbeatable variety of perennial seeds, most of which I cannot find elsewhere. Some of their packets come with very few seeds, so read carefully, but they are still far cheaper than garden centers. I have had very good germination. One seed packet grew a different variety and they credited my account for the seeds, which I was able to apply the next year. (I think I chose to have it credited.). I appreciate their efforts to fulfill orders during COVID. As a small business owner, the seemingly small challenges of these times avalanche quickly into huge issues in the business world. They’ve done a great job!

I'll definitely be buying from them again...Super sweet people and fast shipping! They had accidently sent me the wrong order and so on the same day they sent out my correct order and told me to keep the the wrong order also!

I've ordered several times from this company and I like their prices and unusual varieties. I ordered from them this year too, and they very plainly stated that it would be a 4 week wait until shipment. So I understood that and ordered anyway, stuff that wasn't that necessary right away. I don't understand why people will order and then leave a bad review because of the wait. It is plainly stated. If you need the seed now, order elsewhere.

This year I did business with nine seed companies, everything from International vendors to one woman show Etsy shops, and none of them took so ridiculously long to process my order. They let it sit for a month without even touching it. A month. If you've overextended yourself in your business to that extent then it's up to you to hire more help, close down and catch up, or whatever you need to do to take care of the people you've already accepted money from, and at least have the grace to apologize and admit you made a mistake. I hope in the future they're able to pull themselves back together because they do have good, healthy seeds at a reasonable price.

"On Mar 31, 2021 9:40 AM, Swallowtail Garden Seeds responded with:

Hello Adventurous,

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. A month to process orders is way too long and it is not the kind of service you deserve or that we want to provide. We normally try to process orders within 1 to 2 business days. This year has been very challenging for us, especially as a small company. We have hired more help than normal, we have added additional shifts and we have also temporarily closed down three times for a total of 2 weeks. The need for greater distancing between employees during the pandemic has limited our ability to hire even more people. To offset this limitation, we went from one shift to three shifts. We are also working out of multiple locations instead of only at our main office. Our efforts to catch up while closed for three different periods of time were met with a surge of orders upon our reopening each time. Because our processing times have remained longer than normal for most of the last few months, we have been listing estimated delivery dates on every page of our website and every page of the checkout process. Our attempts to decrease processing times have not been enough to keep up with the demand this season so we have wanted to make sure all customers are well aware of our delays before orders are placed. I am sorry we were not able to get your seeds quickly and I am even more sorry if you did not know about our long processing time before you ordered from us. I hope you have a successful season of gardening."

I found the seeds to be reasonably priced and I've been impressed with the germination rates of the seeds that I've started indoors. The seeds arrived earlier than I had expected as well.

I have never left a review like this before and am quite shocked that I have too. I do NOT recommend Swallowtail Garden Seeds to anyone! About 90 - 95% of the plants I grow in my garden I grow from seeds. Both annuals and perennials, needless to say I have experience ordering from many different seed companies both in the US and Australia, South Africa and the UK. This by far is the worst experience with shipping I have ever had. I understood the delays in the spring of 2020 because of the pandemic; company’s have had a year to adjust and have now gotten shipping back to normal, with one exception. Swallowtail Garden Seeds seem to think it’s acceptable to still have a shipping policy of 4 to 6 weeks. A 4 to 6 week delay starting seeds can mean the loss of an entire season. I placed my order for seeds on February 3, 2021, my order finally arrived March 8, 2021. I placed orders with two other seed companies on March 3, 2021 both arrived March 5, 2021 and 1 of those orders was from a company the same distance as Swallowtail Garden Seeds is from me. Absolutely no excuse for this kind of shipping policy! My order with a seed company in the UK was actually during the beginning of the pandemic and my seeds arrived from there quicker than my order from this company. No excuse Swallowtail Gardens Seeds this is unacceptable!

"On Mar 8, 2021 3:17 PM, Swallowtail Garden Seeds responded with:

Hello Pepperberry,

Thank you for taking the time to write a review about us. We work hard to provide high quality seeds and excellent customer service. Your order took almost 5 weeks to arrive and that is far from excellent service. I apologize for this extremely long delay on your order. This is bad service any time of year but especially this time of year.

We have made many adjustments to how we do our work since the start of the pandemic. We have moved from one shift to three shifts and we have hired as many people as we can safely have in our work space. Due to the need for social distancing in our work space, we have not been able to hire enough people to keep up with the much higher than normal volume of orders that we have received so far this year. We also temporarily stopped accepting orders three different times this season in an attempt to decrease our processing times. Despite these and other changes, our processing times this year have remained extremely long.

While many seed companies were also significantly delayed in the last couple of months and some also closed for periods of time, most other seed companies do appear to be processing orders faster than us at this time. We are currently taking about 4 weeks to process new orders and we hope to be back to our normal processing time of 1 to 2 business days, or at least much closer to it, this spring.

"

November 2020...ordered three packets of Hollyhock seeds that wanted for 2021...nine dollars for the seeds and six dollars for shipping...very costly....but could not find the Turkish Hollyhock seeds anywhere else...the company has an amazing selection of flower seeds...wish I could afford to buy more.....
I sell seeds on line thru a seed exchange organization...able to send a packet of seeds for under a dollar....but Im not a business...so many variations in cost for shipping..

"On Nov 30, 2020 1:44 PM, Swallowtail Garden Seeds responded with:

Thank you for your order and review purplethorns.

For orders shipping within the United States that contain $45 or more of seed, we offer free shipping. For all other orders shipping within the United States, we charge a flat-rate fee of $5.99.

About a year or two ago, the postal service changed the classification of padded envelope mailers. Padded envelope mailers are now classified as packages instead of large envelopes. Large envelopes can still be shipped for as little as $1.00. Padded envelope mailers, because of their thickness, can no longer be shipped as large envelopes."

I’ve ordered twice from them so far, and both orders were shipped very fast (within 24hrs). Kudos to them for that. Seed quality has been good also, no issues with germination. They also have a great selection of flower seeds. I will continue to order from them in the future.

I ordered from Swallowtail Garden for the first time in June. My order was filled faster than expected and the seeds germinated well. Many of the packets had 20 seeds; this was clearly stated on the web site and seed counts were accurate. Frankly, for the average gardener, 20 seeds is plenty! Even though I ordered late in the season, the selection was still very good. I was completely satisfied with the transaction and will order from them again next year.

If Swallowtail was the only source for seeds, that wouldn't be the end. However, they're not THAT great.

Meh; there are better sources. Get it here if you can't get it elsewhere.

I am very impressed with this company! They have an interesting selection of seeds, and virtually all the seeds I ordered had extremely high germination rates! WTG!

Posted on May 22, 2014, updated July 11, 2018
I've ordered twice from Swallowtail, both large enough orders to get the free shipping special.

Shipping was fast and the seeds were packaged beautifully.

I had some poor germination on a few seed varieties from the first order, that they replaced as soon I emailed them to let them know. The germination on the replacements were much, much better and those seedlings are definitely thriving.

On the second order I placed, I had no trouble whatsoever with any of the seeds. They grew like gangbusters.

I would not hesitate to order from them again.

This is my second year ordering from Swallowtail Gardens. They carry a wide selection of seeds and provide clear instructions for starting seeds. They will also respond promptly and courteously to any additional questions. I order my seeds around mid-January and they arrive within a week. They do run out of popular annual seeds, I would recommend ordering late December or early January to make sure what you want is available. My first year growing seeds was something of a disaster due to my inexperience. The annuals/perennials seeds that did survive my negligence performed extremely well once planted. They even outperformed the annuals/perennials I purchased from a popular local nursery. This year I made several changes to my seed starting methods. Out of the this years 200+ seeds (several varieties of annuals) only 2 failed to sprout. Looking forward to another beautiful garden thanks to Swallowtail Gardens quality seeds.

Have been ordering for a couple of years from Swallowtail, both for ornamentals and edibles. Fast shipping, no complaints about germination, responsive customer service.

Very satisfied thus far. Ordered 3x varieties of snapdragons, 4x echinacea, russian sage, joe pye weed, and butterfly weed. Order was processed and shipped quickly. Sad that I only get 10-25 of many seeds...but... Started snapdragons, echinacea, and sage in promix with 12/12 light dark cycle around 65-70 degrees. Snapdragons near 100% germination. Echinacea around 60%, and sage around 75%. No stratefication required. Plus, its still early. Hopefully will get a few more in next week or so. Joe pye and butterfly weed might be harder, but we will see. Very happy thus far. Will order again without hesitation.

As pensive as I can be, this company provides the best service yet. Easy to navigate website, quick shipping, generous quantities, simple but thorough instructions, relatively low prices and most importantly high germination rates for almost all seeds ordered so far. Hollyhocks, foxgloves, lupines, carnations, gaillardias, anemones, astilbes, delphiniums, hibiscus, lavender, asparagus fern, flax all showed great results.

Overall a company to stick by.

Swallowtail seed company is the best! I order lots of annual seeds from them and the germination rate is excellent! Also fast service! My favorite seed company out of five that I order from!

This is my single favorite place to get seeds. I order dozens of varieties from them every year. Importantly, they have one of the best selections of perennial seeds I've seen anywhere. They also note the perennials that bloom the first year, which is nice. I always get them in a reasonable amount of time, seeds are always fresh. I do wish they had more detailed gemination instructions and more detailed information on days to maturity, etc.

I ordered seeds in January 2017 and received them within 2 weeks. I was emailed a confirmation of my order within 24 hours and also a confirmation with shipping information when that became available. My order was filled correctly as well. I love Swallowtail Garden Seeds selection for specialty cut flowers and unique offerings all around. I have sown about half of my order now and everything has germinated. I will definitely be ordering again!

I checked Garden Watchdog for ratings on this company prior to ordering and felt like it would be a positive experience. My order was for 12 packs of seeds placed on Nov. 1. I received a confirmation email that same day. My order shipped and I was emailed. The order arrived on Nov. 6, well packaged and filled correctly. Shipping charges were very low. This was an excellent experience and I will definitely be a return customer.

Posted on September 7, 2016, updated September 19, 2016
Posted on September 1, 2016, updated September 7, 2016
Posted on August 22, 2016, updated September 1, 2016
I have ordered some seeds and so far I have not received it. It has been 3 weeks after purchase and I understand that the region is from Canada. I also appreciate the good pricing on these seeds. However, I was planning on growing this for my cousin but I didn't expect the long delivery to distrupt my plan. I just check with other reviews and the customers received a few days later.

As far as I know, the seeds I ordered is not illegal in Singapore. Is it possible to track the items ordered?

"On Aug 22, 2016 11:06 AM, Swallowtail Garden Seeds responded with:

Thank you for letting us know that you have not yet received your seeds. We want to make sure you receive them as soon as possible.

Shipping time via USPS First Class International is usually 1 to 2 weeks for most international locations but can take as long as 3 weeks.

Tracking information is available for shipments but is limited for some international destinations.

We would like to check on your order and give you a complete update on its status.

Please contact us at:
info@swallowtailgardenseeds.com or 1-707-538-3585

We're available by phone Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, Pacific Time.

I ordered 3 packs of seeds, was notified when they were shipped, and received them a few days later. They were well-packed, and I await their germination. Great service!

I have ordered seeds from Swallowtail Garden Seeds both last year and this year and have been very satisfied with everything I received. They have quite an extensive selection of varieties to choose from. I would definitely recommend this company.

Posted on March 30, 2016, updated April 28, 2016
Seed quality is great but postage for international orders has been increasing rapidly over the years. What used to be $6.95 increased to $9.95 and the current ongoing rate on their website is $13.95 usd. $13.95 for postage alone is really crazy. Not sure if that's what is charged by the postal service in United States or that Swallowtail Seeds is becoming a company that charges exorbitant prices for postage. What I'm sure is that they do not guarantee delivery of the seeds hence its unlikely that there's an insurance charge covered within the postage. After an order is placed, I will always receive an email requesting for acknowledgement that I will not hold them liable as the seeds are "shipped at your own risk. Thus, we cannot be held responsible for any lost or confiscated merchandise. Prior to shipping your package, it is required that we receive confirmation from you agreeing to these terms."

"On Mar 31, 2016 8:52 AM, Swallowtail Garden Seeds responded with:

We can understand the frustration Apple88 feels about the raising prices of international shipping costs. We ship via the US Postal Service International First Class. The current cost of postage to Singapore is $13.25 for a 3 ounce package. No insurance is available for this shipping class. To include shipping insurance, the package would need to be shipped via Priority Mail, which starts at $31.95. "

Impressive, quick shipping and well packaged. Most of my seeds germinated and are doing beautifully. I was disappointed in the vinca as only three of these germinated.

Good company with pretty extensive selection of annual seeds.

Paid January 19; package delivered January 25.

Have ordered two years from Swallowtail Seeds, and all orders have been fine, received swiftly, well packaged.
I had a question about correct growing conditions for Anchusa and rec'd a quick and complete email response from their office which was appreciated.

I placed a small order with Swallowtail for a couple types of ornamental grasses and coneflowers that I planted outside over the winter in winter sowing greenhouses. I've had excellent germination with the seeds that I purchased.

Placed an order for 36 packets of seeds on May 6 @ 6pm. I had all that I ordered by 2pm May 8. True both company and customer are in CA, but still fast IMO. I have not used any seeds yet, so I can not speak as to germination rates. But I am happy with their shipping times and loved their selection of seeds.

I am always hoping they have what I'm looking for. I have ordered from them for several years. Always fast shipping and great prices. Excellent germination. Excellent packaging. I buy many pelleted seeds. They are always in plastic vials so they don't get crushed. I order early every year. The website is easy to navigate, and ordering is easy.

I ordered 4 types of flower seeds. Have had almost 100% germination. Great seeds.

I love Benary's Giant Zinnias but they are expensive. Swallowtail Garden Seed has them for a better price. I've had excellent germination for them and the others I ordered.

Ordered from Swallowtail in 2014 and again last month. Very large selection of seeds I had excellent germination rates last year with large healthy plants in my garden all summer. Wonderful customer service! Seeds arrived quickly after ordering. Looking forward to starting this years seeds. I will update as these seeds grow.