Floral Abundance -- Beauty for the Senses and Soul
Written: May 07 '04 (Updated May 07 '04)
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Every year we order perennial plants for the yard. You would think after all these years we would run out of room! But the plants fit into the landscape as if they have always been there, and the gardens look beautiful. Part of the beauty comes from Dutch Gardens, an online plant and bulb store.
Enter Dutch Gardens
Dutch Gardens has been offering varieties of bulbs and plants for nearly a century. Most of the bulbs they sell are grown on Holland's northwest coast. They work with more than 40 of Holland's leading bulb growers. As the website says: "The Dutch Gardens Difference: Top Size -- Top Quality -- Top Value". After receiving my latest order, I agree.
Navigating the Site
The Home Page is colorful, immediately drawing the eye to gorgeous flowering plants. The page is well presented and very organized.
Along the top of the web page are these choices: View Shopping Basket, Plant Finder, Catalog Quick Order, Order Status, Get a Catalog, Free e-Newsletter. The Plant Finder feature is wonderful, allowing a search of the website by: bulbs, perennials, shrubs & roses -- when you want the flowers to bloom -- by zone -- by height -- by light requirement -- and by color! The Catalog Quick Order feature saves time. Simply enter the Catalog code and the item numbers you wish to purchase. You can receive a catalog by clicking on the Get a Catalog button. Just type in your mailing information. There is also an optional link to receive their free e-Newsletter.
Along the left side of the page at the top is a Zone Finder. Simply type in your zip code to learn the zone number for your area. A very helpful feature -- no looking at maps and trying to determine which zone you are in if your area falls on the line.
Also along the left side of the page is a helpful list of navigation links. This is organized by:
Shop
Choose from the many flower names listed: amaryllis, begonias, crocuses, daffodils, dahlias, gladiolas, hyacinths, irises, lilies, peonies, roses and tulips -- to name just a few. There is also a clearance area to check, and you'll be tempted to buy! The choices are beautiful.
Other Ways to Shop
Several options are listed that make finding specific types of plants easier. Choose from: New for 2004, Collections, Deer-Resistant, Drought-Tolerant, Fragrant Flowers, Plants for Shade, Rodent-Resistant, or purchase a Gift Certificate. One of my friends has yearly problems with deer munching his perennials -- they are particularly fond of his roses. Click on "Deer-Resistant" and an array of plants that deer do not like will display. Some of the deer-resistant offerings are: dahlias, gladiolas and begonias.
Tips and Info
The Dutch Gardens website is filled with helpful information to guide growers. Select from these areas: All About Roses, All About Perennials, All About Spring Bulbs, All About Summer Bulbs, Planting & Care, Photo Contest Winners and About Us. Since I just lost three rose plants to New England's harsh winter, I clicked on "All About Roses". Topics for exploration are: The Basics -- Roses, Why Dutch Gardens Roses?, Frequently Asked Questions, How to Have Roses in Continuous Bloom, Diseases and Pests, Prize-Winning Roses. While the information on this site is helpful, it will not replace a thorough book or website devoted to specific plants.
The center of the Home Page features beautiful photos of flowers and plants for sale. The right side is currently showing Fall plant offerings and a larger button for the Plant Finder feature.
At the bottom of the Home Page in big red print is a toll-free phone number for ordering (in case you don't want to order online). There are also links for: Shopping, 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, Order Status, Delivery Info, Contact Us, About Us, Our Security-Privacy Pledge, Become an Affiliate, Fundraising, USDA Hardiness Map, Planting & Care, Customer Service, Employment Opportunities.
Ordering
It is easy to navigate the Dutch Gardens website. Upon selecting a plant or bulb, a new web page opens featuring that item. A lovely color photo of the flower shows the bloom in detail. Beneath the photo is information about that plant. If additional information on the website is available, a hyperlink is provided. To the right of the photo is information such as: required light conditions, benefits, zone suitability, hardy in which zones, when the plant/bulb ships, height, when the plant blooms.
A prominent box on each item page offers pricing information as well as an area to place an order. The type of plant/bulb being sold is listed (ex: 3-year field grown plant in bag or 3 top-size bulbs per bag or 1 bareroot plant per bag). Pricing is offered; and if a plant is on sale, the original pricing is listed in black with the reduced pricing is in bold red type. In many cases there are price breaks for ordering larger quantities of plants/bulbs. You can select the quantity you wish to purchase and where you want the item to ship, whether to your address or another address. Click the "Add to Basket" to officially select the item.
There is also a link for viewing more plants like the one featured. You can e-mail the page to a friend, too. A link is provided for additional delivery information should you need it.
Gift Certificates
Gift certificates can be purchased in either a print format or they can be e-mailed. Simply type in the amount of the gift certificate you wish to purchase and the quantity of gift certificates. You can have the certificates sent to you or have them ship to another address. There is no shipping charge for sending a gift certificate via the standard shipping method.
Basket Full -- Time to Check Out
As items are added to the Basket, a screen displays all the items ordered thus far and keeps a running tally of how much money has been spent and even lists the shipping charges. (I like an online store that shows shipping charges up front.)
Another great feature is that as you place an item into the basket, the status of that item is revealed in bolded black: Available, Back Order, Out of Stock. It is easy to remove an item from the basket or to modify the quantity.
When you are finished adding items to the basket, click the "Proceed to Checkout" button. There are three sections to navigate.
1. Fill out your billing and shipping address information (a physical address is required for delivery). There is an area to check off if the order is being mailed to more than one address. An area for typing in additional addresses is provided.
2. Review the order and type in credit card information. (You must pay by credit card when ordering from the website.) An area is provided to enter a gift certificate number and online order code for the certificate. Note that if the gift certificate is higher than the cost of the order, a store credit will be issued -- and the store credit can only be used when placing a phone order. There is also the option of choosing to receive an e-mail confirmation of the order and whether you wish to receive their free e-Newsletter.
3. The final page adjusts the total of the order if applying a gift certificate. Confirm the order again and then submit it.
Shipping Charges
Dutch Gardens states: "We cover the cost of ocean freight, insurance and import duties. You pay only inland shipping to your home." Here are the shipping & handling charges:
Up to $25 -- $6.95
$25.01 - $50 -- $8.45
$50.01 - $75 -- $9.45
$75.01 - $125 -- $10.95
$125.01 & over -- 11% of order subtotal
When shipping items to more than one address, there is a $5.00 per address surcharge.
Payment, Guarantee & Customer Service
Dutch Gardens assures that orders placed via the website are completely secure. When the order is confirmed and received, they will send a confirmation e-mail.
They accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards. If placing an order online, you must use a credit card. If mailing the order using their catalog order form, you can also pay via check or money order. Sales tax is charged to orders shipping to Vermont and Illinois.
Dutch Gardens offers this guarantee: "We guarantee your complete satisfaction. If for any reason you are not pleased with your purchase, you may return it for a replacement exchange or refund -- whichever you prefer."
They are very open with their contact information. I hate it when websites make it almost impossible to find a phone number, mailing address or e-mail address. Not so with Dutch Gardens. Their contact information is available right from the start on their Home Page, and they also have a Contact page filled with ways to reach them.
When I had a question about some plants, I phoned and spoke with a very helpful, friendly customer service representative.
International Orders
With a name like Dutch Gardens and knowing that many of their bulbs come from Holland, you would assume that they offer international shipping. Dutch Gardens only ships within the United States and to addresses in the contiguous United States.
Fundraising
If you belong to an organization who does fundraising events, Dutch Gardens offers a free sales kit to describe their program. The website states: "Earn 50% on Every Sale". They offer free shipping & handling, top quality bulbs, free planting guides & delivery bags as well as a 100% satisfaction guarantee. I have never had occasion to use this service, but thought I would mention it in case it is of interest.
My Experiences
I had fun browsing through the colorful flower photos on this website. I also appreciate the detailed information provided for each item. Adding items to the cart and checkout is easy. When I spoke via phone with a customer service representative, she answered all my questions and was very helpful. I selected two daylilies: Solar Moonglow daylily and Blueberry Sundae daylily, which cost $14.95 for each bareroot that would be shipped.
After placing the order, I received an e-mail confirmation. Since I ordered the daylilies too early to plant, Dutch Gardens offered information on when I could expect shipment. Later, I received an e-mail stating the order had been shipped. No tracking number was provided. However, they did include a special phone number and e-mail address to contact them regarding the order. You can also check the order status via their website. Click the "Order Status" button at the top of the Home Page to read detailed tracking information (you will need your customer number to access this feature).
Yesterday I received a box from Dutch Gardens via UPS. It took about a week to arrive from the date of the e-mail sent to me stating the order had been shipped. The box is constructed of heavy-duty cardboard and was marked as containing perishable plants. When I opened the box, there were two green semi-translucent plastic bags inside. Each large bag contained a healthy bareroot, which already had small green shoots growing from it. I was impressed with how large a plant root they sent -- very nice! Also in the box was a 30-page Spring Planting Guide that listed a large variety of plants and how to care for them. A neon-orange message was also included in the carton. It said:
Important -- Hello from your plants! We're happy to have reached our new home. We promise to be a great new addition to your garden, but we have a few requests: 1) Please plant us as soon as possible. We can't wait to stretch our roots into the soil. 2) Give us a big drink of water after planting and keep us moist for the first month in our new home. 3) Be patient with us. We promise to grow and bloom, but some of us are slower than others to show new growth.
My new plants are in the ground and watered. I can't wait to see them bloom.
Summary
Buying plants from Dutch Gardens has proven an easy and rewarding experience. I will definitely shop here again. I'm already eyeing one of their crocus collections -- a mixed assortment of 50 bulbs for $12.95. I'm a happy customer.
I hope you have found this review useful.
Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Additional Information
Dutch Gardens
144 Intervale Road
Burlington, Vermont 05401
Toll-free Phone: 800-944-2250
To Order by Toll-free Phone: 888-821-0448
www.dutchgardens.com
Please read my other reviews:
Cook's Garden (online store)
Johnny's Selected Seeds (online store)
Park Seed (online store)
Step 2 Grass Hopper -- wheeled garden stool/cart
Sterilite 12-quart Storage Box
Rubbermaid 50-gallon Jumbo Roughtote
Sharp Calculator -- solar power with battery backup
Craftsman 2-D Flashlight
Craftsman 3-Drawer Portable Tool Chest
Farberware Cutting Board
Ginsu 13-piece Knife Set with Wooden Block
Copyright 2004 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? daylilies
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