I got my seeds in about a week but I ordered the 3rd week of November. I try not to order seeds after the new year because that is their busiest time and I don't want to wait or worse, risk them running out or having to backorder the seeds I want. There are too many negative posts and horror stories on the Garden Watchdog website from folks who ordered in January-February that I pick & order the seeds I want early in the season.

This is the first week of March and Bluestone Perennials is already sold out of the one plant I was going to order this year.

Brad,
I placed my order with Swallowtail on February 9th and received my order on the the 18th. I planted the petunias, begonias,sedum and geraniums that I ordered and I have had almost 100 percent germination.
Karen

I've ordered from them several times this year and received them in about a week. If I place something in their shopping cart right now, it says they'll ship Thurs Mar 10.

I'd call them and ask what happened.

Karen

I forgot to mention that my order was sent out in the regular mail, not online. Mom and I just checked the calendar and, if we're right, they should be here by Wednesday. If I don't get them by then, I'll contact them.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Oh yes, snail mail would be slower.

Karen

I ordered online Feb 1 and received order Feb 15. I will order earlier next time. I called and they said they were shipped on the 9th. ?

Ordering early is the best.

I ordered mine on 11/27/10 with a free shipping offer they had.

They confirmed the order within 2 hours of being placed.

Shipped the seeds USPS on 11/30 and had them in my hands on 12/3.

Fran

This is their busy season. I asked for seeds that were not on their on-line catalog. I ordered a lot in Dec to early Feb. The last ordered took about 7 days. Otherwise, I've gotten my order within 4-5 days. They are really nice, just send an e-mail.

Thanks, everyone. I knew they were recommended on here and I'll just have to wait until Wednesday and see what happens. I ordered these seeds:

Heilotrope "Marine"
Zinnia "Starlight Rose" and "Double Fire"
Ageratum "Blue Hawaii"
Love In A Mist "Persian Jewels"
Nasturtium "Moonlight"

I'm really looking forward to growing these! Ladyrose, weren't the Love In A Mist seeds you sent me were this variety?

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Hope you got your seeds by now.

I was trying to decide which company to order from so I looked at last years orders. I had a problem with Swallowtail not answering thier phone when I had a question, altho they finally answered an e-mail.
And the fact that this is their busy season doesn't cut slack with me - let them hire more people. I am a firm believer in good customer service.

Usually I won't order from a company that doesn't have a customer service phone # big and upfront on their webpage.
ugh, this morning I just ordered from Diane's seeds - cuz it is relatively difficult to find Blue siberian dianthus seeds, even tho they have NO phone #. I took the plunge and hope it works out.

btw I had to order 125 seeds so when they arrive I will be advertising them for trade. Hope it dosn't take too long to get them. Of course I procrastinated in ordering them.

I've had positive experience with Diane. She was very quick to answering emails, too. I've even asked questions about starting specific seeds and she was very helpful. I just bought a few packs of tomato seeds a couple of weeks ago and got them pretty fast.

I don't know if it matters to you but her company isn't owned by Monsanto and she sells only open polinated, non-gmo seeds.

Karen

Have you gotten your seeds yet Moonwolf?

Over the past several years, I've placed 2 orders with Swallowtail and 2 orders with Diane's. They were all placed online and during the busy season (after the new year), and every one was received in a timely fashion - within one week of placing the order. I've never needed to contact either for customer service, so can't comment on that.

Moonwolf, I didn't send the Love-in-a-Mist because, I didn't have enough to trade. Now I got a lot. I know you were looking for them. Oddly enough, I got sent alot as bonus seeds from my trades.

The nurseries are ordering now, so things are hectic. I got an e-mail from Hazzards' $1.oo for S&H for orders of $80.00 and over. Not hard with them. Since they sale wholesale.

Karen:
It does matter to me and I didn't know that about Diane's.
Also glad to know she has good customer service.

I'll relax and await my seeds. :)

thanks,
ellen

Terrene, I did not get my seeds yet, but I'm going to wait and see if they come by tomorrow.

Ladyrose, I have two containers already of Love In A Mist seeds. I've never grown them before but if they're anything like cosmos or sunflowers (very easy to germintate and to grow) I'll be growing them from now on. I can't wait to see the Love-Lies-Bleeding seeds you sent me sprout and grow!

If I order more seeds for my birthday, I might get them from Renee's Garden.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Moonwoolf, just curious did you by any chance pay by check? That could be delaying your order significantly, as businesses usually wait 5-7 business days to make sure the check clears.

Nope it was a money order that mom sent out with it. It does say on their website 5-10 business days, BUT it depends on the location of where the seeds are being shipped. So I'm going to wait and see if they arrive tomorrow.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Sending an order by snail mail is likely the problem. If you order online with a credit card you're likely to get them much faster, from any company.

Karen

Elenrr--I've ordered seeds from Diane and she ships them very quickly. I ordered from her in November of last year, and got them three days after I ordered. Might be a little slower now that it's the busy time for seed companies, but you should get yours quickly.

Karen

Boy, you guys (gals) sure are right about Diana's seeds.
Got them today! Ordered them last Wed.
Can't get much quicker than that.

Can't wait to sow my favorite flower of this year - silberian blue dianthus.

Have to wait til tomorrow, just finished sowing:
a couple containers gaillardia, red poppy, foxglove.

el

OTOH, just looked closely at the seeds.
The catalogue said 150 seeds - If there are 50 in the envelope that's a lot.

I'm not going to complain about it to the company, I was going to have a lot extra, and trade them.

Still on principle it bothers me - if it says 150 it should be 150 - more or less.
Seems to me most seed companies play very loose with numbers.
Just imagine if you ordered 4 lawn chairs, and you got two.
Know what I mean?

You should complain,how else will they correct the problem, others have done so, and received the extra seeds,give it a try.
cAROL

I would definitely complain, 50 seeds is way off from 150. Even if you don't sow them all this year, you may want to use them next year and the year after that! Surely any reputable seed company would respond quickly, because they know repeat business is important. One of the reasons I wouldn't order from Parks again, is because their quantities are SO skimpy. Even if they accurately stated. For example, I originally ordered Snapdragon 'Black Prince' from Parks and the packet was 100 seeds. After that I collected seed, as it is very easy to collect, was not cross-pollinated (so it seeded true) and there are practically thousands of seeds in each pod. 100 seeds is so stingy!

Brad, just placed an order with them. I placed it on the 10th. Let's see how long?

I got my order from Hazzards in 4-days. I didn't get gyped, either. (I understand it's a big complaint w/them).

I did e-mail Diana's and thanked them for speedy delivery and informed them that I received 50 seeds instead of 150.
Asked for the missing 100.

What baffles me -
I've ordered from maybe 5 different seed companies over the last couple of years.
More often then not, I've been shorted. By a lot as in this case.
So I have to conclude either this is common practice, or I'm darned unlucky!
It is strange to me - how do they get away with this?

It's not like if you order 100 times from various companies and once in a while you get shorted - someone had explained last year how this could happen. ok mistakes happen and in that case I would give the company the benefit of the doubt.

But if it happens 75% of the time, from different companies, then - I am forming a very bad impression of seed-sellers in general.

Hello Brad, It's the 21th and I still have not even got a shipping confirmation! Did you get your seeds? I sent an e-mail on Friday. No response, on update of order.
I'm surprised at them?

Hi Ladyrose,

Nope I still didn't get mine yet. My new sprouts have been keeping my occupied lol. Still looking forward to getting them, especially the heilotrope seeds. I hope they come soon!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

I gave up on Parks after repeated empty seed envelopes with no replacements and about a quarter of the seeds sent in the envelopes that arrived.
I've never had a problem with Swallowtail being slow before. I wonder if they are totally swamped?

My last order from Swallowtail was February 7.
On February 16, they sent a notice that they shipped.
Seeds arrived about 5 days later via snail mail.

I'm in North Carolina and that's typically the right amount of time for their seeds to arrive for me.

I order several times a year from them. Sometimes, they even include bonus seeds for me to try. I like the company -- and, I like to order from Diane, too.

Cameron