Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
Europeans, usually not the kind of people to run bonsai stores. That's just fine, but it makes home delivery an issue. You need a car to visit nurseries with very limited opening times, usually they open on demand only. There are few walk-in stores we can visit.
I've been ordering plants from home, and it usually turns out pretty OK. I mean, you get what you pay for and there's always a risk factor involved when you can't see nursery material before you buy it.
There are a few more Europeans on this website, and I'd like to share some of my experiences with online nurseries / online garden centers.
Other Europeans are always free to chime in and add experiences of course! That's what this thread is about.
Since there's little bonsai-specific and more gardencenter-like stores, I'm fine with incorporating those as well.
Netherlands
Website: Bonsaishop.nl
Materials bought: Wire, Lime sulfur
Experience: Good info before hand, good status communication, a nice hand written "Thank you and good luck" note included.
Delivery time: Average, 2-3 days after order.
Shipping costs: Regular package shipping costs PostNL
Overall: Good.
Website: Tuinplantenwinkel.nl
Materials bought: Mugo Pines
Experience: Exceptionally good store, good communication, very good customer care; if there's anything wrong, they fix it directly. They hand pick and deliver by themselves, they go the extra mile for you. If you want your plants delivered to the top of your roof, they'll do it.
Delivery time: Within a week.
Shipping costs: 7.95 euros
Overall: Very good.
Website: Tuinplant.nl
Materials bought: Junipers
Experience: Pretty alright, lots of juvenile material, poor communication though, giant delivery window compared to others.
Delivery time: 2 weeks.
Shipping costs: 9.95 euros
Overall: Mediocre.
Website: Tuincentrum.nl
Materials bought: I ordered Japanese Quince, I received Fuchsia.
Experience: Bad experience, customer care doesn't exist, unwanted soliciting through third parties, upon questioning my order I received zero feedback. You get what they want you to get, not necessarily what you've ordered.
Delivery time: 3-4 weeks.
Shipping costs: 4.99 euros
Overall: Terrible experience.
Germany
Website: Pflanzmich.de
Materials bought: Junipers, Japanese black pines, Scots pines
Experience: Poor status communication, great quality trees for very low prices (example: 2-4 year old black pines for 6 euros), some information only available in German, accepts Paypal. Most extensive inventory when it comes to different species and sizes.
Delivery time (to NL): 2-3 weeks.
Shipping costs (to NL): 12.10 euros
Overall: Good.
Website: Bonsai.de
Materials bought: Pots.
Experience: Good status communication, good quality pots for reasonable prices, very well packaged. They stress you should check your package for damage directly when it's delivered.
Delivery time (to NL): 2-3 days.
Shipping costs: 8.90 euros
Overall: Good.
I've been ordering plants from home, and it usually turns out pretty OK. I mean, you get what you pay for and there's always a risk factor involved when you can't see nursery material before you buy it.
There are a few more Europeans on this website, and I'd like to share some of my experiences with online nurseries / online garden centers.
Other Europeans are always free to chime in and add experiences of course! That's what this thread is about.
Since there's little bonsai-specific and more gardencenter-like stores, I'm fine with incorporating those as well.
Netherlands
Website: Bonsaishop.nl
Materials bought: Wire, Lime sulfur
Experience: Good info before hand, good status communication, a nice hand written "Thank you and good luck" note included.
Delivery time: Average, 2-3 days after order.
Shipping costs: Regular package shipping costs PostNL
Overall: Good.
Website: Tuinplantenwinkel.nl
Materials bought: Mugo Pines
Experience: Exceptionally good store, good communication, very good customer care; if there's anything wrong, they fix it directly. They hand pick and deliver by themselves, they go the extra mile for you. If you want your plants delivered to the top of your roof, they'll do it.
Delivery time: Within a week.
Shipping costs: 7.95 euros
Overall: Very good.
Website: Tuinplant.nl
Materials bought: Junipers
Experience: Pretty alright, lots of juvenile material, poor communication though, giant delivery window compared to others.
Delivery time: 2 weeks.
Shipping costs: 9.95 euros
Overall: Mediocre.
Website: Tuincentrum.nl
Materials bought: I ordered Japanese Quince, I received Fuchsia.
Experience: Bad experience, customer care doesn't exist, unwanted soliciting through third parties, upon questioning my order I received zero feedback. You get what they want you to get, not necessarily what you've ordered.
Delivery time: 3-4 weeks.
Shipping costs: 4.99 euros
Overall: Terrible experience.
Germany
Website: Pflanzmich.de
Materials bought: Junipers, Japanese black pines, Scots pines
Experience: Poor status communication, great quality trees for very low prices (example: 2-4 year old black pines for 6 euros), some information only available in German, accepts Paypal. Most extensive inventory when it comes to different species and sizes.
Delivery time (to NL): 2-3 weeks.
Shipping costs (to NL): 12.10 euros
Overall: Good.
Website: Bonsai.de
Materials bought: Pots.
Experience: Good status communication, good quality pots for reasonable prices, very well packaged. They stress you should check your package for damage directly when it's delivered.
Delivery time (to NL): 2-3 days.
Shipping costs: 8.90 euros
Overall: Good.