The Measurable Difference Between Our Bulbs And The Big Discounter's
"What is the difference between bulbs I can purchase at American Meadows and the bulbs from the Big Box Store?"
Our customer service team hears this question often throughout the year. The answer is simple- our bulbs are of the highest quality, large in size, and are fully guaranteed to grow! Seeing our customers' success season after season allows us to answer this question with confidence each time it's asked. However, we decided to "dig in" to measure the difference between our bulbs and those found at national discount/big box stores. Take a look to see how they compare.
We chose our most popular fall-planted bulbs to compare: tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, alliums, and bearded iris.
We travelled to the nearest national Big Box Store, as well as a national Discount Store, to see what bulbs they carried. As we went from store to store, trying to find the most similar varieties to compare, we could sense the difference even in the initial shopping experience. After trekking through the Big Box store, I found what I was looking for, but the bulbs were sandwiched between two deeply discounted outdoor patio sets. Looking around, it was obvious that there were no garden experts on staff. At checkout, the prices were not as impressive as imagined. At the nearest National Discount Store, past the many asiles of home goods, I found the bin of bulbs at the center of the store, but with a limited selection and no garden experts to consult.
Comparing Bulb Quality
The bearded iris from the National Big Box store was only slightly less expensive than ours, and less than half the size. Our alliums were significantly larger than those found at the discount stores. This seemed to be the trend throughout all the bulb varieties from the discount stores - we found deep rot and mushy bulbs in several of the packages as well. As you can see from the pictures we took, American Meadows bulbs much larger, and much healthier looking than those found at the National Big Box/Discount stores. Larger bulbs have a better success rate, produce healthier, larger plant growth, and more spectacular blooms.
Comparing Guarantees
The customer service department for the bulbs from the big box store was not able to provide any information related to troubleshooting, or helping answer questions about why the bulbs did not grow. They do not issue replacements, and could only offer me a refund. (They needed the original barcode, product number of the item, purchase date, and price.)
One of the most significant values of purchasing from American Meadows instead of a Big Box Store is our amazing customer service team. Our garden experts pass gardening expertise on to our customers. We want you to be successful with the plants and products that you purcase from us, which is why we offer our plant guarantee! We will not only offer to replace or refund your items if they do not grow - we also work with you to understand how you can have better success next time around.
We hope this comparison will help build your confidence in buying bulbs and plants from American Meadows. The proof is also in the rave reviews we receive from our customers. With an average rating of four or more stars, many customers, like one in Fort Dodge, Indiana, are ecstatic about the results of our fall bulbs.
"American Meadows' Darwin tulips are prime stock and have never failed to be less than outstanding in my flower beds. They bloom every year and neighbors stop to admire them on a daily basis when in bloom."
"I planted the Large Cup Daffodil Mixture in layers with tulips and hyacinths and the display was gorgeous." We know how delightful it is on an early April morning, once the ground thaws and the sun starts to shine, to walk outside and be greeted with the cheerful colors of your fall planted bulbs. With us, this is a guarantee! We will be planting all of these bulbs when it gets a little colder, so stay tuned for growth comparisons as well!"