Tropical Plants Library Online (also dba Master Gardener and Landscaping of Fort Lauderdale)

I'm leaving feedback for a plant I bought from MG's 8 or so years ago, but at the time, I didn't know GardenWatchdog existed. The plant I wanted was hard to find elsewhere, so when I came across MG, I placed an order. The plant was, Ming Fern. The price was a little higher than other nurseries, but because it was rare, and I wanted it, I placed my first order at MG. The Ming Fern arrived 'can't recall shipping time,' was good-sized, well-rooted, healthy, pest-free and beautiful. It's alive and well to this day. The Ming was well-packed, no broken stems. Fronds were vivid green, no brown or yellow. The only con I see with MG is price. There are numerous online stores that sell the same plants at 1/3rd the cost. If MG decreased prices, I bet their business would sky-rocket. Perhaps I'm wrong..they might have a zillion customers. There's enough competition and over-head to keep a nursery going these days, which is understandable. Still, I'm a frequent online nursery shopper, so I'm familiar with plant and shipping costs. However, I feel MG deserves Positive feedback for the plants health and beauty. I don't mean to sound offensive. As far as I'm concerned, MG has beautiful plants, and their prices isn't worth neutral or negative feedback. I'm just being honest.

Posted on July 2, 2010, updated July 15, 2010 Posted on July 1, 2010, updated July 2, 2010 On 6/6/10 I ordered a Dwarf Pink Poinciana. As this was late Sunday, too late for a Monday (they only ship on Monday) shipment, I expected the plant to arrive on 6/17 or 6/18. When it did not I notified them that I had not received the plant. Their site advises to email ASAP if the plant does not arrived when expected. I have emailed them 3 times with no response (or plant). However, because I am on their mailing list I have subsequently received 2 notices from them of plants they are offering. They charged my credit card immediately. I have opened a claim with PayPal in an attempt to either get the plant or get my money back. I have done business with this vendor many times with excellent results. I cannot understand this behavior. I will not deal with them again.

I ordered a Gardenia plant in March, 2006 and paid using Pay Pal. My credit card was charged, but I never received the plant. After e-mailing Mr. Slatner (aka Master Gardener and Landscaping of Fort Lauderdale) several times, he finally replied that while he recuperating from heart surgery, my order got lost. He offered me a credit toward another plant. I chose a plant. It is now April, 2007 and I have not received the plant or another reply. This company is bad news.

I ordered a Floss Silk Tree through this company on March 29th, and as of April 17th I have not recieved it, even though my credit card was billed immediately. I understand they only ship on mondays and I may be a bit impatient. My problem is that you can only contact the company via email and I have sent 3 messages asking what the status of my order is. Since I live in florida, it shouldn't take that long for the shipment to get to me. They have not replied to any of my messages via email, snail mail, or phone #. This was the first time using them and will be the last. The entire transaction seems fishy, so I am in the process of getting my credit card company envolved to reverse the charges. I am extremely easy going, as long as a merchant can get back with you and answer promptly when I ask a question, I am happy. Heck, lie to me at least and say that you are temp. out of stock and they will get it off ASAP!

I ordered 1 Ylang Ylang plant for $60. It was shipped on a Monday and arrived on Wednesday. It was so dead it was black. I e-mailed the owner and offered to send a picture of this plant. I also advised him that I would be posting a very negative comment on Gardenwatch if a satisfactory solution could not be reached. They took my word that it was dead and shipped another in two weeks. This second one came through just fine. I won't order from them again but at least they made good on the plant.

I ordered seeds last year and two sets of one batch failed to germinate. I complained this year and last year and I never obtained a refund. I found the same seeds from a reputable grower at 1/6 the the price and they germinated. The plants and seeds are overpriced. Spend some time and look further.

I ordered many plants from them, thinking I received the right plants but not so, twice I received a different plant, two plants by the name of "Lady of the night" They had send me a Desert Rose in the first order, the second time I ordered the same plant and they send me an unknown plant. (they denied to have send me this one) but I swear that this plant is theirs. I ordered also 13 plants (same kind of plants) in time, but they have not send me any, after awhile I wrote to them and they answered that they sold all of the plants,so they send me seeds of the Bird of Paradise, out of the 25 seeds, only three came out.They promised two Mondays ago to send me another Lady of the Night plant and I'am still waiting. By the way they told me that sometimes they might have send the wrong plant by mistake, but two times of the same plants? I realy don't believe this. They run out of the plants and just send another plant to you, knowing that you don't know the differents and that is so true with me, I really don't know how the plants I ordered were the ones I had ordered because they will arrive at your home too small to know. Please be aware who you are dealing with. Thanks for your watchdog.

Sent money for coconut when I saw availibility on website. Money was promptly refunded and I received I note explaining they're not shipping yet. Service without even asking.

I paid $10 ($7.50 + $2.50 shipping) for three (3) Pachypodium seeds. Received an e-mail that they had been shipped. Two weeks later, notified co. that they'd not been received. Told me to wait another week, then contact them again if still not received. Did that. They sent replacement (2 whole, one half seed). They told me at the time that these were the very last seeds they had. Punchline: none germinated. I've grown many Pachy from seed, and had very good success with germination. OTOH, this is a very fine website, full of information. Perhaps this is just the *one* time things went awry.