Comments regarding Nichols Garden Nursery

I just got my first seed order (and their herb cooking book; a deal at $6) from these folks. Mostly vegetables, a few herbs & flowers

I like that they have some hard to find seeds - burnet, chamomile, Osaka mustard, some old varieties, etc. Good price on big bags of pea seeds, etc.

(I'd've ordered a lot more if .. I hadn't pretty well stocked up on fall sales from SSE & Victory!)

Easy to use website, reasonable post charge.

Ordered the 5th; arrived the 9th, from Oregon to Michigan--including the weekend!

I have been getting seeds from this company off and on for years and alway found them to be reliable, reasonable in price and with fast service and good seeds. I like to grow 'Jade Cross' Brussells sprouts and they are one of the few nurseries carrying the seed. I highly recommend them.

Great seeds, fair prices, good selection, wonderful customer service.

Nichols have become one of my favorite sources for seeds. I like their selection and prices and on top of that they have a great newsletter and wonderful sales!! Explicit cultural information is printed right on the front of the seed packets, which I really like. I have never ordered plants or anything else from them, but I have no complaints about the seeds or the service I have received, everything has been great!! Highly recommended.

Great plants!!! I ordered 3 Yacon plants from Nichols Garden Nursery. They arrived on time and in perfect condition. I will definitely order from them again. Matter of fact - I will research this farm more just to see what other unique herbs and veggies that I want to experiment with. Thanks guys!

EXCELLENT results. I have ordered for 2 yrs. Received products quickly and in great condition. 100% germination; at the time specified on the envelope. Prices are great, all heirloom unless otherwise marked. Elephant garlic was huge. Even plants with a reputation as difficult to start did awesome, eg., echinacea. I have so many tomato starts I will have to sell the extra at the Farmer's market!! I love their product and great customer service. They are very responsive to email feedback.

I ordered Du' Janski marbled purple stripe garlic this November from Nichols and received my order in two business days. The garlic heads were absolutely beautiful and in great shape, even at the end of the planting season. The shipping and handling charges were reasonable and the customer service was excellent.

I recently ordered elephant garlic bulbs from this company (near the end of the fall planting season when it seemed as if everyone else was sold out). Bulbs were shipped promptly and looked to be good healthy stock.

Good experience.

I had always heard great things about Nichols but never had occasion to buy plants from them until last month. I wanted unsprayed (or organic) herb plants for a birthday gift. I ordered them via the website, but the order never went through. When I learned that (several weeks later), I re-placed the order, which went through. The plants were being sent to SF (from Oregon), so I wasn't concerned about the shipping via USPS 1st class, and they did arrive within a week. However, from what the giftee says, the plants were not in good condition. The most expensive plant, a Bay Laurel, was tiny and the leaves were tattered. I am/was very disappointed and wrote a note to Customer Service on their website, but have not heard anything back. I'm very surprised that they sent out plants that weren't in good shape. Perhaps it isn't a good idea to buy plants except in the spring.

Placed my online order of three live plants (two kinds) on Sunday, and on Monday, I got an email saying it was shipped out. Two days later, I received two of the three plants I ordered, along with a note saying the other kind of plant I ordered was not growing as well as they wanted so it would be sent when ready.

About another week later, I got the other plant I ordered.

I also just recently ordered some seeds with them. They have one of the cheapest seed shipping costs of any companies I've ordered from, and it took about a week to arrive. They also gave me an extra packet of squash seeds for no reason.

Posted on November 29, 2011, updated April 20, 2012
I can't believe I have waited so long to review this wonderful company. I have been ordering from them for years and years, off and on, in spite of changing gardening interests and sometimes even lack of gardening space. They always provide wonderful quality seed and plants at great prices, and always have some unique selections that are available nowhere else. Shipping has always been prompt and efficient. Nichols Garden Nursery is truly a national treasure.

Sells seeds that were packed for an earlier year. For example, gretel eggplant seed (the fruit of which is very small with tough skins) sold to me in 2010 came in a packet that said "packed for 2009."

"On Jul 16, 2012 1:21 PM, Nichols Garden Nursery responded with:

The seeds you refer to were sold and listed as clearance at a much reduced price and indeed were packed for 2009. We do, however, run germination tests on all discontinued items. "

I ordered... and 2 1/2 days later, I received my order. Now that's fast! Your shipping department employees should get a raise.

Nichols is one of my all-time favorite seed companies. I've been a customer for about 16 years. They are very generous with the number of seeds per packet, and the prices are quite reasonable.

I look forward to receiving the new catalog every year and spending many weeks planning my next vegetable garden. Thank you!

I have been quite satisfied with this company. I was able to order some out-of-the-ordinary seeds this year (corsican violet, golden hop vine, cardoons, an excellent mix of cabbages & a rare ruffled morning glory. All the seeds are sprouting as is the hop vine. Their prices are also quite competitive.

Just got my order delivered today, everything nice packed and in good condition with very clear descriptions. I'm convinced that I found an avenue for my needs to start planting things that I can't buy and miss so much. Talked on the phone in a way that I expect customer support should be. E-mails were answered almost immediately. Great Job! I'll give them a 10 out of 10!!!!

I ordered for the first time this year, so cannot report on germination. I was pleased that I received my order in a week after placing it. I will report back later with more information.

Posted on October 4, 2010, updated October 5, 2010
I recently ordered Bogatyr (Marbled Purple Stripe garlic) and Georgian Fire (Porcelain Garlic). Even though their website allowed me to add it to my cart, their customer service team phoned to let me know that the Bogatyr was out of stock. Okay, it's pretty late in the season: no problem, just send me the Georgian Fire, which is the cultivar I most wanted, anyway. Well, my order arrived today. It most definitely was NOT Georgian Fire; it clearly wasn't even in the Porcelain family. It's unambiguously a Glazed Purple Stripe, probably Purple Glazer, since that's the one they carry. I emailed customer service back, only to be told "That's how our Georgian Fire looks this year." Well, unless Georgian Fire bulbs have eight - ten slenderish cloves, with thin, satiny-white bulb wrappers, and beautiful dark purple clove skins with silver overtones, I'm pretty sure they sent me the wrong thing. Just to make sure, I held a bulb of my own bonafide Georgian Fire Garlic next to these from Nichols, and asked my husband, who doesn't know a Porcelain garlic from a hole in the ground, if they looked anything alike: even he, bless his heart, could spot the difference from across a pretty dark living room. Everybody makes mistakes, but PLEASE don't insult my intelligence. I would hope that's all it is, just garlic that got put in the wrong bag, because I can't imagine that THEY don't know a Porcelain from a Glazed Purple Stripe. I did get a refund, both for the out of stock item and the Porcelain-cum-Glazed Purple Stripe, but I don't believe I'll be doing business again. Shame, they had some cool things in their catalogue, but I want to know that what I'm putting in the ground is what I THINK I'm putting in the ground.

I placed my order on Sunday and received my seeds on Friday. Fast service considering the distance the seeds were shipped (Oregon to Ohio).

Seeds came in packet and with useful information for planting.

I have been ordering from Nichols for over 20 years. Always great germination and I love that they print the year that the seed was packaged right on the packet so I can reference it if there's seed left over for another planting. Also love the gummy envelope flap that opens and closes and reopens nicely for successive sowings. Bravo!

Posted on January 12, 2010, updated March 10, 2010
I visited their store this last weekend and was impressed with the collection of seeds they have. I bought a wide range of vegetable seeds and I will report on my experience as I start planting them.
The lady working that day was very knowledgeable and extremely friendly. She definitely knew what she was talking about and was able to offer sound advice for the area (planting times and varieties that work ...). She also told me about their warranty on the germination rate and quality of their products.

I ordered a few packets from them on Monday and received my seeds on Thursday of the same week. All the packets look great and I can't wait to try them. The packets are small and bland, but the service, prices, and planting have been great! Will order again!

I ordered several packs of seed. All arrived quickly although one variety was backordered. When I contacted them about six weeks later after not receiving the seed, I was quickly sent a replacement variety, as the seed I had originally ordered was still not available. I found the customer service to be friendly and the seeds that have been planted so far are sprouting quickly . I will order from them again in the future.

2/11/09.....Received my order this week....it was a small order of just seeds with a credit I had from last year....
Ordered two kinds of sunflower seeds, flower corn and
sweet pea seeds.....Half of the sunflower seeds were
curshed, along with a few of the flower corn seeds.....the
sweet peas are a large, hard seed, so they were not damaged......Seeds were packaged in a plain manila envelope.....Perhaps, if they had been sent in a bubble
wrap envelope, the seeds would not of been smashed
during its postage trip.....I hope the company reads this....
charge more postage if needed to protect the seeds that
are shipped....Maryanne, zone 5, Ohio

I won't be buying from them anymore. In late November 08 I placed an order with them and was told on the Order receipt that the Yard Long Red Noodle Bean was in backorder. It said, "Temp Out will Follow 2-3 Weeks".

Well, I never heard from them and it's been over a month and a half so I emailed them. I had to emailed them 3 times before they email me back with some stupid comments. Now what kind of customer service is that????

Few weeks later, they finally sent me my backorder and oh my gosh I could not believe the idiots sent it in a flat envelope with no bubble wrap- DUH! So all the seeds were crushed and I emailed them. They said they would send me another packet with a better envelope. Well it's been two weeks since that last email and have not seen my backorder yet.

I placed a large order the first week of January, including both seeds and bareroot plants. The next day, a Nichols rep. called me to offer to ship the seeds to me directly, as I indicated I wanted to pick up the bareroots when they're available in springtime (I live within driving distance). The seeds arrived just a couple of days later, allowing the slower-growing perennials to get an extra-early start on their first season.

This isn't the first time I've purchased seed from Nichols (my father bought seed from them when I was a child), but their customer service and prompt shipping has impressed me yet again. They offer a broad range of seeds (both food and flower), and lots of heirloom varietys at reasonable prices.

On March 15 I ordered two plants and three packets of seeds. The postage was $7.50 plus 3.95 handling. They shipped the seeds and one plant - not too much of a wait. They didn't charge me the $7.95 for the other plant, a stevia. A while later they notified me that the stevia was on back order because the plants were not strong enough to make the trip and that it would be shipped soon. By this time, I'd ordered it from another source, but didn't do anything to stop it until, on May 13, while checking my bank balance, I saw that they were charging me another shipping fee. I immediately wrote and told them that, if they were charging me shipping again, I did not want the plant. I never heard from them. A few days later, the plant arrived. I've written them again and still haven't heard from them. Each plant cost them less than three dollars shipping. I wound up paying $15.00 shipping plus the 3.95 handling. Even though the plants are beautiful and healthy, and they've always been good in the past, I won't order from them again. The cost was too high, and the service was not good.

I was terribly disappointed with my order from Nichols Garden. I ordered a Bolivian Sunroot seedling and some Oxalis tuberosa bulbs. I was charged $11.45 S&H for these two items fully expecting the order to be shipped priority, especially because they are on the West coast and I am on the East coast. I received the order today. It was shipped USPS 1st class which was much too slow and the Bolivian Sunroot looks marginal at best. The bulbs appear fine. If it was just a bulb order 1st class shipping would have been appropriate but not for a live plant when we are several thousand miles apart. Not only that but the actual shipping charges were all of $2.87. That's a big difference from the $11.45 that I was charged. I have my doubts that the Bolivian Sunroot will survive. I will never buy from this nursery again and wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

I've been ordering from Nichols for several decades. They always come through. Their herb selection is excellent. I've visited their nursery twice, and they offered a 10% discount to current Master Gardeners and lots of advice for the plants I picked up (2 huge Camellia sinensis which are thriving).

My order arrived today in very good time. I've ordered before from them and so has my daughter. We've both had good results with germination. They do carry some vegetable seeds that I was unable to find anywhere else.

Over the last two years, I've ordered vegetable seeds 3 or 4 times from Nichols and it has become my favorite seed company. The selection is good, the germination rate is excellent, the seedlings are extremely vigorous, and the prices are good.

I ordered garlic, saffron crocus, shallots, and Egyptian walking onions this fall, and the last of my order just arrived this morning. Although the prices are on the high end, these are some great bulbs! I feel they are worth the price. There were no duds at all, every bulb was perfectly fresh, and they are the first place I've been able to order a little late (beginning of september) that still had walking onions in stock (the main reason I ordered from here was availability late in the ordering season; I became aware of this place from their columns in Small Farm Today magazine, a great read.) Although a bit pricey, the quality is worth it, in my opinion; especially the saffron crocus, which are twice the size as the saffron I ordered last year from a flower bulb place. I can't wait to see what happens next spring (and fall, for the crocus)! Recommended.

I have been ordering from Nichols Garden Nursery for nearly 40 years. I have never once had any problems with seeds which grow well here in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, their root stock and bulbs are excellent and arrive here in perfect condition. If you are a newcomer to Nichols Garden Nursery catalogue you will be so pleased when your order arrives. I'd suggest you recommend the catalog to friends. I recommended the catalogue to Spotswood High School's agricultural teacher since we are a heavy farming community and he was delighted with it and the unusual seeds it had to offer. I'd like to say, also, that when I call the nursery I'm always treated very cordially and if there is a question, it's always answered for me.

I ordered Egyptian Walking Onions from Nicholls Garden Nursery. There were supposed to be 15 sets. What I got was 6 sets that were a good planting size, and 9 sets that were miniscule. If they advertise 15 sets, then all 15 sets should be close in size. The 9 were 1/4 the size of the 6 good sets.

I also ordered a set of 2 wooden garden trellises. The picture looked good. What I got was unsanded wood, with instructions that were unclear, accompanied by instructional photos that were impossible to decipher by someone who has had no experience in assembling items such as these. I had to go to my local hardware store so the employees there could show me what the pictures were telling me to do.

Last spring I ordered a few seeds from Nichols, among them was several packs of sunflower that was supposed to grow to 16 feet. I planted them in early spring and had good luck with germination and the flowers started to grow. the other day I noticed some of them along a 6 ft fence were blooming, which to m e means they are done growing. I sent Nichols an email and followewd it up with a phone call. after my explanation, a lady said they would gladly refund my money and 3 days later, BINGO, a check in the mail. they also said to cut the heads off and let them grow, which I did. mIf they make it to 16 ft, Im sending them the money back. a pleasure to do business with people like this.

I ordered from Nichols by mail, on March 15, & the order arrived March 24. Pretty good, I think. I was very happy with the packing and packaging. Other people have reported bad germination rates. I will report back when I know what mine are.

Nichols Garden Nursery is where I've been buying seeds and plants for over 20 years. They are located nearby so I like driving over to their lovely herb gardens and getting my seeds and supplies in their homey shop. When out of state guests arrive, this is often the place they most want to visit as they've been happily shopping by mail for many years. Great seeds, selection and knowledgeable friendly service. I think they have the most useful seed selection I've found.

I ordered several seeds from nichols in february 2006 and they came within a week of ordering(I ordered online). I started 8 each of jetsetter tomato and Pruden's purple organic tomato and every seed germinated. The plants are doing very well. I would definetly order from them again.

I've only ordered once from Nichols and I was okay with them. The germination rates were mostly good. I would have preferred more information on the seed packets; some had good information on a slip of paper inside, but others had nothing but the name of the seed.