Comments regarding Spring River Nurseries Inc

Well, I guess we got scammmed too!!! Back in Feb. of this year(2007) we too ordered the Lavender, not knowing a thing and today, April 26, we have yet to recieve a thing. My husband went online and found the site, I read on, only to find all the comments on previous experiences. I wish I had researched further! If anyone gets any satisfaction I hope you can post it for the rest of us! Good luck too all - Dawnid

I was ready to order Lavender from SRN as advertised in my Sunday Newspaper. I found this site when looking for them online. Thanks everyone for saving me from a big mistake. Not only will I not order from them but I will try to contact the Niagara Gazette & Womens Day Magazine to let them know what is going on.

Just a thank you to those who have posted their experiences. I, too, was going to order the Hardy Lavender. My web search displayed this link, so thought I'd check it out first. I'm glad I did. I've had very mixed results with mail-ordering nursery items in the past, so am glad to have had the warning so I can save my hard-earned $$.

thank you for all the responses on this site. I've never grown anything before and I saw the add for the hardy lavender while clipping coupons. I thought I could spruce up my front patio, as I dont have a yard. I got online to find out if its possible to plant in containers. I came across this website thank the gods!!! Im on a fixed income and to waste money on scammers would hurt all too much.

WE ORDERED THE HARDY LAVENDER AS IT SEEMS SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE DID, THE CHECK WAS CASHED ON 3/15 AND AS OF 4/10 THE ORDER HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE COMPANY AS I READ THE WATCHDOG COMMENTS. I GUESS I'LL TRY IN VAIN TO CONTACT THE COMPANY, BUT BASED ON ALL THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS, I'M NOT COUNTING ON TOO MUCH SUCCESS. THIS COMPANY SHOULD NOT BE IN BUSINESS BASED ON PAST BAD BUSINESS PRACTICES, AND I WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH THE BBB TO SEE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE.

I came across Spring River Nurseries add for Hardy Lavender plants in the Sunday newspaper ads. Since they looked like they would be a great addition to my yard, I prepared the order form (including my credit card information!). My intention was to put it in the mail the following morning. However, something in my gut told me that I should do a search on the web for this company. The second link on the page was for Garden Watchdog. I'm soooo glad I checked it out before mailing the order form! THANK YOU!!! to EVERYONE who posted their experiences with this "company"!!! I'm certain that the postings saved my wife and I $22.95 and a lot of aggrevation! I'm sorry that individuals are still experiencing difficulties with this "company". It's a shame that this occurs, and has been occurring for the past 5 years+...which leads me to this question: With all of these complaints, what has been done to this company, regarding the Michigan Attorny General's office???

I just saw ad for the hardy lavender and thought I might order. After reading some of the comments, I had second thoughts. I decided to go to Spring River Nurseries website. It hasn't been updated since 2000. I have changed my mind and will either mail order elsewhere, buy bulbs locally, or do without. I think this website saved my time, money and aggrevation.

On 2/19/91, I sent a check in the amount $12.95 for 3 Lemon Grass Plants. I received plants which were loosely wrapped in newspaper, and completely dead. After 4 telephone call attempts to receive healthy plants, I wrote to them to demand my money back, and copied Jane Chestnut, Editor in Chief of Woman's Day. As you can surmise, I never got my money.

I cannot believe they are still scamming, and Woman's Day is aiding and abetting. Shame, Shame, Shame.

Kathleen50

I was ready to order Lavender from SRN as advertised in Women's Day. I found this site when looking for them online. Thanks everyone for saving me from a big mistake. Not only will I not order from them but I will be cancelling my subscription to Women's Day as they are aware of this problem.

I also ordered lavender form Spring River Nurseries and never recieved my order. Wish I had seen this site before I ordered. Hope we all have saved you some money.

I just want to say thank you to all of you for providing feedback on this company. I had an ad that I saved from a newpaper clipping for the Hardy Lavendar Plants. I was going to throw it away, but decided that I would keep it to place an order for the Spring. I decided to do a Google on the company to see if they provided on-line ordering and this website came up first. After reading everyone's reviews, I am happy to say that I will not ever be placing an order with this company. Sorry that so many of you lost your money, but thank you for providing the feedback to save others like myself.

As with many others, I too seem to have been scammed. They quickly cashed my check (boy do I know what not to do the next time on any mail orders), but, it has been 6 weeks and still no product. And, no response to my e-mail, yet! I don't expect to get an answer now!!!! Wish I had checked this site before ordering. I ordered the Snow Bulbs (tulips) and was going to share my great find with a friend. Guess we'll never know if these flowers actually bloomed in the winter time. I had ordered from their ad in Parade magazine in the Sunday Kansas City Star

I have made out my order for Golden Stargazer Lily bulbs . I copied the info from a magazine in my doctors office yesterday.
The article I read in Woman's Day appealed to me as I love Start Gazers. The WD magazine was an old one but I figured the nursery was still up and running.
Before I mailed my check I decided to Google for a little information of the company, to be sure they still exist.
Boy, I'm glad I did, I found this place as well as your comments. I read ALL of the reviews presented in this forum before tearing up my check.

Has anyone noticed that when you log on to the website, the
first page refers to a 2000 catalog, and it was last updated on 3/28/2000?

I am new to gardening and was given the "bug" to start by our next door neighbor: he has the most beautiful garden with the heady scents of honeysuckle and lavender among others. He had not heard of SRN. I saw the ad and since I've been wanting to plant lavender (I love anything purple) thought about ordering. Thank heaven I found this sight; it was the first site mentioned when I did a search for SRN. Reading the comments here has made me think twice about ordering. Thank you, all of you, for your input.

Wow! I guess I was one of the lucky ones that received my order in a timely manner. I planted my Iris's as directed and have beautiful results! They just started blooming within the last few weeks. They are breathtaking. For those that want to know, I did order these from an advertisment in the Woman's Day magazine.
I came across this site as I was looking for the Spring River site and this watchdog site came up. I felt compelled to read about other experiences and now feel so genuinely lucky to have had a good experience with this company. To think I was going to order some day lilies from them. Now I have second thoughts!

I ordered a dozen russian lavendar plants. They arrived - I planted them - they died immediately. I called customer service they said they would replace them or send me back my money. I wanted the plants, so they reshipped them. I planted them, they died within 2 days. I waited to see if any life would return to either of the shipments. Nothing - dead.
(The plant order did take awhile to arrive both times.)

I called customer service & was told they had reshipped once & that was all they could do. I asked about their customer satisfaction guarantee & I Was Not a Happy Customer and wanted my money back as guaranteed. She said the company only reshipped once & would not replace or refund my money. I guess this is a better experience than some customers had - but do not think they are living up to their "No Risk Guarantee" Nancy

I am so shocked to hear that this co, is a scam.
I also ordered Lavender march 2005 my check was cashed and no plants have arrived.
What can we all do to get to these people ??????

I ordered my plants in April 2005 and after reading all the comments, was sure I would not get them. However, today I came home to my plants in the mail, so it took less than 1 month to get them. So there is hope. Keep your chin up!

I just received another flyer in the mail from Spring River. I have ordered lavender from them before and it was somewhat positive experience. Well, I just called there 'Customer Service' number not only to ask a question about my dying Lavender but possibly make another order. Well, the CS rep was so rude. She said 'she does not take orders over the phone' and then couldn't answer my questions!!!! Yikes! Please, please, avoid doing business with this company.

I was very disappointed when I came across this website. I ordered 16 Hardy Lavender plants on February 22, 2005 from an ad found in the Sunday "Parade Magazine" and have waited patiently for my plants. After viewing the feedback, I doubt I will receive my purchase. My check has been cashed and I have tried to email the company, but the email was returned with an insufficient address. The email address I used was posted on their website and I used the copy and paste keys to eliminate the possibility of error. I too wonder why this company is allowed to continue it's advertising in the Parade or any magazine for that matter.

Well add my mother to the list! She ordered 12 lavender plants as a hedge for her fence, she is on a fixed income and I HATE the fact this happened to her and feel powerless! Her check for $22.95 has been cashed, yeah big surprise there! I have contacted the company via email but after reading the other posts I do not anticipate a reply. If everyone has been contacted the local Attorney Generals and Better Business offices then why is this still happening. Where do we go from here? There has to be someway to get everyone's money back as it is illegal to take money from people and promise them a product in return and then not deliver! I want my name out there for the record so maybe after enough complaints we can get an Attorney General to listen to us!!!!

I have been scammed. I sent in an order for Hearty Lavender to Spring River Nurseries; the check for $13.85 cashed over a month ago (today is 4/18/05). I called them and talked to a woman who claims they handle customer service for both that company and Michigan Bulb Company (where I also placed an order they are telling me will arrive "soon"). She gave me the name of Angie Smith and the fax number to send a "copy of the check." The fax number is bogus. Why isn't the Michigan Attorney General's office doing something about this company? Better yet, why does Parade Magazine, other Sunday magazines and Woman's Day continue to accept their advertising? A boycott of these magazines should begin. They are knowingly scamming the public by running these ads.

I have had similar experiences with this company and some of its affiliates, after getting the run-around from them I decided to contact the Illinois States Attorney and file a fraud complaint. Please, I invite the rest of you to do so.
Thank you.

Ordered 6 lavendar plants, sent a cheek for $13.85 on 3-3-05. They cashed the check but have never recieved the plants. Cliped their ad out of the Sunday paper.

Well I ordered the Limelight Hydrangeas out of the Woman's Day magazine in Jan. '05. Today is April 9 '05 and I have yet to receive any plants much less the "call backs" I was to receive from Spring River once I finally got their number. I have spoken w/Woman's Day at several different numbers then they finally gave me the phone number to Spring River. Twice I have called them and was told they would call me back.

I have reported them to the BBB in Michigan.

One day I will find some limelight hydrangeas but it will NOT be thru Woman's Day magazine or Spring River.

I want to thank everyone for their feedback on Spring River Nursery. I am not a very good gardener (although I try), and I often struggle with what plants to purchase and garden with. When I saw the ad for SRN I was pleased that my geographical location would not kill this "Hardy Lavender" and was about to place a large order. I wanted to order online, and my Google search landed me here first. Thanks for the insite, I can certainly say that I will NOT order from this "company".

I just prepared an order to Spring River Nurseries for over $84.00. I planned a lavender hedge. I decided to see if they had a website and your watchdog site popped up first. I can not thank you enough for providing this service. I would be out a considerable amount of money.

I was very pleased to find the Garden Watchdog before I spend my hard earned monies on such a scam. I truely appreicate all of you who have left your unfortunate experience with this so called nursery. You have saved me a great deal of aggrivation.

Thanks to all of you, I will be the only one with a positive experience.

By chance, I typed in "Spring River Nurseries Hardy Lavender" into my yahoo search. You'll be happy to know this website was the first one to pop up, exposing these folks for the obvious crooks they are. If there actually is such a thing as Hardy Lavender, I certainly will forget their name when ordering. And I have all of you to thank!

The only question I have is this: Today is March 14, 2005 and many of your letters were written months and months ago. If all of you indeed contacted the Michigan Attorney General's Office, why are theyre ads even still appearing?

Even though it appears many others are gonna lose 10 or 20 bucks, take satisfaction that at least one of us didnt. Thanks again.

I too have been trying on my mom's behalf to get her money back. She ordered $22. worth of the lavendar plants back on April 10,2004. Her check was cashed over two months ago and still no plants. I'm afraid she is out of her money and has taught me a lesson on trying to help my mom as a senior citizen from being scammed by an unscrupulous business like Spring River Nurseries. However I have sent a complaint to my homestate Attorney General office as well as the Michigan Attorney General office. I am also sending a complaint to the Parade magazine which the ad was placed as well as other publications that I see any ads for Spring River Nurseries. I noticed on this website that the complaints have been coming in steady for over two years so everyone that reads this should be VERY vocal in telling everyone to stay away from this company

I am also feeling scammed. I mailed my credit card info along with their coupon ordering 12 "hardy lavender plants" back in April. Mid-May my account was charged for $22.95. As of today (June 24, 2004), I have not received my plants. I have also called them and left messages. Thus far, I have not heard from them. I contacted my credit card company. They are returning the charges as insufficent and crediting my credit card. I am also going to file complaints with the MI Attorney General's office and US Post Office (and anyone else I can find!).

Like many of you, my mother sent for lavender plants from this company over 2 months ago. Her check has long since been cashed and, of course, she has no plants.

I called today (6/23/04, 7:00am PDT) and left a message on Spring River's voice mail - no doubt they are so busy answering complaint calls I was unable to reach a live body. I advised them I will be reporting the theft to their state Attorney General and the US Post Office if the shipment does not arrive by close of business tomorrow (isn't FedEx great?).

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to report these unscrupulous scum. It helps to know we're not the only ones who were suckered in by their ad. Also - you saved me the delay and expense of having to make a number of non-toll-free phone calls and waiting for a response we’re now sure will never come.

I'll update on Friday if the plants arrive tomorrow!

Add my name to the list of those apparently scammed by Spring River Nurseries. I sent a check on May 12th and have not received any plants. I typed in their name and did a Google search which introduced me to Garden Watchdog. The check for $22.95 would have gotten me a Thank You from the Salvation Army. I will send my complaints to the Michigan Attorney General's Office as well as my local newspaper which sold them the space for their fraudulent ad. It is nice to have this forum to air our complaints but it would be better if we could publish this somewhere with more "visibility to the general public" which could prevent others from having the same bad experience.

I ordered six lavender plants in mid-April with my personal check and the check was cashed ten days later. They were really efficient in cashing checks and making sure they got the money before their customers found out what they really were! Well, the lavender plants I ordered are still no where in sight. I don't think they will ever send me the plants. And by reading through the other comments on the board, I am not looking forward to receiving a bunch of poor growing plants should they decide to send them.
I wish I had looked up Spring River Nursery on the Internet before I ordered...

i guess i am a lucky one.i finally recieved 12 very tiny,but very much alive and healthy looking lavender plants.given everyone else's reviews i do not plan on ordering from them again.

After not recieving the Lavender plants that I ordered I logged on to try and get the phone number for Spring River Nursery. I was shocked to find that many others had not recieved the plants they ordered! I also am out $22.95, my check was cashed 3 weeks ago. I will contact the Michigan Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau to file complaints. And I will use The Garden Watchdog if and when I order plants by mail again, I wish I had known about the site before. Along with many unsatisfied customers I am very angry with the Spring River Nursery!!!!!!!!!

In February, I ordered 12 English Lavender plants which arrived in March. Because my mail does not come until late, I had to wait until the next day to plant them. The plants seemed to do okay at first, but now only 4 plants are still alive. I have tried to call the number listed on the website, but it is disconnected. I have also e-mailed the company, but have had no response. I am extremely displeased with this. All I want is for Spring River Nurseries to compare to their competition and replace the 8 plants that died, but because it is so difficult to get in touch with them, it is likely not to happen! Needless to say, if this problem is not resolved, I will not order from them again, and I will tell everyone I know not to order from this company. It is a shame that this is the way it has to happen, but I really want my plants or my money, and this company is not working iwth me to resolve this issue. However, if the problem is resolved, I would be more than happy to repost, and take back the complaint, but if that does not happen, I will begin telling everyone I know to not order from Spring River Nurseries, and recommend companies like Spring Hill Nurseries and Michigan Bulb, because they stand behind their plants and guarantee the satisfaction of their customers. If only Spring River Nurseries would meet that satisfaction, it would be grand!

Thank You!

On 3/30/2004, we ordered the beautiful "Hardy Lavender" from Spring River Nursery, which had appeared in a newspaper insert from Billings, Montana. Our check was cashed, but no product arrived. The company has not responded to our e-mail requests. We are most certainly disappointed and feel taken advantage of. Glennda, Miles City, Montana