Comments regarding Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com)

I am an incompetant when it comes to plants.....really, this is my first year planting anything of value. I was so interested in Springhill because it had some intriguing varieties and had the selection I was looking for. I ordered high and low bush blueberries, honeybush (two varieties), black beauty elderberry and some plant pills (I have 11 plants as of today). After I competed my order I started to hear about this page with so many negative comments and really started to panic before the plants even arrived. My mil in law passed away the week before most of the plants arrived and I held them off as long as I could, honestly thinking they would amount to nothing anyway so why put too much effort into them. Well, I planted them as soon as I could in anything but ideal weather (cold at night and sometimes below freezing), dry conditions etc. I have three kids and an 80 lbs dog that roam out in the yard and they aren't very careful. These plants have amazed me. They looked pathetic when they arrived and I doubted several of them even after they had been planted for many weeks. One cherry tree sprout looked dead for several weeks and I thought that would be the start of the die off I hear about on this page. But I kept watering it faithfully, even when my teenage daughter rolled her eyes at me. Lo and behold, the cherry tree has several new leaves on it this week and looks vigorious enough to survive. I am so pleasantly surprised. Now, to be critical, my elderberry looks unlike the black beauty that I know I ordered (the leaves look lighter in color) so that might still be a disapointment. I am still waiting on one variety of honeybush and I hope they make it here before it gets to late because I understand that I need two for cross pollination in the following years. But, overall I am very happy with my purchase and my fears were unfounded. I do not know how to garden but I do know that everything they sent me grew. Miraculous! Let's hope winter is kind around here. :-)

"On Jul 9, 2012 1:34 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for sharing your experience with our company. If you have any problems with any plant just let us know and we will reship it to you, we have a lifetime guarantee."

This spring I placed a few separate orders with Spring Hill. The first was for 3 Maypops, one of which appeared to be nearly dead. I promptly took photos and emailed them to customer service. Within a week I received one more Maypop, which was in worse condition and appeared to have some kind of infestation. Again I emailed a photo and explanation and soon received a replacement plant. It didn't look great, either, and I sent a photo and told them not to send another, and I said I appreciated their good customer service. The next day I received a reply saying they would refund me for that plant (though I haven't seen that post to my credit card yet).
I also ordered 5 different daylilies and a few tiger lilies, all of which are growing well. Since none of the plants have bloomed yet, it remains to be seen whether I received the specific plants I ordered.
Last year my experience with a different company was that none of the 5 plants I ordered were what I bloomed. I'm hoping for a better result with Spring Hill.

"On Jun 15, 2012 11:01 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for your posting. We appreciate your feedback and if you have any problems at all just let us know and we will be happy to take care of it for you."

A few of my plants arrived damaged. Most survived and are doing well--one died. I emailed customer service, and recieved a response within two hours that they would replace the plant. All the emails from this company were polite.

"On Jun 1, 2012 1:53 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you, we do our best to provide world class customer service. We are always here to help!"

I purchased a rare Hot Papaya Coneflower from Spring Hill Nursery. It was during one of their spring sales and I got it for a great price. Their USPS Priority Mail shipping was very reasonable.

The plant arrived beautiful and healthy. It's growing vigorously for me. I'll order from them again for sure. It's so much easier than running around to all the local nurseries and hardware stores trying to find what I really want.

"On Jun 1, 2012 1:51 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

We appreciate you sharing your experience. Enjoy your coneflower."

Posted on May 12, 2012, updated May 12, 2012
This is the first year I tried shipped plants. I have decided to try several nurseries. So far I am neutral in regards to the Spring Hill, leaning toward positive. My mums (10 pieces) arrived in a a horrible shape. I told them about it on facebook. They said to give them some time and if they die, they will replace them.. Unfortunately only three (out of 10) survived. Also, the poppy anemone never showed any growth. I asked for a replacement of the mums and exchange for a different plant (same price) for anemone since it seems none of the consumers seem to have had any growth on anemone.
On the flip side, the lilac, astible bag (6 pieces) and the lilies (3 bulbs) are doing great. They show plenty of lively growth. It seems that my astibles will bloom this year (it its their first year).
I hope my items will be replaced and arrive in a good condition. I also hope that they will not die. I am convinced the mums died because of the condition in which they arrived. If all goes well, i will change my feedback to positive. I cannot complain about the quality of plants other than those that died.

Posted on May 3, 2012, updated May 7, 2012
I have ordered from this company satisfactorily for a few years, but just had a strange experience with them and haven't decided yet if I've been scammed or not. I ordered a number of items from them, including a repeat order for a 'Rhapsody in Blue' rose. I was notified that part of my order was shipping, including the aforementioned item, and it arrived today. Though the item was listed on the carton, not only was it not there, there wasn't room in the carton for another item that size. Though I can easily imagine a loser of a shipping clerk deliberately omitting an item after lamely pulling a too-small carton, the associated and incriminating odd fact is that this item has disappeared from the web site, and even looking up its item number '86609' yields nothing, so I have to wonder what gives. A call to customer service resulted in my being told that the rose would be rescheduled to ship next spring, so I am just plain unhappy as well as skeptical right now.

"On May 4, 2012 9:43 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

We appreciate your post. One of our customer service representative will contact you for your account information and check on what happened with your rose.

"

Posted on April 20, 2012, updated May 4, 2012
I ordered 2 reblooming lilacs, an arctic fire dogwood, and a dwarf weeping redbud. I was terrified after reading the reviews here. But they shipped before their estimated time, were well packaged, and were in good shape. The lilacs were active and even had flower buds. The redbud was dormant and barefooted but in great shape and a surprising size - 2.5 ft at least. Admiditly, I hoped the dogwood would be bigger. But I got what I expected really. Price was good, I think at about 75 including shipping.

"On Apr 21, 2012 12:49 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Wonderful to hear, thank you for sharing!"

Admittedly, finding this web site AFTER I had just purchased from Spring Hill made me nervous, but in reality, there was not much to be nervous about since most businesses that we shop at, whether visible or not, have legitimate and exaggerated complaints about the service and product. With their written return policy which seems pretty lenient, I was comfortable with my purchases.

I got my package yesterday and was happy to see everything nicely packaged and in good condition - the roots seemed great and everything looked free of visible disease/rot! I got those plants in the ground within hours, and I am excited to see their progress!

In my area, I do have access to plenty of quality nurseries, many of which have the same plants that Spring Hill has, but I actually got a better deal from Spring Hill, which was what prompted me to buy from them for the first time. If the price is right, I will certainly do business with them again.

It's silly to think that the nursery is only about a 3 - 4 hour drive, and that the package arrived within 3 days (1 day held over at UPS, then USPS), but that is the sacrifice for doorstep delivery.

I am satisfied with everything thus far - it's up to me now to make sure the roots take. And if problems arise, and I do need assistance, I am confident that I will receive the help that is promised.

"On May 4, 2012 9:37 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for sharing. We are always eager and ready to help with anything just let us know. Happy Gardening!"

I ordered 4 plants from Springhill. They arrived in less than a month and in good condition. The aster plant was almost 9 inches tall. The three daylilies were bareroot, but each had at least an inch of green growth on them. I planted them over a week ago and they look good.

"On May 3, 2012 11:41 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for your feedback about our company. Enjoy your plants."

So far so good. I placed what I considered a fairly large order(36 plants) and some bulbs and bare root items. I had order two items from Springhill before and did not have any problems with shipping time or the products. So I placed a second larger order on 20 April 2012 praying for the same if not better service and product. I recieved the partial shipment today, 1 May 2012. The remaining items (2) are still in route, and (2) are scheduled to ship the end of the month...according to Ellis a customer service rep, and an email. I must say that I had GREAT concerns after I placed my order, and then reading the negative experiences from others. My plants are healthy looking, packed/shipped well, and headed to thier new homes. I am amazed and surprised at the sizes. I have ordered from another company and paid alot more and got less plant!. My experience thus far has been nothing but wounderful.

"On May 3, 2012 11:30 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

We appreciate you sharing your experience with your company. Thank you and happy gardening!"

Posted on March 27, 2012, updated April 28, 2012
I have been a long time customer of SHN. I have their Freedom Roses and their miniature roses which are doing really well over 8 years now. My hostas are thriving and comes back year after year for over 6 years now and others plants and bulbs that just really good and reliable.

My problem was from my last order. I ordered and was shipped the reblooming lilac and the garden grab bag last June 2011. The bulbs I received was below the expectations I have for a SHN bulbs. They were smaller than usual and was packed loosely with the reblooming lilac which in turn broke the twig in half. Surprisingly though, the lilac which I thought won't survive, is actually doing well. But none of the bulbs survived.

I have contacted SHN via email over a month ago but didn't get any response from them. Very disappointed .

"On Mar 27, 2012 2:03 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for your posting. We will have a customer service representative contact you for your account information and take care of this for you."

Posted on April 26, 2012, updated April 26, 2012
I sent Email Actualy 3 emails To Michigan bulb About a Black Rasberry I recieved At same time As Yours Arrived. It was a replacement Also.1 Has Died Same As Yours Did. Recieved Email same day From you And Just today recieved Plants. Very Fast Service.But I have heard Nothing From Michigan Bulb.Thank You Very Much.
GOD BLESS Joe

"On May 1, 2012 12:51 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for posting. Your black raspberry plant from Michigan Bulb is also being reshipped. Happy Gardening!"

I decided to try out Spring Hill in February 2012 when I received a catalog with a half off coupon in the mail. This is the first mail-order nursery I have ever purchased from and I wasn't sure what to expect, but figured I'd take my chances with prices being so low. I ordered some asiatic lilly bulbs, 3 of the Peaches n' Dreams hollyhocks, 6 roses, and the zebra grass. I was pleasantly surprised when my order arrived! Everything was sent in one shipment in early March (a perfect time for my area considering the unseasonably warm temps) and packaged to my satisfaction. I unpacked and watered everything and left them sitting by my kitchen window for a couple days before I got around to planting them. So far everything has been growing wonderfully! Especially the zebra grass, which has shot up atleast a foot (in full sun) since planting in late March. The only thing I've noticed is the instructions for the hollyhock say to plant in full sun. I had 2 planted in full sun and 1 in partial shade (about 4-5hours of sun/day). After noticing the one in partial shade looking a little happier than the others I decided to move my sunny hollyhocks to a little shadier location. That was about 2 weeks ago and since then they have taken off! Then again, the soil in my yard varies so greatly it easily could have had something to do with that.

I'm a happy customer, and I will definitely be ordering from Spring Hill again!

"On Apr 21, 2012 1:00 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for posting and sharing your experience with our company. "

Always a positive rating for SpringHill. Been ordering from them for years and will continue to do so for years to come.
Two years ago, I ordered two of their Incrediball Hydrangeas. They arrived healthy babies. Only one 5 - 6 inch branch per plant. I planted them, fertilized...sometimes, and in less than a month they had tripled in size. They bloomed that year. The blooms last year were exactly as advertised. Twelve inches, or more across! This year...I cannot describe how huge these two plants are. Probably over 4 feet high and three feet wide. Cannot wait for bloom time this year. Amazing as usual!
Their guarantee is not to be beat. Ordered a burning hearts dicentra last year that died. Replaced immediately, currently in the ground, and even though we are having hard frosts this week it's growing beatuifully. This even after staying in the fridge for over a week before planting.
I still say, those people who want these bareroot and 5 inch pot baby plants to perform, in the first year, the same as a garden stores 1 gallon pot need to just stick to the garden stores. But I guarantee, after a few years, my baby plant will be performing as well, if not better!
Thanks SpringHill!

"On Apr 21, 2012 12:48 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for sharing you experience with our company. You should post some pictures or send them to us, we would love to see. Happy Gardening!"

Posted on March 28, 2012, updated April 5, 2012
What does Spring Hill do when a plant on their website nets a series of negative reviews? Simple! Clean the slate and start from scratch! Case in point: the Primrose Lilac Bushes. If you google this plant and Spring Hill, it will return a result for 17 out of 17 negatives. Today, the plant on Spring Hill's site doesn't reflect ANY reviews.

Okay, now my complaint. 18 months ago I received three of the tiniest little Beauty of Moscow Lilacs one could imagine. One bush was literally a single twig with three leaves on it. The second was not much better. The third and best of the lot actually had two canes and was a whopping 7" tall. I planted the lilacs, and to my surprise they survived. This is the second spring after planting them in October of 2010, and these sorry plants don't look much different.

I had emailed Spring Hill when I received them, and inquired about how to care for them, since I was worried about their diminutive stature. It was more like they sent me plant "cultures." I got no response.

I was vacillating between a neutral and negative review for Spring Hill since the lilacs actually lived. But I planted two of the same variety of lilac two years prior from my local nursery for just a few bucks more per plant. They are each well over 5 feet tall, and they flowered the same season that I bought them. They are planted in the same soil, with the same exposure as the Spring Hill lilacs which have been such a deep disappointment. Not to mention Spring Hill neglected to respond to my email.

I WANT TO LIKE Spring Hill--their website and catalogues offer many plants and bulbs I'd really like to own. As Spring Hill noted in a response to one of the reviews here, it is easier to post the negative, and fewer people are motivated to post positive experiences. But when there is an overwhelming percentage of negatives vs. positives-- AND when compared to other vendors' ratings, so many more negatives and fewer positives, well, I think that says something.

I'd love it if Spring Hill could pull it together. I'd be willing to give them another try if they can guarantee me that they wouldn't send this type of garbage again. And I'm not asking for replacements--I've grown attached to my sickly specimens. I like a challenge, and with a bit of TLC am determined to grow my lilacs into mature, beautiful plants. Right now they look like Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree.

"On Apr 4, 2012 11:25 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for your posting and sharing your thoughts about our company. We apologize that what you received was not in good condition. I will be happy to pass your comments onto our quality department to help improve the quality of our plants."

Shipping is incredibly slow and staggered- frustrating when you're trying to fill many beds at once (new home and re-landscaping) The condition of the plants is mostly excellent. Out of the 30 or so plants I've ordered 4 arrived in terrible condition.

The grasses and creeping thyme were completely dried out but I planted them to give them a chance. It's been about 2 weeks and am losing hope for my diamond grass- very disappointing. I cannot say anything about customer service as I have not gone that route, yet. If the plants don't make it I will call and then update here the results.

Due to the nature of mail-order plants... I can't give them a neutral because of a few failures. I'd like to rate theme somewhere between positive and neutral because of slow, slow, slow shipping.

"On Apr 4, 2012 12:00 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for posting. Please let us know if the plants you mentioned do not survive. We will be happy to reship them to you, just let us know. Happy Gardening!"

Posted on March 17, 2012, updated March 28, 2012
Posted on March 13, 2012, updated March 17, 2012
Posted on February 27, 2012, updated March 13, 2012
The plants are mostly OK. Some do better than others for me (as expected); the only minor issue has been flower color. The "Red, White & Blue" Monarda was really more pink, white, and purple, and the "Red Hot Poker" (Kniphofia) I was sent had yellow flowers, but the plants are fine other than that. The first year I ordered from Spring Hill, the verbena was DOA, and I got a quick refund on that. But most of that plants have done very well and are nice additions to my landscaping.

The reason for my negative rating is the order I placed last spring. It took a week to get to me, instead of the usual three days, and it was shipped during unusually hot weather. When I received the shipment, the plants appeared to have been pretty well cooked. I took care of them right away, and gave them a month to see if they would show any sign of life, then contacted customer service. I was told to wait a few more weeks. After a total of four months, the plants were still quite dead; I again contacted customer service, and was told that I would be issued a refund. Five months after that, and no refund yet. I contacted customer service again, and no reply for the past week.

I guess if you are lucky and don't need any special service, Spring Hill is OK. I can't recomment them, though.

"On Feb 27, 2012 11:46 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate hearing from our customers so that we can better improve in areas that affect our customer negatively. A customer service representative will contact your for your account information and check on your refund.

This company is Marquis when it comes to excellent products and service after the sale!

"On Apr 4, 2012 10:58 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you, we appreciate you posting this!"

YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT A TRY AND BUY otherwise you'll never know! They sell plants you cannot find anywhere else except ebay.
I purchased last year for first time. I live in zone 6. Some died, some die not. I attribute that to the zone. A LOT MORE of my ebay plants died than Springhill's! That is GOOD.

My black hollyhock did not flower, just grew lots of huge leaves; I don't know why nor do I care. I am not an EXPERT gardner. Maybe it takes a year or two. It will be huge when it does! :)
My lone surviving lavendar plant lasted all winter, albeit a mild one, and STILL SMELLS GREAT.

I didn't bother or know of lifetime guarantee. Nor did I care. I'll pay more attention this year. I'm raising a special needs child alone, don't have time to worry!

One plant I ordered was out and I received a refund much later via check. I never followed up so it's on me. They refunded without me having to do anything.
Since I never followed up, I did not know why I did not receive until I got the check and it was printed on there, I think. Again, no big deal.
I was pleased with my refund and pleased with the plants that lived. When you live in a place that is HOT and DRY like St. Louis, you never know what will live and what will die!

All my plants ARRIVED ALIVE, placed on porch in shade. I'm going to order now, hope they are not OUT of what I want. My fault for taking two weeks to decide. I want the giant blackberries in the fall.

Happy Gardening everyone.

"On Mar 27, 2012 1:25 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for sharing your experience with our company. We definately value you as a customer. Happy Gardening to you!"

I have ordered many plants from Spring Hill. Some live and some die. Last summer I ordered the Cascadia Petunias for my pots and was overwhelmed at the size that the plants reached and how hardy they were. It was a very dry summer and I don't water a lot but the flowers kept coming until frost.

"On Feb 15, 2012 11:24 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for your feedback about our company. The petunias sound like they were beautiful."

Disappointing to see the volume of negatives, since I've only had good experiences with them. First order was almost 2 years ago, a weeping pussy willow, and it looks great and is going strong. Also ordered a bunch of other assorted plants (ferns, zebra grass, a handful of other things) and most have done very well. The ferns I ordered were hit by a heavy freeze just after I got them and planted them and kind of looked dead after that, so I emailed to see if they had any recommendations on what to do or if they might still come back (I didn't ask for replacements, just wondered if an expert could give me an idea of whether they were toast or not). They sent me replacements right away, which are doing wonderfully now. I have a Colonade Apple which has yet to do much but it did get leaves on it this past year; I've been moving it around the yard in its container trying to find a spot it'll be happy in, but that's got more to do with our yard than the plant, which looks perfectly healthy. I've had bad luck with zebra grass, but I'm trying a few more this year. The zebra grasses I've received have all looked good, not mushy or icky, but I think I must be doing something wrong with them. All the other specimens I've received have be awesome, some slightly smaller than I might have expected but they'll look great in a year or two. Just ordered again for spring and looking forward to when they arrive.

"On Feb 15, 2012 1:06 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

We appreciate your feedback and you as a customer. Please let us know if you have any problems and we will be happy to replace anything that does not do well for you."

Placed a smallish order with them early this Spring for a passionflower collection (contained 3 pots -- two hardy, one tropical), the burgundy painted fern, and a dicentra "burning hearts", as I had a coupon (as does everyone) and I thought these were a good value.

All 3 were shipped separately, and this is where it gets confusing. The fern came when they said and it's nearly tripled in size and doing beautifully. The hearts came next, bagged as bare-root, and it was DOA. The passionflowers weren't to be delivered till the summer. When they did arrive, they were all healthy and are now doing well. I emailed them about the hearts and they set up a re-ship for the fall, when they'd have more. Well, it's now the fall, and it was re-shipped to, unfortunately, the wrong address. They re-shipped again after I mentioned this, as FedEx proved useless. I now finally have it in my hands and it's looking good. It just took a long time to get here.

I am overall happy with the product and the price, and I am amazed by the degree to which they stand by their products and guarantee delivery. To a degree that perhaps other smaller nurseries can't. However, they are very slow to answer email; I think they could stand to hire another few staff for managing orders, because as of now it seems as if they're victims of their own success.

"On Oct 5, 2011 9:11 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate hearing from our customers, good or bad, to help us provide better plants and service to our customers. If we can be of further assistance just let us know. Your suggestion of more agents in email will be sent to the appropriate department."

Some of the plants didn't survive the winter. After sending an email stating which plants didn't make it, they promptly sent replacements w/o any questions. Very pleased with the warranty.

"On Sep 27, 2011 2:30 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you very much for your nice review. We do pride ourselves on taking care of our customers."

I have ordered flowers, roses, shrubs, grasses, you- name- it, from Spring Hill Nursery Since 1990! It is my favorite mail order catalog!! I have ordered thousands of dollars worth from them. I have ALWAYS been pleased with their services.. They have always replaced the items that needed to be replaced. It is an enjoyable challenge to see if I can get the ones that don't look so well from shipping, to thrive. Also, I have always been pleased with the shipping timing , as it is usually the best time, according to the weather. I have never had problems getting items replaced as needed and there have been several through the years. I have lived in different places and their plants will usually thrive for me. I am always so excited to see the new Catalogs come in and I sit and look at them for hours planning, picturing certain things in my yard and deciding what I want to get. In all those years, I do not recall any negative issues with the plants or the people working there. I have called and asked lots of general questions about gardening and have always had polite and helpful people. I do recommend Spring Hill Nursery, Breck's, and Iris Lovers. Thank you, Spring Hill and assoc.!!!

"On Sep 23, 2011 3:51 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you so much for your wonderful testimonial. We really appreciate your feedback. Happy Gardening to you.
"

I have been ordering from Spring Hill and their affiliates (Gurney's, Brecks) for over ten years with generally positive results. This year, however, my order arrived in mid-March. As I live 1 mile from the Canadian boarder, by mid-March I still have a foot of snow on the ground. I called customer service, and reported that although everything looked great out of the package, I was uncertain if I could keep these plants, particularly the roses, alive on a windowsill until I could transfer them to the garden. They apologized and sent me a five dollar coupon towards my next order.

I now must retract my initial complaint. Not only did the plants survive in a window for several weeks, they have thrived. Several of these plants are so now so big they look as if they have been there for years--without any fertilizer!

I placed three orders with spring hill this spring- hydrangeas, butterfly bush and an assortment. All arrived safely, and were moist. All lived except 2 I forgot about in my garage. Hardly there fault. I would shop with them again.

"On Jul 26, 2011 4:33 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We offer a lifetime guarantee on our plants. A customer service representative will contact you for your account information and reship the plants to you."

Ordered because someone told me about the free grab bag being offered. I ordered a mini rose bush for about 5 bucks and shipping was around 7.50. I became concerened after i ordered because a visit to the website later that day showed that the rose bush would not be shipped until spring of 2012. However my status said it would be arriving a few weeks later, so i decided to let it be and lo and behold, recieved an email a few days later that my rose bush had shipped (the grab bag had not)

When the rose bush arrived, spring hill recieved a very irate email from me. The box was severely damaged and smashed and unfortunately the plant also was as well. I planted it, but dont think it will grow. I also was annoyed that the grab bag ship date just kept getting pushed back. I asked for a replacement and when my grab bag will be shippped.

I received an email back in less than 24 hours, complete with an apology, a new order number, and $0.00 charge for my rose bush replacement. My grab bag I was told would be shipped within a few days and it was (scheduled to arrive on 6/25 now). The replacement rose bush will not be shipped now until next spring, which i understand as it is past their shipping window now.

I'm dissappointed that my order didnt ship as quick as it originally said, and the severly damaged packaging, but i'm giving a positive review based on their willingness to correct the problem. Excited to see whats in my grab bag when it gets here!

"On Jun 23, 2011 10:37 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for sharing your experience with our company. We do our best to ship in a timely manor but when dealing with live plants sometimes the timing of the shipments can be out of our control. We always want to make sure we send nice, healthy plants to our customers."

Posted on June 16, 2011, updated June 17, 2011
Posted on June 16, 2011, updated June 16, 2011
Posted on June 16, 2011, updated June 16, 2011
Posted on June 16, 2011, updated June 16, 2011
Posted on June 14, 2011, updated June 16, 2011
Dear Kenneth,

Thank you for your email. Please understand that our company is based on 100% Customer Service. We are trained and qualified to answer any questions you may have or assist you with any problems that may arise. Please accept our apology for any inconvenience we may have caused you, and we ask that you consider giving us one more opportunity to provide you with world class service.

Currently the item(s) are on backorder, and we are unable to provide an estimated ship date. Please check back and we'll be happy to look at your order again. We appreciate your patience in this matter. Please let us know if you would like to cancel your order.

If we can be of further assistance please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Glen
Customer Service

After ordering this shipment on May 1, 2011 for 3 of their collection of passiflora's I have waited. Around the expected shipping date being leary of this service I wrote asking on a shipping date stating that I will be gone some days and a more specific shipping window would be appreciated. I recieved some bot response stating 100% satisfaction and thought I would give them a couple more weeks. Now we are at 6/14/2011 and was just informed that the shipment is backordered and no further data on it or will it even ship. Well I have walked past several plants at local nurseries thinking I have alot coming soon and I will work with those plants just be patient. I will give a company their shipping windows but when they don't provide it's just a let down. I say don't put yourself through it and support a local nursery.

"On Jun 15, 2011 1:02 PM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

We apologize for the delay in your order. A customer service representative will be contacting you for your account information and check on the status of your order for you."

I wanted you to know that for the past few years I have been a very satisfied customer of Spring Hill! I continue to brag to all my friends and family how pleased I am with your products and service! I look forward to getting my shipment tomorrow I cant wait to see the items in the grab bag.....

Keep up the great product offerings and superior customer service!!

"On Jun 14, 2011 9:42 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you. We appreciate you letting us know that our products and service have been very satisfactory for you. We always want out customers to be happy with our business. "

Ive seen a few of there catalogs and the prices are awesome! Found an add in a flyer for the Josee lilacs for $5 and $1.95 shipping, held on to it for sometime. Checked this site on there ratings and was kinda scared to order from them. The price won over since I've really been wanting the Josees for a long time ordered 4 and a primrose lilac (yellow flowers). I thought for sure that I wouldnt be getting them till fall so when i seen my estimated shipping was early June to mid June I was excited! less then a week later I recived an email letting me know they were shipped, my lilacs shipped in one box with each lilac in little boxes, inside pots covered with plastic and a rubber band all were at least a foot tall, already had leaves and very healthly roots. Im definitely
ordering from them again! 5 lilacs for under $40 is awesome! LOVE them!

"On Jun 2, 2011 10:15 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. We always want our customers to be happy and satisfied with our plants and service. We look forward to your future orders."

ordered from them twice now, the first time i only order a few coz i want to test the water before i fully splurge on spending a lot like i did in jackson and perkins (not happy with them at all) the first order works like a charm so i ordered again, it has a few issues coz 2 are dried and not sprouting at all and the 3 others are not healthy looking even after giving them extra "loving". wrote them this morning and got a response tonight informing me that they are sending a replacement for the 5 items. i know the 2 will arrive next year but still, i am very satisfied on how they handle my concerns and in a very quick manner too.
all in all i am a VERY VERY satisfied customer. their CS is the best i have - they did more than i asked for (their staff name ashley helped me so much, i also add them on my fb page to give my support to their company). i am spreading the word on how wonderful spring hill nursery is.

"On May 30, 2011 10:14 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We do pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service and are here to assist you, anytime, with all your gardening needs."

Posted on May 16, 2011, updated May 21, 2011
I have placed quite a few orders with Springhill at the end of April. My husband and I purchased a home and had just finished getting work done on our backyard so I am excited to get some plants on the ground. I have to admit I am a newbie where gardening is concerned and had been reading some gardening magazines to help me out.

I decided to order from Springhill as I got enticed by the large variety of plants they offered as compared to what the nurseries have in our locale. I was also reading some positive reviews, and though there are quite a few of the negatives, I decided to take a chance. I set myself infront of the pc and ashamed as I am to admit, I went crazy with the mouse and spent a few hundred dollars. I have gotten the first batch of orders about 12 days later, which were two kinds of peonies and 10 starlight express lilies. I planted the two peony roots in two large containers and am delighted to say that one of them sprouted overnight and as of today, they are both sprouting very nicely! My other plants came in pots, and I was pretty sad to find some of their leaves dried and crinkled, as well as part of the branches. It may have been caused by the long transit, or poor handling, or just plain unhealthy plants, who knows. More of my plants came in at the end of last week, and though two or three of them seem healthy, a majority of them had been a repeat of an old story: dried, crinkled or yellowing leaves, and dry stems. I did not wish to stress myself out by being angry, which, I probably should be after spending almost 500 dollars on plants I would not see any beauty of in a year or two, and not even sure, judging by the state that they are in now, are going to live under my inexperienced thumb! I was told by the customer rep that my plants should still be alive and should be looking better in four weeks. So I just did the best I can with them, hoping that they would turn out as nice as Ive seen them in the pictures. I have another large order coming in by the later part of this week and Im praying that they don't look worse than their predecessors. And as far as the last couple batches of my orders, they keep getting pushed back in delivery date, but was assured by a customer rep that in the event that they die if I am not around to recieve them (as I explained to a customer rep several times I am leaving for an unexpected trip on the 26th) that they will be replaced free of charge. Ireally would rather not have to do this, as I would prefer a good initial experience with Springhill. I don't know what Springhill can do in the future so the plants will get to people in better condition, but this should be a priority for them if they want to win someone's patronage. So as for now, I am neutral and will update when my other orders come and when my plants turn out better.

"On May 17, 2011 9:51 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for sharing your experience with our company. We will have a customer service representative contact you for your account information and check on the delivery time for the rest of your order."

Posted on May 12, 2011, updated May 14, 2011
Let me first say that all of the plants that I have received from Springhill have been of the highest quality. I have had very few plants die, and most of them are growing quite nicely. For that reason, and that reason alone, I have given this company a nuetral rating instead of a negative rating.

Customer service-wise, Springhill is about as difficult to work with as the cable company, and waiting for shipping on their products is just as unpredictable as waiting for the cable guy.

I had ordered several hundred dollars worth of plants from this company in mid-march. I realiize that some items sell out quickly, so I wanted to get my order in early. Some of the plants shipped almost immediately. I kept checking the website for updated shipping dates on the rest of my items. The estimsted ship date kept getting pushed back. By April the ship date had been pushed back to August. I was never alerted to the change in ship date by email or by phone. The only way to tell that a shipping date has changed is to log into their website. Since I knew that the plants I had ordered would not survive if planted in August, I finally called the company. The rep I spoke to said that the items I ordered were out of stock and would not be shipping this year. I tried to be understanding- I understand that if the plants don't exist they can't be shipped to me. However, I was pretty upset with the poor communication that the company provided. I should have been alerted that my order wasnt coming and been given the option to refund. I'm not in the business of giving out interest free loans. The fact that this company was willing to just sit on the money I had gave them and provide nothing in return really irked me. Needless to say, I canceled the rest of my order and received a refund (which was actually a fairly easy process).

I still had a huge, prepared flower bed ready for plants, but nothing put there. So, I placed an order with Michigan Bulb, not realizing that they were they same company (my own stupidity there). So, I ran into the exact same problem again. I called to speak with a rep at Michigan Bulb, and they were incredbly vague and unhelpful. and gave me very little information on whether or not my order would ship this year or not, and offered no explanation.

So, here I am with a large empty flower bed in the front of our house- since March! It's a complete eyesore. Sigh.

The bottom line is that this company provides quality plants at a good price, but is really only good for buying a plant or two here and there that you don't have any real timeline or schedule for when you'd like to get them in the ground. The custumer sercvice is sub-par, and shipping is highly unpredictable. It's unlikely that I'll order from either Springhill or Michigan Bulb again.

"On May 12, 2011 7:54 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for your feedback. We apologize for the problems you had with your order. We would be happy to check into your order for you. A customer service representative will be contacting you for your account information."

I have ordered from Spring Hill often in the past and received my last order about 2 weeks ago. Here's the bad- takes a little longer than most other companies to ship your order, plants are in transit a little too long. Here's the good- great selection of plants I cannot get locally, never had a plant die, and I've ordered many.
Overall I'm satisfied with Spring Hill and will order from them again.

"On May 13, 2011 10:21 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Happy Gardening to you and we very much appreciate your positive feedback. Thank you."

I ordered from Spring Hill during a sale, and I thought I ordered enough to take advantage of their $25 off sale, somehow I didn't, and I emailed them to correct it - they could send me two of the flowers I thought I ordered two of, or just credit me. They responded that they couldn't change my order, but to let them know when it arrived and they would issue me a credit for the amount of the discount. I did contact them and I had a check in the mail within about a week. The plants arrived in very good condition, I was pleased with that. They might be small for the price, I probably could have done better locally, but you can't always find what you like locally. I will give them a cautious Positive for making it right.

"On May 13, 2011 10:19 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for your feedback. Just know we do stand behind our plants and if for any reason they do not do well for you we do offer a lifetime guarantee for as long as you garden."

I have purchased from Sping Hill many times over the last 9 years and have always received my plants in a timely manner and in good condition. The one time my plants failed to come back the following year, I contacted Spring Hill and they were replaced promptly.

I suspect that folks who have problems with the coupons and sales haven't read all the info or perhaps have missed the expiration date, as I have never had a problem with these deductions when I order on line. You have to meet the stated criteria before the discounts kick in. If there is an actual glitch, phone contact usually helps. If not satisfied with your customer service rep, ask for a supervisor.

"On May 11, 2011 11:03 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. We will always take care of our customers. Happy Gardening!"

Very happy with my first order, lavender starter plants and a Buddleia arrived carefully packed, fresh and healthy. They offer great discounts and promotions too and email notifications are very helpful. Will definitely order from them again for my next project.

"On May 11, 2011 11:07 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

We are happy to hear that you are very satisfied with your order and appreciate you sharring. Happy Gardening to you!"

the best company i ever dealt with. they r true to their lifetime warranty, i ordered 2 orders of mixed magic roses, it contained 10 plants, 2 of them broke their heads of on the way, I e-mailed them informing them and asking the procedure and the next thing i know my plants were on the way again after just 4 days without asking me for any explanation. I was so impressed that i placed 2 more orders with them. I understand that sometimes delays can happen in the busiest seasons but their plants are really nice, their warrenty is better than any local or online nursery and that gives me a lots of peace of mind and by the way all the plants i received from them are looking and growing very nicely within 20 days they r showing very good signs of growth. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERYONE WHO BUYS ONLINE PLANTS SHOULD BUY FROM Spinghill Nursery,

THEY R THE BEST

"On May 11, 2011 11:09 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

Thank you for your wonderful testimonial. We appreciate you sharing your experience with us."

I have ordered from Spring Hill Nurseries since last year. Their plants arrived in very good condition. Their customer service has been top rated with me. They go above and beyond what is expected from any company. They make sure you receive what you ordered and in good condition. You get more than a good deal for your money.

"On May 11, 2011 11:11 AM, Spring Hill Nursery (aka SpringHillNursery.com) responded with:

We do our best to provide world class customer service and quality plants. Thank you for posting your experience with our company. "