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Comments regarding Santa Rosa Gardens

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  Feedback History and Summary  
388 positives
9 neutrals
7 negatives

Comments:

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RatingAuthorContent
Positive Easttngirly
(1 review)
On Sep 27, 2024, Easttngirly wrote:

Received my first order and was very pleased. Packed nicely and healthy plants.

Positive Mvpmom0920
(1 review)
On Jul 25, 2024, Mvpmom0920 Memphis, TN wrote:

I tried Santa Rosa Gardens for the first time. They were having a great sale. So, I ordered 19 plants and one of the Bargain Boxes. I am very very pleased with my order. Everything was packed well and arrived in tact. The plants are beautiful and healthy looking. I wasn't sure what to expect, but each plant was much larger than expected. I spot checked a few roots to get an idea of the health of the plants. They were all very well rooted.

The Bargain Box was a fun surprise and chance to try some plants that I may not have picked for myself. Again, 13 very healthy beautiful plants. All seem to be right for my zone. I am excited to try some new varieties in my landscape.

Last, but not least, the customer service is top notch! I will certainly be ordering from Santa Rosa Gardens again.

Positive Pinkalicious
(1 review)
On Jul 29, 2023, Pinkalicious Reading, MA wrote:

Wow! I tried Santa Rosa Gardens as it was in the Top 30 list and I was thrilled with the plants I received! Incredibly reasonable pricing for the sale plants, which arrived well boxed and in perfect condition! I am gearing up to establish my first bee hive next spring and wanted to establish more pollinator-friendly plants. Lots of lavender, among other choices. The only thing that I would comment on was the shipping cost, which seemed a bit high, but I am already looking at a second order. Try Santa Rosa—I think that you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Positive DonnaMack
(69 reviews)
On Jul 28, 2022, DonnaMack Elgin, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:

Posted on May 9, 2020, updated July 28, 2022
Posted on March 14, 2019, updated May 9, 2020
Posted on April 27, 2018, updated March 14, 2019
Posted on April 28, 2017, updated April 27, 2018
Posted on June 16, 2016, updated April 28, 2017
Posted on May 18, 2016, updated June 16, 2016
Posted on May 11, 2016, updated May 18, 2016
Posted on May 30, 2015, updated May 11, 2016
Posted on April 25, 2013, updated May 30, 2015
Posted on March 29, 2013, updated April 25, 2013
Posted on March 29, 2013, updated March 29, 2013
I ordered from Santa Rosa based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback, but my personal experience was very disappointing. I ordered two alchemilla mollis from their half price sale last fall, and received very tiny, rather wornout plants. I had to put tags on them so I could find them, they were so tiny. I have been gardening since 1996, so I know how to install plants.I though that I would wait for spring, but they have shown no development at all, so I have ordered plants from another company.

I should add that evry single plant I ordered from other companies, however small, performed for me.


On March 29th, 2013, DonnaMack changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following:

I received a very gracious email from Ms. Jude Groninger of Santa Rosa Gardens. She seemed genuinely concerned, and offered me a ship date of April 22 for the replacement plants.

I am changing my rating to neutral, and if this attention is any indication, I am in hopes of changing my rating to positive.
On April 25th, 2013, DonnaMack changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:

I received replacement plants, plus a gift, and I must say that the alchemilla mollis are amongst the finest I have ever received - beautiful, large, and well packaged. Just excellent.
On May 30th, 2015, DonnaMack added the following:

I must give credit where credit is due. I have ordered several grasses from Santa Rosa this year: calamagrostis acutifolia, calamagrostis brachtitryca, miscanthus 'Morning Light'. All have been excellent.
On May 11th, 2016, DonnaMack added the following:

Wow, A+ this year. I fell in love with dwarf plumbago, ordered six and got these perfect gems. They are so gorgeous, I can't believe they were hauled around the country. I ordered a third calamagrostis bractitryca to go with the two I purchased last year. I don't know how they do it., but they do it very well, and I scan their lists every year for additions to my garden.
On May 18th, 2016, DonnaMack added the following:

I just realized, as I was planting my plumbagos from Santa Rosa, that I paid for six, and got 7!
On June 16th, 2016, DonnaMack added the following:

I have garden clients and some of them rely upon me for plant recommendations and suppliers. Of course, I want to impress them. I needed a trio of geranium biokovo, eragrostis spectabilis and plumbago - nine plants in all. I bought them all at deep discount - my client expressed concern. Won't they be duds?

The plants were all beautiful. The eragrostis was the best I have ever seen - heck, they were better than mine. I was so pleased because it reflects on me, but it also demonstrates the very high quality of the plant material from this company.
On April 28th, 2017, DonnaMack added the following:

Received another beautiful order from Santa Rosa Gardens. Gorgeous alchemilla auslese and lavenders. The lavenders were MUCH bigger than I expected. I saw them in my local, very high quality (and expensive) nursery, and these are better.

But I would like to add how much I appreciated getting an email from Ms.Groninger because my aralia 'Sun King' plants are delayed until May. Unlike another company I recently criticized, she wrote:

We apologize that we were unable to supply your order in its entirety. As we say in the nursery business: "We can grow all of the plants some of the time, some of the plants all of the time, but we can’t grow all of the plants all of the time.” We thank you for your understanding.

Please let us know prior to shipping beginning on Monday if you would like to choose a substitute plant, keep an item on backorder, or if you would prefer to just cancel a part of your order."

That's the way to do it! Of course, I'll wait for two more weeks. And this is why, as a manager of several private gardens, I point my clients to Santa Rosa Gardens. Wonderful plants, service, and in these days - courtesy and consideration.


On April 27th, 2018, DonnaMack added the following:

I have placed more than one order from Santa Rosa Gardens and just received my spectacular Arabis 'Sun King' plants. I trialed them last year and they were excellent, so I had to have two more. They were surprisingly big and glowed with health. I was very pleased.

In addition, Ms. Groninger has come up with white gautheria. I didn't know there was such a plant. It's called 'Peppermint Pearl'. She sent a spectacular trio of plants. I already have the blue and this adds a lovely twist.
On March 14th, 2019, DonnaMack added the following:

Wow!

I ordered 5 coral bells on deep discount. I was a bit concerned because I received notification of delivery today and I am in zone 5a. They came today. They are perfect, and part of the reason is that they were shipped with a heat pack! I have never seen that before.

Bravo Santa Rosa!
On May 9th, 2020, DonnaMack added the following:

Yes, indeed Santa Rosa has changed its model - actually it has done it twice now. A while back they went to plugs only, and in very large quantities. This was not useful to me or many home gardeners. So apparently many were unhappy. I certainly was, because this has become one of my major suppliers.

So they pivoted, and are now sending smaller plants. At 3 for about 9 dollars, I decided to give it a try. The plants are much larger than plugs. I would call them starter plants. They are incredibly nice - I was pleased. Packaged with great care. They could go into the ground, where I would not put plugs.

On the whole I am vert happy, because I can order more smaller plants. I will continue to be an enthusiastic customer.
On July 28th, 2022, DonnaMack added the following:

I have taken advantage of Santa Rosa's end-of-year sales and all I can say is bravo. I have ordered alchemilla mollis plants that were so great that after placing a second order for myself I just ordered 12 for a client. I got verbena Homestead purple. Muhlenbergia Undaunted. And when they were unable to provide me with panicum 'Shenandoah", cheerfully refunded that part of my order and gifted me with a miscanthus and a carex.

The plants don't look like "end of season" plants. They are fresh and beautiful.

I am truly impressed.
Positive RoboTax
(5 reviews)
On Jan 30, 2022, RoboTax Fredericksburg, VA wrote:

I have ordered ornamental grass and coreopsis from Santa Rosa Gardens. The preices were so low I wasn't expecting much. I was wrong. The items were shipped promptly and were in excellent shape.

Positive LucasCatChow
(32 reviews)
On May 7, 2021, LucasCatChow Tulsa, OK wrote:

Posted on June 1, 2020, updated May 7, 2021
Posted on May 7, 2010, updated June 1, 2020
Posted on April 24, 2010, updated May 7, 2010
Posted on June 16, 2007, updated April 24, 2010
I ordered 3 Duranta Erecta 'Cuban Gold' from them in February 2007. Since those plants are not winter hardy here I was hoping that they would be delivered when I asked for them and not earlier. They were delivered exactly on time. All 3 were mature nicely grown plants, not plugs stuck in a larger pot. The foliage was enclosed in nets and not so much as a leaf was out of place . I've never had plants arrive in such absolutely impeccable condition. I will order from them again.


On April 24th, 2010, LucasCatChow changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following:

I've been ordering from them every year for about 3 or 4 years. I always order Duranta Erecta Cuban Gold as it's not available here. This year I was surprised to see that instead of their usual nice 4 inch pots containing fully rooted plants I received plugs stuck into empty peat pots. Thank goodness I was home when they arrived and was able to immediately plant them on into a potting mixture as plugs pulled from their containers with roots exposed wouldn't have lasted very long. I had ordered 3 plants and they sent me 6 plugs, so I placed two plugs per my own 4 inch pots so didn't feel cheated exactly by the quantity they sent. I also received a Scaevola that looked a little rougher then usual, but I trimmed it back and repotted it and it seems to be doing fine as of a few days later. I don't know what happened this year. Perhaps the unusually cold winter weather affected their crop. A note about why non-containerized plugs were being sent would have been nice at the very least. I'm hoping this was just an off year for them.
On May 7th, 2010, LucasCatChow changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:

All companies should have this type of customer service. Apparently they are attentive to anything other then a positive rating on Dave's, as shortly after my neutral rating they e-mailed me offering to help me in any way they could. I re-stated my complaint about receiving plugs but telling them that in the end I was pretty sure things would work out. Just acknowledging my disappointment this year was nice of them, but they went even further by shipping me 3 fully rooted 4 inch pots of Duranta Erecta Cuban Gold. I never asked for them and was pleasantly surprised when they arrived. You gotta love this company. Buy with confidence. I certainly will again.
On June 1st, 2020, LucasCatChow added the following:

This has been a rough spring for more then one mail order company so taking that into account my shipment was also delayed longer then promised by about 2 weeks. However when I notified them by e-mail, they shipped my order out immediately. I ordered one of their 3 pack plugs and was happy with them. They had a nice root system, adequate foliage and were enclosed in a protective individually divided plastic pack. I potted them up and have every hope for success.
On May 7th, 2021, LucasCatChow added the following:

I'll leave the rating a positive one, but it's really more of a neutral disappointment. A few years back they began changing the way they offer plants and last year it was down to ordering 3 packs of the same variety at the very least. This year they are offering only "subscription" plants. I don't quite understand what that entails, except that it means I can't buy individual plants any longer. Unless they go back to the way they were selling, they no longer are of use to me. It was a great ride while it lasted.
Neutral critterologist
(14 reviews)
On Dec 31, 2020, critterologist Frederick, MD (Zone 6b) wrote:

LOVE Santa Rosa! I pulled up their website tonight, since they often have a discount offer at this time.. there are only 2 plants listed. Either their web site is having issues, or something is going on with them. I hope they are all OK.


On Dec 31, 2020, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

"On Jan 1, 2021 10:40 PM, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

Hi critterologist,
We're sorry to see you posted a neutral review of our nursery. Our mail-order plants are still TBD as far as sizing and earliest availability. This year, we are not listing any plants for pre-booking on our website, but will likely only be listing plants online as they are ready and able to ship. I hope this helps answer your question. Thanks and as always happy gardening!"


Positive DavidRupert
(2 reviews)
On Sep 1, 2020, DavidRupert Harrisburg, PA wrote:

Their customer service is the best. I ordered plants in July. In August I called and asked to increase my order. They did so without adding add'l shipping. I emailed them in late August asking if my shipping date could be sooner. They shipped it the next day. The people I speak with and email with are so very nice. They are the very best.

Positive YvonneMal
(14 reviews)
On Jul 11, 2020, YvonneMal Waymart, PA (Zone 5b) wrote:

Posted on June 26, 2020, updated July 11, 2020
3rd order, two of which were made this year. Plug-size plants, only I've been pleased with health and all survived.

3 out of 18 plugs of Lavandula, from another vendor, planted last Fall survived. My goal is to plant sturdier replacements earlier in the year.

Ordered replacements (Order #780939) 5/29th ... cc billed. Same day email advised, "We have scheduled your order to ship the week of 6/15/20." Followed-up with sender 6/21st explaining that I'd like to plant before Fall. 6/26... no response to date.

I'd still like the order filled and received before Fall. If this catches your attention vs the ignored email, I'll change the rating, if allowed, following receipt. Thank you.


On July 11th, 2020, YvonneMal changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following:

Updated to reflect outcome and email communication with company.

My follow-up email was overlooked and I've since received suitable looking plants.

Thank you for your attention to my order as yours is certainly a place from which to purchase healthy plug plants.
Positive CraftsmanJunky
(2 reviews)
On Jul 6, 2020, CraftsmanJunky Portland, OR wrote:

I ordered 12 heuchera from Santa Rosa Gardens in early May. I received them before the end of the month. While they were very small 1.5" plugs when I received them, they looked really healthy and were still moist when they arrived in Oregon. I planted them immediately into 4" pots and then a few weeks later into the garden. They still look healthy and some of them have gotten so large it's hard to believe they were plugs so recently.

Positive pandazankar
(2 reviews)
On Jun 19, 2020, pandazankar Oxford, NY wrote:

I was late buying plants and a lot of what I wanted was sold out. I happened on the Santa Rosa site,they had what I wanted,prices were right and so was shipping. I expected to receive potted plants that I would have to hurry and get in the ground...a problem for me since I injured my back and have to have my husband do it. I was pleasantly surprised to receive plugs...very healthy and I was very impressed with the packaging...nice heavy cardboard separating each plant that was in a small plastic bag. They were just the right size to put in pots...I had the pleasure of getting my hands dirty,the relief of not having to rush to get them planted and they are nicer than larger plants I have received that were much more expensive. I am going to place another order in a couple of weeks.

Neutral AP227
(1 review)
On May 4, 2020, AP227 Brooklyn, NY wrote:

Posted on May 1, 2020, updated May 4, 2020
I placed a $200 order with Santa Rosa gardens a month ago. I received an auto-response that my order was received, and confirmed that same day that my card was charged.
While SRG typically ships to my area in late March, their website notes that their shipping dates would be pushed to late April this year (understandably). In mid-April I posted a question on my SRG account's message board, asking for confirmation that my order would ship during the planting season. I followed up with a call, leaving a message. I began following up more regularly a week later -- online, via email, and via phone. I tried calling again before posting this comment. Still nothing.
I appreciate the extenuating circumstances, but as it stands, I have no way of knowing whether my order will be fulfilled. By now, many of the species that I ordered are out of stock at other online nurseries.
I hope to update this comment in the near future, changing it to Neutral if I hear something, or Positive if beautiful plants arrive before the planting season passes.


On May 4th, 2020, AP227 changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following:

Updating to Neutral now that I've received a response (on this board and via email). For anyone else waiting on an order, I was told that mine would ship this week (to NYC / Zone 7). Looking forward to hopefully changing my review to Positive after the plants arrive.
On May 4, 2020, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

"On May 3, 2020 9:49 AM, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

Thank you for taking the time to comment on your experience. Santa Rosa Gardens has had to deal with some delays in April due to COVID-19 (mainly shortage of supplies for packing), but we have been playing catch-up on orders and are now back to shipping heavily in May. Our sales crew has been working hard to plow through requests and emails and were also playing catch-up, trying to get to as many emails a day as they could. I do apologize for any delay in response time. We're committed to our employees safety - working from home as necessary and trying to staff enough plant care folks to handle the greenhouse demand - but we're equally committed to offering our customers the service and the unique plant selections they have always been accustomed to at Santa Rosa Gardens. Thanks so much for your patience and understanding and as always, happy gardening!"


Negative Bebe919
(1 review)
On May 2, 2020, Bebe919 Raleigh, NC wrote:

Apparently this company has changed it’s model. When I have ordered from them in the past, plants have been shipped promptly and were a generous size ready to plant. This year plants arrived almost six weeks after I placed my order and were just small plugs .... much too small to plant right away. Nothing was labeled. Hence I have no way of identifying those plants for which I ordered multiple varieties. Very disappointing and not worth what I paid.


On May 2, 2020, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

"On May 3, 2020 10:00 AM, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

Thanks for your comments about your order and your plants. Santa Rosa Gardens has had to deal with some delays in April due to COVID-19 (mainly shortage of supplies and labor for packing orders), but we have been playing catch-up on orders and are now back to shipping heavily in May.

If there were any issues with your plants and packaging during April, please do let us know about it as we will do everything we can to correct the problem.

You are correct that Santa Rosa Gardens changed many things about its plant offerings. In the past, we potted up 4" pots and offered a very limited number of available plants for the season. This past year, we expanded our product line and began offering volume purchases in full plug trays at very reasonable per plant pricing. The demand for these trays was very high and we weer able to produce and offer greater volumes of plants in our greenhouse space. As a result of tremendous customer requests, we began to offer our plants in 3-packs as well as full trays for those who can't use that volume of plants, but are still looking for the unique and often hard to find varieties that we grow. These 3-packs are smaller in size than our 4" pots (they vary from 2" to 3.5" plug size, depending on variety), but are priced accordingly and are well below average market price. We do recommend these plants be potted up and grown out prior to direct planting in the landscape. Some customers do direct plant, but in those cases care must be taken to maintain the plants with adequate water as they establish.

We are excited to offer the volume of plants and the wide variety of plants to meet our customers needs. You can find more about our plants at the following link...

[HYPERLINK@santarosagardens.com]

Thanks so much for your patience and understanding and as always, happy gardening!"


Neutral SanJoseFool
(21 reviews)
On Apr 23, 2020, SanJoseFool Canton, GA (Zone 7b) wrote:

Posted on October 20, 2018, updated April 23, 2020
Just ordered 40 plus starter plants to get in a fall planting here in N. GA. Mostly phlox for a slope I want to cover. Plants arrived quickly, well packed, clearly labeled. Tops were tiny but most pots had roots filling out the whole pot. Happy with the order will do another one in the spring.


On April 23rd, 2020, SanJoseFool changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following:

Just received my second order which warrants updating the review. Unfortunately I was quite disappointed. My first order, around 18 months ago the plants were of a larger size in small pots. I noticed this time plants were sold in "3 packs" which I didn't really like but that's not an issue as I realized that when I ordered. I didn't realize how tiny they would be. They are plugs from a 72 ct tray. If I would have known/seen this I wouldn't have put in an order as I wanted to direct plant in ground not have to pot up. The root systems are so tiny. I felt like a sucker when I opened the box and realized I paid 100$ total for it (with a discount code too). I promptly went to the website and if you click on "Our Plants" you get more detail about the size. I never did that and assumed they would be like my prior order. I would rather have had 1 of the old size than 3 of the new. That was the main issue. Another smaller issue was only 2 of the 10 (3 packs) had labels. 8 of 10 had nothing. Some were easy to figure out by the leaves but I ordered two different phlox and coneflower so I didn't know which was which with them because the leaves don't give it away.

To say something positive; good email communication, quick shipping, and good that they are using less plastic/labels, etc.

Sadly I won't be ordering again with this new system.

Positive Hemhostaholic
(30 reviews)
On Aug 4, 2019, Hemhostaholic Kershaw, SC (Zone 8b) wrote:

Ordered 4 Rudbeckia. The plants were all meticulously packaged. The 4 plants are doing well and have flowered, I just received them within the past few days. The added bonus, a coupon to be used on a future purchase! Will definitely be ordering from Santa Rosa again!

Positive lovelyflower001
(2 reviews)
On Jul 5, 2019, lovelyflower001 West Haven, CT wrote:

Placed multiple orders with Santa Rosa. Some plants died, some grows poorly, some grows beautifully. But Santa Rosa always willing to refund the ones that did not perform. Santa Rosa, so far, has been the most excellent online nursery source for me. Highly recommended.

Positive hamptons
(3 reviews)
On Jan 30, 2019, hamptons Watermill, NY wrote:

Plants mostly well packed and in good shape. They have good sales. You’ll pretty much get a healthy plant and not a dehydrated cutting or bulb, like some nurseries try to pass off as “plants.” Only had a problem with one type of plant and it turned out to be a plant that just couldnt survive in good circumstances no matter what. Other than that, I’ve had success with all of their plants.

Positive Jaredc
(6 reviews)
On Sep 15, 2018, Jaredc Portsmouth, NH wrote:

Posted on August 31, 2018, updated September 15, 2018
After reading all the good reviews about santa rosa i decided to give them a try, the prices seemed good and they have a great selection. However, sad to say i was very disappointed.
I recieved my order yesterday nearly a hundred dollars worth of plants, they were very small compared to what i have recieved from other companies. There was also a lot of dirt loose in the box and several of the plants were so root bound that im not sure they will come back, though i gently loosened the roots the best i could. The little joe pye weed i received was all of three leaves i purchased one locally after receiving my order that was ten times the size for the same price and not root bound, though the plants look healthy im not sure i will order from santa rosa again.
Ill have to wait and see if they survive but for now i wish i had spent my money elsewhere.


On September 15th, 2018, Jaredc changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following:

Updating my review of Santa rosa to positive, after contacting them about the plants i recieved they were very willing to work with and replace those that did not do well. Great customer service, looking forward to see how things do next year
Positive grommet
(3 reviews)
On Aug 24, 2018, grommet Largo, FL wrote:

Just received four gaura Whiskers Deep Rose. These were beautifully packed and quite large and healthy. Pleasantly surprised at size of plants for the price.

The soil was a little dry and dispersed a bit in the box...I know these are plants that can withstand drought so not a biggy.

I'll be back and, another bonus, the company is located in my state.

Positive Schwager
(8 reviews)
On Jul 17, 2018, Schwager Pueblo, CO wrote:

Posted on July 19, 2014, updated July 17, 2018
What a delight! I was swayed by the flat shipping and sale prices, but didn't have very high expectations. What I received were reasonably sized plants well packaged. I will certainly purchase here again!


On July 17th, 2018, Schwager added the following:

I continue to be very pleased with SRG. The plant quality and careful packing are perfect!
Positive lilaclily
(36 reviews)
On Jul 11, 2018, lilaclily Lombard, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:

Posted on May 30, 2014, updated July 11, 2018
Posted on July 1, 2013, updated May 30, 2014
I have been ordering plants through the mail for over 15 years, and I cannot believe that I did not discover Santa Rosa Gardens until this year. But I now can't imagine ordering from any other company. I am THAT happy!!

I am overwhelmed by the quality and price offered by this company. I have to admit, I went a little crazy and ordered over 40 perennials. I added to my order several times. Jude was always courteous, knowledgeable, and speedy with her replies. My plants came large and lush and packed with love. Taking them out of the boxes was like Christmas coming early.

It is obvious to me that they deserve their ranking here. I can only echo what mostly everyone else has to say about Santa Rosa Gardens. Thank you for everything!


On May 30th, 2014, lilaclily added the following:

Second year ordering from Santa Rosa and all I can say is - what an outstanding experience from start to finish. Placed an order for 20 perennials and couldn't believe the large, healthy plants I received for the price. Some plants were already blooming with stalks over a foot tall and they survived shipping completely intact with not a leaf disturbed.

Love, love, LOVE Santa Rosa Gardens!
On July 11th, 2018, lilaclily added the following:

Santa Rosa Gardens has a loyal customer FOR LIFE here!

I've neglected to update my rating for a few years, but know that I order from SRG every year and have always been happy. in 2016, I took advantage of their fall clearance sale and went nuts. The plants were shipped in early October, but apparently that was not enough time to get them established in my unpredictable Chicago zone 5 garden. I was devastated the following spring when many of the perennials did not come up. I reached out to Jude, and was floored when she sent replacements - it was a large order and about 70% of the plants did not survive the winter.Two important lessons learned from this experience - the first is do not plant perennials so close to winter here, and the second is SRG truly stands behind their plants!

I've placed four orders so far this spring and summer. Like I said, loyal customer FOR LIFE!
Positive MNWildRose
(2 reviews)
On May 30, 2018, MNWildRose Winona, MN wrote:

I LOVE Santa Rosa Gardens! They send healthy, well-packed plants - and at great prices and offer wonderful sales. I'm now purchasing my 3rd Bargain Box (and a bargain it is!). Can't wait to see what perennials they send this time. Jude and her staff have consistently been helpful and responsive to my questions and requests. They provide exceptional customer service. For online purchase of plants, this is my go-to place to shop!

Positive carolmo
(23 reviews)
On May 24, 2018, carolmo Olathe, KS (Zone 5a) wrote:

Posted on November 2, 2016, updated May 24, 2018
Posted on October 21, 2016, updated November 2, 2016
Posted on October 11, 2012, updated October 21, 2016
Just received 15 sale plants. Wow! Best packaging I have ever seen. Beautiful plants. Received free gaura plant. Will order again.


On October 21st, 2016, carolmo added the following:

10/21/16 Just received 6 more plants from their fall sale - prices unreal - so low. Packaged very well to protect the plants. Picked up a Cantaloupe Echinacea for my daughter who admired the one I already had - it has an opening flower bud on it - wow. Also got for me - 2 plants that I had before but lost - dianthus baths pink, hosta stained glass and 2 new ones - penstemon carillo rose, sedum lime twister. I read their directions, removed paper, removed netting from the bottom, replaced any lost soil, watered them and placed in shade overnight - will plant in tubs tomorrow. Excellent company and great sale prices. Beautiful plants.
On November 2nd, 2016, carolmo added the following:

11/2/16 more plants - all beautiful - some with blooms - great packaging, great prices, fast shipping. This is a great company.
On May 24th, 2018, carolmo added the following:

Ordered more plants. Shipping caused a problem - I asked for one replacement (plant dried out) - got it fast. Great company.
Neutral cwalke
(22 reviews)
On Apr 29, 2018, cwalke Longview, WA (Zone 8b) wrote:

Posted on April 29, 2018, updated April 29, 2018
Posted on April 17, 2017, updated April 29, 2018
Posted on April 17, 2017, updated April 17, 2017
Posted on October 17, 2011, updated April 17, 2017
Posted on October 17, 2011, updated October 17, 2011
Posted on October 3, 2011, updated October 17, 2011
I ordered several echinaceas and some grasses from Santa Rosa last month and they arrived healthy and larger than expected for mail order. Packed well. I was very pleased with this company and feel more hopeful that these late season plants will get through their first winter.


On October 17th, 2011, cwalke added the following:

17 October Well, I can't seem to stay off Santa Rosa's website...I've made 2 more orders since the first one. This nursery has an excellent selection of native plants and especially grasses, of which I'm quite fond. Sale prices are excellent and plants are good sized and healthy. This is my new favorite online nursery:)
On October 17th, 2011, cwalke added the following:

17 October Well, I can't seem to stay off Santa Rosa's website...I've made 2 more orders since the first one. This nursery has an excellent selection of native plants and especially grasses, of which I'm quite fond. Sale prices are excellent and plants are good sized and healthy. This is my new favorite online nursery:)
On April 17th, 2017, cwalke changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following:

I have ordered from SRG for several years now. This last order (this spring) however, was somewhat disappointing. As some others have mentioned recently, the plants that arrived were mostly out of their pots with dirt falling all around the box. They have also started using some new fabric type wrap rather than the net bags to protect the plants but I found this new product a hassle to remove from the pots. Finally the plants themselves were markedly smaller than those I have become accustomed to receiving from Santa Rosa and were sort of smashed down by shipping or packing or something. I have planted all of them after giving them a day or two to recover.
My last order, made last fall was also a bit on the small and weakly side but I decided that, given the great experiences I've had with Santa Rosa, one adverse experience wasn't that bad. I still feel that way but I do hope that they will maintain the standards that have made them such a popular company.
On April 17th, 2017, cwalke changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:


On April 29th, 2018, cwalke changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following:

this spring I decided to order from SRG again. On my order I included a note that some of the plants I'd ordered recently had been pretty puny and that I hoped this order would be good. I received two healthy penstemon and four scraggly creeping phlox that were barely mere sprigs, with iffy roots. I have planted these and know that they will eventually come around but not for a couple growing seasons, which is disappointing. I grow a lot of this type of phlox so I know how to plant them and keep them alive but if I didn't, they would probably be doomed.
Even though I like this nursery and most of the plants have been fine, I don't feel as confident in their plants as I used to
On April 29th, 2018, cwalke added the following:

sorry...I said I received penstemon but they were agastache
Positive Mid12nt
(16 reviews)
On Apr 5, 2018, Mid12nt Stone Mountain, GA wrote:

Posted on June 18, 2017, updated April 5, 2018
2017 was my first year ordering from Santa Rosa Gardens, and it was a very positive experience. I definitely plan on buying from them again. The prices were reasonable, the selection great, and all the plants I ordered (mostly ornamental grasses) arrived in fantastic shape. I am a very happy customer.


On April 5th, 2018, Mid12nt added the following:

April 2018, I just received my carefully packaged order of various plants, all in great health and ready for planting tomorrow. I am so glad I found this nursery, I have been very pleased with the selection and pricing. I love my Ruby Ribbons grass I purchased last year, it is doing well and already starting to sprout.
Positive KrautThistle
(5 reviews)
On Dec 22, 2017, KrautThistle Levittown, NY (Zone 7a) wrote:

Posted on May 26, 2017, updated December 22, 2017
After happening upon the Santa Rosa Gardens website and reading the positive reviews on DG here, decided to put an order in for some plants. Received my order on the 19th and waited a week before commenting here in order to give the plants extra time to recover lest I react prematurely. Well the week has passed and where do I begin? For starers, I'm usually not one to complain about finding soil in a shipping box, plants being a bit out of sorts, yellowing leaves, or minor broken stems as these things do happen at times. It shouldn't, but it does. Such is the nature of shipping live plants - but there is a big difference between damages related to shipping and damages that occur due to poor growing conditions or improper handling. Some plants can take the abuse and bounce back, others not so much. It is up to the recipient to be an educated consumer/gardener and to act accordingly.

The most pressing and obvious issues with my order were brought immediately to SRG attention in an email (I prefer email over phone when dealing with situations as such for legal purposes) and after 3 days of filing my complaint, they graciously gave me a refund for the 2 plants I complained about, no questions asked. Also, although the above ground portions of many of the plants I ordered were in very rough shape, most of their root systems were healthy and extensive, with the exception of the ones I will elaborate upon below...

To start, the box my plants arrived in showed no outward damage. Kudos for that. Upon opening said box was a different story. The first thing I noticed was the soil all over the inside. Not an issue for me, but I will mention it since other posters here have also said it happened to them. In my case, almost every plant was missing soil, some more than others, even though each plant was carefully wrapped in special netting. Kind of a shock since SRG prides itself on its special packaging for each plant which is supposed to minimize such. Unwrapped each plant to discover a few of them had been jostled out of their pots leaving some of their roots exposed as well as broken stems and torn leaves. Not good, but the stems and leaves on said plants will grow back in time and I was able to get to the exposed roots before they desiccated. The sedum I received as a free gift from SRG after 2 of the plants in my order were out of stock was completely mangled, with almost all of its soil thrown out of its pot and most of its stems and leaves broken off. And yes, this plant was also wrapped in this special netting which obviously did nothing to protect it. Very disappointing but I have not bothered to file a complaint with SRG about the sedum being it was free and therefore not sure I should but again, it bears mentioning just the same. Like most people, I appreciate the kind gesture of a free gift, but if that gift arrives mangled and unusable, how is that a gift to the recipient?

All of the plants in my order had been grossly overwatered, to the point where one of them, the Japanese Forest Grass, were showing visible signs of root rot right out of the box. The entire bottom portion of the grass is brown and mushy. Not sure it even has a chance of surviving. This I did file a complaint with SRG about as SRG requests on all orders. The Musa Basjoo plant they sent me is completely crooked to one side! Wish I could post pictures. There is no way this crook was something that happened due to its being packaged and shipped during its 3 day transit from SRG to my home. This was an issue going on with this plant since it was a pup being the crook started low on the corm where the new pseudostem emerges, not higher up on the plant as would be evident in a plant that was packaged incorrectly. In this same order was an impressively sized baby Ensete Maurelli which is also crooked, but not as severely as the Basjoo. Not a big deal on the Ensete, but the Basjoo's crook is so bad the plant is now forever compromised and will not be able to properly support itself without splitting at some point should it reach maturity. Obviously the individual(s) responsible for growing these musa did not take care of them properly to ensure they weren't overcrowded & received proper light. Had they done so, these musa would not have grown crooked from the start. The fact that SRG thought it was appropriate to send me these crooked plants to begin with, not to mention sending a plant like the Japanese Forest Grass that had obvious signs of root rot prior to shipping, is disconcerting. This is something that was going on with these plants while under SRG's care as it is physically impossible for such to happen within a shipping span of 3 days unless the plants were in poor condition to begin with. What I found especially disheartening is the fact I did not even receive an apology from anyone from SRG for this incident. Being a first time customer, I am not happy at all and am loathe to recommend SRG to anyone looking for plants. In over 40 years of gardening, I have never received plants in such sloppy condition. I've ordered from numerous places over the years, with bigger orders and larger plants traveling longer distances, and have never experienced anything quite like this. What a huge disappointment. I was so hoping to be a repeat customer of SRG since they do have a nice variety of plants and excellent prices but after this ordeal do not feel comfortable nor confident enough to bother again.


On December 22nd, 2017, KrautThistle changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:

After having the entire summer to grow out the plants I had received this year from SRG, I thought it would be prudent to come back here & leave a new review on how they faired. Despite the initial setbacks upon their arrival, I was pleasantly surprised to see how well these plants acclimated themselves & later on grew into lovely, healthy specimens. The most spectacular was the Pennisetum "First Knight" which grew from a small plug into this massive 5' tall shimmery deep violet-black mound of gorgeousness. It became one of the focal points in my front yard & every one who passed by stopped to inquire about it. That free baby sedum I received mangled in the box turned out to be quite a little champion once I planted what I could salvage of it & the little thing situated itself within 2 wks. Got some lovely magenta blooms on it too this summer which was exciting. The baby Giant White Calla grew into a magnificent plant & I even got a bloom the first year. The Musa Basjoo & Japanese Forest Grass were a loss but SRG did indeed reimburse me for them. The rest of the plants in my order all survived & grew well enough where I can say I am satisfied with my experience with Santa Rosa Gardens, thus I felt the need to change my rating from neutral to positive. I am still unhappy about the condition I received these plants in but they did survive & grew on to become worthy of mention. I still have all of them too, overwintering in my house until winter passes. Would I order from SRG again? Yes, I feel they deserve another chance.
Neutral Tangerin
(7 reviews)
On Oct 26, 2017, Tangerin Fremont, CA wrote:

I learnt about this company from Dave's garden and ordered from them after seeing some many good reviews. My own experience, however, was mixed.

Pros: they ships very promptly. All plants are correctly shipped. Their prices are very attractive especially when on sale.

Cons: Among the 3 hellebores, only one had decent root system. The other two are on the smaller side but seemed to be ok. The Lewisia is really not good. When I repotted it I noticed that its roots still keep the size and shape of the 1 inch plug. Seems like it had not rooted in the 3 inch pot at all. And the leaves are super small. Not sure whether it will survive.

And the thing I really want to complain about was that they seemed to cut back the hellebores before shipping. I can see each one of them used to have at least 3 leaves. But when I received them, each one only had one leaf which didn't look healthy. For some slow growing plants like the hellebores, this is not a good way to treat them. And since they use huge boxes for shipping, they really don't need to do this.

Positive ncbill
(11 reviews)
On Oct 16, 2017, ncbill West Jefferson, NC wrote:

I have had very good experiences ordering from Santa Rosa. I found them because of Watchdog, and I have not been disappointed.

I've received (lots and lots of) very healthy plants, nice sized and very well packed. Customer service is stellar. Amazing. Personal. Thorough. Astonishing, really. Most plants include a very nice marker. The Santa Rosa emails are not annoying, and they often include coupon codes for substantial discounts. The selection is very good, with standard selections and quite a few things that aren't so easy to find.

Now, being really picky....

It is true that their shipments are messy. They use a planting medium that is looser than other vendors who do a better job with packing, and oftentimes the plants I have received have not been shipped damp/moist enough. Shipping is very quick, so I can only assume that the plants just aren't (consistently) adequately watered before shipping. Another vendor who does a better job with packing, adds a small plastic bag -loosely- twisted around the plant stem/s, to contain the pot and its contents. The "messy" aspect of unpacking the order (while irritating, I will agree with the other complainers) is less a concern to me, than the fact that sometimes the plant is completely out of its pot, dry and wilted. A similar small aggravation...the boxes Santa Rosa uses for most of the orders I have received, have hand cut-outs for easy handling and (I am guessing) for some ventilation. Almost always, the hand slots are covered with tape, making the slots useless for carrying, and eliminating (or nearly so) any possible ventilation.

So, Santa Rosa, like everything else, not perfect. However, with some imperfections, still an A+ vendor and highly recommended.

Negative esanita
(17 reviews)
On Sep 19, 2017, esanita Tyaskin, MD (Zone 7a) wrote:

Posted on April 23, 2015, updated September 19, 2017
I couldn't decide between neutral and negative. Today I received my first order from SR. The plants are great (large, healthy), and SR's prices are very good. The packaging, however, is the worst I've ever seen. Out of the 8 plants delivered, only 2 were still securely in their pots. The 3 agapanthus were all dumped out of their pots, with roots exposed. Another 3 had enough dirt dumped out that, while they were still in their pots, their roots were showing. The net sock over the plants does nothing to contain the soil. I don't know if I will order from them again.


On September 19th, 2017, esanita added the following:

I didn't take my own advice and ordered from them again. I ordered pennistum 'plugs'. Instead of the small 'plug' plants I expected, I got large plants stuffed info tiny pots. The roots were so bound, they looked like coconut coir. Couldn't even water them.

SRG plants generally look like they were some other grower's leftovers -- mostly overgrown, root-bound, etc. Maybe this is why they can offer such low prices.

People have been complaining about their packaging for years and nothing has changed. Their customer service is top-notch. However, their plants and packaging are not -- order elsewhere.
On Sep 19, 2017, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

"On Apr 30, 2015 6:55 AM, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

Thank you for providing us with feedback. We do appreciate hearing back from customers regardless of the good news or bad.

If you look at comments from most of our customers, I think you'll find that we (1) work very hard to develop packing methods that are effective and secure (2) back them up with quick and responsive service to any issue.

With 3rd party shipping, there is one certainty: some boxes will take what we like to call 'abnormal treatment' during transit. It takes some doing to knock the plants loose from our wrapping method, but if that happens, the box and plants will likely become a mess. Fortunately, that does not occur often.

If you notified sales of the issue, I am sure that you were told that we would gladly replace any damaged plants. If you did not notify sales, I urge you to make that contact. We stand behind our products, even during the shipping process. Thank you."


Positive clematisclem
(1 review)
On Jul 13, 2017, clematisclem Ypsilanti, MI wrote:

Santa Rosa Gardens, you have a new loyal customer! I've ordered many plants from a good number of companies over the years. Your shipment may have been the best of all. The Purple Love Grass and pink muhly grass I ordered from your was meticulously, neatly packed with safety for the plant being the first consideration. The plants were green and in good condition. The shipment included clear, helpful directions for easing the plants' transition to their new home. You took pains to secure each one of my grasses in its own little net bag and snug cardboard space. All he way from Florida to Michigan, arriving in great condition!

Your website is clear and informative as well. I have to say, you've blown me out of the water with your attractive, easy-to-use website, your excellent plants and your very careful and mindful shipping. You can bet your liatris aspera I will be ordering more excellent plants from your company! THANK YOU for your top-notch plants and practices! Hooray for Santa Rosa Gardens! --Laura B.

Positive dcmay
(1 review)
On Jun 17, 2017, dcmay Greenwich, CT wrote:

An excellent online nursery ... large selection of perennials, succulents, houseplants and more. Fair pricing and healthy plants. Expedite and helpful responses from customer service... I am a very happy customer!

Positive 67gt500
(4 reviews)
On Jun 15, 2017, 67gt500 Federal Heights, CO wrote:

I purchased a Banana tree from Santa Rosa gardens ( Ensete Maurelii ) plant arrived well packaged and in very health shape. Great service. I will buy from them again.🌱

Positive jenmulvey
(2 reviews)
On May 28, 2017, jenmulvey Blauvelt, NY wrote:

My order arrived yesterday. Santa Rosa Gardens did a wonderful job wrapping and packing all of the plants. I've never seen anything arrive so perfectly! I've ordered from numerous places and try to stick to Connecticut as closer. The plants are hanging out on the deck and I'm going to start planting now.

Note, they have the new white Peacock White phlox that Fine Gardening raved about? David phlox may be a "proven winner" but bombs in my beds 3 times and gave up on it.

I had additional questions about location for 2 of the plants in my order and received a prompt response over Memorial Day weekend?!! Santa Rosa rocks!

5*****++

Neutral linuxbob
(5 reviews)
On May 27, 2017, linuxbob Wichita, KS wrote:

In March of this year I ordered a dozen Echinacea plants for April shipping. My order shipped as expected and arrived on time. I have ordered from SRG every year for several years and to give credit where it's due, they've always treated me well. However, their packaging leaves a LOT to be desired. As another reviewer stated, SRG uses a mesh netting around each plant which does nothing to prevent the potting mix from coming out during shipping even though each plant is wrapped in paper too. All of my plants had lost a good amount of soil and many had broken leaves. A few had lost so much soil that the plant was almost completely out of the pot. 4 plants were in such poor condition that I requested and received replacement plants. Even then one of the replacement plants quality was in very poor shape that I asked for and received a refund. If that wasn't enough, half of the original plants root system was way under developed and probably shouldn't have been sold for at least several more weeks. Previous year's orders have also been missing soil and had broken stems but at least the plants had better root systems and could survive the rough handling compared to this year's plants. I suggested that they look into different packaging methods. It's not likely that they will change because I made that suggestion in previous years and they still use the same material and method. I'm giving this review a neutral rating since SRG customer service is among the best. I will continue to order from them knowing that if I have a problem I can count on them to make it right.

Positive pugetblooms
(6 reviews)
On May 17, 2017, pugetblooms Port Orchard, WA wrote:

Santa Rosa Gardens was great to work with. I originally got overexcited and ordered two bargain boxes, one perennial and one shade, and two other plants but quickly remembered that I need to prep our shade garden area before ordering shade plants. I emailed them and woke up the next day to a response and confirmation of cancelling the order for the shade garden box and a timeline of when to expect my plants. As promised, they arrived on time and we immediately opened the box. Everything was as snug as could be, healthy, with established root systems potted in rich moist soil. The only complaint about packaging is that we ordered an Elephant Ears plant that was taller than the box used that was forced in there so one of the two leaves were broken and had to be pruned away. Other than that, it was quick and easy to work with them and they had a lot of varieties that we were looking for. Oh yeah! We're in Washington State and the plants were STILL moist even though they came all the way from Florida!

Neutral Bigfeet
(4 reviews)
On May 1, 2017, Bigfeet Tullahoma, TN (Zone 7a) wrote:

Ordering online was easy, shipping was reasonably quick. I emailed them prior to ordering, apparently they have a distribution center in Denver (not open to public), but my plants were shipped from Florida.
Plants arrived healthy looking, in tiny pots and pruned to a few stems about 2" wide and 12-14" tall. I would have preferred to get short, bushy plants with large root mass..
About 75% of the plants, all hardy to my climate, are alive almost a year later. There are still 2-3 I am uncertain make it. I called SRG about the dead plants, and they happily gave me a store credit that is about 50 cents more than the shipping cost, so pretty pointless.
I would not recommend SRG unless you are local to them in Florida.

Positive blondedonna12
(3 reviews)
On Apr 24, 2017, blondedonna12 Jacksonville, NC wrote:

I have ordered from this company several times in the past, and I've always been happy with how the company carefully packages each and every plant you order from them. If you have a plant that ends up not surviving the growing season, just contact customer service and they will easily send a replacement without a hassle. I unfortunately had to do that once, but it wasn't because the plant was bad, it was more I think because I had planted in an area that the flowers weren't suitable for. Santa Rosa's prices and sales are honestly some of the best I have seen online. They sometimes offer deals, and plant selections, that are far better than what can be found at your local Lowe's or Walmart stores. I highly recommend people try this company!!!

Positive ChrissieY
(1 review)
On Apr 19, 2017, ChrissieY Cary, NC wrote:

Posted on April 15, 2017, updated April 19, 2017
Posted on April 10, 2017, updated April 15, 2017
I recently moved to NC and am a novice on gardening so this comment may not have the best wordings and viewpoints. Now that I get the disclaimer out of the way, here's my review on Santa Rosa Gardens:

Their service on the ease of ordering and communication were good. The price and selections were good. What made me go ahead and ordered a bunch of plants from them was actually the vast positive reviews from various comments. However I am giving them "Neutral" because so,e of my plants arrived looking sad. I received a shipping notification on Tuesday and received the order on Friday (FL to NC, I thought it would be quicker than that on Fedex.) Almost all the plants were loose even though the were wrapped/sleeved individually - lots of soil were detached so the plants were loose in the pot. I planted them all on the same day and hoping they will pick up. 

Well, today is Day 3 (Monday) and more than 10 plants were looking happier than Friday including 4 Heucheras. Sadly there are still a few plants that weren't returning to their healthy state. Interestingly the weeping ones are those one of the pair I ordered - I purchased 2 Ascot Rainbow, 2 Baptisia (blue false indigo), 2 violet creeping Phlox, 2 Lamium Beacon Silver, and 1 of each mentioned pairs appear to remain wilting since Friday. I do find it strange as I planted each pair at the same area next to each other (same amount of water/sun/air... etc.).

Although I was disappointed at the packing and the few wilting plants, the rest of the plants do seem to adapt without issues so far. Anyway, I am keeping my fingers crossed and will allow another 4 days hoping they will all be happy in my garden eventually. I will update the review after that.


On April 15th, 2017, ChrissieY added the following:

04/15/2017 update: it's now been a week and one of Ascot Rainbow is pretty much dead, although the other Ascot Rainbow has picked up and looking well. 2 Baptisia - blue false indigo, remain standing although still not looking the happiest but there's hope. The rest of the order (15 plants) are looking good. I have contacted the sales as suggested by their representative and am waiting for their response. Hope to have the next update with good news to report.
On April 19th, 2017, ChrissieY changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:

03/19/2017 update: SRG has responded and offered solutions on the wilting plants. I found them very easy and pleasant to deal with and consequently I have ordered a few more plants knowing I will be satisfied with their products and service. I will recommend and continue to order from SRG of those I couldn't find in the local nurseries.
On Apr 19, 2017, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

"On Apr 10, 2017 5:37 PM, Santa Rosa Gardens responded with:

Thank you for your feedback and comments. Our apologies for the poor shipping that occurred with your order. Please know that the condition of your plants arrival is not the normal for Santa Rosa Gardens. Please give sales a call and we can note the problem and help you with any plant issues that arise. We guarantee all of our plants and stand behind their performance, so we hope that we can win your trust back!"


Positive plumtree11
(2 reviews)
On Mar 27, 2017, plumtree11 Basking Ridge, NJ wrote:

Received my hellebores; very happy with the purchase. Big healthy plants at great prices, safely packaged, shipped as scheduled.
Will order again!

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