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Comments regarding Direct Gardening

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  Feedback History and Summary  
177 positives
56 neutrals
502 negatives

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RatingAuthorContent
Negative DaveE1948
(1 review)
On Jun 13, 2021, DaveE1948 Westford, MA wrote:

The absolute worst experience I've ever had with a mail order nursery. Dry and dead plants basically just thrown into a plastic mailing bag. They sent an extra plant I did not order, and of course charged me for it.
The only living plant I received was not what I ordered. I ordered a Gunnera and got a hosta.
Do not do business with these people.

Negative dedres
(1 review)
On Apr 26, 2021, dedres Placerville, CA wrote:

These guys simply take your money for nothing. They take orders all right but don't ship for months! Last year I waited for nearly 2 months to get the plants I ordered and eventually they arrive completely dry and dead. When I called them they promised to replace them if they don't survive. OK, I planted them. That was a mistake. I should instantly ship them back for the refund. But you don't really see many hypers like that in the States. So. Of course all the dry stuff remained dead. Not a single seed sprouted! This year, early, in the Feb I called them but this time they requested me to send them a paper mail with the replacement request.
I did that. Now, TWO months later, they still sent nothing, they have no idea when they will ship it and they keep promising that if it arrives dead they will replace it.
Bottom line - they are a plain SCAM.

Negative EastOhio
(2 reviews)
On Apr 2, 2021, EastOhio Newcomerstown, OH wrote:

It’s a scam!
Made the mistake of ordering from both Direct Gardening and Burgess. Neither companies order ever shipped. The customer service phone number is hard to get through, always busy. Once you get through they say they can’t do anything for you, and no way to contact a manager. They can not cancel your order, must be done by email they say. Only way I found to get Money back is by disputing charges with credit card company.

We need to file complaints to protect other gardeners!

Please file an easy online complaint here on Illinois Attorney General’s website. It was easy. Still waiting on a response but I think if everyone does it it may make a difference.

[HYPERLINK@ccformsubmission.ilattorneygeneral.net]




Negative LarryLeeee
(1 review)
On Mar 22, 2021, LarryLeeee Antioch, CA wrote:

They seem to have plants no one else offers. Shopping and buying is easy enough. They suck in providing any information beyond taking your money over the internet. They never provide shipping or tracking information. Can't plan your garden's plantings when you don't know when the plant's going to be shipped. Best to try sellers with etsy.com who provide follow-up customer service.

Negative crowre
(1 review)
On Oct 22, 2020, crowre Irmo, SC wrote:

This company SUX!! There is nothing else to say. Their customer service is crappy and their plants arrive dead. Run away fast!!

Negative egondu
(1 review)
On Oct 14, 2020, egondu Evans, GA wrote:

I called this company twice on different days, and the attitude of both 'customer service' reps was pretty much the same! When I asked a ballpark time when product could be shipped, after the two week processing and billing window, both reps were as vague as possible, they would definitely bill me within two weeks (why should that take so long, I don't know), but shipping time was like being on a rollercoaster, neither one wanted to give any sort of a window! Good thing I found this website, and all the negatives about direct gardening, thank you Dave's Garden!

Negative omg_wth
(1 review)
On Oct 5, 2020, omg_wth Creedmoor, NC wrote:

If you have already fallen for this scam, I'd suggest taking another step:
[HYPERLINK@www.usa.gov]

Wish there was a way to give negative stars. I spent over $273. Was promised 4 free/promotional items (hyacinths, hydrangea, tulips, and iris) - never got those. The birch I purchased was dead on arrival, the 15 gardenias I ordered (I only got 13) were very very young, unsure if they will survive, and the chocolate vines were sent in a propagation bulb and also very young. The roots were sad, weak, and not sure they will survive either.
I sent 6 emails to customer service. When they finally replied they said I could return them IF AND ONLY IF I returned them (I had to pay shipping) with the ORIGINAL shipping label. They claimed that the ORIGINAL shipping label was the ONLY thing that had all of my info for a return.

Email quoted below:
___________________________________________________________________
We are sorry to hear of the problem you have had with your items.

Our guarantee is as follows:

If any item you purchased from us does not live, for a FREE REPLACEMENT or CREDIT to be used toward your next order with us, just MAIL THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL from the outside of the package along with a written request within 1 year of receipt. Replacement guarantee is VOID unless the original shipping label is returned.

The original label contains all of the necessary information needed to efficiently process your adjustment and acts as a sales receipt. Please include a full explanation of the problem and items by name and quantity in your written request.

For a refund rather than replacement -- simply return the merchandise together with the ORIGINAL shipping label, with correct postage affixed, within 14-days of receipt. Please also include a brief letter of explanation, so we will know your wishes when the package is returned.

**********************************************

Once we have received your original shipping labels we do keep them on file for the duration of the 1 year replacement guarantee. If any of the remaining items listed on the labels should happen to die within the one year guarantee you would simply need to let us know.

Thank you,
Customer Care
___________________________________________________________________

When I told them I did not keep my ORIGINAL label and had no reason to, as that was never mentioned in the ordering process or the packing slip. I responded that I did not have the label and asked, again, where the promotional items were, as they never shipped.

Email quoted below:
___________________________________________________________________
We are sorry to hear that you are unable to return the original shipping labels. The guarantee is VOID unless the original shipping label is returned.

However, we are willing to make a single exception and send a replacement order if you will send us a copy of your canceled check or charge card statement as proof of purchase. You will need to send this information by mail. Please include a letter that states you no longer have the shipping label and are therefore sending the proof of purchase in its place. Also include a full list, by item and quantity, of what item(s) need to be replaced. This is a single exception and applies only to nursery stock and not replacement orders.

Thank you,
Customer Care
___________________________________________________________________

I emailed yet again and told them that this was an absurd process and asked AGAIN where the promotional items were.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY on this company! They couldn't care less about the plants, their customers, or satisfaction. In fact, if you have already fallen for this scam, I'd suggest taking another step:
[HYPERLINK@www.usa.gov]

Negative Zoltan_NJ
(1 review)
On Sep 30, 2020, Zoltan_NJ wrote:

Be as concise and complete as possible:
I try:
It is a scam.

Negative myshadowlady
(1 review)
On Sep 27, 2020, myshadowlady Cleveland, OH wrote:

My first order was placed in June of this year. I ordered 2 mock oranges, 3 torch lilies and 3 butterfly bushes.. I didn't receive my order until more than 6 weeks later and then I only received a partial order. The packing slip stated it was a partial order because they did not ship the Butterfly Bushes (but did say why) and replaced the Mock Oranges I purchased with 2 Hydrangeas. I still have not received the Butterfly Bushes. There has been absolutely NO communication from Direct Gardening explaining the changes or why I did not get the Butterfly Bushes. No emails..no calls, no order status updates...Nothing. . So I sent them and email and I called them.

The Hydrangeas and Torch Lilies are doing well so I am not complaining about the products. It's their customer service. The "Voice" on the ender of the call was polite...friendly even. She checked my order and stated it was being processed... after 8 weeks I was told my order is still being processed but should ship early September. I still do not have them. I learned the number I called is actually a Call Center not the company.

Foolishly I placed another order End of August which I again I have not yet received.. I called and sent emails again regarding my first and latest orders. Again I was told my order is in processing, and it could take up to 2-4 weeks for the order to be processed. Then I was told once processed, my order will be scheduled for shipping based on weather and availability.

Well...it's been more then 8 weeks since my last order and m almost 3 weeks since my last order. How do they not know product availability...why does it take so long to process? Weather conditions? I live in NE Ohio...it's fall. Optimum planting time for the plants I ordered. I don't get it.

As I stated earlier..no communications...no updates. Nothing. I will not purchase from this company again

Negative FrankShelly
(1 review)
On Aug 25, 2020, FrankShelly Chesapeake, VA wrote:

Not worth any savings. This company cannot provide service like other online nurseries can. As many other customers have experienced, the order process time is too long by today’s standards. They will ship plants regardless of heat index, therefore their plants arrive damaged and lack value. My 2020 season experience with them was an early May order, canceled due to payment issue, re-order received no special consideration, waited through another long proceeding interval, arrived late July pretty much dead (all branches were lost) but revivable, now with the first flower the plant has the wrong color blooms. With the reports of poor customer service my hopes of compensation are low

Negative monarchlady8
(1 review)
On Aug 16, 2020, monarchlady8 Uniontown, OH wrote:

Wished I would have reviewed this company before buying from them. Hope I can stop someone else for purchasing from them. I paid $29 for 2 clematis. I received them and all they were two 1/4" sticks with very little root on them. Since they were so small I decided to plant them inside because I felt they were too small to make it outside. I felt this was the best way to get them a good start. I wrote to the company to tell them how disappointed I was in these plants for the money. Never heard anything for them. 4 months later and they are still 1/4" tall sticks with no green at all on them.

Negative Strever
(10 reviews)
On Aug 12, 2020, Strever Hiouchi, CA (Zone 8b) wrote:

Posted on July 29, 2020, updated August 12, 2020
ordered 4/16 received the dry nothings 2 months later
they said return all original shipping labels which i did 6/28
and haven't heard from them since

i should have checked here B4 i ordered
but they did have something i couldn't find elsewhere


On August 12th, 2020, Strever added the following:

they notified me plants were being replaced the day after i posted the negative here and 2 weeks later the replacement showed up as dead as the first shipment
they do not grow their own plants or they would know how to ship -
Negative Gigi1122
(1 review)
On Aug 4, 2020, Gigi1122 Port Washington, NY wrote:

Such disappointing service and overall experience!!! I placed an order in late March for some climbing roses. They didn't arrive to me until the end of June and this after multiple emails inquiring as to my order! On top of the very long delay, they didn't send me the roses I wanted and decided to send a random replacement that wasn't even a climbing rose. They also accidentally sent me 2 orders of raspberry bushes and REFUSED to refund me the double charge unless I personally paid for return shipping to have one sent back to them. Typically when a company makes a mistake, they eat the cost of at least the shipping (let alone the fact that I have to inconvenience myself by going to the post office during coronavirus). Their customer support is useless! They won't answer their phones and each email takes multiple days to respond to. I asked to speak to the manager and they gave me an address to send a letter to them there. Are you kidding me?!? I understand a lot of companies have suffered during the pandemic, but I have used growjoy, michigan bulb and eden brothers during this time and have had WONDERFUL experiences with all of them. The shipping was very quick and their customer service was great. I am so disappointed I wasted my time and money dealing with direct gardening! If you're looking for plants, try one of the other sites I recommended. Even if it costs slightly more, I strongly believe it is worth dealing with someone that cares how their customers feel about them.

Negative Cribbydoodad
(1 review)
On Aug 2, 2020, Cribbydoodad Pittsburgh, PA wrote:

As if you need more warning, avoid this website.

I made the mistake of ordering a bunch of stuff in June before I knew anything about this list or that I should even be wary of online plant sellers. The website has a red print bulletin about Covid 19-related delays and says to not expect anything to be processed for a few weeks. When I didn’t even even get an email verifying my order was being processed after 7 weeks, I got concerned. I found this list and all of the negative reviews and then noticed that the website says it is very difficult to cancel an order once placed. So I emailed them just to ask if any updates and very strangely, I got a tracking number less than 24 hours later and the plants showed up 2 days after that. If anyone has been waiting a long time with no update, I suggest sending them a friendly inquiry because it seemed to work like magic for me. However, what showed up was a $100 assortment of plants in a plastic mailing bag the size of a throw pillow. I was surprised as I have never recieved potted plants in a bag like this. I opened and everything was destroyed, dried up (it had been 90 plus degrees all week) strewn about, soil everywhere. The freebies were all missing and substituted with an envelope of cantaloupe seeds LOL. I decided to be a good sport and try to nurse everything thinking you never know! But no, dead as a doornail. Tried scatching the woody stems of the climbing hydrangeas to see if any green but everything is hopelessly dried up and dead. I planted everything in pots of good, rich soil and gave TLC and nothing. So I sent the label back with instructions to replace everything (but please do not send in a bag) and I’ve heard nothing. I guess I will wait and email them in a few weeks but I have a bad feeling I will have to contest this with paypal or Amex. I documented everything and suggest you do the same just in case. BTW, I refuse to pack this crap up and pay to ship it back to them (their policy for a full refund). I’m done spending any money on their behalf.

Negative ksgardengirl2
(1 review)
On Jul 26, 2020, ksgardengirl2 Manhattan, KS wrote:

I knew better than to order from this company but they had a plant I wanted so I made the mistake of ordering.

They shipped the plants in the dog days of summer. Plants were either "plug sized" or dried up little wisps of bare roots. The plants were dried to a crisp. Never order from them.

Negative Magnoliatn04
(1 review)
On Jul 24, 2020, Magnoliatn04 Cleveland, TN wrote:

Posted on July 23, 2020, updated July 24, 2020
When I placed my order, I was told it would arrive in two weeks. Sadly it was two months. I subsequently refused the order as the cooler time for planting had passed. Now I am trying to get my $42.60 refund. That was at the end of May; it is now the end of July.

I will NEVER order from Direct Gardening again!!!


On July 24th, 2020, Magnoliatn04 added the following:

7/24/31 Direct Gardening is saying they did not receive my return package. I am not able to file a claim as FedEx SmartPost says the sender has to file the claim. I have emailed them, asking they file a claim. I will be surprised if they do! A class action lawsuit needs to be filed again them. They are just cheating people left and right!!
Negative Jynuine
(1 review)
On Jul 23, 2020, Jynuine Portland, OR wrote:

I ordered 30 Mock Orange plants in April for $46.49.
They tossed in a couple of other plants too, so yay right?
Due to covid I gave them some leeway.
I asked them in May where my order was and they said , "Your order is in processing, which takes 2-4 weeks. Once processed, the order will be scheduled to ship based on weather and availability. "
I responded, "I understand 2-4 weeks processing- but then giving me a vague “ships sometime after that depending on weather and time of year” doesn’t cut it. "

In June I told them I needed an answer and shipping tracking number or I was charging back and they said,"We have checked on your order and found that is currently in our shipping department and scheduled to ship this week. Please allow some time for delivery once the order has been shipped. You will receive a tracking number to your email."

July 5th I said they were lying I had not received it and they responded, " Our previous email stated the order was in our shipping department, not that it had already shipped. We do apologize for the delay. We are currently waiting for more products to arrive from the suppliers. Upon receipt, the products will be prepared and the order should be shipped accordingly."

So, basically I could be waiting for years not to mention they said it as shipping that week and lied. They pre-sell products they do not have or have not started propagating yet. Im charging back today.

Also, their address has moved. They are now at 1804 E. Hamilton Rd. Bloomington, IL 61704 and there are 3 other businesses listed there as well with 1 star ratings. Other companies are Royal Dutch Gardens, Honeycreek Nurseries, and Burgess Seed and Plant Company. BBB has a bad rating for them under Burgess Seed and Plant Company.

Negative annewohl
(1 review)
On Jul 18, 2020, annewohl Swarthmore, PA wrote:

This is the worse company I have ever worked with. I placed an order which arrived 3 months after I ordered. I tried to cancel and was told it might have already shipped. A month after I asked for cancellation an email with shipment came. The plants arrived and I returned them the next day. It has been 2 months and I'm still waiting for my refund. I also had a hard time getting customer service on the phone- kept getting a busy symbol. And, the shipping is not refunded as " they did their job."

Negative Peace_garden2
(1 review)
On Jul 11, 2020, Peace_garden2 Rapid City, SD wrote:

Tried unsuccessfully for two months to get directgardening.com to return my money for an order of trees received dead on arrival. Run around like everyone else from auto-generated emails from customercare@directgardening.com

Here is the appropriate means if anyone is having similar issues, file formal complaint at [HYPERLINK@illinoisattorneygeneral.gov]


Negative Meema56
(1 review)
On Jul 6, 2020, Meema56 Chesaning, MI wrote:

I placed an order in early May. I requested information on my order several times, knowing that the pandemic was slowing everything down, but the company could not reply to any of my requests. On June 25 I advised I was canceling my order but was told it was already at the delivery department and my order probably could not be canceled. The order was received July 5, which seems have allowed enough time to cancel the order.
I received Crownvetch instead of the Walk on Me thyme that I ordered. Surprisingly, the packages had both Crownvetch and Walk on Me printed on them. I’m assuming Direct Gardening is not aware there is a difference between Crownvetch and Thyme.
The Ice Plants that were delivered were very very small and half dead, and the Japanese grasses as well. I am quite sure at least ¾ of both will not survive.
We tried to call Direct Gardening numerous times to discuss but each time their line was busy. Or off the hook.
An email was sent to them about their horrid communication, advising we need to be taken off their contact list as I am considering them nothing better than spam, and asking to have the cost of the Walk on Me reimbursed Unfortunately the first email was the one telling them how bad they are; I probably should have sent that after requesting the refund, eh?
I honestly don’t know how long it’s been since I worked with such an unprofessional and deceitful company. I wish I had known!

Negative dkistner1111
(2 reviews)
On Jul 4, 2020, dkistner1111 Athens, GA wrote:

I am so angry at this HORRIBLE company! On March 3 of 2020, I was looking for an almond tree, and this company was the only one I could find that wasn't out of them. I got sucked into their freebies racket and ordered $56.40 worth of plants. My order arrived very late, which I forgave because the pandemic had shut things down and I knew companies everywhere were struggling.

When my shipment finally came, instead of my almond tree they'd sent a DEAD Persian lilac. The pussy willows were well beyond dead. The 20 orange daylilies were the most sorry-looking tiny little bits of rotten dead nothing I've ever seen, and only six of them made it to sprout up a few grass-like green leaves. The rhubarb and creeping thyme plants were the same, pitiful, tiny, rotten, and none of it lived. What DID live was the free balloon flower and the free peony. Hardly worth $56.40 or my time.

First I tried, three times, to contact the company via their online form to ask how to handle a return given that I couldn't leave the house to go to the post office. No answer. I emailed them clear high-res photos of my shipping label and detailed descriptions of the condition of the plants in my order. I reiterated my concern about how to handle getting a refund because of the pandemic shutdown and the fact that they used up my 14 days by not responding to my queries. They sent back this:

"We are sorry to hear of the problem you are having with your plants. Our guarantee policy states that if you are unhappy with the merchandise for any reason, you may return it within 14-days of receipt for a refund. Since you did not do this, we are unable to issue a refund for the items in question. However, we will be happy to send you a replacement of the items or other merchandise of equal value.

Our guarantee regarding replacement is as follows:

If any item you purchased from us does not live, or if you are certain that your plants are dead, for a FREE REPLACEMENT just MAIL THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL along with your written request within 1 year of receipt. Replacement guarantee is VOID unless the original shipping label is returned.

Therefore, for replacement, as required by the guarantee and to expedite the handling of your inquiry, please return the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL from the package. The original label contains all of the necessary information needed to efficiently process your adjustment and it acts as a sales receipt. Please include a full explanation of the problem by item name and quantity. Since we will only be able to issue a refund at this time, we do not need any items returned to us."

READ THAT LAST SENTENCE. I ordered stamps and mailed the company my shipping label and even more detailed descriptions, including item numbers and amounts, of all of my plants, even though they were all clearly listed on the label itself. I waited. Finally, I received BACK in the mail my original shipping label with a hand-written note: "Please clarify how many Daylily, Walk on Me, Pussywillow, and Rhubarb are dead. D. Gardening 6-1-20 KC, sec." At which point I blew a gasket.

I calmed myself down. I emailed them to let them know if they didn't do right by me, I was going to have to report them to the Better Business Bureau. I waited. No answer. I thought maybe they'd just send me some plants in the mail. It's been over a month, and I am still waiting. This is the most HORRIBLE, downright unethical company I've ever dealt with, bar none. I suspect the only viable plants they have are their free ones, which they hope will trick you into buying more and not complaining so they can just take your money and run. Don't even chance it. You will be sorry.

Negative Minja
(1 review)
On Jun 29, 2020, Minja Lees Summit, MO wrote:

My plants took 10 days to arrive. They were all dead. When I contacted the company, they wanted me to mail them the original shipping label in order to receive credit. Customer service took days to respond. Do not order from this company!

Negative dubrovich
(1 review)
On Jun 27, 2020, dubrovich Parker, CO wrote:

We ordered over $70.00 worth of flowers from Direct Gardening on April 3. After not hearing anything by the end of May, I began calling. Their customer service line is always busy--or not working. By June 3 they had charged our credit card, but still no email from them regarding shipment. I have emailed them twice for a refund and they lied telling me they couldn't refund because the order was in shipping. That was on June 10. It is now June 27 and still no flowers. We received an email yesterday with a FedEx tracking number. The delivery is scheduled for June 30. And when those dead flowers arrive, I will have to pay a shipping charge to send them back in order to get a refund. I'm sure if I do that, they will think of another way to keep my money. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! THEY SHOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS!!

Negative ijustwantplants
(1 review)
On Jun 24, 2020, ijustwantplants Bennington, VT wrote:

My order took six weeks (ordered mid-April, arrived end of May). I planted per the instructions immediately upon arrival, but the entire order appears to be a loss. Some highlights:
- a cranberry that appeared to have been a healthy plant full of foliage at one point that was instead a mass of dried brown leaves in completely dried-out soil.
- a $20 white egret flower tuber the size of a lentil that appeared to have been moldy and then dried out completely.
- virtually root-free bare root trees, completely dry with no sign of life.
- Hemlocks with needles that all completely fell off on contact leaving a dry stick.

Additionally, the stated "freebies" on my order were different than what is on my order details on my account, and there is one less freebie than promised. This is the least of my concerns given the poor state of the actual order, but still strikes me as dishonest, since the freebies are incentive to order higher dollar orders—so they should arrive as promised and described on the order!

I've emailed the company and not heard back. I will be initiating the warranty soon.

Negative vittom
(1 review)
On Jun 23, 2020, vittom Bergenfield, NJ wrote:

Gentlemen, I think we were simply deceived. I fully support the "redbud1974" to start initiating a class action. I placed an order on DirectGardening.com on May 7, I waited in good faith for almost 7 weeks, yesterday I called them and asked to cancel my order, they told me that they were sorry, but if my order is in the shipping department, they will not be able to cancel my order until the order is shipped, today I receive email that stating my order in shipping department, I called again and they said, that they don't know when it will be shipped, they simply do not want to return our money.

Negative ncountry
(1 review)
On Jun 23, 2020, ncountry Rouses Point, NY wrote:

I placed an order for vegetable seed April 20, 2020. I have sent the company multiple emails but still have not received my order as of June 23, 2020. Direct Gardening's customer service is horrible.

Negative revrick3
(1 review)
On Jun 20, 2020, revrick3 Leesville, SC wrote:

I orderd from them in April 2020. I recieved my order today June 20. I was unable to get anyone on phone during process to check on my order. the website does not allow anything except email. So I didnt get much info.
I ordered quite a large amount and got only 3 items in an order that was supposed to be around 20 items. The 3 I got were in horrid condition. 2 hydrangea plants looked as if they had been sitting in water so long leaves had rotted. 1 bare root rose came loose in a plastic bag with no wrapping or wet paper around it. This was a terrible experience. I will not use them again and if I dont get some resolution I will file complaint with credit card company and BBB.

Negative redbud1974
(1 review)
On Jun 17, 2020, redbud1974 Woodlawn, VA wrote:

We ordered on April 23rd - received orders June 16 & 17 (almost $400.00 total) - Upon tiny test scrape of trees to see if alive, several were either brown during test scrape or unable to scrape at all because so dead. Only a few were green upon test scrape but roots appeared dried out. After seeing so many negative reviews and how we got royally ripped off, I am considering initiating a class action. It is not right that Direct Gardening get away with taking so many people's money and not providing quality product. I have ordered from over a dozen mail order plant companies and never had this kind of problem.

Negative MargaretF
(1 review)
On Jun 16, 2020, MargaretF Hamilton, TX wrote:

I mistakenly thought this company was reputable & concerned about customer service. I placed an order with DirectGardening.com prior to them posting a statement concerning their delays in processing & shipping due to Covid-19. On their own page they stated after I placed my order there would be a 3-4 week delay in processing. They also stated contacting them would slow down processing & order cancellation was impossible.

After patiently waiting seven weeks I sent a lengthy email explaining my past experience as a business owner who well understands customer service. I demanded they at the very minimum supply me with a reason it was seven weeks after my order was placed and I had no product nor even a contact message as to why.

I finally received an email stating it would be at least another seven days before my order left their facility. I also received this statement "We sincerely apologize for the delay." They furnished me with no explanation. They also chose not to explain why they were unable to fill the order prior to my email but were certainly able to process my payment for that order a full month ago.

Outrageous.

I had placed this order with them to test their company in advance of a very large order of plants to change my recently purchased yard into a full pollinator garden. Now I know I can absolutely not trust this company with any order. If it takes two months to mail off a bag of seeds then obviously they're unable to ship a $1500 dollar order of plants.

As gardeners we all know it's most likely we will harvest the crops we plant. We plant corn...we get corn. We plant roses... we get roses.We plant weeds...we get weeds. I sincerely hope Direct Gardening harvests exactly what they have sown with their lack of ethics, absence of consumer care & shoddy professionalism.

Negative GaryC3706
(1 review)
On Jun 14, 2020, GaryC3706 Manhattan, KS wrote:

I ordered several items including 200 Periwinkle on April 22, 2020. After four weeks of no contact, I emailed them and got nothing but an automated email response. Giving them the benefit of the doubt (i.e. Covid-19 issues) I remained patient.

The items were not shipped until 6/5/2020 (seven weeks after ordering). By the time the items reached me, it was 90+ degrees with hot, dry winds blowing every day. The items never had a chance. Fully 80% or more of the ordered items have already withered in the heat.

Lessons learned: 1. Don't order from this company. 2. Next spring, do better quality of service research before ordering.

Negative EricEllenburg
(1 review)
On Jun 11, 2020, EricEllenburg Raleigh, NC wrote:

I realize COVID-19 is going on. I have been very patient. My order was placed on 4/24/2020. It is now 6/11/2020. They do not answer their phone and there has been no acknowledgment from them whatsoever.

Negative RGW1963
(1 review)
On Jun 6, 2020, RGW1963 Evansville, IN wrote:

I ordered from Direct Gardening on April 18, understanding full well that the process could take some time. Given that I'm high risk, I didn't want to venture out to local garden centers. That same day I ordered from Jackson&Perkins, Proven Winners and Breck's. The other three orders arrived in a reasonable time and were all correct. The Direct Gardening finally arrived today after I sent them an email, yet it didn't include the two Knock Out roses I ordered and two of the free items were not what they said they would be (of course, for free that's OK). Given that I got 90 percent of my order (which was packed horribly), I'm not going to deal with them to try and get a refund for the roses. I will consider that the tuition for the lesson that I will never order from them again. I will go to a local center when they have shopping hours for high risk people and get my roses. I hate leaving negative reviews, but I sure wish I had read the ones out there. I have yet to find a site where the positive reviews outweigh the negative for Direct Gardening. Of course you can't please everyone, but this company seemingly cannot please very many.

Negative tlanier
(1 review)
On Jun 6, 2020, tlanier wrote:

My first experience with DG was pleasant. I placed my second order on April 26 and, to date, have not received the plants. They took my payment on May 26 and here it is June 6, and nothing. I have emailed and received no response. Tried to call and the line just rings busy. Monday I will be disputing the charge. All I wanted was communication, but apparently that is not part of their customer service.

Negative Skygirl1
(1 review)
On Jun 5, 2020, Skygirl1 Pittsburgh, PA wrote:

I placed an order with direct gardening 0n 4/25 I understand that with Covid-19 there would be a delay, but I am still waiting, I tried calling to no avail it just rings busy , I have tried for 2 days, So I emailed and received 2 replies 1 saying my cc was declined which I have an approval code, the other one 20 mins later saying my order was being processed and should be shipping this week, So many things wrong with this, and now I cant cancel the order because its to late, all I want is my flowers, I will be looking for a new place to order my flowers,

Negative skay55
(1 review)
On May 22, 2020, skay55 Randallstown, MD wrote:

My experience with Direct Gardening is identical to lingdg's experience. I placed my order for 2 rose bushes on 5/3/2020. I printed out the order, which is a good thing because I never even received a confirmation email from them that they'd received my order. After placing the order I then saw on their website that it could take up to 6 weeks to receive my items. They also stated on their website that due to overwhelming demand it would be difficult to cancel orders. I tried calling them for days to attempt to cancel the order despite their disclaimer but they never answer the phone. I then decided to contact them using their on site contact form. After a few days I received an email from customer service stating that they'd forwarded my cancellation request to the shipping department, but that they couldn't assure a cancellation/refund. I've yet to hear back from their shipping department regarding my cancellation/refund request. I understand things are crazy now everywhere because of Covid-19, but this is ridiculous and unacceptable. I would never purchase anything again from Direct Gardening and would strongly advise anyone considering purchasing from them to read these negative reviews and take them to heart.

Negative lingdg
(1 review)
On May 14, 2020, lingdg Alexandria, VA wrote:

I ordered flowers from their website that were shown as available. They said they would provide a shipping date within 2-3 weeks. That is ridiculous, but I waited 3 weeks and they could not even tell me when they would provide a ship date. When I asked to cancel my order and obtain a refund they told me they couldn't guarantee that they could cancel the order as it was already in shipping. What? Guess I will deal with my credit card company. We are trying to support businesses that are continuing to operate during the COVID silliness, but we can't support poor businesses. I won't waste my time or money with them anymore and will stick to those that provide customer service and can ship in a reasonable timeframe. I placed a similar order of 75 plants with a MD shop and they shipped in a week.

Negative gardenbry
(1 review)
On May 4, 2020, gardenbry New York City, NY wrote:

On March 29 I ordered two golden shower roses from DG.
The following day I realized I'd made a mistake and cancelled one of them. On April 1 I received a confirmation
that they had received my email and that my cancellation
had been forwarded to the appropriate party. When I
did not hear further, I tried calling 4 different times and
no one picked up the phone. On April 21 - 3 weeks later--
I received a notice that the order had been shipped. When
it arrived there were two bushes. They had 3 weeks to
cancel the order. I tried further calls and emails and finally
they told me to return the rose for credit. However by this
time I no longer had the rose as I live more than an hour
round trip from the nearest post office and had given it
to a neighbor assuming like other nurseries they would simply tell me to keep it as it would be dead when it was returned. I explained all of this in emails bu they refused
to credit me with the one rose.

Negative chrisnet
(1 review)
On Oct 5, 2019, chrisnet Sparta, NC wrote:

Thank you "Dave's Garden" for a wonderful website.
I want to let your readers know what a terrible experience I am having with Direct Gardening.
I ordered seed potatoes, and they arrived wet and smelly. I powdered them with sulfur, and planted them. Not a single one grew.
I followed their ludicrous rules, i.e., I returned the label, with a list of what I'd ordered, and a handwritten note that I would like a credit. They sent it back to me saying that I didn't follow their "rules".
Up to now they have not honored their guarantee. I'm not asking for a refund, I'd just like to be able to re-order the seed potatoes next year.
Even though their prices are low, I'd recommend to your readers to find a more reputable company.
Thanks for this opportunity to share my experience.

Negative GStephens
(1 review)
On Sep 17, 2019, GStephens Ogden, UT wrote:

Frustration is the word that best describes my experience.

I placed my first order with this company on July 6. It was a fairly simple process, but that is the end of the simple.
I waited for the 1-2 weeks for them to process my order and ship it. I followed the tracking and on the day it was supposedly delivered to my house, the security didn't pick up any delivery attempt. I didn't even get regular mail that day. Nothing came. That was July 16. I called multiple times to attempt to get a resolution and received this email response:

Thank you for your email. Please follow the tracking number on USPS.com.
If you continue to have problems, you will have to contact the carrier.

Thank you, Customer Care

The post office doesn't want to talk to me, I didn't have a contract with them. So I went back and forth with the customer service line for a month. On three different phone calls I was told they would send a replacement, but that never happened. I finally managed to get a supervisor, who told me they don't really have any communication with the office, and that all they could do is send a "write up" to request something. And that is what happened to my order... they sent up the write ups and that was all anyone at the phone center could do. On August 19 I received an email from someone at Direct Gardening stating that since my tree was not picked up at the post office it was returned, and they would be happy to re-ship if I paid them more money. I sent a copy of the tracking information and a synopsis of the lengthy communications, including a copy of the tracking information. Upon seeing that, they were willing to admit the post office made a mistake and would reship as long as I gave them a different address. To resolve the issue, I gave them my dads address.

That was over 2 weeks ago now. I have sent multiple emails since then asking for a status and tracking information. Finally I received another response telling me:

"There is a 1-2 week processing period. You may check back in with us at a later date."

On the 2 week day, I again requested an update. They answered:

"A reshipment of your order is in our system and will ship once the item becomes prepared."

Please, keep in mind this is the entire email. I mean the whole text. No 'dear' or 'thanks' or 'shove it up your nose' or nothing.

They keep saying how important customer service is to them, but it isn't evident by how they are treating this customer. I have been getting the run around and delays, excuses and reasons why it isn't their concern for 2.5 months now.
I ordered a bit late, but not too late to plant in Utah. It is now snowing in the mountains here, which means where I am it will be snowing in a couple months. I don't expect to get much more than a dead stick when they finally get around to sticking a new label on my package.

I hate posting negative reviews for any company, but Direct Gardening has worked hard for this one. I have given them every chance to work with me and they simply refuse. They act like customers are an inconvenience and all they want is the money.

I hope I get my tree, though I am no longer expecting it. Regardless, I won't be placing another order with them.

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