Comments regarding Kelly Nurseries

I ordered a few plants this Spring(2013) from Kelly Nurseries. All but one tree did well. So, in mid July, I emailed the company and told them that the tree had not come to life. The customer care department offered to replace the tree or give me a credit. I responded that I would like the tree replaced and a new one arrived. I planted it and it is now doing well.

I didn't realize this company was also part of the horrid Richard Owen Nursery conglomerate....however, I had a positive experience with Kelly Nurseries.

I ordered a lilac tree in the spring and it was sent in a timely manner with good instructions on planting. The tree has taken root and has grown new foliage and branches. So far so good! Knowing what I know about the other companies, I would never order from Kelly again.

Keeping my fingers crossed that the tree makes it through the upcoming winter!!

this is the 2nd time I have ordered from Kelly, first time there was a mistake with postage, which after a phone call, the manager took care of it to my satisfaction right away. I had ordered dailies, and 4 of the 6 bloomed the first year. I am still waiting 3 years later for ones I ordered from another company and paid 3times as much for to bloom. 2nd order was this year I ordered over 240 trees and bushes, all the trees are leafing out and most of the bushes. a few are being slow to take off but that is to be expected. I have had a very positive experience with this company, they sent my plants in a timely manner for my growing area not like some of the other companies. maybe some of you shouldn't be in such a hurry to judge, also some perennials don't even hardly come up the first year, but show up the 2nd. they offer the same warranty as your local home depot and lowes, don't require a dead plant to get it and cost much less!! and local nurseries usually offer maybe a 30 day. I know cause I spent over a $100 one 1 tree and it's now dead! also sometimes phone calls are way more effective for problems than emails. so I will definitely be ordering from them again!,

I have ordered from Kelly Nurseries for years. I have NEVER had a bad experience with them. I think they are great. This year I've ordered Creeping Phlox, Red Painted Daisy and Giant Primroses. I've ordered the Primroses a few years ago, and was so happy with them that I am ordering more. Their prices are real good too.

THIS TIME ( 2009 /MAY ) I have to say I am satisfied AND SURPRISED with what Kelly's sent to me... Several years back I also ordered and after waiting 4 months my order did at last arrive . I also planted the very day I got the order and EVERYTHING but 2 out of 18 items survived although the plants were not in the best of shape size wise, Also it took forever to get my order with no one to call , email or write to ? ? ? ... It seems there is no customer service to call or contyact at all ? After 5 months my stuff did arrive and as I said it did grow ok . This year I ordered again after swearing never again . I just could not afford 29.00 dollars for a one minature lemon tree when for the same price I could get 2 collections of all 4 citrus plants from Kelly's . ( lemon tangerine, orange, and grapefruit! ! ! So I took the plunge and ordered , it took about 5 weeks to get my order of citrus, the rest of the order I am still waiting on, It was dark when they arrived at my house so I unpacked them expecting dryed out plants but was pleasantly surprised to find healthy plants each in their own plastic bag and peat pot! All healthy and still moist! ! ! I opened each bag and set them all in a huge boal and watered each one until morning when I will put them in their new home ( HUGE POTS) ... so this experience I am happy with so far. Let you know when the rest shows up how it works out ...
I think it helps to open the packages at once and soak everything at least over night if not for 18 hours **NO MORE THAN !* THOUGH** Mike...

I have ordered from Kelly Nurseries and other companies related to them. Yes, what I have received is pretty scary, including completely moldy or dried out plants, but most of what I have ordered has lived. My mimosa and clematis were pretty dead-looking when I unpacked them (the mimosa was a 3' tall twig with no branches or buds and no signs of life, the clematis was just roots). My mother-in-law said that neither would survive. The mimosa is now much larger than the one I purchased at the local nursery last summer ($19.99 vs. $79.99), and the clematis survived and is thriving this year. I have purchased over $400 worth of plants from all of their various companies and had very few die. Since I over-order, it isn't really a problem if something small dies. I too had some die that I didn't expect to die and had no trouble getting replacements when I wrote them a letter 11 months later and included all 4 of the original shipping labels that I had saved. I have also found that if I plant them the same day that I receive them I have much better luck. Some of their plants don't survive no matter what I do (like mums), so I know not to order them, just buy them locally.

If you want great internet service, use one of the more expensive nurseries (Spring Hill, Michigan Bulb). If you want cheap plants that you are willing to work a little harder to get to survive (or willing to let die and send a letter for a replacement, which they may or may not do), then order from any of the Kelly companies. I like the ease of emailing and getting a replacement (I ordered from 6 different internet nurseries last year, all had the same survival rate regardless of packing!), but like the lower price that Kelly and it's affiliates offer. My mother-in-law has been extremely impressed by the luck I have had with my mail-order plants. She expected most of them to die. I have even passed plants on to her and the teachers of my kids school that have survived and thrived.

Last year we ordered 100 bushes of Hardy Amur Privet. The price was really good, but still it was sizable order. We did not check the reviews for this company until after we placed our order, so we were rather worried when we saw all of the negative comments about this company. Of course, all of our “bushes” came as bare root that were a little bit over a foot long. They were all in good condition, with good root system and in an adequate packaging. We did not do much work with the planting site. Literally dug a long narrow trench and stuck the roots in it covering them with native soil that leaves much to be desired (but we did plant them the same day the bushes were delivered to us). We did make sure that the bushes got watered regularly through the summer since we are in a rather hot climate. The bushes did well right from the beginning. We did not loose any of them. Well, we did have a couple that died off, but then they sprouted right from the root again. So a year later we have a nice privet hedge, that is 3 feet tall in most places. So we have nothing to complain about and actually have been thinking of ordering more from this company!

I purchases 3 grapes and two blueberries before reading the comments from current clients. I was worried that my order would be a bad experience so purchased locally for a lot more money. My order came in and the grapes are are huge and healthy, the same size I wasted twice the money buying locally.

My plants arrived great, even though the bag was ripped open during shipping by UPS. I soaked the roots in water with rooting harmones to be sure. Trees and plants are doing fine. Gardening is hard especially here in Arizona. I do not buy localy anymore as Home Depot and local nursery potted plants always die and are fungus infected stock from California nuseries. I also buy from Musser Forrests. Some plants are more difficult than others to grow. What I do is research plants on the internet and then buy the easier to grow specimens. I am happy with Kelly's and will do future business with them, sorry to hear all the negative experiences.

I have over 900 clematis and over 1,200 roses in my gardens, so am no newcomer to buying and nurturing plants. I bought Kelly's Blue Light clematis in 2001, potted it with great soil and grass clippings, overwintered it and got 9" blossoms by June of 2002. I ordered 4 more this year. Of the 4 I ordered last year, 1 didn't survive and Kelly immediately replaced it. Frankly, I am delighted with Kelly. I ordered 2 of their yellow peony trees in '97 and they are GORGEOUS.

I read the reviews here about Kelly Nursery after I ordered from them. I though OMG I just made a big mistake and just chalked it up to experience. My order was a little late by maybe a couple of weeks; I ordered 2 Walnuts, 2 Dogwoods, 2 Red Maples and a Weeping Willow. I also received for my mother in -law a Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Tangerine and 2 Banana trees. All of her trees were green but a little dry. They all are thriving. As for mine only the Red Maples gave me a scare but now they are also doing fine. So often you only get to read the bad stuff about someone, so I just had to write about the good for once. One more comment, even my free mystery plants grew.

I Know Kelly's Nurseries is part of Plantron but I've really been pleased with their service. I ordered Canadian Hemlock and they all died, I ordered (Kelly replaced them right away} 20 more and they died. I then e-mailed them and was told they were very hard to start so I ordered 20 other species and they all survived. Everything I have ordered from Kelly has grown or they replaced right away.

I had read all the negative feedback and was wondering if I should have ordered from them. I received my order today and it was exactly what I ordered and everything was fine. There is no reason that my plants should not do well.