Comments regarding High Country Gardens

Being new to gardening in the West I was relieved to find a company that provided plants that grow in my climate (Zone 5). The plants are beautiful and performed as advertised. Their shipment was packed well and arrived on the day promised. I had a few plants that needed replacement and this was done promptly and without "haggling". Great company!

I live in a climate similar to that of the High Country nursery, so the xeric, cold hardy, plants that they sell are perfect for me. I love this company, their selection of suitable plants is great! The customer service is good and the plants arrive healthy, well packaged, and quickly. They are however, small, and they need to be a babied for the first year. However, now that the first spring is arriving after having planted some of their plants last spring and then more in the fall, I'm really pleased. The spring planted ones struggled last summer, but after some time to get established they are now looking great, and the fall planted ones came through the especially cold, snowy winter very well and are now really taking off.

I ordered and planted 7 Penstemon pinifolius 'Nearly Red' along with 7 Aquilegia 'Red Hobbit', and 33 Pulsatilla 'Rote Glocke' last fall. Planted all immediately upon arrival. Two of the Penstemon did not make it through the winter. And one of the Aquilegia was carried away by squirrels. Unfortunately, the little identification tag that came with the Penstemon was gone, (I usually stick one into the ground next to one of the plants), and I did not remember the cultivar. I e-mailed High Country Gardens, and asked if they could check my order last fall. They did better than that. They offered to replace the Penstemon for free. I wrote back that I didn't mean to imply that I wanted "free" plants...nature was a bit cruel to those of us in the Northeast last winter. Carrie Smart at HCG sent me the two plants, (correct cultivar), anyway. The Aquilegia I'll replace myself. After all, there's Mother Nature, and then there's those darned squirrels. Thanks HCG.

As always, the plants we ordered came beautifully packed and in wonderful shape at the time we asked for them to be delivered. We have never had a bad experience with this company.

Posted on October 6, 2009, updated March 24, 2010
In March '09 I order a couple dozen plants (Agastache, Perovskia, Gaura, Achillea, Gaillardia) from HCG...I received them in a couple of days and they arrived in excellent condition...the packing is very good. Due to health problems it took me about 2 - 3 weeks to get them all planted which is a little longer than they suggest. They have been in the ground for 6 - 7 weeks, survived 15 triple digit days already and excessive wind storms (I live in a rural area out in the desert).....I had 2 agastache plants with blooms within 2 weeks and at this time all the plants are at least a foot high (except the gaillardia!) and 13 are blooming big time.... These plants had the healthiest roots I have ever seen and I could not be happier with their exceptional performance....the prices are a little high but you definitely get what you pay for and I am already making my list for fall planting.

|This was my second order with High Country Gardens. The plants were packed extremely well and hydrated. The size of all plants was above my expectations.

I've ordered three times; all three times they were prompt in delivering good products. I like ordering from them, because they are familiar with the needs of gardeners in my area (Chihuahuan desert, zone 8, very dry), and seem to offer good advice.

I've ordered from HCG twice (now waiting for my 2d order to arrive) and feel they are doing a great job. Selection of plants is terrific; love the availability of native species. My previous order arrived in a timely manner, in great condition and packaging. Plan to order as long as planting space (and my aching back) will allow!

The quality of the plants and the packaging are excellent and I have had nothing but a positive, quality experience with customer service. I placed a larger order for fall planting here is southern NM, and, although just February, the earlier plants are already looking wonderful.

Plants are extraordinarily healthy, and High Country Gardens' packing is a genuine marvel. The plants are just the perfect size for transplanting. There are many good plant companies on the Internet, but in my book, this is the best.

I have been a regular HGC's customer for several years and have found there catalog, selection of plants, packing and service to be excellent. I have never been disappointed in the plants I've received and have found their Yum Yum mix to be perfect for my Colorado garden. I especially appreciate the new additions to their catalog and eagerly await each new addition.

In June I ordered 3 different sets of agastache. They were a nice size when they arrived. The last set I ordered were planted in the sunniest spot and grew to 3 feet this first year. A week ago, which was late November, in Yorkville, IL, they still had fragrant blooms which I picked to dry in the house. High Country Gardens is my new favorite mail order company.

Excellent source of penstemons and agastaches. Plants are packed well. Only issue is that their shipping seems high. I would STRONGLY suggest that people order online - not through the catalog. The reason for this is that it is much easier to make sure that you get plants that will work in your area. Many of their plants are specific to desert and dry areas. At the bottom of each page - online- you will see a guide that specifies the conditions that the plant will thrive in. I have planted several plants that were borderline for my area and the key is to plant them in fast draining soil - a raised bed with sand mixed into the soil.

I ORDERED 1 BUDDLEIA DAVIDII ROYAL RED. THEY KEPT ME UP TO DATE, AS TO WHEN THE PLANT WOULD BE SHIPPED, IT ARRIVED FRESH AND GREEN, I'M VERY WELL PLEASED WITH THIS COMPANY. I WILL ORDER FROM THEM AGAIN.

I have had occasions to purchase plants from this vendor for my own home and have had other occasions to recommend them to friends. Plants that my friends and I have received have proven to be sturdy and visually delightful. I am especially pleased with the premium pot that provides greater root depth. I greatly appreciate having a ready source of xeric plants, especially plants cultivated from the wild. I live on the boundary of two zones in OK and deal with extremes of temperature, moisture, and wind, so I need plants that can withstand such variation in conditions. I also enjoy getting emails announcing seasonal sales since my dollars are in short supply these days.

I have been ordering from HCG for about 4 years. The packing is amazing.Any question I had was answered promptly.Thanks HCG

I placed my order on a Monday, and it arrived on Thursday. Plants were packaged securely and appeared extremely healthy. Looking forward to ordering again from this company.

I moved from NY to CO and found myself in a zone with different planting times and a whole new world of plants. After a few years of struggling with flowers and lawn I found the HCG site and a world of info about what to plant, when to plant it and what complimented what. In the middle of a drought, with water restrictions and ugly yard contests I had this great looking lawn thanks to HCG.
Now we have moved to TX and here I am looking for plants and grasses at my favorite site! I agree that the prices are a tad high but the quality is also high, and the service is exceptional-even if you need a plant replaced. Watch for those coupons and you won't find a better place or a better value then HCG Denise Herring

High Country Gardens has a great website. It's very informative, both about the specific plants, and tips in general. They're very clear about when and how they ship, and they plan their shipments to arrive at their destinations on fridays, so you can plant on the weekend (and they don't sit in a warehouse over the weekend).

I ordered eight plants. Two of them were coming out of their pots in the package. I wasn't thrilled about this, but those plants seem to be in good shape. One plant was in sorry shape when I opened the box, and the next day it was clear that it was dead. I have about nine months to order a replacement. Two more of the plants seem to be dying, but that's my fault. I mentioned this, when I e-mailed to discuss what I did wrong, and they offered to replace those as well. I'm not sure I'll take them up on it, since I'm sure it was my fault, but I appreciate the generous offer. It would have been nice to have gotten a planting guide, since these plants were all "xeric" (kinda special cases). Everyone else I order from includes little booklets on how to plant, no matter how mundane the plants.

Not a perfect experience, but I would definitely recommend this company.

I've ordered many plants from HCG over the past few years, and they've all arrived promptly and in great condition. I highly recommend them.

I have been purchasing plant material from HCG for several years. The plants arrive in good shape. For the most part, I have had success with material purchased. On the rarre occassion that I have had failures, they have stood by their products with a refund or replacement. I continue to do business with them because of these factors.

I live in Michigan and have a sunny, dry beach garden. High Country Gardens has been very responsive to any problems. Last year all of the stock I bought was wonderful, but one variety did not make it through the winter. They promptly and cheerfully responded by sending replacements this past spring. I have nothing but positive things to say about their stock, service and attitude. My garden could not be more beautiful.

I discovered High Country Gardens while living in New Mexico and continue to order from them now that I'm in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in California. I've found their plants to be wonderful and their service superb. The one time a plant didn't make it, they replaced w/o question. I recently emailed a suggestion and got a very prompt and courteous response. These guys are great!

This is an extraordinary company! I discovered HCG shortly after buying a new house in the country. Their catalog and book, Waterwise Garden Care, have been my guides to a beautiful water efficient garden. With the exception of one plant (which is being replaced) all my transactions with them have been extremely satisfactory. Shipping is on time, plants are carefully packed, instructions are easy to follow. I have both called and emailed for information. Employees are pleasant, informative, and readily available.

I completed an order in the spring. All of the plants did well except one, and they are sending the replacement now. The communication has been very good. I love the plants I have. Thanks, Johnny.

I have ordered from this company several times. Every time the service has been exceptional. The plants arrived as stated and in excellent condition. I like that they warn you not to plant certain plants in the fall if you live in zone 5 or lower. This is honesty before profit.

I just received an order for Gro Power fertilizer from High Country which I ordered last week from their website. This was the only place I could locate this product which has been recommended by a friend. The service was great, the staff was friendly, and I will order from them again in the future.

The plants I have ordered have been of high quality and they stand behind what they sell. One of the plants I ordered did not die but never took off and had no new growth after several weeks. They replaced it without question. The sad plant that did not thrive was replaced with a new plant that is doing very well. I replanted the sad plant in another area and though it still is not thriving it is not dying either so maybe it will hang in there.

I was happy with the communications from the company and the plants that arrived. I ordered a cold hardy agave sampler and a conifer, all have been in my garden about two months now and are doing well. I also ordered a birdbath, which was a bit pricey for what arrived (it does look nicer in the catalog), but it is much adored by the local songbirds (cardinals in particular seem to love it).

I received agastache plants which arrived in perfect health, very carefully packed and are now settling happily into my garden. I wiil be happy to order from High Country Gardens again in the future.

Yes, I have lost a few plants, but I realize it was my fault. It takes some know-how to garden successfully. I read a lot of garden books and pay attention to the how-to's and warnings too. I live in the Albuquerque, NM area and have had much success with the plants I have ordered. But, here is what I had to do. Put them in nice well-worked soil. Even sand needs some compost and loosening to accomodate the small plants we are talking about. They need space to spread their little roots comfortably. I planted a planned garden, the "Jumbo Waterwise" at my front door in the fall. I threw sheets over it in the winter when frost or snow was predicted and then pulled them off in the morning when the sun came up. I was worried that they wouldn't make it. Come spring, here they came. They look very established now and happy and growing into large plants. The bed is gorgeous. I love the catalogs and have learned so much about what will make it here in the high desert. Love High Country Gardens.

Plants on sale, delivered healthy, shippint fast and as described. Another great transaction with this company

I have ordered from HCG on 5 occasions, starting in 2007.

Shipping time, and timing, is excellent (always on a Friday). Plants arrive healthy and ready for planting. Special mention must be made of how the plants are packaged... all pots are strapped to folded cardboard, which fit snugly inside the box, and properly padded. Making sure contents do not shift even when the box is rolled 360 degrees in all directions is the best way to guarantee safe transit. HCG understand this, and their implementation is superior to anyone else I've purchased live plants from.

Since all of my orders made their journeys in great shape, I can't speak to post-purchase customer service. I have had isolated, minor issues with slugs and a few root-bound plants, which were not unusual since most of my purchases were made late in the growing season, and they were easily remedied anyway. All survived their first year, and the vast majority are thriving. As a gardener of only moderate knowledge and below average experience, that's ultimately the best endorsement I could give.

Very pleased!
Have ordered 3 sets of plants from High Country Gardens. All came exceptionally well packed, with ample and healthy roots. In comparison with similar plants from four other companies (say, coneflowers to coneflowers), the HCG transplants leafed out far more vigorously and already look like something!
My HCG shipments have arrived right on time-but I live in nearby Arizona. Shipments from companies in the Midwest or East, despite time guarantees, have taken as long as 10 days to arrive, sometimes presenting me with a box full of half dead plants, and/or half a box of DEAD plants. HCG will also let you specify what week you want your plants shipped, which is a great help if your microclimate is unusual for your zone, or if you have other timing issues.
HCG's terrific selection of xeric and high desert plants includes some varieties that I cannot obtain at the best nurseries in Tucson-I'd normally have to wait until one of the botanical gardens there had a plant sale, and hope. HCG also has available online detailed info about the plants' traits and growing preferences, which has greatly helped me in choosing the right plant for my needs.

Ordered from HCG years ago but thought I'd give them a shout out for offering such a wide variety of tough plants that look good when nearly everything else is struggling through the heat. Two favorite plants that I remember from HCG are Swallowtail Aquillea and an ornamental oregano. I noticed a new, even prettier oregano offered in catalogue and may just have to put together another order with it in it.

I've ordered from High Country Gardens for a few years. I've placed 3 orders this year alone - the quality of the plants and the prices were just too good to resist.
The plants arrive in great shape, take off immediately after planting, and come back strong the following season.

High Country Gardens has earned its high rating with the Watch Dog!

I have ordered a number of times from High Country Gardens. Plants always arrive healthy and well packed (despite the carrier's misroutings and rough handling). Although the winter weather is harsh, summers very dry, and I have only hard clay where I live, I have lost only one of their plants - all others have thrived. I'm more than satisfied by the quality of both plants and service.

Placed a decent sized order with them about a month ago. Everything went very well. Plants arrived on time and in very good condition. I just placed another order today.

My first order with High Country Gardens was to be shipped first week of May 2009. 4 Oenothera Macrocarpa (Missouri Evening Primrose) and 1 Philadelphus Microphyllus "June Bride". When shipment did not arrive-I called- they traced and said was in transit back to them and out again. My question was the plants will be dead right? The answer was probably so -just call us when you receive the shipment.
Shipment arrived -all plants dead. I called-they reshipped
all of the order. Apparently this shipment was shipped on
Monday and I received late the following Thursday. 2 of the
Oenothera Macrocarpa survived as did the Philadelphus
Microphyllus. But I am very disappointed in the fact I have paid for 2 dead plants and very expensive shipping. I feel
like faster transit would help prevent this problem. At this
time I have no plans to order again. My credit card was
charged March 16th. They had no problem using my money during this time.

"On Jun 4, 2009 4:57 PM, High Country Gardens responded with:

High Country Gardens ships plants so they arrive for weekend planting. I am not sure why the orders were delayed for delivery. I would like you to contact me so I can figure out what occurred. I would also like to ship you new plants and ensure timely arrival.

Sincerely,
Victoria Peralta
Customer Service Supervisor
High Country Gardens
1-800-925-9387 ext. 3023
vperalta@highcountrygardens.com"