Comments regarding Park Seed Company (aka Park's Gardens)

I have done business with ParkSeed off and on for over twenty years. They have given me nothing but well packed, well hydrated plants.

Some have been sent while still dormant. I planted them, and cared for them as I would have had they been in full flower. Only a couple failed to break, and they were quickly replaced.

I've had only one or two DOA's--several years ago, and they were quick to replace them. When the problem were some less than desirable bulbs, they not only replaced them, but sent extras, as well. All did well and they sent what I ordered.

I have had excellent customer service from them. However, there have been times I found it necessary to request the assistance of a supervisor.

Their shipping rates are reasonable, although it seems there must be a better, more eco-friendly alternative to the peanuts.

They have horticulturists who are more than willing to answer plant, soil, or any other questions one might have. They answer emails in a timely manner..

As I stated previously, I have done business with them for over twenty years, and I will continue to do so.

I ordered a mix of plants, jiffy pots (on sale!), and seeds. All arrived quickly and were well packaged. I have started a few of the seeds and they were all quick to germinate. All-around good experience.

I ordered 3 'Rubel' blueberries from their retail site (at a higher price, since their 'wholesale' link never would work right...problem 1) in spring...never got the plants, never heard back from Park's (problems 2&3). Today, I got an e-mail shipping confirmation for 'Darrow' blueberries, which I didn't order (problem 4), and which will be shipped, probably over the weekend (problem 5) in the middle of the hot, hot, hot summer (problem 6)!!! I will NEVER order from this company, or any of their affiliates, again!

"

Some time ago, we reviewed your posting on Dave’s Garden Watchdog website and responded with a D-mail on 7/7/06 but did not receive a reply. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Veronica Jackson
Park Seed
Customer Contact Department
vjackson@parkseed.com

"

I ordered two corkscrew vines for $10 a piece. After about 3 weeks, and 3 phone calls to the company, they were finally shipped. To their credit, they were received in good condition, but I got the runaround on the phone as to when I would get them. ONE week after I got them, they are on sale for two bucks a piece. I e-mailed the company noting that I felt duped, and they offered that I could now order more at the two dollar price. Gee, thanks.

Last fall I ordered 2 plants, received them in a timely manner and packed fine. I planted them within 2 days. However, only one of the two came up this spring (as of this writing the other one still shows no signs of life 6/23/06). I emailed the company and on 5/21/06 received an email stating they would issue me a credit and that I should receive a postcard via US mail in about 15 days. As of today 6/23/06 I have received no such thing! I just emailed the co. and am awaiting their reply.The order was only for two plants but that should not matter when it comes to customer service. I have other beds I want to put in and I definitly won't be filling it with parks plants.

In an order totaling about $200 I had ordered several 9 Gaillardia plants. Their website indicated they were selling me 3-inch pots. What arrived were 9 saran wrapped "sausages" of sawdust. 2 of those sausages were completely empty of anything other than sawdust, while the other 7 contained bareroots. Paying for 9 potted plants and receiving 7 bareroots was a problem. I was told they would send me replacements for the 2 missing plants. Nothing happened for weeks. So I called back, and this time also complained that only 2 of the bareroots had actually broken dormancy and emerged into shoots out of the ground. They did issue a refund to my CC for the other 7. But shipping bareroots when they sell it as pots just seems to be how they do business. While their customer service guy ("Joe") was courteous and efficient (i.e. a refund did actually issue after he promised me the refund), I was extremely disappointed with this experience and view it as borderline unethical.

This comment concerns Parks Wholesale, another division of the company.

They've been running a sale, open to anyone, at 80% off regular prices, and I placed an order for 16 ornamental grasses and 20 ferns. Freight was free on orders over $100, so for $100.64 delivered, I got 36 plants. The plants were all advertised on the website as 3 and 3 1/2" pots.

The order arrived in a timely fashion, but had been very poorly packed. The styrofoam peanuts were not sufficient to immobilize the potted plants. Consequently, 22 plants were heavily damaged, with 50-100% of their foliage broken. Additionally, 5 ferns and 5 grasses were shipped bareroot, despite have been advertised as potted.

I called the company, and was assured that they would replace the damaged plants. My replacement order came today, and was a full duplication of the original order, all 36 plants. The packing was much more careful, and there was far less damage to the plants.

I give them a positive rating for excellent customer service and a real concern for customer satisfaction. While the original shipment was not satisfactory, they made it right.

What a pleasure! After my horrendous experience with Spring Hill, what a joy to receive one of my orders from Park's, within one week of ordering, mind you, and all items in beautiful condition, beautifully wrapped & preserved in moist straw and carefully packaged, detailed instructions, etc. I can't wait to get out there tomorrow & plant. It's particularly reassuring since these are sale items and I was half expecting them to be not-so-good-quality.

On the other hand, I'm still waiting for an order placed June 9; no news on shipping dates or anything. But I'm willing to give benefit of the doubt after this great experience. I'll feed back about the June 9 order when I get it.

I have ordered plants from Park Seeds frequently and am very satisfied with both their customer service and the quality of their plants.

Usually, the plants do very well. I am careful to file my receipt and check it before one year expires. Some years, I have plants that don't come up again. When that happens, I send an e-mail to Park's customer service, and they always respond. They either send a replacement or a credit immediately.

Their catalog is beautiful, and I am always excited to get it.

I now deal with Park's for 2 things only.

Algo-Flash fertilizers as well as the "Sea-Magic" kelp concentrate are by far the most effective foliar feeds I have used. Remarkable results, easy to use and very affordable. Other similar formulas are out there (line for line) but these products perform remarkably well year after year and without salt build up.

Golden Guardian Marigolds. Flower heads and shoulders above the rest. Germination rates of other selections surprizingly disappointing. A bit pricey.

Customer service is more effecient and helpful (especially in regards to credit and shipping issues) earlier in the season. Get a name and deal with that person only.

Regarding live plants:This New Englander learned that one takes a chance outside of Park's southerly location. Not all annuals are on sight and availability and shipping activity are in the hands of the third party. I was not aware of this and only half my order arrived. Never notified that the other half was not available and denied free items because I ordered on-line!?! I had to make a few calls to get the right info and am waiting on credit...and free items.

I am still hooked on the fertilizers and guardian marigolds; for all else I will look elsewhere.

I just received my order from Park Seed and was very disappointed. I've never ordered from them before, but was encouraged to when I read about their huge wholesale discounts. Anyway, I ordered one tree peony and a clematis. What a HUGE disappointment! Both items were dry, shriveled pieces of plant matter! The clematis was a joke! A shriveled, brown little stick with a small root system to match. The tree peony was pathetic looking as well. I immediately called customer service and expressed my disappointment and was told to give the plants 6 weeks. I would never, ever, EVER, order from this company again! Don't be fooled by the big sales and glossy pics! Save your money 'cause there are way better mailorder nurseries out there. I wish Heronswood didn't close!!

I ordered 5 plants from this company in 2006,only one was worth the money.Two of them were in fair condition.The other 2 should have been thrown in the trash long before they were mailed.One looked like a dead stick.Where is the quality control? I plan to tell everyone not to buy from them.

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We have reviewed your posting on Dave’s Garden Watchdog website. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to help us to help you.

Veronica Jackson
Park Seed Customer Contact Department
vjackson@parkseed.com
"

Last year (2005) I bought an Angel Trumpet plant and some moonflower seeds. I had bought other Angel Trumpets from other companies and none of them ever lived or bloomed. This one did...in late July, it was just loaded with blooms, I was taking pictures and sending them to all my friends. It has lived happily inside over the winter and now it's back outside and is already blooming again. And my Moonflowers were beautiful. I had bought a pack of seeds for a friend in northern IL too and hers did very well. We saved some seeds and they are growing well. I've been tempted to try those Thugi or something like that trees and wish someone that has tried them would post....I need something fast growing to replace three trees blown over last week in a storm.

I would have to give them a B- for a grade. One of the plants I got last fall was too small and did not make it through the winter. Yes they did give credit, but when shipping costs as much of the plant it's hard to feel good about reordering it.

Just begun ordering this year from this company. 1st order was ok and arrived on time. 2nd order of Trumpet vines came as only little toothpicks. Over priced for a $40 charge in my book. 3rd order was Japanese painted fern collection of 3 plants. One was ok, one was broken up due to shipping/packing the last one had root rot with only one little 1/2 inch leaf which has now died. I called the day I received and customer service said they made a note and to give them a couple of weeks and call back so we will see. It has now been 2 wks and even though I planted the same day they arrived next to the pond in partial shade there has been no change. The dead one is still dead! I will follow up with this
after I call them back. Not happy with live plants they supply at premium prices so will probably not order from them again.

My experience is unlike the recent ones I just read. I have been in contact with them by e-mail wanting to know when to expect my orders. They told me this week and two of the three orders arrived today. I ordered Dragon Wing begonias and Pentas and they are very healthy looking plants. I do have one more order coming and we will see how they do on that one but so far I give them a positive rating.

I wrote Parks off the list last year when I received dried-up achimenes rhizomes. Previous year the colors I wanted were out of stock. I love the people at Parks, but I can't rely on the product anymore.

frankly, i'm tired, so tired of this i can't take it anymore. this is my very last order with these people and with wayside period.

i rec'd my plants they were vines......expensive vines, very expensive. they arrive and are so tiny it's terrible. they continue to ship the smallest plants possible for the highest cost. these plants can't have a chance to survive because of their size. i don't care they will replace them. i'm tired of replacing and replacing and replacing plants. like.....don't they understand that that takes TIME AND LABOR! which IS a COST to the customer. I'M DONE!

i had also ordered the same vines from brushwood nursery...just for a back-up. they were less than half the price...i wish i could show a picture. the one's from brushwood are at least 10 times the size for less than one half the cost. just terrible terrible terrible. never, ever again for me. so i hope you see this and take me off your mailing list forever!

I have still not received the order I told them to ship immediately...
I placed an order for bare root strawberries on April 8th. I then e-mailed the company several times before I was told they begin shipping to my zone (4) on April 24th (there was no link on the ordering web page for their zone shipping schedules). If I wanted to have my order shipped earlier, it would void the guaruntee.
April 24th came and went and my order status had not changed. I then began calling the company (starting April 27th). I then found out that they would not ship my order until mid-May. I asked them to ship my order immediately (April 28th), and I didn't care about the guaruntee at this point. I have continued checking my order status and calling. I have had three people put RUSH orders on my account and hand it to their supervisor. I have had two people tell me that my order is packed and will ship today (May 3rd, May 5th). Today I called again (May 8th) and the order was supposed to have shipped May 6th. She apologized. That was it. My order which I asked to be shipped immediately (voiding the guaruntee) on April 28th has still not arrived. Perhaps posting feedback is the only way to get this company to send me my order.
Perhaps they ship seeds in a timely manner, but from the run around I have received (despite the friendly operators) I will never order from this company again and I suggest you do the same.
-Melody

I used to buy plants and seeds from Parks but there's way too many problems dealing them. The plants that were ordered had a shipping confirmation of late April, then it was changed to the beginning of May. The begining of May came & went with a new shipping date of late May or the start of June. Finally customer service admitted they didn't have the plants and didn't know when the grower would ship them. I canceled the order, but they could've said something before this.

Ordered and planted two kinds of tulips bulbs in the fall. They all came up and look beautiful.

With seeds, you always win some and lose some. Their bulbs are nearly 100%, I actually think these stray cats got a few of my crocuses. Their customer service is prompt. Their seed packets probably have the best overall protection and "shelf life". They're prices are much lower than Burpee and their selection is wide.

After having difficulties and tons of inconvenience with a couple other mail order companies, I was on the verge of giving up and just driving the over an hour each way from my home to search for garden products.
A friend recommended Parks, though, and they are a breath of fresh air! I planted too many seeds, because usually all of the seeds I plant don't come up. That wasn't the case with the seeds from Parks, however. Every single seed I planted came up! I was thrilled. Their shipping is really fast, too. I love that, being the impatient gardener I am. I was especially thankful after one of my greenhouses had a mishap and I lost half of my seedlings. I ordered more seeds from Parks and had them in less than a week! So there was still time to start over. I recommend them all the time, now.

My seed order was pretty good. Seeds always seem fresh and never have much problem. I wish I could get some of the corkscrew vine seeds. I guess I better order them in December next year. No major complaints with the company though. We took a ride up to their gardens one year. Real pretty trial gardens.

I ordered several things from parks this season. All the seeds came in plenty of time to order them, and I was very pleased at the state of the potted plants. Very good quality and shipped excellent too, just have a bag ready to put all the foam peanuts in.
Will order from this company again!

I have ordered many live plants from this company starting in Spring '05. I have had good luck and been well pleased, as everything has been healthy when I received it. I don't think I've lost any of my Park's plants, even due to my own occasional neglect.

The only disappointing experience I had was when I ordered a Biodome this past winter ('06). It took so long to get here that it was just about too late to plant seeds. But, I will continue to shop with this company.

I guess I've ordered from Park for about 5 decades now. I remember my grandmother ordering from Park. I have never had a problem with the company. Mostly I ordered seeds, occasionally plants. My grandmother never complained about Park either and she was so happy when "the catalog" arrived.

I recently turned in an order for a few seeds and one Sky Pencil Holly. They have all arrived (seperate shipments). The Holly was in excellent shape and now resides in a 19" diameter pot. You can bet your bottom dollar I'll be ordering from them next year.

There are only a handful of suppliers that I'd give my 100% approval and Park is one of them. I rate them A+ in all respects. :-)

This was my first order. I got the Festina beans and Argoflash. Got it FAST. No complaints here. Thanks

On March 26, 2006, I placed an order with Park Seed for Purple Millet seed and copper garden markers. The order was shipped on March 31. While I cannot yet vouch for the seed germination rate, the markers were awesome--high quality at the best price I have found anywhere and they were BYGO!! A positive experience and I will definitely order from Parks again.

I've ordered from parks many times, but this year will probably be my last. I ordered 2 heat mats, along with some seeds, etc., one of the heat mats ended up being defective. I called and was told a replacement would be sent, no problem, toss the defective one (these are the cheap $20 mats). Several weeks later with no replacement I call again and spend awhile on hold, only to be told no replacement was sent, notes were made on my order, but no new order placed. The customer service rep couldn't place the order, said she'd have to talk to the original CSR and would call me back on Saturday. Guess what, no call. I call back the today and am told no order was placed and they would have to talk to the lady who said she was going to call me back. What is with this company, can no one do anything on their own? Unfortunately, it's been so long since my original order, I can't even reverse the credit card charge. One other thing of note, the first CSR I spoke with told me to toss the defective mat (this was brand new, defective out of the box), the following 2 CSR's told me I should have returned it, so hang on to anything you get from them, regardless of what your'e told.

Just had to vent, I hate being ripped off, especially from what I thought was a reputable company.

I love Park's seed and plant selection. I've also found their customer service incredibly friendly and helpful (some other companies could take some pointers from them). Plus they sometimes throw in extra surprises when you place a big order.

There are just two things I wish Park (and its sister company Wayside Gardens) would change: First, Park will ship pretty much any week day. That means that if they send out a package on a Friday it could sit in a hot post office building over the weekend. When the package finally arrives you could find damaged, wilted plants inside. A few other plant companies side-step this potential problem by shipping only Monday-Wednesday. Park might want to consider the same for their live plant orders.

Second, it's my understanding that Park ships plants when they (the plants) are ready on-site. This is great for locals because you know you're getting a "fresh plant." But if you live in a different gardening zone you may not want your plants showing up in April (when there's still a chance of frost). Some other plant companies offer patrons the option of selecting their preferred shipping date. For example, you could place an order in February and specify you want it shipped May 15.

Don't get me wrong - Park is a great company. Whenever I order plants from them (or Wayside), though, I always order a.) after my last frost date and b.) on the weekend with hopes they'll ship early in the week.

I have only been a customer of Park's for about a year now, My first purchase was some small bedding plants, I ordered out of season (in the dead of winter) and as soon as it was warm, bam! they were on my doorstep in wonderful condition. I have since purchased thousands of seeds from them (both at retail and through their wholesale company which is also great). My experiences have been nothing but positive in working with them. they always answer their phones quickly and their sales reps are courteous and efficient. whenever I have a question about an order they find the answer if they don't know it already. wonderful company, plan to do business with them for years to come!

Ordered a grow light and various seed starting supplies from Parks. Equipment arrived all the way across country in a reasonable time span and order was filled accuratly.

Some lettuce seeds I ordered from Park had a low germination rate. So I emailed them and explained I'd followed the instructions to the letter. They quickly volunteered to send another pack of seeds, free of charge, of course. I had them in about nine days. I haven't tested the new seeds for germination (getting too warm for lettuce crops here already) but Park gets a positive just for customer service.

We have used Park seed for many year and have always been pleased with their products and service. We now order over the internet which speeds up dellivery time.

I recently received my order. I ordered perma-nest trays, seeds, terra latches and Algoflash fertilizer. I got my order promptly but the fertilizer was the wrong one. I called the customer service number and got right through. A friendly person helped me to get the correct fertilizer shipped out and it arrived promptly also. I was pleased I got to keep the wrong fertilizer and didn't have to deal with shipping it back to Park Seed. I am very happy with the quality of the perma- nest trays and this site is one of the few places you can order these trays without ordering a huge number of them.

I ordered a few seed packets from Park's a little while ago and they arrived today. They were nicely packaged and arrived in a timely manner. Provided that germination is good and they're what they should be, I feel certain that I will order from Park's again.

ordered a number of packets vegetable seeds,order arrived quickly.there was one pack of seeds missing,contacted park seed through email and it was shipped following day.cant beat that service....thanks again park seed

This is the second year I have purchased from Park Seed. The orders arrived in a timely fashion, and I was especially pleased with their customer service and credit policy. Last year I (against my common sense) ordered the Strawberries in hanging bags, and set about trying to get them to grow. I followed the directions, they kept dieing. I finally planted them out, they still didn't make it. When I called to have Park make good on their "guarantee", the customer service reps were wonderful. They did ask how I handled the plants, I explained, and they cheerfully credited my account for the full amount.

Nell (CSR) mentioned DG, and that she looks up plants and availability occasionally in the Plantfiles and such, as well as keeping an eye that DG-ers are happy with Park. She also said that they have made some small changes in their exchange/credit policy, and ask that if you are having trouble with something you ordered from them, that you call and ask for help. They have staff horticulturists available for your assistance. If after seeking help from them, your purchase doesn't thrive, they will be happy to credit your account. I thought this was reasonable.