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

I ordered vegetable and ornamental seeds from Park Seed in January 2021 and was very happy with what I received.

The foil packets that each seed came in were just large enough for the amount inside. I appreciate that their website clearly lists how many seeds each packet will hold; this helps me plan my garden for the year. No matter how small the seeds were, I never received fewer than were promised.

Their seeds are not the cheapest on the market, but honestly the amount of detailed instruction on how to start each and every packet of them was worth the extra dollar or so. Park Seed is also not the most expensive online seed company by far.

I would 100% recommend Park Seed to other gardeners.

I am a Certified Texas Master Gardener specializing in propagation, our Association's newsletter editor, and contribute research articles, too. I am cognizant that the majority of reviews are negative, which is why I was concerned about ordering from Park Seed. I was pleasantly surprised. Their seed packaging is among the best I've experienced. Their ordering and shipping processes were clear and transparent. Seeds arrived promptly. I sent two inquiries on how to best start seed and grow plants from their Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' seed offering. I got helpful, concise responses from a knowledgeable horticulturist. In my experience, their sales and customer service are well above average, and I would order from Park Seed again.

Posted on July 6, 2020, updated July 30, 2020
In all fairness I have ordered periodically from Park Seed for many, many years and have been happy with their products. My problem this time is that I never received my Campsis Summer Jazz Fire vine which cost $36.95. I ordered some seeds along with the vine. The seeds arrived. When I checked my order status in May, the site said the rest of my order would be shipped later per the appropriate planting time. I checked again in June but this time it said the second part of the order had been shipped. I had never received the vine so I emailed the company asking if there was any recourse and no one replied to my email. I live in a rural area surrounded by farmland so there are no "porch pilots" around. Perhaps my order was delivered to the wrong address? As a long-standing customer, I have never before claimed not to have received an item. Now I am afraid to order again for fear that I will be left "holding the bag" having paid for merchandise not received.

"On Jul 10, 2020 9:40 AM, Park Seed Company (aka Park\'s Gardens) responded with:

First and foremost, I would like to apologize for your negative experience with our company. We are committed to working closely with our customers to resolve any service issues and will continue to focus our efforts on creating a positive experience. During this Pandemic we are working with a reduced staff and are receiving an astronomical amount emails daily, which is causing our response time to be much longer than desired. If you will email me directly with your order information and I will be more than happy to look into a resolution for you. Please reference this post.

Angela Davenport
Retail Communications Supervisor
J&P Park Acquisitions, Inc.
Park Seed, Wayside Gardens, Jackson & Perkins
Van Dykes Restorers
adavenport@parkseed.com"

I have ordered seeds from many vendors over the years and my experience with Parks seeds has always been good. The seed packaging in foil makes it easy to keep the seeds in once opened and the germination rated are always top notch. One example is the coneflowers I purchased where I had 100% germination which is very unusual for those plants in my experience. I will continue to use parks for my hard to find/germinate seeds!

I have ordered from Park for year. Most recent order was in March 2020. Slightly slower than i liked; however, they did indicate they were behind on shipping on their website. Order was shipped piecemeal which was better than waiting two extra weeks for all items. This season I have had reasonable germination rates with their seeds.

"On May 12, 2020 10:55 AM, Park Seed Company (aka Park\'s Gardens) responded with:

We appreciate you taking the time to post on Dave’s Garden about how pleased you are with your order/product. Thank you! Your opinion is valued and we, of course, welcome feedback. It's customers like you who act as a reminder of why we do what we do and the importance of supplying only top quality products as well as to offer the best service possible. Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts!

Angela D
Park Seed Sale Associate
adavenport@parkseed.com

"

I have been gardening since 1968 and always found Park Seed to be a reliable company with great prices. Last Spring I ordered 3 bottles of Algoflash from Park Seed because they had the lowest price. When they arrived, one of the bottles had a broken seal and had leaked all over the others, even though they had been taped shut before being shipped. I was was more than disappointed.

I notified Park Seed, hoping they would refund me for at least the one bottle. Instead, to my surprise, they shipped 3 more bottles for free. This time they used extra packing and all arrived safely. This is customer service that goes above and beyond what is required or expected....and it is really really smart.....because now I will buy my Algoflash and as much of my other gardening items as posssible from Park Seed. In a day and age where most companies are run by employees who don't really care, Park Seed is the exception. Thank You Park Seed for making your little part of America great again.

Hermanson

Posted on February 12, 2008, updated June 30, 2017
I order from Park seed every year and have been pleased with their service. One year I emailed as a coleus packet didn't germinate and they sent a replacement right away. This past weekend I had a question on a partial order and was surprised when my email was answered immediately over the weekend (had expected to wait until Monday at least). My experiences with the company have always been positive.

Posted on May 26, 2017, updated June 16, 2017
Here is my experience with J&P

Ms Davenport,

You should not apologize for the inconvenience but for the $71 lost in the purchase of dead rose plants. I would like to mail the dead plants to you since they are of no use to me. Please provide your address.

You know, I was just looking for any kind of concession but nothing is coming. I will continue to post my experience with J&P in as many sites that I can find. People will know that when one purchases a J&P plant there is 60% likelihood the plant will die within a year. The number will be an eye opener for anyone who reads my review. The dead plants were faulty, I reported it within 90 days refund period, and J&P does not back their guarantee.

David

-----Original Message-----
From: Angela Davenport
To: David
Sent: Fri, May 26, 2017 8:30 am
Subject: RE: three rose not doing well [3679191:4339324]

Dear David,

Thank you for the order information. As you know the warranty is expired on your order as of August 2016.

I see your order was noted on 6/15/16 that you had emailed advising that your Pope John Paul rose was not growing and the representative advised you to do the scratch test and the Epsom salt treatment. After that it appears you did not contact us back to advise if the rose was responding and growing. If the customers do not let us know before the warranty expires, we are unable to make any adjustments.

There are many factors beyond the initial guarantee period that can cause an otherwise vigorous and healthy plant to

fail, most of which are beyond our control. They include severe winter weather, drought, disease, insect damage, marauding animals, etc. While proper care and winter protection will go a long way toward ensuring your plants will have a long and healthy life, even this cannot unconditionally guarantee that environmental conditions will not impact the survival of your plants. Because of this, we are unable to extend our guarantee beyond the initial growing season. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Angela Davenport
Retail Communications Supervisor
J&P Park Acquisitions, Inc.
Park Seed, Wayside Gardens, Jackson & Perkins
adavenport@parkseed.com

The JPPA Family of Brands:

From: David
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2017 6:13 PM
To: Angela Davenport
Subject: Re: three rose not doing well [3679191:4339324]

Hi Angela, Thank you for your help. Below is the original order and its 2 Pope John Paul II Hybrid Tea Rose (I really like this one) and1 Sugar Plum Hybrid Tea Rose.

Capture.JPG

-----Original Message-----
From: Angela Davenport
To: David
Sent: Thu, May 25, 2017 1:34 pm
Subject: RE: three rose not doing well [3679191:4339324]

Dear David,

Thank you for reaching out to me for assistance. Can you advise me what the name of the 3 roses were that died and I will speak with our Manager to see what resolution I can get for you. We will definitely do something to help you. Please accept our apology for any inconvenience caused.

Angela Davenport


From: David]
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2017 2:17 PM
To: Angela Davenport
Subject: Fwd: three rose not doing well [3679191:4339324]

Hello adavenport,

one last try to change your reputation. Below is my experience with the organization.

-----Original Message-----
From: David
To: info
Sent: Mon, May 22, 2017 5:47 pm
Subject: Re: three rose not doing well [3679191:4339324]

Very disappointed in the way you do business. I called and tried to understand why 3 out of the 5 rose plants I purchased died and j&p does not back up their product. Wasn't looking for a credit but a replacement. Anyway, I will be posting the following review in as many sites that I can find. Hope fully I can warn others of your business practice. When I first contacted you within the 90 day period about the weak plants you should have replaced them

In May of 2016, I purchased 5 rose plants. By toward the end of June, 2 of the plants were barely sprouting and one plant had no sprouts. I contacted J&P and they gave advice to use Epstein stalk on it. That did help the 2 plants plus the one that would not sprout. I did get roses from all 5 plants. We had a very mild, extremely mild winter and 3 of the plants did not survive even though I covered them with weather protection. The 2 remaining alive plants are doing great and I can see roses developing.

I sent J&P 2 emails letting them know what had happened and if they could do something about it. There was no response so I called and the rep told me there is no guarantee of the plant after 90 days. I explained the issues I had with the 3 plants within the 90 period but the rep said they survived within the ninety day period.

J&P does not back up their plants as they advertise or would not consider any accommodation to myself. So the simple math is 3 plants died out of 5 so J&P plant survival rate is 40%. Definitely not a good deal. By the way, the rep only gave me one line that she kept repeating, "J&P guarantees the plant for 90 days". What a rip off. Lesson learned.

-----Original Message-----
From: David
To: info
Sent: Fri, May 19, 2017 3:05 pm
Subject: Re: three rose not doing well [3679191:4339324]

Hi, Its going on about a week and I have not received a reply. Don't you stand by your plants or at least at a minimum tell me what I did wrong. Would not like it if the other plants did not survive the next winter.

David

-----Original Message-----
From: David
To: info
Sent: Sat, May 13, 2017 6:06 pm
Subject: three rose not doing well [3679191:4339324]

Hi,

Out of 5 Roses I purchased, only 2 survived the winter. It was a very mild winter and I did cover the plants for protection. I do want to replace them plus purchase 3 more, but my experience is not good.
Can you do something?
David

"On May 26, 2017 2:32 PM, Park Seed Company (aka Park's Gardens) responded with:

Dear David,

We understand people seeking an outlet to voice their opinions and we do try our best to resolve all the complaints and concerns brought to our attention from all online garden forms. As a onetime customer courtesy I will issue you a Merchandise credit for the 3 roses mentioned. We do not like to disappoint our customers and we hope this will help restore your faith in Jackson and Perkins. Going forward, please know that all products have a 90 day Guarantee and we need to be notified during the Guarantee time frame. You did contact us last year in June, nut once the representative advised you to do the Epsom Salt treatment we did not hear back from you until after the guarantee had expired. Please accept our apology for any inconvenience caused.

Angela Davenport
Retail Communications Supervisor
J&P Park Acquisitions, Inc.
Park Seed, Wayside Gardens, Jackson & Perkins
"

My overall interaction with Park Seed is positive. A general note is: plants shipped directly from them are in better shape. I live in Zone 8, Greater Seattle area.

I have ordered plants and seeds from Park Seed for a few years now. When I order plants that are shipped directly from their warehouse, they are always in fantastic shape and shipped in a timely manner: strawberries, raspberries, hydrangeas, pomegranate, lily bulbs, and seeds. I usually order everything in spring, mid March to early April. Items are usually shipped on the Monday/Tuesday after order and arrive a week after shipping.

When ordering plants shipped from their outside distributor (not Park Seed or Jackson & Perkins), the quality of the items are less consistent. Last year, when they used a distributor in Michigan, the rosemary was ~1 inch tall and dying. Additionally, the plants were not packaged well for shipment. This year, they used a distributor in Ohio and they are MUCH BETTER. The tomatoes plants are healthy and large. The packaging for the shipment was superb. The tomatoes were shipped overnight!

I am glad they fixed their distributor problem. Overall, my experience is positive. My plants growing fantastically in my garden (except for the rosemary).

I'm a bit flummoxed by all the negative reviews I've been reading about this company. So much so, that while I hate signing up for anything, I had to sign up here to post a review.

I've been ordering vegetable and flower seeds from Park Seed for the last 5 years, placing orders several times within each year. I've found that while they carry many of the common varieties, they also carry some that I have found harder to get elsewhere - case in point, Cobra French Beans and Caraflex Cabbage (before this became popular).

In all instances, the orders have been filled promptly and have arrived in excellent condition. I like the foil-lined seed packets, which seem to keep the seed fresher. Germination rates have been very good, typically greater than 90%, on everything I've ordered.

If I had anything negative to say, it would be that they, like all companies, inundate me with emails. Rather than understand that I would appreciate a email a month, emails typically show up at least daily - I wish companies would realize that this shows some disrespect for their customers and their customers' time.

I have ordered several seed packets from this company both last year and this year and was very satisfied with everything I received. They are one of my go-to companies for flower seeds, and I would recommend them to other gardeners.

Posted on March 31, 2016, updated May 4, 2016
Posted on March 30, 2016, updated March 31, 2016
Posted on October 20, 2015, updated March 30, 2016
Posted on October 17, 2015, updated October 20, 2015
Posted on July 31, 2003, updated October 17, 2015
My Park orders have been 100% seed, so I can't address other areas, but the seed is outstanding. It is very carefully packaged, and the prices are reasonable. I ordered wave and double petunia seeds from Vermont Seed, Harris Seed and Park. The yield from Vermont Seed was zero, from Harris about 80%, which is fine, but Park's was 95% plus. That has been a consistent experience with all kinds of seeds from them. My rule of thumb has become, if I want something a little unusual (new hybrids or new colors colors)and I want them well packaged so the seed lasts several years(paper inside of foil)and I don't want to pay a ridiculous price (Thompson & Morgan), then Parks is it.

"On Oct 17, 2015 3:05 PM, Park Seed Company (aka Park's Gardens) responded with:

I am sorry I am unable to contact you directly, I do not have any of your information. If your order was placed within the last few weeks, we are currently in our Fall season and this is why our order shipped now. We are happy to know your rose arrive in good condition and you are pleased with the quality. Please feel free to call us for advise for the expected frost spell and planting your rose.

Angela D
Park Seed Sale Associate
adavenport@parkseed.com

Ordered four honeyberry plants from them in early spring. It had been a few weeks so I emailed them asking the status. Had a reply back the next day saying my area wasn't ready and it would ship soon. No problem. Plants arrived in great shape about a 1-2 weeks later. Plants were actually bigger than I expected and were packaged well. Prices were great and bought them when they had free shipping sale.

Posted on April 11, 2016, updated April 20, 2016
Posted on April 6, 2016, updated April 11, 2016
Posted on March 30, 2016, updated April 6, 2016
Posted on March 29, 2016, updated March 30, 2016
I purchased a Fire and Ice Hydrangea and a Empress Wu from the company. The plants took a while to arrive, but they were packaged well. The hydrangea was frail and the hosta was small, but it looked healthy. I planted the two and hoped for success. Well, the hydrangea turned out to be a huge disappointment. I was thinking to give it some time and try not to rush to judgement. I called Park Seed and complained about the purchase. I was instructed to use Epsom Salts and I did, but it did not do a bit of good! I called back and requested for a manager to call me and you may have guessed that I did not receive a phone call. I called today and was told I was out of warranty! The warranty is 90 days and that is hogwash because the warranty info was not included with the order. I viewed their website and it is on the guarantee section, however; I spoke to a CSR who told me that the plants could have been replaced the item last year. Ok, Park Seed should have a guarantee longer than three months! The CSR informed me that since I live in the South, the company took the location into consideration. Whatever! Park Seed sends out plants that are so overpriced for what you are getting! I could have pulled some twigs from my yard for free and saved $$$$! Park Seed is a scam and I will never order from them again! They will not replace less quality plants and it is not fair to the consumer. I will purchase my plants from other nurseries! I would have done a lot better with Lowe's, Home Depot and Wal-Mart than Park Seed!! Stay AWAY from Park Seed!

"On Mar 29, 2016 2:00 PM, Park Seed Company (aka Park's Gardens) responded with:

I am sorry to hear you are dissatisfied with our service. I would like to help with your situation. Would you please provide me with your name, address, order # , and I will gladly work with you toward some sort of resolution in this situation.

Angela D
Park Seed Sale Associate
adavenport@parkseed.com

I have ordered seeds from this company for several years and have always been very happy with both the seeds and the company service. They have new varieties of plant seeds earlier than most other sources and the prices are very competitive.

I've ordered seed in the past and had great luck with it. This year was no different, plants are growing and I am one happy gardener. This was the first year I order a plant, missed that it was a bare root plant, planted it and it's growing now too. Very happy!

"On Aug 6, 2015 12:37 PM, Park Seed Company (aka Park's Gardens) responded with:

We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how pleased you are with your product. Thank you! Your opinion is valued and we, of course, welcome feedback. It's customers like you who act as a reminder of why we do what we do and the importance of supplying only top quality products as well as to offer the best service possible. Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts!

Angela D
Park Seed Sale Associate
adavenport@parkseed.com
"

Posted on May 8, 2015, updated May 8, 2015
I placed an order back before the first of the year. Excited as usual when the seed catalogs started to arrive. It is now May 8th and I still have not received my order. After calling several times being told the shipment had been moved to priority I found myself at davesgarden.com looking at complaint after complaint. As I like to pretend to be a good gardener I had thought this company was where the real gardeners went for quality. Their magazines and website are top notch and prices are higher (meaning better quality????). Well obviously this pretend gardener fell for the pretty outer shell of Park Seed. While each person I have talked to has been nice and seemingly helpful (one wonders if its the southern accent that made them seem overly nice) not a one of them came through getting my order to me. So again I ended up at davesgarden.com and found this Angela Davenport's email address with Park Seed. An email was sent and she did respond stating she was not even certain why it had not shipped and that an e-mail had been sent to the shipping departments supervisor asking that my order be shipped ASAP. Again this seems nice and helpful, but lets remember that the three other people I have spoke with stated the same thing. I again just checked the status of my order through their fancy website and it stated anticipated ship date of 5/7/2015.....Today is the 8th and it has not been shipped. I am giving them until Monday and then I will contact my credit card company and file a fraud or complaint to get my money back and go to a local green house and get what I need or close to it anyway. So upsetting and its set my garden back nearly a month now.

"On May 8, 2015 3:34 PM, Park Seed Company (aka Park's Gardens) responded with:

I am so sorry for the delay in the shipment of your order. I do want to inform you that I have made arrangements with shipping to have your order shipped out Monday morning via Overnight UPS delivery due to the delay you have experienced. I also want to make you aware that The King Fern you had on order is not available due to a quality issue and was canceled. I will be emailing you with an offer. Again please accept our apology,
Angela D.
Park Seed Sale Associate
adavenport@parkseed.com


"

This is more a report about customer service then product quality. I ordered a Garden Sieve and received another product in error. I called Customer Service and she promptly took down the information, shipped me the correct item, telling me to just keep the wrong item rather then shipping it back to them. Now that's good honest customer service. It's what I would expect from a reputable company.

I ordered a few seed packets from these guys, and received the seeds in a respectable time (holiday weekend). So far everything has sprouted nicely and are creating leaves, except for the hardy cactus blend. I've never had much luck with germinating cacti; and it has only been ~2 weeks so far, but I figured I might get lucky with at least one early-ish sprouting cactus. Everything else; however, is going about as expected with 60-90% germination rates.

Posted on February 27, 2015, updated March 3, 2015
After I placed my order to this company, 1 little pack of seeds, I checked their website to see when it would ship and it was like 3 days later. In the meantime, I located the same seeds at a local store for a lot less plus there would be no shipping charges. I immediatly cancelled my order and they sent me back an email stating it had already shipped. it is not worth it to me to have to send my order back and pay for postage again for 1 little pack of seeds. i have been a longtime customer of this site many years, but never again. This company's customer service is really going downhill fast, but then again I suppose that's how they make their money!!!!!

"On Mar 3, 2015 10:53 AM, Park Seed Company (aka Park's Gardens) responded with:

We sorry to hear you are dissatisfied with our service. We would like to hear about your situation. Would you please provide us with your name, address, order # , and phone number and we will gladly work with you toward some sort of resolution in this situation.


Angela D
Park Seed Sale Associate
adavenport@parkseed.com"

Posted on March 21, 2013, updated February 13, 2015
Posted on February 23, 2011, updated March 21, 2013
I don't understand why there are so many negatives on Park Seed. I have been ordering from them for years (literally for the past thirty years!), and have never had a complaint about service, speed, or quality. Everything I've ordered from them has germinated and grown beyond expectations, and never have I received a 'bum order' with seeds that didn't germinate or perform as described. I recently placed my annual spring seed order with them, and the entire order was filled and shipped to me within a week. No substitutions, no backorders. While, in the past, there have been occasions where my order was separated into several shipments with backorders (I'll add that there was never an extra shipping charge), this was not the case this year. Overall, dealing with Park Seed has always been a pleasurable and reliable experience, their products have proven to be of quality, and I'll continue to shop with them in the future.

Since they cater to Southern growers and I garden in Zone 4, I usually order just specialty seeds from Park: fun things I can't find elsewhere. I have followed them for years, watching the Park family squabble over their inheritance, not caring that their business was the livelihood for hundreds, if not thousands of families. Where others have turned their companies over to the employees, giving them a stake in their workplace and thus a reason to care (think King Arthur Flour; Johnnies Selected Seeds), they preferred to run their company into the ground, not even updating an antiquated and less than "transparent" bookkeeping system.

Some employees have continued to care, in spite of this. A local lawyer named Donald Coggins put together a package in 2010 able to buy out in turn the bankruptcy package. We will have to wait and see the results, long term. I do see renewed pride in the catalog that arrived in yesterday's mail: not at all the same old thing. I'm happy to see that my rare Sempervivum tectorum seeds are still there: they truly have been a fancy mix, not just your grandmother's plain green plants.

I have always gotten prompt service with my orders and their seeds have always been of the freshest, often sprouting even better than advertised. My e-mails have been answered promptly and knowledgeably. I believe we will do well to support this company, giving them time to re-organize and do justice to the tradition of plant breeding that in the past was at least as good as Burpee, their foremost competitor.

I placed an online order with Park Seed this spring (2014) - my first time ordering from this company and I was very pleased with their packaging, fast shipping and seed quality. Excellent germination on all seeds and prolific producers in the garden. Later, I received an email promotion "Free shipping on all seeds, 1 day only, no minimum order required," so I ordered several more packages of seeds I'd been wanting to grow. They arrived in 3 days and again, I got excellent germination from all of the seed except for one variety which was a cool weather vegetable I didn't expect to grow with summer coming on. I replanted those seeds in late August when the temperatures started cooling down and they're producing a nice harvest now in October.

My mother purchased some Jersey asparagus roots for me from Park Seeds and I have been very happy with them. They arrived fresh and are doing well in my garden to date. Looking forward to spring next year!

I am surprised to read the number of negative comments. I purchase seeds from a lot of companies, and I have purchased from Parks for over 30 years without EVER having a problem. Same goes for Wayside. I also have positive experiences with Johnny's, Territorial, Burpee, Jung, Sheepers, Thompson and Morgan, and Totally Tomatoes.

Actually, I did have a problem with Park once. Their catalogue noted that a seed packet I was ordering was in short supply. They suggested calling before ordering (pre internet), and I didn't. The seeds were sold out, and a refund came in a separate envelope from the seeds.

"On Sep 29, 2014 10:12 AM, Park Seed Company (aka Park's Gardens) responded with:

We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how pleased you are with your orders and services received. Thank you! Your opinion is valued and we, of course, welcome feedback. It's customers like you who act as a reminder of why we do what we do and the importance of supplying only top quality products as well as to offer the best service possible. Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts!


Angela D
Park Seed Sale Associate
adavenport@parkseed.com

"

I'm not surprised with all the negative reviews, if I had wrote a review back in January/February it would have been neutral. But just recently, I placed an order for 3 quart sized plants on April 14th, they shipped on April 19th and I received them on April 21st. They were still alive and thriving and I planted them and they seem to be doing well. They arrived in a box surrounded in styrofoam peanuts. And I only took a chance ordering here because I hadn't found those particular plants elsewhere.

I've ordered from Park three or four times in late 2013 to 2014 and have gotten my products promptly, well-packed, and with no problems. This has included seeds and the Bio-Domes and their sponges. I haven't ordered any live plants (and probably won't, after reading the other comments). The seeds that I've started in the Bio-Domes have germinated very promptly. Based on other commenters' experiences, I'm a bit worried about how well they will transplant and whether the sponges will break down in the soil, but the initial results have looked good. Some fairly robust seedlings (Tithonia, Abutilon, and Asclepias) seem to be able to send roots down through the sponges and flourish.

Yesterday evening I emailed this company asking about an order I had not yet received. First thing this morning I received a very polite and helpful response from a member of their customer contact team. She was very apologetic and explained that my plants were being shipped from their Michigan facility in a few days. She said that if the plants arrived too late for me, they would gladly issue a full refund for the items. With that kind of customer support, I'll certainly continue to order from Park Seed Company in the future.

I ordered geranium seeds from Parks. 100% germination in pots by a wood stove in January 2012. The Red is spectacular...vibrant...blooming by March 2012. It was cold at night after the fire went out but the little plants made it fine. The plants are compact and have bloomed continuously..I never thought I could grow geraniums but with these treated seeds..it is easier than tomatoes

Looks like I'm bucking the trend here, but I have had nothing but very positive results from Parks, and I have bought many plants from them over the past 3-4 years. I admit, I buy very few seeds; my patience isn't great. I do LOVE their SunPatiens, though! Every time I plant them I get loads of compliments and questions about finding impatiens that grow in the sun. They are expensive, probably too expensive, but they arrive very healthy and each plant is full and close to blooming. This year I added petunias, bacopa, & a few other items. They haven't arrived yet so I promise to update this if they arrive in anything other than stellar condition or if their customer service suddenly turns into a bunch of ogres.

I placed two seperate orders in early in March. One I cancelled and was handled well by customer service. The order status on their web page was helpful. The second order arrived in about three weeks. Both plants were packaged well and the plants looked healthy, watered, and undamaged. I would order again.

Posted on April 27, 2012, updated March 16, 2013
I have given Park seed many many many chances to improve itself. The catalog offers "unique" seeds but planting instructions are marked generically and poorly with gold foil envelopes that loose the seed and are hard or impossible to read. THE SEED GERMINATION IS 40-50% AT BEST. And most importantly, IF you choose to do business with this seed company, you better give yourself 2-3 months to receive your seeds. Customer service is full of broken promises such as "I apologize for the 4 week back order in sending out THE REST of your order but they were on back order. I will rush your order out today." 4 weeks later, still never received my order. B E W A R E with Park Seed. Bad, bad, bad, bad!

Posted on January 16, 2013, updated February 11, 2013
Posted on April 30, 2012, updated January 16, 2013
Posted on May 6, 2011, updated April 30, 2012
Posted on April 25, 2011, updated May 6, 2011
Posted on February 23, 2011, updated April 25, 2011
This is the second year that I have ordered the bulk of my seeds from Park Seed and I have been very happy with their service and products. My garden last year was one of the best I've had in years and that was with a drought in southwest Ohio.

My order this year was delivered promptly (37 packets of seed plus seed starting mix/pots). I have only one packet outstanding (cucumbers) which I don't need for awhile anyway. I for one am quite happy with Park.

Posted on May 4, 2004, updated January 24, 2013
I ordered 9 roses. The plants arrived within 3 weeks of ordering. They were all large healthy well rooted and trimmed plants. All of my dealings with Park's have been very satisfactory.

Park's Seeds has been my staple for seed orders each year for many years now. Their seed packets almost always have almost 100% germination rate. They are one of the best seed sources for the latest AAS winners and new seed varieties.

I can't comment on their nursery/plant sales, though that seems to make up the bulk of the negative comments about the company. I had some customer service trouble around ten years ago that scared me away for a few years, but every year since then, the company has delivered great seeds, a large variety, and service.

Have been dealing with Park's for about 10yrs,no problem back then,no problem this past spring.I don't know what the other people had a problem with.I have never had a problem.

I've ordered a lot of seeds from Parks and they've been great! Excellent germination rate and the shipping was fast. I love the descriptions written about each plant. They give a lot of detailed information about each variety they sell.

this year was my first time starting seeds...parks is also the first catalog ive ever ordered out of..
i bought 12 packets of seeds from parks ealier this year,i chose them cause they had a lot of unique weird varieties..maybe because i ordered early in the year i got my seeds super fast i even sent a money order via snail mail and they still came fast just in time to plant...yes the shipping was a lil $$ but i kinda expected that it is all the way on the east coast and im on the west so i didnt mind too much...pretty much all the seeds came up with the exception of like 6 or 7..i was very surprised and happy...all my flowers from parks are beautiful..im happy with them and would order from them again

I have ordered seeds from Park Seed several times. The seeds have always arrived promptly and germinated without problems. I've never needed to contact customer service so I can't comment on that but their seeds, packaging and shipping time have been excellent in my experience.