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

I ordered from Park Seed; the seeds arrived promptly

I ordered, online from Parks for the first time this year. We ordered, among other things, 3 rose bushes which were sent at the proper time for planting in our East Texas climate, were well packaged and all but one appeared in good condition. A few weeks after planting the bushes didn't look as though they were going to perform so I e-mailed Parks simply asking if there was something else I should do and if I decided they were not going to live, would I need to ship them back. I did not expect them to DO anything at that point because I felt there was still time for the bushes to perk up. They IMMEDIATELY shipped one replacement and credited back a full refund on my credit card for the other two. I now have four rose bushesthat are in leaf and one is budding. I can't say enough good things about Park.I think some people have exaggerated expectations for service and a little patience is called for. Many of these nurseries that have gone on-line are overwhelmed with much more business than they anticpated and, in doing 90%of my ordering on the net, my experience has been, that they try very diligently to catch-up.

Great company! Have ordered from them for years & will continue to do so. Checked out the site to order this year & noticed quite a price difference between the site & my most recent catalog-some packets 50 cents higher online. Not a big deal, & certainly won't prevent me from ordering, but where did I put those stamps?

I have ordered seed from Park's for several years in the past with excellent results. In 1998, I tried ordering plants and lily-of-valleypips. The plants arrived in excellent condition (although too early for me to plant out in my climate but I have a grow-light set up for seeds so I just put them under the lights until the proper time). I guess the pips were all right, too. I had never seen pips before so I can say. Everything was planted outside when the soil was workable (about 6 weeks later). Half of the pips sprouted; none bloomed. The Houttuynia started off well but then declined possibly due to some cold June weather. The Geranium 'Ballerina' thrived. I transplanted the Houttuynia to a warmer location with no luck. I didn't contact Park in 1998 about theseproblems but waited until July of 1999 to be sure of the results. By that time, there were no living Houttuynia and no Lily of the Valley. The Geraniums were back and doing well.I called Park's and reported all this. Without questioning me further or trying to shift the blame for failure on my gardening expertise (or lack thereof), the customer service representative cheerfully told me that I would be receiving a refund check in the mail with 2 weeks and apologize for the poor results. This is the way Customer Service is supposed to work! I just received their current catalog and I wasn't going to order any seeds this year (because I have over 150 species of seeds in inventory). As always, I went through the catalog checking off the most desired species. Then, just for the heck of it, I went to their order form to see what shipping & handling would cost IF I DID decide to order. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it had been lowered to just $1.00! Because of their wonderful customer service and this new lower S&H rate, I immediately put together an order for those checked species. (I'll find some room under those lights somehow.) I would wholeheartedly recommend this company. And their selection is not the same old run-of-the-mill species, either.

Of all the seed companies I have ordered from, theirs wins hands-down! Most consistent germination, clear instructions, and well-sealed packs are some of the reasons I favor them so highly.

I have ordered seeds from Park Seed Company for many years. Their prices are more expensive than some, but germination is excellent, so in the long run you save money. This year I tried seeds from other companies, but many of the seeds didn't germinate. Next year, I'm sticking with Park.

I often purchase plants by mail. Park Seed is on my shopping list. Since I have had successes and failures with each and every purchase, including purchasing from local nurseries and garden centers, I usually chalk it up to experience, and try something else.

I have ordered from Park Seed for about 7 years. All plants have been in excellent shape when I received them. The seeds have great germination percentage. Their prices are reasonable and service exceptional. They ship on time and packaged well to protect the plants. Shipping costs are not bad, recent catalogs only charge one small price for shipping seeds only. I will continue to order from them, as I am very satisfied with their service and products

Their seeds are great and the customer relations department there should receive an award for responsiveness. Unfortunately, we have not been totally impressed with their plants, which have been small -- although it should be said that they survive anyway.

I ordered 10 liriope from Park -- all were small and very dried out, and only one is making in (very slowly). They gave me back my money since they had run out of them!!!

When our local Agway and farmer's union ran out of dwarf snow pea seed, I ordered from Park. The pound of seed came in good time and so far germination looks excellent. I look forward to freezing much for winter stir-fries and will continue to keep the Park catalog on hand.

I have been ordering many plants this past year or two, since I have drastically increased the number of perennial beds in my yard. From Park Seed, I received 2 plants with beautiful top growth, but no roots. Was able to save one, but the other died rather quickly. They sent me a very nice replacement, and were very congenial.

I order most of my seeds from Parks every year. Excellent service, reasonable prices, large variety and germination is excellent. They even send a helpful book on starting seeds.

This is the second year I have ordered from Park Seed. The customer service is top notch. I have emailed twice with questions about my plants, and they have responded very quickly. On the phone or on the email, the staff has been very helpful and knowledgeable. I ordered the Park starts, planted seeds on a Monday, and on Wednesday of the same week, a good portion of the seeds had sprouted. Now, not even two weeks later, about 95% of the seeds have grown, some so much that I've already transplanted them. All but one of my bare root plants are doing well, I ordered 5. The sad one is a coral bell, but we have high hopes for it. The actual plants are thriving, even my rosemary! Everything was packed well, and I received my orders within 2 weeks of mailing the checks. As for those who have had bad experiences with Park Seed, I ask you to give them another chance. The good definitely outweighs the bad.

This is one of the best companies I have ever done business with! Last year I ordered seeds, roses, a heating cable, a pH meter, and clematis vines. One of the roses arrived with a crack in the central cane, all the way down to the graft. It was replaced within the week. I ordered the wrong size cable; they took it back for exchange and picked up the postage. 2 of the 5 clematis vines did not come up, and they replaced them with any that I wanted from the catalog, whereas my first order was for 'sale-grab bag' varieties. All of the seeds germinated very easily (thanks to my trusty heating cable) and the roses look great in only 1 season. I am very pleased with the courteously of their customer service, and they have even had their horticulturist call me about a question I had. Truly professional.

I get tons of catalogues each year but Park is what I end up ordering from each time. They have a wide range of ornamentals, as well as veggies. Also unusual plants. My orders arrive promptly and in excellent conditions. I have a very high germination rate. They send a questionnaire after each order is received asking if I was satisfied with the order and if there was anything they could do to help if I was not. On one questionnaire I mentioned in passing that a variety of watermelon did not germinate and thrive. Knowing how reliable Park seed is, I felt it was my own fault and was not complaining about it. Even so, in a few weeks I received a credit certificate for that seed packet. I was pleasantly surprised. This is one of the best companies as far as integrity, quality, and knowledgeable customer service is concerned.

I had such good results in ordering six Red Fairy bareroot roses that I ordered six more a month later for a dozen big boxes along the top of a six foot wall. They have bloomed continuously for the whole first year except for the worst of the summer's 90 degree heat; they are covered with dozens of blooms now in January. And they are just the right size as advertised, disease free, don't need dead-heading.

I simply have to add my own praises. Park Seed is truly a wonderful company to work with over the phone, or in person. In four years, I have had only one problem where a fall special plant sent bareroot did not come up in the spring. I did not even call; I emailed them about the problem (info@parkseed.com). I received my plant in 2 days by priority mail along with an apology. The catalog is wonderful, with a vast collection. Honestly, you can't go wrong!

My husband and I order a lot of edible landscaping plants, seeds, and bulbs from catalogs. We got really nice bulbs from Park as well as seeds.

Here's another voice in the chorus of praise for Park's. I've also had great luck with their seeds -- and their styrofoam plug blocks "ParkStarts," which are super for fussy perennial seedlings like Platycodon. They are courteous and knowledgeable on the phone and shipments arrive promptly.

I have to add my voice to those praising Park's. The first time I ordered from them, I didn't even have a catalog - I had just read a gardening article and they were listed as one of the suppliers. The order taker was very friendly and had no problem looking up the seeds I wanted from name alone. Delivery was prompt, and even included a bonus packet of seeds. I will definitely be ordering more from them in the future!

Some of the items in the Wayside catalog can also be found in the Park's book at lower prices. If you receive the big Park's spring book, be sure to check the table of contents for the "Institutional" page. Look for the date for the annual open house, which coincides with Greenwood's Flower Festival. If you are within driving range of Greenwood, this is a worthwhile trip. They radically reduce the prices on their spring inventory to move it out. I usually lose about 20 percent of my purchases from this sale (usually in June), but at these prices the survivors are still a great buy. Avoid the roses at this sale unless you are very fond ofblack spot; many of the annuals are also long in the tooth. I probably shouldn't be mentioning this at all, since this event is already amadhouse. If you go in the bulb rooms, be prepared for hand-to-hand combat. I believe the preceding weekend is open for commercialnurseries and landscapers.

It looks like most people have had good experiences with them, and I can be added to the list. All the bulbs I have ordered from them have done very well. About two years ago, my sister moved to Greenwood, SC, and since then I have not used the catalog, but have been going to the gardens to get what I need. Their customer service is even better in person!

One of my favorites. Nice catalogue, good variety and good pricing. I've never had a problem with them and do 90% of my seed ordering from them.

I have ordered from Park Seed for years for my seed, perennials and bulbs. They publish at least 2 bulb catalogs a year. The bulbs are priced fairly and always have a unique collection in addition to the classics. I always order at least once a year from the Bulb catalog. Never had any problems. I like it because the bulbs are of the size and quality that I would hand pick at my local garden center. I especially like the fact that they focus on bulbs that are great garden performers. That is, they generally are weatherproof, have great substance, multiply well, and are star performers in the average garden. I would heartily recommend this catalog to any gardener, regardless of experience level.

I like their seeds and selection! Some of their small-sized veggies have grown well even in small pots next to a driveway.

I have been "shopping" from them for the past three years now and I can honestly say that they are an EXCELLENT company all-around. The seeds are freshly packaged with a very high germination rate. They have many plants that all come in good condition, and just thrive madly when planted. They have very knowledgeable, certified horticulturists in-house who will even return long-distance calls to answer questions. One-year return policy, no packing slip required, prompt refund/replacement. All packaging of their products are meticulously clean and sturdy. Their catalogs (slightly different ones come several times a year) are full of real photographs with accurate descriptions. What you see is what you get. Needless to say, they deserve a solid A+ rating.

The Washington State Attorney General's office considers them to be one of the top ten mail order companies in the country. They will refundmoney for just about any reason, they have always been unfailingly courteous when I have called, they are knowledgeable, and will get more information for you if they do not have it on hand. The one person I know that had a customer dispute with them, was very satisfied with how they handled it; it turned out to be a quarantined plant she had ordered. They found her a local nursery that carried the plant, and had them reserve one for her, refunded her money, and apologized for the inexperienced phone trainee that had taken her order. They arealways very friendly. I have never heard them say anything bad about any other company, and they are a marvel of customer appreciation. When my stepfather retired as head of the State Capitol grounds after twenty years, the company sent him a letter of appreciation for his support over the years. And he of course, had nothing but great things to say of them, based on over 35 years of professional contact.