Comments regarding Wayside Gardens

If Wayside Gardens website looks a lot like Park Seed, it should. They're owned by the same company, but Wayside tends to price their plants higher than Park Seed.

There seems to be a bit of a shake-up going on at this company. You can no longer order bulbs from the Park Seed branch--only from Wayside Gardens. And they have a new spin-off for perennials, etc. Countryside Gardens. It's all very confusing. In terms of quality, I've had good luck with bulbs from Park Seed, but the perennials from Wayside have been 50-50.

I ordered a total of 9 own-root roses from these two, related companies (Park and Wayside). They arrived tired, with broken roots and branches, and several with blackspot. Six have died. Of the 27 own-root roses I bought from other vendors, only one has died. The others are flourishing - Austins, shrubs, hybrid musks, climbers, and OGRs.

Thank you Mr. Gabella for shedding light on the 'whole picture.' No one who's ever received a Wayside catalog can deny it's extensive information and high quality. I'd pay for it if it wasn't free. This 'magazine' is worthy of the coffee table. I do like to shop around for a better price, so as to increase my basket, but I placed an order with them just to secure a place on their list. I received a Weigela florida rubens and it arrived looking like was hand delivered from a florist's gift shop. I even kept it in its packing pot in the house for a week as a centerpiece. Incredible. I tend to reach for one of these catalogs when I have a question before I'll grab one of my expensive garden reference books and I always find my answers.

Quite by accident, I found the page in your site reviewing Wayside Gardens merchandise and customer service and thought I'd offer some comments - which also pertain to mail-order shopping in general. I am an award-winning Horticulturist, Hybridist, Garden Writer and Author, Photographer, Artist and Illinois Certified Nursery Professional. I have ordered plants from both Park and Wayside for years, and have in general had good to excellent results - with the few problems resolved quickly in the form of credits, replacements, etc. A few comments on some other past responses. If there is a problem with a particular type of material, it is likely that a company of Wayside's caliber would not only work to resolve the customer end, but also initiate a claim with the source grower of that plant. If a CustomerService problem was encountered, I would think that at some point, a supervisor further up the food chain should and would intervene - even in the case of Sandy Palmer's several complaints - I'm sure they would credit or refund her for all the trouble, wrong varieties, plants whichfailed to grow, etc so long as she asked. She may have given up on Wayside, and that is like any other choice we all make as consumers, butif she did so without finalizing or resolving credit or refund for all unsatisfactory items, she has only herself to blame. Also, like most mail-order garden firms, Wayside has a "May We Substitute/Do Not Substitute" option, and it is up to the consumer to exercise this option; if the order is from a firm where those are not listed options, the customer should specify it outright - in long hand on a paper order form, verbally over the phone, or on-line --- depending upon how the order is placed. Perhaps Ms. Palmer should take a closer look at Marcia Kindlmann's testimonial; she raves about the quality of plants as well as an excellent response from customer service, by which she was graciously refunded for a Rosa moyseii "Geranium" which thrived and bloomed, but didn't produce the "flagon-shaped hips advertised in the catalog." Perhaps there were no bees to pollinate them so was it really Wayside's fault? I hardly think so, as Roses are insect- pollinated and there have been devastating population crashes of both native andEuropean honeybees for the last several years due to mites and disease; in my opinion, Ms. Kindlmann should hand-pollinate her flowers if she wants fruit so badly. That's the least she could do in return for a free rose! So, the plant was hardly defective, yet Wayside refunded her money anyway. Would other companies be so kind? Thomas J. Moran writes that he took a drive to the nursery in hopes of finding some "seconds", etc. and to "check out the beautiful specimens". Commercial mail order horticultural firms vary greatly in size and scope, with some material produced, held, warehoused or cold-stored on site and some drop-shipped from other locations (in varying quantities or proportions, again based upon the size and scope of the firm), so it seems presumptory that a retail catalog consumer, especially after not calling ahead to verify locations, visiting and/or display conditions, etc., would be surprised to venture on his own to a such a site and findwhat he found --- and then express his wide-eyed surprise about it! It's like visiting Sears headquarters here in metropolitan Chicago andexpecting to find aisle after aisle of merchandise! And even before I obtained a degree in Ornamental Horticulture, became involved in the Horticultural Brokerage industry (though now I manage content and marketing for a Horticultural Software company which serves major young plant producers both here and abroad), I was aware (or could manage to figure out) that firms which offer the scope of material --- on a National level no less --- that a company such as Wayside does, probably team with other sources and locations to complete their offerings. And, before visiting such a firm (I have visited several when I had the opportunity, even before my involvement through school or the Industry began), would call ahead for directions, etc. Also, It has been no secret that Park Seed acquired Wayside Gardens over 20 years ago (not sure of the exact year, though I believe it was in the late '70s), as there was much press in garden magazines at the time, the partnership is generally well known, and the company has never been secretive or concealing about it. Moran and others seemed unduly surprised at this, as if there was something wrong with two companies forming a partnership.In regard to his visit to Park Seed, the company maintains extensive display grounds and is an All America Selections Trial Ground location,has an annual Flower Day event (this year, 2001, it is on July 23), and states in their catalogs that peak viewing times for Field Trials arethe months of June-July. I'm not sure when Mr. Moran visited, during what season or weather conditions, so again, if he didn't call ahead toverify conditions (most nurseries will say over the phone what plants or collections are at or off peak), he has only himself to blame. Wayside may be pricey for many items, but they are industry leaders in terms of bringing newer introductions forward for the general gardeningpublic. They are generally up front about the sizes and forms (bare-root, container, pot, bulb, etc.) they ship, so it's up to the consumer to make a decision at the time of purchase -- is this the size and form, for the money, that I want, or will I hold out for another catalog or a local source? And if things don't go well, consumers need to speak up. And if things still don't go well, they need to speak with their wallet, as Ms. Palmer did. In this respect, horticultural shopping, by mail or otherwise, is no different than any other type of commerce; as always, caveat emptor.

For months I looked at the Wayside catalogue but wouldn't order from them because they were too expensive. Then, I began comparing them with other catalogues and found they were not all that expensive. What I liked about their catalogue was the extensive information about each plant--soil conditions, drought tolerance, etc. I ordered from them two springs ago, an extensive order, and everything took off at a dead run, except for some maidenhair ferns which arrived too early. They gave me credit for those. Two astilbe plants were sent of the wrong variety. They replaced them immediately and Itransplanted the two of the wrong variety. All are living and, in essence, I have four plants for the price of two. Customer service asked no questions and was very helpful.One rule I make on mail catalogues: if they don't give the botanical name for the plant, I don't order from them. I'm sure that rule has saved me many problems.

I have found Wayside to be the best mail order company yet for plant material. The plants I ordered in spring and fall of 2000 were, by far, the largest and healthiest I have seen in 10 years of mail order experience. My only disappointment was to find the lilies I ordered were out of stock. I didn't learn this until way too late to scramble for replacements! I hope their quality continues. It does seem that no one company is consistently good, which makes mail order gardening so maddening.

Glad to discover this site. I've had nothing but excellent results with their plants.

I've done a lot of business with Wayside over the last 10 years but I must say Spring 2000 has ended my association with them. I ordered 3 Cimicifuga racemosa "Hillside Black Beauty" plants for 55.00 and received in the mail three mould covered pots that smelled rotten. Also in that order were two lilacs "Krasavitsa Moskvy" and "Blanche Sweet". The Blanche Sweet lilac never budded out. When I called to report the failures I was kept on hold for nearly 30 minutes. When I did talk to someone they were nice enough but all that I got in the mail at a later date was one "Hillside Black Beauty" and a $4 dollar refund for an aster. I didn't bother cashing the check. I don't know what happened to Wayside but whatever it is, it's been for the worse.

I have ordered quite a bit over three years, and have found the quality of the perennials, clematis and roses to be good. I wouldn't order other shrubs again, though, as the azaleas and rhodies I've ordered have been small and smashed upon arrival.

In the fall of 1999 I prepared a large circular rose bed for 40 English roses ordered from five companies. The English roses from Wayside were reasonably priced. Of the 20 ordered plus from Wayside most did very well here in zone 5. They were planted bare root in Feb. 2000. However 6Fisherman's Friend were mislabeled (a wild rose sent). They made good on their guarantee and refunded the money. This problem of mislabeling is a frustrating experience however and wastes lots of time and energy.

I ordered 3 Blue Wave hydrangeas from them early last fall, because I couldn't get them from my local nurseries. They told me hydrangeas were done shipping for the year (even though that's when perennials are best planted in Atlanta where I was and in S.C. where they were). They said the plants would ship in February, and I said that was fine. Then, two days after Thanksgiving they showed up at my door. It wasn't too late to plant, but I was going out of the country for a month leaving the next day, and had no one to care for new plants if there was no rain. I called to complain, and they told me to keep those or donate them to a local garden, and that they'd send three more in February at no extra charge. Which they did. The first three survived, thanks to the gentle heavens, and all six are now thriving.

I have ordered from Wayside two times and won't be doing so in the future. Last year I placed my order in January. I ordered several roses. I asked them if there were sure they were in stock and was informed that they were. When my order arrived in May I did not receive the Moore'sPink Perpetual Rose I wanted. Additionally, instead of the floribunda 'French Lace' I was sent the white hybrid tea, 'Pascali.' And last, I had ordered two Royal Bonicas. I was billed for them but they were not in the shipment.When I called Wayside, they said they'd run out of Moore's Pink Perpetual, and that's why I didn't receive it. Yet, when I ordered it inJanuary they told me I would be getting it. They told me to keep Pascali, and they did send me the 'French Lace' I'd ordered, but when I told them my Royal Bonicas were not in the box, yet were listed on the packing slip, they said they couldn't send them because at that point they no longer had any. I asked to speak to a supervisor and complained to her about not receiving the Royal Bonicas. She *looked around* andfound two to send me. However, they are not Royal Bonicas. They are plain Bonicas, but I didn't realize that until this year.This year, again in January, I ordered the Moore's Pink Perpetual, again asking if ordering it meant I would receive it, and the person said yes. However, when my order came, Moore's was listed on the packing slip as "out of stock." Two years in a row I ordered this rose and had a spot for it but didn't receive it. I did get the other roses I ordered this year, but they were thrown bare root into a plastic bag and put into a large box. The bag was not sealed, and neither was there any packing material of any kind around the roots. They were bone dry when Ireceived them. Most of the roses are now doing OK, but the Heritage is dead. It's been in the ground for five weeks and the canes arecompletely dried up and dead.I will not order from this company again. I should have learned my lesson with my first order.

I ordered over $300.00 in plants from Wayside in February. I called April 20th to check on when it would be shipped. They said next Friday. Seven days later I called again. They said it was held for one plant, but it was ready now and would go out next Friday. Seven days later I called again, they said it would go out next Friday. I cancelled my order. I guess it was too small of an order to be bothered with or because they were all potted plants. I'll never bother with them again.

Just received my order from Wayside and it was short by two azaleas. Called the company and they said they were sold out. Offered to credit my card or offer substitution plants as long as they weren't a penny more than the ones I ordered. I opted for the credit, but don't know what to do with only one azalea. This was my first experience with Wayside, and almost certainly my last.

This spring planting season will see my 30th annual order from Wayside Gardens. During that time, I've created three gardens in two states and zones. I've used Wayside for much of the plant material in all of these gardens and I have never been disappointed. Only twice have I had to follow up on a plant that arrived in bad shape. In one case, it was due to the delivery service. In both cases, I was completely satisfied with Wayside's handling of the problem. Frequently, I receive customer satisfaction questionnaires from them, which I think demonstrates a customer awareness uncommon in the mail-order plant world. Their selection is better than many other companies and I don't find them that expensive. Often, when I hear people talk about the cost of Wayside products, I find they are focusing on roses and don't understand the grading system used for roses and the variation in associated cost. I have purchased many roses from Wayside - particularly old and English roses and have found them to be far superior to container-grown roses purchased locally - and often bearing highly-recognizable names.

Wayside can be good or bad, depending upon what you order. I highly recommend them for bare root roses and their wonderful hydrangeas. You can do much better on perennials elsewhere and there is a 50-50 chance of a problem on their non rose bare root stock.

Ordered separately from both in October. The orders arrived after three weeks instead of one week promised. They billed twice for the same order, one the day the order was placed and the second the day when the order was shipped. I understand they are the same company now. After four calls over three weeks they have yet to correct the problem. Courteous on the phone but lacking in execution. I will probably not order from them again.

This past summer I ordered 24 daylilies from this place. They were the tiniest, slimiest, fungus filled, moldy plants that I ever saw. 17 of the 24 have died. I urge everyone to exercise EXTREME CAUTION with this company!

Ordered separately from both in October. The orders arrived after three weeks instead of one week promised. They billed twice for the same order, one the day the order was placed and the second the day when the order was shipped. I understand they are the same company now. After four calls over three weeks they have yet to correct the problem. Courteous on the phone but lacking in execution. I will probably not order from them again.

You can keep Wayside Garden. I ordered some bulbs from them in June and found the charges on my next credit card statement when the bulbs were ordered for September delivery. I promptly called them about this and did not receive a satisfactory explanation; as a result, I cancelled the order…

I have now ordered 3 times this past year from Wayside Gardens and each time have been very pleased. I have yet to have a single one of their plants die one me, let alone have any problems with the plants themselves… Their customer service has been wonderful whenever I had a question, and I had plenty, since I am a first-time gardener. I have placed a lot of plant orders this year from various mail-order companies, but I would not hesitate to order again from Wayside. They are definitely my favorite.

All orders were placed during the same week. Arrival time spanned over a month. All plants appeared well-wrapped and healthy at that time. All were planted as per instructions. Wayside Gardens…one plant is dead. Their catalog suggests this is a full-sun plant; but even here in Zone 5b-6a and in partial shade, our other one struggled to survive the heat/sun of its first few weeks. I reported the above to their Customer Service; they promise a replacement Petasites this fall. They have not yet given up hope that the clematis will survive. [update August 99]They have already promised to replace or credit the petasites, but will not give up on the Clematis until fall is fully upon us.

A great catalog - pictures and reference info. Ordered 2 hostas, 2 shrubs - all expensive but hard to find elsewhere. One hosta received completely rotted and late in the season - not even packed like other plants. Other hosta was well packed and grew well. Same situation with shrubs - one in poor condition but established OK, other was fine and began blooming very quickly.

I think that the service may differ depending upon where you live. So, if you live in a Zone that doesn't see the end of winter until well into April, read on. Three years ago, I lived in Zone 2 in Montana and dreamed all early winter about what to order from each catalogue. I finally narrowed down my choices and ordered two different plants from (the pricier) Wayside. I keep a gardening journal, so I can tell you exactly what happened. All of the plants from Wayside were in terrible shape, although they were packed beautifully. Once, I got through all of that pretty wrapping, everything was dead. I had ordered a bleeding heart and an Aruncus.

The rose I received from Wayside has never performed well and has made me very skeptical of their quality.

I ordered from Wayside for the first time last spring and wasn't that thrilled. I bought a Tricyrtis and 3 unusual annuals. The annuals arrived broken and never really got looking very good and the Tricyrtis was very small for the price. However in the fall sale they had some expensive rhododendrons for $7.25 each! At that price I couldn't resist and I was really surprised at the size and vigor of the plants they sent.

I have always had extremely good luck in my dealings with Wayside Garden. My plants have done well -- some too well. A few years ago, we purchased a dogwood, when we opened the box we discovered it had been poorly packed and the top was broken off. I immediately called and was told that a replacement would be sent. When I asked what to do with the tree we had, I was told to "stick it in the ground". We received the second tree within a week--packed properly. The roses I have purchased are hardy and have never had any sign of disease. I was also contacted by Wayside when I ordered a plant that was a borderline Zone 5. They convinced me that I lived too far north to guarantee success. I recently had the need to get some horticultural advice and e-mailed the plant curator at Wayside. My questions were answered the next day.

I have always hesitated ordering from Wayside because of their prices - decided to bite the bullet last year and try them. I ordered four different trees. While some were small, I was still impressed with their overall condition. One small dogwood died because I didn't water it enough, but the others immediately flourished. I like their selection, plus their catalog is a wealth of information on other plants out there.

I bought from Wayside Gardens, and their irises are very small and take 2 years to get a good flower.

I ordered bare root roses from Wayside Gardens. They were in wonderful condition. The weather here is very hot so I planted them the same day. They are not very old. Only a few months, but one of them had 32 blooms within a month. It has bloomed repeatedly with lots of blooms. All the bushes are very healthy. I am very happy with Wayside Gardens.

With all the comments above I would like to state that I've received nothing but healthy, husky bare-root roses from Wayside Gardens. I've been ordering Floribundas, Grandifloras, shrub roses, English roses & a Meilland hybrid tea, a few every year since '94. The plants are floriferous & their leaves are totally healthy & leaf-spot resistant (I don't spray but I dig million-dollar planting holes in well-drained soil.) Their horticultural department has knowledgeable gardeners to talk to and even a good many of their order-taking staff are gardeners as well so can discuss whether the color in the catalog picture is accurate, for instance. They refunded the one rose about which I complained, because it never made the flacon-shaped hips advertised in the catalog despite flowering abundantly & thriving well.

In Dec of 1997 I placed an order with Wayside. I was told it would be shipped in January 1998. This was entirely acceptable. The shipment was finally received in May and what was labeled Clematis armendii is actually a Sweet Autumn. I'm sorry, but I find this totally unacceptable and shall never be ordering from Wayside again.

I have been ordering many plants this past year or two, since I have drastically increased the number of perennial beds in my yard. My experience with Wayside Gardens: Delivery good; prices, fairly high; quality of plants, fair; size- small. Nice catalog though.

This December I have ordered a few trees, roses and shrubs from Wayside. It is April 19 and have not received my order yet, I hope I'm not overreacting I do live in Buffalo, NY so maybe they think its still too early, but this year it is very warm for this time of year, planting season started much earlier this year.

I have also ordered from wayside Gardens and have nothing but high praise for the company their product and their service. The bulbs were of very high quality and when I did have a problem they offered me money back or re-ship.

I have stopped ordering plants from Wayside Gardens and Park Seed. (They are one and the same company, and send the exact same plants from the exact same growers.) There are so many other mail order nurseries who send bigger, healthier plants at cheaper prices, that it is not worth the gamble with Wayside. I ordered some gingers, hardy to zone 7, for approximately $15 each. I expected to receive growing plants, but received dry ginger roots. This was not indicated in the catalog. It took months to get them growing, and I had to hold them over in my greenhouse for one year. What you pay for with Wayside Gardens is a fancy catalog, and an unconditional no questions asked, money back guarantee.

I can give two recommendations for mail order that have been excellent quality & delivery for me, including…Wayside Gardens.

Like their catalogue & have never had a bad plant ----BUT --- I really objected last year when the roses I ordered took for ever to arrive. Finally the customer service admitted that the reason for the lateness -- too wet to dig roses in CA. Since I live in CA -- a big DUH!! Turns out they dig up in CA, then ship to wherever they are back East, and THEN mailed to me!! Turns out I live 3 hrs from the too wet fields. Big boo, hiss. Other than that, they're ok!