Comments regarding A Nearly Native Nursery

Nearly Natives has been a great experience. Their customer service is the best, I was a pain by changing my order and being generally confusing but they handled it fine. Plants arrived well packed and quite healthy. They were also not pot bound or strangled in any way. Their selection is outstanding including hard to find plants I have been looking for to use in my habitat garden. In the future when I am shopping for specific plants I will consider Nearly Natives a first choice of nurseries to buy from.

I just received my first order from Nearly Native just a few weeks ago. They were very friendly both on the phone and by e-mail, and the plants arrived in great shape with a great job of packing. They have a very good selection of hard-to-find native trees, shrubs and perennials, and I hope to order with them again in the future!

With the friendly greeting from the owners, Debbie and Jim and their macaw, Buddy, I knew I’d hit "pay dirt." Never had a plant shopping expedition been as pleasant as the experience I had a Nearly Native Nursery. The owners are knowledgeable about the hardiness of their plants and have a large selection of healthy stock from which to choose. The two native trees (American Olive and Red Bay) and one native shrub (Yellow Anise) I purchased transplanted well and now are thriving at my home.

If you have an opportunity to visit in person, I must share - not only will you enjoy meeting Debbie and Jim and strolling around the beautifully groomed grounds but also take time to talk to Buddy, a most intelligent macaw, who plays catch with special dexterity. Stop and visit for awhile. You will leave feeling refreshed and satisfied with your purchase. I guarantee it!

I forgot how I found their website but I'm sure glad I did! Got some selections that I had not been able to find for my wildlife garden. Will keep checking back for more! And their customer service can't be beat.

Thanks!

This nursery has an interesting and unique selection of mostly eastern North American species. Their plant list includes some species you don't often see in culture.

The plants I ordered arrived in excellent condition. It was clear that careful attention was given to packaging the specimens securely.

The plants I received were healthy and well-developed and the prices were reasonable.

Jim, owner of the business, was very helpful and accomodating during the ordering process.

Over the years I have purchased rare plants from Nearly Native Nursery like Florida Yew and Alabama Phlox. Every time I visit Nearly Native Nursery I have to give myself extra time. I like to wander their garden and see the plants in different stages of their growth. It you are plant person like me. Roaming their nursery and garden and seeing their collection of plants stirs some primordial instinct in me to want to plant something. You can tell Jim and Debbie are passionate about their nursery and garden. In their garden you can smell the fragrant foliage of the Stinking Cedar and buy one. You can see the different species of native phlox and trilliums in bloom and buy them. You can see in one acre more rare and beautiful native plants than any botanical garden. Even if you order on line, this place you have to come and visit.

I made the 30 mile drive to NNN from my home in Atlanta for the first time this weekend & am so glad that I did! The selection of plants was amazing & I feel grateful to have access to such a great resource, especially in this day when independent nurseries are closing or drastically cutting back on their offerings.

Brian & Jim were incredibly helpful & knowledgeable & spent the time to help me get the right plants. My excitement at discovering such a great new nursery was only surpassed by that of my 6 year old son, who loved Jim's collection of snakes & the time he got to spend holding them & learning about them. NNN is the antithesis of the big box experience -- a very special place for those who love plants.

Nearly Native Nursery is everything the big box stores are not. An outstanding list of plant material. Ordered and received a native Stewartia from Jim. A totally wonderful experience from start to finish. You will not find friendlier service. I am now a customer for life!

Great couple, very helpful and knowledgable. They helped me pick just what I needed, and volunteered more info and help. I'll be back for all my yard/garden needs.

Posted on March 23, 2009, updated October 26, 2009
I've ordered from Nearly Native Nursery several times over the past few years and always been happy with their selection and service. My latest shipment arrived in perfect condition a couple weeks ago. The plants are big and healthy. It's a great place to locate hard-to-find natives.

These people are the real deal: (1) knowledgeable, (2) helpful, (3) wonderfully pleasant. I ordered by phone (they have no online purchasing protocol on the site), and I learned a lot just chatting. Because they specialize in native plants, I got a lot of useful info just chatting during the ordering process. The plants (3 small trees, 4 ft. or less in height) arrived in perfect condition and so well packaged that even if UPS had ignored all the arrows and smiley faces and "this end up" postings, the plants would have been fine. The cardboard box was obviously built around the 3 trees, and each plant was carefully taped to the interior of the box! The prices for my trees were more than fair. I'm a fan!

I ordered some needle palms (rhapidophyllum hystrix) from Nearly Native Nursery this fall. The palms were very healthy and large (especially considering that rhapidophyllum is a slow growing plant). The communication was also very pleasant. I would definitely order from Nearly Native Nursery again.

I received my plants in a very short time. I was even told when they would arrive so that I was ready for them.
They looked very good to begin with, (I liked their original way of packing them), and they appear to be doing well in the locations that I set them. I had ordered four Calycanthus.
I would highly recommend this nursery, even though my experience is limited, they delivered a great product.
Eric

NNN is an outstanding profesional nursery, i have purchased from them, two years now, their packaging is really great, plants are protected from rough handling and tossing around, the plants are great specimens that for me, have frozen greenry off and they still comeback in a few weeks, great job, jim and debi, i wish you a great year, carl j brewster, brockton, ma.

I purchased a healthy tree from them. Many thanks, Nearly Native Nursery!

Nearly Native Nursery had a plant I could fine NOWHERE ELSE - and in a size BIGGER than I expected. I bought four. Beautiful plants, beautiful packing, prompt on-time delivery - I LOVE THESE GUYS!!

* they were informative and took a lot of time explaining things
* comprehensive selection of plants
* when talking about our school garden, the owners were interested, helpful and even donated seeds! Thanks.
* the lay-out of the nursery, the many paths that lead through the area make it a place one wants to spend time in
* the three parrots that live on the premises during day time are worth a visit, too!

After working in my yard for 4 hours, I decided to make a Sunday afternoon drive down to Fayetteville, about 45 miles away. I am so glad I did. I had my heart set on buying a bigleaf magnolia. Jim greeted me in the garden and started showing me around. When I told him where I wanted to plant this magnolia, he gently steered me in a slightly different direction. I listened to his advice and bought a magnolia ashei instead. Jim made a few suggestions about some plantings in other parts of my yard, spending over an hour with me. I am pleased with my purchases, thrilled with the customer assistance and service, and looking forward to my next trip.

What a delightful experience when my friend and I drove over from Barnesville. Jim Rodgers made us feel as if we had known him for years. He was so helpful and knowledgeable answering our questions and offering advice about plants we already had. It was a treat just to walk around looking at the plants.
I can assure you we shall return soon with other gardening friends.
Thanks,
Andy Young

Jim and Debi Rodgers were extremely helpful . . .we are planning a memorial garden for a teacher/friend and were looking for crossvines. We have a limited budget and needed 10 crossvines. Jim had 8 on hand and held them until I could get there after school. The nursery itself is really very interesting and calming. There's a parrot that will greet you as you enter the gardens. Jim spent a lot of time with me. I would recommend this nursery to anyone looking for native plants for a really good price. The crossvines I purchased were 1 gallon containers with approximately 8 feet of vine on each plant. Crossvines in a retail nursery run a good $50.00 each. But, crossvines grow fast. So, I think I got my monies worth!

Ever heard of the game Farkle? It's great fun! A good friend of mine introduced it to us recently and several times we've had a blast playing it while enjoying a glass or two of wine (okay, maybe three). In looking into where the name 'Farkle' came from I learned about the Farkleberry Bush and thought that it would be a wonderful unique birthday present for my friend. Through Dave's Gardens I found out that Nearly Native Nursery had some of these plants in stock and I e-mailed them to get more information on the plant and whether it could handle our climate. The Nursery couldn't have been more helpful!! They were very responsive to my e-mails and completely accommodating to shipping my order at a specific time since we were going to be on vacation and couldn't take delivery right away. I ordered two plants, one for my friend and another for us. The plants arrived just as scheduled and I was completely satisfied with their packaging and the condition of the plants. I highly recommend Nearly Native Nursery to others and I will definitely use them again if ever ordering a unique plant like the Farkleberry Bush.

Debi and Jim are GREAT, GREAT, GREAT.

These guys are so nice and helpful. I had ordered two plants and somehow they had been delivered to the wrong address. When I had not received the plants I contacted Jim and Debi. They traced the original delivery to determine what happened and then quickly shipped new plants to me. The plants are big, healthy and adjusting well in my garden. I fuller contacted Jim about some concerns I had about overwintering these plants (I am in coldest zone for this plant) and he gave me some suggestions about what I can do to protect the plants.

I am a botanist specializing in Georgia native habitats. I am learning how to grow what I study. Jim and Debi are knowledgeable about ecologically sound production of natives and care about the local environment. In addition, they have always taken the time to give me thorough advice about how to plant and care for my purchases. Everything I have bought, while paying the appropriate attention to it, has done very well. The selection of natives is excellent.

I was looking for a special plant as a gift to someone. I found Nearly Native Nursery on the internet but was a little apprehensive about ordering plants through the mail. Jim and Debi were both extremely nice and helpful every time I called them. Probably some of the best service I have ever received! Thanks. I would definitely order from them again and hope to visit the nursery one day if I am ever up that way.

My partner and I recently moved from Fort Lauderdale to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Of course, gardening in Tennessee is a world of difference from south Florida and we've had to learn new gardening skills and get used to an entire new palette of plants, trees and shrubs. We were looking for a large leaf Magnolia and none of the nurseries in the Chattanooga carried this tree, or even heard of it. After an online search led us to the Nearly Native Nursery, we decided to make the 2 and 1/2 hour trip down to Fayettville to pick up the trees ourselves. What a treat that was. The owners Jim and Debi walked around the nursery with us for nearly 2 hours, showing us plants that would work well in the Chattanooga area and gave us a ton of information, as well as a cutting off of a cactus we really liked. Jim is a walking encylopedia of plant information and was eager and able to help us with the ton of plant questions we had. We ended up buying quite a few items and drove back to Chattanooga. It was well worth the trip, and I'm sure we will go back again next fall and spring to see what other goodies they have in stock. They have plants and trees that I have never seen in any other nurseries in the area and it's plain to see that the owners really like to stock native and unusual plants that you cannot find anywhere else. They also ship from their website, so you don't have to drive there if you don't want to. However, if you are close enough to drive there, I suggest you do as you will be pleasantly surprised.

Nearly Native Nursery has been wonderful. They had a great selection of rare plants, and worked with me to try to locate any unusual plants they did not have. They are knowledgeable, friendly, and extremely helpful. I would recommend their nursery for a fantastic gardening experience.

We received the 4 honeysuckle plants Friday 6/5/2009, 2 crimson and 2 yellow. They were in beautiful condition. I will go on to say they were the best packaged plants I have ever seen. I planted them yesterday 6/7/2009 . Great service, expert advice, fast shipping

Again thank you for the beautiful plants (they’re for the little hummers)

Leon Hale
Asheboro NC,

Contacted NNN to locate plants I could not find in Atlanta. I received a quick and positive reply from Debi and the next day I was on my way to Fayetteville. Jim and Debi had the plants I was looking for and more; I drove away with beautiful, healthy and reasonably priced plants plus good advice. It is truly a pleasure to shop in such a serene and lovely setting. Nearly Native Nursery, in my mind, is everything a nursery should be.
L. L.
Decatur, GA

Hi Debi!

Our Beauty Berry arrived today and we're so happy with them - the plants look fantastic! You really exceeded our expectations with the packaging, and the size and condition of the plants - which is a pleasant surprise in these days of reduced service!

The packaging was a bonus!. When I emptied the box and turned it over and saw 'BOTTOM' written with a frowny face on one side and another frowny face saying 'NO!' on the other - I laughed so hard, the tea I was drinking almost came out of my nose!!

Thanks for making my day!

We'll definitely be ordering from you again!

I have found Jim and Debi Rodgers of Nearly Native Nursery to be extremely knowledgeable horticulturalists and true native plant enthusiasts. They offer a vast array of native species - much of which they propagate thenselves - at affordable prices. Their nursery stock is always in excellent condition and both are eager to provide cultural requirements of species offered. I have also personally witnessed their professionalism in handeling and shipping nursery stock. Nearly Native is much more than a retail outlet. If you are seeking a rare or hard to find species or interested in developing a lifelong partnership in growing native plant material do not hesitate to contact Jim or Debi.

Dr. Michael Dean - Native Plant Horticulturalist

I have made the drive from Atlanta down to NNN more times than I can count during the past few years, and have gotten to know Jim and Debi Rogers. My respect and admiration for them continues to grow. They are both extremely knowledgeable and committed to making certain the buyer's experience is positive. I like the blend of truly native plants and a few exotics (particularly their palms). I give NNN my highest recommendation. If you're able to make the drive to visit them in person, that is ideal. They have many of the plants they sell planted in natural settings so that you can see what the plants look like when established. Jim and Debi are in the process of setting up a botanical garden on their property that showcases native plants of the sandhill regions of Central and Southern Georgia, a fascinating and little known region. The Rogers have created several large sand-dunes (for lack of a better word) with an amazing array of rare, native flowers, shrubs and trees -- possibly the only showcase garden of its kind in the country. The Rogers' prices are not inexpensive, but they are fair, given that they sell things that you are unlikely to find anywhere else. Again, visit if you can. Their home and gardens are a small paradise. You can meet their parrots, which often roam the property, and entertain visitors, and see Jim's collection of captive Southern snakes.

I live in Savannah and am interested in the environmental benefits of utilizing native plants in my landscape. We don't have a native nursery near us so when I was in the Atlanta area for a baseball tournament I stopped in the check them out.
I had a great experience. The most impressive thing is the great customer service and knowledge of both Jim and Debbie.
I will definately be mail ordering more plants from them and coming back to the nursery whenever I am in the area.

I called Nearly Native to see if they had a Yellow Wood tree, and they did and shipped it to me, and it was perfectly packaged in the box. Their price was lower than the two other businesses I checked.

They were extremely helpful and friendly when we spoke.
I would go by to see their business when I am in the area.
They are in south Atlanta and I am in Alabama.

Thank you,

Betty Newsome

I was searching for a specific magnolia for my daughter and only a few websites had it. I was lucky enough to have contacted A Nearly Native Nursery. Below are the comments I sent to them about my experience which by the way was great.
Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 18:32:19 -0400

Debi & Jim,
Thanks for Magnolia Tripetalas. I received them safe and sound on Friday and they are already in the ground (looking great). I appreciate your great service. Debi, thanks for your email and phone call to me to let me know that larger ones were available. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and the extra effort. Jim, thank you for changing the order and your note, when you folks realized that some plants did not meet your standards. I don't order many plants, shrubs and trees over the internet but you can be sure that in the future that I will check your website first.
Thanks for the great customer service and have a terrific summer.
Joe M..........

We recently learned about these guys while attending the Marietta Master Gardener's Tour. After researching their EXCELLENT web page, we drove down to shop. They offer a wonderful selection of native plants at very reasonable pricing. The owners are extremely knowledgeable, patient & helpful. What a great experience - we'll definitely be back!

Our Master Gardener group has a butterfly garden and were looking for spicebush and dutchman's pipe for host plant. After searching the internet I found Nearly Native Nursery and they delivered our plants in great shape and in just days. There was a problem with UPS and they cleared it up quickly. I will be a repeat customer and reccomend them to all my friends.

Great experience, very helpful on the phone with good customer service. My package arrived on time and plants in good shape. Professional operation! I first ordered with Katz kuntry kuttins, beware that was not good. This vendor is good and delivered healthly living plant.

A couple of plants I bought last year did not grow once planted. I called Jim this year and he replaced them at no cost with no questions asked. In the past I have bought plants and Jim has spent a great deal of time giving me tips over the phone. He even sent me some free seeds to try. He is very helpful and kind, how refreshing to be treated so well as a customer by a business.

I was looking for a very specific plant and I found it at Nearly Native. It was shipped very fast and arrived in good condition. The price was very reasonable and I am excited to see it in bloom. I would check this website again.