Comments regarding Summerstone Nursery

Very bad experience
I ordered about 49 dollar's plant on May 2010 ,after week I got piece of paper with hand written saying that they are out of stock and going to mail in coming October .I tried to called more than 20 times nobody answer the phone do not have even voice mail to leave message .Wrote several emails do not have any response.I am just waiting until October ,l do not believe - I will never ordered online with small company like this .Why the legal authority do not arrest the owner of the company .Its very bad .
ruchi
Virginia

In April I ordered 2 WHITE iceberg climbing roses. They arrived in approximately 2 weeks. One died and the other is blooming YELLOW. I contacted the company requesting my money back - no reply. I contacted my credit card to get my money back and was refused because summerstone says I never contacted them. AVOID this company! They do not care about customer service. They will lie. They send inferior products, with inferior planting directions. Who needs this hassle - gardening is supposed to be fun. Pay a little extra to do business elsewhere and save yourself a big headache.

I had searched my area for cherry trees and could find none. Went on the internet and found Summerstone Nursery, ordered 6 cherry trees, received 5 and 2 free plants. Needless to say the only thing that is alive is the crepe myrtle (free plant). I, like others, have attempted contact with these people and have received no response. I guess this will teach me not to buy anything unless you can actually see it!!

Posted on May 11, 2010, updated July 19, 2010
Posted on May 4, 2010, updated May 11, 2010
Posted on May 3, 2010, updated May 4, 2010
Wow, I wish I had checked here beforing ordering from Summerstone. I was excited about a new kind of rose(s) {"Drift" roses} I hadn't heard of before, that I somehow ran across on Summerstone's site, searching for something else. The price was pretty good and I attributed it to (probably) small, young plants, which I don't mind starting with. I am not ready to rate the transaction yet, because there may be more developments to come. I know roses (and Altheas) are often are sent 'dormant' by vendors, but wow. This look like pretty lifeless sticks. We'll see...

Well you can add me to the long and growing list of gardeners who have been disappointed by this company.
Briefly, Ordered 2 Scarlet Honeysuckle, and received a letter back saying the date for shipping was past their normal shipping schedule of June 5th? Not sure WHY this is, but I guess things don't survive in the back of a hot truck in summer is the reason.
It seems like if my order was adequately watered right before shipping that it should arrive OK. So now I wonder if other Nurseries also do this - only ship in the spring and fall.
Then went on to say that My CC was Charged Automatically -OK. It was a small order and for not a lot of money, so I'm OK with that too.
My Scheduled Shipping date is now Oct. 28th, 2010 and they offered a reward for my patience of 3 additional plants. OK Summerstone,- Fair enough I guess.
Except that I had hoped to plant these in the Summer so that I could begin attracting Hummingbirds into my yard. Ain't too many Hummers left around in Maryland after October 28th.
My Local Nursery has these, but want $40 for a single plant, and Summerstone's were 2 for under $10 Plus 1 Free Tree or Plant. Sounded like a Great Deal to me at the time, and to be fair it still is.
What really bothers me now are all of the Negitives I see posted here for this place - wow! Overwhelmingly Negitive.
Had I known before hand I would probably have ordered from another Nursery that ships immediately. Who knew?
I can't comment on the quality of their plants since I haven't received my order yet.
I'll post again when my order arrives in the fall. And in the meantime I'll find Scarlet Honeysuckle elsewhere. My Hummers can't wait.

I ordered 3 roses from summerstone, they arrived much later than I expected. I suspected that I may have fallen victim to a scam before the plants arrived, because it took so long, so I searched and found this page. I went and e-mailed summerstone a request to cancel my order immediately but there was no response, I also called many times (more than 100 times), there was no answer! They claim to have 72 hour shipping but my plant arrived about 2 weeks after my order was placed.

All of the plants were dry and obviously dead. Again, I called summerstone and there was no answer. I planted the dead plants anyway and I am not surprised that nothing came up. I watered and took care of the plants really well and I have had success with other mail order roses before, but the plants from Summerstone Nursery are as dead now as they were when they arrived.

It would have been a better experience if I had burned the money I spent on Summerstone instead. Not only is the money a complete waste, the time, energy, water, and the garden space I wasted on the dead plants are what makes me really angry. I could have had flowers instead of dead sticks burried in my small garden this season if I had only read this first. I'm so frustrated and there is nothing I can do about this complete scam of a company.

STAY AWAY from Summerstone Nursery if you value your money and your garden!

NONE of the products ordered grew not even the FREE ones. NO response from company after 6 tries. Would not recommend to even peruse their website. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS COMPANY!

I bought 4 trees and none of them made it! I called and sent email and never got a hold of anyone or got a email back. I will never buy again!!!! BEWARE

I just wanted to inform everyone who had a problem with summerstone nursery, that help is on the way. The Tennessee Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against the owners. Please contact them to let them know there are more people out there who have had problems.
//tn.gov/consumer/
Here is a link to a copy of the lawsuit:
//www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/cases/autumnridge/autumnridge.htm
They got me too, I have been filing complaints everywhere I can!
Government Actions

On June 16, 2010, the Tennessee Attorney General filed suit against owners of Summerstone Nursery, for using deceptive practices to sell nursery goods to consumers.

According to court documents, Summerstone Nursery sells goods primarily through mail order catalogs and from their websites. The State claims that, while the defendants' websites and catalogs show photographs of healthy, mature and viable plants and trees for sale, the goods actually shipped out by the defendants are often in a "dormant" state, "bare root," or even dead. Consumers have also complained the defendants fail to deliver the ordered goods within promised time frames, fail to deliver complete orders, and in some cases, fail to deliver goods at all. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges the defendants fail to refund or replace orders for consumers who are dissatisfied and misrepresent their businesses guarantees, promises, free offers, refund or replacement policies, and shipping time frames.

Well, I've been taken as well. Bought a number of small trees from Summerstone, and all but one have failed to show any life after a month of careful watering and care. Should have been more vigilant.

And responding to phone calls and e-mails? Good luck! Very poor business practices. A company that is more interested in fleecing the internet community!

Posted on June 12, 2010, updated June 18, 2010
Posted on June 4, 2010, updated June 12, 2010
****************************NEGATIVE****************************
This is by far the worst company I have ever had dealing with. The phone is busy, it rings without answer, when you do get an answer the owner is a rude nasty person. I ordered just under $100 worth of trees. They never came within the 72hour shipping. I called the "Autum Ridge Nursery" number and canceled my order. Was promised a refund in 72 hours. A week went by and no refund. I called again and was promised a refund in 5 days, which happens to be today. Still no refund. I will contact them again on Monday. If No refund that day I will call my credit card company and have my money refunded. Something these so called business people don't understand is if you pay for a service, then provide the service. I will not get ripped of by these jokers. My credit card company will get their money as well. Do yourself a favor DO NOT ORDER ANYTHING from these idiots!!!!

I strongly suggest not doing business with them.
They will charge your CC when product not available!

Posted on June 8, 2010, updated June 16, 2010
I ordered several trees on 5/10/10 which came to $190.40. I received free trees with the order as well. They have been in the ground for almost a month and the "dormant" trees are still dead. Only one tree, an apple tree, grew and the tiny blue spruces. I have been planting trees and plants for nearly 50 years and am in Horticultural college with 4.0 gpa. I have never been so frustrated. I do not have $190 to throw away. It took me an entire day to plant these trees. At my age that is a great effort.

ordered 7 rose bushes from here all were dead when i got them. will not respond to emails or calls. the only thing that was alive was the free tree. free right that tree cost 80 dollars

I ordered 24 plants(6 free?)
They were shipped 4/27 and received 5/1.
By 5/2, 14 plants were in ground 10 were potted.
7 of 9 trees are dead. 6 of 9 grape vines are dead.
1 of the live trees is the wrong plant.
The Washington Hawthorne is a Mountain Ash!
Good news? 4 of 6 free plants are alive (all potted).
I have e-mailed and gotten no response.
I have tried calling and get no answer.
Order # 8545-3566-3152-1711.
I feel liked a ripped off fool.
I want good plants not money back, and a reasonable response from the vendor.
Thanks

A Criminal Case is being built against owner. Anyone with information to add to it should contact the Warren County Sheriff @ 931-473-3784





You should not be scared away by this "attorney". He is not registered with the TN State Bar, and any contact with him should also be related to the sheriff.

According to owner's Pseudo"Attorney" We are all just a bunch of "pests" who "don't mean nothin' to him" Apparently, unless we have a criminal arrest warrant, he doesn't have the time to talk to people that owner has defrauded.

This man has built a company that relies on the fact that it is difficult to pursue someone for mail fraud. Who's going to waste the time over $100 +/-

Well, let me be the first to say that I am tired of seeing dishonest people take advantage of others. Here is a small chance for the common consumer to stand of for their rights and say " I WILL NOT BE DEFRAUDED!"

I purchased an apple tree, pin oaks and some eastern white pine from Summer Stone on April 22, 2010. The apple tree finally showed some life but the pin oaks did not break dormancy and now one-half of the eastern white pine have turned brown. All items were planted properly the same day they were received. I have been diligent in watering at least every two days. I have emailed summerstone 3 times requesting reconciliation. No response. I wish I had read this blog prior to purchasing these items from them. Fortunately my order only came to $48.00 but this is still too steep for my budget. Do not buy from this company. They do not stand behind what they sell. Even Lowe's and Home Depot offer a one year replacement on dead stock and this is not their primary business.

I was so excited when I placed my order.
I waited and waited, my charge card was charged immediately.
I got a e-mail on May 25th stating my order was shipped. It arrived today, June 3rd. All plants totally dead. Not only are they dead, they appear to have been dead for a L_O_N_G time, there is nothing green anywhere in this package.
I contacted them twice by e-mail during the wait time, no answer. I have called them all day today, simply a busy signal.
I will NEVER place another order from this company. I will be contacting my charge card to see if anything can be done about the charges.
This is simply the worse company I have ever delt with.
I only hope someone else can benifit from my $$$ loss.

Posted on May 28, 2010, updated June 2, 2010
Found Summerstone on line in mid February 2010, wanted to start a little apple orchard up in northern Vermont. As all other comments noted on Garden Watchdog, no answer when calling and no return e-mails ( I wish I had seen Garden Watchdog prior to placing order). In any case May 13 I placed small order for 15 bare root apple trees and selected my 6 free plants with order and selected the 72 hour delivery. On May 18 I received e-mail confirming my order had been shipped. It is now May 28, no trees have arrived. Also I stumbled upon Garden Watchdog today and read all of the comments, Oh Boy Looks Like I've been taken!!!!

I will keep Garden Watchdog posted regarding my order!!!!!

SummerStoneNursery promised 72 hour delivery. My order was submitted on May 19th, and arrived June 1. When I got the roses, they certainly didn't look very healthy. Though I'm afraid they may be dead, I planted them anyway. They didn't seem to be 1 to 2 years old either, as was promised. The free plant's root system was completely dry, and some of the leaves were yellowed. I planted that anyway, too. At this point, I can only hope for the best. They "say" that if your plants don't thrive in 12 months time, they'll charge you half price for replacements and charge a low shipping amount. However, since my emails about the long shipping haven't been returned, I can't count on getting any replacements. Why, oh why, didn't I read these posts prior to ordering from that company?! Stupid me. I'll never order from them again. That's for sure. Maybe next time I'll give Dave's Garden a try.

I ordered roese and irises. I waited to give my roses time to bloom before writting. I had to wait much longer than promised, but that would have been OK if the product was good. I also belive it is illegal to advertise 72 hour shipping when it takes a week. I am extremely disappointed with my purchase. I ordered a John F. Kennedy Rose and a King's Ransom Rose. That is what they were even labeled when then arrived. They are both single pinkish roses nothing like what I ordered. The iris bulbs were dead when I recieved them. They looked like a lump rather than a bulb.

I ordered 11 dwarf apple trees and was therefore elegible for 3 free plants of which my choices were white birch, red cedar and crape myrtle. When the order arrived I immediately opened the box and upon viewing the contents I was mad for a moment and then started to laugh. What was I going to do, I knew I had been taken. All of the 11 apple trees were dead, long dead. They looked like broken sticks that blew off of a dead tree. And the three free gifts all ended up to be unidentified strawberries! I must admit however that at least half of them were at least alive. I chalked the experience up a $100 lesson in buyer beware. STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY.

I ordered 6 trees (3 cherry trees + 3 plum trees). The order arrived one month late (so much for the 72 hours delivery time). The trees looked miserable but dormant trees often do look like that. Nevertheless, after five weeks of daily care in balmy Washington DC weather (reaching 90 deg in May) there is no sign of life.

After reading the Better Business Bureau report (F for the nursery, F for the owners), I came to realize that this was a fairly predictable pattern. I had been scammed!

Stay away from these crooks.

I purchased two fruit trees and many packages of seeds from Summerstone Nursery. I found their website while exploring the Internet. I received 2 dead fruit trees and several seed packets from 2008 and 2009 along with a few packs of 2010 seed. They sent me some substitutes for seed they stated that they ran out of. I will not ever purchase another thing from this company. Why on earth would they even bother to send seed packets from 2008. I could do better at my local 'Everythings-a-dollar store! Oh, to top it off they included two dead free gifts!

I decided I wanted a yellow climbing rose bush. Decided I did not want the most common "Golden Showers" for a couple of reasons and researched until I found what I thought I would like: "Royal Gold". Local nurseries didn't seem to have this one so I looked for a seller on the web. Landed quickly on Summerstone and decided to order two of them. They were shipped within 24 hours, had them within a week, and are now both exceptionally healthy, wonderful looking climbers. Wanted to post my positive experience earlier but thought I'd wait to be sure it is truly the right rose. Neither of them have had blooms but I have only had them a month, both have buds, and one is close enough to opening that I can see it will be that beautiful yellow I'm much awaiting for. So I wanted to go ahead and get my positive feedback out here.

I'm not generally an all-around lucky person. Perhaps people are more inclined to report bad experiences while many who have positive experiences are more inclined to relish in their happiness and stay quiet.

All of this to say, I'm sorry so many have been dissatisified as reported. My experience could not have been more positive by any measure.

I wasn't really pleased at all with my Summerstone experience. It was my first time ordering online plants, and it was a lesson, beleive me. There was no communication, that was just a grand exercise in futility on my part.
I did have some plants arrive ok, the others were blackened twigs that had rotted in the shipping box. My two pampass grass turned out to be yucca plants. There was no packaging to speak of at all in the way of keeping the plants "safe" inside the box.
Two of the trees I ordered are beyond help, I understand fully what a bareroot tree should look like, but the blackened twigs I recieved arent gonna make it I fear. One other tree was so dry that it snapped while I was removing the bag around it. I was so surprised, that I actually took some nippers and cut away at it slowly to see if it was moist at all inside. It was hollow all the way down to the crispy roots. I would love to say that Summerstone made everything ok, but this company doesn't get back to you at all... Period. I will not be using this company for any future purchases, and urge all others to do the same. For those of you who have orders in, good luck, you will need it. I wish that I had found Garden watchdog sooner, would have saved me alot of money and headache. When it's your money on the line, 50/50 doesn't cut it. Lesson learned, Summerstone... I won't be back...

Feeling very cheated by Summerstone Nursery.
I placed an order online with this company for a total of 9 plants. Received only 4 plants - of which 2 were completely dried up and dead and the other 2 were of exceptionally poor quality and barely alive. The remaining 5 plants were just missing.
I have made many attempts to contact them; via phone which no one ever answers, and emails which receive no response.
Am left with no recourse now, nothing to plant this spring and money utterly wasted.
This is clearly a fraudulent and unscrupulous company,as so many have reiterated before me. But hopefully with the growing volume of complaints such a company will be put out of business.

Seven trees that looked like sticks out of a field. This is the worse I have ever seen. This place is three hours drive from me and I may vist them to see if there is such a place.

This is internet Robbery!

I am out $59.00!

I called over and over, emailed too, no response.... Ever dog has his day.

Regarding Summerstone Nursery in Tennesee: I stared in disbelief when I opened the 12 hibicus I ordered. Nothing there but a stick, roots, plastic wrapped around roots with no dirt or water. They advertosed 72 hr. shipping; I ordered 4-23-10 and did not receive until 5-3; don't know how long items were in transit.
They did not respond by e-mail, the phone was always busy.
Carrol Maxwell

Ordered 4 royal empress, 3 hydregia's and was supposed to get a free red crepe myrtle on April 8th. Supposed to be shipped in 72 hours. Got an email on the 15th saying they were shipped, so one week. Got a box on the 19th (Monday) size didn't seem right. It had 26 CHERRY TREES. I called and got an answer right away. They said they'd mail my correct order right out and asked me to send back the cherry trees, which I did after I re-wet the paper the roots were wrapped in. Got delivery comfirmation from the PO
that they received them back. Still haven't got my order. Have called, over and over, hour after hour by constantly hitting redial, busy or rings and no answer.

Finally Monday May 3rd, they answered, she said they wouldn't mail them until they got the cherry trees back, I informed her I had delivery comformation that they had received them the Monday before. Said she'd go out to shipping and have them sent out that day and I'd have them by the middle of the week. I asked how that could happen, since this was already Monday, she also said I'd get another email saying they were mailed, which I have not and that I would get them by the end of this week.

I have decided they only answer the phone on Monday, probably so they can get suckers like me to send back the crap they send out (at my own expense, mind you, $8.50). They may sometimes send out the right order but I doubt they even carry most of the plants they advertize. Can't believe they sent me a catalogue, like I'd order anything else from them. The BBB in TN has numerous complaints and I also filed one.

Hope the cC company will take the charge off. I learned a lesson I guess.

Posted on March 3, 2010, updated May 3, 2010
I ordered 3 roses: Vavoom, Peach Drift, & Coral Drift. All 3 arrived well packed in a couple of weeks from ordering. They all look large and healthy. My experience was a good one and I had no problems at all.

We ordered 30 bareroot roses for a total of $279.00 and after 24 days we have not received the order. We have emailed 7 different times but have not received a response. Further we have telephoned 16 times during normal business hours (9PM - 5 PM CT; Mon - Fri) without being able to contact anyone, the phone just rings without answer.

We have petitioned the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for relief. Should management or ownership of Summerstone Nursery wish to provide relief we are willing to entertain such offer.

Of course we suggest that future customers carefully consider exposing themselves to the possibility of such litigation and thoughtfully read all of the posted reviews for this company.

Hello, I'm Ron. I was looking to enhance my garden with some dwarf fruit trees. I looked and found " summerstone" nursery. I thought the prices were to good to be true, but I ordered $40 worth of trees. I was so excited, I ordered on 4/22/10, and recieved emails saying my order was shipped. I asked for 72 hour shipping . I was so happy to have these trees on the way to me. Now 7 days later and countless emails, phone calls to this " business" and have recieved nothing and heard nothing. I cant believe this stuff, these people are horrible. They took my $ and did not provide any service whatsoever. I am just sick about this. I contacted the BBB,CPA,Internet Crime Complaint Center, anyone who will listen will hear from me. I was wondering how these people get away with this stuff. Isn't it stealing when they take your money and provide nothing? I would NEVER recommend these thiefs to anyone ever! Buyer beware!!!

Posted on April 13, 2010, updated April 28, 2010
I received my first order, of bareroot roses, from this company.

Usually I check the Dave's Garden company reviews before I order from a new company, and I thought I had and had seen positive reviews. My mistake.

The roses were eight days from the shipping email until arrival. The canes are very dessicated. Worse, the grafting is done badly, with the top plant growing at almost a 90 degree angle from the root stock and the top of the root stock protruding several inches about the graft point. I don't know how I'm supposed to plant these and have the top plant vertical; I'd have to bury the graft point and plant the root stock almost horizontal.

So even if the plants survive, they will be eyesores. Maybe one of the batch is usable, if it survives.

In the past, I've ordered mostly from J&P. I ordered from this place because J&P didn't have the varieties I wanted. J&P plants are night and day from these - the J&P canes are much thicker, arrive green, good grafts.

On Oct 2, 2009, I ordered 2 roses from Summerstone. I did not know until after I placed the order that they would not be shipped until spring. In early April, I asked them when they expected to ship the order. They aplogized for the delay and informed me they would catch up with the backload soon. It has been almost a month now, and I have still not received this order.

I purchased 3 daylilys and got a free silver maple tree with my order. 2 of the daylilys were dried out and dead when I received them. One had just a spark of life, but died shortly after. I tried multiple times to contact the nursery with no response. I am a seasoned daylily grower, but had no luck with their plants. Buyers beware ! By the way, the free tree is fine and adding new leaves... go figure !

This past April 2010, I purchased $100+ worth of trees from this company. Communication was lacking to say the least; multiple phone calls,emails, etc.. went unanswered, then by divine intervention I talked to someone about my order. Should have just hung up, this person was rude and unprofessional. My order finally arrived this past week. The trees were dead. there is a difference between dormant and black crispy dead. Buyers Beware this place is like roulette with your money.
I fell for the low prices and I am embarrased, I am old enough to know, "You get what you pay for".

I was almost tempted to give this company a positive rating but felt that would be a wee bit too generous by community standards. Basically I ordered a bunch of plants from them, and most of them were healthy enough to survive. Their prices are the lowest by far, but it seems that with online gardening, you do get what you pay for.

There were several dried out "dormant" heucheras and echinaceas which I soaked and planted and kept my fingers crossed. They actually sent extras of these, and extra daylilies. Apparently they know that some of their plants won't survive so they try to stack the odds with numbers.

One of 4 clematises I bought died soon after planting, the others seem to be thriving. They cost less than half what any other vendor is charging, so I have to be somewhat happy about that. I just hope they're the cultivars that were advertised. We shall see.

If you don't mind gambling, you might get some bargain buys. But if you've planned out your garden space carefully and want guaranteed results when you do your Spring planting, you'd be better off going with a higher priced nursery.

Ordered apprx $70 worth of fruit trees. Although I was told they would be delivered w/in 72 hours, I did not receive them for about 10 days. Not the real problem. Planted trees next day after receiving them. Have been planted more than two months now. Only one has shown any signs of growth. I have been trying to contact them via phone, email and fax. Dispite making more than 2 dozen phone calls, I have not been able to get ANYONE to answer? Just rings and rings! No response to my numerous emails either or to my fax explaining the problem to them. Frankly, I have been nearly two weeks trying to get SOMEONE, ANYONE from Summerstone to respond to my inquiries. All I'm asking for is that the dead plants be replaced! It's as if they do not exist! If I had seen this review web site prior to placing my order, obviously I would not have ordered from them. Don't they know what "customer service" is?? Absolutely DO NOT order from them. As other reviews have stated, I can't believe they are still in "business" or that the BBB has not taken action against them!!