Comments regarding Wayside Gardens

Garden Watch Dog,

In January of 2003 we bought a farm. A dream (to me)... like a clean canvas to an artist, it had no trees or flowers. After several years of receiving catalogs and emails from Wayside Gardens... Spring of 2006, I had one of the first areas planned and placed a huge order with them. (Six, Rainbow Candy Daylilies, get 6 free, 2 Ebb Tide Roses 24.95 each, 3 Charlotte Roses.)

They confirmed my ordered, but there was no tracking number. I called several days later to ask for a tracking number so someone could be home to receive my package. They informed me, they were sold out of everything except the Ebb Tide and would send those. I mentioned that I seen those were now on sale, buy one get one free, and asked for the same offer since they completely sold out of everything I had planned. She said no, but they would send out a Honey Dijon Rose with my order. I didn’t care for the color, but accepted.

I planted the 2 Ebb Tide Roses, only to be disappointed in the miniature buds,"hot pink" in color instead of the "deep purple" the catalog shows. I called them... they admitted there were problems with the Ebb Tide and they issued a credit for $47.37 (I’m still not sure how they figured that... 24.95 +24.95=49.90)

Now... in March 2007, they advertised the Ebb Tide again... I went on line, ordered them, applied the $47.37 credit, received a confirmation, they said they would ship at the appropriate time for our area. After seeing it was time for our area shipping, (April 23) I called to get the tracking number... they said they had sold out of the Ebb Tide and would be sending me a credit of $36.42. She said, I would have to call my order in, not use the internet. I asked why my credit keeps getting less and less. She stated it’s minus the shipping and handling...

What shipping and handling?

I went on line Monday... placed an order for 6 Cary Grant Roses (On sale for 10.95... just giving up on the Ebb Tide.)... and 2 Gaura Crimson Butterfly. After round and round with the lady, because my "$47.37 credit has already been used" and only wanting to give me $36.42 credit... they were finally able to verify my story... and said she would apply the original $47.37.

I paid 5.00 extra for 2 day Fed-X delivery. When I rechecked my order, I noticed that she had over charged me on the shipping. I contacted them and they agreed the amount was wrong and said they would only take out the correct amount... Now 4 days later, the incorrect original amount has been taken out of my checking account... and still no tracking number or order.

I am so disappointed. I’ve decided to only use my local nurseries.

"

I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available.

Jay Johnson
Customer Contact Representative
JJohnson@parkseed.com"

All the plants I have purchased in the last few years have been of excellent quality of have done very well. Last year I received a Double Knock Out Rose in full bloom, right in the box. Most of the plants look like they just came from a local nursery. Last year I purchased a Camellia "Nuccio's pearl" which arrived in perfect condition, this spring it is full of blooms as beautiful as in the catalog; this is especially impressive since I live in zone 6. This year I purchased a gardenia "First Love" and it arrived full of flower buds. I purchase several hundred dollars worth of plants from them every year and am very satisfied. The customer service is always helpful and friendly. They just seem to get better every year.

I bought elegant candy lilies and longwood blue plants this spring. They arrived at planting time and were packaged well. Unfortunately one of the longwood blues was in bad shape and could not be saved. I notified customer service and was promptly informed a replacement was on its way. It arrived in good shape and is doing fine. The lilies are doing fantastically well.

I purchased 3 very expensive trees and only after read the bad reviews on watchdog. To say the least I was nervous since I had spend well over $200. However, I was very happy with my purchase.

The trees arrived the week they said they would and all were of good size and looked to be very healthy. I ordered a Henry Lauder Walking STick, a Lavender Twist and a Brandywine Crabapple.

As of today, 3 weeks later, they are all budding with some leaves and look very happy.

I am thrilled with my purchase and would definitely order from them again but I would state that I ordered right when I received the catalog because I didn't want to miss out.

I have been ordering from Wayside Gardens, and Parks as well, for about 15 years and have had no difficulties. The plants arrived healthy and were packed well. I love their selection of unusual plants and I will continue to purchase plants from them. I have recommended them to neighbors.

I have ordered with this company and I think even though I thought the items we small when they arrived, they grew to normal size. I have been happy with them , and have recently placed a very large order shipping now, so I may update or add a new review when it arrives. Otherwise items were shipped well and I was very happy.

Joanne, CT

I purchased an Empress of China for approximately $100 last year. The tree was planted properly and got excellent care throughout last summer and fall.

When my other dogwoods showed signs of growth this past week, I noticed that the Empress of China looked dead. Further examination today showed that it was dead.

I contacted Wayside Gardens and was told that they couldn't do anything about it as the guarantee states that I should have notified them "as soon as possible" when there was a problem. I did, in fact, notify them as soon as I discovered the problem. Go figure.

I would also note that the Empress of China currently sells for $70 at Wayside Gardens. I can't help but wonder whether the 30% reduction in price says something about the quality and viability of this tree.

I'll buy my future plants, shrubs, and trees at local nurseries whose guarantee means something.

"

I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available. Thank you.

Jay Johnson
Customer Contact Representative
[e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com]


"

WARNING - they will now only replace items purchased w/in the last 6 weeks!!

I purchased 4 forsythia last April from Wayside. 3 of them lived and grew fine, and the 4th appeared to also. However, this spring, the 4th one did not flower or leaf out. When I checked the plant, it was dead. I emailed Wayside, asking for a refund, as at the time I bought them, I assumed they were under the 1-year guarentee that they have had for years. They emailed me stating that they no longer refund on plants over 6 weeks past delivery. This was the first I heard of this - it was not announced on any email that I recieved or made obvious on thier web site. Apparently they started doing this three seasons ago. I guess they've decided to grandfather this on items puchased before that, too.

Here's thier response (remember - 3 survived, one did not):
"Our horticulturist do feel that you would be able to tell if a plant is going to establish within 6 week of planting. Because plant loss after this period of time is typically due to plant care or growing conditions, we would not replace lost plants after the first growing season."

As a result of this, they have lost a customer that has purchased from them for years. I will not buy from them again.

"

I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available.

Jay Johnson
Customer Contact Representative
[e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com]"

I had admired the beautifully photographed plants in the Wayside Gardens catalog for over a year before I finally purchased from them. The prices seemed high, but with the quality of their catalog, it also seemed that the plant quality would be better than the other mail-order companies.

I finally ordered a bi-color butterfly bush and prairie petite lilac in Fall 2006. The lilac was the plant that put me over the edge. I was very excited about the prairie petite lilac, because lilacs are my favorite flower, but I do not have enough room for a large bush. This bush grows to only 4ft but produces the same fragrant blossoms as a standard shrub. Wayside Gardens was the only place I could find this plant, so I gave them a try.

The plants arrived promptly before the end of my planting season and were packed very well.

Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed with the size of my lilac bush. It was one short branch, about 3 inches in height. This disappointed me, because it cost $25 + shipping. I really expected more for $25. It has started budding already this Spring, and I am happy to see that. I was afraid it would not make it through the Winter with as small as it was. I hope this little guy grows fast!

The butterfly bush is an adequate size. However, I suspect that it is not a bi-color but actually a black knight. The old shriveled flowers on it looked all dark purple when I received it, and not bi-color. I will wait for it to bloom before filing a report though.

I rated this company a neutral, because I was really disappointed with my lilac bush, and their "guarantee" is rather ambiguous. I suspect that if my lilac bush had not made it through Winter, they would not have replaced it. The guarantee is very open-ended and subject to their own interpretation, I'm sure. It would be polite of Wayside Gardens to list the size of the plants when they ship them instead of indicating what size pot they ship in. Honestly, I would not have ordered a $25 shrub that is only 3 inches high had I known before hand.

Great Service again this year. Ordered some interesting things. My zone isn't open for the live plants yet, but the pots and decorative things I ordered came very fast and well packed. I can't wait for spring to come so I can get my new plants in the ground! I've never been disappointed with the products, shipping or customer service of Wayside Gardens, thanks for many years of great service!

I ordered 29 plants from Wayside Gardens last summer. Everything arrived in exceptional condition with a helpful planting guide. Only one plant did not do well and after a month I emailed the company to request a replacement. It arrived quickly and in excellent condition and thrived.
I have no complaints from ordering online from Wayside Gardens. It was my first online order for plants and it has been a rewarding one. I would recommend Wayside Gardens for online ordering. Thank You.

A week ago, I was going to post on this forum. It was going to be a negative post. I had received only part of my order and I was very angry. I work all day, most of the week, and I expected my plants to arrive in time for my day off. When the order showed incomplete, I was fuming.


I had planned my week around when I thought those plants would arrive. Looking to vent I came to garden watchdog, and started reading the posts. A negative about shipping, a negative about customer service, or a negative about the products. I have to be honest. I have been dealing with this company for decades now, and I know their customer service department pretty well. Some of the things that some of you claim was said by their customer service people just doesn't make sense. If I ever heard anything that I thought was wrong or unfair, I've always asked to speak with a different person, and my problem was often solved, I believe that, ultimately, their policies are fair. As far as shipping goes, You are often receiving bareroot plants. A company is brave to even attempt shipping bareroot plants. But, after a couple decades I've had only two replacements ever, and the customer service people were very nice, and I had no problems. For most of my general landscaping needs, I buy from local nurseries, but Wayside has always been my source for the rare plants. The catalog is very fun and beautiful. I was disappointed, but I can't claim to hate this company.


While I was reading through these posts, I noticed that they seem to be trying very hard to correct these problems. So I sent Jay Johnson an email. I told him my problem. Before I posted, I wanted to see how helpful they really are.


He was very helpful, and he responded the same day. Apparently, the last plant on my order was on back-order. He explained that, usually because of a quality issue, the warehouse may not release the plant right away. He also told me where I could find that information on my invoice. He asked me to keep in mind that because of the Zones, weather issues, and other unexpected issues that seem to be inherent in the plant business, it may be really hard to plan an exact delivery date. Mr. Johnson informed me that whatever problem the warehouse was having had been resolved, and he voluntarily bumped me up to two-day shipping at no additional charge, and the day after I opened his email, I received my plant, and it was in excellent condition.


My issue was resolved. I was still annoyed that I didn't receive the plants when I wanted, but I guess understand that these things happen. If the customer service people are always this helpful, I will stick with Wayside. So now, I guess I will post here, and I think they deserve a positive post. I even feel like I may have initially over-reacted a little.

I began dealing with Wayside Gardens (and their sister company Park Seed) over 20 years ago. They have a wonderful catalog and usually have rare, unusual and choice varieties offered - thus the "allure". I ordered heavily from them for many years and the three homes I have owned during this time period are filled with some wonderful plants from Wayside. I have spent several thousand dollars with them over this time period.
Over the past 5 years or so, my relationship with Wayside has taken an abrubt turn for the worst.
It is hard to summarize so many negative experiences into a concise paragraph or two but my dealings with Wayside have paralleled many of the postings I have read. I have received many, many plants that were clearly rotted long before leaving the Wayside warehouse. This is probably my biggest complaint becuse it is avoidable. Often after calling for a replacement, it is rotted before shipping as well. This is despite asking for them to inspect the plant before shipping. I am of the opinion that Wayside keeps plants in cold storage for too long. I live in the high desert, so getting plants early is important. Shipping is very "iffy" and there is no guarantee that plants will be shipped when they are needed.
I have had to have many plants replaced because they arrived dead, but recently Wayside has been characterized by responding to complaints by indicating that the plant in question is "sold out" or "on backorder" and will not be able to be replaced that year. Often that means that in reality it will never be able to be replaced. This is despite buying 2 year guarantees.
The plants are small particularly for the price and usually take a lot of work to keep alive and transition from tiny pots to the garden. I have found other specialty nurseries do a better job with size and quality.
To be fair to Wayside/Park, I am sure there are a lot of novice gardeners who do not understand that a plant can dessicate and die in a matter of hours if it is windy - or rot if it is overwatered, but I am not a novice and finally reached my limit with Wayside. I wrote a long letter to Karen Park with great detail and while they attempted to address my finite concerns, it was clear to me they were not willing to look at the systemic nature of their problems... that of inspecting their stock to be sure it was alive before they sent it out. This is a shame because they have been such a fine resource for so many years. Last year, I asked to be totally removed from the mailing list. They complied. This year however, a chance Park Seed catalog showed up and had several choice items in it. (I have had similar experiences with them) Because a few of the plants were exclusive to Park/Wayside, I ordered. I was told they would ship right away. I called today and was told they could never ship before March 19th and that a new employee gave me the wrong information. I asked if I could have the bare root clematis earlier and they said no. I upgraded to FedEx priority to ensure a quicker delivery and asked if I could be sure it would ship early in the week to make certain the plants would not sit in a Fed Ex warehouse in transit, and customer service said they could make no guarantees. I suppose I should not be surprised.
I fear I have bought into more heartache. I wonder if I should have my head examined. I wish I never saw the pretty pictures in the catalog.
I can not recommend either of these companies unless you really like emotional heartburn.

Here's Wayside's reason for their packing method:
Mar 05, 2007
The Truth About Styrofoam Packing Peanuts
A few years ago, we tried natural packing peanuts. Natural packing peanuts are great for shipping dry goods. They are bio-degradable and that makes them friendlier for the environment than something that might not decompose as easily. When the packing peanuts made from starch touched the moist roots of the plants we were shipping they became soggy and dissolved. Customers would either receive a soggy rotten mess or dried out plants with no packaging material around them.

Until someone can design something that is both bio-degradable and will not break down when it gets wet, we do not have a better solution than styrofoam packing peanuts. They keep plants moist and safe, and they hold up for the entire trip.

Customer service does get calls from time to time about the styrofoam packaging, and we have tried. We have not yet found a dependable replacement. On the other hand, some people like to take helping the environment into their own hands. Reusing the packing peanuts would be one way to keep them out of the land fill. Some of our customers have said that they are great for improving drainage in a large container plant, if you put packing peanuts, instead of gravel in the bottom of your container. There are also local drop-off site, where you can take your packing peanuts after you open your package. These organizations will redistribute these peanuts for companies to reuse and prevent waste. Go to http://www.loosefillpacking.com and look for a drop-off site near you.

If you have any other Ideas for Styrofoam packing peanuts, please leave a comment and let us know.

John Durst
Wayside Gardens Voice
jdurst@parkseed.com

To make a very long story as short as possible...I perused Wayside catalogs for years, and finally decided to take the plunge and order a number of plants from them in August, 2006. My credit card was charged promptly. I began receiving plants, one at a time in October. The third shipment I received (having ordered "trade gallon" (3 quart) pots) arrived in 2 1/2 inch pots - no change in price. I canceled the rest of my order, e-mailed, returned the 2 tiny plants, and then began the refund request ordeal. After weeks of e-mails and no refund, I telephoned the Customer Service number. I received my refund just before Christmas! To complete the story, the 2 plants which I kept (euphorbia and spirea), despite proper care, have died. There are many more details, but this should suffice to alert others. My order number was 45353276.

"

I have located your order and in the process of reviewing your information. I would like you to know that we will be contacting you via e-mail shortly. We will make every effort to resolve this issue.

Sara Conrad
Customer Contact Representative
email SConrad@parkseed.com"

Been using them for many years, my yard is starting to get full of their plants. Love the look of their catalog and their packing was outstanding.

I also enjoy talking to their people on the phone, they are quick to help.

In June of 2006 I received a gift certificate to Wayside. I purchased a collection of 6 clematis(order #4581322, cust. #8217) as my birthday gift from my niece. I paid for the difference in the shipping and price with my credit card. In October of 2006 my credit card was lost. I had it replaced, and contacted all who had reoccuring charges on the card. I had assumed the card was charged in June for the shipping and handling difference, so was not aware there MIGHT be a problem. It is hard to remember everywhere a charge is made or pending.

When I tried to check on the order I find that it was cancelled. No notice, no nothing. While on the web, I updated my card (which was correct in the Park Seed web site). I don't know when the order was cancelled, as I was never contacted by the company. No one said "gee, your card is bad, do you have another one?" -or- "gee, we cannot fill that order, can we do something else for you?"

I am not so sure that the credit card was ever the problem. I see on the web that it is a re-occuring problem with Wayside and Parks in not contacting the customer with order problems, so I guess they would just let me "forget" and keep the money to themselves without having to account for it.

I contacted their customer service by telephone as I could not figure out what happened on my account. According to the customer service person I spoke with (who tried to be helpful and was very nice), somehow the company charged the shipping against my gift certificte and then cancelled the order because they could not fill it. As the order wasn't suppose to be shipped until Spring (it IS still winter here) and all the same clematis plants are available in all their advertising, I asked her to reinstate the money, be sure the change in my credit card number was taken by my previous entry, and ship the collection to me and only charging me the sale price from June. Each of the various six clematis plants were for sale on their web site so it would be no problem for them to ship the plants as a "collection" by just putting them in the same box. They would not do so. I asked for her to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor would not do it. She said I had a store credit, or I had to buy something. They would NOT give me the money so I could go else where.

So, in order to expedite my partial satisfaction and get some of the order, I asked her to fill it with one of the collections that cost $38 some odd dollars and to take the information and give my full complaint to the owners (thinking I was dealing with a family owned small company...duh). No deal.

I then write to the customer service reps via the web and get an answer that they are happy "this has finally been settled" because they see there is an order pending. It was quite obvious that Nell did not read my email. So I wrote back that no, it wasn't settled because I wanted my other two plants and I wanted to be charged the same amount that they charged me in June.

Answer, no deal because "we're dealing with live plant material" and cannot guarantee what they will have from one year to the next. Isn't that odd they would offer me something for sale that they would not have? I would call that fraud. You don't get away with such activities in other companies.

I wrote back again indicating that customer service just didn't get the point...and what did I get? I received the EXACT SAME email answer that was given to me already. They are "dealing with live plant material." It appears there really isn't someone reading these emails. I see that there are many other people out there who have had their orders cancelled and were not told (yet they send us emails nearly every day about sales). This company has grown too big when it cannot handle customer service in a timely fashion, or cannot satisfy their customers properly. I will have to say even though I have purchased seeds from Parks I could not recommend Wayside to anyone and can honestly see what people in my Garden Club don't like dealing with them.

"

I have located your order and I am in the process of reviewing your information. I would like you to know that I will be contacting you via e-mail shortly. We will make every effort to resolve this issue.

Sara Conrad
Customer Contact Representative

"

I live in NJ and prefer to shop north or local, but I was given an nice gift certificate from Wayside. I wanted an Endless Summer hyranga and received a Forever Pink. To my discredit I didn't even notice the difference until a long while after the planting. Recently I noticed that they state they will substitute if they are out of what is ordered, and customers have to make note that they do not want a substitution. So be aware of this when ordering from them. I said neutral because I should have read the fine print, I should have noticed I got the unordered and cheaper plant, and I have not yet tried to get them to either replace the plant or at least refund the difference.

"

I have located your order and I am in the process of reviewing your information. I would like you to know that I will be contacting you via e-mail shortly. We will make every effort to resolve this issue.

Jay Johnson
Customer Contact Representative
[e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com]"

Never a bad experience with this company. I've got a yard full of their plants. Always the best Customer Service people too. Gotta love'm.

"

I am happy to hear that you enjoyed our products and service so much.

We would love to forward your compliments; if you would send us your order information, we can let the appropriate department know that their efforts were recognized and appreciated. Please email me your zip code, last name, and order number.

Thanks again,
Jay Johnson
Customer Contact Department
e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com"

I love Wayside's website and catalogs, and refer to them often. I've placed two orders in the last 4 years (one weeping cherry tree and 100 vinca minor rooted cuttings), and am happy with both - they arrived at good planting times (zone 6B), came with clear instructions, and were healthy plants that have done well for me. The billing was accurate, and I was not charged until plants were shipped. I'd buy from them more if my budget allowed.

"

I am very happy to hear that you enjoyed our products and services so much.

I would love to forward your compliments; if you would send me your order information, I can let the appropriate department know that their efforts were recognized and appreciated. Please email me your zip code, last name, and order number.

Jay Johnson
Customer Contact Department
e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com
"

Iplaced an order for over $100 worth of plants in Aug. from their fall planting catalog. My order arrived in several shipments ranging from mid october the last being around mid November. I'm sorry but in SE Michigan Late Oct. to mid November is not fall planting it is much too late. On top of that their plants are small, the poor little things didn't have a chance that time of year. I planted them, and one actually survived, a grass. I was so disgusted I never even contacted them to complain. I have gotten their beautifull catalog several times a year for many years and this was the first time I ordered as I felt their prices were kind of high. Might I suggest you cut back on the catalogs and invest the money in plants and service? I wish I had known about the watchdog before I placed my order, they will never get any more of my money!

"

I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available.

J. Johnson
Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
JJohnson@parkseed.com"

Never ever again will I order from this company. Their shipping policy doesn't make any sense. They use DHL to ship to Post Offices, which don't deliver to your home, plus do not notify you of this. Why even ask for a physical address then?! Why not just have DHL deliver to your physical address? By the time I received the plants, not aware that they were sitting in a hot building somewhere, they were on their last gasp of life. Then I was told that they had just died back, no they had just died, not died back. They won't refund my money and don't have the plants to reship. But why have them reship when they don't want to bring them to my home?
Plus, they don't seem to know the difference between a Hibiscus and a Hydrangea.
After many many emails, I still think they just don't care enough to try to admit they have a major problem, and really want to rectify the situation.
I say to all, stay away from this company! There are too many others out there that will stand behind what they sale. I repeat, don't buy from Wayside ! They don't stand behind their guarantee, and obviously don't care.

"

I have located your order, and I am in the process of reviewing your information. I would like you to know that you will be contacted via e-mail shortly. We will make every effort to resolve this issue.

J. Johnson
Park Seed/Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
JJohnson@parkseed.com"

People who have complaints about Wayside Gardens should take note that Barbara Kirkland takes her time to post replies to try to resolve any problems. If you want a real negative experience, try ordering from Plantron Direct Gardening or one of their companies instead.
Wayside has a well designed catalog with many unusual plants. Prices are a bit high, but plants are larger than from other sources, except Parks which are the same and probably from the same stock. And they are packed as well as any in the industry.
I have some problem hardening off the plants up north I buy in the fall. Sometimes the zones they suggest may be a little risky. My Winter's Fire is in bloom now, but the buds on Winter's Snowman and Survivor did not survive 18 degrees F, this year. They should survive at least 10 degrees, or less. But so far the plants have come back. I should update my remarks after another year and a colder winter. The evergreen dogwood looks bronze after the 18 degree night, but I am betting on its survival.
Last year, my blue muffin viburnum failed to make it through the winter. They replaced it in the spring no questions asked, for the cost of reshipping. That's as good as it gets on line.
I would buy all of my plants from Wayside if I could always afford the prices. So I take my time, manage my budget, and get remarkable results. I have 6 camellias now, all alive, so far so good.

Had great service in the past but my two last orders were not a good experience. Will not be ordering daylilies of any kind from them again. Too expensive to have them substituted with cheaper ones I already own or to have arriving in rotten condition. I blame the plastic wrap. Holds in too much moisture and rotted they are by the time they arrive. Never recieved my Romantic Returns. Most of my daylily collection was not saveable. Ruby Throat survived but I had to go buy from more reliable sources the other daylilies in that collection. No refund was offered.

Now in the past before these last two orders, when it came to plants like Primrose lilac,in great condition it arrived. It was carefully packed like the other plants were when I bought from them over the past twenty years.

Would hate to lose this source of unsual plants that they offer but dare not risk the loss of money due to rot. Will see if things improve but most likely will not be ordering from them this year.

"

I would like to further research your above posting. To do this I must request that you please e-mail me with your full name and address. If applicable please provide an order reference number. Thank you.

Jay Johnson
Customer Contact Department
e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com
"

I ordered two plants from Wayside this past fall of 2006 and am anxious to see what they look like come spring and summer. I ordered them early enough in fall that they could be planted and stretch their legs out. Much to my surprise they actually started to bloom just a little. So they were very healthy. Which surprised me because the packaging and root system wasn't very good at all. But I figure that after all of the negative ratings on here I would only order a few. So we'll see if they survive and what they look like. We're having a very mild winter so far in the Northeast so hopefully they'll do fine. Will add something when they grow and the time comes to really rate them.

"

I would like to further research your above posting. To do this I must request that you please e-mail me with your full name and address. If applicable please provide an order reference number. Thank you.

Jay Johnson
Customer Contact Department
e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com
"

No fewer than 7 calls were made to Wayside Gardens over the last 2 months to have my credit card credited with a refund for merchandise not delivered. Wayside could not tell me if the mechandise was out of stock. They just deflected my inquiries. Finally, I told them to cancel the rest of the order and refund me the difference.The amount to be refunded is $135.19. My order number is 4397166.

The total amount had been charged to my card in September before anything had been shipped. That alone is rather unethical. Each time a call was made they assured me that the difference would be credited to my card. It never was. After 25 years of dealing with this company, I am finished with them.

"

I have reviewed your above posting, and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available.

J. Johnson
Park Seed/Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
JJohnson@parkseed.com"

I have ordered a large volume of plants from this company via their Website, over the course of several years, but most recently (2006), achieved an elite status within their ranks.

Unfortunately, their customer service (CS) is starting to deminish the companies capacity to effectively serve their vast consumer base. I have had some problems with over charges and orders not refelcting the original confirming page total on their website, when executing transactions online, and receiving the confirming email the next business day.

Print their confirming order page when ordering online and always compare it to the confirming email you receive from CS.

"

I have reviewed your above posting, and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available.

J. Johnson
Park Seed/Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
JJohnson@parkseed.com"

I order on nov 6 they said they mailed my order on the 14th. on the 24th I wrote them that I had not gotten it. they wrote me on nov 30saying it had been sent to the wrong place and that it was sent again on the 20th. I gave it time to get it here and wrote again that I had still not gotten it and if these plants had been on the road that long I would expect them to be in bad shape.on dec 7th they said they were sorry that it had gotten lost again and they couldnt replace my order but was giving me a credit for the money to spend on there site they were sending me a postcard with with the amount plus a credit no. to redeem on my next order. I know 39.20 is not a lot of money but I dont want other plants I wanted them and why couldnt they replace them they had them and I went to there site what I paid 19.00 for a collection and now they have one that is not as rare for 40.00 I have over 5000 feedback with ebay and only one lost item I have lived here since 1970 and know the people at the postoffice this is a one store town every one knows everyone. how do I know that they mailed it I want my money back or I want the plants I order and why do they say that they are mailing a postcard when they could of sent it email they email me all the time on advertizement. I have not gotten a postcard yet and this is the 12th are they going to say it got lost also it has been a month and 6days since I order and paid them

"

We have reviewed your posting on Dave's Garden Watchdog website. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Some time ago, we reviewed your posting on Dave’s Garden Watchdog website and responded with a D-mail on but did not receive a reply. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Barbara K
Park Seed/Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
bkirkland@parkseed.com
"

I received an email promotion for pine rope garland and fresh pine wreaths. I thught this would be a great holiday decorating item; since you can recycle the garland and wreaths after the season. Well, I placed the order, which stated my account would be charged immediately, and shipped. So after a day when my account was not charged, I contacted Wayside to find out if there was a problem. I was told by the Customer Service that the product was sold out and they would not receive any before Christmas. I was disappointed, but c'est la vie!

Imagine my surprise when my account was charged the next day, for the wreath order. I immediately called and spoke to another Customer Service Representative who, besides getting snotty with me, informed me that although they were out of stock, they were still taking orders and they would be shipped after Christmas. I found this totally unacceptable and cancelled my entire order, for both the garland and wreaths. I even sent an email to confirm and memorialize the conversation. I received follow-up email, acknowledging the cancellation.

Imagine my surprise when after I cancelled all orders, my account was charged for the garland. I again contacted Wayside, who first tries to say they never charge an account for a cancelled order. When I indicated that they had, they were silent. I have demanded my monies returned ($185), my name removed from their mailing list. This was my first experience with Wayside and will be my absolute last.

I submit this to show, that I am not an unhappy customer because I recieved the wrong plants, but because of their abysmal customer service that is causing me great inconvenience at this time of year.

Use them at your own risk.

A while back I purchased an Arbequina olive from Wayside Gardens for nearly $30, plus shipping. I figured it would be an established plant for that price. Whoah, was I wrong. What a tiny little thing I received in the mail. I transplanted it into a terra cotta pot and now have it in my kitchen, but it doesn't look so great. And when I transplanted it, I noticed that there were hardly any roots to the poor plant. Looking back, I should have asked what size the plants were, since they don't even tell you what size pot they come in. I also should have asked when I could expect delivery, since it took nearly a month before I received the tree from the time I ordered it. I guess I'll be nurturing this stick for the rest of my life.

"

We have reviewed your posting on Dave's Garden Watchdog website. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Some time ago, we reviewed your posting on Dave’s Garden Watchdog website and responded with a D-mail on but did not receive a reply. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Barbara K
Park Seed/Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
bkirkland@parkseed.com
"

I cannot say enough about how incredibly bad the customer service is with this company. I also cannot say enough about the great quality of their plants - that is, if you actually receive them. I apologize for the length of this post, but please read if you are thinking about ordering from them. I see that if you research the posts, as time goes by, the issues are getting worse with these folks - and I can atest to this fact as I have placed 3 orders with them over the past 2 years. The quality of their plants is the ONLY reason I allowed them to steal my money 3 times. This last time was the last straw however.

Other than groceries, I pretty much purchase most things over the Internet. I also run a small Internet business and I know that I am not able to charge customers' credit cards until I have shipped the item (that is, unless I lie about the shipping date). I am pretty certain that it is illegal to charge for an item before it is shipped; however, I am not 100% sure about this. However, I was more than willing to overlook this because I assumed that at least I would be charged what I was told and would receive the items I purchased. I was wrong.

My first order issue was that my credit card was charged more than the final amount listed on the checkout page. Granted, it was only a $2 difference, so I did nothing more than send an e-mail - to which I did not receive a reply. I did not press the issue as my time is more valuable than $2; however, $2 from every order they receive adds up to a lot of money for them. Later in the year, they added a surcharge to each order and actually told you about it at checkout. On a positive note, the plants I received were of excellent quality.

My second order, again was billed incorrectly and it took 4 phone calls and over 1 month to receive my credit, which was $10 less than what they promised. Again my time is more valuable than to chase this down. My order included 20+ plants and 2 were DOA - they were replaced in a somewhat prompt manner; however, the replacements were in much worse shape than the original order, but they were at least alive. In all, I wasted about 1.5 hours trying to get the money straight and still lost $10.

This last nightmare has been extremely trying. First, the credit card charging issue was almost $170 and I was determined that they were not going to cheat me yet again and I was not going to give up. I placed the order on the exact date they say they started Fall shipping (Sept. 12). This was after I signed up for their mailing list and received a 15% coupon. The website only allowed 10% with the discount code that I used, so I called. I was told that I should go ahead and enter the code and then immediately call Customer Service and they would change the discount amount. I did exactly that and I was told that the discount of 15% had been applied and was even given a new order total. Lo and behold, the next day it showed up on my credit card account and the correct discount had NOT been applied. Where do these Customer Service Reps get their numbers from? Three phone calls it took to get my credit. Another 1.5 hours wasted. I waited, and waited, and waited for my shipment. Had the ground ready and excited for my new plants. See, when they charge your order immediately, you never know when the ship date is. Finally, I called when the weather started dipping into the 30's. I was told that the greenhouse manager would not release the plants and it would be later in the week when they shipped. I waited another week and called on October 23rd and was given the runaround about when they would ship. I requested a refund as I needed to make other plans. I regret that I did not get the operator's name, but I got a very nice, "no problem, your credit card will be credited $165.54."

I received a notice in the mail on the 25th that I had a WEBSITE credit for $122; obviously, this is NOT what I was expecting. I called on the 25th and spoke with Chris, a very nice lady who assured me that my monetary credit would go through.

After waiting patiently, I called again on 11/2 and spoke to Beverly, who informed me that a supervisor had to approve the credits and that she would get it approved and my credit would be given.

Again, waiting patiently, I called again on 11/13 and spoke with Robin who spoke with Linda, her supervisor (I was not allowed to talk with Linda). Robin relayed the message to me that Linda said that it takes 30 days for credits to go through, but that she would make an exception for me. Was I supposed to feel special? Robin PROMISED me that I would have my credit within 24 hours. I waited 48 before I called AGAIN and spoke with Diane who was not very interested in talking with me when she found out that this was my 5th call. I left a message for Robin. Robin called back and said that for whatever reason I would see one credit for $130-something and another credit for $28-something (I was in the car at the time and could not make sure these numbers were correct). She assured me that the credits had been made that morning and I would see them immediately. I checked my statement the next day and there was a credit for $134.58. You do the math, $28-something and $134.58 cannot possibly add up to the $165.54 I am owed. However, that point is moot. As of today, the 20th, the $28-something still has not shown up in my account. Basically, this time I have been shorted over $30 and 3 hours of my time - like I said, progressively worse.

So, they have had my money and its interest for over 2 months. I see a class-action in their future and I just hope I get to take part.

This story hasn't ended as I am not giving up on this; however, I received an advertisement from them today and I am hoping that anyone thinking of placing an order with them will read this and I hope I can save you some time, money, and a lot of aggravation. I hate to use such harsh words, but these folks are crooks. I can see one, maybe even two mixups, but this is obviously how they run their business. If you want more specific information, feel free to D-mail me. I'll let you know how this turns out.

As for any Wayside Reps who will be reading this, my order number was 4385613 - you have all the information there and I do not want anything from you except my CORRECT amount of money back.

I'm a little surprised by Wayside's relatively low ranking on this site; I wonder if it's because of their volume and that bad experiences are talked about more than good ones.

After 3 orders of over $1,000 this fall:
Great website
Packaging is between better and best, although plants tend to come quite dry. That is a concern.
Hardy, slightly smaller plants. Root systems, the key to mail order, have been fair.
Prices are on the higher side, but they have a selection that is very hard to beat.
Sometimes there is substantial delay between ordering and delivery. My impatient nature has trouble with that.
Overall, you have to like them.

I wish I had found this site before ordering from this company. Last spring, I ordered a blueberry "Sunshine Blue," lavender, and two thyme plants. When they arrived, I was taken aback at the condition of the plants. Only one thyme plant looked even remotely healthy. The blueberry was extremely puny and sickly looking, though I was able to nurse it back to health and it is now doing fine. The lavender, however, was unsalvegable. It was so dead it was crispy. I planted it anyway to see if it would come back - it didn't. One thyme was also mostly dead, and while I was able to get it to come back somewhat, it never caught up to the one healthy thyme plant I received. To be fair, I never bothered complaining to the company - I don't have time to return things or wait around for replacements to be shipped, and the dead plants weren't that expensive so I simply replaced them at my local nursery. I don't like throwing money away however, so I won't be ordering from Wayside again, especially when I have had much better luck with plants ordered from other nurseries.

"

We have reviewed your posting on Dave's Garden Watchdog website. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Some time ago, we reviewed your posting on Dave’s Garden Watchdog website and responded with a D-mail on but did not receive a reply. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Barbara Kirkland
Park Seed/Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
bkirkland@parkseed.com
"

I placed an order with Wayside back in July for two items--a Gardenia 'Grif's Select' (hardy to Zone 6, but being given a shot in my Zone 5 garden in a protected area) and a Sinocalycanthus Venus.

Shortly after, I received my gardenia, and I was very happy with its size and lush, healthy appearance. My Sinocalycanthus was listed as "to be shipped" in my order status, so I figured it was just running late. Well, it never came, and by mid-October, I emailed the company to ask what was going on, as things were getting a bit chilly here in Indiana.

They said that the plant was waiting to be released for shipment and would be sent out in the next 7 to 10 business days. I waited apprehensively, but after this amount of time passed and there was no change in shipment status, we were now into November and serious frost. No way was I going to risk planting a quart-size plant that cost $30 so late in the year, so I emailed them to cancel the order and asked for a credit on my card.

Although I was very disappointed about the lack of updates on my plant, they did at least respond within less than 24 hours--on a weekend, no less--apologized, and said they would be crediting my card right away. That plus the fact that the gardenia was such a nice plant earned them my positive rating.

(Incidentally, if anyone else is looking elsewhere for the Sinocalycanthus--I had trouble finding it, which is why I ordered it from Wayside. However, I recently discovered that this plant is being listed by other nurseries as Calycanthus Venus, and a web search brought up other options that were more reasonably priced than Wayside's, so in a way, their delay has actually saved me money. Sadly, my order will now have to wait until spring . . . )

I had a similar experience to others who reported here. I placed an order for fall shipment in July, for a daphne and a peony, and the free tulips. My credit card was charged immediately, but the daphne and the tulips never arrived. In early October I had to make several calls to customer service and be very insistent about an answer to be finally told that they didn't have the daphne this fall and would I prefer another plant. I said no, and asked that my card be credited. About two weeks later, I received a post card saying I would be getting Wayside Gardens credit.. next year!... for my nondelivered plant. Many calls, emails, complaints to get any response. Finally, they say they are crediting my credit card, but I still have not received the credit. I haven't received the free tulips either, but I have received about a dozen sales emails. I also found the customer service people borderline disrespectful, saying things like, "well, you cancelled your order" and "just keep tryiing back and somebody might have an answer." I have serious concerns that this company may be behaving fraudulently by charging cards immediately for items they never deliver and then stalling or refusing to issue credits to the same cards. I won't be inclined to order from them again.

Last month I ordered the Wayside Garden "exclusive" Sinocalycanthus Venus, a white/pink blooming allspice bush. The price was steep at $29.95 for a 1-quart size shrub, but Wayside was offering a 2 for one special that week only.

Wayside charged my credit card immediately but no plants ever arrived. I called and got a real run around.

First in my six-letter last name, they had two spelling errors, which meant I had to argue repeatedly that I even had placed the order. The I got a bunch of transparent lies about why no plants had been received. After I refused three times to hang up without speaking to a supervisor, they finally found some one to speak with me.

What I got told was the nursery manager hadn't decided if the plants were ready to ship this fall or should be shipped in the spring when they were healthier. When I asked if that wasn't a decsion that should have been made a month earlier when they placed the plants on special, the person I was speaking to just said that that was the nursery's decision. When I asked why my credit card had already been charged for plants they weren't sure they were going to ship, the person said that was the way Wayside did things. I replied that the way things would be done was that Wayside could credit my money back to my credit card and call me when the nursery manager decided if the company was actually going to sell the shrubs for which they had already collected money.

I guess they make a good profit from the interest from holding money for six to eight months. Now I have to see how long it takes to get my money back from these con artists.

"

We have reviewed your posting on Dave's Garden Watchdog website. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Some time ago, we reviewed your posting on Dave’s Garden Watchdog website and responded with a D-mail on 11/01/ 06 but did not receive a reply. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Barbara Kirkland
Park Seed/Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
bkirkland@parkseed.com"

I ordered 6 Heucheras and 2 Hydrangeas. The Heucheras look healthy but seem quite small for $11 each. I was expecting something slightly bigger than these tiny plants for the money. The Hydrangeas are a different story--ordered 2 in quart size, $29 each. Their site said that was the only size they had (they were sold out of gallon size). So I guess I didn't pay enough attention--the final order showed the gallon size for $38 each (and I know I clicked on the right thing to put it in my shopping cart). Big difference. Received the quart size anyway, but was charged for the gallon size. One plant looked reasonable size for a quart and healthy. Other plant was 25% the size of the healthy one, with all the leaves dead and only 2 tiny branches. Did not happen in shipping--should never have been sold as a quart-size plant, and never should have been shipped. Can't believe I was charged $38 for a twig in a 4" pot. Even if I had been charged $29, it was ridiculous. So I was overcharged AND shipped a pathetic, sick little twig.

Yes, I have put in for a refund. That is not the point. I see Wayside tries to respond to other negative postings to "work things out" Blah blah blah--at the prices they charge, I want to get big, healthy plants and not have to deal with the hassle of getting a refund. I will not be shopping there again. There are better places with better prices.

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We have reviewed your posting on Dave's Garden Watchdog website. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Some time ago, we reviewed your posting on Dave’s Garden Watchdog website and responded with a D-mail on 11/01/06 but did not receive a reply. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Barbara Kirkland
Park Seed/Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
bkirkland@parkseed.com"

Because I have dealt with Wayside for years and years, it is a real dissapointment to note that they are no longer the company they used to be. This summer I ordered asters, tiarellas and heucheras. All of the asters arrived dead. Mold and rot claimed them -- the soil they were shipped in was soaking wet and in the darkness of the packaging, they didn't stand a chance. The six tiarella 'Heronswood Mist' arrived OK, except that one of the plants was clearly not a tiarella (if I'm not mistaken it's a heuchera of some kind.) Today I finally cancelled the order for seven heucheras. Over the last three months, I've called Wayside at least four times regarding the status of my order. I have always been told 'the horticulturist is releasing them today' or 'they are going to be shipped next week'. It's now late October and I have given up on this order and sadly, given up on using Wayside Gardens any more. I get many, many e-mail advertisements from them. I guess all of their efforts are now directed toward marketing, instead of taking care of their customers orders. When I cancelled the remaining order, the rep was polite but never asked me why I was cancelling the long standing order or showed any interest at all. I've read their corporate comment regarding an 'insignificant' 300 complaints on this web site. Ah. Big business. I think I'll switch to a smaller and more conscientious nursery.

I placed an order with Wayside on Septeber 20th. The order was for more than $1000 worth of product. I was promised all plants were in stock and availalble for shipment. I called repeatedly and kept getting the run around. Finally they told me that many of the plants I ordered are not available. They charged my credit card on the 20th but now seem to be taking their sweet time refunding my money. I am still waiting for my refund after almost 2 weeks after their last promise, more than 30 days since they charged me. I guess my next letter will be to the Attorney General of the State of SC to try to get my money back. By the way, many of the plants I did recieve were substandard, but they don't seem to care, as they have made no effort to correct that problem either. My recommendation is for anyone who sees this to consider using a different nursery, you will save yourself a lot of hassle.

"

We have reviewed your posting on Dave's Garden Watchdog website. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Some time ago, we reviewed your posting on Dave’s Garden Watchdog website and responded with a D-mail on 10/24/06 but did not receive a reply. We want to resolve the problem but are unable to locate your order with the partial email address provided by the site. Please forward your complete email address, billing address (including zip code), and any other pertinent information to assist you. We want to help.

Barbara Kirkland
Park Seed/Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Department
bkirkland@parkseed.com"