Comments regarding Gardener's Choice

Unfortunately, I ordered from this idiotic scam place back in January, 2002. I ordered 2 Empress Paulawna trees and some gourd seeds. I did receive the seeds and the 2 two inch trees, which 1 was dead... but they double charged my credit card. After notifying them of this in late March, they finally replied after 3 nasty e-mails, saying they corrected the charge error and will re-ship 1 tree (actually the e-mail stated: I have given back the $13.73 and will re-ship 1 paulawna tree). Of course after contacting the credit card company, no credit has been received and to this date (15 days later) still no credit received. Of course I filled out a form for the credit card company to go after these fraudulent sub-humans.
NEVER ORDER FROM THIS @#*$(@# PLACE!!!!

After waiting for some time, my Empress Paulownia arrived. I thought it looked like a very small box for 20 beautiful trees and $ 53.05 later. As I hurriedly opened the box, there lay inside a clump of broken dried out junk. Out of 20 plants 14 were broken off and I am not sure if the 6 remaining will live. I cannot believe that a company like this is in business. We are honest people who believe the beautiful adds that we see and then send this company our money to get ripped off. I sure learned a valuable lesson.

Received 20 dead Paulownia Trees April 23,2002, which we should have received in March or the 1st of April 2002. Have not contacted Gardeners Choice yet but will next week, may call my credit card company before then.

I ordered Royal Paulownia trees and have not heard from this excuse for a company since the order, but the check was cashed immediately. I highly recommend no one place an order from them again (I will not be so stupid as to order from them again). Isn't someone going to do something about these "robbers"??? I also can't understand why magazines and newspapers let them advertise. They are not credible and advertisers should not let them advertise because their credibility will also be affected.

My wife ordered 3 Royal Paulownia trees from Gardner's Choice year before last. They sent three little stems not over 5 inches tall. They guaranteed them to live or money back or they would replace them. They died and she wrote them numerous times and they just ignored her. No trees, no money. Not a very reputable company I would say.

I ordered 2 Paulownia trees, which arrived wilted and 2 days later the couple leaves it had wilted off. It's too bad when so many put their trust in a co. and that company [takes advantage] of their clients.

I have a cancelled check from about a month ago and I have not seen my tree yet. I am starting to think that I have been scammed. Even though it was just a $9.00 check I still expected to recieve the product I ordered. Never order from this company.

The first time I ordered some plants(blue tulips) they never arrived and I never got a respose or refund. This was several years ago. I took a chance this February(2002) and ordered some Siberian Lavender plants. So far nothing, but after reading some of the negative comments I am having my doubts about ever seeing the plants or a refund. I have sent an e-mail to their customer service dept. and hope to receive an answer. I am just hoping the first experience was just a fluke but if it wasn't i will never order from them again. I will let Parade Magazine(where I found the ad) know to be more discreet in who they let advertise in their magazine.

I'm holding a cancelled check dated 1/29/02 to Gardeners' Choice. This is March 19 and I have not received my trees. Plus, I think their website is down. This seems to be a deadbeat outfit. I ordered from an ad I saw in Parade. Maybe this publication should be taken to task, too. Don't they screen their advertisers??

We ordered some trees last Spring and have yet to see them, all we recieved was a cheap mailer saying we would not get our trees until this fall due to the drought(?), here it is almost Spring again with no trees from them. I would not recommend purchasing anything from this so called company. I intend to report them to the Better Business Beuro and to our local News Papers and TV Stations on the Buyer Beware Spotlights. We are NOT HAPPY!!!!!!

Lisa & Greg Faltinson

I am absolutely amazed this company and all of its alternate company names, are still in business. What does it take from state and federal governments to bring fraudulent charges against these people? The plants I ordered were on 2-12-02. Planting in northern Florida for tomatoes was a month ago. I have not heard from these people and they have cashed my check. I am really ticked.

I have not received my order from them. I paid by credit card; if I don't get the things I ordered, it will be too late. After I read everyone stories, I wish I had not order anything, but I thought Gardeners Choice was a very reliable company.

I guess I'm luckier than some of the previous purchasers. I placed an order at the end of Jan. '02 and heard nothing. I e-mailed then twice and heard nothing. I called and there was a funny ring with no answer. I tried again and again and finally got a nice sounding female who said the computer people were way behind and it would be best to place a phone order. After I had my order together I couldn't get through again. I called after closing time and after a short comment the answering voice said goodbye. I obtained this web site and am thankful that my "order" was delayed and promptly cancelled it.

I WILL NEVER purchase anything from this company again! I have also read other horrible experiences people have had after ordering from this company, i.e., after the company cashes their check, no merchandise is ever sent...no response when trying to obtain a refund or replacement...dead plants, etc. Many said they've reported them to the Better Business Bureau. All I can say is BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!

I am thankful these informative websites exist for us fellow gardeners to review before sending money to anyone!

I ordered several tomato plants from them. They came in great condition. I also got some gerbera daisies from them in great condition. But the Empress Pualouwnia tree I ordered though came in a little 2" pot, and was only 3" tall, which did not grow. The banana tree was just as small but grew to 3' tall very quickly. They gave me 5 free packets of seeds, and they were good ones too. Overall I would say they are a pretty good company, and I am going to order agian from them this year.

I was lucky. I was researching Gardener's Choice on the web and came across this site before I sent them any money. I then contacted the magazine I saw the ad in for the Royal Paulownia in and told them of Gardener's Choice's dismal track record. I then received an email from Dennis Mackenzie, the Operations Manager for the company. He told me that he was concerned about my letter to company. I told him I thought he was a sleaze-ball and a liar. If anyone else wishes to tell him the same, his telephone number is 1-888-215-6468 ext 102. His email address is dennis@nationaltvbargains.com.

I have had some very good merchandise from GC. I did get some poor Paulownia trees, the first time I ordered them, they replaced them without any problems. The last time I ordered Paulownia, they were about 12 inches tall and they are doing very well. I planted them in late June 2001 and today (8-07-01) they are about 2 ft. tall. Last year in July, I planted a Paulownia tree and I cut it off at ground level in November. It started to grow again in April and today, it is over 10 feet tall. (8-8-01) I plan to order some windbreak trees as soon as they will ship them

I too, ordered 6 Pawlownia trees from Gardener's Choice. I called them today & will hopefully receive my check returned or a refund in 2 weeks (today is July 9, 2001).

I too, had ordered three Royal Paulownia trees from this horrible company. They cashed my check right away in March and I called and e-mailed often about the ship date and hoped they were in the mail. My ship dates were late May- earlyJune. Finally it's July 2, 2001 and I called today and lo and behold, I got a hold of someone, after the phone rang 20 times. She said I should have gotten my trees by now and "unfortunately" they were out of trees.Maybe it's fortunate for me, since I didn't have to go through the trouble of planting dying trees like the ones everyone else got. I justhope I get a refund now.

I saw the ad in my husband's American Legion Magazine and contacted them by email and ordered5 Empress Paulownia Trees - one for myself and one for each of my children who have just purchased a house and were doing landscaping. The spaces are there in their gardens, but the Paulownia trees have never arrived. Of course they were charged to my credit card - and they did verify my order of May 18, 2001. I intend to see that this company never does this to anyone again and that their advertisements are not accepted by any publication either. I am writing to the better business bureau and I will never order anything on the internet again. Too much chance for this type of fraud.

I ordered 6 Royal Paulownia trees in Oct. of 2000. The check for the trees was cashed and I never even received an answer to my inquires. I have already made my report to the Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Response.

I sent off for 6 lavender bushes in March of 2001. I received them in May. Four of the plants died right away. The last one just died. After contacting nurseries about care of lavender plants, I was informed they are virtually impossible to kill. I sent a letter to the address in Michigan (the only one I had) and asked for replacements. It was returned to me with "Offer Expired" stamped on it. I thought I'd try the Internet. Wow. I'm glad I found this site. I am going to lodge a complaint but I'm not holding my breath for replacements or refunds. Now, I don't think I even want the replacements!

You can add another customer to the list. We ordered tomato plants and a Paulownia tree in March of 2001. We did receive the tomatoes but only one is alive, the tree has never come. I just set a letter to the company, but after reading all the complaints I won't expect an answer. Companies like this and Michigan Bulb co. should be put out of business.

Gardener's Choice has a new automated email reply they send when you send a complaint. Post this on the FAQ website with the other complaints etc."***REVISED AS OF 6/27/01****** THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC RESPONSE TO YOUR E-MAIL. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS INFORMATION AND RESPOND TO IT APPROPRIATELY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE ***** AS WE ARE NOW ENTERING THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS, MOST OF OUR PLANTS CANNOT SURVIVE THE TRIP THROUGH THE MAIL AND STILL ARRIVE AT YOUR HOME IN PROPER CONDITION, READY FOR PLANTING. WITH THIS IN MIND WE WILL RESUME THE SHIPMENT OF ROYAL PAULOWNIA TREES IN THE FALL, WHEN THE WEATHER IS COOLER. HOWEVER, THERE ARE STILL SOME ITEMS THAT WE CAN SHIP NOW, SUCH AS GRASS SEED, STRAWBERRY PLANTS, HOT PEPPER SPRAY AND A FEW OTHERS. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO ORDER THESE ITEMS. PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AGAIN IN JANUARY 2002, WHEN WE WILL RE-LIST ALL OF YOUR FAVORITES PLUS SOME EXCITING NEW ITEMS WE ARE DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW. WE HOPE THAT GARDENERS CHOICE REMAINS THE WEBSITE YOU COME TO FOR ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDS. Please read the following information below regarding your recent e-mail to http://www.gardenerschoice.net. Frequent Questions and AnswersQ: I have questions regarding certain plants, who can I contact?A: You may e-mail your questions to our nursery at nurseryservices@gardenerschoice.net. A plant expert at our nursery will respond to your questions. You may also e-mail to this address if you wish to have our latest catalog.Q: I saw an item in a newspaper /magazine and would like to order on-line. However, the price online is different, why is that?A: Specials are run via newspaper and magazine ads to introduce our merchandise to the public.Q: I placed an order online, however I did not add the bonus prize or the free gifts. Will I still be able to receive these items with my order?A: Our system automatically adds the free gifts to each online order and bonuses to orders over $35. They will not show up on your conformation due to the fact that the conformations are sent to you from a different database. You will, however receive them with your shipment.Q: I ordered plants and some of them did not make it. I would like to have replacements, what do I do?A: Please send your e-mail to reships@gardenerschoice.net, your e-mail willbe sent to our customer service department. Please make sure you include a full name and shipping address and be as specific as possible as to what you need replaced, so that we can replace the merchandise properly and within a reasonable amount of time.Q: I ordered plants and some of them did not make it. I would like to have a refund, what do I do?A: If the order was placed online, you may contact our customer service department at 616-621-2481. You may also mail your request to: 81961 County Rd 687 South,PO Box 8000,Hartford MI 49057For all other orders, you may contact us at 203-857-3800. You may also mail your request to: 1 Eversley Ave, Norwalk CT 06851.It is very important that full names and shipping addresses are included with all written correspondences. It will also be very helpful to be as specific as possible as to what needs to be refunded and why. All of this information will ensure that the refund is processed rapidly and correctly.Q: I sent you an order via the mail (off-line) and my check has cleared, but my merchandise has not arrived yet. How do I check the status?A: It can take from 4-6 weeks from the receipt of your order for it to arrive to your home or office. Remember to allow for the time it takes for the mail to arrive from your home to our offices as well. Once your order is processed it is turned over to our nursery for shipping. Typically, the merchandise is shipped via the United States Postal Service. Delivery timevaries by location. If after 4-6 weeks you have not received your merchandise, please contact our customer service department at 203-857-3800immediately.Q: If I have placed an order this year by credit card and have yet to receive it, although the nursery has been shipping to my area, what should I do?A: If this happens, please contact the customer service department at our nursery at 616-621-2481. **For all orders for giant tree tomatoes sent in from ads in newspapers or magazines placed with a credit card, you may contact customer service at 203-857-3800 to check on the status of your order.Q: I placed an order and wish to check its status. Who can I contact?A: You may e-mail your request to status2000@gardenerschoice.net. Please make sure you include a full name and shipping address and be as specific as possible as to what was ordered. This will help us locate the order. You may also contact our customer service department by phone at 203-857-3800.Our customer service department is available Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm Eastern Time.Q: How long will it take for my online order to be received?A: There are a few steps involved with receiving, preparing, and ultimately fulfilling your orders placed through gardenerschoice.net. First, the orders are received by our on-line staff. Then, they are handled by our nursery staff, and finally prepared and packed for damage free shipping to you based on the climate of your region. The process of fulfilling yourorder, includes shipment via the United States Postal Service or UPS. Also, please note that our nursery ships to a number of states at one time. Please be patient as all orders will be shipped in the order they were received.Q: I am having trouble placing an order online. Who can I contact for assistance?A: You may send an e-mail to webmaster@gardenerschoice.net. Please make the question as specific as possible, so that an appropriate response is received. Please do not send customer service questions to this address, as Webmaster is unable to give customer service information. Please forward all customer service matters to the appropriate areas as stated above."

I also ordered two Paulonia trees from Gardeners Choice, along with some Lavender. They came at different times, and it took quite a while toget them. But In must say, everything that has been planted IS alive, save one Lavender plant. (And I think that was probably me would plantedit in the wrong location.True, the delivery process is in need of MAJOR overhaul. But I can't complain other than that.

I ordered some plants in spring of 2001. When they came, some were heat damaged. I found the company's website and emailed them. Within a week or two they priority mailed me multiple replacements and instead of the six strawberries I mentioned in my email I wanted to buy, they sent me 25 for free. This company gets very busy in the shipping season, and it is hard to get through by phone, but I can't complain about the service I have received.

I too am very unimpressed with Gardener's Choice. I ordered 4 Royal Paulownia trees 2-16-01. My check was cashed right away also.I finally found the telephone number. I had no trouble getting hold of anyone, but they said they had been shipped or will ship when your zone is ready. I kept thinking they were in the mail. On June 5th, I called and they said they were too small to ship out but I should have them by the first of next week. This is after they told me they had been shipped. They were there when I went home for lunch that day.All the leaves were in the box, not on the plants and no support for shipping of any kind. Two days have pasted and two have died. I gave one to my aunt and hers will probably live knowing my luck so that leaves me with one that does not look very hot. I called them today and got through and asked for a replacement, they said they are not sending any more trees out. Two days after I talked to them and they said they would be here the first of the week? Come on!! She asked if I wanted replacement for next year and I said, NO! We will see if I get my refund. I wish I had seen this site before I ordered. You know what makes me really mad is I could have ordered them from another company I ordered from and had no problem getting them but I saw gardeners choice ad before theirs. Needless to say maybe the moral of the story is maybe I shouldn't have jumped the gun and ordered from someone I didn't know. I will be ordering from Michigan Bulb and next year I bet I get some nice trees without the worry for being screwed.

It happened to me too. But I thought I would let everyone know that I called, spoke to an actual person, and received a refund. Here is the number that worked for me...(616) 621-2481.

I ordered 2 Royal Paulownia trees from Gardener's Choice. My check was cashed, but i have not received the trees that has been over 6 months ago.

Really Angry. I ordered some plants from this company 3/26/01 and have never received ANYTHING YET. After reading all of these responses I fully intend to file a complaint with the FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. I am surprised that they are still allowed to remain in business. Probably the only way they succeed is by constantly changing their business name which of course is also UNETHICAL. I fully intend to get a REFUND.

I ordered Paulownia trees from Gardeners Choice on April 6, 01. My check was cashed on April 23, 01. I have not received my trees. I'm going to contact Lipenwald Inc. in CT and the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, DC. I want a refund. I do not want dead trees.

I also ordered trees from this company as did my neighbor in April of this year and as yet have not received them. I am requesting my money back.

I, too ordered the Paulownia Trees, my check was cashed on 2/27/00. As of today no trees. I have been on the web looking for a contact for this company. I finally found this site.

I waited for 7 months before I finally got mine, they doubled my order "in case they don't make it" and because I had to complain 2 times. Well they were all wimpy looking, about 8 inches tall. They all died within a week. And how that vine looking thing grows into a tree I'll never know. Now I'm planning to embark on the refund or replacement (or something else) game.

Add my name to the list. On April 25, 2001 I ordered 2 Royal Paulownia trees and enclosed my check, this is May 27th and I have not received the trees -- after reading all the complaints dating back to 1999, I am amazed that they are still in business and can continue to scam people and take their money.

I think it's a shame that a company like Gardeners Choice be allowed in business to rob people of their money and not provide the services that a business should. I expected that many of the products in the catalog were "too good to be true", but after reading hundreds of letters from dissatisfied consumers I realize that the entire company is fraudulent. A person cannot trust anything anymore. It's very disheartening. I did receive my order, or what I thought was supposed to be my order. It was two peat pots that should have had tomato seeds in them. I'm sure they were empty pots. I'm not going to try to bother getting my $8.00 back. It is sure to be more trouble for the effort than it would be worth. I hope to see the company 'get what they deserve', as well as the people who have spent money with them and have received only grief in return.

I ordered the Hummingbird vines for my mother and they shipped them, but to the wrong address. They sent the order to my house. After countless hours of my time trying to get through to their phone number I got a person who said they would ship out another order to the correct address as it was listed on my receipt. Well as you might expect, nothing ever arrived. So it's a month later and still nothing.This company is indeed hiding from consumers. By creating all of the "DBA" names and not listing their phone number, then when you finally track it down they either don't answer or it's busy. I finally called my credit card company to dispute the charges which they said they would deduct from their Visa merchant number. I hope they do. It's absurd that a company can stay in business and continue to be allowed to advertise in honest, family type magazines but continue to ignore customers and steal their money.

I, too was scammed by this company, I ordered two trees in February and as of today may 10 still have not received anything. I wish l had seen this web site before I ordered from this company. They should be put out of business. I will file mail fraud charges with the post office and contact the better business bureau. I wish I had not made gardeners choice my choice!

An interesting email exchange:From: "nurseryservices@gardenerschoice.net" Reply-To: To: "Bruce F" Subject: Re: Customer Service inquiry Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 16:37:32 -0400 I think you should keep your money… ----- Original Message -----From: Bruce FTo: nurseryservices@gardenerschoice.netCc: vols@plantsbymail.netSent: Monday, May 07, 2001 1:58 PMSubject: Re: Customer Service inquiry I was searching for your company and happened upon this: //plantsbymail.net/list/gardenerschoice.html You might want to read it through. I don't think it's totally for complaints, but…I hope your reputation isn't as bad as they say.I want to order 3 trees but want to be sure I'm not getting ripped off. I'm sure you understand. ----- Original Message -----From: "Bruce F"To: Sent: Monday, May 07, 2001 10:16 AM Subject: Re: Customer Service inquiry Is this company profile for Gardener's Choice accurate? //plantsbymail.net/list/gardenerschoice.html I need to know, before I order anything, if the information on the above website is still true. Thanks!