DirectGardeningReviews 399

I bought 36 Lupines last year and - as of May 8 - they hadn't started coming up yet. I emailed asking if they should be sprouting yet. I received a reply saying if I was unsatisfied I could get replacements if I had a original packing paperwork. I didn't ask to return them and they didn't answer my question. I replied reiterating my question and asked - if I eventually decided to get replacements would the had email order confirmation be sufficient? They responded and again did not answer my original question. While they offered to send replacements they did so in manner that was unfriendly and onerous, and included me to print out my credit card statement showing the charge and sending it via postal mail. The only reason I can see for this - rather than simply sending a scan via email - was to make the process as inconvenient as possible to discourage customers from following through. Additionally it came off as self serving and unfriendly. Why would a company treat its customers so carelessly if they really cared about them? Is there such widespread abuse and corruption among gardeners? There are many companies competing for my business and I will take my business elsewhere.

I bought last spring about $150 in several orders. A few items were doa. I was not upset considering the prices and I slotted for this when ordering. 2017 rolled in and most all survived the Iowa winter and are now budding. I had about 35 different varieties of plants. I planted 7 bushes from a nursery and 2 of those did not survive winter. They are slow to ship and 2 weeks was the norm which for Iowa in April was probably best. I ordered yet another $20 worth of tree shrubs again this April. 8 items for 30 including shipping.

I received several items from Direct Gardening. At least 4 of the roses Iordered came as dried sticks. I tried to nourish them to see if they'd produce, but to no avail. I received 2 substitute roses for one i ordered that really wanted. Needless to say, after 3 months they are still dead sticks.
Since I didn't have the original shipping envelopes, I called see what was my course of action. As requested by the company, I sent a letter listing what I received, and what didn't bloom. I sent a copy of my bank statement proving I purchased from them, along with a printed copy of my original order. After a month of waiting for a response, I received back the letter I wrote to them, a copy of my bank account, and a small blue strip of paper stating that I hadn't said what didn't bloom. What more could I do. I called the company, but didn't get a satisfactory answer as to why they did this. I'm forever removing them from my computer, phone, and will also no longer recommend them to any of my gardening friend.
Signed,
Disappointed Sheila

These people are horrible
Ordered a rose bush got one after a long wait figured they were sending the other two day or two later threw the bag it came with away not knowing they said I needed to send the bag back because that's the only way they will send the other two because they screwed up. Finally talked to two supervisors who instructed me two write a letter and credit card statement showing proof of purchase and 3 weeks later nothing. The rose bush they did send is wrong color. Paid over $30 for a rose bush i didn't ask for or the right amount of goods.
I wish i lived close by them I'd probably be in jail and some body wouldn't have any teeth.
(Update)
I finally emailed them again checking on the letter and proof of purchase. They did say it was processed and already shipped. I just finally received the other two roses. Hopefully there the right color and kind. The second two roses were twice as big as the first ones. I will change my star rating to three as with lots of follow ups and wasted time trying to get what I paid for I finally did.
The rating is only based on the quality of roses and price NOT customer service.

I ordered clematis from these people and it took for ever to get them. Spent good money showed a picture of two plants in which both had green leaves on. Well when I finally got them I received glad bulbs, balloon tubers, and a fricking bag of cat treats. I thought what the heck! Then in six little bags I found my clematis. If you put about 5-6 short threads together that's what my plants look like. No top at all and definitely no green at all. I almost threw these bags away thinking they were bags for packing protecting my plants. I called them and they told me that's what you get and I told her the picture had greenery on it and she told me it depends on the plant. This company should not be in business. Wished I would have read the reviews first because every one I have just read is spot on. Stay clear and don't throw your money away because that's what you will be doing ordering with these people. They are a JOKE. They should be turned in for fraud

I ordered a blue clematis plant. It did not bloom until a year and a few months later, and when it did, to my disappointment the flowers were a blackish red. I contacted "Customer Care" explaining that I purchased the plant over a year ago but had no way of knowing the color until they actually bloomed, so I would like it replaced with the blue plant that I had ordered.

First they asked me to send a photo of the plant that I received (which I did), then they said to send by postal mail the original mailing label (e-mailing a scanned copy was not acceptable for some reason). Luckily I saved it, so I took the time and expense to do this, but received no replacement or reply for over a month. When I wrote to find out why, they wrote back saying they will not be replacing it because their guarantee had expired, but I could place another order for the blue (and pay again).

I called their phone number, and the woman who answered said she does not make any decisions and cannot answer any questions. If I wanted to discuss it, I would have to WRITE their owner/manager Grace Avery by postal mail since she does not accept phone calls or e-mails.

Very incompetent and dishonest company.

I bought Hosta from them that was supposed to be an assortment of 6 varieties. They said they could not guarantee which ones would be in the assortment but one variety isnt an assortment. In the meantime I had purchased some more plants which they "immediately charged me" for and the advertisement said shipped within two weeks. I checked with them and they said they would be shipped in Sept and I ordered the first of July. These plants needed to be in the ground in July so they said they would expedite them which never happened. I have paid my credit card but disputed the charge today. Just tired of their crap. Avoid them if you can and order from some one else.

I can't give 0 or negative stars, so 1 will have to do.
After ordering hedges for years from these dweebs, I decided to get some trees and other plants. The hedges were apparently vendor-proof and are still growing.
I ordered some trees and plants in november - they randomly substituted douglas firs for canadian hemlocks. The other plants all simply died. I sent the label back and tried again.

Order #2 plants are still missing, and after talking to them and being assured they so would show, I tried again - another random substitution I don't even know what these trees are,
They will be replaced, I was told. I'm still waiting. I contacted DG and they told me they were delivered 6 weeks ago, and my neighbors probably have them (the dead plants in a a bag?).
They don't - surprise. DG blamed me for net receiving the plants.

So order #3 is on me, but the 1st two, yikes people - what piss-poor service, and worse followup customer service.

My advice if considering DG is to find the tree you want somewhere else, get seeds from it, and plant your own - you'll have a full grown tree sooner than ordering a mature tree at DG.

Update - I called to complain that they still owed me a number of live plants, and even sent another label back(from the now dead replacement plants) to prove I had ordered them. They agreed to ship this summer 2015. However, surprisingly, I recently received an email stating that since it is too late to ship plants to my area, they will be shipped in spring 2016.
I am holding my breath in anticipation! Actually, I don't expect to ever see these plants, but I will continue to disparage this incompetent company and hassle them every chance I get for my missing and dead trees.

In March of 2014 I ordered 18 American Arborvitae to create a hedge along my back property. Two weeks later I decided I needed 6 more. The first order totaled $18.50, the second $13.79. I received each order about a month after the order. I planted each tree as instructed and within one month everyone had died. Fortunately, I had saved the mailing stickers on label from the package as proof of purchase. I called customer service and after talking to a very nice lady decided to use my credit toward red barberry bushes to make a hedge. I was hesitant about trying the American Arborvitae as I had such poor luck. I then wrote a letter to the company as instructed, included the stickers as proof of purchase and my request for the red barberry shrubs as a replacement. Since I spent a total of $32.29 I was told I would receive 18 red barberry bushes in their place. Today I received the package with a total of 9 shrubs. I called customer service and was informed that if I had purchased each bush singly that that would have totaled the cost I spent. I believe they hire lawyers for their customer service to make you look stupid and turn the problem back around on you. Will I do business with them again? I think not. I don't know if the red barberry will live but I feel I was short changed by being told one thing by a customer rep and then being argued with by a second. Don't do business with them.

Be very cautious with any orders from this company. I placed an order, cancelled it after I found out that I actually was ordering bare root rose bushes. There was not one thing on the web site that stated these were bare root. I have had the worst expierence with this company. I have never been treated so badly as a comsumer of an online merchant. The shipped the roses, they were in a damaged box when received. They refused to pay for return postage or work with Fed X to schedule a pick up for the damaged items. I am filing formal complaints with BBB, FTC, and consumer protection. BEWARE