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On May 8, 2009, StellysPapa Dothan, AL (Zone 8a) wrote:
I can't give a negative review here, because I ordered a cedar tree from them and got it within a reasonable time span plus the tree was larger than I thought it would be and in very good condition.
My only concern, and this goes for all nurseries, customer service should advised the buyer if a plant is not suitable for their planting zone. I have discovered that different nurseries seem to have a plant listed for certain zones......for example one nursery may say that a particular plant will grow in zone 8 but another nursery may say that same plant will only grow in zone 7. I have numerous evergreens growing beautifully in my yard and I am in zone 8, but I have noticed that some nurseries will say that these same evergreens will not survive in zone 8. They need to get their facts straight, and if they know that a particular plant will not survive in a customers zone, then they should let the customer know, before the item is bought. This cedar I got, is not for my zone, and I tried to stop the order before it was shipped, but was too late. I have the cedar and will just see if it will survive. The only reason I ordered it, was because so many other nurseries are wrong about growing zones, and I figured this one would be wrong too.
But, as for the nursery in itself, I had no problem with them.
When I placed my order, they charged my credit card immediately. However, after four weeks, they still have not shipped my order.
They have no published phone number, so it is impossible to communicate with them. Communicating with them by email is very frustrating, because they find various reasons to avoid answering your questions. What a ripoff!
I recently received 19 Robin Hood hedge roses (1 extra), 2 Hansen bush cherries, 2 flowering almond, and 2 cliimbing roses. Everything arrived budded up and ready to grow. Some were held for a short tiime in my healing -in bed. Now everything is planted and leafing out quickly. I'll order again.
I received dirt in a small pot within a plastic mailing envelope. This is what they called a butterfly bush. They refused to replace until I can prove that I ordered?? Without the shipping label they want my credit card statement. This outfit is not one I want to deal with again. They ship dead plants and then ask you to prove you ordered.
I bought 4 pecan trees and 10 blackberry plants from the store last year. I live 45 minutes north of the store, and I questioned whether they would grow as far north as I live (both the store and I are in north central Illinois. They assured me they would grow up here, so I bought them. Also, I figured that if they were selling them in the store, they must grow in this latitude. Not a one of them survived! Shame on me for not researching further. On the other hand, I won't set foot in that store again.
I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MY LAVANDER ANGEL TRUMPET :< IT WAS MOLDING,DRY, AND DEAD WHEN I OPENED IT. I WAITED ALMOST 2+ MONTHS FOR A DEAD PLANT, THAT COST MORE THAN I SHOULD EVER HAVE TO PAY FOR A DEAD PLANT. I WILL NOT BE BUYING ANYMORE PLANTS FROM RICHARD OWENS AGAIN....SORRY..
My experience is that they are a sham! I also received many dead and rotted plants. Saved the label, and had them replaced with more dead plants. They did not respond to my returned label for over 2 months. So what did I do? I filed a complaint with the Illinois better business bureau and only then did I get my replacement plants. I waited 2 months to get dead plants. What a scam!!!! NEVER EVER ORDER FROM THEM!!!!!!!! they trick you with low prices, but you dont even get what you pay for. you pay for live plants, not rotted disease ridden failures. Their packaging is awful and they sent my first order in February! What am I to do with plants in new england in February with 9 feet of snow?!?!?!?
The crooks should be arrested. They are listed under Kelly nurseries, exciting gardens, burgess seed, etc.... My order was from Exciting gardens. CONSUMER ADVERTISING FRAUD!! they advertise live plants, and give their customers dead ones! CROOKS! If only I lived in IL, I would tell them how I really feel!
On February 5th, 2009, wibby added the following:
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Customer Complaint History
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB processed a total of 471 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total of 471 complaints closed in 36 months, 130 were closed in the last year.
These complaints concerned :
2 regarding Advertising Issues BBB Definition:
Advertising Issues - Claims alleging print or electronic media advertised claims or practices misrepresent the service or product offer.
2 - None of the Above - Advertising Complaint Issue
5 regarding Billing or Collection Issues BBB Definition:
Billing or Collection Issues - Claim alleging billing errors, unauthorized charges, or questionable collection practices.
2 - Failure to correct billing errors
2 - None of the Above - Credit, Billing or Collection Complaint Issue
1 - Unauthorized credit card charges
2 regarding Contract Issues BBB Definition:
Contract Issues - Claim of alleged failure to honor contract or agreement, work performed without authorization, or invalid contract.
1 - Failure to honor a contract or agreement
1 - None of the Above - Contract Complaint Issue
9 regarding Customer Service Issues BBB Definition:
Service Issues - Claims of alleged delay in completing service, failure to provide promised service, inferior quality of provided service, or damaged merchandise as a result of delivery service.
BBB Definition:
Customer Service Issues - Claims alleging unsatisfactory customer service, including personnel's failure to provide assistance in a timely manner, failure to address or respond to customer dissatisfaction, unavailability for customer support, and/or inappropriate behavior or attitude exhibited by company staff.
4 - Failure to provide promised assistance or support for products or services
2 - Failure to respond to phone calls or written requests for assistance or support
3 - None of the Above - Customer Service Complaint Issue
139 regarding Delivery Issues BBB Definition:
Delivery Issues - Claims alleging delayed delivery of ordered merchandise.
6 - Delivery of unordered products
25 - Late delivery of products
88 - Non-delivery of products
1 - Non-delivery of services
19 - None of the Above - Delivery Complaint Issue
29 regarding Guarantee or Warranty Issues BBB Definition:
Guarantee or Warranty Issues - Claims alleging failure to honor the terms regarding guarantees or warranties.
4 - Disputed warranty coverage and/or terms
4 - Failure to honor money-back guarantees
8 - Failure to honor service under the terms of warranties
3 - Failure to provide promised written warranty or guarantee
10 - None of the Above - Guarantee or Warranty Complaint Issue
226 regarding Product Issues BBB Definition:
Product Issues - Claim alleging a product does not meet the expectations of the complainant, including defective merchandise.
184 - Defective, damaged, or incorrect product received
42 - None of the Above - Product Quality Complaint Issue
57 regarding Refund or Exchange Issues BBB Definition:
Refund or Exchange Issues - Claim of alleged failure to honor company policy or verbal commitment to provide refunds, exchanges, or credit for products or services.
11 - Failure to honor promised refunds, exchanges, or credit
24 - Failure to honor refund, exchange or credit policies
22 - None of the Above - Refund or Exchange Complaint Issue
2 regarding Service Issues BBB Definition:
Service Issues - Claims of alleged delay in completing service, failure to provide promised service, inferior quality of provided service, or damaged merchandise as a result of delivery service.
1 - Failure to honor service estimate or agreement
1 - Improper or inferior service
These complaints were closed as:
309 Resolved BBB Definition:
Resolved - The company resolved the complaint issues.
72 - Company resolved BBB Definition:
resolved - The company resolved the complaint issues.
the complaint issues. The consumer acknowledged acceptance to BBB.
106 - Company addressed the complaint issues. The consumer failed to acknowledge acceptance to BBB.
118 - Company offered a partial (less than 100%) settlement which the consumer failed to acknowledge acceptance to BBB.
13 - Company offered a partial (less than 100%) settlement which the consumer accepted.
155 Administratively Closed BBB Definition:
Administratively Closed - BBB determined that the complaint could not be satisfactorily settled using standard methods of voluntary dispute resolution
77 - BBB determined that despite the company's reasonable effort to address complaint issues, the consumer remained dissatisfied.
51 - BBB determined the company made a reasonable offer to resolve the issues, but the consumer did not accept the offer.
25 - BBB determined the company provided proper verification that indicated there was no obligation to resolve the issues of the complaint.
1 - Company agreed to arbitration BBB Definition:
arbitration - http://www.dr.bbb.org/ComSenseAlt/bindArb.asp
in accordance with their BBB agreement, but the consumer declined.
1 - BBB determined that while the company addressed the complaint issues, the complainant was dissatisfied and the matter was outside BBB Rules of Arbitration BBB Definition:
Unresolved - The company failed to resolve the complaint issues.
7 - Company failed to resolve the complaint issues through BBB voluntary and self-regulatory process.
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Government Actions
BBB has no information regarding government actions at this time.
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Advertising Review
BBB has no information regarding advertising review at this time.
Additional Information
Richard Owen Nursery has bought Honeycreek Nurseries
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Industry Tips
FTC Mail Order/Online/telephone Rule
Shopping by Phone or Mail
Produced in cooperation with the Direct Marketing Association and AARP
Shopping by phone or mail is a convenient alternative to shopping at a store. The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Mail or Telephone Order Rule covers merchandise your order by mail, telephone, computer, and fax machine.
Mail or Telephone Order Rule
By law, a company should ship your order within the time stated in its ads. If no time is promised, the company should ship your order within 30 days after receiving it.
If the company is unable to ship within the promised time, they must give you an "option notice." This notice gives you the choice of agreeing to the delay or canceling your order and receiving a prompt refund.
There is one exception to the 30-day Rule: if a company doesn't promise a shipping time, and you are applying for credit to pay for your purchase, the company has 50 days to ship after receiving your order.
Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA)
You're protected by the FCBA when you use your credit card to pay for purchases.
Billing Errors
If you find an error on your credit or charge card statement, you may dispute the charge and withhold payment on the disputed amount while the charge is in dispute. The error might be a charge for the wrong amount, for something you did not accept, or for an item that was not delivered as agreed. Of course, you still must pay any part of the bill that is not in dispute, including finance charges on the undisputed amount.
If you decide to dispute a charge:
Write to the creditor at the address indicated on the monthly statement for "billing inquiries." Include your name, address, credit card number, and a description of the billing error.
Send your letter in a timely fashion. It must reach the creditor within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you.
The creditor must acknowledge your complaint in writing within 30 days after receiving it, unless the problem has been resolved BBB Definition:
resolved - The company resolved the complaint issues.
. The creditor must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles (but not more than 90 days) after receiving your letter.
Unsatisfactory Goods or Services
You also may dispute charges for unsatisfactory goods or services. To take advantage of this protection regarding the quality of goods or services, you must:
have made the purchase in your home state or within 100 miles of your current billing address. The charge must be for more than $50;
make a good faith effort first to resolve the dispute with the seller. However, you are not required to use any special procedure to do so.
Note that the dollar and distance limitations don't apply if the seller also is the card issuer or if a special business relationship exists between the seller and the card issuer.
Precautions
Before ordering by phone or mail, consider your experience with the company or its general reputation. Determine the company's refund and return policies, the product's availability, and the total cost of your order.
Contacts for Resolving Problems
If you have problems with mail or phone order purchases, try to resolve your dispute with the company. If that doesn't work, the following resources may be helpful:
State and local consumer protection offices. Contact the offices in your home state and where the company is located.
Postal Inspectors. Call your local post office and ask for the Inspector-in-Charge.
Reducing Direct Marketing Solicitations
You may want to have your name removed from direct marketing lists. Be aware, however, that if you purchase goods by phone or mail after your name is removed, it may be added again. You may want to make a new request to have your name removed every few years. You also may want to ask mail or telephone order companies to retain your name on in-house lists only.
Telemarketing
The Federal Government has created the National Do Not Call Registry-the free, easy way to reduce the telemarketing calls you get at home. To register, or to get information, visit http://www.donotcall.gov, or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register. You will receive fewer telemarketing calls within three months of registering your number. It will stay in the registry for five years or until it is disconnected or you take it off the registry. After five years, you will be able to renew your registration.
Mail
The DMA Mail Preference Service lets you opt out of receiving direct mail marketing from many national companies for five years. When you register with this service, your name will be put on a "delete" file and made available to direct-mail marketers. However, your registration will not stop mailings from organizations that are not registered with the DMA's Mail Preference Service. To register with DMA, send your letter to:
Direct Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service
PO Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512
Email
The DMA also has an EMail Preference Service to help you reduce unsolicited commercial emails. To "opt-out" of receiving unsolicited commercial email, use DMA's online form at http://www.dmaconsumers.org/offemaillist.html. Your online request will be effective for one year.
For More Information
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad
I would not hesitate to order again from Owen Nursery or any of their many other companies. I ordered 20 hybrid willows and actually received 21. I bought the cheaper, smaller willows, which all measured about 18" in height and arrived bareroot as expected. They took right off, reaching four and five feet in height by the end of the first year. I also purchased three of the "surprise overstock bargain" trees, which all turned out to be roses of sharon--not too bad of deal for 97 cents apiece. All three of these roses of sharon also took right off, growing well the first year. The second year, the bargain roses of sharon bloomed all season long, and definitely looked much better than another rose of sharon purchased the same time from a non-profit organization that also sells bareroot plants. We are ordering a number of trees and supplies from them this year based upon our highly positive experience with our order from them two years ago.
On Jan 14, 2009, justmeiniowa Algona, IA (Zone 4a) wrote:
DO NOT ORDER FROM THEM!!!! They are nothing but a scam. They take your money and send you dead items. Sure they sent me replacements after I complained for months, because they never got the shipping lable. So I had to copy the bank statement to prove I ordered from them. I have had nothing but trouble with this company. Then when they did send a replacement they too were almost dead. Better yet they came at the end of October. Sure living in Iowa I am to plant new plants outside and they are to live, ya right. Just beware alot of these companies are all the same company just different names..I could go on and on about them but hopefully you will understand to be carefull of them.....
DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY OR AFFILIATES! THEY HAVE SOLD ME NOTHING BUT JUNK THAT ARRIVES HALF DEAD & MOLDY, DRIED OUT WITH BUGS, OR DIES SOON AFTER. THE WORST REFUND / REPLACEMENT POLICY! THE WORST COMPANIES I HAVE EVER DEALT WITH! BUY FROM REPUTABLE COMPANYS : Gurneys, Springhill, Parkseed, WaysideGardens...ETC...
I love canna lilies and was doing a goggle search on them, most companies would not sell the Rhizomes this time of the year; but, Richard Owens did, I ordered 12 of them which is reasonably priced and they arrived on time and I just planted them a few days ago in pots, I live in Florida and should see soon enough if they will grow, they looked fine, I'm a beginner gardener, but have had good luck with canna lilies, I also ordered some canna lily seeds from Park's nursery of which I planted 53 seeds in Jiffy's Greenhouse with dome and peat pellets. I'm a little apprehensive now, as I was looking for shrubs to put down the sides of my yard. I had ordered some Hydrangea Bushes from Michigan bulb which will show up sometime in September or October; but, I ordered Pink Honeysuckles and Purple Leaf Hedge plants along with a Dwarf June Berry bush. I also have a cultivator coming about the same time and lots of help in planting them. I am one who plants my plants the day I get them. I thought the prices were outstanding on the items ordered, I did order some roses also, not that I like them, but have sisters who love them. Will keep you posted as to their arrival time, which I'm hoping will be a little late as I want to have the holes predug before they get here and I'm running behind schedule. Has anyone ordered or received Pink Honeysuckles or Purple Leaf Plum Hedges from them?
On August 15th, 2008, joy112854 changed the rating from neutral to negative and added the following:
I have changed my comment from neutral to negative; due to the fact that the 12 canna lilies I planted, back in July have not done anything to substantiate a flower in bloom at all. Alas, I had also ordered over $84 worth of other things from them. Due to my foot surgery I called to cancel the order, they claimed was on the way and thus far have received only 2 of the 3 pkgs, both arrived on the same day, both were sent out the 31st of July and today is the 14th of August, so it is doubtful they are still alive, how can they even breathe in the pkgs they were sent in, waiting for tomorrow and hopefully the 3rd one will arrive so I can then mail all 3 back to them intact just as I received them from them with a note explaining I want my credit card refunded for the amount charged, they informed me on the phone that would be all that is needed, we shall see right? I was told 30 days from when they receive my note and pkg my credit card will have the $84 put back on it. Will keep everyone posted.
joy112854 On September 14th, 2008, joy112854 changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following:
I decided to change my rating to positive on this company as I explained that I did not need the bushes they had not sent yet; and called them and followed up with a letter. No my canna lilies did not grow; but, the free seeds they had sent with my order for Shamrocks and Windflowers have done well, I only canceled part of the order, which was the honeysuckle bushes and the purple plum hedges and dwarf June Berry bush, I kept the strawberry plants which I planted and are thriving. They promptly deposited the money back into my account within the 30 day period, and were polite on the phone. Would I order from them again in the future? Probably. Although I would not order Canna Lilies from them I would probably order bushes if I got the prices they offered this last time. I just don't plan on getting bushes for a few years, as I'm too much into my veggie gardening and canna plants right now; but, eventually I will want that honeysuckle privacy fence and a dwarf June berry bush I just know that.
joy112854
On Jun 27, 2008, cosmicgarden Edwardsville, IL wrote:
My experience only echoes what many others have said. The plants were dead, arriving in almost rotted condition. They promised replacements if we made copies, provided a bank statements, etc. Each time I did this, the letter was returned with another excuse as to why they wouldn't ship the replacements. The staff would hang up on us and I basically consider them a "bottom feeder" of the gardening world. I was so appalled at their treatment that I wrote an editorial in every newspaper in the St. Louis metro area and turned the charges over to my credit card company. AN ABSOLUTELY AWFUL EXPERIENCE.
WHAT A RIP-OFF!. After dealing with this company for nearly three months and jumping through every hoop they put up I still cannot get replacement plants. We sent a letter, sent the bank statement (per their request) and sent pictures of the dead plants. The mail was sent certified but still they deny they have a record of us. One supervisor even used the term "get away with it" to describe his companies policies after I informed him that I was handing it over to the credit card company. I'm through. I'll let MasterCard deal with these clowns.
If there was a "below, below, below negative" rating that would not begin to compare with my experience. I spent almost $200 on plants for my mom's garden --- she's 85 and has a greenhouse, doesn't speak much english (she's polish) --- and from the website they tell you how careful they are in packing their plants, etc. Firstly, it took more than a month for my orders to be processed --- the first shipment was the wrong plant --- 2 people at customer service admitted that it was an error --- subsequently everyone else told me that I was, more or less, a liar...
My mother just received the bulk of the plants that I had ordered for her --- they were packed in plastic bags without any airholes or a system for aeration --- 90% of the plants were rotted --- the roses were dried up completely, and the one rose had a bud which broke off when my mother touched it. She called me (I live in DC and she in NJ) last night and I could tell she had been crying --- she said it was all trash and she didn't even want to try and save it -- the package of "bulbs" for $3.50 that they advertised, she told me the largest of the bulbs was the size of a fingernail...
I just went online to the Better Business Bureau and reported my experience with this nursery. I don't care about the money at this point in time I am so angry that he caused my mom to cry ---
Who sends plants in plastic bags without any aeration??? Fools --- I have never been so angry in my life ---
Since this was my first order I wasn't sure what I would receive as far as quality since the prices were so low, but I decided to take a chance and placed a rather large order (over $500). I became worried when a month past and I had not received even a partial shipment. I checked here and saw all the negative comments and was prepared to chaulk this up to my own stupidity for not having researched BEFORE I ordered, and was about to contact my credit card company to charge back and cancel the order.
To my surprise the next day I received a partial shipment and over the next 10 days three more packages arrived on different days to complete my order. The root systems of everything I received was well developed. Most things were bare root, but the catalog had explained that. I was worried that some of the items looked a little molded due to being shipped in closed plastic bags, but everything was alive. I planted per their directions and everything so far is doing well and growing vigorously.
Their packing is not what I would have expected and their speed of delivery is very slow, but the prices are amazing. I would have to say that I feel I got more than I paid for. I will adjust my expectations on ship time and expect it to be slow for future shipments, but based on this experience and how well my plants have done I will likely order from them again.
My advise would be to proceed with caution but give them a try.
I have ordered some plants, vines, and other items from Richard Owen Nursery/ Exciting Gardens and overall I was not satisfied with their product. I planted them like their directions stated since I am a beginner-novice and had horrible results. I have finally given up on them and have placed them on my list that I keep in my Hotmail account that states of Places where I DO NOT SHOP WITH ANYMORE!! Heed my advice please go elsewhere before it's too late.
I have ordered plants, shrubs, and trees from Richard Owens Nursery in the past, and I really have no complaints. Yes, their packaging methods could be better. What a lot of these people fail to realize is that they get that great low price because they are ordering bare root plants. These take a bit of work compared to growing plants from a local nursery. I was very happy with the quality of the trees and shrubs that I have ordered. Give them a try with a small order. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Original shipping label was returned on 4/21/07 in requesting 2 replacement items with notation that if other problems arose I would be sending a photocopy of the label. Today (6/29/07) my 6/12/07 request for additional items that died came back say they needed the original shipping label. Do they not have people who can read? I think they are just trying to rip people off because of 6 other nurseries I did business with this Spring none required a returned shipping label. And any problems were handled satisfactorily over the phone.
When will I learn to check this site first?!! I just ordered a rose from them this morning. Luckily it's just one item. I'll keep you posted.
Signed: "Feeling Stupid in Oregon"
On August 17th, 2007, PeggyOregon changed the rating from neutral to negative and added the following:
Well, I got my rose after about 4-6 weeks & an attempt to cancel my order. They said it was too late to cancel as the order had already been sent to "their suppliers". I knew I was in trouble. I received the rose, a very dead looking, one-cane bareroot. I soaked it, planted it in a pot, & am still nuturing it hoping for signs of life. I didn't bother keeping the shipping label as I already knew about their game.
DON'T ORDER FROM THIS COMPANY !!!!
It was NO consolation that I see so many others who were ripped off by Richard Owen Nursery. I ordered a dozen Jumbo Blue Spruce in the summer of 2006 for fall planting. They arrived suffocated in a "Full" sealed plastic bag which was then enclosed in the plastic shipping bag. They were all brown on arrival and the roots were dry due to NO compost materials to keep moisture in. In spite of my better judgement, I expended almost 13 hours carefully planting them according to their instructions. Within a week the needles had all fallen and that was that. I contacted them
( after many busy signals over several days) and was told that in order to recieve a refund I would have had to take action in 14 days. This was not enough time to verify my first thoughts on opening them.
With reluctance, I requested the replacement order for spring planting this year. Guess What ! They finally arrived and in the exact same condition as the previous year. No heed was paid to my contention that the way they package the tress causes them to die in transit.
Guess What ? I contacted them again today with a refund request. "NO SIR" was the reply. Please send in the shipping address label for a replacement of the order. ???????????? Ya Right !
I recently had a bad experience with Richard Owen Nursery, Inc AKA Exciting Gardens. I am very aware of dormant bare-root stock. If you don't know better, you would say the plants arrived dry and dead. This was not my issue with them. My order took almost 2 months to arrive. Half of my order were substitutes. These plants had been growing in their plastic bags for sometime and arrived a moldy mush. The other plants were fine. Three weeks with a good rainfall and every one pushed it's way through the soil. I sent back the dead plants with the OH, SO IMPORTANT LABEL! I have been waiting for my refund for a month with no telephone answers, nor e-mail replies. After reading many complaints from this web-site, I wondered if anyone contacted the Better Business Bureau. I sure did! It was easy on-line if you want to take the time. The company is located in Bloomington, IL so you contact that department. Try this link: [HYPERLINK@odr.bbb.org] Copy and paste if it does not work.
On June 11th, 2007, dogmother01 added the following:
That web site link will not take you there, I tried. Try http://www.bbb.org to start a complant for Richard Owen's company. They are Richard Owen Nursery, Exciting Gardens, or House of Wesley, all located in Bloomington. I openned a case with the BBB, but Richard Owen has not responded to it. He has, however, finally responded to my e-mails. He says that he has not received my returned order. How did I guess! I did everything they required of me, paid for shipping, included the package label. They did not say to pay extra money to track my shipment so I could tell them the exact date they received my return of dead plants. I admit, the other plants I purchased from them were fine, but they refuse to stand behind the ones that arrived dead. Warning, for a few good plants, and many dead plants, you would be better off spending more money elsewhere!
After ordering 60 Hybrid Willows from Exciting Gardener I was worried about the order after my wife told me that a co-worker who is into gardening read bad things on the Internet about Exciting Garden. I looked up on the Internet and found this blog with all the negative comments.
One month after the order, I received my package from Richard Owens Exciting Garden. The order was exactly as discribed. The Hybrid Willows were 2-4 foot and had well developed roots. After ordering trees from Arbor Day, I can say that Richard Owens has a better product then Arbor Day. I think most of the people who are complaining fail to realize how the mail order plant business works. These new plants need a lot of care and time. YOU CAN NOT LET THE ROOTS DRY OUT BEFORE PLANTING. Since planting my Hybrid Willows, they have grown 8 inches in a month. I am very satisfied with the product I received from Richard Owens Exciting Gardener and will do business in the future.
I ordered quite a few items from this company and their co-company Four Seasons - the items shipped were small and in bad shape. When they didn't live I requested they somehow correct the problem, they declined. They wanted a copy of the shipping label which they had irremovably glued to the packages when they were shipped without it they say the guarantee is void; however, they do have copies of my order and know it is a valid order and request.
On May 22, 2007, Gloribe Jacksonville, AR (Zone 7b) wrote:
I'm still waiting for an order I placed about 6 weeks ago. The plants I ordered are to be planted now or in the spring and were in stock. On the order form it said plants would be shipped within 2-3 weeks. I've contacted them 4 times and they continually tell me my order has been shipped. There is no way to verify this on their website. I will NEVER deal with this company again. I just hope when the plants arrive they are viable. If not, I'll contact my credit card company and get a refund.
On May 17, 2007, rablalock Lewis Center, OH wrote:
I must confess that I panicked when I saw all of the negative posts toward Richard Owens Nursery on this site while awaiting my shipment of plants. Much to my relief, the plants arrived today, about a week later than I had hoped. I can live with that. If I had not been familiar with dormant, bare-root plants, I would have gone into shock becuase they look pitiful. However, I have had great success with them in the past when I have ordered from other vendors. Quite frankly, my new bare-root plants look as pitiful as those I received from other vendors and they are doing beautifully in year 2. (I think Richard Owens would benefit from better warning customers in advance as to what bare-root plants are like.)
I personally like working with bare-root and dormant plants because they are inexpensive and tiny -- I've especially pleased when I'm digging smaller rather than bigger holes. :-)
I HAVE SAVED MY ORIGINAL PACKING LABEL. The enclosures clearly state that I must have this in order to invoke the one-year guarantee if I have issues.
I hope that my experience continues to be positive. If not, I will follow the process clearly outlined in my packing materials. I feel confident that the vendor will honor its commitment as outline in written materials. If not, I will file appropriate complaints and take my business elsewhere. Otherwise, I will be a repeat and loyal customer.
On July 4th, 2007, rablalock added the following:
Update - My bare root plants are doing beautifully, even the poor little clemantis that I thought I killed! (I planted the clematis in a container that wasn't getting water from the sprinkler system. When I returned from a 2-week trip, I thought the plant was dead. I moved it in hopes it would revive. It did about 3 weeks later!) The daylilies look great. I think some are actually going to bloom this first year -- I was not expecting this.
I ordered more plants approximately two weeks ago. They arrived yesterday. I anticipate that these will do well even though I'm planting them in July. As long as the customer service and the plant quality continues at this level, I will continue ordering from Richard Owen Nursery as I need (always!) more plants for my gardens.
I have ordered from Owens Nursery two years and was completely satisfied with products,prices and customer service.The three times I ordered from two other big companies were a nightmare.The plants were overpriced,looked sickly,took forever to get (some I never did)and talking to customer service over and over never resolved anything.I should have stuck with Owens and now I will.
I ordered from Exciting Gardens and it took over a month to receive the 'plants'. All of the ascelepias butterfly plants that I ordered were substituted. The shipping order even states the correct plant, but the label on the subs reads "sub for" and the plant number. I also ordered two butterfly bushes. One is currently alive, and both are in bags about 1x2 inches. The remainder of the plants ordered ended up being bare root, and one was rotten/moldy upon receipt. I could not find this listed as the method of them sending your plants. At this point, I can return them but after you take out the shipping, it's not worth the effort.
Only 3 of 12 fairy roses, 23 of 36 lavender and none of the 4 butterfly bushes bought from this nursery survived the winter.
The place and conditions in which I planted these are good as demonstrated by the survival of all roses and lavender bought from different nurseries and planted in the same place.
I did send for replacement plants as they guarateed, however it seems a waste of time and effort to replants when so few survive. Do stay away from this nursery. It turns out it is more expensive than many when you look at the few barely living plants you end up with.
I am not believing that this company can still even exist. I received 2 of the item I had ordered out of a pretty large order and one of them I couldn't even find the fern. It did not exist it was so small. The other plant was a one inch dried up dead stick of nothing. I sent it all back AT MY EXPENSE with the original shipping label and have instructed this sorry excuse of a company to NOT ship me anything further and to IMMEDIATELY refund my account my total amount. These people need to be reported to the BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OF THE UNITED STATES AND SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. They are what we in TEXAS call BIG TIME CROOKS. I have told these people that I will REFUSE anything else sent to me from them and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY. UNLESS YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE DEAD PRODUCTS OR DUST AND THROW AWAY YOUR MONEY, THEN USE THEM BY ALL MEANS
I placed order 31403403 on 2/21/05 consisting of grasses and a tree peony totalling 32.44. I expected them to arrive in May, figuring being based in IL they know when to ship to MI. They arrived in April while the ground was still frozen. I potted them to try to keep them til planting time. NOT ONE OF THE ITEMS LIVED! Could not find the required "shipping label" to return the defective merchandise. Unfortunately I did find the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL at the end of May 2006, but my year to get satisfaction was past. They obviously have all the order info in their computer system. The requirement of the "original shipping label" is an obvious ploy to keep from repaying people for the substandard plants they ship. Never again will I order from them and quit sending me your catalogs and save a tree.
On Nov 10, 2006, ashncol Fredericksburg, VA wrote:
STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY....I ordered almost $200.00 dollars worth of plants. The first shipment was half dead the other half was 3 inches tall & weak. I called the company, returned the order and canceled any add'l plants. Long story short, I followed ALL their rules, timeframes, and have spent over 6 months calling, sending certified letters and can't get any one to speak to except Cust. Svc who claims that's not their job. Only a so-called Mrs. Avery, who can't be contacted by phone and who also ignored my certified letter, is able to rectify the problem. This is a SCAM nursery, full of CROOKS and THIEVES, SORRY EXCUSE FOR A COMPANY....BEWARE, BEWARE, BEWARE!!! Plant your money...it will have a better chance of producing foliage! ....Save yourself!
On Nov 10, 2006, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens responded with:
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On Dec 21, 2006 2:38 PM, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens added:
This customer placed an order for $125 on 3/27/06. The order was sent in 2 packages.
Our guarantee states
"For a REFUND of the purchase price, RETURN THE ITEM AND THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL, with the correct postage affixed, within 14 days or receipt."
The customer did return the first package we sent and it was promptly refunded. In her note with the package she requested that the remainder of the order be canceled, however it had already shipped.
Unfortunately, she did NOT follow our guarantee on her second package. She claimed that she refused this package (although tracing through the US post office does not support this as the package shows delivered.) We have repeatedly explained to the customer that we have not received the second package back which is why the refund for this package has not been issued."
I bought 36 robin hood rose plants, all but 9 sprouted. On reordering the 9, two have started leafing out and 7 are not. Guess I will have to live with this since the warranty is for one shipping only. But believe after reading all the negative comments will just go to local nurseries from now on.
On Oct 8, 2006, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens responded with:
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On Dec 20, 2006 3:50 PM, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens added:
We do have a free replacement guarantee. The customer need only to return the original shipping label within one year and let us know how many of which item is dead for a replacement.
On Dec 20, 2006 4:00 PM, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens added:
We do have a free replacement guarantee. The customer need only to return the original shipping label within one year and let us know how many of which item is dead for a replacement.
In addition, a dmail was sent to this customer on 10/9/06. We have not yet had a response."
I have purchased from several of the Owen's outlets in Bloomington over the past several years. The plants that I received were decent quality and had good survivability. The plants were comparable to those received from Arbor Foundation. Bare root stock received early in the season was the healthiest. Stock received later in the season, such as mid-late summer was poor, as was the case with stock received late season from Arbor Foundation. REcommendation: Order bare root stock mid-winter at the latest and request early spring delivery. Expect to be disappointed with bare root stock ordered from any vendor late in the season. These plants were alive at one time, but they do deteriorate as the season progresses. Many of the better nurseries have a date beyond which they will not ship. Perhaps that is the greatest sin of Owens. Perhaps ordering too late in the season is the biggest mistake of naive purchasers. We should be smarter than that.
I ordered a mailbox garden and 48 creeping phlox last August, for about $40. When they arrived they appeared to be mouldy, and after a month they seemed to be dead. I wrote to Owen's Nursery and they told me to wait until spring.
I just contacted them again, as all but one of the phlox are dead. I included the original order, their confirmation, and our previous correspondence in my email. They are refusing to replace the plants until I snail mail the original shipping label. Given the amount of negative feedback I see on your website for this company, I wish I had known about it before I wasted my money.
I will definately notify everyone I know who orders plants via mail order, not to use this company, and to check your website before making a purchase.
Thank you!
On Aug 8, 2006, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens responded with:
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On Aug 30, 2006 2:46 PM, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens added:
Our warranty as stated in our catalogs and on the home page of our website is as follows:
Richard Owen Nursery - ONE YEAR GUARANTEE
If any item you purchased from us does not live, for a FREE REPLACEMENT just RETURN THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL along with your written request within 1 year of receipt. If you are dissatisfied with any merchandise, return it together with the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL within 1 year of receipt for a FREE REPLACEMENT. Replacement guarantee is VOID unless the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL is returned. For a REFUND of the purchase price, RETURN THE ITEM AND THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL, with the correct postage affixed, within 14 days or receipt.
We are sorry to hear that the customer had problems with his order. We do stand behind our warranty. A dmail was sent to this customer on 8/10/06, offering replacements. We have not yet had a response.
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I ordered 24 Robin Hood Roses #5252 June of 2005. They finally arrived in August 2005 and we planted them immediately. This spring 2006 We only had 4 that were growning so we sent for replacements. They replaced 21 of them that we received on June 17,2006 and we also planted them immediately . There was mold and black on some of them but there was still some green so we still planted them. Now we still have only a total of 6 plants that are doing anything and they are not all the same plants. They are double pink and a red color. The package ID is 100472923 I have put many hours into these shipments and am VERY DISGUSTED. So I am still with out any #5252 Robin Hood bushes apparently and after planting a total of 43 roots I have 6 plants. If this isn't corrected soon I will be contacting the better business bureau.
Dawn McNeal
Osakis, MN 56360
This is a copy of a letter I sent to them.
On Aug 6, 2006, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens responded with:
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On Dec 21, 2006 1:21 PM, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens added:
The customer returned the original shipping label as per our guarantee in September and an adjustment was made on the items that were a problem."
On Jul 5, 2006, probichaud Madisonville, TN wrote:
Although my order was not huge, everything I received was in good shape and leafed out almost immediately - unlike some of my purchases with other nurseries. Maybe I was just lucky - but I am willing to use them again.
In 2003, I ordered a butterfly bush and about 50 Naturalizing Tiger Lily bulbs. The butterfly bush bloomed right away and was really pretty, tho it died throught the winter. That was my fault I didn't notice the wrong zone on that variety. The tiger lilies are just fourishing. They have been blooming every summer since I planted them. After reading these other comments, I don't think I'd order anything else tho.
I placed an order for dahlia's in Apr. 06 and my check has been cashed in the amount of $408.45 which show on my bank statement. I have e-mailed them with no response and have called constantly with their phone always busy. Guess I'd better call the Better Business Bureau. The check was cashed on Apr. 11 th it is now May 8th
On May 8, 2006, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens responded with:
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On May 13, 2006 10:13 AM, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens added:
A d-mail was sent to this customer on 5/8 offering assistance, but we have not yet had a response. Our phones have been very busy, but we do respond to every email usually the following business day."
I sent a check for $94.20 for some fruit trees on March 29,2006 and as of this date (May 4, 2006), I have not received anything.
I plan to call and see if I can get a refund. PS, I wish that I had known about them before I ordered.....
On May 4, 2006, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens responded with:
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On May 9, 2006 4:58 PM, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens added:
A d-mail was sent to this customer on 5/4 offering assistance. We have not yet received a response to our d-mail."
