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Richard Owen Nursery, Direct Gardening, House of Wesley- all LLCs with Richard B Owen as President.
Ten weeks after I placed my order I attempted to cancel it because they charged my credit card and I had not received the plants. They claim that it's not possible to cancel an order in process. We had quite a few email exchanges and it's quite clear that they initiated shipment in October AFTER my attempt to cancel the order. All of their insufficient, passive, pathetic emails begin with the phrase, "I'm sorry you feel that way.." Meanwhile, they changed the shipping policy language on their website since my order was placed. However, I have the print-out that indicates that my order should have shipped during September. They would not honor that.
Tonight when I arrived home, their anemic, pathetic package of junk was on my front door step. Do they really think that I'm going to keep these plants under these circumstances?
I don't care how much it costs to send this junk back to them. Because they are creeps I will obviously need to ship with a return receipt, proof of signature and insurance. I have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, I have disputed their charges with Master Card, and I will never do business with these jerks again. They can take those plants when they receive them and plant them where the sun don't shine.
On Oct 2, 2009, yvonnezemotel Brookline, NH wrote:
Back in the beginning of August I ordered bulbs from this company and unlike any other company I have dealt with was charged immediately. I started checking the comments people left and say that there were an overwhelming number of negative comments so in September I called to cancel my order. I was told that it had already been processed but NOT shipped yet and they would stop the shipment. I was also requested to send a written request. I also contacted them by email and was told the same thing. A couple of weeks later the shipment arrived. I contacted Richard Owen immediately to find out what happened and it takes days for them to respond. They told me to ship it back at my cost. I told them that I thought they should pay for the return shipping since they were the onces who'd screwed up. Several emails later and I just got a "we're waiting for the returned package before we issue you a refund...if that's what you still want." I have just told them again that I want a prepaid mailing label. This should take a week to get a response. I will never deal with them again. Buyer beware.
I ordered almost $200 worth of plants. They all came "dormant" I followed instruction and none sprouted out. I sent in the label with a letter asking for replacement. They mailed back, "which plants do you want replaced?" (I had told them all in the letter). I replied, "all of them." They sent almost all of them. I called and they said they (the other plants) would be there in a week. I get a letter from them, (not the plants) with the original order sheet listing all the plants I had purchased. They now said they needed "proof of purchase", which they already had (I sent it the first time). What a scam.... I am tired of dealing with them, I am a year into the fiasco and now I need to go and buy different plants. By the way they are generally rude every time I call (I probably would be too if I had to support these policies on the phone with unhappy customers). I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THEM AGAIN AND WOULD NOT ENCOURAGE ANYONE ELSE EITHER. Should have read reviews prior to ordering
On May 20, 2009, thegladiator Pottstown, PA (Zone 6b) wrote:
On 4/14/09 I ordered 2 Pink pussy willow plants thinking they would arrive shortly after the 1-2 week processing time. So, I called on 4/29 and asked when will they ship? I was told it takes 2-4 weeks. I assumed that is 2-4 weeks to get it from the time I order it, however we all know what happens when you assume. I was told at that time it MAY ship the week of 5/6-5/13. That's 5 weeks by my calendar. I called back on 5/15 and was told they shipped my plants on 5/8 by US Mail. I asked the rep (Janet) on the phone if she thought it was wise to ship perishable items by the slowest way possible. She said it doesn't matter what she thinks and they don't have time to E-mail everyone about their orders. That is what the company does and she has no control over it. That's funny, the other nurseries that I ordered from have time to send e-mails. At least I know she is telling the truth as I too have worked as a customer service rep. At this point I know I will be returning them since it is now 5/19/09 and still no plants and since everyone knows that plants that are left in the dark, without water, light or air, for over a week in a hot processing building/delivery truck, is guaranteed to DIE. I really don't understand how a company that deals with perishable items can have no common sense and the audacity to ONLY use THEE slowest shipping method on the market today. I have ordered from other catalog/mail order nurseries and was shipped my items by UPS or Fed-EX. They also have no tracking method to see where my items are since the postal system doesn't use a tracking system for snail mail. The website claims they have a 1 year guarantee. I guess that is to cover up the fact that they spend most of their companies profit shipping out more plants for all the dead one originally sent by snail mail. I don't recommend using this company. They should do everyone a favor and sell off their product to a real nursery and close their doors for good. IF my pants do show up, I'll respond on their condition at that time.
On May 27th, 2009, thegladiator added the following:
Well, On 5/20/09 I finally got my pussy willows. They were bare root pants and shipped ONLY in a green colored garbage bag. The bag had no marks or labels of any kind stating it was a live plant and therefore perishable. It only had one small line stating the contents were 2 pussy willow. Since they weren't decent sized plants and just bare root twigs, there was nothing stopping the US mail person from folding the bag to get it inside my mailbox thereby breaking the twigs and destroying the product. Granted, my mail person had the sense not to fold the package. I planted them immediately but I'm not sure if they will survive as the damage was done in the long shipping time. This company should be told about UPS and Fed-Ex. the cost would be the same or cheaper for shipping and the customers would get live plants instead of dead or half dead. I am still keeping the rating a negative, and I still won't be doing business with them again.
Recived a catolog from Richard Owen Nursery, don't know how but I read there catolog and ordered two items; on 4-03-09 ,Veggie/Tomato Cage X 4 = $33.99 and 5 Victoria Rhubarb plants @ $2.99, with S & P of $9.99 = $46.97. Recived the veggie/tomato cages and nothing else on 4-29-09, week later wrote a letter asking when my rhubarb plants should arive. Recieved the so called rhubarb plants on 5-13-09, bare root and were in very bad condition, three are a maby and the other two were dead and had been dead long before they were sent. I sent a complant that very day. After reading up on Richard Owen Nursery, I will NOT order again......We will see if they replace the dead rhubarb plants.
I made this order from their Burgess Division with all contact with them BUT the stuff was shipped from the OWEN NURSERY so I'm posting here too.
I ordered 95.00 worth of trees/hedge and vines on 4/10/09. On 4/13/09 they charged my credit card the order amount but I heard nothing from them about anything being shipped.
Keep in mind that mail order and other businesses are not to charge your credit card till the item is ready to ship.
On 4/17/09 I still heard nothing so I e-mailed them asking if my order was shipped either in part or whole and if not why was my credit card charged already for the entire order. 4/19/09 I received a answer from them saying that my order was in there shipping department but nothing said about any ship date or a word about the early charges to my account. Also no name was put on the e-mail from them - Just said "Customer Service"
4/20/09 I did a BBB search on Burgess and there rating was at the bottom and they had a VERY LARGE number of complaints about Billing, Warrantee, Product quality and lack of product delivery.
4/21/09 I sent another e-mail asking about my order status and again stated that my credit card should of not been charged till product is shipped and only for what is shipped.
4/22/09 I received a reply back and again I just got a Bla Bla about 1 to 2 weeks to process the order depending on weather and product availability. So my real answer was when ever or if I get what I ordered will be when they wish and nothing once again about the early charges to my Card.
My response to this was- I called my Credit card Company and voiced my dispute about the problem of being charged on 4/13/09 and no product or service was provided as of 4/22/09 and explained the e-mails and they granted me instant credit canceling the charges to Burgess. After I hung up the phone I got back on line and sent another e-mail back to Burgess telling them that this is my official Order cancellation notice to them and that I disputed there charges on my credit card removing the charged amount. Then I further instructed them that if they send anything to me that I will not accept anything from them at all. I'll see what happens now and then after file a complaint with the BBB as well.
4/23/09 I received a reply e-mail from Burgess about my order cancellation. Burgess mystery customer service said "Your cancellation request has been forwarded to the appropriate department. We will do our best to try to cancel the order before shipping occurs." Well guess what? They shipped the entire order anyway on 4/30/09 that's 7 days after I told them I canceled the order and my Credit card company removed their charge. Well I trucked the Green bag of;
5246 Shade Hybrid Poplar 5$7.97
6753 Tulip Tree 4$4.00
4732 American Arborvitae 12$18.50
6816 Privet Hedge 40$18.49
5252 Rose, Red Robin Hood 2$7.98
7306 Trumpet Vine Hummingbird 2$3.99
6825 Hibiscus 6$3.99
6857 Hydrangea Tree 2$2.01
6749 Red Weigela 1$1.49
6877 Rose of Sharon Hedge 12$7.89
6802 Spicy Sweet Shrub 1$2.99
6875 Lombardy Poplar 12$5.92
Free plants and book was not on the package shipping label so probably was not in the bag. listed below:
Free Gifts as Earned Free
Burgess Seed & Plant Company Handbook of Plant Care1Free
Garden Huckleberry1Free
Ground Cherry Tomato1Free
Giant Ranunculus3Free
Giant Windflower3Free
down to the post office and REFUSED DELIVERY which put them on there way back to Owens Nursery (origin address)
FREE of CHARGE and I got a receipt proving so.
When I returned home I sent a E-mail back to Burgess informing them that the package was on its way back to them by USPS as REFUSED and un-opened in the condition received. Their reply was;
"Thank you for that information. You may wish to contact us again once the package has been delivered if a note requesting the refund was not included at the time of return."
Well good thing I used my credit card and was able to contest the charge getting it removed because no way to put a note requesting a refund in a un-opened package and as stated by them If I do not request it they would do nothing at all. Plus with all their no direct answer run around I'm sure that it would take a long time and aggravation.
If they try and charge my card again either in Burgess name or any of their other business names I will post a update.
Also the main reason the credit card company took the charges of instantly was because they posted the charge and still 2 weeks later product was not received or shipped.
05/04/09 package was refused and returned as stated above. They acknowledged notice of returned stuff on 05/05/09. And now they hit my credit card again on 05/06/09
On May 14th, 2009, emptypots added the following:
On 05/11/09 late afternoon the Financial adviser with my credit card company called Burgess because I contested the recharge of the original charges and I was told that they got nowhere with them on this matter so again the charge was reversed again and they were going to contact the Merchants Bank about this matter.On May 31st, 2009, emptypots added the following:
05/14/09
I got a letter from a Susan Phelps from Burgess Customer service which was pre dated on 5/5/09 but had a company postal metered stamp dated 5/8/09 claiming I owe them the money because they say they could not cancel the order and also they did not get the stuff returned so they were going to hit my credit card again in which they did for the second time noted here on this board on the 14th. Again a fowl practice of trying to rip off the consumer after they acknowledged the notice of return of their stuff on 05/05/09 which they had the tracking number to verify that indeed it was refused and on its way back. ( sad that they need to falsely date letters in a effort to scam you)
05/14/09
I sent a reply e-mail to Customer service to; Susan Phelps in regards to her postal letter with facts and the package tracking # 420124439102901000428016273162 of their package they sent after I canceled and in turn REFUSED proving the product was REFUSED and returned to them as I stated I would do.
05/15/09
I received a reply to the e-mail on 05/14/09 and I got "Thank you for your email. Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate department. Thank you, Customer Care Department"
05/19/09
I filed a BBB complaint on them about their billing and other related events. The BBB filed it under Business Name: House of Wesley, Inc. ( must be their parent DBA) and I recommend all who had problems or was ripped off by Burgess or any of their sub company listings file a complaint also. The last section of the complaint form which is very fast to file ask you what you would like them to do. I said I would like them to be investigated for fraudulent practices and either have their business license revoked and or fined as well as action to stop trying to charge my credit card.
05/31/09
I heard or received nothing from Burgess sense the last letter from a Susan Phelps and Burgess as of this date and no further attempt to charge my card.
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 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
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...
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 ---
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.
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!
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.
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 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.
"
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."
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."
I bought from Richard Owen Nursery too and spent $35.33, received NOTHING, I thought they went out of Business so I google them and found this site, I’m going to try and get a refund. wish me luck
On Apr 29, 2006, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens responded with:
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On May 9, 2006 4:55 PM, Richard Owen Nursery / Exciting Gardens added:
We have been in contact with this customer via D-mail. We were able to stop her order to cancel it, but she decided she wanted us to ship the order instead, so we have."
They're still at it.
Boy, I wish I had seen this site's ratings before I ordered!
Got this really nice catalog in the mail, with terrific plants and great prices. If only it had been lost in the mail.
This place should have a slogan "If you think our prices are low, wait until you see our quality."
They have absolutely no clue how to run a business. I ordered a bunch of things at their website, and it said a week or more to process the order. Fine, no problem.
After three weeks, I tried calling them, but got nothing but a busy signal for two days straight. Finally, I emailed them asking for status. Next day I got a response, asking me to send the details again. Apparently, my name and order number were meaningless to them, and they could only look it up by my zip code.
I replied, and after another day, they responded by saying "we have received your order and it is currently in processing, which can take 3 weeks. Once it has completed processing, it will be scheduled for shipping based on plant availability and order date."
Needless to say, I told them to cancel the order and give me a refund (they had charged my credit card right away, long before they had any intention of ever shipping me anything).
On May 1st, 2006, bulbous1 added the following:
Update:
Three days after I told Richard Owen Nursery to cancel my order, a box appeared on my doorstep, a partial shipment. At last I understand how they operate.
The "extra nice, number one plants" in the catalog turned out to be tiny seedlings. It's perfectly obvious that they planted the seeds when they received my order, since the growth is exactly what I would expect from the weeks of "processing time" as ExcitingGardens.com so euphemistically calls it. In fairness, they are perfectly fine seedlings, but I really would have been happier if they had simply sent me the seeds and let me plant them myself.On May 12th, 2006, bulbous1 added the following:
Final update: Sixteen days after my request to cancel the order (which they ignored), I received the balance of my order. It looks like the items might actually have a chance to live, but they're nothing at all like what the catalog promised. For example:
Catalog: "Sturdy, 9-12" plants"
Reality: cuttings the diameter of a pencil, that were drenched in rooting hormone and (bizarrely) shaved vertically to be perfectly square in cross section (they were at least 12" long, though)
Catalog: "4 year old, sturdy, branched, 8-15" plants"
Reality: tiny (8") rooted shoots the diameter of a piece of spaghetti
OK, I've learned my lesson. Thanks, Richard Owen Nursery! You've guaranteed that from now on I'll only order from reputable companies.
On Oct 5, 2005, TuddyE Georgetown, KY (Zone 6a) wrote:
I've hesitated to add my name to the list of suckers who have had experiences with this company, but I could hold out no longer. I received part of the plants I ordered from them [I was greedy and the prices were unbeatable, so once again I fell prey to their allure], all of which were nothing but trash. They were either very old dried up plants without root systems or slimey messes of I don't know what. Two extremes, hardly from the same time period or supplier, but dead none the less. I have reviewed numerous companies this fall, but nothing compares to the package I got from this one. Since then, I have e-mailed numerous times, called and talked to my charge company. Richard Owens customer service must be trained at avoidance, because that is the only real response I have gotten from them. I too have the name of the person who signed for my return, copies of the original packing label, my email, and pictures of the dead partial order. If nothing is credited to my account, the charge company will take care of it. You have 30 days from when you return the merchandise to file for reimbursement, they only have 14 days from getting it back to refund you money. It's no skin off my nose if that's the way they want to play, but you can bet everyone I talk to, and we do business with at least hundreds of people yearly, we hear about their game.
NEVER,NEVER ORDER FROM THESE PEOPLE---DON'T BE A SUCKER LIKE ME [I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!!]
On October 10th, 2005, TuddyE added the following:
Well, I got an e-mail.They have had my dead plants for 3 weeks, at the cost to me of almost $6, and they claim they are now ready to credit my account minus the $7.95 delivery charge. I'll keep you posted
Purchased over $362 worth of bare root trees directly from Owen Nursery aka Exciting Gardens aka Inter-State Nurseries aka Burgess Seed & Plant Co. on March 19, 2005. Took my prized plants home and read through all the documentation on how to plant, water, etc. Planted 36 Colorado Blue Spruce, 32 Thuja Green Giant, 72 Douglas Fir Hedge, 2 Chinese Chestnut, 2 Red Haven Peach, 2 Granny Smith Apples, 2 flowering almond and miscellaneous small bushes. Watered, nursed and watched over as all, not some, but all of my plants and trees died.
Finally gave up and dug up all the dead plants and returned to Owen Nursery in July 2005.
Re-planted everything and watered even more as the heat of the summer was in full progress. Watched again as everything but 2 thujas and 4 douglas fir lost their needles or simply never even tried to bud a leaf. Knowing that my guarantee only lasted to September 1, 2005, I waited until today to contact Owen Nursery and ask what my options are to replace the dead plants. According to the first person whom I talked to, Owen Nursery only replaces plants once according to their posted warranty. Asked for a manager and was handed to [an employee] who informed me that their policy is to replace only once as clearly posted in their lobby. I was at the lobby twice and never recalled seeing any 4 foot high poster stating this. [The employee] then offered a credit for my purchase good until next spring. I asked what my guarantee would be for trees and plants picked up next year and [the employee] stated that my warranty period expires September 2005 regardless of when I exercise my store credit. I advised [the employee] that I would not seek a store credit, but instead wanted my full money back to which he replied we only offer store credit and replacements are only available one time. To end this story, I am now shopping at local nurseries for live 2-3 gallon spruce or fir trees. It may take me me longer to grow my wind break, but at least it will be growing and not simply rotting in the ground if I continued this charade with Owen Nursery aka Exciting Gardens aka Inter-State Nurseries aka Burgess Seed & Plant Co.
Any nursery that goes by more than one name, address, and telephone number should be suspect.
BUYER BEWARE!! IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT! AFTER NUMEROUS CALLS AND EMAILS AS TO THE WHEREABOUTS OF MY PLANTS, WAS TOLD THEY WERE DELIVERED. NEVER RECEIVED! RICHARD OWENS "TRACE" ON THE ORDER SAYS IT WAS DELIVERED, BUT NO ONE REMEMBERS DELIVERING THE 5 FOOT TREES. "CARRIER LEAVE IF NO RESPONSE" COVERS RICHARD OWEN'S THOUGH!! RECEIVED THEIR TRACE LETTER WITHIN 2 DAYS THOUGH , NO PROBLEM.
PLEASE DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ORDERING FROM THEM. I ONLY WISH I HAD SEEN GARDEN WATCHDOG BEFORE I ORDERED. AFTER PRINTING OUT 16 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS, I THINK IT'S TIME TO NOTIFY CONSUMER AFFAIRS.
BAD NEWs! I wish that I had seen your site to begin with. Though mostly nice to me throughout, I am stopping payment through the credit card and paying to make sure they receive all of this back. Plants were very small and nearly dead ...... took almost a month to process.
I will also try to post some of this info on other well known sites like Bizrate.com but do YOUR best to get the word out.
I ordered plants this year from this outfit half of which arrived doa. That's dead on arrival. The other half were miniscule. I planted them, (they were hedges) but even if they survive, I feel cheated since they were barely seedlings and for the price I was charged, I would expect that they would at least be plants. Sorry I didn't read the comments of others here before I ordered them.
