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About six or seven years ago I needed specimen tree to replace a rotted stump in my front yard. I bought a giant crepe myrtle at MGC and had it delivered and planted. The tree gets full sunlight all day but has never bloomed. In dry summers (not this year!) I've had to water the tree every few days or the leaves begin to curl and desiccate. Several trips back to the MGC have not been fruitful (pun intended). Staff insist tree is behaving "normally" and is becoming adjusted to its new home (e.g. "these trees usually take one year to get established, two to grow, and three or more to thrive and bloom, etc."). The tree has grown, so much so it's over 20 feet high and perhaps 15 feet wide. Despite its otherwise healthy appearance, the tree does not bloom. My own diagnosis is that the MGC did not properly plant the tree and ensure that the hole was large enough or deep enough to allow for root growth and my having to water it every few days, even after several years of being in the ground, is evidence of this. I am more than willing to accept that "only God can make a tree" but the MGC could do a better job at helping God now and then. Lord knows, they are not much at helping customers. If, like me, you spend a couple of thousand bucks on a specimen tree, be sure to research the planting needs and be there to observe when the planting crew comes along -- just to make sure they do their job and do not take any shortcuts that might endanger the project over the long term. I still shop at Merrifield now and then but prefer other garden centers in the area that are cheaper and just as good. I never mind spending some extra money if I think I'm getting a quality product or service, which is why I went to MGC in the first place. Their product and service, however, let me down and their almost programmed insoucience to being told of my problem did little to inspire confidence in them or their services.
On Jun 21, 2009, lilyan Carleton, MI (Zone 5a) wrote:
I purchased online a quart of weed killer. They shipped a container that was unsealed, with one third of the contents missing. There was no leakage in the box it came in.
i emailed them back with the problem and never received any response.
Well, first of all let me say that Merrifield is extremely overpriced for the quality of merchandise they offer. We had 5 azaleas, 1 dogwood and 1 Japanese maple planted in our yard. All 5 azaleas died along with the dogwood and Japanese maple. They replaced the azaleas with heather, replaced the dogwood with another dogwood, and the Japanese maple with a redbud. The heather have all died but look like they may be coming back. The dogwood is very much dead and the redbud made it through the winter.
We asked for a quote to replace the dogwood and the heather and figured we would get a discount since they provided the plants that have died twice! However, they offered no discount. Also, we have bought mulch from them for 2 years now and have paid 3 times the amount per bag that you would pay anywhere else. In addition, add the cost of labor and you are talking about very expensive mulch.
I had heard that Merrifield was a great nursery and we spend around $3000 the first year we used them, and $800 last year, but no more. I will put the mulch down myself and go to some of the smaller nurseries where the plants are better and cheaper!
On Oct 27, 2006, IndoorGardner Falls Church, VA (Zone 7a) wrote:
I go there for the dirt only. I really love their brand of potting mix. The staff is a little too arrogant for me. I was there recently shopping for ingredients for “compost tea”. The sales guy keep trying to tell me how to make sure my compost pile dissolves and sell me enzymes to help me. Ok first of all I like everything organic. What he was giving me was not even close. Second, I don’t need to break it down because it cooks in bubbling water for 5 days. So why would I break it down. None of the good stuff would be left. He told me I watch too much TV and did not know what I was doing. I was shocked!!!!!! I research everything I do. I don't just see something on HGTV and say that’s it. This is not the first bad experience I have had there, but it will be the last. I am looking for somewhere else who has nice dirt and better prices. I spend a lot on plants and plant care. It’s averaging a minimum of $600.00 a month. Please keep in mind that this is only for an apartment. Wait to you see what I spend on a house. They lost a good customer with me.
Having recently completed a home renovation, I requested the MGC to do a landscaping consultation, for which they charge a $50 fee. A very personable and clearly highly qualified landscape architect came to my home, but rather than give me any ideas or plans for the work to be done, I was surprised that all of the time was spent giving me a sales pitch to hire the landscape architect, for a significantly higher fee.
I'm sure that this person is a great architect, but what I thought I was paying for was ideas, even initial off-the-cuff-ideas, but not a sales pitch to engage this person. So what I basically ended up paying for was for someone to come to my home and give me a pitch. That doesnt really seem like a landscaping consultation to me. How about you?
Caveat emptor, again.
