You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
On Aug 20, 2009, Patt52 Rydal, GA (Zone 7b) wrote:
Received my order a few weeks ago and everything looked rather good. I was pleasantly surprised at the large size of the shrubs I received. I order 1 Josee Lilac, Sambucus Elder
(Sutherland Gold), and 1 Physocarpus Ninebark (Coppertina). I was a little worried in the beginning about the coppertina, because of some dried leaves, but after a couple of days I started seeing new leaves amerging. All plants had really good root systems. I would not hesitate to order again from this company!
I've ordered from Moonshine Designs on more than one occasion and always been very satisfied with their products. The only bump in the road was a starter Issai Beautyberry which didn't make it through the bad winter we had here. A second one I ordered did and I replaced the former with a larger one. Both are doing great and I can see will be flowering soon.
Because they're relatively close to us, around 240 miles as the crow flies, it's not uncommon for a plant to arrive the day after receiving shipping notification.
I decided to leave a review after my most recent purchase, a 5 gallon Coppertina Ninebark. I was absolutely blown away by the plant I received. Still potted, nearly three feet tall, very well leafed out and already pruned to encourage fullness for next year. I took it across the street to show a neighbor I was so pleased. It was just beautiful and a great purchase simply because it's not a common plant here, the price and shipping were very reasonable and the item I received exceeded my expectations for mail order.
There are such a proliferation of mail order nurseries that the likelihood of using just one exclusively isn't very high. There will always be one that has something that another doesn't but Moonshine Designs will be the one of the first places I look.
On Jul 14, 2009, braun06 Hanna City, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:
The plants were shipped so quickly. I ordered 2 berry nice holly and I cant believe how beautiful they are. They had a good 2' or more height for a #1. I will definitely order more material from them in the future.
On Jun 20, 2009, thecattylady Downers Grove, IL wrote:
I ordered several plants which were delivered promptly. Everything looked good except for 2 of the butterfly bushes did not take. I let them know via email and I had a response from them within a day. Replacement plants were sent which were delivered to me within a week.
On Jun 16, 2009, Petsitterbarb Claremore, OK wrote:
Just rec'd 3 of the most gorgeous big and healthy Berry Nice Winterberry plants from Moonshine Designs Nursery. They are in perfect condition, and much larger than I expected. I'll definitely be shopping there again, when they have anything I'm searching for. I wish that all online companies were this good!
I have ordered 3 different times from Moonshine Designs and have been very happy with the service and the plants. I had some Caryopteris die and found out that they have the best guarantee in the mail order industry - 365 days. The plant sizes are really nice also. I ordered a Coppertina and was really impressed with the size and the look of the plant. I ordered a 2 gallon size and it was just huge compared to what I had expected. Overall I wouldn't buy from any other mail order company if they carried everything that I wanted simply because their prices are reasonable and their guarantee cannot be beat.
June 4, 2009 I purchased Sunshine Blue Caryopteris (Bluebeard). I am very pleased with the size and the condition of this plant. It was healthy and nice sized. The packaging was great, not a hurt limb. My Bluebeard is doing great! The shipping time was quick. I will keep this company on my favorite list!
My wife ordered some arctic fire dogwoods from them on 5/20. A problem with the order form prevented my wife from completing her initial order (order # 004332). She called them up, where they stepped her through getting her order placed (order # 004333).
Yesterday morning I logged on to check my credit card statement. It appears that we were billed twice. One line looks like my wife's initial attempt got charged. Another line appears to be the successful order. No biggie - I just figured I could call them and they would make things right.
I give them a call on 5/26/09 at 11:35am CST and spoke with somebody that informed me that Roger would have to call me back after 4pm. I gave her my callback number. Nobody called back.
On 5/27/09 I tried calling at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, and at 2pm. Nobody seems present to even answer their telephone - I get the answering machine each and every time. On my 11am attempt, I left them a message with my work telephone number. Shortly after that, I emailed them at sales@djroger.com.
At this point, I am going to give them a couple of more days to reach us. I'm hoping that they are just so swamped with customers that they don't have time to answer the phone or check email, and that tomorrow we will get the information that we need. I don't want to have to call my credit card company to do a chargeback. :(
On May 27th, 2009, AlpineYJ changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following:
We finally got a phonecall! The credit was processed on 5/24. :) They got rained out, so the bushes didn't ship yet - but at least I am no longer worried about the credit. It's kind of a bummer that nobody was around to answer the phone today though.On June 6th, 2009, AlpineYJ changed the rating from neutral to negative and added the following:
The credit came through as promised from 004332, but order # 004333 still has not arrived. I emailed them 2 days ago, and have not received any responses. On their initial email (about the credit on May 27th), they mentioned that it would ship Monday (6/1). It is now Friday night (6/5), and nothing has arrived. No emails, no calls.. nothing.
They are in Illinois, and I am in Indiana - so if it had actually shipped (even the slow-boat to China) on Monday, I would have had them by Wednesday. I hate to leave negative feedback for people, but if this is the only way I can get any responses out of you - it's what I will do. A simple reply to an email or a quick phonecall would avoid all of this.
What gives?On June 6th, 2009, AlpineYJ changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following:
Ok, my wife got the tracking number in her inbox. All is well. Since it's my fault for not having her check her email (I was actually expecting some form of a response in mine), I will upgrade this to a positive rating. These guys did give me the refund I asked for, and did ship our order out to us (late, but it did ship).
All in all, I think even a little bit of communication would have solved a lot of this. Returning emails (even a brief 5 second one telling me: "Have your wife check her email you idiot!") or phonecalls would have definitely been nice. We aren't unreasonable and do realize that things come up. It's no biggie - people just want kept in the loop so they don't feel like they've been had.On May 27, 2009, Moonshine Designs Nursery responded with:
Credit was issued on 5/23. With the Holiday weekend, it may take some time for the credit to show on your statement. Transaction ID: 49601162
Approval Code: 027643
"
I ordered a Lilac, a Rose of Sharon, and a Sunset Echinacea. The shrubs were a little smaller than I expected, but overall I was pleased with my order.
On Oct 4, 2008, greenbrain Madison, IL (Zone 6a) wrote:
Oops!! I just realized that I never posted my review. I received a witch hazel and Annabelle hydrangea last spring & they're still doing well. I was pleased with shipping/packing, size & condition of plants, and accuracy/speed of order. Also, fair pricing for such nice potted plants. Extremely pleased. Would order again.
I ordered 2 Rugosa Roses and 2 days later they were at my door. They were packaged very well with the dirt around the roots and plastic wrap around them. The rugosa's were 2 to 3 feet tall. They are very healthy and had fruit on them. I am very impressed with this company as I have been ordering plants for the past couple of years and you never seem to know what you are going to end up with. I will be ordering from them again.
On Aug 7, 2008, p1mkw Danville, IN (Zone 5b) wrote:
My review is from my experiece last year -- I just found this feedback area today and wanted to relate my experiences with working with Moonshine Nursery. I found them to be excellent, both in quality and customer satisfaction. My order arrived in a timely manner, but evidently had been damaged by that late frost we had last year. I went ahead and planted the lilac plants and sure enough no sign of life after a few weeks. I emailed the company and they immediately replaced all 4 plants. The dwarf almond I bought is great and I will definitely order from them again in the future.
On Jun 29, 2008, glen74 Effingham, IL (Zone 5b) wrote:
I discovered Moonshine Design Nursery on Ebay several years ago. I just found out that they have a website and a Watchdog Profile. Fascinating company and I've always wanted to order from them again but haven't been able to. The order I won on Ebay was for 25 silky dogwood plants in a 2-3 gallon size. I bought these for my father who was trying to find something to creat a hedgerow for nesting birds. The plants arrived bareroot and were unbelieveably large. I don't know who was more shocked, my dad or myself. Figuring out the total cost and shipping, the plants I believe averaged out to around 2.50 or so per plant. THAT IS CHEAP. But they were so strong and healthy looking. Today, most are still alive, however deer keep grazing on them but they have gained considerable size.
One day I hope to order from Moonshine Design again. They make online ordering a pleasant experience.
On Jun 23, 2008, stormyla Norristown, PA (Zone 6b) wrote:
I purchased a very large shrubery order from them on Ebay.
The plants were quickly shipped. The packing was superb. The quality of the plants is first rate. The prices for the large size plants are excellent. You can't go wrong here!!!
I just received 4 red sprite.1 castle wall, 3 castle spire and 1 jim dandy. Superbly packaged,promptly delivered and all of good sizes and an excellent root formation. I am so impressed I just sent in another order for 150 dollars. Very resonable shipping.
On August 7th, 2008, tfinne added the following:
The 3 chokeberry's that I recieved in April all died. I was so busy in my garden that I never asked for replacements. When things slowed down I looked up my order and found that they were guaranteed for a few more days still ( 90 days). I contacted Roger (phone message) and he promptly replied and said they would go out on Monday. Well they had storms go through the area which delayed the shipping but true to his word I recieved 3 beautiful replacements. It has been my experience with them that their customer service, quality and prices are superior to all other mail-order companies that I have dealt with so far. I highly recomend them.
On Apr 11, 2008, SCNewbie Anderson, SC (Zone 7b) wrote:
I ordered a Black Knight butterfly bush off his eBay site and it's beautiful; healthy & larger than I expected. It was packed very well & delivered quickly, too. I'll be buying from here again!
Because of the positive reviews on this website and eBay, I purchased 16 Red Brilliantissima Chokeberries and 2 Josee Lilacs. First of all, the lilacs were great. One was very healthy and vigorous (and even had a bloom) and the other was perfectly acceptable. My problem is with the chokeberries. The description states that the plants are 20-30" tall. These plants average 17" (this is not subjective - I measured) and they are not full. In general, they have 2 to 3 stems. I wrote to Moonshine and included pictures (with a ruler for scale). I phrased the note as objectively as possible and stated my concerns without attacking the company.
Although they responded promptly, the email started "Apparently you have not had a hard freeze where you live yet". No greeting, just what I considered a defensive attitude. They indicated that the plants had dropped leaves because it is fall and that the height was due to late season pruning. Although I understand that the stems were bare (this was not my issue), the plants had NOT been pruned. There were no cut marks indicative of pruning. I also thought that only 2 or 3 stems was unacceptable. My main problem is that they were so short, despite the description clearly stating a varying height between 20 and 30". Second issue is that they were not full. They indicated that I could return the plants but that, basically, any replacements would look the same.
I responded to their email and explanation, but have not received a second response. It is not worth pursuing further, but I'm very unhappy with the plants and the response to my initial complaint. I spent over $200 with this company but will not be ordering from them again.
On November 8th, 2007, hayesjdr changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following:
I was a bit premature in leaving a negative review. Roger got back to me after a few days (had been out of the office on a family emergency) and was very apologetic about the plants. Apparently, they had been pulled from the wrong area. He immediately shipped out all new, much larger plants. He did everything in his power to make this a good experience for me and I really appreciate it. Now I know why Moonshine gets such good reviews...
I placed an order for 1 Jossee Lilac. It didn't come so I contacted them, they said they needed the order number so when I located the number I left a message for Roger and the lilac was sent the next day. It is very nice quality and even had a bloom. I'm happy with my order and will place more. They get back with you right away and are nice to do business with.
I ordered A Blue Satin Rose of Sharon and I got it today, I'm very pleased with it, it even has blooms on it :-)) I will order again from Moonshine Designs and Highly recommand them to anyone wishing to buy plants on line..A+++...Tammy K
Ordered a weeping pussy willow and was told to plant it immediately but it died because of the extreme weather that occurred. They answered my first email stating that it would come out of it, but it hasn't and I've emailed them 3 times asking them about their replacement policy and or refund and also faxed them. I see from their "generic" response to negative ratings they claim to never have heard from the customer. Well they don't answer their emails requesting refunds nor do they respond to faxes. Don't do business with this company.
On June 5th, 2007, jmehlen changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following:
Company answered my fax and were working out a refund or replacement. On Jun 4, 2007, Moonshine Designs Nursery responded with:
"
On Jun 4, 2007 7:46 PM, Moonshine Designs Nursery added:
We answered every email we received from this buyer and still kept getting repeat emails from them that we did not reply. Each time we requested the order number so we could issue a credit.. Following is a copy of the last response on May 29:
As you can see by the email title, your email ended up in the Spam filter. It was found by accident because I was looking for a specific email and stumbled across it. Normally, we do not look at it since it gets 2,000-3,000 per day. Emails titled "order inquiry" are set to go through regardless of where they come from. This is noted on the website as well as on shipment notification emails. Emails that originate from organizations where large numbers of emails are sent always get caught in the filter.
It is unfortunate that your tree did not do well. Please provide the order number or buyer ID number from the receipt and we will either send a refund or credit your credit card (depending on how the purchase was made)
-----Original Message-----
From: Joan M Ehlen [mailto:ehlen@uwplatt.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 9:41 AM
To: sales@djroger.com
Subject: Fw: Weeping Pussy Willow tree
You were really good at answering my first email when I told you my pussy willow wasn't looking so hot. But now when I've told you TWICE that it has died you are ignoring me! I see by your responses to negative reviews you claim you never get the emails from the customers. I will be writing a bad review if you do not answer and/or replace this tree. It was expensive for the size!
Joan M. Ehlen
Elton S. Karrmann Library
Administration Office
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
email: ehlen@uwplatt.edu
Phone: 608-342-1688
I had ordered two hibiscus shrubs and a butterfly bush shrub and could not be more than delighted. They were packaged well, shipped in a very timely manner, and are doing gloriously. I will continue to buy from this company again, as being a first time customer, I couldn't be more happier.
On Feb 24, 2007, Squintsmom Palatine, IL (Zone 5b) wrote:
I found this company on Ebay and purchased a small white heirloom lilac. I was very impressed with their quick shipping and how well it came packaged along with a printed manual for taking care of my new lilac and many other plants also. The lilac is doing very well.
On Nov 8, 2006, 1900House Saint Joseph, IL (Zone 5b) wrote:
I found Moonshine Designs on eBay and bid on some items that were auctions ending that day. I purchased a few items and paid with PayPal. Next day I got a message that the order was shipped. I got it and planted the third day. Everything was in great shape! Vines and bushes were bare-root, heuchera was in potting soil but it was all as healthy as if I'd bought it at a local source. Their selection of "uncommon" things is very impressive and the prices and shipping costs are quite reasonable. Plants are shipped with tags including botanical names, which is nice. Catalog and planting instructions also included. I think that Moonshine will be one of my regular spots to buy plants. I highly recommend them!
On Sep 29, 2006, pal2k9s Lake Arrowhead, CA (Zone 8a) wrote:
I'm addicted to Moonshine Designs! Their website looks a little amateur, but don't let that scare you away. They have great stuff, and their customer service is wonderful.
I found them on eBay, and I bought some heucheras. They arrived in great shape, and were much larger than I had expected. Then I found their website. And I was hooked!
The prices are great, and they don't try to gouge you on the shipping costs. I've ordered many more heucheras and have been happy with all. I decided to give their viburnums a go, and I'm glad I did! I ordered 2 Blue Muffins, 3 Autumn Jazz, 1 Arrowwood, 1 American Cranberry, and 1 Mariessi. They all were larger than expected, well packaged, and very healthy.
I am SO VERY IMPRESSED and PLEASED with Moonshine Design Nursery, and this, being my first experience ordering live plants on the Internet, is proving to be one of the smartest things I have done! They arrived so well packed, and as quickly as they could since it was so terribly hot there, and here for awhile. I found the prices to be comparable, if not less, than my local nurseries (even with the very fair shipping charge). Spread the word! This is a TOP-NOTCH business and they have many HAPPY customers, including lucky me!
On Aug 31, 2006, margored Syracuse, NY (Zone 4b) wrote:
Good selection. Friendly service. The website looks a little amateurish, so I was a bit hesitant to order at first. But the company's trustworthy and very professional. Moonshine ships solely on Mondays or Tuesdays, which wisely avoids problems with plants sitting in a post office over the weekend.
When ordering from Moonshine be aware, though, that most of their stock is bare root. At least mine was, which confused me at first since the website description said "1 gallon." It probably was grown in a one gallon container, but the plants were shipped bare. I'm sure this fact was posted somewhere on the website and I just overlooked it. My planting site wasn't really ready for these shrubs, so I'm now trying to keep them healthy until I can plant a week from now. Don't get me wrong, the shrubs were packaged very well - roots wrapped in moist newspaper, wrapped in plastic. It was just a surprise. Also be aware that (according to my local cooperative agent) bare root shrubs/trees are best planted when dormant (= late fall through early spring).
On Jul 28, 2006, cfarres Deering, NH (Zone 4b) wrote:
I ordered 6 bushes on Saturday (while they were still on vacation) and on Monday I received an email saying that the order had been shipped.
I received the order on Thursday and upon opening the box was very impressed. The 3 dwarf flowering almonds are 1/2 again taller than 2 that I had gotten from another source - after those 2 have been in the ground a couple of months! They are obviously very healthy and show no signs of stress from the shipping. Oh yeah, I only paid $5 more for the 3 from Moonshine Designs than I paid for the 2 smaller ones from the other source.
The 3 Rose Glow barberries are also very healthy looking and don't seem stressed at all.
The packaging was great, the size of the plants is impressive, the turn around time on the order was faster than I thought would happen - I am really happy with Moonshine Designs!
I have ordered from a few other on line nurseries. This man sends out the biggest, and healthiest plants, and has the best prices I have seen. He just asks you to let him know if there is a problem and if anything is missing, so he will fix it. He went on vacation recently, and sent my order out before he left, due to the intense heat there....when he returned one was missing. He said since it was too hot he would just credit the entire order, since everyting is dying at this time of the year from this awful summer. His first order was in perfect weather, and they were gorgeous, and sent three for the price of some others.... one plant. Big and healthy and a good shipping charge. He just said it is too hot, to send out an order to replace the missing one. Understandable since the company was closing for the heat , and to take a break.He was honest enough to say, Just keep the ones I sent, and instead of sending plants Heucheras, that might die in this heat I will just credit you back. I did not even ask him to. He is the best I have seen on here, and would not hesitate to use him again. He is beyond reasonable, and generous to a fault. Unfortunatately this has not been a good summer for Huecheras. But what he sent me before it got too hot is absolutely doing the best of all of mine. MIne from someone else have all died but his. I would not hesitate to use him again and he is honest and stands by his word. Thanks and have a good (too hot) summer...
I placed an order for the first time this spring. Everything I recieved was good and green and now 4 weeks later are still nice and green and growing. There prices are very reasonable for their 1, 2 & 3 gallon sizes and they have a very good variety. I will not hesitate to place another order next spring. Remember to always give your plants a million dollar hole with good compost, dry peatmoss, manure and some triple phosphate so they are rarein to grow. Dont forget a good long drink too. :)
On Apr 30, 2006, maat baltamore United States wrote:
I placed an order , I changed it twice by leaving messages over the phone . I recieved the order promptly, in good conditipon, he had gotton all the changes right and I got what I wanted. Very satisfied. I would definatly order again
On Apr 29, 2006, buddydog99 Nicholasville, KY wrote:
I ordered a variety of plants (sedum, viburnum, barberry, heuchera) last week; the order arrived in a timely manner via UPS. Hat's off to the packing person...they really did a great job; I was amazed at how efficiently the plants were packed into one box! All the plants arrived intact & undamaged, very well-cushioned with shredded paper. The plants themselves were alive, a little larger than the average mail-order experience, had leaves, were not wilted, and grabbed ahold beautifully the next morning after planting. Shrubs were bareroot, but with generous root systems well-packed in moist paper & plastic outerwrap...they also had nice, healthy leaves on them. Overall, I am VERY SATISFIED with my order from Moonshine, and plan on ordering again from them in the near future! Thanks, Moonshine, for a good transaction!!
On Mar 29, 2006, bloomsanywhere Charleston, WV wrote:
At Christmas-time, a local newspaper suggested Southern Gentleman Winterberry Holly and Berry Heavy Winterberry Holly for the grandest display of red berries at wintertime. A websearch landed me at Moonshine Designs Nursery in Illinois. I'd never done business with them before but they were the only nursery I could find that offered these shrubs so I took a chance and placed an order. I'd almost forgotten about it when I received an email from them personally telling me that my shipment was on its way and thanking me for my business,. I thought that was nice touch and I waited until the promised day for them to arrive. Not only did they arrive right on shedule but they were wrapped so well. The shrubs felt vibrant and healthy to the touch. I knew they hadn't suffered at all. Also, the shrubs I received are sturdy and very high quality. I was so excited I emailed them immediately thanking them for their service. I promised to rate them on Dave's Garden and I also will highly reccommend them to all my gardening friends. Most importantly, I will order from them myself.
I ordered 2 lilac trees, a daylily and verbascum about 2 weeks ago and received my shipment within a week. I was sent a confirmation of payment email immediately, as well as a shipping confirmation from Roger and Wanda. The plants were carefully packed (Jackson & Perkins should take a lesson from them), all arrived safely and healthy, and I was very impressed. Planting instructions were enclosed also. I have found a new favorite nursery.
I just received 2 'Summer Wine' ninebark shrubs in wonderful condition. The price, including shipping, was less than half of what I would have paid at a local nursery. A planting guide offered helpful tips and care instructions on all plants sold by this company. The package also included specific planting and fertilization directions on the ninebark shrubs. I am very satisfied with my buying experience.
My five willows (3 dappled willows and 2 Rubykins) arrived promptly and in excellent condition ... healthy and with very ample rootballs that were still moist thanks to Moonshine's careful packing. What a very pleasant surprise since the only other time I had ordered plants from a remote nursery I got a bunch of twigs with barely any roots at all, all "packed" in the same plastic bag and all dead in less than a month or so. Moonshine Designs is now my nursery of choice and I'm already planning my next order.
I just ordered 1 Blue Muffin viburnum and 2 Bloodtwig dogwoods from this company. While it did take a little while to get (about 3 1/2 weeks) because they were so busy and shipping with the weather, they are fantastic plants! They all are at least 2 feet tall with nice leaves and root systems. I can't wait to see these bloom next year!
I'll definitely order from them again!
Purchase a large number of different types of Junipers
SUPER DOOPER EXPERIENCE!
Great service, great products, great everything.
I only wish they carried blueberry plants. I feel so safe doing business with them, I don't want to purchase plants anywhere else.
