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.
I regret having become of member of this club. Their merchandise and publications are quite ordinary and extremely overpriced. Nothing about this club impresses me. I had to demand that they discontinue sending me endless gardening books that I had not ordered, which they did stop sending. I also demanded that they stop the endless e-mails with their ridiculous lifetime membership offers, but I continue to receive these offers, although not as frequently as I had before my request. Now, I find that they have sent me an unordered calendar that my mail carrier damaged by cramming it into my locking mailbox that has limited space to insert large items. Regardless of the fact that this unexpected, unordered calendar was damaged, I wouldn't want to use it. It's rather ordinary and overpriced, just like everything else they produce. I have demanded that they never send me another thing unless I personally order it, and if they do, I plan to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Perhaps it would be excellent idea if their Attorney General's office got involved in an investigation of this club and put them out of business.
We received the offer to join the club in the mail and I tore it up after reading the details. A few days later we got another letter thanking us for jopining and that we would receive our 2 prizes, how they know we won both prizes, since I threw away the scratch off is beyond me, perhaps everypne wins, how convenient. So they start sending us magazines we never requested and eventually the bill shows up... still haven't gotten the free prizes though... we send the bill back and tell them we never requested to join, and how surprizing, we get the nastygram saying our account is being affected negatively. Suppose it's time to file a complaint with the Maryland Attorney General.
i agree this club IS a scam
i joined for $12 to receive yearly subscription and free items.
the free item is a piece of garbage. you can actually buy BETTER GARDEN SUPPLIES AT DOLLAR STORES
The pruning shears WOULDNT EVEN CUT A CHIVE! (alleged value 39.99$)
when reading 1st issue, i knew the rave reviews and talk of free items were all lies - just like the positive reviews posted here are obviously fake- to lure you in.
Now i confirm the LIES. I didnt even receive the free gloves .
now they expect me to renew for 24$ for life
I SAY no way b/c the FINE PRINT READS THEY CAN SEND U SAMPLES AND attempt to FORCE U TO PAY FOR IT!!! THAT IS THE SCAM AND IS ALSO ILLEGAL.
(the sent me a moronic book and demanded i pay for it)
i will repond with a formal complaint to ohio's attorney general
THEY WERE HELPFUL ON THE PHONE THOUGH B/C THEY KNOW THIS IS AN ILLEGAL PRACTICE.
This is a scam, don't join. You can buy any of these non-quality products including gardening magazines for under the price they charge and can even buy them at the dollar store! Don't be fooled by their letter, any thing printed in LARGE text like that is designed to scam little old ladies.
Ditto all the bad vibes on this company. Received an unsolicted club membership, called and thought I had cancelled, received 'free gift' and dunning letters. I mailed back the 'free gift' unopended and sent a letter to the home office.,
On Apr 13, 2009, klaireabell Woonsocket, SD wrote:
I had a feeling there was something up with this company after reading comments here I folded everything back up minus the part with my name on it. I even folded up the big envelope it came in and stuffed it all in the return envelope so they can pay the return for it. I do this often with companys that will not stop sending me there junk mail. Just imagin if everyone did this.
On Dec 18, 2008, cmarlow41 Upper Marlboro, MD (Zone 7a) wrote:
Three times now I have received the "dunning notice" from a company whose product I did not order. As we all fear for our credit rating, I was concerned with the words "you've left us no choice", "official notification", "please be advised that if we do not receive your payment" etc. Last year when I called and challenged them (the toll free number is placed in an odd place at the top, right side of the notice) I was informed that they simply blanket send the magazine to a list that they purchase (mine was from MANTS) and take their chances on who will pay. This year I called and unloaded on the poor customer service rep and told her that it was a shame the company uses 'guerilla marketing tactics' because they have a good website and magazine but will never get me for a customer.
I received a "Due Invoice" today with a "thank you for activating your membership in the National Gardening Club" Something that I didn't sign up for. I have ordered some seed catalogs in the last couple of weeks, so, someone there must have 'sold' my information to them.
I couldn't find anyway of contacting them on their website (kind of sneaky)...Thanks to Dave's Garden, I got their phone number. So, today I called to cancel my membership that I didn't sign up for in the first place. And requested they remove me from their mailing list.
We'll see if it actually happens.
I really dislike companies that do business this way.
The sad thing for them is that I might have actually signed up and paid online for a membership if they had done their soliciting honestly.
On Aug 4, 2008, dmac085 Greensboro, NC (Zone 7a) wrote:
I first joined a few years ago at the $12 per year rate...although I'm not sure I actually "joined" anything--basically I got a magazine subscription (if I recall 6 issues per year). The welcome package consisted of junk seeds which were and probably still are generic packs of baby's breath, red corn poppies and a wild flower mix. These no name seed packs are sold in bulk as promotional tools to various businesses. I received a cheap metal spade that bent quickly and rusted.
I eventually let the subscription lapse and a few years later I thought about ordering the magazine again and that's when they started trying to bully you into getting the "lifetime" subscription/membership. $200+ for a bi-monthly let's face it, skimpy, magazine?! NO Thanks.
If you are looking for a very valuable gardening resource with something for all levels of gardening experience--spend your hard earned money at Dave's Garden--steer clear of "joining" this subscription peddler masquerading as a gardening club!
On Aug 2, 2008, losmilagros Loxahatchee, FL wrote:
This company is a big scam like every body know right now.
The company National Home Gardening Club and Handyman Club of America is the same,with the same owner K. Pope and the same address.
I think,like many members of this blog said,is time to start to stop this scamers.If some of the members of this blog want to make a complain with the BBB or any other entity about this matter,we are ready to sing .
If we said another member is for the reason our English is not precisely good for a letter to the authorities of the government
But we going to support the idea with our sign any time.
Received an application to join NHGC in the mail for $12 per year. Got the bill and the charge was $24 for two years. I said 'NO THANK YOU.' Oh yeah, they included 2 'free' sample-sized (not full sized) packets of seeds with about 10 seeds in each packet. WHOOPEE!! I've never received any 'free' tools or other 'goodies' they promised. Their promo is bunk! I decided to forget the whole thing and wrote CANCEL on the bill. It's 6 months later and I'm still getting letters every few weeks demanding payment on a $24 membership I never agreed to. They are also threatening to report me to a collection agency. WHOOP-TEE-DOO. Go ahead. This 'company' is running a scam and I've told them so. If I get another letter I am reporting them to the State Attorney Generals office for fraud. I think everyone needs to do the same if we are to put a stop to one more con game going around in this country. I'll gladly join with the previous postee to form a class action law suit against this nonsense, and for the harrassment practices they employ. I encourage others to do the same. It's time we all stop rolling over for these scammers. Just say 'NO' to the National Home Gardening Club. You'll be glad you did. Oh yeah, don't be surprised if the few 'positive' responses on this web site were written by the scammers themselves. I seriously doubt there are any real people out there who are 'happy' with the quality of anything they received from this con game.
On Jul 5, 2008, mel01c Benson NC United States wrote:
Received an application to join NHGC in the mail. Ignored it. Then started getting demands for $24 membership. Wrote and told them I wasn't interested in joining NHGC, but have received three more demands for money. The last one threatened me with a collection agency!
I think it's time to put a stop to this practice, and recommend all people that have had negative issues with this company contact their respective attorney general's office. I am in the process of writing to them one more time. If this doesn't work, and I get more threatening letters, I plan to take out a law suite for harassment.
M Clarke
I joined for the free testing of products. I only received the shears to test. Have never been offered anything more to test since. It's been a year now. I DO however get repeated attempts for me to be a life time member! Yeah! RIGHT!!!!!!
On May 6, 2008, heathrjoy Kersey, PA (Zone 5a) wrote:
I'd like to thank everyone who posted about this "club." Just today I received my letter to join the life time membership club. I decided to look up some info about them before joining, and I'm soooo glad I did. I originally went looking for info to see if there is anyone who isn't "invited" to be a life time member...because according to the form letter they sent me "[my] name was chosen form thousands of Club Members for an extraordinary distinction. It's a singular privilege--that effectively allows [me] to join a small 'inner circle' of elite gardeners and receive numberous privileges and benefits not available to others..." Yeah, ain't I special?? They picked ME and I better join now before I let this chance slip away...
I joined the regular club a few months ago. Not long after that I received 2 (yes two) of the free gift kits. There was a pair of pruners and a cheap kneeling pad in each kit. I wondered what the heck was going on, this company is so out of it that they can't even keep track of how many free gifts they are sending out. Oh well.
Then another package came. It was the first book. I know I will be billed around $10 for that. There were also some seed packs in the box too. Nothing I was interested in planting though. I think it was a wildflower mix. Not my thing...who knows what's really in it and if it'll be invasive or not. No thanks.
I have written them an e-mail and told them to cancel my account and to quit sending me junk...I'm not interested and I'll never join. If I hear from them again I won't take it lightly. I don't want collection agencies calling me over something I never agree to. If that does happen I'll post it here...and also alert the BBB, my credit card company, the Post Office and anyone else I can think of.
This is a scam and no one should put up with it. They keep doing it because they are making money because people are putting up with it. They aren't getting another penny from me.
Ten or more years ago, I paid for a yearly membership (only $12 at that time), and I never heard from them again. I decided it was a scam, and have disregarded subsequent attempts to get me to join.
Add me to the list of people who think this "club" is nothing but a book selling scam. Last summer, I requested that they terminate my "membership" and quit sending their $29.94 books that we didn't have time to even look at. This request and others since that time were all ignored. Since that time, all books they sent were mailed back to them (at their expense - marked return to sender). Lately, they have been harassing me claiming that I still owed them for an unwanted book that had been returned. I have just sent them a check for $29.94 for this book that I didn't keep, just to get them out of my life. I also notified them that I will do anything in my power to warn people about them and their sales practices.
I recieved a collection notice recently since I have not paid $200 since joining in 2005. National Gardening Club has called a few times and each time I have told them I wish to cancel my subscription. I agree that this is a scam.
I, too, got their introductory literature. I have been getting bills and phone calls ever since. I asked several of the telemarketers to take my name off the list. Last week I got a notice from a collection agency saying I owed over $200! I sent them a letter disputing the charge. Last night I received another call asking me to "renew" my lifetime subscription. I called them today and the lady said she would take me off the list. We'll see. I also had to wait 15 minutes to talk to a human. Others must be calling as well. She did say that the collection notice would not affect my credit rating.
Stay away from this company. I too was suckered in by the magazine subscription--which I did pay for --(and it's not that great--) but then was asked to become a life time member. I accepted the trial offer wanting to know what it was all about as the material sent never mentioned the cost. Well I found out it was very costly--over 120.00 so I cancelled it right away. I still received many statements for payment and sent back 2 more stating that I wished to cancel. Then the harrassing phone calls started...every week....ONE person actually listened to me when I said that I never signed up for it and it was supposed to be cancel. They said they would check on it. I received another bill and wrote ANOTHER letter.....Well almost 2 years later after I had NOT signed up and roughly 4 months from the last (cancellation) letter, I just received a bill from a collections agency stating that I owe the National Home Gardening club $260.00!!!!
I am going to be contacting the Minnesota Business Bureau to follow up on this for me! It looks like they have received 100's of complaints in just the billing category (but not enough to deem it unsatisfactory. Hopefully everyone who has had a bad experience with it, contacted your Better Business Bureau....!!
STAY AWAY from this organization and magazine!!!!
On Sep 4, 2007, lafko06 Brimfield, MA (Zone 5a) wrote:
This is another company that uses "the ol' switcheroo" by enticing you to join for 1 penny a month and if that weren't enough, you get a free spade and hand hoe for free, just for joining. They really try to hook you by sending you 2 free seed packs (a poppy and something else generic that slips my mind right now) and a package of slow release fertilizer -- about enough to fertilize one seed. Once you send the initial paperwork back, they send you an invoice for 20.00 promising you the potential ability to try fabulous name brand gardening products for free of charge. Ultimately this is a book of the month club.
Just as others here, I learned about this company the hard way. In my case, it's been a little more "Fun" getting away from them. I bought one book, and since it wasn't too bad, I bought another. One year later, I am still receiving bills for that book. I sent them a letter and a copy of the cancelled check showing that I'd paid for the book. In last Saturday's mail, I got a letter from them threatening me with a collection agency if I don't pay for the book I paid for last year. I found a phone number for them and called, trying to straighten out their accounting error. When I put in my account number, I got a recording telling me that it was a "bad account number". Stay as far away from this company as you possibly can!
I was sent a mailer saying "join for $12 a year". They were not clear AT ALL that their minimum membership was two years. When they sent the bill I didn't want to join for two years, so I also tossed it. Not long after that I received a letter saying I would be going to collections (and if you have already paid we must have just crossed in the mail). Well I had already paid, but not as quickly as they wanted. I think that is ridiculous. My sister and mom were members and said it was a good magazine, but it isn't that great. I wouldn't waste my time, and I think I am going to ask for the rest of my money back on my two year subscription. I figure they owe me at least $20 of the $24 back. They are just ugly about things and the products I've seen are crap. I've gotten larger seed packs in the mail from charities asking for money. DON'T DO IT.
On Apr 25, 2007, stickfigure Wallingford, PA wrote:
The original trial offer I sighned up for turned out to be a 2+ year comitment . I tried to get out of it but was reported to a callection agency. finally it simply seemed easier to pay the 24$ then go through all the fighing.
On Apr 24, 2007, lcswgardens New Carlisle, IN wrote:
I too received this company's membership packet and thought it sounded good. Replied without sending money, never received anything they indicated I would receive as part of the trial package except a membership card and two of the "magazines". Both were under 90 pages long, full of ads, and minimal useful information. Much less than what I expected based on the initial mailing. Consequently, I did not pay the "membership fee". Yesterday I received a notice from a "creditors bureau" advising I owed $24. I was quite annoyed. Since I saved the magazines I had a membership number for the company (800-324-8454). Though I remained on hold for over 20 minutes, finally spoke to a live voice, not a pleasant one, told when I didn't pay my membership had been put in a "hibernation" state. Resolved the dispute by taking my name off the acct. within 30 days. I also called the "Creditors Bureau". Never spoke to a live voice chose cancelled the product and the call ended. I can only hope this is over. I agree with others...avoid this company!
Add me to the list of people caught in this company's deceptive subscription scheme. I signed up for a "free trial membership", received a worthless magazine (which I immediately threw away). Now I too am being dunned for $24.00 membership fees. Avoid these people!
On Mar 28, 2007, liebran Valencia, PA (Zone 5b) wrote:
I was offered a membership in the association and it sounded great, so I paid my $24. Soon after I begain receiving offers for this and that which would have me buying extra things-their encyclopedia and a life time membership-for a fee that may outlast me. After I received a third offer of something from the club, it just seemed to me they were more interested in getting my money for something than helping me with the gardening. With some sadness, I wrote a note asking them to cancel my membership--and I told them why. I am giving a negativel because I am still constantly getting reminders, notes, bills, etc. I keep writing that I quit....hope they get the idea soon. Karen
The free trowel they sent to evaluate, bent fairly easily.
My wife got a copy of the "Gardening How To" mag in the mail and threw it away after reading it. Now she's getting bills in the mail asking for her "membership" fee. And there's no 800 number to call and yell at them. We don't plan on dealing with them once we can (hopefully) get them to stop billing us.
On Mar 15, 2007, mrkitty Middletown, CT (Zone 6a) wrote:
Joined for what I thought was $12.00 per year. Billed for $24.00 for 2 years. Was contacted about becoming a Life Member. The costs quoted were a come-on. The first book was billed at (about) $10.00. The next two were $29.95 or so. Felt like a bait & switch deal. Contacted them about reverting back to non-life member. Thought all was taken care of. Today I rec'd a small package with big letters stating "Thank you for your Life Membership" !!! After much searching, I found a phone # for them, and hopefully, have successfully cancelled any and all memberships with the "National Home Gardening Club". The magazines were ok, but definately not worth the aggravation. FYI: phone # is: 1-800-324-8454
I received an offer in the mail to join and thought it looked interesting. Almost immediately, I started receiving books in the mail every month. I opened the first couple and looked them. They did not have any information I couldn't get from other, more reasonably priced sources. In my opinion, they were very over-priced. I paid for and kept the first two because I'd already opened them. I returned all the books I received after that unopened. Long after I returned the books, I continued to receive bills and "late reminders." I had to call them several times to straighten it out and ask them to stop sending books and take me off their mailing list. After 2 years of receiving no books or bills, I received a rather threatening letter from a collector asserting that I still owed them for one of the books. I would definitely not recommend this company to anyone - it's not worth the hassle.
This company is a scam operation. I signed up for a one-year membership at $12, but received an invoice for 2 years at $24. Not wanting to pay that much for an unknown, and having been given no option (the invoice didn't allow the one-year option), I simply tossed the invoice and figured that would be the end of it.
It wasn't. This company has continued to hound me for payment on a regular basis. They have sent harrassing letters and now have turned the mess over to a "collection agency." Trouble is, when I telephone the "collection agency," I'm directed to contact National Home Gardening Club. Trouble is, there's no phone number. And if you try to reach them through their website, you have to log in first. Guess what you have to do to log in? You got it -- join the club and pay the fee.
This is a TOTAL SCAM. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THESE PEOPLE.
On May 23, 2006, thesehappygold Pullman, WA wrote:
I became a "lifetime member" for the same reasons many listed here. I was put off because of poor products, never received anything to test, etc.. So I canceled my lifetime membership and got a partial refund, etc... Now, many years later, I just received a letter saying that I owe the company x amount and that it has been sent to a collection agency. I have excellent credit and this really upsets me. I tried to call to straighten out the issue, and my call was refused. This is not just a bad company, it is a dangerous one. In my opinion, DO NOT DEAL WITH THEM.
I find the magazine pretty basic, but interesting on occasion. I became a life member in early December, and have been waiting since that time for my "gift." I have been on the phone to the company at least 6 times, and each time have been given a different story as to the whereabouts of my "tool set." The most recent information is the item is backordered, and there is no estimate on when the item will be sent. I feel I have been scammed, and hope other prospective members take the time to read the feedback on this company before they send them a dime.
On Aug 17, 2005, Davart Farmington, KY (Zone 7a) wrote:
You've read all the other negitives, add mine in there too. Worthless joining gifts, a joke of a magizine, unwanted books, stacks of junk mail. I was a member prior to the popularity of the internet, I'm sure glad they don't have e-mail from the amount of junk snail mail I got I can only imagine the amount of spam I'd get today. I've known a few former member and none of them know of anyone who has ever got to test a REAL product. Mostly old seeds and Dollar Tree tools, but they love to show you pictures of "members" with Garden Tractors, Tillers and other high end products ... doubt anyone has ever got anything close to that other than the President of the so called Club. Save you money and join Dave's Garden far better information here.
On Aug 17, 2005, Next2Fiddle Grand Junction, CO wrote:
The first thing that comes to mind about this club is "FTC." When I first joined a few years ago, I was promised all these great benefits of being a member. NEVER happened! No products to "test and keep!" A magazine that might be valuable to a person who has never gotten their hands dirty. And a bunch of unordered books sent to me, which turned into a night mare to settle so they quit billing me.
The free products they sent were worse than what you'd find for 99-cents at Wal-mart. I threw them away. And that was my first impression of this outfit--if you send crappy products as "free gifts," low quality was sure to follow. And follow it did!
Seeds that wouldn't grow were sent to test. Junk is all I got and they kept billing me for books that I didn't order.
Save your money and reduce stress on your mail box, because between all the junk mail they sent me, and the companies they sold my name to, it got to where I was throwing mail away as I passed the trash can on the way in the house. It wouldn't surprise me to see those people featured on 60 Minutes someday.
Being a "member" was one of the most irritating experiences of and in my gardening life. I got the "nomination" form in the mail a couple of years ago, read all the stuff, and thought it was an interesting concept. Wow, I thought, I get to check out and evalutate all sorts of cool stuff and then I get to keep it. Duh!
Right after I received my welcome kit, which included a pair of shears that broke within a week, I started to get all sorts of crap through the mail from them, and all of it was to sell me more junk. The magazine was a joke and totally worthless unless you don't know how to sow a sunflower seed. So I just threw everything away they sent and the next thing I know, I start getting all these gardening books. I opened the first one and paid the postage to send it back. Then they kept coming and coming. I'd write "refused" on them and dump them in the nearest mailbox. Next, I started getting bills from them for the books I'd returned. I spent countless hours trying to get them to straighten their mess out and finally gave up and told them to turn me over to a collection agency. They didn't, which surprised me.
All this company does is sell you other stuff, as far as my experience goes. I don't care about their forums or their magazine, or their junk. I was a member for a year and they never sent me anything to evaluate. It was just a frustrating and worthless experience. I still get their "nominations" at least 3 times a year along with a paper membership card and asking me to send them $12. I'll make them a deal....they send me a rototiller to test and I'll give them the $12.
Oh yeah, make sure you check out their website and look at the terms of service. They have about 40 different National Clubs like the National Chipmunk Hunter Club, the National Grub Worm Club, the National Straw Hat Club, the National Road Apple Club, etc. This thing is no more than a magazine in disguise and a book selling company. It's sure not for any serious gardeners.
In my opinion, this company is a waste of time. The magazine isn't worth the life of the trees it is printed on and the only "free" product I ever received was some little cheap shovel that literally bent the first time I tried to use it. I received books in the mail that I had to send back. I simply did not get anything from this company that I thought I would. False advertisment is definitely a way to describe their way of doing things. Save the money and buy a nice plant instead. I wish I had.
On Jan 4, 2005, mad4roses Georgetown, TX (Zone 8a) wrote:
This company offers nothing much for your money. You will receive a barely there magazine with grade school level gardening tips. The freebies are useless and as far as I can tell, the product testing never materializes. This concept is known in marketing as "value added." Your basically getting a magazine you wouldn't have normally purchased at half the price because you believe your receiving all these extra benefits.
You are much better off joining an online gardening group.
On Jan 4, 2005, jcangemi Clovis, CA (Zone 9a) wrote:
I subscribe to quite a few very good gardening magazines. The content of the magazine is not worth the year's membership, in my opinion. I gave this club a try and felt it was a waste of my money: 1 very inferior hand pruner was the sum total of what I received, unsolicited books which I had to bother turning around in the mail, and no garden products to test out. When I got the 'Become A Lifetime Member' hype, that only reminded me to immediately cancel my membership. I have not received nearly the garden junk mail since my cancellation.
