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On Oct 12, 2004, slubberdegulion Roanoke, VA (Zone 7a) wrote:
I've been ordering from Niche for several years now and have been very impressed with all my purchases. The packaging is always carefully done and the plant quality is outstanding. I have also enjoyed the updated web-site. I've never doubted that any plant I order from Niche will be large, healthy and worth every penny. My Fall order just arrived and I'm already day dreaming about what I might be able to order for Spring!
I have been ordering from Niche for a number of years now and have never been disappointed. The only reason I don't order with even more regularity is my budget! Excellent source of natives and chock full of plants that thrive in my area-mid GA. My order this spring included several each of sweetspire and clethra--arrived in excellent shape and now thriving in my garden. Have ordered a fairly wide assortment of plants over the years-always delighted!Do wish I lived close enough for a quick trip to see their gardens but don't mind paying the shipping from a nursery I have complete trust in!
I ordered for the first time from Niche after receiving their catalogs for a couple of years and was VERY pleased. They answered questions about bog plants before I bought them, notified me of shipping and the plants I received were very large, well packed and in great shape. I will definitely order from them again, just as soon as I find more space to put plants!
I have done close to a thousand dollars worth of business with Niche over the last three years and am consistently happy with the plants and the service. While I have always picked up my plants at the nursery, I can say this is one nursery that is run with integrity and customer care as well as horticultural knowledge and skill. If you are anywhere near the Raleigh, NC area, I highly recommend a visit. It's not as splashy as some nurseries, but even novice gardeners can grow the beautiful plants they display and sell (and without a $$$ irrigation system and professional landscapers). Although $8-$10 may seem a lot for a native plant, they have actually saved me money by selling pest-free, well rooted plants that do well. The nursery manager's gentle yet highly effective "plant interventions" have saved countless plant lives and quite a bit of my money. Example interaction: "Most of these plants are drought-tolerant, except this one. What kind of place were you planning on planting it, et cetera." I once brought my 18-month old daughter to the nursery, who proceeded to lay waste to several plants within her reach. The owner was standing there the entire time, and rather than chastize me actually offered my daughter and I some water from inside the barn. These are nice people and great plantspeople - please give them your business!
I have used this vendor in the past and I have always received well packed, nicely sized plants that have done VERY well in my garden.
Yesterday I placed my spring order (a shoutout to MEG who helped process the order) and I was very pleased in the knowledge and courtesy of the phone rep who handled my call. She advised me of what will thrive in my area as well as plants that perhaps wouldn't overwinter or do quite so well.
I have basically asked several other companies to cease in their emails and catalogs because despite their glossy, pretty websites and literature, the bottom line is their plants are always below average. Niche gardens quality and customer service put most other vendors to shame!
Caryn in NY
On Feb 6, 2004, StacyInAustinTX Pasadena, CA wrote:
I was delighted with my experience with Niche. Their plants were well-packed (nothing fancy, but highly effective).They were also a really nice size, for the most part. They replaced a dead one shortly after I alerted them (and gave me the option of when I wanted to receive it). I also found their prices to be fairly reasonable (it pays to shop around, though!).
On Dec 8, 2003, Halfspied Star, NC (Zone 7b) wrote:
The majority of the plants in our gardens are from Niche. They are not very far away from us so we always order ahead and then pick up our order. That gives us the opportunity to look around and maybe pick up a few extras. Also, we walk through their gardens and get ideas. The people at Niche are friendly and extremely helpful. Their plants are top quality. We focus on native plants. Thus we appreciate the clarity of the descriptions in the Niche catalog.
When my recent purchase of ornamental grasses and Setcreasea pallida arrived, one of the Setcreasea plants appeared to have been broken during shipment. Niche Gardens responded promptly and graciously. Everything about Niche Gardens is first-rate: the catalog, the sales staff, and, apparently, the new owner!
On Jun 12, 2003, liltedwilly Oriental, NC (Zone 8a) wrote:
I ordered three plants this spring (Red buckeye, swamp azalea, flame azalea). All three plants arrived in perfect condition. Best looking plants I've ever seen, mail order or in a nursery! The flame azalea even bloomed this spring! While prices seem a bit high, the quality is excellent and they have native plants not available at local nurseries. Look forward to ordering more plants this fall.
On May 14, 2003, PAgardener Plymouth Meeting, PA wrote:
Found this company through Garden Watch Dog and, because of the positive ratings, decided to order some plants. I called them because the site listed the plants as "Available Spring" but no way to click to order. Ordered 5 shrubs (2 abelias, 2 fothergillas, and 1 clethra) that I could not find locally or were too pricey here. Arrived in excellent condition! About the healthiest I have ever seen. A friend was visiting and saw them and asked for their catalog.
On Jan 4, 2003, Eric_OH Columbus, OH (Zone 6a) wrote:
I have dealth with this nursery by mail order and in person and found them to be very professional, offering high quality plants and good service.
Potential customers should know that as of October '02 the business was in the process of being sold - and we'll have to see if the nursery continues to be as excellent under the new owner.
Plants arrived promptly and in great shape; healthy and well-packaged. Customer service is just out-of-this-world great! I will be ordering from Niche Gardens regularly from now on.
My experience is a few years old, but most of the plants I ordered then are still around. I visited Niche Gardens at the time and found the people friendly and helpful. The plants were exceptionally large and well established. I enjoy their online catalog, especially the phonetic spelling of the names. They have straightened out my Latin pronunciations of several plants.
Great plants, well packaged, with a good selection of NC natives. The catalog is exceptional, some pictures but vivid descriptions that describe the "character" of the plant. It is a beautiful place to visit as well, in the country near Chapel Hill NC. More than a commercial enterprise, there is a beautifully landscaped garden with lots of art and a water feature. Take a picnic and stay a while!
Niche Gardens offers a wide variety of plants, flowers, and grasses (including many native to the US). Their catalog is enjoyable to read and contains very detailed plant descriptions and precise planting instructions. They sell beautiful, strong, healthy plants. I have never been disappointed with their products or their service. All of the plants I have purchased from them are thriving (leaping and bounding!) in my flower garden.
On Jan 14, 2002, blueschiz Landenberg, PA (Zone 6b) wrote:
I always look forward to what their catalog has to offer, and the service is excellent. Big, healthy plants, carefully packaged always arrive in excellent shape.
Their catalog is not only one of my favorite reference tools, it's beautiful - few pictures but great artwork. This catalog helped get me interested in gardening. As for the plants, I have visited and ordered by mail, and everything has been wonderful - good sizes, excellent packing and customer service. I did lose a few plants, but I knew I was taking a risk by planting them in unfavorable conditions. The plants were fine when I got them. Now I've bought a new house and they will get one of the first orders for my new garden.
Niche Gardens is just around the corner for me in NC. They have an exceptional reputation in our community for high quality plants and an eye for preserving native plants. The care and courtesy described in the earlier post is typical of their customer service standards.
Their catalog is a pleasure to receive because of the beautiful illustrations, pronunciation guides, staff information, and listing of hard-to-find plants. I placed a phone order last year and was treated with genuine courtesy, not just as a customer, but as a fellow enthusiast. The plants came in a huge box, tenderly nestled in a bed of shredded newspaper. They were blooming within three weeks, and this year they are even more impressive! This year I visited the nursery - it was a long drive, but worth it. The staff is helpful and friendly, but not intrusive. I was encouraged to take my time, even though they were ready to close! I walked through their extensive theme gardens, decorated with the work of local sculptors. The sale stock was healthy with a lot of unusual varieties. The nursery cats were agreeable. I couldn't have been more impressed. Niche Gardens does wholesale as well as retail business. Two thumbs up!
