Nature Hills Nursery review: will not order from them again 13

The trees are inspected thoroughly before they are shipped. They are checked for weight, coloration, pliability and root structure before they are shipped. Some species will "sweat out" or form buds in the box during shipping. This isn't the case will all trees. Some will take up to 90 days before they break dormancy. Unfortunately, there is always a risk of plants not taking to a transplant. That is why we offer the 1 year policy of replacing failed items for half price plus shipping and handling. It is a no questions asked policy, so it doesn't matter why they don't make it. The terms and conditions explain this policy, and it is clearly stated when the order is placed. - NHN

Don't believe anything NHN says. Don’t buy from Nature Hills catalog company. And don’t buy shrubs online.

I repeat, DO NOT BUY FROM NATURE HILLS CATALOG COMPANY. AND DON’T BUY SHRUBS ONLINE.

You still want to take a chance? Go ahead. Plunk down your hard-earned money for inferior products and abysmal customer service. Hey, it’s your dough.

But, if you want to listen to me, here’s why. It was April of 2010, you’ll find out later why I remember the date so well, and I ordered a double flowering plum and a flowering almond shrub from Nature Hills. I received a crabapple and a flowering almond. *sigh* So I emailed them. They told me to keep the crabapple – I later found out why – and sent me a double flowering plum. The plum was THE saddest shrub you have ever seen. I planted, and watered, and waited. Nothing. The spring waned, the summer faded, and nothing. I emailed them to tell them of my sad little do-nothing plum and it’s only a little better almond. They offered to send me a new plum at 50% of the cost – WOW, what a return policy! - but being a schmuck, I said I’d let it go until spring of this year. MIStake.

Spring comes and the crabapple – free, remember? – flowered and then promptly went into hibernation. The almond is only doing a little better. The plum? No flowers, no foliage, gone. I emailed Nature Hills, IN MAY, to tell them.

OH, they said, your year of – get this – a 50% replacement on a new shrub has expired and now you’re out of luck.

So, I repeat. It’s your dough.

Don’t buy from Nature Hills catalog company. And don’t buy shrubs online.

I repeat, DO NOT BUY FROM NATURE HILLS CATALOG COMPANY. AND DON’T BUY SHRUBS ONLINE.

Really wish I had done my hw on Nature Hills, particularly read this post, b/c I have had a horrible experience with Nature Hills. They charged $50 for a package of eight shrubs that were very light. This Fedex package, shipped Ground BTW, took 7 days to arrive from Ohio (which I had no idea they were coming that far, I thought they were coming from NE, I live in CA) and was about an $8 cost in terms of postage. I know, b/c I am an Ebay seller with many years selling and a 100% positive customer satisfaction record. Throw in $2 for a box, and you can see how I got completely ripped off on the shipping. Not to mention, more importantly, no moisture protection for the shrubs, they arrive wrapped in newspaper (?) with a note that said "Roots Carefully Packaged". My initial impression was this was a total joke. Newspaper? How unprofessional is that? Tacky and low class company right there. I expect that from an individual Ebay seller, but not the "Nations #1 Online Nursery" -- what a freakin' joke! And to send them Ground shipping is just lame. I paid enough money for the shrubs to be sent overnight, or at last 2 Day. So there cheap-ness results in my receiving 8 very, very dry shrubs, that I tried desperately to save, but to no avail. I've requested a refund but they are offering replacments at my shipping expense! The nerve of this cheap, lame, very very unprofessional company. I am not paying one more cent to this gouging rip-off company. I also went online to their site and gave them a "Poor" rating however do you think the review showed up on their site? Fat chance. I knew the reviews were too good to be true.

The good news is that there is consumer protection for this. This is why I am choosing to file a complaint with the Nebraska Attorney General Division of Consumer affairs. I would urge all other dis-satisfied customers to do the same. Hopefully a ground swell of negative complaints will shut them down for good. That's what they deserve. They should not be in business as far as I am concerned. They are ripping off hard working people and making it impossible to get any kind of recourse in terms of a refund. I don't want their inferior product and I am not paying a single cent for replacements, shipping or otherwise.

If you are researching this nursery, take head of this:

WARNING: DO NOT PURCHASE PRODUCTS FROM NATURE HILLS.COM

You will get ripped off.

I purchased 2 Autumn blaze maple trees last summer, due to arrive last fall. Once they finally arrived, I un-boxed two scrawny twigs with a few leaves on each one and a very small root system. I was very disappointed in their small size, I paid for 1 gallon pot and got them in approx. 1/2 gallon pots.
I followed all the planting and care instructions and hoped for the best. They have not showed any signs of life this spring. I emailed NHN and they said to give them until the end of May, scratch the trunk near the base to see if they were viable. I did and they are both dead as can be. I took pictures and sent them with my "end of may" follow up email and have not heard back from them yet.
After reading all the negative reviews on NHN, I am already preparing myself for the worst. I refuse to pay half price plus shipping for more twigs and another year of waiting to see if they will become trees.
I went to my local home improvement store and they had these trees in stock, in 3 gallon pots, they were 12-15 feet tall and full of leaves.
I sure wish, like so many others, that I had read the reviews prior to my purchase. Lesson learned. I will go home tonight and dig up these 2 twigs, plant grass seen in their place and advise everyone I know to stay away from Nature Hills Nursery.
It's very sad they do not care about the people who keep them in business, they don't make it right, they are happy to take your money and offer nothing but excuses in return.
I wonder if it's too late to reverse the charges on my credit card.

This company is HORRIBLE! I purchased trees from them. One for the recent passing of my mother and one for the recent passing of my dog. When the trees arrived, they were little sticks and dead. I called the company and they told me that I could buy new ones for 1/2 off of the regular price plus shipping. I could not believe it. I had waited three months for the trees with nothing but excuses from them and I get them in the dead of winter. We were told to plant them anyway and we did. There are still 2 dead trees in the front yard. We have been watering them since they arrived and no change. I cannot afford to purchase new trees. I called them again They were rude and would not do one thing about it. Then I sent them a fax asking for help. Ignored.

This company needs to be stopped. They are also on Facebook and look like a great company. I notice they only have "likes" on their. Hmmm interesting... People get directed to their website where none of the potential victims have any idea that they are about to get ripped off, like myself.

Here are some comments from other customers. I SUGGEST YOU READ THIS! Please do not buy form these people. They need to be stopped. This is from Dave's Garden. I am posting the link, but if it does not work, please go to davesgarden.com and search for Nature Hills Nursery and you will find it.

http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/3047/

I dont want to see any more people have this happen to them. It is so sad to see a company doing this to their customers. Let's see them wiggle their way out of all of these comments.

Absolutely do NOT buy from this company. They send dead and dying trees. We ordered a cherry and it died within two weeks of planting it. We have a small orchard, so this was not our first tree. This company did replace it, at a cost to me (half price and shipping) and the next tree died after 3 weeks. Then they refused to replace it or refund my money. I spent a combined total of $100 for two dead trees.

This company is the worst ever! They absolutely RIP OFF people. Go look at Davesgarden.com Type in Nature Hills Nursery..

Nothing more to say than a horrible, horrible, horrible company. I am out $300 and hours of my time trying to research and file complaints with the Nebraska Attorney General, US Attorney General, FTC, and anyone else I can persuade to look at this company's business practices. I've never filed a complaint before (and I am 55 years old) because it seemed to much hassle. But this time, I got screwed, but I am trying my best to keep others from becoming victims as I did.

DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY... THAY ARE CROOKS!
I am out 90$ without anything to show for it. The service is terrible... I got hung up on.
They told me after buying a warranty with them, that Sabrina wasn't allowed to do that and even though I gave them my credit card info, and no one calling me to let me know it didn't go through. after 3 MTHS of being told to be patient with the dormancy issue, I send them a photo of my dead shrubs and they tell me they cant replace them till next spring... and I would have to pay another 70$ to replace them. A COMPLETE RIP OFF.-- STAY AWAY FROM NATURE HILLS.

DO NOT PURCHASE FROM NATURE HILLS! AVOID AT ALL COSTS! I had customer service issues, guarantee/warranty issues, product issues, refund/exchange issues, service issues, and sales practice issues with Nature Hills. In my opinion, Nature Hills should not be in the customer service industry! I purchased a Chinese Wisteria Tree from Nature Hills. When the tree arrived, it looked dead. I immediately contacted Nature Hills and they said that the tree was dormant and to plant the tree and give it some time. I planted the tree immediately according to their direction and instruction. A week later I contacted Nature Hills again because the tree still did not have leaves. I did this every week for two months. I even sent them pictures of the tree, at their request, proving that the tree was dead. Nature Hills kept telling me to give it more time. What they were doing was stringing me along until I was no longer in any type of warranty period. They even tried to blame the annual flowers that I planted at the base of the tree for sucking the life out of the tree! Crazy! The annuals were planted seven weeks later! Then, when I asked for a replacement or refund, they said that they would not warrant the tree and my only option was to purchase a new one and pay for the shipping as well! Nature Hills has quite the scam going on. What they seem to be doing is sending the customers that don't purchase additional warranty coverage dead trees then only offer them the option to purchase another tree and pay for the shipping as well! When they complain that the tree arrived dead, they string them along to make sure that they are out of the 45 hour warranty period. Then they string them along another few months and try to blame other factors for the dead of the tree. I would imagine that the customers that purchased an additional extended warranty coverage got the living trees. You can tell by the shear number of complains against Nature Hills that they have some serious fraudulent sales practices going on. I am going to file a complaint with the Attorney General and the BBB!

Similar experience, essentially they will not honor their warranty at all. Mimosa "tree", "super fast growing" "superior specimen" arrived as a 4'tall stick, minimal root system. I took photos and emailed them, then planted and nurtured, 3 months later nothing. No buds or growth at all. Emailed new photos, they sent back a silly unhelpful hint, then no further responses to my replies. Clearly unethical/irresponsible company, will look for other sites to post about their scam.

Horrible- Tree was dead upon arrival and would not send replacement or refund money- Very rude service- I have always used starks bros and they have always been good. Wanted to save a little money this time...actually lost money instead!

Avoid this company at all cost. Dead stock, and no warranty.