Houston Garden Centers

Like other discount stores, you just have to be prepared to deal with the customer service, always ask about the prices before buying, etc. That said, I've never had a problem with them, and I do tip the guys for loading mulch or dirt into my car. more

I was in the process of pricing plants/shrubs/sod for a landscaping project for a new business. I have bought Nitro Phos fertilizer in the past from the local HGC by my house and thought I would give them a try. I could not find the number online for my local HGC, so after calling 5 Houston area stores with no answer during business hours, someone finally answered . I asked the young lady for the number of the store closest to my house and she stated that they do not answer their phones. I replied politely and said that could not be good for business and that I would take my business elsewhere. Her response was maybe you should then before hanging up. After taking her advice I spent the next couple of hours at the local Lowes walking out after writing a check for $3184.76.\r The employees were very helpful and connected with me on a personal level. I still do love my Nitro Phos fertilizer which Lowes unfortunately does not sell. I will have to drive out of my way to a local hardware store to get it in the future because I will never set foot in another HGC store again! more

\r \r \r \r Many reputable businesses will make adjustments in your purchase price if they lower prices soon after your purchase. On March 24, 2013 I purchased over $400 worth of plants from Houston Garden. The very next morning Houston Garden had a coupon in the Houston Chronicle for $50 off for purchases of over $250. So, hopefully, I immediately returned to the store with coupon and receipt in hand. Unfortunately the very personable and polite cashier said she was never allowed to make any adjustments in previous purchases, no matter how recent. I'll never make another purchase at any Houston Garden Center.\r more

Never had issues over the years with the location at 59 and crabb river road in Richmond until today. We decided to take advantage of the 10.00 off with a $60 purchase coupon. After the cashier totaled everything up (approx. $62 worth) we were told by the supervisor that they could not honor the coupon unless they went back and added tax to our purchase. We have been shopping here for 4+ years and always used their coupons with no issues! Why now? The only explanation was they couldn t charge tax on the fruit tree ($36) because it was considered an food item, similar to what a grocer does. They couldn t answer why the vegetable seeds and 4 veggies that we also purchased were not in the same category. Bunch of bull!! No worries I will be shopping elsewhere. Lets see if another location gives me the same malarkey! more

Worked There for 3 days 38 Hours left early on the third day for school, was fired, have not gotten paid, went to their corp. office (trailer) demanded my check, was told it would be mailed out. went to the post offices to check, they don't have it or record of it. Haven't gotten it, has been 2 months now. \r \r Worst job I've ever had. more

League City location: pitiful customer service, as a customer you are totally on your own, virtually no English spoken here, return policy unacceptable. I expect not to be able to return plants, but pots and such? After reading these reviews, treatment of employee is pathetic, perhaps that's the key to horrible customer serivce. Only reason to go here is price, but they've received my last dime. more

Let me set the record straight. I work at Houston Garden Center. It is owned by Matt Hooper. His ""corporate office"" is a small trailer at the back of the HGC location in the south west loop. Your anger should be directed at him. Go to this location and give him heck. But do not be upset with the employees. You must understand where they are coming from. More importantly what they are doing. My first day on the job, I worked 15 hours. I showed up at 7:30, we were done at 11. The people who had to work the next day had to be back there in 8 hours. You do the math. Many of them work at least 3 days in a row. Add in an hour for travel time, as only one other person had a car, hour for eating (probably a crummy meal, and the only real one of the day as you only get 30 minutes for lunch) and bathroom stuff, and they then have seven hours, if that's all they do, to sleep. So, have you ever stood on your feet, working, for 15 hours straight, in the heat of a Houston summer? By hour 11, do you think they give a flip about smiling to a customer? They are making 7.25 per hour doing back breaking work. One man I worked with was in his 60s. Would you get mad at your grandfather about some dumb flower after he's spent his third day in a row working like a slave? And that's not an exaggeration. The working hours are similar to what the slaves actually did in early America. Hopefully you can now get some glimpse of how bad these people's lives are, and why they might not be concerned with giving your rich self good customer service. So don't be mad at them. Not even the local store managers. They are hispanic and in the same situation as the employees. This is all they can do to support their families. Don't be upset with them. Admire them. Help them. Pray for them. Matt Hooper and his cheap business practices are the cause of all of it. But here's the thing, if you put him out of business, all these people lose the only legal job they can get. So what can you do? The least you can do is be nice to anyone who works there while you buy some stupid plants, probably for more money than those people are getting paid for a 15 hour day. So if you want to contact Matt Hooper, this is how. Go to the main location. Ask for an application. When they give it to you, fill out right there (and be appalled by the wording of the application) and then walk to the back and turn it in. They won't dare let you walk into the air conditioned trailer, because if you're looking for a job there you're probably not white, so they'll make you stand in the heat while they check your papers. When the lady comes out she will enter you into the clock, and now you work at HGC. No interview, no background check. But follow her back to the trailer, and grab the door before she locks you out, then go to Matt Hoopers little office and try to speak reason and people loving life into this man. more

I have NEVER been to a place with such bad customer service. DON'T and I repeat DON'T go to this place. It doesn't matter which location you go to, they are all bad. You can never find someone to help you, you are lucky if you find someone that barely speaks English. When I spend my hard earned money I expect some type of assistance. Well you won't get that here. I really don't understand how or why this company is still in business. more

I actually created a city search account just to leave this feedback, because i have never left any before, but this is absolutely necessary. I just called the ""corporate office"" to ask a simple question about the HGC near me in cinco ranch because I could not get a hold of anyone there after about 20 straight calls. When I call, this he/she whatever it was, gives me the worst attitude and unprofessional treatment I have ever received from the get go of the conversation. All I did was ask a simple question, and this person that called itself Jennifer, gave me terrible customer service over the phone like she had never actually spoke to another person before, plus I even got hung up on. Hey, if you hate your life that much, how bout find something else to do for a living you miserable soul. If you dont believe me call the office @ 713.218.0860 and ask for Jennifer, like thats even its real name. I promise you will talk to a person that sounds like they about to jump off a bridge, that just hates you and the HGC. If I can lose any money out of this idiots pocket, I sincerely hope to do so with this review. more

i really wish i had read the reviews before i went to ""houston garden center"". what a waste. i bought grass seed that i was told was just grass. i have a 1 yr old who still puts everything in her mouth and i am afraid to use anything with chemicals or fertilizers. ""it says on the reciept 'no refund' so no we cant help you"" AFTER i buy it im supposed to see ""no refunds"" dont bother calling the corporate number. matt hooper is never available and nobody else will help you.this is the worst company ever. total rip-off! more

I am not a customer i work for the houston garden center i will not disclose which, but they are all the same. First the corporate office number is: (713) 218-0860 For who doesn't know it yet. Alright to get down to it as bad as it is for the customers trust me its as bad for us. We (us laborers not sure of cashiers) get paid 7.25$hr which is nothing. We work 3 days in a week with a total of 42 hours a week. We have NO breaks, NO employee room to eat or sit (even if its cold and raining), 30 minute lunch. We are automatically fired if we have to leave even 30 mins early or if we clock in 1-2 mins late for work or lunch. Not only that we do not have enough workers. AND yes all of you are correct. 99% even the managers DO NOT have papers. Not even a visa to work. They work their because it is the only place that will hire on the spot without any checks. Cashiers cannot be hired if they don't no just a tiny bit of english to speak. Our plants are tossed and thrown depending on the workers attitude or how tired they are. Half of the cashiers don't know simple math which is sad. I can say it is one of the worst places i ever worked at. Its like being a slave knowing you will never make anything more then 7.25. It can be pouring rain, but we are forced too still be out their working. The customers just don't understand the company head only cares about what is made they don't care about the customers opinions. We ran out of grass (sod) and 20 customers in counting had to leave home without grass and a receipt showing the mistake they made because they weren't allowed a refund. The corporate office is a joke its a small little shack in back of the houston garden center near 610-s & bissonet. The door is kept locked even for new hires because theirs offices are a mess. Papers thrown, boxes all over. Meanwhile the manager and bosses are out eating and drinking and show up once in a while to do the daily report which means nothing because they only get on the english speaking employees. The ones who speak only spanish are more important as they know those are the ones who will never leave. If you read the reasons above you will see why they only allow anyone 19 or older to work.. They are inconsiderate and should be closed down as soon as possible. They break so many working laws its not even funny, but smaller people like me trying to make a living don't have the money to take it to court. more

If I had the option of giving less than 1 star, I would have. I went to the HGC near Hempstead and 610 this morning with a list of both plants and flowers that I wanted to buy. As others have already stated, trying to find an employee who speaks proper English is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I brought all of my plants, flowers, potting soil to the register to be totaled and then it dawns on me that I forgot my coupon at home. My total was $135, the coupon would have allowed me to receive $10 off. I explained this to the gal at the register, who looked just THRILLED to be at work that day (sarcasm) and she replied, half asleep and rudely that I had to bring the coupon into the store. I ask to speak to a manager, and NANCY, the rude, half asleep employee tells me he is outside ""way over there"", expecting me, (I am holding my 2 year old daughter) to walk way out to speak to him. I reply, oh okay, is he coming in so that I can talk to him? Nancy drags herself over to him, he walks over and in broken English tells me the same thing that Nancy said. Walter, the manager was pitiful. Needless to say I left without buying a damn thing. I will never be back. I called the corp. office and gave them the names of the employees to which the woman replied, ""we will speak to them about their attitude"". Lets hope so seeing as how local customers keep a local company in business. I'll go to Lowe's to buy all my landscaping needs from now on. more

I visited the HGC on I-45 in Spring, just south of Rayford, and had an issue that needed the ""Supervisor's"" approval. The supervisor is the guy who checks receipts as you leave, and the workers at HGC are very afraid of him. The poor woman there explained that she would get fired if she attempted to resolve my problem, so I asked who was going to fire her and I would speak with him. She was too afraid to even approach him, and simply pointed him out to me. Although he did resolve my problem in the end, I cannot begin to describe how rude and pompous this guy was! Not only to me, but to the poor workers as well. I left sorry I had ever spent any money there, and resolved NEVER to go there again. There are way too many places to shop for gardening items that treat customers (and workers) with respect, and appreciate customers' hard-earned dollars. Not only was this ""supervisor"" a total a$$, but he also gave me the creeps. I would like to point out that he was the only non-hispanic person working there. Total jerk with a capital J. I really feel badly for the people who have to work under him. Their job must be a total nightmare. more

\r Yesterday, I visited the Garden Center at 21530 Katy Freeway right off of I-10, with my wife and 4 year old son. On a recent trip to Lowes, I learned of a product called Weed Free Zone, which is made by Fertilome. I was told that Lowes did not carry it but to try local garden stores, as it is the must have product to kill stubborn weeds.\r \r I made location and asked the first staff member if he knew where I could find the product, of which I named by name. He then looks at another worker and says in spanish ""hey, I don't understand him."" \r \r Cue the second person. I asked her if she knew where I could find a product called Weed Free Zone made by Fertilome. She looked at me with a blank stare and then walked me over to the Fertilzer section, pointed at the first one, which had nothing to do with Fertilome. I gather that she heard Fertilome and thought I meant Fertilizer. \r \r After noting that she has no clue what I was asking for, I asked her for a manager... Cue the third person.\r \r A ?manager? comes to her aid and asked how he could help. Mind you, this is the Manager, the head person in charge. I ask him the same question, and the begins to show me fertilizers as well. I again tell him, that I am in search of a specific product made by Fertilome called Weed Free Zone. \r \r The manager removed his little orange cap, rubs his head (yes, movie like) and continues to rumage through the weed and feeds. After several minutes, I ask him if he knows what Atrazine is. The manager, the head of 21530 Katy Freeway Houston Garden Center, says NO!\r \r Fast Forward to today. I locate Matt Hooper's number, which I am told is the owner of Houston Garden Centers. I speak to Jennifer who after listening to my dilemma, stated rudely that Houston Garden Center does not employ hordicultureist. \r \r Again I add that I was not looking for a hordicultureist, but instead someone knowledgeable on a basic product such as Atrazine which helps..... (this is where she begins to yell at me and says that I don't have to tell her what Atrazine is.)\r \r To bad Jennifer can't tell her staff what Atrazine is because I really could have used the product. \r \r After I advised Jennifer that I felt she was being rude, she said our conversation was over. \r \r I will say that I am in law enforcement and burglary suspects don't get talked to the way she spoke me. \r \r I will follow up with the BBB and Matt Hooper. Someone has to open this guys eyes up but I am guessing that since Jennifer failed to provide her last name to me, it's probably Hooper.\r \r *** THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS ONE. ***\r more

HGC is a horrible place to ""TRY"" and do business. Not only do they not care about the customer, their corporate office is just as bad. Icouldn't get in touch with a location, so I called, 713-218-0860, the corporate office. You could tell she had fielded many calls like mine, and she wasn't interested. And I don't know what world one of the previous commenters is from, but Jazzeerun, or whoever, is a total dimwit. I imagine most people go to which ever store they go to, with a certain amount of knowledge. And if you go to a store, lacking said knowlwedge, you rely on store personnel to assist you. HGC cannot do that because they are not knowledgeable, and if they were, they could not convey that knowledge because they do not even have a working use of the ENGLISH language. I am half hispanic, but if I was in Mexico, and wanted to do business in a semi professional way, I would learn to speak spanish. One reason would be so people would not try to take advantage of you., and I would think that if someone else moved here from another country, like Mexico, maybe you should learn ENGLISH. I hope I.C.E. never pays a visit to their locations, because I would bet that AT LEAST 75% of their employees would not pass the legal definition of legal immigrant, or be on a work visa. HGC would have to shut down most if no all of their stores. If HGC doesn't want these type of reviews, maybe they should train the employees better, instead of hiring people who can't speak english and/or because it's covenient because they all ride together. Stay Away From Houston Garden Centers if you want to enjoy your Flower and Tree buying experience!! more

User Rating: 1 out of 5 stars more

The houston garden centers is one of the places that I will not ever again spend my money at. Unfortunately, I have had a bad experience shopping there. Most of the employees seem to be inmigrants who haven't been in the U. S. long enough to speak enough fluent English to be able to help customers with basic, simple requests. Sometimes I wonder if they are even legal immigrants. I am not against immigrants, but I am for smart immigrants who at least learn the language in order to make a living. Aside from the lack of quality employees with capacity to assist customers, I found out that the Houston Garden center does not offer any type of guarantee on the plants that it sells. Neither do they accept returns or exchange of objects even if this items are not plants. How ridiculous is this!! Lowes and Home Depot guarantee their plants, they take returns and exchanges without any problems, and to top it all off they have got better prices. Even Cornelious and Calloways nurseries have better prices and better quality plants than the Houston Center! And these nurseries have quality employees qualified to help customers pick the right plants for their garden. Why would I even consider the Houston Garden Center when I can get the biggest bang for my money else where!! Pros: None that I know about Cons: bad cust. service, high prices, no returns, no guarantee more

I went to the 1700 West Loop N. store to redeem a gift card my friend gave me. I picked a nice pot for a house plant that I had previously bought. At check out the cashier was new, so she was freaking out because she didn't know how to ring up the sale/gift card payment. So she called Eduardo, the supervisor. Instead of greeting me, he didn't even acknowledged me - He sighed and said, another gift card? What is the problem with this man? somebody paid the store money to get me the gift card! Or was he trying to make the new cashier feel bad? Either way, that is not something a customer should witness if they want the customer to come back. Needless to say, to ring up the transaction he walked the cashier through it, but they took a long time because instead of asking me how much was the gift card for, Eduardo had to have the register tell him. While I patiently waited, reassuring the new cashier that she was doing a great job (it was Eduardo's jot to tell her she was doing fine - if he wants her to stick around that is) I completely forgot to handle her the $5 coupon I had clipped from the newspaper. So, hours later I went back to the store to see if there was any way I could still get a price adjustment for the coupon I forgot to use hrs. earlier. The cashier said that that wouldn't be allowed, but I insisted that she asked the manager. Eduardo, the supervisor walked right by me without greeting me, and he went to a register to take care of a customer returning a peach tree because it was self pollinated (whatever that means.) when he finished the transaction, he left the register without noticing that I had been patiently waiting to talkt to him. A nice non-English speaking lady told him I'd been waiting long. So he stopped. I told him I ment to use my coupon when I bought the pot hours earlier, but I forgot to hand it to the cashier at the time of purchase. He told me the store polici is no returns, no exchanges, and no using the coupons after the purchase. I could not believe he told me that when I had just witnessed the previous customer returning the peach tree and he took it back, the $69.99 peach tree. However, he said he was sorry there was notheing he could do about it. He said defiantly, call the office if you want. I though that is just what I will do. I will call someone and let them know that they need to train Eduardo in customer service ethics, and just the plain basics of being nice to customers, just plain courtesy. Unfortunately, the Houston Garden centers website has no link to phone numbers of emails for customers to send feed back. It is no wonder customer service sucks at the Houston Garden Center. From now on, I will but my gardening items at lowes where they have a very good variery of plants, pots, soil, etc. and Lowes has superb customer service and they guarantee plants for a year, and they accept returns and exchanges with a nice smile and excellent attitude the way customers should be treated. The houston garden center employees could learn a lot from the Cornelious nursery located on Voss, near San Felipe in SW Houston where customers get the red carpet treatment. Pros: Didn't find any Cons: high prices, no Enghish speaking employees, bad manners, etc more

Acutally, HGC is worse than any of you have outlined. Several years ago, I stumbled onto a group of employees CHANGING the price labels on their pots to HIGHER prices, getting ready for a large % OFF SALE. I just stopped in a location a few minutes ago to check their prices. Once again, they have apparently DOUBLED (or nearly doubled) their pricing on the container labels, to compensate for the current ""50% OFF SALE"". Local market standard price for an average #1 (1 gallon) container is about $4.50 retail, theirs are marked $9.99. A #2 (2 gallon) container typically sells for $7.99 to $8.99. Theirs are marked $14.99. But of course, you get 50% OFF! What's wrong with that picture? They do this same stuff every year. In my opinion, they are carnies and should hang it up and start a medicine show. Their Houston Better Bus Bureau rating is -- you guessed it -- ""F""! Perhaps this will be the year they file Chapter 11 -- or better, Chapter 7. Pros: Pretty green plants Cons: Deceptive advertising, trade practices, no refund/return more

I went to the one on Nasa Road and I45 south, we were looking for typical plants, nothing too unusual, found only plants that were over priced, none of the ones I was looking for, like firebrush, turks cap, autumn sage, and more, When I tried to ask someone, when I could find him, I too did not get an answer, why?, because they ALL spoke spanish, not a one spoke a word of english. Where are we anyway? This was a HUGE waste of time, I will NEVER go back to ANY Garden Center again when there are so many other nurseries that care about getting my business and are happy to help me, the Heights in particular have so many excellent places that I could on and on about them. Pros: can't think of one Cons: can think of too many. more