Alpine Nursery & Garden Center — Local services in Belleville

Absolutely outrageous pricing and a total waste of time.

I stopped by Alpine Nursery in mid-July—well past peak planting season—just looking to pick up a few filler plants for my garden. I have a large pot of basil in my backyard that's gotten a bit leggy, so I figured I’d check if they had any leftover herbs. Sure enough, I found a whole section of basil—about 100 small starter plants in 4-packs. No prices posted, but it’s basil... how expensive could it be?

I also grabbed two small pots of impatiens, clearly marked at $4.99 each, and spotted a decorative glass garden ornament I liked for $45.

When I got to the counter, the cashier told me, "I’m sorry, I can’t sell you the basil like that." No explanation. Just that they supposedly had other basil plants elsewhere in larger pots. After a bit of back and forth, he said, “Fine, they’ll be $3.99.” That seemed high but manageable—about $1 per plant.

Then he rang everything up and casually announced the total: over $100. I immediately questioned it. Two 4-packs of basil, two impatiens, and one $45 ornament should never total $100. That’s when he explained: each tiny basil plant in the 4-pack was $3.99. That’s $16 for a single 4-pack of basil—something you’d pay $3–5 for anywhere else.

It was absurd. Not to mention, other small plants like pothos—half the size of typical starter plants—were marked at $15+.

At that point, I put my card away, left everything on the counter, and walked out. I’ve purchased from Alpine Nursery in the past, and they do have a nice selection. But this level of price gouging? I’m done.

If you’re going to grow plants you have no intention of selling at a fair price, label them “Not for Sale.” But if you are going to sell them, don’t jack up the price to absurd levels and expect customers to just eat it.

You lost a local...

I have made numerous visits and purchases at this nursery since moving to New Jersey, and it has quickly become my go-to place for all things plant-related. The nursery offers a wide variety of plants, with new arrivals every week, ensuring there's always something fresh and exciting to discover. You can find convenient parking on the street all the time.

The staff here are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about plant care and maintenance. Their expertise has been invaluable to me, especially as someone who loves to look at all the wonderful cacti and succulents they bring in. It's amazing how well these plants thrive under their care!

One of the standout features of this nursery is its extensive selection of seasonal and native flowers, seeds, garden plants, and large leafy plants from different countries. Many of the plants I’ve purchased have thrived for years, and I often find myself returning to buy gifts for friends and family.

The convenience they offer is another reason I keep coming back. You can call ahead to check if they have a specific plant in stock, and they rarely need to put you on hold to find out—they already know! The staff are not only friendly but also most of them are bilingual in Spanish, which is a fantastic plus.

The range of soils available is impressive as well, from seed starters to orchid mixes, cacti soils, and indoor houseplant mixes - all of which are certified organic! They also have an amazing selection of pots, from artistic ones to hanging pots you can definitely find the right one. They offer repotting services upon request as well.

I wholeheartedly recommend supporting this nursery as your local plant dealer. They truly offer a paradise for...

A couple of years ago when I found out that Allan the original owner had sold out, I was disappointed because he is just a easy going business guy anyone can really relate to, a regular guy, very approachable and extremely knowledgeable everything you may need to know about plants, flowers, trees… The guy that took over is the complete opposite, he has much to learn from Allan. It’s a good thing Allan continues to hang around. This new guy lacks customer service and became confrontational with me because he made a mistake on a price but didn’t realize it until after I had already paid, when I was leaving he followed me out, for $7. I gave him the money but will never go back. I do not recommend this nursery to anyone because of my...