Warner Nursery & Garden Center — Local services in Simsbury

Absolutely appalling customer service! 😡. Yesterday I came to this business as it was near where I had been running an errand and Siri suggested it. I spent about a half hour choosing several perennials, then moved on to the annuals. Then looking for lemon thyme, I noticed there was only French thyme. I asked an employee and he went and got the older woman (manager?) who came out and told me where it had been & must be sold out. I also asked if they had a restroom and she said no and began giving me directions back to Hopmeadow, as if I was unfamiliar with the area, which I’m not. I then said “oh yeah 10/202?” And she said no Hopmeadow. I said yeah 10 & 202 is Hopmeadow….” She then informed me she could check me out where I was, although I would have to go in to pay. I noticed signs posted “no carts in store” which I thought was odd since it is a nursery.. then she told me to leave my cart where it was which would require me backtracking as my car was about 50 ft away in the opposite direction. I told her that and informed her I had a disability re: my right leg and wasn’t wearing my brace due to wearing sandals, so I would walk and leave my cart closer to the building. Her curt reply: “if that’s what you want to do.” Went inside to pay and told her the place was lovely and I only found it because of Siri, complimenting their space, even though I thought she was rather unaccommodating (but did not vocalize that). My foot disability is due to a brain surgery to remove a meningioma 13 years ago and another one had been found 1-1/2 years ago too dangerous to operate, so I had radiation a year ago. (Location of tumors has caused weakness in arms and legs). Although I didn’t feel the need to give the nursery the particulars of my medical condition, I’m doing it now to make the situation crystal-clear right now.

After paying, I went outside to pull the cart to my car which was challenging but I am still able to do things and don’t ask for help unless necessary. I noticed a blonde ponytailed employee watering the plants out front eyeing me dragging the cart to my car. When I got to my car to unload my plants, I asked her if they had any trays so the plants wouldn’t tip over in my Outback. She rudely replied, “they’re under the stands. You’ll have to look around.” No offer to help find them… so I ignored that and found two trays on TOP of the stands, put my plants in them in the car and proceeded to bring the cart back to the one little area where the carts were. Since it was very hot out and due to my condition I was starting to fade (and there were no other customers other than one on a bicycle), I maneuvered the heavy cart into a parking space at a slight angle.

The aforementioned blonde woman yelled out “can you not leave it at that angle and try to at least line it up closer??” So condescending! At this point, I had had it. I said “you know you have all been pretty rude to me first I can’t use the restroom and now the way you’re talking to me.” Her reply: “just leave it there since it’s CLEARLY too much of a strain for you!” 😱😳. REALLY??!!! Might I add I am almost 67 years old but otherwise in decent shape but yes a senior citizen.

And now I had REALLY had it!! I told her I had recently had radiation for a brain tumor which has seriously complicated my strength. Her reply as she actually waved her hand dismissively at me was “yeah yeah yeah”, as if I way lying! She was actually SCOFFING me !!?! I then told her there a thousand nurseries around and I’ll never come back! The final straw was that. Maybe in 20-30 years, she’ll find herself in the same position. Then I blew and really let her have it! Ironically, when I went to seek out a restroom at Popovers, a lovely young teenage woman rushed ahead of me and said “please let me get the door for you!” What a contrast in human behavior! Shame on you Warner Nurseries. I’ve already told several gardener friends, one of which told me he never goes there. Maybe that is why the parking...

TLDR: Ok selection, ok-ish price, bad customer serivce, and overall not professional. Would not recommend at all.

So I decided to buy a Kwanzan Cherry Tree. They had a decent selection of about 4-6 Trees. All of them were about the 5-6ft range. The price was ok at a $179.99. A little bit more expensive of online sellers, and of other areas in CT. However it was local so I decided to check go for it since I could see the tree.

The delivery fee is 65% of the price on the tree which is a lot more expensive than other areas in CT doing 45%-50%. However they stated they would be able to plant the morning of Saturday 5/11. Being the day before Mother's Day I decided to go for it.

Come 5/11. It is already 12:00 noon and I haven't received a call, eta, or any communication from the store or the delivery company as to when it will arrive. Keep in mind we were promised it would be delivered in the morning. So I had to leave my house, due to a previously arranged get to gether with my Grandparents and Mother. I get a call sometime shortly after 1:00. I tried to call both the store back and the delivery driver no more than 10 minutes after. Apparently we were already moved to the bottom of the list, even though I had stated we had a stake showing where to plant the tree. Keep in mind this is also no more than 10 minutes after I received the call. At this point I was only hoping to get some type of ETA so I could try and salvage the rest of my Saturdayand plan around this.

In talking with the store they never once gave me an eta, and never once told me what spot I was on the list. Only that I was moved to the bottom. The delivery driver never called me back even though I attempted multiple times to contact them. This was overall supposed to be a present for my mom, for mother's day. For this incredible inconvenience, as well as broken promises, I was given no consolation of a discount or anything of that nature.

Come 3:30pm, I call again and still receive no response. At this point I am done, having been left in the dark and lied to multiple times. The only good thing is that getting a refund was apparently easy. Though as of right now, I am still at this point.

The only reason this gets a 1 stars instead of 0 is that the employes at the store were friendly and seemed eager to help. As well as the ease of getting a refund. However the rest of the customer service was horrible and greatly oweighs the good. It is funny, the 1st time I tried to visit this store all the roads leading to the store were closed due to a foot race. I should have taken this omen and just avoided the store all together. All I can do is warn you not to use this place so that you don't have the same horrible...

I have been going to Warner Nursery since as far as I can remember - at least 25 years. We just recently purchased four trees having lost 15 from a microburst that we experienced at the start of August. I worked with Brenda to carefully pick out the trees that I would like to add. She helped me understand how much room we actually had for trees and placement in addition to sun light requirements and being mindful of other trees that are already well established in our neighbors’ yards. She also gave me options on how to mix and match deciduous and coniferous trees, which I had not thought to do but actually ended up doing. I love going to Warner's to get helpful advice and I’ve always bought many of my perennials and annuals there. While my gardens are so full that I don’t necessarily need as many perennials, I still manage to find one more to add interest to my garden. We had already purchased two trees prior, one cherry tree and one maple tree and we knew that this was where we would get our four new trees again. Both were planted by Warners as were the four that we just purchased. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. Todd’s care, including hand digging the holes for each tree I might add, and attention in securing the tree so that it will grow straight is exactly what my husband and I needed so that we do not have a tree growing sideways. The staff was always very communicative and they kept us posted as to when trees would be arriving, and when they could be planted. I will always get my trees from Warners. I have included some after and before pictures that our four new trees...