How We Ship Plants

Ordering a plant online takes a little faith. You can't walk the aisles, feel the soil, or pick the one you want by hand, so we do all of that for you. Every plant we ship is grown on our own nursery, hand-picked the day it heads out, and packed to travel safely to your door. Here's exactly how it gets from our benches to your yard.

From Our Nursery to Your Door in Four Steps

  1. A Garden Goods Direct team member in a green branded shirt and sun hat walks a potted plant down the center aisle of a shade house lined with blooming perennials

    Grown with care

    Your plant is raised right here on our nursery, given the light, water, and feeding it needs to leave our farm strong and healthy, not shipped in cold from a warehouse.

  2. Two hands gently lift and inspect the silver-speckled leaves of a potted lungwort plant surrounded by others on the nursery bench

    Hand-picked to ship

    When your order comes in, our team hand-selects your plant and inspects it for quality. Anything that isn't up to our standard doesn't get boxed.

  3. Open Garden Goods Direct shipping boxes on a packing table, each holding hydrangeas with their pots wrapped in clear sleeves to keep the soil in place

    Packed to travel

    We secure the pot so soil stays put, protect the foliage, and box each plant to take the bumps of a cross-country trip. Plants are living cargo, and we pack them like it.

  4. A Garden Goods Direct box waiting on the front porch of a white house with a landscaped bed of hostas and red flowers in the foreground

    Delivered to your door

    Your plant ships out and arrives ready to go in the ground, backed by our 30-day guarantee.

How We Pack a Living Plant

A plant is not a normal package, so we don't pack it like one. The root ball and pot are secured so soil doesn't shift loose in transit, the stems and leaves are cushioned, and the box is sized to hold everything snug. Larger trees and shrubs get extra bracing so they arrive upright and intact. Our goal is simple: you open the box and the plant looks like it just came off the bench.

A look around our nursery and packing house, where every order is picked and boxed by hand.

Where and When We Ship

We currently ship to 34 states across the eastern and central U.S., reaching as far west as Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Check the map below to see if we deliver to your area, and if your state isn't in our zone, the site will let you know at checkout.

Map of the United States highlighting the 34 states Garden Goods Direct ships to, covering the eastern and central U.S. from the East Coast west to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas

Shipping cost: Orders over $99 ship free. Orders under $99 ship for a flat rate of $24.95.

Transit time: Orders ship via FedEx and usually arrive within 1 to 3 business days of leaving our nursery. You'll get a tracking number by email as soon as your order is on its way.

Weather holds: Cold snaps are hard on plants. During periods of extreme cold, we may briefly hold your order rather than send a plant into a freeze that could damage it in transit. It's a short wait in the name of a healthy plant, and we'll always get it moving as soon as conditions are safe.

Our 30-Day Plant Guarantee

We stand behind every plant we send. If your plant arrives damaged, or doesn't make it within 30 days of delivery, we'll send a one-time replacement to make it right; you just cover the shipping on the replacement. Here's how to request one:

Filing a claim

How to Request a Replacement

Three steps, and the more complete your email, the faster we can get a replacement on its way.

1

Photograph the whole plant

Take a photo that shows the entire plant, not just the damaged part. If you have already planted it, add a second photo of the planting site so we can see conditions like light and drainage.

2

Email us from your order address

Write to custserv@gardengoodsdirect.com from the same email address you used to place the order, so we can match your claim to it.

3

Include three things

In the email, attach the photo and include your name and order number.

When Your Plants Arrive

A little attention in the first hour goes a long way. When your box lands:

  1. Open it right away. Unbox your plant as soon as it arrives, even if you won't plant it for a few days. Plants don't like sitting in the dark.
  2. Remove the packaging. Take off any tape, sleeves, or bracing we used to protect it in transit.
  3. Check the soil and water. Feel the soil. If it's dry, give it a drink. A travel-weary plant is often just thirsty.
  4. Give it a few days to settle. Set it in a spot with the right light and let it recover from the trip before planting. A little droop after shipping is normal and usually bounces right back.

Ready to add something new to the yard? Browse the full plant catalog.

Shipping FAQs

Which states do you ship to?

We ship to 34 states across the eastern and central U.S., reaching as far west as Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Check the coverage map on this page, and if your state is outside our shipping zone, you'll see that at checkout.

How much does shipping cost?

Orders over $99 ship free. Orders under $99 ship for a flat rate of $24.95.

How long will my order take to arrive?

Most orders arrive within 1 to 3 business days of shipping via FedEx. You'll receive a tracking number by email as soon as your plant is on its way. Note that orders may be briefly held during extreme cold to protect your plant.

Why might my order be held?

During periods of extreme cold, we may hold your order for a short time rather than ship a plant into a freeze that could damage it in transit. We'll release it as soon as conditions are safe for the plant to travel.

How do I track my order?

As soon as your order ships, we'll email you a tracking number so you can follow it right to your door.

What if my plant arrives damaged?

Every plant is covered by our 30-day guarantee. If your plant arrives damaged or doesn't survive within 30 days of delivery, email custserv@gardengoodsdirect.com from the address you ordered with, and include a photo of the whole plant (plus the planting site, if it is in the ground), your name, and your order number. We'll send a one-time replacement; you just cover the shipping on the replacement.