Updated February 5, 2020

Top Ranked Online Nurseries 

From first to worst, our complete rankings are below.  Not too many changes as winter is one of the slowest times of the year for the landscape nursery business. Our top 3 and bottom 3 nurseries stayed the same. We made some minor tweaks to our grading system so there was a little shuffling of the ranks in the middle but nothing too extreme. You can read about what we grade and why here.  

Trying to figure out what trees and shrubs you want can be a bit overwhelming.  So many choices with new introductions every year.  There’s A LOT to choose from! Shopping online you’ll find just about every variety of tree or shrub but who has the best quality at the best prices?

We worked with 3 of the largest online plant nurseries in the country for 10 years. We have also visited (to evaluate) or ordered plants from over 30 online garden centers. We know what to look for and we don’t hold back what we dig up (pun intended). This site is dedicated to helping you buy plants online with confidence at the lowest prices. 

Nurseries ranked by rating score high to low.

Rank	Change	Nursery	Website	Rating	Grade	Complete Review
1	n/c		greatgardenplants.com	86	B	Read Review
2	n/c		gardencrossings.com	85	B	Read Review
3	n/c		plantingtree.com	83.5	B	Read Review
4	+1		fourwindsgrowers.com	83	B	Read Review
5	-1		highcountrygardens.com	81	B-	Read Review
6	+1		jacksonandperkins.com	81	B-	Read Review
7	+2		thetreecenter.com	81	B-	Read Review
8	+2		plantmegreen.com	81	B-	Read Review
9	+5		plantsbymail.com	80.5	B-	Read Review
10	-4		whiteflowerfarms.com	80	B-	Read Review
11	-3		fast-growing-trees.com	80	B-	Read Review
12	-1		wilsonbrosgardens.com	79.5	C+	Read Review
13	N/C		brighterblooms.com	79	C+	Read Review
13	-2		gardengoodsdirect.com	78	C+	Read Review
14	n/c		waysidegardens.com	75.5	C	Read Review
16	n/c		arborday.org	75.5	C	Read Review
17	n/c		mckaynursery.com	73.5	C	Read Review
18	n/c		springhillnursery.com	72.5	C-	Read Review
19	n/c		greenwoodnursery.com	72	C-	Read Review
20	n/c		naturehills.com	66.5	D	Read Review
21	n/c		tytyga.com	66.5	D	Read Review
22	n/c		gardenerdirect.com	65	D	Read Review
23	n/c		directgardening.com	60.5	D-	Read Review

All company names, logos are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Before you place any order please make sure you verify when your plants will ship. Do it before giving them your money. Even southern nurseries that can ship year round face some exceptions & delays due to cold weather.

If a site says something like; ‘ships now weather permitting’ call them to verify shipping status. Also avoid online nurseries using gimmicks like; ‘Order now & we’ll hold it for free until spring.’ I can guaranty they won’t wait until spring to charge your credit card.

This is why we list the location of the nursery on each of their reviews. In most cases, it lets you know where your plants will be shipped from.  For many in the south, winter can be a great time to plant. Cool nights and warm soil help plants establish roots quickly. The plants will focus more of their energy on the root growth underground during colder months. 

Unboxing Orders

We placed orders for 13 plants from our top rated nurseries in 2019. You can view pictures and read the complete unboxing review for each by clicking on any of the links below. 

Unboxing Meyer Lemon from Fast Growing Trees

Unboxing Meyer Lemon from Four Winds Growers

Unboxing Tabletop Christmas Tree from Jackson & Perkins

Unboxing Camellias from Garden Goods Direct

Unboxing Rosemary & Blueberry Bush From Planting Tree

Unboxing 4 Plants Ordered From The Tree Center

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best mail order nursery?

Mail order is the same as saying online nursery. Before the internet became so popular, many nurseries used to send printed catalogs, so the name has stuck. We rank the top 24 mail order nurseries from first to worst.

Are there different types of online nurseries?

YES! There are 3 different types. 1) Wholesale growers who have a retail website. 2) Your typical retail nursery but many online do not have a retail storefront. 3) Drop Shippers. Websites that don’t have their own fields with plants and use third party nurseries to ship their orders. Nature Hills Nursery is an example.

Can you order houseplants online?

Yes! Literally hundreds of different houseplants are for sale online with delivery to your door. You can compare prices from our top rated online garden centers on over 170 popular houseplants.

Where can I buy cheap plants online?

Just remember you usually get what you pay for. In order of our ratings high to low, here are 3 ‘cheap’ online nurseries. Arborday.org, Greenwood Nursery, TYTY Nurseries.

Disclaimer

All the information on this website – BuyEvergreenShrubs.com – is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Buy Evergreen Shrubs does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information you find on this website (BuyEvergreenShrubs.com), is strictly at your own risk. Buy Evergreen Shrubs will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with the use of our website.