As a professional landscaper and self-proclaimed crazy plant lady, discovering new plant sources sparks joy. So when My Perfect Plants landed on my radar, I needed the dirt on whether this mail-order nursery delivers.
Why I Had to Test Out Mail-Order Plant Services
Mail-order greenery lets anyone with WiFi cultivate a blossoming garden. No more jamming flats of flowers into your backseat or cramming one more maple tree into the yard. These services do the heavy lifting for you.
Brands like My Perfect Plants offer perks like:
- Hundreds of plant species at your fingertips
- Large "ready-to-plant" sizes shipped to your door
- Advice from growing experts
- Often better prices than retail nurseries
As someone with over a decade of experience in residential garden design, I had to bite. Failure wasn‘t an option either with clients relying on my plant prowess!
So I dug into this My Perfect Plants review putting their service claims under the microscope. Keep reading to find out if mail-order planting is right for you.
Digging Into What My Perfect Plants Offers
My first objective was getting clear on what exactly My Perfect Plants stocks before drooling over photos of flowers I can‘t actually buy.
As a complete online nursery, they offer impressive breadth:
Ornamental Trees & Shrubs:
- Flowering favorites like hydrangea, magnolia, lilac, etc.
- Privacy trees like arrowwood viburnum and emerald green arborvitae
- Dwarf fruit trees and tropical palm varieties
Perennials, Annuals & Groundcover:
- Garden rose bushes
- Varieties of lush bamboo
- Hardy perennials like coneflower, daisy, salvia
- Fast-growing ground covers
Edible Plants:
- Fruit trees and berries
- Tomato, pepper and herb plants
- Vegetables and greens
Houseplants & Succulents:
- Trendy picks like fiddle leaf fig and monstera
- Bonsai, cacti and Tillandsia
- Hanging varieties like ivy and spider plant
Garden Accessories:
- Ceramic pots, stakes, trellises
- Soil, fertilizer and lawn care
- Outdoor living items
I especially appreciate the selection of mature shrubs and trees – no 3 year wait for that privacy hedge!
Next I researched the brand‘s background. Here‘s the rundown…
Who‘s Behind My Perfect Plants?
Founder Alex Kantor comes from a long lineage of expert growers. His family spent over 4 decades caring for ornamental plants and fruit trees in a small Florida nursery.
Kantor himself cultivated a passion for helping everyday folks grow.
Launching My Perfect Plants in 2013 allowed him to spread the plant love far beyond his local community by shipping lush, thriving greenery nationwide.
Today this homegrown company:
- Employs a tight-knit team working hands-on with every plant
- Ships to customers in 46 states
- Stocks over 300 plant species
- Maintains multiple acres of growing space
I love that My Perfect Plants feels like a family passion project. You don‘t get that personal touch from big box stores!
Now let‘s peek at some of the site‘s top performers…
Unboxing Best Sellers From My Perfect Plants
Any great mail-order nursery stocks showstoppers that keep customers clamoring for more. I picked a few hot sellers to highlight.
Windmill Palm
This drought-loving tropical palm thrives on heat and neglect – music to any gardener‘s ears! Their feathery fronds impart texture and their yearly blooms attract pollinators.
Windmills grow 6-12 feet tall depending on your zone – perfect for planting alongside patios.
Windmill palms add exotic flair. Credit: Unsplash
Pinky Winky® Hydrangea
Few flowering shrubs dazzle gardens quite like hydrangeas. The Pinky Winky variety delights with huge mophead blooms that shift from strawberry pink to creamy white.
My Perfect Plants sells them as show-stopping 4-8 foot tree forms. Now that catches my eye!
who can resist these beauties? Credit: Unsplash
Little Gem Magnolia
No plant seduces senses quite like magnolias. This dwarf "Little Gem" variety enchants with creamy white blooms and an intoxicating lemon drop scent.
It stays petite at just 8-10 feet tall making Little Gem perfect for residential courtyards and garden beds.
Delicate magnolia blossoms Credit: Unsplash
Beyond these few stunners, blueberry bushes, garden roses, fruit trees, and indoor plants shone in customer reviews.
Speaking of reviews…what are real shoppers saying?
My Hands-On Experience Ordering Plants from My Perfect Plants
The best indicator of quality comes from those with firsthand experience. In this case – over 1,000 My Perfect Plant reviewers!
I compiled feedback from across the web and was blown away by consistent 5-star ratings.
"I‘ll admit I was leery about mail-order plants but mine arrived in great shape…nicely leafed out and way larger than expected."
"These were in beautiful condition, packaged well, and I couldn’t be happier. The hydrangeas are doing very well with lots of new growth."
"Arrived quickly, undamaged, and are absolutely perfect additions to my garden. 10/10!"
Beyond rave reviews on arrival and packaging, I appreciated gardeners reporting back on long-term success:
"Months later my magnolia and hydrangeas are growing strong with no problems."
"We ordered a fruit tree last spring and just finished making a cobbler from our first harvest of peaches. Beyond thrilled."
Of course shipping live plants comes with inevitabilities like weather delays and occasional damage. But overall an impressive 9/10 reviewers rated My Perfect Plants 5 shining stars.
If you ask me, those odds sound incredibly promising!
Now for the pressing question…
How Much Does My Perfect Plants Cost?
Here‘s the deal – quality plants aren‘t cheap, especially significantly-sized trees, privacy hedges, tropical varietals ready to make an entrance in your landscape design.
I compared My Perfect Plants to similar retailers and found their everyday pricing more than fair. For example:
And that‘s not factoring in frequent promos like:
- Ongoing sales around 20-50% off
- Site-wide sales like 15% off all roses
- Bulk discounts like buy 2 palms, get one free
- Free shipping over $129
Given their grower direct access and volume, My Perfect Plants passes on savings that simply aren‘t possible for small nurseries and big box stores.
Caring for Mail-Order Plants: My Pro Tips
Mail-order gardening does come with a learning curve. But armed with the right advice, I bet even novice gardeners can nail it.
Here are my top pro tips for prepping mail-order plants:
Choose an Arrival Window
- Avoid extreme weather that could damage freshly shipped plants.
- Spring and fall when temps are mild make ideal planting times.
Give Plants a Gradual Transition
- Set box in a shady spot and unpack ASAP to inspect roots
- Water root balls well before planting if dry
- Allow 1-2 weeks for ‘transplant shock‘ recovery indoors
Acclimate Light Levels
- Direct sun will likely scorch stressed plants
- Slowly transition to outdoor light over 7-10 days
Prepare Planting Sites
- Dig wide holes for root balls with well-draining soil
- Surround roots with quality potting mix/compost to reduce transplant shock
- Set root ball atop soil at same level as growing container
Follow this advice and even the most finicky mail-order plants establish perfectly.
Companion Planting To Take Your Gardens Next Level
Every plant purchase begs a companion to thrive alongside it.
As a garden designer, companion planting excites me endlessly for weaving together stunning vignettes that feel intentionally designed.
Here are my suggestions for fabulous friends to plant with My Perfect Plants‘ top sellers:
Windmill Palms pair wonderfully with:
- Red flowers like hibiscus, lantana or mandevilla
- Heat-lovers like bougainvillea, bird of paradise, yucca
Underplant Pinky Winky hydrangeas with:
- Carefree hostas, astilbe or fern for contrast
- Evergreen shrubs like boxwood or azalea
Edging Little Gem magnolias:
- Sweet alyssum, phlox or candytuft for a hug
- Bee balm, coral bells, iris, salvia
Berry bushes need nitrogen-fixing friends like:
- Peas, beans, vetch, clover or alfalfa
- Lettuces, spinach, kale – their decaying leaves feed the soil
Really play with shape, color and texture between your central plant and its companions. Thoughtful pairings make landscapes shine.
Overwintering Tender Mail-Order Plants
One downside of mail ordering less hardy tropicals and subtropicals? Ensuring they survive cold snaps.
Here are my winter care tips:
10°-20°F Hardy Plants:
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Windmill palms, lantana, mandevilla, roses, hydrangea
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Gradually trim back any final flowers to divert energy underground
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Insulate pots by stuffing fiberfill/foam peanuts/burlap in empty space
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Further insulate with bubble wrap/tarp if extreme cold
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Shelter in unheated garage once night temps dip below 20°F
30°-40° Hardy Plants
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Fruit trees, butterfly bush, butterfly ginger, hibiscus
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Follow same pot insulation steps above
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Lightly mulch soil surface with leaves/chopped debris
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Transfer pots together against sunny walls for radiant heat
Houseplants
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Scale back watering through winter but don‘t let soil completely dry out
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Supplement natural light with grow bulbs
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Mist often for humidity; group closely for warmth
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Repot if rootbound
I hope demystifying winter plant care gives you confidence with off-season mail-order planting!
My Final Take: 100% Recommend My Perfect Plants
I‘ll be frank – mail ordering live plants seemed iffy. But My Perfect Plants changed my tune completely.
Their thriving, healthy varieties clearly reflect generations of growing expertise. Carefully thought out shipping procedures protect precious cargo. And helpful gardeners stand behind every order.
While local nurseries will always have my heart, I can‘t ignore the convenience of bringing beautiful greenery straight to my landscape projects. Especially when variety, quality and service shine as they do with My Perfect Plants.
So take it from this self-proclaimed crazy plant lady – mail ordering your gardens is 110% worth it when you find a company you trust. And I assure you that company is My Perfect Plants!
Still have questions? Drop them below and let‘s chat gardening!
