Potomac Farms Nursery

I find the staff ranges from uninterested to disrespectful. When entered the checkout area, before even greeting me, the clerk looked at my cart and began with «Let me tell you the first that’s wrong …» They refused to sell me flats because I did not have an «account.» Apparently they compartmentalize their inventory, but who would know, as it is not labeled. Rather than help me find the correct item, I was sent back outside alone with a description of what I could not buy while 3 employees sat behind a counter. When it appeared to him that I was out of earshot (which I was not), a scruffy gentleman who appeared to be in a position of authority referred to me as «f*cking annoying.» I shall take the burden of my patronage 15 miles down the road from now on.

I had posted a favorable review of this nursery, but this past weekend’s experience prompts me to revise my review. I wanted a certain tree — a weeping pink cherry — and I called ahead to make certain they had it in stock. Yes, I was told, they did. I made a special trip. I wandered the stock to see if I could find them, because I shop lots of nurseries and can usually find my way around. Having no luck, I went into the building where the tools and so forth and the cash registers are. I asked one of four employees not helping customers if she could point me to the weeping cherry trees. Without a trace of irony, she said, «Outside.» To which I replied, «Could you narrow that down at all?» She seemed annoyed. Long story short, they did not have any. It’s bad enough to tell a caller you have in stock something that you don’t, but then when they ask you to stop chatting with a coworker to assist you, and you’re just a buzz kill. There are nurseries that are much more customer service oriented, and I will post a review of one that was a longer drive but where I should have gone in the first place. They had a number of very healthy cherry trees, at various prices, and insisted on carrying the plant to my SUV and loading it for me. Not surprisingly, their cash registers were ringing.