Merrifield Garden Center Review

We love Merrifield. My wife "drags" me there where she gets fresh flowers for her container garden, mulch and potting soil for her herb garden and a seemingly endless supply of brightly glazed pots to put it all in. I enjoy wandering around the rows of flowers, vegetables, and herbs and just soaking in the sight of all those plants I don't have to water. The staff is always ready to help and it's never hard to find someone when you want them. OK, maybe she doesn't have to drag me.

The most wide selection of trees, shrubbery and plants in the area. Various garden tending and decor items, pottery, tools... - pretty much anything you may think of or need. Great indoor plants selection also. On expensive side, but the quality makes it worth it. Knowledgeable and helpfull staff, but not that easily accessible during high traffic hours/days.

Very helpful staff. They have a full-time plant / lawn specialist that helps identify and treat certain plants. Prices are slightly higher than a big-box location, but well worth it to support the location. The plants seem to be in much better shape than big-box locations. We've purchased a few trees and had them installed and they are all beautiful. Highly recommend.

Can always count on them to have good stock, but prices are higher than Meadows Farms, even for contractors.

It is a place where many plants of different species are found

Everything in one convenient place. Knowledgeable staff, great selection, and fair prices.

Christmas tree centers are a dime a dozen around the Northern Virginia area during the holidays. Just about every shopping center has a stand set up and a meager selection of trees for those of us too lazy to drive more than 5 minutes away from our homes to find something of a little more stock.

Well, my friends, if you're not one of those people, I definitely recommend going to Merrifield Garden Center. Our family has gone for the past couple of years during the Christmas season and we have never been disappointed. They have a WIDE selection of Christmas trees in all shapes, sizes and types. You're almost guaranteed to find something that will fit into your home.

What's also great is that they're constantly putting out new trees as others are getting sold, meaning that you're not likely going to get scraps if you end up buying your tree a little late in the season.

Couple of things to note:

1) Parking is a pain. The parking lot is gravel and relatively small which means that, during the holiday rush, it's kind of a mess. I recommend going in the morning to pick up a tree because the rush typically occurs in mid-afternoon/evening.

Along the same lines.....THE LINES are rough. The lot is pretty spacious so you and your family can walk around and pick out a tree without too much commotion, but when you go inside to pay, it's a different story. The building is kind of cramped as it is, add 200 holiday shoppers onto that and you've got yourself nothing short of a riot. If you can, I recommend sending one person inside to stand in line and pay while the rest of the family waits outside or in the car. It's just a little more manageable.

However, MGC does provide free popcorn to people who go inside. So that's a win and, honestly, probably half the reason this place is getting 5-stars.

2) The service is great. Attendants are walking around constantly and will help you find the exact tree you're looking for. Also, once you pick your tree out, they'll take it down for you and wrap it up so you can put it on your car. They'll even strap it to your roof. I typically give them a tip, but it's certainly not required.

3) Prices....oh the prices. Honestly, I wish we had gone to one of the shopping center Christmas tree lots when I find myself at the checkout counter paying $100-200 for a Christmas tree. That stings a little bit. BUT, I've never regretted buying a tree from them. They typically last the entire holiday season and are very fresh.

Overall, if you want to do a little more for your Christmas tree than just stop by the stand outside your local CVS, but don't feel like driving out to West Virginia to visit a farm, Merrifield Garden Center is a pretty solid bet.

Expensive as hell, but great products and selection

Well, truthfully you may be able to get better prices at smaller gardening retail stores or perhaps Home Depot or Lowes on select plants or flowers. But here's where Merrifield Garden Center distinguishes itself: Service. Their people are experts and are able to communicate their vast knowledge in a clear manner for the customer. And then there is the Gardening Genius Bar - that's what I call it. On this Sat. it had the famous Dr. John there. For example, we brought clipping from a boxwood that was having problems. Dr. John looked at the clippings quickly grabbed two old books that were annotated extensively and immediately diagnosed the issue and offered a solution. This entire establishment is a masters level education on great customer service. You should stop by.

Experience at the plant clinic was totally unpleasant. Very rude!

We made an appointment with a designer based on positive reviews and were shocked with the result. When the designer go here she immediately asked for more money, then for the meeting to show provide the plans I paid for, she offered M-F at their location which is 45min from my home. I cannot recommend any company that is so customer unfocused. I tried to call to discuss my concerns with the location and when I started to share my concerns we were conveniently disconnected and I tried to reconnect 3 times and was hung up on each time. Is this the kind of company you want to do business with?

Large location (they have even larger ones further west towards Dulles Airport), lots of variety, staff know their stuff too, but can be a little more expensive compared to other garden centers.

Knowledgeable, super helpful staff. Incredible variety; everything you need. Viv helped me figure out how to split this Chinese palm. Worth it.

So Back in April i bought a maple tree, after 2 weeks my tree dried out, and i planted it exactly how i was told by one of the specialist at the store, so i called to see if there is something they can do or have my tree traded for another one, first they told me they were going to have someone call me back but never did!, so i called back and they put me on hold for a whole hour just to have the call ended, then i called back until they finally answered me, so I explain my situation with my tree, and the guy on the phone told me my tree wasn t covered by the warranty because a i had planted the tree on a pot, but i did exactly how they told me to do it!. Customer service for this place sucks! Never buying anything from that store!

I feel like these guys overcharged me when I hired them to re-do my garden. The result was good but not great. I wouldn t say was fully satisfied. They are an awesome bunch of workers though!

One of the most beautiful garden centers I've visited in a long time! VERY large selection, friendly and helpful staff, and an overall peaceful vibe.

Very good selection, knowledgeable staff but very expensive

Beautiful flowers, plants, trees. Very friendly and helpful.

Broad selection of plants for the garden. Their expert staff will answer your questions and make recommendations. One of the better collections of garden statues in the area.

My sister and I went to Merrifield for the first time ever and loved it! We found exactly what we were looking for and we had AHMAZING help in doing so!! The gal who stuck with us the entire time was Missy and she never complained about our traipsing all over the entire grounds before we found exactly what we wanted!! I can t thank her enough for her knowledge and patience and for so many of the employees who were sooo nice , friendly and knowledgeable! I also want to point out a young man , didn t get his name, but he was our heman! He carried heavy pots outside to inside , to the car and would have kept going had we not found something!
We will go back!!
Thank you for a wonderful 1st time experience!

Good selection and covers most Landscaping needs. Somewhat pricy.

I go here and their other location several times during the summer for house plants and outdoor perineal flowers. The staff is extremely knowledgeable. The prices are reasonable, though you may pay a little more for quality house plants. My indoor cat palm was $45, but it still looks great 2 years later.

Merrifields in Fair Oaks has changed their outdoor arrangement of plants so that it's now easier to find what you're looking for and frankly it's spectacular visually! I shop all of the garden centers looking for best value for the price. But when it comes to trees, shrubs and perennials - I spend the extra bucks because the quality of the plants at Merrifields is unparrielled. P.S. I still miss Bob.

An incredibly diverse selection of plants and flowers. Very helpful staff. The greenhouse keeps items long after season for purchase which is a huge help when trying to find rare plants.

The people here are very knowledgeable and extremely helpful!

Expansive collection of everything you can possibly need for gardening and landscaping. From flowers to shrubs, bushes to trees. Plenty of staff who are always ready to assist.

Large selection of plants and trees landscape available

Late for one appointment and a no show or response for another.
5 hours late for a mulch installation and a no show for landscape design consultation. Totally unreliable.

Really nice nursery. Had a large varity of plants, succulents, cacti and bonsai!
They even had pitcher plants and venus fly traps!
They also had a wide range of potting mixes for trickery plants such as orchids and african violets.

Reluctantly decided to make a trip to this location yesterday. I say that because every time I come here, literally no one approaches me, but will do so eagerly with other customers near me, and if I go to ask a question, they make it seem like a burden, while others questions are greeted warmly with a smile and chuckle . . . you may think this is odd behavior, but I ve seen this AGEIST behavior far too often. I am 29 years old but I look like I m still in high school, so these people think they can just dismiss me or give me dissatisfying answers to not be bothered because they probably think I wont spend money.

Theyre right, I WILL NO LONGER SPEND MONEY HERE AFTER HOW I WAS TREATED YESTERDAY. The first woman just couldn't stand to help me, and when I kept asking her questions, because her answers were vague, she looked more and more like she wanted to leave. So instead of saying that, she told me to come back when Amanda or Ashley are here? Who are they? I don't work here, and do I just randomly show up? Why wouldn't she take my information to have THEM call ME when they have an answer? The Fairfax location does that without even being asked.

Then another woman, whom had grabbed her for me because SHE didn t have the answer either, kept following me around the greenhouse, as if to suggest I was trying to steal (I had on a backpack and looked young?) and even went so far as to pop her head out when I went outside to see what they had on the patio. When she saw that I was headed back in and saw her watching me, she quickly made an awkward gesture toward some plants and asked if I'd seen them, but the damage was done.

I do have a lot of questions, yes, but I work at a local botanic garden and need to make sure that the things I m getting are what I think they are, since NOTHING in the greenhouse is labelled.

I had about 5 things in my hand that I was about to go to checkout with, and that was IT for me. I calmly placed the items at the register and told the kind checkout girl that I changed my mind and would NOT be purchasing these things because of how poorly I was treated.

Beautiful place and great selection of plants and flowers. Sometimes I come here only to walk around because its so peaceful. Staff is also helpful and knowledgeable.

Love Merryfield, great staff on site, very knowledgeable, nice folks, one of the best garden centers around, we spend several thousands dollars every year there. However I have to say their post-purchase customer service is absolutely horrible. I hope they find a way to fix that soon!

Very large selection, but can get $$$ very fast. Staff is super helpful and knowledgeable.

Love to walk around this nursery, lovely plants, nice staff, they have a delivery service. A bit expensive. But do offer paid help with planting.

They have a great collection of plants, trees and veggies. I have bought so many indoor and outdoor plants from them and none of them have died till date. They are healthy and are thriving. The indoor plants are a little expensive compared to other stores that's the only reason I would not give them 5 stars. I bought pothos from them for $25 and I bought the same size pothos another store for $15. But overall this is great place to buy plants. The staff here is super helpful and they know what they are doing. The will give you all the details about any plant and based on your home environment, they will also suggest the best kind of plants to buy (low light, direct light, water requirements etc.).

Great selection and excellent customer service. I was able to find some really nice plants for my yard. A little pricey, but plants seem like they are good quality.

Extensive selection, and a knowledgeable/caring staff make for a great customer experience at this location.

This place has a great selection, great staff, and great prices. The variety is one of the best in the area. The staff always goes out of their way to make sure I m being helped, and they aren t over priced.

They have such a variety of so many products. The people are very knowledgeable and nice.

Great place to get plants and flowers for your garden! Fast and friendly service too!

Excellent garden center with knowledgeable, helpful staff.

Indoor or outdoor, they have the plant you did not know you needed

Unbelievably helpful and knowledgeable staff. Huge inventory. My wife was very happy with service on plant selection, soil, and planting methods. We also got firewood at reasonable prices. This is a very solid establishment with good people.

Just don't call there if you aren't a native American speaker . I was disconnected 3 times and the 4th time the person who answered was literally making fun of my Spanish accent. I was completely disappointed and will make sure to never call or go in that store again .

Helpful staff and lots of selection. One of the largest garden centers I have been too. Tons of plants and trees to choose from. They also have mulch and rocks and garden services.

Almost every plant I ve bought from the nursery has thrived. Indoor and outdoor. Their service is good. Staff is knowledgeable.

The gardening store spoke to me. No! Wait!! It sang to me

Great variety
And awesome job of only selling plants that are able to be planted in the current time of year

We just had some sod installed at our house and they appear to have done a superb job. They came and cut out the old sod, prepped the ground, and laid the new sod expertly. The lawn edges were cut so precisely, no edges or corners missed, and the quality of the sod looks great. There was a drain pipe running under the sod too, so while I have no way of knowing if that was left in working condition, I assume by the great care and attention to detail they showed on the sod, that it is likely in great shape too.

I would highly recommend Merrifield's Landscaping Services. While they tend to be more expensive than other companies, their quality is better as well. I do recommend that if you have them come out to give you a quote that you make sure they take accurate measurements for the quote so nothing changes between the first visit and final cost. The area being re-sodded for us ended up being larger than what the original estimator thought, thus a higher price, but Merrifield honored the first quote. It took a couple calls to make this happen, so accurate measurements can help avoid any mis-understandings.

Helpful employees and great variety of plants and garden accessories.

Fantastic service, especially for Christmas tree shopping! We go here every year, and every year they take great care of us in getting the tree, helping us carry it, and helping us get it into our car to get home securely.

I just love this place! Employees are very helpful and plants are very good quality.

OMG, they have a huge selection. I went here and the staff are super friendly and awesomely knowledgeable. I had a few questions about tomato plants and my questions were answered immediately. To think that they would know so much about them and have to know about the other thousand plants they offer as well. I love this place. Shop here.

Their product is top notch but their customer service is wanting. I was left on hold for 5 minutes only to be given the runaround when I finally got a hold of someone.

Wide variety of everything horticultural..expense.
Cashiers take too much time talking to each other

File it can be more expensive than other nurseries the selection and expertise of the staff in unrivaled in Northern Virginia.

Very good selection of plants that will grow in the Washington DC area, and good advice from knowledgeable people. Just be sure to bring plenty of money! Also a great selection of indoor plants, tools, decorations, garden supplies, you name it. Expensive? You said it!!!

Expensive compared to big box, but you get what pay for. Great, friendly service and very competent advice.

Merrifield Garden Center worked at my home last week and did a wonderful job. My husband and I are very pleased with our new patio and garden. Sharon Ross coordinated the effort and was great. Sharon is knowledgeable, friendly, and offered sound solutions for a difficult project. I cannot thank her enough for her guidance. Definitely 5 stars!

Love this garden center. A little pricey but they have really good plants!

Con Artist, do not shop here please! They will take your money this return policy is very con artistian made. I bought a 120 dollars, 120 dollar!!! Bonsai tree 9 days ago and from the day I bought til day I returned more than 100 leaves fell from the tree including its flowers. Your leaf and plant supervisor was very rude with me I didnt appreciate his as when I asked may I see a manager. "I will be more then happy to get my manager over here to help" he said very rude and and had an attitude. I advise future customers to please please stay away from this company this family owned company are liars and thieves.

Santa was pretty good, but made some odd promises to my kids.

An excellent source of plants, gardening supplies, and plant advice. Top quality plants - including shrubs, trees, herbs, vegetables, and flowers - better than at the big box stores, though with commensurate prices. Experience - based advice on gardening and plants. Decent parking, somewhat cramped on weekends. Multiple locations under the same management.

Very knowledgeable and helpful staff with great selection of products

LOVE this place! Employees are super helpful and friendly!

I was told by an employee that you all close at 6pm on Sunday and I advised him on google it states 8pm. He told me next time check the website and that the closing time was updated with a smart attitude.