Description
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Hand-picked at our greenhouse
Shipped to your door
Arrives as young plant
★☆☆☆☆ Misleading and Disappointing Purchase — Not as Advertised
I purchased the Incrediball Storm Proof Hydrangea (1 Quart) from Great Garden Plants for $21.99 x 4 and what arrived was shockingly small — just a few leaves on short stems, resembling a newly rooted cutting rather than a developed shrub. The size and maturity of the plant were not consistent with the website’s photos or descriptions.
The company’s marketing claims that their 1-quart Proven Winners shrubs have “excellent branching for a full look in the garden” and are “perfect for vigorous growth.” That is extremely misleading. The plant I received is nowhere near garden-ready — it looks months, if not an entire season, away from resembling what’s pictured online. For the same price, I purchased a hydrangea at Home Depot that was fully grown, in bloom, and ready for the landscape. The difference is drastic.
While I understand that plant size can vary, this was not a small seasonal variation — it was a misrepresentation of product quality and value. Customers deserve honest photos and accurate expectations, especially when paying premium prices. Based on this experience, I would not recommend ordering from this company unless they commit to greater transparency about the true size and maturity of their plants.
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2026, so we have you covered. Please send your order number and pictures of your plants to claims@greatgardenplants.com to start the claims process if necessary. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
The plant was well packaged and in excellent condition. I am looking forward to seeing it get acclimated and planted.
Loved the packaging! Great care was taken to make sure they arrive safely, and I appreciate it. They are exactly what I was looking for in all ways!
Have almost tripled in size in 3 weeks. I was nervous that they would be too small and take too long to grow. Very healthy and have at least doubled if not tripled in size in just a few short weeks!
Plants came well packaged and in fairly good shape. I planted the next day and that night the deer came and ate the tops off of all three! So far they seem to be recovering ❤️🩹 nicely. Tough stuff!