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About us
Founded in 1876 in Chesterfield County "J.B. Watkins & Brother" originally specialized in the mail order supply of small fruit trees. Over time the product line grew to include a variety of deciduous trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants. J.B. Watkins & Brother became a leading importer and propagator of European ornamental plants, many of which were introduced into this country by the nursery and have since become widely used in American landscape design. In 1998 the Nursery closed its Midlothian Turnpike location and moved to its current location on Dry Bridge Road. Five generations and a name change later, Watkins Nurseries is still growing in the Richmond area. Today the Nursery specializes in landscape design as well as the wholesale and retail sale of field-grown plants.
Business highlights
149 years of experience
Services we offer
Residential and Commercial landscaping, Wholesale and Retail Field-Grown & Container Plants, Plant Center
Accepted Payment Methods
- Check
- Visa
- Discover
- MasterCard
Reviews
4.513 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 85% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 8% | ||
| 8% |
Filter reviews by service
Showing 1-13 of 13 reviews
Megan W.
Oct 2023
We had the pleasure of working with Watkins Nurseries for our outdoor living space renovation and could not be more pleased with the results. From the initial consultation to the final completion, Watkins Nurseries was professional and knowledgeable. They were able to take our vision and turn it into reality, transforming our yard into a beautiful outdoor living space. The attention to detail was outstanding and the quality of their work was top notch. We were also impressed with the customer service, as they were always available to answer any questions we had. Overall, we are very pleased with the work Watkins Nurseries did and highly recommend them.
Henry F.
Mar 2023
Poor communication & business practices: Ordered patio stone from Watkins and ultimately ended up with too much material. Attempted returning and was hit with restocking fees that were never mentioned or listed on their estimates or invoices. Material was picked up and I didn't receive a credit for over 6 weeks.. Ultimately disputed with credit card company. Watkins then called me asking me to pay a $50 fee for disputing the charge with my credit card company.
David D.
Jan 2019
They did excellent work and I highly recommend them. I will continue to use them.
Bridgette F.
Aug 2015
I can't comment... They never took the time to get back to me.
Wiley H.
Dec 2014
.
Mark S.
Jun 2014
unknown
Response from Watkins Nurseries
"[Member name removed], Thanks again for the opportunity to work on your project. It was an enjoyable experience and I'm confident you'll be pleased with the end results. Please do not hesitate to keep in touch. Jerry"
Carol C.
Jun 2014
Since completing the project in December of 2010, the Crape Myrtle that was planted died and was replaced by Watkins in the spring of 2011. Last year, 2013,, we replaced the five Indian Hawthornes that were planted with five Green Gem Boxwoods, because the Indian Hawthornes looked so bad. (I brought this to their attention on November 14, 2011, but nothing was done even though they were still under the one year warranty.) Out of the eight Hostas that were planted, only two have matured and look good. The Liriope, the three Needlepoint Hollies, and the sod have done well. Considering we paid slightly over $3,000.00 to Watkins Nurseries, we are very disappointed. When you invest money in a landscape project you expect all the plants to mature and look nice for many years. The failure of so many plants is not due to anything that we did. We have a sprinkler system and maintain all of our plants. Our back, front (close to the house), and side yards are evidence of the care and attention that we give our plants. For this reason, I would not recommend Watkins Nurseries for your landscaping needs.
Response from Watkins Nurseries
"[member name removed], I would like to take the opportunity to comment on the overall appearance and curb appeal of your home. It is obvious that you take great pride in your landscape and the attention to detail shows. It is always a boost to morale to be involved in a project that yields such a positive end product. Our firm is thoughtfully appreciative of the design/build projects that we continue to create and install within your neighborhood and surrounding community. If I had been aware that there were outstanding landscape related issues dated back to 2011, I would have made it a personal priority to correct the problem at hand and/or find an alternative solution to the matter. Considering the relative percentage of the project related to plant installation as compared to the percentage of other associated items (bed development, soil supply and installation, hand grading, sod, and mulch), we would have been more than willing to coordinate other jobs around your scheduled plant replacements. Please do not hesitate to call if we can be of further assistance. Kind regards, Jerry Lawson"
Gary T.
Mar 2014
They were good. They did a good job. They were efficient and they came out promptly. The price was good.
Keith O.
Jul 2013
Worked with them to define and redefine plan. Very professional, good communication, very responsive. Not super low price but fair price.
Karen H.
Aug 2012
Everything went well. I was very pleased with their services and I am very picky.
S.A. S.
May 2012
They have been around for a really long time and are great. They have a good reputation and one of the men who own it is a state senator of Virginia in the general assembly. They are little more expensive than some of the companies which are trying to break into the business but because of the longevity in the area it is competitive. They are responsive because of the way they advertise on the radio. They were punctual and professional when I was using them. I would use them again in the future.
Nancy B.
Feb 2012
I think they are great. We have used them for many years.
Homeowner
Aug 2006
We've used Watkins several times. It only took a few hours to plant these azaleas and we're quite pleased with their work. They also added mulch and planted them in a nice arrangement. We like the overall effect.
Homeowner
Aug 2006
Watkins did a very good job on my yard. I really like the way they came out as scheduled and there was never any hold ups. They guys really knew what they were doing and did it quickly. They are kind of high priced, but the work that was done is well worth it.
Licensing
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FAQ
Watkins Nurseries is currently rated 4.5 overall out of 5.
Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Watkins Nurseries accepts the following forms of payment: Check, Visa, Discover, MasterCard
No, Watkins Nurseries does not offer free project estimates.
No, Watkins Nurseries does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Watkins Nurseries does not offer a senior discount.
No, Watkins Nurseries does not offer emergency services.
No, Watkins Nurseries does not offer warranties.
Watkins Nurseries offers the following services: Residential and Commercial landscaping, Wholesale and Retail Field-Grown & Container Plants, Plant Center