Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use the GardenScribe Plant Organizer?

Now that I have my GardenScribe Plant Organizer, how do I fill in the Plant Detail pages?

Can I get re-fill pages?

Do you sell my personal information to other vendors?

Is my credit card information safe?

Can I return the product I ordered?

When should I expect to receive my order?

I never received my order. What do I do?

I received my order, but it was damaged. What do I do?

Does it take a long time to fill in the Plant Detail pages?

What is a Landscape Design Template?

Which shipping service do you use?

Do you ship internationally?

Do you offer overnight or express shipping?

How much does shipping cost?

Can I pay by check or money-order?

My GardenScribe Plant Organizer is full. I want to buy a second organizer, but I don't really need another landscape template. Can I just buy an empty binder?

I don't have the plant tag that came with my plant. So, how do I start filling out my Plant Detail page?

Why was my credit card declined?

Why was my credit card declined on your site but works just fine on other sites?

Will I receive my order in time for Christmas 2012?

If you don't see the answer to your question here, please send an e-mail to info@gardenscribe.com and we'll be happy to help.

How do I use the GardenScribe Plant Organizer?

The step-by-step instructions in your binder will walk you through the process of researching and cataloging your plants. If you still have questions, send us an e-mail and we’ll be happy to help you.

Now that I have my GardenScribe Plant Organizer, how do I fill in the Plant Details pages?

Basic information such as the common and/or botanical plant name, plant type (i.e. Perennial), sun/shade tolerance etc. can usually be found on the plant tag or label that came with your plant. Simply transfer the details from the plant tag to the appropriate check-box or fill-in field on one of the Plant Detail sheets that came with your binder. Visit our Plant Knowledge page for information and suggestions on how to research the plants in your garden.

Can I get refill pages?

Yes. Refill pages are available for all of the plant pages in the binder. Visit the Accessories page on our website for more information.

Do you sell my personal information to other vendors?

No. GardenScribe respects the privacy of its customers. We do not sell your name, e-mail address, phone number or any other personal information to anyone.

Is my credit card information safe?

Our shopping cart is SSL Certified which means that a secure connection is established between your browser and our website. Your credit card information, e-mail address and other personal data is encrypted which prevents outsiders from accessing your sensitive information. Visit our Privacy/Security page to learn more.

Can I return the product I ordered?

We want you to be happy with your purchase. If for any reason you are dissatisfied, you can return your purchase in its unused original condition within 30 days of the invoice date (Note: Does not apply to bulk orders). Click here for more information on returns.

When should I expect to receive my order?

Shipments typically leave us within 1 business day from the receipt of your order. At that point your package is in the hands of the shipper and delivery time is determined by the shipping method that you selected at Check Out. FedEx Ground Service typically takes 1-5 days and USPS Priority Mail typically takes 2-3 days (add 2 days if you are located in Alaska or Hawaii). We also offer FedEx 2 Day and Overnight delivery. Please allow more time during the peak gift giving holidays such as Mother's Day and Christmas.

I never received my order. What do I do?

If you have not received your GardenScribe purchase, please send an e-mail to orders@gardenscribe.com. Include your shipping address so we can confirm it with our records. We will contact the shipping carrier and correct the problem immediately.

I received my order, but it was damaged. What do I do?

We do our best to provide a high quality product. Unfortunately, sometimes errors occur. If the item you received is damaged or defective, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. Please send an e-mail to orders@gardenscribe.com describing the problem and we will do our best to provide a replacement as soon as possible.

Does it take a long time to fill in the Plant Detail pages?

It takes just a few minutes to copy the plant facts from a plant tag to the appropriate field on a Plant Detail sheet. Then, slip the plant tag into the photo pocket. That's all you have to do if you simply want a handy way to organize your plant tags. If you've got a little more time, research your plant further using the resources we suggest on the Plant Knowledge page of our website. And, draw the location of the plant in the Garden Layout section of your binder using the Landscape Design Template and graph paper included with your GardenScribe Plant Organizer. Take a snapshot of your plant when it's in full bloom and slide it into the Plant Detail photo pocket. The picture will really come in handy when you're pouring over plant catalogs during the Winter months trying to decide which new plants to add to your garden.

What is a Landscape Design Template?

It's a drafting tool used by landscape designers to draw the layout of a garden bed. Your GardenScribe Plant Organizer will include a Landscape Design Template and graph paper so you can actually draw the location of each plant in your garden.

Do you ship internationally?

Unfortunately, we do not ship to addresses outside the United States since there is no way for us to tell you how much you will be charged for customs, duty, taxes, and brokerage fees. An alternative is to have your order shipped to someone in the United States who can forward it on to you.

Do you offer overnight or express shipping?

Yes. We offer expedited shipping via FedEx 2 Day and USPS Priority Mail. When you reach the check-out page you will see each shipping option and can choose the one that works best for you.

How much does shipping cost?

We use FedEx and the US Postal Service to ship our products. The cost of shipping depends on your location. You will have an opportunity to see the cost of shipping before you confirm your order. When you reach the Check-Out page and have entered your address, you will be given a choice of shipping methods and the cost for each. Select the shipping method that works best for you.

Can I pay by check or money-order?

Yes. If you would prefer to pay by check or money order click here for our mail-in order form. Mail your payment and order form to the address listed on the form. We will ship your order once your check is cleared by the bank.

My GardenScribe Plant Organizer is full. I want to buy a second organizer, but I don't really need another landscape template. Can I just buy an empty binder?

You can purchase a Bare-Bones Binder for our Classic size organizer. A Bare-Bones Binder is an "almost" empty binder. On the outside, it looks exactly like the GardenScribe Plant Organizer. On the inside, you get the same divided sections that come with the GardenScribe Plant Organizer, but the sections won't contain any plant pages. The Bare-Bones Binder does not include Plant Index pages, Plant Detail pages, Quick List pages, Graph Paper, or a Landscape Template. Visit our Accessories page to get price information for the Bare-Bones Binder and refill pages.

I don't have the plant tag that came with my plant. So, how do I start filling out my Plant Details page?

Start by going to our Plant Knowledge web page where you'll find links and resources to help you research your plant. Since you don't have the plant tag, you may want to visit the Monrovia site. They have a database that gives you all of the information that you would typically see on a plant tag.

Why was my credit card declined?

The most common reason for a declined credit card is that the billing address that you’ve entered does not EXACTLY match the address on your credit card statement. Since your purchase with GardenScribe is not a face-to-face transaction, the process for accepting cards is more stringent and complicated. To protect you from credit card fraud our credit card processor verifies your data with your credit card issuing bank using the AVS system (Address Verification Service). If the information does not match, your card will be declined. Unfortunately, AVS is not foolproof. Sometimes completely valid cards are declined by mistake. This is something that is completely out of our control, but we will certainly try to help you determine why the decline has happened.

Often a simple typo in the billing information section is the reason for the decline. Please check all of the information that you’ve entered, as well as your credit card number, expiration date and CVV2 number before re-submitting your order. Remember...your billing address must match the address on your credit card statement. Be especially careful when entering P.O. Box addresses. For example, if your P.O. Box appears as the first address line on your statement, you must enter it as the first line of your billing address on our checkout page.

If you receive and second decline, please do not try to re-enter your order. Contact us so that we can assist you (do not put any confidential credit card information in your e-mail).

DEBIT CARD USERS, please note: when using a debit card for your online payment transactions, please keep in mind that EVEN IN THE EVENT OF A DECLINE, your payment amount MAY be withheld from your bank account by your financial institution for several days. GardenScribe has no control over this policy and we regret any inconvenience it may cause.

One final request…please try not to be offended if your card is declined. We really are just trying to protect you by using AVS to make shopping on the internet as safe as possible. Contact us and we’ll work through the problem together.

Why was my credit card declined on your site but works just fine on other sites?

To protect you from fraud, we use the AVS (Address Verification Service) to verify your credit card information. AVS will decline your card if the billing address that you’ve entered does not EXACTLY match the billing address on your credit card statement. Not every on-line merchant uses AVS, which might explain why you haven’t been declined by other sites. See Why was my credit card declined for more info.

Which shipping service do you use?

We use FedEx and the US Postal Service to ship our products. When you are ready to finalize your purchase, you will be presented with a list of shipping carriers and their rates. You can choose from the list. However, we do sometimes find it necessary to ship via the carrier of our choice either due to your location or some other logistical reason. You will never be charged more than the rate that you see at checkout. If you would like us to ship to a P.O. box, please select USPS as the shipping carrier. FedEx will not ship to P.O. boxes. If you select FedEx as a shipping carrier and we will be shipping to a residence, please select FedEx Home Delivery.

Will I receive my order in time for Christmas 2012?

Important Holiday Shipping Information

If you would like to receive your order by December 25, 2012, please place your order by the following dates:

Standard Shipping:

FedEx Home Delivery– December 16
FedEx Ground – December 16 (no Saturday delivery)

Express Shipping:

USPS Priority – December 19
FedEx 2Day – December 19 (no Saturday delivery)

** For delivery to Alaska or Hawaii please allow 2 extra days

Please keep in mind that we can not guarantee shipping delivery dates. These are determined by the shipping carriers and are completely out of our control. In the case of extreme weather conditions your package could be delayed. If you would like us to ship to a P.O. Box, you must choose USPS as a shipping carrier (FedEx will not ship to a P.O. Box).

Special note about last minute orders: We’ve eliminated Express and Overnight shipping options because the cost to the customer is just too expensive and there is no way we can absolutely guarantee that the order will arrive when expected. Instead, we’d like to make a suggestion: if you decide at the last minute to give our products as a gift, print out the information from our homepage and give it to the recipient in a card. Then go ahead and place your online order and select one of the standard shipping options. We can ship the order directly to the recipient if you provide the address.