This is my go-to nursery now because their prices are fair, selection is wide, including unusual plants, and the staff is helpful and kind hearted. read more

Great place to buy holiday gifts and tree ornaments. They offer interesting kitchen items and many unique pieces of art. The Hanukkah decor and Christmas tree decorations were great and many were very well-priced. And, of course, they've got indoor and outdoor plants, bulbs, as well as a great selection of trees. You can find anything you need to go with your plants, like soil, specialized fertilizers, and really nice pots, both basic and beautiful ornamental ones. The staff is very helpful, but you're also free just to walk all over the property by yourself. read more

This business stole $300 from me. I received a $600 gift card from this location last year. I spent half of it that summer and was going to spend the rest this year. Apparently the business changed owners and the new ones refuse to honor the gift card. read more

Very cool nursery. Helpful and knowlegable employees... beautiful grounds. Great selections.

The staff are super helpful, and friendly. I love shopping here. They load the bags of soil in your vehicle for you. I don't feel it's overpriced. Your getting quality, and supporting a local business. read more

Great local independent garden supply shop, with one of the best selections of tree stock around. Conveniently located right off the 101 at the Guintolli/Janes road exit. Stay/look to the west side of the highway. I stop here periodically when I can't find what I'm looking for at my neighborhood dirt store. They carry a full line of garden implements, as well as specialized garden supplies just for our area here in Humboldt. They always have a great selection of fruiting and ornamental trees during the bare root and spring seasons. Knowledgeable staff has always been professional and kind to me in all my dealings, competitive prices and a good supply of most everything you might need for keeping your garden, trees, plants green and healthy. Worth a visit, easy access from the 101. 3.5 stars - rounded up for the great tree selection. 00396 read more

Many people told me that this place is expensive so I never went here. I left feeling like I got a very good deal and I thought the prices were very reasonable for high quality plants. Seems like long-term Arcata residents love this place cause the staff seemed to know everyone who came in. I went in looking for air plants. From the moment I went in the staff was continuously asking if I needed help. Everyone here seemed very knowledgeable about plants and I got exactly what I needed. I got two air plants and a palm all for $10. I'll for sure come back here. They have such a great selection. read more

Mad River Gardens - Palm + two air plants for $10. And I love them. Very healthy plants. - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Arcata, California

Great helpful staff, and lots of selections. The pottery planter section is large with lots of options. The herbs are plentiful this time of the year. Also many vegetable starts to chose from. Great location with very convenient parking with easy access in and out. I ride my bike to this place. read more

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I see no reason to give a rating other than the Top ! I'm really happy and fortunate to live pretty close to the Mad River Nursery ! A Wonderful trip each time I'm there , a wonderful temporary escape , Thanks read more

This shop is amazing!! There was a much larger selection of indoor/low-light plants than there were tillandsias when I went, but perhaps I came on the wrong day. They also have a large assortment of outdoor/landscaping plants in their back section. The staff was really friendly and informative- and oddly enough I was rung up by a gal who had gone to my high school over 5 hours away! I also went on the first day of spring, and all their bulbs were some 75% off (they were ready to be planted!) and I ended up picking lots of airplants, and two maiden hair ferns as gifts for my coworkers. Maidenhairs are a very delicate species, susceptible to sunburn, dry-death, and yellowing- these were in perfect shape! Now that I live in Reno, I can't make a casual trip back to Mad River, but I know where to go on a plant hunt whenever I come home to NorCal. read more

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Lots of variety. Always workers asking if you need help. Very friendly place. Plants look good.

My wife and I set aside some time to visit nurseries on this trip. We visited this one first. We loved it. The selection is large, the staff is friendly, knowledgeable and outgoing and the prices are reasonable. They have several seed racks from many different companies. If you can't find the seeds you're looking for here, you probably don't need them anyway! Their bookshelf contains books on every topic you can imagine. We were quite impressed with this nursery. read more

Great service!! Ended up going twice in one day because I know they have everything I'm looking for and are much closer than any competitors. I will be coming back, their variety is amazing and their team is knowledgeable :D LOVE IT read more

Mad River Gardens - I got all the makings for a terrarium and was thrilled with the results :) - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Arcata, California

Love this place! Recently moved into a new house with a ton of light and the staff was so knowledgeable and friendly. Great selection of plants and pots! Love! read more

At MRG, I found the garden tool I needed for $10 less and of much better quality than the other 4 businesses nearby. Quality matters and the lower prices are a bonus. I like the way they do business. It shows. read more

This is a great, locally owned business. Yes, staff its very accessible and helpful and their selection is always good. We are lucky to have such a pleasant and well-stocked and well-staffed nursery right here in Arcata. I go out of my way to go there first for my gardening plants, pots, soil amendments. read more

My favorite nursery! The staff are so friendly and knowledgeable and they try to be as sustainable as possible. They will help you find the right plants for your landscape type and they also have a great selection of stylish indoor plants, seeds, and even beautiful home decor. I only wish they carried more locally made decor; however they have such a cute selection of things you cannot find anywhere else so this is a small complaint. Sometimes they even have coffee, tea, and biscuits. I also love that they sell the not-so-great-looking plants at a discount. My spearmint is now thriving, potted on my deck :) read more

Love Mad River Gardens.. they have great fir microchips and will deliver! They are always helpful.

We have been coming here for years and are always so impressed with how friendly and helpful everyone is. They've got it all. Highly recommend! read more

This place is awesome! Very friendly staff, good selection. Support the independent nursery!

Super friendly and knowledgeable staff. This will definitely be my go to garden store.

Awesome nursery!!! Great variety especially if you're a mint lover like me! I bought 6 different fantastic varieties. I'm going again today to snag more strawberries thanks guys you rock read more

I've spent around $75.00 at the Mad River Gardens Nursery, and I really regret every dollar I've spent there because the staff is incredibly rude, disrespectful, and unwilling to help customers, even when you ask them for help. I was there today, 3/25/15, and asked the clerk "Sara" for help. I said I needed a flower that was blue. She said "yes, I'' be right with you". I waited for almost 10 minutes as I looked around, waiting for assistance. She just walked away, and took no interest at all. It was of absolutely no importance to help the customer. In fact, when I walked back up to the counter to look for her, she was gone, but the man with the beard was standing there, and said to me "oh, I guess you found something blue". So she obviously told this man that I needed assistance, and was looking for blue flowers, and he too offered absolutely no assistance. The last time I was there, which was just a few days ago, I walked in the front door, said hello to an employee standing there. he asked me if I needed help, I said "I don't know, we'll see". There was a different female employee behind the counter, and I said hello as I walked past her. She very rudely said absolutely nothing. I received very shabby service on that purchase as well. In fact, the very first time I shopped there, which was about two weeks ago, an older woman, who seemed like the owner was also very rude, and aggressive in her tone, when speaking to me. I think people who spend money at local business' deserve better customer service, and common courtesy. Mad River Gardens Nursery, the owners, as well as employees, have no respect, or regard for the people who spend their hard earned money there, and keep their business active. Today, I finally just walked out, and made no purchase, and I strongly encourage others to do the same exact thing. I walked out the door, and drove directly to ACE Hardware. I can buy plants at many places, but I'm starting to shop less at the private local business', and more at the corporate owned stores like ACE, Walmart, and online entities like Amazon. I'm just sick and tired of these people acting like they can shit on their customers whenever, and however they want, and we just have to take it. No, just walk out, and spend your money somewhere else. Hopefully, we'll see places like Mad River Gardens go out of business. I think that would be a better service to the community. read more

Middle aged lady with shoulder length blonde hair was super rude and aggressive with any question I asked her my last trip. Fortunately, my experience was rectified by a younger lady, once I requested someone else for help. However, this younger lady reacted to my discontent in a way that suggested the middle aged lady is rude to customers on a regular basis. Hopefully someone gets her mood swings in check, for the sake of this otherwise great business. read more

I was able to get everything I had envisioned for and the people working were so helpful and kind, prices affordable, quality was ace

Love this place! Super helpful staff, a great selection of plants and other gardening essentials!

This is the best plant nursery on the coast and everyone knows it: be prepared for them to run out of popular stock! Great array of shade plants, herbs and small fruit orchard plants. Everything they have will do well on the coast. I like that they carry Territorial Seed. read more