Armstrong Garden Centers

Nursery is ok. Some of the people who work there are nice and knowledgable. Plants are really expensive copared to other nurseries. DO NOT pay for their landscaping design services!!! Very disappointing! NOT worth the price

Decent selection (although we’re no experts). We were there for 1.5 hours and no one asked us if we needed any help. Guy that checked us out never even smiled or thanked us for the $ 250 purchase. Didn’t offer any advice or tips despite us asking for guidance.

While they have a nice selection of pots and plants, they are overpriced, which would be okay if they actually offered good service. Unfortunately, the employees are not there to assist you but to talk amongst themselves. If you’re lucky enough to actually get someone’s attention and ask for help they may direct you where you need to go, but good luck getting any personal assistance. In my opinion one should look elsewhere.

Enjoy coming here for the wide variety of beautiful, healthy succulents & cacti, but first and foremost I’m loyal to this store for their knowledgeable, thoughtful, helpful, friendly employees. Customer service is excellent!
I’ve purchased many succulents from different stores over the years, but I’m always happy with the quality & health of the plants I find at Armstrong. This justifies the fact their prices might be slightly higher than some large home-​improvement type chain store. But I’d rather pay a little more upfront for a plant that will thrive than waste any money on a plant that won’t.
Also, this 5 star review is especially for the exceptional customer service provided by Carol Randall. She went above and beyond helping me select plants for a succulent arrangement I was making as a gift. She was so thoughtful and informative, very patient, gave lots of great tips, and thanks to her help & expertise my arrangement looked gorgeous! She delivered the highest quality customer care and service. Thank you Carol!

After moving to the Valley, we’ve come to Armstrong a few times to buy plants for our new home and garden. They have a really great selection and it seems like they turn inventory over quickly so you are always getting fresh plants that are well taken care of. Their prices are a little more expensive than going to Home Depot or someplace like that but I think that is to be expected. I would say that the plants are of a better quality too.
On our last trip, we had AMAZING service from Tony, who said he usually works at the office but came for an event to help out. He helped us figure out exactly what kinds of plants we needed, made recommendations for how to plant them, what would look good together, and basically gave us advice to make our landscaping look like it was done by a pro (which he is). Tony was awesome and really knew what would work — he even suggested some plants I never would have thought about buying but when I planted them they look incredible.
My only complaint about Armstrong, is that on other trips there I found it difficult to get someone to help. I’m not sure if they are understaffed on weekends but I think having the experts help is important because not all plants are suited for all parts of your garden. I will say that whenever we get help it seems like the staff really knows what they’re talking about.
I love gardening now that we have a house and will be back to Armstrong often. Hopefully some of the experts their will help me increase my knowledge and I’ll have the best garden on my block.

Decent selection, except cactus/​drought resistant. But it is just plain over priced. Bought a hanging fushia (nice specimen) but the had only one wall hanger and it was way overpriced. I’ll stick to Lowes

Went here instead of Orchard Supply House. It’s about a mile further but it was worth it for the selection of indoor and outdoor plants and vegetables. Nice selection. We went right before they closed so it wasn’t too packed :)

The drought tolerant plant section here is minuscule with a very poor selection of plants. Worse, there is no section on any of the Armstrong plant labels that states the watering requirements of the plants. And this I. The midst of the worst drought in recent memory when water is being rationed.
How I miss Sperling Nursery, and the many other privately owned local nurseries that have been forced out of business by chains like Armstrong.
Please, Armstrong, start stocking many more drought tolerant plants.

I really like coming here, even if I’m not going to buy something (I come by that often, lol). The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable, and the nursery is well organized, not to mention a delight to the senses. It’s really easy to find what you’re looking for, even for the novice gardener. And any questions you have, it seems like they’re always able to answer and give tips.
The plants here are very high quality. I’m saying that as a pretty novice-​intermediately skilled gardener. Nothing has died on me and everything flourished after about 24 hours, which I attributed to the plant getting used to the new soil.
People who say their stuff died and complain about it apparently don’t know that Armstrong will replace your plants if they die… so it’s really probably your fault if a plant doesn’t thrive if you give the plant its basic needs.
Really enjoy this nursery more than the Home Depot/​Lowes garden centers, you can tell that the people working here love their jobs and sometimes that’s not as apparent at the hardware places.
Love this place! Will be coming back many times in the future. :)

Cute lil’ spot for most of your basic garden needs /​basic roster of plants. Small, cozy, intimate shopping experience, friendly and helpful staff.

I have been all over the Valley to different nurseries trying to get someone to help me come up with an idea for my side yard. Most places couldn’t be bothered to help answer any of my questions. I finally stopped into Armstrong and a gentleman (Gary, I think) spent 1.5 hours with me picking everything out. He was incredibly knowledgeable and knew the name of every single plant. I worked with the manager, Casey, to order some plants and everything went smoothly. The price is definitely a bit more than some of the other places I went, but just looking at the quality of the plants you can easily see that you are getting plants that are well taken care of and getting the knowledge to go with it. Overall very pleased.

Love this place, they were so super helpful and super nice. I asked a lot of beginner questions that might have been a little amateur and silly but the guy was so nice he answered all my questions. I filled my car up with so many plants I had to put the top down in my car so they would fit. lol forgot soil though so I will be returning for some more goodies.

I am quickly becoming a huge fan of this place. I have only just started gardening and this has rapidly become my go-​to place to buy new plants for my yard. But, it’s not just the great selection that has me returning again and again. It’s the terrific employees who have been super helpful with my many, many questions.
I particularly appreciate that I can bring my plants in (or a picture if bringing them in is not an option) and the employees will answer questions as to what I’m doing wrong and how to put it right. And, if I totally fail and kill my poor plants they have a terrific replacement policy.
They also offer helpful workshops– I have yet to take one, but I’ll definitely be doing so in the near future.

I purchased a 7 ft. Fraser Fir Christmas tree (without a stand) for a great price of $ 39.99 + tax, which came to 43.59. The guy in the lot wrapped it in plastic, tied it to my car and took it home to decorate it. The downside was the woman who rang me up. As I walked up to the counter to pay for the tree, she was yakking it up with another customer and wouldn’t shut up, didn’t acknowledge me to let me know she would be right with me so needless to say I won’t be back to this store due to the rude customer service, which is sad because I wanted to look at more of the merchandise they were selling. All it takes is one bad apple to spoil it for me, and she was that bad apple! Armstrong’s should train their employees to have better rapport with their customers, but then again she was a bit elderly so she should have known better.

These guys rock.
My son and I wanted to start growing some of our own food (as well as some generic gardening and having some plants around the house) and the woman at the register happily answered all of my questions. Since I’ve never done this before, I had a lot of them.
I even called to ask some follow up questions about my hanging plant that wilted in the sun and they helped me out by making some excellent suggestions and throwing some great tips my way.

This is a solid nursery. I’ve begun some new landscaping projects at home and found myself coming and going several times a week. I tried a few other places in the neighborhood as well as the garden sections of the hardware stores. Each time I realized it was best to start with Armstrong. They just know what they’re talking about.
They are a bit in the pricier side. However, they have a really good return policy on shrubs and certain plants. In other words if the plant fails, you can dig it up and they’ll replace it or refund the money. Can’t beat that. They also, guide you to the right plants for your specific needs and will show you what to feed it and what kind of soil each particular plant thrives in, etc.
I was looking for a particular ground cover that they were running low on and they ordered it for me, called me when it arrived and all was good. I had some issues with it and they exchanged it for me even though it wasn’t a shrub. That’s great customer service and it made a big difference for me. I have since purchased several gorgeous hydrangeas from them that are remarkable! They have blooms all year round and rich green foilage. I never would have purchased that specific breed of hydrangea without their input. I was ready to plant several of the already blossoming, more decorative plants they had on display in the front of the store. I would have been totally sad when I found out that their blooms would not be back the following year or maybe not at all. Most other stores would have just sold me those plants without taking the extra time to ask what I was planning. I am so happy with this store and can’t wait till my next little planting adventure.

Based out of Glendora, California, 125 + year old Armstrong Garden Center (AGC) is a generalist plant nursery, in-​between a big box store and a vendor in a specific plant type, family or genus. One the one hand, you won’t have someone assisting you that also has to be knowledgeable about interior paint and toilet bowl installation and on the other hand, good luck on getting anyone to help you with growing hardy orchids (other than cymbidiums) outdoors.
This location has interior, covered and open areas for their plants. Pro Tip: Just because a plant is being grown inside does not mean it cannot be planted outside and visa-​versa. Armstrong fails to note which plants inside are frost tender, for example crotons, and which plants are fine down to 25°F, like the ferns and dracaena. Know your microclimates and plant accordingly. Consider the vast majority of plants inside as possibilities outdoors. The light signs are worthless.
One of the advantages to shopping at AGC is that they grow some of their own annuals and perennials in Southern California. These plants should be able to go into the ground with a minimum of shock and loss. ALL the plants at big box stores are grown by third party vendors and can come from Florida, Arizona, etc. Don’t be shy and ask where their plants are from.
In many areas, AGC has at least 3 times the number of hybrids and cultivators, compared to Lowes or Home Depot. For example, If Home Depot has 5 coleus hybrids, AGC will have 15. Prices are about 10−25% more than a big box. Sign up for their loyalty program to get points for a discount and sale emails to offset the elevated prices.
Products are labeled and grouped well. Roses are all located together, there is a veggie section, as well a water-​wise area, full of succulents and Mediterranean climate plants. One exception is that dry shade and wet shade are intermixed, which can make for some confusion. Seeds and amendments are nicely displayed inside.
Service is really hit and miss. I no longer wait to get assistance, but corral someone when I am ready. The staff here knows me and is aware I am an avid gardener. They deal with me pretty well. But special orders are a no-​go. The special orders are all recorded manuallly, meaning you will find out if they have your order only IF they get it in, which can be 1 week or 6 months later. ASG needs to install an electronic version that sends updates via email or text. You will never know what’s up if they can’t get it (Supplier out? No longer available? Back next year?). In all my time shopping here, I’ve had one special order come through, out of more than a few dozen entered.
The staff are retail garden staff. They are NOT landscapers, propagators or designers. Further, they are not always plant enthusiasts or horticulturists. Some are just working there for the paycheck. Search out the knowledgeable staff. They do exist. If you want a well-​designed pot, a lush bed full of artfully designed veggies and non-​edible perennials or a dramatic plant interiorscape, know exactly what you want. The staff can’t/won’t do it for you. Make a list, with Latin names, sizes and quantity. It will go much faster. Or, bring a gardening professional with you.
The decorative stuff sells slowly and anything I want I can usually wait to go on sale and purchase anywhere from 20−60% off. They don’t sell beat up or ugly plants, ala Lowe’s or Home Depot, at discount. No deals on flats or multiples. Armstrong Garden Center is my day in, day out nursery for perennial and a few interior plants. Orchids come from downtown, hoses from Costco and seeds online. If I need a nice 1 gallon lavender, I come here.

I went on a search for worms and found this little gem. It seems small from the outside, but it expands in the back.
I went for worms and left with about $ 200 in other product to test out on my yard.
The staff is EXTREMELY helpful… and very knowledgeable. If they didn’t know, they knew someone who did… so there was no BS answers.
The parking situation is eh… but you can find parking on the street if it’s too crowded. Once I start getting my yard back in order, I will be returning for their expert advice!!!

I see I’m not the only one who had customer service issues.
I went today because I would like to have a potted plant for my apartment. Not a one employee said hello or If I needed help or had questions. They just walked pass me like I wasn’t there. I overheard a man tell his wife they were leaving because the employees are rude. They prices were a bit ridiculous for what I saw and the condition of some of the plants. Needless to say, it was a waste of my time & I will try another nursery. My first and last time going here.

this place best feature is its location, they have a big selection of everything and the plants looks healthy and fresh.
not the chipset nursery around, the employee will not help you unless you approach them.
This is a good nursery if you need 1 or 2 things, if you have a bigger project there are better places in the area.
Parking Lot is very small and get full fast on the weekends.
They have Soil, pottery, Plants Food, BBQ equipment, decoration and many nice add on for the garden.