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| Dear Plant Enthusiast,
After 35 years of growing exotic tropicals and 25 years of doing mail order throughout the USA and the World, I have decided to stop shipping live plants. Not because I want to, nor because there is no demand, but because of the ever escalating costs of shipping and the terrible service of mail order delivery companies. Shipping costs have become outrageous! A small 4" potted plant 18" tall now costs $34 to ship by 3 day service - over $55 for 2nd day "air". I remember the days when this same plant would cost $5 for 2 day service! Many of our shipments this year have arrived late, not within the 2 or 3 day "guaranteed service time", and in most cases, were damaged. The shippers tell us that they won't insure "perishables", or that our packing was not good enough (those of you who have ordered from us, know that we pack such that the delivery services could play football with our packages and the plants would not shift). We've had to bear the burden of extra shipping costs, extra packing materials, replacement costs, and very little reimbursement from the delivery companies.
So with much reluctance and regret, we are only shipping our special soil (year around) and sago seed (during the spring). If any of you pass through Corpus Christi, Texas and would like to come by to purchase a plant, email me at orders@rhapisgardens.com and I'll see if we still have what you are looking for. I want to thank all the thousands of wonderful customers we've had over the years. We have loved growing plants for each and every one of you.  |