Tropical Gardens Nursery

Always good here
Feb 24th, 2024

Dec 1st, 2021

Tropical Gardens Nursery is an amazing find in Livingston. Most of their plants, and there are plenty, most are in 10 gal pots or larger, meaning you get a mature plant. They have one of the most impressive selections of mature palm trees I've ever seen. Owner Jesus Patino is the real deal when it comes to knowing his plants and how to grow them. They offer a full range of landscape design for homes and businesses and their work across East Texas is impressive. Check them out.
Feb 17th, 2020

I hired Jesse at the beginning of the year and here it is now the end of April. Jesse, The owner came out, walked around my property and as we stood there we talked about what I wanted and then he agreed For $10,000 he said he was going to put in three palm trees, build a flower/rock garden with me supplying the two boulders he was also going to sod of my property. Also going to line the whole front of my house with shade plants and he showed me pictures to get an idea what I liked he said he knew exactly what I wanted because his experience for many years he would be able to get it right with no issue. He also said he was going to make a surprise type of feature or something. I gave him $5000 as a deposit. I then decided that I would rather give him $10,000 to put into the trees and groundwork as far as plants go so I asked him if I could get a gardener that I have been using in Spring for many years to do the sod and the topsoil to save some money. This was all via text as you can see on the attached screenshot. When I told him that he threw a prima donna hissy fit and said he does all the work or none of the work that if I wanted to hire my gardener for the grass then I can give him the whole job. But I knew my gardener, being in Spring would not have time to do everything so I pretty much had to beg him to then do the whole job. Very arrogant attitude is if he is a dolce Gabbana of Landscaping! So now 4 to 5 months has gone by and my gardener and Spring actually wanted to sought it last fall but I then waited for Jesse because he demanded to have the whole job. So he comes out here last week and he has three palm trees on the back of his truck so its very exciting to get the palms right away and then he tells me the price has gone up $900 because his trees froze and he had to buy these someplace else! Yeah I found it interesting a month before I had a gentleman build my front deck and this gentleman bought three trees from Jesse and when they froze at his house he went back to get more trees saying the trees were bad which they werent they just froze and Jesse pretty much said act of God the trees but they were healthy when you put them in. So I tell Jesse its not my issue act of God and the price should not fluctuate when we agreed on a price. So again he gets arrogant and as hes walking around my property he actually says this is a lot of work, this is more than I thought. I said to him youve already looked at it before nothings changed Ive just waited for months, what are you saying? He said Ill give you your $5000 back this is too much or I have to add a little bit more on because this is more than I thought. I ask how much more are you talking about? His response two to $3000!!! THAT isnt A LITTLE BIT more!!! Im so furious at this point and yes I was yelling because I was so angry hes just walking away after Ive had to wait for months for this prima donna to come and do my lawn because he thinks hes so special at it compared to other people and yet he gets here after hes already come and estimated and he realizes that he UNDER BID.... what happened to his experience?? He then says we dont even do sod and I say I have a screenshot on the phone that said that you wanted the whole job and I couldve got the siding in the fall but you wanted it all or nothing and you were going to leave so obviously he forgot what he said he doesnt remember the conversation, he underbid my property but Ive been waiting for four months and he just walks off!!! This is NOT good business!!! This is a person that you lay down a deposit and invest $10,000 into your yard and because he has a hissy fit and he screwed up on the bed with all his many years of experience he decides he doesnt wanna honor the contract!! DO NOT USE THIS BUSINESS!!! He lied to me, and left me hanging.
Jun 5th, 2021