The Natioal Home Gardening Club I have belonged to for several years is a magazine . They quit publishing the NHGC , but still publish the Gardening How-To. I like it a lot. Someone on the forum said they like Birds and Blooms better , which doesn't make much sense. B&B is great, but a compleltely different type of mag. Basically a beautiful picture mag. Lee

You can fill out a form at the post office to have the mail returned and you will not have to bother with it. That is finally what I had to do to get rid of them. I loved the books they had, but they are impossible to deal with. They started sending me things I did not order.

I joined the NHGC, too. I was lured by the promise of testing new products and having access to a plant database and a great magazine, blah blah blah... what a big fat lie. And, I got the gardens directory - yea, thanks for publishing the largest gardens in the US. How about the best gardens, how about specialty gardens, how about more than 5 for the state of Texas! And the books they send were written for beginner gardeners.

Boy, a rip-off like that really makes me appreciate this GardenWeb.com club. When I realized what a sham that other club was, I immediately sent my membership dues to Gardenweb - we've got to keep this great resource!

Now, if you like books, you should look up the Garden Books Online website. This is another club I don't regret joining.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Books Online

I'm a member to NHGC also and they done the same to me too but I kept sending them back. The only thing they havent sent me are their products with test forms. Has anyone had that problem?

Sharon

If you don't open the package or letter that is attached you can refuse the book and the post office will send it back to them postage due. They will get the message sooner or later.

Lady

I also joined, never got any books. (sigh) I wouldn't have minded getting them.

I also joined and have received two books. I of which I purchased, the other one I plan on returning.

They also screwed up my membership and told me to renew it. I sent them an e-mail and told them to correct their computer and billing departments. They apologized for their error.

I have been asked to test a gardening tool. They call it a "weeder", but either I am not using it correctly or it just doesn't weed! I'm glad I didn't have to pay any money for that piece of junk and I am definitely going to give them my opinion on it too.

Sorry Sam, I don't have a phone number for them, but you might want to contact the Better Business Bureau in Washington, D.C., they might be able to help you.

Yeah I had them send me the book. . .
which I did not ask for . . .
Of which when they complained I did not pay for it I said Thank you I thought it was free. . .but if it isn't come and get it or send me a self addressed and postage paid box so i may send it back.......and I never heard from them again lol
still get the magazine tho. . .I guess the book was my "free tryout gift"

sorry to hear of so many having problems with nhgc. i have been a lifetime member for 5+ years, have done several product tests, have never gotten anything i did not order, and have been well pleased with the service. the only downside to nhgc is their website. they do not have spike to manage it.

anette

I really enjoy the NHGC, I have been a life member for many years, I have met a wonderful group of gardeners. I really love it, sorry you all did not enjoy them.

happy gardening

cacolos

Isn't there a federal law stating that you can keep and not pay for any unsolicited things mailed to you? I think it came to be sometime in the seventies?

I also made the mistake of joining. They sent me a lifetime membership information packet telling me that I will receive a hugh discount, but it never stated anywhere how much that membership would cost. As far as testing products I've never been offered any to test. When it comes time to renew I will definetely decline. I think it's a pretty crappy club.
I went to the GardenBooks online site and they don't have much of a selection. I do better at bookcloseouts.com. You can get great garden books at bargain basement prices without having the responsibility or obligation of joining a club. The last garden book club I joined cost me twice as much than if I had gone to the bookstore and bought the book outright. Outrageous!

Dear LovetoGarden,

I too made the mistake of joining the National Home Gardening Club, and I too am unable to get them to "cease and desist" sending me unsolicited merchandise. I have written them twice to no avail. I am now going to contact the Better Business Bureau. BTW, according to the BBB, Nancy Evensen is the President and their phone number is 952-936-9333. Good luck!

I have found many problems with mailorder book clubs and ordering. I think their are much bette publications out there for serious gardeners. I used to belong to NHGC and found it about as good as Birds in Bloom or BH&G.

I'm wondering if people are confusing the National Home Gardening Club (which to my knowledge does not send out books) and the Garden & Landscape Design Book Club (which does send out books). I just recently tried a trial membership of National Home Gardening Club, and discovered that if I don't pay the invoice they send, I don't get the "benefits" of membership. They've sent their magazine, but no books. And I had to send in something telling them I wanted the gardening tool. I threw out everything, even though I'd love to belong. But I have too much to read as it is, and the Garden Web takes a lot of time.

I do belong to the Garden & Landscape Design Book Club, and have found that they're great about taking back books I forgot to decline when I got the mailing from them. They're online, and that's what I do now to refuse or to order a book, rather than having to send back the notice every three weeks or so.

Am I wrong about this confusion?

Yes, the NHGC does send out books. I have received many of them. I purchased 2 or 3 and have had to send back the last 3 return to sender. The lifetime membership dues are about $200. I am a member who likes the magazine but hates these books. Lol, I am simply doing a return to sender thing.

Julie

I joined and did like the How To Magazine. I did not appreciate them sending me a book on trial. Great, now I have to deal with returning it. I know I could of kept it because it was unsolicited, but they kept mailing reminders for payment. Yeah, give me a phone # and I will send the dumb thing back. I thought the lifetime membership thing was pretty fishy. It did not have any dollar amount listed anywhere. It would have been less money to go purchase the FREE items. I thought I was in on the initial membership drive and that was only 2 years ago. So when I got a lifetime membership offer I thought it was kimd of strange. Maybe I would join if I was guarenteed that the club will be around for more than 2 years. It did take ALOT of calls to get off their list and I did not appreciate the negative reminders to pay dues after I had told them no thank you.

I have been a lifetime member of the NHGC for several years and,so far, I have no complaints. I am on my 4th year of product testing and really enjoy the magazine. I am sorry that you and all of your responders had such a bad experience. As for gardening books, I have found Timber Press, www.tinberpress.com, to have a very diversified selection of gardening books, something for everyone. The prices are sometimes a little steep, but then I just note the particulars and order it on-line from Barnes & Nobles.
Enjoy. AprilNJ

I've also been a lifetime member for several years. I do recall though, at first, they sent calendars and books that I didn't order. I got the calendar right after I joined, thought it was a free member thing...until I got a bill for $12. I returned it and told them I would appreciate them not sending me things I didn't ask for. Haven't gotten anything else since then. I signed up online to be a product tester, and last fall, got a REALLY nice 4 wheel garden cart to test. It's called a Polar Barrow...can be pulled like a wagon, or hooked to the back of the lawn mower, tips to dump. I'm talkin' a NICE cart:) After seeing the retail price on the cart ($599) I feel much better about paying the membership dues.

I had the same problem..I didn't get the books for a long time then all of a sudden I didn't stop. I called the #, I even sent the books back, I emailed them, and of course..they kept on coming. I called the post office, there was nothing They could do. they just told me to refuse the mail, but that got expensive driving it back to the post office,My mail man is a 60 yr old walking mailman, and I couldn't have him toting 10 million books all the time so, I just gave up..They kept sending me the bill, and on every bill I would write the date of the original phone call canceling the membership, and that I refuse to pay for the book, and that it was their mistake, If they wanted to pay for the return postage, I would gladly return the unwanted book. I did this about 25 times, of course the Idiots put it on my credit report, (I copied each bill, and letter sent to them, as well as sending them registered) I had to finally get a lawyer to handle it. I in return got my money back $140.00, plus lawyer costs and the NHGC was off my credit report. I have reported them to the BBB, I have the link for that on my web site at www.4yourtrees.com if you need it. I recomend that everyone else that had problems with them report them..Maybe they might be a bit more careful who they try to swindle..lol
Good luck!

I am a lifetime member of NHGC and have been for at least 8 years...i do love thier magazine even tho it does tend to lean towards begginners gardening...however i just love reading it and find some great info in each one. I love thier web site..it is a super community of like minded people...yes, garden web seems to be much more advanced but i get what i want out of each group. I have tested several products but most have been smaller items...no complaint there...even the seeds are fun to get and plant at no cost to me. I recieved a couple of books the first year and sent back asking them to not send anymore...i have never recieved another item i did not ask for. One thing they don't have is a thread talking trash about other clubs. Sorry, but i believe there is good in most, just go for what you enjoy and stop complaining.

Yikes... sorry to hear people are still falling for this company! I do not like to be negative.... and I apologize to dixied (especially since that is my sister's name!). I joined this "club" years ago. Quickly I realized it was not for me. I tried to get them to stop sending me books. They sent me increasingly negative invoices. Fortunately I sent every book back with a return receipt because these people actually filed against me on my credit report! Looking back, I guess I am relieved because I really didn't need that new car... but it irks me to no end that they had the nerve to tarnish the credit I worked so hard to restore. I figure I was never asked to test a product since I'm in Alaska... but I guess I wasn't the only one. I am happy there are online discussion groups where we can discuss the good companies - most of the time - and the bad when they deserve it.

Well, well, well. It's been a long time since I heard from NHGC. I was a charter member when they began some years ago. Never did I receive any products to test. I patiently waited to get even a garden glove, but no dice. So after about a year of this nonsense, I quit. Thank goodness they didn't have the "book club" then,or I really would have hit the ceiling returning them. Reading most of the letters makes me realize I did the right thing by cancelling. They sent me a letter today begging for my membership. This forum is truly a blessing and saved me from disaster. Sorry to be so negative, but the majority of opinions is thumbs down.

I became a life member of NHGC a few years ago, and afterward, I sent in ten of my best gardening photos (in 2001) to the "Home Grown" section of their magazine, "Gardening How-To". This is supposedly a section where us "average folks" members can submit photos of our residential gardening triumphs, and see them appear in this section. I sent ten, because I figured that out of all of those, they would surely find ONE they liked well enough to publish there. They never published a single one, and, quite frankly, I don't think they even bothered to LOOK at any of them. I have repeatedly seen photos in this section that are at least as good as the ones I sent, and many that aren't nearly as good. I have been put out with them ever since, and I wrote and told them so. The section head did answer, with the usual excuses editors use in these situations. I wonder what they base their decisions upon. Apparently good quality and creative imagination aren't among the criteria. Has anyone else been treated this way?

I,too, joined and paid for the Lifetime membership in May 2001. Received there books about 10 or more canceled them then received nothing more. Now Nov.2005 they ask me to join again and ask to buy a Lifetime membership again.. How many memberships are you to buy I thought once was enough???Somebody does not keep good recordkeeping in there offices obviously. I recently sent them $24.00 after I found my papers and checks for the Lifetime in 2001. Now my question is do I get refunded or not????

I joined and then after the year was up I just did not renew my fees. The first book, Gardening Essentials was nice and at a good price. A good basic book for beginners, so I bought it. It was only about $14 so it was worth it. The next one, Perrenials was about $40. HELLO. I don't think so. FInally I sent it back. My one product tester I did get was a little sachet of all natural insect repellant. I used it once on my family during a 1/2 hour mosquito blitz and it seemed to work. I filled out the review form, mailed it, but never saw or heard from the product again in the mag. The retail value was 99cents. I wonder if my geographical location made them cheap out? They occasionally send me monthly newsletters which are OK but pretty standard info. All in all I would have to say my feelings are lukewarm. Got a nice packet of mixed perrenial flower garden seeds tho!

thanks to all of you for your input. I have been suspicious of their marketing methods for a while, and it is helpful to have others' experience with them. It sounds as thought their treatment of people varies a great deal, but that the odds are not good. Your information gives me some guidance to deal with them. By the way, the "lifetime" price is on the multitude of pages they send, but it took me 20 mintues to find it.

I've been a lifetime member of NHGC for several years. I joined first as a regular joe and after a year was happy enough to go for it. I've never had trouble with sending back things. I got a book and one figurine, sent them back, told them to cancel, and that was the end of it. Of course everyone wants to be a product tester. But if you didn't read the form, and don't visit the web site, etc. then like me, you probably didn't realize you have to keep your info updated. We moved twice, and I updated for our new address, but you must have a current form on file to be drawn from. I just received a nice stacking self watering pot set to test (39.95 value) and got a letter in todays mail of another product I will be receiving soon (also 39.95 value) that is something to pick up the pinecones without having to bend and stoop all the time.

I agree with Dixie, one thing NHGC forums don't have is threads that talk trash about other clubs. I've never had any trouble with NHGC. The people on the forums are gold as gold, I've made so many truly awesome friends there. Not only do we trade things, there are raffles, sales, and when someone is in need there are even benefit raffles. Now the Cooking Club....That one is a different matter.

So I say to all of you who are still members over there, go onto the web site, update your product test sheet, and even send them an email that you've been a member for xyz amount of time and never received anything to test. (I did this in January and now am testing products finally!) Sometimes we get so busy with things that we expect everything to be automated. But, like winning the lottery, you can't win if YOU don't buy a ticket, you likewise can't try products if YOU don't update your forms each 60 days.

Thanks Grammy..we seem to have the same experiences...except i have not recieved the better trial items you have, lol
mainly seeds and a few other small items, but they don't cost me a dime, so why complain?
I too have gone awhile without a test product and find that i have forgotten to re register after the last product
Now i am testing, seeds again, actually, seed matts with 5 different herbs, that you place in a pot to grow.
i have told them not to send me products to purchase and they have not, and again i have been a life member for about 10 years now and i love it and the friendships i have gained on the boards, and the robins, and the ssp games and the birthday club and well, it has been such a great club to belong to that i have joined as a lifer the Creative Home Arts Club by the same company..and tho it is much smaller i think it is just as wonderful as we get to know each other on the boards. Yes, i still come to gardenweb for more detailed info and have had some great trades and help with several questions here. Why can't we just enjoy the benifits that we get from each, and if we don't fit in one, no need to trash it..they must have some great benifits or we wouldn't be there.

sorry guys, but i kinda like the nhgc. they do have their problems, but are receptive to phone calls and emails. i got my first trial thing in the mail recently, the dues are 12$ a yr, and ive already recieved and sent back my first book(it was kind of for a beginner) and yes they still put out a magazine. ive had better luck there than here, probably because before my newer pc i couldnt even log on here. this site is much larger, but theirs is good too. keep on them if you are not satisfied they will correct it, or at least it works for me. chris

So I've gotten sucked in as well. I've paid them around $30 probably. I've received their gloves, clippers, tree clippers, mat thingy. I've received their book and sent it back, no problem. Now they're asking for $36 and claiming I missed a payment! Meanwhile I was under the impression that this was mostly free and I wouldn't have to pay anything more! And now I'm asking you all, since you've had experience with this company in the past, what I should do that would let them know, with the least steps possible, that I don't want any of this anymore?

I've belonged to the NHGC for several years now. I paid a couple of hundred dollars and became a life time member. I don't know if they offer that option anymore.

I also received a lot of books. I purchased some of them but finally started sending them back. At first, I paid the return postage. Then I stopped opening the packages. I wrote on the front "Return to Sender" and dropped the package into the mail box. The books stopped coming after two or three months.

Not long after joining, NHGC sent me some tools to test for them. I used them and returned the survey form. The tools weren't that good and they haven't sent me anything else to test in years.

I still receive "Gardening How-To." It's a nice magazine but it doesn't offer me very much usable advice. I live in North Florida. Most of the articles, etc. in the magazine are geared toward more northern climates. But that's true of the majority of gardening books/magazines so I'm not holding it against them.

For those of you who happen to live in Florida, if you want a really good gardening magazine, subscribe to "Florida Gardening." It's designed specifically for the unique climates and soil types found in the Sunshine State. Had I known about "Florida Gardening," I doubt I would have bothered with the NHGC.

I have belonged to NHGC for 9+ years and have never had a problem with them. I became a life member and received the tools which work well. The only other thing they have sent me is the magazine which I like to read when I get a spare minute. I have never had any problems with them. I have only received small things to test like rose food and seeds but by going on the website I found that after each product you have to resend in another product testing application.

I also had to call them about my long handled loppers which were a part of my life member pack because they broke last summer. They were more than happy to send me a new pair free of charge no questions asked and they didn't even ask me to send the old ones back.

I think that each club will have it's perks and bad points and we have to see which one suits us personally. But we don't need to badmouth them just because we don't like them.

I just received the 'installment' invoice for the
'life member' membership, when all I ordered was their magazine which I had subscribed to several years ago and liked it very much.
I called 1-800-209-9266 and talked to a lovely fellow by the name of Jovy, ID #7571, and told him of my plight and he told me I am now off the 'life member' list.
I bet I will be getting another 100 address labels though!!

Oh, I am so happy I found this thread about the National Home Gardening Club, as I just received an invitation to join. "No need to send money, it is so cheap...", they said. It sounds like more trouble that it is worth. I am happy though, that some members are actaully getting products to test. They probably wonder why so many people are having trouble with them. I don't think that I will join. I really do not need another gardening magazine as well. and I would not like books or anything else sent without my asking for them, and then getting my credit report messed up. How is it some people have such a good experience with them? Or are these people actually FROM the HMGC!

This is probably going to be a waste of time and energy that it takes to make this post, but I'm not doing anything else at 5:00 am in the morning.

First off I see that this thread started around 8 years ago, so I'm certain that there had been some growing pains since then. As do most new upstarts of any kind of business. And no I'm not a employee, stock holder of any entity of NHGC.

I just recently and gladly I must say became a life member with NHGC. And have received as promised everything that was described precisely in each mailing that NHGC has sent to me.

Now I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes, that is not my intention what so ever. But from what I have read from most if not all of those who have had complaints or problems in the past with NHGC. I can assure you if they had read completely what was sent to them every time, rather than to think "OMG why are they sending me these things?"

I can assure you had you taken the time to read everything completely and returned the forms sent, and marked correctly. Then none of the above mentioned issues would have never taken place to begin with. And please don't try to say that you did so. Cause as I stated if you had, then nothing would have been sent out to you.

To start off with, the original mailing has enclosed a complete and very well laid out description of what you need to do. Be it to either join NGHC or not. There is a stamped return envelope provided for both members and non-members to use for returning your intention to join or not. I still have each and every piece of mail that NHGC has sent out to me as proof.

As for the books that are sent out, once you choose to join NHGC on one of the papers or forms needed to inform again of your intentions. There is a place that has small box for you to check as to whether or not you would be interested in participate in receiving both test products and or literature i.e.; books or magazine. Along with a toll free number to call and talk to a representative of NHGC in person if you need a better explanation of exactly what the benefits entail.
Also with each book that is sent out there is enclosed a postage paid return envelope that has a adhesive backing for you to place on the box for return.
And when you get your first book if your not interested in further mailings of their books. Once again there is a form to send back enclosed in the envelope that you simply have to check off to cancel any further books from being sent to you. You even have 10 days to look over each book before you choose to keep it or send it back without a charge.

Be forewarned though as with any product from any other company out there if you fail to return it before the allotted time, then yes you will be charged for the product, i.e.; book. Now, I ask you how hard is that too understand? Someone had mentioned that one of the books were at a beginner level. Excuse me for saying this, but evidently you have a hard time...

I joined two years ago. I started receiving things in the mail that I did not order. Yes, I read everything carefully and did not return any cards or anything. When I received my first renewal bill I wrote CANCEL across the bill and returned it. I keep receiving bills and unwanted junk. I will go to the post office this morning and fill out a card to have everything returned to them automatically.

My advice is to stay away from this place unless you have tons of money to buy all the stuff that shows up in the mail.

I am so glad that I googled the NHGC before I rejoined. I was a member for a year, actually I still am for about 2 more months. I have recieved seeds, a small hand tool set and a keychain from them. They're nice little things, but I really don't need them.

As far as the books go, I received the first one, kept it, and then returned the rest without opening. They have stopped sending them to me.

I don't dislike this club, but I also don't think that it's call it is cracked up to be.

I joined this club a couple months ago. I was sent a book for a trial series. I kept the first book and will keep the second book and then stop. Each book comes with a return label. All you have to do is open it, check the box on the slip saying you want to cancel, and put it back in the box it came in and use the return label they give you. It doesn't cost but a few minutes. I forgot to send in the post cards for the first 2 things they offered to let me try, but I was sent a spade to try that was pretty good. Thee magazine had a ad for a mower by Mantis and a code for 10% off that worked great. So far, I'm happy with it!

Cadd50 has pretty much said it all! I too have been a lifetime Member for years....not even sure how many anymore.
Read what you get! Send back what you don't want! I even got my mother involved, she has tested all kinds of neat stuff, and some not so neat. The conivor (Pinecone picker upper) had some to be desired, but you don't know until you try it or get it tested in the real world.
If you don't get to test things, or don't get your pictures chosen...get over it. There are probably hundreds or thousands of people in this club, do you whine and cry if you don't win a lottery or a raffle? There are lots of people involved, if you have the situation that requires a certain test, I am sure you will get it. I have only tested some seeds. I use the tools from the initial joining all the time. The magazine is something good to read in the bathroom if nothing else.
I give the club a big thumbs up!
Darren

My suggestion for you is not to Open the book at all, not even the packing it comes in. Write in big bold letters, RETURN TO SENDER!

I'd also call or write and ask them to stop sending you the books..I found out the hard way about weight watcher books that come from Oxmoor House and are twice the price they are in the book stores. I only buy online from Amazon.com..They beat everybody's prices that I have discovered so far. Delivery is fast too.

I've been a life member for several years and had no problems. Then about 2 months ago they sent me a calendar unsolicited. I followed the return instructions to the letter, but I'm still getting billed for it, despite writing back to them indicating that I'd returned it. Beware of this organization!

The Natioal Home Gardening Club I have belonged to for several years is a magazine . They quit publishing the NHGC , but still publish the Gardening How-To. I like it a lot. Someone on the forum said they like Birds and Blooms better , which doesn't make much sense. B&B is great, but a compleltely different type of mag. Basically a beautiful picture mag. Lee

Here is a link that might be useful: ÃÂÃÂàçëçë èçÃÂîèñ

I've been a life member for at least a couple of years now, but have not received the Gardening How-to Magazine for the last couple of issues. What's up with that??

Is NHGC still around? I've been a life member since 2004, I haven't been able to find website or contact them on phone. I haven't received anything in a long time.

It looks like their website redirects to scout.com, whatever that is. I'm guessing they don't exist anymore.

I joined way back in the 90's, I loved testing the free items and making comment. I still have my tools and belt to use in gardening. Wish they still did that. Also joined the Home lifetime but only just before I moved to Id in 2011. Oh well!

The prices for items on this group is out of my spending range. Want to end subscription

When did you change from National Home Gardening Club to Houzz. I used to get magazines about gardening and then it stopped all of a sudden, which was about 15 years ago. I was a life member. What happened