Our Policies

1) Know what you want: Do a little research to learn what bareroot trees look like, how to plant them and where, etc. If you are unsure where to start, scroll down to see important considerations in choosing your first tree(s), or take Susan Poizner's course Researching Fruit Trees for Organic Growing Success here. Fruit trees and perennial plants are an investment, and it really pays off to do it right the first time!

2) Order through our website: Once you fill your cart, check a box on the bottom left side below the 'notes' section of the cart page to indicate when you want the order. You must also check the box on the right indicating you understand the terms and have done the necessary research. You can then complete your order by either paying immediately via credit/debit card or online payment services such as Paypal, or selecting pay later if you wish to pay upon pick-up, send an e-transfer or cheque, etc. You are welcome to make your payment anytime between placing the order and picking it up/prior to shipping in spring.

3) Ensure your order is confirmed: Upon confirming your order, you will receive an invoice through email with a four (4) digit invoice number. If the invoice is a draft, indicated by a 'D' in front of the number, you order is not confirmed and you have likely missed the payment step outlined above! Once your order is confirmed, we will prepare it in early spring.

Note: Try as we might to have 100% accurate inventory counts, inevitably things happen due to a miscount, a breakage, etc. In the event something about your order must change, we will contact you and work out an alternative solution. Changes due to short stock on our end are exempt from any fees as described in the 'Cancelling or Changing you Order' section.

If you are interested in ordering 100+ plants, check out our section on "Quantity Discounts & Wholesale"

Changing Your Order Once it is Confirmed

To change your order, please email sales@silvercreeknursery or call 519-804-6060 with your request. We are happy to add plants to your order at any time up until your order is being boxed up to ship out. If you want to remove plants from your order, you can do so at no cost if your order has not yet been processed.

If you want to remove a plant from your order or swap a plant out for a different variety and we have already begun processing/picking you order (which we do as early as November for fall orders and December for spring orders), there is a $25 or 10% (whichever is higher) restocking fee for any item(s) removed from the order. Additionally, if a refund is due from removing items and you have paid via credit card or Paypal, a 5% fee is applicable to the difference to cover the associated fees as we pay a fee for both transactions.

Cancelling Your Order/Items on Your Order

To cancel you order, phone or email us. If your order has not been processed (we begin processing fall orders in November and spring orders as early as December) and has not been paid, we can simply cancel the order.

If you have paid via credit card or PayPal and we have not begun processing your order, a 5% fee will be applied to cover the transaction fees on our end, but the remainder of the order will be refunded and the order cancelled.

If you paid via e-transfer, cheque, or cash, and we have not begun processing the order, we will refund the order fully and cancel it.

If we have begun processing the order and you wish to cancel, a $25 or 10% (whichever is higher) restocking fee will be applied along with the credit card fee if applicable. 

If you have paid a 25% deposit to hold the order and decide to cancel it afterwards, the deposit will not be refunded. The restocking and cancellation fees will be charged in addition to the 25% deposit. 

Unfulfilled Orders at the End of the Season

 If you have not picked up your order from us or failed to pay for an order that was being shipped by the end of the spring sales season (ends late May) then your order will be cancelled automatically. If an unfulfilled order was paid for earlier in the season, it will only be refunded upon request and any relevant cancellation and restocking fees will be applied. If a 25% deposit was paid on the order, it will not be refunded and any fees incurred will be in addition to the deposit.   

An old farming adage goes, "Where there is livestock, there is deadstock." Plants are no different and one of the challenges of selling dormant plants is that it is sometimes impossible to tell if a tree is dead (or will leaf out then die) due to dry roots or winterkill.

We do our best to provide excellent quality plants, however there are always a small percentage of trees that are just not able to properly break dormancy and thrive; in the event that this happens to you, please let us know! Due to the nature of nature, we cannot guarantee a tree will overwinter in your location, as outlined below.

Bareroot Peach Trees
We are very pleased to be able to offer peach trees to our customers. They are both challenging and rewarding plants to grow. However, due to the unique challenges of growing peach trees, and the increased care required for their success, we regrettably cannot offer our standard 90 day guarantee on peaches. Please inspect your peach trees to your satisfaction when you pick them up at the nursery, or immediately upon arrival if they are shipped. For shipped trees, make your claim within 7 days of receipt of the trees. After 7 days of receipt, you will have been deemed to have accepted the trees in as-is condition.

All Other Bareroot Nursery Stock
We guarantee that nursery stock is in living condition at the time of receipt by you, the customer. Much of our nursery stock is sold in a dormant condition and it may take some time to show signs of life after planting. Please allow at least 45 days after purchase for dormant plants to leaf out.

However, if your nursery stock is dead or unsatisfactory, please submit your claim to us within 90 days of the invoice date. We request photos before honoring a claim. For wholesale orders, losses below 5% will not be considered. 

All other claims deemed reasonable at our discretion will be issued a replacement or store credit in the amount of the purchase price, SHIPPING COSTS EXCLUDED. This store credit can be used towards any purchase from us. There are a lot of variables involved with living plants, and under certain circumstances we may offer complete refunds when it appears that we have an issue with an entire batch of plants.

We try to be fair and understanding, but we simply cannot offer a one-year guarantee or any guarantee of a plant's ability to overwinter in your location. Unlike potted trees, most of our nursery stock is quite tender, and requires some degree of diligence on your part to maintain its health and prepare the plants for winter. Therefore, we limit claims to 90 days from invoice date.

Potted Nursery Stock
Potted plants may be exchanged or returned for a full refund within 3 days of purchase, provided that they are not dehydrated and have not been removed from the nursery container. After 3 days, the same policy applies as for Bareroot Nursery Stock below.

Other Products
All other non-perishable and non-plant products are sold with a 30 day refund policy, excluding shipping costs. To qualify for a refund, products must be returned to us in complete condition.

To make a claim email sales@silvercreeknursery.ca with a description of the problem and at least one photo that clearly shows what is going on.

Overview: Every spring we ship thousands of trees across Canada, and there is usually a smaller shipping season in the fall too, weather permitting. Shipping live plants is not without challenges. We do our best to ensure the trees are packaged for success: the roots are bundled in damp sawdust, bagged, then boxed, limbs carefully tucked in. We ship on Mondays, and sometimes Tuesdays, to ensure the trees have as long as possible to reach their destination before the weekend, so they don't get stuck in a post office. Upon receiving mail order plants, open immediately, check the sawdust is still damp around the roots, and then store in a cool dark location until you plant. Preferably, plant them the same day they arrive but they can be stored for a few days.

Do you ship bareroot plants? How?

Yes! Your bareroot plants are bundled together in a plastic bag that is filled with damp sawdust to keep the roots moist while in transit. They are then securely fastened inside a box and sent to you as soon as they are packaged up and the weather is suitable for planting. Your bareroot plants are dormant when we send them to you, so they will not have any leaves. 

Please note that we may prune some trees back if they are slightly too large to fit safely in a box. This prevents breakage while in transit and can prevent shipping fees from increasing by as much as $30 if we can avoid having to pack them in a larger box. Any pruned trees will still be the same grade as was purchased. 

Do you ship potted plants?

No, we do not ship our potted plants. The pots are too heavy and bulky for us to ship them economically, so they are only available for pick-up. 

Why is shipping expensive?

Due to the size of the trees, shipping is automatically fairly high to cover the cost of shipping such large boxes. With the advent of COVID-19, shipping rates have also been increasing. While we do what we can to fit as many plants as we safely can into one box, there is only so much we can do to minimize shipping fees.

Can shipping fees change once the order is packaged?

Yes, the shipping fees included on your order are only an estimate and actual fees may vary. Sometimes plants are larger or bulkier than expected and a larger box may be needed or shipping fees are simply higher than estimated. 

If shipping fees have gone up significantly, we will send an invoice with the outstanding balance and will request that you cover the amount before we ship out your plants. Likewise, if we overestimated your shipping fees we will happily send a refund for the difference. 

What services do you ship with?

We generally ship our plants with Canpar. 

We will ship with Canada Post if you live in a rural or exceptionally far location where Canpar is either unreliable or too expensive. 

If you prefer we ship with Canada Post or if you would like to see a quote, please let us know.

Can I request delivery to my back door or other specific location?

Yes, you can request specific delivery instructions through the shipping provider once you receive tracking information.

Canpar: https://www.canpar.com/en/support/faqs.htm
Canada Post: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/receiving/mail-delivery/set-a-delivery-preference-canada-post?ecid=sem_102&gclid=CjwKCAiAr4GgBhBFEiwAgwORrVxyTA7-onsVi79psO4nM7FOj9AG7npY6g_3T3u4gHpH4wDQWYAGyhoC8nAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
FedEx: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/faqs/receiving/how-to-add-delivery-instructions.html

What provinces/territories do you ship to?

We ship to every province with some exceptions for British Columbia and can ship to the Territories upon request. 

Orchard supplies and hard goods like books can be shipped to the US if desired.

What can be shipped to BC?

We unfortunately cannot ship malus, pyrus, cydonia, prunus or vitis species to BC as these species need to be fumigated in order to cross the Rockies according to CFIA. The fumigation process takes a lot of time to set up and can easily cost over $1000 per order which makes it unfeasible for us and too costly for customers.

For orders or quotes of plants not in the above listed species, please contact us directly at sales@silvercreeknursery.ca to set up an order.

Do you ship to the United States?

We do not ship plants to the United States. The paperwork simply takes too much time for our small team to manage.

Orchard supplies and hard goods like books can be shipped to the US if desired.

How long does shipping take and will my plants be okay?

On average, plants shipped with Canpar arrive within 2-5 days, although shipments in southern Ontario may arrive in as little as 1-2 days. As long as your plants arrive within a week, they should not have any health issues and are ready to be planted in the ground! 

What do I do if my plants arrive in poor condition?

If your plants are not looking healthy when they arrive, immediately let us know and send us pictures. We are happy to help however we can to nurse your plants to full health and will arrange compensation based on our guarantee HERE.