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FREE SHIPPING ON USA ORDERS OVER $59! Priority Shipping on most live animals! Free GIFT with every order!

Shipping policy

Shipping Policy – Terra Mater Gardens

Effective: 2025

At Terra Mater Gardens, we ship seeds, live plants, and live aquatic/terrarium animals with as much care as possible — but living things are, by nature, sensitive to time, temperature, and handling in transit. Please read this policy fully before placing an order, especially for live goods.

📦 Processing Times

  • Orders are typically processed and shipped within [1–3 business days] of purchase.
  • Live plants and animals may ship on specific days of the week ([e.g., Mondays–Wednesdays]) to avoid weekend transit delays.
  • You will receive a shipping confirmation with tracking information once your order is on its way.

🚚 Domestic Shipping

  • We ship via [USPS / UPS / FedEx — list carriers used].
  • Standard shipping speeds and costs are calculated at checkout based on weight and destination.
  • Shipping fees are non-refundable, including on orders that are returned, refused, or undeliverable due to customer error (e.g., incorrect address).

⚠️ Live Orders — Please Read Before Choosing Shipping Speed

Live plants and animals are perishable and time-sensitive. We strongly recommend Priority or Expedited shipping for all live orders.

  • If you choose standard/economy shipping for a live plant or animal order, you are accepting the added risk of transit delays, temperature swings, and extended time in transit.
  • Dead-on-arrival (DOA) claims will not be guaranteed a refund or replacement if expedited or priority shipping was not selected at checkout. Choosing slower shipping for a live order is done at your own risk.
  • We are not responsible for delays caused by the carrier once a package has left our hands.

🌱 Seed Germination Note

We guarantee that seeds are shipped true-to-type and viable at time of shipment. However, please understand:

  • Some varieties are naturally low-germinating or notoriously difficult to germinate, even under ideal conditions. These include, but are not limited to: tobacco, poppy (Papaver spp.), foxglove (Digitalis), and milkweed (Asclepias), along with any other variety noted as such on its product listing.
  • Due to the inherent unpredictability of these varieties (light requirements, cold stratification needs, natural dormancy, erratic sprout rates, etc.), we cannot guarantee a refund or replacement for these specific varieties failing to germinate.
  • All other seed varieties not marked as naturally low-germinating are covered under our standard germination expectations, per our Refund & Return Policy.
  • Germination depends heavily on the grower's conditions (soil, light, temperature, moisture) once seeds leave our hands — please research proper germination requirements for your specific variety before sowing.

🌍 International Shipping

We're glad to offer international shipping where available, but please read carefully — international orders carry additional risk that is outside of our control.

  • We do not currently provide phytosanitary certificates. It is the customer's sole responsibility to know and comply with their own country's import laws and regulations regarding seeds, plants, or live animals — including whether a phytosanitary certificate, import permit, or other documentation is required to bring these items into the country legally.
  • We are not responsible for shipments that are held, seized, destroyed (culled), or returned by customs in the destination country. No refunds or replacements will be issued for orders lost to customs holds, seizures, or destruction, regardless of the reason.
  • Any customs fees, duties, taxes, or import charges are the responsibility of the customer and are not included in our shipping costs.
  • We recommend researching your country's specific import restrictions on live plants, seeds, and animals before placing an order. If your country requires documentation we do not provide, please do not place an order, as we cannot issue a refund after the fact for this reason.
  • International transit times are typically longer than domestic, which further increases risk for live goods — see our strong recommendation above regarding expedited shipping.

📍 Lost, Delayed, or Stolen Packages

  • Once a package is scanned as delivered by the carrier, Terra Mater Gardens is not responsible for packages that are lost, stolen, or misdelivered due to carrier error or an inaccurate/incomplete shipping address provided by the customer.
  • If tracking shows a significant delay, please contact us at terramatergardens@gmail.com and we'll do what we can to help you follow up with the carrier — however, for live orders, extended transit time beyond our control is not eligible for a DOA refund if expedited shipping was not selected (see above).

🏠 Address Accuracy

  • Please double-check your shipping address at checkout. We are not responsible for orders shipped to an incorrect address provided by the customer, and reshipment or refund is not guaranteed in this case.

📬 Questions?

If you have questions about shipping speeds, live order handling, or international eligibility before you order, reach out to us at terramatergardens@gmail.com — we're happy to help you choose the right shipping method for your order.