Nursery plant delivery note template
Nursery plant delivery note template: trees, hedging and perennials by height and pot size, root-balled or potted, bulk mulch, and the landscaper’s signature.
Templates by industry
- Field-grown trees, 2.0–2.5 m, root-balled
- Hedging plants, 3 l pots
- Perennials, 9 cm pots
- Bark mulch, bulk bags
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Pick and pack
Example: count "Field-grown trees, 2.0–2.5 m, root-balled" and the other lines against the order, and note anything that ships later.
Ship with the note
Put the note in or on the shipment with the tracking number and package count, and check "Bark mulch, bulk bags" is listed.
Get it signed
Ask the recipient to sign and date the received-by line, and keep the signed copy as proof of delivery.
Plants are counted by size as much as by number: twelve trees of 2.0 to 2.5 metres are not the same order as twelve of 1.5 metres, and a landscaper planting to a design checks both. A nursery delivery note lists each plant with its height or pot size and whether it comes root-balled or in a container, so the crew can check the load against the planting plan before the truck leaves and turn away a tree with a broken leader on the spot.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Field-grown trees, 2.0–2.5 m, root-balled, Hedging plants, 3 l pots, Perennials, 9 cm pots, Bark mulch, bulk bags: record the quantity actually shipped for each line; prices stay off the note.
- Field-grown trees, 2.0–2.5 m, root-balled
- Give the height range and say root-balled or containerised; check root balls are firm and wrapped before the landscaper signs.
- Hedging plants, 3 l pots
- Hedging is often sold for a set length of hedge, so give plants per metre in the notes if that was the order.
- Perennials, 9 cm pots
- Count perennials by pot and tray, and note any trays that arrived with dry or broken pots.
- Bark mulch, bulk bags
- Bulk mulch is counted in bags; say the bag volume so the crew can work out the area it covers.
- Order and delivery
- Quote the order or invoice number the delivery belongs to, the delivery date and the address the goods go to.
- Shipment
- Give the number of packages, the carrier or shipping method and the tracking number.
- Scope to agree
- Describe each plant by size and how it is grown, root-balled, bare-root or in a pot, and record what the landscaper accepted after checking root balls and stems on site.
Before sending
- Was “Field-grown trees, 2.0–2.5 m, root-balled” counted when it was packed, and does the count match the order?
- If “Hedging plants, 3 l pots” ships short, does the note say how many follow and when?
- Will the receiver be able to check “Perennials, 9 cm pots” against this note on arrival?
Show 4 more
- Was “Bark mulch, bulk bags” counted when it was packed, and does the count match the order?
- Check the delivery address, the number of packages and the order or invoice number the delivery belongs to.
- Count each line against the order, and list anything that ships later rather than leaving it off.
- Leave prices off the note unless the customer asks for them; they belong on the invoice.
Worked example with sample figures
The quantities below are invented to show how the template is filled in: 4 lines, counted in units, with no prices.
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Field-grown trees, 2.0–2.5 m, root-balled | 12 |
| Hedging plants, 3 l pots | 150 |
| Perennials, 9 cm pots | 300 |
| Bark mulch, bulk bags | 4 |
| Total | 466 |
466 units in 4 lines.
- The goods ship against sales order SO-NP-2611.
- Packages: 19.
What the document must show
These details make a delivery note easier to approve and to file.
- Your company name and address
- The customer's name and delivery address
- Note number and delivery date
- The order or invoice it belongs to
- Each item with the quantity delivered
- Packages and carrier or tracking number
- A line for the recipient's signature and date
This document prints quantities without prices, so no tax appears on it unless you switch its line columns to prices and totals.
Frequently asked questions
What if a tree arrives with damage to the trunk or leader?
The landscaper writes it on the note and refuses that tree before signing. You then replace it or credit it, and the note shows which tree it was and why.
Should aftercare advice go on the delivery note?
A short line in the notes, such as water within a day of planting, is useful. Keep longer care sheets separate so the note stays a record of what was delivered.
Does this delivery note show prices or tax?
This document prints quantities without prices, so no tax appears on it unless you switch its line columns to prices and totals. The worked example above counts 466 units and nothing else.
Is this template free?
Yes. You can fill in this template and print it or save it as a PDF without an account, and there is no payment step and no watermark on the document. Saving it to your account and downloading Excel or Word files need a free account.
Can I download it as Excel, Word or PDF?
Yes. A PDF needs no account: fill in the template and use Print / PDF. The Excel and Word files download from this page with a free account.
Read next
Reading for the Nursery plant delivery note template: Quote, proforma, invoice, receipt, credit note: which to use and How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example. The order this delivery answers is written on the Purchase order template.