Gardening ExpressReviews 594

Only ordered twice from GE, first time spent over £150, half the plants /trees ordered were Ok but then found the guarantee involves returning plants at own expense for a refund. As some of my plants (hellebores) had just disintegrated this was not possible anyway. Second order placed (not realising it was same company) and was sent wrong plant along with some ropey looking bulbs. After sending two lots of photos and waiting four days asked why it took so long to resolve (had already waited a long time for the plants and just wanted to get on with planting in a scheme) was told the delay was my fault because I kept contacting them and every time I did it took away from the horticultural team to investigate. Given that only one email was extra to what they'd asked for, I thought it was incredibly unhelpful and rude! Will never order from GE again. Good companies go under, how do companies like this survive?

DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY... SERIOUSLY!
I can only support and voice the concerns and complaints of the massive number of ripped off buyers who proceeded me... shocking products and services is an understatement.

As stated by many reviews, I wish I had read the reviews before... Please do not think we are the unlucky few and that it won't happen to you. If you are like me an the many others The only thing guaranteed by Gardening Express is that they will send you poor product and follow up with equally poor service. BE WARNED

OMG I wish I had searched for reviews before ordering from this terribly and unfortunately named company! SEVEN WEEKS for my order to arrive in full. It's a different season now! This seven weeks was accompanied by me spending AGES chasing them - after four weeks (the joke is when you order it estimates 3-5 days delivery) they sent only part of my order, their customer support ticket system being a joke that never wanted to help, and, the plants... I mean, they were cheap, and they are alive? I think that's the nicest I can put it! The plants certainly do not match the glowing descriptions "covered in giant flowers" for example, nope. Please learn from my and many others mistakes and do not shop here, there is NOTHING positive to say about this appalling, abysmal company.

Received a delivery with numerous plants. Some ok, some pretty dead and not as advertised. Started a dispute through the chat as they don't provide a phone number on the website. Talked to two people through chat and Marina the manager on the phone, got fobbed off, despite providing with clear evidence that the plants that I have received are not what is advertised (ornamental cabbages are advertised to be in 10-12cm pots 1l on the website, arrived in 6cm pots and less than 400ml, and some of the heathers were pretty dead).

Got told that the plants are the right plants and there is no issue and if I want to return them for refund I need to cover the cost myself, which I have refused, given that I have received not what I have ordered based on the information provided online.

When I have pointed out the difference in size of the ornamental cabbages both in the description and photos on the website, I got told that the measurements are approximate and the images for full grown plants. This was not mentioned on the product page.

As for heathers, I got told that some of them are not in season and thus don't look great right now. Again, nowhere on the product page is mentioned that they are out of season. On contrary, it says 'Full of buds and bursting in to colour right now'. Again, when I pointed this out to Marina the manager, I got told that I should have done my homework (bear in mind the product page doesn't even mention what types are being sent!).

All in all, the company is a scam and I would advise against shopping with them as you will waste your money and nerves talking to the customer support team.

Ordered this plant and received a bent twig! I raised a complaint and the response was that if I scraped some skin off it and is was green underneath then it was alive. Really? They then closed my complaint down and marked it as 'resolved'. NO IT WAS NOT RESOLVED. Take my advice readers and do not order from this company. I don't even believe they grow their own plants, I think they are all 'seconds'. Goodbye Gardening Express!

Ordered a pair of Tuscan Cypress trees. On unpacking one was damaged, in that the leader branch was broken. Immediately emailed Gardeningexpress with pictures, took a week for them to reply (after I chased them) to be told that there was no detrimental damage. Having stated that I was unhappy with this I was told to return them at my cost to get a refund, when all they had to do was send a replacement tree. Rest assured I will not use them again and would strongly advise against anyone else using them.

DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY. I bought a pair of Photinia Red Robin trees - they were late coming and then were spindly and half eaten. When I wrote to complain they did not respond for 2 days, and I then had to message them through live chat. Their response was the trees would grow back ok in a month, and if I wasn't happy I should send the trees back (at my cost) as per returns policy - which would be completely impossible as they are 5ft tall! This is a clear case of mis selling - if I had know this was the state of the trees I was buying I would have NEVER have bought online, and gone straight to a garden centre.

Delivery arrived 26 days after order... Plants had been 10 days in transit. Some plants missing... Most of them dead!
Repeatedly emailed with photos... Customer service horrendous... Very rude.
They are going to refund for dead and missing plants... I won't hold my breath!
Not express and no garden!

I am in a bit of a dilemma with regards to this review, as I, like many other customers, didn't have a good shopping experience with Gardening Express, but the plant turned out to be good. Ok, it isn't not as bushy and wide as originally advertised, but not bad at all, appears healthy and well kept. It is a shame, as this company should definitely remove the word Express from their name, as this creates wrong expectations from the start. Also, state boldly that 3-5 days is shipping time, not delivery time. Additionally, it would be good for customers to be able to communicate with a human, as currently there is no helpline or Customer Service in place.