Gardening ExpressReviews 594

The WORST plants e-shop in UK.

My order took 5 days to arrive (after waiting for ~weeks for it to be shipped). So, it was tossed around in dark box w/o water by a courier for 5 days.

As a result I've received 100% DEAD clematis and wisteria twig with broken top.

Wisteria was advertised as beautiful ~1m tall plant spread nicely on a trellis with multiple flowers. What I've received was a tiny bent dry twig with 3 broken little green leaves that tried to grow on top of that twig.

Hydrangeas (advertised as a 50% off from £18 each) were a few ~20cm green branches with leaves and a bunch of broken/cut dry branches at the base. They are 5 times smaller than £12 Sainsbury's Hydrangeas I've bought in my local supermarket and have no flowers at all - despite being in season (while my Sainsbury's Hydrangeas got 15 mopheads per plant).

When I've submitted an on-line ticket via Gardening Express web-site demanding a Refund for the "s. T I've received" (which to me was the utmost accurate description of what they've delivered) the Customer Support guy decided that I was insulting him personally and told me off closing my ticket without a Refund.

As plants - as service.

A drastic contrast with 2 other e-shops I've ordered from on the same day as they do have phone support (unlike Gardening Express that hides from unhappy customers), and in both Customer Service instantly apologised and issued refund for the plants that were not in tip-top shape or not as described.

I recently bought what was advertised as a selection of 10 mixed succulents with quote "Different foliage textures and colours", however disappointing when they arrived they were 10 of the same plant ( 2 of which were rotting.)
Customer services basically dismissed any responsibility with regard to misleading advertising and basically directed me to small print. I will be contacting Trading Standard.

Shame because previous orders have been. Good. Will not be using there services again. I have lots of friends in the gardening world and will be sharing my experience.

Received 3 Foxglove plants purchased from this company total nearly £30 including postage they arrived in a tall box that was squashed and flattened the plants had all their stems broken and bent and the leaves crushed. Had to send photos and the reply was they are dry and some of the foliage is wilted they are alive and will perk up once they are planted. There is no phone number and although " you can always email the founder Chris Bonnetts office " but there is no email address. I told them to arrange a courier to collect the plants and a full refund to my card NO REPLY

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!
The plants I received bear no resemblance to the plants pictured and described on their website. I send them emails and attached pictures to compare them to what they advertised them to be (pictures and descriptions) - the description does not match what was supplied in the least! Website description: "Supplied growing in approx 1.5-2 litre containers, high quality, bushy and covered in buds and fragrant flowers in season." - What I received: they were not high quality - they were not bushy - they are not covered in buds - they were not covered in fragrant flowers - they are in season. They were young plants that may well eventually grow to be what was described and pictured but I did not want young plants and I did not buy them on this basis. They are not what they were described to be - this is misleading advertising. The response was they will eventually grow to be what the pictures showed - what a load of rubbish. Stay away from this company - they are a waste of money, time and are a SCAM!

This is the definition of a scam company. There is no way to contact them unless you 'create a ticket'. So you create a ticket and they just never reply, how convenient. I ordered 4 plants and 3 of them weren't as described on the website. They offer full refunds on the website but if they don't even reply to their 'tickets' how can i trust if i send the plants back i will get a refund?

It says on this site under their description to give them 15 working days to reply. Is that some sort of joke? Imagine buying plants from Homebase, taking them back and they tell you to wait 3 weeks for a response. This sums this company up perfectly.

Do yourself a favour and avoid this company, otherwise you will regret it.

Do not use this Company. They tell you everything is "special offer" which drags you in.
I received a completely dead Gunnera which is a big rhubarb type plant that lives in boggy pond places. It arrived after 16 days via Hermes in a completely dry state, crispy leaves and most of the bone dry soil in the bag. I complained via their stupid ticket method and was told that it was fine it was frost damage. I am still trying to get satisfaction from them. They are sharks DO NOT USE THEM

I ordered and waited a long time for a Photinia Pink Crispy, when it arrived it was the most pathetic example of a dying plant that you could imagine!
You cannot call them to complain, you have to send a silly message via the internet, I have now send 3 emails in a week without any reply.
My advise go to a reputable plant retailer, I have now read reviews on this company and they are mostly full of unhappy customers,
Nick Lawn. York

Ordered 50 lavender plants (stupid now, when I think of it) They arrived waterlogged, 30 of them rotted and covered in mould. They have been wrapped in black plastic so it was inevitable. Other companies manage to provide good transport for plants so these jokers either dont know how or dont care.
Customer care useless - took days to answer and here is their response
"Having reviewed the photographs you sent over of your Lavender plants I can confirm that (although they are dry and some of the foliage is wilted), they are alive and will perk up (once planted out and cared for as per instructions).

Live plants are always going to be a little thirsty on delivery after being transported in a carton for a couple of days but please rest assured that they are tougher than they look and will perk up within a few days of being planted out and watered well."
Utter nonsense.
AVOID AVOID AVOID!