Gardening ExpressReviews 594

They promised: "Just to let you know we have it safe in hand and it has been passed to our nursery team. They will carefully select the best plants available for you.".

The photo shows what I received - see the almost leafless plant on the left.

Their response "... our Nursery Manager I would like to assure you, your plants are as we would expect them to be. Please be assured these will continue to grow and thrive so please ensure that you follow the care instructions provided."

In a garden centre, you get to choose your own plant.

I have bought some flowers from them, really enthusiastic and they have sent me dead and dry plants and in broken pots. I have sent them pictures and they replied: "the plant is alive so Keep taking care of it and let us know if we can help with anything else"
For me this is really unprofessional... how can they sell dead plants with leaves that are withered in the first place!
Do not waste your money or time! All they sell is dead or dying flowers!

Bought a 6ft tree, turned up less then 4ft tall, top had been cut off to wedge in a box too small, tree had two buds on the whole thing, horrible pruning cuts over the thing doubtful it will survive. Bought a bonsai from them that arrived bone dry and died within 48 hours. They continue to ignore my request for a refund and expect me to pay for return postage on goods not as described. Will be filling a chargeback with my credit card company at the end of the week.
Do not bother with this company, second time I have been burnt by their late deliveries and terrible customer service.

Share your bad reviews of this shocking company through all methods of social media and get these cowboys shut down once and for all, this company continues to rip customers off with poor quality plants and the photos they advertise on their website should be classed as false advertising. Had the displeasure of receiving plants off this band of not merry men as they Rob from working class people and keep the money for themselves. Plants I received were half dead, no colour and didn't come close to the images they presented on their website. Trying to claim a refund, you have more change of getting six numbers up on the lottery.

Ordered palm trees, 'handsome heuchera collection', cordelinas and fatsia along with some bulbs. Palm trees are healthy but much much smaller than expected. Same for cordelinas. Bulbs are OK, can't tell the germination ratio just yet. But 'handsome' heucheras is just a joke. They have no chance to survive even with intensive therapy care! Just so tiny and scraggy plants! Fatsia supposed to be large bushy plant. But it's a bare trunk with couple leaves at the bottom and at the top, eaten away by insects!
Makes me think they are buying dying stock from gardening centres for pennies and sell them as good plants. Just an opinion, but think of it.
All in one - Rip off.
Feel myself stupid for trusting to buy from them before checking reviews thoroughly. Beware!

BUYER BEWARE...
BUYER BEWARE...

I ordered some palmS described as...

SPECIAL DEAL - Cordyline australis - GIANT EXTRA LARGE 4-5ft Specimen Palm...
Usually 139.99, today just 39.99 - Save £100!

What arrived were barely 4ft tall including the pots. With a trunk of less than 1 inch

I went to my local garden centre to see what I could get for £140 to find I could buy the same variety at least 7ft tall with a trunk of about 4ft.

When I complained they have every answer in the book hidden within there terms and conditions. One fond or leaf just about made it to 4ft and they allow a tolerance of 15% to cover themselves. These palms were no way originally £140... It's just a BIG CON...

Further more... I have to pay the delivery costs to return them...

DO NOT USE THIS RETAILER...

I would absolutely never use this company again. I bought two small trees. The online description states "Hardy Evergreen Photinia serratifolia PINK CRISPY Standard Topiary Tree" and that the tree will be "Supplied as super strong plants in approx 5 litre containers, with a 'lollipop' head of foliage diametre approx 40cms on top of a clear stem, with a total overall height of around 125-135cms." The photo I sent them of the trees cannot be described in any way as "topiary" or supplied as a "lollipop head." or with the measurements. I received three emails from the company after making several complaints and all of them just have a standard response saying the "Nursery manager" has reviewed photos and the trees are healthy. Honestly I wish I could upload the photos here they are diabolical. Two scraggy old trees that look anything but what they are described as. Company refusing to pay for product to be returned They are basically breaching the Consumer Standards Act 2015 but they don't seem to care all. Avoid!

I bought 4 Amaryllis bulbs, 2 in gift boxes for £2.97 each and 2 huge sized ones at £7.97 each. The picture of the huge amaryllis was very inviting however what was delivered was disappointing. The Huge amaryllis were actually smaller than the £2.97 ones. The response from the company Nursery Manager was "I would like to assure you, your bulbs are as we would expect them to be." So they obviously knew before hey sent them out that they would not be anything like the marketing picture. All requests for a refund have been ignored. Make your own choice.

Be aware that this site will let you order goods that are not actually available and has poor communication with customers. I chased after 2 weeks with no updates and was told my order was on its way; at 4 weeks only half of the order was delivered with a scrawled note that the rest was 'to follow'. 6 weeks after ordering - with no further communication - i am asking for a refund.
The small print advises that 'it may take longer out of season' to fulfil orders, but by the looks of it it's going to keep my order for six months until spring now'!

Ordered an Acer described as '50cm tall' and 'a sturdy young tree'. The height was true only because a spindly side shoot had been allowed to grow at the expense of all three main branches, which had been hacked right back. Attempted to email a complaint but their system refused to accept the email. Un-nerved by lack of customer service line and now, from reading other reviews, see why that was justified. This company should be investigated by Trading Standards. Our expensive lesson - buy what you can see in a proper nursery. If we'd seen the plant we got from Gardening Express in a garden centre, we'd have walked straight past it.

My experience is just like Tessa's below - awful plants delivered - see photo of Daphne - appalling quality. My advice - you have rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 - goods sold online must be satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, as described. If one of these test fails you have the right to return the items at the seller's cost. Standard delivery costs are what you are entitled to, but given we are talking live plants, standard should mean express. Demand they pay, otherwise go through the online dispute service (ODR).

I bought two Daphne plants (on sale) from Gardening Express which were described by them on their website as being "predominantly evergreen, lustrous and dark green to add structure and form to the garden through the year." What arrived a few days later, were two totally YELLOW leaved plants, with many leaves already shed and lying in the box. Since then further leaves have fallen off. There were no care instructions whatsoever in the box or indeed any paperwork at all. The only thing sharing the space with the Daphnes was a tied black plastic bag with a label reading "free gift gladioli". The bag contained between 150/200 shrivelled, mouldy, sweating corms of presumably, gladioli. I presume they were included to provide a wedge to stop the Daphnes falling over. When I complained to Gardening Express about the poor, totally unacceptable quality of these plants, I was informed repeatedly, I should send the plants back at my own non-refundable expense and they might refund me the cost of the plants. The cost of returning the plants will exceed what the plants cost in the first place so I will be out of pocket twice, if I return them. I have reported this to my bank who I am hopeful will get further than I have managed to do. I will NEVER buy from this company again. I am amazed they are able to trade in this way.
Here are photos of what I ordered and what I received judge for yourselves and be warned!

I received my two Fairy Blush Magnolia trees to find them in a very sickly condition with hard dark brown buds that should not have been there being August! I carefully re potted them but they appear to be dying non the less. Leaves are now covered in dark spots in brown areas, have holes and tears or turning yellow. Many leaves have dropped off. After research I believe them to have a fungal disease, leaf blight and frost damaged buds that have not flowered hence them still being there. Wish I'd read the reviews before ordering. An expensive learning curve!,