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Gardening Express has a rating of 1.1 stars from 589 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Gardening Express most frequently mention customer service, trading standards, and phone number problems. Gardening Express ranks 98th among Plants sites.
This company does not typically respond to reviews
I ordered12 plants - 6 of each of two different types. The one sort was a hard to find variety of Heuchera, being Georgia Plum. I was twice as delighted at seeing these, as not only are they hard to find, they were also on special offer at £4.99.
The plants turned up looking looking good and within a decent time frame, however, the Heuchera were most definitely NOT Georgia Plum - so totally useless to me as I wanted them to match in with my existing ones.
So I started on my quest to try to get a response from Gardening Express. My first email ticket, was immediately "solved" without response, but unfortunately I didn't notice this until I tried to chase it up 6 days later. I managed to open another "ticket" opened which was immediately also "solved".
I tried ringing a few times but always ended up listening to hold music being advised they were experiencing telephone problems (surprise, surprise!) and people were either being cut-off or not getting through - how very fortunate!
I have re-opened my first ticket, in the hope that may be more effective, but I suspect it will be to no avail. I just wished a read some of the terrible reviews before I bothered. That said, I do appear to be a little better off than some, who have never received anything for their money.
Date of experience: May 9, 2018
Do NOT get any plants from this company. That say all plants come in good quality that is an ABSOLUTE lie. 1. All my plants came in bad condition. 2. One plant was even dead 3. The stamps were snapped off.
As a response i got: that this can happen with delivery (which garden express is still reliable for), and they should be fine if i follow the guidelines of the website how to take of them. I didnt even get an option for a new plant or refund. My question is how can you make a dead plant you delivered alive again garden express?
SAVE YOUR MONEY AND DO NOT ORDER PLANTS HERE. COSTUMER SERVICE IS A JOKE AND THE PLANTS I RECEIVED ARE DEAD
Date of experience: June 20, 2018
I ordered some bedding plants on the 23rd of June, 2020. Then I saw the reviews of this company, I wish I had seen them before I ordered. I got canned emails saying due to Covid 19 I could expect further delays to those already stated on their website, so I asked to cancel the order. I did this by means of their website support ticketing system as this is the only means of contact offered. No phone number, no email and canned responses. That in itself should have rung alarm bells, so be warned!
To date, I still have no idea of when the plants are likely to be delivered, no information has been offered and I've had to raise a dispute with my credit card company. My bank has said they are looking at a 45 day turnaround on disputes so until then I am out of pocket.
I shop online a lot, I have to say this is the single worst shopping experience I've ever had. I feel ripped off. My recommendations would be as the title says, avoid, avoid, avoid!
I have to say, it looks to me like this company is playing on Covid 19! If they are so behind due to the crisis, then they should be stopping taking orders until such time as they can actually fulfil their existing orders. Basic business principles! They seem to be cashing in with a great little excuse for their shambolic and virtually non existent customer service.
Date of experience: July 15, 2020
There are thousands of 1 star reviews of this company.
Gardening Express can't be contacted and are ignoring customers complaints. They have made a huge amount of money during the Covid lockdown and continue taking orders they just cant keep up with.
People have been cheated by Christopher Bonnett the owner of Gardening Express.
The company can't be contacted because they have no telephone number and have closed all contact options including Email.
Customers can't cancel undelivered orders and will not receive a refund as Gardening Express will not communicate with them.
I have raised tickets on their hopeless system but these just get ignored and closed.
If you are considering buying anything from this company read the reviews before you decide.
The photo's I have posted are of an Acer I paid £30 for and was described as a beautiful rare Acer.
It had the main growing stem cut off leaving 2 side shoots sticking out at 45 degree angle and looked ridiculous.
Gardening Express say on their Website they are ready for the second Covid wave. I BET THEY ARE £££££££
Date of experience: September 21, 2020
5 weeks of waiting when the original timeline was 3-5 days - then extended to 2-4 weeks. When the timeline was extended i. E. delivery terms changed, I should have been offered a refund or to continue waiting. I wasn't offered this. No phone support exists, they switched off their chat support, and you can only raise a ticket, I did that and continued to ask for a refund for 5 weeks. Finally out of frustration I contacted my bank to do a refund based on non delivery. Then I mailed them again to say the money was being refunded. Lo and behold they then say my plants are on their way it's too late to cancel, well I won't take delivery, it wasn't too late to cancel 5 weeks ago when I first contacted them. If they dare to send their driver over to me they can just drive right back with my plants, they are probably dead anyway. My advice, contact your bank and get your money back and never go near this company again. I'm not sure it even exists anyway. They could have saved all this bad reputational damage (see other reviews sites too) just by offering a refund option. Silly, fools to themselves.
Date of experience: June 17, 2020
Dear Chris Bonnet,
I know you read these reviews frequently and as there is no other way to contact you as your company email is blocked, your chat messages are switched off, and there is no phone number or genuine address, I am trying to appeal to you via this public site; you leave me no choice.
I understand that you have probably worked very hard as an entrepreneur and you are ambitious and want to succeed' in the commercial world, and may have started off as a youth with bit of money from your parents and a love of gardens, and not much beyond that, and as a small business person myself without any formal education, I relate to that. It's hard, believe me I know.
BUT you have to get that customers come first. That's how you succeed. There is a difference between greed and ambition. If you make your first million and you have happy customers who will come back THAT is success, if you make 10 million and you've just ripped off thousands of decent people, that's really bad, you know. That's not success. Success is about providing a good service, to good decent people, who put their had earned money and trust in you. Some of the reviews out there are from people who had little money, living in flats with small balconies, on jobs that would be shortly lost, with partners who had lost their jobs in the lockdown. £60 may not be much to you to take from then, but 8 weeks into lockdown with no plants to cheer them up, and no refund, guess what, they could do with that money for food. But it's in your bank account. They can't afford food and you are in profit, big profit, 5 times the amount of usual orders in April I read. Well great for you. Not so great for the poor people whose money you took and didn't deliver?
So I urge you, Chris, don't treat these customers like dirt. They are not just names on credit cards. It's terrible business to promise something (3-5 days delivery) and deliver something else (2-3 months delivery) and even worse if you don't offer a refund after you have changed those delivery terms. Any decent businessperson would have offered a choice at the point of change, a refund or stick with it, some people would have stuck with it. If you had offered that believe me you would have earned more customers' loyalty than doing what you did and bedding in ignoring people, switching off the phones, email and chat, and sending out a much as possible very late, in whatever crap condition, ignoring appeals for refunds. You know what causes 99% of the world's problems, it's lack of communication it's all about communication, if you can crack that then you'll be a winner. You have failed. Sending cut and pasted auto emails does NOT count as communication, only an ill-educated schoolboy would think that was acceptable.
So, Chris, can I suggest several things to save your company
1. You automatically give refunds to anybody who had waited more than 30 days for delivery (the legal limit to claim refunds on non-delivery)
2. Offer a public GENUINE apology on as many fora as possible including review sites such as these.
3. If WatchDog offer you a chance to appear, as I feel is bound to happen, you publicly apologise and explain about the refunds being given to anybody who wants one.
4. You invest some of your profits on business training for yourself, with a particular emphasis on customer service, so you can improve your company in future, if it survives, and have well trained staff.
5. You stop judging success by how much money you make and how many bedrooms your house has, and maybe consider that success may be about how many customers you make happy.
Date of experience: June 14, 2020
They are stealing people's money.
They make no contact and don't delivery plants.
Please don't place your order with them, they are a company to avoid.
Date of experience: May 17, 2020
Gardening Express sent me a wrong plant which was genetically modified and not the variant that I had ordered. In addition, 2 out of 3 branches were broken when the plant arrived at my door - after 2,5 months of waiting time. When I sent them pictures of the damage, asking for an exchange, they told me they couldn't see any issue or damage on the pictures, instead they congratulated me to the plants that I received wishing me pleasure and joy with my purchase which is distastingly completely ignoring that I'd sent a clear complaint requesting exchange or refund and referring to the fact that they would otherwise act unlawfully. Seeing other reviews from other customers it is very clear to me they trick people fully consciously and they do this on a large scale which brings this close to fraud. I would say from what I experienced that they sell wrotten or damaged plants to online customers hoping they get away with it as the customer does only realise the plants are damaged or wrong after they've paid. A company like Gardening Express should be forced to close their business operations - they are truly unethical. Don't use them, stay far far far away from them.
Date of experience: August 5, 2020
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...
Date of experience: January 22, 2019
Ordered Daphne Bholva on 20 January 2018. Company debited £19.94 from my account Still not received Order. Very very unhappy customer! First & last time I shall order from this Company!
Date of experience: February 28, 2018
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.
Tip for consumers:
go to a garden centre and choose healthy plants
Products used:
There were no refunds unless you send the trees back yourself - impossible as they 5ft tall each
Date of experience: September 6, 2019
SUCH A TERRIBLE COMPANY. AVOID!
Ordered my plants nearly 2 weeks ago and they haven't even processed my order! Given the delays, I asked to cancel my order, but then they said it had been processed so couldn't be cancelled, but then when I ask where my plants are they said it hadn't been processed. I have dealt with 3 different customer support staff and they all copied and pasted the same message.
I have now given up and accepted that I have lost £100 that I paid to Gardening Express. They have no intention of sending my plants or giving me a refund. Instead, I ordered some plants from Amazon for the same price and they were great, arrived in a couple of days and really good quality.
SAVE YOURSELF THE TROUBLE.
Date of experience: July 2, 2019
I have just taken delivery of my order. 2 of the 3 plants and dead, and the other is so small, the web sight is very misleading. I have 2 other orders with them with I hope to cancel. I
Date of experience: May 23, 2018
12.12.23
After over 2 wks of wait the order has finally arrived witH more than a half missing. Dispatch email does not mention that something would be missing neither I've been contacted to be informed of this. Plants are not in a rip top condition at all. Leaves are falling and they won't survive till even Christmas. I wish I never found this place. It has caused nothing but headaches and im not even seeing the end of it as now I have to chase either missing items or my money since I paid for it. I would have never paid £6.99 delivery if I knew I will receive only £1x4 plants which I can get in any supermarket for the same price. Most important items on the order were the ones they never sent. I do not believe for a second in the only one having issues with these horrible people and I'm certain all reviews are fake left by employees. If I could give minus 10 stars I would. I'm going to report GE to trading standards.
Ps. I'm sure any positive reviews are fake. It's interesting that 5* suddenly started to pop up once I left 1star. Fake fake. Will report to TP
And I didn't order house plants I ordered plants for Christmas which obviously won't arrive for the house decoration. Again full blown ignorance to emails. Nothing is in junk stop your lies. I hope everyone reads reviews before proceeding giving up their money for you a compete waste of space business. Disgusting
Update: 7th of December and still no news of items being dispatched. This is something unheard off.
A week and I heard nothing from this company about where is my order, when it will be shipped etc. it's a pure scam.
Have to contact bank to get my money back now. Nobody responds to emails either. Should have read reviews first
Date of experience: December 12, 2023
Dreadful. Do not respond to communication. Ignore attempts to ancel after 30 days and deliver another month later without notification.
Do not use they are awful
Date of experience: June 6, 2020
The plant I ordered which was in stock took 3 weeks to arrive. Customer service appalling. Packaging and pot arrived smashed.
Do not use. Would have given a 0 rating had there been one!
Date of experience: February 27, 2017
I ordered 3 x cordyline australis extra large special offer which was originally £129 each special deal at only £49 each on the 8th July really pleased with my bargain purchase and was so excited, until I spent that evening reading the reviews on the company, my heart sank felt like crying. Today 12th they were delivered and i didn't wanted to even open the boxes, well how more wrong can I have been they look fantastic I really wish I could add photos of them just to show you all how good they are, I've worked in retail all my life and people are always quick to complain but very rarely say well done, so I am going to be one of those very few people to say THANK YOU gardening express you have exceeded my expectations
Mrs Metcalfe
Date of experience: August 12, 2017
I am so annoyed with myself for not being more vigilant and checking reviews more efficiently before ordering.
To say the quality of the service and plants is poor would be an understatement. My order took 3 weeks to arrive and although very bad I waited quite patiently chasing a few times. I was absolutely astounded when my order eventually arrived, I just couldn't believe they had the audacity to send them out. I ordered 2 yucca plants that they stated on the website were Beautiful and Green all year round - they were not green and certainly not beautiful, the other plants I ordered were a 3rd of the size depicted and just not worth half what I had paid. I tried to complain immediately but I couldn't get an answer on the phone so had to email which took at least 3 days to reply every time. The responses just seemed to be plucked from a standard reply list. They kept telling me that the plants would grow and all would be good but why should I pay good money for half dead and small plants - they really weren't interested in resolving the issue. They eventually offered to refund 1 plant out of 5 and this was meant to satisfy the rest of the plants being not as advertised. Despite them having sent out poor quality items the only resolution they gave was for me to have to pay to send them back paying the costs. They weren't small plants so not a cheap option. Be warned, Express they are not and plants would be a stretch to the description so if you have any idea of buying please be ready for a long wait and disappointment when your order eventually does arrive.
Date of experience: March 12, 2018
Not happy, Have reportd this company to trading standards and facebook and google. Cannot get any response by phone or email, ignores facebook messages also. Reporting this company
Date of experience: May 4, 2018
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!
Date of experience: June 12, 2019
Ordered a Hydrangea. The courier listed the plant as delivered to a neighbour. Couldn't locate the plant.
The customer service was excellent and sent out a replacement.
Date of experience: May 13, 2021
Take you money and send dead or dying plants out... months late.
They're blaming covid for everything which is ies.
They are pathetic. No moral no respect no decency.
Avoid avoid avoi
Date of experience: July 17, 2020
Received 2 dead photinia trees yesterday. The complaints procedure is a con that takes you in circles, with no end. Has anyone got any solutions to get refunds?
Date of experience: April 23, 2019
Moral of the story...? They couldn't get through to their customer service either. You are better off paying that extra pound and buying from a reputable store.
Date of experience: July 18, 2018
I ordered Unusual Tulip tree and 3 firework grasses £39 99 with postage, received bag of crocus and 4 small clematis plants, how can that be right?
Date of experience: September 28, 2018
Sent photos, emailed them literally for 6 months - they close all the tickets and refuse to refund or replace. Will never buy from them again
Date of experience: September 8, 2020
Gardening centre for garden plants and flowers. The UK's No. 1 Online Specialist in the UK with Hardy plants guaranteed 5yrs
