Gardening Express - Overall Rating based on 93 reviews
Featured Reviews
Reviews (93)
No reviews yet!
Find companies you have experience with and write reviews about them! Your reviews contribute to a more transparent market and improve the reliability of companies.
Full order from gardening express very pleased
Absolutely gorgeous plants all delivered healthy good sizes and well packed and moist.
Ive bought many plants and trees from other companies but they very rarely arrived in such good condition and not mentioning the sizes are often way smaller. However gardening express really changed my mind about purchasing plants online, everything is beyond goodPlants and Trees
Do not be fooled by beautiful images.Express delivery a joke. Plants turn up late no more than dead deformed sticks. They take your money run.. No customer service , no answer to emails. Should not be allowed to trade.
Nandina domestica Twilight
I ordered two plants. One was great the other was not. Tried the online chat and was promised an email, which never happened. I emailed, got an apology and was offered either a refund or replacement. I chose a replacement and have heard no more for over a week. I have sent two further emails but have had no responses. I am really disappointed!
Plants
ABSOLUTE SCAM COMPANY. Do not use. Terrible service and no phone line. Took weeks for them to get back to me and then they said it was too late and would not provide a refund even though I contacted them within 2 days of delivery. Plants were not as described and were dead upon arrival. I have lost a considerable amount of money. Customer service is horrendous. Cheap shoddy plants arrived which were no more than a few pence but they charged £40.00.
ABSOLUTE SCAM.2 large Cyclamen house plants
These plants looked fabulous when they arrived, however within a week the leaves started to flop down the sides of the pots, then all the flower buds flopped, ... now the plant just has yellow ... brown dying leaves everywhere, the second plant I sent to my friend as a Xmas present, she is bitterly disappointed with the plant, as her plant has died the same as mine.
Gardening express is an absolute diabolical company, they will not refund or replace these dying plants, as they do not cover their 5 year quarantee.
I have wasted a lot of money with purchase ... postage,I WARN ANY POTENTIAL CustomerS, DO NOT BUY ANY PLANTS FROM THIS DISGRACEFUL DISGUSTING COMPANYplants
Anemone Hybrida Bressingham Glow Japanese Anemone and Anemone hupehensis Splendens Windflower
I expected these to be delivered in a similar condition to the Anemone hupehensis 'Red Riding Hood' Japanese Anemone Windflower, that is, 'in-season, strong, healthy, full of buds, flowers and shoots'. They weren't. They aren't.
These are short, stubby scrawny, almost lifeless plants with wilting foliage, no flowers, no buds, highly unlikely to have any flowers at all this year 2022!
'Autumn', Gardening Expresses' Quick Messaging System agent advised me 'This is a young specimen and will thrive once settled'.
If I wanted two 'young specimen' I'd have ordered two 'young specimen' and they wouldn't have cost me £29.96 but more like £4.99 each!
It is already mid-Summer heading into late-Summer with Autumn 'just around the corner'.
I've not spent £29.96 for Gardening Express to deliver me two 'young specimen' in 3-litre pots for me to grow myself, I've spent £29.96 to have premium quality 3-litre 'in-season' plants delivered full of buds and flowers!
Furthermore, the Plant Passport shows A ANEMONE, B BE-2.085.018.364 C week 13/16 2021!
And Gardening Express expects us to pay 'return postage'? Unbelievable!Plants
Disgusted. AVOID!!
I've bought from G. Express in the past, but I NEVER will again. I've spent over £111 on a batch of grasses that were described in the product marketing as "amazing evergreen...Strong well established plants supplied in approx. 3 litre containers." This was NOT the case. The grasses were meagre shoots, just visible above the soil level. When I complained, I was told that they were "as expected" and that I would have to pay to return them. The goods supplied did NOT match the description, nor the sample photo shown at the point of purchase. They were neither fit for their price point (£15.95 per plant) nor of a satisfactory quality. Shocking customer experience and the agents I dealt with had no respect for my rights as a consumer. Disappointed and disgusted to say the very least.Multi Stem Birch Tree
Oh dear oh dear Gardening Express very poor experience and service from you again and again again - I ordered a multi stem birch tree(not cheap at £300) well before Christmas that finally turned up on the 22/12 when it arrived it certainly wasn't a multi steam more a single stem tree with some low thin shoots off the side, having actually managed to use your chat service(the only time the purple bubble appeared to allow me to it hasn't appeared since btw) I get told the image on the website is an example only, the tree is as they expected it and if I'm not happy to return it to get a refund oh and as others have said at my own cost. Well it was Christmas so courier wasn't able to collect until 4th Jan(another long story as I bought a 48hr delivery service but they finally delivered it back to GE on the 10th Jan) which meant it was now outside 14 days - been trying to get in touch with GE since to confirm my refund and have a guess the chat bubble just does not appear at any time even within your published open hours for chat so I can't even contact you to discuss the situation. I can only hope for a miracle and you honour the promise and refund me proactively as I have heard nothing from you since you received the tree back???? Help please...
two trees for balcony and lavender in a pot
I am still waiting for delivery after almost a month!
Total spend 0ver £50 and I am now wondering if I'll ever see my plants and no way of asking for a refund as their email box is 'full' !!!
Totally exasperated with this company and equally with Hermes their delivery company who are also uncontactable as phone response is not 'live' and the robot doesn't accaept tracking number!!!
Disgrace. Don't touch this company.5 escallonia
Bad experience. Would have been reasonably happy as plants were healthy and reasonable size although overpriced. Main problem that spoiled the whole show was the packaging, 5 x 2L pots squeezed into a box to the point they were all buckled, wrapped in plastic all interbound with cellutape. With all the will in the world I couldnt unwrap them without doing damage. Why anyone would pack live plants like this is beyond me. Will stick to my local nursery in future. Took 20 days to deliver. I could live with that if website didn't claim 3-5 day dispatch, and if they were realistically packaged
Salix Flamingo x2 and Mexican orange, Sundance x2
Salix are thriving , both the Mexican orange are dying rapidy.
All £25.00 each - so £ 50.00 wasted.
Impossible to contact anyone - STEER CLEAR OF THIS COMPANY.Multiple Plants
Plant quality is appalling and took 17 days to deliver. Plants described as bushy were small and spindly. Others plants were half dead (in Gardening Express speak 'half alive'). Some plants were completely broken but after sending photos I was told that they were delivered alive and to lump it, in cleverly worded text: "I can confirm that your received plants are alive and once planted out and allowed to settle into their new environment, your plants will thrive.". If you're not satisfied, you'll be asked to return the plants within 14 days knowing full well that the cost of returning them more or less equates to the cost of the plant, so it's not worth the bother. Buy from this company at your peril. I will never buy from it again.
Trees and plants
ordered more than two weeks ago but no trace at all. even I dont know when will get delivery. At the same time ordered from other site. within one week got delivery.
Gardening Express is poorly maintained. never use this site.My order received today,pleased with the quality of the items, and on that basis I would recommend this company. One issue, the fact communication with G.E is difficult. business relies heavily on active communication . Delivery did miss a specific date, I repeat, based on the product quality it has my recommendation
Two standard roses and climber
What a dreadful company only delivered one rose out of three to start with spent hours on their chat line trying to find out where the other two were. Eventually arrived yesterday like two twigs with a few leaves on. Customer service is as bad as any company i have ever purchased from, no telephone or email contact. Wouldn’t touch this company with a barge pole in future
Campanula (50)
Poor Quality Plants, Non-Existent Customer Service & Worthless Guarantee
I find it illuminating that Gardening Express feels the need to bolster their reputation, and refute the very many ‘negative’ reviews offered here (and elsewhere) by customers dissatisfied with their plant quality and poor customer service.
In my experience, like that of many others who have taken the time to write of their experience, I found Gardening Express' offering best summed up as ‘Poor Quality Plants, Non-Existent Customer Service & Worthless Guarantee’.
To claim that their net promoter score suggests that mine and other reviews are motivated by anything other than customer dissatisfaction is revealing in itself.
Like others have said the plants I received today (only my second order with GE) arrived in
an extremely poor condition, diseased, dead (or dying). Described on their website as 'in bud or blooming' is flagrantly misleading and false.
The plants delivered can, in no way, be described as in bud and/or blooming.
Thy are simply dead, dying or possibly diseased.
To raise my concern via GE ‘chat’ function on their website resulted in a 20 minute wait and then as soon as I began ‘chatting and made clear my concerns’ the agent ended the chat… not just the once but twice.
My recommendation is twofold… firstly do not waste you time nor money with Gardening Express as their product is inferior and customer service is inadequate. Secondly, do let your gardening friends know about your poor experience. It is only through customer pressure (and dwindling revenues) that companies like Gardening Express can learn from their customers.
To justify the delays on Covid and blame the delays for the poor quality is unacceptable.
In summary: poor customer service, poor quality products and lack of accountability and responsibility… a worthless guarantee too!2 ‘beautiful lavender trees’
Items turned up half dead and with about 2 years of moss/algae on top. Described as ‘Pair of Beautiful French Lavender Trees’ - strange business plan, I assume they don’t expect repeat business. Would never use again
Cotinus Royal Purple
Dishonest, deceitful, a total con! Their guarantee is worthless, they do not take phonecalls, they do not answer emails, they ignore complaints. They shouldn't be allowed to trade or steal our money.
I ordered a shrub from Gardening Express in Feb 2021, described by them as 'established and bushy'. That was a lie. I got a twig 7" tall with 3 spindly 'branches'. I complained immediately and was told to give it time, it would thrive come spring. It did not thrive, it languished and slowly died. I sent many emails with photos but they ignore them. Their website now states that, for a refund or replacement, they need the dead plant returned, in its original pot(!), with the original label and proof of purchase and at my expense. That is ludicrous and just means the guarantee is useless. I am currently waiting on their chat facility, have been for 22 minutes and the only thing I see is "currently replying in under 2 hours"! My advice is clear: YOU SHOULD NEVER BUY FROM THIS COMPANY.Various plants
Avoid! Avoid! Plants arrive half dead and I'm told just to water them as there is "no evidence of detrimental damage." The lavender plants were rotting in their pots when they arrived and the bamboo plants are beyond help. Lost all their leaves and have broken stems that make them far smaller than they should have been (they are literally 20cms high). I have waited 4 weeks for these products. There was no notification that there would be any wait. I am kicking myself for not reading the independent reviews before giving them my cash.
There is nothing 'express' about this company. I wish I went to B&Q or Morrisons - they seem to be able to do a better job of keeping plants alive!Accidentally didnt change my response to 'NO' to the question would buy here again.
Absolutely no way in hell.Glam rock hydrangea
Arrived deheaded, unable to grow. Tried numerous times sending photos etc. No response.
Just wanted a replacement or refund.
Terrible service.Large aoyagi maple
An £80 maple that nobody in their right mind would have chosen. Straggly and small - basically worth maybe £25. Getting in touch via chat (the only way) is laughable and takes forever. They copied and pasted a variety of 'catch-all' terms and conditions and told me it was fine. I can send back for a refund but reading here I think I am better keeping it and hoping that I can do something with it over time. I may not get any money back if I try a return. Sharp practice and quite frankly sad to have collided with people who have no morals or scruples. Shocking! Avoid...
Review with most votes
Avoid!
Read on