DIGUSTING COMPANY - If something doesn't show, there is no recourse Note they have 2 profiles on here. (This one with 1* they haven't claimed (unsuprisingly!) The other profile with 3.5* they have claimed) So be careful. I'm writing this on both profiles. This is the 'live chat' (nb - it's not live chat, It says 'we'll get back to you' and then don't) message that I sent them on Friday after trying to contact them 4 times by email. Obviously still no response from them. DISGUSTING COMPANY. My order was placed more then 2 months ago! Online chat message to Gardening Express : Order number 700752204 You're not even available in the middle of the day on live chat ??? I've sent 4 emails through your contact us form in the last 2 months. I had 1 reply to the first email and nothing since. Order still not arrived. Easiest just to copy and paste my last message here: This is my FIFTH message. I understand you're an online only company but you have had my money since 21.05. That is now nearly 2 months ago. I should be able to phone you, as out of all my messages, I have only received one response. That was on 27.06 which in itself was over 1 month after my order. All that message said was 'I can see it's been dispatched so it should reach you soon'. I still don't have it. The fact that I have no one to speak to about sorting this out is ridiculous. It wouldn't be so bad if I was getting proactive responses to my messages. All this in my personal time as I'm extremely busy with my own work. I know it's only £12.95, but it's the principal. Yodel has clearly lost this parcel. Please look at the tracking link. I want those 2 bags of compost asap please. read more

Warning: look beyond the positive reviews and see if you want to become one of the many out of pocket sufferers....this company is off the scale bad. Veg plants arrived late, completely missing the growing season - and quite dead. I sent them a photograph, and after many weeks (during which the plants had understandably been composted) they said I needed to take a whole catalogue of pictures before a refund was possible....a tactic which was clearly employed to avoid a refund. No further response despite many emails. Gardening Express are in free fall and probably going under if Radio 4 consumer programme is to be believed - and there's nothing 'Express' about them read more

Absolutely crap Placed a large order of plants from this company as have bought live plants online before from other retailers and had no issues. Firstly, it was delayed which was disappointing. Then when it arrived almost all of the plants are damaged. The packaging is not adequate enough at all. It's the cheapest cardboard which was squashed and misshapen so no wonder the plants were damaged. The method of packaging was inadequate, the plants are just wrapped in plastic bags and wedged on top of each other so again no wonder there was damage. Nothing like the packaging I've seen from other online plant retailers. I contacted support for a refund, listing the issues and attaching pictures and the first response I received was quite rude, not apologetic, just a demand for a specific set of pictures. Now not heard anything for over a week. So I have a set of damaged plants, I don't know what I'm doing with and i'm out of pocket. read more

Absolute Crooks. Delivered a dead Clematis which had been stuck in packaging for a week. Request for refund ignored by non-existent customer services. Issued small claims court claim which CEO accepted as being their fault and agreed to pay cost of clematis and court fee. After a month, no payment and owing to time delay court claim closed. So, £52 for a dead clematis which ended up in our green bin . Ordered another, as I usually do, from J Parkers and no issues whatsoever. There is coverage of the dodgy dealings of Gardening Express on BBC Watchdog along with other reputable sources. Gardening Express even posted on their Facebook page that they weren't "scammers". They're not scammers, they are absolute crooks and thieves who have no regard for their customers or the law. The Owner of Gardening Express, Christopher Bonnet, is, in my experience and opinion, low life scum profiting from daylight robbery from ordinary hardworking people along the same lines as John Palmer, Asil Nadir, Bernie Madoff, Elizabeth Holmes, Kenneth Lay and Robert Maxwell. read more

Ordered £127 worth of plants for my new build home on the 26th of may and am still awaiting a refund since I wasn't willing to wait any longer as it's now the 10th of June and I go on holiday soon. I'm absolutely gutted and I can't get my money back. I'm going to try get my bank involved read more

Echinacea root plats arrived as just roots , one was missing, two looked dead and two were only just alive. All failed to grow. After initial complaint I was asked to send a photo (below) which I did. In spite of numerous follow up emails through their web site I have not had a response. This must be one of the worst examples of a total failure of customer service. I will never again buy from this company. My last communication gave them a week to respond with a deadline of August 19th 2023. Today is 23rd August and still no response - just how rude can a company get in treating its customers with such contempt? I will now pursue through the small claims court - that should get their attention ! read more

Gardening Express - This is what arrived after bare roots were planted - Nothing survived and one was missing - Gardeners Near Me - Chelmsford, ESS

Pity I couldn't mark lower than 1 star, received 2 Japanese Maples and 1 had the main stem completely snapped off, nothing in the packaging and the break was dry and brown so obviously had been picked and packed in that condition. No response after 4 contacts to report issue, referring to my CC provider now for refund, do not use this company read more

I wish I had read these reviews before I ordered from Gardening Express. I bought a honeysuckle, a clematis and 2 different Heucherella from them. Only the clematis looked reasonable. The honeysuckle had almost all of its branches broken. even the main stem having been bent back so for had split. The Heucherella looked absolutely nothing like what was advertised. The accompanying photos show what was advertised and what was received of on of them. looks like they are only fit to be binned. read more

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Absolutely terrible. expensive. late delivery, plants in terrible condition. Four; in hindsight grossly expensive lavender plants - woody and bone dry, nine flowers between the four plants. being lavender they should survive but would never buy from this company again! read more

Gardening Express - Gardeners Near Me - Chelmsford, ESS

OMG, Spend your money elsewhere. Not even worth 1 star. Delivery came a month late after chasing it up. Plants arrived in a battered box . No soil around the roots. and a small plastic bag of soil in the bottom of the box . Also no phone number to complain . Let's see if they give me a refund or I will be going to an ombudsman to complain . read more

Just a warning not to buy from Gardening Express. I bought 5 Cafe Au Lait Dahlia tubers in the autumn. They didn't look great at the time I bought them and I probably should have complained then. I'm a fairly experienced gardener and know how to look after tubers over winter - all carefully stored in sawdust. Not a single one sprouted (while all the rest of my dahlias sprouted fine) I wrote to GE and they said "We are unable to cover these as they require additional protection during the colder months to enable them to thrive." All that money down the drain read more

Terrible customer service as do not reply. I bought two tulip trees and one seems to be growing fine but the second one is not doing anything. I have sent messages to gardening express over two weeks period but yet to receive a response. Order #601588752 Waheed Syed read more

Gardening Express - Gardeners Near Me - Chelmsford, ESS

Bought some plants not as described a lot smaller than advertised. only half of them delivered. Contacted them a few times. They stated the rest would arrived a few days ago. Nothing turned up now ignorong my emails. I will never use again and have contacted my card provider to return the payment. read more

This company is a disgrace, bought pink kisses and eventually got a delivery of cucumber plants, no delivery note just nothing in the box have emailed them to no avail. This is a no star company. I am a pensioner who has spent nearly £50 on something I did not want. I cannot afford to loose this large amount of money so will definitely go to the Ombudsman. James Watt read more

not good poor quality plants dead damged dried out fit fir compost bin tried to contact ther automated custmer servises but a waist of time I just want a refund fir the treble plants I got don't bye from hear ther plants are rubbish read more

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. read more

Rubbish services!I have bought 10 roses and just one is good rest dried,and no one answered at all! read more

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I ordered Amaryllis Apple Blossom bulb i received the order the bulb was all rotten on one side all wet and squishy i paid £9-97 +pp i have tried to get in touch sent pictures but no answer someone is making big money out of us if i could give 0 rating i would read more

Gardening Express - This is my Amaryllis i received all rotten on one side wet and squishy - Gardeners Near Me - Chelmsford, ESS

I bought 48 "mini plants" - they were not mini, some arrived dead, some had come out of pots, pots were crushed, some are on their last legs. Disappointing and no solution offered by supplier. Due to online selling regs I would expect a refund but they want me to photograph all the plants first - I don't even have the dead ones now! read more

Awful Plants arrived in a disgusting state. They do not cover returns postage. Rude customer service. Avoid read more

this site is a scam, ordered just under a £100 worth of plants 25 days ago, ive emailed three times and am yet to get anything helpful back from customer service. after reading other online reviews this site is scamming people read more

I received my plants 2 days ago and am appalled £111 wasted broken hydrangea incredible with 4 foot long storks not even caned or tied so all broken plant pots all broken where it was packaged so tight dead plants and well the rest are tiny the whole lot is so small it fits on a small square patio table complaned straight away and no reply amazing how these bad reviews never get on their site hmmm AVOID TOTAL RIP OFF COMPANY read more

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3 out of 4 roses dead. Refused to refund. Would not use again, would not recommend. Avoid at all costs.

If it was possible to leave zero I would. Gardening express advertised a lush healthy 'giant' sized date palm that stands a bit over 5ft. It was short and definitely not giant looking. The tips of the majority of leaves are brown and the overall colour quite pale. The soil was extremely dry and the plant looks generally unhealthy. I should have taken heed of the fact that they are not contactable by phone (very suspicious). Will definitely NEVER use this 'company' again. read more

Ordered a paradise plant for my friends birthday. Despite multiple "quality assurances" policies nonsense on the website it came complately broken and with the leaves misshaped. Which is no wonder as they used Yodel as courier service which is worse of the worse... Was gutted as had to go to one of my good friends birthday empty handed. Not end of the world but tried to reach out to them three times now over email, contact form and chat and without success which is upsetting to say the least. Avoid at all cost. read more

I would give a ZERO rating but you can't!! Just received my Christmas tree after the advertisement told me it was a luxury freshly cut tree that would be perfectly shaped and better than anything I could find quality wise in any typical garden centre. Received a day late after waiting in for it and missing a day at work for it to be the worse tree I have ever seen. The same tree was selling for £25 in my local lidl I paid £79 absolute robbery I've lost a days work , and have two very upset children and I am fizzing!! Can't call - online chat robot is useless and no email address to send my complaint. DO NOT BUY ! ! ! read more

I am very disappointed with gardening express..I've used them before a few years ago ..my orders didn't arrive tried to call on number found online it was completely useless...I emailed them over seven times no response so I went to my bank to complaint...I must be stupid or forgot gardening express was completely useless company..I went on to place a few overs over £145.. It arrived but half of the plants were dead before reaching me the rest looks like it wasn't planted in the pot but rather the plant pot was filled with soil and what gardening express did was to put the plants on the top of the soil so obviously it was dead ..I tried contacting gardening express via email address giving still haven't heard from them after receiving my orders almost weeks ago...I will give them another chance to get back to me before I take any action against gardening express. I will advise all who are wanting to purchase from gardening express to not buy from them go elsewhere youre better of with other companies who can response to your queries either via telephone number emailed or text. I will let you know if I've any joy from gardening express.. USELESS COMPANY..VERY DISAPPOINTED. read more

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Would have given no stars if an option! Tree arrived with branches all broken at the top. After spending nearly an hour on message service, their only way of communicating, and providing photos of damage, got absolutely no where. The tree would have to be returned at my own cost. Avoid this company at all costs! Date of experience: 04 April 2023 read more

I can only reiterate what others havr said. I placed 2 orders with this company and everything died. I am not a novice gardener. I tried contacting the company and was met with a robotic wall of purposeful incompetence and confusion in order to get rid of me. Do not deal with these cowboys. read more

DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY! Plants arrived dead. No response to any emails. Very very poor.

After a little mix up with the delivery my plants all arrived safe and healthy. Absolute bargain at £1 a plant. Compost is of a much superior quality than any bought at the garden centre. read more

Possibly the worst customer service ever Gardening Express is possibly the worst customer experience in online shopping I've ever had. Where to start? Couriers blatantly not delivering, stating we weren't in (we're a shop and we are open when they said they tried to deliver) Order placed on the 25th of January, 2 plants delivered on the 5th of February, the rest missing. Raised a ticket on their website only for it to be closed the next day with no reply. Took to their Facebook page to try there to get help. Sent them a message on 23rd Feb and two days later get a reply to say they'll send the plants out. 10th March still no sign of my plants so I contact them again on Facebook. Standard automated response. Contact again 17th March, eventually get a response to say I should receive a refund in 5-7 days and hoping I'll use them again in the future. Really??? Nearly 3 months to get no plants! I believe this is their phone number if your stuck 01245 423951 read more

Raven zz plant arrived and looked okay but after a couple of weeks I noticed that the soil hadn't dried up at all, so I repotted it. When I did most of the roots had gone rotten, with a rotten rhizome too. I went to work sorting the roots out and reporting in fresh soil and got in touch with customer service who refused to do anything. Apparently because the two weeks had passed to return it, its rough. I've queried it but been told they recommend you repot the plants when they arrive (which plant parents know shouldn't be done) so they aren't going to do anything. Terrible customer service, avoid!! read more

Will never ever use them again...Still waiting for my delivery. They take your money and you hear nothing...says dispatch in 3 to 5 days...12 days on still waiting read more

My plant are awful brown and black spots on them waste of 44£ this company is disgusting as no phone number and no email answer looked them up on the address on their advert it does not excite read more

Ordered a few plants and majority were of good size and were healthy. One, however, was not fit for the bin. I complained with photographic evidence and was fobbed off with a story that basically it will grow when planted! Ridiculous read more

Only way to contact them is by their message system with real people or robots. I have a failed tree purchased in 2021 which replaced a previous one with broken graft. As supposed to be guaranteed 5yrs I have tried to claim. However like most 'cover' they wiggle out of it as you have to send the tree back for assessment at your own expense.(More expense than value so they know you wont) First they asked for photos which I provided showing NO leaves but plants around flourishing. They say all their plants are fully checked before selling!! When you could speak to a person by phone It was better but now disgusting service & I am left with a dead tree which was a birthday gift for my friend! I will no longer use a company I previously thought was good. read more

APPALLING!! **DO NOT BUY FROM THEM** Plants arrived damaged and in very poor condition - yellowing/leaves missing and branches snapped. I contacted them via facebook messenger (as directed on their facebook page) and no-one read or responded. No customer service email or phone number. Had to go round the houses via various links to 'speak' with someone - took ages to 'chat' it through via their slow messenger service. No apology or acknowledgement of the issue but criticism of how I had looked after the plants. Refund requested by me but a million hoops to jump through and plants must be returned before the will refund - they don't pay for postage and do not collect items. Little to no customer service or care for client base. JOKERS read more

Ordered several plants from this ridiculous company. Waited 18 days only to receive dead roots. Customer service is non existent. No way to get a refund unless I fork out to send the dead roots back.... DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY read more

I agree with other comments. Very disappointed with the lack of quality of some plants I purchased. I have 3 plants that look like dead twigs, showing no sign of life. I appreciate the very bad weather we have had this year but these plants should not be sold if they are in poor condition. I don't have time to sit around looking at dead twigs! There is no way I am going to plant something that is not viable. On line contact absolutely no help whatsoever! There should be a category for minus. read more