I suggest Beth Chatto order some large plants, as I have done, from Trehane Nursery (10/10), Tortworth Plants (9/10) or Farmyard Nursery (9/10) to see how heavy or awkward plants can be successfully posted knowing they will inevitably be tumbled in the hands of couriers.
Had Beth Chatto responded, apologised and rectified immediately they would not have received this rightly deserved bad publicity. I recently ordered a set of vases from Sarah Raven. One of the vases had a manufacturing flaw so I emailed a photo. The apology came in a matter of hours, the replacement vase within two days. That is how Beth Chatto should have performed.
I agree too. It's also not about how good a company has been, or is now. It's how they respond to complaints and problems that matters. A reputable company [of any kind] should, and will, take appropriate action to protect their good name. A company that sends anything by mail/carrier etc, is only as good as the folk who do the work at the sharp end. There could very well be new employees, with insufficient training who are doing the packaging. Anyone who receives poorly packaged items needs to make that company aware. How else can they sort it if no one lets them know?
Well that was the most expensive one @Fairygirl, to be fair they sell a single Purple Sensation in a pot for a bargain £6.50, as opposed to an outrageous 55p each for a bulb from Peter Nyssen 😆
I think poor @Tanty2 is ignoring her own thread due to earlier comments, but I hope you are reading the more supportive ones now and let us know how they respond Tanty.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
We live in a world where everything has to be proven with a photo. This I completely understand but I don't have a phone that takes photos, if someone sends an emoji I just get a blank box So my immediate thought is need to ask OH. Sometimes it isn't worth it. Posting photos on this forum is another story!
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Hello Nollie, hello Fairygirl The sun is shining here today so I decided I'd rather be in the garden not just doing triage for the sad and sorry new arrivals, but also planting some gorgeous thriving shrubs and perennials I picked up at my totally excellent local indie garden centre yesterday. I'll reserve comment on BC till I see how they respond...
I don't have one either @GardenerSuze [phone] but I do have a camera. Not everyone has one of those nowadays either though! I think it's difficult buying anything at this time of year if it's a bulb. They're never going to be easy to transport. Dreadfully expensive, but I'm too much a a tight a*se to even consider that!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
As one who has visited Beth Chatto's on several occasions (it's only an hour by car) and has chatted with various members of staff, I can tell you that it is a decent, company with hard working and more-than-averagely helpful and knowledgable employees. They usually supply plants of excellent quality (size and health wise) - although they are definitely on the more expensive side.
I think the company would be genuinely interested to know that the way these plants were packaged was quite poor. As others have said, this may be a new member of staff who needs some extra training or somebody rushing to complete lots of orders. One thing is for sure they almost certainly don't know there's a problem because that is not to their general standards of working (unlike some companies).
They need to be politely told of the issues and given a chance to rectify the situation.
BTW - I had 2 plants delivered from BC's yesterday. They were asters and good, healthy plants. No problems at all other than a few spilled bark chippings.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
@Tanty2 My point is just that it must have been done in transport, it can’t (and honestly won’t) have been handled carefully by the courier, even if they haven’t turned the box upside down it can still damage the plants. I am surprised they sent alliums in flower and they should have packaged so the pots couldn’t move around. Having said that I’ve had orders that were carefully packaged inside those green plastic cases that couldn’t move and still had soil and plants come out of the pot.
If they’d responded to your complaint and fobbed you off (which I don’t believe they have done yet) and you complained on a public forum then fair enough, but I don’t think it’s fair to complain before they’ve had an opportunity to resolve it. That’s likely why people have responded saying well I had a good experience.
I still believe this is an unfair attack, on imo and many others a very good company. No one has blamed the poster for her problems, but BC have not been given time to respond to any complaint. I will continue to use this company.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
Posts
I suggest Beth Chatto order some large plants, as I have done, from Trehane Nursery (10/10), Tortworth Plants (9/10) or Farmyard Nursery (9/10) to see how heavy or awkward plants can be successfully posted knowing they will inevitably be tumbled in the hands of couriers.
Had Beth Chatto responded, apologised and rectified immediately they would not have received this rightly deserved bad publicity. I recently ordered a set of vases from Sarah Raven. One of the vases had a manufacturing flaw so I emailed a photo. The apology came in a matter of hours, the replacement vase within two days. That is how Beth Chatto should have performed.
A company that sends anything by mail/carrier etc, is only as good as the folk who do the work at the sharp end. There could very well be new employees, with insufficient training who are doing the packaging.
Anyone who receives poorly packaged items needs to make that company aware. How else can they sort it if no one lets them know?
That's a horrific price @Nollie
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think poor @Tanty2 is ignoring her own thread due to earlier comments, but I hope you are reading the more supportive ones now and let us know how they respond Tanty.
Posting photos on this forum is another story!
I think it's difficult buying anything at this time of year if it's a bulb. They're never going to be easy to transport. Dreadfully expensive, but I'm too much a a tight a*se to even consider that!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think the company would be genuinely interested to know that the way these plants were packaged was quite poor. As others have said, this may be a new member of staff who needs some extra training or somebody rushing to complete lots of orders. One thing is for sure they almost certainly don't know there's a problem because that is not to their general standards of working (unlike some companies).
They need to be politely told of the issues and given a chance to rectify the situation.
BTW - I had 2 plants delivered from BC's yesterday. They were asters and good, healthy plants. No problems at all other than a few spilled bark chippings.
If they’d responded to your complaint and fobbed you off (which I don’t believe they have done yet) and you complained on a public forum then fair enough, but I don’t think it’s fair to complain before they’ve had an opportunity to resolve it. That’s likely why people have responded saying well I had a good experience.
No one has blamed the poster for her problems, but BC have not been given time to respond to any complaint.
I will continue to use this company.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border