Hi @SandraA This thread has been read by over 2k people you have got the word out to so many people and I am sure they wiil advise their gardening friends. There will be many gardeners who will thankyou but only a small comfort I realise. This has been going on for years looking at old posts. I will try with the help of others to keep this thread going so that as many people can see it as possible. For anyone who is reading this and purchased from Gardening express if you can please post here Thankyou.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Years ago I bought some hellebores from Gardening Express which were on offer, only one flowered and the next year none of them came up. I have had some OK plants from them but I wouldn't take the risk these days. This past year, I bought most of my plants from Sarah Raven. Not the cheapest of websites but they frequently have offers on, you'll often get codes for discounts when they send out your order and the catalogue usually has an offer code as well. Also worth googling (other search engines are available) for discount codes. The only problem I've had was that some plants were damaged in transit (thanks Yodel) and when I contacted them they sent some more out, didn't even have to send a photo.
Crocus have been pretty consistent, the only problem I've had was earlier this year and they sent out replacements straightaway.
@februarysgirl I ordered some Cosmos plugs on line to boost a new border last year. I realised afterwards I had ordered the wrong one's. A phone call to the team at Sarah Raven and it was corrected straight away no fuss.
I think it becomes more difficult shipping plants as the season progresses too.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I am pleased to see that this thread has recieved 2.6k views. There are however millions of gardeners. So the message only finds it's way to a few. If you are reading this for the first time please inform your gardening friends and ask them to pass on the message.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Thank you for posting this warning about Gardening Express, I have bought plants online but certainly wouldn’t use this company after your poor experience. I hope you get some resolution, all the best 🤞
Thank you for posting this warning about Gardening Express, I have bought plants online but certainly wouldn’t use this company after your poor experience. I hope you get some resolution, all the best 🤞
I have bought from other places, like Sutton, Sarah, etc. and never had a problem. I have made a HUGE mistake, because Garden Express sells plants where many times you pay in advance, waiting for them for several weeks. I was stupid because: a) I received rubbish and I thought that maybe they would improve b) bought several paying in advance, so got several in bad condition c) made complaints, took photos, sent emails, but bever spoke publicly about the bad quality, bad customer care and bad behaviour.
I was stupid, stupid, stupid, because I blamed Royal Mail, being a bad gardener, the weather.... but let Gardening Express out of the hook without proceeding to other channels.
@GardenerSuze I've bought cosmos from Sarah Raven a couple of times. Last year I bought Xanthos and this year, Apricot Lemonade.
The damaged plants were jumbo phlox seedlings dispatched at the beginning of May! The Yodel delivery guy claims the box was like that when it was put in the bag. I must have dreadful luck, regardless of the seller or item, my packages are often "like that when they were put in the bag". Oddly I don't seem to have the same problem with Evri or Royal Mail though.
@februarysgirl I purchased Echinacea pallida on line last year from Claire Austin. At the moment they are looking their best. Family member thinks they are scruffy like the vultures in Jungle Book! Just out of shot is Stipa Gold Fontane from Beth Chatto Nursery on line. I had been on a waiting list for this grass. It is only year two but it should be a taller form of Stipa gigantea. We will see.I think they both arrived Royal Mail.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Posts
There will be many gardeners who will thankyou but only a small comfort I realise. This has been going on for years looking at old posts.
I will try with the help of others to keep this thread going so that as many people can see it as possible.
For anyone who is reading this and purchased from Gardening express if you can please post here Thankyou.
Crocus have been pretty consistent, the only problem I've had was earlier this year and they sent out replacements straightaway.
I think it becomes more difficult shipping plants as the season progresses too.
a) I received rubbish and I thought that maybe they would improve
b) bought several paying in advance, so got several in bad condition
c) made complaints, took photos, sent emails, but bever spoke publicly about the bad quality, bad customer care and bad behaviour.
I was stupid, stupid, stupid, because I blamed Royal Mail, being a bad gardener, the weather.... but let Gardening Express out of the hook without proceeding to other channels.
The damaged plants were jumbo phlox seedlings dispatched at the beginning of May! The Yodel delivery guy claims the box was like that when it was put in the bag. I must have dreadful luck, regardless of the seller or item, my packages are often "like that when they were put in the bag". Oddly I don't seem to have the same problem with Evri or Royal Mail though.