Rather unfair to accuse the programme for lack of due diligence. They present plants they never suggest where to buy them from, as a responsible buyer you have to do that bit of research on your own. There are lots of good companies that sell quality plants and have good customer services infrastructure. You got your refund...time to move along. It's a waste of time moaning about it, easy enough not to shop with them ever again.
After chasing up 10 hellebores ordered in February, (2019)supposed to be despatched end of May, I received an email telling me I was getting a refund instead. No apology, nothing. It was part of a larger order where I had to chase each individual item because all were late. I’m really pee’d off because I’ve lost a season in my grand design and feel messed about. They’ve stolen my time by not meeting their obligations.
I sent them a letter of complaint that no doubt has zilcho chance of getting any where but at least it made me feel better.
They’ve lost a customer and you’ll stay away if you’ve got any sense.
I completely agree that it would be unfair to accuse Gardeners' World of a lack of due diligence when presenting plants, and I was certainly not attempting to do that, amancalledgeorge. It's not their problem if viewers have problems obtaining healthy plants. I'm quite aware that the intention of Gardeners' World is merely to present the Chelsea Flower Show and give viewers an insight into which new plants have impressed the judges and the crowds. I merely wondered if they were aware that Agapanthus Fireworks was only available from T&M and other BGP Ltd online websites, and of the negative experiences forum members have experienced when ordering from them.
Gardeners' World is a very popular entertaining and informative TV programme which reaches out to millions. What it has chosen to present has always helped to shape gardening trends over the decades and for the most part it has been a positive and powerful force. In many ways Gardeners' World is like a shop window for Joe Public, so endorsing a new variety of plant on the programme is akin to a free advertisement for the supplier.
Let's just say that's it's unfortunate that an unreliable company like T&M have profited due to Agapanthus Fireworks being presented and eulogised on the BBC's coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show, and even more unfortunate for myself and the many others who have been disappointed after ordering it from T&M's and it's sister websites.
I ordered some T&M plug plants last year and had a horrible experience.. so never again. Completely woefull shipping info, no due dates, one lot of perennial plug plants arrived with half the plants dead. Others were turning up randomly with no warning. Some were even posted over bank holidays so they had days without water.
i complained and was told I would be sent out a new batch. After a couple of months I contacted them again and was told they were all sold out so would refund me instead.
now I buy specific plug plants off eBay... i would expect it to be more hit and miss with quality but haven’t had a problem yet. they are usually shipped by nurseries and you know when they are coming if they give a dispatch date and I always order ones ready for shipping.
Just a footnote to my earlier comment which may be of help to anyone who may be thinking of buying Agapanthus, Tulbaghia or Clivia by mail order. I managed to find an excellent nursery in South Yorkshire called Hoyland Plant Centre. They hold the National Collection of these particular plants. Their website comes under the name of somethingforthegarden and I have just received delivery of my first order which only took 3 days to arrive. I received a very healthy looking and robust young Agapanthus 'Fireworks' plant in a 9cm pot, wrapped in bubble wrap. It arrived within 3 days of ordering, and was delivered by courier in a well packaged cardboard box. They also included a helpful information sheet on growing Agapanthus and I have since discovered that the Agapanthus 'Fireworks' that was awarded 3rd best plant of 2019 at the Chelsea Flower Show and was featured in the BBC's TV coverage (which is where I saw it for the first time), was included on the show stand of this very plant centre.
I am so gutted. I ordered three things from T and M back in May. This was my first order with them, and our family only moved into this house with a garden over the winter.
They cancelled one item (strawberry plants) without informing me, send the first lot of plugs late (1/3 only of which thrived) and today, after more delays, I finally got my clematis "jumbo plugs."
Can you imagine anyone buying these in a garden centre or, indeed, anywhere? Brown leaves, bone dry soil...
Posts
I sent them a letter of complaint that no doubt has zilcho chance of getting any where but at least it made me feel better.
They’ve lost a customer and you’ll stay away if you’ve got any sense.
I'm quite aware that the intention of Gardeners' World is merely to present the Chelsea Flower Show and give viewers an insight into which new plants have impressed the judges and the crowds.
I merely wondered if they were aware that Agapanthus Fireworks was only available from T&M and other BGP Ltd online websites, and of the negative experiences forum members have experienced when ordering from them.
Gardeners' World is a very popular entertaining and informative TV programme which reaches out to millions. What it has chosen to present has always helped to shape gardening trends over the decades and for the most part it has been a positive and powerful force.
In many ways Gardeners' World is like a shop window for Joe Public, so endorsing a new variety of plant on the programme is akin to a free advertisement for the supplier.
Let's just say that's it's unfortunate that an unreliable company like T&M have profited due to Agapanthus Fireworks being presented and eulogised on the BBC's coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show, and even more unfortunate for myself and the many others who have been disappointed after ordering it from T&M's and it's sister websites.
Completely woefull shipping info, no due dates, one lot of perennial plug plants arrived with half the plants dead. Others were turning up randomly with no warning. Some were even posted over bank holidays so they had days without water.
i complained and was told I would be sent out a new batch. After a couple of months I contacted them again and was told they were all sold out so would refund me instead.
now I buy specific plug plants off eBay... i would expect it to be more hit and miss with quality but haven’t had a problem yet. they are usually shipped by nurseries and you know when they are coming if they give a dispatch date and I always order ones ready for shipping.
I managed to find an excellent nursery in South Yorkshire called Hoyland Plant Centre. They hold the National Collection of these particular plants.
Their website comes under the name of somethingforthegarden and I have just received delivery of my first order which only took 3 days to arrive.
I received a very healthy looking and robust young Agapanthus 'Fireworks' plant in a 9cm pot, wrapped in bubble wrap. It arrived within 3 days of ordering, and was delivered by courier in a well packaged cardboard box.
They also included a helpful information sheet on growing Agapanthus and I have since discovered that the Agapanthus 'Fireworks' that was awarded 3rd best plant of 2019 at the Chelsea Flower Show and was featured in the BBC's TV coverage (which is where I saw it for the first time), was included on the show stand of this very plant centre.
They cancelled one item (strawberry plants) without informing me, send the first lot of plugs late (1/3 only of which thrived) and today, after more delays, I finally got my clematis "jumbo plugs."
Can you imagine anyone buying these in a garden centre or, indeed, anywhere? Brown leaves, bone dry soil...
I am so disappointed.