Gardening Express Reviews

Name: Gardening Express
Address: Gardening Express, Chelmsford, Essex
Rating: 1.16

1.2 Rating 1,726 Reviews

3 %

of reviewers recommend Gardening Express

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

1.2

Based on 1,726 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Courier
Average Delivery Time	Over A Month
On-time Delivery	Greater than 16%
Accurate And Undamaged Orders	Greater than 31%
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Email, Live Chat, Telephone
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	1.1 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process	Difficult
Returns Process	Could Be Better

Phone:

08448 044 253

Location:

Gardening Express, Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 4UA

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Gardening Express 1 star review on 3rd June 2025

Anonymous

Gardening Express 1 star review on 2nd June 2025

Mrs P M Eynon

Gardening Express 1 star review on 24th May 2025

Mrs Jill CROSS

Gardening Express 1 star review on 6th April 2025

Anonymous

633

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Sort by: Most Recent Most Recent Highest Rated Filter: None None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“I rarely write reviews but felt obliged on this occasion. I have used Gardening Express twice. The first time the plants were dispatched during a very hot spell and took five days to reach me. Unsurprisingly they were almost dead. I was told that they would recover but after some correspondence was sent replacements. I have just received another order in a totally squashed box where all of the blossoms had fallen from the fuchsia bushes to the bottom of the box. Once again I was told they would recover. I might agree with this but is this really the point? I bought the plants as a present and must I wait until next year before I give them? I was given a 30% discount which is great, but once again really not the point. I purchased plants expecting them to look as per the advertisement and for use this year. It would seem that Gardening Express expect customers to purchase from them but after transportation the plants will not be as advertised until they recover for the next year. I will not use them again as it might be more expensive to go to the local garden centre but at least you will know what you are getting.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“I had a magnolia delivered about 10/4/22, it looked dead but I planted it to give it a chance and went on holiday. It still has not sprouted . I spent about half an hour getting into my account, going round in circles getting a new password. The returns process is so convoluted, of course I didn’t keep the box or the label as I expected the plant to grow. I’m not going to pay for 2 more lots of postage . I shall just check this up to experience and never buy from this company again.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 21st May 2022

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“The pair of bare root standard roses that I ordered arrived at the start of April. No care instructions provided, but as I own a variety of roses I knew to rehydrate the roots and get them planted asap. They were planted on the day I received them in pots with good quality compost with added slow release rose food and mycorrhizal fungi. They have been kept moist and inspected regularly for signs of shooting. I contacted Gardening Express today to inform them that one of the roses is definitely dead as it has turned brown. The other is attempting to shoot, but is struggling. I have never had this issue with bare root roses that I have purchased from well know rose suppliers. I provided photographic evidence, but I was told that they will not offer a refund/replacement because I waited longer than 14 days to contact them. I am unsure how I would know within 14 days if bare root roses without foliage are going to establish?! Aparently these standard roses are not covered in their 5 year guarantee either. Be careful when ordering from this company and check the T&Cs. They will make you jump through hoops when attempting to get a refund! This will be the last order I place with Gardening Express.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 17th May 2022

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Posted 3 years ago

“Absolutely horrendous customer service. If you have a problem expect rude treatment with Ts & Cs copied and pasted again and again. If you do need to buy from here my one advice would be to read the small print, they won't let you cancel an order after 24 hours regardless of ANY scenario - including them not delivering it! Even if an order is not processed for up to 28 days (despite the website saying 3-5). Let us down on a charity makeover project with no compassion. Disgraceful.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“My order placed in May 4th still hasn't been dispatched (it is now May 17th) BUT they took my money anyway They refuse to cancel my order and mentioned that if I return it (if I get it someday!), I'll have to pay shipping costs.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“In January, I bought two multi coloured hibiscus trees. We are now halfway through May and one is full of green leaves and doing well while the other is just brown twigs. I contacted Gardening Express (through chat) who asked for a photo and so I sent one of the two trees side by side. They returned the photo with a circle around the stem which was below the grafting points and when I pointed this out they requested I return the tree. It is 5 months since delivery and so I no longer have a tree box to return it in and asked if they could send me one. "No" was the answer (they don’t send out boxes) and I was advised to go to my local hardware store and buy a box thin enough to take a tree but tall enough (around 5ft). I replied that my local hardware store does not stock boxes of that dimension so could I cut it up into small pieces so as to fit into a normal size box. I was told no because I would kill it but I said it was already dead also, I could not do a “bark” test above the grafts on twigs simply because I have tried and my camera will not focus on something so small and thin. They still would not have it so In the end I gave up and informed them that I will lose a tree but they will lose more when I put my review on as many review sites as possible and they were happy with that.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 16th May 2022

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“RECIVED 3 LARGE PLANTS,over 200.00pounds not as advertised not large specimens flimsy ,disgusting plants worth at most 15 pound each. Plants are not healthy and broken in transit ,roots fell away on inspection. Having read reviews which i should have done before i have been well and truly conned. I suffer from depression and can not go on route of endless emails trying to get money back and have excepted i have been sadly scammed. I will never buy from gardening express again and hope people are smarter than me and read reviews first. Why supply terrible plants at over inflated prices,no one will buy again from you,you would have return customers if you supplied good quality plants at reasonable prices.jacqueline taylor.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Purchased two compact standard Photinia trees order 601273860. When they arrived they didn't look anything like the photos on their website. There was some new growth appearing but after a few days this started dying. As it is impossible to phone or email them I contacted them through their truly dreadful unhelpful and rude online chat. I sent photos as requested but they weren't interested and just blamed me for not looking after them properly and said I was outside the 14 days for a refund but in fact I still had a day left. Their website states that if I'm not happy with my purchase I can receive a refund within 14 days but this is untrue. I have and will continue to warn people never to use such a dishonest and disreputable company as Gardening Express.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 9th May 2022

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Posted 3 years ago

“The plant I have received has nothing to do with the plant they advertised. The picture is fake and belongs to a different species of lilac. I have spoke to one of their advisors, Tia, and she was adamant that what I have received is the same as the picture on their website. She was anything but helpful and requested many many pictures like a child that doesn't take ownership of a mistake! It's not the first time I'm having issues with this company and same as now they were not helpful. I can understant they have made a mistake, probably, but so many mistakes with no one taking responsibility for them it's actually their bussiness style! They post very misleading/fake pictures!!! I will attach pictures of what I ordered and what I received so it can clearly be seen that there are 2 different plants. Even after I have sent them the pics with the obvious difference ( I was asked to take many pictures from different angles ) they still said that it's the same plant 🤔.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 8th May 2022

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Posted 3 years ago

“So very disappointed. I have tried to contact gardening express via chat line but it won’t work. Two plants look close to dead and are very tiny and have been tightly wrapped on top of two other plants that look like twigs and are likely broken. I haven’t unwrapped them yet because I’m in shock. This is not what anyone would expect for £49.00.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“My wife brought me a magnolia tree 12mths ago, what arrived was nothing more than a twig, potted it up and said we will give it time as it was late may and we had missed its first flowering, even brought in in over winter, hoping come spring we would see some signs of activity, nothing whatsoever, finally got through to them thinking we were covered with the guarantee, No !!! Your not covered but you can do a bark test, the test confirmed the twig or has the grand kids call it “GROOT” was dead as a Dodo, looks like it’s turning out to be a rather expensive TWIG. Won’t be using this company again AVOID!”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 6th May 2022

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Shocking. Plants (Bamboo, grass, rhubarb) were nothing like I expected. The black grass was a joke (4 strands) and bore no resemblance to what was promised in the photos. I wanted to return the lot but their customer service is so oblique and impenetrable that it would have taken me the whole day to sort, so I gave up (probably what their business model wants you to do).”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Ordered 6-7 ft honeysuckle for £67 inc delivery. Arrived today poorly packaged, closer to 5 ft than 6 ft, pot is damaged, clearly its received a heavy blow, and the few off shoots on the main stem have also been damaged. I now find that garden express cannot be contacted and clearly have no interest in their customers or their goods after dispatch. AVOID THIS COMPANY”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“terrible customer service. They were not interested with my problem as it after 14 of delivery.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Most of the stalks are dried, damaged, crushed because they are bound too tightly. A lot of leaves are rotten. Please consider your purchase. Product not as described. I do not recomend this comapny. The matter will be reported to Citizens Advice.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 2nd May 2022

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Posted 3 years ago

“The pictures tell the story. A picture of the advertised product and a picture of what I received.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 30th April 2022

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Posted 3 years ago

“worst company ever plants tuck three weeks and are dead no customer service”

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Posted 3 years ago

“Plant I received was dying!!!!!! I was told it will recover ,or could send back at my time and cost . DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY.!!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“I had Prunus Triloba ordered. The first was sent dead. It took them awhile to be convinced that it’s dead. Replacement came and it’s no better than the first one they sent. The attitude of the agent called Tia is appealing, disgusting. To her, the plant is alive or you can return it at your expense. Do not buy from this company. Appalling”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 26th April 2022

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Posted 3 years ago

“Awful company. I ordered a selection of 10 succulents thinking they were like the ones advertised so a good selection but I was very wrong. What I got was 3 different varieties thrown in a box loose that arrived very damaged. When I contacted them they told me if I want a refund I had to pay postage and send them back myself! They even told me just stick them in the ground and they will grow! Appalling”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 21st April 2022

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

Gardening Express is rated 1.2 based on 1,726 reviews