Gardening Express Reviews

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

1.2 Rating 1,728 Reviews

3 %

of reviewers recommend Gardening Express

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

1.2

Based on 1,728 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 24th May 2025

Mrs Jill CROSS

Gardening Express 1 star review on 6th April 2025

Anonymous

Gardening Express 1 star review on 6th March 2025

Anonymous

Gardening Express 1 star review on 28th October 2024

Mark Ramsden

Gardening Express 1 star review on 2nd September 2024

Olga

628

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 cant understand how this company is still allowed to trade considering its bad reputation and appalling customer service. I ordered 5 Orchids from them and two patio pink roses in April of 2020 from them. The Orchids arrived a month late and the roses never did. I paid good money for my purchase and all I got were 5 sorry looking old Orchids and no Roses. I send them a number of emails and never got an answer. Another issue is that they take your money straight away rather than when dispatch your order which is something I never experience with the many companies I purchased from over the years. I definitely wouldn't buy from them ever again because they robbed me and didnt have the decency to answer my emails.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Bought a pair of Van Gogh Tuscan Totem Pole Cypress Trees - Cupressus sempervirens 175-200cms from Gardening Express last August. Not impressed. They arrived on time. But they were very spindly and thin compared to the online pictures. Planted them right away and Keir then watered and cared for since. They have never established over the spring and are slowly turning brown, all the frond ends are dying off. No problem I thought. Gardening Express offer a 5 year guarantee. Just send them back and get two free replacements. They say on the website... "If any of these plants should fail to establish within this period we will replace them free of charge," No! Apparently these are not covered by their 5 year guarantee as they don't have one of their code references. My fault I should read the fine print. Beware, if you think your bought plants are covered by their 5 year guarantee. They probably aren't. I've spent about £2000 with them last year which counts for nothing when it comes to customer service. Won't be buying from them ever again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“No place for a zero rating? I wish I had found this site before I ordered with them ! The purchase was complicated as the payment never came back with an acknowledgement or receipt for a few days. I ordered on 28 April and have had a response today informing me that my order is with the nursery men and will advise when there is another phase to the process. Dreading what the plants will be like. Not the best experience being unable to make contact with the company ? No phone or email to contact. Never again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I received a pair of flamingo trees in March one with no growth on it and told to give it time as they are not twins. Contacted them again today for third time and told it will flourish to give it time still like a twig. Told them stem alive but graft on top is dead. Not interested at all. Eventually told I could return at my own cost. Terrible company to deal with AVOID”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“If I could I would give 0 rating. Absolutely appalling service from this online ONLY gardening centre, do not order from them EVER. Ordered 3 plants, 1 plant was in very bad condition, nothing like the photo on their website, but still alive so they will not refund. The other was not in flower but was told to wait patiently, again not as advertised. and 3rd wasn't even delivered. Think hard before you order, they do not have a telephone number, only a chat function. You are asked to upload photos of your plant and perform a scratch test so they can prove the plant is alive and nothing wrong with it. I wish I could post our conversation, shocking.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 12th May 2021

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Misleading info as Q&A and product review stated that the plant would be circa 2 ft tall or 80-90cm. I received a 40cm twig that looked like a wish-bone. My wish is that they had a better customer care service, and they didn't fob me off with excuses via email. I was an avid customer in my previous home. This was my return to the company. Think this may also be the end. No offer of a replacement even though mis-selling Act applies in the advertising. Stopped answering my emails. Feel absolutely cheated and they accept no responsibility. Awful.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Don’t expect to get in touch with this company if you have an issue with your order.... no email or contact telephone number. Probably the worst customer service ever to exist.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“PLEASE DO NOT ORDER FROM GARDENING EXPRESS Ordered a Monster Deliciosa for our daughter’s birthday but it arrived damaged and diseased with black spots on leaves and several areas looked as though they had been scorched. Not good at all. We have sent Gardening Express a complaint with a video to prove the dreadful condition this plant arrived in. Also tried contact through their rubbish on-line chat which proved unsuccessful. The plant arrived without any prior notice, in fact, this company said they were running behind yet our daughter received it that very day. We had no details at all about delivery.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“DO NOT BUY FROM HERE!!! absolutely appalling - legalised scammers !!! I got a small tree and it arrived dead!!! No way of getting in contact with them via email to customer services and no number to ring them - done deliberately off course due to them not wanting you to get in touch- you can write but I won't waste my time writing g to them the old fashion way pen and paper !!! You wouldn't get anywhere anyway -they need shut down - as you can see by the picture I have tried ( god knows why) to get it back to life but sadly it's gone”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 11th May 2021

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I wish I'd read the other reviews. I am still waiting for a response from them and have written to Chris Bonnet. Very poor experience. Plants arrived on time and well packaged but they should never have left the nursery. Small semi-evergreen climbing hydrangea at £39.99, suffering from rust and mildew, all new shoots with dead and crumbling. Trying to coax it back but does not look hopeful and it may have spread to the Acer that was packaged with it. Appalling customer service. I'll stick to direct buying at the nursery in future. Expensive mistake. I would not be posting this if I had had some sort of reply from them.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 9th May 2021

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Absolutely do not order from this company. They tell you an average despatch time and it turns out that this means nothing! I was told 3 to 5 days. Meanwhile 14 days later I have chased them up and have been told that my order has not yet be prepared. I asked to cancel and have been told that “Unfortunately, we are only able to cancel orders within the first 24 hours of the order being placed. This is due to processing system which are orders are done through” Read the terms and conditions. It say “Subject to stock, all items should be received within 15 working days, but please allow up to 28 working days for delivery.” Which basically means you will get it when you will get it and we have your money which you can’t have back!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I ordered two sago palms for my friend 60th birthday they did not arrive. No money to buy my friend anything else. So i had to cancel what would of been a good night in the pub garden.for her birthday. Looks like very few got their orders. Trading standards on monday . And well worth taking it to the small claims court. My bank have refused to pay me back as well. No phone number ignoring all emails. While the Chief executive sits in his ivory towers living off peoples well earned cash.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Just about the worst on line company to deal with. Delivered a half dead plant costing £40. Note on it suggesting nurture it back to life???? Didn’t improve. Customer services suggested waiting until warm weather arrives ? The frost had already gotten to it wherever it came from. I sent photos of the plants deterioration but got nowhere. Refused a refund said it was still “alive”. So very disappointing as it was a Japanese fugi tree (13” in height? DONT BE DRAW. IN BY THEIR ADVERTISING!! Save your money. Less stress”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 6th May 2021

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Customer service is a joke! They do not reply to emails and then if you explore the chat facility they cut you off. That’s on top of sending out dead plants, or rather, pots of soil”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“The worst internet purchase experience ever. Ordered on 11 April , turned up 27th April reported in 28th and ignored. Plants sent were not as described a Spindle Tree was sent as a bush. A cherry Bush was Two Twigs. . Tried the “chat” facility should be called “sit & wait then get ignored” facility. I tried email next and no response to images sent. Do not forget that all internet purchases are covered by “Distance Selling Regulations” and you are entitled to a refund if not as described. I had to report it to my card provider to get my £116 back.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 4th May 2021

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Sill have not received my order and no one replies to any text I send”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I'll tell you what went wrong Gardening Express. The clematis were so minuscule I thought I'd been sent empty pots and palm plants were barely alive on arrival. Like other reviewers I thought I could wave a magic wand and try and revive them, but then I fell foul of their 14 day rule and was expected to pay the cost of returning them. Don't be lured in by their fancy website, plants and customer service are rubbish.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Absolutely appalling experience. Placed an order, my money was taken immediately but several weeks passed before my order actually arrived (all plants dead or mouldy & dying). Sent 3 emails to customer services - all of which were never responded to. The customer support line was even closed at one point so there was no way for customers to make contact, which I’ve never come across in all my years of online shopping! In the end my bank refunded me - would have lost £112 otherwise. Never ever again, incompetent, money grabbing and not a clue about customer service. This company doesn’t deserve to still be running. They even had the nerve to flag my honest and understanding negative review on TrustPilot. Please don’t risk losing your money to these thieves.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Half of my order was delivered and the rest "to follow". Have sent 2 emails but no response. Plants were rather small, would have passed them without looking had I seen them in a nursery. Will boycott them from now on. Not a way to run a business if they want customers to return, certainly I won't bother. They've got my money but I'm left with no plant.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Poor quality plants. Switched off support service on facebook and no reply to e-mails in spite of sending photos. One plant dead on arrival. Will never use again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

Gardening Express is rated 1.2 based on 1,728 reviews