Gardening Express Reviews

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

1.2 Rating 1,790 Reviews

3 %

of reviewers recommend Gardening Express

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

1.2

Based on 1,790 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Courier
Average Delivery Time	Over A Month
On-time Delivery	Greater than 16%
Accurate And Undamaged Orders	Greater than 30%
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 2nd September 2025

Varese

Gardening Express 1 star review on 24th July 2025

Anonymous

Gardening Express 1 star review on 27th June 2025

Anonymous

635

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Rated 1 None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Arrived late - Lack of customer support - Products arrived and not like that those advertised, massive difference between those advertised and arrived,] Had to pay for delivery of those items to be retnred out of my own funds. Disgraceful. Avoid at all cost”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Very long delivery times, product not at all what was advertised. I really should have read all the bad reviews I guess.”

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Posted 4 years ago

“My tri colour hibiscus extra large. Arrived late and was a 3 feet tall dry twig in a box. Not the healthy 5.5 feet as described in the sales pitch. I guess I should have taken note of the many bad reviews before I purchased. It’s terrible value and I will not be using this company again. You are getting money for nothing. Shocking.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“This has to be the worst service I have ever received online. I ordered 4 plants and bulbs. 2 out of 4 items received a month later. Other 2 out of stock. Not delivered within 10 days max as mentioned. Now I can't even talk to anyone about this. I normally have the patience of a Saint. But they are very very infuriating. Very disappointed and wished I'd read the reviews first.”

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Posted 4 years ago

“Plants looked excellent- not cheap so foolishly assumed all well as time saved - some plants ok although when delivered very dry and in dark boxes. Two cherry bushes were just brown twigs - at £80 an expensive error - have tried in vain to get some answers but quiet - no number - no real means of contact. Will never buy online again and pay the extra at the local nursery - LESSON PAINFULLY LEARNT!”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I ordered some plants on 10 May. Today, on 15 May, I was thanked for my ‘patience’ since the plants have still not been dispatched. I have tried to get in touch but without success. Avoid. Gardening Express? Express? Really?”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Ordered a pair of cordyline plants and to say I paid practically £18 for them,they were so tiny and a few leaves,will never order again Another order for sago palm plants and they were expensive the leaves are turning brown already NEVER AGAIN”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Two patio roses I purchased are just sticks, my problem is trying to get in contact with them, seems an impossible task, this is a shame I placed a big order with them and it’s only those two that haven’t survived, they offer a five year guarantee which is great, but I think it will take five years to get a response from them.”

Gardening Express 1 star review on 14th May 2021

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“A few plants have died and I let it go but the Indian Bean tree was just a dry stick with what looked like insect destruction of the bark. Customer services have been appalling when you can actually get a hold of someone . They insist on you activating the 5 year guarantee. I told them I was activating my rights to a refund or replacement under the sale of goods act and the ended the chat! I do not recommend this company under any circumstances.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“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.”

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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

Gardening Express is rated 1.2 based on 1,790 reviews