My experience with Gardening Express

Bill404040

This is my experience with Gardening Express (GE), following a BBC programme I watched sometime in October last year. I believe it was either Rip Off Britain or Watchdog. In that programme, Gardening Express stated that they had “promised to review their systems”.

Unfortunately, my experience strongly suggests that they have not done so.

I purchased plants from Gardening Express in June 2024. When they arrived, they were already past their best. I contacted GE at the time and was told that the plants were fine, that I would need to wait until the following year to see the benefit, and that they were covered by a five-year guarantee.

I waited as advised. After a year, seven of the plants showed no signs of life at all. The remaining three showed some brief signs of growth, but these did not last.

After extensive correspondence with Gardening Express, they eventually stopped responding to my emails. As a result, I issued an Online Civil Money Claim.

Shortly after the claim was received, I was contacted by Kit from Customer Support at Gardening Express, who wrote:

“I am reaching out to request payment details in relation to the Small Claims Court Claim, Reference: 702MC044, so that payment can be made to settle this case…”

I replied promptly with all the requested bank details. Despite this, no payment was made.

A default judgment was then entered against Gardening Express. I subsequently applied for a Warrant of Control to recover the cost of the plants, court fees, and the warrant fee, totalling £195.99.

Gardening Express advertise that they hold 8,000 plants in stock. However, when the bailiff attempted to carry out the warrant, it was discovered that the address provided was a PO Box or virtual office, with no goods available to seize.

In my view, this company has shown a complete lack of integrity. They waste people’s time and money, make promises they do not keep, and appear to structure their business in a way that avoids enforcement of court judgments.

I am 78 years old and have just been released from hospital, with ongoing treatment. I could really do without the stress this situation has caused. £195.99 is a significant amount of money to me.

I informed Gardening Express that I will post this Trust Pilot and again they have ignored me.

Dustyevsky

Bill404040: I am 78 years old and have just been released from hospital, with ongoing treatment. I could really do without the stress this situation has caused. £195.99 is a significant amount of money to me.

I informed Gardening Express that I will post this Trust Pilot and again they have ignored me.

I am 77 years old, and I always seek reviews and other info before spending my cash with online businesses.

Of course GE will ignore you. They rely on people not doing the above. At least your report here will serve to warn others, but there are threads about them on MSE going back many years.

Farway

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81945621#Comment_81945621

Welcome Bill 404040

Sorry to hear of your GE experiences.

I can only second Dusty's response, I'm 82 BTW and in that time I've found the internet a magical place for looking up reviews on any suppliers I have not used before, and your review on here will add to the list if anyone cares to search for a GE review

I have also used Google Earth to look up addresses, you can go to street view and have a look at the wonderful premises of the firm advertising Magic beans

Unfortunately you are certainly not the first & I bet that many more will follow you this Easter weekend and the adverts in glossy supplement adverts

I can only suggest that you put it behind you, count your blessings and come back here to talk about all things gardening, and other "stuff" as we do tend to ramble at times

Starcrest

Hi Bill,

It appears that your bailiffs went to the wrong address - in which case you should be able to require them to make a second visit to correct their error.

I investigated their address last year, after I too was defrauded by Gardening Express. Their registered office is at 1386 London Road, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh on Sea. Google Streetview shows number 1386 as belonging to The Estuary Club Ltd. When I phoned them, they told me they rent out an upstairs room to Gardening Express's Accountant. He is Francis James, tel. 01702-411311. When I rang that number, a woman confirmed that this is the correct correspondence address to use, and that they pass on any letters to Gardening Express within a few days.

That address is where you, or a Court, should serve any legal papers. But obviously it isn't the actual nursery from which the company operates. Your bailiffs should have realised that.

By entering "Gardening Express" on the Royal Mail's postcode finder website, you get a physical address of Mashbury Road, Chelmsford, CM1 4UA. If you enter that address on Google Streetview, it shows an unmarked farmyard entrance with cars parked nearby, and a large barn and extensive fields of plants visible. That address is where the bailiffs should have visited to seize goods.

Starcrest

I should also have said that if you don't want all this hassle, you may be able to get a full refund by contacting your bank, explaining that you have a judgement against the company, and asking them to do a chargeback. I recently made this kind of request to Barclays fraud team, and they were very helpful and understanding.