Contact Us/FAQ

 

We have used the real experiences of our own customers to ensure that the answers to most of your questions can be found below. We recommend that you read through these before you contact us, as in most instances, your question will have been asked by someone else previously and be included below.
 
I'm new, How do I order?
Welcome to Gardening Express, the home of great value plants & gardening accessories. All the items you see are available to buy online. Simply click on the item you wish to buy and click 'add to basket'. You can then adjust the quantity required, go back and add additional items to your basket or 'proceed to checkout'.

 

Please note you will need your credit, debit or charge card details, including the billing address (the address to where the card bills and statements are sent).
 
Do you have a catalogue?
No, Gardening Express does not print a catalogue. New products are added to the site daily, so you need to visit the GardeningExpress.co.uk site regularly to keep up-dated with all the latest plants & products.
 
Do you have a Shop?
No, we do not have a shop, we are a UK based Internet Retailer. We do will however deliver to most countries in the future as we roll out international sites.
 
Can I Contact you by Phone?
We prefer you to contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket - this enables us to respond to all your queries quickly and efficiently. Please ensure that your order number is included in all correspondence. Corresponding via this method has a lower cost to us than a call centre, and we have built this lower cost into our prices passing the savings on to you. Please note that in surveys, our customers have overwhelmingly and consistently said they wanted cheaper prices over anything else.
 
Do you do wholesale?
Yes we do, as well as selling directly to our end customers, we can also provide wholesale services to customers buying 10+ units of one product and spending over £1000 per invoice. Please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket for further details.
 
Corporate Enquiries

For all corporate/shareholder enquiries please refer to our investor relations page

Press And Media Relations, Affiliate Schemes and On-Line Partners, General Marketing - Please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket, our customer care team will then pass you the appropriate email address.
 
Will you be getting any more in?
Unfortunately some items will be out of stock or be removed from the site altogether if discontinued. Please be advised that our Customer Care team cannot tell you when a product will be back in stock. Tip ? We often take repeat deliveries of popular products, or often we will leave them on the site to be reserved for the following season. We would advise you to keep checking the site to see if your desired item becomes available again, or in the case of special plants, order in advance to enable stock to be reserved for you and enable us to send it as soon as it is available once more. You will find the general delivery periods stated throughout the site, although these are of course subject to stock and seasonal availability/weather.

I need more information about a product
We include as much information as possible about a product on the product page itself. Usually, more detailed information like product sizing and materials can be found towards the bottom of the page. If you need more detailed information, please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket quoting the product code, which can be found on the product page.

I saw this item in an advert but cannot find it on your site
This means that the product is temporarily out of stock or has been discontinued. Tip - We often take repeat deliveries of popular products, or have more growing on in the nursery. We would advise you to keep checking the site to see if your desired item becomes available again.
 
I saw this item in a magazine, Can you find it for me?
We now provide a 'request service' for plants and products you are looking for and can't find anywhere else. For just £5 we will scour nurseries throughout the UK, Europe & beyond for any garden plant or product you are looking for, and if we can't find it we'll refund you. Once we have received your request we will get straight to work, and let you know if we can supply you, the price and time we'll be able to deliver. If we can't supply you directly, we'll send you a list of alternative suppliers, who should be able to help you. Any product we source will of course be of the highest standards, and as always covered by our price promise. Please note: this service will go live in the future, keep an eye on our site for it.
 
The product I ordered is now reduced. Can you refund me the difference?
It's rare for our prices to be reduced, we keep all our plants and products at great value prices all year round, and constantly monitor our competitors. The only time you'll find a price reduced is if one of these starts a price war, then I promise you, we will not be beaten! Unfortunately, we cannot advise you in advance of a reduced product or reimburse you the difference after you have placed an order.
 
Can you tell me where else I can buy this product?
Please be advised that our Customer Care team cannot tell you where else our products can be purchased.
 
What cards do you accept?
We accept the following major Credit Cards:
Visa
Mastercard
Switch
Solo
Amex

Visa Electron
Delta
 
What currency do you use?
We accept the following currencies:

UK Pound Sterling (GBP)

On international Sites: (coming soon)
US Dollar (USD)
Euro (EUR)
 
Can I pay by any other method?
We only accept payment by Credit Card, Charge Card or Debit card on the Internet. Please note we DO NOT accept the following payment methods:
Payment on Delivery
Email
Instalments
Splashplastic
Cheque
Bank Transfer
Postal Order
PayPal
Laser Card

How do I change currency?
To change currency simply click on the flag of the country whose currency you would like to view the site in, which can be found at the top right of every page. Please note this feature is not yet live and is coming soon.

Is it safe to order online?
We utilise industry-standard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to allow for the encryption of potentially sensitive information such as your name, address and other critically sensitive information like your credit card details. Information passed between your computer and our Web site cannot be read in the event someone else intercepts it. This technology includes the following features:
Authentification - this assures your browser that your data is being sent to the correct computer server, and that the server is secure
Encryption - this encodes the data, so that it cannot be read by anyone other than the secure server
Data Integrity - this checks the data being transferred to ensure it has not been altered.

In the unlikely event that your card is used fraudulently, your bank or card issuer cannot hold you liable for more than £50.00 of fraudulent charges. In the unlikely incidence of unauthorised use of your card you must report the incident immediately to your credit card provider in order to qualify for security protection.
 
Do I have to order online?
Ordering over the internet with Gardening Express is the safest and most secure method of paying and therefore we prefer orders to be placed online, however, orders can also be placed by calling our telephone order line.

When Will I be Charged?
When you reach the final billing page and Submit Your Order,  our automated systems will immediately contact your bank/card issuer for authorisation to take payment from your account.

 

If the payment is authorised, you will receive an e-mail within a few minutes confirming your order, and payment will be taken from your account shortly afterwards. It is important to register a valid email address when ordering to receive this confirmation.

 

If payment is authorised but we have a query with your order, an e-mail will be sent to you to advise you of the nature of the query. If we are unable to resolve the query for any reason and cannot dispatch your order, a full refund will be issued back to your card.

 

If the payment is not authorised by your bank or card issuer, you will receive an e-mail within a few minutes advising you of the reason why. (Please note some issuing banks may still reserve your funds for a period of time).
 
Can I pick up my order from your nursery/ warehouse?
Unfortunately it is not possible to pick up orders from our nursery/warehouse. However, for special, trade or larger orders (over £1000), we may be able to arrange an appointment for you to collect your stock.
 
How long will it take for my order to arrive?

Normal Delivery Times for Mainland UK
 
Standard Delivery - 3-5 working days for all items in stock/season but please allow up to 10-15 working days. Please check our guarantee page for current delivery times which is updated with this information regularly, as this above estimate can vary. If the order does not arrive in this time it can be considered that items are out of stock/out of season, these will be delivered as soon as possible when fresh stocks arrive or at the best seasonal planting time. Please be advised that our staff are unable to tell you exact dates that items will be back in stock/season, as plants are living items, and this will depend on many variables such as weather.

Or

Next Working Day - Please call 08000 33 61 61 10am to 3pm, our team will be able to advise if this is possible for the items you require. There is an additional charge of £14.95 for this service.

Can I specify a delivery slot?

We can not guarantee a delivery slot, however, if this is requested, we will send your order wherever possible, on a courier in good faith for delivery in that time frame.

Do you deliver to my country?
We deliver to all countries whose flags appear at the top right of every page (please note, this feature is not yet available), orders for delivery to these countries should be placed via the designated countries website, not all products are available to all countries. Please note, we are unable to deliver to your country if it is not listed. Please note: International sites will go live in the future, at present we are only able to supply the mainland UK.
 
Important: Any customs or import duties are levied once the package reaches its destination country. Additional charges for customs clearance must be borne by the recipient. We have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they may be. Customs policies vary widely from country to country; you may want to contact your local customs office for further information.

Do I have to pay import charges?
Any customs or import duties are levied once the package reaches its destination country. Additional charges for customs clearance must be borne by the recipient. We have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they may be. Customs policies vary widely from country to country; you may want to contact your local customs office for further information.
 
Can you leave the delivery at an agreed hiding place?
Yes, Delivery can be made to the address supplied when placing the order, and although this usually requires a signature on receipt, the parcels can be left in an agreed location. However, if you choose this option, we cannot be held liable for the goods and their condition once left in this location, and they are left entirely at your own risk.
 
Can someone else sign for my delivery?
Yes, anyone at the specified delivery address can sign for the goods.
 
I'm having problems using your site
 
My user id/password is not recognised
Maybe you registered with another id or password? It is often the case that people forget what they used to register with us. You must use the exact user id and password combination with which you first registered in order to log back in to the site.  If these are not successful or you have password related problems please contact 08000 33 61 61 with your query.

I'm having trouble with my basket
Certain customers are having a problem whereby they place an item in their shopping basket, browse the website further and place another item in their basket, but when they return to their basket the first item has disappeared.

If this is happening to you, it may be because you are using the 'back' button on your browser, rather than the links in the website itself. Please try again using the 'continue shopping' button on the basket page and then only click on links within the website. Do not use your 'back' button, or any other button on your browser if you can help it.

 

We use cookies to remember who you are, please make sure that you can accept cookies from us.

If these problems persist please contact our Customer Care team by logging into your account and raising a support ticket.

I am told that my card has expired, even though the expiry date is in the future
This problem occurs when the date set on your own PC is wrong. Please check the date is correct (double click on the time at the bottom right of your screen) and then try placing your order again.

Other Technical Problems
Before contacting us we recommend that you update your PC using the Windows Update tool.

If problems persist, please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket

 

To help us look into your problem please try to include in your email as many of the following details as possible:

Your Operating System (e.g. Windows XP, Mac OS 9.0)
Internet Browser (Internet Explorer 6, Netscape 7.02)
What URL you were trying to access (e.g. http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/LoginRegister.asp)
What time the problem occurred

Please cut and paste into the message any error message that appeared on the screen
 
I have just placed my order...
 
Can I change my order?
This will depend on the status of your order. Please check Order Tracking to find out the status of your order.

If your order status is 'Awaiting Dispatch' then it may be possible to amend it.

Please note that we can only change certain options the products may be available in, cancel items from your order or cancel your entire order.

 

Unfortunately it is not possible for us to add items to your order or to upgrade your order from Standard Delivery to Next Working Day Delivery. To change your order please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket with your Order Number and include details of the amendment(s) required.

 

Customer Care will then reply to to either confirm that the amendment has been processed, or to advise if it has not been possible to amend the order for any reason.

If your order status is 'Despatched' or any other stage, no order amendments are possible. You will need to return the order to us under our standard return procedure. Please be aware that if you refuse the delivery because you have changed your mind, we will have to deduct 25% of the order value from any refund due to cover the cost of return carriage.
 
Can I cancel my order?
Under the United Kingdom's Distance Selling Regulations you have the right to cancel your order for any item purchased from Gardening Express, for a full refund. This does not apply to items that cannot be returned for shelf life reasons (These items are clearly marked with a '+' next to the product name), and those that have been unsealed. Order cancellations must be made in writing, quoting your order number, within 7 days of delivery of your item(s), and can be sent by post to the address below. Once you have cancelled your order, the goods should be returned to the same address, in their original condition, within 14 days of receipt. The item is your responsibility until it reaches us. For your own protection, we recommend that you send the parcel using a delivery service that insures you for the value of the goods.

 

Gardening Express RETURNS
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 4UA
 
If you wish to cancel an order prior to despatch, we request that this is done in writing through the post for security reasons. We will then confirm this upon it's receipt.

 

I'm not going to be in when you deliver my parcel. What will happen?
The carrier will leave you a card informing you that delivery has been attempted. On this card will be instructions on how to obtain your parcel.
 
I need to change the delivery address of my order
This will depend on the status of your order. Please check Order Tracking to find out the status of your order.

If your order status is 'Awaiting Dispatch' then it may be possible to amend it.
To change your delivery address please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket with your Order Number and include details of the amendment(s) required. Customer Care will then reply to your message to either confirm that the amendment has been processed, or to advise if it has not been possible to amend the order for any reason.

If your order status is 'Despatched' or any other stage, no order amendments are possible. You will need to return the order to us.
 
My order is a gift for someone. Can I add a message to it?
Yes, please include this information (max. 60 characters) in the Additional Information section of our checkout. If you are ordering for delivery to an address other than the billing address, as is often the case with gifts, the invoice will not be sent with the order, so if it is a gift the recipient will not see how much was spent on the order.
 
Tracking Your Order
 
Can I track my order?
You can track your orders on-line by logging into your account. This page displays your order history as well as the status of any open orders.

 

Orders can also be tracked in more detail directly from the courier's website, of which details will appear in your account. Please remember that if you have a query relating to any information held on the courier's website you must contact them directly.
 
I have received my order...

I need to return an item

If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, simply return the item or items to us in their original condition within 14 days of receipt. We will issue a full refund on receipt, or exchange the item if preferred.

 

Please note:
If you require a different product (rather than a straight swap out of the same product) you will need to place a new order online and return the original item for a refund.

Some products are non-returnable as they have a limited shelf life. These products are clearly marked with a '+' next to the product name. The item is your responsibility until it reaches us.

For more details, including the returns address, please refer to our Returns Policy
 
Faulty or wrong item
If the item you received is faulty (excludes plants), please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket quoting your order number, your name and address, details of the product and the reason for return, and whether you require a refund or a replacement. We will then advise on how to proceed with the return.
 
How long will it take to refund me?
Before contacting us please take note of the timescales required to process a refund:
Please allow 3-5 working days from receipt of a return for us process a refund.
Once a refund is processed you will receive an email confirming this (the email will be sent to the same email address as your Order Confirmation email was sent - it is important that you register accurate information on your account).

After receiving the return confirmation email, please allow a further 10 working days for the refund to be credited to your account. This time frame is dictated by your bank or card issuer and is outside of our control. (N.B Your refund will be credited to the same card with which you made your original purchase. If for any reason this is not possible, (i.e. the card had been declined or has expired) we will send a cheque to your billing address within 10 Working Days).

When will I receive my replacement?
Before contacting us please take note of the timescales required to process an exchange:
Please allow 3-5 working days from receipt of a return for us process an exchange.
Once the exchange has been processed please allow the following additional days for delivery of your replacement item:
 - UK - Up to 5 Working Days
 - European Union - Up to 10 Working Days
 - Rest of World - Up to 15 Working Days
Please be aware that these times are an estimate and subject to seasonal stock avilability.
 
My order is marked as despatched in my account but has not arrived
In the unlikely event that your goods do not arrive after they have been despatched from us, please inform us within 5 working days after the despatch e-mail has been received. We will reship your order, or issue you with a credit note if stock levels have fallen. The credit note will total the full value of the goods not received, including shipping. Please note that refunds will not be made for goods shipped and not received, only Credit notes will be issued - this is for your and our protection to reduce instances of consumer fraud. It is your responsibility to correctly enter your e-mail address so the relevant emails from us can be received.
 
Part of my order is missing
Regrettably mistakes can occasionally happen. If you have received you order and an item is missing, please firstly check your order status, and cross reference the items delivered, with those marked as despatched. Remember, items ordered out of season, will follow when they are next available. If items indicated as despatched are not present, please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket quoting your order number and the missing item(s) and they will investigate the matter further. Please bear in mind that order may be delivered in several parcels, and these can get separated in transit, only to be delivered a day or two later than the other items.

 

Do I have to pay for return postage?
If you are returning an item to us for a refund or an exchange then the cost of returning the item to us is your responsibility.

Please note, the item is your responsibility until it reaches us. For your own protection, we recommend that you send the parcel using a delivery service that insures you for the value of the goods.

If the item you received is faulty or is not what you originally ordered, please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket quoting your order number, your name and address, details of the product. We will then advise on how to proceed with the return.

 

Why have you not refunded the delivery charge?
Delivery charges that we make are non-refundable unless:
You have received a wrong or faulty item from us
You send back the entire order
 
You have refunded me the wrong amount
Regrettably mistakes can occasionally happen. If you think you have been refunded the wrong amount please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket, quoting your order number and the required refund amount.

Please note:
Delivery charges are non refundable (unless you have received a wrong or faulty item from us or you send back the entire order) so you will be refunded the full value of the items returned less the delivery charge.

If a discount was applied to your original order, the amount refunded will be adjusted to allow for the revised order value and appropriate discount level.

If you still cannot find the answer to your question please contact us by logging into your account and raising a support ticket.
 

Contact Us
 
The best way to contact us is via logging into your account and raising a support ticket. It is our aim to respond to all messages within 3 working days, Monday - Friday.
 
For anything to do with your order, please contact our customer service team and ensure you include your order number with your enquiry.
 
For anything concerning the website, and general feedback on any aspect of Gardening Express' operations, again, a support ticket should be raised.
 
It is always possible to email our founder Chris Bonnett's office on any matter of importance to you through the same support system.
 
Click here if you need to raise a support ticket

 

Our full address and contact details are:

Gardening Express
Chelmsford
CM1 4UA

Customer Services/General Enquiries: 08000 33 61 61
Lines open Monday-Friday 9:30am - 4:00pm

Please note we do not offer a message and call back service out of hours.